.:: Prologue || A Beginning ::.

[Ariella]

|| For now this is closed, though there will be a point in the story-line that will be open if any wish to play. Thank you. ||

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Six years.

It has been six years since the elf known as Armandeus Valandil had escaped from the prison on Genesis. With the help of his friend Elessar they had alluded the search teams and somehow found their way through a Dimensional Portal and left their home world. There were many of these things and a few that were uncharted and they only opened during the time of the full moon. They opened and they closed, every month in the same place yet they left no residual marking once closed. Those who wanted to use one either knew where it was or they didn't.

For years the portals around the prison and the surrounding area were searched, scouts sent in to find the prisoner and his accomplice – some of them never returning - but no progress was made. That is, until the day Elessar had returned to Genesis.

He came back to try and complete the task that Armandeus hadn't, but he failed and had been captured. The mistake was in not killing him and putting faith that the Elven guards that were in charge of his captivity would not feel empathy towards seeing one of their own race tortured. Never trust an elf. The two main guards in charge of his imprisonment helped him to escape late one night. Elessar, having been to broken to walk was carried by the guard Edward and he directed his 'rescuer' to the portal that opened to Rhy'din - the world he and Armandeus had escaped to years ago - and he was tossed through.

Not to loose the elf for a second time, when Edward returned to the prison he was ousted for his treachery and captured. For months he was tortured to gain information on where he had taken the elf and finally he cracked and gave up the location of the portal. Now they had him and, at the time of this last full moon, Ariella - Captain of the Macon Army on Genesis, charged with the capture of the two elves, went through the portal and found herself in Rhy'din.

[Armandeus]

[Meanwhile, on the other side of Rhy'Din . . .]

It was the night of the full moon and Armandeus was restless. While the coming of the full moon didn't effect him as it did some of the other races that inhabited Rhy'Din it often left him utterly restless with the prickling sensation that his skin was crawling. On this night in particular Armandeus was feeling these two-fold and after nearly half an hour of tossing and turning in his bed he had abandoned hope of sleeping.

Pushing up into a sitting position the Elf sighed, running his hand through his hair. Purple eyes glanced off to the side of his bed, scowling at the soundly sleeping form on the lowered bed. It was with a great deal of reluctance that he had returned here, to this room, with the man now he considered more an enemy than a friend, but in the end he had relented. What had been done was past and though the anger still rose in his veins at the thought of it, Armandeus strived to move forward.

Speaking of moving forward . . . What was he to do now that sleep seemed no longer an option? There were still hours left until dawn and with the restlessness he was currently sporting the old standby of watching television until the sun rose wasn't going to cut it. The green haired Elf was seriously considering jumping over Elessar's sleeping form and going out the open window when his gaze came to rest upon the dresser and the sheathed weapon upon it. Days had passed since he laid the weapon out and still his intent for it had not been fulfilled. Well, there was no time like the present. Moving from the bed Armandeus knelt beside it and pulled a wooden crate from underneath. Standing again, the crate was placed on the bed as Armandeus began moving quietly about the room gathering items that were quickly tossed into the crate.

By the time the first rays of the sun were reaching over the tops of the mountains Armandeus was ready to go. The crate was piled high and now properly dressed and showered Armandeus gathered up his armload and headed from the room. From the Inn and up the path the Elf went with his burden, heading down the road to the only speciality store in the New Haven area: Mary's.

The weather-worn sign creaked overhead as Armandeus ascended the few steps and through the open front door into the shop. Squinting through the golden glare of the morning sun as it shone through the shop's dirty windows the Elf weave himself around the piled multitude of junk that covered very nearly every inch of the store's floors towards the counter. "Mára aurë! Mary? Are you in here?"

"Armandeus Valandil!" From behind the counter came the voice of the eccentric shop owner before she herself appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Honey bright eyes peered over the counter at the Elf and his box. "What in de' world are yah bringing me?"

"Ah, so you are in here! Have you given thought to actually cleaning this place? You might just get more customer's if they do not have to walk through a maze to get inside. As for the box . . ." Armandeus flashed her a grin as he hefted the heavy box on the counter in front of her. "Simply the usual."

"Yeh think I'm some kind of junk peddler, don't yah?" Mary fixed the Elf with a stern glare as she stepped up on the short stool that had been affixed behind the counter so as to reach over and pull the crate towards her. Sitting aside the brown bag that had been sitting on the top she plunged her hands into the bounty. A moment later she was pulling her hands out again clutching familiar well worn green fabric between them. "Clothing, Armandeus? 'Tis it that táme again?"

