Blackhaven: Fractured Faerie Tales

"Oh well, if you're not comfortable with it, we don't have to act like we're married, I used that just to get us in the place. I've never actually been there, Dionysus likes to keep to himself and his delights, so he doesn't interact with the rest of the divines. He doesn't know me, but there is always a chance someone might."

In all honesty he had no idea what they were going to do when they got there, all he knew is they needed to get the Graeae sisters to give them information and the location of the items needed to defeat the hydra and gorgon sisters. Magic could only do so much in that regard, and the sword Excalibur could cut the neck of the gorgon sisters and the hydra...but that blade wasn't able to light in flame...true Declan could channel ice through it...but that wasn't going to help. The sword simply was unbreakable, could cut through anything, and Declan's mother and Nimue removed the holy element from it after Arthur was taken to Avalon and replaced it with the cold ability, when Declan pulled the sword then named Caliburn from the Ring of Brogdar's center stone. It was of note his hands bled when it was done...due to what would happen withe the faerie named Excalibur.

"The slots are probably a good idea, I am not a fan of cards myself, but if we need to play the card table...so be it, getting information any way we can."

Declan scrolled down the page more...still looking to make sure there wasn't a specific dress code or anything else that would cause issue.

"Looks like we don't need formal wear, that's good, I hate wearing ties or tuxes. Though the menu here leaves something to mystery...I get the buffet...but that makes me wonder."

Of note the buffet was breakfast and lunch, the dinner portion was more like a sit down place, this made him wonder if it was dinner theater type...which his question was answer as he scrolled down more. The room he'd booked was nice, taking caution not to book one of those rooms the wealthy or royalty would, fearing that would draw attention if he did. But he wasn't going to stay in motel like accommodations either. All those years training with his uncle had taught him to appreciate the finer things. Merlin's training made military training look like summer camp.

"I didn't book us one of the royal rooms or theme rooms, we're on the 5th floor, so we do have the best observation point and worst case we can always order room service."

He was showing her the room pictures on line and compared them to what he was talking about with the other rooms.

"I know information overload. I'll stop here. So we go on Friday for check in. The only thing left to do is get you a proper trench coat, we can do that tomorrow...and what I mean by proper is one that has enchantments on it like mine do. Of course after training."

They'd have to go over the control exercises again, he was more understanding about what had happened with the room going up in flames, simply due to the fact he did something similar with Merlin, who was also patient with Declan about it, understanding that things like that happen. Besides the positive in it, they got to finally renovate that space again and make it better.
 
Oriana had hummed in all the right moments as he spoke, but her head lolled against the headboard as he went on. It wasn’t due to being bored from the conversation or the photographs he was showing but more so that her eyes were slowly gluing themselves together. Her energy was clearly expended like the night with the Ripper and as he spoke of an enchanted trench coat, she was fast asleep with her body automatically shuffling and her face diving into the space between the two pillows. Warm and dark.

Unfortunately, Oriana was one of those bothersome souls who could only rest when their bodies were diagonally and haphazardly strewn across a bed in an eagle like manner. Plus the habit of sleeping on her front and as such in her slumber like state she took over even a section of Declan’s space and by doing that, draped an arm over his chest and had the pillow over her head in seconds.

The laptop was left to be saved from lop siding on to the ground by Declan.

What seemed like hours later or in real time, mere seconds – some people were just impatient. A voice was calling her out of the contented sphere of darkness. Her minds eye reluctantly focused on an orb like flutter bouncing behind her eyelids and the redhead found herself inexplicably drawn towards it.

What are you…? The dancing orb turned into three blinding streaks of light and suddenly she was standing in front of a magnifique room staring up at three glorious and ethereal women.

Oriana gulped and took a step back, as stunning as they were it was hard not to identify she was in some kind of problem but the room whirled around until she found herself facing them again.

Who are you? She realized she was not using her vocal chords but was thinking her words at them but all three seemed to understand and gave her benign smiles.

“We are the Muses, goddesses of the arts and proclaimers of heroes.” And suddenly Oriana knew. How she knew…that was beyond her comprehension. Their names and histories suddenly formed in the back of her mind and she gasped.

Calliope, the muse of poetry sat twirling what seemed to be a Kindle tablet in her one hand and with the other idly adjusted her golden gleaming crown.

Terpsichore, the muse of night and dance seemed to be unable to sit still in her throne and moved her legs here and there. She was humming a tune under her breath and tilting her head side to side.

The last, Thalia. The one who was seemingly laughing silently at her own silent thoughts but one of which she could not contain. “Honey, you mean "Hunk-ules! Ooh, I'd like to make some sweet music with him.”

This didn’t seem to impress Calliope and she shook her head in a resigned manner. “Ahem, this isn’t about Hercules, this is about Merlin’s nephew!”

Oriana was about to interrupt and question why they had called upon her if it was Declan but a booming voice came up behind. Despite flinching her body would not move. She couldn’t see the male who was speaking from Circe knew where.

“Yes, it’s about Declan Emrys and now Oriana, whom we are sending this dream or vision to. I, Bragi, god of skalds will assist you Muses!”

Hold on – vision? Can you all please stop talk- Oriana’s frustration was again swiped aside when a singing voice came from above within the clouds of the ceiling.

“Hold on, Declan Emrys is Merlin’s nephew, and of Celtic origins, so I’m also going to assist, as the Welsh god of bards.”

Taliesin Again, Oriana was flummoxed as to how she knew his name, but she did. Rubbing her eyes, she tried to mind-speak again but one of the muses was holding up her hand.

“Now that everyone is acquainted, can we send Oriana on to her visions?” Calliope kindly eyes were reeling her in. They looked iridescent…pools of water, like they belonged to a long-forgotten lake…

With identical nods the group nodded at her and simultaneously sung, “Cue the music!”

They were gone.

She was standing at a lake….as if she had fallen into Calliope’s eyes.

Instead all around her was Taliesin singing voice accompanied by a low hum of harp and piano….and Bragi assisting by repeating his words like an offset duet of some kind.

A young boy, no more than six sat next to a younger looking Merlin looking tense and forlorn. Oriana was immediately drawn to him and his sad expression, wanting to help him instantly and provide some comfort.

I have often dreamed of a far-off place…
Where a hero's welcome would be waiting for me

Oriana could sense the emotions and desires off the little boy and her heart went out to his need to be like a hero of any Greek, Norse or Celtic myth. To be something. Someone.

Where the crowds would cheer, when they see my face

She smiled at his thoughts, standing right next to Merlin but they didn’t seem to notice her, but it was as if her and the young boy were one. He was imagining himself getting carried on the shoulders of a happy crowd, cheering and loud.

And a voice keeps saying this is where I'm meant to be

The boy was now a teenager, getting reprimanded by a red faced Fergus and Oriana all of a sudden realized.
This was Declan.
A teenaged and angry at the world Declan, wanting to be anywhere in the world which made her realize that they were no different. Hadn’t she felt the same all these years with Mother Gothel?

I'll be there someday, I can go the distance

Again, the scenery changed with barely an indication, Merlin was training a young Declan. Time spun by faster than a spinning wheel and she was watching him grow into the man she knew, getting better and better with the guidance of his uncle and Merlin watching as always with a small smile and proud eyes.

I will find my way if I can be strong

So, determined. Declan was drenched, walking determinedly through rain with an almost invisible Oriana chasing him and watching him decimate several Chinese terra cotta warriors intent on attacking him. Back to back with Merlin and in unison, perhaps one stronger than the other but both focused they defeated their opponents.

I know every mile would be worth my while

Too much was happening. He was alone. It was cold. Scandanavaia…the location popped in her mind as she watched the Sorcerer save Elsa and Ana’s kingdom from ice. Battling away at four elements.
Oriana felt breathless as she was twirled into watching him slay vampire after vampire to stop them from rising in Transylvania.
Oriana was right behind him, looking over his shoulder curiously as Merlin greeted Declan proudly with a proclamation that he had passed his test. Even Oriana couldn’t help but grin as the Druid Counsel of Orkney passed him.
Well done Declan…she thought to herself.

When I go the distance, I'll be right where I belong

She felt tired now. Declan was receiving a hug from Merida and Eleanor but he wasn’t seeing her. Why couldn’t he sense her? The journey had been so long now…couldn’t he look-no they were moving through a mirror now and Taliesin’s voice becoming more eerie around them.

Down an unknown road to embrace my fate

So many Gods. She wanted to hide but it seemed even they couldn’t sense her. Odin, Zeus, Hera and Freyja all were blessing Declan. He had drawn Caliburn from a stone and blood dripped from his hands as he knelt before them.
Oriana gave them all unimpressed looks. No one could be bothered to heal his hands?

Though that road may wander, it will lead me to you

She was next to him. But she was behind the bar too.
Her mind was utterly perplexed. Yet it was so interesting to see the expression on Declans face this time as he heard her voice for the first time arguing away with the Mad Hatter. She felt like shaking his shoulder, but her hand passed right through…

And a thousand years would be worth the wait

They were dancing…the lights flickered off her emerald dress after each turn and twirl. Oriana was surprised at the image they portrayed. Synchronized. Now she understood why Eleanor and Morticia had made such comments. Why Merida had teased her. What she had thought had been an awkward state of affairs…staring at a past version of herself and Declan dancing away at the Halloween Ball it amazed her how they seemed so in tune with one another’s facial expressions and moods. How had she not noticed before?

It might take a lifetime but somehow, I'll see it through

Oriana was yanked back into a darker time; a girl was dying at Declan’s hand…Excalibur. Her name came off his lips in despair. A sound she hadn’t heard from him before.
She understood his meaning of the labors now. Gosh she had been so blind…he’d completed several of them with a helpless looking Merlin shaking his head at him and feeling Declan’s pain.
Oriana could only agree. It was painful watching Declan go through so damn much.

And I won't look back, I can go the distance

It was cold. Oh, so cold. Hades was shaking his hand, but Persephone stared at them both in worry as the Sorcerer strode off without looking back. If he had would he have noticed Oriana following him over wet rock and through cave tunnels?

And I'll stay on track, no I won't accept defeat

Did the task of labors never end? Oriana had to cover her eyes at some of the stunts Declan would pull and the injuries he’d gain. With no one to help him heal or bandage him up and the continued desire to be an obstacle in the face of all the irresponsible and nonsensical personalities of Blackhaven.

