Laelith had hardly expected to be anonymous at the compound but she was more than a little taken aback, when she came face to face with one of the captains. A deep violet eye met and kept her gaze when she walked out of the stables. A short, petite body, managing to appear imposing, stood in her path. She had short cropped black hair and skin a few shades darker than the usual nyxan complexion.

A black eye-shield and long scar, which was partially hidden under it, lent a ferociousness to the woman's appearance. She stood with her feet apart, hands clasped behind her back as she observed Laelith, intensely.

“Casia, I didn't think you'd come so soon, to see me,” Laelith said.

The smirk she received was grim.

“Did you think I'd come at all? Or perhaps you were hoping I wouldn't?”

She clicked her tongue.

“You still haven't let go of what happened, I see.”

“You're wrong. I'm only here for official reasons.”

Laelith lifted an eyebrow, trying to hide the sudden unease she felt.

“Do tell.”

“As it would happen, I'm to be the officer in charge of your little pet's training.”

Laelith gave the captain a stern glare.

“She's not a 'pet'.”

Casia scoffed.

“Oh, please. If not for the dragon, neither you nor Ezeas would have any interest in her. She's a vessel and a weak one at that, from what I hear. If I can't break her into something more useful, not to mention obedient, she'll be put down.”

Laelith had been prepared for prejudice and coldness but she still felt her stomach sink.

“Is that a threat?”

“It's a reminder that whatever tricks you two may have pulled to keep her out of trouble, it won't work, here.”

Laelith shook her head.

“Your opinion of me has really dropped, hasn't it? If you would so willingly believe that I'll waste my time creating illusions.”

Casia's eyebrows raised

“You took the cowards way out, before. Ezeas helped you, back then, too.”

A bark of laughter escaped Laelith's lips before she could stop it.

“Oh, that's true. Essy and I used to actually get along. I can't believe I'd almost forgotten.”

“As if you're not both up to your old tricks!” Casia sneered.

Laelith waved her hand, dismissively.

“Oh, don't worry, you'll see for yourself.”

She kept chuckling at the absurdity of it all. Casia glared at her, lips pressed into a thin line; Laelith's schooled her expression into a more neutral mask.

“I left for seafarer's school in secret because I couldn't trust you not to tell my mother.”

“You abandoned me!”

The reserved dignity Casia had carried herself with thus far, was crumpling but that just made the guilt hit that much harder.

“I did. I'm not proud of how it happened. But you refused to listen to what I wanted, Casia.”

“Because I wanted something better for you than being some whoring pirate?”

“There is nothing better for me!” Laelith yelled.

Casia's eye widened and Laelith took a deep breath, stifling the old urge to scream until her her voice was gone. It had never worked back then, it would not work, now.

“You and my mother are so similar,” she stated, softly.

“I think that's one of the reasons it was so easy for me to fall in love with you. You always looked out for me, pushed me to be better. But when it came to what I actually wanted from life, it was never good enough...for either of you.”

“You always did whatever you wanted, regardless of who was left to pick up the pieces.”

The low, resigned tone of her former lover showed no intention of ever understanding Laelith's point of view.

“You waltz in here, fawning over some human, no doubt knowing just how badly it'd break my heart.”

“What impressive insidiousness I possess, then. Perhaps you'd actually manage to move on if you bothered to believe me at my word.”

Whatever else she should have said, Laelith was instantly aware she had said something wrong. Casia's expression took on a hint of rage before switching to malicious glee.

“Since you insist on parading your new toy around, in front of me, don't blame me if it ends up broken.”

Laelith grabbed the nyx' shoulders.

“She's not my lover, Casia! Get it through your head, she's just some poor fool who was dragged into a war she never wanted!”

“I don't care what she is. I am the superior here, so don't get in my way!”

She dropped her hands, her frustration turning to cold anger.

“Don't go out of your way to harm her. You may not care about my opinion, but Ezeas is not going to accept your petty excuses.”

Perhaps it was her tone or Ezeas' reputation preceding him; maybe it was the fact that he was the high councilor's grandson and most likely heir. Whatever the case, Casia suddenly looked less confident.