"That is the word around town." It was a struggle to keep a straight face at the comment of her junk peddling, especially considering the fact her store was two steps away from being a giant junk pile. His eyes glanced around at the piles that were closest to him. "Truly, do you need an entire barrel of barbed wire? Or the one with rocks? It is no wonder people have begun to talk." He turned back to her with an eyebrow raised. "Summer is nearly upon us and while thin the clothing is worn. It is time for new."

"So yah insult me than yah wish I make yah new clothing. I see how yah work." The short woman huffed as she pushed aside the clothing in the box and turned her attention towards the bag that had been set aside. "And what 'tis in that? The boots I made yah dis past summer?"

"The boots are holding well, would you like to see?" He made a move to take one of them off only to stop when he saw her reaching for the bag. "I know I ask much with the clothing and that is why I have brought you these." Reaching out he pulled the bag towards him and from it took two large, enclosed containers. "Breakfast, lunch, and dinner for you and Sellion."

That beautiful Elf! The topmost container was snatched out of his hands and the lid nearly torn off before she set it back onto the counter again. When she did it was with a piece of sausage in her other hand which she hastily popped into her mouth. "Mmm . . ." Those honey bright orbs closed in pleasure as she chewed, "You are a crafty one. But, for that I can forgive you."

He chuckled as he brought a hand up to rub over his eyes before pinching the top of his nose. Ah, it seemed the lack of sleep had finally decided to catch up with him. If only it'd happened hours ago when it was still night! Already he could sense where this would lead . . . it was going to be the start of a long day. "Coming from you I'll take that as a compliment. I also included proper dining utensils if you wish to use them."

Mary sensed the change in Armandeus and opened her eyes to lay a steady narrowed gaze on him. "Yah body be fixing tah have another vision. Yah shouldan't have came tahday." Her tone was one of mothering concern as she eyed him over.

Another vision? Armandeus paused with his hand still pressing against his nose and stared. "It has only been days since the last. It is not time for another." Dear Eru he hoped it wasn't. It was bad enough having one when he had his own room to scream and thrash about in, but now that he was back in a room with Elessar the prospect was unsettling.

She could tell what he was thinking and in an instant that look of motherly concern turned into one of 'I know what I'm talking about'. "Do yeh sudden doubt my word? I have never been wrong Armandeus. Yeh will do well to remember such."

"Oh blessed Eru above, will you quit with the accent!? You've been watching that movie again, haven't you?" Armandeus snapped, feeling his headache grow from sheer annoyance if such a thing was possible. To her actual words the Seer held his tongue before he said something he would truly regret.

"The perks of having a child Armandeus. Sellion is quite enamored with that pirate movie." Well, well, well, look who won the fight. Mary smirked like the cat that had caught the canary. "I must say the view isn't half bad either . . ."

"Has everyone in this realm gone crazy over that movie?" Armandeus moaned and laid his head down upon the counter next to the wooden crate. "It was bad enough when Elessar started quoting such from it! Although . . ." Here he got a gleam in his purple eyes, "He did not find it so enjoyable after I made him drink a shot of actual rum."

"Armandeus Valandil!" The short woman's fists banged on the counter hard enough to make the crate, and the Elf's head, bounce. "That was cruel, what you did."

"Cruel? I fail to see how that was cruel compared to what he did -" His head bounced off the counter he shot her a look of annoyance as he straightened up.

"Stop right there. I have heard this story before and his side as well and ye are both wrong. Him for doing such against you and you for not looking past to forgive him." Honey bright eyes blazed with a power that seemed ancient as time and belayed the human appearance of their welder. "Dark times are a' coming Armandeus and iffen ye do not stand strong then it will rip you apart."

"As far as philosophy goes this one I do not believe. Dark has my visions not been of late and too many years have passed. This is the fourth year of this realm and more so has passed there and save for the year before this one nothing has come of it. Perhaps she has finally given up on the hunt." Armandeus crossed his arms and stood rigid, fully embodying the typical stubborn Elf stereotype.

"You are a fool not to believe!" Curse all Elves and their unwavering stubbornness! Mary's hands were clenched tightly at her side as she pressed down the urge just to deck the stubborn being right then and there. She sighed, internally cursing being a pacifist. "You have the gift of the Sight yourself and yet you choose to dismiss such because you have not yet felt it. Has the thought not occurred to you that your Sight may be blinded? Those often closest cannot see the sun, nor he who lets anger rule his heart."

