Annelise looked towards Daria for a moment as she sat down next to her hearing her say. "She's going to kill you... You are aware of that, right?" She nodded for a moment, feeling slightly bad about it. "Yeah I know." Annelise said softly, her eyes turning to meet Eliza's seeing the look on her face and the anger in her eyes she knew that she had gone to far this time with her joking around. If Annelise did actually lose it, she didn't want to deal with the aftermath of having her sister being mad at her for the rest of her life and to have to pay for a new one. With a sigh Annelise looked at Daria for a moment feeling bad she had came outside with her board in hand ready to go down the mountain. "I'm sorry Dari, I made you come out here for nothing. We can do it anytime while your here anyway." And motioned for Daria to come with her. Before the lift started to move Annelise got up from her seat and quickly started to walk back towards the lodge, she opened the door just as Eliza went into the lodge handing her sister's board back to her. "I'm sorry Eliza I didn't mean to go this far, I just wanted to get a run in with you before we had to clock in for work." Annelise's eyes turned to look at Alan seeing him doing some sort of impromptu magic show with some of the guests. "I'll make it up to you, i'll make dinner tonight whatever you want i'll even help you with the parties this week even Daria offered to help." She said hugging Eliza tightly.

A smile played on Daria's lips as Annelise apologized to her about dragging her out here, "Don't worry about it. It really wasn't that much trouble. Clyde had been walking in with my stuff when I was coming out so, no harm, no foul."

She followed the girl off the lift and headed back toward the lodge with her. She gave Eliza an apologetic smile as Annelise said she was sorry. When she mentioned that Daria had offered to help, she nodded her head, "Before it was a bribe... Now it can be more of an apology. If you'll take it."

Her eyes moved to the man in the crowd still playing with his cards and threw a thumb toward him, "See, I told you guys that were was some..." She looked back at him, "Absolutely gorgeous man doing magic in the lobby."

She grinned at them, "We should volunteer to help with a trick. We could be the beautiful assistant that they always have! I think we'd all fit the part perfectly."

She looked between the two of them before her smile faltered slightly, "Or... Do you guys have to being boring and get to work?"

The group in the lobby had visibly doubled since Daria had last been inside, each and every one of them seeming that much more interested in the man in the center of the room, drawing in their attention with the elaborate display of magic tricks. They kept asking, and he kept delivering, trick after trick after trick. Alan knew better than to take tips from the people inside the lodge. He had already been approached a number of times earlier in the week when he would more than gladly take the lodge customer's money so in short of getting the cops called on him, he agreed to do it for free. Well... what security didn't know wouldn't hurt them. There was a small pager-boy cap turned upside down on the floor next to his feet, 'mysteriously' filling up with loose change as the day went on. The customers, having bore witness to some of the conversations Alan had with security, seemed to get the gist so those determined to pay the man for his efforts found ways. Having just finished a trick with a 'broken' piece of string that was made new again, the girl who had been helping Alan with the trick was still laughing, unbelieving of what she had just seen as she handed the string back to him but Alan just shook his head no. "Keep it, I've got enough random crap filling my pockets anyway." He told her with a smile that only he would understand the full extent of. The girl, in turn, turned a brilliant shade of pink as she recessed herself back into the crowd to join back in with her friends. Taking half a moment to run his fingers through his long brown hair, Alan looked over the crowd by habit, seeing if he had yet to draw securities attention but instead his gaze landed on three girls towards the back. Huh... a red-head, a blonde, and a raven-haired girl walk into a bar... Alan thought to himself as he kept his blue eyes on them. ...how many drinks does it take to get to the center of their tootsie-pop? Shaking his head a bit he had to laugh at himself for that one. Way too many late-night commercials, Alan! Reaching to his back pocket, Alan pulled out a deck of cards that had been used for various other tricks throughout the day. With his other hand, he motioned the three girls at the back to come forward. "Hey, don't be shy! You guys wanna see a magic trick?" ------ Not bothering to stop at the door, Eliza lifted her hands using them to brush off any snow that had managed to work its way onto her clothes, her feet carrying her over to the front desk while her hands moved up to work the zip on her jacket, "And just on time as always... Don't you believe in fashionably late Eli?" Rolling her eyes at Jason's words she threw her jacket towards him, not bothering to answer as her sister and Daria hurried to catch up each giving her an apology before offering her their help, "I don't think so, I want to make sure that everything is perfect. I'll get it all done before the night is out." Reaching out she gripped her board taking it back before she slipped behind the desk putting it where she would be able to find it, "Besides, Daria, you are here to relax, and Anna well, you have work to get done, don't you?" Reaching around her old high school friend she picked up a large pile of books and folders, hugging it close to her chest as a new voice floated over the crowd towards them, her eyebrow raising in both curiosity and slight annoyance, "It looks like your 'gorgeous magic man' is calling you over..." Sighing softly nodded making it look as though she were giving the two of them permission, though that was far from the truth, the thought of her being able to control Anna and her best friend was completely laughable, and everyone knew that, "You guys go ahead... I think I'll skip out on this one..." ----- Annelise looked towards Jason hearing his comment just as she entered the lodge shooting him a glare for a few seconds, she felt bad having her sister do all of the work. "Well if you do need help, you know where I am sis." Annelise said as she started to unzip her jacket, along with her beanie stuffing it into her jacket's pocket. She tied her red hair into a tight pony tail leaving the white streak of hair to hang over the right side of her head. "I'll still make dinner for you tonight anyway, what do you want Eliza?" Annelise asked as she watched her sister picking up her papers and folders. She then heard a man's voice looking back towards him, only seeing him a few times in the past but never talked to him before. "Alright Eliza, and I'll go straight to work once I see what he wants." She started to walk over towards the crowd and stood in front of Alan her eyes meeting his and smiled. "What do you need?" Annelise asked looking over towards Daria waving her over to join her. "I am in a bit of a hurry, since I am already kind of late for work." ----- Daria pouted a little at Eliza when she shot down her offer to allow her to help with the party planning. At the mention of her relaxing, she scoffed, "Yes, I because I need more relaxation due to my busy work schedule and wait..." She rose her eyebrows, "I don't have a job." Her attention was caught and practically torn away from Eliza when a male voice piped up behind them. She looked over her shoulder to see the magician looking at them before he waved for them to come over. She turned and looked at Eliza again, silently asking if she'd come but the girl was quick to shrug all three of them off. She sighed and looked at her friend before leaning onto the counter a little, rising up onto her toes to lean closer to her friend, "Fine... But I'm going to make sure that you get some time to relax while I'm here. I mean, what are friends for right? Besides, you owe me a ride down the mountain." She gave a small smile to her friend, making sure that she knew that she was both joking but her claims were also true. She turned around and followed Annelise to the magic man and smiled at him. She laughed a little when Annelise asked him what it was that he wanted. She placed her hands on her friend's shoulder and leaned close to her, "He's a magician, Anne, what do you think he wants?" She pointed at his deck of cards before she moved to stand beside Annelise, "And what is it that your lovely assistants can do for you today?" ----- Alan's eyes flickered between the group of friends, pleased that he had at least gotten the larger portion of the fraction's attention. Waving off the blonde who didn't seem interested, he gave his attention to the other two girls. "Hey, hazel eyes is right. Just a quick trick, won't take long." Alan promised the red-head with a nod to assure her she would have plenty of time to get to work later. Work. Alan hated the word. Why waste time getting paid minimally with something you hated when you could be getting paid handsomely for just screwing around? Gods he loved being a magician; and he had just the trick in mind for these two. Handing over the deck of cards to Daria, as she seemed to be the more eager one, he began to explain as he pulled a black sharpie out from his other pocket, handing it over to her as well. "Take the pen and pick any card, any card you want doesn't matter, doesn't even matter if I see it. Write your phone number on the card and then hand the deck back to me but hold onto the card, and I'll do the same." ----- Eliza's arms tightened around the large amount of things she was holding, her eyes narrowing slightly as she watched them both approach and engage the man who seemed to capture everyone's attention, "Who is this guy anyway? What's his deal..." She flicked her gaze to the side watching as Jason crossed his arms contemplating for a moment before he answered her, "Well, to be honest, I have no idea. All I know is that he's here almost every day, peddling his tricks, and getting all the girls." At this she once more rolled her eyes turning her back to the large group so that she could talk to him properly, "Honestly, there's nothing special about him." Lifting her hand up to cover her mouth muffling a giggle, she watched him turn his arm draping over her shoulder. "So this means that I still got a chance? Yes, I knew you couldn't resist my charms forever Eli." Shaking her head she leaned away from him, far enough so that his arm dropped back to his side, "You wish. You're not my type, besides, I'm focusing on my career. You know that." ----- Annelise looked at Daria for a moment and blushed slightly at her friends comment, she didn't think of herself as being a lovely assistant her brown eyes quickly looked up at Alan as he started to hand the deck of cards over to Daria telling her to pick any card out of the deck and write her phone number on the card. "I'm Annelise by the way, and 'Hazel Eyes' over there is Daria." She said before going quiet, her head turned around to watch Jason and Eliza talking to each other. Annelise jokingly started to make a kissing face towards her sister and giggled turning her attention to Alan crossing her arms over her chest with an interested look on her face. Daria took the deck of cards from him as well as the black sharpie and smiled as she looked through the deck before picking the ace of diamonds. She started to write out her number as she spoke, "This just seems like an overly complicated way of asking a girl for her number," She teased. She showed off her card a little, making sure that he couldn't see it before she held the card to her chest and handed him back the deck, expecting him to split it and have her place it back in. That seemed to be the way all her father's tricks worked. Put the card into one deck, make it appear in another. Magic. She tapped her index finger against the back of the card and smiled, "Alright, Hot Shot, what next?" After Daria returned the deck to his possession, Alan thumbed through the remaining cards and pulled out the Jack of clubs, briefly showing the crowd the card he had chosen. Taking back the sharpie, making sure to brush his fingers against hers for a fraction longer than was necessary. Winking at her phone number jest, he turned his attention back to his card and wrote down his own cel phone number on the card. "Okay fold your card up, and I'm going to do the same. Go ahead and put it in your mouth-" He was immediately drowned out by the onlooking girls who were giggling at the absurd request. "No I'm serious. Fold it up, put it in your mouth and I"m going to do the same." Daria looked up at him, cocking an eyebrow as he told her to put the card in her mouth. The girls around her seemed to think this was absolutely hilarious as they broke into fits of giggles. Daria, however, had this thing about not being one of those girls and quelled any laughter deep inside of her as she pulled the card away from her chest, "Okay," She said simply. She carefully folded the card in half, ensuring that he didn't see it, before she rose it to her mouth. She opened her mouth to more giggles and stuck the card on her tongue before it retreated back into her mouth and she closed her lips around it. She smiled at Alan and rose her eyebrows for a moment as if to ask him to explain further while taunting him a little. Folding up his own card, keeping his eyes on the girl introduced as Daria, Alan kept his small smirk as he continued, "Alright now, they say that true loves kiss is the best kind of magic, lets see what kind of magic this will do." He raised his folded up card as if to show her that he still had his and opened up his mouth, his eyes never leaving hers as if he were challenging her to back out before he popped the card into his mouth and closed his lips around it. Holding his smirk still, he bent forward and gave Daria a quick kiss on the lips, causing the girls around them to practically scream in their giggling. Pulling back just as quick as it happened, Alan opened his mouth and took out the card, motioning for Daria to do the same. Daria pressed her lips together, smiling a little, when Alan informed her about the rest of the trick, a small huff like laugh escaping her nose. She watched him as he rose the card to his own mouth, his eyes never once leaving her own and her own never once leaving his. She watched him as he leaned forward and their lips touched and sure it was just for a moment but... It wasn't true love, in fact, Daria was pretty sure it wasn't love at all but it was, as sure as hell, hot! After all, he was a seriously beautiful older man. She opened her eyes when he pulled away and watched as he opened his mouth then did the same, retrieving the card from her mouth as elegantly as one could. She looked him in the eye before she opened her card. She couldn't help but let a small laugh escape her lips as she held up her card for the rest to see. The girls broke out into giggle fits and applauded the magic. Daria looked to Alan and smirked before she waved the card a little, "So. Do I get to keep this? I mean... It was in my mouth... Giving it back... That can't be sanitary." Unfolding his own card, finding her face card and phone number written on it, he simply winked and pocketed the card for later use. "If you're interested in seeing the second part of the magic, then yeah, keep it." Dragging his attention away from Daria and back to Anna, Alan gave her a smile. "So watcha say lovely assistant number two- sorry, Annelise? Got enough time for a magic trick?" ----- Lifting her gaze every now and then she watched on, Eliza's expression becoming one of slight disgust as she watched the so called performer leaning and kiss her friend, closing her eyes she sighed softly, her body pushing away from the front desk causing Jason to quickly stand up, "Eli, what's up, thought we were hitting it off." Smiling softly she shook her head from side to side, assuring him that it had nothing to do with anything that he had said to her, "Don't worry, you can think that all you want. I just have a lot of work to do, and I'm getting kinda hungry. If anyone needs me I'll be in the restaurant, at my usual booth." Giving him a small wave she frowned her eyes on the crowd that was blocking her way, groaning out in annoyance she once more hugged her things close against her chest as she moved forward, carefully trying to work her way through the crowd to where she needed to go. ----- Annelise's eyes looked towards Daria and Alan's as he finished explaining the magic trick, and watched them both folding up the cards and stuffing them in their mouths. Hearing the other girls in the room starting to giggle, while others started to cheer. When Daria pulled the card out of her mouth she was surprised to see Alan's card was in Daria's mouth, her eyes went to look at Alan as he showed his card to the crowd. Slightly interested Annelise looked up at Alan and nodded at him. "I do have time, and I'm sure Daria loved that kiss." Annelise said with a giggle giving her friend a playful nudge on her shoulder. "What kind of trick can you pull out of your hat this time?" Annelise asked. She noticed Eliza walking past the past the crowd and heading into the restaurant. Daria smirked a little when he tucked her card and phone number into his pocket. When he offered for her to keep it for the second part of the trick, she bit her lip ever so slightly before she tucked the card into her inner coat pocket. She looked at Annelise when he asked her if she had time for a trick and held back her laughter as she nodded. So keen to get to work just a moment ago. She wondered what on Earth it was that changed the girl's mind. She rolled her eyes a little when Annelise teased her and bumped shoulders with her a little. She brought attention back to Alan when Annelise asked what he had up his sleeves for her. She was slightly curious if he was just going to do the same trick again. After all, it was a very smooth way to get a little kiss and a girl's number. Shrugging his shoulders a bit, playing with the deck of cards in his hands, Alan kept his attention on the red head with his arguably permanent smile on his face. "Well, I don't think the crowd got much of a look at that last one..." He started, taking his eyes off of her for a moment to look at the people around them who seemed to be agreeing with him despite the fact that they had all known exactly what was going on. People were strange, in Alan's opinion, standing around watching him hit on random strangers but hey, whatever it took. "Or maybe you wanted a... closer look on how it's done?" He asked bringing his attention back to her. Annelise blushed slightly as she looked around the crowd once more seeing them all nodding for him to do the same trick again that he did on Daria, she quickly shook her head when he offered a closer look on how it is done. "Nah I'm good, I'm sure Dari would love a more 'private' show." She smirked at her friend, she would hold out her hand for the deck her eyes meeting his. "You know... those 'private shows' aren't restricted to just one person at a time..." Alan replied, keeping his hands busy by mixing up the deck of cards in them. "Tell you what brown eyes. Think of a card, any card in the deck, not just the one in my hand, any deck and name that card." "Oh I know, though I'm not really into more then one person kind of thing." Annelise said jokingly watching Alan mixing and shuffling up his cards and nodded at him as she thought of her card a two of red diamonds, she nodded at Alan. "Two of red diamonds." Annelise answered. "Well if that's the case I think I have room for another booking." Alan replied. After she named her card he nodded. "You know, that's funny, that's what I was thinking of too. Now, you haven't felt me touch you at all right? No one has touched you? This... this sounds kinda weird but can you check your back pocket for me? I've got this feeling..." "I'll think about it then." Annelise said and smiled at him for a moment her eyes looking towards the crowd of girls as he spoke. "No one has touched me." She said looking confused as he told her to dig into her back pocket and stuck her hand inside of it and pulled it out. Looking shocked she looked at the card and it was hers and saw that it also had his number on it and showed the card to everyone in the room. ----- Becoming swept up in the crowd as they gathered closer to the three in the middle so that they could get a better look Eliza scrunched up her face, the way it was going she was never going to be able to get any work done, and she would have to kiss the parties goodbye. Knowing that she was not going to be going anywhere anytime soon she reluctantly turned her attention to the trick that was going on before her eyes, causing them to roll once he had somehow managed to slip the card in question into her sisters back pocket, most likely copping a feel at her in the meantime. Getting annoyed she shifted her arms, reaching out to grab hold of Anna's for just a moment, her expression showing that she wasn't pleased with what was going on, "Anna. Don't you have work to do, or something? Don't waste your time on players like this." Ripping her arm back as though something hot had burnt her skin she turned on her heels, no longer being nice as she forced her way through the rest of the crowd and into the restaurant, her long blonde locks bouncing on her back as she moved to the far corner taking her place in the single booth that was separated from the rest of them, her books and folders now splayed out before her. For the most part keeping the reaction of the surprised crowd out, Alan kept his eyes on the red head and just flashed her a smile before looking back to Daria. "I'll be waiting for your call." He said to the both of them while shoving the deck of cards back into his pocket. His attention was then abruptly turned to the blonde he had seen with the group a bit earlier, the one who seemed to have something against magic tricks by the way she completely dismissed him in the first place. He watched her with a nagging sense of interest as she called him out on his game without regard and then again when she walked away. Despite her getting lost in the crowd here and there, his blue eyes never left her, spotting a blur of blonde disappearing into the restaurant he found himself suddenly very hungry. Turning his attention to the crowd he spoke to everyone. "Alright, that's it for now, I gotta refuel." He said and started to push himself through, hearing a few whines of protest from some girls, talking amongst themselves on how Anna was able to turn him down so easily when they would have been all over that. Gods he loved magic.

