Private Tales Beyond the Veil

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
With Trahaearn leading the way, they began to pick their way through the tunnels. They hadn't gone far before Joseph suggested that she and Trahaearn shift into their dog forms, and she nodded. She had been so tired that such a solution hadn't even occurred to her. Dropping to her hands and knees, she had to take several breaths before she began the shift.

Except she couldn't. Her form turned wispy at the edges, curling shadows that twisted toward her canine shape, but a sudden wave of nausea hit her like a kick in the stomach. Shadows snapping back, she swayed, catching herself before she fell against a glass globe. A dull ache formed between her eyes and when she could see again she looked up at Joseph, her silver eyes wide with alarm.

"I can't shift right now."

She'd felt this tired before -- after the encounter with the clurichaun -- but this felt worse somehow, as if she'd been bled slowly for days without noticing until this moment. The shuck quickly averted her eyes, not wanting him to be any more concerned for her than he already was.

"I'll be alright," she said as she got to her feet once more. She made a point of not looking at Joseph and gathered up what was left of her strength to make it seem like she was better than she felt.

Her stomach was rolling and her eyes were throbbing, but she would make do picking her way through the tangle of toys and dirt in humanoid form. It wasn't far, fortunately, before the tunnel gave way to a room. Too tired and confused to understand why they were standing in a fine kitchen, she had her back to the passageway Joseph had been inspecting when she heard that voice again.

A thrill ran up her spine, a preternatural response that made the fine hairs stand on end. She turned slowly, looking over Joseph at the creature that pulled itself into the room. One of its feet kicked something toward them, clicking across the tile and landing at Joseph's feet. She had to stare at it for a long time before she realized what it meant -- what all of this meant.

"What do you want?" she snapped sharply, drawing on more energy than she had to stand up to her full height and raise her chin indignantly. Her fists clenched at her sides and she squared her shoulders.

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
Trahaearn had initially thought that Joseph's idea was a fine one, and had nearly done his change when Mal tried to shift. And failed. His eyes focused on her for a long moment, alarm clear on his face for a brief second as he tucked away the thoughts that now barraged him.

Mal was near to losing herself when he had first met her, but the signs she had shown were not serious enough for him to have thought she was seemingly so near to her end. With this though, a very clear and sharp line had been made. They were losing drastic amounts of time playing with whatever this creature was and needed to wrap this up quickly.

Mal dismissed the worry that was directed at her quite quickly, and his thoughts shifted for a brief second on their original task. Maybe they would have been the wiser for trying to find her heart first. It wouldn't give her much more time, but even a few weeks would certainly be better than narrowly missing the chance to find her name by a few days if he had guessed her time left incorrectly.

They trudged on, Trahaearn staying in his human form at the head of the group. When they entered what looked to be a sorely misplaced kitchen, his confusion mounted. The lanky thing in the tree certainly had good taste in finery, if this is where it made its meals. To what purpose would it have for such extravagance out here in the wilds though Trahaearn thought to himself as a voice pulled him from his thoughts.

He only turned his head as it entered the kitchen from the tunnels. The sword resting on his shoulder once more as he watched the skull skitter across the floor toward them.

Ah. It dined on children. Of course it did.

Trahaearn mentally prepared himself to deal with this monster. Waiting for it to begin speaking, he silently began to pray to the storm god, feeling the build-up of energy under his feet. Acting as a lightning rod underground was a tiring ordeal, but it had worked once before with mixed results. A thunderclap overhead was the only sign of something amiss as as he stared at the creature.

For a brief second, he wondered about the lack of power that should have been coursing through him, until he glanced at the floor and cursed himself. The sword lazily came off of the shoulder, the point driving itself between two pieces. His eyes never left the creature again, the soft ring of the iron and silver digging until it touched dirt, the living power flowing into the blade and his body.

This thing knew Mal from court, and knew she had no name. Likely having had some hand in the ordeal that was happening. Meaning it was likely to gain something from weighleighing them. It might even have a better idea of Mal's timeline than even he knew. It couldn't leave here now that it had revealed even just that little bit of information.

Wouldn't, leave here if he had anything to do with it.

"What is there to gain by playing this game? Lead the way out and this kitchen will be spared." Trahaearn hissed as it came into view. He had never seen this thing before, and quietly hoped he would never have to see it again. It wasn't the ugliest thing he had seen, but it did make him terribly uncomfortable.
 
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Joseph stepped closer to Shuck. He was worried about her, but he would defend her to the death. She couldn’t shift...she was fading. The powerful bark she’d shown with his fight in the Cat seemed so far away now. He was filled with a sense of urgency, and fear. They had to get out, and find her name.

But they wouldn’t benefit from a fight. He glared at Trahaearn. “Stop.” He growled. Picking a fight with a creature in its own domain was the dumbest thing he could think of. He took a deep breath and faced the creature. “You’re right. She has no name. But why have you brought us here then?”

The creature grinned at him, showing needle-sharp teeth. “I have the name of one who helped steal it.” He hissed. He approached a bit closer, his spider-like limbs crawling over the kitchen, his face swinging toward Shuck. “The name of one of your betrayers...in return for my return to court.”

Joseph glanced at Shuck. It was her call. “I cooked for the court. Humans. Other fae. I procured the finest delicacies...now I cower here...like an insect.” The monster snarled in frustration. He swung one of those delicate fists against the wall, causing spider cracks in the tiles. “I must return.”

