RP:From Nightmare To Safe Haven

Synopsis: Krystan and Lanara find safety in Sage Forest, and have an encounter with Linn and Talyara. After a few bitter words, everyone is updated on the recent happenings. Lanara was assaulted on the beach and Krystan intercepted. Thus, giving up his identity and having to change his line of work as an assassin. As Cenril gangs are on the lookout for him, he takes Lanara to safety in the woods. As Linn and Talyara are filled in, they grow wary of the newcomer, and they all part ways for the night, worried and needing space.

Linn would be found sitting against the tower that housed the silver bell above along with Talyara, the white wooden construction juxtaposed with the darker forest canopy above over the mithril of his armor. Rigid plating encased his upper torso and limbs with little indication of any buckles, straps, or gaps that would allow it to be assembled or disassembled other than the faintest lines at his sides where the plates fit into one another. For the wholeness of each part, the suit’s arrangement was quite divided, leaving his joints and abdomen well clear of any rigid armor to be covered by scale and fine mail, covering everything downward from his neck in the bright metal while remaining highly mobile and if anything, comfortable. His expression was somewhat tired as he conversed with the witch next to him; he had come to clear his mind a bit and let his thoughts settle, only for some truly strange characters to come along and stir them back up. His arm lay protectively over a worn leather pack to his other side as he continued the conversation.

Talyara :: It was the first time Talyara had wandered in Sage alone since before the war began, not trusting her trouble making tendencies to keep her out of harm’s way. Her normally free flowing curls were twisted into identical twin braids that fell over her shoulders and down her chest. Her Frostmaw garb was gone, replaced by simple black leggings, a green corset to mirror her emerald eyes, and soft leather boots. Her magical satchel sat on her hip and the half elf moved stealthily about, occasionally crouching down to procure some herb or leaf that she could use in one of her tinctures. She had been out in the forest, relishing the fresh air and temperate weather--it was nice to escape the frozen lands of Frostmaw once in a while. She continued to walk towards the looming bell of the forest, a place she had once seen in passing. Her soft tread is pulled up short, however, as her green pools find two familiar figures. "Um, am I intruding on some secret society meeting?" Some idle conversation passed the trio and Taly soon found herself seated beside Linn, toying with her magical satchel and organizing her newly acquired herbs and vegetation.

Krystan appears from out of the distance atop a fiendish looking steed. The black coat of the horse seems darker than any shadow, and its mane seems to be living fire. Its eyes glow with infernal power and its hooves are wreathed in flames as well. A nightmare. The beast's powerful legs have carried the assassin and the witch, who is riding atop the steed as well, all the way from Cenril without tiring. It was a magical beast, from the infernal plane, a gift from a business partner that owed the assassin several big favors. As Krystan steers the beast along with Lanara's guidance, the pair arrive at the meeting place in hardly any time at all. The thundering gallop of the nightmare preludes the duo's arrival, the pair having fled Cenril successfully, though it was close. Slowing down his steed, Krystan reigns in the infernal beast with a powerful tug upon its straps. The nightmare slows itself, and comes to a slow trot, right before the Sage Forest Bell.

Lanara enters the clearing via nightmare horseback, seated behind Krystan, nibbling worriedly on her lower lip. The duo had narrowly escaped Cenril, and Sage Forest was the only place that had ever felt safe, regardless if the forest was just a product of war. Breathless from the long journey, the elf is wearing garb, far different from what she would normally wear. A tight form-fitting black tank top, black runed leggings, and knee-high black boots, fit her snugly. She also was wearing a black, flowing, cape, and her chestnut locks were far from tame. Crimson cheeked, with slightly dark circles beneath her eyes, the witch clearly had covered some ground, and fast. Every so often, she would glance behind her, as though cautious that they were being followed. Another oddity is that this is the first time she is without an animal companion. As voices are heard, and the steed slows his pace, she places her fingertips on Krystan’s lower back, to let him know that something was amiss. Chocolate hues narrow on those gathered, and the rune tattoo on her inner wrist begins to glow, as realization strikes the brunette. Talyara!?! With a soft groan, Lana inches closer and whispers in the male’s ear, hurried and somewhat annoyed. “That’s my –sister- and she will not be happy about this… I am in trouble with gangs and I ran off with a handsome assassin! And… I don’t want to put Linn and Tally in danger, Krys… I can’t bear the thought of losing my sister, she’s –all- I have left… I have no one else. I could care less if my life is at stake, but not my sister. We must go somewhere else, please. Please…” Practically begging, the witch now clings to the man’s arm, peering up at him with worried eyes and trying to make him steer the horse in the opposite direction.

