Rescuing Chadley: June 24

In the two long days and nights Chadley has been bound in the cabin, he's kept true to his word. Head bowed low and eyes closed, his cracked, parched lips still shakily form the words for his shielding prayer. The Light still shines, illuminating the bristly face of Adeline's felhound, which sits drooling and obedient at Chadley's side, guarding him while Adeline has stepped outside to gather herbs.

Outside of the cabin, Adeline is less gathering herbs and more frowning in something between frustration and grief. She rests her back against the cabin and observes the forest around them--quiet, save for the far off sounds of battle, Forsaken and worgen, clashing almost endlessly, and some mechanical roars from the main road, too far through the trees to see. Once she's given herself a proper pep talk, she makes her way back inside, basket devoid of all but a few sprigs of silverleaf.

Chadley hasn't moved. He takes a deep inhale around his prayer when the door comes open, the burst of semi-fresh air a relief to him. Or it is until he coughs, his throat so dry that it prickles when he inhales. He falls into a coughing fit, and for the first time in two days, the barrier flickers to its weaker version again.

Adeline grimaces at the cough but still smiles at Chadley. "Y'must be thirsty," she observes in a gentle tone, more like he's been playing outside on a hot summer day than like she's trying to kill him. "Ah hate seein' you lahk this."

Chadley swallows several times, trying to make saliva, but there's nothing there. Two days with nothing to drink combined with his earlier sobbing has left him weak and dehydrated. It's a wonder he has the energy for a small shield at all. Stubbornness, most likely. He finally speaks to her, and his voice is a dry crackle. "I'm still here."

"Anythin' you drink at this point'll lahk as not kill ya anyway," Adeline continues in a soft voice. The delicious smells from a few days before have vanished from the air, leaving nothing but the overpowering scent of the incense.

Chadley's still-illuminated eyes open as he looks around the room in renewed fear. With his barrier weakened it's only a matter of time before the incense drugs him. He tries again to concentrate on his prayer, but the delirium of hunger and thirst make it impossible. He croaks out to his mother, "Wh-whatever you do, I- d-don't blame you." He's shaking again.

Adeline hesitantly approaches Chadley, staying just this side of the barrier. "Ah'm only doin' any 'a this 'cause Ah love you and Ah want what's best fer you," she says in a choked voice. The roaring sound of the road outside seems louder than before.

"I'm all grown up," Chadley responds, his voice growing hoarser. "I can choose what's best for me." His head lifts at the new noise and his eyes close, as if letting more cool air pass over him. "I can feel the drugs."

"Everyone needs someone ter advuhcate for 'em once in a while," Adelien argues. "And they ain't that strong, just somethin' to help you sleep better." The roar is most definitely closer now, as if something's approaching the cabin.

Chadley nods again, dazed. "I- I can feel that, yes. I'm- feeling very tired." He slumps in his seat, only to sit right back up straight again, looking panicked that he almost lost consciousness. With the sound louder, he looks over his shoulder toward the door. He's not sure if he's hallucinating or not at this point, but the familiar sound is enough to make him smile.

Right when the roaring sound seems ready to burst through the door, it's replaced with the sound of something screeching to a halt right outside of the cabin, tires skidding against dirt, and then muffled conversation. One voice, male, is tinged with a lot of emotion and breaks at a few points. The other, female, is surprisingly rational, though at one point, it does snap, "Pull yerself together or I'mma bring you -right- back to Hearthglen."

Chadley brightens a bit, his bloodied lips cracking into a full-on smile. He turns to look back at his mother and hisses, no longer able to speak, "-- I win." Adeline scowls, patting her felhound on the side of the head. It lopes off into the shadows, and the floorboards creak as the rest of her hidden horrors move to find the intruders. "They's weak as you in the shadow, dear. My friends will fetch them for us."

Outside, and not quite ignorant to the horrors that await them, Lorcan and Mairèad still argue. "Look, y'wanna do some good here? Go find a gryphon or somethin' and get down to Stormwind. Find Shep and he'll be able t'set up a portal and get us outta here once we're done," Mairèad informs the priest. They're still sitting on her bike, which is turned off and waiting to be converted into its box state. Lorcan glares at Mairèad, as if he's trying to melt her with his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere without him," he snaps and Mairèad rolls her eyes. "-Fine-. Jest don't do nothin' stupid. We're damn near fucked jest bein' here." And with a few murmured prayers, the two bless themselves and each other, preparing for whatever lies ahead.

What lies ahead makes itself very obvious as the front door cracks open to reveal Adeline herself. She smiles at them. "Mairead. Y'look so pretty. It's so good t'see y'gain. An' Lorcan." She inclines her head and turns around, waving her arm in an inviting gesture. "Y'come on insahd." She seems very unafraid of them, despite their being Lightcallers and her being-- what she is.

Lorcan makes a sound that's almost like a growl, moving to cast a bolt of Holy Light at Adeline, but Mairèad grabs his arm and holds him steady before he can manage it. "We'd love to, Aunt Addy. It's good t'see you again," she says in as close to a bright voice as she can manage. Beside her, Lorcan glares, looking every bit the part of Chadley's boyfriend, but he says nothing.

Adeline hobbles back inside, disappearing into the inky black that seems to spill out from the doors like firelight would a typical house. Inside, Chadley begins to struggle again, making as much raspy noise as he can to let them know he's alive.

Mairèad looks at Lorcan. "Whatevarrr y'see in there, keep. calm," she warns him before releasing his arm and dismounting the bike. The priest barely has a chance to leave the sidecar before Mairèad collapses the bike and tosses the box into a nearby bush for safekeeping. She gives Lorcan a nod and makes her way into the house, almost retching as the oppressive amount of shadow hits her. Lorcan follows after a moment, and though he also staggers at the shadow magic, it doesn't seem to affect him nearly as much as it does Mairèad or Chadley. He simply grimaces as if he's tasted something bad and tries to see Chadley through the darkness.

The shadow is not only oppressive, it also hides things. As they pass the stoop of the house, a dagger flies from the spreading dark. The foe knows its bigger threat, and the dagger aims for Lorcan's backside.

Lorcan hisses in pain and surprise; the dagger just barely misses embedding itself in his back but still cuts a nasty gouge in his skin as it flies past. He presses his hands against the skin to try and heal the wound, but though it mostly seals up, blood still trickles from the edges. "--fuck," he murmurs.

Mairèad glances back at Lorcan and then frowns. "Aunt Addy, we don't want thin's t'get violent, please. We jest wanna talk," she pleads into the darkness. "We're jest here to talk."

The darkness doesn't seem interested in talking. Light feet pad across the floor and this time a dozen shadowy hands grasping daggers shoot out from the dark, all aimed at their weakened target. "She won't hear it!" Chadley rasps from the dark, and Adeline confirms with a sigh. "Ah dunno why none 'a y'all is seein' that this is th' easy way." She gasps as her hidden husband attacks the intruders and frowns. "Impatient. Go on, then!" She waves her arm and turns, and the glowing eyes watching them advance.

Lorcan is still distracted by his wound when those daggers fly out towards him. He gives a grunt of pain and crumples easily, multiple stab wounds on his chest, back, and sides. And a dent in his new leg. Well, that's just great. Too late, he calls the Light to shield him, but he's already on the floor, hands moving shakily over the worst of his wounds in an attempt at keeping them from being life-threatening. -

Mairèad turns and swings her arcane blessed shield out into the darkness, trying to catch whoever's getting stab-happy. "We don't -wanna- get violent," she repeats, sounding more worn by the oppressive shadows, "but we will."

A shadowy figure is briefly illuminated as it skitters to the side. The shield doesn't hit that, though- it instead slams into a hulking felguard that had been hidden by the dark, which roars in pain and charges for her. The entire cabin shakes with its might. The shadowy figure, meanwhile, beelines for Lorcan again. It doesn't speak a word, just tries for the most efficient kill it can. Chadley has started struggling with all the might he has, his shield fading from lost focus. Adeline approaches him and places a hand on his shoulder as she watches the fight.

A fucking felguard. Of course. Mairèad roars right back at the creature, wielding her shield and sword in an almost barbarian manner. She swings them in an arc at the felguard, aiming to bash its head with the shield and follow that with a sharp hit to its side with her sword. All the while, she tries to keep herself between Lorcan and whatever is attacking him, stamping her foot to call forth a consecration on the ground beneath. It's weak and it doesn't last long, but it's there just the same.

Lorcan, meanwhile, pauses in his frantic healing (why won't these stab wounds -heal- damnit?) to swing outwards towards his assailant with the staff that until now has seemed just decoration or maybe a cane. He can't see well enough to aim for the head like he wants to, but he's flailing enough that he should hit -something-.

Both attacks land, and this succeeds in both damaging the felguard and pissing it right off. It roars again and thrashes its gigantic arms at Mairead with a bone crushing swipe. Lorcan's assailant is revealed by the Light: a lanky forsaken man clad in form-fitting black, his glowing yellow eyes under the cowl his only visible color. He disappears into the shadows again, leaving Lorcan to bleed, and reappears in a cloud of haze at Chadley and Adeline's side.

Lorcan seems relieved at this, trying to scoot back on the floor and out of the way of any fighting that may be going on between Mairèad and the felguard, hands still fluttering over his wounds to try and seal them. Of course, it's frustratingly not working in the least, and in a panicked moment, a bit of twisting shadow magic comes to his fingertips, sealing the deepest wound on his chest and leaving an unsightly tumor behind.

Mairèad braces herself for the felguard's blow and is only thrown off her feet rather than across the cabin. "COME AT ME, Y'YELLA BELLIED FISH LIVER CODPIECE!" she roars, jumping to her feet probably quicker than she should and charging at the felguard with her sword aimed to decapitate it in one fell swoop.

The felguard charges, knocking chairs and herb jars out of the way left and right. It makes a hard downward blow at the small paladin, the force becoming only momentum as its head is lopped from its shoulders and it collapses in a pile of smoldering green ash. Adeline gasps and steps forward, stopping herself to instead nudge forward the shadowy figure. "Thomas, Ah'm tired 'a people gittin' hurt over this. Make it quick. Fer Lorcan over there, too. Y'left 'im hurtin'." Thomas responds with silence, different entirely from his boisterous living self, and once again disappears. Adeline, in the meantime, raises her arms and chants a spell. All at once, the cabin is illuminated by green light as her demons vanish. Then, the darkness returns.

Mairèad groans quietly, touching a hand to her side. There's a brief flash of Light as her own shielding comes into play, weak against the shadow but better than nothing. "I don't wanna fight you, Uncle Tom," she says into the dark. "I jest wanna take Chad away from here and Lorcan, too, and all of us get out safe. We don't need'a do this."

"We dun' need to," Adeline agrees, curling a hand around Chadley's face. He can't repel her anymore. "But it's better us'n somethin' impersonal in a mass grave." Thomas doesn't seem interested in fighting her either. Not yet, anyway- he's left something alive. He appears from seemingly nowhere above the priest, gruesome and jagged daggers clutched in both hands. They're driven down, and Chadley hisses Lorcan's name as a pathetic warning.

Lorcan, still tending his wounds, is caught partly off-guard, enough that there's no stopping those daggers. He throws up an arm to protect himself, as Mairèad throws her shield at Thomas, Captain America style, trying only to knock him away from Lorcan.

Thomas looks up and disappears, the shield flying through where he stood and crashing into the wall behind him. He reappears behind Mairead, the dagger in one hand replaced by a tiny glass sphere filled with dust. He crushes this sphere and throws its contents into the air. Probably best not to breathe whatever it is. "Brave girl. Strong in the shadows," he teases, vanishing again before she can turn around and attack him. "Dun watch," says Adeline, covering Chadley's eyes with a rotten hand. He groans but can't fight her.

Mairèad ducks away from Thomas to recover her shield, though she can't help but inhaling some of the dust. She coughs harshly, something of a weak, pale glow coming to her body. "Shadow don't scare me," she rasps. "Yer still Uncle Tom, no matter ha' creepy you try t'be." She swings blindly into the shadow, if only trying to illuminate something nearby.

Nothing is brought to light, though. Wrecked furniture and spilled liquids are illuminated briefly, but the only movement is from Adeline, still cradling Chadley's head in her arms as she tells Mairead, "We's the closest thing y'got to family, Mairead. Y'seem real hurt by yer lahf, from what Ah been watchin'! It won't be lahk that with us. Ever."

Mairèad's eyelights flicker. "I appreciate the offer, Aunt Addy, but without the dark, how can you appreciate the light?" Another pale consecration spreads outward from her feet.

