Graceling

[Galadas]

Peter followed Elliot, taking Isaac with him, he whispered in a soft voice when he saw over Elliot's shoulder the mark on the man's chest. "El, I've seen that mark before."
Elliot turned to him. "Where?" He asked, whispering back.
"On... that man, how was he called? He worked with us, remember? Just once, he had that mark on his hand, not always, sometimes. I remember his grace, he could read minds. He had a brother, who had given him that mark. Remember?"
Elliot nodded, lying, he didn't remember.
"What do we win with that information?" Peter asked, grinning.
Peter shook his head. "Nothing I guess, just thought I should've said something, he watched on over Elliot's shoulder to Meera and Kasta. She must have noticed them already, among the crowds.

[Cara]

Kasta could see the anxious crowd below her. She turned to some of the other Graced men. "Tie and gag him. I'll want to see if I can... extract... some information from him," Kasta said, "but not here." No, she wouldn't display her cruel Grace here... "Meet me at the back entrance. I'll bring the horses around there..." she said.
Turing back to the crowd, she nodded. "Meeting over," she said, hearing many complaints. "I'm sorry. You may here from me in the coming future..." she said, stepping down.
Elliot saw that she was walking directly towards him. He stood straighter at her approach.
"How did you get here?" she asked with a smile in her eyes. "Didn't know you and your friends were apart of the Order," she said, knowing that they weren't.
"We aren't," Elliot said, "but that girl," Elliot said, pointing to Meera's daughter, "let us in."
Kasta nodded. "Yes... well I have many things to get too..." Kasta said. "You are welcome to stay and meet with the other Gracelings here. "I have some matters to attend to..." she said, turning to leave.

[Galadas]

"No!" Elliot reacted fast. "We want to come." He didn't like staying behind with other Gracelings. He was afraid that Kasta or Lorn had told them about him, and that his name hadn't been cleared yet. It came to miind when the daughter of Meera recognized it, but ofcourse that was because of other reasons. "Can we?"

[Cara]

Kasta turned, looking at Elliot with a raised eyebrow. "Very well...." she said, unsure of why he was reacting so. "Lorn can show you and your friends," Kasta said, nodding to them, "a different way through the Archives. One can get easily disoriented and lost and we never leave the same way we entered," Kasta said, turing again and striding swiftly through the crowd, until she was lost.
"Well you heard her, let's go..." Lorn said with a grin.

[Galadas]

Elliot turned his face at Isaac and Peter before following. He had no idea what Kasta's plan was, but he wanted to be dragged into it, seemed she had a lot more luck them he had, he found at least something. She could bring them to the Master, to his Dedelean.
"Where will we be going after we've left these Archives?" Peter asked.

[Cara]

Lorn's face clouded for a moment. Just a flash, but not unoticed by Elliot. "We'll be meeting her back at Meeras..." Lorn said. "She has to report back to his Majesty," Lorn said, cooly. "Come, quickly. Time is everything..." he said, turning and taking a fast pace, moved deeper into the Archives.

[Galadas]

Elliot put his nose in the air, he tried to smell the outside, but it was far away. He turned his gaze to Peter and Isaac, they were walking hand in hand, Isaac's head on Peter's shoulder. Within their hold there was a spark, more than one. Yet, Peter seemed to feel no pain.
Lorn walked out in front of them, just in their view, but out of the hearing reach.
"I feel we're not reaching any ending of these archives any time soon." Elliot said.
Isaac looked up from Peter's shoulder. "What are you talking about? You can not expect that the way back takes the same time as the way in. Just relax, we'll be out of here soon."
Peter laughed a bit. "Afraid of the dark little wolf boy." He said, with a lovely voice.
"How far?" Isaac yelled, trying to calm Elliot down, who seemed to be scared.

[Cara]

Lorn stopped and waited for them to catch up. "There's a few more miles of tunnels... It's a good idea not to be seen just yet..." Lorn said, as he kept walking.

Kasta walked with quick steps through the large arched hallway. Her steps snapped across the tiled floor. As she entered the throne room, she stopped before her uncle.
"You're late," he said, flatly. Kasta just nodded, her thoughts elsewhere. "I have another assignment for you..." the king said... He glanced up at her, narrowing his eyes. "You did not bow," her uncle said, irritation in his voice. Kasta shrugged again. She could see his nostrils flare in anger. She was too upset at everything that had happened, that was happening. She knew her uncle had another mission for his Strong Hand. She loathed him, loathed what he made her do. He was so ignorant, sitting in his stupid throne! She wished she could drive her knife through him! "I should have you whipped for that!" the king said.
"Should?" Kasta asked, mockingly. The king reminded her of a bull, ready to charge. Large and fat, and powerful. But she wasn't without her own weapons either.
"Bow now, and there will be no more discussion," her uncle said smoothly.
"No."
There was a murmuring about the court. When Kasta passed her eyes over them, they ducked their heads away. She saw even some leaving the room. Even the guards shifted with nervous energy from foot to foot.
"What!"
"I said no, uncle" she said, not using the court formalities.
Out of the corner of her eye, Kasta saw the guards skirt the edge of the room, to block her. They aimed their crossbows at her, waiting. She smiled. They knew what she could do. She was a Graced killer. She'd fought them all in practice, and beaten them all. Should they fire, they would be killing themselves.
In an instant, Kasta had taken out a thin dagger and thrown it straight at the king. She heard a scream and scared and startled cries from the spectators. The king looked either terrified or utterly surprised. Maybe both. The dagger quivered, embedded deep into the wood, right in between his legs. Kasta laughed, sounding almost mad.
"You don't want to test me..." she said, pent up rage and fury all coming up in an instant. Her usual mask of composer shattered in that second.

