Homesick (Private)

"Have you need of anything else, my queen?" Xander asked, hovering over her like a mother hen guarding it's chick.

"I am fine, Xander. Please, get some rest. You have not left my side once since this has all happened."

"Your majesty, I assure you that--"

Her voice suddenly grew cold. "That was a command. Not a suggestion. Sleep."

The knight stared at her, an eerie silence filling the room before finally bowing. "As you wish, my queen. Have you need of me, call and I will be here." the door closed with a dull thud as the dragoon left, leaving an echo that resonated within the woman's heart.

Faye leaned back against the door, her knees buckling as she fell to the floor.  Several strands of her hair turned a ghostly white as she released the cosmetic spell she had been holding the entire day. So desperate she had been to uphold the barrier that the sorceress had sacrificed her own life force to keep it strong, taking years off her life and leaving her physically weakened. As for how long this weakness would last, she could not say. With each passing day, she could feel her strength return to her, and so she prayed that this state would only be temporary.

Her hand briefly lingered on the lock, but she decided against it, picking herself back up before sitting down on the edge of the bed that had been provided for her. Time alone with her thoughts was not something she could suffer for very long. Looking out the window, she could see the endless sands that made up the lands of Agrabah. Honestly, she had no idea how this place appealed to anyone. She yearned for the cool lush forests of the Enchanted Dominion, woodlands that were nearly incinerated by Chernabog. Homesick didn't even begin to describe how she felt, but her people were here and she refused to leave them alone in this foreign desert world. Her council had remained behind with others that had volunteered to protect their homeland and work towards the long process of rebuilding. Once she had recovered, she would return to see how things were progressing. For now, she tried to clear her mind, failing horribly as familiar nightmares fought to return.

Later, under the cover of night, she decided to take a flight alone. Saddling her pegasus, she took off into the skies and over the desert, surveying the land until she came upon an oasis where she decided to land. Leading her mount to the water, she allowed the creature to graze and drink while she considered crying. She had been bottling up so much lately. Out here, maybe she would have the freedom to breakdown. If only for a brief moment.

The sand of Agrabah was grueling and not all that entertaining to walk through. It was an acquired taste only tolerated by the natives of the world. Someone like Holly, who lived what could be called a "lavish" life in darkness, ironically detested worlds that were barren and filled with nothing but dirt. Beings other than Heartless were seen nothing more than just worms in the Heartless witch's eyes. Soon enough, all beings would succumb to that final perfection in their evolution and become Heartless. However, to get to that point, she had to find an immense source of power to give to her Mistress.

The Cave of Wonders was said to hold an unimaginable amount of wealth and housed powerful trinkets within its labyrinth, so Holly was assigned to find it. Her allegiance with Eno Vale of the world essentially gave her free reign over the place and so she was often out hunting in the night, stalking the sands for people and the cave alike.

Dressed in her traditional gear which consisted of a hooded burgundy cloak. Fabric pulled over the majority of her face, the only visible feature was her mouth. The rest of her was obscured in a subtle yet chilling darkness. Alone, she walked in this manner up and over sand dunes, searching. Rumor had it that the cave had a heart and all she had to do was feel it out, but there was something causing an interference in that regard.

Her journey eventually albeit coincidentally allowed her to happen upon the oasis. Though there was sand all around there were high dunes that served as natural barriers and as such, gave the Heartless the perch necessary to scope out the area. Golden eyes scanned over the bastion of life and there she spotted more dirt, a winged horse and what presumed to be its owner. There was an eerie darkness about the being down there that she picked up on. Darkness wasn't the appropriate word for it, rather "negativity" was the perfect word to describe it. Something that could be cultivated into a darkness and raised to a Heartless. Though, Holly doubted someone as feeble as the person below would be capable of changing into a Seeker like herself. Still... Something about that being down there interested Holly.

Nothing would be said and she'd only observe. A faint pulse of power echoed from the Heartless' being and she'd see how the extrasensory abilities of that person and its mount reacted to it.

The sorceress had come to sit down by her pegasus, it's feathered wings shielding her from the cool winds that swept across the harsh desert. Who knew a place so hot could become so cold? Maybe she should have brought a shawl. The beast let out a snort, flaring his nostrils as he thought that he caught a scent of something. Faye was distracted by something else, however.

Once again, the light has failed mankind. a deep chuckle echoed in her mind. How predictable. Have you not learned yet? There is no light the darkness cannot smother.

"The light will never be vanquished." Faye scoffed removing a black gem from her bodice. Within was the Heartless that had almost destroyed her world long ago. Now, she was his warden. Truly, it was a blessing that she had decided to place him in this new portable prison, a summon gem of her own creation. She didn't want to think what might have happened if he had been freed during the invasion. Not only could she keep a constant eye on the seeker, but if need be she could call upon his powers. A part of her wondered if she had done so during the attack, perhaps things may have been different. Malazon made sure to mention this often.

Is that so? Did your precious light not abandon you in your darkest hour? The only reason you survived was because my brethren allowed it. A temporary stay of execution. the woman remained silent.Your doubt... your despair... it festers in your heart, giving birth to dark seeds. Let them bloom, Faye. Allow its power to protect your people. Call upon me. Allow me to increase the power of your spells tenfold. Unleash me on your enemies and watch them crumble before the darkness. Let-- Malazon suddenly grew silent, the gem growing warmer in her hand I believe we have a visitor.

