Open for business...

[Jessy Jackson]

So much blood spilt, so much love. It all seemed so horribly, terrifyingly beautiful.

[Maya]

I bit my bottom lip, looking between the sisters. For the first time since i'd met her, i wasn't entirely sure of Aredhel's ability to stay standing- she looked extrememly wobbly. No one else could have noticed the slight change in my position, but i was now ready so that if her knees caved, i would be able to catch her before she hit the ground, despite being on teh opposite side of the room.
Her nephew... I thought. Damn family is a complicated thing.

[Aredhel]

((well Maya, since you opened that one up... Doc, same for you.. mehehe.))

This didn't happen. Not to me. Never before in my uncounted years of existence had I heard something that made me feel like this. My knees were weak, and I felt myself sway. Lacking the energy to fight it, I gave in, my body sinking to the ground. Before I came close to impact, I felt strong hands holding me. Maya.

"Thanks," I said quietly as she lowered me gently the rest of the way. Sitting down was safer than standing right now.

"All this time..." I said, directing my attention back to my sister. "All this time, I wondered where he was. I didn't think I had the right to ask..."

She looked away. "If you had, I would have told you that he moved on from this world. I had not the heart to say how or for what greater purpose."

I nodded slowly, trying to at least look like it all made sense to me. But it didn't. It just didn't. Her own son, given up to save me. That kid was our family's only hope, it seemed. The reason we were both saved. What goes around comes around: what a crazy thing Karma is.

Emotions were running wild, emotions I'd forgotten I could feel. But feel them I could, and I did. In an effort to retain what little was left of my sanity, I focussed on a less emotional thought.

"Why did they agree to give me the sword?"

[Lin's POV]

I had never been able to sort out exactly how I predicted Aredhel to react to the news, but I had never seen her openly lose the ability to stand and thus it was something I could not have predicted. The question, however, I had predicted, though I hoped that it would not come. It was something I did not wish to speak of.

[Flashback time!]

"You desire my power?" Aralin raised her eyebrows, giving a look that clearly stated how she looked down on the offer.

"Do not anger us, elf. You have no power next to Gods, and thus we do not desire yours," came the cold response, though the elf could tell she had struck a chord.

"I have power enough next to the dwarf," she answered smoothly. "Though I doubt that means much, if anything."

An axe was raised, only to be pushed back down by the speaker. "There will be no violence here!" came the sharp command. Prideful as she was, Aralin knew that she must obey.

"What do you wish of me, then?" she questioned, lightly this time.

"You are the last surving of the royal line of your people. Your family was slaughtered by your sister, your sister was turned into a demon, and your son was killed by the children of your sister. You are all alone, my Noble Song."

Aralin's eyes narrowed, tears began to form. These memories burned in her heart; they were the most painful things she had. "Yes, I do know this. What other news will you assail my ears with?"

"Only that, if you help us, we will help you."

"Oh?"

"The dwarf will forge the sword out of the strongest metals, make it worth of this earth. The gids will strengthen and hallow it, make it worthy of its bearer. And you, my Noble Song, will infuse it with your power, the mystic power that only elves possess."

Aralin opened her mouth to speak, but shut it slowly. She had been about to disagree wholeheartedly, but something stopped her. Some impulse told her to find out more, to discovered what they planned to bargain with for such a price.

"If I give you my power, I shall have no magic left for myself. This would be a great sacrifice for me," she said slowly. "What have you to offer me?"

"The sword." was the simple reply. Aralin did not need ot put her question into words for it to be understood. "What good would a sword do you? None. But, should you give it to a vampire, perhaps your sister, it should strengthen her soul, allow her to fight the demon within. What say you? Your magic, for the sword?"

A moment's hesitation, consideration. Was it worth it?

"I'll help you."

[End flashback]

I shook my head slowly, blank look on my face, making it believable. I wasn't ready to tell her the price I had paid for that sword. The magic of the elves was valued by all, and above all by our own race. I did not know how Aredhel would feel about my losing mine, especially since she had already insisted (and indeed proved) that she did not need the help in the first place. I had given up my greatest gift for nothing.

"I do no know," I said. "They simply said that it fit with their own plan."

((yea I dunno.. gimme a break, it's 11:30 at night, and I've been doing a friggin chem lab *dies* lol... but that's what I came up with. do with it what you will! later dudes!))

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

There was something going one there, but I wasn't going to push it. I could tell one thing, though. Whatever had happened had affected Aralin a hell of a lot more than she let on. My left hand moved to the ring on my right.

'That is her tale to tell, Doc. Not mine.'

Not a huge surprise, but it told me something. What it meant, though, I had no idea.

((( ;D)))

[Jessy Jackson]

For a girl who lived her life with books it was suprising when I couldn't find anything to say. But now, I couldn't.

[Maya]

Even though i'd seen it coming, i was shocked to find myself sitting with Del on the floor, comforting her. I accepted Lin's story, though i could tell it was a severely edited version. I had no right to push.
"You ok?" I asked Del, knowing it was a stupid question, but sometimes you jsut ahve to ask.

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

I looked at Aredhel on the floor with Maya, just having trouble not staking herself, I think. I looked over at Aralin and, I think, survived all but Jessy, to whom I spoken in elven before.

"Would you like to talk about it?" I said, fluently.

[Jessy Jackson]

(((Didn't understand that)))

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

(((Doc hasn't spoken elven, I don't think, to anyone but Jessy, all the way back in 'On the Beat'.)))

[Jessy Jackson]

(((Oh yeah)))

I understood the elven quite quickly but it was one of the languages I was still shaky on. Noone, however, could mistake the tone oof Doc's voice as the language flowed from him. So calming and gentle.