What's in a Reunion? [closed/Freylief]

A teardrop fell and made a small “drip” as it landed in the tub of water then another joined. Freyleif rubbed away the tears that streamed out down her cheeks and sniffled before laying back in a more relaxed state in the bath tub. Her head rolled back in the crook of the edge and stared up at the tapestry pattern ceiling. She gazed up there a good moment following the swirls and clover like designs as she tried to keep her mind busy on other things.

Knock, knock.

Her thoughts broken now she peered over at the ornate wooden door and spoke softly, “What is it?”

“Sorry, my Queen but there is someone to see you, the man Raphael.” she could tell the annoyance dripping from her guard.

“I’ll be out then.” Freyleif said composing herself before pulling herself up and out of the tub to dry off. She grabbed a towel from its golden hanger and rubbed down her hair first, chest, and bulging belly that started having stretch marks. Her hand absentmindedly rubbed her stomach and frowned just how messed up her body had become; notwithstanding the scars and scarification of the tattoos that littered her arms and legs, even the old scars of Hollow claw marks from her shoulders and back. She dared not look in the mirror to her left and quickly wrapped the towel around her before heading out.

The guard backpedaled away as the Queen walked out with the towel slowly slipping from her form and quickly closed his eyes. “S-sorry I’m not going back out there with a bossy sp-” the guard was cut off by a sudden rise of spiritual pressure curling around his form. “Apologies!” the man spluttered before the choking feeling was released and moved out to inform Raph that the Queen would see him shortly.

Freyleif looked over her dressed and clothes stand holding her Queenly attire. She decided to pick out something a little informal: a pair of denim jeans and a green T-shirt she had brought over in her move from Karakura. Once dressed, the blonde tossed the white towel into a basket of clothes and prepared herself in meeting an old friend and gave an exhale in front of the mirror. She made sure she wasn’t showing signs of bags under her eyes and couldn’t really hide her growing stomach.

Finally, she moved towards the door and opened it before greeting Raph, “Heya!” she put on a smile.”Long time no see! Please come on in, sorry for the delay.” she opened up the door fully for him to step inside.

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436

It was a good ten minutes, as well as a wonderfully awkward staring contest with the guard that he hadn’t lifted into the air and played with him like a ragdoll. In some ways he felt uncomfortable here, it was the militaristic society, the constant playing up of power and authority; things that always just made his insides quiver. Be who we say, not who you are. Raph had never bought into this kind of thing, not even when his mother and Christopher were married which, thinking back on it, was probably why the man had made Raphael and Brian go to so many business meetings, they had such a similar layout to what was going on here.

He turned and watched as a group of soldiers marched proudly by him, not a head turned as he waved with a smile. Christ, this was why he’d never joined the army. Authority was good and all, but if you take it to far it becomes a way to instill fear. He hated fear.

The door behind him creaked a bit on its hinges, and Raph quickly spun around. There stood Frey as he remembered her, for the most part the distended stomach was a little new. Green t-shirt and normal jeans, one could almost mistake the queen for a pauper. He glanced around to make sure that Aidan wasn’t in the area and when he was certain that he was in the clear he gave a friendly wave and followed her inside.

“It isn’t your fault,” he replied about the wait. “Really I need to be more patient. It’s just after getting out of jail and then, more importantly out of Chicago and away from Toran, it’s good to see such a friendly face.” He smiled as they entered a room that he assumed was Frey’s. “I didn’t get enough time to get to talk to you over the phone and…” He saw a report that had Aidan’s name on it. “I don’t know if you’ve read THIS.” He picked up the manila envelope and shook it a few times before unceremoniously tossing it back onto the desk. “But there are some things that we need to talk about.” He sat down on a far chair and sighed. This was not going to be good news. “Ok, I don’t know how much you knew about what the man before the man before you worked for was doing, but Marcus had a deal going with my mother. Even though I shut her down… Well, after that… I saw all of you become more and more powerful, and yet for some reason I was unable to do the same…” He stared down at the ground, and ran his fingers through his hair. “So…in a moment of incredible stupidity, and I do mean incredible stupidity, mind you, I created a proto-hollow that fed off of me, while maintaining myself with artificial soul injections. Unfortunately it had nearly irreparably damaged my soul. I was saved by…” He stopped, and faltered for a moment, still rather unsure as to what exactly had saved him that day. He waved his hand as if it completely destroyed what had happened. “I’m not entirely sure exactly who, or what, had saved me that day but something did and then took me out to Italy, to my dear friend Adimus. He was the one that healed me, but that meant…that unfortunately… I lost my quincy powers…” Raph closed his eyes, a bit uncertain as to what exactly she would say, but these were things eh needed to hear. He wasn’t like what he had been before. “But,” and he gestured to her belly. “When did this happen, and when are you expecting?” It was obvious that his attempts to change the subject was about as subtle as a train wreck going through an orphanage, but at the same time, Raph was a bit more concerned about how badly she might slap the living hell out of him for being such a dumbass. “I only hope that you can forgive my stupid mistakes…”