Two months ago...

He had had enough. thirteen years now and Scar was forced to share the body of a beast whenever he lost his temper, and although the years made it easier on him to put a cap on his emotions the beast always found ways to come out. He had lost track of how many of his servants he had mutilated in his animalistic rage; how many dancers he had devoured and how much money he had put into his castle for repairs. It was simply too much. This... curse was put upon him because of the metaphorical beast he held inside in his heart stemming from the jealousy he held for his brother and with Mufasa now dead, there was no way for him to get rid of it. Rothbart, the evil sorcerer who had done this to him in the first place had made it perfectly clear that his curse would be lifted once he made peace with the royal family. Huh, fat chance now. Apparently killing your own brother for the throne doesn't qualify.

He had been traveling for weeks now, alone; back to the spot where it all began. His kingdom would do fine without him. In fact, they were all probably relieved for the prolonged absence of their King. He wasn't necessarily a bad king. Harsh in his methods? Absolutely, but when one demands respect one shall have it, by any means possible. Still though, even under the reign of Mufasa, The Pride Lands had never been more prosperous. Scar got results and he got them quick and the people hated to love him for it.

Adorned in a traveling cloak made from buffalo hide with nothing underneath save for his animal skin pants and various belts around his chest to hold his weapons, Scar had finally arrived. Taking a look at the cold, decrepit castle before him Scar paused to inhale a breath of the fresh evening air, his heightened senses catching a whiff of a lake nearby and as his head turned to examine his observation, found the body of water not too far from where he stood. Figuring that he could do with a proper rest before confronting Rothbart, Scar changed direction and headed towards the lake, the sound of his sandals padding along in ankle-high grass the only sounds save for the occasional whistling of the night air.

---

Her eyes closed, her wings beating gently over the breeze as she let herself enjoy the breeze that blew past her, ruffling her feathers slightly as she headed back towards the lake she had now called home for the past thirteen years of her life. Letting her light blue orbs open she dropped her gaze, her small frame tilting to the side as she slowed herself, the swan easing itself down over the air currents until she had almost completely touched down, the tips of her wings disturbing the lakes surface. Pulling her upper body back ever so slightly her talons dipping down into the water before she lowered her body coming to a graceful rest, thirteen years of being stuck as a swan had taught her a thing or two when it came to flying, though the curse was beginning to wear thin upon her patience.

Lifting her gaze up she turned her head, her eyes fixated on the moon as it slowly lifted itself up over the trees, watching in anticipation as the light streamed down upon her hitting the lakes surface. Lowering her head she shut her eyes tightly her wings lifting slightly as small strands of water began to lift, circling her body until she was no longer within sight, her stomach twisted slightly as she felt herself beginning to change, yet another thing that the young girl had grown to accept about herself over the past years of her life. Standing up tall her head dropped back, the water once more returning to the lake as she shook her long wavy blonde locks out, once more happy to feel them brushing lightly over her back.

Lowering her head she reached forward, her hands gently taking her gown within her hands as she slowly but surely began to walk herself out of the lake and back to the bank, happy that for once her night would not be ruined by Rothbart's presence. Pulling herself up onto the bank she dropped her dress, her eyes closing and her head tilting to the side slightly as she ran her slender fingers through her hair, her mind turning to how she would now spend her peaceful evening.

Making his way through the trees, using his forearm to sweep away and hanging branches before they had a chance at his face, Scar eventually reached the clearing before the lake. Standing there it really was quite beautiful on such a still night as this. Spending most of his life alone in his efforts, the War General-made-King always had an appreciation for nature and what she could do to alter a person's frame of mind simply by it's ambiance.

Dark eyes looking over the glossy waters of the lake, he happened upon a swan landing near the shore. Folding his arms across his chest, Scar took a moment to lean his side into the trunk of a nearby tree and simply observe, moving his right leg to cross at his ankles over the left. He hadn't ever come by a swan before. In his homeland the birds found the climate much too hot and the predatory animals much too fierce. He had read about them of course, seen their pictures in books, but nothing could compare to the real animal of grace he saw before him now.

He shifted against the tree slightly, however, as a bright light seemed to entrap the swan. Rays of the moon seeming to wrap it's fingers around the bird and growing brighter and brighter until finally, just as Scar was about to move from his spot to check on the bird himself, the swan was no more and in it's place a fair-skinned, young woman. Furrowing his eyebrows he remained still, watching from the tree as she gathered up the ends of her dress and waded through the water and back to shore. Had this event happened before him over thirteen years ago Scar wouldn't have believed it, but as he could turn into an animal (though far less graceful) he knew all to well that a curse had been placed upon this girl; though he couldn't see the downside on her particular transformation.

Thinking critically, as he always did, he was able to gather one of two things. Either this woman was actually born a swan and graced with a blessing to walk as a human on specific occasions and was just resting here for the night, or she was indeed born a woman and cursed into turning into a swan by the very same man that turned him into a beast. The latter, Scar still couldn't fathom what was so terrible about being turned into such a beautiful animal.

As the girl reached the shore, Scar, keeping his arms folded across his bare chest under the buffalo traveling cloak, spoke up, keeping his voice even and calm so as not to startle her.

"Do that often do you?"

Freezing for a brief moment as the sound of a males voice drifted towards her she snapped her head around, her soft pink lips parting softly as she let her light blue eyes search through the area coming to rest upon the man that stood leaning against the tree, lowering her hands back down to her dress her shoulders relaxed showing her relief that it was not Rothbart standing before her, "Unfortunately..." Lowering her gaze from him she turned her head, gesturing up to the moon with her gaze as she explained, "I need to be on the lake when the moonlight touches the water, if I wish to return to being a human. As soon as the light leaves the lake, I turn back into a swan..."

Turning her gaze back to his she smiled softly, though the smile was sad matching that which was in her eyes as she brought her hands together, playing with her fingers, "No matter where I am. This is my curse." Hesitating for a moment she lowered her head out of respect, her hands working to hold out her dress as she curtsied in his direction, both out of respect and politeness, "Forgive my rudeness... My name is Odette, welcome to Swan Lake."

For a moment Scar said nothing, just letting his eyes look the girl up and down not at all in an alluring way, but that of observation. So she was cursed, she had only been too eager to confirm that for him it seemed. After a while Scar dropped his arms from their crossed position and put his right foot back down on the soft grass and turned his head so that he was no longer looking at her, but at the reflection of the moon on the lake.

"Cursed into being a swan." He said, repeating the information he gave her and then shook his head a bit, a light, breathy chuckle coming from his throat though it held no humor behind it. "I can think of worse." There was no sense in frightening the girl, so he said no more on the meaning behind his words. "Well Odette, I take it by your formal welcome that you live out here?" He asked, sweeping his thick arms around in a gesture towards the clearing they were in and then jerked his thumb so that it was pointing back towards the castle. "Or does The Great Animal allow his pets inside now?"

She let her eyes linger over his body as he stayed silent clearly thinking something through, though she was not one who was going to push him to speak with her if he didn't want to, it wasn't very often that she was able to speak with another and she certainly wasn't going to throw away the opportunity of talking with someone who wasn't trying to force her hand in marriage, "I know; I don't complain about the form that has been forced onto me. I find swans graceful, the very meaning of beauty. My heart just aches to see a world that I will never be able to see."

Her body tensed for a moment as he began to speak of her home, calling her a pet to the very one who kept her a captive for the majority of her life, prisoner in the grounds of her own home, "I am no pet to that monster..!" Her hands dropped to her sides, balling into fists as she glared at him her eyes showing just how much hatred she had for the man they were now talking about. Realizing what she had done she quickly relaxed turning her head away from him, trying to regain her composure.

"Forgive me... Being held prisoner in the grounds of my own home, by a man trying to force my hand does not bode well for my opinion of him." She closed her eyes keeping her breathing steady before she turned her head looking over at him, "So no, even if granted the liberty of going into my own castle... I will not give him the satisfaction of walking through those halls."

Her sudden outburst didn't seem to preterb Scar at all, he simply stood there looking amused if anything. He had learned enough of this girl already in two minutes to be able to hold a conversation with her for hours if he so wished, but in return she knew nothing about him, not even his name. Not that it mattered, it just struck him curious as to how eager this young woman was to share information about herself to a complete stranger... an armed complete stranger.

"You don't like him then? Another thing we have in common." Scar replied gruffly. He began to walk forward then, getting closer to her ignoring the way the long grass tickled at the exposed parts of his feet beneath the sandals. When he was about ten feet away from her he began to remove the buffalo traveling cloak and still walking, holding it out to her with one hand for her to take it.

"The wind is picking up. If you're to stay out here you should be kept warm." He explained using his free hand to gesture towards the damp condition of her dress, his chest, arms and torso now completely bare to her save for the belts around his chest where he kept his weapons holstered.

"I have no need nor intention to like him, and I doubt any force in existence will ever cause me to change my mind." Keeping her gaze on his, her foot slipped back not fully taking a step as he moved closer to her, the young girl hesitating a few moments before she reached out taking the cloak that he had offered to her, dropping her gaze slightly she smiled her feet coming back together as she held it close, "Thank you... Not many are as kind as you are sir..." Pulling it around her body she held the ends together with her hands, her shoulders hunching slightly at the warmth that was still lingering within the cloak from when he had been wearing it himself.

A snort came from Scar immediately as she chose to use the word 'kind' to describe him, He had been called many things in his life, but 'kind' wasn't one of them.

"You despise the sorcerer as I do, therefore we have a common enemy which makes us allies." He explained, unable to help the military jargon that came from his explanation.

Lifting her head to once more look into his eyes she bit her lower lip, gently nibbling it for a short period of time before she spoke again, "I don't wish to pry, and please don't feel obligated to answer, but..." Her brows furrowed slightly in confusion as she tried to think of why he had come in the first place, there were rarely any people who came to her throughout the night, the rare ones being people who had stumbled upon her but even then their visits had never lasted more than a few days, "If you do not like Rothbart... Then why are you here?"

"The man took away my life. I'm here to get it back. Thirteen years ago I may not have had the means to do so. If he felt no compulsion to listen to a Royal War General, then perhaps he will listen to a king!" To give him something to do, Scar folded his arms back across his chest and shifted his weight to one leg. Looking down on the small woman he couldn't help but to notice her age... she couldn't have been much older than fourteen... perhaps, if the fates had been kinder, his own child would have turned out to be much like this girl standing in front of him wearing his traveling cloak. It was strange, he couldn't help but to like her, strongly for that specific reason, but also that she showed him nothing but respect and she hadn't even known who he was.

Dropping her head she shook it slightly feeling a slight pain in her chest as she remembered the reasoning as to why she had ended up in the care of the sorcerer herself, he had taken her life away from her when he had so brutally murdered her father before stealing away with her into the night, even at such a young age the memories were burned into her forever, "I understand the pain you feel, he took my life from me... My father from me... Thirteen years ago, he killed him before my eyes. A King cut down in his prime right before his three year old daughters eyes." Feeling comfortable enough to let go of the cloak without it falling from her body she lowered her hands, bringing them together in front of her as she bowed her head towards him, now aware of his title.

"Forgive me for saying this your majesty... However, I fear that Rothbart will not pay mind to whether you are King or not." Keeping her gaze lowered she played with the folds of her dress, her long blonde waves falling down over her shoulders on either side framing her face nicely, "He's not one to listen well to what others have to say..."

Saying nothing as she explained to him how it was she ended up like this (though committing to memory the fact that she was indeed a princess), Scar reached his hand over his shoulder and to his back, finding the hilt of his sword and pulled it from the sheath. The sound of metal scraping against metal filled the air as he brought it around over the top of his shoulder and held it in front of him, using the thumb of his opposite hand to test the blade's edges. His eyes were kept on the blade, listening to her concerns about Rothbart's cooperation and his lip curled up into a snicker.

"That may be, but the man must change me back or face his end, and I've no problems with sliding a sword between his ribs and watch as he meet his maker. I've killed for the last time because of him." Scar answered, running his thumb up the length of the blade.

Moving for the first time since leaving the lake, she moved herself down to the waters edge her gaze lifted to the castle above them, the sound of a blade being pulled and the glint of metal shining under the moonlight in the corner of her eye causing her to turn her attention back to him, watching as he examined his blade before speaking to her, "He has given me a night from his constant persistence, he will not be coming down to the lake tonight that I know of. If you wish to face him, he will be in the castle, there is an entrance just past those trees. It will take you directly to the main hall."

Lifting her hand up she gestured in the direction she spoke of showing him the path before she once more lowered her arm to her side, "I wish you luck your highness, and pray for your safe return."

"When the sorcerer has fallen and his head on a pike with my fate restored, I will return to set you free." Scar promised, reaching back to slide his swords back into it's sheath on his back. Turning to look at her, now there had been distance between them once again, Scar nodded and bowed his head a few inches respectfully. "You're too kind Princess." He stated simply, though whether or not he used her title and his light gesture of a bow was genuine or condescending it was impossible to tell. Lifting his head back up, he turned and headed in the direction of the castle and through the trees in which Odette had pointed out to him. It was time for Rothbart to die.

---

A few days ago...

Sitting herself up straight she leant back against the tree she had collapsed underneath, her hand coming up to wipe the tears from her eyes as her other worked to pull the buffalo hide cloak that she had been gifted from it's place in the hollowed out hole in the trunk, bringing it down into her lap she let her thumb glide softly back and forth over the material, a gentle smile crossing over her lips helping her to feel better as she recalled the promise he had made her. He was going to set her free. Biting her lower lip softly she lifted her gaze, her light blue orbs lingering upon the door that led to the castle which so rightfully was her own, her heart sinking knowing that no matter what she did she would yet again have to face Rothbart over and over again, night after night until she either gave in or was lifted of the curse he had placed on her like he had countless others. Pulling herself up to her feet she closed her eyes, her head lowering sightly as she pulled the cloak over her body, fastening the clip so that it would not fall from her body as she began to walk, her legs carrying her away from the lake and in turn the monster that lived in the castle. Her mind was made up, she could not spend another moment there in his company.