The sorceress lifted her head, looking around the sand dunes, but she could see nor sense anything. Her senses had dulled dramatically since the invasion. To think that Malazon of all people would watch her back. Irony at its best. "Aurum." the pegasus stood, helping his master rise to her feet as he did so. Focusing on the world around her, she could sense a pulse of dark energy. "Who goes there?"

Spotted, was she? At least they had the basic method of locating someone out here. A person like her, traveling a world like that infested with Heartless was reckless. Eno granted them to allow the Heartless to settle in some time ago and because of it, this allowed Holly to attack stray people at any time of day, claim their hearts and their bodies. However, this night would turn out differently due to circumstance. There was an amused smirk as she was called upon and in a very careful manner, descended from the dune.

"I am naught but a seeker." A careful bit of word play would allow Holly to entertain herself with this weakened woman. She spoke once she had gotten to a comfortable distance between the pegaus and its owner "A seeker of wealth and treasure, with Agrabah rumored to have lots of it." Her head tilted up slightly and had revealed a fair bit more of her facial features. A nose was a little more prominent and her skin complexion appeared pale. Momentarily, her attention focused on the focal point of darkness that had resided in a small amount on the woman. It wasn't her own and reeked of something much more... Aged.

She offered a smile. "Excuse my intrusion, it wasn't my intention but I happened upon this oasis and spied you. With your winged steed I had no idea if you were friend or foe." Her tone had been light, deceiving and conveyed a falsehood laced with undeniable truth. "What brings you here, stranger?" All she had to do was appear as nothing more than a common treasure hunter, something which wasn't all too suspicious around there. Everyone tried to eek a living somehow in Agrabah and treasure hunting was just one of those methods.

Faye eyed this treasure hunter with suspicion, taking note of her attire. There was nothing strange about seeing a woman covered from head to toe in this world--which the sorceress found odd in such a hot place, so she tried to pay it little mind. Though she could see very little of Holly's face and her deathly pale features, that wasn't what bothered her. It was the hint of darkness that hugged the stranger's form that left the queen wary. Malazon simply chuckled, knowing something that she obviously did not, yet when she questioned him he refused to answer. The gem was placed back inside her bodice, next to her heart before she addressed the traveler.

"A seeker of riches? How curious." she spoke in a strong voice, hoping to hide her weak condition. The same tone she used towards anyone outside her circle. Respectful, yet it held an aura of authority. However, she attempted to act a little more down to earth as well. "A dangerous occupation, indeed, especially in this unforgiving land.” unfortunately, there was no way to disguise herself as a local, especially in her violet gown of velvet and black lace. This “visitor” would be all too aware how vulnerable she was, a foreigner in a strange world. “As for my presence here, I am simply sightseeing. My companion needed a moment to rest before we returned.” It was a half-truth. She would give Holly that much.

Her hand remained on Aurum’s neck as she walked around him, remaining on his right side just in case she needed an extra barrier between her and this hunter. “You bear a curious aura about you, my lady. Are you perhaps a dark invoker?” she decided to ask. A dangerous question? Possibly. She would soon see.

Holly's eyes watched the way the stone moved back to the inside of the bodice. No doubt about it, the being that lurked inside had resonated and responded to her own bit of darkness, something that was suppressed far more than she let on. A mechanism of sorts she used to lure others into a false sense of assumptions, where they believed her to be nothing more than a dabbler in the dark arts. Coupled with her silver tongue there was just no real way of telling who or what Holly was, but she didn't underestimate the woman before her. There was authority behind that tone.

"Curious? Not so much. Dangerous?" She paused and enunciated the last word specifically, smiling softly under her hood. "That makes it all the more exciting, especially when you've acquired your spoils." A light giggle passed from her mouth and she took to eyeing the stranger's clothing. Very elegant, very unique and foreign to the land. It spoke volumes of the sort of royalty this woman in front of Holly came from. Care had been woven into that outfit with functionality being out of the question to some degree, seeing as one would struggle to move in such clothing should something strenuous occur. Nonetheless, she confirmed any suspicions and revealed herself a sightseer. "A sightseer who rides upon a horse with wings? You must come from a very interesting world."

Her smile broadened and it was hard to tell how genuine it was regarding the topic at hand. Those dark golden eyes of hers had followed the noble woman as she rounded to her steed. Her tongue clicked against the roof of her mouth in thought but that was soon interrupted with the question posed by the stranger. "Dark invoker?" Now that gave a hint that the person before her was versed to some degree in magic, seeing as she used a vocabulary common among magicians (not the parlor tricksters). "You can sense my aura? You must possess a certain talent for magic, that much I can tell." Whether or not she'd admit to it, she indirectly complimented the woman. "But to answer your question, yes. I am what you'd call a, 'dark invoker.'" She stated without hesitation then gave a polite curtsy (as best she could in the cloak). "Holly, is another name that I'm called by. You'll find that knowing names here are important, especially in these unforgiving lands."

Holly seemed to mimic a previous statement of the stranger's before her, after her small introduction. The tone she spoke rivaled the other's to a degree. While the Heartless didn't see her as nothing more than dirt, she had to respect the magical talents of the stranger and her delicate process of handling the conversation. Yes, Holly's tone had been respectful but also commanded the same amount of authority.

