It takes him a bit to get settled on the couch opposite me, I feel awkward all through for some reason. A part of me totally expects him to open his mouth and proclaim me a murderer or something for wanting to kill him then.
I'm not sure why but I'm very anxious about this. Still, it's good to see him moving.
He lets out a sigh and thanks the caretaker for her help. She nods and whispers something, he nods and she retreats to the back.
Then he directs his soft, kind smile towards me, "So, I hear you're the new Lady of the City," he starts his eyes drift between Hastra and I.
I wonder if he's already been told the role Asher has in store for each of us and is about to demand I scoot over. The title 'Lady of the City' certainly seems new and almost even a mockery of my audacity.
Rather than any of that he chuckles and sits back, "That must be such a shit job for you isn't it!" he says a bit too loud, not that I mind, "Dealing with the mess? I haven't even been told all that much but I can imagine what horror it must be dealing with the nobility at the very least."
"Your caretaker told you all this?" Hastra asks, fiddling with her finger, never one to be still for long.
Aren nods, "I just woke up a few hours ago. My memory is still shot from whatever happened to me so while she prepared me to meet the Lady of the City, who apparently I was acquainted with, she filled me in on most of what happened after she was given her position here."
That's odd, "You don't remember anything? When does your memory stop? What's the last thing you remember?"
He hums thoughtfully at this, folding his arms, "The last thing I remember huh"
Whatever Serue did to him must have really messed his head up, and if he can't even remember the man capturing him and doing these things then Asher's secondary hopes for some gathered intel on his behaviour and goals are shot to hell.
Both Anselm and Asher are confident in the fact that if you'd just sit quietly your opponent will tell you all their intentions. A fact I've yet to see proven unless the Humans of the 'proper faction' count; its obvious their planning a coup anyway.
"The last thing I remember is heading back home after you and I convinced the elves to volunteer on our double front attack." He shrugs a bit, a comfortable smile on his thin face, "I guess the plan worked if I'm here then."
Hastra and I share a pained look and I bite my cheeks, "It didn't."
"Huh?"
"The plan, it didn't work. It failed."
I can see the confusion spread through his thoughts as he tries and fails to put the pieces together on his own, "But"
"I know. The Mayor had an informant within the elves and knew we were coming. He waited for me at the lodge and defeated me." His eyes go wide as saucers here, "Two of the Elven leaders were executed and Gerin had his hands cut off. Yelenia, Daria and I were thrown into some dungeon and youI don't even know how you got caught but the Mayor took you behind the Palace and di-"
Hastra takes a hold of my hand, grabbing my attention. She shakes her head silently and I know what she means. Aren has long since stopped listening.
Fuck, I hope I didn't trigger something.
Hastra takes over, walking over to Aren and placing a hand over his to gently whisper to his now still form, "Aren, you can take it easy now, you're safe, you're not with the Mayor, you're not with Serue."
I'm not sure that did anything, he's stillnot responding and I'm starting to panic.
"Is heis he okay?"
At my troubled words the caretaker seems to be summoned. She gasps and moves past Hastra to him, holding his arm and talking sweetly he begins to walk.
"Is he alright?" I don't get an answer so much as I get a shut look from Hastra.
The two walk back into the room and close it shut.
Horror takes over me and I fall back into the couch, "Fuck, what did I do."
Hastra's by my side in a second, "You just went a bit too fast I think, I've seen this happen before."
Getting my face out of my hands I look to her, "What do you mean you've seen this before."
She seems to recede at this inquiry but I'm not letting up, sternly I ask again, "Hastra, what do you mean by that? Tell me, NOW."
She lets out a sigh and looks away from my heated gaze, "The MayorSerue has always been a sick person. He practiced his illusionswell, I wouldn't say practiced so much as I'd say enjoyedstill, he used them on people, most times people of other races, elves, dwarves, I remember once how happy he was he scored a 'fierce half-orc' from the slaver."
Listening to just the beginning I feel horrified and frightened. "What did he do to them?"
She shrugs, "I'm not sure, but they wouldscream." As though sensing or seeing my discomfort, she wraps it up quickly, "I'm sure Aren wouldn't have gone through any of that, he's just human and Serue preferredstronger minds." She adds at the last second, but I'm sure she meant to say something awful.
The caretaker comes in soon after, before I can wrap my thoughts around the fact at least.
She stands there and begins to explain, "He's gone into this state before," she starts, "It was while I was prepping him for your visit. I mentioned to him that the Mayor would be arriving soon and hefell into that still state."
I gasp, "At the mention of Mayor?"
She nods, "That's why I began to refer to you as many on the outside do, as the Lady of the City."
At this I blink, not actually expecting the title to be a real thing but rather than focus on my image in the public, I ask, "He'll come out of it right? He's done so before."
She seems hesitant to say, "I hope so. For now, there's nothing we can do for him other than pray."
Rightprayer.