Gritting her teeth, Maleficent shoved her hand out in front of herself before she jerked it to the side, the force from the energy emanating from her body hitting the large wooden door that led to her room, forcing it to swing open and shatter ever so slightly at the impact in which it hit the stone wall. Not caring about the fact that she may have potentially ruined her door she kept walking, the balls of her feet carrying herself back and forth over the ground, her eyes narrowing as she thought back on her more one sided conversation with the sea witch who seemed to get on her nerves more times than none. "The nerve of that witch. How dare she come into my home and subject me to her insolence!" Gritting her teeth together she let out a cry of frustration, the stand alone mirror in the room quickly cracking before shattering and falling to the ground around it, the sound causing her head to snap around and her body to relax. Her lithe figure reflected back in the shards of glass, her dark brown orbs staring back out at her with that same look of regard. Turning away from the new hazard in the room she moved herself over to the window, her feet carrying her out onto the balcony so that she could out upon the world she had managed to claim for her own. "You sound distressed, my Queen." Jafar's voice carried through the air with ease as he spoke with a deep voice, He had arrived just moments before she had, biding his time by perching a hip onto the railing of the balcony, his golden staff not too far from reach as it rested up against the wall where the railing connected to it. His eyes were not on Maleficent, however, but on the view below them, able to see for miles upon miles of the rich country that Maleficent called her home before the land eventually ended at the sea which in turn disappeared into the horizon. "You try dealing with that wench from the oceans..." Resting her hands upon the railing she stared out at the world that was hers, his presence helping to keep her calm and relaxed for the moment, something she would never tell him due to the thought that his ego might inflate more than it already was. Turning his head to her and quirking an eyebrow as Maleficent began her rant, Jafar looked back to the view before him before letting out a quiet sigh, drowned out by her agitated voice. "She strides into my home as though she owns the place, then blabbers on about nonsense! Seaweed, for crying out loud!" Balling her right hand into a fist she slammed it down on the stone railing. "The ocean is full of it, and yet she comes to me to complain... I'm not that witch's friend, if she wishes to gossip and complain, then she can do so to those fish she calls her subjects..." Pushing himself up from the railing, Jafar walked over to Maleficent to stand behind her. Placing a hand on each of her shoulders Jafar moved his fingers around her skin softly, finding the tense areas and began to work them out slowly, paying half attention to what it was that had her so upset in the first place. It wasn't the first time Ursula had gotten Maleficent steamed up like this; thankfully after thirteen years of practice he had found a few ways to help her come back down from that anger. Maleficent couldn't help closing her eyes as she felt his hands upon her shoulders, gently though firmly working to rid her of the tense feelings that had accumulated within her, a soft moan escaping her lips thanks to his touch. "I don't see why you bother with her in the first place. You could easily turn one of your servants into a fish and send them down there to take her place, they'd do just as well if not better than...her Majesty." Jafar added with a light scoff thrown in at Ursula's title. "I have no choice but to put up with her Jafar... As much as it pains me to admit this, she has a place within my future plans. A very critical place. And until they are realized, I am unable to replace her with someone more capable of not causing me to lose my temper..." Finding that her temperament was slowly subsiding rather than going the other direction, Jafar took a brave step forward, putting his chest flush with her back as he continued to search out the knots in her shoulders and neck. "You could always shrink her down and put her in a bottle until you need her." He suggested with a shrug, though he already knew that suggestion wouldn't go anywhere. Still, the need for him to say something, anything was there. "It'd be quite the fish show, we could keep it on your nightstand for entertainment." Pursing her lips for a moment she thought about his idea, a soft chuckle escaping them as they twisted into a small smirk, her body pressing back into his. "Yes... I think that could be quite entertaining. Maybe having her chained down in a large... soundproof fish-tank." Her smile grew more genuine with every moment she thought about the idea, "Yes, I think I very much like the thought of that. Jafar, remind me to get to work on having one built big enough to contain her." "That will require a lot of water." Jafar tossed in, making a jab to the sea witch's weight. Turning around Maleficent leaned back against the railing, her head lifting so that she could look up into his eyes, her own showing that she was no longer frustrated now that he was standing by her side. Removing his hands from her shoulders as she began to turn around, Jafar let them rest at his sides but didn't bother in backing away, keeping their distance close; intimate even. "You seem to be the only one useful enough to keep around, you have served me well over the past thirteen years." Maleficent commented. Jafar's hand brushed over her wrist slightly, taking it in his hand he raised her hand to his lips and kissed the tops of her knuckles. "When I make a promise, I abide by it." He answered her truthfully. Lifting her hand up, Maleficent used her fingers to push his shaggy, curly hair back off his face so she could see him better."So, tell me... What news from Agrabah?" She asked with her head tilting to the side slightly. Letting her hand go softly, Jafar looked upon Maleficent thoughtfully before answering plainly, "We've a bit of a social inequality problem on our hands, nothing I can't fix with a few street rats in their proper cages." Continuing to lift her hand as he let it go, she placed it gently against his cheek, her finger slowly tracing the line of his jaw down to his chin. "Of all my little toys Jafar... You are by far my most precious and most favored..." Pushing herself up on the balls of her feet, her hand slid around the back of his neck, her lips brushing against his for but a few moments. Jafar hummed a bit as her lips brushed up against his, closing his eyes and kissing her back lightly as she slowly pulled away and opened his eyes back up to look upon her once more as she finished her thought. "Perhaps toy... Is not the right word though..." "Perhaps 'Guard Dog' would fit the bill better. Your talk of 'other toys' has me growing jealous Mal; that others share your attention I wish upon myself alone and always." "Jafar, darling... You have my attention, full and not a drop less." Her hands slid down his shoulders and over his arms, guiding them around her body until they were wrapped completely around her. Feeling her small frame pressed into his slightly as she wrapped his arms around her, Jafar took the hint and moved his arms on his own, resting his hands on the backside of her hips and keeping his arms in close around her waist. "Besides... your jealousy of others who see me and gain my attention is quite amusing. Makes me feel as though you actually care about me." Her words didn't seem to soothe his mind, her latter remark had a sort of snort coming from his nose. Jafar turned his head away from her slightly, looking down at the railing behind her over her shoulder, saying nothing but also in his silence saying everything at the same time. Feeling a slight twinge in her heart Maleficent once more reached up, turning his head so that he was looking her directly in the eyes. "Jafar. You know I do not like it when you avert your eyes from mine. Speak your mind. You are, of course, the only one I allow such luxuries." When he found difficulty of looking back at her even then, she pulled away from him and moved back inside, not bothering to mind about the glass scattered about the floor. "If you refuse to look at me, then I shall just remove myself of your company, and save you having to endure such a troublesome chore." Stalling on the balcony for a moment and quelling his quickly beating heart, Jafar followed her in, though stopping at the open threshold and leaned against the frame. "You called for me. That is why I am here." He told her upfront, crossing his arms over his chest. He'd rather not get into where his own thoughts about her had been taking him lately, he wouldn't even know what to tell her if she insisted on him speaking his mind. "If that is why you stay by my side, then go. Begone. Get out of my sight and do not come back..." She kept her back to him as she moved about the room, knowing she wanted to do something, though what was a complete and utter mystery to her. Lifting her hand up she flicked it, flames bursting to life in the large stone fireplace not only adding light to the room but also warmth. Bringing his hand up to his face, Jafar pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes and made an effort to keep his breaths shallow. By Allah did Maleficent ever have the temper! Fortunately, he had been dealing with her mood swings long enough to not feel threatened by them... at least, not as much as he used to. "I do not need you here out of pity Jafar. Do not think for one moment that I will allow you to stay in my company any longer than necessary if that is the case..." Her chest began to move quicker, heaving up and down as anger mixed with other emotions began to fill her body, her voice becoming no more but a hushed tone though keeping its firm tone, "It is not your pity that I want..." Biding his time, Jafar relaxed his hand back to his side and for the moment leaving his cobra headed staff where it was. He crossed the room to Maleficent and once more put his hands on her shoulders, sliding them downwards a bit to hold onto her upper arms. Closing her eyes she tensed her jaw feeling his hands slide down her body and down her arms, unsure of whether she wanted to welcome his touch, or push him away. Pressing his chest back flat with the curve of her spine, he bent his head forward and placed a delicate kiss on the exposed flesh of her shoulder just below the strap and held himself there for a few heartbeats before slowly pulling himself back just enough so that his lips just barely grazed her flesh. "You know that is no longer the reason I stay." He told her in a hushed whisper, almost counting on her not being able to hear him. Maleficent's lips parted slightly as she turned her head, catching onto what was he had said, her mind struggling against whether to press the point or not. Relaxing her jaw she let her gaze soften, her eyebrow raising slightly mostly out of curiosity. She wanted to hear him say it, even if she knew the answer already. "If pity is no longer the reason in which you stay by my side. Then please, by all means, do set me straight... Why do you stay?" Pressing his lips back down onto her shoulder, Jafar began a steady trail of open-mouthed kisses up to the juncture of her shoulder and neck, baring his teeth a bit to graze over her flesh the rest of the way up to where he could feel her pulse just under her jaw. "I promised to please you, in all ways possible my Queen." Jafar replied after a while, keeping his voice down so as not to hurt her pointed ear from being so close. "For thirteen years I have done all it is you have asked. I have sat with you many nights while you were troubled. I have bedded you when you were lonely.You have become more than my Queen, but also a friend and a lover..." Maleficent dropped her head back, minding the tips of her horns against his shoulder. Her lower lip trembled slightly, hoping that he had not seen her do as such. "You have indeed been loyal to me over the years gone by Jafar, definitely as my Vizier... As my friend... And yes, as my lover. There have been many a night in which your presence has indeed kept me from taking my anger out where it is not necessary." Tilting her head to the side she kept her body still, her breathing steady though her heart began to race. "What is it you want from me Jafar? What is it you truly want from me?" "I've given you my supreme loyalty." Jafar started, pausing to run the tip of his nose down the length of her neck where he had been previously kissing her. "I can only hope you can give me your word to have yours as well. The selfish man inside me asks that you no longer entertain your other 'toys', just myself." "Contrary to your belief Jafar, you already have my loyalties... Those other 'toys' you speak of, none of them gets the attention that I give to you, and you alone." A shiver made its way down her spine as he brushed his nose over her neck, "I didn't believe that I would have to express what I believed was already so clear to everyone, including yourself. Or do I need to spell every little thing I am thinking out to you?" "I had often wondered..." Jafar said truthfully, lifting his head back up so that his lips were brushing against the shell of her ear with each word he spoke. "There have been nights when you didn't call for my company. I could only hope it wasn't because you wished to be embraced in the arms of another man." "If I wished to be in the arms of another man, then you would certainly know about it. Do you really think that it would be something that I would keep to myself?" She turned her body slightly, her head looking back over her shoulder at him as he held her, his touch something that her body had gotten used to over the thirteen years they had spent with one another. "I enjoy your company Jafar... I do not feel the need to seek it from another." Jafar extended his hand from her upper arm to touch the side of her face, pushing up on her jaw a bit so he could look down and into her eyes easier. "You are perhaps the biggest mystery I have yet to uncover my Queen. You are full of secrets that even I do not know. I knew not where your heart lay and it vexed me." His hand moved down to press his palm over her shoulder and flush against her chest, feeling her heart beating there softly. "If what you tell me is true, then I am happier than I have ever been since we met." "I am full of secrets... Some you might learn of soon, and then there are those that will never leave the safety of my lips. But I assure you that what I say is the truth. I have no reason to lie to you about this." Lowering her gaze for but a moment she lifted it back up to look into his eyes, her head leaning into his touch as her hand reached up to gently rest against his. "Tell me what is on your mind... Do not leave out a single thought." Before answering, Jafar lowered his head so that his forehead was pressed into the back of her shoulder, his eyes looking down at the floor between them. What was on his mind? A great number of things had been on his mind, a lot of which pertained to this very relationship... most of which where things he still didn't even understand; namely his feelings. "You had me as your first... and if I understood your words correctly... your only..." Lifting his head back up he took a slight step backwards and with his hands, used her shoulders to turn her around to face him directly. Turning in his arms, Maleficent lifted her gaze up to look at him, her head nodding softly as she listened to him going back over her actions, his words ringing with truth though he had never understood why. Keeping his hands on her shoulders, a firm but gentle grip, Jafar's eyes searched hers for answers he didn't even know the questions to, so he simply asked, "Why?" "You're right... You were my first. And your understanding of my words is also correct, you have always been my only." She kept her face straight her eyes gazing back into his not giving anything away as she waited for the answers to her own questions, then and only then would he hear what she had to say, "My answer... All depends on the one you give me. I will not make a fool of myself if it is not necessary to do so." "You could never make a fool out of yourself Mal, not to me." Jafar told her quietly and it was the truth. She was perfect in everything she ever did to him, absolutely flawless with every word, every action... "What question would you like answered, my Queen? I will answer you honestly and without hesitation." Her lips parted slightly as she stared up at him knowing that he would give her the information that she wanted, all she would need to do was ask, she just now needed to figure out whether it was something she truly wished to know or not. Taking a deep breath she held it for a moment before letting it out slowly through her nose, her shoulders relaxing and her head lifting up slightly. "What do you wish to happen between us Jafar... What do you want this to become?" Moving a hand from her upper arm, Jafar caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger, holding it gently in the need to want to touch her intimately. Her lips parted as she felt him take a hold of her chin holding her in place though his touch was gentle. "More than what it is we already have?" He asked, wondering why that wasn't enough, why something had to 'become' of their thirteen year old unspoken relationship, but he pressed on having promised her a true answer. "To call you mine, completely and truly and in all ways. To hear those three words I have not heard you speak in all the years I've known you while I lay in your bed at night holding you close to me. To one day become your companion and King while remaining your friend and lover for the rest of my days and yours." His answer tumbled from his lips with what seemed like a hint of reluctance though he stood true to his word and gave her what she wanted. His words caused heart to feel suspended in her chest, unable to breathe for a few moments. "You wish for me to be yours and yours alone, for you to be the one person whom I wake up to each morning and the one person I climb into bed to meet each night..." She repeated some of his words with her own spin on them, knowing that there was no longer any need to keep herself from saying the things she kept to herself for so long. Her expression remained calm as she spoke softly, though directly showing no waver in her voice, "Jafar, I love you." He felt his blood run hot and cold all at the same time, causing goosebumps to raise up over his entire body. A wide smile spread across his lips that reached all the way to his eyes, laughing out a sort of relieved breath at her words though choking on it as his heart was now caught in his throat. How long he had been waiting to hear those words from her he was uncertain. The memory of his late wife was still there but that had healed over many years ago. Keeping his fingers holding fast to her chin, Jafar leaned in and pushed his lips against hers in the makings of a passionate kiss, not holding back a single emotion as his eyes closed and with his other hand pushed her closer into him. After what seemed like an eternity of pure bliss, Jafar pulled back and kept his forehead to hers, removing his hand from her chin to rest at the back of her head and lazily play with her hair. "Yes, and I love you too Mal." Picking her up in his arms, Jafar walked over to the lavish bed and laid her down in the Egyptian cotton sheets as gently as if she were made of glass. His lips returned to hers in a bruising kiss, letting his hands wander over her body as she arched into him, a quick snap of the fingers locking the doors so that they wouldn't be interrupted any further.

Ilya's daily life was simple and unappealing by most standards, but it never bothered him. His job title was security guard, but he oftentimes ended up doing whatever needed to be done around the inn. Right now he was unloading bags for a handicapped visitor, who happened to be his friend Funes. They had talked a little beforehand over phone, but it was different meeting face to face. After they squared away the most important matters, they turned to lighter fair. Funes asked Ilya if he had read books lately, Ilya asked Funes if when the last time he left his apartment was. Ilya's english had improved since Funes saw him last, but it was still riddled with errors, which Funes took pleasure in correcting. Ilya could see Alan in the lobby while he helped Funes with his belongings, but decided that now was not the best time to deal with him. Funes thought that Alan looked a little familiar but he was not completely confident, he knew only what the boy he saw looked like, not what he would look like as a man. Both of them grew flustered when they saw him kiss Daria, but Ilya hurried Funes along and assured him that they would talk about that man in due time. Funes got settled into his room and returned to reading, while Ilya walked back downstairs to trying to find Alan and have a little chat. By this time, Alan had left, and Ilya did not know where he went. He asked the girls "Where is the magician man now? I want to have talk with him, go over some of our policies." Immediately after saying it, he felt a little bit of regret. It must be at least a little startling to have a burly russian security guard with a nametag that says Igor interrupting your business. This would inevitably be mentioned in his next performance review.

