Rough Returns

Marcus felt himself spiralling out of the darkness, a light pain in his jaw told him just how Zee had knocked loose his wandering soul but he hadn't expected for the kinetic force to fling him out of the burning brazier, down the steps and collapsing in a heap at their bottom. The good news, he was back as dragon folk Marcus, the bad, he didn't have wings anymore. Flying was fun and even if it were a pain in the ass to haul them around he wished he could have learned how to grow them in his current form.

Suddenly remembering the earlier fight he hopped up and looked around, the damage to the hall was as if their fight didn't even occur. Selvantra herself was also missing which let him calm down a little, her full beast form was crazy to him but thinking back to child lamia vs her grown body, just how large were Zee and the dragon god? She looked human but she clearly was much larger considering his perspectives, a giantess? Shaking his head he walked down the hall and back out under the sky. Dark clouds blocked out the sun and a light rain slashed across the shrine, the white tiger guardians were huddled under the overhangs frowning at the weather...

"Ah, the wanderer..."

"... returns to us."

"The lady and..."

"... your friends are..."

"... waiting for you..."

"...in the living..."

"...hall over that..."

"...way, don't keep..."

"...them waiting." The first white tiger lifted his chin at his brother, feeling rather smug for getting the last word in for a change.

Marcus chuckled and shook his head, heading over to the side hall. Lanterns and incense burned at regular intervals giving the place a solemn vibe yet a rather boisterous voice broke the stillness, "Oi snake witch, where be our boyo? Ye said 'e should be back by now right?"

Sliding open a wicker door Marcus entered the room with a grin, "Aw did you miss me Kia... oof..." Little time passed as the teasing words were spoken when a red haired surface to surface missile crashed into his chest. Marigold wrapped his waist in her arms and clung tightly to his chest burying her face against his scales.

"Even if the wee rabbit didn't not papa'sss little missstresss asssuredly did! Come in and pour yourssself a cup not papa." Selvantra's matured voice chimed in before taking a slow sip of her tea, her body was coiled before a small table which had once sat the three women but with Marigold in his arms and Kia half on her way the lamia looked a bit miffed to have been so soundly abandoned by the two.

Carrying Marigold who was trying hard to bury herself further into his embrace, he patted Kias hair before settling in Mari's spot and cradling her on his lap. Kia looked rather put out but regained her own seat and glared at the other three, "Took yer sweet time 'ey? When this scaly witch came out wit out ye, yer pretty pretty was set ta turn miss scales 'ere intact a pair o' boots. Only gotten worse wit tha week passin'"

Marcus had poured himself a cup of tea and blinked, "A week? I only visited them for at best a couple of days."

"Time doesss ssstrange thingsss not papa when you mix in sssoulsss. Near asss papa put it, time isss like a pond, throw a rock in and what happensss? Ripplesss. For you not papa ssseeing me and mama wasss two daysss, for usss now? A week passssed. No worriesss, I've kept thessse two entertained." Selvantra remarked sipping her tea like nothing was out of the ordinary. "The big quessstion next isss what you intend to do now? The other ssshrinesss?"

"For now the road leads home, Marigold misses her brother and our supplies were lost when we fled Rensdale, not sure if Kia is coming with but we've welcomed her this far." Marcus replied rubbing Marigolds back who had yet to chime in, it struck him as odd that she'd not even punched him for making her worry, the quiet Mari was in truth worrying him. Still, looking her over he was glad to see that she had found a change of clothing, it was similar to the robes she wore when they first met, at least she was no longer flashing the world when she broke into a run or jumped.

Kia shook her head, "I'll be stayin' behind 'ere boyo. The scaley witch done lost 'er boyos awhile back, so she offered ta take me on since Rensdale is about as welcomin' as a bear den. Between us we're 'opin' ta figger out a way ta help tha other beast folk wit that shite town. So you go do yer 'ome shite an' if ye comes back dis way maybes I'll tag along again."

Marcus nodded lightly and hugged Marigold closer, finishing off his tea he lifted Marigold and walked her out, "Well once the rain abets we'll head out, but be sure we'll stop in when we set out again." Disappearing into the hall the rabbit looked to the lamia and sighed "We needs ta tell 'im. Either 'is pretty pretty will tell 'im or 'e'll figger it out on 'is own an' blame us fer not tellin' 'im."

Selvantra sighed coiling and uncoiling her lower half in agitation, "How do you tell sssomeone their home isss gone?"

* * * * *

Deeper in the hall Marcus found their room, and lightly sat Mari on the bed. Looking at her he could see her eyes were red and puffy, had she truly thought he fell to Selvantra? "Love, what troubles you, it aches my heart to see you quiet like this..."

Marigold lifted her face, tears rimming her eyes as she clutched to him and shook her head, her fiery curls bouncing with each shake, a soft whimper escaped her lips as she tugged on Marcus' arms drawing him down onto the small bed with her reluctant to part with him.

Laying with Mari in his arms he softly stroked her head leaning in to nuzzle her cheek, "Ah my poor maiden won't you let me in so I can help you?" Marcus whispered softly as he hugged her close. He felt her hands pushing his body back as she scooted over to lay on his chest, tears flowed down her cheeks as she kissed his chest. The mix of intimacy with weeping was confusing him, even more so when she straddled his hips and swiftly shucked the top of her robe laying bare her tender breasts, tear drops dripped on the soft upper slope and trickled down over the curve, yet she sat there caressing his chest, weeping at the same time trying to arouse him.

Marcus looked up with concern, the silence was one thing, but this weeping intimacy screamed something was wrong. In his old world how often did people turn to pleasures of the flesh to flee from troubles that they just were not able to deal with. As her hands explored his body, her bottom bouncing on his waist urging him to reveal his arousal, he couldn't help but reach out to cradle her cheek, feeling the tears wet against his palm. "Speak to me love, I know something is eating you and if this will help I shall help but I'd rather you told me what weighs so heavily on you?"

