The Princess and the Blade

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad held tight to his daughter's hand where it had found his. "What ship?" he frowned. His thoughts first went back to when she'd been just a girl, and both he and Tenele had been lost overboard in the middle of a rough voyage. They'd been lost at sea for days, and she had been moved to Sinead's care to prepare for the worst. Had it scarred her?

The vampire noticed then that Havi had stopped tugging against his hold. He looked up at the alien, and blinked. That blank crocodile stare had bloomed into something more, like a combination of ferocity and dread. Like he knew something.

It occurred to him, then, that maybe he did. That injury she spoke of... "Was it you?" he asked Havi, rage blooming like a hornet's nest behind his eyes.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara's mind felt exhausted and frazzled. "What ship?" her father asked.

She couldn't answer. She didn't know the name or what it looked like. She shook her head.

"Was it you?"

Her gaze swept up, hearing the anger in her father's voice. Was it who? He was staring at Havitharon, rage building. Tenara shook her head, stumbling around in front of her father, coming between him and Havitharon. "Please. Stop. It wasn't him."

"What wasn't him?" Tenele asked.

Tenara's panic climbed back over her. "Nothing."

"What ship? What happened?" her mother asked.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad's anger snuffed out as he realized he'd fucked up.

"Enough," Havitharon said. His low voice held an icy edge of authority that cut through the chaos. "Drop it."

Surprisingly, Vlad fell in line with the command. If he told his own wife to abandon the topic right now, it seemed like it would devolve into an even worse scene for Tenara. But the outsider's command was so unexpected the air was, at least momentarily, hushed.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele edged forward, cautiously approaching Tenara as if her daughter were some feral, shy creature. "Sweetheart..." She gave Havitharon a dangerous, warning look.

"I won't use it," Lelana said, coming forward. "So we can—"

"Was it this Rami fellow?" The color was beginning to drain from her mother's face.

Tenara wanted to shatter. Part of her felt like she would. She shook her head, watching as her mother's eyes welled with tears. Tears burned in her own. Strangely, though... the waves were gone. She clung to the silence. "I...I don't know who they are." Her mother flinched, as if she'd been struck by the words coming from her mouth.

Her mistake. This pain. This fear. This ache in her mother's heart. The rage in her father's eyes.

None of it would have happened if she hadn't made the mistake.

Trusting. Hoping. Wishing. Loving the wrong person.

The waves came back, and Tenara wanted them to swallow her. "I'm sorry."

*Let's leave. Can we go away? Take me away. Anywhere.*

[Soran Nightblade]

The request wrapped around his heart and squeezed. Not only was it his Yurivis, but she was holding the sword. He wasn't sure he would beat a teleporting vampire in a footrace, but if she needed privacy... His thoughts churned, and contrived what was probably the stupidest plan he ever thought of. *Okay. Throw me the sword.*

He reached to his waist and drew his shirt off over his head, clearing his throat as he did so. He knew exactly how to make a spectacle of himself, if he needed to.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara hesitated, looking at him. Then, she did as he asked. She tossed the sword to him, watching with horror as it slipped from her fingers. Too late to regret her choice, it spiraled through the air towards him.

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi wrapped his shirt around his hand, shot his arm out, and caught the weapon. Then he whipped a spinning kick across Vlad's face. The vampire was so confused that he just absorbed the hit in pure bafflement. Havi gave Tenele a meaningful glare, made sure to catch Lelana's eyes briefly as he twisted his bare torso away from them, and burst into a sprint down the hallway. *Go where you please. Preferably quickly, and in the opposite direction,* he told her. There was a flicker of amusement in his voice.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara fled when the sword landed in Havitharon's covered hand. She didn't see the kick to her father's head in the burning rush of needing to escape. She might have stopped, might have changed her mind, if she had. Instead, she ran, ignoring her mother's call, her aunt's confused, but amused cackle.

She ran from her parents, from the uncomfortableness of their knowing. She ran blindly through halls and down stairs. She knew her way around the palace so well, she could do it without thinking or seeing. She ran and ran, ignoring the ache in her lungs, the blinding light of the sun in the courtyard. She ignored the confused questions from the guards, the pleasantries of nobles she passed, the congratulations at returning from the few who had been privy to her disappearance. She ran until she found herself swallowed in the chaos of a crowd outside the palace gates.

The guards were fending people away. She was dizzy with relief at escaping the discomfort of her mother's sad, pitying eyes. She knew. They all knew. The crowd swarmed. Her silver hair glinted in the sun's light, becoming a beacon. The daughter of Attara (because the Hajaran people were still misguided in thinking that Tenele was the reincarnated goddess) had graced the streets.

