(Loyalty Is,) Edna's Aftermath

[Saber Sloth]

The winds are bitter and sharp as the rain falls upon Funderland's closed pathways. The lights of Edna's fliker against the gloom, the evidence of the changing Seasons. Wrath given way to Fear, and soon Sorrow will take hold.

Inside among the stage props, and cheap scares the Lost gather, shaken, reeling.

Jimmy Lloyd, the mortal they'd been sent to find is still missing, they know, however that the man was assaulted and taken, somewhere. Rhodes has a bottle of, something, taken from the room where Lloyd had been stolen from.

When they left the motel, it was burning.

....and, Abraham Norton was dead.



Origins Circe Orianna Seraphina Rhodes Xadun

[Seraphina]

Sera really had no recognition of how they got from the motel to Edna’s. She had been lost in her own thoughts, trying to work out what happened. Knowing she didn’t have the answers, yet still trying anyways. As her mind worked, she absently chewed on one of her nails. A nervous habit she just never really got rid of.

Normally bright, vibrant sapphires were a deep blue, like a turbulent sea.

Walking into Edna’s, she sits, not sure of anything.

[Circe]

Seething heat followed the Spring inside as Circe stromed in, eyes blazing red rings on a sky of black.


Heat boiled off of Circe, rage barely contained, hands in fists. She was keeping the laptop in her bag until she was sure she'd not smash it. If the place hadn't already been aflame then she'd have done it herself when they left.


Circe was pissed. At the situation. At herself. At Abraham. At the one who slew him. She left the laptop bag near the entrance as she stomped around the Hollow. Not entirely aimless nor with purpose. Circe had no constructive way to handle this.


"Alcohol," she growled, "we need ta raise a glass ta the fallen. O trova qualcosa che mi ferisca. Both'd be great!"

[Rhodes]

Rhodes places a reassuring palm on Seraphina's back and slips into the kitchen. He returns with a bottle of whiskey and two glasses - the indistinct sound of a kettle boiling behind him can be heard from the next room. "Let me know what tea you want, darling. I have sugar, honey... you gave me most of them so you can probably tell what's in there."

The Dread Lord pours the glasses - one very generous, which he passes to Circe.

He clears his throat. "There isn't really much to say. Abraham always believed he had the best interests of the Freehold at heart. He was a true knight." His own personal feelings on what that meant, he was sure his fellow Flowering would have considereed that high praise. "What happened? Did you see?" The Flowering's face is an expressionless mask.

And why the hell did you two spilit up? Why do people ignore simple common sense?

[Seraphina]

Surprisingly, the hear radiating off Circe was comforting.

An absent nod at the mention of alcohol, but the Italian gets a blank look. “Have no clue what you said.” She says without much emotion. Not typical of the Nix, she was shutting off her emotions and withdrawing. Only Rhodes had seen her do that.

Blinking a few times, “Tea?” then it registers, “Oh, yeah, tea, that’d be good. Do you still have some chamomile?”

People drinking when a friend passed was interesting. The Treasured wondering what it helped with?

The conversation she had with Abe fresh in her mind, the Pledge gone, but words remained.

Turbulent eyes were unfocused, “Last I spoke with him, he told me of how he would never shrink from a battle, especially one to protect the Freehold. So maybe, in a twisted way, there is comfort knowing he fought to the very end doing what he believed in, protecting those he cared about.” She looks down at her hands, the translucent reminding her of what she was able to do.

The angelic voice was softer now, barely above a whisper, “I only wish I had been there to try and save him.” What good is being able to help heal those around you when you’re unable to?

“But that’s a good question, what happened? Why were you separated?” the last was a hard question, but one that needed to be asked.

[Circe]

Circe grumbled, "What happened is a massive fuck up!" She stomped around, "I should'a grabbed his ass when he started climbing where I couldn't fanculo follow! Shouldn't have let that happen," Circe had stomped over to the edge of the Hollow to find something solid to punch. It wasn't such a good idea, "Troppo fottutamente fiducioso e pigro per imparare la merda di arrampicata avrei dovuto fermarlo, cazzo.

Sore knuckles were ignored, "Comfort. Warrior death fer a warrior," she looked at Seraphina. Her perked up ears drooping down but the heat and rage in her voice remain, "Yes. Ya'd have been better there then me." But it doesn't seem to be towards Seraphina. As for the answer to what happened that got another punch to the wall, "I had ta take the back door, was too fanculo slow, and don't know what happened but Abe was dead and the room covered in blood."

There was now blood on the Hollow's wall. Circe had her own answer for what happened to Abraham. She gave her account of the responsible party as her Mantle flared, "So as noble as his end is, ya can chalk it up ta my fast lazy ass not bein' able ta climb a fucking building!"