It's an uphill slope

Oriana sighed. They were no longer fighting but at a hilltop. She again tried to reach through this vision and gain Declan’s attention, but he was focused in mediation. She raised her head to the sky and blinked as the weather changed seasons. Rain. Snow. Bright sun and then cool breeze…

But I won't lose hope, 'till I go the distance

Did Excalibur’s spirit see her? Could she see Oriana mouthing at her over Declan’s shoulder to forgive him? It was a relief to watch the spectral force of Excalibur nod and wrap her arms around Declan to show she forgave him…but Oriana could see that he was still not forgiving himself.

And my journey is complete, oh yeah

If Oriana could hate Tinkerbell any more then…one would confirm that was impossible. The green dressed vile being betrayed Declan but he still managed to save Blackhaven from Mordred. His scar….by now Oriana was emotionally overwhelmed. This was becoming too much…was there nothing good left? Couldn’t they go back to him hugging Eleanor and Merida?

But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part

Another woosh.
Another moment with her. Through his eyes. He seemed rather pleased to have her in the training room. Too pleased. They were walking through the town, their first walk and introduction and then shopping…hugging her in front of Nottingham. The image still filled her with an odd emotion she was struggling to pinpoint. Twisting her stomach once more.
Or maybe she didn’t want to.

For a hero's strength is measured by his heart, oh

Thank goodness…she was tired of seeing the blood and gore. Declan was comforting her and being sympathetic, knowing her plight of losing her home. Again, another mirror that showed Merida, saving the Gingerbread Man, petting Winston, hugging Eleanor…
Gosh all these visions were zooming past her eyes now. She couldn’t keep up. Merlin hugging Declan again and again until his current adult age. She was glad he’d had his Uncle for that affection all his life.

Like a shooting star, I will go the distance

Oh no, he was using his powers again. Oriana had to cover her eyes from the blinding lights of incantations thrown at Morduc as he protected Merida…her from Lancelot, that wasn’t true? That hadn’t happened…. was that her future? She needed to stay away from that jerk. Tinkerbell again, personally she believed he should have left Tinkerbell at the hands of Peter Pan. There was a snow creature that Elsa was running from…again her mind supplied her with the name. Olaf.

Damnit Declan, why did you help her too!

Why were these people so ungrateful to him after all he’d done?

I will search the world, I will face its harms

Oriana was truly starting to hate the muses. She didn’t like seeing the repeated past offences of assumed mythological creatures bloodying Declan but he always battled through and emerged victorious.

I don't care how far, I can go the distance

Oriana covered her mouth. This was odd…these events hadn’t occurred yet had they? She was watching herself with him…some visions she recognized…moments with him at the Halloween Ball and the Addams mansion. Now they stood shoulder to shoulder, sometimes embracing and in other seconds, hands held tight together. A casino…, no she was still her klutzy self-there, but the training room looked different – she looked different, older perhaps? Stronger. Improved. More in control.

Could she really be that woman one day?

'Till I find my hero's welcome waiting in your arms

This hadn’t happened…not to her knowledge. They looked older still…not in skin but in action and form. Declan was using blood magic to destroy Polyphemus the cyclops, after she…. was slamming down a hammer of some kind to kill Achilles. Declan staggered into her arms and Oriana couldn’t hear what she said…. something sarcastic with that familiar quirk of her lips. Enough to amuse Declan in even that tiring and exhaustive moment.

I will search the world, I will face its harms

Oriana mentally argued with Declan every time she saw him continuously putting himself in harm’s way for her…there was no need to go through so much trouble for her…right?

'Till I find my hero's welcome waiting in your arms

The final vision staggered Oriana. She was peering through a silvery curtain, the silk melting against her face and she felt like she was intruding on a completely different woman.

But it was her.

The more powerful and confident version of her was embracing Declan, but not as a friend…. more like an equal. A small girl held between them.

Tigerlily.

Oriana’s heart gave a pang at the sight of the girls ringlet of curls but try as she might she couldn’t catch a glimpse of her face…instead the glint of multiple rings caught her attention.

On the older Oriana’s hand was Declan’s dragon ring…sitting proud against pale skin and she frowned.

This is craz-

She was awake.Her visions had dissolved in front of her very eyes like a mist or fog clearing.

By awake, her heart was pounding, and cheeks were wet from the onslaught of emotions that had been thrown at her. Hers…Declan’s…Merida’s…Eleanor’s…and the little girl. Surely…

Oriana shuddered and lifted her hand to her mouth to wipe that smudge of drool that had pooled there but let out a hiss when her lip got cut by the edge of a ring. The blood from her lip fell into the mattress.

Hang on…?!

Oriana never wore rings.
 
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Declan always slept like a rock, he'd learned long ago he needed to get every bit of rest he could. Training at times could be fierce, so could his encounters...but it was always harder when he took injuries, usually it was Merlin's healing that took care of that for him but now his uncle hadn't done that since the cracked rib while he was at Oriana's apartment. Now he was in one of his deep sleeps, he had no idea why the Muses, Bragi, and Taliesin were there.

Of course Taliesin was performing his song he wrote about Declan called "Go the distance"; Declan had never paid that song any mind letting the bard have his fun with it, the Muses and Bragi were the one's responsible for the famed stained glass works at Saint Paul's and the artwork that would be featured at the museum downtown commemorating Merlin, Camelot, and Arthur.

Calliope, kept the sorcerer calm, she didn't want him opening the wounds he'd suffered. Though this was odd for Declan, he didn't come to the dream realm often, not that he'd been banned from the dream realm, he just felt he'd done his duty to help the keeper of dreams and the famed Sandman with an issue not a major one, but his help was appreciated.

He got part of what Oriana was seeing, only part...

He was kneeling in front of Excalibur's carin stones he'd built due to her death, the rain was pouring down as he was kneeling asking silently for forgiveness, he could feel Excalibur's embrace stating she forgave him but it quickly faded it was Oriana instead with the ring on, that damn ring with the mind of it's own.

Suddenly, he's standing near a circle of stones, near Aberdeen, Scotland. He doesn't know why Oriana is there but she is, Merida was there when this happened, and Declan had not mentioned this incident since it happened. Merida was knocked down when Mordu took the dire bear form, Declan had just dispatched several of draugaur before Fergus and the other clans arrive, he whips back to help his mother when he sees his sister's peril. Thinking fast he creates mirror images of himself to distract Mordu for Merida and blood red bands from his use of blood magic sprout from his hands to hold Mordu in place, giving his sister ample time to get her arrow fired, which Declan enchants to have a bigger impact. It hits Mordu full force in the shoulder area knocking him off the cliff in the sea below. Declan takes the blame for Eleanore's transformation for Merida despite both his mother and Merida's objections, stating it's better this way. Merlin arrives to save his nephew from Fergus' wrath.

That was a painful memory...but something gets his attention, Calliope flashes him forward, this hasn't happened yet...

Snow is falling in Blackhaven, he cannot hear the exchange between Oriana and Achilles, all he knows there's an exchange between him and Achilles which results in Declan taking an arrow to his ankle near the heel area. He's pinned, he cannot move, but there's Oriana...some strange phoenix marking on her and she has Mjondilir...and she decimates Achilles. He finally pulls his ankle free, only to be nailed by Polyphemus which sends Excalibur the sword sliding in the direction of Oriana, he's grabbed by Polyphemus and he escapes by burning a mark on the cyclops head. Declan does take cut in the stomach area from an axe. By now the snow is red, and several buildings are decimated, in the eastern side of Blackhaven. Declan gets an nasty head butt from the cyclops sending him flying back, he gets to a knee and uses a lightning attack, that decimates several statues including one of Mayor White. Declan takes a knee to the face, now he's bloodied from the nose and mouth...he pulls himself up using a stone park bench, but now he's tracing the rune on his arm...it begins to glow...

Quickly there's visions of things that flash through him, this always happens with blood magic...Merida, Winston, Merlin, Hades, other friends and acquaintances, then Oriana, vision of her flashes forward, she's wearing his leather jacket and carrying Excalibur the sword, gently placing it to his shoulder, before pulling him in for a kiss...

Declan's own eyes glow red, he blasts Polyphemus with a ball of energy, sending the cyclops bowling backwards, then summoning the spectral dragon claws...they grab the cyclops by the arms. Instead of ripping him asunder as he'd done with Mordred, a massive spectral dragon head emerges and bite off the cyclops' head. Afterwards the headless corpse is ripped in half.

Declan turns around and something is said to him, he smiles and laughs...before collapsing into Oriana's arms.

He hears the haunting end to Taliesin's song Go the Distance specifically the finding his hero's welcome waiting in Oriana's arms. Calliope nods at Declan, who clearly was confused, but he felt a shaking on his shoulders. Sure Oriana had been close to him in the bed, in fact her hand had been across his chest, and he didn't jump or recoil, he was becoming used to her touch and the fact she could touch him without harm. But she'd been shaking him, for how long he didn't know, he slept like a rock every night. He had to look at his phone...it was 0600.

"I'm up! I'm up! What's wrong Ori? Nightmare?"
 
Oriana stared at his face for a minute, licking the blood off her lip and rubbing her own sore eyes. It seemed that despite it being early morning it felt like she hadn’t slept a wink.

“Nightmare?! I’ve lived your whole life!” Oriana complained, clearly emotionally agitated. “But forget that, WHAT is your ring doing on my finger?!” She asked, not bothering to keep her voice low. After the night she had it didn’t really matter if Merida and Winston got some shut eye.

Half her upper body was still practically draped over him so she sat up and crossed her legs on the bed, waving her ring cladded hand in front of his face. “Declan…so help me, by Circe, you better have an explanation for this one…”

She was wound up. But nothing was going up in flames.

That rather surprised her.

Oriana looked around, expecting at least some smoke to come off the duvets but there was nothing. And now that she was sitting up, she couldn’t sense the usual under the skin prickling feeling of her fire energy rippling to rush out of her.

It was as if it was dormant.

The dragon ring sparkled at her cheekily, as if it was saying. ‘Yes I’ve done a good job.’

“Don’t you twinkle your eye at me mister, does consent not mean a thing to you?! You ask a girl before you slide yourself right onto her finger – I said no twinkling!”

Great, now she was talking to the ring.

Her face crumpled and she took a few deep steady breaths. Oriana had watched practically all of Declans life, had it not been for the ring the first thing she would have given him an enormous hug then asked him ten thousand questions about what she’d seen. Or was she just going crazy and non of it was real?

Heck, she could still do the first bit.

Almost as fast as she’d sat up, she leaned over and gave Declan a tight hug. “Boy. You’ve had a long and shit life. I have to say.” Her tone was light, but it was clear it had affected her on a profound level. “Oops, sorry.” Her hair had fallen forward and almost suffocated him. Oriana quickly pushed it back.