Words: 684
Total: 1376

She shook her head as Raph picked up the manila envelope and unceremoniously tossing it back on the desk. She held her breath from getting irritated by him - first, he suddenly vanishes for no word until recently and his loss of Quincy powers. What an idiot, she thought.

Her eyes widen at the use of a proto-hollow he made and she exhaled out and shook her head while continuing to listen to his story. She moved over where he sat and glared at him - he attempted to change the subject in which she rose her hand to slap him across the face.

“You idiot! Why didn’t you call me sooner!” she shouted and went to slap him again, totally for shouting outside her room for payback and growled. “I was worried sick about you and I couldn’t contact you!” she sucked in a breath and lowered her hand from slapping him again.

“Three more months and the babies will be out,” she slid into the couch a little way from him. “I’m engaged to Wraith, I doubt you know him. I fell in love with him after the big drama when Weylin crowned himself King a year ago or so. He’s a spiritualist but I don’t really care for bloodlines. I’m sure my babies will do just fine with training and tender love, in fact I'm kind of excited to be having twins.” her hand moved down to her stomach to rub it lovingly.

“Why in Hel’s cold breasts did you make a proto-hollow?” she asked next while peering up at the ceiling. “Nevermind, I’m just glad you’re okay now." he gave a disappointed sigh and cradled her stomach as the babies began to fuss within - the stress lately had been weighing on her shoulders heavily.

"I really need to take a vacation." she thought to herself.

+++
307+436=743

She gave him a good slap across the face, something he definitely deserved. What he’d done had been really stupid beyond that, in fact, but all of that was in the past, there was no reason to think on any of it now. What’s done was done. Was he to be perfectly honest, the proto-hollow hadn’t been all that difficult to merge with, rather trying to get rid of it had been the hard part. It had taken someone removed from time to destroy the thing and Raph just had to hope that no part of its consciousness had been left in his mind. As long as that was the case, then he would be fine.

“Well, to be fair I was a bit more incapacitated after I was returned to Chicago… There were complications, for lack of a better term that kept me there. Also my phone was destroyed when I was saved and my apartment had been wrecked for a while, so you wouldn’t have been able to get in contact with me regardless.” He stopped for a few moments in thought before getting a pen and piece of paper, then he wrote down a number and handed it to her. “This is the number of my friend, Donovan. If you can’t reach me then call him. He always knows a way to find me. Sometimes I don’t even know how he does it.”

He heard her say only another three months and her children would be born, and that she was engaged to someone named…Wraith? Didn’t ring a bell, but there were probably hundreds, maybe even thousands of spiritualists that Raph didn’t know about or had met and didn’t even know it. Frey’s power had increased by leaps and bounds, her latent potential was undeniably frightening. If she could manage to rally the disparate clans behind her? She could have a force more than capable of confronting the Shinigami or Hollow threats. Was this really better though? And then there was Jian. What was he up to? Raph would have to find out about him as well.

Frey’s voice became incredibly distant as a tumultuous cacophony of them split into his mind. He held his head, with one hand, as they started spilling through. Some were talking about job offers, some were others were talking about family and worries. Still other were yelling about what was going on when they all suddenly just fell away, one minute there were hundreds and in the next the stars in the sky had crashed into the ocean. He finally reoriented his head when he heard Frey.

“I feel ya there… I mean you’re the queen and are in charge of so many people and you’re pregnant on top of that? I don’t’ think anyone would blame you if you took a few weeks off and went to the Bahamas or something. Vacations are important; they can help relax the body and refocus the mind.”

