Family Reunion (Liza, Jula and Aero)

"You did in the ransom note you sent. Now where is Geronimo? You wouldn't want me to go after "Rose", now would you?" he asked as he watched Rose head up the stairs. "I'll be right here waiting, so no running off with my human or the girl's the first to be liquified." To demonstrate his abilities he spat at a nearby shrub and it quickly melted into the ground. "Just. Like. That. I'd get going if I were you D'Laube."

In a flash she'd eaten the duck and moved the plate back out the little door. "Where am I in relevance to D'Laube's place? I'll give him a good thrashing once I'm out of here, and don't worry about Zaffar, I'll handle him too if I have to. Also remind me to get you a better job than working for Zold once this affair is over. You're more than welcome to collect your son/daughter and come back with me to start over, if you would want to that is. It'd be the least I could do after all you're doing for me."

"Ransom note?!" Zold asked. "I did no such thing, I..." He paused, and thought for a while. "I could have been framed, I may be able to figure out who wrote it if I see the..."

He took a few deep breathes as Orran threatened Rose. He picked up a cane. "that was entirely uncalled for. I've offered to help you find this person, and you're accusing me of something I know nothing about... that is already in very poor taste, but to threaten my daughter?" Rage filled the pit of his stomach. He snatched his glasses off and tossed them aside and stepped outside of his house, closing the door behind him.

And at that point, too, a red Horse-dragon poked its head from around the home, and began to stalk towards the intruder as well, growling lowly.


Alec was gone for more minutes than he would have liked, but he did eventually return, and he passed her a crowbar through the hole. "Uhm... we're in the southwest quarter. When you get out of here I'll draw you a map, how about that?"

"Wonderful!" she called as she began prying at the door with said crowbar. "Both for the crowbar and the map idea!" She wedged the par in place and began tugging away at it until finally the door gave way and she fell flat on her back. "Thank the Forge for years of warrior training! Your master should be glad my mother didn't come down here to retrieve me with her battle axe!" She pulled herself to her knees and hugged Alec. "You're a better man than you give yourself credit for, Alec." she stated quietly.

"A horse with wings won't scare me." Orran spat. "I know you sent the note because I followed your scent trail! You forget dragons have better senses of smell than dogs. Now take me to my human or so help me I will destroy you and all you hold dear!" In anger he spat at the horse dragon and hissed loudly. "Come closer and I'll claw you to ribbons! Your master has stolen my human and is holding them for ransom, and I am not leaving without them!" Nothing stood between him and his mother, NOTHING!

Alec smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well... I'm just human, like any other human. I'll give myself that credit. I've got some good parts to me, and some bad parts too. For what it's worth, though... thank you." He looked at the busted door hinges, looking impressed. "Blacksmith, huh? Couldn't tell." Sarcasm, that was. He smiled at her.

"Now, look, though, before we do this," Alec continued, "I know you were out for a while, but ... how about you just go home? I know you're angry, and Zold WILL get his, eventually, but he's got some powerful magic. I don't want him to have another reason to use it. If you want to hurt him, there are worse ways to do so without physically hurting him? Yes, he wronged you, but if you can find a way to fight him politically, that will hurt him so much worse than just ... Well, mean, unless you kill him, that will certainly have a ring of finality for sure, I won't argue that. But there are always merits to forgiving a person, and just walking away with what you have."


Oh well that made Zaffar very upset. Being called a horse with wings! And also, his friend Zold!

Zaffar, without a moment to lose, began to bound at Orran, Zold, not to get caught in the crossfire, started to dash back towards the door. Zaffar decided to just start this with all ammo right on the table. His claws came out, and began burning. Meanwhile, his back paws lit up as well and so the grass he was running on caught small fires too, just for effect and a bit because he was being reckless and angry.

Orran roared as loud as he could and began spitting acid at his opponent, as well as letting it seep out of his skin. The minute that dragon touched him they'd get burned. "Geronimo is my mother! The minute anyone tries to drive a wedge into that they die!" He ran forward and snarled again as he lunged at Zaffar. "I'd do anything for her. . ."

"That all depends on how much he's wronged you as well. Trust me I'll be ruining his political career using my brothers, but I'll give him a scar he won't soon forget. Never trust a woman that looks like a man, if you've wronged her she'll crush your skull." she replied tiredly. "Come on let's get moving before something bad happens, magic or no magic I WILL get him for this." She stood a bit straighter and handed him a dagger from her sleeve. "Even if you don't use it today, keep it as a token of friendship. Maybe even pass it down as an heirloom if you like. It's yours to do with as you see fit." Upon getting into sunlight she squinted. "Lead the way good sir."

