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[Sadira Reflov]

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Sadira sat at her writing table. She began to write in her journal. Each day had something new, there was not once a dull moment. The events of the last two evenings swirled in her mind. Her first true agruement with Bailos. The sting from his back hand was still felt along her cheek.

"I dont want you as a wife. But our marriage will be symbolic."


Couldn't he find another symbolic marriage elsewhere? Then the ending of the long heated conversation.

"If you step down and renounce your position and state that you will end your affairs with Sanctus. Then I will remove that bracelet."

The possiblities came to her in a flood of emotions. Her eyes lingered upon the bracelet. Her mind then drifted to this eve's conversation with Zarlox and Lady Tatinana. She respected Lady Tatinana, for her bloodline. She knew her not that well, but did know her brother Talon. But her words of virtues and how the citizens lost faith in them, just made her blood boil. She was not there. How does she know that the citizens lost faith in their virtues? She was not there to have a child burned die in her arms, yet still hold true to the virtues. She did not see the bodies...or watch one of the guardsmen being beaten. Nor did she hear the tales of the horrid torture, they would put him through. What did she know with her text book hard core virtue following. Did she not realize that it was not the citizens..but Sadira who lost faith. The horrors she'd seen..the experiences she had gone through. She finally let this all out to Zarlox. Zarlox could do nothing more than to sit there and take it like a lashing. Sadira felt weak, and for a moment unworthy of Zarlox's love. His speach of how Tatinana didn't know...how it was not the faithin the virtues that harmed them, but the lack of faith the aggressors had that did.

"I fear m'love, the only virtue that has seen fit for a visit here is Humility."

She had told him, touching the still sore and redden mark left by Bailos' hand. Then, to top it off Zarlox had asked that question. Of all questions to ask. he had to find and choose that one.

"What do you feel about him?"

He looked to her. This threw her off, how was she to answer when she didn't even know who he was referring to.

"Feel about who?"

Then his gaze answered it all, as it found its way to the bracelet upon her wrist. She told him the truth, though she feels that it pained him to hear it. Perhaps not so much as to hear the words, but to know that he was not there to help prevent most of it.

"I first saw him as a mix blessing."

Her words soft, keeping them as tender as possible to help eleviate any pain struck cords. She then proceeded to inform him of how the Skulls attacks were ended once Bailos came to rule. Though his methods in achieving it was little left to be desired...the outcome, at that time she savored. The city was not strong to hold against such attacks..not any more. But Zarlox and the rest returned with numbers slowly growing. Then the future did not seem as bleak as it did, before everything else went down. She then proceeded to tellhim she felt there was good still in him. Good buried deep down. Of all the opportunities he had to finish her off, he didn't. She could only think of one reason that was because though his path had become astrayed, the good that was in him sill thrived..even if buried deep..and this good allowed him to have compassion. Zarlox just sighed shaking his head.

"No..not how you feel about what he could have done....didn't do...or his actions. How do you feel about him?"

It dawned on her, as she looked towards Zarlox.

"Zarlox, what is it you are trying to ask or wanting to know exactly?"

He just turned his head, as to not look at her. This confirmed the feeling she had.

"Do you think I have feelings for him?"

She asked him trying to turn his eyes in her direction.

"Well you did stay with him last eve after I left. Why didn't you come with me?"

She wasn't sure if she should laugh, cry, or slap him for making such accusations.

"I stayed cause you two seem to know what buttons to push with each other. I had stayed to see about talking him into removing this blasted bracelet from me. I fear, if you were there, he would have done something just to see about getting your goat."

They sat and talked as the evening grew darker. Their first idea of Bailos trying to turn Sadira against Zarlox, had turned into him trying to turn Zarlox against Sadira. Zarlox wrapped his arm about her shoulders.

"Then let us not let him come between us."

She nodded in agreeance, leaning over she kissed him softly. She knew their love could only grow stronger. She looked down at her journal as she finished writing the last line.

It was not til all was said and done, between Zarlox and myself...that I realize the real strength of a true love. Though my faith is still faltered in the virtues, I do wish they treat m'love better than they had treated me. Though I nay have the heart to tell my beloved of such loss. Perhaps on day, my faith will strengthen.
_________________
"Nature gave man two ears but only one tongue. A gentle reminder that he should listen more than he speaks."

[Bailos]

---

His arms were folded, one under the other, as he stood askew from the massive port window in Blackguard's throne room. The sun was setting beautifully on the horizon and another quiet day set on the city-state.

"That little slut..."

The phrase slipped out of his mouth as he leaned himself against one of the window's supporting arches. He was still stewing, ever so slightly, about his increasingly frequent run ins with Zarlox and Sadira. One on one he was more than a match for either of them. He could dominate their minds, especially 'hers'. But the pair seemed to draw off each other, and lately, he could not isolate them. Quite a problem.

The citizens still remained happy with him and his attention to their future. Or at the very least, satisfied. But could he be doing more? He was spread thin. Umbra's resurgance longed for his expertise, and he lent it, but it was nearly time to move his ever dangerous eye in the direction of Luna.

Maybe it was time to see where the people stood?

[Zarlox]

---

Sitting in the dank room he had been using as an office, Zarlox starred blankly at the roster of recruits before him. Though the list was tenfold what it had been just a few weeks ago, he saw none of the writing on that parchment this eve, for his heart and his mind were elsewhere.

The last few days had been some of the most event filled ones since his return. There was the return of two old friends, laying claim to the plot of land behind Blackguard, his conversation with Bailos....and then there was Sadira. The conversation he had with her on that moss covered log had been the most difficult one with her to date. As she poured out her experiences and emotions while he was gone, he could only sit there and listen to the horrors she described. The horrors that the people of Sanctus endured while he was gone, the horrors he should have prevented.

She had side stepped two of his questions in the conversation, how her faith in the Virtues stood now, and how she felt about Bailos. Despite what she had told him, he still felt that somewhere, she did care for Bailos.
Zarlox shook his head thinking to himself "How could she believe in him as she does? After all he has done?"
He knew that he should not think this way, Sadira loved him, and told him so a great many times. But he also knew that the world of love was a place where emotions ruled logic.
The other question he did not push her on when she avoided it, she probably didn’t realize he noticed her do it, but he did. The Virtues were ideals and a way of life Zarlox had lived by since he was a young boy, and now the woman he loved was extremely skeptical of them.

He leaned back and ran both of his hands through his hair taking a deep breath. "Enough for now" he said out loud. "Time to get back to business."
He moved the roster from in front of him and replaced it with a contract of sale of the plot he had just acquired. After looking it over in the flickering candlelight one last time he signed it and prepared it for delivery. "Paige!" he called. When the messenger arrived Zarlox handed the scroll to him. "Take this to Mr. Rockwell."
"Aye sir" The messenger said with a salute. "Good evening General"

By the time the messenger had reached the bridge to Luna, Zarlox was again starring blankly at the papers in front of him....