EXT - Windgrace Manor lawn; night
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: Delilah carefully picked through the greenery behind the large manor houses, on her way 'home'. She was being careful, moving from patch of shadow to patch of shadow. She'd lost track of how long she'd been awake...it may have been a day...maybe it was a week. And still her ruined shoulder bled. She couldn't tell why...either she should have healed by now, or she should have died from bloodloss, and yet still she lingered, limping her way through the dark. Her fur was matted with blood, it was practically all she could smell. Evil, Windgrace magic no doubt, something to keep her alive for the sacrifice, but less of a threat so they could subdue her. Following her attack on Dinah, that betrayer, she'd bolted, zig zagging through the town. She'd fed on a man who'd separated from his pack earlier this evening...no, it had been last night...but she was fair certain she'd been subtle. No one had seen her. She was too clever...no one could take her. But still, the Windgrace's wouldn't just let her go...wouldn't hesitate to finish the job Charles had started with her family...she had to get them first, even if it were one at a time. And so, she found herself stalking around the back of Windgrace manor, a limp in her step, her eyes glowing yellow in the dark.
Dorian had been watching for Delilah's return since he'd gotten back home. He'd been lurking and looking through the windows, until he saw a shadow move and then the glimmer of lupine eyes. When he saw her, he'd call to his sister in his silent voice, [She's here. I am going to the lawn to collect her.] The elder of the twins climbed through the window and called to big red out loud, "Hooooo there little sister. You want to play? I am no Drystan, but, I liked dancing with you before."
Dinah was doing her best ro rest up inside. Getting ready. She had her ritual knife close to hand, just for a little bump of power, and she listened. Waited.
When dorian's comment came to her mind, she nodded slowly.
<"keep her there. Pin her if necessary. She will likely not go quietly"> she replied, heading for the doorway herself.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: Catching sight of the movement from the window, Lilah's lips pulled back from her teeth. It was Dorian, 'sweet', 'soft-hearted' Dorian. A voice in the back of her head nudged her, trying to remind her of the sweetness he'd displayed for her, the kindness. But then she remembered it had all be a ploy, a long con to fool her into submission. The Windgrace long-game to wipe out all of her kind, and a low, menacing growl echoed through the night. Lowering herself down, ready for attack, she moved slowly forward. Her gait was careful, but the limp from her left leg was not as hidden as she wanted it to be. "Ah knaw what ye did...what ye all did..." she snarled as she stalked forward, "Ye'll no' be finishin' yer daddy's work, Dori..."
Dorian crouched too, wincing when he saw her limp, he would step slowly toward her, not away, though her voice was very threatening indeed. His heart was pounding, but he was always someone who'd been braver than he was wise, and with a strong sense of loyalty to his kin. Though she did not realize it, she was yet that to him, and he'd demur as placatingly as he was playful before, "I am not sure what you mean, Lilah. But this is not your fault. You are bleeding. I do not suppose you will come quietly and let us fix you up, will you? You need help." He held both arms up in show of peaceable intentions.
Dinah stepped around the house and she glanced one way, then the other. With a soft mutter, she pressed the blade to her skin and opened herself up.
Prayers in the maddening language older than men spilled from her lips. Deal with the curse first...then she would heal the injury. She stepped out from behind dorian, trailing blackening blood across the grass, words whispering darkly from her lips and black eyes glistening.
She lifted her arms over her head, the ritual blade pointed downwards to the floor.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: Delilah eyes Dorian carefully as he approached. She moved, trying to circle around him, but he seemed to keep pace with her...the fool thought to challenge her. In the deep, rough voice her current form carried, she let a scoffing noise. "Ah'm no' yer housebroken mutt...Ah'm no' gonna roll over, play dead, an' wait fer ye ta make it sae..." And then she saw Dinah. No, more accurate, she saw the knife in Dinah's hand, and she roared, "LIAR! AH KNEW IT!" And in heartbeat the exhausted Scot knew she had to kill them both. She yelped as she pushed off with her bad shoulder, yet still she was running towards Dorian, all sharp claws, and teeth, and eyes, gleaming in the dark.
Dorian did try to keep pace, did face down the feral side of Delilah, and he'd wait until she was just very near and make to grab her by the bad arm, and get himself holding it, behind her or atop her. Even as he did this and she snarled, he'd grit his teeth and quietly inform her though he was not sure words were working with her just now, "I am sorry. This is because we care for you."