Linn :: The thundering hooves forced Linn’s head to snap around towards their source, eyes briefly wide from a flashback or two of the stampede from Frostmaw. Then they stayed wide as he got a good view of what the source of said hoof beats was, and just who was on it. What was Lanara doing on such a hellish steed? Looks like there was no rest in store for him tonight. He leaned forward to push himself straight to his feet, leaving his pack by the bell for now. He walked over slowly, keeping himself in clear view. Whatever the two had been through it looked intense. With a slight nod to the man who drove the horse he spoke up, giving a glance east to where they had come from so quickly as his expression drew a little concerned, their haste meant –something-. “Where did you guys come from? I haven’t seen anyone drive a flaming horse that fast in my life.”

Talyara felt Lanara approaching before she saw her, up turning her wrist to view the rune tattoo that seemed to glow and hum against her skin. The witch was soon to follow Linn, casting her satchel aside as she stood from her spot, wiping dirt from her black leggings. Emerald eyes narrowed slightly as she saw her sister approach on a horse seemingly made of shadows and flames, the pretty witch's hands grasped onto the man in front of her. There were many questions that fought for place on Tally’s tongue, each wrestling for importance. Where had they come from? Why were they traveling at such a speed? Were they okay? However, the words that found themselves tumbling from the witch's full lips were, "Who the hell is this, Lanara?" Her slender hand extending towards the man steering the horse.

Krystan doesn't know these people, but once Lanara says this is her sister, the man understands a bit more. The witch's plea to leave is heard, but ignored. Before they reach her sister and the other stranger, he says back to Lanara. "They are not after you. They are after me, but they don't know who I really am. These are just precautions, so family is your best bet right now." He wasn't going to argue, he was stating facts. With the crime bosses and gang leaders on Cenril wanting the assassin dead, he knew he had to be careful. Luckily no real names were ever used, and his face was never shown. Krystan was a professional, and never allowed himself to be so tethered down to any of the crime families or gangs that wage an endless war for power with Cenril He just played sides, took gold from anyone as long as the job wasn't too dirty. He’d made a name for himself, a reputation that was feared, and it was that exact fear of his skill, and his knowledge of the criminal underworld, that now made the rogue assassin a threat that needed to be dealt with. Hopefully they left no tracks, and by the time they even sent people out looking for him, they will have been long gone. Lanara's slaying of one of the thugs will be tied to Krystan, and not the witch, and unless they employ their devious means of obtaining information from the dead, that particular dead man will tell no tales. A half naked woman on the beach will just become that, while a highly skilled and well informed assassin betraying two major powers will be talked about for some time. Either way, their present situation seems much better. As Lanara's sister wonders who the hell he is, Krystan hops down from the steed, and then picks up Lanara, who is still injured, and helps her gently to the ground. The nightmare bellows out a powerful half-roar and half-neigh before it’s seems to dissolve into shadows and flames, returning to its home plane as the spell that brought it forth is over. Looking to Lanara, the assassin says. "They won't find you, because they are not looking for you." He smirks, playing it cool even though he knows the gravity of the situation. “They want me. And they'll be hard pressed to find me."

