The Forgotten Zodiac

Izan blinked at Welk, then laughed. "I like you! You have a fine sense of humor." He spoke in his own language, smiling away. "Now then, servants, clean this up." He sat back down in his seat, patting Lennon on the shoulder before looking at them all. "My friends, you look...troubled."

"We...lost someone. On the way here. Over the waterfall." Werr answered for Welk.

"Oh. Oh, dear! That's terrible, absolutely terrible! Is there anything I can do? Send out a search party?" Izan asked quickly.

"Well...we were going to look for him after we got a little rest. It'll be hard to search after night has fallen, so..."

"Yes, yes. Of course. But tomorrow evening, we must go over what to do. Our situation. Yes...tomorrow evening. I will give you all day tomorrow to search for your friend. If you don't find him, I'll have search parties looking for him. If you do...then that would be wonderful. If he survived. Oh, I hope he did." Izan frowned unhappily. He was quite energetic, for his aged appearance. And he seemed a bit...scatterbrained. But at least he had a heart, as his display of worry for Lennon, and now Nate, revealed. "For now, the maids will show you to your rooms. They'll fetch you dinner, as well. Anything your heart so desires, just ask them. They even know a good deal about...entertainment, if you know what I mean. Oh, and one more thing. Send her in!" He called.

A girl was pulled out, although she squirmed and whimpered unhappily, clearly here against her will. Izan smiled. "This is Isslia Royal. She's not royalty, it's just her surname. She is well versed in the history, culture, language and current happenings; we trained her for the purpose of helping you. She is now officially yours to keep, for as long as you wish." He stood and walked forward, handing Welk a token in the shape of Alastor's signet. It matched the sign on the collar around Isslia's neck. "This is your mark of ownership. I have more collars for your friends, so they aren't mistaken as...game. It is dangerous for those you call Laguiz to be roaming about here without a collar, others will try and capture them for slave trading. Isslia will explain all of this and more when you ask her to. For now, you should head up to your room for your rest." He said as one of the maids came over and handed Welk the leash that Lissia was attached to.

The room was filled with silence. Welk's jaw had dropped open completely, and he just sat there for a while, holding Isslia's leash tightly and staring at her in horror. It took Werr a total of three nudges to get his friend's attention. Welk blinked sharply and shook his head, finding his voice at last. It came out as a tentative quiver, however. "A-ah...th-thank...you..." He clutched the leash tightly, looking very, very troubled. He met Isslia's eyes, and in an instant, he felt some sort of crushing twinge go over his heart. He clutched his chest with his free hand, gasping softly, then looked up at Isslia again and felt his ears tuck down and his tail go between his legs.

((Warning: WALLpost. : D))

Isslia just stood there, not looking at him. She shifted around uncomfortably, frowning a little. Finally, Werr stood and spoke again. "Thank you again, Emperor Izan. We'll be retiring to our rooms now." He bowed low, naturally taking on the role of a loyal servant. He helped Welk stand and half-pulled him to the door, nodding for the others to follow.

He said nothing else until they reached the room they were going to be sharing. There were enough rooms for each of them to have their own, but that didn't matter. Werr was going to share with Welk, anyways. So once they reached their room, Werr shut the door and locked it behind them before taking a good look at Isslia.

She was a Lerloch, but one Werr hadn't seen before. It couldn't be all that rare, but there weren't very many in Alastor. A dog. Not a wolfling, a dogling. She had floppy grey ears that stuck out of her lighter grey hair, which was cut short to stay free from her black eyes and face. It fell to about shoulderblade-length, just enough to tie back in a short ponytail. She wore clothes unlike a common servant's; it was a blue robe with intricate designs on it, though from the way she picked and fidgeted with it, she was unused to wearing such garb. Her feet were bare, but it was easy to tell from the dirt on her soles and the scratches on her legs that she fought to keep them that way. On her head was a silver tiara of some kind, with a symbol that Werr recognized as an 'informant' symbol. A recent graduate.

Informants were those who knew everything there was to know about the country they lived in. Werr had a few in Alastor, but they were secretive and had their own line of guards. They worked as advisors to dukes and lords, and were trained in 90 ways to kill themselves in order to protect the information they had. Werr knew that this girl had been trained mostly the same, only the information she had was about Bulliete. So she was still a slave, very much so, but a special one.

Regardless of all that, the worst part about her was her age. She looked about the same age as Welk, though she was shorter than him and very petite. Her skin was a bit more tan, the same as most who lived here. There was silence for a long while as Werr looked at her and she stared at a spot on the floor. Again, Werr was the first to speak. "Welk...what the heck are we going to do with her?"

"Feed me!" Isslia looked up at once, frowning stubbornly at them. "I'll tell you nothing until I'm well fed. And I want GOOD food, too, not table scraps! You're rich, you can afford it. You didn't have to pay for me, either, so even better for you. You just have to pay for food. Dmitry fed me right, and you can too. I'm hungry now, so feed me!"