Curse the eccentric woman and her persistence! This was a fight Armandeus had come prepared to win and he stood unflinching. "I tire of living in fear of her. If I do not force myself to move on then I fear I will loose myself completely in the end."

His words were met with a heavy sigh from Mary and her look upon him softened. "If you truly are tired of living in fear of her then you have no choice but to fight. If you do not then how will you ever face your fear? You know I speak the truth, Armandeus. Prove you are not afraid of her any longer. Stand up and fight!"

Armandeus bowed his head and echoed her sigh with one of his own. She was right, as she always was, but that didn't mean he had to like it. So he did what he always did in situations like this . . . he changed the subject. "Where is Sellion? I have something to give him." Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the sheathed dagger that had previously lain on top of his dresser. "It is one of my first. The blade is rather wobbly with age and I doubt it could cut a ripe tomato but it is my hope he would enjoy it nonetheless. I do not think he can cause much trouble with it."

He had to be the most stubborn man alive hands down. Mary sighed as he changed the subject but decided it best to let it go. The Elf had made up his mind and nothing else she could say would change it now. Reaching across the counter she picked up the dagger. "He is out playing with the children from the alley. I will give it to him when he returns."

"Hannon Le." Armandeus flashed her a brief grin, though it didn't fully meet his eyes. His attempt to avoid the subject at hand had not gone unnoticed. He was simply going to deal with it later was all. Much later. "I should be returning, Elessar and the rest of the Inn will be wondering where their breakfasts are."

"Armandeus . . . " Turning the dagger in her hands, Mary looked up at him with her own Sight and let a soft sigh escape. The darkness still loomed upon the horizon and it would not be long until it gathered strength. The wheel of the Fates had been set in motion and only time would tell what the outcome would be. "Be careful." The mothering tone had returned in earnest and she could only hope Armandeus would find his way across the dark path he now had to tread for it was already too late.

"I will, Mary, trust me." Armandeus tried for a grin again as he navigated his way towards the door. "Tenna' ento lye omenta!" With a wave behind him he was gone.

As the door closed behind him Mary crumpled upon the top of her glass counter and began to weep. . .

[Ariella]

Dark ruby red tresses blew in the cool air of the afternoon as she looked upon the shop that was situated at the bottom of the hill. She had spent many nights in this realm this Rhy'din as the people she encountered had called it, she called it a waste of space. There wasn't any type of order and the beings that wandered around were all consumed in their own nonsense her prying around hardly caused a stir. It was no wonder why the two elves had fled here. They could easily hide or blend in with this realms eclectic mix of beings.

That only meant that her searching would not go as smoothly as she wanted, but search she would for she had many days before that portal would open to allow her to go back home and return with reinforcements.

Days ago her searching had lead her to the local town, what better way to uncover information than a local gathering spot. If they were taking refuge in this city perhaps they use the market as a source for food. A few targeted questions here and there. A description of those she hunted for passed around. It took a while but then someone recognized the description enough – but she was given two locations. One of which was a store that sold a mix assortment of items; another was that of an Inn on the outskirts of this Market-city.

The shop was closer and that is why she was looking down at it now.

Steadily she approached it with a purposeful gait, the muted metallic color of her leaf embossed dress fit her upper body like a second skin. From the end of her wrist to the collar of her neck there wasn’t a pucker or crease to be seen that wasn’t due to natural movement and smoothed over once the movement was ended. The bottom half of the dress moved out in a smooth design and covered her feet. While normal fabric and ease of movement would have caused dust from the dirt to smoke up at the skirts hem the ground she passed remained undisturbed.

No rush. No sluggard of a walk. The pace was what it was to get her at the door of the shop at the needed time. Long fingers wrapped around the doorknob and followed the direction of the door to cause it to open.

She stepped inside.

[Elessar]

Armandeus was not the only restless Elf in the Inn. Elessar felt the prickling call of the full moon as well, but unlike Armandeus he was far used to sleeping through the night and had remained so. That was, until Armandeus began moving about the room. Though naturally quieter than mortals, the soft footfalls of the other brought Elessar fully awake.