Joseph waited, looking at Shuck. Worried. They needed to get her out of here, and the monster was dangling a critical piece of information in front of them. “How do we know you’re not lying?” Joseph asked, his voice a growl. “How do we know you’re not giving us shit?”

The monster hissed at him, a horrific noise that sounded like spiders in a blender. It rattled in the creature’s throat, and Joseph unconsciously took a step back. One of the legs swung forward and nestled in the monsters elegantly slender palm was a tiny lock of curled blonde hair. Barely three inches long, it looked monstrously delicate.

“Your rooms were pillaged. This was left on the floor.” The monster told Shuck....waiting for her answer with unwavering gold eyes.
 
Trahaearn felt the lightning coil in him, waiting for its chance to spring forth. Joseph told him to stop, and he held onto the lightning, still praying under his breath as he listened closely. Cooked for the court, he had never heard of the creature, but it wouldn't surprise him in the least if it were true. It wanted to return to court, and with Mal's help. Lightning still danced in his gut, beginning to burn at being held in for so long. The order to loose it had not been given yet, and he would endure. He waited patiently, until it produced that single delicate lock of hair.

Lightning arced along his whole body, crackling as it tried to find purchase in the tile before returning to another spot on him. Hands clenched tight as he tried to breathe. Tried to remember how to breathe. The bastards had raided the room, and of all the things to find, it had to be that. Red clouded his vision, his heart galloped as pure energy surged throughout his whole being. Lightning blitzing the floor as it came off him in different directions.

Selmi.

"Let loose of that." Trahaearn roared, taking a single step forward.
 
The shuck never took her eyes off of the creature -- not when Trahaearn threatened it nor when Joseph cautioned him. She kept her gaze fixed on those dark eyes, her own flickering with embers of red. It responded, and she met Joseph's eyes for a moment. The name of one of her betrayers. It was a lucrative deal. A shiver ran through her, gooseflesh rising on her arms. It was so tempting to accept the deal on the spot, but all of the warning signals in her mind began screeching. Joseph was on his toes and asked the questions she hadn't yet formed.

It let out a nasty hiss, the sound made up of many sounds all at once, and she put a steadying hand on Joseph's shoulder, with far more strength for him than she had for herself. Its palm extended toward her with its proof, and she stared at the curl in confusion.

Trahaearn's outrage made her jump, and she whirled toward him.

"That's enough," she snapped, her voice low but commanding. His anger was all the conviction she needed. This had meant something to her. She turned back to the creature.

"You let us all go alive and tell me their name. In return, when I retake my name I'll ensure that your place at Court is returned to you."

Stepping around Joseph, the shuck held one hand out for the curl and the other was offered for a handshake to seal this deal. Her features were unwavering, and she was clinging to the last threads of her strength as she stood tall.

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
The creature drew back from Trahaearn, baring it’s teeth impossibly wide. It’s entire head seemed to pull up those lips like curtains to show off that fang-toothed maw. Joseph’s gut twisted; if this turned into a fight they’d never find out the name...and they were in the creature’s lair. It had the home field advantage. Thank the gods, his lover stepped in with a powerful command for Trahaearn to step down, and accepted the deal.

The creature delicately dropped the curl of hair into her hand, and clasped the other with his own. “You have made a deal. The name is Sialwo.” He said.

“And your name?” Joseph asked.
The creature grinned, in a way that made Joseph’s stomach drop to his knees.

“Children call me the No-No Man.” The creature hissed. “Turn left. You will find your horses there.” With surprising speed, the creature skittered down one of the tunnels, disappearing into the black. Joseph took a deep, shuddering breath.

“Let’s not press our luck.” He said quietly, gesturing toward the left hand tunnel.
 
He backed off when Mal commanded, the surprise kicking him off the edge of his steep anger. It threw him for a loop to see a bit of Mal still in there when it was so plainly not what he thought to be Malice. Truly beginning to burn in his body, he slapped the pommel of the sword when she agreed to the deal. The lightning dispersing back into the ground as he began to calm down, the thunderclaps above ceasing as he listened to what it had to say.

He spun when the name Sialwo was revealed. It hung in his mind like an unwanted guest in the doorway. Of course the little blighters were involved, even if the debt was paid in the eyes of the court. Little devils were never happy to let a slight go, nor was anyone ever lucky enough to have them forget it.

It gave its given name in good faith, and then directions out before leaving them. Pulling the sword out of the ground, he held onto the handle a moment before sheathing it in the heavy leather case. He looked to Joseph and nodded, but didn't move to the left tunnel. Instead, he held his hand out to Mal, giving her a look that fell between anger and grief.

"Please, give me that lock of hair." Trahaearn asked quietly.
 
The creature's smooth hand slipped into one hand and the lock of hair dropped into the other. There was the telltale tingle of magick as she firmly shook the hand, but her eyes never left its.

Sialwo. The name tickled the back of her mind. Obviously she knew it, but it teased her. She withdrew her hand with her mouth set in a firm line and her brows knotted in thought. The expression deepened in her slight disgust as it smiled. Gods, it was horrific. But she filed away the name of the No-No Man alongside that of Sialwo.

When it had gone, she let out a breath and staggered, placing a hand on Joseph's shoulder.

"Agreed," she said, not needing any further prompting to leave this awful place. But Trahaearn stepped forward, holding his hand out to her.

