RP:Twin Flames Or Burning Embers?

Summary: Tiber gives Lanara a lesson on how to play guitar and upon request he gives a demonstration, which ends with the delivery of three long awaited words. I. Love. You. The witch is over the moon and to show the lycan how much he means to her, she brings him to meet some of her beloved pets, and a few elves that have moved to the lands after the horrors in their homeland. Their day takes a downward spiral as Lana confesses a secret that she has been keeping ever since her return. Tiber is determined to find a way to save the woman he loves, even if it means turning her into something that he hates.

Part of the Lunar Tides and Silver Linings Arc

(Post 1 of 2) It had been a long week for both the lycan and his lady, as they had spent most of their time apart, each focused on each minute detail which would lead up to confronting Alastor and freeing the innocent souls that he held captive in his laboratory. Tiber had gone up to Frostmaw to secure the pelt of a frost hare, whereas Lanara had hosted a bachelorette party for her sister and convinced Quintessa to cast a spell on the amulet she had commissioned from Svard. All in all, they had accomplished their tasks with ease, and today would be a day of rest for the couple. Their last day of rest, as tomorrow they had promised to look after Fleur for their mutual friend Meri, and after that their lives would take many twists and turns as they dealt with their pasts and futures. Time is rapidly draining from the hourglass, and in a matter of days, secrets will unfold that will either break hearts or mend them. Will fate intervene or will the prophecy be fulfilled, in the case of the witch? Is the lycan strong enough to forge forward with a pack of hopefuls at his back and save the woman he loves, or will his efforts end in failure?

(Post 2 of 2) Lanara sits on the edge of the large sofa, clad in a white oversized tee-shirt that reaches her knees and hides a pair of blue cotton shorts, with a mug of spiced tea in her hand. The witch is boredly browsing through a magazine of sexy swimsuits, Kreekitaka’s latest line, and it leaves a sour taste in her mouth that she will expire before summer arrives. It’s all so unfair! A few of the skimpy articles catch her eye and she angrily presses the mug to her lips and takes a sip, as though the taste of cinnamon can compete with frolicking on the beach. Tapping a bare foot against the carpet, Lana leans back against the cushions and finds her gaze trailing to the spot where Tiber’s guitar case lies. She still has a bucket list task to complete and she has always been eager to learn how to play an instrument. Hadn’t her boyfriend offered to give her a lesson? It had been in passing, and the man had likely forgotten that conversation, but Lana hadn’t forgotten and so she rises from the sofa and unlatches the case. Running her fingertips along the fine wood, she carefully pulls the guitar out and brings it over to the sofa, lying it across her lap as she admires the beautiful workmanship. Tiber had left earlier in the morning to run some errands and as he hasn’t returned home yet, Lana decides to entertain herself and pass some time. The first pluck of a string is loud and obnoxious and sends Salem and Cinder from the room with an annoyed twitch in their tails, and the second string is so soft that the witch quirks a brow and stares at the guitar. She has no idea what she’s doing, it’s obvious, and so she sighs heavily and focuses on the door as though she’s sending a message to the universe to bring the lycan home.

(Post 1 of 2) Tiberius had been almost six feet under whilst the two planned for their future meeting with Alastor. Meri and him were able to pull the meeting details from Skitch. The man had travelled in order to hunt a specific hare in order to lace the amulet with magic. It had all been falling into place, and the witch and the lycan were moments away from coming face-to-face with Alastor Ambers. Tiber had left earlier in the day to get the last few items he would need to confront the scientist. A new mini ghost satin blade. One small enough to hide easily. A set of mini spikes to sheath in case the man was not paying attention. And… a gift. The blonde lycan had found himself in a jewelry parlor. Eyes glaze over different crystals within the shop. Crystals in the shape of necklaces, bracelets, and… rings. Those eyes stare at the rings in the glass case, specifically one that reminds him of the woman back home. A shake of Tiber’s head, though, and he is moving on to look at different shapes of jewelry which leads him to a rose quartz necklace that has a crescent moon connected to the chain. A resemblance of opening one’s heart with love, trust, and overall a deep inner healing stone. The man exchanges coins before finding an itch to return home. He, however, keeps the necklace tucked away, for another surprise for another day. Another day, as in, after this turmoil with Alastor was over.

(Post 2 of 2) The wandering lycan makes it home and from beyond the door, he hears a loud strum that makes him flinch. He fumbles with the lock before opening the door to find his witch sitting with the guitar. His brother’s guitar. Amber eyes stare at the woman for a moment before a twitch in his lips is evident. He looks taken by surprise that she is holding an instrument that he holds close to his heart, but his mind reflects to the rose quartz in his suit pocket. The wild woman sits in that t-shirt with loose hair and a sentiment that makes a soft smile shine through. The guitar she holds has a wooden body, but a darker roast color. The neck of the guitar is made of mahogany with a binding that was the color of ebony. “Wow, you rock,” he smirks before shrugging off his blazer to throw it on a nearby hanger while loosening his tie around his neck casually. “Let me guess, I get my own private concert tonight?” He teases smoothly before slinking over to sit on the arm of the couch. Eyes really take her in as he keeps a distance away from her to observe her. He had remembered that she had a piqued interest in guitar, but why so soon? Silken words flow out of his mouth, “Depending on how you want it to sound, you need to hold the frets for different notes.” Frets. Would she know what frets were? “The stripe looking things on the neck of the guitar,” he sort of mimics her as if he is holding an air guitar.

Lanara pauses as the doorknob jiggles slightly and she hears Tiberius turning the key in the lock, and she sits there with her mouth slightly agape, as they lock eyes. The witch dons a rather comical expression of a smug feline that had just tortured a canary, because she knows that Tiber likely thought she was jesting when she stated she wanted to learn to play guitar. However, as he gives a soft smile, she feels a ping of anxiety, “I’m sorry… I should have waited for you to offer me the lesson.” Lana is getting better at apologizing for her impulsiveness, and had she known that the guitar held such sentimental value, she likely wouldn’t have touched the fine instrument without permission. Tiber compliments that she ‘rocks’ in that lazy drawl and her cheeks instantly flush, as a faint giggle escapes her, and she tugs on his tie to pull him closer for a teasing kiss. “I’m glad you’re back, I was preparing to arrange a search party! I wouldn’t want anyone kidnapping my hotter than hell boyfriend.” She would kill for this man, heck, she already has killed for this man! And if she weren’t on the precipice of death, she would willingly risk her life in an effort to save his. Tiber is giving her advice about the guitar, and she asks him to repeat himself, because she had only been half-listening. Those amber hues are quite dreamy, and it’s a good thing she’s sitting down, because that silken tone often leaves her weak in the knees. “Um. So.” Blinking, Lanara looks at the strings and points, “These are called frets?” Why is this such a hard concept to grasp? “Am I even holding it right? My wrists hurt already, and I’ve only held it for like three minutes.” Is the witch impatient or legitimately stressing over the fact that she may fail at playing guitar? “Want to play a little something for me? You can demonstrate!” An almost shy smile is on her face as she passes over the guitar, while tucking an errant lock of untamed hair behind a tapered ear. “Impress me, Babe.”

(Post 1 of 3) Tiberius shrugged at Lanara’s apology, for he knew she was as nosy as the nelly down the hall who kept complaining to the landlord about their residency. The witch’s curiosity was peaked, and Tiber’s internal thought had not been expressed on the matter of the guitar that sat against the blank wall. Sitting. Waiting. Tempting. Instead of speaking, the man only feeds into her kiss before rolling his eyes at her statement of ‘arranging a search party’. “Please,” he smirks, “I think I’m fully capable to help myself.” Slick luck, he guessed. As she stares at him, his lips become flat. Really? Not paying attention? There was a short patience that wafted off of him before she released a wave of her own stress about the whole learning the instrument. Thin lips purse before he claps his hands together in defeat as he stands up and moves around the back of the sofa to place warm, worn hands over her own. He adjusts one of her hands to sit on the back of the neck while her fingers should curl and press the frets. Gently, Tiber individually budges her fingers to certain strings and frets. They stretch oddly, and they would be out of her comfort zone at first, for her hands would have to get used to the idea of stretching. “There,” and then her wrist hurts. “Your muscles will have to get used to the idea of holding a guitar and certain notes. Some notes are harder than others. I guess we should start with some basic ones.”