If Tinkerbell or Elsa came near him again and tried to harm him, they wouldn’t get away with it this time.

There was one thing to continuously put yourself in harms way for others but then for those same people to hold animosity and try to manipulate your life?

Unforgivable.

Mostly Oriana wanted to tell him that Excalibur wasn’t his fault.

But she was afraid he’d shut down on her.
 
Declan's eyes grew narrow at the ring, he was still half asleep but cognizant enough to think, he was just as surprised as she was that the ring had gone to her finger. That hadn't happened before more so that her anger wasn't causing the room to burst, but the runes, staves, and wards would have prevented that too. He had no explanation.

"I wish I did have an explanation for it, but unfortunately visions are not something I know."

He was now confused, she lived his whole life...oh for the love of...

"Really? My whole life? It must not have been very interesting."

He was trying to use humor to mask the pain that he'd endured, the losses of friends and lovers, the labors he put himself through to try and redeem himself in his own mind, and more so to get Fergus to treat him if not like Merida, then at least like he was more than an embarrassment. He had no idea what the Muses and Fates and whoever else decided to get in on it...chose to show Oriana.

He had to laugh about it being a shit life.

"True, it's not been easy...dad saw to that. Is my ring being smug or am I imagining it?"

Thinking quickly but not wanting the hug to end...Oriana could tell he was loosening up, the tension was there, but due to the cuts and bruises not his muscles or tenseness of her being there. He needed to see and understand something. A hand gesture summoned one of the brooms for tea and coffee, Declan didn't drink coffee, he didn't like the taste.

"Ori, before we get up for the day...or go back to sleep...either way, try conjuring some flames...the candle or incense over there."

He indicated the candles over in small alcove in the wall, it was brass three candle holder with the name "Lumiere" engraved on it. He had remembered she didn't care for the incense, but it was the first thing aside from the candle that came to mind.

"Oh and did you want breakfast in bed or did you want to go downstairs...I am sure you did wake up the house a bit...hopefully Merida won't get the wrong idea..."

At this point he wasn't going to do damage control, if Merida let her mind go there then so be it, he wasn't about to play mediator or defend himself. The broom arrived with the tray and mail for Declan to review, junk mostly, but there was that invitation to the opening of the Camelot exhibit that his uncle was sponsoring. He would go to that opening...not because he wanted to promote the stuff about him that was in it, but because it was his uncle and it was important to Merlin...for all he knew it'd piss of his father too.

He said nothing about it, and placed it on the bed, Oriana could see it if she wanted to, he wasn't going to say anything about it, if she wanted to attend she could, he wasn't going to make her as he did with the Halloween Ball, he wasn't even sure if they'd be attending Cinderella's famed New Year's ball...which was another event in the community...however this time it was to raise money for Aurora to run against Mayor White...the campaign being "Sleeping Beauty will restore Blackhaven's beauty"...and people were paid to come up with this stuff...
 
Oriana had pulled away when he summoned the broom and fluffed up a pillow so she could rest against it and give him room to breath. She frowned at him. “So I’m assuming you didn’t stick this smug git on my finger then?” She was flummoxed to how it had gotten on to her hand then. Mind you when she had woken that arm had been around Declans chest and she had the lingering feeling that she had been holding his hand the whole night.

She’d never voice that theory though.

“And…I don’t wanna go down yet.” Oriana’s body felt tired from the ordeal of the night, and with the way her hair looked as if she’d run through some bushes and the soreness of her eyes no doubt Merida would be up to her usual habit of winking eyes and wiggling eyebrows.

As he requested, she carefully and with a lot of hesitance flicked her finger lightly towards Lumiere. The candles shone on with no problems and Oriana didn’t even have to blink to contain the flame. “Hey…” She smiled lightly, glad of one good thing to happen. “I feel different.” She admitted.

“You know what? I’m gonna give this pesky thing a name.” She stared at the twinkling gem, twirling it this way and that before humming out. “Draconus.” She seemed to be rather proud of her epiphany.

“But-“ Oriana turned back to Declan, her hand reaching out to hold him by the arm. “-I’ll come down later for a proper breakfast. Otherwise Winston will nag at me. He won’t let me stay in bed all day.” She said that with a grumble, as her hand trailed away her fingers grazed his cold mark and the glass she had been reaching for with the orange juice slipped from her other hand and spilled luckily in the tray.

Oriana’s head fell forward as she was once again pulled into the vision world…fog and mist curling around her. Within her minds eye she knew it was Excaliburs energy surrounding her and warming her.

Oriana…

She didn’t know what to say, the other woman was calling to her and it wasn’t as if she was using full words to describe to her what she wanted. Just hints. Echo's. Far away and within her mind at the same time.

Look after Declan.

Well, someone had to. Of course, she would.

Heal him.

Well, she wasn’t a doctor but she’d do her best. Someone’s gotta change his bandages.

So naive…woman of the Sun…you have much to learn. You too…will be one with the Lake.
 
"No, I didn't put on your finger, I barely take it off my own fingers at times, the damn thing has a mind of it's own I beginning to think."

He'd felt someone hanging on to him all night and seen the Muses coupled with Taelisan and Bragi but nothing like what Oriana had seen in her own glimpses of Declan's struggle to get where he was now, just how much she'd seen with Fergus, he couldn't bring himself to ask, being his son was no easy feat...he was sure the other three boys would go through something similar when they got to age 25. Still the memory of Excalibur wore heavy on him, this was the one thing he didn't speak much about nor show any emotion about, though if one looked hard enough you could see it in his eyes, while like the lion there was some sadness that was hidden there.

He noted the control in lighting up Lumiere, the eyes on the ring gave him a I told you so look he'd have to look that up in the tomes later, but as Oriana had said, she felt different. To quote Phil, there'd have to be a road test on that, but he'd settle for the training room for now. He chuckled at the ring's name, served the thing right...it'd gone all this time with no name, now it had one.

Oriana's finger, had run across his mark, he felt a chill go through him as if the mark had been enchanted with ice, and it did a faint blue glow...that never happened...it was always a blood red glow as it was blood magic...but okay.

"Winston won't let anyone stay in bed unless they're ill...that doesn't happen often. Still that's interesting that you lit the candle with an almost fluid movement, while you've made progress...that was astounding."

He'd noticed her waver there as if she'd gotten another blast of something from touching his mark the blue glow had ebbed and he'd had some trouble getting his balance as he'd gotten up almost as if he was going to fall over on his face, but was able to catch himself and steady up as he caught the nightstand, it was almost as if a presence was there, a familiar one, but he couldn't tell...visions were Merlin's thing, not his...and this clearly fell into the famed divination school of magic.That school was only for those deemed worthy, most of the druidic order could do it to varying degrees, only Merlin had fully mastered it.

Checking himself over, he wasn't bleeding any further, in fact it looked as if the injuries had healed again, possibly due to Oriana being draped across him over the night, though he was still bruised in places. There wasn't anything planned as it was Sunday, so Declan could try and unravel this affect his ring was having on Oriana, not only that he could further try and get more on the Capricorn Casino and Spa.
 
Oriana had groaned at the feel of herself coming back to ‘reality.’

She was starting to get a headache from all these personalities coming to her with demands and wanting to tell her things.
She was only one-woman damnit with only two ears!

There was only so much she could process!

“….that hurt.” Oriana whimpered, rubbing her temples and lolling her head back. “D-Dec…I think I spoke to Excalibur….she said I’m naïve. And called me…woman of the Sun.” She paused, wondering if that was just a way of saying she played with fire. “…Said I’d be one with the lake. Hey, is she threatening me!?”

To think she’d mourned right alongside Declan last night within the visions for her.

“I’m not naive either...why is everyone always making fun of me.” Oriana grumbled, there was another glass of orange juice on the tray and luckily the newspaper hadn’t gotten wet from the previous glass she had spilled.

Sighing, she sipped at the juice to help her head and then peered through the paper. Properties section was right at the back so she flicked to it and the first key thing to pop out to her was that Jack Sparrow had advertised the need for a saleswoman with accommodation offered.
Well, it couldn’t be worse than working for the Hatter?

She made to grab her phone from the nightstand and text the number but before she could program it into her mobile, the nosy and intrusive butler of theirs seemingly came out of nowhere and jumped on the bed.

Her newspaper was gobbled before her eyes and Oriana was left to stutter out a confused sentence.

“-Win-no-stop!” She tried to tug the last bit of the newspaper away but Winston’s glare made her flinch back. “-I was reading that!”

She frowned. “Did you read my mind.” She swore the butler-dog rolled his eyes and jumped off the bed. “Hey! I needed the number for the Black Pearl damnit!”

Honestly, they didn’t expect her to live at the Arcana Cabana forever…right?

Her mind flicked back to her last vision that she had awoken from and once again there was that flip in her stomach, of tension and nerves as she thought about what it had meant. With that thought she gave Declan a suspicious side look.

“You dream much last night by any chance?” Her eyes narrowed…had he seen the same intimacy between them that she had or was that the Muses just throwing ideas at her.

Like a strange way of mimicking exactly what Eleanor and Morticia had tried on her.
 
He flinched when she mentioned Excalibur's name, that was still a bit of a sore spot and an unhealed wound on him, Excalibur may have forgiven him but as Oriana's vision had seen, he hadn't forgiven himself and was doing the labors because of it.

"Excalibur...she's not one for poking fun at someone unless it's Tinkerbell or Wendy....maybe throw Peter in there too. She wasn't really one for making threats...though my aunt might know more about the lake as I doubt it's a reference to you taking long in the bathroom or anything like that."

He'd limped to the bathroom himself, beginning to run the water and shave, he hadn't shaved in a few days and he'd been getting that look from Winston to clean up and be presentable. He tossed his sleep shirt into his laundry hamper, still leaving his micro-fleece moose pants on, he'd heard Winston clamor in and poked his head out to see Winston shred the newspaper Oriana was reading.

"I think he's saying the same thing we all are...we don't want you to leave."

He almost cut himself with the razor when she asked about his dreaming, but he wasn't going to lie to her.

"Normally no, I don't dream, I've been offered but politely declined, I helped the Sandman years ago and the keeper of dreams. But last night I didn't have a choice, Calliope and others...well kind of made it a point to have me there."

It was hard to explain but he did what he could to relate it to her, telling her what he saw, while he kept shaving. He nicked himself like all males do, but it wasn't anything serious. To Oriana he expressed concern over what he'd seen, but seemed to just go with the flow. It was disturbing to him on some level.

He'd have to investigate what Oriana had told him about being called a woman of the sun...he also found it strange that his ring had no desire to return to him, not that he was complaining.