She looked up at him, at the drawn expression. A mixture of anger and... sadness? The shuck frowned at the lock in her palm.

"You'll tell me what it is later," she said firmly. It wasn't a question. She delicately laid the curl in his hand and turned away, done with the matter and beyond ready to be on their way to their horses. Without taking her hand off of Joseph, she let him lead her to the tunnel. This detour had worn her out, and as she stooped in the tunnel and maneuvered around the heaps of shit in their way, she felt her frustration rising to catch her as she fell deeper into a pit of exhaustion.

By the time they climbed out of the ground near the horses, she was so tired that she simply laid on the grass for a while.

"I need a moment, and then I want to be very far away from here," she said sternly. She rolled onto her back and draped an arm over her eyes, hissing when the movement aggravated a scrape hidden by her torn sleeve.

"Damn it, I liked this shirt," she whined, ignoring it and covering her eyes anyway.

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
Joseph couldn’t have been happier to get away from that place. Bones mixed in with the toys on their way out, and he had to keep his eyes straight and convince himself that the things he was cracking with his braced foot were wood.

Finally, they were out. He wanted to flop on the grass with Shuck, but he might never get up again. He saw to the horses, checking their feet. Everything seemed to be alright. He checked their supplies. Thank the gods they’d not been robbed. He looked back at the passage. It slowly melted away, and he swore he heard the faint, strangled sound of an infant cry right before it sealed.

“Please tell me you’re going back on that deal.” He said quietly.
 
Receiving the lock, he held it like a dying man to his last breath. That single lock of hair almost meant more to him than what Mal amounted to in her current state. When she stated he would tell her what it meant, the anger fell away completely and sorrow filled it's place.

"I'll only tell you." Was all the more that Trahaearn said, the words barely more than a whisper. She didn't remember who this came off of. It was the second most human display of emotion Mal had ever shown him. The fact that she failed to remember this, tore open an old wound of the heart inside the man. Allowing the two to take the lead, he stayed at the back, silent as he fought the urge to cry and shake the woman that was so obviously Malice.

And yet wasn't.

When they were out of the tunnels, Mal sprawled out on the grass and Joseph went to check the horses. Hearing the passage twist behind them, he looked at the single lock in his hand. Stupid woman, leaving this in such a cursed place as the court that could twist this back upon them. Stupid him for not thinking to grab everything before the lot of monsters had done such a thing. His thumb slowly rolled over the hair, memories swamping him as the feeling of it brought back everything.

The smell of spring air filled with flower pollen, kicked up as the sound of rambunctious play filled the air. Happy giggles and sudden squeals before the sound of an infant crying snapped him back. He looked to the passage at it sealed, a gentle stream of tears covering his face as he kept his back turned. His sleeved hand wiped away the tears, teeth finding purchase in his lip as pain helped fight away the memories in his hand.

Joseph spoke, and Trahaearn only had a scoffing laugh to fill the silence.

"It made a deal, and she sealed it. Gave conditions and agreed. No breaking the deal, or going back on it now." Trahaearn spoke plainly, no undertone of confidence or sarcasm. Mentioning that though, it brought him back to the other name. He really didn't want to tackle them just yet, and wasn't about to even stroke their ego by speaking their name.
 
She ignored the sound of a child's cry, ignored the sniffle of Trahaearn near the hole. She couldn't ignore Joseph's remark, or Trahaearn's reply.

"I have to keep my word," she confirmed. The shuck lifted her arm above her head in order to turn and look at her Joseph. "I'm bound to keep it or suffer the consequences. Magick isn't free, and breaking a deal comes with a steep cost. It can kill some faeries." Especially ones in my state, she thought silently, sighing. But she didn't have the energy think about it too much at the moment. She closed her eyes and relaxed, trying to gather her strength for the ride that would take them far, far away from this awful den of toys and death.

She rested for a while, then let Trahaearn help her stand when it was time to go. Leaning heavily on him, she had to have his help to then get into her saddle. He immediately swung up onto the horse behind her, reaching around to take the reins.

"What are you doing?" she asked, casting a scathing look over her shoulder. Sitting upright, they were the same height.

She didn't argue. He was right; she could barely stay upright. So she leaned into his chest, loosing a sigh and turning to look at Joseph. He wasn't going to be happy, so she offered him a small reassuring smile. She could make up for it when they bedded down for the evening -- sleepy snuggles and kisses to remind him that he was her beloved, not a chair.

Not that it mattered when or where they stopped. Between the sway of the horse's walking steps and the sturdy warmth of Trahaearn's arms, she almost immediately nodded off. There was nothing but endless night in her slumber, and when she awakened it was because their horse jostled her. Fighting to wake up, she sat up. She had been turned sideways in the saddle and was being cradled against his chest.

The horse nickered nervously. They weren't moving, the horse prancing in place and refusing Trahaearn's apparent effort to urge it forward. It had been before midday when they had departed the No-No Man's lair, and now dark was nearly upon them.

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking over Trahaearn's shoulder toward Joseph before looking ahead in the road. And she could see, quite plainly, what was upsetting the horses. The shuck gasped.

"A hag," she whispered.

A mass of long, dark hair like a cloak of shadows fell over her stooped figure as she crossed the road. Her dark eyes reflected the last light of day, flashing as she turned to look at them. Her slim, bony arms were holding a bundle of sticks and she watched them silently before turning toward them.