(Post 2 of 3) Then, the witch asks him to play. To demonstrate. Playing for him had been since before the witch returned. Not too long, but long enough to need to stretch muscles again. There was a rush of nerves that built up. A pulse that came as if the Kelvarian would know internally that there was another side to him she had never seen before. There, however, had been one song that he discovered. One cover that resembled the relationship between him and the witch. One night at the tavern had he discovered such a song by a guy named Matt. The song had been for a woman named Carla, and Tiber had guessed that Matt climbed mountains for Carla as Tiber did Lanara. The blonde stands tall behind her before running fingers through his hair. “Uh,” he is stumped for a moment. “Err, yeah. I can… show you,” he scratches the side of his head before moving around to sit down again. He reaches out for the guitar before placing it in his lap. Fingers gently pluck each string while listening for a good tune. Fingers fiddle with the tuning pegs before he hears the right sound. Honey glazed eyes glance at her in her long tresses and natural beauty. A painting. One he wanted to capture forever as she sat there with her content mess of frustration. The chocolate-eyed girl was perfect. The man stares steadily at her with a very expressionless gaze before his brow furrows and he stares down at his fingers. The one time Tiberius Lowell had been nervous. Hands begin to move and fingers begin to tab the chords in a simple rhythm. A very gentle and soft repetitive rhythm. One more glance would be given to the brown-eyed girl before he would stare down--not at his fingers, but the ground. A concentration lined in his forehead. “They say time is changing everything,” a very smooth voice flows from his lips. Raw--an unfamiliar emotion that paints the walls in the room. One that would make a heart beat a full pace quicker. “But you and I we’re not afraid of time… We’re content to watch our days unwind,” he drags out the last verse, and then the notes change into a chorus, and his voice turns into a soft tenor, “I’ll stay when the mountains are covered with snow. And the rages have weathered,” the chorus begins to spiral through, and hard man begins to become soft around those jagged edges. From the lower voice he kept, this was a song of tenor pitch. One silk and smooth as he had approached her before through the door. The song continues before a bridge comes, “Darling, I must have been sleeping. All of those years before your arms held me. Love of my youth and my old age. I am with you until my final breath,” the word breath drags out into a minor key before he jumps into the chorus again, “I’ll stay when the mountains are covered with snow and the rages have weathered… And when all around us is falling apart… I will love you.” Pause. As the strings come to a slow, his gaze finally lifts, “I will love you,” and then another last final strum wraps the song in whole.

(Post 3 of 3) There is a long silence that comes with the last strum he strings. “I’ve never been the one to carry my heart everywhere I go, Lanara. All these years, I’ve been in my world of self-greed and hurting the people around me. I’ve lost a lot of trust over the years. I’ve closed myself off to most humanity, for the sake of my own benefit.” His voice is slow, and eyes steadily look at the woman before him again. “Then, I met you, but I didn’t realize how much I loved you until you were gone. Because when you were gone, I was a drunk ass singing in bars pretending to be someone else, but all the songs that I sang reminded me of… you. I sang for you, Lanara.” Pause. His face was still stone for cautiousness of his own heart. “I’m sorry it took me so long to catch up to you. To let you sit in your own silence as you waited for me to come around to you.” The Catalian does not move as if time had frozen for him as he stared directly at the woman wearing the simple large t-shirt. “I love you, Lanara. Only you.” Amber eyes do not take their gaze off of her in that moment. The walls had felt as if they were closing in on just them.

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara idly rubs her hands once the guitar is passed over to Tiberius, and she mentally chastises herself for being such a baby and crying over sore muscles. If she didn’t have a deadly curse tucked beneath the necklace, she would have no trouble playing around with the guitar for several hours! It’s getting harder and harder to hide the effects of the curse, as her death day is drawing nearer, but she’s thankful that the cough is mostly at bay thanks to Penelope’s ‘guy’ that had hooked her up with a suppressant. All thoughts about her fate are abruptly put on pause as Tiber adopts a look of nervousness and plays that first acoustic note. His voice is silk, rising and falling several octaves as the song continues, and the witch finds herself utterly dumbfounded as the lycan had managed to keep this obvious talent to himself for years. Is this how he knows Brennia? The headmistress of the Bard’s Guild likely sought him out for entrance into her elite school, and he likely gave her a false name. Augustus. The pieces fall into place, but she’s confused as to why Tiber had kept this secret from -her- the woman that lived in his home and took up space in his bed. He has no reason to be shy, because his singing voice is akin to that of the God’s and he plays the guitar with such natural ease, and she finds herself inching a little closer and unable to tear her gaze from his performance. Tiber’s nerves are gone, and his amber gaze remains focused on Lanara’s face, as the romantic story of Matt and Carla reverberate off the walls and emanate the love that the witch feels for her lycan. A lone teardrop trickles across a high cheekbone as the song comes to an end, and she reaches up to brush it from her cheek, as she is so moved by this moment. Although Tiberius has never spoken those three words, she feels as though he just sang his emotions straight from his mouth and into her heart. “I’m speechless… Just when I think you can’t possibly impress me more than you already have, you go and prove me wrong.” A faint smile is on her lips as she lifts a hand to rub his bicep, intently listening to his explanation.

(Post 2 of 2) It’s strange that Tiber’s past made him wary of strangers, filled him with mistrust, and that he deliberately kept his emotions in check, as those walls of solitude were erected with hopes of keeping outsiders away. Meanwhile, Lanara had always spoken her truth, she had never once shied away from an opportunity to make a friend or take a chance at love, and it wasn’t until very recently that she had adopted the lycan’s way of thinking. Life hadn’t been kind to the woman in years, and so she had learned not to carelessly place her trust in others, and as her naivety had been replaced with anger, she had placed brick upon brick and reinforced her walls to the point that only her sister, a few friends, and Tiberius Lowell, had been able to penetrate. At some point, Lana had needled her way into Tiber’s heart, thus she taught the man to love; and through trial and error and patience, Tiber had revived Lana’s outlook on life and breathing in his love had become as addicting as inhaling oxygen. He had taught her how to live, and it had taken her up to this moment to realize that this man truly is her soulmate. Aunt Sharna’s prediction had proven true! “Wait… Wh-What?” Those breathtaking brown eyes are moist as the woman feels his walls coming down, and now their two hearts were beating as one, as their walls had joined and formed around them. No one would tear them apart, no obstacle could shake their foundation, as it was Tibara against the world. “I love you, too… I never thought you would say those words, I mean I had hoped…” She thought she would die and forever be uncertain of his true feelings. “Thank you, Tiber… You have no idea how much it means to me…” Another tear escapes and she laughs, as she pulls him into her arms and gives him a tender kiss, their lips colliding in passionate lock for a moment. The guitar is momentarily forgotten, as it remains in his opposite hand, while Lana manages to remain pressed against his side. Her heart is beating wildly, but the look of adoration in her gaze reassures him that it’s a good type of nervousness, “Show me more notes…”

Tiber searches Lanara’s misty gaze. Against her glossy eyes, his eyes are steady and clear. This had been a very confident and secure thought he had been holding for a while. There is no smile on his lips, but only a look of peace that he had gotten those three words off his chest finally. Those words that would secure her and him--a bond. A form of growth and being one. The grip on the neck of the guitar is pulled to the side to let her come press against him. To feel her touch, and accept her love in exchange. She was the rightest thing in his world. One arm holds onto her as tender lips collide and he breathes her in. The hand on her back then slides up to cup her face and stare at her. Hold her cheek in a very anchored way, yet gentle all the same. “I’ve been meaning to say it for a long time, but I didn’t know how,” as in, he literally could not speak, nor find the correct moment. He then slides his hand away from her cheek before settling the guitar in her lap. An arm wraps around her to help her adjust again. “Each string is its own chord. It goes,” he starts at the top with a pointed finger, “E, A, D, G, B, E,” he trails the finger down the column of strings. “I sort of say a kiddish rhyme to remember: ‘Eat A Dog, Get Big Ears’,” he grins at the animal empath, for she might be horrified at the rhyme about eating a dog. “We will learn some basic major notes. Just because that’s easier for beginners, but before you learn those notes, you need to understand frets.” He then touches each fret. “Depending on which fret you hold while you play, it will give you a different sound. Go ahead and hold a string against this fret, and give it a strum. Then, I want you to keep sliding your finger down towards the body of the guitar to the next fret, and the next fret to understand the changes of pitch."

