It was a subdued group that made its way out of Riverford, despite their success in defeating Lord Werner. They resolutely returned to the Shrine of Winneheld, where they picked up the coach and managed to squeeze all of them into it rather uncomfortably and set out on the journey down to Saintsbridge with Olberic, Erhardt and Leon taking the reins up front, leaving Alfyn, Ophilia, Therion, Cyrus and Tressa to squeeze inside together.

Ophilia rested against Cyrus, trying to keep her mind on their absent friends, ensuring that they were continuing to travel in the direction of Saintsbridge. While Leon had initially believed that it was the obvious place that Alaic would head, he had later suggested that it wasn't like Al to be obvious. He would surely know that Ophilia could track him, and if he were trying to remain away from them, he may, in fact, have a plan on how to elude them.

Everyone had debated whether or not just to follow on foot, and hopefully catch up to Primrose and H'aanit at least, but in the end, it was agreed that they would attempt to get ahead of the others and meet up with them where they could. Primrose had managed to leave a hastily written note for the others that confirmed what they had assumed. Once H'aanit had learned of Alaic's predicament, she had set off after him and would not listen to any of Primrose's protestations, merely getting a stony look to her eye and walking out with Linde at her heels. Primrose had followed as she was loath to leave the woman alone in the emotional state that she was suffering.

The miles rolled by, and the travelers kept their silence. The exhaustion following the all-out battle that had taken place in Riverford caught up with them all, the emotions at the revelations that had come to light, adding to the pall of sombreness. It wasn't until the carriage reached the junction that marked the turnoff to travel down into Saintsbridge itself that anybody spoke.

'You are gonna have to be careful here, Li.' Alfyn murmured, turning to look at her rather than staring pensively out of the carriage window. 'Regardless of whether you are dressed as a Cleric or not, the last time you were here, you performed the kindling under dramatic circumstances. The chance of you being recognised is high.'

'Indeed.' Cyrus agreed. 'It is no help at all that Lianna spent time here insisting that you were still alive either.'

Ophilia shrugged. 'There is nothing I need to do here. I will stay in our rooms.'

'I happen to know you were just thinking - rather longingly I might add - about how nice it would be to actually see the Flame again your Holiness.' Therion chided tapping her forehead. 'I hope that you aren't planning to do anything stupid!'

'Tell-tale.' Ophilia grumped.

'I get it, Phili.' Therion's voice was soft. 'The Flame has been so much a part of your life, and you carried the Ember for more than a year. I know how you miss it.'

'I carry it inside of me.' Ophilia said stoically.

'You do.' Therion agreed. 'We are going to steal an Ember soon, sweetheart! I reckon it will do you the world of good to carry one again regardless of the promises that we made to the Dragon.'

Ophilia couldn't suppress her grin. 'Stealing it will be fun.' She agreed impishly.

'I think you and Therion have spent way too much time together.' Cyrus noted as Alfyn groaned.

Once the carriage pulled into Saintsbridge itself, Therion, Olberic, and Alfyn set out to intercept Primrose and H'aanit before they reached the town. Ophilia could sense immediately that Alaic was within the city but appeared to be continually moving around. Once the Cleric had been safely sequestered in a small inn by the gates with Erhardt for company, Cyrus and Leon went to start speaking to Leon's contacts, and Tressa made her way to the market to gather any information and begin to stock up on the supplies they would likely need for the next stage of their journey.

It was Alaic that found Ophilia, rather than the other way around, although she was obviously aware of his approach and wasn't surprised when he slipped into her bedroom window and swiftly moved to embrace her.

'I am so sorry, Ophilia. I assume since you have followed me here, my father...'

'He told Olberic that you would be coming to avenge his death.' Ophilia murmured, stroking Alaic's hair as the man clung to her, uncommon in his display of emotion.

'Is that what will happen?' Alaic grimaced. 'I don't know what to expect, Phili. As soon as I laid eyes on Werner, I knew that I could not kill him, no matter how much I wanted to. I had hoped that... given the time that Susannah had been countering the spells cast on me, and your own breaking through my mind so long ago - I would not revert back to what I once was. I think it is inevitable, though.'

'Nothing is inevitable, darling.' Ophilia held onto him tightly. 'Me simply being here should prove that to you.'

'I want to believe that.' Alaic murmured. 'I will not allow myself to become a risk to you though, nor H'annit or the others.'

'I see no sense in you running off and facing Lyblac alone.' Ophilia said seriously. 'You would be better staying with us and facing each day as it comes. You must know that you would not be allowed to harm anyone, even if you can - given what we have learned about our heritage.'