Oh, well, an acidic coat was not such a good thing. Zaffar recoiled and bounded away to avoid the acid, just in time to be targeted with a pounce. Zaffar shrieked and rolled away just enough, but the claws sliced through his arm. Not all the way, just his skin, but even so! OW. Like a wound, with lemon already being rubbed into it! Well, that CERTAINLY SUCKED. Fire flickered higher and licked up Zaffar's arms, and now he was very intentionally trying to start a fire around Orran, since he couldn't get to him physically without getting himself burned with acid.

Alec shook his head. "I try not to blame others for my own mistakes. But... I won't lie, he's a complete sociopath who likes to play with human lives. I'd say he deserves a second chance under normal circumstances, but I think he's still having fun wallowing in his first chance and messing it up plenty. It's not that I'm an advocate of non-violence, don't get me wrong, but ... " How to put this? ... "But just, the less contact you have with him, the more you keep your sanity and sense of humanity." But regardless, he began leading her back towards Zold's mansion. He was going at a liesurely pace, having zero idea that there was a conflict there, and also probably not particularly eager to have to explain to Zold why he was escorting his prisoner back to him. "And," He added, "he has... crystals. When a person is dying, they take that person's soul. At least, I think that's what it does. Nothing happens if the person is still living because the body is..." he paused while he thought about the word, holding his hands up, like he was holding something physical. "... container. It's too strong of a container. It's just.... It ... I don't want to see anybody have that fate, even if you are dying. i don't want anybody else to be anywhere near death."

"Gotcha." she replied. There weren't too many men out there who braved a tousle with her. When she was within earshot of the mansion she hear Orran and took off into a sprint. "ORRAN!" The reason for her screaming was that Orran was like her baby, and to see him in a fight with a fire-breathing horse-dragon was horrendous enough. "Where's Zold I've a bone to pick with him!" From her other sleeve she produced something less like a dagger and more like a short sword about the length of her forearm.

Suddenly he heard Ger's voice off to the side and ceased trying to maul Zaffar long enough to take to the air. "I no longer have a need to fight you it seems! My human has been returned rather promptly." In that moment he swooped down and landed by his dear companion as lightly as possible. "I think the human you're looking for is in his house somewhere. I could be wrong, though." As a quiet note he leaned closer and licked her cheek. "Shall I watch this other man for you until you sort your affairs with your kidnapper?" When she gave the affirmative he turned to Alec and folded his wings with a happy look. "I'm to guard you for my mother, you must be very valuable to her." The next instant he turned like a guard dog and watched Zaffar to see what he'd do next.

"Mother?" Alec asked in surprise. He glanced at Ger, and then glanced at Orran. He, having never had a dragon himself, wasn't entirely familiar with how relationships worked between humans and dragons... Maybe this was a situation where she had found the egg and raised it from a babe?

Alec smiled bashfully (and a bit nervously) at Orran. "Uh... thanks, I guess. Eheheh." Dragons were scary, was basically what he was thinking. Not being at the very tippy-top of the food chain was always at least a little hazardous. and this one apparently could make Acid ooze out of it.

"So... She's... your mother, hm?" Alec asked Orran, watching Geronimo. "She is certainly is quite a woman, isn't she?" He smiled, now having renewed hope for Dmitri's well-being in general. If this is how women behaved when they dressed and acted like men.... But on the other hand, he didn't care how much Dmitri wanted to be a guy, she was still his little girl, and he didn't really want her charging recklessly into conflict like Geronimo was, whether or not she thought of herself as strong enough.


Zaffar hissed and stalked around Geronimo, shaking himself after that near-battle with the acid-dragon. He eyed her wickedly. "You're that humannn," he hissed. "The sleeping one, from earlier..." He frowned, as much as a dragon could. "I will not let you get to Zold. Bone to pick or not, to fight him, you will have to go through me, first."

"Your human started this affair by drugging me y'know." she replied. After taking a moment to study the horse-dragon she looked for an opening to bolt off away from it. Sadly for the moment there wasn't one, so she improvised. "What's a lovely dragon like you doing hanging about with a man like Zold anyway? Aren't your specific attractions better spent elsewhere? There are nicer people to be with, you don't have to stay here." Hopefully if this dragon charged her she could dodge and make a break for the house to finish this business once and for all.