Words: 495
Total: 1871

The Queen took the piece of paper and gave it a cursory glance before putting it in her pant’s pocket. “Try not to vanish again.” she giggled. The worry shown through her bloodshot eyes. She thought she lost another friend due to the absence or worse: a hollow attack.

Her pinky finger picked inside the left side of her ear as the silence settled a moment. Her emerald gaze peered over at him for a split second as he held his head then again as he spoke, she wondered if something was bothering him until it hit her; the man was reading her thoughts.

“Did he just read my thoughts?” she thought then grinned. “Raph are my breasts too big?”

She sat up and gave out a yawn and stretched her arms overhead. She was still not used to mind readers snooping into her private thoughts - did he know she was hiding her depression behind a mask?

“U-Uhm, yeah, can you read minds now?” she chuckled. “I want a nice vacation in France with my lover and find a nice hotel we could spend time together in and maybe do it in a spa~.” she sighed hopefully before sliding off the couch and moving towards Raph.

“What brings you to see me anyway?” she asked stopping before him. She eyed his lap almost in the temptation to take a seat upon it before her eyes locked back to his and smiled. “Normally everyone has a reason...unless you really were worried about me?”

+++
252/743=995

Her request to not disappear again, the very nature of it made him chuckle ever so slightly. He hadn’t meant to disappear, it had just…well it had just happened. There was no end to the amount of confusion and consternation that others had caused him when they had vanished like Houdini, and so it felt somewhat hypocritical to whine and complain about others getting upset with him for doing so.

Her confusion at his statement, ironically, confused him; then he realized that her confusion, stemed from the fact that she hadn’t actually said anything about needing a vacation. She’d thought it. But it wasn’t possible that she thought something and he heard it, was it? That seemed fundamentally wrong on many levels and, even more the point, was incredibly invasive. He was at first concerned that she might be, understandably, offended by the fact that he’s just apparently read her thoughts. Though judging from her mental reaction, first pondering and then asking something that many would find to be incredibly inappropriate gave him the notion that she wasn’t so much bothered by it, as she was amused. His face went flush with the last thought, and he couldn’t help but stare at the ground.

“I’m not entirely sure how to answer such a question, and if that sounds like a cop out to you, please remember that you are a queen, despite our informal greetings.” He remembered Aidan’s words about treating her majesty with the respect she was due. Raph shrugged at her question. “Under normal circumstances I’d say that we’re both crazy, but considering the fact that I just heard what you were asking me it seems to be the most likely of all the scenarios.”

She slid off of the couch opposite him and approached, without meaning too he immediately scanned her mind, and hoped to god that she didn’t actually sit on his lap. He looked at her. “As you now know, I no longer have my quincy powers, yet at the same time this is about the closest thing that I have to home. I’m not saying to let me live here; I don’t know if that’s entirely proper, given that I don’t technically have the abilities of a quincy.” He sat back in thought. “Maybe... I can be something of an ally? Unless you’d rather actually take my service… Though if you did I’d need at least two days in the library to brush up on everything that would go with this organization.” He stopped, realizing that he’d been talking way too fast. He took a deep breath to calm himself and said, “I guess what I’m saying is that this is the only place that I’ve felt at home in a long time. If you would be willing to accept my service in your organization then I’m more than happy to serve, if not then I’d at least like to help as…something like a field agent, perhaps. My life is in your hands, without your assistance, and that of Aodh, I’d be dead right now. I’d like to repay that debt, if I can.” Yes, it was a tad dramatic, but at the same time, it didn’t begin to cover how he felt. Frey had been the single greatest friend he’d had, the only one that had stayed, that he’d been able to keep hold of. He would find some way to make himself useful…and to keep an eye on her.

Words: 581
Total: 2457

‘Hmm, at least you’re respectable.” Freyleif giggled. It still was odd her thoughts being read so it was only payback to be a bit lewd and hide behind a mask - she wondered if she was becoming more hollow herself with these fake smiles - ah yes, she had to stop thinking about the mind reader able to hear her as clear as day.

The teen remained silent as she heard Raph out. A soft frown forming on her lips as he did indeed lose his Quincy powers over these events and she felt a bit sad she wasn’t there for him. “Can I really save those close to me?” her thoughts lingered on her own weakness and feel into a trance - becoming distant - until she focused back on him.