Lanara winces as Linn catches sight of the hell steed, as if the thunderous hooves weren’t making enough noise for all of Sage Forest, to announce their arrival, she seems shocked that they are discovered. Her feeble attempt to have Krystan turn the horse around had failed, and now she had to face the consequences, which would place her sister and acquaintance in grave danger. “Um… Linn. Good to see you.” She stammers, about to say that they were just ‘horsing’ around, and that they were leaving, when her eyes lock on the vivid emerald eyes of her beloved sister. Knowing that she had to face the music, she dismounts the horse, and inhales sharply as her left foot collides with the ground. Murmuring a soft ‘thanks’ to Krystan for his assistance, she doesn’t quite meet his gaze, and merely turns her back to him, clearly upset. Clenching her jaw to distract her from crying out, she walks over to her sister, a slight visible limp in her step. The witch knew she had an enormous amount of explaining to do, and she honestly didn’t know where to begin! So instead of running to Talyara and filling her in on every last detail, she turns around and peers at Krystan over her slender shoulder. “Um… He’s a…” Friend? Lover? Assassin? Hero? At a loss for words, she reaches up to attempt to tame her hair, and shrugs, helplessly. “He’s just this guy… He… He saved my life and in doing so, some bad people witnessed stuff. And we’re sort of in danger, but not really.” Knowing she was being vague, and trying not to give Krystan’s identity away, she steadies her breathing, before turning around to peer into his hypnotic blue hues, possibly for the last time. “Are you staying? Or do you mean to leave?” Her words hung on the air, and she snaps her mouth shut, as soon as they are out, for it was a rather bold question.

Linn watches the nightmare dissolve into shadow curiously before his gaze returned to the two riders in front of him. He gave a look of concern towards Lanara as she was brought down, searching for whatever wound might require her to be picked up in such a way. Unfortunately his attention could only go so many ways, the assassin taking on a target finally fixing it in one place. Lanara’s ambiguity only served to fix his focus further, something big had just gone down. With brows raised at the idea of danger he took an even breath before nodding towards the both. “Sounds like trouble.” His gaze turned towards Krystan for a second, ‘just this guy’ isn’t the kind of person that comes racing out on a nightmare. He then looked around at Talyara, Lanara, and back to the figure in front of him before continuing. “Mind if I ask what kind of trouble?” he asked with a sort of light curiosity, though it was steeled with recognition of importance.

Talyara stares at her sister in disbelief, angry at first, though concerned about the limp that her sister was bearing. Quickly, she pulls her satchel to her side and hands Lanara a vial of a mossy green liquid. “Drink this, it will ease the pain. I sense that you recently did blood magic that explains why you haven’t healed as quickly as you should have. You always need another to assist you with that, Lana. You only weakened the rest of you, in an effort to fix your injury.” Sighing, she angrily glares at Krystan, while giving Lanara a gentle shove into Linn’s arms. “Help her.” She instructs, before advancing on the assassin. “What have you done to my sister? What sort of danger? Are you going to remain with her? Or are you going to leave, right now? Do –not- play games with her heart, she’s been through enough! I will –not- tolerate any shenanigans. Do you understand?”

Krystan watches as this family unit starts to interact. It was foreign to the man, who for so many years has been alone. He does not know what family is, so to see such care and concern for Lanara expressed without some binding ties or manipulative plots being spun was a bit odd for the professional killer. But then again, he did just go through all of that, make himself a big target for powerful men, just for her, so maybe he does get it more than even he knows. First the other male is addressed, with a reply of. "The less you all know the better, but she is safe." Then the aggressor, the big sister-bear, comes charging in demanding answers and trying to intimidate him. His cold and expressionless response to her approach should signal something to the other witch that Kry isn't scared easily. He replies with. "I've done nothing to your sister. The kind of danger I will handle. Her heart, as well as the decision for me to stay or leave all rests in her control. I brought her here, to you, because that was the right thing to do. Other than that, nothing is the matter, though I'd keep her away from Cenril for a bit." He stood his ground, while making sure not to come off as disrespectful, nor a pushover. He finishes with. “Lanara, herself, is not in any danger. Though she almost was, before I acted. And in that action, I made myself a target for powerful men. So, as injured as she was, and as dangerous as Cenril is, I snuck her out and brought her here." He stops there, feeling he has explained enough to people he does not know, though to Lana he says. "Me staying is up to you, and only you. I will stay by your side as long as you'd like."

