-||Truth Behind the Mask||-

[- symphonic disaster -]

Ray had a thought for a moment and he recalled the expression. He just nodded to what Haven was saying and looked grave for a moment. "We should prbably find Alex," he said. "Then we'll want to leave rather soon. They will come here when they have the chance to catch us."

Alex turned over onto his back and hung his legs above him. He looked helpless for the most part but was contemplating everything.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven nodded, remembering now that Alex had gone off somewhere. She sighed a little bit, getting worried about him. "Leave?" She asked curiously, figuring his expression had to do with that detail. "We need to leave?" She asked. She supposed she should have known that would be what they needed to do.

She stood up now, still slightly wobbly so she had to rest her hand against the wall for support. She sighed a bit and shook her head slightly. She waited a few moments before standing straight up again.  

[- symphonic disaster -]

Ray got up but managed it better than Haven. He looked exhausted though and he started walking towards the stairs. They had needed to come here to get away from haven's grandmother but she had to change her tactics. There was too much that was in this conflict. Ray knew more than he was saying, but it didn't show at all.

Alex was dozing now, dreaming of his mother and the way she looked at him when he was successful. The night that the woman had come to stay he had been in a foul mood. A stranger was the last thing that he wanted to see.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven followed after him and Beth put her arm around Haven to help her walk more. She bit her lip quietly as she looked around and Beth kept quiet as well. Haven let out a small sigh then cast a glance over at Ray. He looked really tired but she supposed that made sense seeing as how he did astral project to save her from her grandmother. She felt as if she owed him for that.  

[- symphonic disaster -]

"We need to go though," Ray said pushing them forward more than he normally would. The urgency to get out of this place was feeding off of his dislike of being in a large building made of stone versus his regular place of dwelling.

"We'll get Alex and then rest for a while before leaving. I'm sure his pack of wolves would come along to provide extra protection," Ray added after a moment. The exhaustion on his face was even more evident than before and he seemed tense. Richard and Agatha would come sooner rather than later, or wait until they weren't ready.

Alex had woken up suddenly when a dream disturbed him. He was running and he was attempting to find his mother and then Haven but he couldn't find them. He stood up after a moment and began to pace throughout the room trying to remind himself that it was a dream and nothing else.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven frowned a bit as she saw how tired he was. He really didn't look too good which upset her. "Are you ok...?" She asked, the concern apparent in her voice. She walked with her mother still holding onto her so she didn't fall.

She understood the urgency of needing to leave. She couldn't help but be frightened of the fact that Agatha wasn't going to ask anymore, just take. The thought of Richard wanting her as a bride unnerved her more than anything she could possibly think of.

Beth noticed her daughter's uneasiness then sighed. She wasn't normally like this and so it upset her.  

[- symphonic disaster -]

"I'm fine," Ray said sharply but not in a condescending tone. It was almost gentle in a way but it was reassuring as to what could be done. He started towards the stares, intending to go up them but he found the going slow.

Alex walked over to the stairs and looked down them. He hated the feeling of his wolf form but he was upset. It would be a while before he could successfully stay in his human form for more than a few hours or minutes. He was looking forward to that time though, but he wasn't sure how far off it would be.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven nodded and said, "Ok." She smiled a little at him then looked down at the ground. She sighed a bit then continued towards the stairs. Her mother's arm was still around her but she felt a little better. She just wanted her mother to have the reassurance.

[Sorry it's short, I'm sick and can't think too well. It keeps getting better than not better then better again... >.<]  

[- symphonic disaster -]

Alex paced as his thoughts were beginning to stary to different things. There was a plan beginning to form in his head but he was trying to figure out how to even start moving it. In his mind he tried picturing the jail cell, trying to figure out where it was. He wanted to kill Richard if it was the last thing he did. The thought of it sent shivers of glee down his spine. There was only one thing he could remember from being at the place and that was the way Richard and drove that knife down on his shoulder.

The wound began to hurt again and he was forced to lay down from the pain. He hated this form, it disabled him from actually helping himself. He couldn't right out his plan of revenge, he couldn't comfort Haven, and he couldn't kill anyone easily. He growled slightly as he tried to get up but the searing pain forced him down. "I'll get him," he growled again.