If he got his way he'd have a hold of her by her good shoulder and let go the bad arm once he was there. His entire attempt was to do one of two things, to pin her to the ground, despite his inferior size, or to keep her entangled with him so that his twin could do her thing. he heard her chanting, felt her stirring, but had to keep both eyes on Delilah. Once he'd gotten himself upon her back, he was not beyond flapping spectral wings to distract and propel himself.
Dinah 's knife arced down towards her own chest and she curled it around. More bloodshed. This time, she could heal it though.
"Mlandoth, Mril Thorion" The words of two of her patron gods rumbled from her like thunder, echoing from each blade of grass in a chorus of whispers. The words were lost in a language that blistered her lips to speak it. Energy that crackled with the darkness of the void gathered at the tip of her knife and she pointed it out towards Delilah.
"Purge and devour this infection"
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: Delilah let out a yelp as Dorian stepped to the side, grabbing her by the bad limb. In this form, she had a good few feet on him, and outweighed him by a decent margin, but she forgot about his strength. It was easy to do, with his pleasant face and soft demeanour...a foolish mistake on her part. Snarling, she called out, "Chan eil! Marbhaidh mi thu! Marbhaidh mi sibh uile!" as she struggled underneath the blond man, resorting to her native tongue in her rage and pain. She swiped with claws, gnashed with teeth, struggled, but it just wasn't working. All the while, she heard Dinah, heard her saying devilry, ready to kill her. Every second, she expected the killing blow, the embrace of the dark...and then, when the knife aimed towards her...she felt it hit, but it wasn't like she expected...something...something reached deep inside her, and...her head began to clear. In a moment, the Scottish werewolf gave up her struggles, going limp underneath Dorian, whimpering softly, her eyes clenched closed.
Dorian did not like hurting his sister, any woman, ever. It seemed wrong, even when she was so big. But he had to, only until she went limp. Then he'd release her sidle over to pick up her paw that was not attached to a damaged shoulder with two hands, cooing as he knelt beside her, "I am sorry that I hurt you. You will be right as the rain soon. You will see. Di will get you fixed up." He had not checked himself over to see if he'd gotten hurt, but he knew one thing: he'd not want to face her when she was at full power. She was mighty.
Dinah didn't waste any time. As soon as delilah sagged into the ground, she approached, lowering her knife but keeping it close. JUST in case. "keep her pinned, dori" she said quietly, in a voice that was her own again, the black draining from her eyes in ichorish trails across her cheeks. She strode across the grass, slashing her palm and pressing it to the injured shoulder.
"lets get this cleared out of you. I am not letting some...ghost curse keep a hold of you" she muttered, willing her cut to drain into and clean the curse from the wound with her healing magic pulsing through the connection in cooling waves.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: Delilah shuddered. As the anger drained from her, her body focused on the pain. It felt like there were ants, little fire ants, running around her shredded shoulder, trying to pull her apart from the inside out. She clenched her teeth, which in her current form might look like her baring them once again, if not for the worry in her brow, the soft whimpering escaping her lips. And then...and then it was gone...she pain was gone, and her eyes opened, finally clear of the rage that had inhabited them for days. The curse lifted, between Dinah's magic and her own considerable healing ability, her ragged shoulder wound managed to close itself up in a matter of moments. Looking between the twins, she let out one last shudder as she said, "Ah felt sae lost...Ah wis...there wis this fog an' Ah..." Turning her head, she focused on Dinah as she added, "Di...Ah'm sorry...Ah dinnae...Ah knaw we've had barbs but Ah never meant ta..."
Dorian didn't think Lilah needed pinning anymore, but when Di said to, he did, reaching to scritch behind a red furry ear as an apology. He'd go quiet and look up to Dinah with a nod once he'd done as she asked. And when Delilah spoke, he'd let go holding her in place only to throw his arms around her in a hug just after. His heart rate only stopped racing when she had made some of those piteous whimpers. Realizing she'd likely want to be getting inside soon, he'd spring away from her and just look at her with gentle eyes. He kept quiet as the women of the house were talking.
Dinah drew back her hand as soon as the wound closed up beneath her palm and she flexed her hand. Her own healing would take care of that in mere seconds.