It's to Mairead's luck that Thomas is merely an initiate amongst the shadow, talented as he may be, and he gives a grunt as the Light burns his feet, having not yet mastered resistance. This causes him to lash out defensively, another dagger aimed at Mairead from behind. Chadley has again started to try and mouth a protective prayer, this time for his friend, but his delitium is such that his words practically come out backwards.

And it's to Thomas' luck that he manages to drive the dagger between the plates of Mairèad's armor. She gives a grunt of pain and turns around, swinging for Thomas with her shield and a surprising amount of power, though blood has already begun to drip between her armor plates and down to the floor.

Mairead makes a solid connection. He's not taken out, but the blunt trauma alone is enough to send him staggering backwards, leaving himself open. Adeline's hands leave Chadley to reach out toward he husband. "Thomas!"

Mairèad takes advantage of this, more sweeping for Thomas' legs to knock them out from under him rather than attempting to behead him outright. She doesn't cry out as she does this, simply exhales with the effort of it.

It's Adeline's turn to make a panicked noise as she watches her husband fall to his knees. Quickly, she begins to mutter in a demonic tongue, runic patterns beginning to glimmer on the floor around her and smoke rising from the cracks. As Thomas hits the floor, he shoots out a sweeping flurry of daggers across the floor. They're sharp, but they're meant to just knock her down to his level.

Mairèad is easily brought to the floor, falling far harder than it seems someone her size should be able to fall. She groans, winded, and lies on the floor a moment as still as she can, a chant starting within her helm. -

Now, where's Lorcan, you may be wondering. Wounds largely sealed, he pushes himself into a standing position and casts a shield about Mairèad, if only to buy her a second of time.

The familiar chittering of an imp fills the cabin as Adeline completes the quickest summon she can do. The tiny demon, either brave or stupid, launches out in a vengeful leap for Lorcan's face, at which it claws wildly shouting murderous curses in demonic tongue. "The girl!" Adeline shouts at the imp, but it's too busy with its revenge to obey. Thomas steadies himself on his feet. "Not a problem, Addy. We're done." He flips the dagger in his hand and lunges for Mairead.

Lorcan yelps in surprise, clearly not expecting to see this little bastard again. Without the Light, he's not much good for fighting it, though he does try to pull it away from his face and throw it to the GROUND, stomping after it with his angry leg. -

Mairèad still lies on the ground, but when Thomas lunges for her, she brings her legs up to catch him and propel him away before pushing herself raggedly to her feet. She's still too busy chanting to exchange any witty banter.

Adeline scowls at the turn of events, and she begins to twist her hands in spell, green sparks beginning to flicker around her fingers. Thomas staggers back again, but this time it's straight into the dark. He appears behind her seconds later, a dagger aimed to the base of her skull. The imp, meanwhile, is busy dodging Lorcan's foot and flinging tiny fireballs at him.

Lorcan looks like a complete idiot, doing a sort of Mexican hat dance with the imp. He calls over to Chadley, "This is why I want a leg gun," and then just gets sick of the imp, swinging his staff for the creature.

Mairèad, meanwhile, manages to move out of the way in time to avoid having her brain skewered, though the dagger still hits her upper shoulder. She gives another growl of pain, bringing her sword around for Thomas' side.

Chadley's head slowly turns in the direction of Lorcan's voice, but his eyes are rolled back and most of his effort is going into staying conscious, so he slumps back over. Adeline's spellcast is complete, a large circle of green flame swirling around her body. The cracks in the floor glow with that same green, and fire spits up from them at the paladin and priest. The green flames illuminate Thomas' expression of surprise as he's struck clean, but such is the benefit of undeath: he keeps fighting, taking another stab for Mairead.

Lorcan continues to swing and stomp for the imp, apparently having regained some sense of himself now that he's seen Chadley is still alive. Possessed or unconscious or something, but alive. He can work with that.

Mairèad brings her arm up to block Thomas' attack, dropping her shield in favor of aiming a punch for his face. The felflames sputter against her Light-blessed armor, mostly leaving her untouched but creating a few vulernabilities. She tries to position herself to take the brunt of the fire, allowing Lorcan to continue playing with the imp.

The imp doesn't want to play, it wants that man dead. He's oddly spry for someone recovering from multiple stab wounds, though, so it's having trouble. It tries latching onto the backside of his good leg and gnawing. Adeline sets loose a massive felfire blaze toward Mairead just as her fist connects with Thomas' face. He's slowed from his injuries, but keeps fighting, slashing at Mairead even with the oncoming fire.

Lorcan has had just about enough of this imp shit and reaches down, grabbing the creature by the scruff of its neck and attempting to wring its neck. His breath is ragged, and he's shaking, but he tries, damnit. -

Mairèad gets the full blast of Adeline's felfire, falling backwards enough to avoid getting stabbed in the face, but once again, the dagger sinks in through one of the felfire created cracks in the armor. Mairèad now lets out a cry of pain, the injuries finally starting to wear on her properly. There's no more aiming to cripple; her sword arcs through the air in an attempted beheading.

Thomas' arm flies up defensively. It's this that he loses, his head still in tact, but the force is enough to send him reeling back toward his wife. Adeline stands protectively in front of Chadley, and Thomas in front of his wife. He's broken, and she's afraid for her family, but they won't go down. The imp's neck can't be wrung, but it can apparently be strangled into unconsciousness like anything else. It goes limp in Lorcan's hands. "Think about whut'cher doin', Mairead," Adeline says slowly.

"I am," Mairèad rasps. A keen eye in a brighter place might note that blood is dripping down and out of her face mask. "I don't wanna kill either 'a you. I wanna redeem you both. I -love- you, and I know how to bring y'back to paradise, if you'll let me." She forces herself to stand taller. "Y'ent meant fer this world, Aunt Addy. Yer death was horrible, but I can give you peace. You and Uncle Tom both. Please. Don't make me kill you."

Lorcan, on the other hand, finally throws the imp to the ground and stomps on its head. Even if that doesn't do anything, it feels good.

"Ah was offered th' same thing by Chadley," Adeline says, glancing over her shoulder with those covered, oozing eyes to her surprisingly still semi-conscious son. "We all seem t'be delusional in our love, don't we." Her hands coil in another spellcast, interrupted only briefly as she winces when her imp evaporates into smoke.

Mairèad raises her shield to block the spell, though she continues speaking in a hoarse voice. "It ent a delusion. When Chad told me you were watchin' him, I did some research. There's a ritual I can do--fer both 'a you--and it'll redeem yer soul and return you to paradise, where you belong." Lorcan, still stomping on the ground where the imp was, pipes up with an, "It's true. I've read the ritual myself. Chadley hasn't slept in several weeks, trying to learn it so that he can send you home."

"-- Ma," Chadley rasps from behind, curled in on himself and trembling with the effort of staying awake. "You don't have to fight. And it'll feel like n-no time at all before you see me- again." Adeline just looks furious, letting her circle of felfire flare out and hit anything in its path- even Chadley. "Ah'm done bein' kahnd about this! Fer th' Dark Lady!" Her arms rise and the fire bursts from the floorboards once more.

The tense and quiet moments distracted Lorcan from his futile imp stomping, and he extends a shield around Chadley with an almost desperate cry. Mairèad is left vulnerable, and the fire does a number on her, sending her falling backwards to the floor her armor smoking acridly. She whimpers in pain and shakes her head in a protest against something. "I don't wanna do this..." she trails off and then stands, all of her energy going into a charge for Adeline, everything aimed at knocking her down and stopping her cast.

And that is why Thomas took the place he did. As Mairead lunges for Adeline, his single hand lifts to cloud Mairead's eyes with shadow before he takes another swing for her.

Mairèad squeezes her eyes shut and keeps going in her charge--she's already fighting in the dark, anyway. Thomas' attack connects, opening another wound, but she's single-minded in her determination to get to Adeline, swinging her sword blindly ahead.

"Shadows-- T-Thomas," Chadley stutters out randomly as Mairead makes her assault. He's probably not even audible over the sounds of combat. Mairead's sword swings right into Adeline-- but she's gone. Across the room she stands, safe in a runed circle, and blasts another fireball at Mairead.

Yes, Thomas is a problem, and Mairèad continues to grapple with him, screaming in pain as another fireball hits her in the back. She's still blinded, not sure if she's even grappling with a real person, but she holds onto him, trying to bring them both to the floor and pressing her sword against what she thinks is his neck.

Right she is. The blade digs into his neck, threatening to slice it, but he seems fearless of the idea. Zombies, yo. He fumbles a hand into his pouches and produces another glass ball of poison dust, smashing it against her helmet vents. Adeline takes the time to chant another summon- a more complex one than before now that she has more than a few seconds to spare.

Mairèad hacks at the poison dust forced through her helm, but after the initial hesitation and a hoarse, "I'm sorreh, Uncle Tom," she drives the blade downwards, intent on severing his head and letting her hands fall to the floor shakily afterwards.

Thomas goes still as the sword severs his head. Adeline screams. Felfire engulfs her as her summon completes, her felhound bounding out of the fire, but it's too late. The shadows around the house retreat, and the darkness of the house is a natural one.

When the darkness rises, the lights on Mairèad's armor flare to life, a pale glow enveloping her form as her body attempts to heal itself. She doesn't spare the felhound a second's thought, blasting it with a shock of holy energy and advancing slowly on Adeline, because at this point, she has two speeds: slow and slower.

Once Lorcan can see, however, he immediately runs to Chadley's side and presses his hand against the paladin's chest, a blessing of fortitude issuing forth in one powerful word. His arms are around Chadley, and he works to undo the bindings at the younger man's wrists and ankles.

Chadley manages to look at Lorcan, but he can't manage to make any facial expression beyond a blank stare. His still glowing eyes fall shut, and now that he's with someone he trusts, he allows himself to fall unconscious. Adeline looks between this and the advancing paladin in horror, a filmy green shield glowing around her protectively. "Y-y'always was th' tough one, weren't'cha Mairead?"

Mairèad's hands glow with an exorcism spell that's immediately aimed for Adeline, still intent only on incapacitating her. "I ent here to kill you," she reiterates, speaking slowly and deliberately, her voice hoarse. "I'm here to send you home. You remember paradise, don't you? You remember th'feelin' 'a  bein' safe and happeh, how we were all there with you and alive? I'm gunna send you back to that."

"Ah remember that bein' th' way things was. An' Ah remember discoverin' bein' gifted enough t'have it back. This is why we gotta do this, Mair. 'Cause folk like you is hellbent on killin' us. Y'call it redemption, but it's killin'."

"We all die someday," Mairèad points out. "I might die t'night or mebbe fifteh years from now in me bed. But I know that when I die, me soul'll taste paradise. Y'can't live ferevarrr, Aunt Addy. Even undead, you'll start losin' yer mind, losin' who you -are-. And then it ent you in that body no more, it's a mindless, hollow shell." Another exorcism is sent Adeline's way.

Adeline crumples to the ground, backing herself against the wall and clutching her hands to her chest. "Won't be a long tahm 'til that," she counters in a labored voice, but then manages a smile and adds, "But Ah s'pose it won't, 'cause yer gunna kill me t'naht."

Mairèad sets her shield and sword on the ground and nods, reaching up to remove her helm and setting this on the ground as well. She's sheet white with a dribble of blood trailing down her chin. "I am," she confirms. "I'd like t'do it as gentle as possible and let you rest again. It's what we all been workin' fer."

Lorcan finally manages to get Chadley unbound and catches him in his arms. With some careful manipulation, he tilts the paladin's head back and tries to give him some water from a canteen.

The water mostly dribbles out of Chadley's mouth. He's appears unconscious, but his weak attempts to actually swallow show that he's still trying to hang on. Adeline looks over at this, and her angry snarl turns to grief. The forsaken looks back up at Mairead and says in a slow voice, "... Y'took mah husband. An' now yer gunna take mah son. Ah don't really got a lot worth fahtin' m'way outta here fer anymore."

Mairèad drops to her knees once she reaches Adeline, her expression crumbling in grief. "I'm so sorreh about Uncle Tom. I didn't wanna do that. I wish there was a way fer us to all be -alive- together. I wish I could bring you back to life."

Lorcan murmurs encouragingly to Chadley, continuing to gently help him drink and wiping the water from the paladin's cheek with his sleeve. He may or may not be crying as well.

Adeline stiffens at Mairead's approach and lifts an arm defensively to keep the paladin at a distance. "Lahf don't have a point," she whispers. "World's gone dark. Only th' dead'll be able to faht fer it soon."

Chadley still struggles with the simple task of swallowing, but with Lorcan's help he manages down a few small mouthfuls. At the very least he seems otherwise uninjured, just dehydrated, hungry, fevered, and covered in his own filth.