[Rhodes]

"Of course, darling," Rhodes reassures quietly. He walks over and places a reassuring palm on the Nyx's back, and sips his whiskey.

Vivid green eyes look down at Seraphina. "It's not your fault, Sera." He looks over at Circe. The Dread Lord would offer the same to Circe, but was it right to curb her anger? The Summer Queen would burn, regardless.

"I understand your feelings, Circe, however we don't understand Italian." the Flowering offers lightly. "And I would take it as a kindness if you stop getting your blood on my walls."

The Dread Lord slips back into the kitchen, leaving a trail of autumn leaves being left behind him. After some rattling, he returns with a pot of tea, some cups and small pots of sugar and honey. Seeing how shaken Sera still is, he pours her cup and gently places it in front of her.

"We need to tell the Freehold. And, though not to sound heartless, we may have a bigger problem. It looks like the motel, though we left it somewhat aflame, was a base to steal people back into the hedge." He sets the bottle from his pocket and places it on the table. "This bottle, or perhaps the contents, are magical, from the room where that Shady Janitor took Lloyd - probably through a spirit portal." Rhodes eyes the bottle carefully. "I'm going to assess it, but it will take some time."

[Seraphina]

A few blinks, “Wait, what? Climbing?” what the hell was he climbing? And why?

Directed at her or not, she still had to say something, “I may not be as useful in a fight, but I could have healed him.” Then in a softer tone, “Or at least tried. What good is being able to heal those around you if you’re not able to?”

A steady breath was taken, “Was there anyone else in the room? Any signs of who killed him? Do you remember the room number?” was she wanting to go back? Probably. The Nix had her own anger and rage, quietly bubbling.

“I don’t want to place blame on anyone. Even if you had been able to be there with him, we don’t know what he faced. And we could have lost two important friends tonight. But we’ll get justice for him.” She’d make sure of it. He was a member of her Court, and they were becoming friends.
Sapphires look to Rhodes, “It might not be my fault, but I might have been able to save him.” Translucent hands ball into fists.

Looking to the walls, “That’s easy enough to remove.” How she knew that? Well, that was something else altogether.

The cup was taken as she offered him a grateful smile, “Thank you.” Though she still didn’t like letting him make it for her.

“There was something off with that janitor, I didn’t like him one bit.” Nor trust him. “So the question is, when do we want to go back. Because clearly, we have to, Abe’s death cannot go unanswered. But I know we don’t want to rush into it without my information. And maybe that bottle has some. Anything you’ll need to help with accessing it?”

[Circe]

"Cosa?" The Iron Queen scowls before flexing her hand brings some pain. She looks down to see the fresher blood, glaring at it, "Tch, more proof of weakness." Then pulls out a handkerchief to wrap it.

"Yes fer some reason he decided climbin' in an opened window I couldn't get up ta was a brilliant idea," she assumed Sera had been asking a question.

Circe knew the room number, she rattled it off as for other details, "I wasn't really payin' attention ta the room while failin' ta keep him from dyin'. Somebody opened the window though and at least two talking in there before Abe went up. That and shit ton of blood." There had been a shit ton of blood. Did that mean anything?

"Damn straight he gets avenged," Circe nods to Seraphina's call for return, "Scope, rifle, silencer is my suggestion fer handlin' the Janitor," was her honest suggestion. "Unless ya want ta question him. Then start on kneecaps. Takes away an interrogation option but fanculo," she slaps herself in the face, "Laptop! Found a shit ton of stuff that proves they've been takin' a lot of folks. They had a damn spreadsheet." She puts down the bag to dig out the computer.

Circe boots it up and displays the spreadsheet for Rhodes and Seraphina to view, "They might be taking more then just Changelings."

[Rhodes]

Rhodes frowns and sips his whiskey. Heroes die. They act as rules unto themselves, charge off and die, and that's exactly what happened. What was it Abraham had said? "I can act as I wish as long as I accept the consequences"? Well, doesn't this just show how well that works.

The Dread Lord nodded slowly. "Time. A few hours at least, but as far as I know no-one else in the Freehold has the ability to assess it like I will - it is from the contracts of Autumn." He looks to Circe. "Using the contract of Reflection I saw that the Janitor was wounded when he swept up the broken glass in the room. He looks like our man, but those that... killed Abraham are likely allies, as are any who might work there. It's a dangerous place for only three people."

The anger in the room was palpable. Calmer, or perhaps colder, heads were needed. "If you just kill him, we have no leads on saving the husband and no guarantee the others know anything about it." He circles around to watch the laptop. "Interesting.... and likely - if changelings are being taken it's not a huge leap to normal humans as well. That's some good work Circe."

Rhodes frowns and puts his hand on his chin thoughtfully. Something about this feels off. Could this all be some kind of trap for us?