Duel &nbsp; Wayward Flock

Years.

He didn't even know how many years it had been since the night everything in his life had changed. He remembered that he used to count back in the day, for the first few months he kept track of every single day he spent with his "liberator". Eventually, when he was certain that there was no hope of rescue, he stopped counting. He stopped giving himself false hope.

The young boy paced the ship as his "liberator" manned the controls. He found himself enjoying the quiet, the rareity of it made it all the sweeter when it arrived. It was normal for Brunas Drace to be demanding, or scalding. He either wanted something then and there or he was unhappy with something that the boy had done and wanted it fixed then and there.

Zachariah looked out of the viewport as their target came into view.

Every planet that Brunas took them to was different, it was potentially the only thing that Zachariah enjoyed about his time with the man. He got to see so many different people from so many different species, so many different planets each with it's own history and backstory. He tried to study them as much as possible, however any research he did was normally found and destroyed by Brunas.

The liberator spun on his chair, barking orders towards the boy. Zachariah didn't even need to listen as the man spoke, he'd heard it all a thousand times before. Get food prepared was usually the first thing, a task which Zachariah had already carried out. The second was normally to dress in the correct attire, the sleek black robes of a Sith, the attire that was always expected of him.

Luckily, Brunas turned a blind eye when they weren't on official engagements. At first he'd tried to fight, he'd tried every trick in the book to get Zachariah into the robes but the moment they were out of public eye the robes would be off and the shirt would be back on. It was his only reminder of home, the formal wear similar to what his father used to wear.

Flames licked at his chair. His prompt to get a move on.

Burns were as common as bruises, he was covered in both. The bruise down the side of his face had been because he hadn't applied enough effort into his studies of the force. Brunas had gotten upset with him and the result had been Zachariah all but learning to fly without a ship. Brunas had used his powers in the force to teach the boy a lesson, for the fifth time that week.

Zachariah stood, and went to get changed.

Arcturus Dinn · Mar 12, 2023

Brunas didn't wait to see his order fulfilled, not once the flame had made his point for him, but even as he turned back to the viewing port he couldn't let matters entirely lie. "I didn't hear you" he sarcastically stated, when no verbal response came from the boy, "Speak up."

Down, down, down they drifted, and soon the ship was docked. Still out of sight, for now at least. He stared at the steps of the ziggurat, then pressed a button to do away with the stealth shielding.

Rising up from his seat, he turned and snapped his fingers. "Now, boy," he ordered, "We haven't got all day." Brunas hoped for the boys own sake that he had been quick about getting ready. Then again, maybe another quick lesson would benefit the both of them.

Leading the way down from the ship, he stared at the horned natives with contempt. They surrounded the ship, curious as much as anything, then one among them took a step closer.

"Traveler from the stars" they remarked, "You do not belong here."

Brunas laughed at that, a shallow and wretched laugh. "Bring me to the one you call Sky-Goddess" he demanded, and when they looked dubious, seemed as though they might reject his request, he saw fit to form flames in his hands once more. That hastened their steps, all backed up and the one who had stepped forward nodded.

"This way, Fire Lord."

Brunas turned a glare toward Zachariah, clipped him on the ear when he didn't immediately start to follow the Shaal Priest, and hastened his steps up the ziggurat. Countless steps.

Only it was not Rhiannon who waited for them at the top, but another entirely.

"Arcturus" the man spat. The Priest at his side curled back his lips in a growl. "He be Desdinova" came the correction, "God of the Underworld. You will show him the respect he deserves."

"Yes, yes," Brunas hummed, rolling his eyes. One hand reached back, settling to Zach's head, and he applied enough pressure to force the boy down to his knees. "Grovel" he hissed, though he himself merely inclined his head.

Zachariah Conway · Mar 12, 2023

Location: Shaal, Zaathru
With:

Arcturus Dinn

He hit the floor so hard he nearly bounced.

