#fracturedodr

[familiasworn]

@fracturedodr

As Hearthstone Manor came into view, Eina's heart beat heavily, anxiously, in her chest. She'd almost remembered him, and would have, if Goddess Freya hadn't caught on. But now that the charm was broken...

She wanted to apologize to him. She felt ashamed that it took her this long to work up the nerve. Having been allowed inside by the Renard Haruhime, she looked around the entryway. "Is Bell...home?"

She didn't want to impose if the reason for her visit wasn't even present.

"Y...yes, he is. But, um...Wait here please. I will see if he's willing to accept visitors right now," she walked through the door to go find his chosen room, and knocked quietly. Welf was currently on watch duty over Hogni.

[cxdemusings]

@fracturedodr

The halls were quiet, the night always brought a refreshing stillness to the world. Quiet echoes of heels on the floor, then a knock upon a closed door. Hogni had stopped outside Bell Cranel's room.

Hedin, Allen, the Gulliver Brothers, nor Ottarl knew he had taken it upon himself to visit Freya's Beloved...a small detour before heading to his own room.

"...Should the room be empty," he muttered out loud, quietly, lamenting the possibility. "This would be all for naught..."

[familiasworn]

@fracturedodr

Everything had been so still outside...So quiet, so--

Click.

Hogni turned his head, and as he thought, that was the sound of Bell's window opening. He watched the boy climb out of the window, his visible eye widening. What was he doing?

Where was he GOING??

Hogni jumped to his feet, grabbed his cloak in a swift motion, and was out. Across the yard, to the gate.

His hand had closed around Bell's wrist just as he had reached up to open the obstacle.

"...Do you have any intent on explaining your destination?" He asked, looking over the things he had with him.

[familiasworn]

@fracturedodr

"Bell," he approached the rabbit in the garden, his sword held loosely in his left hand. "I have informed Lady Hestia of the training grounds...I wanted to see more of that magic you possess. Firebolt, correct?" He paused, shifting the hilt in his palm using his fingers. "I wonder how it differs from my Burn Dain..."

Was this a request to train?

Yes, it was.

[familiasworn]

@fracturedodr

"Hey Bell, so uh...Hogni just handed my this bag of Valis...told me to take you shopping," he held up the bag in question, then scratched the back of his head. "He looked really conflicted, like he wanted to take you himself, but kept mentioning daytime...and staring. Got himself worked up, so...he passed it onto me with an address, too."

He looked over the piece of paper...If he recalled, the shop listed was actually...really high quality and on the expensive side. He'd feel out of place there, but...

Maybe Hogni recognized him as one of the ones with at least a modicum of confidence...

"So, I guess get ready to go. It's only open when the sun's up."

[familiasworn]

@fracturedodr

Hogni had taken it upon himself to patrol the grounds in a small attempt to get himself out of his room more often. If he was finding ways to help Bell be seen...

He didn't want to be a hypocrite.

So with Victim Abyss in hand, he wandered around the corner of Hearthsone and came to a stop, immediately noticing someone outside the gate.

Another elf.

As he approached, he seemed to startle the elf, who stood just slightly taller than him.

"D--Dainsleif?! What are you doing here??" Luvis took a step back from the gate, thrown for a loop now.

"State your business, or begone."

[familiasworn]

|| Defection

@fracturedodr

He left at night.

He left when the Familia was sleeping. When no one could argue.

He left after convincing Freya somehow to revoke the Falna she'd bestowed upon him, with nothing but Victim Abyss and the clothes on his back, with the boy at his side.

A slow trek, hesitation and halting with every step, the dark elf was struggling. But he had Bell by his side to help him keep going. Regret and fear were a near constant especially as they approached the gates of Hearthstone Manor, as the morning sun begun to rise over Orario's battlements.

Only now had he looked back the way they came, the anxiety written clear as day in his expression.

"...I made the right decision...right?"

[familiasworn]

@fracturedodr

Again. She'd try again. Later in the day though, when they were all too worn to argue much. Probably a poor line of thought--and it was, they were all adventurers.

This time instead of Hogni(like she would've hoped...she still had things to get off her chest regarding him and Hedin), she was met with their blacksmith. Welf stood in front of the gate, his arms crossed. "He's busy. He'll always be busy when you come around," he said in a firm tone.

"I'd rather hear that from his own mouth," Heith grumbled.

"He has Hestia's Falna, not Freya's. Don't tell me you fell for her manipulation, too." It couldn't have been the charm, that had broken for everyone in Orario.

"She didn't manipulate me!" Heith snapped at him, stomping her foot indignantly--then took a deep breath. She didn't want to lose her cool like last time. "I just...want to talk to him. I want to understand."

"I don't think I can trust that. We can't leave you with him alone."