[Galadas]

Elliot couldn't help getting very bored, he looked at Peter, who could almost go over to carrying Isaac.
"I hate walking." Isaac whispered, a sound that Elliot could hear through the air. It was weak, he was getting a kind of lack of air down here, and he needed that air to make his fire.
"Well, lets run than." Peter said, smiling widely. "I think Lorn wants to join us." He said loudly, drawing Lorn's attention. He didn't want to be rude or anything, but he hated it when his boyfriend was annoyed. "Elliot will."
Elliot nodded, smiling softly. He was ready to run, the fastest way out of this godforsaken place. He remembered the old times, the easy times.
He, Peter, Isaac, Dedelean, and many others. They travelled through the lands, saving people like themselves, and just having a lot of fun. They were the best friends, sharing everything with each other.
He wondered how many of them would be under the Master's control, besides his Dedelean. "Guys, no running, okay." He said, noting the slight frustration that Lorn showed.
"This Kasta." Peter said, dragging Isaac along to walk next to Lorn. "Why does she still work for the king? The king of Rada isn't really in favor of Gracelings."

[Cara]

Lorn glanced over to Peter, hesitating. "It's really Kasta's reason... Her reasons for staying with His Majesty are her reason's...." Lorn took a breath, as if deciding weather he should say. "It's true the king doesn't favor Gracelings, but he still uses them. Kasta... has a dark past. There's a reason she's...afraid to leave the king."
"Kasta... afraid?" Elliot asked, interested.
"Not in the sense you probably understand," Lorn said, quickly. "Kasta is more... loyal than you might think. To herself, to others. It's hard for her to see through her past, when every moment reminds her of it." Lorn pursed his lips. Many times he'd asked Kasta to run away with him. Away from being the Law and Enforcer of the king. But she's always said no, no matter how horrible she was treated.
"What happened?" Peter finally asked.
Lorn shook his head. "That's for you to ask her... Just a little more ways to go," Lorn said, changing the subject, and quickened his pace.

Kasta glared at the king. For a tense moment, not a breath stirred the air. The king's lip trembled in anger. It was the strength of wills.
"You may be my niece, and that is what has kept you safe for so long, but blood ties are only so thick!" the king snarled, standing.
"Keep me safe?" Kasta asked, with a sharp laugh. "No, you're the one who should be worrying about your safety. I won't tolerate it any longer," Kasta said, her voice falling loudly, echoing off the marble walls. "I'm not yours to own. I won't do your bidding..." she listed, "And I will listen to you again," she said finally. "You know that if you order your guards to shoot, you know what will happen," Kasta said, seeing the guards raise their crossbows out of the corner of her eye. Kasta sighed, thinking. She changed her tone, "My Lord, here me out when I say that I wish to not remain in your force, but thus, remain in the Court. It is my right, as it is yours and you'd be cruel to dishonor it, especially with so many witnesses," Kasta said, keeping her eyes steady. "What says you?"

[Cara]

Lorn stopped, causing Eliot almost to knock into him. "We're here," he said.
Elliot frowned. "Seriously? I don't see a goddam door..." he said, irratable.
Lorn put his hand on the ceiling and pushed. Everyone was blinded by the bright daylight. It'd been a while since their eyes had been used to the light.
"Let's go," Lorn said, hoisting himself up and out.

Kasta smiled. "Don't stop me, uncle. I will came back here, and kill you, should you do so. You should know. You trained me well."

[Galadas]

Elliot followed Lorn, looking over his shoulder at Peter and Isaac. He was wondering how this story would continue, for all of them. What happens when they have taken care of the Master and they have Dedelean back? Shall all go back to normal? He doesn't feel any need to go back to old habits, killing for money.
"How far is it?" Isaac asked, letting go of Peter's hand. They pretended to be friends when it came to the outside world, afraid how anyone would react.

[Akira]

I have moved this Bio to the other Bios in the beginning of Gracelings. It is tagged in with my Bios, here.

[Cara]

Lorn didn't respond for a moment. "Not far... There are horses waiting for us," Lorn said.

(let's speed things up, shall we? ;D)

They rode west for the outskirts of Rada. That was where Kasta was too meet them. Lorn slowed, as they neared the inn of the small town.
"I hate riding," Peter complained.
Elliot saw Lorn frown. "What is it?" he asked.
"Oh, nothing..." Lorn said, but his frown didn't go away. He was looking at the small stable of horses. Kasta's recognizable warhorse, Brendel, wasn't among any of them. Did that mean she wasn't here? Had something gone wrong in their plans? The Master was last seen hiding in the mountains, so that's why they were starting here. Worries plagued Lorn.
The stable boy took their horses and led them away. The group walked into the inn. It was nice to be warm. They were greeted by a soft, welcoming light and the smell of good food.
"Ah! I was starting to get worried," an old woman said, coming forward and bowing to Lorn. "Master Lorn," she said. She looked to Elliot and his friends. "And who am I to welcome as guests of my inn?" she asked, as she led them to the back of the place. Her smile was warm, but her eyes were serious and calculating. Like Kasta's. They wandered, as if always on the lookout for danger...

[Akira]

Shona walked through the crowds, knowing to go to the inn. She wanted to run, go quickly, but to do so would draw attention. She hid herself, drawing her hood over her eyes. No one could know she was a graceling. Not until she made it to the inn, where she would meet them