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[CatLyxen]

---

Cat cleaned the last table and turned to study the rest of the tavern. Poet's Garden had been busy that night and Cat was happy but tired. She sat on a stool at the bar and removed her sandles. She wiggled her toes and started to rub her feet.
It was the wee hours of the morning. Everyone had either gone home or taken rooms in the Garden. Poet was asleep when Cat had left his bed to check the fire in the tavern . As usual checking the fire had led to cleaning tables and then wiping down the bar.
When Cat heard the door open she sighed and put her shoes back on. The man walked slowly ,looking around. When he saw Cat was alone he smiled at his own luck.
Cat caught the scent of sea air and ale as the man walked close to her. She tried to get a better look at him but it was still dark outside and the fire had burned low. When he was close enough he looked down at her and spoke in a deep low voice.

"Well Catelyn lass , looks as if you have come back to yer own."

Cat froze. She stared at the man as if he were a ghost. The man chuckled deep in his throat. He put his hand under her chin to raise her startled face to his. He held her face captured, making her look into his eyes. When she tried to move away from him, with his other hand he grabbed her arm. He drew his face towards hers and kissed her lips savagely. Cat tried to pull away from him but he was to strong and only released her when he was satisfied he had her full attention. Cat drew back her hand to slap him but he caught her arm in a fierce grip and she spit at him.

"Bastard!"

" Ah Lass .. you still have a bit of fire about you. I guess yer father dinna beat it out of you after all" he said grinning. " You still wear the marks on your back, dont ya lass? A gift from a father to his child"

He laughed as he walked around the tavern. He stopped and took a bottle of the special liquor Poet stocked out of a basket. Cat finally found her voice again. She wiped the blood from her ravaged lips .

"Where is he? What does he want?"

The man looked at her lazily.
" He is on the ship. And you know damn well what he wants. Fathers dun take to kindly to their flesh and blood running off and leavin them high and dry" He sneered.

Cat walked towards the fireplace ,looking in the flames turning to embers.

"I wont go." she said quietly.

The man looked at her and grinned.

"So, we are going to have a bit of fun are we? I would like nothing better than to have to "make" you go Catelyn."

Cat turned from the fireplace .

" Don't call me that! My name is Cat. I'm NOT goin anywhere with you , you lap dog! Tell him he can run his own tavern , steal his own gold and work his wenches. I'm not goin back, ever. " She said fiercely.

The man walked closer to her . As she backed away he laughed.

" Maybe I will like it that you wont come willingly. I have time and I like to watch you squirm. I've been watching you. I've seen you with that man. The one that owns this place. You'll work for him but ya wont come back to the Den and work for your father?"

"My father would sell me to the highest bidder . Then come the next day he would have the man killed and take me back along with anythin else the man had."

The man sat on a stool at the bar like he belonged there. He cocked his eyebrows at Cat.

"Aye well thats the way it is with a man and his property. Maybe if you dun smart off to him and try to run away again he wont add any new marks to that lovely skin on yer back."

As he got up from the stool and walked towards Cat they both heard voices coming from outside. The man went to the door used less often and turned before going through it.

"He won't wait long lass. Bad things can happen if he waits to long. I will be seein ya soon, Catelyn."

He closed the door quietly and faded into the darkness.
Cat sat heavily in a chair. She couldn't believe he had found her. Not again. She had to think. She had to figure out how to keep him away.

[Silent Poet]

---

Two sets of eyes peered through the cellar doors looking up into the tavern. One set was beetle black and about 3 and one half feet from the floor. The other pair was just a shade over 5 foot and had a distincitve almond shape to them.

Tai Kwan Leap had gone down to the cellar to see if he could sneak past the new dwarven man that Poet had rented the ale cellar to. This man did not speak much, but whenever Tai got too close to certain casks of ale, he would launch himself at Tai. Over the last few weeks, Tai had noticed that he was having to tussle a bit harder to get to his favorite ale cask.

They were in mid grapple when they heard the angry voice from the tavern. They both ran towards the cellar door and stood watching in amazement.

"Poet-san will not like this. That river rat that just threatened Cat-san does not know this, but he has less than 24 hours of freedom, and probably life," Tai points to the stranger.

The Dwarf nods solemly and fingers the edge of his axe.

"Dwarf-san, wait here, and watch, I will go up the back way and alert Poet-san."

The dwarf quirks his eyebrow?

"What do you mean why should I go? Have you ever tried to wake a sleeping Poet, much less break news like this" questioned Tai?

The dwarf makes a chopping motion and the mimics a tree falling over.

"No, the time Poet-san was overcome with sleep while standing above you does not count."

The dwarf shrugs.

As Tai snuck up the back way, he put his armor on. He had many years of experience of trying to wake a sleeping Poet. He equipped his best shield and mace as he entered Poet's bedroom.

Walking across the bedroom floors, the nightingale boards sang out Tai's presence. Tai was watching Poet closely, and listening for a difference in his breathing rate. It had not changed as far as Tai could tell.

Suddenly, the floorboard clicked instead of singing out. Tai gulped and looked down and realized it was a new floorboard. When he looked back up Poet was gone. As Tai turned to scan the room he heard several hisses and brought his shield up in time to prevent barbed darts from hitting him.