Most people would likely have flinched, but not Zachariah. A few years ago, definately, but now it was just another bruise that would be added to his body. He was so used to being in pain, or being punished for being in pain that a bump didn't even phase him anymore. He'd most definitely been through worse pain, he'd had broken bones just for not listening to orders.

Zachariah had followed his orders perfectly since they'd left the ship and even then, he'd still been punished. He'd followed his master and the priest, he'd kept himself quiet as to not disturb anyone, or anything that was going on. Maybe it was because his face wasn't portraying a happy story, with the permanent fed up look and the bruise that had been left.

There was a man at the top of the stairs.

The young boy wasn't expecting a man. He'd been told they were coming to collect a woman and the person at the top of the stairs definitely wasn't a woman. It was however a man that Brunas appeared to recongise, a man apparently named Arcturus. It wasn't a name that Zachariah could ever recall having heard before, though it was possible Brunas had mentioned him before.

Zachariah looked up, as if asking for permission to stand.

Arcturus Dinn · Mar 12, 2023

Arcturus Dinn stood before the pair with a face of indifference. Cradled in one arm was a babe, softly sleeping and wrapped in a swaddle of great finery. Embroidered with pure electrum and gold, in colours reserved only for the most royal and godly. Arc held his second born son effortlessly, freeing up his other hand. He rose from the dark throne he'd been seated within, shifting the babe slightly so that he was more comfortably settled in the crook of his arm, and set his apathetic gaze upon Brunas in particular.

"You have the wrong of it, Lord Drace," Arcturus stated quite firmly, when the push and order to grovel came, "'tis you who ought to grovel, Ser." The God of the Underworld took a step down from his dais, toward the pair of Sith, then cast a sympathetic eye over

Zachariah Conway before tssking. "You know, I never took you for a taskmaster back then."

Brunas scoffed. "You have your ungrateful student walk away, and see how receptive you are to the next one." Arcturus' chin lifted, and through a gentle flurry of the Force he lightly drifted the babe down to a basinet which was set between the two thrones, one light and one dark. Starlin barely shifted, certainly he did not awaken.

"You forget yourself, Drace. We are not on Korriban any longer. These are my lands, my people, and you will do as is bid." Another step closer. "Now... Kneel."

Even as he said this, he offered a hand down to the boy who had been shoved to the ground. The moment he took notice of the Force-nullifying collar around the lad's neck his apathy turned to a true scowl. "My, how the mighty have fallen. Have you no shame, Brunas? Take that eyesore off him."

Brunas did not kneel. Certainly not when the puny boy he'd met back on Korriban, who had once been so sickly that he could hardly stand, saw fit to order him to remove the collar from his own student. "Stay where you are" he demanded of Zach, going so far as to settle the toe of his boot against the boys back. His eyes remained trained on Arcturus though. "You will not undermine my authority, boy" Brunas spat.

"I don't think you understand" Arcturus swiftly countered, "Here, you have no authority."

The Sith Lord made to lunge, only to find a host of Shaal suddenly stood between himself and Desdinova, weapons drawn and pointed toward him.

Zachariah Conway · Mar 12, 2023

Location: Shaal, Zaathru
With:

Everything got dramatic. Quickly.

The man named Arcturus walked with such grace, such confidence. He was one of, if not the only person, Zachariah had ever seen put Brunas Drace in his place. He was one of the only people Zachariah had ever seen stand up to the Sith and not cower. He was certainly the only person that had ever told Brunas how to treat Zachariah, and the boy couldn't help but feel relieved someone else was looking out for him.

He saw the hand of their host approach him. He felt the boot of his master on his back.

For the first time in his life, he felt like he'd been offered a choice. He wasn't sure if it was a good choice, he knew nothing about their host. He didn't know if the man would offer him freedom or treat him even worse than what Brunas Drace had treated him for years. He didn't know if it was even possible to be treated any worse than he had been, but he didn't want to find out.