Freyleif let his words soak in her mind for a moment; it seemed he wanted a place to belong and repay for saving his hide, but would the other Quincy approve of a spiritualist at the heart of their growing kingdom? She folded her arms and turned her back a moment and scanned around the lavish room before moving over towards a dresser and placed her hands on it and leaned towards the oval mirror. She took a long look at herself and reached up with her left hand to touch along her right eye and traced three fingers down the scars across it and exhale out before closing her eyes.

She placed her hand back down and slid both hands along the edge of the dresser’s wooden edge and gripped it. Her head bowed with her eyes still closed as she contemplated having Raph in the Order - would he be a good ally? Finally, she opened her eyes then pulled away from the desk and made her way back to Raph eyes locked onto his.

“As long as you don’t leak anything out of this castle and I have your loyalty,” she said sternly while leaning in. Her gaze centered on his chest next while her spiritual senses expanded to see if there would be any change in his energy. “If you can promise that then you can live here and help me, and your abilities can come in handy to those thinking of backstabbing me.” she pulled away and took a few steps back and awaited his answer.

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388/995=1383

He could sense her hesitation, felt the conflict and strife that raged in her mind as she pondered his request. Certainly it was odd, and placed her in an odd position; he shared her question, after all, would the quincy actually accept him, a mortal? Even if she did Raph would have to accept all of their bylaws, follow their rules, the whole nine yards. The question was, could he accept that? He could, but she would have to live with the decision to bring him into the fold as well.

She paced and placed her hands on a desk, running them over it, feeling the wood and continued mulling over his request. It was possible that he could be a good ally, he was certain of it!

Frey was a tough woman to read, and immediately laid out her terms: loyalty, secrecy, service and friendship. There was no lie in Raph’s eyes, or his heart. He had once sworn to serve Weylin, and had done so without any second thought in his mind.

“My family served Weylin, the former High King, before he was even that. Then I swore service to him as well.” He searched her thoughts the whole time, waiting for her to have any second thoughts, but he could sense none. “I have no one to whom I would give information, and most importantly,” he got to his feet, and then kneeled in front of her. “You have my loyalty. You’ve been a close friend, for quite a long time, and you’ve saved my life. I would be a horrible friend if I didn’t repay the favor, wouldn’t I?”

He got to his feet and locked eyes with her. “I owe you a lot Frey, so the least that I can do is to give you my help in this. You’re enemies had better hope that they get me first, cuz there’s no end to the hell that I’ll unleash otherwise.”

Words: 325
Total: 2782

Weylin. That response made her spiritual energy tighten and muscles tense up, it was hard to believe such a man was looked up by many of the Quincy and Spiritualist alike for turning his iron fist down and enforcing his rule. It only seemed fair as Markus was a tyrant and secretly remove the half-bloods from power and had Weylin’s mother against him. Her - no - the Quincy were truly corrupted in their ways during the council era.

She sensed no ill intent from Raph's words and wondered what she had feared so much in him. The past few days had been stressful trying to get in contact with the North and many clans refusing to pledge their allegiance to some young Quincy. She still had to gain a lot more experience in leadership than flexing her power about.

Freyleif remained silent as Raph rose then kneeled before her. Raph was indeed a close friend to her but she could not afford to get too close for the sake in hiding her paranoia. Her body relaxed and she gave a slight nod to the man and her lips turned upward.

“Then I welcome you to Order, Raph,” she reached a hand onto his left shoulder and locked eyes. “I wouldn’t turn away a friend either just be more careful next time, please?” she then pulled him into a careful hug. She held onto him for a good while enjoying his company while she could before finally letting go and grinned.

“Things will be hard but we’ll pull through.” she thought.

“I will let the others know you will be staying here to help out,” she said placing a hand on her stomach and moving back to sit on a chair as exhaustion was beginning to creep up. “Try not to get into fights or throttle my guards next time.” she jested before continuing. "Is there anything else you want to get off your mind? Ah, I also wanted to ask how you acquired your Quincy powers from Weylin."