Upon lowering the shield there stood Poet in battle armor and with his hands crackling with eldritch energy.

"Och, Tai, ye should have warned me it was ye. Now I will have to get Riff Raff to reset that trap. Was this another one of yuir surprise midnight attacks to keep me in fighting form" rumbled the deep resonant voice.

"No. There has been trouble downstairs, and danger to Cat-san."

As the last words left Tai's, mouth he saw the change come over Poet. Gone was all semblance of humor. Gone was all pretense of mercy. Gone was all signs of diplomacy.

"Tell me, Tai. Tell me who shall not live another day."

Tai told what he and the dwarf had seen.

Poet stood stock still and the air about him became frigid and still.

"Tai, set the hounds loose. Bring this pirate rat that befouled my tavern before me before the sun rises. Take Doc Holiday, Rocke Oakbender, and his brother Thorne."

Poet's voice was like two slabs of granite grinding against each other.

Tai bowed deeply and said, "From your lips to my ears, so it will be done."

Tai stepped past Poet and left.

Poet changed back into his casual clothing and went down to the tavern to talk to Cat.
_________________
"When he spoke, what tender words he used! So softly, that like flakes of feathered snow, They melted as they fell." - John Dryden

[CatLyxen]

---

When Cat walked into the tavern after being in the cellar checking on supplies , she saw Poet . He was standing in the middle of the Tavern playing a game with the customers. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. Cat was never so proud. Silent poet was everything she wanted in a man. He made her laugh, he made her cry with his sweet words and he made her weak with wanting. She was standing behind the bar seemingly wiping the bar . She noticed her reflection in the gleaming wood of the bar and tried to cover her battered lips with her hand.
She noticed Poet coming behind the bar and turned to face the sink behind her.
"Cat" he said in the deep voice she loved so much.
"yeah?"
"We need to talk luv"

Cat's mind raced . When she had stolen a glance at Poet's face she had seen the thunderclouds ready to burst. She held her hand to her mouth and turned to him as he called her name again.

" Cat , we have to talk about what happened here last night. Tai and Rocke overheard something in the tavern"

" It might have been rabbits. * she started to babble* " Rabbits come in here all the time, and I try to keep them out but they just wont stay out...."

Poet looked at his love and saw that she was afraid , but he wasnt sure what it was she was afraid of.
"Cat , Tai told me someone threatened ye. Tell me where to find him and he will breathe his last."
Cat looked up at Poet . So he knew already, she couldn't hide it from him. She sighed heavily .
" Poet , he was sent by my Father. My Father wants me back. Not because he loves or misses his daughter but cuz after the beatings at his hands and by his orders I couldna stay there anymore and I ran away. He only wants his property back"
" You are nay his property. You are no ones property. I will find this man and before I am dun with him he will wish he had never been birthed. As for your Da....."
" He is not my Da, he is my Father."

" Aye yuir Father. I want you to stay in the Garden , Shiela will look out for you. If you love and trust me Cat , know that I will not let anything more happen to you.
" I do love and trust ya Poet. But my Father isna just a man. He is evil.
He owns a Tavern in Bucs Den but most of the time he is on his ship with the rest of his pirates. He never stays in one place long. I had hoped he was dead. The last time I saw him, my brother Noah fought him. I thought.... he must have gone underground , he must have been hurt purrty bad to not have come out until now. My brother will be very mad when he hears my Father still lives."

Poet drew her to him and held her close. She put her head on his chest and listened to the strong beating of his heart. She looked up and kissed him , but winced from the pain of her sore lips. Poet held back the growl of anger for the injury done to her and handed her a small jar from his pack.
" This is a creme that Shiela makes. It will heal your wounds"
Cat took the jar and thought back to all the times one of her fathers wenches would put a smelly creme on her back after she had been " taught a lesson". She made a face and asked Poet if it smelled . He told her it smelled like strawberries. She smiled and put the jar in her pack. She continued to hold Poet close to her. She knew he was strong enough to take care of her and that thier love would see her through . She was still afraid of the not knowing.Where was her Father and what did he plan next....

[Doc Holiday]

---

Doc lay asleep in his bed, his face a very pale and sweating as it does most nights these days. Every few minutes a slight cough leading to a stronger one escapes his mouth.

Suddenly the door bursts open...
"Doc-san... Doc-san... DOC-SAN!!"

Doc jumps up abit and turns over seeing Tai standing is his door way...

"Oh good mornin' Tai, what are you doing yelling like that?"

"Poet-San wants us to go out and find some man and bring him back so he can punish him..."

Doc nods and crawls out of bed slowly getting on his vest and a bow tie.

"Tai... we have to get him alive?"

Tai nods "Aye, aye Doc-san"

Doc throws on his belt with his pair of pearl handled daggers and walks towards the door lighting a cigarette on his way out...

"Well don't just stand there... go get the horses and lets go find this person"

Doc pauses for a moment...
"Hold on..." Doc grabs a deck of playing cards and a coin pouch.
"Alright now we can go..."
_________________
Doc Holiday

[Silent Poet]

---

Poet stood looking out over the top floor's battlements smoking his pipe as sparkling rings drifted around his head. He could see the four Hounds riding off into the Crystal Fens. His head was slowly nodding.