Morning had started turning into day as the sun rose higher into the sky, basking all beneath it in its refulgent warmth. It was during this time that the forest seemed most alive, as squirrels, birds, insects, and other woodland creatures went about their daily routines. Not far from the forest's edge, a quarter mile at most, was a long beach that stretched on as far as the eye could see. Dotted with rocks large enough for one to sit on, many of the Fairy Tale World's inhabitants would come here whenever they wished to get away....that was, until the Dark Queen's takeover. Sitting atop one of the aforementioned rocks was the Sorcerer, his boots planted only a foot away from the water's edge as the waves caused the sea to reach out, trying futilely to lap up at his feet, only to recede back and start all over again. Gloved hands neatly folded in his lap, the Sorcerer simply looked out past the water's edge, the seemingly endless sea reflecting with glorious light, what little remained of the dark from the night before painting the sky's edge in a brilliant purple and blue, retreating from the vigil of the Day. It was during this time that the Sorcerer felt he could think the clearest, surrounded by serenity and peace; untouched by Morgana's foul touches. Thinking of the Queen sent a sharp pang of guilt through the Sorcerer's heart. There was a time, many years ago, when she was younger--different. Little more than a child forced into growing up far before she was due. Friendly, curious, and always willing to speak to him when he went under the name of Merlin. Where had he gone wrong.....? *~*~* Mind wandering back to a time before, the Sorcerer found himself back in Camelot, in the large castle of the Good King Uther, a stern but well-meaning man who kept Merlin in his service for advice on manners of magic, as well as a tutor for his son, Arthur. Currently hidden away in the tower that functioned as a bedroom, study, and classroom all in one, Merlin was currently hunched over an aged wooden table, scrawling on a blank piece of parchment. The words he wrote were far from English, some ancient language in which he was most likely the only one able to translate. Feeling the fresh air blow in through his small window, Merlin leaned back in his chair, which creaked from the shifted weight as he breathed in the smell of nature. Biting down on her lower lip softly she hesitated, raising her hand to knock politely against the wooden door being sure to gain his attention before she stepped into the room, her dark brown orbs slowly gliding over everything and anything she could see before coming to a rest on the man she had grown to care for over the time she had been in the Kings care, "Forgive me the intrusion... You said to come to you if it ever happened again..." Turning in his seat to look behind him as he heard the knock on the door, Merlin carefully returned his quill to its inkpot before rising up from his chair, taking a moment to dust off his robes of faded yellow as he saw the young girl standing in the doorway, looking quite frankly perturbed. Lowering her gaze to the desk she brought her hands together in front of her, nervously playing with the front of her gown as she explained, "The nightmares... They have come back. I couldn't sleep at all last night..." Merlin nodded understandingly, the light from the window just managing to catch a glimpse of at least part of the face beneath the hood, a square jaw blanketed by a thin, neatly trimmed beard of brown-and-gray that didn't reach past his chin. "I see, yes...come, have a seat. I'll prepare you some tea." Merlin offered kindly, closing the door with a mere wave of his hand before attending to an elevated teapot over the still-crackling fire in the hearth. Lifting her head to look over at him, she followed his gaze nodding softly as she moved out of the middle of the entrance and over to the table, her hands sliding down the back of her legs holding her gown against her as she took a seat, the young girl staying silent as she watched him use his magic, something she knew she couldn't do while in these castle walls. Conjuring two small teacups (complete with the sewn tea bags) on the table that functioned as a dining table, Merlin procured the teapot from the hearth and poured the boiling water into both cups before motioning towards the one closest to Morgana. Taking a seat opposite the one offered to her, Merlin wasted no time asking, "What was last night's dream about? If you don't mind my asking, my dear." Reaching out she took the cup offered to her in both hands, her eyes saddening as she lowered her gaze to the liquid within, her thumb gently sliding back and forth over the outside savoring the warmth it was giving her hands, "My mother..." Her lower lip trembled slightly as she forced herself to think back to the nightmare that had plagued her, "The feeling of water rushing into my lungs... It burned so much... I couldn't do anything." Her arm raised, her hand gently pressing against her neck as she began to rub trying to rid herself of the feeling it had given her. "I was so scared I was going to die..." Placing her untouched cup back onto the table she lowered her hands to her lap falling silent. Merlin listened patiently, occasionally taking a sip from his own cup as he let her explain what had kept her up all night. Allowing a few moments to think of what to speak, Merlin let out a small sigh before beginning in a calm, sympathetic tone, "Trauma is a terrible thing...it can plague people for the rest of their lives. But here is what I want you to do...the next time you have this nightmare, the next time you feel the memory crawling into your mind...I want you to play it out, the entire scene. Accept what happened to you, don't fear what might have been. You survived, and here you sit, a beautiful, intelligent girl who, I think...has an incredibly bright future." Merlin advised kindly, what little of his face that could be seen beneath his hood apparently smiling to emphasize his words. Closing her eyes she shook her head, her brows furrowing in slight worry at his words, she didn't want to let it play out, she didn't want to remember what had happened to her, all she wanted to do was forget, "I do not think that is something I can do... I just want to forget it all, I am tired, I cannot keep going with this haunting me..." Standing up she wrapped her arms around her body, her feet moving herself over to the window so that she could look out upon Camelot, a worried look on her face, "I cannot do what is needed of me if I do not rid myself of this..." Her last words were hushed, spoken mostly to herself though she knew he would take it as meaning her fulfilling her duties as the Kings ward. "My lady..." Merlin began, rising from his own seat to approach her. "Memories are what define us, they're what make us all so unique. Answer me this: can you truly cherish the good memories, if there were no bad memories?" "Well, no... But-..." Turning around to face him she lifted her gaze matching his, "This is not just a mere bad memory. I do not think it would affect those that are good if it was just gone, taken away from my mind... Can you do that for me..?" Merlin seemed to stiffen slightly as she requested him to take away her memory, to make her forget. It was within the bounds of his power, yes, but...such a power, used so freely... "No...no, I cannot. I'm sorry, my dear." Merlin replied in a heavy tone, turning his gaze to look into her eyes. "Allow me to share a story with you." Merlin requested, his gaze turning towards the small table once more, mentally urging her to sit down once again. Her heart sunk in her chest as his answer hit her ears weighing down upon her, she knew it wasn't because he couldn't help her, but more towards the fact that he didn't wish to remove her past from her. Following his gaze to the table she gave a single nod of understanding, moving back over to her seat she sat back down her hands in her lap and her eyes never leaving the table. Sitting down opposite her once again, Merlin began to retell his story, gauging her as he spoke for any reaction, "When I was a young man, before I came to Camelot, back when I was merely an apprentice...I met this woman. She was incredibly beautiful, and possessed a keen intelligence that could baffle many scholars. There was only one problem between this woman and myself...she was a practitioner of the Dark Arts, a wielder of forbidden magic that could most likely have ended with her being executed should she have been caught. Her and I were in conflict for much time, seeming to always run into each other no matter where I was sent. Little did I know that Fate had a bigger hold in our relationship than I had previously thought. I was young, pompous, and arrogant, so easily condemning her actions, her practice of perverted magic, that I could hardly see past the large mountain I had set myself upon. One thing I had not expected, however, is that, as time passed....we would fall in love." He stopped for a brief moment to take another drink of his tea and clear his throat before continuing, still having not reached the point of his message. Her heart froze in her chest, her jaw clenching for but a moment as she heard him speak of the particular artform she had been studying under her mistresses guidance in secret, the woman giving her all the skills and knowledge she would need for when she took her place as Queen of Darkness, something she couldn't lay whisper of, especially in the company of a sorcerer such as he. She had a job to be done within the walls of Camelot, and if he had ever caught wind of her true intentions she would most likely be sent to a fate worse than the death. "She felt this as well. And it was only a few months after we had both realized these feelings when we wed in a private ceremony, in the middle of the woods, beneath the most enchanting tree you could ever imagine. Our relationship was kept a secret from everyone...who could I trust with such a revelation that I was consorting with a witch? Within the first year of our marriage, she found out she was pregnant with my child. I was elated! I would finally be a father, to hold, to love, and to cherish a child I could call my own. She shared in my jubilee, and from that day forward we would mark off every week, every month until the day would come for us to welcome our little one into the world. She was in her third trimester and we were both incredibly anxious, I told her to wait for me by our tree where I would determine our child's gender for the first time. Then....when I went to meet her, she wasn't there. Perturbed, I looked everywhere she could have been, every hideout she used in the Wilds, any nearby towns or settlements. Nowhere. Even worse....I could no longer sense her with my magic, her aura...it had disappeared. My wife had vanished, without even closure to grant me knowledge of her fate. I was left alone...from that day forth, I spent the next few centuries journeying from realm to realm in search of her. Deep within my heart I knew I would not find her, that she was gone. But I continued my search with a heavy heart, and my hopes constantly dashed as my searches led me nowhere. Eventually I gave up, my memory haunted by memories of her...of the child I would never know, never hold." Letting out a deep sigh as he finished his tale, visibly saddened by letting the memories flood to the surface. Merlin looked down at the ground, as if recovering himself before looking back up at Morgana, speaking again, "I have never taken on another wife of my own in the time since then, nor have I sired any other children. My heart is too heavy for that. And yet...past all the pain, all the...the bad memories. There is a shining gem, a remembrance of the good times that we had. I may never know what happened to my wife, my Moira. But I can honor her memory, as she would have wanted. The point I'm trying to reach is that: your life is a collection of good and bad memories, times of great celebration, and times of mourning. Love and hate, birth and death, life, and loss...one can not live unless they have experienced both hardship and peace. You are strong, Lady Morgana...and you will get through this. I simply want to ask you: where would you be without the bad memories?" She lowered her gaze slightly, her muscles still tense as she allowed herself to sit upon his words, contemplating them and thinking hard before she spoke her answer, still quite unsure of herself as she let honesty ring out within her words, "I do not know... But I can say with certainty that I would not be sitting here today in your company had passed events not happened to me as they had..." Reaching out she let her fingers play gently with the folds of her gown, her legs crossing as she thought about how best to word her question towards him, "I understand now why you wish for me to keep the memories that my mind holds, how you do not wish to tamper with my past, however... Is there nothing you can do? Nothing at all that would allow me peace throughout the night? I would hate to disappoint through lack of sleep, my duties are of course, of great importance..." Merlin, seeming to have the cloud of pain that hung over him dissipate as quickly as it arrived, nodded slowly. "Yes, yes, I believe I have just the thing." Standing up from his seat once again, Merlin attended to the long shelves nailed to one of the stone walls, groaning with the added weight of numerous potions, salves, poultices, and alchemical ingredients; some local and identifiable, some looking as though they were completely and utterly unnatural. "Ah, here we are." Merlin mumbled to himself amidst other things whilst looking through the shelves. Procuring a small bottle filled with a bright purple liquid from the stores of potions, Merlin returned to the table, gently placing it in front of Morgana. "Here, this is a mixed extract containing the petals of a very rare flower known only to bloom during a full moon, whilst it is harmed by direct sunlight. Pour this extract in a cup of tea or water before going to bed each night, it should calm you down and give you a restful night's sleep. Don't drink it straight from the bottle or use anymore than a few drops. I hope it helps you with your plight." Merlin explained, finishing with another warm smile beneath his hood. Biting the inside of her lip she stared at the potion that he had placed on the table before her, the bright purple liquid catching her eye curiously as she listened to his explanation on how to use it correctly. Nodding she reached out taking it in her hand, her body raising from the chair as she nodded repeating his instructions so that he knew that she had indeed been listening to him, "Do not drink from the bottle, nor use more than but a few drops. Take with either water or tea just before I retire for the night... I understand." "Good. And if you have anymore nightmares, Lady Morgana...know that there's always time to talk if you so wish." Merlin assured her kindly. Forcing a gently smile to her lips she moved around the table heading back towards the way she had come, reaching for the handle she hesitated a moment before gazing back over her shoulders at him, her eyes full of worry though that had nothing to do with her night terrors, "Thank you... Emeris..." Opening the door quickly she slipped back into the corridor, her footsteps slowly getting further and further away with each step she took through the castles halls. Watching her as she left, Merlin's gaze shifted as he heard her footsteps echoing down the corridor, his mouth twitching as he magically closed the door once more, making sure to lock it for good measure. Returning to his desk, Merlin pondered on her last sentence...using his name. The only way she could have known it would have been if a Cleric had somehow entered Camelot. If that were the case, Merlin knew he would have to figure out a solution before King Uther's wrath fell upon him. Unable to focus on writing manuscripts, Merlin once again rose from his seat to his window, looking out over the sprawling city with a searching eye. *~*~* Returning to reality once again, the Sorcerer remembered the meeting between himself and Morgana as though it had happened only five minutes ago. How close had she been to her fall, then; her descent into darkness? Before he could contemplate further on this thought, however, another one, more terrifying struck him...she had used his name. The name the Clerics had known him as: Emeris. Back then all he could think about were Clerics wandering Camelot, never had he stopped and pondered how she knew his name, specifically. That could only mean one thing: she had known who he was from the start. Especially perturbed by this sudden revelation, the Sorcerer suddenly felt very uncomfortable, as if he were being watched. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore providing him no more comfort. He stood from the rock he had been sitting on, looking around everywhere in case someone was watching...stalking. Slowly relaxing as he tethered his mind back to the real, the Sorcerer made his way back to his cave. He needed to see how events were transpiring on Earth....

The cheers and constant begging of the crowd for more were great, but the blonde who had caught his eye for a fraction of a second was better. Shrugging to those around him trying to beg him into doing at least one more trick, he pushed through the crowd (he could have swore he heard a girl starting to complain to her friend about wanting to be that raven-haired girl Daria that he had sneaked a kiss from) he saw a flash of blonde ducking into the lodge restaurant. Smirking to himself, Alan walked through the threshold, spotting the blonde almost immediately sitting alone in a booth and made his way over. Sliding into the booth across from her as casually as if they had been old friends, Alan put his hands together and rested them on the table between them.

"Hey. Bad morning?" He asked as casually as if they had been friends for years.

Frowning slightly she flicked her light blue eyes up letting them come to a rest upon his figure as understanding came to her mind realizing that this was the very same guy who had been putting the moves on not only her little sister, but also on her friend, raising her eyebrow slightly she stayed silent for a moment contemplating on whether or not she wanted to even engage him in conversation before she ultimately made her choice, her eyes returning back to her work, "I guess you could say that... I did happen to witness this cute guy, who just happens to be sitting beside me thinking he's all that and then some kissing my friend in front of a bunch of strangers; but hey, who really keeps track of that sort of thing these days?"

"Oh, friend of yours?" Alan asked, the makings of his otherwise permanent smirk coming to surface on his lips. Stretching his arms out with a tired yawn of the subject matter, he relaxed his hands on the back of his head while saying, "She's cute, but you're cuter. Beautiful even. But I dunno, I've always been a sucker for blondes, call me cliche' but it's fact." He adjusted himself in his seat a bit, leaning in slightly more over the table sounding more interested at the topic at hand. "You know I think she liked it? I think you're gonna have to paint her cheeks back to their bronze color before that blush will start to fade." He added, talking of course about Daria.

She couldn't help the chuckle that escaped through her lips at his words, so that was how it was going to be? He was going to try and use flattery against her all the while trying to get her to open up to him, shaking her head from side to side she lifted the page she had been working on filling out her eyes gliding over the words on the page as she replied, "You can call me beautiful and cute all you want... Flattery will only get you so far, unfortunately for you, it's not getting you down the path you want it to..."