Mairèad shakes her head and holds up her hands to show she means no harm. "That ent true. Th'world's gettin' better, and that's what me and Chad are fightin' fer. We want Lordaeron t'be green again. And fer there t'be chicken farms and playin' on th'beach and pies and happeh times again." She manages a small, watery smile. "And we wanna know that yer okay."

Lorcan lets Chadley's head rest on his shoulder and continues murmuring encouragement, now pressing his hand against the paladin's chest to clear away any infections.

Adeline doesn't lower her arm and shakes her head. "It ain't never gunna be that way. Clean up one mess an' a bigger one'll take its place. Y'gotta be strong fer it. Livin' ain't strong." She smiles sadly. "Y'go on ahead an' kill me, Mairead. Ah couldn't do raht. One day, when y'all fall t'whutever it is that's fellin' everythin', th' Dark Lady'll bring y'back. Then y'can faht. Then you'll see." Chadley's head lolls to the side at the sound of his mother's voice and he makes a pathetic little noise in a failed attempt to speak.

Mairèad looks up and over to Chadley, trying to make it seem like she's not crying nearly as hard as she is. Lorcan leans closer to the man in his arms. "Say it again, love. Go ahead and speak quietly, and I'll tell them what you said."

Chadley makes another dry little sound before whispering hoarsely, "Goodbye. Love you. Didn't- get to before." He lets his head rest against Lorcan's chest and his newly-granted energy is spent on the return of his trembling.

Lorcan brings his hand up to hold Chadley's head close to his chest, soothing Light flowing from his fingers. "He says good-bye, and that he loves you," the priest announces, and Mairèad closes her eyes to steel herself before looking back to Adeline. "When yer ready," she says quietly.

Adeline seems more angered than saddened by what Chadley had to say, turning her hollow, oozing eyes on Mairead and lashing her arm out with a flash of felfire. "Do it, miserable child! See no reason by me. Ah'll die knowin' Ah tried."

Mairèad catches Adeline's arm before it can reach her face, though the felfire still stings at her skin. "I'm sorreh," she whispers before placing her free hand on Adeline's chest and closing her eyes. She begins the prayer exactly as she practiced, and it doesn't take long for her hands to light up with a gentle golden glow that seems to sing, that same wordless melody that's so familiar. It's an uncomfortable sensation, but not painful.

Adeline fights it, struggling against Mairead as best she can. More green flames spurt from the floorboards under her, but with the Light coursing through her, she's beyond weak. "Ah hope this moment haunts you!" she cries.

Mairèad doesn't interrupt her prayer, despite the sob that shudders through her. The Light pulses and courses through Adeline, undoing the necromancy keeping her alive and purifying her soul in the same action. Lorcan's grip on Chadley tightens bracingly.

Adeline's last energy is spent turning her eyes on Chadley again. In that last moment, her look of anger falls to one of regret. Her arm goes limp in Mairead's grasp after, and she's gone. It's then and only then that Chadley finally allows himself to slip into complete unconsciousness.

Mairèad continues her prayer for a few minutes after Adeline has fallen limp, and even after that, she only drops to her hands and knees and sobs raggedly rather than doing anything else. Lorcan shifts awkwardly while still holding Chadley, and finally speaks up. "Mairèad, we should probably burn this cabin and get your injuries looked at." Mairèad nods and tries to stand, but the energy spent in sending Adeline off was too much for her. She falls right back down, this time actually lying on the floor for a minute before pushing herself into a standing position. Together, she and Lorcan clean out the cottage (leaving Chadley safely hidden in the bush with her bike) and set fire to it, wrapping Adeline and Thomas together in the remains of a sheet.

The house burns to the ground, and the bodies of its owners with it. The smoke rising from the trees attracts attention, though: a bear emerges from the brush. A very... inconspicuous bear, teeth bared and approach cautious.

By this point, Mairèad has taken over Chadley's duty of shaking, attempting to remain conscious, and generally being unwell. She squints at the bear as Lorcan works to seal the worst of her wounds. "C-claude?" she asks faintly. Lorcan turns immediately his hands glowing defensively.

The bear eyes down the two, sniffing at the blood and fear in the air. With a low, gravelly voice it speaks through its teeth with an obviously Gilnean accent, "You are not Forsaken."

Mairèad, Lorcan, and Shepard: June 21

Mairèad has barely dismounted her gryphon before she's already moving at a decent clip toward the inn, sparing a glance towards the barracks and up at Tirion's statue on the way.

Shepard has been following the entire time, quiet and focused, eyes on the ground as he murmurs this or that to himself.

Once they've reached the room at the top of the stairs, Mairèad doesn't even bother knocking on the door. "We're back," she calls out to Lorcan, who is pacing the room in an unbuttoned shirt, going frantically over various papers and notes. He looks up at Mairèad and Shepard's entrance. "Took you long enough," he grumbles, brushing at his face, which is blotchy and tear-stained. "What do you need, Shepard? I'll get it for you."

The worgen glances over everything in the room, ears flicking in thought. "--quiet," he begins. "And something of Chadley's. A personal item, a lock of hair, anything to help trace him for the scrying ritual. I'll also need a large bowl of water."

Lorcan hurries off towards the bathroom, returning a moment later with a basin filled nearly to the brim with water, which he sets on the floor. As for an item of Chadley's, he hands over an ancient, mold-ridden shield with the Silver Hand's symbol. "It belonged to him in Southshore, and was sent to him recently by his mother," Lorcan explains weakly, sinking down on the bed. Mairèad, meanwhile, leans against the doorpost silently, her eyelights flickering far dimmer than usual.

Shepard doesn't waste time with setting up the ritual; he removes a small satchel of arcane-infused dust, sprinkling it across the floor into small piles, drawing runes and symbols onto the surface. The bowl is placed just above, and the shield just in the center. "The bowl is for outsider viewing," he murmurs as he continues going over the fine details. "I won't be able to communicate during the process, so be ready to write down everything you see."

Lorcan stands up again, staggering to his desk and fumbling about for parchment and a pen with ink. He plants himself on the floor next to the bowl of water, pen at the ready. Mairèad also moves closer so that she can see the bowl better. "Ready when you are," Lorcan says.

Shepard eases himself to the floor, his eyes trained on the shield. A low chant begins to leave his lips, the runes and symbols flickering to life, the energies filling the room and humming softly. Eventually, the worgen's eyes cloud over with Arcane mists.

Mairèad starts some, a hand jerking towards Shepard and then falling back to her side, curled into a fist. Lorcan, meanwhile, leans over the bowl of water, watching it for any signs of life or change or anything but a normal bowl of water.

The pool of wate begins to ripple and churn, sloshing against the container's sides--but then everything calms, and images begin to appear. Dead trees, broken bodies, the shadows of worgen running through the wilds. Forsaken banners are draped over horrible, metal-wrought buildings. The stream of sight soon arrives at an old cabin, pauses, then rockets forward through the doorway. It's dark, except for the occasional flash of demonic eyes and flesh. The train continues chugging ahead until the main attraction appears: Adeline, in all her grotesque glory.

Lorcan scribbles away at all of the images, even adding sketchy illustrations on the side in case there's any question. Mairèad remains completely silent, though she jerks again when Adeline appears, an exhale of pain echoing in her helm. Lorcan glances up at her and then back at the image in the bowl before darting his eyes over towards Shepard, almost expectantly.

Adeline's visage twists and turns, as if looking through the window to those on the other side. Shepard's brows furrow, his head tilts, and a bead of sweat runs down the side of his face. But he continues on in search of Chadley.

Mairèad gasps at this and then covers her helm with both hands, as if to keep further sound from escaping. Lorcan, meanwhile, continues to write furiously, the only other sound in the room being the scratch of his pen on the paper.

And that's where the trail ends: with Chadley, bound, a shield of Light enveloping him--his saving grace. The man's face is a mixture of terror and hate.

Now it's Lorcan's turn to make a pained sound, his pen tearing through the paper. Mairèad remains silent, though she nods at the image, almost as if in encouragement, even though there's no way Chadley can see or hear her.

It's then that the image jerks, as if battered, almost fizzlng out completely--but it holds. It swivels around to view Adeline one again, shaking and beginning to break. The water is beginning to violently splash and leak from the basin, and Shepard's grip on his knees is approaching a death grip. The flurry of sights retreats to the outside world, soaring higher and higher to offer a bird's eye view of the area. And that's when the spell breaks entirely. The worgen gasps and reels back. He's a sweating mess.

Mairèad drops to her knees and reaches out for Shepard, a blessing bursting out before she even thinks about it. Lorcan, meanwhile, finishes his writing and presses his hand to his forehead. "That was Silverpine. Wasn't it? Silverpine?" Mairèad nods, eyelights flickering as she does so. "It looked like Silverpine t'me. And it looks like he's keepin' hisself safe pretty good."

Shepard nods, at a loss of breath, eventually flopping onto his back unceremoniously. "Si-Silverpine," he murmurs. "Home. Rem-remember it well." The blessing helps him enough to speak, at least.

Mairèad shifts around, still reaching for Shepard and trying to hold him up a little better than what's happened. Lorcan, on the other hand, has already jumped to his feet. "What are we waiting for, then? We should head out now."

"Don't be dumb," Mairèad answers quietly. "We ent headin' into Fersakin territory in th'dead 'a night."

Shepard, with Mairead's help, manages to sit up enough to regard Lorcan. "She'll... she'll be expecting us to rush in," he says. "Acting on emotion rather than thought. We need- need to plan. Prepare."

Lorcan starts to make an angry protest, but eventually just throws his hands up and pushes away from the bowl of water, spilling some of it on the floor. "I'm going outside," he announces, as if that's a thing. And he slams the door behind him. -

Mairèad remains quiet for a while after Lorcan's gone, still holding onto Shepard, almost mindlessly.

Shepard's strength is- questionable, at the moment, and he slumps against Mairead with a tired sigh. "Perhaps you should go after him," he mumbles.

Mairèad shakes her head, not moving from her current position. "He jest goes out to th'front stoop and drinks," she says quietly, distractedly. "He ent gunna do nothin' stupid. If nothin' else, he knows his own limits."

"Love," he murmurs. "Can make us do stupid things." Shepard's eyes drift shut, his body losing the will to remain tense. "Are you alright?"

Mairèad shakes her head again, though she says, "Ent got time to be anythin' but a'right. I can't fall apart. Not when he needs me. I'll fall apart when it's over."

"I think you can allow yourself something, Mair. You might as well let it out now, and go with a clearer mind."

Mairèad laughs, though it's a humorless sound. "I can't do that," she repeats. "I don't -wanna- do that. I-- if I fall apart now, I can't think of a plan, me mind stops bein' clear, and I start panickin'. And then when it's all over, then I can lose it and scream and cry, and I'll come do that on you, okay?"

"If that's what you want."

Mairèad grunts in response to this and removes her helm, letting her hair stick up on all sides. She's white as a sheet, her freckles standing out in sharp relief against her features. "What I want is to be yer wife," she answers quietly. "But I need to grow up before I can be th'wife you deserve... or, rilly, that anyone deserves."

Shepard coughs, his entire body shaking from the effort, a groan lodged in his throat. "What I deserve," he says quietly. "Is happiness. You make me happy--imperfections and all."

Mairèad sighs and closes her eyes. "Then I need to grow up fer me. 'Cause if I don't, I won't be happeh. And I will hurt you. I dunno if I'd be unfaithful. I don't think I would. But I know I'd cause you pain."

"Do what you need to, love..." Shepard mumbles. "But I know where my patience ends, and now, so do you. So that's a step."

Despite herself, Mairèad lets out a small laugh. "I'm jest glad to see that yer still human and not some... weird illusion Shepard sent to try'n make me happeh while th'rill you's off doin' dragon shit."

"You're my wife," he groans. "Sue me if I get testy when I hear the words 'unfaithful' and 'gonna be' together.--don't actually sue me. That'd make the situation worse."

Mairèad looks at Shepard curiously, though her eyes have a bit of a devilish gleam to them. "-Do- you have any money I could nick away from you?" she asks before breaking into a tired sort of smile.

Shepard's eyes flutter open. He stares at Mairead with as tired of a look as her smile. "Woman. The only thing you'd get is a giant dick-slap."

Mairèad & Shepard: July 1 (part II)

Mairèad says: ...Shep, I gotta say. I'm kinda disappointed in that story.

Shepard says: ... What? Why?

Mairèad is smiling like a retard still, so obviously she's not -that- disappointed. "Cause we ent gunna go hide under th'lake or anythin' and you'd better not stop singin'."
Mairèad says: But...I always hoped that story would end this way.