Before he could even make a choice (or decide on what choice to make), everything happened in one go. Brunas lunged forward towards Arcturus. The guards of the host appeared from no-where, weapons pointing at "The Liberator". Zachariah didn't even see what happened in the few seconds that followed, all he saw was the purple blade of a lightsaber inches from his face. He had to assume Brunas had chosen to ignite a weapon of his own.

Zachariah backed off slightly, his hair singed by his proximity to the blade of the Sith. He crawled up to his knees, watching the stand off occur in front of him. He couldn't hear what anyone was saying, or really see much of what was happening. His captor had been encircled by Shaal, leaving Zachariah on the outside. Brunas would probably argue that he was where he belonged, of course.

The slave pushed himself to his feet. He had a choice to make. Not a choice he could ignore, either, unfortunately. He had to make the choice.

Arcturus Dinn · Mar 12, 2023

Brunas sensed the boys retreat, felt through the Force as he dared to kneel instead of remain groveling, and though his attention was fixed on the group of Shaal now encircling him, though he'd seen fit to brandish his purple lightsaber, he could not let that insubordination stand.

"I said grovel" he snapped, and as his rage spiked Brunas flicked his wrist and sent the saber cutting through three of the Shaal closest to him, those stood between himself and Arcturus. Before the others could press in, before Brunas could be mowed down by the guards, Arcturus raised one hand and all seemed to temporarily pause. At least insofar as his own men were concerned.

"ENOUGH."

The commotion had caused his little miracle to stir, healthy cries pushing forth from the babes lungs. Fury boiled to the surface, and Arcturus glared daggers at Brunas for disturbing his rest. He summoned into his hand a short sword, and pointed it down toward Brunas. The man tried to cut through it with his purple blade, but it did nothing to the alchemized metal and simply earned him a sneer from Desdinova who swiftly cut through the Sith's swordhand. His saber clattered on the ground.

"Have my beloved sent for" he requested of one of the Shaal Priests who had not bore a weapon against Brunas. He had a feeling she'd want to see this. Arcturus kept Brunas at swordpoint until he heard

Ishani Dinn 's approach, then took a step closer. Another gesture with his free hand had the Shaal who separated Master from Apprentice parting.

"Your name, Son, I would know it." When Brunas tried to speak for him, he was met with a sharp backhand.

Zachariah Conway · Mar 12, 2023

Location: Shaal, Zaathru
With:

It had been a minute, if not less.

He heard his host shout, followed by the cry of a child. Zachariah hadn't even realised there was a child present until the child had started crying, no doubt caused by the noise and commotion of the situation going on around him. Tempers were defintely high, Zachariah could feel through the force quite how much rage was filling the room.

Arcturus had a sword pointing at "The Liberator". He'd been disarmed, the sword being held by their host appeared to not even be damaged. Zachariah had heard stories of materials that couldn't be damaged by a light saber and he wondered if the sword was made out of a similar material. It would make sense why it appeared to survive a strike by a plasma weapon.

Shaal stepped between both Zachariah and Brunas.

Their host questioned Zachariah, and the boy instinctively looked over towards Brunas. He wasn't normally allowed to speak, his master answering for him. He saw his mentor instinctively go to answer, and he heard the backhand that the man was met with for trying. For once, Zachariah was actually being given a chance to talk for himself, to answer for himself.

"Zachariah, my Lord"

The young boy minded his manners, partly because he was raised to always be a gentleman but mostly and more importantly to avoid any punishment from his mentor upon leaving the planet Zaathru. He assumed he would be punished anyway for the entire situation and so anything he could do to make that punishment less would be beneficial to him.

Zachariah could have sworn he saw Brunas spit towards him from his peripheral vision and he cowered, almost out of habit. He kept his eyes locked on Arcturus however, one of the few people he had ever met to treat him with even an ounce of respect. It was more than he'd been shown in years, most people just looked at him like he was common trash.