Reaching across the table she pulled one of the magazines she had closer her finger lifting to her mouth as she licked it slightly the moisture helping her to flip the page as she looked over the ideas it presented writing down those that she believed could be used for either of the parties that she was in charge of organizing, "So... Why are you here annoying me and distracting me from my work? Because you never actually said..."

Taking his eyes from hers for a moment to look down at the pile of paperwork she had brought in, he couldn't help but to scrunch up his nose in detestation, pushing back a particular comment she had made to bring up at a later time.

"Work? This is work? Yech! You know what I just did... out there..." He gestured with his thumb behind him. "Something you enjoy? You know... something fun? Now that is work."

"Contrary to your belief, this... What I'm doing right here... Is fun and enjoyable. And I just so happen to love the work that I do." Lowering her pen she leant forward on the table her hands coming together over the paperwork as she stared at him, her eyes narrowing as she tried to size him up, to figure out what exactly it was that he wanted from her, "I organize events; concerts, parties, day trips... And when I'm not doing that, I'm spending every other moment of my time out on the slopes training. It's all I could ever ask for, oh but, I don't blame you for not understanding. What I do requires talent and hard work... I don't need to resort to cheap tricks to get the appreciation and the love of a crowd..."

Her words seemed to amuse Alan. He sat back in the booth and tilted his head back, baring his throat to her as a cheeky grin came across his face, laughing somewhat and shaking his head before righting himself to look back at her.

"Alright, I get it. Workaholic blonde in the business of making her boss happy. Alright cool, cool I can respect that." He nodded, drumming his thumbs on the surface of the table. "Boring as hell, but I get it." He couldn't help the second airy laugh that came from him again. "Alright but let's rewind a bit. You mentioned something about effort. Now what kind of effort you got in mind? You wanna see a magic trick? I'll hold the kissing to contain your excitement for now but I can show you a neat trick if you got a pencil with an eraser..."

"Don't call me a workaholic... If I had my way, do you really think that I would be sitting here filling out all this paperwork?" Shaking her head she let her eyes turn back to him her back pressing back against the booth as she spoke seeming to have to explain things to him lest he not understand, "I would rather be spending every moment of my time training for my career." Reaching out she placed her pen down on the paperwork she had been filling in before pulling a pencil out from the pouch on the inside of her folder before reluctantly holding it out for him to take from her, "Well, if you must... I guess I don't mind watching one of your so called tricks while waiting for my lunch... Just make it quick, okay Dynamo?"

Smiling, Alan took the pencil from her and examined the eraser a bit before nodding, deeming it worthy of the trick he had in mind. He knew he could get her to cave eventually, he was just worried that she would turn out to be one of those people who thought magic tricks were a work of the devil and didn't even want to be around it. He couldn't even count how many times he had been maced while looking for people to show tricks to while back in New York.

"Uh, it's Alan actually but I think I could swing with Dynamo for a while if you keep saying it like that." Alan smirked, giving her a slight wink. "Really I'd answer to anything you wanted to call me; cute voice like that..." His mouth split, revealing what almost looked like a shy, white smile before it was gone and he was back to business.

"Alright, so I gotta ask you something. Do you remember waaaay back when... when people were all into that voodoo kind of stuff? I guess you can go to Louisiana right now and it's all still there... like all over the place, but you know what I mean? Those voodoo type people? Witch Doctors and the like?" He asked, drumming the end of the eraser on the table a bit.

Thinking over his words she nodded her eyes turning away from his as she tried to ignore the comment he had made about her voice, "Of course I remember, one of my friends from high school was completely obsessed with voodoo and witch doctors. Tried to talk me in taking a gap year so we could travel over there." Tilting her head she narrowed her eyes towards him curiously wondering where on earth he was trying to take her with this whole conversation, "What about it?"

Pleased with her answer, he shifted a bit in his seat and held out his hand for her to see, making a fist with his palm down.

"Alright hold out your hand. Make a fist, palm down..." He instructed, showing her what to do with his own hand. When she did as such, he continued, "Alright I'm gonna ask you two things for this to be able to work. First, you and I need to be thinking of the same exact thing so I want you to think of any card in a deck, any card you want and then let me know what it is so we can concentrate on it together, alright?"

Leaning forward and unable to hold back her curiosity she reached her hand out balling it into a fist palm down in front of him her eyes still narrowed as she continued to try and figure out what he was thinking her own thoughts shoved aside while she thought her way through a deck, her mind coming to rest upon a certain card she had always favored above the rest of them, "Queen of Diamonds..." Crossing her legs under the table she shifted in her seat her eyes never leaving his figure, "My card; I choose the Queen of Diamonds."

"Queen of diamonds." Alan repeated with a straight-forward nod. "The most regal card in the deck. Fitting." Despite the rather arrant smirk crossing over his lips, his tone remained sincere. "Alright, now I want you to think about that card, concentrate hard on it. Visualize the shape, the color, the face...any little detail you can remember and I'll do the same. Now leave your hand the way it is, I'm going to squeeze my hand and see if you can feel it alright?" He waited before visibly tightening his grip on his hand. "Can you feel that?"

Rolling her eyes she shook her head though her features softened slightly seeing the effort that he was putting into the trick a small smile playing on her lips, "No, I can't feel you squeezing my hand. Sorry." Shifting once more in her seat she leant in a little further concentrating her mind on the card that she had chosen her eyes flicking up to meet his waiting for his next lot of instructions, her other hand reaching up to pull her white slouch beenie from her head dropping it to the seat beside her before she ruffled the long locks letting them bounce on her back, "Alright, what next Dynamo?"

It didn't happen very often... Alan had seen and experienced enough people and their reactions and their habits to have seen it all for the most part, but watching the blonde removing her snow cap from her head letting the pale blonde strands of hair fall down the frame of her face, he paused. Blinking twice and clearing his throat he quickly brought his attention to his own hand and frowned at it, as if he didn't know why the trick wasn't working. Alan released his hand and shook it out a bit, trying to get the blood flowing through his fingertips again.

"Okay, alright I must be a little tired, but I'll get this to work, promise." Clearing his throat a second time, he then picked up the pencil he had her give him in the first place for this very trick and started to rub the eraser end on the table, forcing the eraser to erode away and make tiny little shavings appear on the table. "Keep your hand like that, don't stop thinking about that card I got an idea." Using his opposite hand he took a pinch of the eraser shavings and started to rub it into the palm of his hand. The little bits of shavings were already black from wiping away previous pencil mistakes so a small smudge of the graphite was smearing into his palm. "Alright, Queen of Diamonds. Got it... can you feel that? Can you feel me rubbing this into your hand? You should be feeling something kind of warm..."

Tilting her head she raised her eyebrow her lips pursing slightly as she tried to hold back the smile and the laughter that she could feel coming on as he once again asked her if she could feel him rubbing her hand, "I'm sorry, I can't. Are you sure that you know what you're doing?"

Retreating his hand once more, Alan looked at it with a scowl, opening up his palm examining his hand as he twisted it at the wrist frontwards and back.

"Huh... well that's kind of strange..." Alan laid his hand down on the table, palm up and in front of the blonde so that she could see his hand properly. "You saw me rub those eraser pieces into my hand and yet..." He flexed his hand a bit, wiggling each of his five fingers as a cocky smile slowly began to be made across his lips. "...the mark isn't there anymore... or the eraser shavings..." After he was sure she had got a good look at his hand, he sat back in the booth, crossing both arms over his chest looking quite pleased with himself. "Better check your hand, Princess, you might have missed something."

Her lips parted slightly as she continued to watch on his antics and showmanship definitely entertaining her all thoughts about her work gone completely from her mind, hesitating for a moment she reluctantly turned her hand around opening it up slowly to have her eyes widen in surprise as her gaze fell upon the smudge that was on her palm, "How-..." Lifting her gaze back up she sat up slightly her body leaning closer as she held her palm up for him to see, "How did you do that..? Seriously, how did you manage to do that?" She couldn't help the smile that crossed over her lips as she tried to figure out what he had done to manage to get the smudge on her hand, "Okay Dynamo... You have my attention..."

Grinning almost madly at her reaction, Alan responded by putting a finger up to his lips as if to say 'I don't reveal my secrets.' Flashing her a wicked grin, he then gestured with his hand to something behind her.

"Good, cuz I was getting thirsty. Mind grabbing me that beer from the table behind you?" He asked, his voice once again sounding bored with the conversation already not to mention his lack of 'caring' that the beer he was referring to wasn't even his, but a customer who had left it behind after finishing their meal.

Dropping back into her seat she kept her eyes on his searching for the answers she knew that he was never going to give her the smile still plastered over her lips as she shook her her head in disbelief, glancing over her shoulder at where he was pointing she followed his gaze her eyes connecting with the beer bottle causing her to furrow her brows in slight confusion. Shifting her body on the seat she pulled her knees up her stomach leaning against the top of the booth as she reached forward grabbing up the beer bottle that had been left behind by the customer before them, straightening herself again she turned sliding back into place her feet once more hitting the ground her hand holding up the bottle so that he could see that she had gotten it before she held it out for him to take, "You know, if you wanted a beer all you had to do was ask... I could have gotten you a free one, would be a hell of a lot better than this half-empty bottle..."

Saying nothing, Alan simply looked from the blonde to the beer bottle in her hand, back to the blonde and then back to the beer bottle, his eyebrows raising a couple times trying to get her to look at what he was looking at.

"What..? I'm being serious, I could get you a free bee-..." Lifting up the bottle she let her sentence trail off her voice becoming lost as she squinted her eyes slightly taking a closer look at its contents, the rectangular shape that was the Queen of diamonds staring back out at her from inside what was left of the alcoholic beverage, "Okay... You got me... You win... Just-..." Lowering the bottle to the table she turned all her attention over to him her eyes burning with curiosity, "You have to show me how you did that, you weren't anywhere near the bottle, or my hand for that matter."

With the trick finally finished, Alan simply relaxed back into the booth and ran his hand over the back of his neck, scratching there for a moment and just shook his head no. "If I told you then I wouldn't have a job anymore." He pointed out. "But... I think at least by now I've earned your name? I got you smiling when before you looked like you were about ready to level Russia with a glare." He teased.

Biting her lower lip softly she eyes the bottle staying silent for a brief moment toying with him as she contemplated on whether she should or should not give him her name, and if she did, should it be now or later, "Well I guess you did manage to make me smile, so I'd say you earned it." Tapping her fingers against the side of the bottle she relaxed back in her seat her head resting back against the cushion and her eyes on him as she answered, her smile never leaving her lips, "My name is Eliza Brie. It's nice to officially meet you Alan."

He gave her a smile at the 'official' greeting, but something wasn't setting right with him. Eliza Brie? No... it just didn't fit... something was off... Not that he thought she was lying to him, she wouldn't have any reason to and he was pretty damn good at picking out the liars by now. Shaking his head from the thought, he reached his body forward slightly and took the beer bottle from her, removing the card and setting it on the table before draining whatever was left inside. "Now, was that so hard?" He teased setting the empty bottle down, in turn picking up the pencil and then handed it back to her. "Tell you what, you give me one more and I'll buy you lunch?"

Arching her back slightly she pushed herself away from the back of the seat her body leaning forward and her arms crossing over one another as she looked into his eyes her own softening into a slightly more flirtatious manner as she spoke, answering his questions though with all intentions of giving him at least one more bit of information about herself, "Well, my father... Who you claim I'm trying to impress... His kind of a big deal around these parts, so lunch for me and anyone with me is free. But how about I give you one more anyway? Just for fun, might help to pass the time..." Chuckling softly she began to gather her things into a neat pile sliding them to the opposite side of the table so there was nothing but the beer bottle sitting on the table between them.

He wasn't sure why her dad owning the lodge came as a surprise to him. Really if he just sat there and thought about it he wasn't sure why he hadn't picked up on it sooner. He just had to blame it on the fact that she was blonde and absolutely gorgeous in every way. But that was neither here nor there no matter how much he wanted it to be.

"Now what sort of gentleman would I be if I weren't able to offer you anything in return for sitting through these 'cheap' magic tricks?" He asked, using her own previous words against her. "Name it, what do you want?"

"Hm... Anything right..?" A small smirk played over her lips as she bit her lower one nibbling on it softly as she thought about what to ask him for, making it seem like a bigger decision than it really was before she finally answered poking fun at him for his earlier antics in the lobby, "Well, I would have asked for a kiss... But from your eagerness earlier on, it seems you would rather leave that sort of thing to my friend."

He chuckled and shook his head a bit. Truly he didn't see that one coming, she just didn't seem like the sort that...well... her friend was. What was her name again?

"Alright. Fair enough. You couldn't handle this anyway." He jabbed back, taking a moment to rake his fingers through his long brown hair. "She certainty couldn't. And if you two are as close as I think you are then I know you wouldn't be able to either."

The gentle smirk that had once crossed her lips twisted growing in size as her eyes narrowed her head gently shaking from side to side, "Oh you poor thing... You think you know me, how cute... But don't worry about me, I can handle a lot more then you think I can..." Turning her head away from him her eyes closed her hand reaching up so that she could use her thumb and pinky finger to push her hair back off her face, the long blonde lock moving only to fall back to where they had begin, "If anything, I'm say that you wouldn't be able to handle me..."

"Well then..." Alan said removing his previous smirk to return to his normal expression and sat back once more, putting his hands together to rest on his lower abdomen. "I guess we'll never find out... and you won't get to see my other trick." He shrugged, as if he didn't care. "That's fine. They're just stupid tricks anyway, right? Probably wouldn't have impressed you anyway."

Opening her eyes a smidge she glanced over at him his figure entering the corners of her eyes taking in his new found posture, "You're probably right you know... I doubt it would impress me..." Turning in her seat her hands pressed down on the cushion they shared her body leaning in and her expression showing that she was curious while her eyes gave away just how eager she was to see more, "But why don't you try me anyhow? Test your luck."

He took a minute to scratch an itch on the tip of his nose, making it a great deal to think on his answer before nodding and sitting back up straight.

"Alright, but only cuz you're cute and I wanna see you smile some more. You got plenty of paper there, and I know you got a pencil. So take one of those pieces of paper and write someone's name down. Now it has to be someone that means a lot to you, could even be a celebrity, doesn't matter so long as it's someone that has helped to change your life in some way. But don't write down your friend's name cuz that would just be too obvious for me. Someone I haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet." He got up from the booth and turned his back. "I'm not gonna see you write it down so just write it down, then take that paper and fold it up a few times."

Nodding at his request she once more sat up straight her hands fumbling around with her folder a moment before she pulled a piece of paper in front of her, her eyes staring at the blank page carefully for a moment or two while she picked up the pencil her mind a complete blank when it came to people that she truly cared about. Taking a deep breath she sighed softly through her nose her hands working to write the name of one of her favorite actors over the paper, Misha Collins. Replacing the pencil on the table she picked up the paper folding it a few times before she held it out for him to take from her, "Okay, done."

Walking over to her, still standing while she was sitting, he took the piece of paper from her and kept it folded, not even so much as glancing at it. A sort of snickering laugh came from his throat suddenly as he reached into his front pocket and pulled out a lighter, his head on a swivel looking out for anyone who might have the authority to kick him out.

"Don't know if I'll be able to do the whole thing or not but I'll try." Turning his head back to her direction, he raised the folded up piece of paper, ignited the lighter and caught the end on fire. The flames only lasted a second, then turned into the paper more or less just smoldering away. With the paper still in his hand he started to slap the smoldering edges on the shirt of his stomach, wincing every once in a while while he felt the heat seeping through. He kept doing this until the paper crumbled into nothing but ash. Then, taking two hands he found the hem of his shirt and started to roll it up, all the way over his navel until there as clear as day and in her handwriting in ash was 'Misha' across his abdomen.

Her lips fell apart her eyes slowly raising from the word written across his abdomen stopping only when she had managed to catch his gaze her expression one of both awe and disbelief that he had pulled off something like this, "Okay... How you do these things is a complete mystery to me... But I think I'm starting to like it more than I used to..." Shifting her body she slid herself out from the booth until she was standing in front of him biting down on her lower lip as she reached around him her hands slipping into his back pockets until she found the items that she had been looking for.