He looked down and noticed that he did not remember putting his old battle armor on. Shaking his head he went down to the cellar to await the return of the Hounds, and to prepare the reception.

***

The Four Hounds rode up to the Stone Archway that lead to the city of Buccaneer's Den. Tai Kwan Leap was astride his faithful horse Chibi. To his left were the two dwarves, and then on the outer flank rode Doc Holiday. Doc seemed to have been sleeping most of the way. Tai had noticed Doc wiping blood from his lips a few too many times.

"Oi! Doc-San, are you prepared" Tai asked calmly.

Doc Holiday seemed to appear less pale as he straightened in the saddle. He checked his pearl handled daggers. His long fingers fluttering a pattern of ritual love and devotion that caused the pearl to shine.

"You are a peach, Tai. Never let anyone tell you any different. Let's bring this fool to ground!" Doc said and then spurred his mount through the archway.

Tai looked down at the Oakbendber brothers. Thorne and Rocke both spurred their ponies forward and Tai followed them through the portal.

Once the arrived in Buccaneer's Den, Doc Holiday and Thorne went left and Tai and Rocke went to the right. They were all carrying war horns to sound at the sight of this man named Lasher.

***

Poet had finished painting the sigils and patterns on the floor he had thought would not have to paint again. The runes on the back of his left hand were bleeding freely and glowing. He grimaced briefly as he took his left wrist in his right hand and stood in the center of the pattern. Then he squeezed his left wrist and forced even more blood out of the four runes. Their bright sky blue glow deepened to a blue as dark as midnight.

As the first drop of his blood hit the center of the pattern, it flared into life glowing with the same midnight blue as the back of his hand. Poet stood there chanting a song that his mother had taught him so many years ago.

Poet's face became ashen as he concentrates, and his brow was soaked with sweat. He stood there bleeding into the pattern for several minutes. Then drawing his athame, his ritual dagger, he knelt and plunged it into the center of the pattern.

"As it was begun, in pain and blood, so shall I bring it to an end!"

The pattern flared bright red while tendrils of energy leapt from it to weave a sphere around Poet. For a brief moment the tall Scots found himself enclosed in a burning orb of energy.

Poet threw his head back and screamed one long word of power and the energy around him was absorbed into his body. Having been trained as a singer, Poet's lungs allowed him to chant this mantra for a minute longer than his mother could.

After three minutes Poet staggered back from the center of where the pattern had been. He stumbles to the bench he had brought down and sat heavily down. He slowly wrapped his left hand while chanting the healing spell taught to him by his mother's mother. When he finished bandaging it the runes had stopped glowing.

"It's a good thing you soundproofed this basement." A voice from the shadows spoke.

"Aye, Murdoc, I am not a man who enjoys bringing pain to others. However, with my past, I knew that I would need a place to do things of this nature" Poet spoke looking directly at where the shadowy figure was standing.

"Dammit, Poet! How long have you known I was here?" Murdoc asked as he stepped from the shadows.

"I knew the moment you arrived. This late at night I am not distracted by a tavern full of guests. I know of none who can move in my house and I not know of it."

"There are ways around everything, Poet." Murdoc grinned as he lit his cigar.

"Aye, but lucky for me, ye havena figured them out. Come sample some ale while we await the Hounds return."

***

Tai and Rocke were in Pirate's Plunder tavern questioning Captain Blackheart. He was not giving them much information since they were both sober at the moment. Rocke had climbed up on the table and slammed his axe into the center of it to get the drunken pirate's attention.

Captain Blackheart blinked at Rocke and went back to drinking his grog.

As usual with the quiet dwarf he had gotten his axe stuck in the wood of the table. He was in the process of trying to extract it when the sound of the war horn rang out in the night.

In one fluid movement Tai grabbed Rocke from the table pulling him and axe free.

"Rocke-san, they call."

With those brief words, Tai and Rocke ran out of the tavern and into the shadows of the night.

As they ran through the alleys they heard the horn again. They followed the echoing wail to the end of an alley that was blocked by empty kegs.

Rocke launched himself forward smashing into several kegs with himself and his axe.

"Baruk Khazad! Khazad ai-menu!" the dwarven battle cry echoing about the enclosed alley.

"Rocke-san. Here is the entrace we seek." Tai points to the hidden doorway just to the left of the kegs.

The hidden doorway revealed a set of handcarved stairs wet and mossy leading down beneath the city. As the two reached the bottom of the stairs the horn blared loudly again but was suddenly interrupted.

Stepping into the passageway they saw Doc struggling to hold Thorne upright while trying to keep a small band of pirates at bay. Rocke and Tai ran forward straight into the pirates. Axe and katana flew fast and furiously.

The only sounds were the battle cries of both Tai and Rocke.

"Boot to your head!"

"Baruk Khazad! Khazad ai-menu!"

Thorne seemed to rally to the dwarven war cry and he and Doc Holiday staggered into the remaining pirates.