Footsteps approached the room.

Arcturus Dinn · Mar 12, 2023

"Zachariah..."

Arcturus mulled the name over for a moment, nodding softly, before taking a step around Brunas, sword still trained on the man who had since been forced to kneel.

"And tell me, Son, is it your choice to be here?" Brunas once again made to speak, and without turning to look at him Arcturus swiftly shut him down. "I do not speak to you, taskmaster, but to young master Zachariah." Master in the sense of a boy of high status, of course, one with his own rights, not so much the title the likes of Brunas used to lord over others.

With Rhiannon now in the room he felt comfortable forsaking Brunas entirely. He knew well how the mama bear would respond if the Sith Lord tried anything so close to her newborn babe. There was a swathe of guards between him and Starlin at any rate.

Instead he lightly tapped the tip of his sword against the metal wrapped around Zachariah's throat, non-threateningly. "Did you ask for this, Zachariah?"

Zachariah Conway · Mar 12, 2023

Location: Shaal, Zaathru
With:

Arcturus Dinn |

He felt the sword against the collar on his neck, yet he could feel no threat radiating from the man.

There had been numerous questions asked by Arcturus, all of which Zachariah had seem Brunas so desperate to answer. Every time the man had tried however, he'd been shut down, either by their host or one of the many guards around him. Zachariah almost felt bad admitting the joy it brought him to see his captor on his knees with Zachariah standing.

"I was taken from my home, my Lord. I know very little of my life before I came into the service of Lord Drace. I was told he rescued me from horrors that I would be unable to believe or comprehend, however I have no recollection of these horrors"

Zachariah looked towards his host, before turning his head to glance at his captor. The man was radiating anger, radiating rage. Zachariah had felt these feelings from the man before, but not on the level he was feeling them now. Zachariah had never sensed so much hatred in his life, not from anyone or anything that he had come across before.

"I was kept from the galaxy by my master for years. But no, my Lord. To answer your questions, I did not want or ask for this"

There was a woman in the room, and Zachariah saw the look of disgust that "The Liberator" shot towards her. Zachariah made the assumption that the woman was the person that they had originally came to Zaathru to locate. Zachariah wasn't sure what Brunas would have done with the woman, but she certainly seemed protected enough that Brunas wouldn't have gotten close to her.

"I mustn't speak out of line anymore, my Lord. My master will continue the conversation from here"

He looked towards Arcturus, fear in his eyes. He knew if he said anymore, then he'd be punished or even killed when they left Zaathru. Zachariah almost hoped that his host would pick up just how scared he was of the man, who had surprisingly remained on his knees. Zachariah could sense the feelings radiating from him though, he wasn't sure how long that would last.

The young boy touched the bruise on his face softly, and looked towards his host.

Ishani Dinn · Mar 12, 2023

Rhi burst into the room, looking suitably bedraggled and annoyed at being awoken from her nap. "What's going on here?" she demanded.

The scene which greeted her was chaotic. Three dead Shaal, Arcturus standing before a bruised young man wearing a slave collar, Star crying in his crib, and... was that Brunas Drace?

"I'm surprised you're still alive," she said coldly. "I thought you died on Korriban."

Either that, or he had abandoned her when the planet was attacked. So much for his being her master.

But she didn't have time for this. Not when Star was wailing. Turning away, she went over to the bassinet and picked up the baby, cradling him in her arms and soothing his cries.

"I don't know what you're doing here, but I want you gone," Rhi growled at Brunas. "You're not welcome in my house or on this planet. I suggest you get out now." She paused, glancing at Zachariah. "I outlawed slavery in Arboria. That boy was free the moment he set foot here. Remove his collar."

Arcturus Dinn · Mar 12, 2023

While Arcturus had, for the most part, been cool and stoic from the start, only feeling his rage mounting when he saw the cruelty sent the boys way, and when his poor babe and wife were drawn from their sleep, Rhiannon was like a hurricane as she blew into the room and made her presence known. Two parts of a coin alright, he loved her fiery temper and refusal to mince words. It was clear where dear sweet Eloise got her nature from.