Shepard huffs, shaking his head. "If I had more time..." he says, grinning.

Mairèad says: Well. Before you send that one to th'printers, you should change the end. That'd be wicked. But... well, I dunno. Fer print, I guess th'sadder endin' works.
Mairèad says: Also, holy shit, this -booty-.
Mairèad is not going to stop talking about the booty. She might bone the booty and not Shep.

Shepard says: ...it's literally magical, too. Transformed something ordinary into- well. That. So you're carrying a chunk of me around at all times.

Mairèad says: ...this ent a soulstone, is it?

Shepard says: Nnnno.

Mairèad shifts, examining the ring. It sparkles. It is pretty. And piraterdins like sparkly, pretty things. "Oh good. What is it? I nevarrr seen anythin' like it."

Shepard says: Well, mages can summon gems and such, and it's a fairly easy spell. I can manage it even without most of my abilities.

Mairèad grins and hugs Shepard warmly. "That whole thin' was amazin'. As soon as I saw th'rain, I knew. And... well, if it hadn't been fer Tenoly, I think I'd'a cried."

Shepard says: ... I think I 'grew' on Tenoly. In the wrong way.

Mairèad says: ...ew.
Mairèad says: That... ew. Looks like we decided this jest th'right time.

Shepard says: ... Hey Mair? Could we just go somewhere nice and... talk?
Shepard says: After today, I think- I think I need it.

Mairèad nods and rests her head on Shepard's shoulder. "Anythin' you want, love."

Shepard says: Right then. Back around we go.

Mairèad says: Wanna spend th'night on the boat?

Shepard says: Sounds like a good idea.

Mairèad grins, swinging her feet slightly. "Actually, we could spend a couple days. I can jest put her out t'sea enough that we ent near th'mainland."
Mairèad says: Set down the anchor.
Mairèad says: Y'know. That.

Shepard says: I don't know... lot of people need me here to insult them, and poke holes in their plans with logic.

Mairèad says: ...you've had a longer day than y'let on, haven't you?

Shepard says: Days, really.

Mairèad kisses Shepard's temple. "I'm sorreh, Mine. I'm sorreh I contributed."

Shepard shrugs. "That- really wasn't so bad."

Mairèad says: Well, mebbe start at th'beginnin'.
Mairèad says: And when y'get to the end, stop.

Shepard says: Well.
Shepard says: I killed a worgen on the Cathedral's steps.
Shepard says: Lopped its head off.

Mairèad 's cheerful expression flattens immediately. "What."

Shepard says: It was attacking someone, and... well.

Mairèad settles down off of Shepard's back, resting on the captain's bed. Because she's like that. "Oh Light, Shep. I wish you'd said somethin'."

Shepard grunts, settling down beside Mairead. "Well, you had a lot on your mind -- Lius, Stehl, paladinhood -- and I didn't want to contribute."

Mairèad says: Nah, that wouldn't've contributed. It would've kept me mind off that shit. Kept it on you, which is th'best place fer it.

Shepard says: It wasn't- wasn't too bad, really. He was a worgen. Possibly feral, even.
Shepard nods. "I- I did the right thing."

Mairèad says: You did. You were savin' people's lives. And he was beyond help. You probably put him outta his misery.

Shepard says: What's weird is, I always thought that now I'd feel something -- anything -- if I killed one of my people. But. There was nothing.
Shepard says: ... Well, I was irritated, but I don't think that counts.

Mairèad says: Did you know him?

Shepard says: No. Just another face in the crowd.

Mairèad says: That's probably why. It wasn't rilly that it was one 'a yer people... it was a dangerous person what needed t'be stopped. I mean, would you've felt anythin' if it was a human?

Shepard says: ... Hungry? Ah, that's terrible... but no.
Shepard flops onto his back, sighing. "Then earlier in the day... a Warlock was staging a 'silent' protest."

Mairèad snickers and squeezes Shepard's hand. "Then that's jest it. It's not about yer people or me people or anythin'."

Shepard says: Well, my people are morons- and I think the Shattering shattered their heterosexuality.

Mairèad says: Not yers, at least.

Shepard says: Mmm... so. Are you really going to be a Lovells?

Mairèad takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, eyes going wide. "Are you gunna go by Lovells or Grrrrhelm?" she asks. She's totally serious about the Grrrr part, too.

Shepard lifts a brow. "'Grrrrhelm', hm? I'm tempted to take that for the irony. But... I've been a Lovells all my life, so I'll go with that."

Mairèad says: Then yahar. I wanna be a Lovells. Mairèad Isolde Lisa Fallon-Lovells.

Shepard says: Aha, decided to go that route, hm?
Shepard says: ... What do you think your mother will say?

Mairèad says: I still got time to decide, right? Not like we're gettin' married tomorrow. We need t'wait fer a naval battle.
Mairèad says: She is gunna shit a brick. So will Bryn, fer that matter.

Shepard says: ... Wait, naval battle? Oh, that's right...

Mairèad says: Mmhm.
Mairèad says: Preferably in th'rain fer luck.

Shepard says: I'm still not sure that's how weddings are actually done... at least, not on land.

Mairèad says: How are weddin's done on land?

Shepard says: If I remember it right, my grandmother described it as...
Shepard speaks as if he's reading off a cue card. "Pleasant, if loud. There were decorations, food, drinks and hundreds of people. I wore a white dress, while your grandfather was dressed in the most dashing of suits."
Shepard coughs.

Mairèad suddenly looks horrified. "I ent gotta wear a dress -again- do I?!"

Shepard says: I- don't think- well. If you -really- don't want to, why should you?

Mairèad says: Plus ent white dresses fer virgins?

Shepard says: Well. I'm not sure.
Shepard says: I just thought you- wore dresses. Or something.

Mairèad says: ...how about dress armor?

Shepard says: ...do I have to wear a suit?

Mairèad says: I think we can wear whatever th'fuckin' hell we wanna wear.

Shepard says: I think. That sounds like a brilliant idea.
Shepard says: And- hm. Maybe I can arrange for, like... a fight to break out.

Mairèad giggles. "We're gunna hafta have it in the Cathedral, ent we? And let errybody what wants t'come show up."

Shepard says: Oh. Oh Light. That'd just be-
Shepard shudders. "Do you honestly want someone like -Tenoly- showing up?"

Mairèad says: That's why we get security. Kialthos'd be so happy.

Shepard says: Nngh. But then there'd be a scene, and... well. I suppose we'll think of something.
Shepard says: Not like this all has to happen right away. ... Right?

Mairèad says: Oh shit no. I still think we should wait fer a naval battle.

Shepard says: And tell me, my dear, what a naval battle is like.

Mairèad says: Well. First thin' what happens, th'ships come alongside each other. This is if one hasn't blow th'other to smithereens while chasin'. They open cannon fire and th'goal's to sink the other ship.
Mairèad says: When yer close enough, half th'people from each ship swing over to the other one and stab and shoot the evarrrlivin' fuck outta the crew.
Mairèad says: It ends when a captain parleys.

Shepard says: ... And this is how a wedding for you goes.

Mairèad says: Noo, the weddin' takes place in th'middle of all that. I seen me mam do it dozens 'a times.
Mairèad says: Y'gotta keep fightin' while it happens or it ent bindin'.

Shepard says: That sounds- what if one of us died? Somehow.

Mairèad says: That's why y'get married.

Shepard says: But. Then you got married, and I'm dead.
Shepard says: That seems depressing.

Mairèad says: Or you get married and I'm dead. So... mebbe the Cathedral's best.

Shepard says: Or maybe... hm. I'll have to collaborate with Wilhiem. -We'll- have to collaborate with him.
Shepard says: And Vandrin. He helped come up with tonight's idea.

Mairèad says: Vandrin is highly clevarrr. I hope he realizes that. And Wil seems pretty wicked, too.

Shepard says: ... I liked my original idea better, though.

Mairèad says: What was yer original idea?

Shepard says: I tried getting Wil and Vandrin to act as a couple.

Mairèad blinks several times and then bursts out laughing. "That woulda been a sight! I'll betcha Tenoly woulda shit even more bricks."

Shepard says: And Emi...
Shepard lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.
Shepard says: Probably would have been better with the original idea, too...

Mairèad says: Poor Emi. Must've been 'cause it was Vandrin that she was jest standin' there like a fish.

Shepard says: I don't know. But I suppose Sid saved the show.

Mairèad says: Nngh. I hate her, but she is a very good actress.

Shepard snorts. "... I noticed Bryn was chatting with you. How is she?"

Mairèad's happy expression fades again. "Drunk and actin' like Lius. So... shitty."

Shepard says: Do you think you should talk to her, or...?

Mairèad says: I tried. She... well, she started fightin' with some random Night Elf. Then she said she'd try harder tomorrow.

Shepard says: And by harder, she means... what? Drinking, fighting and screwing at the same time?

Mairèad says: I got no idea. I told her to either drink or not drink, not try one or th'other.

Shepard says: Maybe you should check in on her tomorrow, then. Make sure she's doing alright.

Mairèad says: That's what I was gunna do. I'm jest glad she ent run across Stehl.

Shepard says: ... I'm sure Stehl has plenty of questions for her, yes.

Mairèad says: Why questions?

Shepard says: Remember? Stehl menti--
Shepard freezes, then shakes his head. "Nothing."

Mairèad says: ...Shep, what'd Stehl mention?

Shepard says: ... He- he mentioned that Lius had more than one request.

Mairèad says: What'd Lius request?

Shepard looks away, obviously trying to hide the biggest frown ever. "... I'm not- I'm not sure I should tell you. It's... what made Stehl so angry yesterday."

Mairèad swallows hard. "It ent somethin' I did, is it?"

Shepard says: -No-. No.

Mairèad says: Then what?

Shepard says: I just don't- Mair. I don't think it'd make your life any easier to know.

Mairèad sighs and then just turns and relaxes against Shepard. "Tell me in th'mornin'?" she asks quietly.

Shepard says: ... Maybe. We'll see.

Mairèad laughs quietly and snuggles close, going into that sleepy-girl-is-cute mode. "Mmmkay. Hey, I love you."

Shepard snakes an arm around the sleepy cute girl, smiling. "Love you too, my dear."

A Typical Night in Cathedral Square

Mairèad half looks up from her libram and jumps to see Bryn, as if expecting anything but the other girl sitting there. "Oh! Light, I wasn't expectin' you there."

Bryn deadpans, "I be errrwhar."
A sly smirk spreads across Bryn's face.

Mairèad says: Yer like magic or somethin'.

Bryn says: I'ma wizard.
Bryn says: In disguise.

Mairèad glances across the Square to where Shepard is talking. "How're you doin', then, wizard?"

Bryn follows her gaze curiously, "Hungover. You?"

Mairèad says: Well, Stehl's turnin' into rill fire and yelled at me last night and I hugged a deader and fought with Shep, but then we made up, and... hopefully thin's are good. I hope. Distractin'.

Bryn says: ... uh-huh.
Bryn says: I wish I could say that sounds outta th'ordinary.

Mairèad says: No, y'rilly don't. Shep told me about all th'outta the ordinary thin's what happened today, like that elf over there? With th'pigtails? Y'don't wanna be part 'a that shit.

Bryn says: Mefinks enny elf wiff pigtails 's somfin' I don' wanna be part of.

Mairèad says: That one fer special. She's th'type what goads people into hittin' her and then gets pissy when they do.

Bryn says: Sounds rill, uh, special.

Mairèad says: That's one word fer it.

Taylinda sighs softly before running over to the bench and throwing up her hands in exhausperation. "I don't goad anyone! Quiet with your slander! Sheesh!"

Mairèad says: Yahar, y'do.

Bryn stares Taylinda down.

Taylinda says: No, I don't. You're not in my bloody head.

Mairèad says: Don't hafta be. It don't gotta do with yer head. It's gotta do with yer behavior.

Bryn says: ... Hoi, y'dress like a whore an' sound like an even dumber whore.

Mairèad says: I wasn't even -talkin'- t'you.
Mairèad says: You talked t'me.

Bryn says: Yer th'one tha' keeps goin' back t'her.

Taylinda says: ...This is whorish? Then...
Taylinda points at Feloraea.
Taylinda says: SHe's a whore too?
Taylinda says: And she?
Taylinda points at Juhla.

Mairèad says: Th'point: yer missin' it.

Taylinda says: Oh heck that lady has an exposed naval.

Mairèad makes a whoosh sound, zooming her hand over her head.

Bryn snickers at Taylinda.

Taylinda says: So pretty much you called half the women here a whore. What a nice person.