"Well..." Werr blinked, realizing that she was quite fluent in their language. They probably taught her that, too. "Erm...uh..." She wasn't looking at him, but instead her 'master'. Her eyes were locked on Welk, watching his every movement as though she wondered what he would do. Would he hit her for her insolence? Punish her for disrespect and speaking out of turn, or would he be mad at the fact that she was practically giving him orders? Right now, she was testing her boundaries in a very risky way.

((Ah, yes, we mustn't forget to initiate the ceremony after we're done with this group for the night. :3 And then they leave to search for Nate, who arrives moments after their gone...:la: So exciting~;))

((Mememememem.))

Welk blinked, then he glared and said "Okay look. I know you're a slave and it probably upsets you, but I don't like it either! I hate this whole situation, but I'll tell you this now; I'll treat you as well, if not better, as whoever you just said, but I will not be given a hard time over this." His hand tightened over her leash, giving a slight warning tug. "This is going to have to go two ways between us," he said, meeting her eyes right on and frowning at her. "Like it or not, we need some help here, and it looks like that's you. And hey, I'm taking you back to Alastor with us one way or another. You'll be free there." His frown turned into a glare. "But if you back-talk my friends and treat them wrong, then you had better not expect any nice treatment from me. My friends are my life; I won't see them...or you...belittled because of this whole thing."

A small bit of fire leaked from the corner of his mouth, showing that he was worked up over the whole thing.

((Aww, they're bonding. 8D ))

Isslia blinked at him. She looked at his eyes, then his mouth, then his stance, searching for signs that he was lying. Did he say...that she would be free? That she would be treated well? That was unexpected. Isslia was obviously aware that slave masters weren't always evil, but freedom was seldom offered so quickly. She was in shock about it, at that. She opened and closed her mouth, aware that she had just been scolded, but happy about it either way. Finally, she spoke again, with a low bow that caused the informant mark to almost slip off her head. "You have my complete compliance. I...I won't back-talk or treat anyone wrong, I'll be good from here on." She straightened up, but was obviously still worried about the idea of Welk lying to her. "Will I...really be freed?"

((Keep that up, Welk, and she might hug you. xD She's hyper like he is. 936))

((They're perfect! 8D ))

Welk blinked slightly, then said "Of course. Why...wouldn't you be? Slavery isn't right, that's why I refuse to think of myself as your 'master'. Let's be friends, okay? And...please don't bow to me, I...don't like it. Makes me feel awkward." He tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable, then finally smiled. He was actually incredibly handsome now, at the sharp age of 20. "Hello, madam," he said, holding his hand out. "My name is Welk Kaelen. And you are?"

She blinked at his hand, then suddenly moved forward. She pressed her forehead against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him; she meant nothing by the hug, really. She was just...so very happy. Her furry grey tail wagged rapidly behind her as proof of that. "My name is Isslia Royal. A-and I'd love to be friends." She stepped back and pulled away from Welk, taking his hand and giving it a firm shake.

"Well, that works out nicely." Werr smiled.

Welk smiled, shaking her hand almost as enthusiastically as she was to him, then said "Alright. I'll go get you some food, then!" He grinned, then turned and unlocked the door right as Cynyr went to knock on it. The brothers ended up colliding with each other, and after a brief hissing spat, they manuvered around each other and went their separate ways.

"Just came to say that I'm turning in," Cynyr said, then spotted Isslia. "Oh. Hey," he said simply, then didn't give her another care. Even though she probably hadn't seen anyone with his sheer amount of scars before.

Isslia stared at him for a long while, then decided to keep her mouth shut. There was no point in asking questions, it would just be insensitive and rude. It wasn't his fault he looked like that, she reasoned.

"Oh, alright. See you in the morning, Cynyr." Werr patted his friend on the shoulder, smiling. "We'll find Nate tomorrow...right? We have Spy with us, after all..."

Cynyr gave a small snort, then said "Whatever you say, your Majesty." He glanced sideways at Isslia again, then said "I'll send Lexi in here before I go to bed. G'night." He took panther form and rubbed up against Werr, then walked out.

Lexi, in fact, was doing her usual thing of wandering the hallways and admiring the beauty of the castle. Her walk was troubled, however, but not for a bad reason. Her thoughts were clearly elsewhere as she glanced over her shoulder, as if expecting someone to be there. Finally, she gave a very small, gentle whisper.

"Obelisk..."

There was a small sigh. "Lennon is my name now, Lexanna. But I'll still come when you call." He said quietly, stepping out of the shadows behind her. Of course...he had been struck through the heart with that weapon. Seria had seen it as underneath, but Lexi, who had actually done the healing, knew that if Lennon had been mortal, he would be dead, healer or not. So obviously, Lennon wasn't mortal.

That, and Lexi was the only one who knew his face. He ran a hand through her soft hair, feeling it between his fingers. "You should have stayed in Alastor. It's dangerous here...but now that you are here, I suppose I have another person to protect. But...don't tell Werr or the others, please. I'm just...trying to live. They'll do nothing but put the blame on me and Malice, even though we've done nothing to them. They'll come after us, and I can't let that happen."