Ray could hear what was going on upstairs at this point. The faintness of the pacing and then growl was clear enough for him. He knew that Alex was growing weaker by the day. At this point he would be able to have Haven to himself in no time. He let the thought slip though, not wanting to dwell on it in case the enemy was watching. The first sign of distress would give Agatha another chance to steal Haven away.

Ray had reminded her of the rules. He had reminded her that you couldn't force someone to do something without honestly telling them both sides of the story, but of course this didn't apply to humans. It was just other witches and wizards. Ray was already planning out how to trick Alex, but he wasn't sure how he was going to go about doing it so that it convinced Haven.

"Haven and Beth," Ray yelled down the stairs. "We need to hurry up. If we all rest in the same area it will be easier to get going sooner. I'll alert the maids of what we need and then the horse will carry those things... just hurry up though."

[[Well here's a longer reply so you have time to dwell a bit upon it]]  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven sighed a little, now helping her mother up the stairs. Haven’s side was still hurting terribly and she was still quite dizzy, but she ignored it all to help her mother. She wouldn’t dare think of what could happen to her mother if she were not there to help her. She had her arm around her at the moment and was leading her up the staircase at a slow pace.

When Ray shouted to them she sighed then said back, “We’re coming as fast as we can!” She shook her head a bit and her mother started to move faster. After a little bit longer, they had caught up to Ray and Alex. She noticed immediately that he had changed back but she didn’t show any different emotion on her face.

There was no emotion on her face for that matter. She was very good at hiding how she felt when she felt the need to. Right now, she didn’t want to show how she was feeling because she wanted to seem strong.

[Thanks, I managed to get it longer. xD I've been a bit better now, but not too much >.<]  

[- symphonic disaster -]

Ray had laid down on the cool floor after they managed to get up the stairs. He was relieved that the castle was made of stone rather than some other materials. It cooled the faint temperature he had fromt stress at the moment. It also made it appear that he wasn't blushing. He'd rolled onto his stomach and closed his eyes, trying to focus on what was important.

Alex had slumped down on the floor after he saw Haven come up. The confusion rattled his brain and yet at the same time he couldn't help but admire her beauty and anything else that he could see about her. She looked tired though and cold also. He wanted her to be warm here but no one had mentioned sleeping in a bed. He stood up after a moment and began to make his way up to his room, intending to sleep there, under the warm covers. He could watch Haven sleep up there if he wanted to. He could take the time to watch the movement of her chest as she inhaled and exhaled.

"Haven," he said after a moment, but in a guarded tone. "Would you like to spend the night in my room so you can get fully recovered sleeping on a more comfortable surface?"

((Of course now I'm half out of it or more than that... and I can't function!))  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven cast a worried glance at Ray. She really did hope he was ok and he still didn't look too well which only made her worry increase. She let out a small sigh then let go of her mother. She turned to look at Alex as he spoke then smiled softly and nodded. "Ok." She said.

[Sorry it's short, I gtg get ready to go -.- and that sucks.]  

[- symphonic disaster -]

Alex nosed her hand and started towards his own room. He wanted her to be comfortable. He would sleep on the floor as usual but he just wanted her to get enough rest to be able to function tomorrow.

Ray watched them with a slight bit of jealousy. There was something about her that he couldn't identify. He liked her but he couldn't openly like her in front of Beth or Alex.  

[Rosalind Bloom]

Haven smiled and then followed after him. She really was tired and would be greatful to actually be able to lay down again. She hoped her mother and Ray would be ok.

Beth glanced to Ray and asked, "Are you absolutely sure you're fine?" Her motherly instincts were kicking in again and she wanted to make sure all of them were better before the next day.  

[- symphonic disaster -]

Ray had leaned against the wall after Haven had left. He'd put up a front for her and now he looked even more exhausted. He looked up when he heard Beth ask the question. "Of course not," he responded sharply. "I just don't want Alex or Haven to start worrying. I haven't done any magic that powerful or complicated in a long time." He staggered slightly when he tried to walk and almost fell over. He needed to lay down before he actually passed out.

Alex jumped up on the bed and licked her face gently before curling up at the foot of the bed. It was more comfortable than he realized and his wounds were still hurting. One of them had opened again and he let out a low whine before struggling to find a more comfortable position.