Before Rhiannon was even finished giving orders to have the collar removed, Arcturus was seeing it done. With brute strength fueled by the Force he snapped the closure in two and watched as it fell to the ground, noting on more levels than one how timid and frightened the boy was because of all that was happening. He knew well that look, that fear, knew what would happen to the boy once he left their abode.

"He will not touch you again after today" Arcturus promised him, "You were never his to take. You were never his plaything or slave." That word seemed to leave a very bad taste in his mouth, but for now he would not get into it. Not least because now that everyone was present, and now that Arcturus had dared to free his student, Brunas leapt back up to his feet.

The Force swirled sickly around them, and the trio of fallen Shaal soon arose. Their corpses ambled toward Rhiannon, and the mere sound of their footsteps had Arcturus spinning on his heel. He kicked Brunas' fallen saber aside, unintentionally toward

Zachariah Conway , and danced forward with all the precision and grace of a lifelong Makashi practitioner.

"You have no claim over their bodies or soul, heathen" he spat at Brunas, as he dare defiled that which Arcturus held domain over, "Face me now!"

Brunas turned, satisfied that Rhiannon would be kept busy by the corpses, and spat in Arcturus' direction.

"God of the Underworld?" he laughed long and hard at that, "Boy, I know where you come from. You are weak, you are slave, you are nothing. You hold dominion and domain over nothing."

The Sith Lord drew upon the naturally vining plants which grew up the side of the ziggurat in Rhiannon's honour, and sent them curling toward Arcturus at a lightning pace. He did not even think to look toward the boy, in fact the only attention he gave him was to snap "Well? Do something, boy! Bring that woman to her blasted knees!"

No his eyes were fixed on Arcturus, who was slicing through the vines as they came. Neither made any real headway over the other in that moment, a true stalemate.

Zachariah Conway · Mar 12, 2023

Location: You know this by now
With:

Arcturus Dinn |

"Bring that woman to her blased knees!"

Zachariah looked around the room. Everywhere he looked was chaos. There was a woman by the crib, with three people walking towards her. Zachariah was almost certain the three people walking towards her had been very much dead only moments ago. He'd heard rumours his master could bring the dead back to life, but he'd never seen it in person until now. It was horrible.

The young boy looked down at the collar on the floor.

In that moment, he was free. His host had broken the chains binding him. He'd been promised freedom, that he wouldn't be hurt anymore. Everything he'd wanted for years was there, on the floor in front of him. It left him asking himself why he couldn't do it, why he couldn't just finish everything once and for all. He was free, and yet he still didn't feel free.

People were shouting, from somewhere. Zachariah couldn't see where.

The corpses continued closing on the woman in question. She'd also very clearly had some experience with his master. She'd mentioned Korriban, a planet that Zachariah had only seen once. He knew some of it's history to the Sith but he didn't know the significance of it between "The Liberator" and the woman whom they'd come to the planet for.

The noise of the purple blade filled Zachariah's ears. He'd picked up the fallen weapon and ignited it without even realising.

His head was full. He remembered everything that the weapon had done, not only to him but to others. He remembered every scar it had left him, every time he had been threatened by it's purple blade, threatened that his life could be ended in seconds. He remembered watching those who'd met their ends to the blade, seeing the light in their eyes fizzle out.

A tear ran down the boy's cheek. Followed by indescrible rage.

"ENOUGH!"

Without even meaning to, the boy shot a blast of the force from deep within him. It was fueled in that moment by the anger and rage he felt. He heard glass shatter, saw things fly across the room. He wasn't sure if it had any effect on the creatures. Honestly at that moment he didn't care, his focus was towards Brunas. All he could see was Brunas.

"You took everything from me!"