She shook her head at Delilahs' apology, smiling as she reached to pat her on the shoulder.
"you could have done a lot worse." she conceded. "Ruined my dress, though" she chuckled quietly. "Hector said it's a curse that you had. It transmits through violence. You have to heal the wound AND cleanse the curse or it'll come back." she gave Dorian a warm smile. "there we go. i'm glad we didn't have to trap you or something otherwise unpleasant."
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: Shifting her position, Lilah stretched, first her front legs, then back, long and languid before she stood, shaking out her fur like she'd just had a bath rather than been trying to murder her family. "A curse," she said, a thoughtful tone in the rumble of her voice, "The girl...ran inta a girl in the park, th' night before Ah attacked ye. She was wavin' a gun round, actin' frantic. Ah wis tryin' ta calm her down. She wis some kinda supernatural...dinnae have a heartbeat. Surprised me with a punch...fackin' thing nearly ripped ma arm off. There wis others there, tryin' ta help us, 'but guess they dinnae get all of it." She paused, looking between the twins. "Funny part? Th' girl's name wis also Delilah."
Dorian couldn't keep quiet at hearing this tidbit, though he could now better appreciate the fearsomeness of her wolf form, "Delilah? You were cursed by someone with your same name? What are the chances of that? Been ages since I have met another Dorian. And Lilah, we are not trying to fool you, nor use you, like PaPa does us. You are one of us." He had to say it out loud, because he imagined the curse bringing that out of her might have meant that she had some secret fear of this.
Dinah nodded, licking her hand like a cat to clean the blood from her skin. "that'd be likely where you got it from then. if you see this delilah, try to get her to either us, or to Hector. he's been healing people too. he helped me" she looked out towards the sea "...i dont suppose you know that silver haired man that tackled you off me, do you? I dont think i'd met him before." She stepped around to her brother as he spoke of their father, and she smiled wanly.
"he'll be visiting, by the way. just for the ritual. Please don't eat him" she said quietly "though he almost certainly deserves it"
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: Delilah could have kissed Dorian, his attempts to reassure her hitting him. But with her size and snout, it would have amounted to a huge, slobbering lick that he may not appreciate. Or if not him, Dinah certainly wouldn't have abided, and given recent events, she wanted to try to be on her best behaviour around her sister. So, she just leaned forward, briefly resting her large, wolfy head on the male twin's shoulder before turning her attention back to Dinah. "Ah've nae idea who the silver hair wis. Ah think Ah've picked his scent up 'round the island, it wis vaguely familiar, but Ah've no' seen him...truth be told, Ah wis sae angry, his face is somethin' of a blur, ta be honest." At the mention of their father coming, she tensed, and looked down at her feet. "Ah'll...try no' ta eat 'im...but it's gonna be hard..." Lifting her head, she sighed, "He killed ma first family..."
Dorian looked at the toes of his boots at the reminder of Charles' visit. It was very soon. And even though he had the books in order and things were going well, he was sure there'd be criticism. Dorian had even cleaned up the counter where his catalogs and ledgers were, and put things into alphabetical order, and not no order at all as he personally preferred them. He'd spent a fair amount of the evening before personally polishing all of his shoes, since that was just one other thing to potentially be targeted for. Not looking forward to spending those nights in his own room, in his own bed, he'd fall quiet again. But then Delilah said something which made him shake himself from his inner thoughts, "What? He did what?!" His own pain and unease parted to give way to confusion.
Dinah made a small noise of irritation but she nodded. this was an island, after all, the silver haired stranger couldn't have gone far. "I'll find him, i suppose. I think i scared him half to death throwing myself in the sea" she murmured. The news that Charles had killed delilah's family made her pause and she closed her eyes, curling her fingers beneath her chin.