Orran was a bit concerned about Alec. "You alright? You're really nervous, unless I'm reading your body language wrong. I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. Between you and me I'm really fond of small children. There's something special about a child that doesn't fear dragons." When he noticed that Zaffar'd gone after Ger, he just about went after him again, but then rethought that idea and reminded himself that he was to watch Alec. "Yes, she's taken care of me for almost as long as I can remember. She saved me as a hatchling, and I'm sure I wouldn't be happy with anyone else as a rider."

Alec rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, Yes, you could say I'm nervous. I'm not so brave as all that. I've never been much of a fighter, and... Well, all due respect, all dragons I've known so far have been a bit volatile. If I can try to put this in perspective... if you were a Lion, and I was a mouse, even if you were a very nice lion, it would still be within my nature to wonder about my livelihood. Similarly, I wouldn't be terribly pleased if little mouselings tried to confront a lion either, even if the Lion thought they were particularly adorable. Can you see where I'm coming from? But, thank you for your assurances, I'll try to push my base instincts away for the time being." He sighed and smiled a bit. "I'm fond of children too, though, especially the brave ones, even if I do fear for them. If they don't fear for themselves... well I suppose I'll worry for them enough for both of us."

Zaffar tipped its head, but continued to circle around Geronimo. "What I am doing here is my own business," He huffed, smoke puffing out of his nostrils. "I believe you when you say that Zold started this. However, that does not mean I will simply allow you to pass so that you can have your 'words' with him." He glanced over her, at Orran. "I think you would understand that he is much like to me as yours is like to you. Perhaps reversed, though. Therefore, regardless of your conflict with him... you will not pass."

In fact, Zaffar was just stalling. At this point, Zold was actually escaping through the back right now, with Rose.

Geronimo sighed. "Then I have no choice but to bypass you! Nobody treats anyone the way he treats Alec and me!" With that she made a mad dash past the dragon on his left side, risking serious injury, and shouted back. "Orran, I need a distraction! Alec, hide!" Keeping the short sword handy, she ran as fast as she could around the side of the rather large house and dared not look back. After a point she stopped and wondered why she was really going after this man. It didn't help that anger never really did fuel her passion for fighting, it was usually some kind of cause that she had that kept her going. She did however stop to look around and get a vantage point.

Orran meanwhile looked back at Alec and sighed. "Please hide yourself fairly well, I've to look after my impetuous human. I'll come back for you when the fighting's over." With that he took off into the air and got between Zaffar and Ger. "Come within striking distance of her and you won't live to take another breath." Acid began filtering into his saliva, making it look like he was foaming at the mouth. To be honest that's how he felt, like he was red with rage. To exaggerate his point he spat a rather large amount of acid filled spit at his opponent.

To hide? on Zold's very large front porch? Well, there weren't very many hiding spots - and if there were, they were pretty obvious (like behind a wall or something). He kind of twisted his face as he thought a moment, and then decided to start darting as well - not following Geronimo, but circling the large house the other way. While he couldn't fight, he didn't like being out of the loop, so he wanted to see what was happening, if not find a way to help somehow. He paused just for just a moment to grab a broken part of the iron fence, thus arming himself with a short iron spear (about three feet long), just in case he needed to defend himself.

Well there WAS a way to enter into the house if Geronimo was interested in looking for them inside. But if she got there just at the right moment, she'd see two horses and two riders disappearing behind another building, outside the estate grounds.

Zaffar was NOT interested in letting Geronimo go after them. He let ou a ROAR and started after her, but then Orran! He hissed at Orran. "Get your human away from my human and I'll leave her alone," he promised.

Orran shook his head. "Why don't we compromise on this? Why don't we follow the humans and when it gets too dangerous for either of our humans we'll intervene on their behalf? I understand you just want to protect your human." He watched the skinny male human just ignore his order to hide and sighed. "Please, I'm not really the fighting type, I'm a cranky stick in the mud according to mother, but I can see that fighting isn't going solve anything between us." He still looked defensive, but it was fully warranted in his own mind. He didn't quite trust this dragon, not yet at least.