Lanara tilts her head so that Tiber may caress her cheek, all the while maintaining that intense eye contact. He makes her feel as though she’s the only woman in the world, in -his- world, and she is left breathless as she knows that he is thinking those same thoughts, as the lycan is her whole world. “It’s okay… Hearing it now is well worth the wait, and I’m glad that you waited, because I know that you know for sure that you feel this way. Sometimes people just get caught up in a moment and say things on impulse, but I know that you feel it in your heart and soul now…” A soft smile lights up her face, as they share another tender kiss, and it takes great effort for Lana to pull back and return to her guitar lesson as she would much rather keep kissing Tiber and seeing where things lead. “Okay. Focus, Lana.” She grins, but her smile slowly fades as she realizes there is still something that she hasn’t told Tiber, because there hasn’t been a right moment to bring up the fact that she’s dying. “After the lesson… Maybe we can take a little walk? I want to introduce you to some of my pets, and a few of the girls from Kelvar.” This is a huge step, and perhaps once she unveils the truth later in the evening, he will understand why she used herself as a sacrifice. To protect those she loves, as when Lanara deeply cares for someone, she truly gives her all to keep them happy. After thirty minutes of testing each note and repeating that twisted line about eating dogs and enlarging her ears, she breaks out in a sweat and needs to take a breath. “So. Before I go to the next note? Am I supposed to slide into it, or fully remove my fingers and then swiftly place them on the next note? I’m not sure if I’m doing this right.” Her knuckles are white from keeping such a tight grasp and her fingertips feel as though they have been pricked with razor blades. However, she still hopes to learn a tune, even if it’s something incredibly basic. “You should play me a lullaby before bed tonight, instead of a fairytale.” The witch is fond of the lycans stories, but his silken voice and a little music will be just as soothing.

Tiberius gives her a slow, contemplative gaze at her suggestion on going for a walk. The walk sounds nice. The pets? “You have -more-?” Pets he meant. The man smirks. “I guess we can go see your pets. I’d definitely like to meet some others from Kelvar.” The man wanted to see how the others were adjusting to Lithrydel. While Lanara begins to test each note, he stands to walk to the back room to change out of the professional attire. He chooses some khaki-like pants with a plain white t-shirt before coming back to make himself a drink. He sits down with the witch again and tips the glass of whiskey back before resting it on the coffee table. “Eh,” he starts with a scrunch in his forehead in thought, “Depends on the song, I guess. For the most part, the only thing that should be sliding is your hands. Your fingers should lift and adjust. It just takes time, and muscle memory. Eventually your fingers will callus and muscles will stretch. Your hands won’t hurt as much.” He pauses. “Lets let you learn a few notes, and then you can fiddle around with ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’,” he let out of laugh out of habit of going back to basics, but those three chords Lanara would learn would be important ones. He stands and walks around to behind the girl before hovering over her to adjust her fingers. He adjusts them once, and has her strum. “That’s a C chord.” After she would fiddle and strum, he would adjust her fingers again, “That’s a G chord.” He would have her repeat the process and then adjust to the last chord to learn. “F chord. Now, with your ear, you can sing the first tone to Twinkle Little Star, and match the chords accordingly.” He would give a firm nod. “As for a lullaby,” he smirks. “Whatever you say,” he would lean down to kiss her cheek and watch her fumble some more to figure out the tune and the notes. If she needed him to jump in and help her adjust, he would do that exact thing. Otherwise, he is finishing his glass of whiskey.

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara wonders if perhaps learning to play guitar isn’t meant to be, as the kiddish rhyme about eating dogs couples with the stretching of muscles and calloused skin sound horrifying. It makes sense though, as she used to teach dance, but before she became a prima ballerina, it took many years of practice. Broken toes, twisted ankles, sore calves, not to mention how many pairs of slippers and tutus she had to replace, it all paid in the end. Learning an art is one thing, but -perfecting- an art is another thing entirely! The witch focuses on the three chords, her tiny hand stretching to accommodate each note, and although her hold is still sort of awkward, she is at least able to handle the basics. Lana feels a little self conscious with Tiber staring at her, whiskey in his hand, as she is dressed in bedtime attire and he is all relaxed and looking sexy. The Catalian makes casual wear look good, and she lifts her gaze to steal another look at him, which causes her to miss a few notes. Annoyed at the slip of her fingers, she focuses and returns her attention to the guitar, speaking out the lullaby of ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ and strumming along with each syllable. The clock ticks by and before they know it, a faint shadow streams through the window, indicating that the sun had shifted and it’s now early evening. It still leaves enough time for an outing! “Thank you for the lesson… I will have to practice more.” She can’t play many songs with only three chords, and she won’t live long enough to be fluent in guitar-speak, but she hopes to at least learn an entire song. Even if it’s something basic!

(Post 2 of 2) After changing into an adorable peach off-the-shoulder romper, the silken shorts ending at the tops of her slender thighs, the witch is strapping her tan sandals as she calls out, “Ready to go, Babe?” Taking Tiber by the hand, the couple makes their way from the apartment, through the main strip of Cenril, and across the bridge of Kelay. They peruse a few stalls and mingle amongst the massive crowd of shoppers, before Lana leads Tiber through a small ‘shortcut’ in the woods. It’s a beaten path through thick rows of trees, which happens to lead to the animal sanctuary. The witch breezes through the gazes and the front entrance of the massive establishment, and everyone seems to stop and stare, as it’s not often that the founder brings along a ‘date’ on one of her many visits. Venin, the disgruntled caretaker in Lana’s absence, glares at the witch, before she shifts her gaze to the handsome male. “Hello! How are you today?” The usual sneer she gives to everyone is replaced by a semblance of a smile, and the last time Lanara saw the woman grin like that was when Meri and Callum came to adopt two dogs. Venin, the middle-aged dark-skinned half-elf loathes most of humanity, save for incredibly good looking men. “Venom-Erm, I mean Venin… This is -my- boyfriend, Tiber. And Tiber, this is Venin. She oversees things when I’m unable to be here.” Venin is also the only employee that dislikes Lana, as everyone else seems to fawn over the woman as they pass by on their way to perform a duty. Once introductions have been made to the rest of the large staff, Lana gives Tiber a brief tour, “We have the surgery center over there… Next to that is the recovery zone! That’s the nursery for newborn animals. And over there is the intake room, when an animal is either rescued or surrendered.” The rest of the sanctuary is divided into three sections, exotics, domestics, and barnyard; each dedicated to the care of the animals, with climate controlled enclosures. Is that a dolphin? A two headed baby dragon? A pen of adorable puppies! Lanara answers any questions that Tiber may have, allowing him to linger in certain areas, as she keeps a watchful gaze on the male. Would he ever grow to like animals? “My office is back here, as well as the staff’s lounge, the adoption rooms, and a bunch of storage rooms. The other buildings are used for more storage, training, and various types of therapy for the other animals.” She contemplates if she should lure Tiber into her private office for a bit of ‘puppy love’ antics, but instead she drags him through another set of doors, “And this sector is where my familiars are currently living, as I don’t have anywhere to keep them.” As Tiber glances into each unit he will be greeted by a reindeer, a polar bear cub, a raccoon, a pair of hyenas, and a medium-sized dog.

(Post 1 of 2) Tiberius leans against the back of the sofa while lazily finishing his drink. Once the drink is gone, the glass is dispersed to the coffee table. Amber eyes observe the flusterdness from Lanara. He can sense it as she fumbles with the chords--not that she was not doing a good job, but there had definitely been that look she gave when she was annoyed with something. Or someone. Normally him, for once he was glad that look was saved for the guitar. “Just practice a little each night, babe. You’ll get the hang of it,” his voice was mellow as he still lingered in that lazy state, though he moves as Lanara does, for he had to slip a brown patterned flannel over the casual outfit he wore. Then, the two are off wandering through bustling streets until they enter through the thick-wooded path to a sanctuary. “This whole building isn’t just for your pets, is it?” There was an internal battle. One, he was stumped; she had a ton of animals, if that were the case. Two, what if she moved all these animals to their apartment? Thought three, however, made him think ‘well why not shove Cinder in this place then’, but he leaves that thought to himself.