Lanara obediently downs the foul smelling, mossy green, beverage, and swallows hard, gagging on the taste. Couldn’t Talyara have masked the flavor with some mint? Figures. Her sister probably wanted her to suffer, as well as recover from the injury. Sensing Tally’s anger, and about to step in and stick up for Krystan, she finds herself quite literally, thrown into Linn’s arms. The shove causes her to stumble, and at the last minute regains her footing before tossing the enchanter to the forest floor. Thankfully, Linn catches her in his arms and wraps his hands firmly about her waist, following Talyara’s instruction. “Sorry.” She whispers to Linn, staring up at the male with sad eyes. “He’s not a bad man, I promise. You need to calm Tally down. I’m fine. Please… I… This is –all- my fault.” Lana’s voice trails off as she senses an amounting source of magical energy swimming through Linn’s form. She sensed that the male was a magic user of some sort, but this energy seemed a tad different, and caused her to remove her hands from his shoulders. The witch had no fear of Linn, she merely didn’t want to feel his coursing energy, and hoped that he knew how to expel or contain it, correctly. As Krystan speaks to her sister, she tosses the empty vial to the ground and steps nearer to the assassin, a faint smile on her face. She knew her answer, with all her heart. She yearned for him to remain at her side. Forever, in fact. She knew their relationship had potential, but that fear in her heart of being betrayed or abandoned crept up, and caused her to stop short and stare at his face. After a long, tortuous moment, she lowers her eyes and bows her head, clenching her hands into fists are her side. “I… The choice remains yours. I have already caused you enough trouble that is likely beyond repair. If you stay with me, your life is changed, forever. All that you know would have to be rebuilt in another area, or you would have to give it all up.” She was speaking of his career choice, though she wouldn’t out him to anyone, that was their secret. “I could never ask that of you… Please know that I am sorry for the trouble I inadvertently caused. I never meant any of it… And… Thank you for saving my life, and for being my first… My first everything.” Unable to meet his gaze, and praying to the Goddess that she wouldn’t break down before him, she merely awaits his reply, or waits to hear his steps leaving the area.

Linn is quickly cut off from his investigation by having the witch pushed into his arms, which he could only receive in a stable hold. He offered a shoulder to support her, or even his arms if she needed to be carried. Concern went over his face at the wounds and the haste of their arrival, perhaps even some dread at the implications of these events. Yet there was a faint hint of anticipation, looking to nail down the source of this and destroy it. His gaze wandered to the foot that had caused her to flinch. Was that part of all of this or was it something else? He looked back to Krystan as the assassin finished his story with a look of respect. People that were willing to sacrifice and direct danger to them were few and far between. Even if they weren’t thinking straight at the time, they had the spirit to do it. He met the man’s eyes with a resolute stare. “You painted a target on the back of your head to help someone else.” His gaze flickered between the witches and back to the assassin at the conclusion of the exchange. The two really had something for each other, something that he had lost long ago, something he wanted to see kept around. The idea of dealing with something big crept back into his mind. “I don’t know what you two have gotten into, but it sounds like circumstances have brought something big down on you.” He looked back to Krystan, colorless eyes fierce with a strange mix of emotions, ultimately looking to help. “That kind of sacrifice deserves respect. I want to see that it isn’t lost.”

Talyara narrows her gaze to near slits as the stranger whom supposedly rescued her sister speaks. Nope, she didn't believe him. She did not -care- that his job required secrecy; secrets were a huge warning sign to Taly and one that she was not comfortable with. All the good Krystan did was lost on the half elf whose heart was thudding loudly in her ears. Though they looked close in age, Talyara was actually quite younger than Lana which made the situation almost amusing seeing as how protective Taly was being. The witch balled her hands into fists and her nails dug so hard into the palm of her hands that she began to draw blood. She listened to her sister stammer about causing the trouble and not wanting to be a burden, but it was the last part, the part about being her first -everything- that caused Tally’s brows to arch, eyes widening to near spheres. "You’re -what-?!" Taly screeched at an octave much higher than her usual tone. Her head whipped towards Lana in disbelief, and then nae nae'ed back to Krystan in fury (I'm sorry it's late, I'm tired, and I couldn't help it...I saw the opportunity and went for it!). "You've been gone for only a few days, what the (thank the goddess that owl hooted right as Taly expressed a certain expletive) happened?!"