Ger managed to barely see the horses disappearing and she took off like a bolt of lightning. She had little hope of catching two horses without Orran, but if she could sneak up quietly enough she might be able to get a hold of the girl for bargaining, but she wasn't one to kill children with no cause. After seeing where they went, she quietly sneaked her way around the side of the building and surveyed the scene around the corner. Now what was she going to do? She couldn't very well just charge in all ammo on the table! She glanced around and decided that climbing up the ragged side of the wall, and dropping onto one of the horses from the air might be her best bet. It was worth a shot.

Geronimo would have to be fast if she wanted to do that. Zold was definitely going full speed, doing what they could to make sure they couldn't be caught up to.

Alec was mostly content to let them get away - in Theory. Good riddance. He was safe now. But there was a certain amount of rage deep inside of him - as much as he wanted to be the better man and just let things rest, his stomach was burning with rage for being taken away from Dmitri. He didn't see where Zold went, but he did see Geronimo dash off. Fortunately, Alec knew where the stables were. He dashed about himself, and came back out a minute later with a third horse. He rode after Geronimo, and whistled to catch her attention, extending his hand to her as he rode towards her, so she could pull herself up onto his horse after him.

Zaffar let out a gutteral growl, and looked into the distance. "We're just going to end up where we are now - facing one another. But-" He glared at Orran. "I accept your terms, pup." And with that, Zaffar was off like a shot, racing to catch up with the humans, preferably before Orran.

"I suppose I am a bit young. . ." he trailed as he took off into the sky and hovered over the city looking for his human, he found her quickly and wasn't surprised to find her stalking this Zold man. Thankfully Alec had caught up to her with a horse, so he wasn't needed all that much.

Ger grabbed his hand and jumped on behind him pointing to her right. "They went that way or thereabouts. I just need to get close enough to one of them to knock them off." She was hoping it'd be Rose, since she could worry less about someone fighting back and not have to kill if it wasn't necessary. At this rate she'd gladly steal Alec and Dmitri and forget her vendetta with Zold; his servant seemed to be worth quite a bit, not only to him but now to Ger as a friend. "Thank you for everything you've done for me, Alec. You helped me find one of my oldest and dearest friends, got me out of a kidnapping situation, and who knows what you'll do next!" She hoped it didn't entail saving her rear from utter destruction, or getting himself killed.

Alas, at this point, Dmitri wasn't around, but Alec was still there at least. Alec had no idea she was more eager to get Rose, since hostage-holding wasn't really his thing. But he was kind of hoping to clobber Zold. Maybe. Having Children thrown in the Mix was just ... not kosher. But anyway, off he rode, controlling the horse. He still had his makeshift spear. Though, now that he thought about it, he could always just ask...

"Well, you're welcome," Alec said a little breathlessly as they rode. "What exactly do you plan on doing when you - When we - catch up with them? Knock him off his horse, and then what? Threaten him to make sure he does'nt do it again? Break his legs in front of his daughter?" That didn't settle well with him. "Certainly not kill him in front of her, right?" They were a bit bogged down because their horse was carrying too, but Alec started catching up to them, at least to the point where they weren't just catching glimpses of them between buildings, but were solidly on their tail.

Zold looked behind him and glared. He slowed down enough so that Rose could get in front of him, and he pulled a sword out. Swordplay on horseback wasn't particularly his favorite thing to do, but whatever!

Alec narrowed his eyes and urged his steed on to approach Zold. HE had no particular plans, but he figured Geronimo had an agenda. they were now within horse-knocking-off-distance!

Ger looked at Alec seriously. "Move behind me, I'll simply beat the tar out of him, maybe carve my initials on him somewhere so he won't forget who I am. Not up to scarring the poor little girl for life." Upon thinking it over that seemed to be the conclusion. After what she could only imagine Silence had seen happen to her family at that girl's age, she wasn't about to force the poor girl to see her father killed. "Might also demand monetary retribution, but I don't "need" money. Likely it'd go to you so you can help your daughter."

In the time it'd taken her speak her peace, she'd moved to face Zold and jumped from the horse she was on to the one he was seated on. It left her wide open to get stabbed but she was relatively certain she could knock him off his horse before he could swing at her. Alec's advice of staying out of Zold's touch for fear of losing sanity was clear in her mind. "Zold you might as well give up! There's not a man I've fought who's bested me besides my father!"