Alaic slumped against her. 'I don't know what to do for the best.' He admitted. 'I am not accustomed to this... fear, I have always been strong in my convictions and actions - even back before Lyblac did whatever she did. I may have been wrong in my desire to make my father proud, but I never questioned myself. Not like now.'

'Why did you run?' Ophilia asked softly.

'I couldn't face you all.' Alaic shrugged. 'Knowing an animal like Werner was my father? I couldn't face what you all... what H'annit would think.'

'Idiot.' Ophilia rapped his head affectionately.

'I needed time too.' He added. 'Seeing Werner again after so long, was challenging.'

'He's dead.' Ophilia said quietly.

'I know. I never doubted that would be the outcome.'

'In fact he took his own life. Olberic was insisting he should be kept alive until we found out all we needed to know to help you. Werner didn't agree.' Ophilia's arms tightened around the man who started to tremble against her. 'He was so sure that you would avenge him, but you won't Al. I know you won't.'

'You can't know that!'

'Even if you tried, it wouldn't be you.' Ophilia said firmly. 'It would be the compulsion placed upon you. Nobody would hold you responsible for that. The blame lies squarely with Werner and Lyblac.'

'Sis?' There was a knocking on the door of Ophilia's room. Alaic immediately looked as if he were about to take flight out of the window.

'Stay.' Ophilia insisted urgently.

'I...' Alaic looked torn.

'Come in Erry.' Ophilia called out. She had grabbed a hold on Alaic's arm firmly.

Erhardt banged open the door, his hands full of refreshment. He didn't even look shocked to see Alaic caught tight in Ophilia's embrace.

'You found us then.' He said mildly.

'I knew Ophilia could track me. I decided to see if she would bother.' Alaic replied carefully.

'Well, of course, we bothered!' Erhardt sounded outraged.

'Even knowing my parentage?' Alaic stared up at Erhardt quizzically. 'I would have thought that you of all people would hate me for that alone, regardless of the threat that I pose to Phili.'

'I met you a few times, you know.' Erry had put down the plates he was carrying on the table and took a seat, his look compassionate. 'When I was first taken in by Werner and his band, and I became known to him, my past... and my potential as a weapon for his use.'

'You did?'

'Yeah. I don't think we are that dissimilar in age, Al.' Erry poured some tea and handed Ophilia a cup. 'I remember the boy that followed Werner everywhere. Didn't know it was you, never put that together if I'm honest.'

'I don't remember you at all.' Al admitted.

'I'm not surprised. Werner treated you like shit - kept you on your toes. That I do remember, it scared the living crap out of me - which I think was the point. He used you to begin to get me drawn in. We all know how that ended.'

'But the risk I pose to Ophilia... all of you. You can't accept that.' Alaic looked lost.

'Pfft.' Erhardt handed a cup to Alaic and patted his arm. 'Ten years ago, Phili saw something in you that was worth saving. Dumb though she is, she sees something of worth in me too, so who am I to fault her judgment?'

Alaic was silent for a long time, sipping his tea.

'I believe that I owe it to all of you to at least wait until everyone is here and give you as much information as I am able.' He said finally. 'I expect that there is something at least that I still hold that may be of some use, and I should get it out before I am no longer able.'

'We will sort this out.' Ophilia said firmly. 'Promise me that you won't run off again?' She begged.

'I can't.' Alaic's voice was flat. 'I had a loose plan to find Lyblac and try and end her, although ultimately, if my mind starts to slip too far, I intend to finish off the job that Susannah thwarted when she brought me to Flamesgrace.'

'You intend to end your own life?' Erhardt's brow had risen. 'What is it about your family and that?'

'You will not.' Ophilia threatened, tears coming to her eyes.

'Yes, I will.' Alaic took her hand. 'I have had ten years. Good years that I was never owed Ophilia. I made a difference in my own small way. If I have to give that up to keep you safe, I will and without hesitation.'

'Well, look what the cat dragged in...' Nobody had noticed the door opening. Leon and Cyrus came in, Leon making straight for Alaic and pounding him on the shoulder. Alaic scowled at his friend.

'Should have known you would still be about.' He grimaced.

'I should have made my way back to Duskbarrow by now. I left the work there woefully disorganised. If my 'friend' hadn't so dramatically gone missing, I would be home by now.' Leon accused.

'I sent a letter off to Odette.' Cyrus said, coming in and taking Ophilia in his arms comfortingly. 'My first thought was that if Susannah had been stabilising you using some kind of magic means, she must have left instruction concerning how to manage you if something happened to her. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if Z'aanta knows something. The two of them were very close, and he was the one that prevented you from killing Susannah in the first place.'

'I'm not sure who knows what.' Alaic admitted. 'Susannah was very secretive. She never spoke to me about my predicament, beyond giving me an elixir every few months. I never cared much to ask either. Short-sighted of me, I suppose, but I never felt the desire to know more.'