"..he's due to arrive on the sixteenth. He will be present for the ritual and then leave" she said flatly but there was *something* in her voice. A definite...sharp edge there. "Don't worry about him, delilah. I shall keep him occupied and far from you. who knows. He might not even want to show face at the ritual if you're invited" she gave a casual shrug. "have patience, dear hearts. I know the man is loathesome"
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: "Well, Ah'm sure it wis no' he, himself...Ah'd have remembered his face." Delilah muttered, her gaze moved back to Dorian. Letting out a loud sigh of air from her nostrils, and explained, "Ye knaw how Ah ordered in the records of the family's help in foundin' Callisto, sae we could have it on hand if we need it. Ah wis openin' the box, and an extra ledger was inside, Ah'm sure by mistake...it wish from the mid ta late 18th century, detailin' his help in paying fer the extermination of ma clan..." A ghost of a growl rumbled through her, but after the snarling of earlier, it was easy to interpret as a mild grumble more than anything else. As Dinah explained she'd keep their father away from from her, she turned to her sister with a nod. Her eyes narrowed, hearing something in her tone, but rather than comment on it, she instead said, "Thank ye, Dinah."
Dorian moved from his wolf sister to his twin, as he mournfully and contritely replied to Delilah, "I am so sorry." He was already trying to justify, to find a way to understand why his father had done such a thing. A last ditch mental effort to hope it was a misunderstanding, but he could not bring himself to question the wolfwoman on the matter. It really did sound like Charles Windgrace's type of thing, and he was certain it had to do with currying favor, or something political back home.
He assumed the tone in Di's voice meant that she was arranging to handle the brunt of Charles herself. She was better at managing and dealing with their father than he was. He'd move to link arms with his twin since he could for another few days, and would not be able to do so while the man was abroad. Even if he was a terrible person, the man was his sire, though Dorian surely felt more guilt in these few moments than his father ever did.
Dinah: me made a soft huff and she shook her head "No, I'm actually surprised. I'd have though that he'd take the chance to 'hunt' someone" she said bitterly. She reached out with her mind towards Delilah
<"patience. trust me. "> was all she sent, though she reached out to take Dorian's arm, giving his hand a squeeze.
"it'll be fine, darling. we just need to tolerate him for a few days. I'll take him on a tour of the island, we'll eat out so he won't vex keiko. you know he shan't have any time for the japanese district. I'll take him riding" she patted Dorians' arm. "I am quite sure I can keep the old beast occupied for a day and a half. heaven knows the only reason he's coming is to make sure I don't mess up"
Dinah made a soft huff and she shook her head "No, I'm actually surprised. I'd have though that he'd take the chance to 'hunt' someone" she said bitterly. She reached out with her mind towards Delilah
<"patience. trust me. "> was all she sent, though she reached out to take Dorian's arm, giving his hand a squeeze.
"it'll be fine, darling. we just need to tolerate him for a few days. I'll take him on a tour of the island, we'll eat out so he won't vex keiko. you know he shan't have any time for the japanese district. I'll take him riding" she patted Dorians' arm. "I am quite sure I can keep the old beast occupied for a day and a half. heaven knows the only reason he's coming is to make sure I don't mess up"
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: Delilah nodded at Dorian's apology. She knew he meant well, and honestly, what else was she supposed to say when one apologizes for a genocide. The voice in her head, however, Dinah...that said so much more, in three little worlds. Meeting the mistress of the hour's eye, Lilah nodded, letting out the thought 'Ah trust ye' and assuming she could hear it. And so, with little else to do in relation to the Windgrace family patriarch, she focused on her breathing, calming herself further, and gradually, her wolfen features began to retract, hair disappearing in clumps. An outside observer would very likely find it strange her saying, "Shall we spend some time in the Seiiki while yer da's here, Dori? Keep yer interactions ta a minimum?" in a conversational tone, this said all while her skeleton, muscles, internal organs worked at rearranging themselves on their side lawn. Luckily, they were very much alone. Most likely. "Dori, be a doll an' get us a towel, woud ye?"
Dorian was surer that his father was coming to tell him that he was doing something wrong. But that was likely news to no one who'd seen the pair interact. He'd bend to kiss Di's ring finger after she squeezed his hand, and talked about her plans, and nodded abundantly to Delilah's suggestion about how to avoid Charles. And the very moment she asked, though watching her transform was hard not to watch with his jaw dropping and imagining it must hurt a vast amount, wanting even to ask about it, he'd instead just jog off to go get her something to put on. "Back in a tick." He went right back in through the window and bounded to help a sister out.
Dinah nodded, both in her agreement to the mental communique, and the idea of spending all their time in the seiki "he'll mock you relentlessly for spending time amongst the foreign savages, but darling, you have to run the business. you cannot be dallying about with him all day. Leave me to entertain him, and we shall just have to tolerate him at dinner. We'll pick the nice place by the sea, though, so if in doubt they have those good cocktails you enjoy" she pressed a smooch to her brothers' cheek. She nodded to Dorian as he fled to fetch the towel and she looked down to Delilah once more.
