Yrantan adventures (Completed)

[Ezri]

Ah -- Anna blinked, unsure if what she saw might have just been a trick of the light. For a second he really did look like the Levon she remembered, and her anger quickly turned into something more focused. No matter how much he tried to brush her off, she was not going to just leave without trying to get some answers.

"Fine. That's what I'll tell them." she said, giving up that fight without much thought. She still felt like she had a billion things to say so she just started talking -- if she had any plans about what she would say, they were abandoned in favor of her immediate emotions. "You know, I tried to just stay away and forget everything, but I couldn't stand it. I still want to know why you're doing all this. Not why Ulmo is doing it, but why you are."

"And don't just dismiss me and act like you hate me," she took a step forward, almost surprised at her own confidence as she did. "Because I know that's not true."

 

[ArcticFox]

"I don't hate you, human." Levon responded, dismissing her first question for the time being. "I have nothing but indifference and disgust for your kind. All of you are the same." He gestured with his hands as if to encompass the whole camp around the tent. "Opportunists." There was an expression of disgust on his face now. Noticing the vulnerable expression on her face, he looked aside and sighed. "I know that you are not at fault. But when you live for so long, faces and names, they all start to blend together. I don't see Yrantan people as individuals any more, I see them as a corrupt and vile city that needed purging. But that is over now."

There was short break between them when the tent fell to silence. A faint rustle on the outside that made Levon's brows furrow a little, but he looked away quickly, eyes focusing on Anna again. "Please leave." He said, but it was apparent that he was slowly breaking now. There was deep sadness in his eyes and contained emotions that were about to show at any moment. Maybe that was why he insisted on her leaving.

- Leave.
- Stay.

 

[Ezri]

Listening to his speech, Anna her chest tense up in uncomfortable knots. The fact that Levon wasn't human was still strange to think about, mostly because she didn't know what he actually was. Something old, and angry... Zach had his reasons for hating Yranta, and it didn't seem to be an uncommon sentiment, but Anna couldn't guess at what Levon's personal reasons might be. Infuriatingly, it didn't sound like he would explain himself to her either, and what he did reveal left her with more questions than answers.

"No." she refused, jaw set in resolution. Ignoring whatever consequences might come of it, Anna had stubbornly decided to stick this out as long as she could. If she left there was no telling when she'd see him again, if she ever did. "I came all this way to find you, I'm not going to leave. I can't accept what you're saying, and I'm still I'm angry that you tricked me the way you did, so I'm sure this makes me a complete fool, but--" She took a breath, her fists clenched in frustration. "I was in love with you, you know! And part of me wishes I wasn't, but I still am!"

 

[ArcticFox]

Levon's eyes widened as he was frozen in place by Anna's sudden confession. He only stood looking at her for the next couple of moments, unable to take his gaze away. There was disbelief portrayed on his face and more than a little confusion. His lips were partially open as if to speak, but no words came out. Giving up on saying anything he took a step toward Anna and in a blink enveloped her in a gentle embrace, quite in contradiction with his demeanor up to that moment. His words came out in shaken whisper.

"I can't." He paused, taking a breath, as if to steel his resolve. "I can't give you that. I am too old and too bitter."

Before she could answer, however, a shape burst through the tent flap. Zach stood in front of them, his knife raised in hands, brows furrowed in anger. As soon as Levon saw him, his own expression grew grim and he stepped away from Anna, letting her go.

"You." Levon said in the same cold voice as before. "Are you looking to spend some time in chains again?"
"And screw you too." Zach's grin was fierce and feral.

He pounced on Levon just like an angered lynx would, slashing with the blade. But, even though without a weapon, Levon stepped back, flicking the knife away with a swift movement of his hand. Zach tried striking again, this time with his fist, which Levon parried and landed a blow in his stomach. The rogue doubled over, though there was a grin on his face still when he dropped low and kicked out with a leg, tripping Levon and sending him to the ground. Zach was on top of him now, the blade very close to the other man's throat, but with a quick maneuver, Levon managed to shake him off, sending him tumbling over the floor and hitting the table. There was a commotion outside.

