Holier Than Thou

[Emora Deen]

Tenele frowned, sitting more comfortably on the floor. She rested her chin on her good palm. "I don't know," she sighed. "What I always do? I give in? Drop it? It beats arguing with him. He doesn't listen to me anyway." It hurt her heart to admit it, but when was the last time Vlad had ever really listened to her or respected a request?

She couldn't think of one at the moment.

"Don't most wives make their husband's sleep on the couch?" she asked with a chuckle. "We don't have a couch, and I don't like sleeping alone anymore..."

[Soran Nightblade]

"I doubt a couch will be necessary. Creating me has already sent a far more forceful message than that," the man observed. He stretched out on his side on the carpet next to her, propping his head up on one arm. "Vlad strikes me as a very direct person. There is merit in that. Were you not just resentful of the fact that Atul has been evasive all week? But very direct personalities have their faults as well. While Atul may be carefully plotting something neither of you understand, Vlad is more inclined to observe a situation and act immediately. It is no wonder the situation has come to such an extreme. They are an excellent match of styles, but a hectic one."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele sighed. She chose to lie down on the floor next to him, but on her back to stair up at the ceiling. "Yes, I suppose he is very direct. But, when I try to be direct with him he deflects it, or turns it on me. So, I don't know how to hold an argument with him. It is tiring to try. But, I tend to run from confrontation like I'm on fire, so we never really get anything done. In fact, we each have our own way of making it worst." She smirked. "And yet, we seem to make it better too. I was upset with Atul for not speaking to us, but I was more upset at myself. I thought that maybe we had pressured him into it and that he might have regretted what he did with us. I don't do that sort of thing, ever. Vlad is the only man I've ever been with like that and I started second guessing myself very quickly."

[Soran Nightblade]

He listened to her intently, considering her words. "It seems a poor choice of timing to break contact with you after such an...intimate experience. It may be that he is just as uneasy about his separation. You may want to try to discuss it with him properly when you are both less riled."

He reached out a hand to push a lock of hair out of her face.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele stilled when his hand brushed over her to remove the hair from her face. But, she wasn't fearful of his touch, not like she'd been when they first met. In fact, she enjoyed lying on the floor talking with him. And after all, it was her husband in there too. "Thank you," she said, taking his hand and pressing it to her cheek. "You are very good at listening."

"There are so many questions I wanted to ask you... Like if they are conscious of everything inside you. Do they remember what happens when they are you? Do you love me because my husband loves me? What... do you feel?" She sat up slowly to hover over him, taking his hand and placing it on his chest. She admired the glow around his finger where Vlad's ring would have been.

[Soran Nightblade]

His unmatched eyes glowed softly as she spoke to him. Her attention meant a great deal to him, even if they hadn't quite figured one another out. "Those two will not remember this conversation. They will not remember much of anything. Maintaining this form requires their focus, and there is little left for anything else. You might say their minds are entranced at the moment. On the other hand, I am free to focus, and so I know all that they know."

"As for love,..."

"VLADIMIR!" Sinead's voice boomed in the stairwell. A harsh knock came at the door. "You had better have an explanation for this! You have three seconds before I come in there!"

[Emora Deen]

"One moment, my Queen. He'll be ready in a moment." Tenele clenched her eyes shut. "No, I wanted more time with you..." She bent forward and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead. She knew this would hurt him. "Forgive me.... Sagra ne eiro."

[Soran Nightblade]

He gasped and wrenched onto his side, shuddering as the spell dismantled him. In a flash, his body was gone.

Vlad materialized near the door at the edge of the room and immediately dropped to the floor. Atul was nowhere to be seen. "Guh," the vampire groaned, raising himself shakily. He got his knees under him, leaning heavily forward on his hands. He was dressed as he had been before.

Another heavy knock sounded at the door, and then it burst open. "Vladimir!" Sinead growled at him. "What in hell have you done?"

The dead king raised a barely-focused gaze at his ruler and slowly seemed to grasp what was happening. "It will take time to explain," he rasped.

"Then do it in the dungeon. Now," she ordered, her brow raising at his physical state.

[Emora Deen]

"No," Tenele told Sinead firmly, standing up and stepping in front of her husband. "Whatever you think happened, it was my fault. I did this. Vlad had no choice in the matter. If you want to punish someone, you can send me to the dungeons."

[Soran Nightblade]

Sinead's eyes narrowed on Tenele. "This is no time to defy me, Tenele. Allowing Vlad to leave his leash as he pleases is tantamount to treason. Choose your words wisely, because if you claim any part in this, I'll have you dealt with the same as Vlad."

"Sinead, no," Vlad climbed to his feet.

"You will address me respectfully!" Sinead whirled on him and threw an arm out. A burst of magic hurled him to his back on the floor. He froze, lying submissively still while Sinead's glare burned into him.

"My Queen," he said in a low snarl, "If you harm my wife, this will be the last day I willingly serve your court."

[Emora Deen]

"I claim part in it," Tenele told her strongly, standing her ground. "What happened is my fault, I made him do it. My actions brought this." Tenele didn't fear what Sinead may do to her. She couldn't stand for Vlad to be treated like property, and she would gladly share his punishment. Even without his limiter in Verin's realm he had thought only of trying to stay who he was, to be who he was normally with his limiter. "If you consider what he did treason, then I was the instigator in it."

[Soran Nightblade]

"Explain," Sinead demanded, not letting Vlad up from the floor.

[Emora Deen]

"Vlad and Atul merged their spiritual energy through a spell that is enacted when I speak three words," Tenele told her, feigning a look at her husband. "They become a being strong enough to fight Verin. They did it because I needed them too, and I'm the one that controls their change. Vlad broke your oath because I forced him. If you are looking for someone to blame, it is me."

[Soran Nightblade]

Sinead sank back a step. "You merged them?" You could almost see her register the prospect of a creature more powerful than Vlad was already. "How could do such a thing without discussing it with me? What could possibly have possessed you to try to take on Verin?"

[Emora Deen]

Tenele blanched. "Because he hurt me. He wants to hurt me. Verin want's to drag me to his realm, chain me to his bed, and never let me leave," Tenele whispered fiercely. She wasn't sure if that was what Verin wanted, but that was what he seemed to be hinting towards, and it seemed to be the most potent words to get her point across.