Thorne had raised his axe with his remaining good arm, and was about to split the skull of the one who had tried to shoot Doc Holiday in the back. He was very angry, the crossbow bolt stuck in his left shoulder made his arm useless.

Doc Holiday leaned against the wall coughing.

"Thorne, that peach you are about to cleave asunder is the man we are looking for."

Thorne blinked a couple of times and then lowered his axe. Tai walked over and bound and hobbled this man, Lasher.

Rocke was at his brother's side gesturing wildly and frantically.

"No, brother, Mother is not going to blame you for this. I heard the sound of the crossbow being drawn and was pushing Doc over there out of the way. I just didn't move myself in time."

Tai walked over to Doc.

"This man got the drop on you? No one ever gets the drop on you, Doc-san."

Doc coughed and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He lit a cigarette and leaned against the cavern wall.

"Tai, one thing I know, there is always someone out there to prove they are faster. Now let's get this man back to Poet."

The four hounds gathered their mounts and left the city. Lasher was tied across the saddle of a pack horse. As they rode from the city, a man watched them from the shadows. He smiled sinisterly as he donned his tricorne hat and walked to the largest ship in the fleet at the docks.

***

Poet was writing in a journal, and Murdoc was praticing flipping and twirling his kryss.

Without looking up, Poet says, "They have returned."

Murdoc catches himself and stops from jumping.

"Dammit Poet, sometimes you worry me" Murdoc says as he puts away his kryss.

Murdoc faded into the shadows as the four Hounds come down the back pass to the cellar. Tai was leading as he casually carried Lasher over his shoulder like a sack of flour. The two dwarves followed with Doc Holiday in the rear.

Tai unceremoniously dropped Lasher into the waiting chair and then looked questioningly at Poet.

Poet winks at Tai then holds a finger to his lips.

"Untie him, and fetch the lad a drink."

Doc walks up and hands Lasher a bottle of White Thunder. The pirate looks up as Poet steps forth from the shadows into the torchlight surrounding the chair. As Poet walks forward the pattern he had drawn earlier glows a faint red, and Lasher is seated at the center.

Poet lifts the bottle from Lasher's hands and takes a healthy drink from the bottle. He hands the bottle back to the pirate.

"It is not poisoned. If I had wanted ye dead, ye would be. Now drink."

Lasher lifts the bottle to his lips, and coughs as the burning liquid flows into his mouth.

Poet takes off his leather gloves to reveal a set of glowing runes on the back of each hand. The left hand still shows traces of blood around the edges of the rune. He slowly leans down and places a hand to either side of Lasher's head.

"Ah, me lad, I see ye are looking at my markings. This left one here means hate, and this right one here means love. Which story would ye like to be hearing tonight?"

Lasher dropped the bottle and lost control of his bladder.

Suddenly, Murdoc was behind the pirate and had put his dagger to the man's throat.

"Now lad, I have prepared this room for our talk. Ye canna lie to me. I am going to ask ye some questions. Every time ye lie, I am going to cut off a joint of yuir fingers. Do ye understand?"

Lasher nods slowly.

"Which hand do ye favor, lad?"

"Left" croaked the pirate.

Poet steps back lights his pipe and says, "Tai, hold up his right hand."

Tai takes Lasher's hand and holds it up.

Poet leans in and cuts off the tip of Lasher's smallest finger.

"Now, lad, that is not a good start. Ye just lied to me."

The room filled with the smell of offal as the pirate lost control of his bowels, too.

"Whom do ye work for?"

"No one" spat the pirate.

"Lad, ye are making this hard on yuirself" Poet says as he slices off another section of the lad's finger.

****
So it went for the last few hours of darkness.

Poet was lighting his pipe again while Tai and the dwarves were healing Lasher enough to bring him back to consciousness. He was missing all ten fingers and all ten toes.

"Captain Grey will kill you for this" screamed Lasher.

"Lad, it will be fine. In a few minutes dawn will come and bring a wash of colour and light to this find land. The birds will sing a morning tune. Merchants will be walking to their shoppes soon to lay out their wares. Maidens will be fetching the morning's milk. Even now, Merteoe is setting out the first meal of the day. I can smell it from here. Doc there is going to go and find his first poker game of the day. Tai is going to have his morning meditation. The two dwarves are going to patrol the Garden and keep all it's patrons safe. I am going to go upstairs and awaken my lady love with a kiss. It shall be a wonderful day."

"It is a shame ye willna live to see another dawn," and Poet stepped forward and grabbed Lasher by the head and turned his shoulder until the neck gave way with a sickening crack.