"I've seen the signs." she said quietly "you'll see them too" was all she said before she turned herself, drifting away towards the house again. She still had a lot to do before the ritual and there was far less time than she would like to do it in.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: Delilah offered Dorian a soft smile and nod as he darted off to fulfill her request, before turning her attention back to Dinah. At her words, she just nodded, saying softly, "Aye, lemma knaw if ye need anythin' from me," and let her get going back to her business. Closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around her legs, she gave her head a twist, side to side, as she settled back into her smaller, decidedly less hairy form.
Kim Jung Kook: A crash, into the tree, the sound of branches breaking as they caught a someone... thing... and broke most of their fall. Then the thud of something hitting the ground. An animal?
Dorian came jogging back, towel in hand, cheeks not pink from exertion but the kiss he'd gotten from his twin. He'd toss it to Lilah as the crashing started, and put himself in front of her, between both his sisters and the source of the sound. "What in the bloody hell...?" He probably looked half a sight, with white shirt smudged with blood from his sister who by now was no longer bleeding, hair artfully tousled.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: At the sound of breaking branches behind her, Delilah was up in a flash, teeth and claws bared (and the rest of her bare as well, modesty be damned). She was too tired after shifting back, and days without sleep, to get big and scary once again so soon, but she wasn't about to give up on protecting her home. "Oi! Yer 'boot thirty seconds from..." And then a towel landed on her head, and Lilah sputtered. Pulling the towel from her head, she found her brother in front of her, gallantly and chuckled, shaking her head. Taking a second to cover herself up, she moved to Dorian's side, muttering "Eloquent as always, Dorian. C'mon out, ye tosser..."
Kim Jung Kook: The thing that fell from the sky groaned after hitting the ground groaned and lay still for several moments before moving. Just about the time that someone was shouting at the creature it began to move stiffly though quickly. Once on its feet, what staggered out from behind the tree looked like a moving bronze statue from a temple complete with firing eyes. Was it hurt? It made a roar like a lion at the people standing there but stood still. Probably because its bones were reknitting or it was slightly disoriented, either way the posture of the beast was guarded as it got its bearings.
Dorian couldn't have aimed that towel better if he tried. He didn't have time to look at his sister's body, and he wouldn't have looked for more than a moment anyway being a fairly decent chap, but his valour required he stay between the... moving statue.....? And his kin. When he lay eyes upon the thing and it roared, he asked his sister, "You see it too, don't you?" Turning to the.... creature...?? again with a shrug and some confusion, he'd try to talk to it like he would a street cat he wanted to pet, cooingly, "You are a pretty kitty. Be calm, no one wants to hurt you. Not even my sister here."
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: As the strange beastie made it's way out from the bushes, Delilah was somewhat taken aback...she'd seen such shaped creatures before, but certainly not moving and on fire. As Dorian asked to confirm that they bother were seeing what they appeared to be seeing, she was forced to nod, "Aye, Ah see it." When the thing roared at them, however, she couldn't exactly ignore that, could she? Mouth twisting into an almost toothy grin, she met the thing's eyes straight on without flinching, letting out a growl deep, low and menacingly, a sound that really should not have come from a short, nearly naked Scottish woman. The gesture may have seemed contrary to her brother's words, but a growl wasn't *necessarily* an attempt to harm, so she figured she wasn't making a liar of him.
Kim Jung Kook: The creature eyed Dorian carefully, but on the ebbs of that growl its posture changed. He dropped his head and snarled much like a dog would, and returned her growl much like a dog would even if it sounded more like a big cat than a dog. The fiery eyed beast looked between the two and took a step back. It wasn't scared per say but falling from his realm hadn't exactly been his preferred method of travel. Even though Delilah was growling at him, he kept side eying Dorian (if one could tell from the flames erupting from his eyes). A human realm? These things looked human at least though scenting was difficult. There were many scents. The beast needed a way to run out of here and get lost. Clearly looking like a temple guard from ancient tales was not the way to be dressed here. It took a side step, moving around them while locking eyes on Delilah as it was looking for a way out.