Through silted eyes Elessar had watched as the other Elf moved about the room gathering the worst worn of their hand-made clothes and packed them away. This was part of their normal spring ritual and in a different time Elessar would have been helping instead of laying there under the coverers feigning sleep. That had been before his journey to Genesis, before the web of lies that had followed his return, and long before the fights that had sprung unbidden from the web as it became irreversibly tangled. Now here they were, both ensnared in that web's sticky grasp with a gap so far between them Elessar felt he might as well still be in Genesis.

Truth be told the golden haired Elf didn't know where to start unraveling what he had spun. How do you begin to tell the person you're closer to than a brother that you met their long lost sister in the middle of hell and then left her there? The guilt of not being able to save her had been too much upon the fresh memories of his latest captivity and that was when Elessar had closed everyone off. It had been over a year now and more so in the other realm and though the Elf turned hermit was trying to get out more he still had not confessed the full truth of what had happened there and it was possible he never would.

Desperation sat in where the guilt once lay and in it he had done the unthinkable; he had forced the frog stone from Armandeus and in the process turned his friend into a potential enemy. How utterly foolish he was! If they had still been on their home world the offence for doing such as he would result in the loss of his thieving hands. He should be so lucky that Armandeus hadn't decided on that course of judgement. Though, perhaps that would have been more favorable than hearing the other man pointedly tell him he was no longer to be trusted. Elessar would not admit it, but those words cut deeper than the blade of an axe. He was not to be trusted. Dear Eru, was there even any hope for him left?

When Armandeus left the room to shower Elessar wasted no time in leaving as well. Slipping through the open window, the Elf nimbly climbed down the side of the building and set off for the gardens. Originally created as a place for peace Elessar found himself seeking solace there when he could. This morning he chose to seek his solace near the upper edge of the gardens where a small pond had been created. Taking a seat upon the stone bench that had been set beside the pond the Elf turned his eyes towards deep waters as he combed long fingers through his gold and blue spattered hair. It was easy to get lost in the serenity of the moment and Elessar closed his eyes as he took it all in. His fingers, however, continued their work of another ritual and began to plait the thin warrior's braids into his hair.

With a deep sigh Elessar opened his eyes again and turned his attention to the sky. The first rays of the sunrise was starting to stretch over the mountaintops and in the midst was a sight that made the Elf's breath catch and his fingers stop in his hair. Among the golden rays lighting the sky there was a brilliant flash of green and white light. It only lasted the space of a few seconds and from afar looked to be the product of a lightening strike, but Elessar knew differently. It was the signal of the portal opening to Genesis and if he had been higher up the Elf could have even possibly caught a glimpse of that tropical paradise through the blinding slash of light in the sky.

Moments passed before Elessar found he could breathe normally again and he dropped his head into his hands. The opening of the portal brought his mental anguish anew and made his heart pound within his chest. If only . . . He should have been a stronger man. He was an Elf, one of the immortal peoples and yet he had not been able to save one woman.

Blessed Valar, it was time to stop living in his past mistakes. He was one of the Eldar, a warrior, and he needed to move on. His resolve stoked the golden head lifted again and turned back to the sky with blazing gray eyes. His chance would come again someday and he was determined that he would be ready. He was going to fight and ensure that nobody else would be left behind to rot in that hell. Standing, Elessar moved out of the gardens, heading back to the Inn to get his bow. It was time to start practicing.

[Ariella]

The bell tinkled as the door was pushed open into the shop and signaled to it's owner that there was a shopper about. The shop was filled to the brim as it always was with bits of this and bins of that cluttering nearly every corner of avaliable space except for a small walking path that led from the door to the counter. At the moment there seemed no one about but as the sound of the bell ended a voice called from the back of the shop "I'll be will yeh in a momant!"

A tinker shop. She was lead to a tinker shop. Her interest in the place dropped drastically as she looked around and if this was not the place she was told the elf was known to visit then she would not be here. Then she heard the person speak and she scoffed. "Hmm..." was all that she said as she made her way to what looked like the counter. There she rapped long nails on the counter to wait.

This was no shopper at all. From her vantage point in the back the eccentric shop owner had a bird's eye view of the comings and goings on in the store and currently the woman who was rapping on her freshly cleaned glass counter. Mary peered closely through her hidey-hole in the room and frowned. So it was true after all and the stars had decieved her not. In the words of a famous guy, let the games begin! Stepping from her spot she circled the wall and came up behind the counter. "How can I help yeh taday?