"Lads, remove his head and leave it in a bag beneath the bar. I must go tell Cat she is safe."
_________________
"When he spoke, what tender words he used! So softly, that like flakes of feathered snow, They melted as they fell." - John Dryden

[CatLyxen]

---

Cat woke up and raised her head from the desk in Poet's bedroom. She had been reading a book and must have fallen asleep.
She sat up straight and stretched. The large shirt Poet had given her to sleep in bunched up around her middle. The knots in her neck and back were intense. She need a good soak in the hot tub or some skilled hands. She grinned thinking of Poet.
As the dim rim room came into focus from the glow of the candle she could see Poet had not come to bed yet. She listened for any noise from the tavern but couldnt hear anything.
She stood and stretched again. Walking toward the bedroom door she heard voices. She opened the door and headed down the hallway to the teleporter. Just as she was looking out of the window into the darkness she caught site of torches burning. She stopped and leaned foward over the window sill. Then she recognized the voices. They were pirates! They were all around the Garden. They were yelling and laughing. There was a cluster of torches gathered a few feet from the main door of the Garden and it was in that glow Cat saw the shadow of a man she thought was her father. Her suspicions were realized when she heard one of the pirates say " Cap'n Grey, we found a sheep and two people inside the tavern but noone else so far." She saw her father nod and in a thin raspy voice she heard him say " Find her , you idiots!"
Cat gasped and backed away from the window. She could hear the pirates yelling for her.
" Come on lass, yanno ole Capn Grey aint leavin til he gets what he came for"
"A daughter aught to obey her father"
Then they laughed.
She looked around wildly.There was smoke coming from downstairs. She heard one of the pirates say" Burn it! The rats will come out!"
She ran into Poet's bedroom and started throwing things out of the window. She couldn't let him lose everything he loved because of her.
The smoke got worse and worse . Cat started to cough, tears ran down her face from her eyes stinging and her rubbing them.
She had thrown everything ,she had the strength to pick up, out of the window. When she looked out the window to see if maybe she could escape , it was too high and in the darkness she dared not .
She left the bedroom to look for a way out . In the hall a tapestry on the wall caught fire. She ducked to get out of the way . She turned to go back into the bedroom and the fire had spread to the door and its frame.
She was getting dizzy, her eyes felt like they were swelling and her lungs felt too full to take a full breath. She fell to the floor and crawled half blind to the teleporter. She tried to see through the smoke but wasnt sure where she was until she opened the door into the hot tub.
She crawled to the hot tub and stumbled into the water.
The smoke started to gather under the door. She could make out the glow of the fire from the windows. Her eyes began to blur and tear again. She coughed and laid her head on the side of the tub. As the glow of the fire lit up the room Cat's eyes closed as she slowly slipped under the water....

[Silent Poet]

---

Since the execution of the pirate Lasher, there had been attacks made upon the Garden by Captain Grey's men. The first few times, Poet and his Hounds had thrashed them soundly and sent them running from the Garden and from the lands surrounding the Garden.

When Poet realized that some of the ones who had been spared and sent scurrying back to Buc's Den were returning, he turned his heart from merciful thoughts.

"Okay, me lads, we canna allow them to leave with their lives. From this point forth, any of Captain Grey's lads found in the Garden are to be dealt with extreme predjudice."

Tai Kwan Leap raised his hand.

"Aye, Tai?"

"Poet-san, should Doc-san and I question one?"

Poet nodded somberly.

"Aye, use the sweat lodge to do yuir interrogations. The Oakbenders will be trying to secure the Garden from anymore incursions of these thrice damned pirates."

"I will be in the tavern trying to calm our patrons. I must make sure Cat and Sheila are safe."

Poet went down to the tavern of the Garden and talked with Ditto Armunn and Lilyth Noir. He had difficulty concentrating on the conversation. It worried him that not even Ditto had seen Cat that afternoon.

"Poet, ye dun think that her father has her, do ye" Ditto asked?

"Nay, lass. If they had Cat, there would be no more need for these raids."

Poet stopped talking suddenly and gripped the edges of the table. His brow was furrowed in concentration.

"Me lasses, perhaps ye should hide behind the bar!"

With that exclamation, Poet leaped over the table he was sitting at and ran for the teleporter leading the the upper floor with the bubbling bath. He slid across the teleport pad and appeared in the hallway by the theatre, bath and sweat lodge.

Somehow they had discovered a secret entrance to the Garden and it was located in the sweat lodge. When Poet had arrived Doc Holiday and Tai Kwan Leap came bursting from the room tearing the door from the hinges.

"Boot to the head!" yelled Tai.

"He was no peach, now was he" said Doc Holiday.

"Ye bloody bastards! I willna tolerate ye in me house!"

Eldritch energy sparkled around Poet's hands as he summoned fireballs and energy bolts. The passageway lit up bright as a summer day with the arcane pyrotechnics.

As the smoke was clearing and the bodies were being removed the teleporter behind Poet announced someone arriving from downstairs. Poet turned and saw his lady love, Cat Lyxen.

Poet ran to her and lifted her up into his arms and held her close. He buried his face into her braids and growled.

"Me love, ye are safe."

"Aye, I was just nappin' at me house. I had to water me plants" Cat said.

The energies collecting about Poet seemed to still. Poet tried to kick some snow over the bloodstains in the hallway.

"Whatcha doin'" Cat asked.

Poet suddenly points over Cat's shoulder and says, "Look, love. Tis a seagull!"

Cat turned to look but did not see anything.

"I dinna see it" she says.

"I think ye may be able to see it better from the tavern windows" Poet said as he gently guided Cat towards the teleporter.

