-||Truth Behind the Mask||-

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven nodded and took the flask from him then drank it. She wrinkled her nose a bit for it didn't taste very good but she still drank it anyways. Her mother stood off to the side and watched them quietly. Haven looked over to Alex now and saw the expression on his face and smiled softly.

Her mother raised an eyebrow at their behviour then smiled slightly. Her motherly instincts were kicking in again and she could tell what was going on between them.  

[- symphonic disaster -]

Ray looked at Haven's mother before looking down at the two. He hadn't noticed it before but now that he saw it he understood a little more. He had seen doubt in Haven's expression and that worried him. Was there a chance she'd go back to her grandmother.

Alex and crawled on his belly over to Haven and nosed her arm gently. He'd glanced up at Beth before doing this and noticed her expression. He was careful though and didn't want to make her angry.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven smiled softly as he touched her. She leaned down and kissed the top of his head lightly. She wasn't going to leave him for anything in the world and if someone tried to take her from him again, she might literally kill someone.

Beth watched them quietly then smiled a bit more. She then looked to Ray and asked, "Would you be able to fill me in on what happened?"  

[- symphonic disaster -]

Ray nodded slightly before he took her arm and started leading her away from the two. They needed some time to themselves because of all the information that Agatha and Richard had told her, the propaganda they'd created over a small period of time.

Ray began to explain what had happened, first how he met Alex and then how he'd found Haven. The horse had laid down on the floor and seemed to be sleeping in a more comfortable position. Ray was engrossed in telling the story by this point.

"What did they tell you about me?" Alex asked Haven, he'd already sensed something bad happening and was nervous about it. He whined slightly before licking her nose. He was beginning to hate himself for how he'd acted earlier in his life.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven wrapped an arm around him gently and sighed a bit. "That you're extremely selfish and that... and that your mother killed herself because of it." She said quietly. "I'm so sorry... I didn't want to believe any of it but its... I was so confused." She said feeling as if she was going to cry again.

Beth nodded as she listened to him. She wanted to know what her grandmother was planning.

There was a big crack of thunder now and Haven jumped and pulled her arm away from Alex and pulled her knees to her chest then wrapped her arms around her legs. "Sorry." She said quietly, hoping her sudden movement didn't hurt him at all.  

[- symphonic disaster -]

Alex felt a slight amount of pain when she'd jerked back. The thunder didn't bother him but it sent shivers through his back. He craned his neck forward finally and licked her gently on the face. Alex wanted to make her feel safe though.

He'd ignored what she'd said, knowing that it was what was wrong with him. He'd always known that somewhere deep inside of him. He had been selfish before and he realized it.

"Haven's grandmother may come back for Haven but there are some areas in this castle you cannot teleport into or out of," Ray explained. "We'll have to keep them in that area for a while."  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven smiled softly and relaxed a bit after he licked her. She knew too that he was selfish but she found she didn't really care. She moved her arm back around him again, gently still. "I meant it, what I said. I do love you, Alex." She said softly, not looking at him though.

Beth nodded and sighed. "I suspected as much. But, now that Haven's realized how she feels about Alex and I believe he's either shown or told her how he feels based on how they were acting, she's not going to go without putting up a fight." She said. She knew how Haven acted with those she cared about.  

[- symphonic disaster -]

"We'll need to move them there before the storm subsides," Ray said as he looked at the two, finally acknowledging that there was no chance he'd get a lot closer to Haven. He'd admired her the first time he met her but he knew where to draw the line. He shifted his weight while he tried to figure out which wing would be the best. They had underground rooms here and that would be the best place to hide them for a few days or weeks.

Alex whined again though and felt like changing but the pain that seethed through him was too much to bear. He'd found out his real father had died before he was born and that the 'fake' father had come in at just the right time to sweep his mother off her feet. He studied Haven's face, knowing that she was being truthful but doubting her words.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven looked down at him when he whined, worry written all over her features. She bit her lip a bit then looked away and sighed. She could see the doubt in his expression and that hurt her but in her opinion she felt she deserved it.

Beth nodded and said, "That sounds like a good idea." She wanted them out of her mother's reach as soon as possible. "Agatha isn't one to give up and I'm sure they know Haven's gone as well as Alex." She said.  

[- symphonic disaster -]

"We'll need to be on guard constantly and once Richard or Agatha catches drift that we're not going to let Haven go, they'll go after Alex for bait," he said in a serious tone. He wanted to usher them into the depths of the castle immediately, recalling the promise his father had made to Alex's mother and had passed down to him.

"You were convinced of their lies at one point," he said with a slight growl. He worked up the strength to stand now and limped towards the kitchen where'd he attempt to get water by himself. He was bitter still from how he'd found her so comfortable with her grandmother and hearing the words from Richard that he hadn't want to hear.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Beth nodded and said, "That's true. We should move them as soon as possible." She knew it was only a matter of time before Agatha came or Richard himself. She didn't know who they should fear more. Probably Agatha beacause of her powers. But then there was also that other man who had killed Juliette.

Haven watched him leave and just sat there, on the verge of tears. She knew she shouldn't have believed it and didn't know why she did. She hadn't meant for any of that to happen and it wasn't her fault she was easily influenced. She had always been that way, quiet and shy.

Haven.... Her name was suddenly called out but it didn't echo. She looked around the room and quickly jumped up. Haven.... It sounded exactly like her grandmother's voice but she wasn't there. It sounded like it was in her head. Her face paled immediately and she started to run in the direction she had seen Ray and Beth go.

When she got to them, she sighed with relief, tears falling down her cheeks. "Haven?! What's wrong?!" Her mother asked and she said, "I hear her... I don't know... She.... I hear her mother." Beth hugged her now sobbing daughter and looked over at Ray with concern written all over her face.  

[- symphonic disaster -]

Alex had heard Haven's distress from where he was and he limped over to them, looking rather exhausted when he got there. Ray seemed to be thinking hard and when he saw Alex he seemed to recall something that might work.

"We'll get you to a safer room and then you need to think as hard as you can about something very important to you," he commanded in a calm tone. "There are ways you can prevent people from talking to you telepathically. It's hard but if you focus you can do it."

He'd begun to usher Haven, Alex, and Beth towards a door that sat where no one would usually think to look for a door. He opened it and held it so that they could enter, and Alex looked at him with a confused expression.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Beth kept her arm around Haven and then walked with them. "Think of it now or when we get to the room?" Haven asked, sounding slightly distant. She was trying hard to think over her name being called repeatedly now in her head.

Beth was worried as any mother would be and shook her head a bit. Haven... Where did you go? You know you want to come back... Haven started to rub her head now. She didn't want to have to deal with this.  

[- symphonic disaster -]

Alex had walked so that he was almost next to Haven but the narrow stairway didn't allow for this and he looked frustrated suddenly. Ray was behind them with enough room for the length for Alex's wolf form to be.

"Think about your favorite place to be or about a person you love or miss," Ray suggested. "Then try to think of that image and all the details within the image. If you start now it will become easier as we go down further into the castle."  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven nodded a bit and her mother said, "Honey, just close your eyes, I'll guide you." She did as her mother said and started to think of something she really cared about. Of course her thoughts led to Alex and a small smile came to her lips as she thought about him.

She was starting to feel frustrated though and soon realized it must be from her grandmother because she couldn't hear her voice that strongly anymore. It was still there though.