They had a couple of days till they would need to go to the casino, Declan was going to spend time researching and getting them packed up for that trip.
 
The resort was more of a towering building than something that gave off a spa vibe but it seemed popular enough. However, having not been to such places before Oriana found herself overwhelmed just by staring up at it and nervously reached to hold Declans hand on instinct. The bright flashing lights of the casino had her lowering her eyes to the pavement and with her free hand she adjusted the neckline of her blue dress.
The large hanging wooden Satyr at the doorway had her raising her eyebrows. Aesthetics? She scoffed inwardly. It simply didn’t appeal to her much.

Oriana was dressed in a dark blue wrap dress with tiny star embellishments, donned with a white trench coat and black flats which she hoped would present her as a typical married woman of the local area, coincidentally Draconus had ‘fallen’ on her engagement finger so that helped build the scenario that she was a married to the guy next to her. Declan. She’d brought the dress specially to create the ‘look’. Oriana was rather proud of it since she didn’t know much of fashion.

The last few days had passed in heightened awkwardness on her part. To avoid the onslaught of dreams she’d taken to ‘falling asleep’ reading books on the couch of the living room or watching TV. She didn’t want to sleep next to Declan and give the Muses extra chances to assault her with visions and songs. Although they could do this anyway even without Declan next to her but it was a gut feeling.

It had been noticed by Merida but she had thwarted every conversation and attempt to coerce her into ‘talking’ out her ‘feelings’. It didn’t help that Merida always had an amused twinkle in both eyes as if she already knew and was waiting for Oriana to cotton on.

Oriana was adamant there would be no cottoning on of any kind.

There was an invitation to go see Eleanor for tea too, but she had said they would after they’d returned from the Capricorn and she’d found another place to stay.

Her attempts to find said place to stay was…a nightmare. If Declan didn’t spot her scouring through brochures and newspapers, then Winston would. Merida had once used a bow and arrow to remove the papers from her hands. It was extremely irritating with all three of them working tirelessly to keep her within Arcana Cabana walls. Sweet but irritating.

That damn butler would be having stomach problems soon if he didn’t stop eating the Newspapers.

Much had been printed about her thanks to Pinocchio. Someone had taken a few pictures of her and Declan as they’d shopped for her trench coat – and that had been an awkward moment as her zipper had gotten stuck and the shot had been of Declan helping her with that.

Sigh.

Oriana had even seen Robeen fly away with a copy of a newspaper one morning so she had mentally groaned, thinking that the worst thing that could happen to her was for her Mother to drop by for a ‘visit’. Robeen had flew by so fast that Oriana hadn’t the chance to cook the damn bird up.
Luckily, so far Gothel hadn’t taken Blachaven up in storm.

But knowing her Mother that meant she was plotting.

And that wasn’t good either.

Shaking her head at the thoughts of the past days she wondered how she’d share a room with Declan tonight.

Because every time she was alone with him thus far had resulted in flashback memories of them with a little girl and what that could possibly mean.

Add the twisty, topsy turvy motions of her stomach and she was quiet rightly fed up. If anyone hated the Muses more than Oriana she’d like to meet them personally for a cup of coffee.

Now, every time she had that particular thought, she swore she could hear a tinkle of laughter in her mind that belonged to Calliope.
Oriana was even stuck with the melody of Go the Distance stuck in her head.

The only good thing was that she seemed to have adopted a stronger and more controlled ability over her fire gift and it didn’t shift out of her every time someone made her jump. Draconus seemed to be extremely smug every time Declan commented on that, but she would take what she could get. She just hoped it didn’t hinder her completely if she really needed to tap into some extra power.

“So.” Oriana side eyed Declan, “…Let’s go in then Wonder Boy, I’m rather hungry.”
 
Declan felt Oriana hold his hand, by this point he'd gotten used to it, Winston kept trying to urge him to show Oriana something more to himself, but understood his charge's reluctance. Still the newly christened Draconus ring, also helped encourage Declan to show Oriana something in the way of encouragement.

He had being encouraging her trying to go the distance himself, in letting himself be more open and showing her she had nothing to fear with him, sure Declan had been betrayed by Tinkerbell, that scar was very visible to Oriana the couple of times she'd used her healing on him, he still couldn't bring himself to tell her the full details of what had happened there, same with the Excalibur thing he was still in his mind paying for. But like it was with Excalibur, it felt like playing hooky was nice.

He didn't know why Oriana was sleeping on the couch as of late, but wouldn't question it, he'd been pouring over tomes and other books trying to find meaning behind the dream he'd been given, even to what Oriana had told him about Excalibur's message. In contrast to Oriana's blue dress and white trench coat, he was wearing darker colors, black slacks, coupled with black loafers, though is shirt was a collared short sleeved affair, using a darker blue to match Oriana in some way. His trench coat was one of his enchanted ones, this one in black. Once Oriana had his hand, he took both of their bags with the free one. Still sensing the ring on her finger was trying to push him.

"You do look nice...and I am not saying that in lieu of our cover either."

Declan was trying, this was hard for him, Tinkerbell's betrayal was hard...he had no way of knowing what exactly what Oriana saw in that dream of hers...and he wasn't going to be nosy about it. She'd been through enough and didn't need him prying, no he thought she needed him to be less tense and a little more open with her...he was going to attempt it...hopefully she'd not get the wrong idea.

He reacted to her stating she was hungry and wanted to go in, he'd been lost in thought at the moment. He nodded and with her walked in, he was hoping she'd noticed he wasn't as stiff as he was. In fact it was similar to what he'd done in front of Nottingham, the affection to throw off Nottingham. The only he was struggling with was if it was an act or real now...but he wasn't going to draw attention to that.

They checked in under the cover name of Mr. and Mrs. Robertson, they were given room 543; with the fifth floor being a perfect observation point. It was a lovely room and thankfully not one of the "romantic" rooms that some of these places had. There was no theme either, those rooms were usually for the various girls...such as Tinkerbell's; Alice's; the Beast's; and even some of Mulan's...where they carried out their "business". Declan was hoping they'd not hear any of that during the night. The bed was smaller than the one back at the Arcana Cabana, this being a queen sized vise Declan's king sized. Declan resisted the urge to make a joke about having Oriana sleep on the side with the alarm clock and phone, instead just putting their bags in the closet, and pulling out the laptop plugging it in and turning it on. He took Oriana's coat and hung it up with his. Again he resisted a comment about her being Mrs. Robertson, he didn't want to make her mad.

"Okay Ori, did you want to go to the dining room? Or just stay in and order room service?"

He was pulling up the room service menu, while checking out the bathroom...talk about luxury...this one had a hot tub. Again not wanting her to get the wrong idea he felt he owed her something.

"I'm sorry for this Ori...I know this makes you uncomfortable. I won't ask you why, but I promise you this will get better. Oh and please don't think I did the hot tub with any ulterior motives in mind."

It was something she'd seen in that dream she'd had, Declan before all the hurt and pain that he'd endured, it was the genuine 6 year old boy apologizing, he had felt bad about this knowing the discomfort it caused. While it was a means to an end, his intentions were good, this was part of training. Uncle Merlin had shown him this sort of thing to get information and any relics one may have needed...the greatest example of this was the first time Declan had met Elsa and Ana in Scandinavia, he needed to use his own noble background to gain information, however this led to later issues between the sisters and himself, but it served a purpose. He had to prove himself to the people in Transylvania and once he did...well it was different.

He truly felt for Oriana here, and was going to do anything he could to make this easier on her, whatever it took.
 
It was strange, but most certainly not uncomfortable. The only issue Oriana had was to the new and more open Declan was the thoughts that fluttered through her mind and she had to force her facial features to remain expressionless and unaffected.

“No, it’s okay, honestly, I know you wouldn’t do anything on purpose to make me uncomfortable. I’m just not used to…being around people so long. You’ve done nothing wrong. I promise.” Oriana reassured him, it had been a while now that she had thought he was attempting anything with an ulterior motive in mind. Her words about him doing nothing wrong was also a nod to what she had seen about the Excalibur situation…he’d done nothing wrong. Sometimes terrible things happened but that didn’t mean you punished yourself forever for them.

She squeezed his forearm lightly with a small smile and went about her nightly routine.

Oriana made quick work of changing her clothes in the bathroom, washing her face, brushing her teeth and pulling her red mane into a tight braid. Mostly so he didn’t end up eating her hair during the night and nervously pattering over and into the side of the bed closest to the telephone.

“We’ll order room service, it’s late and we have a long day tomorrow to be working so it’d be good to rest now.” She told him and ordered the special for the night and some drinks for them before nestling into the pillows with one of the tomes they’d brought with them – her body slanted across the small bed. The woman simply didn’t know how to keep to her own side.

Being close to him physically was starting to make her weary, whilst he seemed to be trying to be kinder to her and she assumed it was due to the recent issues with the Ripper and Merida…this side of him hardly made it easier on her to be distant and withdrawn from him. She was truly struggling.

She wanted to engage with him and talk openly about all that she’d seen, ask her questions and push for his answers.

Yet that would mean he’d know.

That she enjoyed it when he was more affectionate. Even if it was just an act. That it pleased her to garner his attention. Stupidly so.

The last thing she wanted was to be compared to Elsa or Tinkerbell. Or for him to be irritated by her.

A small part of her was scared due to her own issues with Lancelot in the past. Trusting someone like that was a huge deal, at least for her.
It may have been the fact that Oriana was adjusting to her new control of her abilities (surprisingly that was tiring on her body to get used to the new levels of energy she could manipulate and those of which she still couldn’t tap into) or it could have been the fact that the mattress was extremely comfortable and warm.

Before she knew it, the room service staff hadn’t even knocked on their door yet with the food and she was already asleep with her face planting into the middle of two pillows.

At least Declan would be able to eat but no doubt the redhead would be ravenous come morning.
 
Declan was no longer jumping or acting as if he was in shock of her ability to touch him. While he was still fighting it hard, for his own fears of what Tinkerbell had done to him, the one thing he knew for sure was Oriana wasn't using him for something. While Merida's own pushing of him, Winston's hints, and now Draconus trying to get him to let go...he had no way of knowing Excalibur had forgiven him...he was still doing this for her and to ease his own guilt. In some way Winston was trying to show him that Oriana was Excalibur's answer for Declan's forgiveness...implying to the sorcerer that was the fate's answer.

There was a sense of relief that came over him when Oriana didn't think he had ulterior motives...he was deep down still that angry boy she saw taking the blame for what had happened to Eleanor, still trying to find his place and even in that same mind, he had at age of six...the hero's welcome, he was determined to face the world and all its harms...but the road had wandered and led him to Oriana for a reason....and he was going to see it through.