The glass was enduring and as she had to wait the question of whether or not the shopkeep would notice newly made scratches came into question. Fortunately for the table the lady came out in time to keep her from finding out. "Hello." It was almost dragged out and her cool eyes pressed into the lady as she examined her. "You sell many things here. I wonder if any of them are of use to me. There are two questions that i have for you. One, are you well stocked in potion ingredients and two, do you haev some pre-made potions...."

The woman should ever be so lucky that the scratches had went unnoticed. For now. Honey bright eyes met those of the woman and as she was examined she was doing the same to the other. "That depands on what kind of potion yeh are looking for. Certain things just cannat be kept in storage."

"Woodmorrow." She said the name of the potion that she was looking for smoothly, her gaze never leaving the woman, even if her nails were starting to tap the air above the counter. She knew that it was not typically a potion but a poison even if, in retrospect, they were the same thing. "Either you have it, or you have enough things here in this ramble-shack to make it. I want to know the answer."

Woodmarrow. The honey eyes narrowed upon the woman. "What need have yeh of such a substance as that?" Woodmarrow was indeed a poison and a dangerous one at that. As to if she had the things needed to make it or the actual potion herself she waited. This woman better have a good reason for wanting such.

Tip of her nail tapped down upon that glass with a small *tink* and that was the only sound that came from her for the next few seconds. "Are you in the habit of asking all your patrons what their need of your goods are for? I came here to patronize your shop, not for an interrogation."

"Don't be tapping on teh glass like that." Arms were crossed over her chest and narrowed gaze turned to a glare. "'Tis my job ta ask when one wants samthing as dangerous as that. Can't be letting it fall into the wrong hands." A pointed look was given with the words.

Well, at least this woman had a bit of a backbone in her, to bad it didn't seem to be enough of one. "Either you tell me what I ask or I will bring your shop of knick-knacks down around you and find it myself." She would too, there was no doubt about that. There was nothing in her eyes or voice that said she was joking in the least about it.

"Bring down mah shop and yeh will nevar find what yeh are looking for." Just let her try it. With the amount of items currently occupying space in the shop- including the items that were not currently visible to the eye- the toppling would be comparable to a house of cards. "Yeh tell me first and I shall then tell yeh what yeh wish ta' know."

"Of course I'll find it. There are ways." Many ways of a person getting what they wanted. The shop was secluded enough that she highly doubt that the screams of a tortured woman in a tinker shop could be heard. "You know what the potion is and therefore you already know why i want it. You're question you ask me is redundant and unnecessary. It's the same as asking a starving person why they need food."

There was more than met the eye of this 'tinker shop' and perhaps the screams would not go unnoticed afterall. "Yeh would know well about starving a pearson." Now she didn't know that for a fact but Mary was darn willing to beat on that fact. "I do nae have such a potion in storage."

No comment was made about the accusation the shop keep made towards her as it didn't matter. What did, was the admittance that this person didn't have the potion in storage. Not that she didn't have what made it. "Then you have what makes it. I would have them." It was that simple. Wasn't it?

"Think yeh can make it yehself, eh? Not so simple as yeh think." Perhaps if Mary was a smart woman she would have just handed over the ingredients to make the potion and have it done with. "I cauld make it for yeh. . . for a price." Well, nobody ever said she was the smartest shopkeeper around.

"So you would be an accessory to something you may not approve of. what's your price?" This lady either didn't really care what it was being used for or thought that she didn't have any choice. From what she had observed of the lady she had a thimble of care or else she wouldn't have wanted to know what it was going to be used for and, if she wanted the guilt of the potion being used to rest on her conscious then that was something she was going to have to deal with.

"Evaryone has thar price. Feh yeh it will be 5,000 gold and three days." Yes, everyone had their price but it could also be used as a front as well. Judging by previous actions Mary held a dear interest in what was to be the outcome of this poison and now she was offering to make it. The game was now afoot and it was up to the other woman to decide how it would go.

Three days. She had waited this long, what difference would a few more days make. A lot. "Fine." She made her decision. "But I get to watch you as you make it. So i will be taking up residency with you until you finish and it works." She would have to make sure that it worked. It was all too easy to cheat a person on something and she did not want to be cheated.

She was taking up residency. Mary just stared at the woman dumbfounded. She was well used to dealing with difficult customers but none had ever moved in with her! "There is nae extra room fer yeh tae stay..." It was a lame excuse but the best she could come up with on the spur of the moment.