By reflex, Alan's chest puffed out a bit, expecting a spur-of-the-moment hug or something to that nature but the moment he felt her small hands sliding down into his back pockets he couldn't help the light chuckle of both skepticism and confusion.

Pulling her hands back she held them up showing him the sharpie and the deck of cards that she held within them, "So now, it's my turn to do a trick for you..."

This had Alan raising an eyebrow, staring back at her with a blank expression before blinking twice. Raising his hand, he scratched his left temple trying to contemplate just what on earth this blonde beauty was up to... surely she didn't know magic like he did...

Reaching back she put the sharpie on the table before she slid the deck out splaying it in her hands before she held it up for him to see, "Pick your favorite card..."

Lowering his eyebrow back to it's intended position, Alan simply shook his head with a 'what the hell?' kind of attitude. Bending down a bit to be eye-level with the cards, the thumbed through a few before finding what he was looking for; one of the two jokers in the deck. Plucking it from the multitude of other cards, he handed it to her before folding his arms over his chest.

"Alright, let's see what you got, Princess..."

Waiting until he had chosen the card that he wanted she gathered the rest into a neat pile a smile on her lips as she reached out taking the Joker from his hands, "Thanks... Now, everyone knows that there's one magic trick that will make anyone happy..." Her voice trailed off slightly as she turned her back to him placing the joker down on the table before she picked up the sharpie her body leaning over as she signed her name across the card followed by her mobile number and the words 'Call me...', standing up straight she replaced the lid picking the card back up before she turned to face him again.

"A little magic trick I like to call 'getting you to call me after the first date'..." Stepping forward so that their bodies brushed against each other she held up the card slipping one of the corners into his mouth while she used her other hand to slip the sharpie back into his pocket, her voice softer now that she was as close as she was to him, "Ta da..."

Chuckling to herself she broke out in a wide grin turning to collect her things up in her arms before she glanced back over her shoulder at him, "I'm available twenty-four seven. I'm looking forward to our second date, so hurry up and call me okay?" Shaking her head softly she tried to ignore the light red blush that had risen in her cheeks her feet carrying her quickly back to the entrance, shooting him one more glance she couldn't help but giggle once more before disappearing out the door leaving him to stand on his own watching after her.

Blinking, Alan eventually removed the card from his mouth, not quite sure what the hell had just happened. It was hard for him to admit, even if it was just to himself, but that... that was a first. Turning the card over in his hand, he stared down the bold letters and phone number before looking back up to see that she had gone completely. Shaking his head with a smile worthy of the Cheshire Cat himself he slipped the card into his pocket and headed out of the restaurant, snatching up a couple fries from a table that was waiting to be cleaned and popping them into his mouth before exiting.

Daria turned to Annelise when Alan left and smiled at her, "He's pretty great, I was watching him this morning... I think I figured out the trick he did then but I have no clue about this one..." She plucked the card from Annelise's hand and took the one out of her pocket, looking at the numbers, "I mean, I didn't even see him move!"

She handed Annelise back the card before she placed her own back into her pocket, "What I'm curious about, is why you didn't kiss him?" A couple girls had gathered around the two of them, grinning like madmen. One of them piped up, "Are you going to call him?"

Daria turned and looked at the girl before her eyes turned to Alan's retreating back before she laughed, "Probably not."

"Whhhhhhy?" They whined at her.

Daria shrugged, "He's a player. You don't call players. If they really want something from you, they'll call and he does have my number."

She turned back to Annelise before pouting a little, "You're going to leave me to go and work, aren't you?" She sighed, "I wish you guys got time off while I was h-"

Daria didn't get a chance to finish her sentence before a quite large and seemingly Russian man walked up to them asking about the magician man. She craned her neck back a little to look up at him, "I don't know... I think he might have gone into the restaurant... He said something about refueling."

She glanced back at Annelise and made a face about how weird this was.

Shrieking and yelps could be heard from innocent bystanders as a greasy haired man pushed his way through the crowd trying to lose the person who was after him. He hadn't expected someone to send a goddamned private investigator after him! He needed to lose the woman and fast. He ran downstairs from the second story, pushing and shoving as he went, knowing that the crowds would slow the woman down. Morgan ran through the lodge in pursuit and stopped at the second floor's balcony overseeing the lobby where the culprit was. She looked around her as the man struggled through the crowds, eventually catching sight of a cleaner pushing a cart filled with laundry. She quickly went up to the maid and she grabbed a large blanket, and said hastily "Please excuse me, I need to use this!" just as the maid shouted "Hey! What are you doing?!" Morgan never answered the maid and after determining when the man would be below her, she tossed the somewhat heavy blanket over the balcony, and it effectively landed on the man, making him shout and swear. While he struggled to get out from under the blanket, Morgan jumped down from the balcony, and ran up to him. Just as the man got out from under the blanket, he found her standing in front of him, and she immediately delivered a punch to the face, making him fall to the ground. She handcuffed the man as he moaned in pain and swore at her. The same maid came down from the second story (using the stairs), and she asked angrily as she collected the blanket "What in the world is going on here?!" Morgan answered the maid simply "Credit card fraud and thief. Please don't worry about it," She then added, "And thank you for the blanket," The maid merely gave a humph in retort before leaving. Morgan looked to the man who was swearing at her and calling her names and she said coldly "I believe you have an appointment with the police," She then shoved and dragged him to the Security guard's office, leaving the innocent bystanders to whisper and comment on the situation that had just happened.

Annelise turned to look at Daria as he left, she was still surprised with the magic trick he did on her holding the card with his number in her hand. "I bet you were looking at something else while you were watching him doing his tricks earlier." Annelise said teasingly, her eyes looking over at the other girls in the room as the swarmed around them as they asked if she was going to call him as well. "I bet he has a lot of other side girls." She said bluntly, as the group started to spread out to do their own things again. "Nah i'll probably not, but i'm not sure." Annelise said with a shrug, she felt bad for having to work with Daria visiting but she always had the evenings off and she would always hangout with her when she was off work. "You know I always squeeze time in for you whenever you come and visit Dari, you could always tag along you know. I do have housekeeping duty today, theres no rule in having a friend chat while your working." Just as she said that Annelise turned to look up at the big burley looking Russian man asking where Alan had gone off to. "I believe he went off to the restaurant part of the lodge." Annelise said looking towards Dari and smiled at her. "How about I get you a free meal, my treat?" Annelise said waving both Ilya and Daria to follow her, as they entered the restaurant Annelise looked around the large room seeing the guests eating and talking to one another. Annelise quickly spotted her sister and Alan talking to one another seeing her sister sticking a card into his mouth and walking off again and giggled. "Looks like the magician has caught my sister's eye."

Her arms tightened around her folders her head turning to glance back over her shoulder at the entrance to the restaurant where she had left Alan standing probably dumbfounded by her actions towards him and at just how forward she had been, smiling softly to herself she turned her attention back to where she was going her attention becoming pulled away as she heard a commotion unfolding out in front of where she stood causing her eyes to widen in both shock and confusion, "What the..."

Stopping dead in her tracks she watched as a thick blanket was thrown down over the balcony above her only to fall onto a man causing him to stumble about as he tried to rid himself of the hindrance her body jumping back slightly as a figure not too much bigger than hers dropped down from above converging on the man before delivering a right hook that could match that of her sisters, "H-Hey... Hey..!" Dropping her things she quickly moved herself forward her hands reaching out to take a tight grip on the womans wrist pulling her hands away from the man though not in time for the cuffs to not have been used, "What the hell do you think you're doing? Are you psycho?"

Turning to look over at the man she shook her head her expression losing any and all amusement it had held moments before, "I am so sorry sir, I'll get this sorted out for you immediately..."

Morgan looked to the girl who grabbed one of her wrists, keeping the other hand on the chain of the handcuffs tightly so the man wouldn't try anything funny while the girl talked to her. After she asked her question, Morgan sighed and she pulled out her ID that showed that she was a detective and had the right to enforce the law. She said to the girl coldly but politely "I'm taking Mr. Raymond Wren to the Security Office, where he'll be held until the police arrive to arrest him properly, ma'am,"

The man merely shouted at Morgan, ignoring Eliza despite her promise to help him sort this out.

Reaching out she took hold of the ID that was provided her eyes narrowing slightly as she pursed her lips hesitating for a moment before she handed it back pulling her hands back out of the situation that was going on, "Alright, everything seems in order at the moment. But I will give you this warning..." Crossing her arms over her chest she eyes the girl off sizing her up and seeing just how far she could push it before she snapped back at her, "The next time you cause a disturbance like this again, I will have you arrested and escorted from this property."

Moving away from the pair she crouched down collecting up her things once more as she continued to speak, "The last thing we need is for some vigilante to go running around the lodge getting into fist fights and arresting our customers." Pausing for a moment she turned her head around glancing back over her shoulder at where she stood, "And I'll make sure you aren't allowed back, understood?"

Morgan remained unfazed when the girl, who was most likely younger then her, handed her back the ID and gave her a warning. She raised an eyebrow at the fact at the girl was threatening her with no access to this inn. Before she could ask as to who the girl was, the man shouted at the girl "YOU BITCH! YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO HELP ME!!!" He then glared at Morgan and he shouted "YOU!!! WHAT PROOF DO YOU HAVE, HUH?! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO FRAME ME! YEAH! THAT'S IT! YOU'RE FRAMING ME!"

Morgan sighed loudly at the man, rolling her eyes slightly. Being shouted at was nothing new, especially with this kind of situation. She would've gladly opened his coat pockets and let the credit cards spill out as proof, but now wasn't the right time. The proper time to show proof would be when the police arrived to pick the man up. She looked to the girl and said, still cold and polite, "I apologize for the disturbance. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again, Miss...?"

Ignoring the mans yells of protest at her actions she reached stacked her things back into a neat pile before she once more scooped them up in her arms holding them close to her as she stood up straight turning back to face the woman who was now addressing her, "Brie. My name is Eliza Brie. Now could you please get on with your job then, and take this man to security? His making a scene and disturbing the other patrons. I would rather that not happen, especially not here in the lobby."

Morgan nodded at Eliza Brie, not returning her name considering she had shown Brie her ID earlier. She dragged, almost shoved, the resistant man to the security office. While she dragged the man away, she tried to remember where she met Eliza Brie before today...but she couldn't. She couldn't shake off the feeling of familiarity, but she ignored it as the man kept shouting at her.

Once the two had left, the whispers of the incident spread like wildfire. Some thought it was a show the inn had arranged, and some questioned the event, while others chose to ignore it ever happened.