(Post 2 of 2) The two wander past the gates, and eyes linger on Tiber who is squintedly staring right back at each dumbfounded, strange gaze. Before they enter with an overly happy greeting specifically towards Tiber--not Lanara. Considering this was not going to be the lycan’s happy place, he gives off a shrug only until Lanara introduces the two. There is a side look given to Lanara at the mistake of the name she made, and basically, that sums it up on how his girlfriend feels about the half-elf before them. “Pleasure,” he says more in a tauntingly voice rather than one that was truly pleased. The man then follows the witch around to tour the facility. All the while, too many scents were in the air which made his nose itch. Everything around him is taken with impression, for he did not know Lanara was basically a veterinarian. Tiberius found himself near the pen of the two-headed baby dragon, “Ew.” Though, it was kind of still cute? Maybe? Eh, he tried. The man then turns and finds puppies, and that is his happy place. Tiberius at least likes dogs. It is very clear now as his hands bounce over the pen, and the puppies bark with glee for the motion. Tiberius then breaks away to glance at the office before moving towards Lanara’s familiars. At least not all the animals in the sanctuary were hers. Only… he peers inside… and Tiber’s jaw drops in disbelief. “Is that… a reindeer? Babe, I don’t think these are ever going to fit into my apartment.” The image of reindeer droplets on the carpet? A thought of horror. The dog, however, catches his eye in a unit, and automatically he reaches in idly for the dog to sniff him while looking within the other units as well. A polar bear? Also, who would want hyenas?! Tiber’s internal brain is screaming while his outer face looks very observant and mysterious. Yeah, the animal-lover would not know what is going on through the lycan's thick skull.

Lanara giggles at Tiber’s comment and she shakes her head, “No. I only have a few companions these days, as many have been given to others over the years. After my death, then when I was gone for six months, and of course before this latest absence? I thought it best for them to have permanent loving homes.” Aira had been given a honey badger, Alvina a unicorn, Penelope a behemoth, Barnabas a shark horse hybrid, among others. “I do hope to have a home one day where I can have a large backyard for the ones that cannot be kept indoors.” It’s a grand idea on Tiber’s part to keep mum about placing Cinder at the sanctuary, because a witch isn’t supposed to be separated from her familiar! Of course, the Catalian wouldn’t know the difference between a ‘familiar’ and a typical pet, but if he were to ask the witch would explain to the best of her ability. “A few have died over the years, too…” She thinks about Tanner the golden retriever, and Sigrid the direwolf, both which had risked their life in an effort to save Lanara’s. At the mention of a ‘reindeer’ the large animal snarls at Tiber and rolls his eyes, “Gee, Lana. Where did you pick up this loser? He never saw a caribou before?” The ill-mannered deer shakes his head, rattling the bars with his antlers, as he sticks his tongue out and blows raspberries. The witch steps closer and bites back a laugh, “This is Rude-Off… He really lives up to his name in case you haven’t picked up on that. Yes, he is a reindeer, he can fly, and he also can talk.” The animal is trying to nip Lana on her bare shoulder, muttering obscenities beneath his breath, and he keeps eyeing Tiber as though he’s a steak. “I didn’t forget.” Sighing, Lana reaches into her satchel and produces a few oat cakes which the deer happily gobbles, before the couple spends the rest of their visit with Aspen and Ranger. The tricolored pup bounces around his enclosure, tumbling over his long ears as he races to the bars to drown Tiber’s cheeks in kisses. “That’s Ranger, you can take him out of there. It’s just us back here and he loves to run and play.” Lana tosses a tennis ball at her boyfriend to play with the dog, since he seems keen on canines, as the rest are mostly ignored. The raccoon shies away from the pair, licking a lollipop that the witch slips through his bars, and the pair of laughing hyenas are each given a slab of salted meat to share. “The raccoon belonged to Taly for a time, but she no longer lives in Sage, and he dislikes the cold. I will probably find him a home, soon, probably with Venin. And the hyenas?” She blinks, as though even she isn’t sure where they had come from or why they ended up as her companions. “Queen Lunalesca said that they were given to Enchantment as a gift, but after mauling three families, she thought it best that I take them in rather than give them eternal sleep… And you’ve already met Aspen.” The bear cub is clearly a favorite of Lanara’s, as he is a ‘forever’ fur baby, never to age past ten weeks, and will always be adorable. As the witch opens his gate, he scrambles out and climbs up her frame, before his paws latch around her neck in a tight hug. “Hey Cutie. I missed you and I brought you some popcorn!” Ranger is pawing at Tiber’s pants and yipping in glee, just begging the male to toss the ball and play with him, as Lanara and Aspen watch the pair. The cub is delighted to enjoy his treat and snuggle with the witch, and the witch is closely watching the lycans every move, as though to see where animals will lay in their future. “I always found it easier to befriend an animal than a person… They accept you for who you are, regardless of how you look or how wealthy your family may be, and I consider them to be like my own children.” Aspen holds out a piece of popcorn at Lana’s words, as though he truly considers her to be his mother, and as she laughs and takes the popcorn from him the bear chooses another piece, which is extended to Tiber. It seems the cub thinks that the couple should -both- be his parents, and he expectantly looks up at the man with black eyes full of depth. The witch quips, “If you think this is difficult, just wait until you meet my kin from Kelvar!”

Tiber blinks at each animal in the sections. “Well,” he starts slowly until eyes linger on the woman’s frame. “Maybe one day these companions could have a consistent home,” he concludes. It was a thought, at least. Even if Tiber hated every second of what just rolled off his tongue, hence the slowness of words. He then stares at Rude-Off as the animal rolls his eyes. What kind of magical persona did this reindeer have? Did reindeer -actually- understand the Catalian with that attitude? There is a side-eyed gaze given to the reindeer, and Lanara ends up mentioning ‘flying’ which puts all the puzzle pieces into place. This, sir, reindeer was, in fact, magical. “Oh-kay,” a finger scratches his brow bone before moving on to the next lively animal. Each pet had a personality. One that connected to the witch in different ways. Rude-Off was sassy. Ranger was happy. Aspen was loving. There was something genuine about each animal kept in the sanctuary, and although Tiber loathed fur-babies, he knew that these creatures were a part of Lanara. When Ranger comes into view, the dog is welcomed with open arms, and instantly Tiber embraces a fall backwards to be pounced with dog kisses. There was a low-mocking grumble as the man places hands over the dog’s head and swivels it back and forth in a rowdy, fun play before catching the tennis ball. “Ready…? Wait for it, wait for it,” the man drags tauntingly before releasing the throw. Ranger dashes before bringing it back, and the game continues while the Catalian listens to the Kelvarian. “Did you always feel judged by society?” The man asks casually as he tosses the ball a few times. His voice is low, sincere, but his eyes gaze at the dog who runs away. Perhaps Tiber was wanting to know depths more about the girl before her in the casual light of way. Amber eyes then shift to Aspen who is feeding the witch popcorn before looking at the piece that is extended to him. A smirk grows, and easily enough as honey eyes stare at the bear’s black one’s, the popcorn is thrown back into his mouth before a hand reaches out to stroke the bear. So, Tiberius liked bears. Sweeter animals. Not the selfish, sassy ones. “Don’t tell me that I’m gonna play the game with twenty questions when we meet the others from Kelvar?” His tone sounds moody, but his face is normal, so really perhaps it was only slight broodish behavior on his front. “I guess we ought to go meet ‘em, eh? Even if I’d like to stay with this one all day,” he grins at Ranger who pants from the throws of the tennis ball.