"Guesstss." Her voice was like the hiss of a winter wind rattling through dead leaves. "It hass been sso long ssincce I have had guesstss."

The dark figure walked slowly toward them, a smile spreading beneath her long nose. Her teeth were all sharpened to even points. She raised one of her impossibly thin wrists and bony hands to point into the woods to one side of the road. A narrow path wound away in the darkness, but when the Shuck followed the finger, she thought she could make out the shape of a small cottage nearby.

"Won't you come and warm yoursselvess by the fire? Thiss iss no placce for travelerss to ssleep out of doorss."

The shuck looked up at Trahaearn, then back at Joseph. Hags were just as likely to help as they were to do harm, she knew. It might be worth the gamble; fighting a singular hag might be easier than whatever wanted to creep up on them in the woods. At least in her home nothing would mess with them -- their shacks were supposedly protected by very strong magick. But she was tired, and wasn't capable of making that choice right now. It fell to their shoulders to decide.

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
After righting himself, he helped Mal stand and helped her onto the horse. The lock of hair was always in his hand until he hopped up onto the horse behind Mal. It went into the deepest part of the trouser pocket he could push it to, and habitually kept feeling for it every now and again. She protested at first when he had sat behind her, asking for a reason to what he was doing.

"You want to fall out of the saddle again?" He snapped as he grabbed the reins and kicked up the horse. They rode until the horses threw a fit and refused to budge, his initial confusion turning to frustration before he felt Mal shift in his arms. A hag was creeping about, the bundle of sticks in her arms an almost sure sign of what being it was.

He heard Mal gasp at the hag, and he had to admit to himself that even after so many years in the fae wilds, he was never going to get used to the things that went bump in the night around this neck of the woods. The choice of words had him watching her, pointing out her home to them as she invited them to her cottage.

"How generous your hospitality, my lovely lady of the night. This is indeed no place for road weary travelers, and a fire does sound terrifically splendid. It is so gracious of you to open your home to guests such as ourselves." One hag was nothing compared to what they could encounter out here if the No-No was any indication of such. The blasted thing had tunnels dug all over the place, and likely several more under that frequented path.

Sadly, it was one of the few safe places after they had agreed to help it return to court, and it wasn't like this was the first hag the two of them had stayed with. Wasn't the first hag he had stayed with either. Being on the main path, it was likely a lot of potential guests saw this hag and passed her by, not realizing they were skipping a safe respite and headed quicker to their demise. Aside from that, it was far easier to slay a single hag and take her home for the night than it was to hope you only fought one thing out in the open woods and didn't attract the attention of bigger, and badder things.

"Take the offer. Unless you want another No-No in the night." Trahaearn hissed to Joseph.
 
Joseph couldn’t help but bristle when Trahaearn went up behind her in the saddle. He’d already tried to kiss her once and he really didn’t like the close contact between them. Something had passed between them with that damned lock of hair. Memories he wasn’t privy to. This world wasn’t his...he was human. Human with stolen magic, but human nonetheless. He glared sourly at Trahaearn... but the man was right. He couldn’t stop Shuck if she pitched in the saddle. He was too small. Trahaearn was the same height and physically stronger.

It didn’t mean he had to like the arrangement, especially when she fell asleep in his arms. He glowered and kicked his bay forward so he didn’t have to look at it.

She did at least try and reassure him, and that did soothe him a little. It hurt to be reminded that he as he existed couldn’t help her. He couldn’t even keep her upright in a saddle. He was useless as he was, and was only strong enough to protect her with his magic.

The horses began to startle. His own mare danced in the road, throwing her head up. Her eyes rolled and she whickered nervously. Joseph swore under his breath and leaned forward to pat her neck. Getting thrown could mean his delicate leg shattered, or worse, a bent brace. His eyes scanned the dark woods in front of them and saw her. The hag, as Shuck identified her. A stooped, wizened creature that while horrifying to look at, spoke politely.

Shockingly, Trahaearn spoke politely back. Joseph knew nothing of hags, but he was quickly learning from the likes of Kitty and the No-No Man that appearances were deceiving.

“We weren’t that monsters prey and you know it. I’m surprised you didn’t just march up and lop her head off, you big ugly brute.” Joseph growled at Trahaearn. He looked at the hag. “We’ll accept your offer, my lady. We are tired after a long journey, and in need of aid. I must warn you, if you intend to harm us, we too are far more dangerous than we appear.”

He reined his horse in tightly. Tanking the animals chin to her chest stopped her from rearing or bucking. He needed to show Trahaearn that he wasn’t afraid. That he was more than capable of dealing with fae. He offered his hand to the hag. “Please. I wouldn’t dare insult you while riding while you walk. Relieve yourself of your burden, and ride with us?”
 
Trahaearn's courtesy was both surprising and impressive. Glancing up at him, she quietly reassessed the brutish perception she'd made of him and made a slight notation. The stress on his words, the polite but crucial phrasing -- he was invoking the laws of hospitality. Clever, she thought. She eyed him warily for a moment before looking for Joseph.

The hag merely smiled broader at his warning. "No harm will befall you in my home," she said slowly, enunciating each word. In emphasis, the hag laid a hand over her heart. When he offered to let her ride with him the hag began to giggle, a rasping, wheezing sound that cut through her teeth. Her glittering eyes narrowed in delight.

"Ssuch gentlemen," she cooed. She slowly came closer and raised a gnarled hand to touch Joseph's horse.