Tears formed in her eyes. She was quick to move forward, hugging him tightly. "Oh, Obelisk... I-I mean, Lennon," she said, breathing in his scent softly. "I thought of you every day, you know. I wondered how you were and if you and Malice were well...and now that I see you here...I know you're okay. I'm so glad to see that you've found a place to live peacefully." She sniffled, softly and timidly, then stood on the tips of her toes in order to kiss his cheek.

"I tried to convince Izan to not send for Werr and his friends, but by the time I arrived here, it was too late..." Lennon sighed heavily, hugging Lexanna in return. "I'm glad your mind is eased, though. Malice is well...we have a home in the capital city. But...with this group here now, I wonder how long it will be before they figure it out." He brushed her cheek with his fingers, smiling gently in spite of his unhappy tone. "Lexanna, please, promise me you won't tell them. No matter how much they ask you..."

"Of course I won't tell them," she answered, staring up at him with her soft brown eyes. "You deserve a normal life, and as sad as it is to say it...they can only see Obelisk and Malice when they look at you and the little one. But I...I can see Lennon." She took his hand, giving the backs of his fingers a light brush against her lips, then said "Don't let them suspect you, though. I didn't know until I touched you. They won't know unless you given them a reason to suspect. Don't give them that reason, because...I don't know how long I could lie to anyone...I hate lying..."

"I understand. I won't do anything of the sort. To them, I'm just a loyal guard to an emperor of a foreign land. And it will stay that way." Lennon nodded quietly, then moved forward and hugged Lexi again. "Cynyr is coming. Go on, Lexanna. Enjoy your time with your friends. And remember, as you did only minutes ago, that I'm only a whisper away. In your time of need, speak to the shadows and I will come to call." He turned away and walked down the hall, turning to give another passing smile before rounding the corner.

Lexi sighed, watching him walk away, then looked up as Cynyr approached. He padded quietly along the hallway, nearly as silent as Lennon had been, and said "There you are, Lexi. You should get to bed, okay? Don't want Werr to worry about you."

She smiled and nodded, saying "Yes, you're right. I'll go right away." She walked forward and surprised the gruff panther with a hug, then straightened and ran off to find their room. Cynyr frowned for a moment, then shrugged and went about his way.

"There you are, Lexi." Werr looked up. Ophile was in the room as well, poking around Isslia and trying to get her to pet him, but she was downright refusing. That, and she was trying to eat her dinner. "Did you find your room okay? How about dinner? No poison or anything, right?"

"You're paranoid," Isslia snorted, shaking her head. "The emperor wouldn't want to poison you people unless you killed his prince and princess. And even then, he wouldn't poison you. He'd just have you executed."

"Erm...right." Werr blinked, then sighed. "Lexi, this is Isslia. She's our new friend."

"Hi~" The Dogling said in a sing-song voice.

Werr continued. "She knows everything there is to know about this place, but she's not giving it up to Ophile. We explained what he was doing, but apparently that was the wrong way to go..."

"It's my head, and my information! Not for wolfy. Shoo!" She squabbled at Ophile, who just snorted at her and shook his head.

"Stubborn child," He tutted, then suddenly sprang up and lunged after her.

"Eep!" She squeaked, darting up onto one of the beds. She transformed, the collar changing sizes with her; she was an adorable small dog, grey in color. Her fur puffed out and made her look extremely fuzzy. She ran to Welk and hid behind his legs, shorter than his knees. Definitely the smallest Lerloch they'd seen thus far.

((Fixed))

((So...she's the size of a chihuahua? .3. ))

Welk blinked down at her, then bent and gingerly picked her up, holding her close in his arms. "Ophile, don't scare her," he said. "And Isslia, you can trust Ophile. My oldest brother Cynyr does, and that's reason enough for me." He stroked her head gently, then said "Finish your food, but then I expect you to pet Ophile. It'll be good if more than one person knows what to do around this dump...I mean, place." He set Isslia down on the bed and sat next to her, taking lion form and resting his head on Werr's lap so the young man could scratch his ears.

((A VERY FLUFFY ONE. I can make her a bit bigger? Still under knee-height,'cuz she's naturally small and short and that was the first size that came to mind. Maybe Watson's height? xD))

"No, I'm not allowed." Isslia whined, tucking her tail between her legs. She transformed again, and looked at her food, then pushed it away. If Welk was going to make her pet Ophile after she ate, then she wouldn't eat.

"Not allowed?" Werr frowned. "Will they...punish you or something if they find out?"

Isslia was silent, folding her arms across her chest and pouting.

((Yes, she should be just a tad taller. Lerloches usually grow bigger than regular animals of their type, after all. Leo's HUGE. xD Watson is good.))

"They can't punish her," Welk said, lifting his head and tilting his head back defiantly. "Remember? 'She is now officially yours to keep, for as long as you wish.' Isslia is, officially, mine. And if I choose to punish her or not is my choice; no one else's." He slid his gaze sideways at Isslia, then said "Oh, done eating? Alright then, I'll just take it away." He took human form and stood, promptly taking the plate and putting it up where she couldn't reach.

He was good at playing her game.