"Sir, is everything alright?" A voice called out.
"Everything is fine." Levon responded in a calm tone. Then he turned to Zach. "You have a chance to leave now, pest. I won't give you another."
The brunette snorted. "I wanted to give you a good beating for a while now, mutt!" And he jumped at him again.

Levon was prepared this time though and he was not joking around. Whatever he was, that being was much stronger than a regular mortal. There was hesitation on his face for a moment, but in the next blink there was a hint of faint black mist around his body, when he stood to meet Zach's attack. It was futile. Levon caught the man's wrist, yanked his knife quickly away and then pushed him to the ground, twisting an arm behind his back and placing a knee on top of his body. Zach bit his lower lip in an attempt to bite down a scream of pain. Levon's eyes were cold and emotionless now and it was clear he had deadly intentions.

- Call out to Levon.
- Push Levon off.
- Don't to anything.

 

[Ezri]

Anna froze in Levon's embrace, too startled to move. Had he really not known? It was true that she never said anything... and he 'couldn't'? Did that mean he wanted to? Her head was a swirling, confused mess, and she wasn't sure if she felt better or worse after that answer -- she didn't have much time to think about it.

Zach made his entrance and the rest happened quickly enough to have just been a blur. She'd known he was out there somewhere, but after meeting Levon that thought had quickly vanished to some far corner of her mind. The fight was immediate and savage, and even Anna could tell it wasn't a fair one. It wouldn't take long for it to end, and that thought made her blood run cold.

The scene in front of her caused the most horrifying deja vu she'd ever experienced, simultaneously the same moment but much worse than before, yet unlike the first time Anna stepped towards them. What she would do when she got to them, she had no idea -- there was no way she could stand up to either of them physically -- but she moved forward with purpose anyway. As risky as the idea was, if he wouldn't listen she might have to try. "Levon, stop!"

 

[ArcticFox]

For a moment, Levon flinched and looked at Anna, but it was as if there was a veil over his eyes, as if he had trouble seeing her through it. He did not lessen the strength of his grip on Zach's arm, though, and the brunette was now letting out a small squeal, trying his best to contain it, though it if apparent he was in a lot of pain. A flicker of that dark matter coiled around Levon's whole body, when he turned his attention to Zach again. It seemed to grow in size, surrounding him like an aura. It was needles to say that it made him look very ominous.

When Anna took a step toward them, Levon gave her another look again, his face now a mask of emotionlessness, his eyes looking through her.

"Stay away!" Zach managed to squeeze out through clenched teeth as he squirmed on the ground quite helplessly. Levon was not a human and it was obvious now in a way that he held the other man pinned to the ground with such ease. He did not speak, only tightening his grip on his arm which now made Zach yell out in pain. His arm was seconds from breaking now and Levon's wasn't stopping.

- Try talking to Levon.
- Try to pull him away.

 

[Ezri]

Even as she spoke to him it felt as though he didn't hear her, either because he was simply ignoring her or some other process of his thoughts. As much as she cared about the Levon she knew, it was painfully clear that she knew very little about this part of him. And this part was frightening, and unreachable; it was now something she had to fight, no matter how scary the prospect was. Zach couldn't afford to wait any longer, and Anna had no intention of heeding his warning.

"I said stop!!" she said through gritted teeth, grabbing Levon's forearm and trying to wrench it away from Zach. What ever dark power Levon had surging through him was beyond her, but regardless of whatever it might do to her she pulled at him with all the strength she had.

 

[ArcticFox]

Levon's hand jerked back, trying to shake off Anna. Plumes of black smoke now reached up her arm, coiling around it. Coldness swept over her, but she did not let go. Her vision swam and the world turned black.