He didn't even remember taking the man's life. Although he was told about it later. The purple blade was thrust towards it's owner as he turned around. He gasped as the blade entered his chest, looking down at it. He looked up, anger in his eyes. He was angry that his property had turned against him. That anger was very quickly replaced by fear, and then replaced by nothing.

The body of Brunas Drace fell to the floor, and Zachariah fell to his knees after it, a tear falling down his face.

"What have I done?"

Ishani Dinn · Mar 12, 2023

Rhi found herself assailed by the resurrected corpses of the dead. The three Shaal ambled toward her, forcing her to move away from the bassinet to avoid them.

Of course Brunas would send them to attack her while she held a baby in her arms. Bastard. But she wasn't completely defenseless. There was a hanging oil lamp nearby. With a quick flex of the Force, she tipped the lamp over, splashing the contents onto the zombies. Then, using the very power Brunas had once taught her, she set them on fire.

The corpses burned rapidly, their demise hastened by the flammable oil. One continued to stagger mindlessly toward her, completely ablaze. Rhi shoved him back, her expression twisted in a fearsome snarl of frustration. Her training, which Brunas had neglected, was limited, but she would do what she had to in order to protect her child. Arcturus could take care of Brunas—

Instead, Brunas was felled at the hands of the boy who had been his captive. With the death of the necromancer, his zombies collapsed.

Rhi turned toward the boy, a bit startled, but grateful. "Thanks," she said.

Arcturus Dinn · Mar 12, 2023

For a minute or so Arcturus and Brunas were locked in a rather anticlimactic battle of plants vs sword. The former didn't mind so much, he was hoping to buy time for his beloved to get away with Starlin safely in her arms, but ultimately there came a time where such was fast becoming tedious. Unnecessary.

A sudden shockwave throughout the room caused them to pause, and Brunas span on his heel to face the boy from whom it had emanated from. Arcturus raised his sword, primed and ready to cut the Sith Lord down, when a sudden flash of purple cut through the core of the man and poked out the other side, the searing scent of charred flesh rising up around them.

Brunas stared down at the saber in his chest. His saber, he realized. "You insolent little..." he tried to take a step forward, hands swiping out toward Zachariah even as his last breaths came and went, and then he slumped. The saber cut upward through him, worsening both stench and mortal wound.

The brilliant purple dispersed quickly as reality fell upon the young boy. Saber dropped, disignited in the process, he heard the zombies also clattering though his beloved had done a good job holding them off too. He should have gone to his wife first, but he trusted in her strength.

Instead he stepped over the corpse, and knelt down before Zachariah; his arms instinctively moved to wrap around the boy, a warm embrace which had him pulled against him. "Shh" Arcturus soothed, "It's okay. Everything's okay."

Without slackening his hold he turned his gaze to one of the nearby Shaal.

"Send the body down to the beasts" he instructed, "They'll feast well this eve'." Who better than the natural predators of these lands to lay waste to the remnants of Brunas Drace? He might have feasted on him himself, if not for their guest. The last thing the boy needed was more people to fear, more reasons to feel alarmed.

"Where are you from, Son?" he asked softly, while the body was dragged away and down the steps of the ziggurat. It was time for the lost lamb to be returned home, if there was a home left for him to go back to. Arcturus knew from experience that such wasn't always the case.

Zachariah Conway · Mar 12, 2023

Location: Shaal, Zaathru
With:

Arcturus Dinn |

Everything stopped.

He felt the embrace from Arcturus. He heard the man talking, although he wasn't really processing what was being said to him. His mind was going in overtime, trying to come to terms with reality. He was free. He was truly free, for the first time since he could remember. He'd taken the life of the man who had threatened to take his own life a hundred times over.

Zachariah wiped his eyes as the body of his former master was dragged away. He looked over towards Rhiannon, making sure she was okay and that the walking corpse problem she'd found herself with had cleared up. He vaguely remembered her thanking him just after he plunged the blade through the chest of Brunas. He assumed when Brunas died, his corpses died with him.