"Zïpukus, shu ä jaläpïkäd. Shu bä elï gäpäb äza rüm," she said gently to the beast, stroking its neck. It was immediately calmed, but a shiver ran up the shuck's arms. She'd understood that. Quiet, my little love. Your grandmother means no harm. Looking up at Trahaearn in alarm, she realized that he knew what she'd said, too. Faerie. She remembered how to speak Faerie. The hag was smiling up at Joseph, but didn't move to put down her sticks.

"Your offer iss kind, but then who will carry my kindling?" She reached up at gave his thigh a slow, easy pat before turning with a giggle toward the path "Honored guesstss indeed. Thiss way."

The hag led them at a snail's pace to her home, the horses plodding along more calmly as she tutted to herself and them in Faerie, offering small assurances. The shuck glanced back at Joseph with a sleepy (though exasperated) smile, her head resting on Trahaearn's shoulder. The well-worn dirt path was clean and along the left side mossy rocks were placed at equal intervals. A small creek ran between the cottage and the road, and several thick planks served as a makeshift bridge to cross by.

As they drew closer to the cabin, its exterior became more apparent: a humble earthen structure with a straw-thatched roof and a singular window that faced them on the same side as the door. A singular chimney rose from the right side, a thin pillar of smoke curling into the night, and the entrance was sheltered by a thatched awning. The perimeter was lined by a fence made of sticks and filled with various charms and trinkets. It was short enough that Trahaearn and the shuck could have easily stepped over it, but the hag unlatched and opened the gate on her way toward the front door and they could feel the distinct hum of magick as they passed through it. Within the fenced border, there was a small garden and a well.

Darkness had truly fallen by the time she opened her door and turned back to them.

"Be ssure to latch the gate." She raised a finger and pointed to the fence gate, then toward the corner of the house closest, where a lean-to style stable could be found with a heap of hay and three stalls. "There iss a sstable for your horssess in the back and water in the well. Pleasse, come in and resst." With nothing further to add, the hag walked into her home and left them to follow as they pleased.

Trahaearn dismounted and assisted the shuck, who nodded her thanks. "Latch the gate and put up the horses," she ordered politely. He had done her a service by riding with her and allowing her to rest, but her eyes and hands sought Joseph's. He had probably sulked all afternoon, judging by his sour expression. Snuggles and kisses, she reminded herself, were in order.

"Hags aren't all bad," she told him with a warm smile. "They are just different. The few that passed through my village were always good to those who were kind to them first. She will be a gracious hostess."

The shuck turned them toward the cottage, her arm draped over Joseph's shoulders. Under the awning was spinning wheel and stool, in inside the first room they would find themselves surrounded by the hag's storage. Drying herbs and flowers hung from the ceiling and cloyed the air with a chaotic mix of fragrances; bottles and crocks and baskets of all shapes and sizes filled the cubbies and shelves on all four walls; there were several casks and crates scattered about. Straw, sticks and stray leaves littered the earthen floor, and a warm light was peeking from behind a curtained doorway in the far corner.

The room beyond was warm and inviting. The floor was cobbled with river rocks and pebbles, and the interior walls had been reinforced with the same. One of the two tables was set against the opposite wall with a pitcher and basin, plates, and silverware while the other stood near the hearth with an assortment of jars, bowls, and tools. Several shelves crowded the walls, filled to the brim with even more bottles, crocks, jars, baskets, food, cloth, and gods-knew-what-else random clutter. It was busy but cozy, and in the corner near the hearth was a curtained alcove -- a straw mattress and quilt peeking out, suggesting it was where the hag slept.

The hag had set down her bundle of sticks and was adding a few to the hearth and turning a pot on its hook over the fire. She looked up at them with a bright smile.

"Welcome to grandmother Yasste'ss home, pressciouss guesstss." Yaste gestured to the room, and began a slow creep toward a chair, which she turned toward the fire and patted, looking at the shuck.

"You are weary, child. Resst."

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
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Joseph blinked. The woman could speak to horses? The mare fixed her with a suspicious eye, but calmed under the old hags wizened hand. He patted the horse reassuringly, and struggled to stay calm when she touched his leg. There was power and very old magic in that touch. The old woman might have been physically frail, but Joseph resolved not to anger her. He’d be the perfect houseguest while in her home...a lesson he should have learned with Kitty. He slowly guided the horse behind the hag, matching her slow pace. He didn’t dare get too close or ahead of her. She commanded respect, and respect she’d get.

Her cottage was a pretty little thing. It wasn’t the horrific swirl of the No-No Man’s tunnels, or the toughness of the road. It seemed to have been designed for her, though such a thing seemed impossible. The landscape cracked her like she cradled the sticks. He was happy to hand the reins of his horse to Trahaearn and dismount, going to securely latch the gate.

Shuck was there, putting her arm around him. That was all he wanted after a harrowing day. “The hag doesn’t frighten me.” He told Shuck quietly. “She seems to be nice. If we treat her kindly first she’ll do the same.” He leaned in and kissed Shuck’s neck affectionately, since she was too tall to reach properly. Stepping into the house was a godsend. It was cozy and warm, the smells spoke of homesteading. It wasn’t the luxury of Kitty’s or the sweetened falseness of the Lair, but it reminded him of home more than anywhere else they’d been. He’d grown up in a house like this. He’d built a house like this. This was the sort of home he ached to build for Shuck.