336/1383=1719

His mention of Weylin sent ripples through her thoughts, and Raph was hit with a telepathic backlash. He winced, briefly, and waited, with his breath held. The things running through her mind, the capacity for quincy to accept a spiritualist, was something that he himself had thought of before hand. It concerned him, understandably; after all, if they turned him down where else was he to go? Though, that concern quickly disappeared. He’d survived before the quincy had become this organized, and if they said no? Hell, he’d survive regardless… He’d find a way.

His fears, however, were unfounded as he heard her welcome and felt her hand fall upon his left shoulder. Raph raised his head and looked into Frey’s eyes. For Raph it was slightly unnerving being this close to someone, and it hadn’t happened since Sekai. This was the closest he’d been to another person in quite a long time.

Her thoughts streamed into and thru his head in seconds, the uninterrupted consciousness of another human frightened him just a little bit. But he was able to handle it without too much external difficulty. This was going to take some practice and more importantly getting used to.

He chuckled and nodded. “I’ll try not to get into any more fights, I promise.” But then came the part that he was dreading: how he’d become a quincy, and this dredged up the awful memories. He… He didn’t exactly wanna talk about it to be honest, but in reality he probably should, get it off his chest and all that.

But then he had an idea, an easier way to communicate the pain and help her understand. He walked over to where Frey sat, and placed his right hand on her shoulder.

“Now, you’re going to need to relax. I haven’t tried this yet, but since, as we’ve realized, I can read your mind, maybe I can communicate to you. Just…let your thoughts flow away for a second, and focus on concentrate on me.”

He closed his eyes for a moment and focused on the memories that she was wanting to see, and then looking up he opened his eyes locked onto hers. For a moment there was nothing and then, suddenly, he linked his mind to hers. Memories flooded from him to her and she would be able to see, see the months of torment and experimentation, and then came the big shocker.

His mother pulling a lever while he was tied to a table, the reishi flowed into him quickly…quickly, too quickly. His blood boiled, his skin blistered and flaked off and he could hear her gloating. He suppressed as much of the pain of the memory as he could and tried to focus on his mother talking about what he had to do: Master manipulating reishi, or die; those were his two options. It had been a painful, and forced, transformation and an experience Raphael was no soon ready to repeat.

Unfortunately the pain from the memory was far too much and he had to drop it and break the link between their minds. He looked up at her, as he began to recover.

“So… Yeah, that was pretty much it. Markus Hohenfels employed her to make an artificial army and she forced me into becoming a quincy. You know the rest.” He smiled, albeit weakly. He had never had to concentrate on anything that hard, not even when he was first beginning to practice telekinesis, and the neural exhaustion he’d just received was nearly debilitating. This would not be an easily won power, but it was one that he felt would have to be in the end. This was as important as telekinesis, or even the reishi manipulation when he’d started it. Raph would have to talk to Donny and see if his friend had learned anything from the decrypted data that his mother had had on her main computer. “Really sorry that I didn’t learn anything useful from my time there.”

Words: 669
Total: 3451

Freyleif braced herself - though a bit of a confusion spread across her face on what she was actually getting into. It took her a moment to calm her nerves and relax back into the chair before closing her eyes and allowing the mental connection to link. Her thoughts lingered on Wraith a moment to get her mind off any hesitation in allowing Raph lurking in her mind - more afraid he could snoop like those psionics she once played in a D&D game. The dreaded tentacle-faced monsters appeared in her mind at that thought and she shuddered.

Her eyes locked onto his and gave a nod of confirmation as she cleared any lewd thoughts on her fiance’ from interrupting his mind link. Regardless, she closed her eyes and mind from dredging up past stuff or the size of Wraith’s manhood. She suddenly gripped the chair’s arms edge as the memories then started to flow into her and clenched her eyes tight from the experience of a new scene showing up. For a moment it took her awhile to relax once more and slowly opened her eyes knowing she’s seeing something not quite at the present.

The mother was quite the cruel one to strap her own son to a table and pulling a lever that flowed reishi into the young man. How could she do such a thing? She thought in disgust that there were such parents out there willing to do such experiments on their own children - especially knowing her kin would do such a thing under Markus. She remembered seeing the old man at the summons and spent time reading up on the Hohenfels lineage and the mad king himself. She then focused on Raph as his skin blistered and flaked off and felt under disgust and sympathy toward him - hell even watching this unfold made her sick inside and cringed.