Krystan looks to Talyara as she explodes, and says flatly. "I kissed her, nothing else." he wasn't feeling this woman's tone and attitude. She may be used to being the alpha of the group here, but she isn't anything to the assassin, and he wasn't going to be belittled and spoken down to so easily. "You know, she was injured. And, yet, you were not there. In fact, if I wasn't there, Cenril would have had its way, and Cenril's ways are dark indeed." He let her imagination have that one. "But I came along, luckily enough, to see a woman I met only a day prior, injured and being stalked by men of no noble nature with intentions that can make even the most sinister man's eyes go wide." He was done playing games, he held nothing back. “She killed one, self defense easily enough, but she had two more flanking her. I killed one, and I made the other run in fear." He paused, and then decided to just go with it. “Why? Because of what I am. I'm one of the best killers in the City. Paid to snuff the life out of people. Murderer, fiend, assassin, whatever you wish to call me, call me it. I don't really care. But when I saw thugs about to rape your sister, I threw that entire life into the grinder, and pissed off men with power that could make a king blush in disbelief. So, now they want -me- dead, but to make sure -your- sister doesn't gain their attention either, I took all the blame, and smuggled her out of the city calling in every favor and bribe I could." He was flustered now, a rare thing. "And what did I do, huh? I brought her here! Even when she wanted to turn herself over to them! To save me, of all damn things. But no, I drag her here, and stay here too, when she didn't want to face you apparently, and I kind of see why. Lady, she is lucky to be alive, and you wanna belittle her right now? You wanna try to get in my face, with that wicked tongue that if I so inclined I could have cut out before you even noticed?" A tall boast, to be sure, but he was making a point. “You really shouldn't just go about puffing your chest at people you don't know, especially when they are trying to do the damn -right- thing!" He let out a deep breath now, realizing he may have gotten a bit worked up, but, in all fairness his entire life's work was just destroyed, and he is now one of the most wanted men in Cenril. It’s been a weird couple of days. Turning to Lanara, he says. “Fine, if it’s my choice, I'm staying. Just in case these people -did- happen to use those damnable necromancers to raise the poor sod who saw your face the clearest." Turning back to Talyara, he adds. “If they send people, I'll send them back, in a box. Now, if you'll excuse me." Basically being done with all of this right now, Krystan makes his way over to his pack and takes a bit of time to himself. “Unbelievable." He mutters, mostly to himself.

Lanara can’t help but crack a grin at the admiration in Linn’s voice, for Krystan was all that and much more. If they only knew just how wonderful he could be, but she knew that side of the assassin was solely reserved for her, and that he rarely showed his emotions to anyone. –That- she knew, was unlikely to ever change. Her head would rise slightly at Talyara’s outburst, and cause the elf’s cheeks to burn with shame. No! She hadn’t done –everything- with the stranger, whoops, for speaking too quickly. Though she didn’t bother to clarify, as her sister’s outrage was downright amusing, at times. And at least the threat of her virginity lost would shift her attention from the possible danger at hand, and the true identity of Krystan. The epic little plot she had devised falls apart, horribly, when Krystan verbally attacks her sibling, and that does cause the empath’s head to jerk up. “Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. All. Of. You. I am really not in a very good mood, right now. I have been burned, nearly sexually assaulted, nearly murdered, fallen in love with an assassin, and have had my first kiss, all in the past day! ALL OF YOU!!! Stop with the insults. Just stop.” Visibly upset, and so angry that she was shaking, the angry brunette points to her sibling, first. “You! How –dare- you scold me, even if I did have sex with him. You slept with Emrith on your second date! And… I finally do something that makes me happy, and it finally happened, Tally. I… I get butterflies, and I want to die, and I want to kiss him, and I’m so scared and confused… But it’s wonderful. Would you really take that from me? So what if he kills people for a living?! He gave that up, I think, and he saved my life. I… If I lose the feelings I have for him, I fear I will –never- have them for anyone else. I wouldn’t make you give up Ayras. Those are my feelings, though I fear they are no longer returned.” A single tear trickles down her cheek, as she turns to Linn, next. “You… You are a good man, and I appreciate your concern and offer to assist. Though I’m not entirely sure of the situation, either.” Finally, she turns to Krystan, who has his back to her, which causes a pang in her heart. Slowly, she takes steps nearer to the male, hobbling over to his side and tapping him on the shoulder, in case her outburst went ignored. “Don’t stay out of fear of protecting me… If you stay, I want it to be for more than that, or not at all. I know this is all so new and so scary. And we literally don’t know anything about each other… But, I am not going to change you, or change for you. And I’m not sure what kind of future we would have together, but I really want to try to have a future with you. Though… I can see that’s probably unlikely, by how upset you are with the situation and my sister. And your anger isn’t at them or even yourself… It should be at me. I did this. I went and got injured, and nearly assaulted. I am so sorry for coming into your life and ruining everything. I… I’m sorry that you ever had to lay eyes on me. I’m sorry for destroying everything you had built, in one night. I wish I could pay you back for all you have done for me and to me… The only thing I could think of to make your life better, is for me to not be in it… I’m so sorry.” Tears fall freely down her cheeks as she turns, and attempts to walk away from the entire group.