[Ariella]

"I don't need an extra room." She said plainly, her nail tapped once against the glass before she picked it up and those fingers curled into a fist. Both now fisted hands pressed on the counter as she leaned forward, the material of her clothing giving with ease and bending naturally. "I'll be staying in yours. With you. We start now." What locks there were on the front door to this shop snapped in place - as long as they were not magical - as well as a few items that were already on the floor. They slid over to bar the door. "I believe you are closed for the rest of the day." All words said as she held that forward lean, her cold eyes looking dead at the shop keeper. -

Things were not going as planned. All of Mary's well plotted cunning had disappeared with the turning of the locks on her front door. She was trapped like a rat. Honey eyes traveled from the debris blocking her escape route to look at the cold ones in front of her. "And just who da' yeh plan on testing this potion on?"

Perhaps they had come to an understanding, though if this was so was yet to be seen. "I'm sure that someone can be found." She was not going to be to particular about the 'who'. Right now the person couldn't be this lady, but that didn't mean that it couldn't change at the end of three days.

:Three days trapped with this woman. If given the choice Mary would have rather been trapped in the middle of a high sea on a ship full of pirates. . . Pirates. Sellion. She had to get the child out of there before this woman took him prisoner as well. Casting a wary eye on her new "resident" she began walking her way out from behind that counter. "Thar is still ta' matter of payment."

As the lady walked she was watched. It wasn't that she was afraid of the woman making a run for it or attacking her in any way, she watched because there was no reason not to. "You will be paid once your work is deemed satisfactory. And, if you happen to be in need of any supplies we will go together to get them."

Mary was a woman of short stature but she moved with confidence. The swishing sound of her multicolored skirts heralded her coming around the corner to face the woman. At the comment of needing supplies the small woman made a snorting noise that clearly said 'are you kidding me?' With all the items crowded into the shop it was easy to tell whatever she needed was already at her fingertips. "Yeh will do well to stay out of mah way during this."

Sometimes, when a person was trying to find an excuse to leave somewhere they'd use anything as a plausible reason. "Why would I bother you when I need you to make the potion." She said it with a small raise of her brow. There was truth in that and this person - she did not know her name but it was safe to assume that her name was Mary, as the sign on the outside said. "Isn't that right, Mary." Punctuating the woman's name as they stood there locking eyes with the other.

Mary may appear submissive but she hadn't given up the thought of escaping. She still had an ace or two up her sleeve. . "There are saome who feel teh need 'ta constantly badger during work." In her business Mary had came across more than she cared to remember; the ones who thought standing and shouting orders got things done faster than if they were done naturally. Well, the woman knew her name. It wasn't surprising when it was on a sign for half the local population to see. "So, yeh know my name. What be yehrs then?"

"Ella." That was the name she gave to answer Mary's question. It was a bit of her name anyway. She had turned to see Mary more easily. There wasn't anywhere for them to go and she had no need to press the woman to start. Therefore she'd wait and see what Mary was going to do next. No comment about the badgering.

"Ella." The name was repeated with a straight face, but behind it Mary's mind was already wandering. Perhaps this was not the person she had foreseen in her visions after all. The woman in them had called herself Leondias, the same as the name of the one she had heard Elessar speak of on occasion. The visions were fickly things at best and at times unreliable. As she took in the woman in front of her now Mary had to wonder if this was one of those times. She even started to question if this woman had heard the name before when a small cry could be heard from the upstairs of the store, "Naneth!"

So there was another person here, no wonder Mary had told her that she did not have the room. This could make things slightly more difficult than she first thought. A tip of her head towards the back where she heard the sound and the steps. "I didn't know you have company. Do they live here with you?"

Mary did not answer the woman and instead turned and headed for the back of the store. Hidden along the back side of the wall was a wooden staircase that led upstairs to the small living quarters above the shop. Mary barely reached the bottom of the stairs before a flash of red and blue came flying down them and launched into her arms. The flash turned out to be a small child with flaming red hair and dressed in a pair of overhauls. The boy buried his face into Mary's neck as she wrapped her arms around him. "What 'tis wrong with yeh? We have company now."

As Mary moved away Ella would follow. Not directly on the woman's heels but close enough that she could follow and not be in the way. When she saw the child the process began of trying to figure out the age range and she surmised that the child could not be too old to have been able to lie against Mary like that. But from what she could tell he didn't look related. "Hello."