Eventually he got up to his feet.

Arcturus asked him questions, questions he couldn't answer. It had been that long, he didn't know where he was from. He knew he was a Corellian and he knew he was about fifteen, but other than that he didn't have a clue. He didn't have any idea who he even was anymore. He didn't even know if he had a family, and if he did would they even still remember him?

He crouched down besides the weapon of his former master, inspecting it while he spoke.

"I... I don't know where I'm from, my Lord. I've been with Lord Drace for so long, I don't even know who I am. I know nothing about myself. I don't even know if I have a personality anymore, it's been that long since I was able to be myself."

The young boy took the weapon of his fallen master in his grasp and stood. He turned to face Arcturus and Rhiannon, looking between them briefly, before he knelt. For the first time in his life however, he wasn't kneeling because he was being forced. He was kneeling through choice. It had been the first choice in so long that he'd been able to make independantly.

"I have no-where else to go, my Lord. I'd like to stay here, if possible, and repay the debt I owe to you since you saved me. You both have power far beyond mine, my understanding and my grasp. I would like to learn from you both, study with you. I shall find a way to make myself useful to you, to repay the debt of freedom to you both"

Ishani Dinn · Mar 12, 2023

Arc immediately rushed to comfort the boy. Rhi hung back, tended to Star. The baby was no more worse for wear, though the whole affair had startled him - and judging by the pinched expression on his face, he wasn't enjoying the smell of burning flesh and death which now filled the chamber.

Arcturus Dinn said:
"Send the body down to the beasts. They'll feast well this eve'."

"Wait." Since they were in her domain, Rhi's command overrode Arc's. "Bring the body to my chambers. These... zombies can be burned." Well, more burned than they already were.

She had plans for Brunas, and she would've departed to fulfill them, had the boy not knelt down and pledged himself to them. Rhi blinked. Another one? Well, this one seemed more accepting of them than Pharus had been. "It's all right, you can stay," she said. "As for power, Arcturus may train you. But as long as you are with us, you will be treated as a son, equal to one of our children by blood. Now, do you have a name?"

Arcturus Dinn · Mar 12, 2023

Arcturus was completely unfazed by Rhiannon's overruling. He took no offense from it, and did not see it even remotely as a slight. This was her domain, and even beyond that she was his wife. His instructions had been given mostly to keep the young boy from having to look upon a man who had caused him so much pain, who had forced him to grow far quicker than he should have. If his beloved had a use for it, then all the better.

Soon Rhiannon was at his side, and carefully he reached for Starlin provided she allowed him to take the babe. He understood well that their protectiveness of the boy was well matched, though her maternal instincts no doubt set hers above his. Even so, their focus was soon on who was to be their newest son. A strange thought, given that he would actually be their eldest.

He nodded his head in agreement to all that Rhiannon said.

"My wife is correct. You are free, you do not owe us any debt, and you may remain if that is what you wish. To be raised alongside our children. I will train you as I train them, but you are older than they are. If you wish for a true regimen, if you seek someone to replace the position Brunas ought to have held, I can do that too." Master and Apprentice, but without the chains.

One day he'd talk to Zachariah about ways to overcome what had happened to him.

"I will also find you someone confidential to talk with, someone who can help you process all of this." He had been meaning to do the same for Pharus; he'd ensure they both had their own dedicated therapists, not the same one. With a soft hum, he realized that Zachariah was still kneeling.

"Please stand..." He knew that kneeling upset Rhiannon, after all the stories she'd heard from Arcturus, and the ways he'd broken down in the past. It had been in his nature to naturally kneel too, without being pressed, when simply waiting for something or someone. A hard habit to break to be sure. "You are worth far more than Drace ever gave you credit for. You are your own person, Zachariah, you will never bear chains again."

Not for the first time that day, he offered down a hand to the boy.