Quite the charismatic woman, Faye had to admit. It reminded her of the tiring politics she had to deal with in the early years of her council. Subtle insults hidden behind the mask of a smile. Although she loathed these kind of talks, she knew how to play the noble's game. There was no such thing as a straight statement. They only eluded to their intentions. Such a slow agonizing process, and after years of trying to break the great houses out of the habit; they still tried to lean back towards their old ways. It was their nature; she had come to accept that. Judging from her strong and confident voice, she could imagine this maiden, Holly, would feel right at home among them.

"In my world, magic is much more than a path to power. It is a way of life. Even the most novice of warriors can at least cast basic spells." she answered in regards to the stranger's compliment. At least, she thought it was a compliment. It was hard to say. "'Tis a pleasure to meet you, Lady Holly. I will be sure to keep your advice in mind. Perhaps you would be so kind as to drop a few names that could prove useful?" the more she could learn about this world--especially its leader--the better. In all her years of ruling, Faye had little to no contact with Agrabah and its Sultan Eno Vale. She wasn't sure what kind of man he was, though she was grateful for the sanctuary that he had offered. But why? Perhaps she was thinking too deeply into this. These were concerns better discussed with Morgan. The Darksons were always well informed.

After Holly's introduction, the queen knew she would have to give one in return. Faye quickly pulled up one of the false identities she used when secretly walking among her people. It was second nature to the sorceress and so she didn't bat an eye when she lied. "I am Sarah of house Blackwood. Sworn to Lord Rossland of the southern lands." she said, returning the curtsy.

Magic being more than a path to power? Novice warriors learning basics in terms of spell casting? Whatever world this woman came from definitely had some promising prospects. Now if Holly were somehow able to gleam the world that the noblewoman came from, maybe she could pay a visit to it. "Oh? Is that so... A world like that must be filled extensively with knowledge concerning magic. Sounds like a heaven to me." She commented, seriously giving it some thought. After all, there were many worlds that she hadn't picked apart just yet. That'd all come soon, however. A more pressing matter happened to be whether or not Holly knew a couple of names to toss around. Her smile stretched further upon her lips and a light giggle left from them.

"One of the most obvious names is of course, Sultan Eno Vale, who has recently usurped the title." She explained easily and even went on to drop a few names that were well known in the Agrabah Bazaar. This would have further solidified her persona as a local. This Sarah Blackwood was a very interesting, yet courteous individual who spoke her words confidently and with eloquence. How she aroused the inner curiosity that plagued Holly whenever she encountered interesting individuals.

After Sarah's curtsy, Holly pulled back the hood that covered her features. Before Sarah stood a pale beauty with piercing yellow eyes. Her smooth features defined her youth, her lips giving a "friendly" smile and her silver hair tied neatly into a bun. Holly's appearance was almost unnatural with how gorgeous she was. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance. Your steed, what is its name?" The young lady asked turning her gaze over to the winged stallion.

Holly seemed to be interested in her world, and under normal circumstances she would have happily welcomed her to the Enchanted Dominion. However, the last thing Faye wanted was a treasure hunter looting magical artifacts from the ruins of her home. On top of that, Holly seemed to be a shady individual, and the queen never placed her trust in anyone right away, unless she had no choice. She would keep her lips sealed as to what world she came from. That felt like the best option considering the woman’s “occupation”. For now, her world did not need unknown outsiders snooping around.

Faye nodded as she gave her a list of names, but it was Eno that she was most curious about. The word “usurp” definitely stood out. What had this man done to obtain power? This was her chance to get a local’s perspective on him. “Could you tell me more about Sultan Eno Vale? What kind of ruler is he?” when Holly finally took off the hood, the sorceress took in every detail. The woman was a dark invoker just as she said, bearing some of the same characteristics of those who practiced the same discipline her kingdom. The eyes were always a clear sign, usually being yellow or orange. By no means was using the darkness illegal in the Enchanted Dominion, but it was definitely dissuaded, considered taboo even. You could not practice it out in the open without doing harm to your reputation, and so it was done behind the curtain and away from the public eye. Faye had no issue with it staying that way, honestly. Darkness had its usefulness, she could admit that, but in the end it only drew trouble.

The pegasus stretched out his wings followed by a snort and brief head shake. A very beautiful creature, its golden coat and snow white mane almost seemed to glow in the Arabian moonlight. Faye drew a hand gently down the horse’s face. “His name is Aurum. A beauty, isn’t he?”

"Aurum? A beautiful name for such a beautiful creature." She responded in kind and got an idea for some form of creature she'd want to make later. The seeker had the right mind to try and pet the steed, but animals usually had a keen sense of a person's intentions or just their disposition all together. Last thing Holly wanted was to give away what made up her essence. Especially since she went to some lengths to keep her aura and power in check.

When inquired about the leadership skills that the sultan, Eno Vale possessed, Holly had nearly laughed. There was an irony of it all concerning how the man rose to be a, "man of the people" only to easily crack under the social responsibilities of his rebellion and cede control over the place over to Heartless. Seekers to be more specifically. Those sultry lips of the woman had changed to that of a grin. "Information usually comes at a price, my lady, but..." Holly's voice trailed off and she gave a smooth roll of the eyes. "What sort of price can you put on incompetence?" She asked the question more to herself.