Dorian was not the smartest person in the family, he wasn't the wiliest, but he did have a soft spot for animals and wounded things. He'd noted the roaring and growling contest, and decided what to do having a bit less animal instinct ruling him. In terms of what he smelled like, it was a bloody human with arcane magics infusing him inside to out. His glamour looked a fair bit like his true form, though without the spectral golden wings, and eyes, and eyes on the wings besides, nor the ashen rune covered skin that looked like a funerary mask of his own face. As aether ridden as he was, he rarely marshalled those powers, but what he did know, having spent years learning how to befriend one of nature's most timid creatures: the rabbit, was what a cornered creature's posture and eyes did. Assuming that was what it was, he'd murmur to Lilah in his low urbane gravel, "We should let it go. I am going to show it the gate. It must need to get back to the Seiiki temple..."
To the creature, he'd hold up his hands, putting himself now rather between the towel donning Scot and it, and think at it, projecting images he thought an animal would get, of the hedge gate past them, of that being the egress it surely sought. He showed the creature his notion of it going past them and that way toward the Japanese half of the isle from whence it had surely come. It caused his silver eyes to flicker with an iris erasing golden unlight to project his thoughts.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: Delilah kept her eyes on the creature. When it returned her growl, if anything the side of her mouth pulled up further into a grin. If this thing came for them, she'd be ready. She'd gone days with her anger not being her own to control, and that was unacceptable. She made no movement towards the thing, however, remaining at Dorian's side. She was exhausted, and when it came right down to it, she wasn't actually certain she was in any condition to take the thing. As Dorian spoke of letting it go, her eyes darted to him, then back again, and she finally, almost begrudgingly said, "Very well...piss off ye wee beastie..." She made a point to take in the creature's scent, however, to remember it if she came across it later. And she made some steps to the side as well, away from the exit, allowing it to leave.
Kim Jung Kook: The beast stared, continuing to growl until all of the sudden, a tip of its head. Images fluttering across its thoughts. A way out, he could see the gentleman was showing him how to leave. The growling stopped for a moment and the canine creature kept it's head cocked and it's ears perked up. It's posture softened, and it began padding toward the gate then to leave. Yes, peaceful as pie. The temple in town was not it's concern but leaving was. Just as it reached the hedge, the thing turned back to look at Dorian and opened its maw. And very clearly said in his native language, "Gamsahabnida." The dog was speaking? And it was speaking.... KOREAN? Why yes. Yes it was. As for the scents Delilah got from it, the smells of fire and autumn leaves. Scents that a furred and feral creature shouldn't have at all. Then it jumped the hedge and was gone.
Dorian watched it go peaceably on its way and when it turned to speak to him he just lifted his hand in a wave. He immediately tried to repeat the word, "Gamsahabna?" When it had gone on, he'd turn to look at Delilah with very wide eyes and hop up and down where he stood. "Blimey! Did you bloody SEE that? It talked! Gamsahabna!" Shaking his curly head, he'd stare at his sister with his mouth ajar though he was out of words to describe what he'd seen. And he'd already had quite a day of seeing all sorts of things.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: Delilah watched the creature as it made it's way to exit their property, taking the thing speaking in stride. Moreso than Dorian, it seemed. It's scent was an interesting one, to be sure, and the flaming eyes were notable, but she was sure it would find plenty more interesting scents as it wandered the island. Turning towards Dorian, she offered her brother a roll of the eyes, "Ye literally heard me talkin' in a form what shoudna talk a short time ago...d'ye knaw what it meant, thou? What Gamsahabna means?" Shaking her head, she moved to turn towards the house, "Ah shoud have a bath...been runnin' 'round fer days..."
Dorian came padding after his sister shaking his head. He stayed young despite his centuries because he was surprised by things he'd never seen, and he would admit, "I do not think I shall ever get accustomed to the world behind the seen one. But I have seen much more of it here than anywhere else I have been. I will have you some tea sent up, Lilah, there's a good blend that tastes fine when you add brandy to it. You will feel like yourself again after that and the bath. I am glad you are back, you know, I was looking for you out the window for hours. Di said you would be back. I thought you might have gone to the forest...." He'd sprint ahead to get the door for her, chattering like none of it had happened, likely for her sake. In a minute though, he'd be splitting off to tell his twin what had run through the yard, and to get Delilah's strong tea ordered.