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara looks a little taken aback at Tiber’s words for several reasons, the first and foremost being that she never imagined the lycan warming up to the idea of buying a large home and welcoming her menagerie of animals to live with them. Tiberius Lowell playing house with Lanara Banks and her troupe of fantastical beasts? Lips parts as though she wishes to elaborate on his views for the future, however, she recalls that she will not be in any future plans last more than a week and so she remains silent on the matter. Rude-Off isn’t finished by any means, as he swallows the remainder of his oat cake and glares at Tiber through the bars, “Lovely. So you wish to score free rides all over the lands and will consider me a ‘pet’ and clean up all my feces on a daily basis? Puh-lease! We both know that you aren’t the marrying ‘type’ dog-boy and you will abandon -my- witch just like that last failure that swore to love her until the end of time.” The stag is shaking as he speaks, his anger magnified with each toss of the ball that Ranger obediently retrieves and drops in Tiber’s lap. “That little sell out! He’s too young and stupid to realize that you are merely -pretending- to like us, so that you can get in Lana’s pants!” Meanwhile, the witch is sharing popcorn with Aspen, watching this all unfold before their eyes. The hyenas are cackling, the raccoon slips a sticky paw through the cage and snags some of the reindeers scraps, and even Ranger whines and sits at Tiber’s feet and looks up at him with sad eyes. “I think what Rude-Off is trying to insinuate is that we are all a package deal. My animals go where I go, and there is always a high possibility that I will adopt another stray in the future.” Lana casts an icy glance at the stag, “He -has- been in my pants, and you better quit talking to my boyfriend like that or no more oat cakes, Rude-Off!” She wags a disproving finger, before she show each animal an equal amount of love with hugs, kisses, and a few more treats. Aspen and Ranger are the last to be returned to their temporary units, and Lana whispers promises to return very soon, “Maybe next time we visit we can all go to the park on a little adventure? Hm? Tiber can play frisbee with you, Rangey, and we can get some cotton candy, Asp!” They all whine in protest as the witch and lycan leave, even Rude-Off looks a little sad, but they are stopped by Venin on their way out. “It was wonderful to see you…” Lana senses that her employee is up to something amiss and stops short, “It’s nice to see you, too, uh, Veno-Venin.” The woman scoffs and glances over her shoulder, “I was talking to Tiber!”

(Post 2 of 2) As the couple makes their way towards Enchantment, Lanara fills Tiber in on how she loathes Venin but only keeps her because she’s wonderful with animals. “I can’t rely on Taly! The last time I left the lands she had the audacity to build an area for reptiles. REPTILES! Can you believe the nerve?” Oddly, the nearer they get to the magical realm, the slower the steps of the brunette. Is she stalling? Giving Tiber’s hand a squeeze she answers his inquiry, though it’s obvious the casual way he asks if she feels judged by society gives her slight offense. “I just… I was feared because of my powers as a child, and I was used for my powers as an adult. I finally began to fit in, after coming to Lithrydel, only for an epic witch hunt to take over Larket, which then forces me to hide who I am from others. I rarely use my magic in public anymore, and my sweet sister has to live in a frozen village just to feel safe! I was abducted and tortured, kept prisoner, I’ve lost dear friends and family just for being a ‘witch’ and I also lost a few familiars over the years in sacrifice or slaughter.” Swallowing hard, she shakes her head, “People misjudge what they don’t understand… There are good things about me, and I also have a bit of a dark side, but it’s all about balance. Mostly? I’m just a woman that adores nature and animals, practices high holidays, and helps those I care about. Can I do great harm, as well? Yes. But so can those that wield a sword or place a bounty on the head of another.” Chocolate hues soften as Lana tilts her chin up and reads the sign that welcomes them to Enchantment, “They are going to grill you, alright. You are all I talked about during my time away… And they misjudged me, too, even though I am one of their own. However, after they have gotten to know me, they all grew to respect me and they are my kin...Plus! You are the -only- boyfriend that has ever gotten a chance to meet anyone besides Taly, that hails from Kelvar!” A smile makes its way to her face as she tugs Tiber beyond the gates, and once they pass a few residents among their way, they learn of a celebration near the mystical stream that is taking place. “Ooh! I almost forgot! Ostara is coming up, I bet the crones have planned something special! Come on, Babe, we must participate!”

(Post 1 of 2) First of all, Tiber was ignoring Rude-Off’s responses prior to the disruptive animal’s next comments. How could a reindeer be so vulgar? Tiberius was not trying to please Lanara, by any means, now. A finger then lifts and points at the glaring, judgy, “Okay, Prancy,” amber eyes were sharp. A very agitated look is given to the animal saying that the lycan was trying to get in the witch’s pants. “You know, I see most animals like you ha--” he is cut off by a bark from Ranger to throw the ball again with a waggy tail. The Catalian cannot refuse, so instead he sneers and leans down to toss the ball again as he chews on his words instead. What the Catalian -wanted- to say was the following: ‘I see most animals like you hanging above a mantel’. The blonde lets his girlfriend take care of the rest with this snobby deer. Tiber is -almost- cringing, but he holds onto his reactions to Lanara’s words about adopting another stray. “Choose wisely,” eyes glare at the creature judging him beyond the crate. Attention then falls into the two sweeter animals before them: Ranger and Aspen. “I’ll see you two soon,” he gives Ranger a little ruffle and Aspen before turning to the rest of the crated critters. “And… I guess the rest of you,” he smirks, but there is a nervous smile on his face before awkwardly avoiding the plasticity in Venin’s niceness.

(Post 2 of 2) The couple moves on. Tiber raises his eyebrows as they move through the forest, and Lanara speaks of Venin. “She seems pretty… rude. And not like the obnoxious sort of rude. Just the selfish kind. Worried I might get swept away?” He teases and gives his girl a shove before listening to the response on Talyara bringing reptiles in. “Reptiles? What no crocodiles? Lizards? Snakes?” He grins as he antagonizes her, but that teasing grin then fades into something furrowed. First, the misfit that was Lanara Banks as a child and adult, and then Larket. With the witch hunters. “Larket is mad, and what you endure is strength and purpose. You don’t need to hide, at least, not anymore, because you’re wanted. Although you have sacrificed so much over the years, you have gained so much more for the people around you. You are loved by those who you have fought for in the past.” He gives her hand a squeeze before looking onward. “I think you’re right about how people misjudge what they don’t understand. Can’t grasp. Can’t truly see. I think they also give up too easily,” he looks her over as she stares at the ‘Enchantment’ sign. “I’m not scared if they don’t like me. I would find it uneasier if they pushed you away because of me--since you just got them on your side.” Then, the place around them trickles with residents before Lanara outbursts. Words that he has no idea what of. “Uh, I thought we were--” is all he can manage, but he is being dragged along anyway.

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara considers punching Tiber's right in that chiseled jaw when he playfully accuses her of being jealous of Venin, though she refrains, because it’s almost Ostara and because she loves the man. “It’s fine… It’s also why I’ve learned to keep my circle small and to show some backbone, if necessary. The world can judge me for all I care, as long as I have you by my side, that’s all that matters.” The witch had given up playing the role of a doormat a long time ago, she reserved that space for her simple sister. Taly is innocent and sees the world through rose colored glasses, whereas Lana has her charming moments, but she has much more ‘bite’ behind her bark. A beautiful fairy flits into view and abruptly pulls Lanara in for a quick hug, as her hand closes around the hourglass pendant, and she whispers, “Not much longer?” They both sadly shake their heads and it looks as though the fairy is about to dissolve into tears, when Lana motions to Tiber, “I would like for you to meet my boyfriend, Tiberius Lowell… And Tiber, this is Queen Lunalesca of Enchantment.” Sparkling blue eyes widen as Luna adjusts her posture into a more regal stance and extends a dainty hand, “You are handsome. Please, treat Miss Lanara good, as I’ve grown quite fond of her over the years.” She then motions for Lana to join in on the event, “Your kin have planned a beautiful celebration and they will be delighted that you came for a visit!” She vanishes into thin air, leaving only a trace of glitter where she hovered. “Ostara is the beginning of Spring, Babe. It’s one of the high holidays that we celebrated back in Kelvar, as it signifies rebirth, and it says goodbye to the darkness of winter and welcome to the flowery months ahead.”