Marigold's face scrunched up, her beauty a mask of rage, then helplessness. That deep sadness swiftly returned as she collapsed against his chest, laying atop him her body shook as the tears came in earnest, a bone deep wail of despair escaped her lips as her body shuddered atop his. Still he heard a soft, sob wracked, whisper as she rubbed her face against his scaled chest, he cocked his head not even daring to breath as he listened...

"All gone, they all are silent. Seth, oh me brother, Seth, gone too is he..."

The sobs started anew but he clutched her gently, all silent, Seth gone? Misfortune struck while they were away? Marcus could feel some sadness for Seth being Mari's brother but the rest of the town? Such news barely touched his mind let alone his heart. But for Mari... he looked down as her sobs turned into wails, her fists beating softly on his chest as she finally had an outlet to understand her pain. As time drew on the rain beyond the hall slacked off and Mari too fell into an exhausted slumber, Marcus carefully slid out from under the distraught woman and walked back to the main hall. Kia was idly sweeping, glancing guilitily at him when he walked in.

"What happened Kia, Mari is barely coherent, all I know is something happened to our home town and her brother."

Kia sighed and sat at the tea table waving him over, "Guess tha shite job is mine, lucky fer me. A'right 'ere's what I knows. Was about three days ago, we got bored waitin' fer ye so yer pretty pretty suggested 'eadin' 'ome to pick up a change o' clothes an' check on her lech o' a brother. Thing is, when we got dere it was a damn ghost town. Nary a soul ta be seen fer awhile. The houses were burnt out 'usks, wha people we found were best not talked o', whatever 'it yer 'ome, 'it it 'are an' complete, even tha animals were slaughtered. Yer pretty pretty feared the worst an' ran off screamin' fer yer boyo Seth. When she came on back, she was like dis. I sat 'er down in that shite 'ole that passed fer yer church and trailed 'er path out in ta one o' the fields. Found two bodies out in one o' tha fields. The first was a womans, looked like whatever scum sucker sacked the town likely 'ad their way wit the women, in 'is case looks like they made 'im watch, then gutted 'im."

Marcus nodded, gritting his teeth. "There's something more isn't there?"

Kia nodded, tears ringing her eyes, "From what I can tell, Seth tried ta crawl over to the other body, 'is guts are spread a good five feet from where they stabbed 'im an' where the woman was taken. Suffice ta say they tortured the poor boyo then left 'im to rot."

Kia sighed wiping her eyes, "So when yer ready, we'll go put the bodies ta rest, but fer now yer pretty pretty needs 'er rest, she's been wakin' up screamin' fer the last few days. Just stay wit 'er boyo, she needs ye bad."

Marcus nodded retreating from the lapine and returned to where Mari was tossing and turning her sleep anything but restful. Gently picking her up, he cradled the poor broken woman to his chest and gently rocked her in her sleep. Her eyes opened and their gazes met, her voice was hoarse and whisper quiet, "And now ye know."

"I do indeed love, on the morrow I'll head out to start doing what I can..."

Shaking her head she softly wept, "Nuttin' to be done, all silent. Seth be gone. Our home be a graveyard, best to just let those poor souls rest."

Marcus hugged her tight, "They need to be buried, at least Seth and his lady deserve to reach each other in the end don't they?"

"Not goin' if yer dead set on disturbin' ghosts then on yer own head be it. All your fault to begin with, now yer set on puttin' me brother in the ground an' leavin' me again." Marigolds eyes were red as the venom rolled off her tongue, she struggled in his arms trying to escape, "Well good on ye then ye bastard son o' a gecko. Fuck right off! Leave! Ye brought a pox upon me home and ye'll do it again won't ye? Damn Dragon God, curse yer bones fer leadin' me astray on yer little quest while me blood was tortured and watched as one he cared fer suffered! I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE! I COULD HAVE SAVED HIM! DAMN YE MARCUS!"

Her yells broke off as she broke down against him, once more sobbing and striking his chest, flailing weakly as he held to her, not resisting her anger but denying her depression, holding her close and stroking her hair, "Sleep love, rest, we'll deal with home when you're ready." Cradling her in his arms he rocked her back to an uneasy sleep, the days that followed were much the same, when she was calm she was as if a nun with a vow of silence, when the nightmares came she lashed out at all within range, and for the most part she cried enough tears to fill an ocean twice over.

Marcus and Kia did what they could for her but the hurt was just too raw, for now they did their best to keep her going but as the day turned into two then a week, Marigold simply became more withdrawn. Then one day Selvantra approached the two, Marcus lifted his head warily and asked, "Seclusion?"

Selvantra nodded softly, "Ssshesss lossst her faith not papa, ssshe needsss time and the two of you are ripping the ssscab off. Pleassse, go do what needsss to be done, I'll take care of her and keep her sssafe, you have my word. When her heart healsss ssshe'll come to find you on her own but for now ssshe needsss to heal."

Marcus nodded looking to Kia, "Can we borrow the guardians for a bit, they'll make the trip south quicker."

The lamia nodded the slithered off leaving the two alone, Kia rested a hand on his arm, "It'll be a'right boyo, yer pretty pretty is a tough one, she'll fight 'er way outta tha dark. For now let's take care o' yer 'ome, the poor souls dere need ye now."

The next day carried by the white tigers the pair prepared to ride to ride off, still Marcus looked back, just within the main hall of the shrine a lonely figure looked out from the shadows. How he wished to see her one last time but it was not to be, inclining his head they rode off to the south...