Linn may have looked a little flustered himself at being drowned out by the witches. And just like that, the beans spilled, or at least that’s what it looked to be. In stark contrast to Talyara he gave a slight tilt of the head and a thoughtful look as he ran over the story. It could have been anything, but people don’t come storming in on nightmares for no reason. In the end, he’d have to catch the man later to sort out the details. Lanara’s outburst echoed what he might have come to if he knew what was going on a bit better, but ultimately he was left somewhat stunned. He gave a silent, fiery look towards Talyara as if to tell her to go help the witch who had torn herself away from the whole ordeal. He would remain unmoved from his position, and if he was given the space with Krystan he would attempt to offer his assistance again after a period of silence to let the dust settle.

Talyara scowls at her sister as she crosses her bloodied hands across her chest. "I was not -scolding- you Lanara, but excuse me for being slightly emotional when my only sister arrives out of nowhere on the back of a nightmarish steed with an assassin and injured to boot! And I recall you sent a threatening letter when I spoke to you about something Emrith simply -said-!" Her tone softened then as she looked into those chocolate eyes and blew out a deep sigh. ""Nothing I said tonight implied I was asking you to give anything up so please do not put words in my mouth. You tried to do that to me, remember? I will not do the same to you, I never would, our relationship is too important to me." Finally, emerald pools move to Krystan. Taly was not waivered by this man or his title or the blood he carried on his hands. She assumed he must know little of family for the way he acted, the way he spoke to Talyara, was as if -she- was the one belittling her sister, which was not the case in the slightest, her speech, although harsh was fueled by emotion but teemed with care. When she spoke again her voice was low and dangerous. She walked towards the man, not one to back down. "Do not -dare- and try and put the blame on me for not being with my sister. But if you must know, I would give my life for her a thousand times over before I would let harm befall a single hair on her head. I am not some yappy dog you can just tell to shush and expect me to cower away. So you listen and you listen good..." Taly's eyes flickered to her sister before looking upon the assassin once more. "I thank you for saving her; I do, but do not expect me to bow down to your graces for it. That beautiful woman over there, deserves -that- and so much more. You two want to be together, do not fear that I will get in your way for I won't. But just know that Lanara is the single most important person in my life, my true soul mate. I have lost my home, my parents, my freedom, my everything. I will -not- let Lanara be taken from me, too, because you allowed her to get mixed up in your riff-raff." Talyara takes a steadying breath and turns on her heel, moving back towards the bell as Lanara approaches Krystan herself. She would catch Linn's fiery glance and he would probably be surprised to find tears in Taly's, quickly wiping away the few rogue droplets that roll down her cheeks. She would kneel before her magical satchel then and begin to search for various herbs and tinctures that might aid her sister's injuries.

