Colin's posts

She heard the man growl when she mentioned the spare room, but that was it.

Bast looked over towards her when she made her exclamation, and raised an eyebrow.

"Such language!" he exclaimed in false indignation and shock.

"What would your mother think!?" he demanded.

"Anyway, hey." he then greeted her.

"I can tell you've already met 'Trash'." he added,

"Lady Jordan!" the man then called back.

"....let her in! I'm in the den!" Sebastien responded.

The man then stepped out of the way and gestured for her to enter.

As she did, he shut the door behind her.

"You know what to do!" Bast then yelled.

"...can I take your bag, miss?" the man asked her through gritted teeth.

Again, he sighed, and turned back into the house.

"Master Sebastien!' he called into it.

"You have a visitor!" he said further.

There was silence for a moment.

"Who is it!?" Bast called back.

"And you are?" the man asked her, looking back into her eyes now.

The door was answered... and it wasn't someone she recognised.

At all.

And they did NOT look happy in the slightest.

He then cleared his throat a little, and sighed.

"Yes?" he asked.

"How can I help you?" he asked.

"What is your business here?" he asked further.

Chris realised what it was he had said.

And he wasn't sure where to go from here.

Ayla was now questioning him on it, though... and he knew he couldn't hide it.

"I..." he stammered.

"Well, I mean... it's just... we've known each other for a long time." he said.

"And... well, also, I mean, you were... nice to me back at Encrae's... and still are nice to me..." he went on.

"So... I guess... I mean... I think..." he continued, fumbling over his words, before suddenly taking a short breath and forcing every last bit of courage he had to the front of his brain.

"I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU!" he finally blurted out.

Chris froze for a moment as she said the last part.

"I... I..." he stammered.

"....." he was silent, before looking away slightly.

"If I'd have it?" he asked.

"I... I don't want it any other way." he told her.

"Even if we're both put to death... I don't care, as long as the remainder of my life is with you."

Chris blinked a couple of times.

"...ok... that's fair." he said.

"I suppose Ashleigh would rather be called Ashleigh." he admitted.

"And when the name 'Encrae' is used to refer to someone, it's usually Vanessa..." he admitted further.

"...I'm still learning, all right?" he asked.

"Freedom is a new concept for me."

Again, he sighed.

"...'Important' doesn't always mean 'good'..." he replied.

"Whether I like it or not, she was a part of my life for... well... most of my life." he said. "Though I now wonder what things would be like if that hadn't happened..." he admitted.

"But... I mean... well, that's her name, isn't it?" he asked.

"I'd call her 'Encrae', but I don't want to people to get mixed up and think I might be talking about her sister." he reasoned.

"And she she as HELL isn't my 'Mistress' any longer." he spat at the end.

Chris looked positively livid...

...before just sighing heavily.

"I..." he stammered.

"I can't... argue that..." he admitted.

"But... but you're not a puppet any longer!" he then said.

"You're free of the shadow, and you're free of Vanessa's control." he continued.

"We BOTH are, now."

He sighed in relief.

"At least there's that." he said.

"...." he was then silent, before looking away.

"....while you were out, I learned that there was a high chance that ritual would have killed you." he commented.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"I could very well have been responsible for your death!" he almost-exclaimed.

Chris just sighed.

"Couple weeks." he said.

"Maybe closer to three?" he went on.

"At this point, it's... it is what it is." he continued.

"Anyway, glad to see you're awake." he told her.

"...are you feeling HER influence?" he asked.

"....hey." he greeted her.

"Finally awake, huh?" he asked.

"Was... getting a bit worried." he admitted.

"Anyway... how are you feeling?" he asked her, making his way over and sitting down.

"Probably not very good." he guessed.

"But I figured I'd ask anyway."

Chris was silent as he heard all this.

"Ah... hm." he mumbled.

"I see." he said.

"........." again, he was silent, but Ilias and Kiah could see the gears turning.

They could almost see and hear his thought process, too:

'Kiah Fyrane... oh right, sister is Kaia Fyrane... daughters of Demitra Fyrane... granddaughters of... Racquel Fyrane... and...' he continued, before it all pieced together for him.

This caused his eyes to widen, and he collapsed to his ass, a horrified expression on his face.

"Y-y-y-y-y-y-your aunt is..." he stammered, almost unable to finish the statement.

"...oh, I see." Chris replied.

"Well... I mean... my necromancy's been downgraded because of my... uh... changes." he admitted.

"Though it DOES seem my time mana was unaffected by it." he went on.

"Though Vanessa DID seem to lock it down." he then said further.

"Looks like that was broken, though." he continued.

"But if you're serious, then thank you." he told her.

"...assuming I live to get work." he then sighed.

He was still confused about the 'aunt' comment, but wasn't sure if he wanted to press it or not. Finally, he decided to ask.

"Does your aunt... work here or something?" he inquired.