The Princess and the Blade

[Emora Deen]

Tenara couldn't focus on him. She closed her eyes because trying to focus made her want to vomit. "Hmm..." she hummed, thinking. Colonel hopped onto the chase and purred, rubbing his body into her. "You can lift me," she said, and almost nodded but the second she tried a bolt of pain rattled through her head and she winced. "I'm sorry," she said, the words tumbling out of her and it was impossible to tell if she was apologizing for needing to be carried, or for her weakness, or for last night. She wasn't certain herself.

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi had to hold back the sudden urge to throw something sharp at Laurius. "Shh. It will be okay," he whispered. Ren passed him her coat without being asked, and Havi wrapped her well before lifting her bundled form up against him. He maintained an uncannily smooth gait as he carried her to the door, which Laurius had waited and held for them. He didn't even extend him so much as a glance as he passed the man. Tenara was like this because he'd pushed her, and Havi wasn't going to let it happen again.

"The tools, my room, tonight," he said in a hushed tone to Ren as he passed him.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara curled into Havi's chest as he carried her across the snowy garden and into the house. Laurius gave orders for a few maids to come up to the room, and she didn't protest as they helped her out of her bloody clothes and into a warm gown. She felt half in the world and half somewhere, and everytime she turned her head, even slightly, it all seemed to swirl to nothingness.

Blood or pain, that seemed to be the payment for bringing Havi into the world. He didn't like it. She didn't like feeling it. But she would gladly pay it every time to have him.

"Just needs a bit of rest," Merry said as she pulled the covers up over Tenara's shoulders. "A big breakfast tomorrow will help. Bacon and eggs and some waffles. I'll work it all up." She patted Havitharon's arm as she headed for the door.

[Soran Nightblade]

As soon as Merry returned her to the room, Havi hovered close beside her bed. He watched over her sleep, his expression serious as a heart attack. "Thanks, Merry," he said to the maid. "For everything today."

It was several hours later when he heard a creak on the floorboards outside the room. A minute later, there was a small, tight knock, and then Artisuren stuck his head in.

Havi straightened from his vigil over Tenara. "Did you get it?"

Ren looked uncomfortable. "Yeah, but-"

"Good, let's go."

"Don't 'let's go' me. I got your tools, the rest is your problem."

"I need you to do it."

"Not a chance. This is your stupid idea; cut it your damned self."

Havi crossed his arms and looked at him like he'd never heard a dumber idea. "No. I'll pass out before I get through," he snapped matter-of-factly.

"Have your Yurivis do it."

"She's done enough today."

Artisuren looked at Tenara's unconscious form, and his irritated look softened slightly. Thvoros wasn't wrong. She'd done enough. "Did she give you permission?"

"Don't need it."

Ren sighed, shaking out his arms like he was trying to knock away spiders. "Don't regret it later." Thvoros just looked at him impatiently. "Fine, let's get it over with."

"I'll be back in a minute," Havi said softly to Tenara. He set aside the part of him that was screaming for him to wait. If he allowed himself to hesitate even a moment, the emotions would take over. He stood with a businesslike gait and followed the other Ivis out the door.

[Emora Deen]

Laurius looked his notes over, rubbing his brow. He jotted down a few last thoughts, mostly timings between Tenara's reaction to bringing Havi into the world and the effects it had on her. He didn't know enough about magic to know what was causing it, but he had a hunch it could be the damaged soul stones overdrawing the power to compensate for their failings. The only way to really test the theory would be to replace the stones and repeat. He'd make the appointment with sorcerer tomorrow...

[Soran Nightblade]

A polite knock came at Laurius's door around 1 AM. Outside, Artisuren listened closely for a response. There was light beneath the door, which meant he might still be awake.

[Emora Deen]

Laurius bolted up in his chair at the knock. It had sounded louder in his half-asleep ears. He blinked blearily and stumbled up from his chair, drawing the door open. “Ren?” he asked, pulling the door wider as he swiped a hand over his face. He’d been making notes, and then just… nodded off. A smudge of ink painted across his brow. He moved aside for Ren to enter if he wished. He had told him to come when he liked, after all.