He'd watched her get ready for sleep, amused at her position on the bed, he didn't mind, there was enough room for him to sleep, though he'd need to move her arm slightly. Hopefully she'd not object to him draping it around him again. But he needed to eat...his nerves were on fire...not to the point he was shaking, but just the internal struggle. He knew every mile he was going on these labors was worth his while.

Room service had arrived, and he tipped them generously. Oriana by now was fully out cold, he ate a bit and then changed as well...his sleeveless shirt now exposed the mark of the dragon. He was unaware of that for whatever reason, he didn't care how far he said it a long time ago he could go the distance to redeem himself.

Now an old friend visited him, the famed Sand Man, all children knew him, he helped them fall asleep...he knew Declan would refuse to enter the dream realms...that was tough shit, Declan was going like it or not this time. The Sand Man blew a cloud of sleeping sand into the sorcerer's face, which put Declan out cold, but not before the Sand Man placed Oriana's hand on his arm...the mark specifically...it began to glow, at which point the Sand Man draped her arm over Declan again.
His duty done the San Man took his leave, Calliope tried to make it as comfortable as she could for Declan...even here Declan was feared. This time it was Taliesin accompanied by the vocals of Euterpe were to help the sorcerer. Taliesin motion for Declan to step forward into the light...Declan did, he was in his cloth pants, bare feet, and just plain short sleeved shirt, his mark visible under one of the sleeves. They elected him to look this way in sense of keeping him calm. To further help matters, he was given a guide as it kicked off, the one person who didn't fear him...Thumbelina.

The pixie took the sorcerer by the hand as the music began and Euterpe began...

"We know visions aren't your thing sorcerer...but tonight we present this great work."

"You know about Go the Distance and how you avoid it, well Declan Emrys...you cannot avoid this one!"

Declan offers no resistance, Thumbelina’s hand on his shoulder steadies him as the music begins and Thumbelina leads him through a beautiful archway that has lovely grape vines on it...the flames begin...as Declan hears Eurerpe...

The world was on fire and no one could save me but you:

The Halloween ball, their dance, he couldn't express it then, but it was his favourite part of the night. He can see Oriana's expression better than he could the night it happened, he sees the expression of conflict, she's nervous and he thinks she's pleased. The half-smile and nervous laugh is replaced with the look Oriana has seen from him now a thousand times, the stone face with piercing eyes.
There was a flicker, a younger Oriana was bent in front of Gothel with only one hand rubbing a sore ankle. Head bowed and face tired.

Declan knows that pain...Fergus, it's like looking on the other side of a mirror for him, the hurt doesn't go away for having a parent like that, his hands tense and shake. How can someone yell at a girl for not getting the dance correctly?
Thumbelina touches his forehead...they're moved in a flash of flames.

It's strange what desire will make foolish people do:

They’re at the Enchanted Park. Oriana is laying on a bench, with minimal belongings surrounding her and listening intently to Lancelot who ‘charms’ her and insists he’s only trying to help. She’s up. She’s walking behind him but not noticing the smirk on his face. So naïve, so young. Did she have to accepts help from the first good-looking man to approach her?

The shocked look Oriana has seen from him and the tenseness as he again sees himself in her sleeping rough in the Enchanted Park...during his own training he's had to endure this hardship time and time again...but he always had a home of sorts to go to. His hand is shaking as he wants to reach out and touch her...he cannot he's afraid she'll get hurt.

He cannot hear Lancelot, but he recognizes him, their paths only crossed once, when Declan was 12, still very much under his uncle Merlin's protection. Declan's gut is wrenched as if it was a horror movie...he wants to tell Oriana not to go with Lancelot but can't.

Thumbelina takes his shaking hand in a comforting manner and leads him through another ring of fire.

I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you:

For the first time in what seems ages, Declan smiles as if it wasn't an act it's a real smile and laugh, it was a comical night, one no one has seen from him in ages. He feels his heart grow three sizes after he sees what he didn't when this happened, Oriana more cheered and happier after she walks off, her night at Mushu’s hadn’t been a complete failure.

By now he's understanding this must be what Oriana saw for him...what she meant...still Thumbelina urges him to keep going down the road leading to Oriana. This time it's through darkness, with Declan being the light...

And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you:

Once again, the feeling for Oriana is there, he's seeing his own losses and rejections in her, Rapunzel...how could she do that? How could Oriana be left behind? He's glad Gothel is hauled off, when he visited one of her summer parties when he was younger, he felt there was something off about that woman. He can't hear what Oriana is saying...but it must be something forgiving. She's alone...as Declan goes to place a hand on her for comfort Oriana turns to stone, with Thumbelina guiding him again, this time Declan feels the flames again and walks through a wall of them to see...

No, I don't wanna fall in love:

The wall of flames dies down to show Oriana surviving on basically water, Rapunzel is getting the food rations in the tower. Still Oriana is seen trying for Rapunzel’s birthday. A chameleon is sneakily placed on the balcony wall by the redhead. A friend for the sister who doesn’t know she exists.
He feels again for Oriana, relating this to Hamish, Hubert, and Harris getting the better treatment by his own father. He sees what he has always seen with Oriana, her heart.
He didn't like Gothel as a kid...now he wanted her dead, this was so against everything he knew. His hands now have been so tensed in fists, they bleed.
Thumbelina again offers comfort...this time Declan walks through a looking glass...the road is leading him to her...

No, I don't wanna fall in love:

Declan tries to turn away...he doesn't want to see Oriana in that state of working the VIP section at the Tea Party, not because he doesn't find her attractive or anything it's just his upbringing. Thumbelina gets his attention back on what he's seeing. He sees again that desire to help and heal, trying to stop the younger girls from degrading themselves at Alice's sick requests, clients, and plans. The same frustration he sees as she storms out of the Tea Party...it's himself determined to face the world's harms...and he begins to realize how similar the fates have dealt them cards.
He finds himself going after her, hands still bleeding, as he did the night at Mushu's.

Thumbelina getting the reactions she wants, is in tow as rain begins to fall...

With you:

Declan's hug to get a reaction out of Nottingham...he sees the look on Oriana's face...she didn't have Merlin to offer the comfort, nor Merida, or Eleanor...the disappointment isn't lost on him when he lets go of her.

His bloody hand reaches out to himself as if to say, 'hold her hand, take her arm, something you moron!'

Thumbelina pushes Declan back with a blast of energy to...

What a wicked game to play:

Flaming mirrors surrounding him, Thumbelina has him sitting in the middle of them, the symbol of the Phoenix is on the ground where Declan sits.

It goes fast, but he can see Oriana in her lack of control with her magical talents, things are blown up, destroyed, and burned to a crisp. He feels for her, he lacked control too when he was a kid. But what causes Declan's blood to boil is how Gothel reacts, the reprimands the same as he got from Fergus...monster isn't lost on him...as Fergus called him a demon. He can see Oriana's control getting worse with the negativity. He sees Gothel and blasts her image with his own powers...anger sheer anger...the dragon in him is calmed when the Phoenix illuminates below him, the shards of glass, change by Thumbelina...who is wide eyed at Declan's reaction.

To make me feel this way:

The shards turn into stars...Declan is on his knees now in that same 'forgive me' state Oriana saw him at with Excalibur...

He slowly pulls himself up, leaning on the wall of the Tea Party, he can see Oriana befriending Natalya, but it seems it's a one-way friendship...the only common ground is their dislike of the Mad Hatter...the irritating bastard.

The frustration is there again...Oriana cannot maintain or gain relationships, through his bloody hands Declan reaches for her as if to say, you never have to be alone again...he can't touch her...she vanishes.

Merida's voice can be heard, he whips around to see Oriana and Merida building their relationship, he looks on as if to say 'I knew you could do it'

Thumbelina creates a rippling pool of water for Declan to step through, which he does...his wall is coming down...he's seeing they aren't so different.

What a wicked thing to do

Oriana is six and sitting in the basement. A loud party is going on upstairs but Gothel shoves some food through the door and instructs her not to be seen. Declan hears a large bolt being shut from the outside. Oriana is locked in. No doubt, she will ruin Gothels ‘single and available’ image if seen. No one knows she exists. Oriana looks at the basement…and this is her bedroom. Sparse with some shelves, old books and minimal furniture.

A basement in gods only knew where, he feels as if he's back in Transylvania...alone and feared, with no way to contact Merlin. The spartan room looks more like a prison than a... child’s bedroom?! Declan's eyes begin to glow red as he instinctively goes to trace his mark with his bloody hands, he had it bad at six...but this was inconceivable to him how dare Gothel do this...party or not, loud locking sound and food being sent in or not there was no call for this shit! Thumbelina’s eyes go wide...this isn't what she expected, she's panicked that he's going to ruin the whole thing...until he sees a six year old Oriana...he can't bring himself to do it now...

Thumbelina quickly changes the vision.... he saw it when it happened, but didn't see it as he should have, with his wall down...Oriana was excited to have her own room. Now he knew why...he resolved to make his room her room and as comfortable as he could...that included her place at the Arcana Cabana.

A whirlwind took the sorcerer to the next part...Thumbelina breathe a sigh of relief at the averted disaster...

To let me dream of you:

Walking behind Oriana and was that Mr. Gold? The guy he bought several relics off?! Declan is following in a daze, ignoring his bleeding hands...now the scars have opened, and he bleeds more. He's feeling Oriana's pain and disappointment when Mr. Gold turns into Rumpelstiltskin, her quest to find her father hasn't ended the way she would have liked. Though at least she was out of Gothel's reach...small consolation.

Taking one last look at Mr. Gold...he turns and follows Oriana...with Thumbelina in tow. The path fades to...

What a wicked thing to say:

The part of the conversation Declan interrupted at the Halloween ball, and the smart ass comment Lancelot threw at him...which he batted away as asinine. Declan would protect her or die trying...
He sees his reassuring her after the Ripper, her fear of being a monster, she wasn't. Even if the world thought that of her, he'd not allow her to be seen that way.

Declan bows his head here...and mumbles "I will face it's harms..."

Clouds of fog begin to gather...Thumbelina this time is the light...

You never felt this way:

A crying baby, a clueless arrogant bird...that thought it was superior to everyone...just letting the infant cry...wow, just to see that Gothel only took the infant Oriana in to stop the crying...asinine...Declan could feel his rage pool up again. His dad was an ass, but it was Gothel who was the monster...if he crossed paths with her...she was dead woman.