(Post 2 of 2) There is a large bonfire beside the riverbank and a circle of women are gathered around it, excitedly roasting marshmallows, which are then slid between graham crackers that have been dipped in chocolate. A large pig is roasting on a spit further back, and several picnic tables have been neatly arranged, with various types of food resting atop. Mingling in with those that hail from Kelvar are a half dozen pixies, several elves, a few humans, and a couple of fairies. It seems the festivities have just begun as quite a few children are running around the area and taking a gander behind trees and beneath rocks, squealing in glee as they find a painted egg, and later run over to a table where prizes are being handed out. Lanara squeezes Tiber’s hand and glances around the area, noting those that she hopes to chat with and their location, before she points, “We should visit with the crones from Kelvar, first! Be sure to greet them with a ‘Merry Meet’ and I’m sure they will love you! Answer their questions, no matter how intimate. They are wise beyond their years and they can tell if you are being truthful or not.” They also can hex the poor man, should he offend them, but she neglects to mention that small detail. It’s easy to tell the Kelvarian Elves from the others as every woman is comely and currently gaping at the Catalian as they stride into view. One woman mouths ‘Is that HIM?’ to Lanara, as a marshmallow slides from her stick and into the blazing fire, and a few of the kids stop hunting for eggs and hug their baskets to their chests as they ogle the newly arrived couple. Cheeks flaming, Lana hugs Tiber’s forearm to her chest and directs him over to a table where five women are seated, all of which fix him with a searching stare. Each woman is lovelier than the next, as it’s well known that elves from Kelvar are the most beautiful of any race, and oddly none of them look to be more than a few years older than Lanara. Obviously, their looks are deceiving as they are each nearly a thousand years old! “Merry Meet, High Priestess Milva, Raya, Keawna, Ephe, and Ghina. I would like to introduce you to my twin flame… Tiberius.” Perhaps the witch should have mentioned to Tiber weeks ago that she learned they are soulmates? Would he have believed her late Aunt Sharna’s prophecy? Lana steps aside so the crones can inspect the male, and she turns to gape at him, too.

Tiber watches as the pixie appears and embraces Lanara. The whisper is evident to the Catalian, for he hears the three words in the question. Not much longer…? What was so secretive…? The man was clever, but somehow, he could not pinpoint the pendant around Lanara’s neck, for it was covered with hugging bodies. Was the pixie talking about the festival? Thoughts halt as he is introduced to the Queen of Enchantment. “Your majesty,” he gently places a kiss on the top of Lunalesca's hand. What a gentlemanly action to do, but the man came from a background of knowing different languages and social statuses, so it was no wonder he was on his best behavior for the pixie. “Fondness is one way to express it,” he stares at the witch before him with a longing gaze before nodding about the festivities. The pixie disappears, and he wants to sneeze with all the dust around him. The coming of Spring. Why so tainted with sadness then? He shakes his head because it was time to move onto the celebration. The man grips the Kelvarian witch’s hand tightly as they walk in the gathering together. Perhaps he should have dressed the part better instead of his casual look. He watches the residents mingling and, all the while, listens to Lanara while taking mental note. “Sounds like your kin is nosy,” he grumbles, but he is hospitable. At least for her. “Oh boy,” he lets out a breath. This was a new culture he would have to learn, for Kelvar had not been a region in his previous geology and language studies. The stares that gawk his way are avoided, for his eyes rested on his hand that is intertwined in the witch’s. He does not break his gaze away from her hand nor face until they approach the rest of the Kelvarian. “Merry meet,” he slips out in a silken, cool confidence. There was a crisp edge about him. A collected one. Twin flame…? What had that meant…? Amber eyes lift to meet Lanara’s face in that moment in question, but then he gets lost in her gaping gaze before looking at the rest of them. Let the questions begin. "I'd say all of your names, but... you know, I'm not that quick-witted," he grins teasingly at himself.

Lanara grows just as lost in that sea of amber as their eyes remain locked, their fingers entwined, and were they not standing before an audience of elders, she would have thrown caution to the wind and pressed a far from chaste kiss to Tiber’s lips. The five women grin at the Catalian, and without words, they seem to communicate amongst themselves, as they all nod in collective agreement. It’s the one that sits at the center of the table that addresses them, “Merry Meet Lanara and Tiberius… We are pleasantly surprised to meet you, Sir, as we have heard much about you from Sharna. Please… Sit.” As Lanara drops Tiber’s hand and pulls out a chair, it’s Ephe that snags the witch by the wrist, “Not you, Dear. We wish to converse with this handsome man for a few moments, privately, if that’s alright? It’s not often we meet people from various parts of the world and we would love to hear some tales from Catal. So… Why don’t you go and help Rosie with her makeup? She still isn’t used to seeing her reflection in a looking glass… None of us are, truly! But, I must say, I no longer will have a hair out of place since moving here!” Lana’s smile falters as she realizes that she’s being banished from the table, and she worriedly glances at Tiber, as she last thing she wants to do is through her wolf boyfriend to the, well, the wolves! “Okay. I understand. Last time Rosie wore so much blush that I thought she was a human cherry! I will go and assist.” She mouths ‘sorry’ before she exits the area in search of a girl that has yet to grow accustomed to the lands. Keawna grabs Tiber’s hand and flips it over so that she can study his palm, while the other five each throw a question his way, though all of them clearly point to the same answer. “How do you feel about Lanara and what are your intentions?” After Tiberius answers that, along with a plethora of inquiries about his own life, Keawna finishes her assessment and drops his hand. “It’s as we thought…” Each woman frowns and bows their heads in perfect unison, before Mila begins to cry. Naturally, it’s this moment that Lana glances their way and sees a High Priestess weeping and her heart sinks with dread. What were they saying?! Milva knows their time is short and so she locks eyes with the Catalian, “Very soon you will be faced with an impossible decision, I cannot tell you more than that, because it will tempt fate and I am not one to push a detour. However, I will encourage you to think not with your head, but solely with your heart. It’s vital to Lanara’s future.” It’s clear that there is -much- more to this story, but the women quickly change the subject, Milva dries her tears, and everyone is smiling as Lanara returns to the table. “I’m starving! Mind if I steal my date back, so we can grab some food? I promise to circle back before we leave.” The witch is obviously on edge, a question in her gaze, as she holds her hand out to her lycan, “Everything okay? I hope they weren’t too hard on you…”

Tiber gives Lanara a doofy, charming smile before lazily rolling his head back to the Kelvarian elves. They are proper, but he is slowly sinking into himself. Lazy, obnoxious, but with an odd charming edge that made others bend when he was working for it. As Ephe grabs Lanara’s wrist, eyes flicker quickly at the motion as he almost wanted to reach out to stop the approach, but these kin were to be… trusted. He had hoped. His gaze is slow as he looks at Lanara and gives her a nod of stiff reassurance before he sits alone without the witch. Keawna reaches for Tiber’s hand, and although he wants to retreat, he resists his urge to her touch as she reads his hand. The questions are thrown left and right, but all summarize the same request of an answer. “Er,” he starts and he shifts in his chair before that aura of confidence washes over him. He stares at the five of them. “Listen, I get the interrogation. You want to know if she’ll be okay,” he begins slowly, cautiously. “It’d be easy just to spew out what you want to hear, and have it be clear as day and cliche, but… it’s more complicated than that. Lanara’s a challenge. I can’t say she’s easy. She knows how to get under my skin and make me crack. We fight. We make each other crazy, and we are relentless about giving in…” He looks at each woman steadily. “Lanara, however, knows how to keep me on my toes, and I could say the same. Lanara is intoxicating, and… in the best of ways. She loves me for who I am, what I can be, and that is not easy for people. People to be relentless. Consistent.” He pauses. “I am… in love with her. I don’t want anyone else, for we teach each other every day. Pull each other out of the circles we want to stay in.” He blinks and leans forward. “I don’t want anyone else, nor would I have ever chosen anyone else because I was stuck in this selfishness.” He inhales. “My intention with Lanara is to love her everyday. Challenge her everyday. Give her what she deserves even if I cannot be rational sometimes.” His face is sincere and confident. Still silken in his Catalian roots. Then, amber eyes lock with Milva as she speaks. Was it something he said to let everyone bow their heads in sorrow…? What was with the hoodoo? He squints before shifting uncomfortable in his seat due to the shift in atmosphere. “An impossible decision?” He leans forward before giving each woman a questioning gaze. “Tempt fate? You all can’t be serious?” Perhaps he wanted to call them all hippies, but that was offensive, and really he wanted to stay clear of any witchiness towards him. “What’s going to happen to her…?” He slowly shifts his gaze to Lanara who appears to be staring at them. He then moves his face back to the elves before him. Had it been something with her past that was coming back to present, or was this them telling him to possibly having to break it off? Milva’s tears were nerving, and an itch came to his hand which wanted to run through his hair. The pieces laid empty in his palm, and then Lanara comes in. “Uh, er,” he shifts slightly before standing up. He takes her hand, but he seems off-put. “Thanks,” he nods to each woman. Even if he had no idea what had just happened. “Uh, yeah--everything is fine. Let’s… eat. Maybe we can find a quiet place to grab a bite?”