Wiping a bead of sweat from his brow, Jafar rolled over from his back onto his side, wrapping an arm around Maleficent's middle and planted a soft kiss on the back of her shoulder causing her eyes to soften, resting her hand over his and turned her head back to look upon his face. Resting his chin then on the top of her shoulder, he kept his dark eyes on her, looking her face up and down, committing every angle of her face, every color of her complexion, every soft breath she exhaled to memory. For thirteen years he had been laying with Maleficent upon her request, but not one of those many, many times could even compare to this last time. Something between them had changed, something (for lack of a better term as he could not place it) magical. Thirteen years ago he had agreed to give himself to her in return for his power, and for thirteen years he became her constant companion, her forever friend; but now... now he had not just a lover but finally someone he could call his own again; truly and officially. And for once, he knew that she felt the same way. "Where did you come from?" Jafar asked, keeping his chin on the top of her shoulder, using his top hand to play with a few strands of hair by her temple. Realizing then that his question sounded more of a sentiment than what he actually meant, he quickly reiterated. "Were you born here? In The Moors? I'm realizing that there is very little I know about your life before we met..." Keeping her dark brown orbs on him, her smile faded slightly as her mind turned to the answers that she wasn't sure she wanted to share with him or not. Pulling herself from his warm embrace she sat up her arms resting around her legs as her attention turned to look out of the large arch that led to the balcony, the stunning view of the Moors spread out below offered to them, "I was not actually born here... My home is further from here than even Agrabah my dear." Jafar furrowed his brows together, listening to the tone of her voice that was usually the gateway to one of her temper tantrums. He opened his mouth to take back his question, not wanting her angry with him but she turned her gaze back to him, reaching out her fingers and sliding them gently through his hair pushing it back off of his face so that she could look at him properly as they spoke. "I come from a world where magic is non-existent. And before I came here, I did not believe in such fairy tales. I never once believed that it were possible that other worlds existed... Not until she summoned me through the portal anyway..." As she spoke her last words her gaze slid from him and over to the opposite side of the room where a large ornate mirror sat against the wall over her vanity cabinet, her reflection staring back out at her from the one thing other than her powers that she still had from the only woman who had treated her as a daughter. Jafar's brows remained knitted together as he was trying to follow what she was saying, but he was finding it rather difficult. Other worlds? He knew of other lands, such as Wonderland, Neverland, Atlantis and the like, but an entire world altogether? Fairytales? Summoned? She? Thousands of questions began to plague his mind, unsure of where it was exactly he wanted to start, or which questions were even safe to ask as her temperament seemed a lot more isolated than she had been just a few moments ago. Sitting up straight in the bed, he placed his hands on her upper arms, rubbing them up and down in a soothing gesture, kissing her shoulder once more, trying to convey without words that she needn't be so closed off to him causing the cornes of her lips to turn up in a small smile. Finally, he decided to start with the largest question that could and might hopefully answer some of his others. "She?" He asked. "Someone summoned you here?" Nodding at his questions she knew that eventually she would have to tell him what he wished to know, most of her past something she wasn't going to keep from the man she loved, "Yes, I was summoned to this world. She was dying, and wished to find a successor to take her place. With no children of her own she searched the worlds for someone who was worthy of her power and title, and after months of searching she found me, and brought me here." Tearing her gaze away from the mirror to look at him for the first time in a while she let a soft sigh slip through her lips as she thought back on the woman she had considered a mother, "She looked after and taught me for eight years before she passed on, leaving her powers and Kingdom to me." Jafar nodded a few times, once he was able to wrap his mind around the fact that there were more worlds out there, the rest fell easily into place... though he was still trying to work out the fact that Maleficent hadn't even come from this world, technically she wasn't even supposed to be here, otherwise everyone would be crossing worlds left and right. Pulling back slightly she took in his confused expression for the first time since she had started answering his questions realizing that he had no idea who she was actually referring to, "Maleficent." "I'm... I'm sorry, what? Mal, you're not making any sense." Jafar commented, his dark eyebrow raising to his hairline. "Maleficent was the woman who brought me to this world. When she passed away, I took her name in memory of her." Curling her back over she crossed her arms over the top of her knees her chin resting softly a top of her forearms as she let her eyes wander back to the mirror she had been staring at before, her dark brown orbs flicked over her appearance lingering on the horns that had grown from her skull causing her to look more like the woman she had succeeded than she could have ever hoped to, her mind flicking back to the days when she had been learning under her ever watchful eye. Her expression softened as she tilted her head to the side looking just as happy now as she had been when they had finally admitted to each other how they felt towards one another, "Maleficent is not my own. I have many names, but that is not the one bestowed upon me at birth." Jafar blinked... twice. Maleficent... wasn't her name? His brows furrowed together, making his expression dark as he raised both hands to his head, pushing back the sweaty black curls at the top of his forehead, pulling at the roots a bit in his minor frustration. Shaking his head, he pulled himself off of the bed, grabbing his cotton briefs and sliding them on as he got off the bed. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she watched his actions through his reflection in the mirror leaving her to watch on her own, anger beginning to once more bubble under her skin. "Maleficent isn't your name..." He repeated, keeping his back to her for a moment, pulling the elastic waistband up to it's intended position over his hips before turning to look at her. Confusion was written all over his expression, but beyond that, his brown eyes had darkened a bit, hiding a sliver of hurt behind them. "I know your other names Mal-" He stopped suddenly and shook his head. He didn't even know what to call her anymore. "They were all for a reason though, I..." He stopped to scratch his forehead, letting out a humorless laugh and looking up at the ceiling at the expense of not knowing what else he could say. He was beyond confused at this point. Other worlds, false identities... it was all too much, creating a pressing headache behind his eyes. "Who are you?" Her smile fell completely her lip twitching slightly as she let him continue to speak not only to her but mostly to himself about how he no longer felt he knew her. What more was it that he wanted? She had confessed her love for him, gave him both her love and loyalty, and now she was willingly sitting and answering questions that she would answer for no one other than himself. Tearing herself away from the bed she let the sheets fall behind her the fire flaring with her anger as she brushed past him now unable to stand the fact that he was getting mad at her when in fact she had never once lied to him, "I took her name to keep her memory alive! I have reasons for the names that I have, yes I understand that you know this, but do not think you have the right to get angry with me Jafar. I have not lied to you and you know that I have no reason to do so!" Flinging open the wardrobe doors she glared at the outfits that were hanging within before she ripped one from the hanger her hands working to pull the saree onto her body the purple material hugging her curves. "I have every right!" Jafar cried out, unable to help the fact that his tone was rising. For thirteen years he had been more than compliant with her, shrinking back when her temper flared, apologizing for things he had nothing to do with, but this... this he couldn't back down from. "I don't even know what to call you anymore! Or should I just throw all your names into a hat and pick one at random? Does it even matter? Does anything matter to you?" Swallowing hard, Jafar took a moment to breathe, forcing his boiling blood to cool before he really gave in to his anger. Running his hand over his face, shaking his head a bit, he added on, with his tone softer. "I just don't know what to do with this..." Heaving out a great sigh, he sat himself back down on the bed, elbows resting on his knees and holding his head up, his dark eyes trained on her, pleading for some sort of explanation, anything to help untangle the mess of thoughts now coursing through his mind. Turning her head back so that she was looking at him over her shoulder she clenched her jaw finding no other way around the fact that she not only had to tell him what her true name was but also her reasoning for hiding behind the names she had accumulated over the years she had been living in his world, "You want to know about me? About my past? Okay, fine!" Standing up straight she slammed one of the wardrobe doors shut her anger sending a small bit of her magic to bleed through into the action causing the wood to shatter on impact before falling to the ground at her feet, "I don't give a shit what you call me okay? Maleficent! Morgana! I don't care what you use in public, but before you decide to get all mad on your high horse, know the reasoning behind those names!" Turning her back to the wardrobe she turned to face him her eyes narrowed in a glare that could make the devil himself envious as she watched his each and every movement about the room. "Back on my world I was despised by all but my father, only he saw the good that was within my heart, and that was all I cared about. My own mother hated me enough to try and kill me, and had it not been for a lucky break, I would be dead in the ground rather than standing here before you now." Crossing her arms tightly over her chest she began to pace her chest heaving up and down as she moved back and forth over the stone floor, "I want nothing more than to leave all that behind me! I am stronger than I was, and when I get the chance, if I ever get the chance, everyone who ever crossed me will perish by my hands!" She came to a stop staring at him angrily until his change of tone and the pleading look upon the face of the man she loved took her aback her features softening dramatically as she let out a sigh, turning her head away from him she dropped her arms back her body resting back on the vanity she had stopped in front of her voice softer as she spoke, "This changes nothing Jafar... Everything I have told you before today is the truth, and everything I have told you today is also the truth... I love you, that is how I feel. But if it makes you feel more content with where we stand I will give you what you wish for..." Pushing herself away from the vanity she moved forward closing the gap though keeping a few steps between them which he could close if he so wished to do so, "My name is Freya Beauchamp. I come from a place called Earth, where magic does not exist. Maleficent summoned me here to become her apprentice, and in turn her successor when she passed away. And once she had, I wished to keep her alive by the memory of her name." Bringing her hands in front of her she stood up tall before doing something she had done to no other besides her Mistress when she had been alive, closing her eyes she leant her shoulders forward her head bowing slightly out of pure respect, "It is a pleasure to finally let you know who I truly am, can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me hiding it from you all of these years?" He was trying. By Allah he was trying! There was just so much information, so much he hadn't even considered thinking on before now. He knew he would have questions later after all of this settled, many, many questions, but with her revelation of her true name, as well as the soft bow she gave him, he had no doubt that her words were genuine. She was right, she never had lied to him before, she had no reason to start lying now; especially after revealing what her heart felt for him after all these years. Swallowing the dry lump in his throat, keeping his head tilted up to look at her, he opened his mouth to speak, wishing to try her true birth-given name on his lips. "Frey-" There was an urgent pounding on the bedroom door, a guard on the other side calling for Maleficent in the customary manner of when she was in her bed chambers during mid-day. "My Lady," The soldier called from the other side, knowing better than to just try the door himself. "You have visitors. And you might want to hurry, they've already destroyed half of The Entry Hall in their haste to gain your attention." Straightening herself up she turned her head to stare at the door as soon as the sound of the urgent thumping on the wood echoed through the room followed by the loud voice of one of her guards interrupted them in the moment of pure honesty that they had been sharing, once his voice had fallen silent she closed her eyes her lips pursing into a thin line as she shook her head her hand lifting up a tiny amount and her palm flat in a small motion that said 'we will continue this later'. Nodding, though unable to help the slouch in his shoulders, Jafar pushed himself from the bed and went to collect the rest of his clothes before moving back out to the balcony to collect his staff. Turning away from him she moved over to the door flinging it open before allowing her feet to carry her slowly through the hallways until she came to a stop at the top of the large staircase that led to the lower half of the entrance hall her eyes coming to rest on the two figures duking it out for her attention. Shadows of various sizes and shapes darted around along the walls, ceiling, and even floors, as if they were alive creatures rather than the absence of light from the flickering candelabras. One particular shadow had grown to an enormous size, taking on the shape of a twisted human being with it's claws extended out as if holding onto something, and in turn one of the men in the room was being lifted off of the ground a few feet by the scruff of his shirt in the exact manner of how the shadow would have been holding him. Standing in front of the man hanging in the air was the second man, a very tall, thin man wearing a black top hat, decorated with animal skulls along the brim, each no larger than an eyeball. Various bird feathers helped to decorate the hat with a splash of color like that of a red peacock and pheasant tail feathers, contrasting the cross on the center of the hat made from small bones. A small, live python was wrapped around his neck like how one would wear a scarf, his face painted black and white into the shape and detail of a human skull. In one hand he held a lit cigar carefully between his thumb and middle finger, in the other was a palm full of sparkling red dust which he looked ready to blow onto the man who had been lifted up into the air. "Enough! If I see either of you cause my home anymore damage, I will not hesitate to inflict that same amount of damage on the both of you. Do I make myself clear?" Halting immediately, The Shadow Man's purple iris' fell upon Maleficent, a quick flourish of his wrist and the sparkling red dust was gone in a plume of red smoke and the shadows dancing along the wall scattered like roaches until there weren't any left, forcing the man who had been elevated into the air to drop like a stone but The Shadow Man didn't seem to notice or care. Straightening himself up and placing his cigar in between his lips, he used both hands to pull on the lapels of his black suit jacket like any fashionable man in a suit would. Using the corner of his mouth to blow out the smoke he inhaled he returned one hand to the cigar and pulled it back out from his painted skull lips, saying nothing and keeping his purple eyes on the woman in front of him. Landing in a crouch as he was dropped down to the ground the older gentleman stood up his eyes lingering angrily on the man who had sent him up into the air in the first place before he turned his head looking over at the woman who had interrupted them, Maleficent, the woman whom it seemed both of them had come to see. Standing up straight he brushed himself off remaining quiet as he let his dark orbs linger on her figure as his large dark brown robes once more covered him completely the long cylindrical glass pendant hanging on his hip as he waited, now more patiently than he had been before when he had watched the arrogant voodoo man step through the doors. Once she was satisfied with their current and more peaceful state she continues on the path she had been taking her feet moving her down only a couple of steps before she came to a stop her arms crossed over her chest and her chin up eyes staring down at the two of them, "You come into my home, you act with dignity and respect. Do not think you can get away with pulling this sort of crap under my roof." Taking a deep breath she let it out slowly her lips pursing as she eyed each of them off one by one her mind only a third interested in what they had to say to her, "Now speak. I do not have all day and you have interrupted me in the middle of something that is more important than that of your petty squabbles." The Shadow Man's purple eyes narrowed on her, inhaling so hard on his cigar that the end was glowing a brilliant shade of red, the brown paper around it burning to ash quicker the more he inhaled. Pulling his cigar from his lips once more, keeping his eyes narrowed on the horned witch, he began to close the distance between the two of them, conjuring up a thin cane with a small, glass crystal ball on the head for him to grab onto, it's use strictly for show. "How 'bout you throw a bit of that dignity and respect my way for a change?" The Shadow Man asked, breathing out the smoke onto her face without even so much as blinking, forgetting all about the man he had been fighting with earlier behind him. Narrowing her eyes slightly she lifted her hand up waving it back and forth to disperse the cloud of smoke that he had blown directly into her face, the dark haired woman keeping herself calm as she let him continue on his little rant. "Two years now and I finally managed to find that arrant Prince you sent me to find..." Spinning his cane like that of a baton, the cane vanished in a blur, replaced in his hand instead an old, wooden talisman in the shape of a tribal mask suspended between his fingers. "And what do you know? It doesn't work!" Flicking his wrist, he tossed aside the talisman at Maleficent, the pendant hitting her square in the chest before falling down between them at their feet on the stone floor. "Do not disrespect me, little girl! Don't you derogate or deride! I'm not a man to be made a fool of, you can ask my friends yourself on the other side." Seemingly from out of no where, a cylindrical spiral of fire about a foot in diameter hit The Shadow Man straight in the chest, knocking him back onto his ass a good ten or so feet. Scrambling with one hand to catch his cigar which had began to stumble from his fingertips, he used his other hand to pat down the singing fabric that now put a perfect dark circle on his chest. "Temper's a little hot there, boy." Jafar said descending the staircase, now fully dressed right down to the crimson turban on his head, cobra-headed staff in hand with his blackening eyes narrowing on the Witch Doctor. Stopping just a few steps above where Maleficent stood, Jafar watched The Shadow Man pick himself back up, scooping up his hat and placed it back on the top of his head mumbling something under his breath. "No hiding in the shadows today." Jafar finished. Raising his eyebrow, Rasputin crossed his arms over his chest his hand working to slowly stroke the long black goatee watching the situation unfolding before him the sight of the voodoo man getting thrown back off the stairs causing joy and amusement to fill his body as a small smirk played on his lips, stepping forward to the bottom of the large staircase he lowered his arms, one wrapping over his stomach while the other gestured to the empty space at his side his body bending over in a bow towards the woman who had given him the power to kill the Romanov line for good, "Ваше величество..." Lifting his gaze up to catch the eye of the woman in question as he watched her crouch down picking up the small amulet that had been thrown at her moments before he re-spoke his words, though this time in English so that the others could understand him, "Your majesty..." Lifting her arm up she tilted her head slightly her eyes gazing at the amulet with curiosity the magic she had forced into the small thing still pulsing through it without the hint that it had been touched at all, "Get on with it Rasputin... I have said it before, and I shall say it again. I do not have time to waste on you two pathetic imbeciles." "Of course my queen." Straightening himself up he brought his hands together in front of him folding them over one another as he began to explain why he had come to her in the first place. "Woah now, hold it there!" The Shadow Man protested before Rasputin had a chance to speak again. Still dusting off his jacket from the singed fabric, The Shadow Man looked between first Jafar, then Rasputin, and then finally on Maleficent again. "Whatever happened to the common decency of propriety? I was here first." His purple eyes glanced over to Rasputin again. "Now show a little respect to your superiors and wait in line!" The Shadow Man finished, pulling at the lapels of his jacket once more and keeping his chin held high, nose to the air. "You will be silent. And you shall remain that way until I say otherwise." Lifting her free arm up throwing it out in his general direction causing the once annoyingly and rude voice to be silenced as though it had been completely removed from the man all together, turning her gaze away from the amulet she nodded towards Rasputin urging him to continue now each of those in the room knowing that they could speak without being interrupted by the impatient witch doctor with no sense of respect or personal boundaries. Taking her lead, Rasputin cleared his throat before continuing on with what he was going to say before he was rudely interrupted, "My Queen. Everything that I had set out to do since agreeing to your terms all those years ago, has now been completed. I wish to discuss the matter of my soul. A trade, just as the one we had agreed upon thirteen years before." Lifting his hand up he once more began to stroke his long black goatee his eyes flicking to glance at Jafar close by her before turning to gaze back at her once more, "I wish to trade the powers you gave me, in return for my soul back." "The answer to your question is no Rasputin. I will be making no more deals with you until you can offer me something better, and something worth my time." Flicking her hand again she once more returned the voice she had stolen back to the man that she had taken it from, her gaze turning once more back to the amulet as she turned her back to them heading back up the stairs to stand close by Jafar, "Now... If you have learnt a bit of patience, you may speak..." Jafar couldn't help the smile that flickered across his lips for half of a moment. He loved watching Maleficent work. Her short words and quick temper quite amusing when they weren't directed towards himself; it was almost enough to make him forget about their small argument just a few moments ago. Flashing Rasputin a glare, running his free hand over his throat as he felt his voice returned to him, The Shadow Man took another few steps forward, keeping his eyes now on Jafar's staff, the burning sting of his last encounter with the Wizard a clear reminder that he had to be more careful from now on. "The talisman won't work. I did as you asked. I've got Naveen locked up back home as proof, but you don't want the Prince, you want his blood; or so you tell me. Now I'm starting to question what it is you even want in the first place. I can get his blood, no question to that, I've my own little collection of trinkets that would hold it for you just fine, but then, why would you have given me that?" He asked, gesturing towards the talisman Maleficent was still holding onto, though talking more out loud to himself than to anyone in the room. Lowering her arm slightly she turned her head looking back over her shoulder at where he stood her eyes flicking to Rasputin watching him back up a bit obviously wracking his brains to think of something he could use as a bargaining chip before she turned her attention back to the man demanding information from her, "I never truly believed that I could meet anyone who was stupider than the sea witch, but it seems you have completely proven me wrong." Turning back around she continued to watch him her eyes narrowing slightly as she held the amulet out before her, "I trust in you to do one simple little thing, however you cannot even do that. Pathetic." Turning her hand around she threw the amulet in his direction watching his reaction as it fell down the stairs landing a few from the bottom, "The amulet is pulsing with the magic I embedded into it the day I gave it to you.You are obviously missing a step..." Crossing her arms over her chest she paused letting him stew for a bit finding amusement in the way his impatience seemed to get the better of him, "The prince stays alive, that is the way I want him. You get me his blood with that. If not... You are not the only one with friends on the other side..." A flicker of green fire showed in The Shadow Man's eyes, balling up his cigar-free hand into a tight fist so hard, his entire arm was shaking all the way up to his shoulder. The snake around his neck reared it's head, picking up on his rising temperament and opened its jaw, hissing at Maleficent's general direction as a sort of warning. He was the Land's absolute best Voodoo man, of course he hadn't missed a step, despite what The Queen said. "You play me for a fool, but I will play your games no longer. That is two years of my life I will never get back, and I won't waste a minute more playing as your puppet." Taking another few steps, The Shadow Man reached where the talisman lay on the stairs and raising up his leg, stomped his shoe down onto it, hearing it crunch as he ground the shards into the stone step. Lifting her eyebrow she watched on a twinge of anger pulsing through her body as she watched a thin strip of purple energy seem to rise from under his shoe only to wind its way back to her, sinking into her skin to join the rest of the magic that flowed through her veins. "Get the damn Prince's blood yourself, or tell me what this is all about." Staring down Maleficent for a fraction longer, his shoulders eased up and his face visibly lightened from it's scowl. "Look, we're all adults here..." He said lightly, holding no regard for having acting like a child himself short of a few seconds ago. "So let's be straight with one another. Give me a working talisman, or allow me to use one of my own. Either way, you get what you want, I get what I want, and we're all happy people here; hey, maybe we can even throw a party." "I just watched you waste the last talisman that I gave you, why should I waste my magic on another?" Her shoulders lifted slightly her expression mocking her curiosity as she glanced at both Rasputin, then Jafar lingering on him a little longer than intended before she turned back to Dr Facilier, "Although if it will get you to shut your mouth, I shall oblige and allow you one more chance. Do not screw this up, or fail me again." Holding her hand out palm flat she waited for a moment a bright purple orb forming hovering slightly as inside it the magic began to take on a physical form, the amulet looking slightly different than the one before, dropping the orb around it she threw the new one in his direction her expression once more becoming cold and calculating, "Here, do not waste my time again, do you understand?" The Shadow man reached his hand out and snatched the new talisman in the air, bringing his arm back in and examined the face of the pendant closely, noting the minor differences. "Don't jerk me around like one of your play things, your Majesty and I won't bother you again." "Oh... But my dear Facilier... You are one of my favorite toys to play with..." Smirking she turned her back to the two men on the ground floor she took a couple of steps away from them before she stopped her hand coming up as though a thought had just crossed her mind causing her to glance back at them, "Your dear sea witch is roaming about my castle. Feel free, such as she, to stay for tea... I do believe we are having a delicious setting of fish being served..." Jafar's posture stiffened, his chin holding just a bit higher than it had been before, unable to help his nostrils flaring slightly as he looked between Maleficent and The Shadow Man. Dr. Facilier, on the other hand, merely waved Maleficent's remark off with disinterest, even coming down to the offer to stay for a while longer and indulge in her hospitality... if having a sea-witch eating her own kind could be considered as such; he didn't want to dwell on those thoughts. Looping the new talisman's cord around his neck, The Shadow Man merely turned his back to The Serpent King and Maleficent, conjuring up his walking stick once more and pushed past Rasputin along the way to the exit. "Better luck next time Rats-pukin." The Shadow Man retorted, tipping the bridge of his hat to the older man before exiting the castle, whistling a song to himself as he went. Chuckling softly as she watched The Witch Doctor leave followed close behind by the monk who seemed to be speaking to the cylinder that held his powers she turned her head looking back to Jafar with an amused smile on her lips, "Well... I haven't had this much fun toying with them in years..." Catching the expression that was on his face she sighed softly closing the gap until she could reach out her hand gently caressing his cheek, "I may class them as toys, but you know in your heart I mean it as pawns. Each with its own purpose before, when no longer useful to us, being disposed of quickly. He is a child, and I shall treat him as such." She paused for a moment her thumb brushing back and forth over his skin, "You are the only one I trust Jafar... With my past, my life, and my heart. You are no mere toy, you are my love. I will answer what questions you have waiting for me..." Lowering her hand from him she turned her head away the only time he had ever seen her look even a hint vulnerable, "... I just ask you not to leave, nor to breath a word of what we speak of to anyone... Besides that, I wish you to be the only one to know of, and to have full use of my true name..." His deep brown eyes looked back to her, his body posture remaining completely stoic even when she placed her hand against his cheek where he would have otherwise leaned into her touch. Her words did not seem to soothe him, but neither did they stir up anything new. "I used to be your toy... a pawn..." He said flatly, as though he were talking more to himself than to her. Closing his eyes for a minute as the weight of their previous conversation came back down on his shoulders, he breathed out a heavy sigh and looked at her again. "I won't leave, and I won't speak a word to anyone... but I do need time to think... alone..." Not wanting her to get the wrong idea, he leaned forward and brushed his lips to her cheek, though his heart wasn't completely into it before taking a few steps down the staircase until he reached the floor. Stopping for a moment, he turned back around to look at her, puzzlement on his face for a moment. "The talisman The Shadow Man brought back to you... was it really broken?" He asked curiously. Вringing her hands together in front of her she turned her body so that she was facing him a small smile playing over her lips as she knew that her answer would at least amuse him slightly, "How could it be broken? Especially when it was never intended to work in the first place..." Her smile saddened though as she thought about how she had somehow hurt him came back to her mind, "You were never just a toy... Nor were you a pawn... You have always been different to them, special... To me anyway..." Turning her back to him again she began to walk away her heart sinking as she felt him pulling away from her, all those years she had loved him feeling like nothing compared to the one mistake she had made moments ago, "I would give much to have you by my side... You do not understand how much that truly means, but it is more than you could ever begin to believe..." Sighing she moved back the way they had come her feet carrying her back down the hallway and out of his sight. Watching her go, Jafar's lips turned up into a sort of smile at The Shadow Man's expense, having wasted two years of his life purely for her amusement. But just as it had come, the smile vanished as she took her leave after her last words, keeping the Sorcerer's feet glued to the stone as he pondered the meaning behind them.

