A/N: As usual, I would recommend putting the video on loop.



Bare, medium blue feet hurried through the water. Water splashing could be heard, but it didn't bother the others in the room. Where one was worried, the others were calm. They reflected the smooth and soothing nature of the water that ran across the entirety of the room. This peaceful flow descended from the raised grounds to the lower ones, highlighting the natural waterfalls of the room.



Reaching the end of the deeper water, the concerned kelremm went to one knee and bowed their head respectfully before they stood back up. They pulled down their cloak hood and glanced up to the table and five chairs. Only two of the chairs were occupied, however. "My masters, I have discovered terrible news from the region of the pixie home."



Disinterested, the female of the two peered over and down. She rested her chin in the palm of her right hand while her left directed him to go on. Bowing his head respectfully again, he disclosed, "They have broken your agreement and have found a mage of their own. We're not aware of how the mage came to their aid, but, with your deal broken, it's safe to assume that the inquiring kelremm and his wife are still on their way here."



The female kelremm glanced over to the male kelremm. "Well, that's unexpected. What did you want to do? I don't care either way," she mentioned, sounding as though the news had been about some trifle matter.



Flipping over another one of the pieces of parchment before him, he fixed his eyes on the spy. "I want to know why he looks so terrified." He didn't have to ask the spy to answer, for his statement was clear enough. The spy would respond one way or another.



Dipping his head lower, the spy pushed back his nerves. He tried to appear more presentable, but the sights that he had seen were too gruesome not to react to. "When a few others and I had learned of the situation, we had found one of our own in a ... disturbing state." The spy paused and met his male master's sharp gaze. "She was alive, but it would've been better for her to be dead. We had tried to end her misery, but this mage had been too swift and powerful. It hadn't help that pixies had sneaked up on us and warned the mage after they had told us to leave and we had refused."



"I'm assuming that the other spies are dead now. Or, they're in a similar state to how you found that female spy. How did you escape, though?" the male kelremm questioned, turning another page of parchment over.



"I had been the last to leave our location, which had been a small stream off to the left of the pixie home. When I saw the mage easily kill my companions, I figured that it would be best to run and to report to you what had occurred. I believe that the female spy had been kept alive."



Getting up from his chair, the male kelremm walked towards the other end of the table. He stood in front of the nearest chair to the spy and rested his hands on the back of it. "You didn't only leave to come inform us of this news. You ran because you were afraid. You didn't want to die, yet you know that you must die for us if it comes to that."



"Should I dispose of him?" inquired the female kelremm as she examined her sharpened nails.



"No, I wish to hear more of this report. Besides, this is rather important. We can't have the pixies killing off all of our spies with this mage. The less that we have to mess with the complexes' populations is better. How many of your companions did you lose to this mage, not including the captured female?"



"Two, master."



"That's not too many. We'll have to replace them, though, to keep our spy population in healthy order. Here's what I'll have you do, spy. Find three spy kelremm that wish to have another partner. Find three willing humans next. That'll be your task after I release you. Before that, though, I want you to tell me every detail of what you saw. I wish to know what he's capable of before we deal with him and deliver a proper punishment. Second, you're to notify the other spies that if a pixie holds you back you're to kill them. Our agreement has been broken, so none of their lives will be spared if they get in the way. Come and take a seat with us."



Pulling out the chair, the male kelremm stepped aside while the spy ascended the stairs. He took his seat before his one master returned back to his chair. With a subtle wave of his right hand, he motioned the spy to tell them the entirety of the story. Before he could begin, they all heard, "Byda! What's the meaning of this?! Get in here and release me from these chains?!"



Letting out a heavy sigh, she stood up from her chair. "I'll have to miss this conversation. Inform me of the details later, Phyon. My lover apparently doesn't understand why he's in that state." She received a chuckle from the male kelremm before she left the area to attend to the matter.



Phyon focused back on the kelremm spy, indicating for him to begin. Blood drained from the spy's face somewhat before he relayed everything that he had witnessed. As the discussion continued, his master maintained a neutral expression, but, inwardly, he couldn't help but wonder how the pixies managed to obtain such a man. There was an important piece missing, and he wished to discover it.



~~~~~~~~~~



Several days had passed since they had set out from the cabin. They hadn't run into any real trouble. Only a few haasna had crossed their path and requested a few strands of hair before they went on their way. There was an occasional snowy owl that hooted at night or flew overhead. Other than that, their travel concerned mainly their own banter.



Even at the moment, one was teasing the other. "Once we have a child, I'll have to make sure to secure the window in the garden. I can't have them taking after you and your sense of adventure. Otherwise, they may try to exit through the window and escape on us. There's also the water passage. I'm going to have to monitor what you teach them," Tarhuinn commented casually.



"And, I'll have to make sure that you don't bore our child to an early death. Knowing you, you'll be shoving books in their face immediately after their born. Not only that but you'll make the child hate reading."



"If I'm so boring, why do you seem so happy by my presence?"



"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give that impression. I just tolerate you," she answered, shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head. "I just tune you out and pay attention to the scenery around us. I'm happy about that, not you. You really should pay more focus."



His footsteps halted. Before she could even turn around, she was pulled backwards. Her back arched while her feet did their best to stay out of the water. She looked up to him while he peered down. Left hand supporting her up, his right gripped her chin and made her look at him. "And, what scenery do you view now?"



Tarhuinn's head blocked the view of the sky as well, so she couldn't utilize that as an excuse. Well, she could lie, but she had a better idea. She closed her eyes and remarked, "I see darkness. It's not as beautiful as the trees and snow, but it'll have to do until you release me."



Due to her current state, she couldn't spot his appearing smirk. "You may view darkness, but I think that you'll feel something else." His hold on her vanished before he pushed her forward. She didn't impact the snow covered ground. Rather, she was spun around and held by him again. Her eyelids opened as his lips neared. Before any contact could occur, they both footsteps a little ways off. Splashes of water followed.



Their lighthearted and intimate atmosphere faded rapidly away. Alertness took over. Tarhuinn swiftly picked her up bridal style before he advanced forward as quietly as he could. The footsteps and splashes were still a little ways away from the sound of it. Up ahead was the split in the stream. They weren't supposed to take the one going left, but they were left little choice. Those sounds were coming from the right path.



(F/n) directed her gaze to the right stream. She couldn't remove her eyes from it; she was worried that the owners of the sounds would come upon them soon or that they would hear Tarhuinn and her. Since they were coming from that direction, it could be Tergii, Bimaa and the mage. If they encountered them now, they wouldn't be ready and probably wouldn't have the upper hand.



Thankfully, Tarhuinn made the split before they saw anyone. The trees were currently providing them much needed cover from the higher ground. Heading down the left stream, they followed the wavy path of it. Multiple rock formations were up ahead, but they would hide them even more. What worried her were the threatening creatures that the pixies had mentioned.



Hopefully, they wouldn't have to encounter them until after the unexpected travelers went by. If they were even luckier, they wouldn't interact with those beings at all. Reaching the rocks, Tarhuinn hid behind one of the ones furthest from the split. He set (f/n) down, but he kept his left arm wrapped around her waist.



Pressed to him, her hands gripped his shirt, but she was tempted, out of curiosity, to peek around the rock. She wished to confirm her suspicion that it was the authors and the mage. Understanding that such an idea was unwise, she held onto him tighter to ease her inquisitiveness.