It calmed him more than he ever thought it would, like a balm for the soul. Tension breathed out of him and he sighed, guiding Shuck over to the chair and kissing her fondly. He rested his forehead against hers. “I think the only thing I miss is the bathtub at Kitty’s. You rest. You need it.” He said softly with a smirk, then straightened up and looked at Yaste. “Is there anything I can do to help you, miss?”
 
Joseph took a stab at him once more, his only reply a quiet grin as he continued to watch the fae before them. Joseph's life wasn't quite nearly tied to his dear Mal as Trahaearn's was, and the No-No had made its intent to nab Mal away from them very clear. His preparation for a fight was necessary considering the time it took to evoke his divine magic. The man seemed to have dealt with some fae in the past, but Trahaearn wondered what kind and how pleasant they had been for him to seem so careless.

The wording was careful enough, and the reassurance of safety was welcome. A few hundred years of polish, and the man would likely make a decent enough tool in Mal's repertoire. He shook the thought away, noting their position in the road and where the cottage was in relation. He eyed the path they took, careful to keep behind both Joseph and the hag. After passing through the gate, he assisted Mal off of the horse, hearing her order to deal with the horses as Joseph latched the gate.

He waited for the three to be out of sight before he double checked the latch, quickly leading the horses to the stable. His hands full of reins, he let loose of them upon finding the hay, letting the horses do as they pleased. Gingerly pulling the lock of hair from his pocket, he eased himself down to sit beside the hay and rest his back against the earthen shack.

His thumb delicately rubbed the strands of hair once more, regret, fear, anger, dancing in his heart as he thought about the past. He was glad to have at least this little piece of his old life safely back in his grasp. The dismissing way Mal had looked at it only assured him of the trouble ahead. She had truly forgotten her past, all of it. Had forgotten him, forgotten her aspirations to rise to the top of the court, had forgotten all of the grief and misery they had shared along that path.

Had forgotten Selmi.

A hand went to his face as the horses began to munch on hay, the crunch and grinding of the feed covering the quiet sobbing he was now consumed with. His knees came together, shielding his face from the world as arms wrapped about his legs tightly. Never letting loose of those blonde curls.

He had believed at one time that his deal with Mal had been unfair. That his whole world had been stolen from him then, and for a time had despised her. In time, that view shifted to the new world he and Mal had forged with their own hands. Shaped it to be theirs together, sometimes separately, but always towards a goal. Wanting nothing more than to silently be taken into the earth like some lost patch of soil, Trahaearn sat and sobbed quietly.

Have we not suffered enough already? Trahaearn asked himself. Tears dried after a time, but the sorrow remained still. His hiccuped breathing steadying enough to not hitch every time he sucked air. No debt owed is worth this much grief and pain. He thought, anger beginning to stain the sorrow that held onto him. The small embers of that dangerously sweet emotion caught like dried leaves on the forest bed as he recalled what the No-No had told them.

Sialwo.

He checked the anger quickly as it burned out any other feelings that tried to surface. It served him no purpose here in the hags home, especially with hospitality secured. He stood slowly, pocketing the lock as he tended to the horses and mulled on the name. It didn't surprise him that the grievance was still fresh in that part of the court. Pixies never forgave a slight, or forgot who did it. Once the saddles were off, and the horses properly tended, he checked the gate once more, staring into the dark of the night before heading inside.
 
Joseph led her to the seat, and Shuck smiled in thanks to the hag, who returned to the hearth to add her pile of sticks to the kindling stacked beside it. Turning her face toward Joseph when she was seated, she sighed into his kiss and closed her eyes. With her hands resting on his shoulders, she laughed softly at his comment. Did he mean the bath or what had transpired inside of it? Figuring that the answer to that was both, she let him slide from her hands and leaned back into the chair.

Yaste was finishing her task and turned to Joseph in time for him to ask if she needed help. In the light, her eyes were a blue so pale they were almost white, and one of her pupils was foggy. Her skin was frightfully pale in bold contrast to her pitch-black hair and garments. It was difficult to tell in places whether it was her hair or the torn fibers of her dress that one was seeing. Her thin lips vanished as she smiled.

"What a kind guesst," she tutted. Yaste pointed toward the bed. "Fetch your jide gaf a blanket from beneath the bed. Make her comfortable."

Jide gaf. Pretty little night. Her cheeks turned slightly pink at the term of endearment, glancing up at Joseph briefly. The shuck watched as the hag walked past her to the nearest table, where she withdrew a few small bottles and jars. She shook one close to her ear, opened another and sniffed it, and held yet another up to the light, the flames making the bottle shine like amber.

"Now fill that ssmall kettle -- yess, that one," she told Joseph, not bothering to look over her shoulder but waving her hand toward the kettle in question. "Water iss in the bassin. Hang it over the fire. I will make a lovely tea for ipwu ọjö."

Shuck smiled, casting a glance at Joseph. Black dog. The hag knew well what she was.

"I'm afraid I wassn't expecting guesstss," she explained slowly while Joseph went about what she had asked. She unfolded a small square of white cloth and began dumping various things into a pile on it. "I will add ssome rootss to the sstew. I imagine you have a hearty appetite, jide gaf. I have ssome greenss that will benefit the grow-- Oh, exccellent timing."

Yaste looked up over the table as Trahaearn entered. She flashed him a pointy grin.