'I find that odd.' Ophilia said suddenly. 'You would think given what you did know, that your curiosity alone - and your sense of self-preservation would have prompted you to find out more.'

'I gotta agree.' Leon ruminated.

'It could have been some kind of suppressant.' Cyrus mumbled, rubbing at his chin.

'What?' Erhardt looked confused.

'Well, I postulate that if Susannah wanted to keep a handle on Alaic here, the best way to do that would be to make him dependent.' Cyrus explained hesitantly.

'You mean control him?' Ophilia asked.

'It would make sense initially.' Cyrus stood and started pacing. 'If you look at the situation from Susannah's point of view... Alaic was sent to assassinate her, and he failed thanks to Z'aanta. She realises that her assassin will know things that would be useful to her, so she saves him from his attempt to kill himself, and she starts to feed him a suppressant to moderate his behavior. Something of that nature would likely prevent him from having the desire to try killing himself again and would also make him more malleable to the questioning that she wants to put him through.'

'Well, I guess that makes sense. I suspect I would do much the same.' Alaic said quietly.

'Thing is, nobody could have expected that Ophilia would have the effect on you that she did.' Cyrus continued. 'Let us imagine - just for the sake of argument - that somehow Ophilia actually broke the hold that Lyblac had placed on you. We can't assume that what Lyblac actually did to you was permanent. Whatever mojo she holds over Esme had to be refreshed. Tressa witnessed it being done after all.'

'I don't get the impression that Lyblac cares much about anything beyond her own agenda, whatever that is.' Ophilia added. 'I mean look at how she treats her own daughter...'

'But then if Ophilia cleared the control from Al, why would Susannah keep on dosing him?' Leon asked, perplexed.

Ophilia looked nervously at Alaic. 'Well, I'd suggest that at least, to begin with, she would be unsure of his loyalty and his motivations regardless of whether he was being controlled by an outside force or not. He was an assassin after all.'

'That's fair.' Alaic murmured.

'Later, he would have known so many of Susannah's secrets and movements - and I am sure he would have undertaken some questionable actions on her behalf, so it would make sense to maintain an element of control over him.'

'Making her no better than Werner or Leblanc.' Leon exclaimed angrily.

Alaic was looking thoughtful. 'I can understand why she would do it.' He said softly. 'She was rightfully wary in general.'

'We could be wrong, of course.' Cyrus admitted.

'I dunno.' Erhardt spoke up suddenly. 'It makes sense to me. If Susannah really believed that Al was a risk to us, I reckon she would have left a contingency plan in case of something happening to her. If he was just a risk to her.. well, she's gone, so it's okay for her influence to fade.'

'In fact, if it means he will be able to talk about things that he could not before it could even be a big help to Odette and to us.' Cyrus added.

'One thing though...' Alaic stood and joined Cyrus where he was perched on the window frame. 'I genuinely couldn't hurt Werner when I went to see him. I wanted to. I wanted to kill him, but I couldn't.'

'That may not have been down to any head-tampering though Alaic.' Ophilia said softly. 'He is still your Da, regardless of who and what he was.'

'Olberic and Erhardt needed closure to if you had killed him, you would have been denying them that.' Cyrus added.

'You think it could be compassion that stayed my hand?' Alaic sounded shocked. 'Honestly, after everything you know about me, you believe that I...'

'Yes, Al.' Ophilia nodded at him. 'You might not recognise it, but I know you are capable of it. You were just talking seriously about killing yourself rather than become a risk to us. That's pretty compassionate to my mind.'

There was silence.

'This is all only speculation.' Alaic said, finally.

'It is.' Cyrus agreed. 'But I think that it's a good and valid line of thought - which can only be proved by riding it out. That means staying with us. I'm afraid, my friend!'

'Poor Alaic.' Leon started to chuckle. 'You are gonna be loved to death...'

'Not when H'annit gets her hands on me.' Alaic replied fearfully.

~0~

Alaic was right. When H'aanit reached the Inn, with Primrose, Therion, and Olberic - she was not in the best of moods. Neither was Primrose, who had been dragged at pace in pursuit of the man and who was tired, hungry, and very very dirty from her enforced march.

H'aanit was initially silent when they arrived, allowing Primrose to vent, long and very vocally, although she did manage to keep her daggers safely sheathed. Once Primrose was finished, H'aanit stood.

'We wilst talk now.' She told Alaic and walked from the room.

'Good luck!' Therion smirked as the man shuffled past him, looking like a prisoner on the way to his execution.

'I think maybe we should head out and get some food. I'm not sure I want to hear this.' Olberic muttered.

'Awww no fun Olberic.' Tressa pouted.