--

"Anna?" Fingers touched her cheek gently. When she opened her eyes she saw Zach in front of her. They were in the forest again and the Ulmo encampment was nowhere in sight. "Are you alright?" He asked, concern plain in his voice.
"What happened?" She asked, voice hoarse.
"You fainted." Zach's expression turned darker, his brows furrowing. "That... creature ordered his soldiers to take us out of the camp. They left us here." He showed her the sawed off ropes and then tossed them asidw with a snort. "I waited for you to wake up. What was that, Anna? That... thing, I told you that he isn't what he seems to be. I felt it. Every time I'm near him I have this overwhelming urge to strangle someone."

Night had fallen and the forest was wrapped in darkness. There might have been a faint flicker of torches through the trees or it might have been just fireflies. Gettinf into the Ulmo encampment again now would be difficult, but not impossible, though Zach might not be up for it. There was hurt in his eyes now as he looked at Anna, like a realization of her feelings. Who knew how much of her conversation with Levon he might have heard.

- Go back to the elves.
- Go back to Levon.

 

[Ezri]

Anna blinked in the dark, waking up more with each second. Being alone with Zach felt remarkably peaceful, compared to how frantic she was before, but her calm didn't last long. "I don't know what he is. I don't know if I even know who he is. I'm such a fool..." Anna scolded herself quietly as she got to her feet. Everything she had ever done in her life suddenly felt foolish to her now.

It was clear to her that Levon wasn't truly as detached as he acted, but what could she do about it? Before Zach interrupted them, in that moment of weakness Levon still sounded almost desperate to keep them apart. After admitting what she had, was there even any other way she could convince him? The thought struck her that she couldn't think of him as two Levons -- his warm kindness and disgusted cruelty were both aspects of the same person. She shivered.

Her first thought was to try to go back, to hunt Levon down and yell at him more, but in the sobering cold of night she knew that was a selfish thought. "I should go back to the elves. Once I tell them what I know, they should release me and my father. And then..." She frowned. Could she go after Levon then? Should she? She looked at Zach, and on seeing his expression a wave of guilt washed over her. Her eyes fell to the ground; he could have died back there, because of her, and on top of that he might have heard her shouting. "...I'm sorry, Zach. I didn't imagine that he would be here."

 

[ArcticFox]

"No need to apologize to me." Zach said way too quickly while standing up. "I get it. I think I knew it from the start, but still I..." His voice died down a bit, but he shook his head, as his hand went up to rub at his bruised shoulder. "He's a monster. But I understand. You cannot help your feelings. Neither of us." Yes, hurt was even more plain in his eyes now as he kept his gaze somewhere to the side, not wanting to look at Anna. Anna might have moved toward him, trying to speak, to give some sort of reassurance, although there wasn't much that could have been said here, but he cut her off, taking an abrupt step back, as if not wanting to stay close to her. "You get back." He turned his back on her and ran off into the darkness.

--

"What have you found out?" The elven leader asked, his eyes half lidded. He had clearly been sleeping when the guards brought Anna up to see him in his little throne room. His blonde hair was still perfectly combed though and you had too look really intensely to spot the disheveledness of his robe. Under the cold gaze of his green eyes, Anna told her story, though she omitted the part with the fight between Levon and Zach, that wasn't this man's concern.
"That's all I've managed to gather." She said finally, feeling very tired, as she had ridden through the darkness for the whole night. Dawn would be upon them soon, she knew.
"The barbarians want us to meet with them?" The elven kind spoke as if insulted. "They have the nerve to come into MY forest and then claim it all to be a misunderstanding!" His voice was raised now to the point of shouting as his eyes flashed in fury. It was clear that the calm of this elf was now gone. As if remembering his manners, the elf huffed and then took a deep breath, leaning back into his throne. "We will meet with them. In two days. On the slope toward the human settlements of Kullari." He spoke, looking at Anna again and when she didn't move her waved her off. "Go. Deliver the massage."

- Obey.
- Protest.

