Divided Loyalties Resolved|Skyheort, Talen'sul

[Kender Bard]

"He's right," Talon agreed, stopping. "It makes the most sense. Sashi couldn't have sold you out and pulled off this attack without more information than you seem to imply she has. It had to be someone who knew more, and the only people who know that much about the guild are in the guild."

Alethia returned, fully dressed. Talon filled her in quickly and Alethia crossed her arms, wondering who it was.

[Northen Light36]

"He's right, Kitten," Echo reluctently admits. "The only one who could sell you and Mat out so completely would have to be one of us... As hard to believe as that is." She shakes her head slightly. "This just... It doesn't happen. Not like this. Guards sometimes beat a few names out of thieves they catch, but that's it." Realising she'd just drawn attention to what could be happening to Mat, Echo glanced at Acqua and saw she was looking somewhat sick. "Sorry Kit."

Acqua shook her head, still looking ill - and horrified. "It's not that," she murmurs, getting up somewhat unsteadily. "Echo, if there's a traitor in the Guild, they could be at any of the guild branches. Our children are at the guild."

Echo blanched at that. Amaro swore.

[Kender Bard]

"Let's go," Talon said immediately, touching his Wind sign. "Come on Acqua." He held out his other hand to her. "You tell me where to go, and I'll take you there fast as an eyeblink."

[Northen Light36]

Acqua took Talon's hand and quickly gave him directions to the second hand goods store that was the Guild's cover and enterance.

The store was, naturally, closed and locked at this time of night, but that was no problem. Acqua quickly, and quietly, removed a loose stone from beside the frame and revealed a key concealed there. Pulling it out, Acqua unlocked the door then replaced both the key and the stone. "There won't be too many people awake at this hour, but there might be some. Let me handle it."

Acqua shook her head at the idea she was having to sneak around in her own guild and sighed. "Come on," she murmured, opening the secret door behind the counter and heading downstairs.

Luck was on Acqua and Talon's side in this at least. Though some of the sounds coming from a couple of the private rooms hinted strongly that not everyone was sleeping yet, the main guild room was empty and lit only by the five fireplaces that kept this area of the guild warm and comfortable. Even with the warmth of the weather outside, the guild was far enough underground that it would get quite cold if it wasn't constantly heated.

Much like the Humontis guild that Talon had once visited, the Talen'sul guild had been carefully designed to resemble the outdoors as much as possible to make it more comfortable for the visiting Winds, with pillars carved to resemble trees and the roof set with small crystals that glittered in the constant firelight like stars.

Acqua led Talon across the main hall and into her and Mat's study. It was a cheerful room, with the rough walls hidden by attactive draperies, paintings and other artworks, - all stolen of course - comfortable but practical furniture, including a bookcase with some old and very well used looking books, it's own large fireplace (with a fire happily burning away) and soft rugs on the floor. The guild took very good care of it's Leaders.

Two doors were set into the wall and Acqua headed over to the one leading to her children's room. Heading to the first occupied bed, she shook Aries shoulder gently. "Aries, Aries love? Wake up sweetie, and be quiet."

[Kender Bard]

"Huh?" Aries murmured and then her voice registered. He sat up with a happy gasp, reaching to throw his arms around her. "Mommy!" he enthused in a loud whisper. "Mommy, you're home! Can I wake the others?"

[Northen Light36]

Acqua hugged Aries and smiled. Her children were at least safe for now. "Yes, do," she told him. "But stay quiet, Aries. And get dressed." She sighed softly and whispered, "We have to leave, Aries. I'll explain when we're out of the guild."

[Kender Bard]

"Mom...?"

Aries slid out of bed, now concerned. Then he noticed Talon and his eyes went wide. "What's Uncle Talon doing here?"

Talon's mouth quirked into a half-smile. "Sight-seeing." When Aries just stared, he sighed. "Wake your siblings, now."