Thumbelina before Declan can explode, encases him in ice...

What a wicked thing to do:

A warehouse, Declan is seated on crates with Thumbelina in front of him, he sees some exchange going on with several men to include Lancelot...Declan's eyes narrow...and he realizes that they cannot see or hear him...but the anger is there, he wants to blast the lot of them.

He's thrown back by the firestorm Oriana's fear causes, now his scars bleed profusely...he sees Lancelot take her to Gawain...who makes idle threats...funny Gawain was terrified of him and Merlin, it was comical to see him being a tough guy. Sense of pride hits Declan as she stood her ground, that's the girl he knew when given encouragement!

Thumbelina turns the memory like a page in a book to...

To make me dream of you:

He knows this...too well, it had just happened. Something about her touch...it calmed his pain and anguish.... he feels as if all he's gone through trying to find where he belonged...the hero's welcome waiting in... her arms?!

He's failed to notice his scars have stopped bleeding, but not his hands.
A bright light changes the scene...

This hasn't come to pass...yet...!!!

Declan has now thrown off one of his trench coats that is protective, and given Oriana the sword Excalibur and a kiss assuring her he'll survive this...as he's now been known to do he's protecting Oriana from Lancelot...for the final time...while Declan is no match for Lancelot's sword skills, the arrogant bastard failed to remember Declan's mark, and the fool had done what the sorcerer wanted...cut him. He's now using blood magic and unleashing his divine/dragon side. Tinkerbell to cause havoc goes to stab Declan again as she had with Mordred, but the result fails epically.
Oriana...her own blood magic...similar to his has awoken the Phoenix as he's awoken the Dragon. Oriana's hair now is like fires of Hades, and Tinkerbell has no clue what she has provoked. Mjondilir meets Tinkerbell's skull, while Excalibur encased in flames runs Tinkerbell through...Oriana twists Excalibur, which causes Tinkerbell to explode in a fiery mess. Fire meets Fate.


He doesn't see what he does to Lancelot...he's whisked by Thumbelina to...

No, I don't wanna fall in love:

That damn nosy arrogant bird...Declan is standing in the river, Thumbelina on his shoulder, he sees that damn bird locate Oriana and have Gothel drag her back...his hands bleed worse this. Worth keeping for what?

A flicker in time, Oriana is half-heartedly stopping Winston from tearing newspapers.
Winston always seemed to know something the rest of them didn't, he tried to laugh at that, he really wanted to her to stay now too...he catches her amused look too...

Declan and Thumbelina walk through the Arcana Cabana kitchen...to...

No, I don't wanna fall in love:

Gothel is a dead woman if Declan crosses her path. Sure, his education came from his uncle...the cracks are wider in Declan's wall now, close to crumbling, he's standing behind her trying to be the hero he's wanted to be since childhood...again he attempts to put a hand on her to offer hope...that vision goes up in flames while Oriana is reading.

He sees her confusion when he spoke Icelandic...nothing for her to be embarrassed about...she'll learn.

Thumbelina opens a door to Moby Dick's...it leads him down a dark path with the light of...

No, I don't wanna fall in love:

Oriana again. She won't accept defeat...he's impressed that she was able to sneak into the library after hours and teach herself the computer, he can see himself in the screen's reflection...he's pale now...and his own defenses are almost obliterated. He can see the list is her trying to find her father...maybe he can help?

Thumbelina blows dust in his face.

No, I don't wanna fall in love:

When his vision clears...his anger flairs to the point of using his mark...how dare Lancelot...that was bad form using chloroform and carrying her off...if what he thinks actually happened then there was going to be a mass murder...that would make the Ripper look tame. Tears...at her not knowing what had been done...though not normal tears...they were bloody...

He sees himself taking care of her as he did when she came over after the Ripper, it was the first time she saw him with the wall fully down.

Success! Thumbelina broke Declan's wall! The bloody tears say it all!

Declan's not had these tears since Excalibur. Thumbelina feeling for the sorcerer, takes him to something else, they're walking on water...

With you:

Declan has searched the world, faced it's harms, and now he's found his hero's welcome...waiting in Oriana's arms...he sees viewing what Calliope had shown Oriana...she's looking through the silver curtain, he doesn't know if she can see him or not but he stands behind her in the bloody tears and Thumbelina allows him to hug this vision of Oriana as he had done in front of Nottingham...though this time it's not an act, he keeps hearing "let it go, let it go" from Excalibur...but through the bloody tears...he sees something that nearly breaks his brain...there they are together, he's found his hero's welcome waiting in Oriana's arms...but there's a girl...her mother's curly hair...it's a blondish red...he cannot see her face...but the name Tigerlily is heard...he's gone the distance...she's fallen in love with him, though she didn't want to.

The music fades off and Thumbelina offers the last comfort by touching his bloody tears...


Declan always slept like a rock...he slowly woke up at this one, it was 0730...Oriana was still draped around him...though he wasn't crying the bloody tears, his hands were fine...but his wall was down...his fear wasn't...he wanted to embrace Oriana more...but he could hear the same thing till I find my hero's welcome waiting...in your arms going through his head...same with Oriana saying I don't want to fall in love with you he was conflicted, until he just allowed himself to move closer...he was hoping she'd embrace him further.
 
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Her cheeks were wet, had she been crying through the night? There was a warm and familiar body next to her that on a subconscious level she knew that wouldn’t turn her away if she reached out. Oriana’s arms sleepily tightened around Declan’s waist and she hummed sleepily.

There. Instant comfort.

There was crust in the corner of her eyes. According to the books it was the sign of the famed Sand Man. Did she believe in him? No, that was silly. Yet a part of her mind was piecing the night together as she struggled to open her eyelids that seemed glued shut. Her heart felt heavy. Tired.
Some nights it was difficult not to remember all the harsh realities of her past.

Still, for some reason she had not felt completely alone. Which was silly, it had been a lonely existence and to think a shadow had been behind her the whole time was preposterous. Right?

I don’t want to fall in love, with you…An odd thought passed her mind, and it most certainly wasn’t her own voice. She never sang that well.
Oriana awoke then, that low hauntingly melody in her mind receding to a distant memory and she lifted a hand to rub at her eyes. “De-declan?” She asked, it was a little embarrassing to be holding on to him like some child, but it was a smaller bed and it wasn’t as if he was a stranger.
“Sorry.” She added, although it was out of sheer habit not because she was apologetic. Damn British manners.

“What time is it?” Oriana wasn’t sure why she wasn’t letting go but it was too comfortable and still felt too early. She knew the plan. Get up, shower and dress in one of the newer outfits they had got for this weekend and head down for breakfast. Observe the vibe and people. Adjust how they would behave later in the evening depending on the personalities they came across.

There was a bump against the window frame and Oriana unwillingly lifted her head to look over Declans shoulder.

Robeen.

Again.

It was like she had a minimal memory and couldn’t learn her damn lesson. No matter how many times she threw herself against that window Oriana wasn’t going to give her any positive attention. Nor feel sorry for her.

“…. did you want any chicken for breakfast by any chance?” She asked glumly with a touch of anger. After a night of dreaming of the trauma that bird had inflicted on her hand in hand with her Mother…that beak wasn’t the first thing she wanted to see in the morning.
 
Declan hadn't noticed Oriana's cheeks being wet...well not at first, he was still in daze over what he'd seen, he'd lifted his own free hand to his own face...again...there was some blood...not enough to raise alarm, he brushed it off as it if where nothing....but what he'd seen was the real deal. The small streak of blood on his hand from it was noticeable, but he was more focused on Oriana hugging him like a child would a stuff animal. In the position he was in, he could only return the hug with one arm.

"Sorry for what? It's only 0730, we don't have anywhere to be at present, unless you want breakfast?"

He didn't move much other than to look over at the commotion that damn bird was causing...after what he'd seen...that bird if she told him to would be fricasseed with roasted vegetables...it was then he'd heard her mention fried chicken for breakfast. He laughed, that was a common thing to eat with waffles in the American Southern states. True Blackhaven had their fare share of international cuisines...but like the famed Springfield where that C.M. Burns lived...Blackhaven's location was unknown to those that didn't have business there. The Mists of Avalon assured that.

Still the dreaded city had all comforts one would know from places they'd been, that was what the divine had in mind in creating it...though they'd fail to see that it would have the troubles from the old times, they'd never admit they were happy that Declan chose to do the labors, but it was why they sent him to Blackhaven. Oriana had seen Declan act as a barrier or obstacle to the crazy things that happened. But she did question why he wasn't recognized...he was going to have to break down and show her.

"Fry that bird, after what you've been through with your mother and Lancelot...it would deserve it. I...can't take away your pain...but I've seen it. If I see Lancelot again...he'll wish I hadn't...your mother too...no one deserves that treatment. I always thought something was off about her when we went to the parties...did I ever tell you on time we went, dad had me follow behind them so I wasn't seen until he wanted me seen. Of course the guests wanted to see magic...so dad eager to please called on me to do 'tricks'...it was humiliating...I was nothing more than an entertainment piece. But you being locked in that room...had I known it then...your mother's house would've been in ruins..."

He couldn't remember how old he was exactly when that happened, but he was young...still an apprentice, and still not in full control.

Declan checked his phone again, no text messages, thankfully. He didn't want any of those wink wink nudge nudge ones from Merida. Her heart was in the right place, but this wasn't the time or place for one...

"When we're done here at the casino...there's something I want to show you."

There was some hesitation in his voice, but he'd made up his mind, Saint Paul's after business was concluded at the casino-spa resort.
 
Oriana glanced down at him pushing her hair back away from her face so she could look at him properly.

Seen her pain?

“Declan…you were there weren’t you?” It was a rhetorical question. There was no expectation of an answer. She should have known those damn muses would create further problems…. well-intentioned but him seeing her past… well fair was fair she supposed. “I’m sorry…I don’t know which parts they showed but if you’re mad at Lancelot and Mother I can figure why…I’m sorry you had to see all that. It’s all in the past now though. I just want to control my powers...make my own future, y’know?” She wasn’t aware that he had seen Tigerlilly too and since he hadn’t mentioned it presumed that the Muses had spared her that.

It could only lead to an awkward conversation with much stuttering on her part. That was for sure.

“I plan to avoid Lancelot…and Robeen can bang on that glass as much as she wants, I am not returning to Mother Gothel. But I’d like to help Rapunzel…she’s in trouble I’m sure. Maybe if I help her…she’ll accept me one day. We grew up together even if she doesn’t see it that way.” Oriana gave a wistful sigh, perhaps still a little naïve even after all this time.