"Gï krïtshä, etï zette gufï zïdïzäs shọvürat gufï zïrar krïrishe gu äsh," she aksed him in Faerie. Kind son, fetch potatoes and carrots and greens for me.

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
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Joseph obediently went to get some blankets from under the bed and happily spread one out in Shuck’s lap, giving her a light peck before he went to fetch the kettle and fill it. He hadn’t felt this...normal in a long time. It made him feel at peace, so much so that he let Trahaearn come in without questioning his red eyes. Clearly the lock of hair meant something to the man, but as far as Joseph was concerned it meant little to him. That was the other man’s life, not his own. There was a line there he wouldn’t cross in this place.

“What are the roots for?” He asked Yaste as he put the kettle over the fire. “Something to help keep her energy up? She’s been sleeping so much, I’ve been worried about her. The journey into the fae lands was filled with so much energy, now it’s all she can do to keep her head up for half a day.”

Joseph was worried about her. Shuck had been full of vigor. They desperately needed some good news. It seemed like his love was poised to disappear from the world, and that he could never stand. He needed help, but he wasn’t sure how much to divulge to the hag. The No-No Man had figured out she’d lost her name, though whether that was due to perception or his position at court Joseph didn’t know. Would the hag?
 
"Küa, elï krïtshä." He replied in kind, Yes, kind grandmother. Turning back into the room he had entered from, he found a crate of potatoes and pulled a few from it. On the table, he gathered up a few of the carrots that sat there and turned his attention above as he pondered the phrasing she had used for just a moment. Finding the leafy greens she had eluded to, he pulled carefully and returned with the bounty.

He remained silent once more upon his return, content to listen to the hag speak. The wizened fae were wonders at divination and were keen to repay kindness to an extent. Joseph had refrained from questioning him, and Trahaearn did little more than let sleeping dogs lie as far as that was concerned. The hag's home was somewhere he wasn't about to stir up trouble.
 
Yaste had no sooner pointed to the doorway than Trahaearn had turned back into the other room. She slowly placed the lids and corks back on the various containers as she replied to Joseph.

"The greenss will help give her energy, yess -- high in iron and protein," she explained.

She sighed. She had tied a string around the fabric, making a small sachet which she carried to the small kettle and dropped in. Returning to the table, she produced a knife from somewhere on her person and began cutting the vegetables Trahaearn had brought with a surprisingly deft and quick hand.

"Sshe will need all the sstrength sshe can get for the trialss ahead, especially in her condition. Sso much yet to overcome. With no heart and no name... Yess, it is no wonder sshe iss sso tired."

The shuck frowned. She had sat quietly while they worked, and only began to fidget when the discussion of her plight became too much.

"You can see my future, then? You know what's wrong with me?" she asked gently as Yaste carried the bowl of cut roots to the large pot, slowly dropping them into the stew. Hags could see things beyond the world currently moving around them, and as this one straightened, there was a far-off look in her eyes. Her pale eyes met the shuck's as she crept closer, silently raising her hand to touch her bony fingers to silver skin. The fingers brushed along her jaw lovingly, but her eyes never strayed as they fogged over. An arc of magick danced between the hag's fingers and the shuck's cheek.

"Two sstay, one goess. Two go, one sstayss," she whispered gently, drawing a shuddering breath and leaning in. "Ah, but that changess with the heart, doessn't it. Sselfissh, greedy woman -- alwayss taking and never giving back. How many heartss must you take to your firefly grave?"

And as quickly as she dove into that vision, Yaste returned with a smile, blinking away the fog in her eyes. Her had patted the shuck's cheek. The shuck, to her credit, sat perfectly still and didn't look away until the hag did, dropping her eyes and trembling softly.

"Do you want ssome tea, jide gaf? You'll need your sstrength." As if she hadn't just spewed some dark, cryptic fate, the hag turned back to the table and picked up a cup and a moved toward the small kettle.

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
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Joseph sat next to Shuck quietly. He agreed. They needed to get her name and heart back. Right now his love was at the end of her rope and no amount of worrying on his part would help her. She needed this Sialwo to return her name; once they hit the Court it would be his turn to play the returning queen, and her turn to investigate the wrong done to her. Joseph was both excited and scared to play his lover.

He watched as the hag touched her cheek, and spoke those horrible words. He frowned. Selfish? Shuck had been anything but. She had given him his life back. She had always had a thought to how he was feeling. “She has given back. Without her I would be a shell of a man. Probably dead in a ditch somewhere.” Joseph told the hag. “Do you know how we can return her heart to her? Or her name? She only needs to hear it, right?”

He reached out to entwine his fingers in Shucks. He had to give her strength. “Is there anything we can do for her? This woman is all I have left. I have nothing else, Yaste.”
 
Trahaearn listened to the words, turned them over in his head. A frown appeared as he mulled on the last part. Why would she need another heart other than her own if their goal was so close? And just as quickly as she went into the vision, she snapped back and asked Mal if she wanted tea for her strength. The coming trip to court was certainly going to be a trial, as he added the Faeries language to the things for Joseph to learn.

Who are the two going to save the one, and what about the one to save the two? Trahaearn thought to himself. The entire riddle bothered him. Joseph asked questions, and Trahaearn was content to let the man ask to avoid stepping on toes.
 
Yaste tutted as she tipped the kettle to fill the cup with the golden tea.