"Eno Vale is a Sultan who has the best interest of the common people in mind but lacks the proper gusto and elegance to successfully execute peace part." Her tone came as aloof, indifferent. "A man who used the Agrabah Civil War in his favor and rebelled against the last sultan, with the common folk behind him laid low those who were deemed corrupt and either executed or imprisoned them." So far, she listed all the pros about the man, how he's one of action and righteous intentions. "However, all of that strife and death attracted more than petty thieves who looted the bodies. It attracted something much more sinister in design. Heartless." A soft smile came to her lips, bittersweet if only to make herself seem more of a victim. "Heartless killed my family and that wasn't different from anyone else who lived here. That man fought and fought, brought a scourge to the world and now? Well... Go see the man for yourself if you're that curious." Her tone ended that sentence bitterly.

Holly only played the game with others a few times and what experience she did learn came strictly from her training with Ophelia. Facial expressions, vocal tones, eye contact and other queues conveyed a type of story that'd be hard to unravel. Say the wrong thing at the wrong time and you risk getting caught in the lie but the seeker was smarter than that. She told a couple of half-truths to keep her angle and cover as a local fresh, along with giving the proper amount of disdain to show that she "wasn't" happy with everything that occurred in the world.

Listening to Holly's story, the queen compared the similarities that she and the sultan shared. Both fought to restore worlds that were on the brink, plagued with strife. With Malazon's influence gone, the bloodlust that had infected the nobles disappeared. Diplomacy returned, and she along with the lords of the great houses were able to rebuild a lasting peace and prosper for years to come. There was little violence (not counting their dealings with Heartless) and looking back on it now, Faye would call it a miracle. Yes, there had been some undesirables that attempted to halt the world's progress and they were swiftly dealt with through exile or other means. Overall, her transition into power could have been received far worse. She wanted to believe it was their common enemy in the Heartless that brought the Enchanted Dominion together. Not to say there wasn't corruption. There would always be some amount, but she did her best to weed out the garden.

Eno's story was a reverse mirror to her own. While her rise to power ended a civil war, his began and continued with one. Raised up by lowborns as their champion, he took the throne by force. Whether this was justified or not, many retaliated. Those that did not agree with him were put down. Yes, Faye could see why there would be such a divide in Agrabah. There was a serious lack of diplomacy in the leadership. At least that was what she took from the story. Holly's description could have been a complete exaggeration. She would have to speak with others, and of course Eno Vale himself, to make a final judgement on his competence.

Faye bowed her head as the woman mentioned the death of her family. "I am sorry for your loss, Lady Holly. There are many that I have lost to those fiends as well. The Heartless are truly a blight upon the worlds. Monsters... what drives them to be the way they are? Why do they crave our hearts? It's even more painful to know they were formally our brethren. If only there was a cure, yet death seems to be the only answer." she closed her eyes, thinking of all the brave men and women that fell protecting the Enchanted Dominion. They would be avenged. With a small smile on her face, she continued. "However, as long as the light exists there will always be hope." she placed her hand to Aurum's nose when he turned his head to her. "And Sultan Eno Vale... judging from what you just told me, I am sure he would be far too busy dealing with the troubles of Agrabah to take the time to sate the curiosity of a foreigner ." she said, followed by a soft chuckle.

There was a slight moment in the witch's psyche that shook her to a degree and that was when Sarah had genuinely apologized for the loss of Holly's family. No one apologized or gave their condolences after the fact, because all the woman ever had was Ophelia and even she considered using the event as a way to amplify Holly's anger, darkness and overall power. The pale woman took a deep breath and exhaled it a moment later, shaking her head. "It's fine. I didn't get to know them anyways." A half-truth, really. She knew she loved them and knew they loved her at one point in her life, but now they were gone and that was that.

The noblewoman continued on with her speech and remarked about how Heartless were scourge, a monstrous plague and wondered why they did what they did. "Death" was a method of dealing with such a being but it wasn't a permanent solution. There was one such method that even Ophelia feared and more than likely still does to this day, which is the "Keyblade." A scream wanted to loose itself as she saw the hope on Sarah's face. She spoke of the "light." What did anyone know of the light? One thing she hated with the light wasn't due to its nature as Darkness' natural enemy, but how it was so easily generalized and used as a symbol of hope for beings like Sarah. A strong surge of light is just as strong as an overbearing shadow of darkness. "Ah, but the light is in short supply, is it not? Darkness continues to grow, people continue to die and the Heartless rise without anyone to staunch the flow. Truly, I'm beginning to think we've all been forsaken." She stated bitterly and turned her eyes away from Sarah and Aurum, off to the distant wastes of the desert.

"As for the man, Eno, take your gamble with him. You seem the curious sort much like myself. I seek not the words of leaders and politicians, but the hearts of all that glimmer. Riches that sate my desires." She peered over to the woman from the corner of her eyes. "I don't know what you seek but maybe the Sultan will have it, maybe he won't. Regardless if he has time for you or not, you should find out if he's a viable means to your curiosities end." That's all she'd say on that matter. Who knows, maybe she'd stop by the palace when Holly wasn't a "treasure hunter."

Holly’s response was not a rare one. Many—even her own people, had said much the same as of late. In these troubling times, it was easy to lose hope and give into despair. Faye was struggling with this herself, fighting to stave off the negative feelings while Malazon taunted her from his prison. With his connection to her heart, it was difficult to tune him out, especially with him so close. It wasn’t easy, but she had to fight through her demons. The queen loved her people… she loved Dirge… far too much to give up to the darkness. With all her heart, she believed in the light and its promise. Holy answered her call, the pure embodiment of light’s essence. That she and her mages, and even Dirge was able to conjure such sacred power had to mean something. Perhaps seeing it would also give Holly hope.