As soon as Cat was sent to the tavern below, Poet chanted a few words of power and changed the security of the teleport pad. Now, none but the Hounds and Poet could be put in danger by this breach in the Garden's security.

****
The rest of the evening was spent with Poet singing songs, and telling tales of merriment and laughter. He was clearly trying to put Cat and his friends and family at ease after such recent attacks.

Cat had gone to bed before Poet was done with his entertaining for the night.

*****

A well muscled arm plunged deep into the waters of the bubbling bath and pulled Cat to the surface. She blinked into the smoke and coughed up water.

"Poet, why is there smoke everywhere?" Her throat was raw from the smoke and the coughing did not make it better.

"Hush, lass. Shug sent me to find you." The family nickname revealed her saviour to be Angus, Poet's younger brother.

Cat coughed a bit more and then realized it seemed very hot.

"Here, put this wet cloth over yuir mouth."

As she tied the cloth around her mouth, Cat realized it bore the Clan Glenfinning's coat of arms.

"Can you stand now?"

"Angus, what is going on? If I dinna know better I would think there was a fire in the Garden."

"It is on fire. Shug and the Hounds are securing the tavern, but he wanted me to find you."

Cat became very agitated.

"This is all my fault."

"Cat, be a love and follow me down to the basement away from this fire."

As Angus opened the door a cloud of smoke rolled in like fog through the heath. Angus started forward and a man with a cutlass stepped foward and ran Angus through. Cat saw the blade as it exited from Angus's back. Had she been moving any faster she would have been impaled as well.

"Bloody hell!" Cat screamed as she stepped forward swinging a mace she did not remember equipping. The sound it made as it crushed the pirate's skull scared her. It also made her suddenly accutely aware that there was danger all around her.

She struggled for a long while, but was able to drag Angus and herself underneath the table in the corner of the bath area. Cat tried applying bandages to Angus's wound. He feebly tried to brush her hands away.

"You damned highlanders are all alike. I have to bandage this."

Angus coughed and a trail of blood ran down the side of his mouth.

"Nay, lass. I am done for. Dinna waste good bandages on me."

"Hush, Angus. I still have my mace."

"I see now why Shug loves you. I had a message for him from home." He coughs wetly and his breathing becomes more erratic.

"You can tell him when you see him."

"Lass, I willna last much longer. Tell him that the family line is not dying with me." There is a harsh rattle in his throat, and he leans over and coughs up dark bile and blood.

His breathing is very ragged, and his teeth start chattering.

"He's still alive... Padr...." Angus coughed and shuddered and then was still and silent.

Cat held Angus close to her and started rocking. She was not going to cry. She was not going to lose control. She was going to make this all be right, again.

She could hear Poet and the Hounds fighting a fierce battle below in the tavern. Never before had Cat ever heard Poet's voice so full of rage.

"But he's still alive. Please, Poet dinna die on me."

Suddenly the door to the bubbling bath area was torn from it's hinges.

"Boot to your head!"

Cat looked up into the face of Thorne Oakbender. She barely noticed when the Dwarf pulled Angus from her arms. Rocke appeared at her side and pointed up. She blinked and suddenly the dwarf had her in his arms.

"Take them to the basement!"

"Boot to your head!" Tai bellowed as he ran into the bath.

Three pirates jumped down from the open archway around the bath.

"Konnichiwa. Meet your gods."

Tai spun into the three wielding his quarterstaff. He quickly dispatched two of them, and chased the other into the corner. The pirate jumped to the ledge.

"Banzai!" Tai yelled as he threw himself into the lad and out the archway three stories to the ground below. Only Tai got back up.

****

Poet was alone in the tavern with five of the pirates. He started chanting in Gaelic, and the floor of the tavern began glowing with an intricate spiderweb of ley lines.

"Ye bloodly pirates made a mistake. I have infused this tavern with me own blood and majick."

Poet clapped his hands together and the very stones of the floor seemed to rumble.

"Ye have done me and mine great harm. I willna tolerate it again!"

Blood dripped from Poet's hands and his back. He closed his eyes and concentrated and then flung his head back screaming.

The room was suddenly filled with a light so bright it was painful to look upon. Energy poured from Poet in five different directions. Four of the pirates were blown across the room and out of the Garden. Their flaming bodies screaming as they hit they ground. The other was transformed into a great hawk.

"Now, if ye ever want to be human again. Tell me where I can find Captain Grey."

Then Poet pointed and the hawk immediately flew off up into the night above the flames.

Poet sagged to his knees and shuddered. He could sense that everyone who was still alive was out of the Garden. This knowledge came at a heavy price.

His brother Angus was dead. His bloodline had come to an end. Walter's wife, Katarina, was not outside with the survivors. Sheila had been blinded and tortured. Doc Holiday rescued the two Oakbenders in the basement. Ari and Magdalena, the bartenders had been killed by the pirates.

Then, there was the Garden. It was on fire.

Poet stood to his full height and tried channeling his remaining energy through the house. He realized very quickly that it would do no good. He ran to the fountain at the front and jumped down to the ground.

"Everyone step back! I need to bring the Garden down to put the fire out."

"Poet, Katarina is still in there." Walter looking feverish ran back towards the burning building.