Mairèad says: Think all her brains went into her pigtails.

Bryn says: Maybe 's like how bugs don't have brains just spines.
Bryn says: So like...

Bryn says: Her spines are in her pigtails.
Bryn says: Yeah.
Bryn says: Makes sense.
Bryn says: Oh look, she turned into a cat.

Mairèad says: Somehow, I ent surprised.

Bryn laughs.
Bryn says: We can leave it at "dumb bint 's dumb".
Bryn says: I don' see elves. I see purple humans.
Bryn says: Purple humans everywhere.

Mairèad says: Their ears are too long.
Mairèad says: Humans don't got ears that long.

Bryn says: But I wanna be an elf now.
Bryn says: Me name is Bryn N'ounverb Gobblypoo Adj'ectivebutt.

Mairèad peers searchingly at Bryn. "...are y'drunk again?"

Bryn says: Hungover.
Bryn says: Mebbe a wee bit buzzed.

Taylinda sighs softly and walks down the road, her ears drooped and her head low.
Taylinda sighs softly and glances between random people. "I don't get it..."

Bryn sets her hand on her forehead. "Oh, I don't get it. Why ev'ryone 's a stupid twat t'me. I am a snowflake in a world of yellow snow on a plain of snowiness."
Bryn says: Hoi... oaky. Maybe a wee bit drunk. Buzzed. I said buzzed.

Artim says: I think you should blame the one that turned the snow yellow, though. Go talk to him about it.

Bryn says: Well th'fucktit tha' pissed in'the snow deserves a punch in the throat.

Mairèad says: ...how buzzed is buzzed, Bryn?

Artim says: But that fucker ruined it all.

Bryn says: I'unno.

Mairèad says: How many drinks?

Bryn says: ... define drinks.

Mairèad says: Alcoholic beverages.

Bryn says: What d'yeh call them wee glasse- Oh. Shots. Um... fiiiive shots.
Bryn says: Close.

Mairèad says: ...-five- shots?

Artim says: If they say five, it was really more than ten.

Bryn says: To somfin' like tha'.
Bryn says: I said 'm buzzed.
Bryn says: Not drunk.

Artim says: And if they say ten, it was.. alot.

Bryn says: Nyeeeh.

Mairèad says: Bryn, y'ent but wee and y'ent got a great tolerance I don't think.

Artim says: She wasn't completely shitfaced.

Bryn says: I can see straight!
Bryn says: Mebbe I jus' act too seeryus 'round you.

Artim says: .. how many fingers am I holding up?
Artim raises four digits.

Bryn stares Artim down.
Bryn says: Four fuck yous an' a kick t'the purple balls.

Artim --one is a thumb. Derp.
Artim says: You're so polite, humie.
Artim says: I wonder why you were drinking in the first place.

Bryn says: Yer so edgy an' cool, elfy.

Artim says: Hell to the fuckin' yes.

Bryn says: I wanna be like you when I grow up.

Mairèad says: Bryn, yer... y'sound li--

Bryn says: Wiff th'headband an' shit.

Artim says: You're probably older than me.
Artim says: Oldy-pants.

Mairèad sighs and shakes her head, her previous cheerful mood dissipating. "Nevarrmind."

Artim says: -McCrabby.

Bryn says: Crabby? Naw, only hoors get tha'.
Bryn says: In th'pants.

Artim says: Zing.

Bryn says: So watch out fer ennyfin' wiff pigtails.
Bryn says: I hear they got all th'fun stuff down souf.

Artim says: Pigtails make women look stupid.

Bryn says: Ayerp.

Sidoni yells: Wilhiem! Ya big ol'hunkin' handsome piece of manmeat! Where are ya, heart of my heart?!

Wilhiem yells: C'here, you.

Bryn freezes. That voice.

Mairèad looks up at the sky. "...was that...?"

Bryn says: FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.

Mairèad says: Bryn, don't do anythin' stupid. She's jest an old bitch with saggy tits.

Bryn covers her face with her hands, cursing rapidly and loudly.

Artim says: ...
Artim says: Kiss your mother with that mouth?

Bryn says: People tell me me mam was a fifteen year old drug addled whore.

Artim says: She's probably right, though.

Bryn says: So mebbe.

Mairèad says: ...Light's sake.

Artim says: Human.

Mairèad says: And I don't kiss me mam, she don't swing that way. But she's worse'n I am, so...

Artim says: You're my new best friend.

Bryn says: Don' wanna be yer bes' friend. Y'look stupid.

Artim says: Too bad.
Artim says: Now we can skip through the forest, and have a fucking tea party.

Bryn says: Aw fuck yiss.

Artim says: Cuddle our new-found forest friends.
Artim says: Water some gods-damned flowers.
Artim says: Make a fuckin' leaf pile.
Artim says: And jump in that shit.

Bryn says: Hey knife ears, leave her be.

Artim says: -What?

Bryn says: Let her grow some fuckin' flowers.

Artim says: I don't--

Mairèad says: Bryn...

Bryn scowls.
Bryn gives the thumbs up. It's k.

Artim says: You humans are fucked up, okay?

Mairèad murmurs something to Bryn.
To Bryn: "I know yer drunk and sad and pissed, but... this is jest makin' thin's worse."

Bryn says: Yer mum is.

Artim says: That's how she had me, humie.
Artim says: Damn good move, if I say so myself.
Artim says: --Which I do.

Teristha says: Stop acting like children.

Artim says: We're not acting like children.
Artim says: -Duuuuh.

Bryn grunts crossly.

Artim says: I can't help but notice, humie.
Artim looks to Bryn.
Artim says: You seem angry.
Artim says: Or are you always like this?

Bryn says: An' you seem t'haff daddy problems. Are y'always like tha'?

Artim says: Seeing as he was killed not long ago.

Teristha says: I'm not angry, perhaps if you looked at me you might understand why I have this growl to my voice.

Artim says: Yes.

Bryn says: Prollum solved.

Artim says: Meh.

Bryn says: Now go away.

Artim says: Damn, humie.
Artim says: You need to get -laid-.

Bryn says: I would.
Bryn says: But me boyfrien' is dead.

Artim says: Should-a, could-a, would-a.
Artim says: Go fuck around.
Artim says: -Oh, he's dead?
Artim says: Finally drove him to the breaking point?

Mairèad turns and -glares- at Artim. "Shut. Up."

Artim says: Damn, humie.
Artim says: Simmer the fuck down.

Teristha glares at Artim, "You should stop while you are ahead."

Artim leans in, hands set on his hips.

Mairèad says: I dunno -who- y'think you are, but yer actin' like a cuntwaffle with extra syrup.

Artim says: Noted.
Artim says: You can sit down now.

Mairèad says: Leave her alone.

Bryn says: Oh yeah, totally did. To th'point where his bes' friends broke his legs and drove a sword through his gut.

Artim says: Are -all- human women like this?

Mairèad says: She won't talk t'you, you don't talk to her. G--

Artim says: Oh, well.

You stare Bryn down.

Artim says: Tha's a shame.
Artim says: Sorry 'bout that.

Bryn says: Don't matter now.
Bryn shrugs. Who knows?

Artim says: Better luck next time, right?

Mairèad throws up her hands. "Y'know, I give up. Do what yer gunna do."

Artim says: Good.
Artim nods at you.

Mairèad sits again with a clank and a grunt. "I don't fuckin' care."

Artim shakes his head, muttering in Darnassian.

Bryn says: Fun times.
Bryn pats Mairead on the head.

Artim says: Your idea of fun and mine are quite different.

Bryn says: Sod off.

Artim says: What the hell does that mean?
Artim says: Do you just make up your own insults on the spot?
Artim says: .. they're not that good.

Teristha says: In essence, leave.

Mairèad looks back in Shepard's direction again and just stares straight ahead at the Cathedral steps. Her cheek is twitching.

Artim sighs heavily, gaze darting briefly to the two sitting on the bench. He shakes his head, turning to leave. As he walks by Bryn, his hand would move to simply pat her on the head as he passed.

Bryn mumbles a quiet apology to Mairèad. "I'll try harder t'morrow..."

Mairèad says: No. Do or don't. There's no try.
Mairèad says: Either drink or don't drink.

Bryn says: I-I'll... I'll try.
Bryn says: 'm glad you 'n Shep made up.
Bryn says: 'm late fer shit.

Mairèad grunts and leans forward, resting her forearms on her knees. She rests her head in her hands and just sighs.

Destiany peered down to the woman. "you alright?"

Mairèad says: Yahar, I'm fine.
Mairèad says: This place jest gets to you.

Destiany says: The Cathedrial? Might I ask to why?

Mairèad looks up at Destiany with a laugh of disbelief. "Yer new here, ent you?"

Destiany offered a nod. "I am, well not new. I lived in the city when younger."
Destiany says: Might it be to much to ask if you might fill me in? I seen much changed.

Mairèad shrugs a shoulder nonchalantly. "I dunno how th'city's changed meself. I've onleh been here since December. But... well, sit around th'Square a day. Th'shit that happens here's enough to drive anyone insane."

Teristha says: The park nearby is gone.

Destiany smiled to her. "I agree, and I have and seen some things I do not agree fully with."
Destiany says: But that little matter. What troubles you tonight? The odd elf with the magazines?

Mairèad groans and shakes her head, the groan turning into a disbelieving laugh. "It is a -long- story, miss. A very long story."

Destiany says: Well, should you ever wish share it. I would welcome to hear. Even bring the coffee.

Mairèad chuckles. "Make it rum and I might take you up on it."

Destiany says: I'll bring a jug worth.

Mairèad says: Fer this story, y'might wanna make it a bathtub's worth.

Destiany says: If you have the time, I can grab my husband and we could dive in...to the rum at least.

Mairèad says: Eh, I can't right now. I'm supposed to wait -right here-.
Mairèad looks over towards where Shepard is talking yet again, expression somewhat tense.

Destiany says: Of course, you have a pleasant evening.

Mairèad spots Shepard and exhales through pursed lips. She manages a highly forced... and there they go. Smile gone.

Thanatosá says: Vandrin.

Teristha says: All is well, I assume.

Sidoni peeks around the side of the tree.

Wilhiem tosses the flute up, twists it, catches it again.

Vandrin swats a hand behind him. "Not now."

Thanatosá says: Verywell.

Shepard makes a point of ignoring Teristha for the moment, looking to Wilhiem. He nods.

Thanatosá says: Limited time offer however, so be a little nicer next time.

Wilhiem clicks his tongue. He raises a thin silver flute to his lips and starts up a fluent, simple melody.

Shepard follows suit with a soft, melancholy voice. He's singing!
Shepard says: There's an old tale wrought with the mystery of Tom the Poet and his muse, and the magic lake which gave a life to the words the poet used.

Shepard says: Now the muse she was his happiness and he rhymed about her grace, and told her stories of treasures deep the blackened waves.

Vandrin reaches for Emirdelle's hand.

Shepard spares Vandrin a glance as he continues, never breaking the pace.

Mairèad glances over, the smile threatening to return.

Shepard says: 'Till in the stillness of one dawn still in its mystic crown, the muse she went down to the lake and in the waves she drowned.

Wilhiem 's melody matches to accompany Shepard's voice perfectly- almost. He's nervous, he'd slip every now and then.

Emirdelle quirks a brow at Vandrin.

Sidoni rubs the back of her neck. She is staring -intently- at Wilhiem from her place hidden behind the tree.

Shepard says: And now to see your love set free, you will need the witch's cabin key. Find the lady of the light gone mad with the night, that's how you reshape destiny.

Vandrin says: Interesting story.

Wilhiem looks down to the ground - thank god. Otherwise he'd be dealing with Sid-eyes.

Teristha says: It is.

Shepard smiles at Vandrin, crossing his arms as he looks to Wilhiem. He's gonna let him have a solo.

Vandrin looks at Emirdelle. "And suprisingly relevant. You're a constant beacon of hope in an otherwise crumbling society."

Mairèad watches Vandrin and Emirdelle with interest, tilting her head to the side. What.

Wilhiem 's melody soon comes to a climax - descends, faints down to light fluttering. His fingers move about the surface of the flute, just barely.

Shepard leans back some, arms folding behind him. Some might see the faintest glow of the Arcane.

Emirdelle was lagging hardcore.

Sidoni has one hand raised, covering her mouth. She might be trying very very hard not to laugh.

Shepard thinks Emi should say something sweet about Vandrin.

Emirdelle ...Can't think of anything =/

Mairèad suggests calling him her hero.

Teristha thinks it would be easier if Vandrin showed his face... ever.

Wilhiem is running out of breath. He lets a note linger.

