Shelter from the Storm|Aegestrom | Maelstrom

[Kender Bard]

~Here's hoping~ Libre sighed. "Come on, we're going to the palace." He teleported with Harmony and started looking for his sister. Lacking anything else to do, Harmony trailed after him, looking around with interest.

[Northen Light36]

Flame, dressed in the same lightweight cotton dress she'd worn when they arrived (since she had nothing warmer), wondered out of her room to find her brother, holding a still mostly asleep Secret and shiverring in the chilly air of the hallways. She was truely ill suited to Maelstrom winters.

When she saw Harmony with her brother, she managed not to grimace and instead gave the older girl a polite smile. "Hello Harmony. Thank you for agreeing to help us."

[Kender Bard]

Harmony paused, raising a brow at Flame. ~Wow, where did you pick up the manners? Wherever it was, tell your brother where to get some.~ She grinned. "Hard to say no to Soahc." She eyed Flame up and down. "You sure have grown since I've last seen you. Here." She held out a hand, teleported the cloak from her room into it and held it out to Flame. "You look cold."

Libre blinked and looked between the two girls. He had not expected politeness between them and was, for the moment, a bit dumbstruck on what to say.

[Northen Light36]

Flame wrapped herself in the cloak and resisted the urge to snap at Harmony for insulting her brother. "Thank you for the cloak," she said instead. "I am cold." She managed to give Harmony a small smile and added, "I've grown up since we last met. Which reminds me, I owe you an appology for being a brat. I'm sorry."

To Libre she whispered, ~SHE hasn't grown up at all. But we need her help and I at least can behave like an adult. I don't like her, but being polite will make her easier to work with.~

[Kender Bard]

Harmony smiled at that; genuinely. "Thanks. I'm sorry for giving you a hard time too."

~She hasn't~ Libre agreed. "We leave at noon. You've seen the palace, so you know how to get here now."

"Right, see you soonish," Harmony agreed, teleporting away.

"Thanks," Libre sighed. "I have a hard enough time keeping my temper with her. Glad to know at least one of us can. But at least she seems to like you now for some strange reason."

[Northen Light36]

Flame gave her brother a small smile. "I'm not sure that says anything good about me," she remarked dryly. "But she's not really as difficult as some of the clan can be. I think I can manage her for now and I'll try and keep her from bothering you too much." She winked. "If worse comes to worse, I can always push her into a fountain again."

[Kender Bard]

Libre gave a small snort at that. "Thanks," he sighed, though he wasn't sure if that would be a good thing or not if Flame did manage to keep Harmony away from him. No. Good. Definitely good. He really needed to find another woman, someone sane and kind.

Well that could wait until after the end of the world was diverted.

---

At the appointed time, Libre headed out with Flame, following her closely. "I really hope he believes us the first time," he muttered.

[Northen Light36]

"You and me both," Flame muttered back, reaching out to take her brother's hand. She was warming the air around them slightly, but it wasn't a trick she was particularly good at and it stopped working everytime she wasn't completely focused on it. So she was still chilled and shivering.

~I think you'll be lucky,~ Secret cut in. ~Assuming he doesn't hold a grudge for your sire invading his mate's mind. And be careful of Pixie. My littermate is still annoyed by that intrustion into her bonded's mind, as I heard in great detail last night. Mind your maners and you should be fine, though.~

[Kender Bard]

Probably best if I just keep my mouth shut, Libre thought with a sigh. Oh father. Why did you have to be so... you?

"Where is he?" he asked, glancing around.

[Northen Light36]

~Around. Probably deciding if you're really who you claim to be.~ Secret reached out and lightly tapped her sister's mind. ~They're coming.~

After a moment Flame noticed two people approaching and smiled slightly as she reconised Mat. "That's him," she told Libre and gave a small wave.

Mat and Acqua approached the siblings, with Acqua limping faintly, but noticably, and eyed them uncomfortably. Pixie, trotting along at Acqua's feet, was the first to speak. ~They didn't come here for a staring match, you know. And I haven't stolen your tounges. Speak.~

Acqua laughed and relaxed a little. "She's right, Mat."

"You're just saying that because she'll pester you if you don't agree," Mat replied, but he relaxed a fraction and gave Libre and Flame a faint smile. "I'm Mat Sanderson. I was told you were looking for me?"

Flame nodded. "I was, yes. But... Would you mind if we went somewhere a little less busy to talk? What I have to say sounds... a little crazy, to be honest."