 

[Ezri]

Oh -- seeing Zach's hurried movements caused her heart to wrench painfully, and any question about whether he had heard her or not were immediately answered. Anna started to explain, but didn't get past "I--" before finding herself at a loss. What she told Levon was the truth, so it wasn't as though he misunderstood anything. True or not, she had never wanted to hurt Zach either -- even with how they had been treating each other lately, she wouldn't have expected him to react so badly. She called after him, although if he had come back she had no idea what she would have said. For the first time in months, maybe longer, she felt unbearably alone.

--

Once returning to Kullari and relaying her news, Anna had been looking forward to the small luxury of curling up on a cot to wallow in her sorrows until she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. The elves, however, apparently had no intention of giving her any reprieve.

"Now?! I've been riding all night, I'm exhausted!" she cried, stunned by the king's flippant attitude. She was exhausted for many more reasons beyond that, of course, but even if that wasn't the case she would be in no position to simply ride all the way back. Maybe it was because she was sleep-deprived, or because she'd already spent so much of the day arguing, but any politeness she had kept up around Altharion was now completely abandoned. "And this is not what our agreement was. I've done what you asked, so you should let me and my company go!"

 

[ArcticFox]

The elven leader's eyes flashed again with the carefully controlled anger. He was not used to being rejected or argued with, it seemed. There was a talk that forest elves were very vain and arrogant creatures, but to see it in person was just a different matter. Though part of his difficult personality must have been due to this position as a leader. The current state of things must have been very confusing for him and he was protective of his lands and of his people. To see a different race pass through his borders without any announcement was almost always an act of war, and even though proud, elves did not like conflict.

"Your task is not yet fulfilled, girl." He said, obviously trying to hold back the anger in his tone. There was a moment when it looked like he might order her tossed in chains, but over a couple of seconds and some deep breaths, the tension in the air had dissipated. "I understand that your race is far more fragile than mine." He said with a sigh, as if talking to a child. Then he gestured something at the guard, followed by a couple of words in elvish that Anna did not understand. The guard disappeared through a doorway, but quickly reappeared holding a carved wooden cup with a silver liquid sloshing in it. "Drink that." The elven leader spoke again. "It will restore your stamina. Then ride back to the human intruders and convey my words." He was not about to back down. "Do not think that I will hesitate in disposing of all three of you should you prove to be of no use."

- Obey.
- Don't.

 

[Ezri]

By the time Anna realized that her loss of temper could end very badly for her, it was too late to take anything back. As frustrated as she was, and how much the king's personality was frustrating in itself, her anger wasn't entirely because of him. Still, while her outburst felt childish in hindsight, even on a good day she wouldn't have tolerated such treatment. She might be a prisoner, but there was no reason to treat her like some pack animal!

And she was quickly finding that, stubbornness aside, she didn't have much choice in the matter. She frowned at the threat towards her and the others; Altharion held all the power here and she doubted he would make those statements lightly. If she was going to talk to Levon again, she had hoped she would at least have a little time to get her thoughts straight first... it would be impossible for her to just deliver her message and leave, she knew that. And would the Ulmo soldiers even let her back into their camp to begin with? Considering that her father's life was at risk, she would have to think of something. She turned her glare to the floor, but no immediate solutions came to mind.

"They won't be happy to see me again, I'm sure. But fine." she conceded, and before she could change her mind she took the cup and drank its contents in one go. She couldn't claim to know anything about elven medicine or how safe it might be, but whatever that liquid was she could only hope it would be effective. Once she drank it all she placed the cup down and muttered a curt 'thank you.' Even if she had to complain to get it, they very well could have sent her back out there without any help at all.

 

[ArcticFox]

Anna was on the road again in a matter of moments. Her horse was replaced and her supplies replenished. She did not feel tired or hungry at all, though. With newfound vigor she almost jumped up into the saddle, getting her mount to trot along the narrow forest road. The way back to the Ulmo encampment lasted less than the first time. She did not stop to rest nor to eat and her horse could apparently see in the darkness quite well, because it led her in a stable pace, without stumbling. The elven checkpoints were still there, she knew, but the elven guards did not make their appearance this time.