"Walter-san, look a dragonfly!" Tai jumped in front of Walter and when Walter turned his head, Tai struck him only hard enough to render him unconscious.

"In Vas Por!" Poet screamed. The ground and earth trembled as the Garden tumbled down into smouldering ruins.
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"When he spoke, what tender words he used! So softly, that like flakes of feathered snow, They melted as they fell." - John Dryden

[CatLyxen]

---

Cat stood in the tavern looking out over the land. The work of rebuilding and refurnishing the Garden was going well. She had been so busy helping Scribble, Tatianna and Rinoa fill the hot tub and making the Garden comfortable again she was just realizing something was very wrong.
At first she had just forgotten to change out of her night shirt Poet had given her to sleep in. Then other things began to happen.
She couldn't tell all her freinds that she wasn't sleeping. They would worry and there was enough to worry about .
She would go to bed and curl up under the covers . She would close her eyes and breathe deeply but before long the face , Angus's face, would show up in her mind and wake her up.
she was having trouble remembering things.
She remembered coughing from the smoke and sliding into the warm water of the hottub. She remembered Angus's strong arms pulling her up. But beyond that, she couldn't piece anything together. Until she remembered standing outside the Garden , holding Poet's hand , watching it crumble to the ground.
Now she was so tired. She would doze off at a table or sitting at the bar, then wake up quickly gasping for air and calling Angus's name. She tried to remember, tried to stay asleep so Angus would help her remember.
She couldn't sleep so she kept working on getting the Garden fixed up and comfortable. The insomnia was taking its toll. She was growing more and more clumsy and forgetful. She would start to run an errand and then forget what it was she was supposed to do.
She thought maybe she was losing her mind. She couldn't let anyone know.
What if she was losing her mind, wouldn't they take her away?
Wouldn't Poet be nice to her but have to lock her in a madhouse?

She would be ok, she told herself.
She would remember.
Some how.

[Dezera]

---

Dezera was keeping an ever watchful eye over her sister Katarina, as she usually did, when the commotion broke out at Poet's Garden. She watched as the smoke built up more and people were beginning to run outside. Finally she saw her sister's husband Walter run out, but Katarina was not with him. She glanced around abit frantic, but still no sign of Katarina. She looked over at Walter again he was just standing there, but that didn't surprise her much considering she had never liked the man.

Dezera turned her attention back to the building and started to head inside to find her sister when the ground started to shake. She jumped back a little just as the building started to crumble to the ground and looked in horror. She sat on the ground back against he moutains, so no one could see her, and stared blankly at the building. She thought of how she had failed their parents all those years ago and now she had failed her sister. All of her anger was comming back again as she began to blame Walter. She had tried to warn Katarina about him before they got married. All the times Katarina had gotten hurt were due to something that involved Walter and his past, and now... because of him... her sister was dead.

Her heart grew even colder as she watched Poet lead Walter away from the building and she was left there alone. She sat there for a few more moments, then decided it was time to get back to her nephew, her only family left when she heard a noise comming from the ruins of the building. She followed the noise, moving pieces of the building out of her way with her magic. Then, there it was... a female's hand, her sister's hand, reaching out of the ruins. Dezera quickly moved the rest of building pieces off of Katarina. She sighed in abit of relief as she found her sister alive, but barely.

She took her sister to one of the many hideouts that she had and began the process to get Katarina nursed back to health. She sat in a chair next to her sister, watching over her closely through the night. She thought to herself how she had to make Katarina see that being with Walter would only bring her more harm. Now was Dezera's chance to convince her sister as she was the one helping her and not Walter... and she would do whatever it took to accomplish it.

[Walter]

---

The days grew longer.... harder... life was a mess... Walter sits on the porch of his house in tears. He wished Poet would have let him make one more run into the Garden to save his wife the one he cared so much about. All that went through his mind was why he had been such a fool how he should have hung onto her tighter. All the thoughts of that mind rush through his head, as the frustration, sadness and depression build and build, Walter grabs his dagger and slams it into his chest.... suddenly all turns black.

The last thing he sees before darkness is the blue glow from his finger....
_________________


[20:28] Inkari: walter=chuck norris

"What do you mean I can't sell castle deeds I create on Ebay?" - GM Darwin circa 1999

[Sadira Reflov]

---

It had been a while since Naissia had heard from Walter. He had become a good friend to her, especially during her little poisoned water episode. She noticed that he was not at the Regency meeting a couple of night ago. It started to bother her abit. She then thought perhaps he had finally taken his wife to some place special. She knew how long he had wanted to have his wife to himself for a while..but both had been so busy. She thought, perhaps that was it. Though, she could not help but have a feeling something wasn't right. She donned on her uniform, justin case, and started walking. It was during this time, she realized she didn't know where Walter lived. She then got the idea of sending him a pigeon. She was not sure how those birds always seemed to find their way, and she followed it. When his home came into view, she smiled. It looked as if noone was home. But she saw something that made her stop. She blinked as if in disbelief. She quickly ran to the house and there she saw her friend..laying in a pool of his own blood. She quickly took hold of him and took him into his home. She yelled out for his wife..but there was no answer. Then it dawned on her that perhaps.they were attacked. Walter had mentioned threats against him and his family while he was in the guard...in the Regency. Whoever made the threats must have finally made good on their word. She started to tend to Walters wounds after writing a quick message to be sent to Rufus.