She let out an exhale as it finally ended and shakily placed a hand on her stomach and reached out with her spiritual senses to make sure her babies were fine. She could feel the pulses of their heart beats and energy lively as ever, with that she smiled and looked at Raph and her expression changed into crestfallen.

“That was horrible,” she said unsure how to comfort him. “Thank you for showing me that anyway. Markus was a horrible man and I’m glad he’s gone now.” she gave a yawn and quickly covered her mouth before forcing herself to stand once more.

“It’s fine,” she waved her hand dismissively. “I was just curious and should not have made you show me that if it was going to bring painful memories.” she forced a smile and moved to the lavish looking king's bed with all sorts of purple velvet and red blankets along with comfortable soft looking pillows. Freyleif slid right up into the bed and almost merged into the blankets as her body sunk just a bit and giggled while carefully rolling to the side to look at Raph.

“I’ll have a guard prepare your own room, be sure to make reports and send them to Aodh.” she said giving another yawn and nuzzled her face into the pillow before speaking clearly once again.

“You’re free to leave or chat a bit more about what’s on your mind.” she then rolled on her back to get comfortable then patted the bed if Raph so wished to stay awhile longer despite her tiredness.

576/1719=2295

He couldn’t bear to look at her, see what he’d done to her and so he was quick to turn away. He wanted to run, wanted to get as far as possible, though going anywhere now, especially away was quite improbable and he knew it. There was still too much to do. He would have to find a way to increase his powers as they were now, awaken even more. Despite her raw strength he knew that there was something off with her. The Freylief that he knew wouldn’t have taken the throne, not unless pushed to the extreme.

He trusted her, but was also concerned. He had known when Weylin was the king, the way that Weylin had tried his damndest to bring the disparate clans together and yet when the time was right Frey had simply taken the power? No, that wasn’t like her at all. None of it made sense, and if his abilities were any more developed he might’ve tried to rip wait until she was asleep and pull her consciousness apart piece by piece and find what was different.

As things stood, however, it felt as though he would need an eternity to remake his abilities. No, they couldn’t be remade, everything would have to be gained all over again. Powers, it seemed weren’t like riding a bike, not that he’d ever exactly written one.

But it comforted him to hear her say that he would get a room prepared as she went to lie down on the bed. She rolled over and patted the bed beside her. Yet at the same time, he did not want to push her harder, didn’t want to force anything more on her. But…there was something that he had to know.

“Listen Frey… Did something happen to you while I was gone?” He paused for a moment, still standing about a foot away from the bed itself. “I was gone for a long time, long enough that strange things could happen. When we first met…taking the crown isn’t something that I would have thought you’d do, it just wasn’t in your character.” He stopped once more, the words dancing on the edge of his tongue yet unsure of coming out. “Is everything alright?”

Words: 376
Total: 3827

The Queen’s smile had faded and her usual cheery self, too, ceasing. She had not been truly asked how she was feeling before, how was she feeling at the moment? She wanted to chuckle and dismiss it off, but Raph probably would see through her lies that everything is fine - especially as he questioned her taking the crown. Her eyes drifted over the tiara on its headrest on a desk next to the bed and gave a sigh. She felt her chest tightening on the million of thoughts that flooded her mind: the meeting with Erasmus on that fateful day in Soul Society and the ever malignant ‘curse’ he had placed on her. For the longest while, she struggled with a sickness secretly to herself until she finally opened up to most of her friends and keeping the others at arm's length.


“Yes,” she finally admitted. “Something did happen.” there was no use in trying to close herself off to her friend even if she struggled to hide her pride. She slowly sat up and searched for the words to soften his concerns but she knew he’d only grow more worried upon hearing about Erasmus. It was not a memory she wanted to fall back on and the pain it inflicted both mentally and well internally in her soul.

“I met with Erasmus during the invasion in Soul Society,” she said looking down at her lap not wanting to have eye contact. “Let’s just say it was an ill-fated meeting that left me cursed...or maybe more grown up? I’m not sure. I just feel lately and half the time I’m not sure I’m even myself.” the curse didn’t seem to have a strong hold on her yet she still feel its pull on her desires being put in the forefront of her mind. “But I’m fine.” she waved it off and turn to smile at Raph, hiding once more behind that mask. She had to stay strong as the Quincy needed her; even so, they were a mess in staying banded together and not going back to the old Council ways to squabble over petty things like blood purity. Just the thought of things breaking up made her clench her hands tightly - they were nothing without her as a head figure even if she acted somewhat childish and had no idea what she was doing in the first place. She rolled on her side facing away from Raph and hugged a pillow tightly trying not to let the bad thoughts overwhelm her.