She peered at his face more closely, “…yeah I didn’t eat anything last night…I could do with breakfast and maybe you some caffeine. Your eyes are bloodshot.” It was worrying but so was her past.

An impulse, a strong one had her giving him a tighter hug and very swiftly a kiss on the cheek. “Come on, sitting in the past isn’t going to deal with the big and bad of Blackhaven now is it?” She tried to laugh it off, climbing out of the bed and shivering to the bathroom.

On her way she selected a white dress that contrasted nicely with her pale skin and vibrant hair, the suitcase was shut rapidly as she avoided Declans eyes and locked herself in the bathroom to calm down.

Idiot.

She always did the rash thing. Sighing, she went about her morning business and thought to herself is she behaved confidently then no remarks would be made about how familiar she was getting with him. Perhaps he didn’t mind or noticed as much as she did.

Him validating her anger at Lancelot and Mother Gothel was appreciated though. Even if she didn’t want him to act on it…at least it wasn’t dismissed as unimportant.

Many comparisons had been made by the locals about Gothels treatment of the girls.

She was the biological daughter. To the world she must have received preferential treatment. At least she hadn’t been locked in a tower. At least she got to step outside into the sun.

No.

Zel had received a whole tower filled to the brim with all of the world’s knowledge. Books upon books and nightly routines with Gothel brushing her long blonde hair. Singing the girl asleep.

The amount of times Oriana had simply sat on the staircase, hidden and listened to her Mothers voice warm and charming to another girl that wasn’t even their blood relation.

She’d only get screaming and shouting. Pushing and shoving. A fight for each and every precious tome.

If Gothel was drunk enough she’d sprout enough information about the outside world. About the kings and the villains. The queens and the lands.

Hero’s that gave Oriana hope.

Not everyone was bad then.

Then there was the weeks of starving herself so that Zel had three consistent meals per day.

Sure she was Gothels true daughter but she had been the mistake.

The unwanted one.

Rapunzel had served a purpose. Gothel had willingly retrieved her and brought her into her home. Oriana had just gotten in the way.

If Declan was searching for a hero’s welcome…Oriana had simply longed to just be accepted by one person. Just one.

She had traveled to her biological father and been disappointed by his Rumpelstiltskin reality.

Furthermore, she had been disgusted that he had the same designs her Mother had.

Kidnapping children. Is that all they knew? Causing other parents pain? Could they not at least try to be better people?

Having learnt her lesson with Gothel she had walked away. Walked and walked until her blistered feet brought her into the Enchanted Park and then Blackhaven.

Life had just gotten harder, but Oriana knew how to be persistent.

It was key to survival.

Now she had a likeminded individual who had led a similar past, someone who was stubborn and strove to make amends for one mistake whereas her parents didn’t care for all the atrocities they committed, a man who was going out of his way to help her in training, shelter and friendship.

Did she really want to ruin that with her own feelings?

No.

Brushing out her wet hair she stepped back out the bathroom and silently found some green flats and tightened the straps. “Bathrooms free.” She murmured, looking down at her suitcase again for some moisturizer.

She had wondered what he wanted to show her after their job here at the casino. It could only be for her benefit, so she didn’t question it. Oriana trusted him.
 
He could only acknowledge he had been there, in more ways than she could know...while his own grief over Excalibur and the pains he'd endured...she'd seen it. She'd seen the deal with him and Fergus...and the burning desire for his own father's approval when he was young. Those feelings had long since gone, after Merlin had been the family he needed. He didn't mention Tigerlily, that was a source of confusion for him, besides he didn't want to overload her or by chance scare her off...

"Make your own fate, I know. Merida...wanted the same thing, but the cost was high. I'll tell you the story while I get ready...however I told you when you asked about it, that I'll do what I can to help you find Rapunzel, so don't worry about that."

He didn't comment about Lancelot or Gothel, he would be more than an obstacle if they tried anything on his watch...he wasn't going to lose Oriana the way he'd lost Excalibur...or Tinkerbell.

Not being sure how much she knew in regards to what she'd been shown about him as a boy, it was known that Declan was Fergus' biological son, there was no debating it, though Declan didn't have Fergus' red hair, or facial similarities, Declan as Oriana had seen resembled Merlin more and his real mother Ceridwen. Still he was the oldest Dunbroch child, though he was forbidden to bear the name or titles. She knew full well his noble upbringing and manners it was contrast to what she'd known, but deep down Fergus did love his son, he feared the powers Declan had.

Declan took a quick shower, and began his story of what happened between him and Fergus...

He had been allowed to come home for the Highland Games, not knowing that it was competition for Merida's hand in marriage. He'd arrived as the brawl was going on in the dining hall, Fergus laughing about it, while Eleanore stayed un-amused the whole time Lord Dingwald, Lord MacGuffin, and Lord MacIntosh brawled, finally Fergus couldn't resist any longer, and joined the brawl...this is where Declan's arrival was announced, Eleanore by now for all the commentary Fergus had made about being embarrassed by his son, took the opportunity to embarrass Fergus this time in front of the returning Declan. She dragged all four of the lords by various parts back to their seats...by their ears, hair, and belts...it was quite the sight to see!

Still as Declan was receiving nervous glances and wary handshakes, before Merida and Eleanore hugged him (as Oriana had seen in her vision with Declan); Hamish, Hubert, and Harris meanwhile were messing about with Declan's bag, a firework goes off leading the boys to have black marks on their faces. Declan shakes his head...and goes to his father head down as if waiting to be acknowledged by the stern looking Fergus, no emotion is portrayed on his fathers, face, but he shakes his son's hand, no hug or affection at his boy being home.

Merida was excited the distraction was welcome as she'd been forced to dress...in her mind over dress for this occasion, it had to bother Fergus that Declan had shown up for this summer visit wearing jeans, sandals, a Hard Rock Cafe: Washington D.C. t shirt, with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. While everyone else was in their best attire for the highland games.

Declan knew he had to change clothes...despite what his father wanted, Declan would join the family in their box at the games. Merida had told Declan what was going on and what this was all about, he didn't like it, but Merida was going to rebel against their mother and father by competing in the archery portion...she swore him to secrecy.

Merida had won the archery contest stating she was not going to marry the sons of the three lords, Declan had found them a bit off, but he knew his place and he was still trying to please his father...he'd told Merida about Excalibur, and told her that he'd break that to Eleanore when he was ready to do so.

Watching helplessly as Merida and Eleanore argued and had it out...Fergus keeping Declan at bay...with a look that told him not to meddle and to stay put he wanted no magic or other surprises from him. The bow their father had made for Merida when she was 5 and Declan was 7 was destroyed in rage by Eleanore...Merida had fled after refusing to come out of her room...Declan again was kept under watch and in the background in the big dining hall...until Fergus had gotten drunk and called forth his oldest son to do magic tricks...

Merida in the mean time had visited a local witch, one they'd been warned as children had ulterior motives in what she did...the witch even knew what Declan was but under threat from Merlin was told to hold her tongue or it would be removed. This is where Merida got her talent for wooden statues. But in teenage anger Merida had wanted a hex on her mother. The tapestry, the only one that had Declan on it with the full Dunbroch family had been torn in Merida's rage and the words about mending what was torn radiated.

Eleanore had been turned into a bear...this got the attention of Mordu, an old enemy of Declan's father, a cursed power hungry brother of four old Scottish lords, Mordu had been cast out of the druid order for his power lust. After killing his brothers, the druids cursed Mordu...forcing his anger to transform him into the dire bear. Mordu knowing of Fergus' son...and he powers the boy would wield launched an attack on Merida's 5th birthday...Merlin had brought Declan for the occasion, but when the dire bear attacked, he helped get everyone to safety...though Fergus' leg was mangled, and he walked with a brace and use of a cane now...

Merida originally went to her brother for help he couldn't undo the curse...citing the powers that did it required Merida to break it, not him. The days with the Lords staying in Perth wen by, when word that Mordu came back (looking for Declan) Fergus organized a hunting party to drive the bear off. Locking Merida in her room for safety...and telling Declan to stay back at the estate, Fergus finally giving his son the proper duty in defending their estate. The boys had eaten the cake...and turned into triplet bears...Declan appealed to them for help...but it was refused...Merida was the one that brokered the deal, and Declan got her out with the tapestry...to save their mother, the circle of stones was where Eleanore had been...as had Mordu.

Oriana had seen Mordu rampage in the circle, with Declan drawing Mordu's attention to him as opposed to his sister and step mother. Mordu's deception had worked, he drew out Merlin's nephew...but was not prepared for what Declan could do...he was 19 and more honed than he'd been. Still Mordu got a taste of Declan's blood magic, the famed crimson bands, held him in place and the elemental blasts caused pain to Mordu, thinking he was invincible. The bands were only part of the worry...it was Merida's arrow that Declan had enchanted mid air, that felled Mordu off the cliff...to the sea below. Merida thanked Declan...and mended the tapestry she'd torn...Eleanore changed by the light of the dawn...while Fergus had come up with the hunting party and dogs, he'd seen Eleanore change...and demanded an answer.

Before anyone could, Declan stepped forth (and a voice keeps saying, this where I'm meant to be) and took the blame for the whole incident. Fergus, when red faced and severely reprimanded his son when they returned to the estate, Merlin who had come to take Declan back for training, witnessed in silence what Declan had said and his father's reaction. The word 'demon' had been used. Declan stood there and took it, head down, hands balled in anger, but took the reprimand for it all. Eleanore and Merida saw it and desperately wanted to intervene on Declan's behalf. Merlin shook his head no at them (a hero's strength is measured in his heart). The berating and cursing over, Declan nodded, turned around and stormed out. Unseen by him, Merida, Merlin, and Eleanore converged on Fergus.

Declan had now finished this story, unknown by either of them Merida had something send to Saint Paul's, a new family tapestry, one that included new people...well one that was restored to his place, Declan, but now Oriana and Ichabod now appeared.

He'd walked out of the bathroom, wearing his cargo slacks, they were a nice dark brown, he elected a white t shirt to match Oriana, but threw on a dark gray button down front pocket shirt, he rolled the sleeves for comfort, resting them just below the elbow. His black loafers completed the look.

The kiss on his cheek hadn't been lost on him and he was still processing it as he walked down the hall to the lift to the dining room with her, loosely holding her hand.

The breakfast buffet was more than he'd expected, it was huge...like four star quality huge. There were no assigned tables, just wherever you could find a spot, of course Declan wasn't going to make Oriana's plate for her...that would have been too forward and he wasn't going risk getting her something she didn't like, almost in disappointment he let go of her hand as they made their way into the queue for the various buffet items, there were carving chefs out there too carving various meats, making fritatates, crepes, omelets, and other things. Declan making sure Oriana was still with him, bumped a familiar face and voice...

