Knocking on the door to the house again this time he spoke *hello is anyone here* he he said loudly.

Tyrcestus listened to her story without a word of interruption, listening to her every word.
When she changed topic from the story about her and the boys, his eyes narrowed, but still he kept silent.

When she finally stopped talking, he simply walked over to her and gave her a hug.
"I'm so so sorry, Trinity. I'm so sorry."

Still hugging her - embarrassment be damned - he started to talk himself.

"My story is not as sad as yours, but it's not happy either. Round here, magic is akin to the work of demons, and when I was born..."
He closed his eyes.
"When I was born, the story goes from my father that the moment I started crying for the first time, the fireplace sprung into life without anyone touching it, cockerels crowed like it was the morning even though it was almost midnight. When the apothecary - the man I currently work for - took me into his hands to examine me, I removed every scar, every ache, every pain he'd ever had, just by giving him a smile. When he turned me over and found the lines on my back, he yelped, dropped me, and I fell into the fireplace."
He chuckled.
"I crawled out, laughing as the burns faded from my skin. The family dog, old and lame, came to lick me - in less than a moment he was in his prime again, bounding everywhere. The wooden floor started growing leaves and took root as I crawled on it. My father thought he was the father of a god."
His smile faded.
"My mother, however, thought she had given birth to a devil."
He unconsciously held her tighter, the memories bleeding into his head.
"She saw my ability to heal as a sign of dark and twisted magics, and she immediately picked up a poker for the fireplace and... tried to crush my skull with it."
His fists clenched against Trinity's back.
"However, my father and the apothecary watched in aghast amazement as I healed myself completely and fully in a matter of seconds. My mother tried to attack me again, and again, and no matter what she did I just could not and would not die. My father subdued my mother, and the following morning... she was carted away to Sionamere's mental asylum. The one kind of injury I could not heal on the one I loved most."
He looked up.
"My father raised me, taught me right from wrong. I learned about the world the harsh way - my peers taught me that people are cruel, dark, monstrous. The names they called me...devil child... mother killer... abomination to God... and their personal favorite, dark freak. They didn't know about my powers, but they knew my mother languished in the mental asylum raving about birthing a demon. Children are so cruel."
He spoke this last sentence sardonically, though his voice trembled just a tad.
"One time, they forged a letter from my father, telling me he wanted to meet me on the heath just up the hill. I went there. I was then ambushed and beaten so badly that I would have died if not for my powers."
He looked her in the eyes, and chuckled again though his eyes were dark with the memory.
"The looks on their faces when I walked into the school the following day completely umarked, oh, that was priceless."

His eyes fell.
"I was at school when it happened. A cart accident, similar to the one that boy suffered. I could not bring my father back from the dead, the way I almost can now. Somehow, don't ask how, I made some sort of deal with my magic, with my powers - I sacrificed my own ability to heal, in return for my enhanced ability to heal others. Hence the black lines."
He indicated his back, where the black lay dully amid the red.
"So the apothecary took me in, and I've worked for him ever since. My life's been fairly quiet - until today, that is."

He was still hugging her, and decided to let go.
"Please tell me what happened with the boys," he said firmly. "Otherwise I am going to get very upset."

Tyrcestus instantly hugged her again.
"I don't judge. You seem like a nice girl, and if you're not... well, I have no means of defending myself. You could have killed me at any time. You haven't. And, for some reason, I find myself trusting you."
He looked at her, and his eyes became wide like a puppy dog's.
"Pwease tell me," he pouted, then grew serious.
"Please."

she sighed
"fine ill tell you"
she looked down at the ground
"it wasnt the stables, it was actually a tool shed. the boys wanted me to go in but i refused, i didnt want to. the boy who were nice to me throughout that day changed, the started being mean, saying mean things and threatening me. one grabbed a hold of my arm and started pulling me in"
she looked up at him
"i didnt want to go in and him grabbing me hurt, when i pulled my arm away and slapped him. next think i knew the others had grabbed me and started forcing me into the shed. i ripped my dress i was wearing from struggling with them"
she placed her hand on the side of her cheek
"the boy i slapped swung at me because i was fighting them, he punched me right here in the face, it really hurt. i dont know what happened next but all i could remember was seeing red and when i finally came to i was standing outside of the shed, with nothing on, blood on my body and my hand, i could hear them screaming in pain"
she looked away she moved her arms across her chest as if she was hugging herslf
"i didnt mean to hurt them, all i could think to do was run. i ran to the nearest stream and started washing the blood off myself. one of the boys must have gotten away and told the towns people what happened, cause the next thing i knew i heard screaming and shouting coming my way, they were calling me a devil child, and to have me hung for what i did, and thats why i was running"
she looked up at him
"i know what happened and what i did, its not the first time something like this occurred, and i am ashamed for what i did, but i didnt mean to hurt them i honestly didnt, i never meant to hurt them"
a tear streamed down her face
"but when it happens i cant stop it, not in a situation like that, its like something inside me takes over and i cant control it. like that part of me is trying to protect me in a way, but the end results of it happening are horrible"
"she looked up at him through her lashes
"if you want i will go now, im sure you wouldnt want someone as horrible as me around here causing you any problems"

Zaila nodded her head. "Yes you could. You could use them to purchase anything you wanted." She looked at Beelzenef. "Silver isn't as valuable as gold....but with the rich veins you have here, you and your kind would be well off."