'I don't think it's a good idea for Ophilia to leave the Inn.' Cyrus looked at her apologetically.

'It's okay, I agree.' She smiled. 'Stay with me?' She asked.

'Well, of course!' Cyrus agreed.

'An early night for the lovebirds then.' Tressa grinned.

'You really are incorrigible!' Olberic put an arm around the tiny Merchant as they exited the room.

'Have fun!' Tressa winked at Cyrus.

'Thank you, Tressa.' He replied solemnly.

'Peace and quiet...' Ophilia noted happily as they listened to their companions pounding down the stairs. Faintly, from not too far away, H'aanit's voice cut through the walls shrilly.

'You were saying?' Cyrus chuckled.

'Close enough.' Ophilia pulled Cyrus over to the chair by the fire and cuddled up on his lap. 'It's been madness yet again.' She sighed into his chest.

'I can't help but be grateful that you are willing to forgive me... after what happened with Lianna.' Cyrus said quietly, caressing her cheek. 'I don't deserve it after such a loss of control.'

'No.' Ophilia said firmly.

'No?' He asked.

'I love Lianna. I always will - but I am not going to allow her to continue to hurt me.' Ophilia brought her lips to Cyrus'. 'I know you acted out of a simple desire to protect me, and if she had not tried to stab me in the first place - it would never have happened.'

'But I hurt you. I don't know if I can forgive myself that. Or the fact that the lightning I struck out with was a killing blast.'

'I chose to take it. I am fine, Cyrus.' Ophilia's hand reached into his hair. 'I would do far worse to someone I thought was trying to hurt you.' She added.

'Is that so?'

'Oh, yes.' Her eyes flashed brightly. 'Lucia is lucky she is already dead...'

Cyrus chuckled. 'How very bloodthirsty you have become, dearheart!'

'Cyrus...' Ophilia looked up at him, challenge in her eyes. 'Stop talking already and start kissing me.'

'Yes, Ma'am.' He agreed.

~0~

A very sheepish looking Alaic joined with everyone at breakfast the following morning.

'I will be traveling on with you if everyone is agreeable to that.' He stated, not able to quite meet H'aanit's eyes.

'Doth anyone have a problem with that?' H'aanit asked belligerently.

'No-one would dare!' Erhardt deadpanned.

'We have quite a way to travel to Everhold.' Olberic mused. 'Has there been any word on Simeon's activities?' He added.

'When I was talking to my contacts yesterday, the report is that he is still hanging around his castle theatre and doesn't seem to have left for quite a while.' Leon replied

'There was some word that I picked up that he has been advertising for performers for a new production.' Alaic said quietly. 'Probably that which is keeping him busy and out of trouble.'

'A good time to hit him then.' Erhardt noted. 'If he is distracted and such.'

'We can't underestimate him though.' Primrose said tightly. 'I have already made that mistake once.'

'I will be able to pick up further information the closer we get.' Alaic promised. 'A stop in Sunshade would be advisable.'

'Oh, joy. The desert.' Ophilia sighed.

'I am going to have to get back home.' Leon shook his head sadly. 'I made a commitment to the children, and there is a load of work I still need to get organised. I will be picking you up from Grandport after the Fayre, though.' He added.

'You definitely need to get back.' Ophilia smiled at him. 'I am going to miss you, though.' She added.

'I don't like leaving you all in the lurch either.' Leon sighed. 'I really want to give Simeon some attention myself after his attempt to fry me... but... Heh, well, look at me being all grown up and meeting my commitments!'

'I'll give Simeon a good kicking on your behalf!' Tressa promised cheerfully.

'Of course...' Leon's eyes started to twinkle in merriment. 'Since I will be picking you up by boat and transporting you across to Rippletide... It seems like the perfect time for me to conduct a certain ceremony that I have been asked to do...'

'Oh!' Primrose clapped her hands. 'What a wonderful idea!' She agreed.

Cyrus raised an eyebrow at Ophilia.

'What do you think Dearheart?' He asked with a soft smile. 'A pirate wedding on our way back?'

'Really?' Ophilia's eyes had filled with tears. 'That would be wonderful!'

'I'll make sure everything is arranged.' Leon chirped. 'I might need to source a bigger boat...'

'I guess we will set out tomorrow then.' Olberic was smiling, and - Ophilia noted - holding onto Erhardt's hand.

'It will be nice just to travel for a while.' Tressa admitted. 'It's been a while since we have had a chance just to hit the road together and meander our way along. I've kinda missed it!'

'A nice relaxing day today then.' Alfyn had an arm around Therion's shoulder and a beaming grin on his face. 'I'm sure it won't be that long until trouble finds us again after all!'

'And now the dumb Apothecary has gone and jinxed us.' Therion groaned.