Lanara senses the shift in Tiber’s disposition as he mentions finding a quiet place for them to eat, rather than rejoin the crones at their table. “Um. Yeah. That’s fine…” Did they tell him about the secret she’s been keeping? She planned on telling him this evening, either way, but it’s -her- secret and she prays to the Goddess that they didn’t fill Tiber in on the details. Her searching gaze keeps drifting back to their table, and she’s so nervous that she stumbles over a branch and nearly drags poor Tiber down to the ground along with her descent. “Sorry.” A fake laugh is forced as she mumbles about her ‘clumsiness’ and they proceed to the table to make plates of food. Lanara introduces Tiber to another dozen or so people from Kelvar, all of which are friendly and fair looking, and thankfully no one else interrogates the male as heavily as the five from before. “Let’s go make some s’mores, okay?” The fire is unattended for the moment and as she slides some marshmallows onto sticks, she gives Tiber a slow smile, “I think everyone likes you… I didn’t see any fireballs flying your way!” She’s jesting, as she pokes him with the stick before handing it off, “Hey… So. I need to talk to you about something serious when we get back home, okay?” She can’t reassure him that it’s going to be ‘okay’ news or that it won’t affect their relationship. “I have a feeling they alluded to this secret that I’ve been keeping, and I honestly planned on telling you tonight. I -am- going to tell you.” Why does she sound so sad and cryptic? Biting into the s’more so she doesn’t start bawling in front of everyone at the Ostara celebration, she finishes half of her dessert before tossing the rest into the flames. Will Tiber remain with her until her final breath or will this secret she kept from him be their undoing?

Tiber reaches for Lanara when she trips and falls. He almost loses his footing before tugging her forward to keep her upward. “Watch it there, tiger,” he senses that fakeness in her laugh. That nervousness. As if she expected something to be wrong in that meeting he had. The man curtly nods to each person he meets at the table and makes light conversation before moving on to sit near the fire. He chomps away on some mystery salad while she roasts a marshmallow. Soon he would do the same, but he wanted to finish his plate. He was a full food before dessert guy. “Everyone likes me, huh,” he grins in his snarky, confident way. It is almost disgusting how into himself he could be, but it is full of jest. He stuffs his mouth before pushing his plate to the side to stick a marshmallow into the pits. He lights the entire fluff on fire creating a charcoal coating. Eyes observe until she mentions the seriousness in the conversation. His mind reflects to the five crones, and what they had said to him. “Until we get home…? Now you’re just creating anticipation,” his voice is low and calm, and he could tell there is something more to what she is saying. Then, her voice becomes grim, and eyes shift to her. Eyes trail down her frame before observing her face. He pulls off the skin of the charcoal and plops it into his mouth feeling the sweet ash between his teeth. “You’ve been keeping something…” He says slowly as if he is taking a few distant steps back in his tone, and then he falls silent before now setting the stick back in the flames to burn the rest of the treat. He had a feeling he would be losing an appetite after what the elves had said. They seemed distant. “Maybe we should hit the roads early, huh?” He does not really waste a minute as he stands. He does not want to let observers wonder, so he waits for her to depart with him.

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara is silent as they walk back to the apartment complex, at odds with her heart and her mind, but she’s determined to speak her truth. Once they get inside, she motions for Tiber to take a seat on the sofa, before she sits on his lap, facing him. The witch is wise to straddle the male, resting a knee on either side of his thighs, not because she’s being sexy, but because it lessens the chance of Tiber storming out of the room. The only way he can go is if he throws her off of his lap, and she instinctively knows that manhandling her is beneath him. “Please… Don’t hate me for keeping this secret, just forgive me for being brave enough to return to your side, so that I could spend my last few weeks beside the man that I will love for the rest of my life, and after my death.” Lanara is shaking as she runs a hand through his wavy locks, captivating chocolate pools sinking into the depths of unfathomable amber, and she whispers “I love you, Tiber.” Leaning in, Lanara presses her lush lips against his perfect pout, breathing in his essence as their tender kiss turns passionate, though it breaks far too soon. Biting back a sob, feeling all of her strength dissipating from her form, the trembling witch tells her terrible tale of what had transpired back in Kelvar. Every ugly truth is said with clarity, so that the lycan can see just how broken the woman upon his lap truly is, and understand why she is forever changed from that year spent in her hellish homeland. Lanara Banks killed her daughter with her bare hands, sealed up Kelvar so that none could enter or exit the elven kingdom, and banished the race of vampires that had tried to invade her homeland. As if that’s not sickening enough, her next line is enough to freeze the blood that flows through the veins of her lover, “I sacrificed myself, Tiber… To remove the curse that plagued my kin, I used my own life force, and it worked. They are healthy and happy and looking forward to a future in Enchantment! But… I won’t have a future… I’m dying.” She pauses to catch a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding, and she presses a palm upon each side of Tiber’s handsome face, “I don’t regret the choices I made back in Kelvar, but I never thought that returning here would be possible. You said that we would take things one day at a time, just live in the moment, and I meant to keep that promise. But… I have fallen undeniably deeper in love with you and when you told me that you loved me today, it broke my heart, because ‘love’ and ‘goodbye’ should never be paired together.”

(Post 2 of 2) Her eyes are moist and her lower lip twitches as she tries her best to continue speaking, “Um, I-I only have a week left, maybe two if I’m lucky. The curse can’t be transferred to another, there isn’t a ‘cure’ for my true condition, and I can’t be resurrected again… Lycanthropy and Vampirism are my only hope, but I refuse to ever become an undead bloodsucker, and there isn’t a guarantee that becoming a lycan will work, because my empathic abilities could reject any change. Plus, I would -never- put that on you! If it didn’t work, I wouldn’t want it on your conscience that you killed your soulmate.” Hands lower from Tiber’s face as she turns them over and reveals her palms, “Our love lines mirror each other, Ty… We were meant to be together before we were even born, the universe designed one man for every one woman, and we were ‘it’ for each other. My Aunt Sharna’s last words were that you and I are soulmates, twin flames, and that our hearts would be forever bound.” Lana points to the pendent, “This is hiding what’s really happening to my body, it’s enchanted, but I’m sure you’ve noticed the nosebleeds, the cough, lack of magic, among other things.” Lifting her hands to the rear of her neck, she inhales sharply and shuts her eyes as a single tear drips down her cheek, and she undoes the clasp that binds the hourglass pendant to her lifeforce. Silence ensues as the witch seems to shrink before his very eyes, her romper falling from her frail frame, as it lands in a puddle around her slender waist. Clad in pale blue undergarments, Lana slowly slides from Tiber’s lap, as though she thinks now is the moment he is most likely to flee. Not that she will blame him. She can’t even look at herself in the mirror without weeping. Dark hues are sunken into her head, surrounded by a yellow sclera, and a film of discharge clings to the rims of those once breathtaking eyes. Blood flows in a thin stream from each nostril, lips are chapped and bloody, and her lustrous locks hang limp and a few sparse spots are visible. Tiber is able to count every single bone in Lana’s body, he can see the dark spots on her once toned torso that hint at organ failure, desirable curves have shrunken, and her silken flesh is dry and pale. She has a long coughing spell and shivers in place, as a fever lurks somewhere in her body, and after several moments of allowing Tiber to see her condition, she fumbles with the necklace and tries to put it back on. “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you so many times, but I wanted to wait until you received my final gift.” She struggles with the clasp, “I want to help you get even with Ambers and I want to give you the pack, so you can have a real family for when I’m gone.”