The Greyjoy remained silent as he flew above Odette, the only sound aside from the rushing wind being the occasional flap of his large wings against the current. Within about fifteen minutes of flying, the small village came closer into view; giving detail to the thatch roofs, cobblestone roads, and the general hustle-bustle of people strolling by. "Ah, here we are." The Greyjoy spoke up, breaking his long silence as he came to a halt, perching in a large tree and looking down at the young girl below. "Ah, good to see you've kept up." The Owl said, not unkindly as he stared fixedly at Odette. Slowing to a stop the young blonde reached out her palm pressing lightly against the trunk of the tree that he perched in her light blue orbs gazing out village that was lain out before their very eyes, "I did not wish to slow you up in any way. So I did my best to keep pace with your beating wings." Turning her attention up to where he sat she smiled gently at him her eyes shining with excitement at the thought that this was actually happening, she was running away from her home and the man who had kept her hostage for all these years, and now right before her was a world that she had yet to explore. Tearing her gaze away from him she let herself get swept back to the beauty of the small village she had heard of but had never once seen, "It's so busy... I've never seen anything like this before, are the people always in this big a rush to get through the day?" "Oh, of course. Work to do, meals to eat, kids to play with, and not to mention getting a good night's sleep before doing it all again." The Greyjoy replied, briskly turning his head briefly to look down at the village to add emphasis. "I could never get used to it; far more enjoyed my line of work. But many people like the simple lifestyle. I, for one, think you may enjoy to see a different perspective of things." The Owl finished kindly, ruffling his feathers slightly. "I do not understand why they do not just slow down their pace a bit, will the same results not be achieved if they are taking their time while completing their tasks?" Lowering her head to look at where she was going she moved past the tree her feet taking it step by step as she made her way down to get a closer look at the village and the people that called it their home, "I've always found it fascinating, they seem so swept up in their lives... Too much so that they forget to stop and appreciate the beauty of the world they have the luxury of being able to explore..." The Owl looked at Odette curiously as she spoke, answering her first question in a rather serious manner, "Many do not have that luxury. Simply not enough time in the day, you see." "There are a few of those sorts out there. Rangers, adventurers, explorers...those who cannot, or will not conform to life in a small town. I will say, though, if this intrigues you so, I cannot wait for you to see one of the larger hold capitals." The Greyjoy replied amusedly, keeping his gaze on the young girl. Turning her head back at his words her lips parted her eyes widening in surprise a burning curiousity filling her body and causing her mind to derail itself from its original train of thought, "One moment... You are telling me that there are more villages such as this one? And that some of them are even bigger?" "Oh, yes, quite...this is one of the more smaller villages around here. Hardly a fourth the size of one of the capitals. Far more crowded there." The Owl replied with a brisk nod of his head (a strange thing to see on an owl). "Well? What are you waiting for? Immerse yourself! I'll be watching, don't worry." Greyjoy reassured, wishing he could give her a more warm expression as opposed to the stern vigilance plastered on his...beak. Biting her lower lip softly she glanced back at the village her fingers nervously playing with what was left of her gown as she listened to his words her feet only moving her forward once he had given her his encouragement for her to go and explore something she was obviously curious about, picking up the front of her dress she pushed herself further letting her feet close the gap between her and the village was lain out before them. Slowing down once she hit the path she let her eyes glide over everything around her trying to commit as much to memory as she could while doing her best to stay out of the way of those moving about in their day to day lives, catching sight of something out of the corner of her eye she turned to move towards it before the beautiful smell of sweet bread baking in the oven wafted towards her pulling her body in the complete opposite direction her stomach growling at the thought of food. The Greyjoy, true to his word, kept a close eye on the young girl as she made her way through the small town; flying from perch to perch in order to keep vigil on her position. 'Wait...' The Owl began, thinking to himself, 'She has no concept of money...or...buying things. Oh no...' Flying closer, the Owl was prepared to cause a distraction at any moment should the naive young girl try to unwittingly steal something, namely bread. Her eyes widened as she came to a stop in front of the large glass windows her light blue eyes flicking back and forth over the baked goods that were set out on show for patrons to peruse and buy, lifting her hands up she began to play with the ends of her hair before she moved towards the door her eyes closing as she took in the wonderful smell her stomach muscles tensing as she was teased by the goods that she wasn't sure whether she was able to take or not, "Can... Can I have one of those? Are people able to take them?" "Unfortunately not...I neglected to inform you of what is called an economy. Basically, the citizens buy items such as food, clothes, and the like with money...currency. Then, they make more money either by working, or by selling other belongings. That way the towns can remain stable." The Owl explained thoughtfully, trying (and failing) to dumb down the information. Furrowing her brows she looked back towards the bread that was in the small bakery her hand pressing against her stomach to muffle the sounds of her hunger while she tried to process the new information that he had just offered her, "But I don't understand... Why do they not just share with others what they have? Would that not be more productive than this concept of using this money you speak of?" "Such a concept would damage the economical system, you see. Allow me to explain...the citizens pay taxes to the king, or the noble who lords over the town, or village. These taxes help support the bigger kingdom, which allows it in turn to provide for all its lands. The towns make individual money through shops, which allows it to then use that money to purchase goods for their stocks. The citizens make money by working, which then allows them to not only help support the larger kingdom, but also spend the money buying goods from the merchant, which helps the business trade. It's a long, complicated process that works, quite well." The Owl replied. Lowering her gaze she stepped back watching as people moved in and out of the building barely paying any mind to her other than the occasional few who shot her strange looks due to her conversing with the owl above, "This world is just so strange..." "It is, but you'll get used to it, I think. Tell you what: you want a bit of bread?" The Greyjoy asked with a slightly sly look in his large eyes. Hesitating a few moments as she thought through his question she glanced down at her stomach the muscles tensed in her hunger before she let her gaze flick back over her shoulder at where the bread was, "I would like some... If it was possible for me to be able to get some. However if the world works the way you say it does, and I am unable to take any for myself, then there is no use in letting my mind dwell on the matter..." "Hm...as you say." The Greyjoy commented, his tone hinting that it indeed was not as she said. Suddenly and without warning, the Owl then dove into the bakery, making an incredible commotion with screeches, wings flapping, crashing into various objects, and evacuating nearly the entire bakery as the owner tried inevitably to attack the bird with a large wooden spatula. The Greyjoy finally flew out of the bakery, holding a large loaf of bread in his feet. "Breakfast!" He declared before quite literally dropping the bread in hopes that Odette would catch it. Turning around as soon as she saw him diving she watched on as he flew about causing everyone in the bakery to fall into a panic running about in order to get away while the owner chased him around swinging a large wooden spatula close behind him, pulling back as he came flying out the door her arms reaching out to catch the bread in her hands as she continued to follow him with her awe in her eyes, "Thank you!" Hearing angered yells hitting her ears from behind she held onto the bread tightly her feet moving to quickly push her away from the area her long blonde waves bouncing on her back with every step she took, "Does this always happen when one takes something they should not?" "Like you wouldn't believe." The Greyjoy replied as he soared above Odette, sounding as amused as a child seeing a magic trick for the first time. "I'm not much of a public menace, but I think I've increased that poor baker's chances of a heart attack tenfold." He added with a small chuckle. Glancing back over her shoulder she couldn't help the smile that crossed over her lips at the sight of the baker who had been chasing them giving up before shaking his hands in the air out of pure frustration, "People seem to be so angry now... I think all they really need it some fun and their days might be a little more enjoyable." Slowing to a stop as she felt her lungs begin to burn from all the running she had been doing she hunched over her back pressing against a nearby tree and her chest heaving up and down in an attempt to bring air once more back to her, "Do you know where I might need to head to get to the Pride Lands? I wish to get there as quick as I can... Preferably before the moon leaves the world above allowing for the dawn of tomorrow to appear in the sky." "I do not know the way specifically, myself...my work, while adventurous, did not take me that far. However, it's quite easy to find a map around here, somewhere that will tell you which way to go. Your best way may be to fly..." The Owl finished, looking quite thoughtful as he spoke. Standing up a little taller she pressed her back against the tree trunk her hands lifting the bread up so that she could nibble on it as she listened to him speak swallowing what she had in her mouth before she spoke up, "But... If I fly, then how is he to know that it is me? He does not understand animals that I know of, I shall not be able to converse with him..." Lowering her hands slowly she stared at the bread her smile fading from her lips as she fell silent for a few moments, "He has seen me as a swan only once before, how do I know that if I show up in such a form that I will even be taken in a serious manner. I might not even be able to see him in that form..." "We've got at least a few days flight to figure something out, don't worry. But for now, we're still not far enough from Rothbart, so we need to move, soon. We can make the occasional pit stop at other towns across the way, but I need to get us a map and we need to fly." The Owl replied staunchly, looking out towards the horizon. Nodding her head she pushed herself away from the tree her eyes lifting to gaze at him showing him that she understood what he was saying and that she was willing to go with whatever it was he had in mind as long as it got her away from Rothbart's terror, "Okay, I trust you." Smiling brightly she once more lifted the bread her mind turning to satisfying the hunger that her stomach continued to allert her to as she began to move again putting even more space between them and the village, "Lead the way Dominic, and I shall follow."

With one foot over the threshold of the restaurant that opened back up into the lobby where he had been doing his little show, Alan’s blue eyes immediately happened on Illya talking with a few of the girls he had been showing his tricks too. It didn’t take much to gather what Illya was on about, the behemoth of a man was determined to get in a word to Alan and had been trying effortlessly ever since he arrived at the lodge a week or so ago, but Alan just wasn’t ready. ‘Responsibility’ was one of those ‘four-letter-words’ for the street magician that he had no desire to learn or even listen to, and in knowing that was exactly what Illya wanted to talk with him about, Alan turned quickly on his heel and ducked back into the safety of the restaurant. He’d deal with Illya later, just not now, not when there were so many things he still wanted to do, and the constant reminder of the responsibility he was given by The Blue Fairy would just hold him back. Darting his eyes back and forth, Alan began to maneuver himself through the restaurant, desperately looking for a second exit, otherwise things were going to get really awkward, really fast. Nearly tripping over an eight-year-old or so kid who was bound for the ice cream dispenser, Alan quickly regained his footing, turning a bit to make sure the kid was okay as he kept back-peddling towards the exit. The kid, in turn, just looked at him, blinking before starting to look around for what Alan assumed would be his parents. Wincing a bit, Alan turned himself back around and pushed himself through the back exit. Immediately the frigid air of the outside cascaded over his body. Having left his sweatshirt back in the lobby with only the thin blue t-shirt to keep him warm, the air immediately began to feel not-so-refreshing and a little colder, but at least he had sent Illya a message. Not. Today. Walking through the narrow alleyway between buildings, Alan stuffed his hands into his pockets in an effort to keep them warm. Immediately his hand happened upon half a dozen or so playing cards that had different girls’ numbers on them. Smiling, he pulled the small stack out of his pocket, looking over the numbers written onto the cards, unable to really remember which one belonged to who; maybe he should start asking for their picture rather than their name with their phone number. Names were hard to read. Hell, everything was hard to read for Alan. Ever since stepping foot in this world, he hadn’t even so much touched the educational system. Having always been on his own, the only education he ever received was the few weeks he had back when he was a puppet back home before he got turned into a donkey and swallowed by a whale. At that thought, Alan couldn’t help the small chuckle that came from his chest and shook his head, still thumbing through the different cards of phone numbers. Thinking about his past like that almost made it seem unreal; like a fairy tale; like the whole thing never happened. But the pressing weight of the necklace tucked underneath his shirt and brushing against his flat chest proved to be the constant reminder that his past indeed was real, and his name was Pinocchio. Now... which number to call first?