Sidoni facepalms. Except she uses the tree as her palm.

Sidoni glances sidelong at Wilhiem.

Shepard grunts, keeping the smile. His right eye is twitchng, though.

Wilhiem ...may or may not be playing the Jeopardy theme.

Vandrin does a high pitched voice, imitating that of a woman's. "Love you too."
Vandrin bites his bottom lip, hard. He sighs -happily-, or so it sounds, then walks off with Emirdelle's hand in his. His bottom lip was practically bleeding.

Emirdelle says: Sorry.

Shepard sighs, but takes what he can get. Instantly, a small cloud forms above... and it begins to rain. The glow of the Arcane vanishes.

Vandrin says: It's cool.
Vandrin gently pats Emirdelle.

Wilhiem attempts to hide a snort. He, then, clears his throat and starts the melody anew.

Emirdelle says: Just another thing I'm horrible at.

Shepard goes back to singing!
Shepard says: The poet came down to the lake to call out to his dear. When there was no answer, he was overcome with fear.

Vandrin says: Oh, hush.

Shepard says: He searched in vain for his treasure lost and too soon the night would fall, and only his own echo would wail back at his call.

Emirdelle says: It's true.

Mairèad blinks at Shepard. She had no idea he could do that! But the sight of the rain brings an almost wistful smile to her face.

Vandrin says: Stage pressure, is all. You were fine.

Shepard says: And when he swore to bring back his love by the stories he'd create, nightmares shifted in their sleep in the darkness of the lake.

Emirdelle says: I was never a...Theater type? i don' tknow....

Shepard says: And now to see your love set free, you will need the witch's cabin key. Find the lady of the light still raving in the night, that's how you reshape destiny.

Vandrin gives her a gentle, quick hug. "You were fine, Emi. Thanks for doing that for me."

Wilhiem struggles to scratch his nose while still playing.
Wilhiem STRUGGLES.

Sidoni comes swaying around the tree, pressing one hand to the lamppost to support herself, as though viklempt. Whatever sort of adjusting she's done, her cleavage looks fantastic. Her gaze comes to rest on Wilhiem, and although her full lips part, she speaks not a word. She's totally banging him with her eyes, who needs words when she's doing that?

Mairèad watches Sidoni now with a perplexed expression. She seems to be holding in a whole -slew- of giggles, though.

Shepard pauses again, gaping at Sidoni. Then he slooooowly looks to Wilhiem.

Sidoni raises her other hand, and crooks a single finger at Wilhiem. It's sort of like Sandy at the end of "Grease" saying 'tell me 'bout it, stud'.

Wilhiem lofts a single eyebrow at Sid. His outh parts in a wide grin, and he lets the melody pick up, his fingers running across the flute faster and faster.

Sidoni likes dat. Work them fingers, boy. She runs the tip of her tongue across her lower lip.

Shepard is now just staring at Sid. Almost horrified.

Wilhiem starts moving across the small opening - slowly - still playing, stepping one foot over the other. The stupid grin is still plastered over his face.

Sidoni 's face is turning red with the effort of simply standing there and trying not to say anything stupid.

Shepard resumes the actor's mask, and smiles as Wilhiem leaves his side. And again comes that Arcane glow.

Wilhiem sighs, exhales, and ceases the melody. He pockets the flute and chuckles, flicking his hair back like a model from a shampoo commercial. He walks up to Sidoni and holds out a hand.

Shepard shakes his head, still smiling, and the same downpour from before returns. The worgen, meanwhile, continues his song.

Sidoni takes that hand, and LEAPS into Wilhiem's embrace. She wraps herself all around that lanky gray whip of a man and buries her face against his throat, making loud smooching sounds. "Oh snookums... oh ya fuckin' handsome beast..."

Mairèad -stares- at Sidoni.

Shepard would have started again, but a snort happens instead.
Shepard begins to sing again. For real this time.
Shepard says: In the dead of night she came to him with darkness in her eyes, wearing a mourning gown, sweet words as her disguise. He took her in without a word for he saw his grave mistake, and vowed them both to silence deep beneath the lake.
Shepard says: Now if its real or just a dream, one mystery remains. For it is said on moonless nights, they may still haunt this place.

Wilhiem is an actor. Wilhiem is an actor of IRON WILL. Despite blushing furiously, he manages a purr, and wraps his arms around her, effectively carrying her /off/ and behind the tree. You know. In the bushes.

Shepard glances around, lamenting his solitude. But then, big voice, lots of passion.
Shepard says: And now to see your love set free, you will need the witch's cabin key. Find the lady of the light gone mad with the night, that's how you reshape destiny.

Mairèad turns her gaze back to Shepard, that derpy smile returning. She almost looks dazed.

Wilhiem fumbles with a small remote. A mechanical strider sneaks its way behind Shepard and he runs over there. Inconspicuously. Through the fountain.

Sidoni lets go of Wilhiem quickly. But she totally starts rattling the bushes while gasping and moaning. "Oh! Ya beast! Oh! Ya big naughty man!"

Teristha says: Shepard? Are you all right?

Shepard says: And now to see your love set free, you will need the witch's cabin key. Find the lady of the light still raving in the night, that's how you reshape destiny.

Tenoly crossed her arms, twitching. "Shep, no offense...but no matter how much that thing around your neck makes your voice different...you still suck at singing."

Shepard slides off the bench, casually strolling over to Mairead. He offers a hand -- there's a ring resting on his palm. "Will you be my lady of the light?"

Vandrin says: Tenolyshutthefuckupforfiveminutes.

Tenoly says: Good, now speak common this time Van.

Mairèad was distracted by turning that -glare- on Tenoly, so when she turns back and sees a ring, she lets out a yelp because the ring? She genuinely wasn't expecting that. "Holy shit! Where'd y'get booty, Shep!?"
Mairèad says: Oh! I mean yes.

Shepard grins, chuckling softly. Then he speaks into his signet.

Sidoni is still putting on a loud, flagrant show! Those bushes are rattling. Her voice is ringing.

Wilhiem 's strider emits a fury of fireworks! Happy day. Some of the sparks burn his hair and he bursts into curses.

Vandrin promptly runs up, flailing flower pedals.

Sidoni says: Oh! Yer fireworks! I told ya they was in yer pants baby!
Sidoni plants her forehead on the tree trunk. Her husband is going to kill her.

Mairèad grins up at Shepard and stands, removing her helm. She wraps her arms around him and whispers something to him.
To Shepard: "That. Was amazin'."
To Shepard: "Also, fuck Tenoly, yer amazin'."

Wilhiem rolls over a keg for a good measure.

Tenoly deadpanned, heartily disapproving. Shep acted like a fourty-something old man, and Mai was barely something other than a kid, this was weird...at least to her.

Sidoni doesn't realize Wilhiem has revealed he's no longer with her. She's still kicking the bushes to rattle them, and moaning like a hydra in heat.

Shepard smiles, wrapping an arm around Mairead. Then he whispers!
Shepard whispers: "I'm glad you think so, my dear."

All of the sounds behind the tree stop, except for a grateful, "LIGHT FUCKIN' BLESS."

Mairèad continues to stand there, whispering!
To Shepard: "...should I say somethin'?"
To Shepard: "Besides 'go die in a fire, Tenoly'?"

Sidoni ruffles Wilhiem's hair.

Shepard chuckles. "I think all you needed to say was 'yes'. ... Was this 'theatrical' enough?"

Tenoly thinks this sentimental moment needs Deathwing in Underbite form.

Mairèad says: That was amazin'ly theatrical. I can't believe y'pulled it off at such short notice!
Mairèad was obviously totally surprised by this whole thing. Or maybe just the ring.

Shepard deadpans. "Neither do I."

Tenoly says: Van...are we supposed to watch them for a reason? Cuz this staring is hurting my eye.

Mairèad says: And seriously, where'd y'get the booty?

Vandrin says: No. Stop watching if you're so souless.

Tenoly says: Meh...

Kialthos says: I forgot to clap.

Mairèad is -staring- at the ring. It's like instinct for her.

Tenoly says: Not my fault I aint a sap....I blame ya'll for drooling...

Shepard says: ... A friend. I had to- it doesn't matter.

Mairèad says: ...excuse me -one- second, Mine.
Mairèad disentangles herself from Shepard and marches over to Tenoly.

Tenoly seems to tower over Mai, considering she's a bit taller than she is.

Mairèad says: Look. I get that bein' a bitch is yer 'thing' and that's fine and whatevarrr, but fer -fuck's- sake, let people be -happy- if they've a mind to and if yer gunna ruin their happiness, keep yer opinions in yer Lightdamned -mouth-.

Kialthos says: BURN.

Mairèad doesn't really care how tall Tenoly is.
Mairèad says: That's all. Light protect.

Tenoly thinks height is important...that...damnit...what was the race from Invader Zim again?

Mairèad still doesn't care about Tenoly's height.

Tenoly smirked. "Tough words coming from a runt..."

Shepard blinks at you.
Shepard says: ... I think this will be happy marriage.

Mairèad says: ...let's go celebrate. Or...what are we supposed t'do now?

Vandrin says: So when do the storks come?

Mairèad says: ...storks?

Vandrin says: Yeah.

Mairèad says: What storks?

Vandrin says: With the baby.

Mairèad says: Why'd-- WHAT.
Mairèad says: No. No babbies.

Tenoly says: Now, this is entertaining.

Vandrin says: Oh, okay. Yeah, fuck children.
Vandrin nods.

Tenoly says: Van, what kind of face heel turn is -that-?

Mairèad grins at Vandrin. "Thanks, Vandrin. Fer errythin'."

Shepard looks at Wilhiem.
Shepard cackles maniacally at Wilhiem.

Mairèad says: You too, Emi.

Vandrin says: Fo sho.

Emirdelle says: No problem.

Teristha says: Wish I could have helped.

Tenoly eyed Kialthos. "We're chopped liver, I swear."

Shepard looks at Teristha.
Shepard says: You were- a valuable audience member.

Mairèad leans past Shepard to look at Wilhiem, "And you too... Wil, right?"

Wilhiem offers a salute and a nod.

Teristha says: Hmm... suppose that is comforting.

Mairèad says: Yer a very good actor.

Kialthos says: Mother of god, you could have been polite and at least stayed silent.

Mairèad smiles over at Kialthos, too. "Thank you, Kia."

Kialthos says: I didn't really do anything but okay.

Vandrin says: You're back.

Tenoly resists the urge to make a 'what's god' comment...lulz.

Mairèad says: Nah, y'jest did.

Kialthos gives Vandrin a side-noogie.

Mairèad reaches up to whisper to Shepard again.
To Shepard: "Seriously, let's go home and get naked."

Shepard says: I'm not sure if this is normal- but it's funny.

Tenoly says: It's never normal Shep...not here...but good on ya anyway I guess.

Shepard blinks at you.

Wilhiem pulls a disappearing act, the strider clanking loudly.

Shepard says: Right, I don't like it. Let's go.

Kialthos says: Warm winds, uh...
Kialthos says: The new Mr. And Mrs. Shepards.

Vandrin says: Chumba wumba. I don't like the look of it.

Tenoly leaned against the wooden barrier.

Mairèad chuckles and, with some effort, hefts herself up on Shepard's back because that's what she does.

Shepard says: That- huh. Thanks, Kia.

Tenoly says: Shepard's not his family name is it?
Tenoly glanced to SHep. "What's your last name again?"

Shepard says: Lovells. Or Garhelm. Depends on who you ask.

Tenoly says: I'm sort of asking you...so what's your answer?

Shepard says: Lovells, I guess.

Mairèad says: Anyway. Goin'. Let's.

Shepard says: Anyway. We're going now.

Mairèad & Shepard: July 1 (part I)

Mairèad says: Alright, look. You obviously ent fine. What's wrong, Mine?

Shepard sighs heavily. "I just- don't like father talk. At all. That's it."

Mairèad 's faceplate falls down. She pushes it back up. " 'Cause 'a... that thin' with yer blood y'told me about?"

Shepard says: Well. That, and my own was... a disappointment.
Shepard huffs. "And then people telling me that because I'm nice, I'll be a good father. I don't know -how- to be father."

Mairèad says: I don't think most blokes what're fathers know how when they first start. I think 'cause yer so worried, you'd probably be a good dad, but... well, I don't want kids evarrr.

Shepard nods excitedly. "Good! Good. Good..."

Mairèad says: ...I am rilly glad y'said that.

Shepard says: ...I'd just be a disappointment, too. This is good.

Mairèad shrugs. "I just... don't like kids. Can't picture meself evarrr havin' 'em, y'know?"