Krystan isn't familiar with any of this. He was raised to be a heartless murderer for hire, not some hero wanna-be. But all of that changed when he encountered the empath in the mines that night. She made him, -him-, feel for the first time. And what did he do? He left her, not wanting to drag her into his mess. "Riff-raff...” He chuckles to himself. Like she knew he wasn't familiar with the dealings of family, she was obviously oblivious to the perils of what Cenril -really- is. He knew family cares for one another, but to him, when Lanara was warning him, begging him practically, to steer back and -away- from her beloved sister, he already knew to expect this kind of encounter. Then, Lanara's emotional response tugs at him too. This damn woman and her feelings! He sighs, shaking his head as he turns around to face all three. The man doesn't really talk to him direct, so he leaves him be. But, Taly, she gets his first response. “Look. I don't -expect- anything from you, from Lanara, from anyone. I didn't do what I did for some damn reward, praise or some heroic gesture. I did it, because I didn't want harm to come to her. I didn't put her in anything, she put herself in it, and I got her out. The cost, you'll never understand, how can you? You don't know my life no better than I know yours. We don't owe each other any explanations either. But... whats important right now, -is- Lanara. She's injured, I offered more of my own blood for her magic, and she won't take it. I had herbs at my place, she didn't really use them. You're the sister, you probably know how to handle this and make her better. Me? I’m going to do what I need to do to make -sure- that the kinds of men that almost did horrible things to your sister, don't even think of dreaming of coming after her, or me." He was flustered again; Talyara has this effect on him. "But what you need to realize, and realize good, is I'm not some boy playing an angle to get into her pants. I’m not some gentleman caller, either, with fancy duds and wealth beyond imagination. I'm me, a man who has built a life doing what I do. And yesterday, to save another's life, I unleashed hell upon myself, all because I care for your sister, when I've never cared for anyone. I don't care what history you two have between one another when it comes to who dates who, but lady... if I was going to break that girl's heart, I wouldn't have saved her from those animals that night, cared for her at great risk of exposing myself, or taken great lengths to ensure she returned to -you- her family. So don't go wagging your little finger at me, giving me some speech about how I better not do this, or that, or else, because, frankly, you don't scare me. I'm here, and staying here, because I want to. “That point was directed at Lanara and her sister." And I did what I did, because I wanted to, because it was right, and because I care for your sister. Do I -know- how deeply all this goes, can I fully explain any of it? No. But I'm here, she is safe and back in -your- care, and really, I'd like to call that a damn day, ok?" Turning to Lanara, he calms his voice and says. “Lanara, I can't promise you riches, or some fairytale love story. I was honest with you, as you've been honest with me. Yes, I'll stay, yes, I too care for you. I've never done...whatever this is." He waves his hands around, having lost a way to explain their relationship, he continues with. "But know that you're safe, and you will remain that way as long as I draw breath, ok?" He hopes this settles things; he is starting to get a headache.

Lanara steps off of the path and heads a few feet into the forest as she hears her sister beginning to rattle off towards Krystan, again. Did she not hear Lana’s plea, to stop the bickering? Enough had already happened! Lana had used her gift to kill a man last night, and then had her first kiss, moments later. Today, was all about escaping Cenril, and now her sister and the man she had developed feelings for, were battling. Lana went from cloud nine, to nearly facing death, and now her heart was on the line. Stopping in her tracks, she hangs her head in her hands and cries openly, those beautiful hues, now looking like melted dark chocolate. The witch was never one to let her emotions control her, though that’s all that was happening the past two days. As Krystan claims that he will remain at her side, she merely nods, unable to turn around and look at him, at any of those gathered. Eventually, she clears her throat and wipes away her tears, turning to face the group, though her eyes stay trained on the path. “Clearly today has been rough, for some of us. And I dislike how I’m being treated, at the moment. So I’m just going to go to bed, okay? Right in there… On the forest floor. The animals will keep watch over me. I do –not- need treatment. My foot will be healed by morning, it’s just sore from today. Thanks for the concern. And that’s all I have left to say… Goodnight, everyone.” Sniffling, she turns away again, and heads deeper into the woods.

Linn gave a pained look as Talyara went off, but it was inevitably going to end that way. He waited and waited through the exchanges, taking in every detail to put the scene together to make his judgment. At Lanara’s farewell he only gives the smallest trace of a nod. The answers to her wounds would come later. A long silence followed before he spoke up to the assassin now that they had some distance. “Do you ever plan on going back to Cenril, back into the crucible?” His voice was low, serious, but softened by sympathy and a hope that something good can be pulled from this situation. His eyes stormed with determination; looking to know who they were dealing with, and potentially ready to face them down.