Though she was weak, Faye could create a simple holy spell. Stepping forward, her pegasus following her every step, she stopped just within a few feet of the treasure hunter. “Let me show you something, Holly.” The sorceress raised her hand towards the sky, a flicker of light flashing upon her fingertips. With a single flex of her fingers it flared into a ball of white blazing fire, resting gently in her palm. “Behold! A spell lost to the ages. Holy: pure and brilliant light. My world rediscovered this ability years ago, and it has seared and caused the Heartless to flee in terror. It is no Keyblade, but I believe in its potential. It shielded by my home, saved it from total annihilation. We gaze to the heavens, waiting for an answer, but perhaps our salvation has been within us all along.” She trailed off for a moment. “All this hope could be in vain, you’re right, but I refuse to lay down and die. I shall fight until my lash breath.”

The Holy in her hand suddenly tried to grow and reach out towards the pale woman, and not in any soothing way either as she had witnessed in the past, Dirge being a prime example of how loving and gentle the flames could be. This dark invoker…. Just how far had she delved into the darkness to gain her power? Faye drew the flame away, growing increasingly suspicious of Holly. It had been a while since she had seen the spell react so violently towards another person.

She quirked an eyebrow, looking directly into her eyes. "Curious." she pretended to brush it off. "But not uncommon. Being a conjurer of darkness, it is typical that it would react like this. Though judging from its response, I can only assume you have given up much to gain your magic" she said, dismissing the spell by closing her hand. "Do be careful you do not dive too deep. You may not be able to climb out. That would be unfortunate." her voice was filled with concern, but there was an unmistakable warning behind it as well.

Holly raised an eyebrow when approached by the noblewoman and had reached toward the hilt of her blade, hidden beneath her cloak. She let Sarah get closer if only to observe what it was she wished to show the seeker. A raised hand caught those golden eyes of hers and she peered upward. Light danced on the woman's fingertips until they formed the menace. Holy. There was no doubt about the potency of the spell as her skin crawled almost instinctively and it took all of her composure to refrain from verbally hissing. Instead, she look dumbfounded toward the spell.

Holy, a spell that rivaled the might of a keyblade and inflicted pain upon Heartless without so much as even needing the weapon. The thing itself could be classified as a weapon and if what Sarah said was true, that meant when the wild creatures had raided the many worlds Sarah's was one of them and she managed to stay afloat. How irritating. Not just that but her persistence in fighting back had reminded her of the rather tiresome persistence in human beings. It made her sick to her stomach. She opened her mouth to speak but had to take a step back as the flame attempted to bite at her. Impudent little thing it was.

Her eyes had sharpened and remained that way up until the flame was dismissed. She was not too happy about the conflict between she and those fires, even more unhappy when Sarah started pitching her whole speech about delving too deep. Though, instead of reacting with hostility, she merely sighed and gave a light smirk. "We all can't hold out hope like you, Lady Sarah. Sometimes the darkness is our only refuge in this Hell called life." She said softly. "I'd be more worried about yourself. I am one who chose this path and walk this journey of dark, while I see you struggle and wane with your own darkness. You didn't choose the dark but it waits for any chance to devour you whole. Rather than let it do that, learn how to leash and silence it." A light chuckle left her lips as her eyes turned up skyward to the darkened atmosphere. "Darkness isn't good nor is it evil, much like how the light isn't either or. People just assigned the roles to them and stitched symbols to them, which in of itself is an injustice of both ends of the spectrum. Remember that well, Sarah of House Blackwood, because much like how there are those who are easily lost to dark, there those easily lost to light. Learn how to tame both. Much like how you've dwelt in the light, try to dwell in the dark for a little bit." And with that her head dropped down, her eyes had a brighter glow to them than usual. She placed the hood over her once more and the eerie light from her eyes would have reminded the woman in front of her something sinister. A Heartless.

When Holly mentioned her own struggle, Faye couldn't help but scoff at the notion. She was rather intutitive, this woman. Was it simply because of her connection to the darkness? Dark invokers had been known to be very observant, going so far as to detect darkness using their most basic of senses. Could Holly do the same? Could she literally smell and taste the darkness trying to constrict her heart? That was an unnerving thought.

"We all struggle with temptation. Even the most righteous of men cannot say otherwise." the sorceress said as if this was common knowledge. Holly had clearly irked her, feeling as if the hunter had invaded her privacy, and so she had no qualms if her next words turned out to be offensive. It was not a queenly thing to do, but she was so damn fed up with darkness being preached to her night and day by Malazon. She needed to lash out a little. "Regardless, I will not take the foolish risk of attempting to control it. The truth is, those with hearts can never tame the darkness. It bows to no one but itself. The Heartless are its incarnate. You have the freedom to believe in this illusion, and I wish you well. I, however, will not. Darkness is a destructive element with only one goal in mind, and that is the annihilation of everything we hold dear. It will keep asking more and more of you until you've completely fallen under its sway."

In regards to whether the two elements of life were neither good nor evil, Faye was quick to debate Holly's words. "Honestly?" she couldn't help but gape at her for a moment, trying to understand her thought process. It made no sense to her."You would compare light and darkness to fire and ice then? There is a reason they have a defined reputation. You can understand that much, yes? We as humans are attuned to the light, it is natural to us--our birthright, if you will. The realm of light is our home, after all. As the Heartless are the spawn of darkness, we are the children of light. When one element seeks us out to heal and protect while the other desires to consumes us, you can see why one would say one is good and the other is evil. Is it shortsighted to proclaim such? After everything we have suffered under the Heartless?" she shook her head. "Do tell me what happened to the man consumed by the light, Holly. In fact, let us say we do remove the symbols light and darkness represent. Explain how your philosophy would benefit the worlds. I would very much like to know." Faye crossed her arms and turned up her nose in that noble sassy fashion. She didn't know, but this question was probably going to cause her to possibly stick a foot in her mouth. In her mind, Holly wasn't helping her case either by looking like a Heartless herself.