Aries bit his lip and nodded, going to shake Bas and Pas. "Mom's home! Mom's home!" he whispered to them.

[Northen Light36]

Bas and Pas woke easily, as they always did. They were light sleepers on top of being natural born insomiacs after all. "Mama?" Bas murmured, rubbing her eyes and grinning as she spotted Acqua. "Mama!" Excited, the little girl scrambled out of bed and ran to hug Acqua tightly. "Mama you're home!"

"Shh," Acqua whispered. "It's good to see you too, Bassy, but keep it down. And get dressed and pack your things. We have to leave. No questions yet, all right?"

Bas frowned and exchanged a worried look with Pas before running to get dressed. Pas hesitated, taking in Talon being with Acqua and the absance of who should be here. Despite the order not to ask questions yet, he had to know, "Where's Daddy and the little twins?" Even as he asked, Pas started getting dressed quickly.

[Kender Bard]

Talon glanced at Acqua; he wasn't sure what to say. The truth? Evade? Lie?

The first was too brutal, he wasn't good at the last. "The twins are at my house," he said simply, shifting his weight impatiently.

Once Aries had dressed, he ran back over to the two, taking Acqua's hand. He gave her a pleading, questioning look, but held his tongue, as she had requested.

[Northen Light36]

"Soon," Acqua promised quietly. When the twins were dressed and packed and the whole family out of the guild safely, Acqua lead them over to the town fountain and gestured for them to sit down. "Twins, Aries, there's something I have to tell you and I'd prefer to do it now rather then in front of the little twins," she sighed.

"What is it, Mama?" Bas asked.

"Something about Daddy?" Pas added, proving he'd seen through Talon's evasion.

"You're too quick for your own good," Acqua said with a slight smile. "Yes, it's about your father..." Acqua sighed and hesitated for a minute before finishing, "Children... Mat and I were ambushed tonight. Your father was captured." Before the children could say anything, Acqua added, "We are going to rescue him, but right now it's not safe for you three to be at the guild."

[Kender Bard]

"Why not?!" Aries asked, jumping to his feet. "Who took him, Mom? Why don't we go wake the guild so we can all rescue him?"

After all, in Aries' young mind, betrayal was not even a possibility. The guild loved Mat; they would die for him. Those had been his feelings even before he had been adopted.

[Northen Light36]

"Yeah, why?" Bas and Pas demanded. Like Aries, they were guild children - born and raised by the laws of the guild. Betrayal wasn't a possibility to them, they barely even knew the meaning of the word.

Acqua winced at the questions and hesitated to answer. She didn't want to shatter their trust in the guild, but they deserved an answer... "Because... Mat was taken by the Ilyamen guards, children, and pretty much the only one who could have told them where to find us is another guild member."

[Kender Bard]

"No," Aries whispered, falling back a step, his eyes wide with horror. "No, no. Nobody would do that."

"Aries," Talon murmured, his voice soft but his expression hard. "I know it's hard to believe. But it's true. And even though it hurts, it doesn't change the fact of what happened. We'll find who betrayed your family, but first we're going to get your father back."

[Northen Light36]

Bas and Pas were quiet, looking shocked but not reacting outwardly as much as Aries. Which left Acqua free to focus her attention on Aries entirely.

"Aries, sweetie, I know how you feel. I don't want to believe it either, and it hurts me too, but we have to pull together as a family and get through this," she told her son gently, reaching out to hug him. "And you have to remember, at most it's one bad person in the guild. And really, you're right. No one in the guild would do this. Whoever betrayed your father and me is only pretending to be part of the guild. He or she isn't really one of us."

"They're just a lying faker and they're going to be sorry," Bas piped up, her voice quiet still, but with growing anger rather then shock.

[Kender Bard]

"That's right," Talon agreed. "But one step at a time. Let's get us all back home and we'll go from there, all right?"

Aries clung tightly to Acqua, shivering, oscillating between rage and grief. "All right," he agreed in a whisper.