Snippet #1518894

Caine was still walking, the rain beginning to coat him in a damp sheen. He didn't know where he was going, he took a left turn, then a right, then another left... He was going nowhere, he was a nowhere man with nowhere plans. Just wandering.. and Wondering. what had gotten into Mikana, why had she acted like she had? These thoughts ate away at his mind. That was what happened when you formed attachments, trouble always followed. Caine began to think. What if he wouldn't have met her? He would still probably be a dangerous man, probably even more so. He would still be a sour and angry man... However, these thoughts evoked something...

Else.

He began to think. The only reason he was still alive and in top fighting shape was his anger... Mikana had slowly began to drain that away... She had slowly began to take the place of.. He paused for a second and looked up, into the cloudy midnight sky. He winced with a streak of lightning. He had been putting Liera out of his mind. A sudden rush of guilt surged through him. Was he... Trying to replace Liera with Mikana? His first and only love with a mute elf? Dammit, the hell was wrong with him. He had taken vows with Liera, to love her forever. And dammit he did. Anger then seeped through his mind once more, he remembered. He remembered what the children had taken from him. He remembered his oath to take out as many as he could humanly possible.

Caine let out a dark chuckle. Humanly. That was all that he had left, his humanity. Not many could say the same and even his was slowly being eroded. However, there was always one think that kept Caine rooted firmly. Memories. Memories of before, of Liera, of peacefulness. If the heavens will it, he planned to help further his cause. Before, he was fighting for revenge. That was not a reason to fight, only a tool for him to use. Now, he had a purpose in mind. He was going to help this legion strike into the heart of dragon territory. He wanted to see peace returned to the land, even if he does not survive to see it personally.

However, this thinking still left loose ends. What of Mikana? Truthfully, he still felt a fondness for the elf. However, he would no longer try and replace Liera with her. He would do anything for the elf, fight for, die for, take an arrow for. True, he still felt a warmth for the elf. Speaking of the elf, in the haze of memories and thoughts, he caught a glimpse of the telltale blue hair of the elf.

"Mikana, where have you-" He was interrupted by embracing him in a hug, a gentle and sweet hug, not the violent and seductive kiss he had felt before... Well, that just further complicated matters. However, all he could do was return the elf's embrace. He pulled her away for a moment and looked into her eyes... They were swollen and sad, and even in the rain he could tell she had been crying. Caine felt pity for the girl. She was scared, that was apparent, but she was mute and could not tell what she feared. Caine winced for the girl and pulled her in for comforting embrace. The hug held no seductive undertone, nor was it romantically inclined. It was just a mere comforting hug.

"What wickedness has taken place tonight?" He asked the heavens... He couldn't even comprehend the half of it.

---

The following morning, Lily came out of her trance... She had been in the elven trance state for two hours and one could even say it look like she had passed out on her cot, her head under her pillow... Of course, that did not help the pretty elf's raging hangover. She groaned rather loudly from her tent and cursed Turha and Gurgen. They had done this to her. They made he drink the countless flagons of ale and numerous shots of spirits... She was a dainty elf, dammit, she didn't need to drink like an alcoholic. She finally managed a roll out of bed- with a rough thunk on the ground- and in moments she was on her feet... Moments being minutes... Or a couple thereof. Either way she walked out of her tent...

And tripped over the Mialee twins. Dammit. The last thing she remembered is both of them escorting her to her tent before the left for theirs... Looked like they didn't get far. For a few moments they were a tangled heap of bodies and groans. "What.. are you doing?" Lily asked rubbing her head. "Getting acquainted with the ground." A Mialee twin deadpanned. "She's a rather cold madam," The other agreed. Lily lied there and then tried to make her way to her feet... Once more. Things were not looking like it was going to be a good day. She looked up and saw a group of Legionnaires sitting in a circle, Caine sitting beside Mikana, and he looked... Distressed. She began to walk over to see what was up.

---

"Bullshit!" Caine called. He could not believe, Iriana, friend and comrade Iriana, was a spy. He could not believe it, he would not believe. Even the nodding and urging of Mikana did not persuade him. Iriana was a damn fine warrior, and he had personally seen the Lamian fighter in action. One who fought such as she did could not be a spy and he was willing to bet that some of the originals, before the Blackguard was formed, would agree with him. Hell, he had seen her saw a pair of dragon wings from their owner and she was right beside him when the hatchling fell. One who fought like that had nothing to hide, and she was one of them through a through. He shook his head and looked up in time to see Lily make her way into the circle.

"What's bull?" Lily asked, opting to leave out the expletive. Caine looked up, "They're saying Iriana was a spy, and they killed her last night because of it," Mikana tugged at Caine's arm pleading with him to believe him. Lily took a step back and placed her hand over her mouth. "Iriana? But... She might have been a bit rough, but a spy? No!" Lily agreed. She hadn't known the Lamian as long as Caine or some of the originals but she couldn't believe it either. "And Mikana says that she attacked her..." Caine added, looking into the eyes of the blue haired elf.

Now that, he did believe... Those eyes... Those eyes weren't hiding that fact. Actually, Caine believed she didn't remember anything she had done before then. She hadn't looked guilty for the rough kiss she gave and she wasn't awkward as one might expect afterward. No Caine believed she didn't remember a lick. But why did she act that way? Why did she leave? Why did Iriana attack her... They both couldn't have been in the right, nor both in the wrong. This conundrum and puzzle confused Caine to no end. Indeed, he was wary of the elf. He didn't show it outwardly, but it was there. A seed of doubt. Even with the seed however, he trusted this Mikana. This Mikana, not the one he met last night, the one with lust-filled eyes and venomous lips. Caine placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and kept silent. He would not trouble her with his musings and would not voice his suspicions or beliefs... They would cause much more trouble than they are worth.

All morning, Caine had been unusually close to Mikana, not letting her out of his sight for long. Many reasons could be attributed to this: Protection, suspicion, companionship. The thing was, Caine had pledged to protect Mikana the night before. Whether that be from the legion... Or herself.

Lily leaned heavily against the nearest sturdy structure. One of their own, a spy? She could not believe it. The Blackguard was the elite of the elite, the first one into battle. What did a spy have to gain there? A spy couldn't last long on the front lines. Plus, the Lamia had actually helped take down a hatchling! That itself should prove her innocence! Lily rested her head against the structure. So complicated. It shouldn't be like this. They were a family, and now one of them were dead... This didn't sit easy with the normally docile elf.