When she was near to the camp, and when the light on the horizon became visible, a figure had stopped her progress on the road. First she thought it was Zach, as she wasn't able to see properly, since the sun was behind him, but when her horse approached, she recognized the black hair bound in a ponytail at the back and that ghostly pale complexion and impeccable uniform. He wore the colors of Ulmo now, tan and green and they had suited him quite well. If it was only for show, or he indeed considered himself an Ulmo general now, Anna was not able to tell. Levon was still a mystery to her.

"I've been expecting you." He said, though in a severely less hostile manner than during their first encounter. "What does Altharion say? He is very angry, I imagine." There was an amused smile on his face now and his features were much softer than before. He seemed in a good mood. It was quite a surprise.
"The elves want to meet in 2 days at the slop toward the human settlements." Anna relayed the words of the elven leader.
"Then so it shall be." Levon nodded before walking up Anna's horse. In a swift graceful movement he hopped on its back, just behind Anna. His arms rounded her body, hands placed on her own, as he gently took the reins away from her. His lips close to her ear, he whispered. "I have treated you unfairly far to many times, yet you keep coming back. You will be my guest now, for those two days. This is your chance to get your answers, but note this, you will leave with the elves after the parley and you will stay away from Yranta, or I will kill you and everyone who follows you. You have my promise."

- Answer.

 

[Ezri]

Levon's change was so unexpected that Anna was completely unprepared for it. He was behind her before she could even think to protest, and by the time she could she wasn't sure that she wanted to. His behavior was confusing, and she hadn't forgotten his cruelty from only a few hours before, but this glimpse of her old Levon was what she had been hoping to see all this time. If she ignored the threats on her life, anyway.

But was it too good to be true? Levon was dangerous, and she knew that firsthand. This invitation could just be a trap or something sinister, although she noted that if he really wanted to hurt her he could easily do it without tricks or theatrics. If Zach were here he would be furious; that realization sent a shiver of cold guilt through her, but she knew she couldn't refuse this chance. She did want answers, and she wanted to give Levon the chance to explain himself.

"This is still unfair." she turned red and huffed, saying the first words that came to mind. She twisted in his arms, trying to crane her neck back so she could look at his face -- as if seeing his expression would make this any less surreal. Her tone was slightly skeptical. "Your guest?"

 

[ArcticFox]

"My guest." Levon replied, slightly surprised that she chose to pay attention to that part of his speech, rather than the part where he promised her he will kill her. She was a strange girl, this Anna, but he suppossed this was what had drawn his attention to her in the first place. She was different, interesting, otherwise she would never be granted such an opportunity. Otherwise, her influence would overtake her, much like it did everyone else around him.

With the warm rays of the sun on them, but still through the cold winter morning, they went inside Levon's command tent. None of the soldiers stopped them or even looked at them in a strange way. Levon ordered some breakfast to be brought and a guard in front of the tent ran to fetch it. It was a bit strange that he was the one ordering around now.

Soon enough, their meal was in front of them. Bread, cheese, fruit and some milk. Very simple, yet very tasty. Levon did not eat anything beside an apple, though, but he seemed to enjoy every bite of it. When he notices Anna's questioning look, he gave her a smile as he swallowed the last of the apple.

"I took quite a liking to them over the years." Then he let down the knife which he used for slicing the fruit and gestured to Anna. "Well, here we are now. I know you've been curious. I will let you ask your questions now. But, I am a busy man, so pick them carefully." There might have been a smile on his face, but his gaze was cold once again. His nature was unpredictable and it seemed that he could be both warm and terribly cold at the same time.

- Talk casually.
- Ask about him.
- Ask about Yranta.

 

[Ezri]

Despite no one in the Ulmo camp giving her a second glance, Anna felt tense just being in the area. She imagined that it was how a mouse might feel if it wandered into a house full of cats... still, as long as Levon was with her it seemed that she wouldn't be bothered. He must be very powerful among them indeed; an uncomfortable thought, but good to know. Any information was good as far as she was concerned, and as happy as she was for the opportunity she knew she should remain on guard.