******

Puzzled, the guards walked towards the letter, and cautiously took it. They examined the letter closely, seeing that it was sealed with the Song Fox, they knew they could not read its contents. They looked at one another, then headed back to the city to deliver the letter to Lord Song.

"That good. Goblins want new home deep under mountain. We maybe find more shiny rocks. When start dig we need move animals and items out of cave." Beelzenef said

*****

The five small goblins watched the three armored men take the letter and began to run back home

*****

Elsewhere, in the village of Sionamere

Junko finishes her work at the bakery and watches many armored guards the Red Fox symbol running through the streets. As she watches the scene she wonders what could have happened to cause such a fuss

Tyrcestus simply took her hand and led her behind the gold desk where he handled money in his master's absence, sat her down on the chair, then gave her another hug.
"You had no control over it. It's not your fault. And besides, those boys had it coming, believe you me. You're my karma reward."
He gave her a smile - then froze as footsteps could be heard from outside, loud voices, angry voices.
"Get down," he whispered, and pushed Trinity under the desk so she couldn't be seen - just as four extremely badly wounded young men limped, staggered, and stormed inside.
"DAMNED BITCH!" one of them was raging. "Damned crazy freak!"
"Is there something I can do for you," Tyrcestus said icily, and they all glared at him.
"Give us something to get rid of these damned injuries, dark freak. I don't care about the costs."

Tyrcestus moved straight to the back of the store, leaving them to talk at the desk no less than ten inches away from the girl they were angry with.
"I swear, if I catch that bitch again, I'm going to have my way with her, get her in that damned form, skin her and mount the pelt on my wall!" the leader was saying.
"Hey - if you're having your way with her can I have a turn?" another one asked.
"Yeah, I want some action!"
"Me too."
Tyrcestus's hands were shaking as he sorted through potions.
"I tell you what?" the leader decided.
"Let's all take her at the same time!"

CRASH!
Tyrcestus dropped the potion he was holding and lost it completely.
"Alright gentlemen," he said brightly, scooping up another bundle of identical looking potions and bringing it back to the front desk, a wild light in his eyes.
"Here you go! One rejuvenation potion! Each! Drink the whole thing tonight and you'll be right as rain in the morning! Free of charge! My treat! Off you go!"
The men looked at each other, shrugged, and took the potions.
"Thanks, freako!"

Once they had left, Tyrcestus looked at the sky as if to confirm what he had just done.
Then he looked under the desk.
"Trinity, you ok?"

Tyrcestus brought her out from under the desk and held her tight.
"Don't you worry. They are NOT going to bother you again. In fact..."
A dark streak ripped through his voice.
"They're not going to be bothering anyone ever again." He held up a bottle identical to the ones he had given the boys.
The bottle was unmarked, but then he pulled out a label from his pocket.
The label read:

Gironex's Magical Laxatives
Do not use more than one teaspoon at a time - one teaspoon = one day and night's worth of freedom from constipation
Please note - more than one teaspoon will cause the effect to accumulate over time

He put the bottle back, smiling wickedly.
"And they're going to drink the whole damn bottle in one night."
He looked back at her, weak, afraid, trembling.
Then he sighed.
"Good thing we're not going to be around to deal with it..."

After reading the letter that his daughter had written, he had his guards move out to find her...giving strict instructions not to shed any blood...just as his daughter had asked. His horse was readied for him...clad in armor (the same armor used for parades and the like). Once on his armored steed, he and his horse tore through the streets, followed by a detachment of guards.

******

Zaila looked at Beelzenef, and folded her arms. "Where would you move the animals to? Do they not call the mountains home?"

The Legacy was on it's way back to it's home port of Aiamson from a trade expedition to the east for the ashenforth trading company. Not the biggest one out there but they where known for their high quality of goods that they where able to acquire . The captain was on deck, looking at the night horizon as the moon's light shimmered against the calm sea with a smile.
Glad to see the calm sea to welcome us back.
The captain looked at one of his crew members as he ran up.

" captain, we can see our port in the distance!"

On the horizon dim lights where starting to appear like star coming out as the sun goes down.
they where slowly coming back to port.

Below deck in the cargo hold, there was someone that was listening to what was going on up top. Despite the fact that no one else could have barely heard what was said from the same area of course.

Zaila took a deep breath. "Then he shall be here by morning, then."

Zaila shook her head. "There's nothing to do, until my father gets here."

An expression of confusion formed on Zaila's face. "I must be honest, I expected you would put me somewhere with guards."

"Well, it's very considerate of you to think of my well-being. Thank you." Zaila said.

Zaila smiled faintly. 'It's the thought that counts.' Zaila thought to herself.

Zaila ate the eggs, and toyed a bit with the mushrooms. She was never fond of them, even less so since she had grown into her abilities....the smell of them made her feel ill.