"Thiss one iss not sso sselfissh, no," the hag agreed. "Thiss one hass been sshaped by the world to be gentle and ssweet. But sshe is tragically temporary, and the other one -- that malicce upon the world -- iss not thiss one." She smiled pleasantly and carried the cup to the far table and opened a crock of sugar. The shuck looked up to see her spooned in a healthy dose to the tea. She stared into the liquid, her eyes seeming to go distant once more as she stirred clockwise.

"Sshe casst her heart away long ago, but her name... Eight ccenturiess gone, it will burn a hole through her to take it back. Unsspoken. Unknown. Sstolen..." She stopped stirring suddenly with a small hum of surprise, then giggled and put down the spoon.

The shuck held out her hands for the cup as she brought it to her. "Five centuries?" she asked, confused. "But I was only in my cemetery for two..."

The hag patted her cheek reassuringly in a way that wasn't very reassuring, but didn't address her. Rather, she smiled that pointed grin as she turned to Joseph. She patted his shoulder before she moved toward the pot to stir its contents.

"But what may remain when thiss one iss gone will bring you great joy and greater ssorrow. Sshe needss her sstrength if sshe iss to endure thiss trial. Drink up, äreg igu; the sstew sshouldn't be long now. Oh, what a joy to have guesstss."

Lost in the tangle of thoughts summoned by the hag's words, it took her several long moments to catch up to the Faerie she'd spoken. She nearly choked on her tea, coughing.

"What did you call me?" she wheezed.

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
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Trahaearn leaned on the doorway, still listening at how the hag explained Mal's current state. How it had been shaped in a gentle way, and that Malice truly was to return. She spoke of Mal not having her true name for five centuries, which added up in his mind. The dwindling of power from the missing name painfully clear. When Mal spoke of only two, Trahaearn perked. They had already talked about this. He had already explained the timeline of events to her.

It made no sense.

Then the hag turned to Joseph and spoke of something bringing great joy and greater sorrow. Of Mal needing her strength for a her trial and calling her-.

Wait.

His mind came to an abrupt and grinding halt in thoughts as he waved his hands while stepping forward. Quite literally cutting a path into the conversation as he made sputtering noises while Mal wheezed.

"Excuse me, kind grandmother, did you say äreg igu? Little mother!?" his voice went sailing in concern as he thought about the implications. Shit shit shit, Trahaearn very nearly thought aloud as the symptoms lined up with what he had seen in court.

This was terrible. This was something he had never even thought of. In all his time with Mal, she had always been terrifically careful about avoiding such a thing. And here they were, in a hag's hut. Being told that she was an expecting mother. This was terrible. She couldn't take her name now, if the hint the hag gave was anything to go off of.

It will burn a hole through her to take it back, A terrifyingly subtle warning as to what it could do to the small life that was apparently within her. His hands found his face, rubbing his cheeks roughly as he thought about their next course of action. His eyes were wide as he began to pace in the small space between where the hearth was, around the hag, between the two of them, and into the section of the hut that housed the dry goods. No no no no no no no no no, this is a horrible dream, just have to wake up now.

Trahaearn tried to mentally shake himself from this quickly forming nightmare, only to find that this was no dream. This was what fate had dealt to him. He glared at the man next to Mal, at the one who had no idea what he had just done. How complicated this whole endeavor had just become. He continued pacing, his steps sharp and harsh even against the cobblestone and earth.
 
Joseph really didn't understand the implication. He heard Shuck sputter and patted her on the back, taking the tea cup and setting it aside so she didn't spill it. He looked at the hag, not believing her for a second. He and Shuck had talked about this...what she was now might be gone, but it would help shape what was to return. He could never believe in a hundred years that the sweet woman he fell in love with would become a creature as evil as the one whose lair they'd left. It would burn a hole in her to take it back...what exactly did that mean? Then that title, something he didn't understand but what he dismissed as an affectionate term seemed to be far more impactful. He saw Trahaearn wade into the conversation, translate, and something clicked in his mind.

The exhaustion. The constant hunger. The swinging moods. Her power fluctuating. It could....could it be? He looked at Mal, joy lighting up his face. He grabbed her face and kissed her, kneeling before her in the chair and taking her hand. "Is she speaking the truth? You're pregnant with our child?" he asked eagerly. Gods, never in his life would he have dreamed of something so wondrous. He turned and embraced the hag tightly in a hug, all fear or retiscence gone from him in a flush of bliss. "We're starting a family!" he told her joyfully, as if she just hadn't broken the news to them.

All the exhaustion and withered resolve from their long journey roared back to life. He faced down Trahaearn's glare with a grin wide enough to split his face, and kissed Shuck again. It sunk in slowly. He was to be a father again. Joseph loved being a father. He loved everything. Bottle feeding, teaching language, taking them on toddling little walks, singing them to sleep. He'd had six children once, and he'd helped raise every single one of them. To have that greatest of joys in his life again...it was nothing short of a miracle.

He grinned at Trahaearn. "Buck up man, be happy for us. It's not every day a child this magificent will come along. We should be celebrating, not stewing! I don't think we have champagne here, but I've toasted with tea before and we can do it again!"

But then, the hag's words. He kissed Shuck again and looked at the old woman. "Please, our child can't be hurt if she takes back her name, can he? Or she." he said. He needed to know the answer. "Please, speak clearly. I must know. I'll do anything to know what to do to make sure both the love of my life and our child are safe."
 
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