In all the time they'd spent together, she couldn't remember ever seeing Levon eat before. Ar the time she dismissed it as a quirk, and assumed that he just ate when she wasn't around. Did whatever creature he was even need to eat? Whether it was because of the drink from the elves or because she was far too nervous she wasn't sure, but she didn't think she would be able to snack on anything herself.

His return to his colder demeanor wasn't a promising sign, and Anna felt herself grow pricklier in response. "Busy." she scoffed -- one of the most pressing matters on her mind was what exactly Ulmo was so busy doing here, and back in Yranta. If her questions were limited, however, she should keep them to things she had no chance of finding out otherwise. She peered up at him skeptically, with careful focus. "What are you, Levon? And that... power you've been using, what is that?"

 

[ArcticFox]

Levon's eyes shifted to looked at Anna's, slightly narrowing. He opened his mouth once to speak, but then shook his head as if giving up on it. Finally he made a small sigh, a soft smile playing on his lips.

"I thought I had given you enough hints about this, but it seems that a longer explanation is in order." His shoulders moved in a shrug. "Well, I am not a human, that much you know. What I am has a name in a language far too old for you to be able to know it. In order for you to be able to comprehend. let us say that I am a spirit. Surely you've heard about spirits before, from your grandmother's stories. There were plenty of us once, benevolent, malevolent and those that could not be classified. I suppose I see myself as the third kind, even though you might think differently." He took a short pause, folding his arms on the table. "I have certain... powers as you call them. Most of them are volatile, but some are not. You must have noticed this... how people get furious beside me, how they wish to cause harm to each other, or to me even?" His smile was gone. "I do not do this out of my own volition, though I have grown to rely on this perk in the last couple of years. I am a spirit of conflict, Anna. Of war and hate and violence." His teeth gritted. "I was not like this once. But you humans had changed that." His fist slammed against the table, sending the plates to the ground. "You, with your endless fights, merciless killings! You have driven us all to the edge of the world only to slay us like cattle! I had friends once, Anna! Friends and a family!" He was on his feet now, looming over Anna, as his fingers reached down to grab for her throat, but the movement was interrupted mid air, his arm dropping down. "I am all that remains now. And I have changed." His voice was quiet now, almost a whisper.

Whatever powers Levon had spoken about, they did not seem to have an effect on Anna, at least she did not feel any different in his presence. Could it have been that they did not have an effect on her? Levon's gaze was lowered now as he looked down, perfectly still, only a step away from Anna, but his mind was miles away. It was clear that he did not reveal his nature so easily.

- Respond.

 

[Ezri]

Anna stared at him in alarm, even as he reached for her. As much as he claimed otherwise, she still couldn't quite believe that he wanted to kill her. His changes in mood were so volatile and quick, it was hard to know what to do until he settled down. Even then it was hard.

Spirit or not, his anger was at least understandable now -- if his family had been killed, of course he would be angry. Perhaps his power caused people around him to become violent, and maybe that was just an extension of his own feelings. Anna couldn't imagine why she didn't feel it herself... she wasn't magical or anything. As far as she knew she was just human, and a sad, weak one at that.

"I'm... sorry." She said, and she meant it even if the words didn't feel like enough. She reached out, although her fingertips barely brushed his sleeve before she thought better of herself. "I can't imagine how lonely that is, or how painful. No one should have to go through that. All that conquest and violence, I won't try to defend it. I hate it too."

"That's why I don't understand why you're involved in this war." With a frown she looked up at him, her questions sincere rather than accusatory. "Will it accomplish anything other than hurting more people? Will that help you, somehow?"

 

[ArcticFox]

There was a pause in Levon's movements as he watched down at her. His eyes widened a little by her words, as though in surprise. A smile then that grew a bit wider while his features softened.