Talyara blew out a deep sigh as she heard Lana's cries from within the forest, her tattoo burning slightly against her skin. She knew her sister was on emotional overload and that she was not lying when she said she needed space and time to rest. Begrudgingly, Taly packs up her supplies once again but pulls out a small bag filled with Lanara's favorite herbs, rose and lavender. Another tear is swiped from her cheek before she moves into the woods towards her sister. She hugs her gently and slips the bag in her hands, placing a chaste kiss on her cheek. "Call upon me if you need me sister," she won't, Taly thinks sadly before muttering a quick "love you". The witch moves out of the clearing then, ignoring the assassin who didn't particularly treat her the nicest. Eyes land sadly upon Linn before she quickly looked away, and moved in the opposite direction to make the long, solo journey back to Frostmaw.

Krystan watches as Lanara heads off, and realizes he played a part in bringing this all about. He can be bullheaded and stubborn, he isn't used to people, let alone a protective sister. He sighs, but is somewhat saved by the other man's question. He replies with a serious look. "If the need arises, yes, I'll face them all. I've the element of surprise, they do not know my real face, nor were ever given a name. But...” He knows their power. "They have methods of obtaining information, and resources you would be surprised to know. But I shall not poke the beast, unless I -need- to. Even when I did kill in their service, I killed only when I needed to, or saw that it needed to be done. Cenril is a monster, and turns men into monsters within it. Corruption runs at its very core, and even the most devout have fallen to such temptation, that you cannot fully trust anyone there anymore." He knows what that means. You can't trust -him- either. If they were smart, they wouldn't. It’s not safe to trust a stranger, especially one who admits to being an assassin. But, right now what choice do they have? He continues on talking to Linn, with. "For now, we're good. Unless someone speaks out about this situation and I can now count on one hand the people other than me and Lanara, who know what happened, and who I am. And if that happens, I -will- find who talked, and they will see why my reputation was feared." With that said, he can see Talyara was going to leave, so he says. “Look, I'm... sorry for being harsh. It’s been one hell of a couple of days. I'm tired, and let things get to me easier than normal. So, again I'm sorry. But, please, don't let anyone know, and I do mean -anyone- know about what happened. There are eyes and ears in almost every tavern, in every kingdom in the lands who work for these people. So while it may seem a topic to share with even your closest friends, don't. For you'll put her safety on the line if you do." And with that, he can see everyone kind of needs their own space, so he picks up his bag and finds a nearby place to rest, and starts setting up a bedroll to go to sleep. Though he won’t sleep, he'd keep guard tonight. He will never allow himself to be too relaxed. He knows the enemies he made tonight.

Lanara accepts the offered bag of herbs, knowing they would calm her nerves and help her to sleep better. The woman manages a small ‘love you’ in return, and sits on the forest floor, hugging her knees to her chest. After a moment, she peers over her shoulder, in hopes that Linn would guide her sister back to Frostmaw, though she can’t see through the trees blocking her view. With a sigh, she looks to her left and right and frowns, as her animal companions wouldn’t arrive for a few more days. So she was on her own tonight, and would just have to curl up against a tree. Crawling a few feet to the east, she lies in a ball, and wraps her arms around the base of a tree, and rests her head on a large rock. It sure as hell wouldn’t be comfortable, but she didn’t want to feel so alone without something in her arms or against her back. Luckily the climate was on the warm side this evening, so she wouldn’t freeze to death in the outdoors.

Linn watches Krystan slowly as he explains his situation before giving a nod. “I didn’t learn a thing tonight” he said with a smile before continuing. As the assassin gets moving he speaks up again. “If you ever find yourself going back there, I can help. I can make all sorts of little surprises and tricks, or something big, if you find a need for it. Just give me something that has to be accomplished and I’ll see what I can do.” With that he headed back to the bell to grab his pack, eyeing where Krystan would stay to make sure that he would keep watch over where Lanara went. Passing by he turned his head to meet the assassin one last time. “Goodbye for now, I’m sure we’ll see each other again.” A look into the forest and a nod. “You know to keep her safe.” With that he headed off to catch up to Talyara at least until she made it to Frostmaw. After that who knows where he’s gone.