"I needed the crown so I could get the Quincy out of the feud and corruption," most of that was true. "We need to be a people again and not rely on a shitty system that only cared about themselves - this is a real family and utopia we should make. Banding together will create safer families and we can respond faster to any threat. It won't be an easy process but someone has to do it, will you help me Raph? Protect those that cannot defend themselves?"

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509/2295=2804

Her smile quickly faded and he could tell that she was searching for words. The whole time he kept begging her to not spare his feelings, to not lie to him and just tell him what was going on. What she said, though, both boiled and froze his blood at the same time. Erasmus? The name was unfamiliar to him, yet he felt a strange sense that he should’ve known the being that Frey was talking about.

She’d apparently met with this being during an invasion into the Soul Society, and by the way she said it made it sound like the hollow had invaded the Seireitei once again. Cursed? More grown-up? These weren’t things that would happen from a single encounter. He did his best to not say anything, though damn if it wasn’t hard. Changed, is the best word for it, I’d say. What else could one possibly call something like what you’re describing?

To Raph, she sounded more lost and, in some ways, more afraid, than anything else. She didn’t sound like a confident leader in control of things, but then again Weylin hadn’t exactly been in control himself. Perhaps Raph simply didn’t have the experience to really sift through everything that she was going through. Then again, he didn’t hadn’t had the same experience. He could still recall his run in with Obsession though, and Christ if that didn’t make him mad.

Raph nodded. “I had a run in with him in Hueco Mundo. My way of getting there was…well, it was a bit unorthodox, to be perfectly honest.” The trip through a garganta shot through his mind, but dissipated as quickly as it had come. There was no reason to worry about that anymore. “But I made it back through without any problems.” Perhaps it had been part of his ‘chat’ with Obsession that Raphael had created the thing that had nearly killed him. He had been so consumed with the thought of strength.

“All I’ve ever wanted to do,” Raph said, in response to her question, “Is protect people. Those that can protect themselves but refuse to, those that can’t protect themselves, everyone.” But there was more to it than that, more that he held back. Right now, she only needed the truth. She only needed to know that he was on her side.

Words: 390
Total: 4217

Her eyes stayed focused on Raph a bit longer as she listened. So he, too, had met with the previous mad king of the monster realm but didn’t suffer the curse? Then why did she have to be parted with this ill feeling she tried to resist day in and day out? Regardless, she was happy Raph did care about others and to protect those unable to fight back. With her worries sated, Freyleif’s smile returned to her lips as she tried not to feel overburden with thinking of her duties and the paranoia of her own kin one day turning their back on her; just too many of the reports she read lately were filled with nothing but negativity from most clans.

“I’m glad,” she said giving a yawn and relaxed back. “Sorry for the bombardment of questions; there just been a lot of stress being piled on me lately, and on top of that sometimes I feel like I'm not me anymore. I just want to take care of my children and Wraith..” she paused and furrowed her brow trying to make sense. “I guess it’s been all the paranoia lately and whispers going around.” she gave a sigh and shook her head. There was no need to toss more worry about her friend. She did have many other friends that did help her within the Order so far in keeping her head together. She hadn’t heard from Aitrus in a long while and she was kinda glad for that, she didn’t want to be his puppet Queen or anyone’s - she had to pull in and try her best even if she felt scared deep down.


Her eyes were fluttering open and shut so often and no doubt the blonde was starting to get fatigued. She would have to read Raph’s report later as she had overworked herself today and felt like a dark gloomy cloud had followed her all day.

“What happened to your baseball hat you used to wear?” she asked, it hit her like lightning in the realization he wasn’t wearing that silly hat he once wore when they met. “Mmm tell me a story, please? I’m getting sleepy.” slowly she started drifting off as she snuggled in her blankets and hugged a pillow against her bulge belly.


+++
383/2804=3187
63 gp
exit