(Post 1 of 2) Tiber :: The walk was quiet, for the thickness of the atmosphere stands between the two. Of course the two hold hands as they walk in that silence of theirs. Tiber moves to the couch slowly and inches down when she gestures so. A sitting moment. Sitting moments were not ever a good sign. As she sits on him, he feels limp because his mind swarms with the idea of taint. He does not hold her back, instead he keeps his hands at his sides as he stares at her with observation. A very stern press rather than a sultry one. In the back of Tiber’s mind, he knows he could move her easily with her lightness, of course, but he keeps her where she wants to be, for he knows. He knows how she wants to be touched and handled. In the heat of aggression, he was not allowed to move. To inch her. Words were his only weapon. ‘Please… don’t hate me’ are the only words that echo through his head at first. He cannot look at her anymore at this moment. The moment of begging for forgiveness. Instead, honey eyes stare past her rather than up at her. She admits that she wanted to be with him the last few weeks before… death. In that statement, his brows furrow, but he cannot manage to look at her, and as she runs hands through his hair, he wants to duck from her, but he cannot. He lets her, and she leans down to press her lips to his. He is almost out of his body when he kisses her back, and once he breaks, he looks at her as if she sucked him back in momentarily. She loves him, but what she says goes through one ear and out the other… until, she voices what happened in Kelvar. She begins to finish the tale--the vampires, Natianara on her final breath, the curse. The missing pieces that he had been holding from her past tales had been fitting. The patience he had with her had now been falling into place. Each memory of the lycan and the witch passed with a motion that Lanara was living like she had been dying. His gaze is distant as he stares at her. At the selfless, stupid woman before him. Risking her life for elves that had treated her as an outsider when she was young. Why? Gold eyes look glossy, though he bites back any emotion that begins to brim as he stares to the side at the kitchen. A bottle sits on the counter that screams at him, but instead, the bottle has him cast his gaze over her again as if he was not able to hear her. She speaks how that she fell deeper for him, and he shakes his head. “You came back, and you -knew-.” His eyes cannot look at her face. “You left me, Lanara, and then you come back and now you’re leaving again,” he throws his head back as if he wants her off of him, but he knows. The lycan knows she is keeping him from walking away. To hear her out more. He bites his bottom lip as eyes stare at the kitchen again as she speaks.

(Post 2 of 2) Palms reach up to the lycan’s face as she speaks of only having a week or two left to live. Palms cover his eyes and stay in a stoned motion. The girl before him spills about Lycanthrope. Vampirism. He shakes his head in disbelief as if this was a distant dream like every moment that had transpired in his world. “Lanara, you should have been honest with me. At least we would have had time to figure this out. More time to figure a cure. Come to our senses! You know I would have done anything for you. You know from the beginning when you were back, I had been broken without you, and you just… come back, string it along knowing you were going to die.” His hands come to clasp each other as he lowers it to his lips. He stares at her palm. The talk of soulmates as he is still in that stoic position. The twin flame. That had been what they were talking about. They had been soulmates. Only born for each other. His jaw tightens as he places palms behind his neck and looks up at the sky in almost disbelief. Almost disbelief until the pendant. “I thought Penelope was supposed to help you with the nosebleeds and coughing,” as if he was in denial. Then-- “Lanara,” the magic disperses and like being close to something, the vision he had for a future dissipated, for she was dissipating right in front of his eyes. A frail frame, sunken eyes, blood vessels and dry lips. So much more lie under the surface. “You were suffering all this time and--” he cuts off as those hands cover his eyes again in disbelief and there were streamlines that appeared to be tears that fell down his face--the horror of her state had been too much because… he could not protect her the way that he promised. “I didn’t need a gift, Lana, I needed you,” his palms aggressively fly from his face. “How long were you going to keep this?” The Catalian inhales sharply to stop the slow tears. In a beat, his face looks stern, although eyes are searching for any ounce of an answer from her. “If I didn’t have a say, would you want me to turn you, Lana?”

Lanara cannot stand the way he’s looking at her, as though she were some rat that had crawled from a gutter and dared to take up space in his dwelling. She feels ashamed for showing him what lies beneath the surface of the enchanted pendant. At long last, she secures the clasp and after a moment the dying girl is gone and in its place is the flawless beauty that had bewitched the lycan. Her eyes still bleed with pain and the tears fall steadily down her cheeks, marring the illusion of a witch who had desperately held it all together until now. The dam breaks when Tiber states that he ‘needed’ her and she full on sobs as she falls to the floor and hugs her knees to her chest. The past tense of that single word shatters her to the core and she shakes her head, trying so hard to speak, but unable to talk amid her hysterical sobbing. Should she leave? Beg for his forgiveness? Say to hell with it all and end her life sooner rather than later? Cinder pads into the living room and glares at Tiber, before she headbutts Lanara’s bare leg and tries to offer some semblance of comfort. The feline goes ignored and eventually stalks off to watch them from afar, as if even the familiar of the witch didn’t know quite what to do. Knowing that a fight would ensue if their emotions continue to escalate, Lana remains silent, listening to every accusation that is thrown her way. She should have told him the truth from the day they reunited. It’s only when she sees his own eyes glistening with tears that she starts to speak, her voice barely above a whisper, as though weeping had taken up all of her energy. “You deserved to know the truth, and I am sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner. I tried, there were moments where I knew I should confess, but I was so scared that you would hate me. Because… All I ever do is fail you, and yes, because I am leaving again. I never wanted anything more than I want a future with you, Tiber, but if I told you and you left? That would have killed me far faster than this curse. I was selfish… I just want to keep you a little longer. I wanted to have these memories, because it’s all I can take with me when I leave.” Lana glances to the side and fights to maintain her composure, failing greatly, as she openly cries, “I showed you parts of me that no one has ever seen, I let you -in- and you know I distrust everyone, and my dying wish was to fulfill a bucket list with you. But… I messed up. I should have told you. Or maybe I should have stayed away?” His next words catch her off guard and she thinks about it for a long moment, “No. Because if you turn me, you won’t love me anymore. The attraction will fade. You hate what you are and if you inflicted lycanthropy on me? I think you would begin to hate me, too.” She lifts a hand to dry her tears, “If you could promise that wouldn’t be the case, then I guess when that time truly comes? You could try, if you want, but you have to be prepared should it not work.” Pushing herself to her feet, Lanara bashfully looks at Tiber, “I can sleep in Nadine’s room tonight… I know you probably want some space.” Could she still call this home? “We have to meet Ambers tomorrow… We can talk more about this after my interview if you want? Or… If you want me to just leave in the morning and never come back, I will have to respect your wishes.”

Tiber :: Both the Catalian and the Kelvarian sit in that white living space with hearts twisted from hurt. Tiber cannot get a grip until he is able to hold that firm gaze of questioning. Questioning that lingers on her hugging frame that wallows on the floor. The frame listening to his accusations. “Lanara, I loved you even when you were away. It just took me longer to catch up and--” her words throw him off-guard. Her talk of being a failure to him. His expression looks dumbfounded in sorrow. “I never wanted you to feel that way, Lanara,” slow words form, but then he falls silent as she speaks again. His hands reach up around the sides of his head to press palms against. Elbows rest on his knees as he stares at the woman on the ground. The beautiful facade curled on the ground. With measured motions, knees slide forward to kneel on the ground in front of her on the rug. The brokenness had become clear as day. As if he had been staring into a sick, tainted window of why she had been suffering. The tipping point. Callused hands slide onto her arms as he kneels with her. The time he sits in front of her, he thinks that he would have been just as selfish as she had been. That his dying wish had been similar if he was knocking on death’s door. Then, when she answers his next words, something in his stomach twists to create mini knots. ‘You could try, if you want…’ turning her. His face is blank for a moment as he searches that gaze of hers. He feels reluctance at her response, but a world without her… She knows how he would feel, but not quite to the depths of her thoughts she thinks. Why would she think he would not love her? “I will always love you. And even though you… no. This… got messed up. I will not stop fighting to find what you need.” The answer was not clear on Lycanthrope, for the Catalian looked as if he was swarming in the spiral of his thoughts. His hand slides up to her cheek. He furrows his brows as he tries to look at her. “Do you realize that I’m mad because this happened? That you’re… possibly leaving--forever this time.” He pauses. “You need to stay with me. Not in Nadine’s room. In -our- room because… I’m not wasting another moment. Not when your life's on the line.” And although that hand rests on the woman’s arm, it pulls back in the distant spiral of… ‘what now’. He stands, reaches to help her up, and moves on beyond her. Space was what he needed, but not externally--no. If anything… he needed more space with time.