Tenara bent, resting her hands on her knees, dragging air into her lungs. She'd run so far. He had to be right behind her. He'd appear... No. He wouldn't. She didn't have the sword. Her gaze fell quickly to her hands, her arms, her chest. No wounds. No blood. She looked at the iridescent scars—too dumfounded to hear the guard's warning, the crowd crashing in.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad looked at his wife, and then at the man disappearing down the hall. After how badly Vlad beat him last time, Spiky had to know he had no chance of getting away. It was such an impractical stunt that he would have found it hilarious, if it weren't for the fact it was betraying his daughter. He was going to have fun running that bastard down.

Havi spotted an open veranda in a room to his left and pivoted for it. If he could get out on the rooftops, he could get far enough away for the sword to-...

He skidded to a halt just short of the railing, and his attention shot down to the weapon that had now numbed nearly his entire arm. It wasn't Tenara that called him back, it was the sword... and he'd brought it with him. How could his thoughts be that muddled to make such an extreme mistake?

And he'd told her to run the other way...

He whirled backward, crashing headfirst into Vladimir. The vampire had been running full-tilt to jump off the railing after him, but now they found themselves entangled on the floor together.

Vlad grabbed his throat and snarled victoriously. "Caught you, you treacherous piece of-"

"Tenara!" Havi said, clutching Vlad's shirt, the sword forgotten at his side. "The sword..."

The vampire didn't know what to do about the man's rapid behavior change. "Unfortunately for you, we aren't that far away. It won't stop me from beating you to a-"

"She went in the other direction," Havi said.

Vlad sneered. "You must be desperate. Why would she..." He fell off as a possibility occurred to him. The vampire glowered. "You didn't think this through."

Havi shook his head, eyes demanding and pleading.

Vlad shoved him back into the floor hard enough to knock the breath out of him. He grabbed the sword off the floor. "Follow me. And keep your mouth shut."

The command rattled through Havi's body like a hammer strike. He staggered to his feet to keep up after the vampire.

[Emora Deen]

A sea of unfamiliar faces surrounded Tenara, all shifting and speaking. The guard nearest her had one arm curled behind him and around her. He put his armored body between her and the crowd, with his hand shoving the ones closest to them back. Another guard joined him in guiding her back towards the gates. “Back! Give us some space! Everyone back.”

Hands touched her. Her shoulder, her waist, her hair. Mostly her hair. Fingers passed through the silk, desperate for a brush with divinity.

Usually, they were calmer. More behaved. Usually, she arrived with a fanfare, flanked in guards—a shielding presence of power and procession.

“Tenara!” Her mother was half-falling down the stairs and across the courtyard towards them. The crowd swelled to the gates.

“Blessed Attara!”

Guards swarmed the gates as a bell filled the air, becoming a wall between the palace and the people, between Tenara and her mother.

Tenara had caused this chaos trying to run from the look darkening her mother’s face right now. Why had she come out here? Was she really so foolish? So desperate to run from her home?

She hadn’t thought it through. Hadn’t thought anything through. She just wanted to go. To be away from the uncomfortable questions building in her mother’s eyes.

She couldn’t run from this, at least not forever, and she couldn’t keep it secret anymore. They knew.

Something warm splattered across Tenara’s cheek. Red burst into the air, and the guard helping her buckled, clutching a gushing wound in his neck. The crowd screamed, the chaos turning into a mob.

A hand passed through her hair, but instead of moving on, the fingers curled and tightened, snatching her back.

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi followed after Vlad, who was moving swiftly while looking behind to check on him every few yards. It occurred to him that maybe Tenara had never told them about the power the sword's holder could wield over him. He felt grateful for that, his long legs easily keeping up with the vampire's pace.

*Tenara, don't go too far after all. The sword is still with us,* he warned her. *Where are you?*

They stopped momentarily as Lelana finally caught up with them coming the opposite way. She looked amused and predatory as she looked over his bare upper half. She looked like she wanted to flirt, but Vlad ruined her moment by demanding, "Tenara?"

Lelana tilted her head. "What about her? I came to play with Mr. Shadow over here with you," she pouted.

[Emora Deen]

The hand in her hair dragged her back, and the sea of people collapsed in her wake. Her eyes fixated on the soldier, the blood running in the street, and then he was gone, shielded by legs and skirts.

“Tenara!!” Her mother cried.

Something or someone was attacking the line of guards, and then she caught sight of something bright, something blinding.

One of the hoods fell from the attackers, and Tenara saw the mark of Thar branded on his forehead. A Gold Cleric.

Someone whacked at whoever had ahold of her, a townsman trying to help. It snapped her awake from numb trance enough to hear the rumble of Havitharon’s voice in her head. *….Where are you?*

*O-outside.* Her voice came panicked through their link. She’d made another mistake…

But how was she to know the fucking bastards camped outside waiting for them to just… make a mistake. So they could lure her father out. They would go for her mother too. More bait.