There wasn't an easy way for Alec to scoot back, he just wasn't that skilled of a rider that he could swap places while riding. But he put the horse in a place that would be easy for her to get to Zold. Zold took a swipe, but because he was focusing on Rose, he sort of veered off a little and didn't even come close to hitting them. Alec moved closer cautiously, and to make things easier on everybody, he apologized silently to the horse, and threw his 'Spear' at Zold's horse's leg. It resounded with a CRACK as it hit, not really made for piercing, or... well, it was a fence post, so it wasn't made for much of anything, but it was iron and heavy, and as it cut a shallow cut into the horse's leg and bounced off it as the horse Knee'd the heavy object, the horse was startled. So, to sum that mess of a sentence up, the pike hit the horse's leg and it caused a superficial, but very startling and painful wound caused more by bludgeoning than the cut. The horse let out a horse shriek, and came to a sudden and abrupt halt, hopping onto its back legs, and throwing Zold off.

Because Alec anticipated that reaction so he was able to control his own horse to slow down to a stop in a hurry. Zold got to his feet in a hurry too, though he was more dazed than he'd like to admit, and - Well, unfortunately, he had dropped his sword in all that. He held his forehead and shook his head and was on his feet but he was not at all prepared for a fight.

Ger rolled across the ground and reached out to lift Zold up by his collar. "Listen you lowlife and listen good; you WILL pay me retribution for the trouble you've caused, monetarily speaking. You will ALSO quit meddling in the affairs of your servant Alec. You are a soulless, sociopathic cur! You only helped me find my friend so you could use me for a ransom note! You picked the wrong family to mess with! When my family is done with you, you won't have a reputation so kiss your political career goodbye!" By now there were tears in her eyes she was so angry! This man felt no remorse for anything!

"How would you like it if it were YOUR child taken for ransom?! You wouldn't be happy in the least if I'm right! Count yourself lucky that I'm not more like you, otherwise you wouldn't have a child to look after." she finished coldly. "However, you won't be getting off scratch-free. A word to the ignorant: never trust a woman who looks like a man, she'll crush your skull!" she snarled decking him in the face. After two or three punches she took the short sword and aimed to carve GB into his right shoulder, not with the full blade, just the very end. "People like you shouldn't have power, you abuse it too much."

For the time, as much as Alec wanted to watch, he went to make sure Zold's daughter wasn't watching, so, for now, he disappeared on the horse once Geronimo had dismounted.

Zold was still reeling from the kick when he was pummeled in the face, which sent him back to the ground. He spat some blood out of his mouth and coughed as she punched him, but he was by no means a weak man, even though he was down at the moment. Geronimo was definitely stronger than him, but not by much, but he could take a hit well enough. He rolled onto his back, breathing deeply - before she could slash at his shoulder though, he raised his hand and forcefully stopped the blade with it. That is to say, he let himself be stabbed in the hand, to spare his shoulder (which was silly, really, considering how many more muscles and bone were in the hand, but ah well) and moved the blade out of his way. He was clearly defeated though, looking at her, blood coming down from his mouth. "You've made your point, Miss Geronimo," He said, strangely calm. "Monetary compensation? Fine. You'll have the same amount that I had asked for. Just - go away and let me be now. you've won well enough, don't you think?"

Zaffar was on a roof, haunching up to sneak-attack on Geronimo. Zold raised his hand to indicate that he shouldn't bother pouncing.

Alec returned on the horse, pretty calm himself. "Rose is back at the Mannor," he explained, since he, of all people, knew how panicked a parent could get when they didn't know where their kid was. It was pretty torturous.

She stopped trying to carve him and pulled the sword from his hand. "Indeed, I have." With a heavy sigh she pulled him to his feet, and felt incredibly sick to her stomach all of a sudden. "Listen, I'm heading back up to Golam today, and I'm truly sorry that any of this happened. I was sort of wondering if there was anything I could send down as a gift of apology? I specialize in weaponry myself, but I've a couple of brothers I can contact if there's something you'd like custom ordered. Nobody besides my dragon found out about the ransom, and since I think by now we've both been at our worst, shall we call a political truce?" she asked.

Orran sat back from his vantage point and looked across at Zaffar. "Humans are so fickle aren't they?" he remarked. "At least they've got it somewhat worked out. He watched his human carefully, noting that she looked sort of sick. That aside everything seemed fine, even when she checked on Alec after everything was said.

"Alec I'm so sorry. . ." she apologized quietly. "I shouldn't have mentioned you at all."

Zaffar snorted smoke out of his nostrils again but otherwise didn't acknowledge the stupid acid dragon pup who he didn't like.