Shepard says: I'm fairly sure neither of us can. So, to Stormwind I quietly say...
Shepard clears his throat. "Fuck y'all, we don't need a kid." He smiles.
Shepard says: I wonder if there's a standard way of saying that... and if I got it right.

Mairèad snickers. "Y'sounded like Mr. MacGlynn. And let errybody else have kids. We don't need to."

Shepard hops up and down, nodding. "Exactly! Don't need a child. None at all."

Mairèad laughs at her amazing, bouncing worgen. "You are rilly excited about this lack 'a kids thin', ent you?"

Shepard says: Oh, Mair, it's -fantastic-. Brilliant. Wonderful. I feel...
Shepard stops his hopping, chuckling. "Lighter."

Mairèad says: I can tell. Y'look like yer about to bounce into orbit or somethin'.

Shepard says: Oh, but you'd be coming along for the ride.

Mairèad says: ...that. Is terrifyin'. I like the ground.

Shepard says: Hey, you said you'd come with me -anywhere-. That includes high above the ground.

Mairèad says: Onleh if y'promise you won't let me fall.

Shepard says: I thought we went over this? I wouldn't let you fall. Ever.
Shepard taps his chin, then holds out a finger. "Well, that's not entirely true."

Mairèad says: ...when would y'let me fall?

Shepard says: Right into a body of water. Or a bed.
Shepard says: Preferably in reverse.

Mairèad snickers. "What, y'don't want me in yer bed when I'm all wet?"

Shepard says: Well, that's an alluring image... to...
Shepard trails off, eyes wandering over Mairead. "-To think about, but then my bed. It'd be soaked."

Mairèad says: We could change th'sheets.
Mairèad says: Or...well, yer rich. You could hire someone to change th'sheets fer you.

Shepard says: Well, I suppose that's true... oh, but then people would have to actually -go in- to my house. That's unnerving.

Mairèad says: What's th'purpose 'a havin' a big house like that if y'ent gunna let people in?

Shepard says: Well, I originally was only going to let only -one- person in. You made me- 'revise', that plan.
Shepard says: It's not even my house. Not to me, anyway.

Mairèad says: It's Alma's.

Shepard nods. "But... I suppose she'd want me to live there, too. 'Your money, your house'. That's what she'd tell me."
Shepard says: ... Oh! I forgot. Stehl isn't mad at you.

Mairèad says: He ent?

Shepard says: Well, he's mad, but. Not at -you- specifically.

Mairèad says: What's he mad at?

Shepard says: Lius, mostly. It's like I said, he's grieving. In his own way.

Mairèad nods. "You were right. I'm sorreh I was such a shit about it last night. Was kinda like bein' slapped, y'know? Stehl's... he's errythin' I always thought a palerdin should be, and the idea 'a disappointin' him is..." She just trails off.

Shepard shakes his head. "No, no. Don't worry about it, my dear. Stehl has just been- I don't know how to put this."

Mairèad says: Yer good with words, and even when y'ent, I always understand you.

Shepard says: It's like he became a walking embodiment of the Light's fiery vengence.

Mairèad says: Describe it to me.

Shepard gestures to the pauldrons. "Those? They won't stop burning. Even -he- can't stop it. And they've just- expanded. He can't contain it."

Mairèad says: ...is he gunna die?

Shepard says: I don't think so. He seems fine, for the most part.

Mairèad says: But he can't live normal no more.

Shepard says: ...was he ever normal?
Shepard says: If anything, I think him becoming -that- is normal; it's like he ascended, or something. Opened himself unwittingly to the Light.
Shepard says: ... And now he's like a walking lantern.

Mairèad nods slowly, considering this. "...I guess that's good. Fer him, at least. That's... I mean, unless y'got family or love, that's all any of us can hope fer."

Shepard says: Actually, I can see where there might be some problems...
Shepard says: Oliver told me he's married.

Mairèad says: Oh. Well. Tha-- oh -wait-. He's married to a deader, ent he?

Shepard nods.

Mairèad says: ...that's awkward.

Shepard says: Mm. But, back to the original point, he isn't really mad at you.

Mairèad says: I'm glad t'know that. I wish I could talk to him anyway... if he's gunna go away and be a beacon 'a the Light's vengeance, I wanna at least say good-bye.

Shepard says: Well, I wouldn't say he's leaving for good. Not yet, anyway. He seems intent on lounging about Stormwind.

Mairèad says: That can't last long, not with so many deaders around, not with how he's probably got a worse temper now than you and me combined.

Shepard says: Mm. Which reminds me, have you noticed any other changes as of late?

Mairèad says: I hear shit better and smell shit better. And... y'know, I don't think I coulda broke someone's legs before.

Shepard says: So increased strength and senses, but hairtrigger temper and 'heat' flashes... seems you've gotten a pretty good deal. So far, anyway.

Mairèad says: And I like raw meat. What bad shit could I've gotten?

Shepard says: Well. Could have gone mad.

Mairèad waggles her eyebrows at Shepard. "How d'you know I haven't?"

Shepard says: Because you aren't walking around nude, or biting hapless civilians.
Shepard pauses. "Just me."

Mairèad says: ...y'ent a hapless citizen. Yer mine.

Shepard says: Really? Because I think half of Stormwind would like to contest that.

Mairèad says: What?

Shepard says: It's the weirdest thing. Ever since you and I... well, you know. Anyway, women -- and men -- have been getting 'nicer'.

Mairèad 's heckles rise. What are heckles? Who knows? But they're rising. She growls softly. "Whaddya mean 'nicer'?"

Shepard narrows an eye. "And that one bloke? Mahlar. He kissed me last night." The worgen grimaces.
Shepard says: So. That 'kind' of nice.

Mairèad says: -KISSED- you!? Why the -fuck- would he do that!?

Shepard flattens his ears. "He did it as 'thanks', I think. Called me handsome, and- well."
Shepard shrugs. Who knows?

Mairèad growls even more fiercely, like the not!worgen she is. "That -fucker-. That ent okay. What the hell, what's a girl gotta do to make sure errybody knows her man's taken these days?"

Shepard kneels down just a bit, getting on eye level with Mairead. "Come on now. Calm down, Mair. Like I said, he just- did it. Out of thanks for a situation."
Shepard says: I'm sure -- and hoping -- nothing was meant by it. Really.

Mairèad says: Still, people oughta know when they're hittin' on someone what's taken. They oughta know better.

Shepard says: It's Stormwind, Mair. If people knew better, there wouldn't be insanity in the streets.

Mairèad still growls softly but she looks slightly less like she's about to go rip someone's head off. "Well still. Almost wanna marry you -jest- to tell errybody else to bugger off."

Shepard blinks, then leans in close. Like. Really close. "Say that again?"

Mairèad says: I said I almost wanna marry you -jest- to tell errybody else to bugger off.

Shepard says: That. Is a brilliant idea.

Mairèad says: ...what.

Shepard taps one of his ring fingers, nodding. "A fake marriage."

Mairèad says: ...why not a rill marriage? I don't wanna -lie- to people.

Shepard blinks, leaning back. "I- wha- ... Do you want to marry me?"

Mairèad says: --well, I mean. I... I mean. ...I dunno! What's that gunna change, besides me name?
Mairèad says: Is it -gunna- make thin's different? 'Cause I kinda like thin's th'way they are.

Shepard looks away, absently rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, honestly... I doubt things would change. You'd just be my wife." He shrugs, focus panning back to Mairead. "But I- well. I hadn't really -planned- on aski--"
Shepard says: Well. Not for a few years, anyway.

Mairèad says: Y'didn't plan on askin' at all, did you?

Shepard says: -No-. I did. Honest!

Mairèad grins at Shepard. "Rilly?"

Shepard blinks. "I- ahh- well." The ground looks wonderful. "I was planning to, yeah- in a few years. I'd want to be- why am I telling you this."

Mairèad says: Want t'be what?

Shepard 's brows bunch together. "...better?" he admits, meek as can be.

Mairèad is grinning like an idiot and wraps her arms around Shepard's waist, pulling herself close. "Shep, yer amazin' jest th'way you are. I've been in love with you fer a while now... was jest waitin' fer you to realize it. Y'don't need to be better fer me."

Shepard 's mouth hangs open, eyes twitching. "...woo," he manages weakly. With a deep breath, he smiles. "Well. That's a weight off my shoulders, then."

Mairèad laughs softly, touching Shepard's cheek. "Y'didn't know that already? I wouldn't've chased after you ferevarrr if I didn't feel that way."

Shepard says: ...but weren't you at a point where you were close to giving up?
Shepard says: I mean, well. ... It sounded like it.

Mairèad says: Sorta. I think it was mostly 'cause I hadn't talked t'you in ferevarrr at that point. With you bein' that close again... well. I was jest glad Lio didn't want anythin' serious 'cause I knew... Light, even y'weren't nearby, I couldn't stop thinkin' 'a you.
Mairèad says: I jest didn't wanna get hurt again.

Shepard says: Well. I'm glad I swooped in, then. Completely contradicts that old phrase 'swooping is bad', though.

Mairèad laughs weakly and rests her head against Shepard's chest. "I don't think we evarrr coulda been friends. Not -jest- friends."

Shepard nods, then glances down. "...I'm confused, am I supposed to be asking you to marry me now?"

Mairèad says: ...hmm. Y'know. Since we're mostly doin' this fer errybody in th'Square, if yer gunna ask soonish, may's well do it there.
Mairèad says: Onleh, y'gotta make it all theatrical-like.
Mairèad says: Make errybody swoon.

Shepard says: I... see.
Shepard says: Right. Wait around in the square, and... I need to get some things.

Mairèad says: ...alright.
Mairèad says: Hey, Shep?

Shepard says: ...yes?

Mairèad reaches up to kiss the worgen gently. "I love you."

Shepard giggles, smiling like a derp. "I love you, too."
Shepard says: Now go. Go!

You salute Shepard with respect.

Mairèad, Lius, Bryn, & Shepard: June 23

Mairèad sits quietly, eyes closed. She is apparently trying to meditate.

Lius glances to his left, head tilting in slow and jerky movements. It lingers there for a moment before turning back to Mairead, a small chuckle escaping the veil of shadow.

Mairèad 's cheek twitches slightly at the laugh, though she doesn't open her eyes. "You've come back to th'city," she observes.

Lius sighs, rolling his head to scan the sky. "So I 'ave, little sister."

Mairèad 's expression flickers for a moment to one of pain, though she still doesn't open her eyes. "Have you recovered from yer madness? Are you done hurtin' people?"

Lius takes a single step forward, his fingers toying with the hilt of his blade. "Hurt people, little sister? I 'ave 'urt no one, I fix them. I 'ave fixed ye all at one time or another. Ye seem quick t'forget tha'."

Mairèad finally opens her eyes, staring at the tree rather than at Lius. "I haven't fergotten. Walk with me?"

Lius says: Fine then, we shall walk.

Mairèad nods, letting her libram fall at her side. She doesn't look either to the right or to the left as she begins, well, walking.
Mairèad -finally- looks at Lius. "Lius, what are y'doin'. Yer actin' like you've been alone all this time, but we've been -here-. I've been -here-. Meditatin', prayin', but here. And you've jest... gone -mad-."

Lius stares ahead of him, still toying with the hilt of his blade. "Ye've been as far as gone as any of th'others. I 'ave nae gone mad, little sister, I 'ave merely found m'self."

Mairèad says: And -where- have I gone? I've been -here-. I've been waitin' fer alla you t'come back.

Lius says: An' none will. They're all gone, we're all gone. We're all ghosts.

Mairèad shakes her head. "I'm more alive than I've evarrr been before. And y'ent a ghost. I saw yer ghost... this ent it."

Lius tilts his head, staring at the lamp post. His hand slips away from the knife, a line of shadow perfectly mirroring the movement of his arm. "M'ghost 'as yet t'escape, dear sister. It claws an' bites, all it wants is t'be released."

Mairèad watches the shadow, looking up to Lius' face. "You wish fer death, then," she guesses quietly. "Yer ghost came to me when I was sick. He laughed at me, said he was gunna kill people and there was nothin' I could do."
Mairèad says: Is that true? D'you wanna kill people? D'you wanna die?

Lius lets out a condescending chuckle. "Do I wish fer death? Nae...nae." He shakes his head, the shadow appearing again. "I cannae die, why woul' I wish fer it?"

Mairèad says: Everyone can die, even the dead. Answer me question: d'you wanna kill people? D'you wanna cause more pain?
Mairèad 's voice shakes just a little on the last word.

Lius says: I only cause pain so tha' people may enjoy pleasure. Wha' is life withou' contrast? Bleak, colorless, without scent. We wander mindlessly.