"Hey, hey! Watch it! Keep you goo-goo eyes one the--"

It was Phil, he was cut off by one of the Asian chefs flipping a shrimp into his mouth. He gulped it down without issues.

"Kid! I wasn't expecting to see you here! How have you been? You look like you've been through a rough night..."

It was then Phil noted Oriana, and elbowed Declan with a wink as if to say nice!

"Ori, this is Philotectes...he trained me in combat."

Phil grabbed a bowl with fruit in in...tossing the fruit he bit the bowl crunching loudly.

"Call me Phil."

Declan motioned he wanted a piece of the gravlax, speaking in Norse for it. He blushed a bit, and moved close to Ori's ear whispering sorry.

"Not taught her languages yet?"

"She's only in the 300th circle Phil, she needs to get to 350 before that---"

"Or she could just kiss you!"

Phil had said that in a lower tone so Oriana didn't hear it, sensing Declan's reaction, he could tell there was something different about sorcerer and didn't want undo what Oriana had done for Declan. Satyrs were as strange lot, but Phil was one of the good ones.

"In case Dec didn't tell you, I trained all those heroes: Hercules, Odysseus, Perseus, Theseus. A lot of yusses."

Declan laughed, a real laugh that only a few had heard from him in recent times.

"And then there was Achilles. Now there was a guy who had it all; the build, the foot-speed. He could jab! He could take a hit! He could keep on comin'! BUT THAT MESHUGGANEH HEEL OF HIS! He barely gets nicked there once and kaboom! He's history! "

"Uh Phil? Achilles was at the Halloween ball."

"Ovey...he's back in town."
 
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Silently she had listened to the story of Mordu and her responses had only been a frown here and there. In her opinion Eleanor and Merida were grown women who should have stood up more for Declan by leaving Fergus because of the ‘demon’ remark and following Declan out.
They should have only returned when Fergus had learnt a lesson. Remaining by his side all they had taught him was that such incidents were okay…fighting about it after didn’t do much use.

Sometimes it wasn’t words that were needed to show ones support but actions. If she had known Declan then…she most certainly would have ripped Fergus a new one and then made her stand with her friend. Still, despite these frustrated thoughts she stayed silent.

Oriana respected both women and she knew that Declan thought too much of them to start criticizing them. It would do nothing to help now either.
It was Fergus and his inane fear that was the problem really.

When Declan had grabbed her hand to take her down to the breakfast she hadn’t protested but picked her phone from the nightstand on the way only to see a wink face emoticon that Merida had sent to her.

Typical.

The phone was quickly put into the pocket of her dress before her senses were overtaken by the delicious smells of breakfast foods that lay before them. Her stomach rumbled and she gladly picked up her plate and bit her lip thinking about what choices she needed to make. So many languages were being spoken around her that she thought it would be best to simply point at she wanted than risk looking dumb in front of the chefs.

Oriana was surprised at Declan’s apology. Perhaps he was finally realizing her problems and she appreciated that.

Then there was that laugh that followed. It was rare if she heard it that she almost jumped in surprise.

He seemed to enjoy this Phil personality.

“It’s nice to meet you Phil.” Oriana nodded down at the outlandish man in front of them, noting that he was whispering things to Declan so that she couldn’t hear.

Honestly, get a room?

Then again, perhaps it was best that she didn’t know what was being discussed judging by Declans facial expression.

“Did you really teach Hercules?” Oriana couldn’t completely hide the impressed tilt in her voice. Yes, the man was less charming in person and a drunkard but that didn’t take away the fact that he’d done a lot in a short time. His stories had kept her entertained in her childhood.

“Did you really train Perseus?” She added to her curiosity, trying not to look too interested and maintain her cool so to speak. “I mean…I wasn’t even sure he was real. Seemed too wild to hear about him when I was younger…”

Then again, her books had been faded and frayed. From run down shops that Gothel didn’t have to spend much money on.

“What are you talking about? Of course, he’s real!” Phil folded his arms, taking a closer look at Oriana. His first glance had him impressed but the second more so. A slow smirk stretched across his mouth. “Whoa.” He paused giving another nod at Declan as if to congratulate him again. “And by the way, sweet cheeks…I’m real, too.”

“I see…” Oriana scoffed in response, her awe over this man being the person to train Declan, Hercules and Perseus quickly dissipating. “You may be under the impression that your cheek is sweet but I assure you it is anything but…and my complete disregard of it is also so – so…” She bent down and tapped his forehead lightly with a smirk of her own. “-so…very real.” She straightened and with a quick murmur to Declan that she was sorting her plate brushed away from the two men.

Her time at the Tea Party meant she had very little patience for such remarks and they triggered an instinctive response of dismissing such men.
 
Declan watch the whole thing unfold, Phi was still the same 'ladies man' he always was...but he had that one coming big time. The fact that Phil had now caught a large fish in his mouth from one of the Asian chefs due to a hand gesture he made on his failed attempt on Oriana...while Declan tried to avoid laughing at Phil's predicament.

Still when Oriana walked off Declan stared at her, it as if he was seeing her differently, not hearing a damn word Phil was saying, it was valuable information on why Declan and Oriana were there, clearly this annoyed the satyr.

Declan wasn't all that tall, standing a mere 5'9" but Phil was about 3 and a half feet tall, complete with goat legs and horns, his pot belly had increased over the years. But now he climbed on the sorcerer trying to get his attention, knocking on his head and tweaking his nose.

"Oh yeah she's really something Dec...a real pain in the petellar! Yoooo-hoo earth to Dec! Earth to Dec! Don't you have a job to do or did you forget?"

Declan snapped back to pay attention.

"Yeah, I know I know...sorry...right the task at hand."

"It's like I keep tell you kid...you have to stay focused and---"

Phil's attempt at a lecture fell on deaf ears, his arm falling as his face did as Declan went after Oriana, he didn't want his food to get cold. Phil had noticed that Declan's ring wasn't on his hand, and more annoyed he followed to where Oriana had gone.

"Dec I keep telling you not to get distracted by a pair of goo-good eyes!"

Declan had sat down with Oriana, finally with Phil joining them...the famous trainer of heroes noticed that Oriana had the ring, the one christened Draconus. Now it started to make sense to Phil, they were married....or so he thought, their cover was working so far.

"You know Oriana, this bum here came to my doorstep looking for training, I almost turned him away as I was tryin' to retire!"

"Yeah Phil you relented when uncle Merlin blasted you...don't know why you didn't believe me when I said he was my uncle."

"Anyways, you never saw someone who could wield that sword Caliburn but have no clue how to use it..."

"Excalibur, Phil."

"Right so Declan here needed to learn rule 95...concentration wasn't his thing, but still he did better than Hercules, Declan could handle with care."

"Phil, you were more worried about rule number 96 remember? Aim? Pinning you to that tree...that last blade almost castrated you."

"Not a good thing to say in front of the lady Dec."

"What about that time with the whacko asking if you wanted to buy a sun dial?"

"Kid, enough!"

Declan did as he was told and stayed silent for a bit.

"Now what you got in a husband here Oriana, is a guy that was my best trainee since Hercules, you know he's nailed that big bad werewolf, shredded that worm that that kid caught in the river, and was terrorizing cattle; broke that curse that Jack Sparrow and other other people got by messing with that gold, you know that boar statue out in government district? That was your husband there, he stopped the rampage by turning the thing to stone; He saved this town from becoming Atlantis when Poseidon got pissed off---"

"Phil...you made your sale."

Declan wasn't sure how many labors Oriana had seen him do in her visions of him, but he didn't want to brag about anything. That explanation would come later.

"Right right, so are you two hitting the gambling tonight? Ooooh forgot to mention, the Muses are doing your Zero to Hero song tonight Dec! You and the missus should look into that!"

"Phil, not so loud, the name is Robertson here!"
 
She could only watch the exchange with mild amusement and eat her chilli-cheese omelet. “Well Wonder Boy didn’t stop there I bet.” She nudged Declan lightly to indicate she was merely joking and finished her pineapple juice. There was no need to brag about his escapades but no need to be so modest either.

Oriana noticed that Declan wasn’t refuting their lack of a marital status to Phil despite him being an old friend and his trainee…this was interesting, she had even glanced at Declan when Phil had started talking but his expression did not give anything away.

“Well, before the gambling tonight we could try and relax. I’ve never tried a steam room before…” In her mind, even if they were here for work reasons that didn’t mean she couldn’t take away some experiences with her.

“No kid, she’s right you didn’t stop there.” Phil slapped his hand on his knee, nearly falling off his chair whilst doing so and suddenly looked very excited at the suggestion of a steam room.

“Yes, she’s right kid. I can take you to them, no need to get lost in this place…” His eyes had turned glassy and Oriana felt that there was a personal objective to him wanting to personally escort them to the more relaxing facilities in this place.

The walk back to her room was quick, she left the two men to talk whilst she grabbed a swim suit and a towel. Whilst she knew that most would attend saunas in their birthday suits, that wasn’t something she was comfortable with.

“Right, sorry.” She sidled up next to Declan again with a little bag holding the items she needed and passed him a bag too with what she had presumed he may need. She had read online that the steam rooms were split up for each gender but if she heard anything then she could still report to him later.

Phil happily pulled her along after they’d finished eating and he’d snacked on another bowl and Oriana flicked his nose as he tried to peek in when she opened the steam room doors to see who else was changing inside.

Phil spluttered, trying to peek from under her arms. “B-but the Nymphs…don’t be so cruel, they can’t keep their hands off me!”

“Something tells me that they can.” She told him firmly, slamming the door in his face. His annoyed rumblings were ignored.

Inside were some of the most beautiful women she had seen in her life. They had no reservations changing out in front of everyone, but Oriana chose a cubicle and ignored the silence that hit her ears when she walked past some of them.

Their skin glistened and nearly all of them had bright blue eyes, oceanic and blonde hair that fell past their hips. The strangest thing about them was the flowers and branches in their hair.

As soon as she shut the cubicle door the whispers started and although disconcerting Oriana simply tried to listen to their conversations whilst she changed into her bikini and wrapped the very large towel around her.

“So, where are you all from?” She asked loudly, exiting and making them all snap their heads to look at her. Their eyes seemed fixated on her hair as she pulled her still damp strands into a messy bun on top of her head. Her clothes were being shoved into the bag she had brought, and she stepped near to some lockers where she presumed belongings could be stored.

This would be interesting.
 
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