Not quite home|Aegestrom, Maelstrom

[aivea]

Aisling quietly hums a strange tune as he carries Ann toward "home" and waits for his influence to take hold. The Clear gives an inward laugh before saying, "It's not that much farther... Isn't this so much easier than walking?"

He is continuing southward but turns east slightly. With another inward laugh he notices that Naurorod could be reached by going that direction for a longer distance.

[Northen Light36]

Ann barely pays the man any attention. Her eyes tell her they're heading towards home and that's enough for her, but she still doesn't like this man who's working with the people who took her away from Damien. Unknown to her, since she's never felt it before or been warned what to expect, the Clear influence has firmly gripped her mind, though since no orders have been given it's difficult to see the effects. "I can walk from here," Ann pipes up. "I know the way."

[aivea]

"This is as good time as any for a test..."

"Please just relax and go to sleep. I don't want for you to wear out your shoes," Aisling replies, putting just a hint of command into telling her to sleep. "Wouldn't arriving well rested be better?"

The Clear isn't sure if she's under his control or not, he's merely testing due to the belief that it could have been long enough.

[Northen Light36]

Ann's eyes start closing as a swift struggle for control goes on in her mind.
"I'm not sleepy."

"You have to sleep. Sleep now!"

"But I'm not TIRED!"

"SLEEP!" Her will finally overpowered by the comand, Ann drifts into a deep sleep.

[aivea]

Aisling looks down at Ann and chuckles.

"Oh good. It worked."

Enjoying the quiet, the Clear speeds up the pace of his walk and carries her into a gated building at the end of the path. Two sentries recognise him and open first the gate then the door. Both of which are bolted shut right after Aisling passes through and the sentries return to their hiding spots.

Inside the building, Ann is placed on a chair in one of the rooms. Aisling sits down facing her after locking both doors that lead to the room, remembering that Mirza had asked him to keep a close watch on her.

"You may wake up now. We're home," he says rather cheerfully.

[Northen Light36]

Ann stirs fairly quickly, looking around in confusion and growing fear. "This isn't home," she protests. "I want to go home right now!" Deciding she can't trust this man, Ann jumps out of the chair and runs to the door. Finding it locked, she screams, "LET ME OUT!"

[aivea]

"Yes, this is home. Well... My home at least. And do stop screaming, it's not good for your voice to yell," Aisling replies calmly. "Make yourself comfortable. I don't know who you are but according to Mirza you are someone special... That reminds me, I never did tell you who I am; I am Aisling, formerly of Lacuna."

He leans back in his chair and smiles reassuringly.

"I won't hurt you, so that's one less thing to worry about."

[Northen Light36]

Ann's eyes blaze suddenly and there's a very adult hatred in her expression as her mind swiftly puts together a series of facts. The Clears that took her parents were bad and came from Lacuna. Jhall is a good Clear and came from Reave. Therefore all bad Clears must come from Lacuna, so this man is a bad Clear. "YOU TOOK MUMMY AND DADDY!" she screams, balling her hands into fists and activating her signs as she begins to hurl fireballs at Aisling while screaming out a wordless cry of rage.

[aivea]

Aisling stands when he sees the look in Ann's eyes, expecting the worst. Seeing that what happened is similar to what he expected, the Clear begins dodging as many as he can but getting a few burns from ones that he didn't manage to completely get out of the way of.

"Stop attacking me and be QUIET!" he snaps. "I don't know who you or your parents are, so I doubt I took them."

[Northen Light36]

Ann manages to hurl one last fireball at Aisling before falling silent as Aisling's orders take effect. Lifting her head proudly, Ann glares at Aisling but can't speak or attack... Well, can't attack Aisling. There's nothing keeping her from burning the room down, even if she's restricted to actions that don't require a chant. And, like most seven year olds, Ann is a master at finding loopholes. Smiling sweetly at Aisling, Ann walks over to the bookcase, pulls out the most expensive looking book she can see... and silently sets it on fire.

[aivea]

Aisling snarls and grabs the book, putting out the fire the best he could before growling, "What are you trying to do? Explain! Explain what you are trying to do and why you are doing it right now! And do not do anything to my books ever again."

[Northen Light36]

Ann grins. "I wanted to be able to talk again," she says simply. "And I want to go home." Crossing her arms over her chest, Ann adds, "I am Ann of Clan Fira, Heir to the Fires and you are going to be in big trouble if you don't let me go. Uncle Damien will cover your house in lava and I'll help him! Then I'm going to feed you to the Dragon cause he's my friend." Sitting down, Ann starts to sing one of the more annoying songs the Wind children of Sparkstrike had taught her. "I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves. I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves," she sings over and over again.

[aivea]

"Don't sing," Aisling orders. "And I don't have a house anymore, so Damien can't cover somewhere that doesn't exist in lava. I doubt you could even pick me up to feed to this 'dragon' you mentioned. Dragons aren't anyone's friends, so I bet it was just some lizard that looked like a dragon because you have too much imagination."

[Northen Light36]

"Then he'll cover YOU in lava and Essence is TOO real," Ann replies before settling down to hum the same tune from her song, tapping along to it by kicking at the walls. It seems the little girl has decided that if she can't leave, she's going to annoy her prison guard.

[aivea]

"Stop humming. Just shut up," Aisling says before sitting back down and opening a book. "I'm getting sick of the sound of your voice."