********************************************************

Rufus
I am writing you from Walter's home. Someone had attacked him..he is severely wounded and his wife gone. I believe she was kidnapped, as Walter had mentioned threats against his family and himself. Whoever has Katarina is our assilant. Please inform the rest of the regency of this ordeal at hand. Who knows who will be next.

Sincerely,
Naissia
*********************************************************

"Come on Walter you cant die on me. Your wife needs you to save her...use the love you have for her to help give you strength."

She would softly say as she worked on his wounds fighting hard to keep the anger at bay against those who would hurt her friend and his family so.
_________________
"Nature gave man two ears but only one tongue. A gentle reminder that he should listen more than he speaks."

[Merteoe]

---

Denton walked into the Pirate's Plunder, flashing challenging looks at anyone brave or foolish enough to look him in the eye. Denton was a dark-skinned man, strong and almost portly looking with a thick neck. He wore a sailors outfit and a nasty look. Business firmly in mind, he carried on to a table near the back of the taproom where another man sat alone.

The man looked over his bottle and snorted indignantly. Denton helped himself to the empty chair across him.

"I see your fortunes haven't improved much. Still swilling down over-watered grog which you most likely had to cut some fools neck just to afford" stated Denton with a certain detachment.

"'ard t' find work fer a castoff like me" the man replied.

"You really should have considered that when you left Captain Grey's ship. Should never cross your mates like that friend, it ruins a mans reputation as a scoundrel, and your reputation as a decent sort of folk was ruined long before that, wasn't it." Denton curled his lips into a half-smile. "Now where does that leave you?"

"Jus' git on wit it ahready" the man answered with contempt. "What's Grey have in fer me?"

Denton grinned wide, seeming to enjoy how miserable the man was. "No friend, no hard feelings from the captain, I assure you." The man looked at him dubiously. "The Captain would most appreciate your cooperation in a matter. He's trying to retrieve his daughter, but certain people are making it difficult. She is now cloistered away in a newly fortified building called Poet's Garden. The direct approach will not work, so we will try the subtler one."

The man looked at Denton curiously. "So whatsit ya need me ta do?"

"You have an acquaintance that is a regular patron there, and we need the inside angle. Buy this person..." Denton hoisted a small pouch that clinked. "and we will discuss more when it is done. Another bag will be yours to share when Catelyn is back with the captain."

The man stared at Denton for a moment, then quickly snatched the pouch from his hand.

"Be well friend" grinned Denton as he rose from his chair. Then he turned and walked across the room and out to the streets of Bucs Den. Captain Blackheart, drunk as always, shaked his fist at Denton's back and went back to drinking.

***

After prudent delay, Capone raised his head from his folded arms that rested on the ale covered table. The hood of his robe, which was soiled and quite fragrant, was low over his face. He brushed crumbs from his white nest of a beard, and stood with a false drunkeness. Staggering as he made his way to the door, he left to report to Merteoe what he had witnessed.

[Greyskull]

---

Kenderholm was quiet as the rest of the troops were heading to the training grounds in Jhelom. The old man was reading a book relaxing and waiting for the stragglers.
When the door opened and a young woman cleared her throat, he turned to see someone he hadnt seen in months.

"Dezera? It's good to see you. You behaving?" the old man knew her answer already, he just liked to tease her by asking. "You know me better than that old man" she smirked a bit and sat down as Greyskull offered her a seat.

After a bit of small talk, Dezera asked the old man if he had heard of the Gardens destruction. "I had heard rumors of it, yes. Its a shame really, A nice place to go when I am not so busy" the old man replied.

"Did you know Katarina was caught inside? And that she was injured?" Dezera asked.
The old man was taken aback, "No, I was not aware. I havent seen the Princess much since Jonathan was born. Being a mother and a wife has taken much of her time. Is she alright? has she been to a healer?"
"Shes fine, a few broken bones and bruises, but shes alive.Resting in one of my more secret locations."

Greyskulls face went pale as he asked his next question "And Jonathan? is he alright?"
"He's fine, he wasnt there thankfully." her reply eased the old mans troubled heart.
"And what of Walter, was he injured?"

"Thats another reason I came by. My sister has been put in nothing but jeapordy since the day they were married. And I convinced her it would be best if she went her own way." Dezera looked to be trying to hide a smirk, but the old man knew Dezera and Walter never got along.

"Katarina has ever been a free spirit, I know thats what attracted Walter to her in the first place" the old man sighed a bit.
"My sister has also asked me to stay away from him, and has asked a favor from you..." Dezera handed Greyskull a sealed letter "Will you make sure Walter gets that?"

Greyskull nodded as he put it away for safe keeping. He didnt like the idea of giving an old friend bad news, but Katarina was not only his best student, but part of his family.

"Behave young lady" Greyskull said as Dezera headed for the door of Kenderholm.
Dezera smirked again "We'll see old man" and she recalled away as the door closed.