The necromancer had nodded her head to the points Sarah made in her first bout regarding the darkness. Honestly, it was always the most dedicated and set in their ways of following the light, that were the easiest to manipulating over to darkness. Their wills always bent and broke when things never went their way, with this case being proven in the fact Sarah had so much emotion behind what she stated that it was almost impossible to not taste the anger in her words. Holly had a response to all that. "You cannot control the darkness much like how you cannot control the light. Whoever things both elements are objects you can reign in like mere horses, is foolish. People have forgotten the art of using the elements as supplements to our abilities and now outright utilize them as a crutch. The Heartless are merely a manifestation of the Darkness within everyone's heart. If proper balance is an illusion, then by all means I will believe in it. You are free to believe your teachings as well, I will not say you are wrong, because you've clearly had a terrible experience involving the darkness. But as someone who has been to the other side, I have every right to believe in the "illusion" that I've conjured for myself."

while that first point was concluded, the next involved Holly's own faux philosophy regarding the comparison of darkness and light. Faux was probably the wrong word to describe it but it'd do for now. "That is exactly wrong with people nowadays. 'Light is our birthright,' 'We are children of light.' No one can admit that we're born with both light and darkness within our hearts, that we're creatures who exist on both sides. Heartless are the manifestation of darkness within people's heart made physical, once they've completely given into their darkness or have been struck down by other such creatures. You're not at all shortsighted to make a proclamation such as that, but rather than ostracize and witch hunt those who study darkness, I seek to understand them. Heartless are a different story. They don't talk, only follow on a hive-mind and their own instincts so naturally I will kill them should they impede my progress." The woman stated and used that as a shroud to save face in a sense. "The man consumed by light thought his cause noble and righteous, putting everyone whom he believed held an inkling of darkness, to the sword. Only when there was no one left to accuse and he had lived in his own lonely, light-filled world did he finally die a miserable death at his own hands." Never once did she break eye contact with Sarah as she explained her points. "My philosophy seeks to spread balance. The worlds are at an imbalance, the darkness is steadily tipping the scale to its side but I want to make sure that doesn't happen. I fear the light will be in the same situation of tipping the balance irregularly, so I will be there even for that." Holly said confidently and in a similar manner, turned her nose up. Snooty and just as sassy as Sarah. "Whatever threatens the balance of the worlds, I will be there to set it right, no matter who stands in my way."

When Holly finished speaking Faye could only sigh, placing a hand to her temple. Damn that woman! She couldn't deny the wisdom of her words. Malazon finally spoke up, and his whispers may have been able to reach his fellow seeker.

You can scarcely think after that little speech, hm? She definitely brought your self-righteous thoughts to a standstill. Haha! My, so many emotions. It seems this maid has served a purpose. Lovely.

"Forgive me, Lady Holly." Faye finally said after minute. She returned to Aurum, brushing her fingers through his mane. "These past events have left me distraught and I simply want a solution to end this suffering. My temper has grown short. However, that was no excuse to lash out as I did, and I apologize. Your words bear wisdom; I can admit that. Though I may not completely agree with them. Balance seems impossible between forces that constantly lash out at one another. If there was anything close to it, I would have to say it was the golden age that has just ended."

That was all she was willing to say on that matter. She would concede, for now. Everything else Holly said left a ring that Malazon would be sure she would remember. Faye could see what the treasure hunter meant, but she wanted to believe as she had, that light was pure and darkness was evil. Regardless of whether it was true or not, the darkness was currently a threat. That couldn't be disputed. Looking back at Holly, she asked. "Did you walk all the way out here? If you like, I can fly you back home. 'Tis the least I could do after snapping at you."

There was an inward smile when she saw the woman place a hand to her temple, meaning that Holly spoke some bit of wisdom towards her. There was a certain humbleness to her victory as she didn't gloat, chortle, nor do anything to remind Sarah that she was close-minded. No, rather than rattle her she'd let her reflect on the words. All it took was simple self-doubt in order to take the first steps upon the dark path.

"There's no need for forgiveness, because there's nothing to forgive. I don't blame you for how you think. A lot of people share your sentiment and its understandable as to why they do. I just offer an alternative way of looking at things." She stated in a neutral tone. There was a soft glitter in her eyes as she gazed upon the stars and took in the darkness surrounding them. For everyone that ceased being, it meant another world was taken. A worthy sight to behold. When inquired about a ride, the Seeker had turned her eyes down and forward, then gave a light shake of her head.

"No, but thank you, Lady Sarah. I still have my search and need to dedicate as many hours as possible into finding what I want." Holly's voice now filled with determination, as she curtsied to the woman and her steed, before turning her back to them. "Take care, Sarah Blackwood. We'll meet again, that much I'm positive of." There was a sneaking smile on her lips, one the pair wouldn't be able to see as she started off on her journey. Light footsteps shifting the sands could be heard as she walked.