The two thieves looked a little wary, then Acqua visibly winced then scowled at both Secret and Pixie. Clearly the mind cats had said something to her. "Give them a chance, Mat."

Mat eyed Libre and Flame. "Would you be offended if I insist on picking the quieter place?"

[Kender Bard]

"Not at all," Libre replied. "In fact I really would prefer a place where we could discuss things discreetly. This isn't news that we should be spreading willy nilly in public. You pick the place."

[Northen Light36]

Acqua and Mat exchanged a long look, seeming to have a conversation without words in that way close couples often seemed to have. "Why don't we go back to our house then?" Mat suggested. "It's reasonably private, though my children will likely over hear."

"They'd have found out anyway," Acqua pointed out. "Anything that effects you effects the rest of the family."

"True enough. And going home will let you get your weight off your feet," Mat added, given Acqua a look of fond concern. "Stubborn little idiot." There was love in the insult, turning it into almost a pet name and completely taking the sting out of the words.

Acqua certainly wasn't offended. She just laughed and remarked, "Look at who raised me. It's hardly my fault," before smiling at Libre and Flame. "Come on, we'll show you the way."

As soon as they entered the house, a simply huge dog - currently covered in pink ribbons that had been tied to his fur - came bounding down the long hallway and practically tackled Libre to shower him in licks.

"Wolfy!" Acqua and Mat both shouted, cringing, while Flame burst out laughing.

"Get off him," Acqua growled at the dog. "The man doesn't need a bath." She gave Wolfy a sharp smack on the muzzle, causing the dog to whine, but back off and lie down quietly. "I'm so sorry," Acqua told Libre. "He thinks everyone loves him as much as my youngest do and doesn't have the brains to realise otherwise. I thought my youngest three had taken him out for a walk or I'd have warned you."

[Kender Bard]

Libre grimaced and wiped the dog saliva off. "It's fine," he sighed. He'd put up with similar at the clans before. "Let's all go sit."

[Northen Light36]

Acqua nodded and led the way to the sitting room. Though Melissan Manor was clearly an old noble house, it was no where nearly as coldly formal as a lot of the Maelstrom nobility's homes. Instead there was a sense of life and family about the place. Little things like a child's drawing on the wall or a wet cloak drapped over the railing of a staircase instead of being hastily put away.

Even in the sitting room, there were a child's toys casually scattered around. Lillian Sanderson was sitting by the warm fire and busily tending to the 'wounds' of a doll, but she looked up and smiled as her parents entered. "Hello," she greated Flame and Libre. "I'm Lilly. Muma, you hurting?"

"I'm all right, sweetheart," Acqua replied. "Lilly-love, go upstairs please and get one of your siblings to play with you. Muma and Dada need to talk with these people. Tell the others not to interrupt unless someone is bleeding or broken either."

Lillian giggled at that and picked up her doll before skipping out of the room. Mat gestured for people to take a seat. "Now we're comfortable and in private-"

"For the next few minutes," Acqua remarked dryly.

"What did you need to talk about?" Mat asked.

"As you know, I have visions," Flame replied. "I was sent a rather... forceful one by Soahc last night. About you, among others." She went on to explain her vision and held out a ring. "Soahc gave me this for you."

Mat just stared at it for a long moment in complete silence, frowning faintly.

~My bonded tells the truth,~ Secret remarked. ~She can show you the vision if you insist.~

"I don't think that's required," Acqua replied softly and looked at her husband. "Mat... The mind cats don't lie. I'm not sure they can. If Secret says it's the truth, it is."

Mat sighed. "I know, I know," he replied. "But I don't like the thought of having to leave you and the kids alone so soon after..." He trailed off.

Acqua smiled. "We'll be fine," she assured him. "And Soahc is hardly likely to pick me."

"If I point out that wouldn't be impossible, would you hit me?"

"Yes," Acqua replied with a slight scowl.

Mat laughed and looked back at the ring. "This is important, so I suppose I really don't have a choice except to do my part. Very well." He took the ring from Flame, considered it for a moment, then put it on.

[Kender Bard]

The ring glowed faintly, a scintillating rainbow of colors that dazzled the eye and could even become dizzying if stared at for too long. But the shifting, moving colors settled fairly quickly into a wine red color with strands of copper curled within its depths.

The ring was attuned to him.

Libre's eyes widened a touch. "That was impressive.'