Mairèad says: If people wanna contrast their pleasure and pain, that should be -their- choice, not yers. If they wanna be bleak and colorless, that's -their- choice, not yers. It ent up t'you to decide who's hurt and who ent!

Lius says: My blades say otherwise, little sister. They hum an' they sing as they meet flesh, th'world comes back through their chorus.

Mairèad closes her eyes, her face tensing in pain. "I cannot let you go down this path...me brother. I cannot let you fall so far from grace that the Light can't touch you."

Lius snaps his head towards her, nearly to the point of his neck breaking, it looks rather painful. "Th'Light? Wha' do ye know of th'light, little sister? Ye only made it out of tha' fuckin' mess of a drop because of me, nae th'Light."

Bryn can't be invisible, even though she wishes she could. Instead, the girl has been silently watching in one of the far shadows of the odd tunnel-thing. "Don't kill m'Surgeon, Mair."

Mairèad was going to make a big speech about the Light being her shield and such but Bryn interrupts her train of thought. She hasn't even reached for her sword yet. "If he is a danger t'you or to the Alliance, I will do what must be done."

Lius turns his body to face her, the constant echo of shadow mirroring every inch of movement. "Ye think ye can kill me, little sister?" He laughs, small bursts of shadow pushing against the veil.

Bryn says: ... Lius, don't kill 'er. Please.

Lius rolls his head, crazed laughter and a singsong voice coming through. "Buuuttt we're all ghooossstttssss~"

Mairèad 's hand rests on the hilt of her sword, finally, though she still doesn't draw it. "The Light will give me th'stren'th to do what must be done. I won't let you fall to the shadow, brother."

Lius says: A shame tha' ye view it as falling, rather than th'ascension tha' it is.

Mairèad says: An ascension doesn't end with people dyin'. An ascension doesn't end with pain. That ent enlightenment; it's madness.

Lius says: If ye wish t'break yerself against me, little sister, we shall do it where guards will nae aid yer cause. If ye can still tha' tingling between yer legs long enough t'pull a blade, if ye can quench tha' lust tha' ye've always felt fer me.
Lius breaks into laughter again. He amuses himself so.

Bryn remains silent, watching. When did he bring his knives? When did she let him slip?

Mairèad shakes her head, looking disgusted. "Yer madness ent appealin'. We've all failed you, Lius. I shan't fail you this time. I shall give you what you deserve."

Lius says: Ye know m'home, little sister. Ye'll 'ave nae 'elp there, shoul' ye wish t'kill yer salvation, it will be there.
Lius gives a sharp whistle. ROCKETS RESPOND TO WHISTLES.

[at Lius' home]

Mairèad breathes softly, shivering in the rain. He's in his shadowform; this can only end well.

Lius says: Nae hallowed ground 'ere, Paladin.

Mairèad says: Gilneas wasn't hallowed ground either.

Lius says: Others are nae 'ere t'keep ye alive, t'stop th'nightmare from claimin' ye.

Bryn says: Mair, please walk away. Let it be anybody but you.
Bryn 's gaze flickers between the two. Obvious inner turmoil is obvious.

Lius says: Pull yer blade an' claim yer prize, little sister. Pull my skeleton from me, smite m'soul away.

Mairèad says: I've no intention 'a doin' somethin' so demeanin'. I wish onleh to redeem yer soul fer the Light. If I can do so and spare yer life, I shall.
Mairèad still makes no move to draw her sword; if she's scared or angry or anything at all, she's hiding it pretty damn well.

Lius sighs, a surge of shadow taking his right arm. "Yer as mindless as th'rest, a shame tha' it is I tha' will 'ave t'set ye righ'."

Mairèad draws her shield and sword. "Are you that blind, brother? Have y'lost yer way so completely?" With her voice cracking on the last word, like a twelve-year-old boy to his hot teacher.

Lius says: I see a little girl defendin' somethin' tha' she doesnae even fully understand, an' striking out against those tha' protected 'er.

Mairèad says: You hid behind me and stuck thin's in me that made me mad fer blood to th'point where I couldn't see. And then you healed me, for which I thank you. I've sat idly by too many times, though, while you've threatened good people.
Mairèad says: And I've heard what you said about people like Bryn. About how yer wife and you fell in love makin' them scream. Y'said it to Emi.

Lius says: My little shadow understands me. Perhaps if ye did, it woul' be yerself at m'side instead of 'er. Is tha' wha' this is all abou'?
Lius chuckles, bringing the arm up, shadow errywhere. "Ye an' yer little wolf, aye, I 'ave 'eard."

Mairèad says: Yer 'little shadow'? D'you know nothin' about her? D'you know what yer -doin'- to her while she "understands" you?
Mairèad says: And Shep's got -nothin'- to do with this.

Lius says: I am givin' 'er a fresh view on life, allowin' 'er t'be 'erself. Unlike ye an' yers, who woul' see her kneelin' in th'church.
Lius says: I will tell ye, little sister, she kneels plenty.
Lius chuckles. blowjobs are funny.

Mairèad says: I'd have her -livin' her life- and not feelin' she needs t'be yer playthin' to earn love! I'd have her see that she has a family what loves her already, what won't turn her purple with burns! I'd have her understand that y'don't fix somethin' by lettin' it hurt you! And what of you? D'you know that th'onleh reason she comes around is 'cause she thinks you need her? 'Cause she doesn't realize that it could be anyone willin' t'let you burn 'em?

Lius shakes his head. "Perhaps she likes th'burn, little sister. Perhaps ye will as well? Let us find out." With that, he releases the buildup of shadow, sending a stream of the energy towards her head.

It's always the fucking head. Mairèad brings up her shield in the nick of time, the shadow colliding with it in a shower of golden sparks. The time for talking is now over. With barely a word of blessing breathed, she charges in, bringing her sword in an arc for Lius' side.

Lius blows his usual load of Dispersion, exploding into a fine mist of shadow. It only lasts a few seconds, the medic appearing on the fence. His entire body pulses with shadow, a single word spoken under his breath if the spell works, PSYCHIC HORROR, Mairead's world would become her worst waking nightmare.

Mairèad 's palerdin aura -mostly- does its trick, a burning pain searing right back at Lius. The world becomes hazy for a moment, though, and there are Liuses everywhere, all of them laughing. "Fuck hallucinatin's," she mutters, along with a word of prayer that sends jolts of holy Light in every direction.

Lius catches a bolt of holy pain in his shoulder, nearly losing his balance on the railing. His right hand flicks to the side, a shadowfiend poofing into existence before launching itself at the paladin. Lius is busy still trying not to fall.

Mairèad catches the shadowfiend on her shield, hissing as its tendrils lash at her arm. She drops her sword a second, a hammer of glowing Light appearing in her hand. This hammer she releases with an explosive BWONG into the shadowfiend's body, and even after that, it has enough energy to rebound straight for Lius.

Lius was too busy trying to gain his balance again to notice the hammer of fucking pain coming straight at him. He catches it in the chest, dropping to the ground. A low groan escapes, his hands groping for a vial along his belt, making no attempt to get up.

Mairèad grabs her sword and stands, the remains of the shadowfiend dispersing as she does. One step and she's closer to Lius; the next, and the ground below her glows golden with a consecration. And then she leaps for him.

Lius crushes the vial in his hand as soon as she's airborne, throwing his hand out at her as she comes down. The plague is infused with shadow, a mixture of the liquid and shards of glass flying towards her.

Mairèad is pretty glad to be a paladin at this point; the plague burns at her face and arms, but not nearly as much as it could. Now, though, her face is streaked with blood, tiny cuts appearing where the glass settled. And in her attempt to block the vial and keep herself from inhaling bees or something, she's turned herself into a flying ball of plate and Light that's falling straight down on Lius' groinal area.

Lius ' SHADOW EYEZ OF PURPLE ORB go wide at the sight of his dick nearly getting plowed into in a horrible way. One leg comes up to block the falling paladin, a loud snap sounding off as it breaks against the weight.

Mairèad grunts as she connects with Lius' leg, falling to the side. She's no more than landed on the ground than she brings her shield about to try and slam into his other knee.

Lius reaches a hand out for her face, screaming out as her shield takes out his other knee. He attempts to pretty much smother her face with his hand, shadow licking out towards her.

Mairèad gives a snarl of pain as the shadow licks out towards her face, attempting to smother her. Among her cries is a word of blessing, pushing an aureate shield out from her body for a few seconds, enough for her to scramble backwards, holding her hands to her now purple-burnt face.

Lius rolls, his legs useless. He lets out a sharp whistle. The rocket picks him up and rides into the sunset.

Mairèad roars as Lius rockets away, cursing her inability to ever wear a helm that covers her face. With shaking hands, she begins to try and mend the damage done.

Shepard totally comes running from the muddied road. He didn't materialize from the guillotine, nope. He skids to a halt before Mairead, eyes wide.

Mairèad 's hands are shaking so hard that she can barely bring them across her wounds. Her arm is healed pretty quickly, but her face... well. The tears aren't making it much better, that's for sure.

Shepard drops to a knee. With a shaking hand, he tentatively reaches out towards Mairead's arms, but stops short of actually touching them. The worgen looks to her for permission more than anything; he wants to assist in this healing endeavor, yo.

Mairèad just nods, dropping her hands from her face to fumble for her libram. She doesn't have to cleanse very often, and that's not a prayer she's memorized. "Lius," she says, by way of explanation. "Broke both his legs."

Shepard switches to helping with the libram; he brings it up, cracking it open, and slowly begins to flip the pages. His eyes are locked on Mairead, however, awaiting for any reaction. "Where is he now?" he growls.

Mairèad puts her hand on the pages of the libram once Shepard reaches the page she needs. "D-dunno... had a rocket, could be anywhere..." She runs her fingers over the words on the page, that familiar glow coming to her hands as she does. A bit of sparkle seems to carry the purple away from the burns on her face, leaving them nasty but just red.

Shepard snarls, a fist slamming into the nearby fence. It splinters. After that display of rage, he sighs. "...I should have been here with you," he mutters, looking the remaining traces of the burn over.

Mairèad 's burns are still pretty nasty, and she's still shaking pretty hard. Despite this, she leans towards Shepard as if for comfort. "He wouldn't have attacked if you were here. He's a c-coward like that."

Shepard inches forward, his arms immediately wrapping Mairead. "Then I would have hid, I would've-" He stops himself, grunting.
Shepard says: I could have waited. Close by. Watching.

Mairèad laughs softly, still weeping either way. "And when he attacked, you'd've jumped outta th'shadows and it'd be you all burnt."

Shepard says: Maybe, maybe not. I could've just gutted him from the shadows.
Shepard smiles, doing his best to appear brave and charming and confident... because yeah. This situation is fairly bleak. "But then, that wouldn't have been as dramatic, would it?"

Mairèad sighs. In this moment, she seems even older than Shepard. "I wanted to redeem him... I failed."

Shepard says: Redemption, Mair, can only come to those who wish for it. And sometimes, the ending to a story won't be a happy one.

Mairèad nods stiffly, her voice growing smaller as she speaks again. "S-shep? Remember after you bit me, what y'did to the wound?"

Shepard says: ... I licked it, didn't I?

Mairèad nods and tilts her face up towards Shepard. She looks -awful- and the aforementioned action would probably hurt like a bitch, but she still asks, "...would y'd-do that fer me now?"

Shepard looks away for just a moment, contemplating. And then he looks back with furrowed brows. "... Alright, Mair." His tongue pokes through a pair of jowls before raking across Mairead's face. It's a slow, gentle gesture.

Mairèad cringes in pain because, let's face it, this isn't going to tickle. She follows the movement of his tongue, though, with her fingers, gently mending the cleaned flesh, though still crying as she does so.

Shepard winces because, well. This is actually a little gross. But he soldiers on! Licking. Until there's nothing left to lick.

Mairèad doesn't disagree that it's kind of gross, but it's the comfort of the gesture more than anything that gets to her. Like having a cut kissed when you're a child. When it's over, the burns are largely gone from her face, though the newly-mended skin is paler than what surrounds it and is free of freckles.

Shepard says: ... We should get you somewhere warm. For rest.

Mairèad nods, letting her head fall against Shepard's shoulder. "I'm warm in yer arms, always," she murmurs because one is never too injured for shmoop. Nope.

Shepard laughs, but shakes his head. "Maybe, but I'll start smelling like wet dog soon. And I'm not exactly the best cover."

Mairèad says: Then let's go home. And tomorrow, I'll find me brother and send him home, too.

Shepard says: I'll be sure to join you.