Tenara reached back for the hand as it snatched her around. Her feet scraped against the earth as an arm curled around her, lifting her just enough to move swiftly down an alley.

“Get your fucking hands off me!”

The person dragging her used her (and their shoulder) to open a door, shoving her into a dark room. Tenara felt her panic climb over her, sought to use it. She tried to recall the weight of her fear and sadness earlier, to use it to access her magic. She felt that painful pressure blossom, and didn’t worry about holding it back. A red light bloomed in her eyes.

*Gold Clerics. Don’t let him—*

The fanatic threw her into a holy circle and Tenara felt every muscle in her body seize. The red light snuffed out, and she curled in on herself.

To her knowledge, the Gold Clerics didn’t know she was harmed by holy weapons… So, either someone had figured it out, or they hoped her father would come in after her.

[Soran Nightblade]

*Tenara? Tanara. Havi sought a connection to her, but her pull at the other end of his soul had shut off. It felt like he was holding his breath underwater. Havi's hand shot out and grabbed Vlad's shoulder tightly. The vampire glared back at him.

The best option was to tell her father the truth. He'd seen the vampire teleport; he could get there faster. "She's outside," he said. "Something's wrong." Havi's cool eyes met Vlad's fiery ones.

"Why should I believe a word out of your mouth?" the vampire scoffed.

"Then take me too."

Vlad glanced at Lelana, who shrugged. "Or leave him with me," she smiled too-sweetly.

The vampire wrapped a hand tight around Havi's neck and ported them both outside the front of the castle, into absolute chaos. Vlad instantly smelled blood. Several soldiers were calming the crowd, attempting to gain control of the situation. It only took a moment for one to notice them there.

"Kingsoul! The princess, she..."

"Which way," Vlad growled.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara tried to drag her head up from the ground, but it felt too heavy. Like she was sinking beneath ocean waves. Someone fell on her, having no trouble wrestling her arms into ropes. Then, they were gone. Everything outside the circle was dark, muffled, except for flashes of blinding bright objects. Holy weapons moving in the shadows. She tried to inch towards the edge of the circle, thinking if she got close enough she could fudge the line of salt circling her and get back on her feet.

"Strange. Think she'd try and escape."

The door broke open. A beam of sunlight spilled in. Tenara rolled her eyes towards the shadow of a woman.

A man screamed. Another bellowed, "Blessed Attara!"

Mom.

Shadows swarmed towards the figure, and even as her mother cut them down they piled onto her. She went down.

No.

No! Leave her alone!

Tenara snarled, inching toward the circle. A moment later, they threw her mother into it. Even in her tunneled vision, Tenara could tell her lip was bloodied. A sword blade appeared next to her mother's neck. "We don't want you harmed. Either of you. We'll let you both go safely when—"

"Isn't it strange?"

"What?"

"The princess. She ain't moved an inch since you put her in there." Not even an inch? She felt like she had. She'd tried.

Her mother stiffened. "You struck her."

"Did not!... I don't think."

Someone knelt next to Tenara, appraising her. Then, a staff, brighter than the sun, pressed into the dirt near her head. It raised two inches and then came down on the salt circle. The surrounding line glowed white-hot and Tenara thrashed onto her back. Every nerve in her body lit on fire, and she screamed.

"STOP!" Her mother pressed over her, gentle hands holding her convulsing form to the earth. The staff drew away, and the pain disappeared, leaving Tenara heaving and ready to vomit. She wasn't certain if the room had gone silent, or if she'd gone deaf. Her mother was arguing with someone. The sounds came back to her, rising out of the muck her mind had become.

"Tis alright, Attara. We can save your daughter. After we've killed the demon, we will purify her. We can burn out the dark." A heavy hand took her chin and tilted her head towards them, but she couldn't see their face. All she saw was the blinding brand on their forehead. "For now, the demon. I was going to take your blood to mark the way, but he will hear you. He will come."

Her mother lunged. “Don’t! Don’t you hurt her! Stop!”

"He will hear, he will come," the fanatics chanted, and the staff came down on the circle again.

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi and Vlad tore off in the direction the guards indicated. "How did you know something was wrong?" Vlad growled as they checked down every alley. "If you're part of this, I'll make you sorry you were born." He stopped short then, looking at an alley they'd just passed, listening to something Havi couldn't hear. "Here," he growled.

"She was telling me, but got cut off," Havi said, watching their backs as they entered the narrow alley.

Vlad found the half-rotted door at the back of one of the buildings, and he could smell his wife's blood. Vlad growled and kicked through the door like it was made of popsicle sticks. The door let to a basement stairway, perhaps a root cellar of some kind.

"Wait. What is a Gold Cleric?" Havi asked, but it was too late. Vlad gripped the sword and stormed into the building.