The sorceress gave the maiden a nod, pulling herself up onto Aurum's back. It was probably for the best. She couldn't handle being humiliated a second time tonight and having her Heartless ward tease her about it later. It was a smart choice on Holly's part. The pegasus would not have been happy to accommodate a Heartless rider.

"Fare thee well, Lady Holly."

With one powerful stroke of his wings, the pegasus shot up into the air. Faye had been left with a lot to think about. Was she close-minded? Had she been alienating a small population of her people? And was a world filled with light a bad thing? No, that couldn't be true. They were children of light. She was a child of light! It brought healing and hope. Yes, all hearts bore darkness--but it wasn't always that way! Was it?

As she flew back home, she kept thinking of things she might have said to Holly rather than saying she would agree to disagree. It plagued her mind. She hated to lose at anything, especially at debates. The sorceress also contemplated visiting Dirge, desiring more lighthearted company, but it was already so late. It would be rude to trouble him.  

With Aurum back in the stable, Faye walked back to her chambers. Wysteria had returned from her hunt and was sleeping in her tiny bed. A single flick of her tail was all she gave to show she acknowledged the queen's return. And so, Faye went about her nightly routine, washing her face, brushing her hair, and changing into a nightgown before tucking herself into bed. An hour later, she was still wide-awake. Perhaps she could place a sleep spell on herself? That was viable option, but that wouldn't keep the nightmares at bay. The fairy dragon trilled in concern when Faye got up again.

"I'm fine. Go back to sleep."

Slipping on her robe, she quickly left the room and went to search for her formerly cursed knight. Had he settled down for the night? Perhaps he was still up and about. Being the vigilant man he was, he could have talked himself into keeping a late night watch until he passed out. The thought made her smile. She'd never met a more stubborn man.

There was a bit of a readjustment process that Dirge still had to get used to. Being a human once more limited how much ground he could cover as a sentry and thus, his rounds had to be split up into different sections that he'd do for that day. The last hour he set for himself always had him in the hallway where Faye's quarters' lie. The queen whom he protected still and relished in the fact she had recovered since the raid on the castle. Despite that, he still wanted to be thorough in his sweep of the place, so there was a bit of shock when he mentioned to see the woman approaching him down the opposite end of the hall.

"L-Lady Faye!" Startled a little, he immediately took to his knee in respect. "I hadn't expected you to be up and about. Xander explained that you were a little agitated earlier and that I shouldn't disturb you, so I, uh..." His voice trailed off as he tried to think of the phrase to describe his reason for being up so late. "Took to doing a more grounded sweep of the hall." The man explained still bowing his head to the queen.

His silver armor glistened in the dim lights of the hall, the shape hugging his frame in a comfortable manner. Beneath the slips of the armor was black chainmail used to protect from other bladed weapons. Even with all of that gear on, his bulky, muscular form wasn't anything to scoff at. Long ebony locks had been tied in a manner that wouldn't obscure his vision, but a few strands draped over his tanned face. When he sneaked a peek up at the queen's face for a moment, she'd see those orange-green eyes of his glint with pride and honor.

A subtle smile came to the woman's face as she spotted her knight at the end of the hall. It was just as she suspected. Did he ever rest? Perhaps she would have to command him to sleep as well. Considering how late it was, she had a feeling she might have to. When he took a knee, a small ache made itself known in her heart. Everything that she had been repressing was struggling to rise to the surface, and it was a fight she now had little strength for. Her walls were crumbling down. There was too much for her to bear, and when the tears welled up in her eyes, she realized that her heart would no longer allow for these emotions to be contained. Faye had been the stalwart leader that remained strong in the face of  many evils for so long. She had suffered through so much, yet she refused to cry. Such weakness brought the public unease. As queen it was her duty to be their rock--to support and give them hope. Being human was not a luxury she could afford, or so she had told herself. Her heart said otherwise. Plagued with grief and self-doubt, her psyche could take it no longer.

"Sir Dirge..." she approached him, the long train of her white robe trailing behind her in a feathery display, giving off the illusion that she was gliding across the floor. By the time she reached him, tears were running freely down her cheeks. The sorceress stood there for a moment, struggling to find the words she wanted to say, but in the end she found herself sounding like a small child. "I...I can't sleep." she placed a hand over her mouth, trying to hide the sob that emerged, but it would be all too clear to the knight.

It was only in his moment of peeking up at the woman did he notice the well of tears that began to form in her eyes. His own heart stuttered for just a moment and it wasn't until she had been mere feet away, the singular choked sob that she attempted to keep at bay, forced him to his feet and through his instincts, Dirge had embraced the queen. Armor was uncomfortable, he knew that so there wasn't a large embrace or anything smothering, just a gesture to show that Faye had someone to lean on, someone who she could show her more human side to. Very gently, he stroked the woman's hair.

"Then allow me to bore you with the details of my job." He smiled softly at his little joke and had hoped it would set the mood slightly. "Something like that should be able to put you at ease, shoot, I wouldn't be surprised if you were dead asleep half-way through." The man went on, chuckling lightly. After that, he allowed Faye to have her moment no matter how long it was. While he did, he couldn't help the fact his eyes wandered over her figure. She was beautiful no matter which outfit and it nearly felt a crime to gawk when she was at her most vulnerable, so he closed his eyes. Closed his eyes and held her with the intent to comfort.