[Soran Nightblade]

Relief washed over Ren's expression as the door opened. He walked in quickly, like the chance might be withdrawn, and turned to get a better look at his master. "You've been working?" he asked curiously, tempted to touch the ink smudge on his forehead.

Ren's own face was paler than usual. He stood with his hands clenched tightly at his sides, and there were dark stains on his shirt.

[Emora Deen]

Laurius looked him over. “A little. Just notes. Have you been working?” He nodded to the stains on Ren’s clothes. They looked like ink, dark gray or black.

[Soran Nightblade]

Ren looked down at himself blankly. His hands shook at his sides. "I was with Thvoros," he said, and shook his head like he was trying to unsee a nightmare. "That guy's got more than one screw loose. I don't know what he'll do when he wakes up, so I left." He opened his shaking hand for Laurius to see. The sharp tip of a black horn, about two inches long, rested like lead in his palm.

[Emora Deen]

Laurius took the piece of horn in his hand. It felt slick, and the same black liquid stained Ren’s gray palm.

“He… But we have no data! We don’t even know for sure it will work. It’s a hunch,” Laurius said, flabbergasted that someone would make such a rash decision without proof or at least a bit of evidence it might work. “Does he need a doctor?” His frowned deepened. “Does Tenara know?”

[Soran Nightblade]

Ren flinched, shaking harder now. "He said if I didn't do it, he would cut it himself, and he looked like he was really going to try... so I...." He shut his eyes. "Unless the noise woke her up, I think the princess is asleep. Thvoros was going on about needing to get back to her." The fear he'd been suppressing surged up and burned at his eyes. "He told me up front that he'll be dangerous afterwards, and that I should get out as soon as it was done. I scalded the marrow with soot from the fire to reduce the bleeding, and then I came here."

[Emora Deen]

He lifted his gaze from the bloody object in his hand, sweeping it over Ren, finally seeing how he shook. “You… Come sit.” He took his hand, pulling him further into the room and closing the door behind him. He moved the man to a chair near the fire.

Laurius disappeared before returning with a bowl of water and a rag, sitting near Ren. He placed the horn on the table between them, and began wiping the black blood off his hands.

“He should not have done this but most of all he should not have asked you to do it,” he said, coldness lacing his voice.

When he’s wiped his hands he pulled the man’s shirt away and tossed it into the fire. There was no salvaging it.

“Should we lock him in his room? How dangerous are we talking?”

[Soran Nightblade]

Ren shook his head slowly, remembering the way Havi's eyes had looked as he began to cut through... wild pools of drowning black. "He managed not to kill me, even though I was hurting him. I don't think he'd knowingly attack someone who's not involved, but he could be disoriented at first."

[Emora Deen]

Laurius nodded slowly, looking into the fire. “We’ll tread carefully tomorrow…” he said. He couldn’t shake the queasy feeling in his belly. The man had severed a limb… How painful had it been? Enough to leave this shell-shocked look on Ren. “We’ll settle it in the morning.” He pulled Ren up from his seat and guided him into Laurius’s bed. He climbed in with him, hesitantly pulling the man close and curling an arm over him. He usually didn’t have people stay in his bed, but Ren wasn’t just anyone and… he needed to company.

—

Tenara woke sometime before dawn. The sun had yet to rise but the sky had lightened to a gray-blue. She sat up slowly, looking around the dark space for Havitharon.

She had expected to find him nearby. He rarely stayed more than one night away from her and he never left her alone when she is as ill. Was he really that upset? She had thought…

His gentle touch when her magic’s toll had levied fooled her into thinking they would be alright.

Her stomach grumbled angrily. Not only had she eaten very little yesterday, she had skipped dinner. It ached all the way to her spine. She slipped out of bed, going to her still-ruined door and peeking out into the hall.

She was going to head down to the kitchen to grab something to eat but her feet led her to Havi’s door instead. She hesitated, hand reaching for the nob. The door clicked open and creaked as she peaked in. The room was dark. The curtains pulled. She bit her lip and slipped inside.