Zold was surprised to be helped to his feet, but he took her hand, and brushed himself off when he was standing. "I think you're quite right. No... no gift is necessary. You certainly owe me no apology. We can call it even now. What I did was impulsive and greedy, and I should have known to show you and your family more respect." He pulled a hankerchief out of his sleeve and held it into his bleeding hand, to stop the blood. He sort of glared at Alac. "I would very much appreciate it, Alec, if you would come back with me to finish the work you promised to." there was a tremor of a threat in his voice.

Alec looked not at all surprised. He dismounted from Zold's horse, and picked up the iron spear, since his own sword had been gone months before. "I'd rather not," he said honestly. "I am an honorable man, however weak I am. However, my honor to my family has always been the most important thing. I have only stayed with you as long as I have for fear of leaving Dmitri without a father. However, I feel he has been without me long enough."

Alec turned to Geronimo. "I would never wish to impose myself as a burden upon you, but I would feel as though my life would not be in danger so much if I were to travel with you. May I accompany you back to Golam?"

She looked genuinely surprised and glanced between the two men before smiling a bit. "I'd be quite insulted if you didn't." With that being said she turned to Zold and cleared her throat. She figured that he would at least want compensation for her basically stealing his butler, but that didn't seem to come up in the conversation, so she merely shook his hand and leaned close to his ear. "Expect to get something from me anyway. It could be just about anything; from a horse, to a chandelier, to perhaps some kind of sweet, or even a companion for that lovely dragon of yours. He's quite a loyal companion, you're very fortunate." A farewell and a smile later she waved Orran down and made him apologize for the things he'd said.

Once the rest of the affair was sorted, Orran started to get antsy and glanced at Alec a few times before finally snapping and looking at Ger. "Your mother is going to throw a fit over you bringing a man back with you! You have any idea of the repercussions that will ensue?!"

"Yes, Orran, I do, but the gains outweigh the risks in this case. You like him well enough, so why shouldn't the rest of my family be alright with me hiring someone to work with me? Besides he needs decent work and a safe place to call home. It's a win-win situation either way."

Zold frowned deeply. "I see. I'm sorry to see you go, Mister Aster. I promise you that I will finish the project without you, then. Farewell to both of you, and may your travels be safe." He didn't comment on the gift, feeling rotten that he had lost so badly. Stupid losing. Stupid. Baaaah.

"Thank you, Geronimo, I do genuinely appreciate that," Alec said. He didn't look at Zold anymore, taking the power of his Charisma and threatening glares away from him.

Alec smiled at Orran, still trying to get over the fact that he was going to be travelling with a Dragon now. He kind of had a mild dragon phobia. "Oh, I hope it's no trouble," He said with concern. "Is it uncommon for you to bring guests over?"

"Though," he added, "I don't mean to stay in one place very long," He said to Geronimo. "Aside from going to Golam, do you plan to travel beyond that? I need to find Dmitri. That is my highest priority. If you return home and mean to stay there a period of time, I would have to travel on without you. Which of course is fine." But without Geronimo, Zold could come by and kick his ass at any time, which was not what he wanted at all. "If you need, I can stay out of your house. I certainly wouldn't want to offend your mother's sensibilities. I know how protective parents can get about their children," he said. "After all... I ... I used to have a daughter to."

After a pause, he added kind of quietly. "But she died, unfortunately."

"I'm not home much, and Alec I'm 23 and unmarried. Mother gets frantic when I mention a man outside the family. It's just her way with things, and as for your. . .son. . .I'll be happy to help you look, provided you rest a day or two and let me be a good host." she stated cheerily. "Besides the only reason I'm going home is to find Silence, seeing as that's where Zold pointed me to. You'll really like her, she's such a gem!" She didn't mention looks, since she'd no idea what had become of her in seven years. Of course what she didn't know was that Silence had blossomed into an outgoing, vibrant young woman.

Upon arriving at her home, her mother welcomed them both and immediately asked Ger dozens of questions, which were all simple one or two word answers. . .Until a pink dress was brought out and an argument ensued. It ended with Ger wearing the dress. "Make yourself at home Alec, we won't be here too very long, for it seems that mother has located Silence in the marketplace and brought her to the house." Her mother walked back in and for all intents announced that the aforementioned girl would be down shortly.

A moment or two later Silence ran downstairs and paused glancing between Alec and Geronimo, as if trying to get her head together before saying anything. The truth was that she'd had partial amnesia, and only just figured out her past concerning the redhead. "Hello. . ." she greeted softly.