Holier Than Thou

[Emora Deen]

Tenele paced back and forth nervously in the room with her arms wrapped around her abdomen. She felt sick for telling Sinead that, but she hadn't lied. Tenele was afraid, and she was more afraid of what Verin would do to her than what Sinead would. So, she continued her pacing, wondering what punishment she'd endure for disobeying her Queen, and her surrogate mother.

[Soran Nightblade]

The being turned back to the closed door and pushed it open to re-enter Vlad and Tenele's chambers. "Interesting woman," he said. "As are you. I did not expect to be summoned again quite so quickly."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele halted her pacing and turned to face him, shocked not to see Sinead behind him. "I didn't know what to do, she wanted to meet you. I'm sorry for making you go back and forth." Tenele went to him, unsure whether it was the fact he was half her husband or not, but she had the urge to be close to him. "What did she say? Is she angry with me?"

[Soran Nightblade]

"She went her own way," he said, pushing his hair back out of his face. "I suspect it is not easy for her to accept a thing like this."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele nodded. "I suppose not." She rubbed her arm idly, standing in awkward silence with him. "So..." Tenele wasn't quite sure what to do with him. She could send him back, but that made her feel like she was using him. Much like he was a thing to be there at her beck and call and she didn't want him to come to resent her.

"I should get Atul back to his meetings..." Tenele muttered, shaking her head. "But, it doesn't seem right to just use you and send you back so quickly."

[Soran Nightblade]

He paused in the middle of taking a step toward her, studying her quietly instead. "I will go," he said, not exactly sounding happy about it. "However, the next time you summon me, I'd like it if you would call me by name."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele blinked at him, able to hear lack of desire to leave in his voice. It made her feel worst. "Name?" she murmured, stepping in a circle around him. She put a finger to her chin, tapping it for a minute before she finally paused to stand right before him. "I will name you if you tell me why you love me. If you are Vlad and Atul and neither, why do you care for me?"

[Soran Nightblade]

His unmatched eyes met hers. "I am what I am. Though I may not have done so directly, I have known you as long as Vlad or Atul. I have known your kindness and strength, and your moments of fear or weakness.

"If you must have a reason unrelated to Vlad or Atul's memories, then let me tell you this," he said, standing almost chest to chest with her now. He craned his neck to speak beside her ear. "You are the reason I exist. The only reason. I may love you as I please."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele swallowed hard, her eyes flickering to his face so close to hers. "I see..." she whispered, nodding slowly. "Well, then, you need a name..." Tenele thought quickly for one, trying to determine the best choice. "You are my guardian and so... you are my Knight. I will call you Knight. Is that fine by you, if I call you that?"

[Soran Nightblade]

He smiled at her, his eyes glowing slightly with his pleasure. "That will do."

[Emora Deen]

A smile flickered to her lips. "I am glad you like it, I am bad with names..."

Tenele pursed her lips together, knowing she needed to send him back. "I am sorry for hurting you," she whispered, because she knew the moment she spoke the words that he would shatter apart. "Sagra ne eiro."

[Soran Nightblade]

He turned away from her as the spell took over. He dropped to the floor like all his bones had been pulled from his body. With a gasp of pain, he curled in on himself and dissolved into embers of light. Vlad reappeared on floor, on his back, right where Sinead had left him. He looked up at Tenele, sweating and breathing heavily. His eyes studied her uncertainly while he tried to piece together what might have just happened. "Sinead," he mumbled.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele knelt next to him. "I suppose she agreed that we could handle this our way," she told him softly, reaching up with the hem of her dress to blot the sweat from his forehead. "So neither one of us will be whipped today. She wanted to meet Knight, and so I showed him to her. They talked, and Sinead left without another word. I take that as her deciding we can do this as we see fit. How are you feeling?"

[Soran Nightblade]

"Been better," he noted. "Knight?" He pushed himself to sit up, looking around the room like he hadn't just been there five minutes ago. "Blood. Are you bleeding?" he asked suddenly, turning to examine her.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele glanced down to her hand, and the cloth wrapped around it. She lifted her hand palm up. "I cut myself on glass," she whispered, curling her fingers into a fist and holding her hand to her chest. "Its fine. Knight got the glass out, and its a small cut." Tenele turned her green eyes on him, wanting to scold him for throwing the wine glass in the first place. But, in light of everything her anger with him was slightly deflated.