"You are a strange one, Anna." He spoke, his voice amused. "I have noticed this from the start. You remained the same, even near me. And your words... they struck a chord. You speak wise, even though you are but a child." His hand raised again only to lower softly on top of Anna's head in an affectionate movement one might make toward a someone much younger than them. "Then it will bring you some peace at least to know that I did not raze Yranta to the ground, no matter how much I wanted to. When it came to that I just... could not." He sighed. "It is mostly your fault, you know."

- Ask why.
- Ask what happened to Yranta.
- Ask something else.

 

[Ezri]

Levon's gentle gesture was surprisingly comforting, even in spite of his unpredictability. Still, it was also somehow unsatisfying.

"I might be strange, but I am not a child." She insisted, although it was easy to understand why he would see her that way. Even if he was older, by an unthinkable margin, it was difficult not to feel unjustly condescended to.

Still, it was something of relief to hear that Yranta was still standing in some capacity. If she and her company had arrived at their destinatio only to find rubble and ash, that would have been quite a shock. Although Zach probably wouldn't have minded. She frowned.

"I'm glad that you didn't, then. Whether it's my fault or not." she said, and she did sound calmer. She paused. "But if you aren't going to destroy it, what are your intentions?"

 

[ArcticFox]

"My intentions..." Levon started speaking, but his voice died down soon. "There is no one in Yranta now." He paused. "Well, there are some soldiers remaining to keep the looters out, but the people are all gone. They were ordered out of the city. I am not going to burn it down, but I am going to make Yranta a monument. To my kind. To those that are no longer with me." His teeth gritted. "No one will ever live inside that foul place."

He exhaled softly and then sat back on the chair across from Anna. It was clear that he did not want to breach that subject again.

"You can ask me one more question. After that I will leave you here. I trust you won't be trouble."

- Ask.

 

[Ezri]

Anna's brow furrowed -- a monument? Wanting to honor his loved ones was one thing, but was it worth displacing thousands of lives? Not to mention the soldiers that had died in the conflict... as sympathetic as she was to Levon's plight, she was suddenly once again very conscious of their moral differences.

She declined to respond to his assumption -- trouble tended to find her, even when she wasn't looking for it. And while she didn't want to draw any attention anyway, there were still a lot of things she wanted to know. If that meant snooping a bit, she wasn't against that, but... if she only had one question left, she might as well be selfish with it.

"Why are you doing this for me?" Anna asked, sounding quieter, almost tired. She could guess at his answers, but at this point she wasn't even sure what she should hope to hear. "Why did you invite me here and talk to me like this?"

 

[ArcticFox]

"You know the answer to that, Anna." Levon's smile was sly. "Don't pretend you do not. I know that you are not so clueless." A small sigh escaped his lips as he brought up a hand through his jet black hair. Cold grey eyes rested on Anna, though the person behind them seemeed much gentler now. "You spoke of love before, didn't you? I cannot grant you what you wish of me, but I did want you to know that I do care about you." A faint chuckle, then. "Or at least a part of me does. Anna, I am unpredictable even to myself. The only talent I have proves to be conquest and that is what I'm going to stick to. There it is, that's the whole truth. Do you believe you could love someone like me?"

- Answer.

 

[Ezri]

Anna had been wrestling with that question for the entirety of their meeting, and now she had no choice but to face it. Could she? The Levon she loved was just a small part of someone much more destructive; was that part enough to justify overlooking all of the things he'd done? All this time she had hoped it would be enough, that he would give her an explanation that would make it all okay, somehow.

He almost killed Zach -- he undoubtedly would have killed him, if she hadn't done something to stop it. Before now the memory had almost felt like a bad dream, but it returned to her with sudden, sickening clarity. She felt naive and terribly guilty. Being with Levon the way she had wished to would mean forgiving a lot of things that were not forgivable... she frowned at the man across from her, wishing his eyes were that way all the time.

"No." she decided, the word coming out before she realized it had. She blinked. "No, that's not true either. I did love you then, and when you act the way you did I still want to... but that's not the same, is it?" Her gaze fell to the table in front of her. Now she was just rambling, and unsurprisigly that wasn't making her any less confused. "I suppose it doesn't matter, anyway."