The child was on the small side, making it hard to determine his true age. If one wanted to guess by looks he appeared to be at least no older than six years at the most. When he was spoken to his head popped up from where he'd buried it to stare at the woman with big round green eyes. "Hi.."

She took a few steps closer to Mary and the child. "And what is your name, child. Do you stay here with Mary or do you live elsewhere and are only here for a visit? This place isn't for children." A small pause. "you could get hurt."

The child watched her with those big round eyes as she moved in closer although his hold around Mary's neck tightened. "Selllion..." He said his name in a small voice. . "He 'tis mah son." Mary took a few steps backwards as she took a few forward. "This be a suitable home for him."

"Nice name. Well now, I hope that you don't interfere with your mothers work." Looked from one to the other of them. "She has some very important things to do for me that have to get done. You won't be a problem for her now, would you?"

"He will nat be a problem. He is going to stay with friends for a few days." If Mary couldn't escape herself she was going to ensure Sellion could get away from this woman. The child knew his way to the inn - he could get help!

This was new information, and one that she took to mind. With a sarcastic smile she picked up a finger and moved it back and forth with a tsk, tsk, directed to Mary. "I would hate to think that you are going to let this child leave and go somewhere on his own. Is the friend coming to pick him up or shall we take him there?"

"He knows teh way. 'Tis no more than a short distance away. He will be fine." A firm disbeliever in phones Mary had no way of contacting the elves or anyone else to come get the child. The inn wasn't that far a distance from the store however and Sellion had made the trip before, although usually she had been with him...

"I'm sure he does." Shifting the smile over to the boy for a moment. This Mary could be purposely sending the boy away and possibly with a note. "But there are people out there who would hurt someone as young and defenseless as he is and if he didn't make it to where he had to go I would be crushed." Her fingers tapping upon her own chest. "Crushed. We should escort him. Are his bags packed?" -

[Ariella]

This woman was infuriating in the fact that she was right. Mary ground her teeth together as she desperately thought of a way to get out of this. "I make it a habit not to travel with my clients."

Ways to go about this. Ways to go about it. Going through her mind as she stood there looking at the woman and tapping her nail now against the table. She could let her go on her own, she would return wouldn't she? Of course she would. Better to return than to let the woman stay in her shop alone for an extended amount of time. "Habits can be broken." But her other hand gave an idle wave to the door, meaning that it would not allow this Mary to leave. "Don't take long. Never know what may happen while you are away."

Would she leave when there was a stranger in her shop alone? That question stood up for debate but since it was obvious she wasn't going anywhere it was a question that would remain unanswered. Looking between the woman and her son she sighed deeply. "Go back to your room, Sellion." The child nodded into her arms before slipping down and scampering off.

Ella watched the child go back upstairs and she hid the smile with her perfectly schooled mask of indifference. Once the child was gone she turned her attention back to Mary. "Change your mind? I suppose his task was not that important."

"Some habits are not meant to be broken." Brushing past Ella Mary headed towards the back of her shop. Back here one section of the wall was covered with a giant glass beaded curtain in the hottest pink ever imagined and this is what she slipped behind now. From behind the curtain came the clinking sound as bottles were being shuffled around.

Victory. That's what the sounds sounded like to her. Mary did not say that she couldn't come and therefore Ella followed, but after the sounds started to come out from behind the beaded curtain. She did say that she was going to watch what she was doing and she was good on her word. The beads were pushed aside easily and she watched without saying anything.

She got her victory at the hands of Mary's defeat. The rustling of bottles from behind the curtain was indeed just that - behind the curtain hung a large cabinet filled with various vials of liquid and spices and other unmentionable things used in potion making. Of these Mary was busy gathering the ones together used to make the poison Woodmarrow. When her arms were nearly full she turned to Ella with an expectant look on her face. "Are ye planning on standing there or helping? Grab that red vial."

"Of course." And she left the confines of the entryway and directed herself to the vial that Mary pointed out. There was always benefits in helping out: got to learn something and could possibly do it yourself at another time. "We're going to be spending a lot of time together." -

Mary snorted as she shifted out of the way for Ella to grab the remaining vial. "Three days is not a lot of time so don't get comfortable." The armload she was carrying was taken out through the beaded curtain to the counter and sat down.

"Three days is more than enough time." Spoken with a confident smile as she followed Mary out of that back room. Surely she could have lightened the woman's load, but why? She wasn't going to help anymore than she was asked and she had been asked to get the red vial. Having it in hand it was placed upon that front counter.