“Are you suggesting I give preferential treatment or risk upsetting the council?” she asked incredulously.

“I'm suggesting you try and be fair-minded. Saelina isn't weak, but she's still human. Don't ask the impossible from her.”

A defiant smirk played at Casia's lips.

“What's this? Not feeling confident in your pet's abilities?”

Laelith knew if she started down this road, she would be stuck here for the remainder of the day; instead of giving in to the temptation, she walked around the officer.

“I'm not responsible for how you interpret my words, Casia. Just mind yourself.”

Before she got far, she felt an iron grip around her arm.

“The two of you think you can keep her safe? Your underhanded tactics won't work forever. I'm not the only one who wants to finally see the Sethaernan pair fail.”

She glanced over her shoulder and Casia released her arm, giving Laelith a cruel glare.

“Make sure you really want what you're asking for, Casia. For all our attempts to keep her safe, the body count is rising and not on our side.”

She left the stables, breathing deeply to calm her heart. It was inevitable that she would run into her former lover, but she had hoped the encounter would be less staged. Old feelings bubbled to the surface, memories with which she thought she had made peace. A cold voice within reminded her that her own success at coming to terms with the past did not translate to other people; she shook it off and hurried off to look for Ezeas; whatever the people at this place had planned, she had no doubt it would be unpleasant.

She made her way to the men's barracks but her attempts at asking for her cousin were met with confusions and blank stares. It occurred to her that he would probably be checking on their charge.

Finding him with Saelina was not as surprising as the seemingly friendly atmosphere upon which she stumbled. She looked from one to the other for a second before gesturing to Ezeas who followed her without question. She tried to smile at Saelina but the guilty expression she saw made her falter.

When they were alone, she filled him in on the conversation with Casia. He seemed to have expected the news, much to her annoyance.

“Don't tell me you brought her here, knowing someone had an ax to grind?”

“I didn't know anything. I just assumed that some of the people from back then might be itching for revenge.”

“As I recall, you were the one who couldn't go a week without getting into it with the Blades,” she noted.

“None of them is a scorned lover.”

She gave him a sharp look.

“I meant of those who're here,” he amended.

“Still, we're talking a handful of people who're ready to make life difficult for us. The easiest way to do so, is by getting to Saelina,” she summarized. “We'll have to protect her, the entire time.”

“And we have to do so without making it obvious, while she's being put through the wringer by your ex-lover,” Ezeas added.

Laelith nodded, “It's pretty much the same as in Gaerwhynn, isn't it?”

“I suppose you could make that argument,” he conceded but then continued: “except she'll be expected to hold her own against soldiers with something to prove and Dhíanvhúr won't be able to provide her with aid.”

“She's still not fully recovered?”

Ezeas shook his head.

“Being smashed against a rock rarely helps the body's healing process. I fear any attempt at joining their powers would cause permanent damage.”

Laelith chewed on the inside of her lip as she tried to come up with a plan.

“I suppose we'll have to keep her body going, while she's here. I can take care of simple bruises and scratches, anything more substantial, I'll defer to you.”

It was by no means an elegant solution, but it was more than likely necessary.

“It won't be enough,” came the cynical reply.

“The stress will be our biggest concern. Not to put too fine a point on it, but she's been through enough that it's quite frankly a miracle she's retained her sanity.”

Laelith's eyes widened in realization.

“That's why you're being so gentle to her?”

Ezeas did not meet her gaze but she knew she was right.

“Essy, you don't have to keep yourself from liking her.”

“I thought you didn't want us getting too close?”

Though his voice was serious, she smirked.

“I don't want you being a jerk to her. This kind of change just reminds me of the old Ezeas. You might have met him, once. He helped me escape this place.”

He shrugged.

“You probably shouldn't get used to it.”

“Why did you turn out like this?”

“You know why,” he told her, earnestly, “if anything, you're the last person to whom I should have to explain this.”

“Don't you ever think that maybe Niranne has it wrong? That things aren't that clear cut?”

He sighed, looking at her, for once without his defenses up, and she could see that boy who had helped her sneak away from the compound while he stayed behind.

“All the time,” he muttered.