In that moment, Faye did not want to be the queen; she wanted to be herself, even if it was just briefly. When was the last time she had embraced another? It had certainly been years. The sorceress wasn't an affectionate person, and a handshake was as far as she was willing to go when it came to physical contact--no matter how much she may respect someone. Being held by Dirge, however, felt different. Faye's heart had leaped and bound as he reached out to her as if she could not go another second without his touch. Being this close to him brought a small comfort to her heart that gave her some relief, easing the agony that lashed at her soul.

"If I had held the barrier up a little longer..." she cried, turning her face into the crock of his neck as if she were trying to hide herself from the world. It all came tumbling out. Everything. "Or if I had better prepared us for the attack... should I have channeled Malazon's power from the gem? Would fighting fire with fire have changed our fate?" she growled in frustration. "My arrogance has cost so many lives. I truly believed the Enchanted Dominion could not fall under my rule. A damned fool! That's what I am! And the kingdom almost lost one of it's greatest knights." she hesitated for a moment. "I almost lost you. And then you had the nerve to confess and just fly away? Bastard!" she raised her fist, slapping weakly against his chest. She felt selfish speaking about all this, but she didn't have the ability to hold back anymore. "I hate feeling this way. So weak and pathetic. This isn't how a queen should act or feel. I should be stronger than this."

He could feel the chill of her tears as they rolled down her cheeks and touched upon his neck. Dirge let her hide from the world and allowed him to be her security blanket in all this. No doubt the stress had finally caught up with the raid being the final straw, but that was fine. The knight was there for her like he had been for many years, dedicated to her cause to whatever end may befall either of them. This was no different and he'd hear her out, listen to her complaints, doubts, all of it just to help put her at ease. Dirge let her speak and waited for his moment to put all of her trouble's under the microscope, if not to better sooth her mind. Especially with how she roughly chastised him for his dramatic exit, a confession that he probably shouldn't have done and yet he believed that day to have been his last. There wasn't any doubt that struck a chord in her heart in a very bitter way.

"It seems like you've let a lot of this bottle up, hm? That's okay, however, because I want you to let it all out." The man stated with a soft smile on his lips. "I may not know what its like to be a queen or in a position of rule, but I do know that the people don't look toward an indomitable structure or an emotionless being to rule them. They want a leader who they can relate with, who can understand how they feel on a personal level. This means showing weakness. We all have our weaknesses, our ups and downs. These weaknesses help us become stronger, because we know what we need to work on in the future. You're no different and neither am I, hell, neither are the people you watch over. We all have things about ourselves that we need to work on and some times, all you really need is that helping hand. Regardless of your position, Lady Faye, you too should rely on those you trust deeply, even if its just a little." He said and gave another gentle stroke of her hair. "Another thing I know, is that you did the best you could and it was enough. You saved more lives than any in your position could have and you showed just how powerful your magics are compared to other beings. I don't know about you, but I don't think Malazon's power was necessary and in fact, it could have led us all to ruin should you have fallen under that darkness. Sometimes adding more fire just breeds a bigger flame. You did the right thing and I'm sure almost everyone would agree with you." There was a brief pause before he continued. "We enjoyed twenty years of peace and with it came the lax mindset. None of us could be prepared for this and I'd say you were far from arrogant during your timely rule. Think about it, you spent years researching Holy and trying to find a way to harness its power so that we can defend ourselves without the light of a keyblade. Any leader would have just been content with what we had but you thought differently, you kept working. There wasn't any arrogance, my queen. You did the best you could." He repeated. Then came the point of his confession and his abrupt leave. A very nervous chuckle escaped his lips. "Honestly, I thought the day my last and so I wanted to have no regrets. It wasn't right of me to do so but I was working on beastly instinct, so I humbly ask for your forgiveness." A light blush had taken to his cheeks, then it flared into something more where the entirety of his face had a red tinge to it. Recounting the very same day and that last moment had him flustered, but he wouldn't show it too much.

Though her heart continued to beat furiously against her chest, Faye's breathing began to steady as the knight spoke. Was he right? Maybe. Either way, it was good to hear his kind words whether they were simply honeyed or honest. Hell, if a few lies made her feel better she would consider accepting them if they came out of his mouth. As he spoke about leaders needing to show their human side, she shook her head. "I smile and laugh for my people. When it is fitting, I am open to revealing my others sides, but if they saw me like this, they would be in despair. They would feel as if there is no hope if I have fallen to such a state. I have to support them. I have to be the queen of stone unmoved in the face of darkness." she sighed, "As much as I may try to pretend that I can stare down this threat with determination alone... the truth is, I am terrified, Dirge." she gripped him tighter, another sob rolling out from her throat. "I am so frightened that we may lose everything. So much fear that's built up that I do not know what to do with it any longer, and he feeds off of it like a leech." the queen bit her lower lip then as she referred to the dark elf.

Faye grew silent as he spoke about his confession, admitting that he believed that it would be the last time they would ever speak. She raised her head, noting the redness of his cheeks as she gazed up into those orange-green eyes of his, so rare and uniquely colored. Eye colors ranged across the rainbow in her kingdom, yet his held a certain charm she had never seen in another. For a moment she just started at him, taking in the features of his face, the strong curve of his jaw and  smooth, soft texture of his ebon locks. Truly, he was a very handsome man. Perhaps she was just noticing this because she felt so weak, but she couldn't deny that even when she was stable. Seeing him as a human felt surreal. He had been a dragonborn for so long, yet regaining his true form did not change who he was and for that she was thankful. "Were your words true?"she finally had the courage to ask, voice lowered to a whisper.