With the ingredients laid out Mary reached under her counter and began pulling out items that looked like a chemistry set or rather something that looked like it belonged in a mad scientist laboratory. It would take three days for the potion to fully brew and Mary could only hope at the end of it the poison's intended victims could forgive her.


THREE DAYS LATER . . .


With the passing of each day she was there and watched, helping out here and there with whatever Mary asked that she felt was relevant for her to do. Ella learned and, she learned more than how to make the poison but also bits of the everyday habits of Mary and Sellion. At the end Ella looked over the finished product. "Now all we need to do is test it...."

Wiping her hands off with a nearby towel Mary watched in silence as Ella conducted her examination. It had been possibly the longest three days of her life with this woman constantly hovering over her shoulder and while it ended with the poison completed Mary was well ready to be rid of her. "Test it on yerself then. I have upheld my part of this bargain and now it is time to discuss the matter of payment."

"Not quite," she held up a finger and shook it slightly back and forth. "Your end is not complete until it is seen that it works. Drink." It wasn't a statement left for negotiation. The container with the poison was lifted up and offered to Mary.

"Wha- what? You're crazy! I'm not drinking that!" This was not what they had negotiated on. Her role had been in the preparation and making of the poison. Never had it been said she was going to be drinking it. Mary began backing away slowly, trying to put distance between her and the vial.

A small tip of her head to the side as she brought the container back to her. "Very well then." Now Ella moved towards those steps that housed the rooms upstairs. And where Sellion often was. "Sellion. Darling. Dear." She called up the steps rather sweetly. "Would you come down please? Your help is needed." Not a look was given over to Mary. -

"No! Wait!" The realization dawned as horror across her face and Mary lunged suddenly across the room at Ella. "You're mad! You can't make him drink that! He's only a child!" It was too late. From upstairs there came the sound of a door closing followed by footsteps as the child in question came to the head of the steps, looking down at them curiously.

The sweet smile still in place Ella now turned it on to Mary as she saw the child come out of the room. While the smile said one thing the glint in her eyes said another. "I'm sorry to have bothered you Sellion. Mary here has decided that she'd do it herself. Isn't that right, Mary?" Then she looked back at the boy and gave him a wink. "I'll make the disturbance up to you later. We'll go out and have a special treat." So convincing her voice was. And the container was offered to Mary again. -

The woman was a monster. There was no way out, was there? If Mary refused the drink again then this monstrous woman would force the child to drink it and light help her Mary wasn't going to let that happen. Forcing a smile on her face despite the tears that started to fall and the crack of her voice she looked up at Sellion. "That's right baby. Go back and play now.." Blinking, the child crouched down as he looked between the two of them. "Naneth sad?" The little boy frowned as he tried to figure out why when Ella said the magic word: treat. The frown brightened as he looked at her. "A real treat? promise?"

"Mmm-hmm, just for you. See that? Naneth is crying tears of joy she's to happy that you'll be given such a treat. We'll go as soon as we're done." Turning back to Mary as Ella put a hand on the woman's shoulder to turn and direct her away from the steps and towards the place they had created the potion. Bending to the woman's ear she spoke quietly. "Sellion will be fine. All you have to do is take a small sip. Surely you have an antidote. " it would be enough for her to be out, wouldn't it. Then she could have the boy make a delivery. -

"Go put your shoes on.." It was Mary's last attempt at getting the child away from what was about to happen downstairs. He didn't need to witness it, it was bad enough that there was a chance he would end up hearing it. The sounds of running feet back down the upper hallway brought some relief as she allowed herself to be steered away only for it to be taken when the woman mentioned having an antidote. Was she serious? Mary could barley repress the urge to gap at her. Antidote? There was no known antidote for this poison. In face it had been named Woodmarrow for a reason. 'Gather up the wood for ye'll need it on the marrow to start the pyre.' This woman had no idea what she was getting into, did she? Mary wished she had seen it sooner. Surely there could have been a way she could have escaped days ago. Now she was stuck and with trembling hands she reached out to pick up the container full of poison.

"Hurry up and be on with it." not a hint of remorse in her voice at all at the thought of what Mary was about to do. The only thing Ella cared about was seeing the results of three days work. "Dip your finger in it and place a drop on your tongue if you're that frightened of it. If you take too long then I will do it for you." -

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