"Wait, WHAT?!" Vaskin yelled, jumping up from his seat after Manx finished her sentence.

"I told you already. She's changed!" Manx replied nervously.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to be saying something like that? The Empress went ballistic when she heard what Xolt said, and now you're telling me it's true? Do you have any idea of where that puts us?" Vaskin yelled.

Tears welled in the corners of Manx's eyes as she said, "I know that she did a lot of bad things in the past..."

"Bad things?! Bad things?! Are you crazy?! She released flesh eating slugs into the palace that ATE Naegori the swift from the inside, and many of the guards were killed! She's targeted every member of Leif's family at one point or another, all just to get under her skin. And now you're helping her escape?!" he shot back.

"If she's guilty then so is Xolt! Except Lyrica is sorry now for what she did! She's changed, and she hasn't gone after the Empress again! Dad, you changed, didn't you? And you slaughtered hundreds more than Lyrica could ever dream of!" Manx said

Vaskin nervously scooted away from Manx's father while still holding her gaze.

"What about the hundreds slaughtered in her rampage on the way to the palace? Are we acting like the battle for the Diamond Crown never happened?" he spat, his tail standing on end.

"Okay, so they're even!" Manx replied.

"What has that got to do with anything?" Vaskin groaned.

"The point is, we can't let her be executed before we hear her side of the story. Plus, she thinks there's a major threat of some sort upon us and if there's anyone we need to fight it, it's her!" Manx said.

Sorrelle looked back and forth between Vaskin and her daughter and sighed.

Vaskin sat back down at the table, shaking his head. "How do we know she's telling the truth?" he asked.

"I don't think this whole Celyn thing is all in her head. Xolt told me that that's where he got the magic to trap her." Manx replied.

"If that's where he got the magic to trap her then shouldn't we be siding with this Celyn or whatever it is?" he said.

"Lyrica tells me that Celyn killed her parents because she wanted her all to herself. Isn't that enough to at least worry about Celyn?" Manx asked.

"Wait, what?!" Vaskin snapped.

Manx looked down at her plate and pushed her meat around with her fork. "It's all I know, which is why I'm meeting with her again. Lyrica wants to...to end it, but she said we're all in danger now that Celyn's back."

"And end it she should, or turn herself in to the Empress!" Vaskin said.

"That whole thing about the claws of a pure hearted dragon might not apply to this. See, Lyrica isn't all dracolitch anymore." Manx replied.

"And I don't think Leif's heart is as pure as she makes it out to be either." Sorrelle said. "I mean, I am on The Empress' side in all this, but she's been acting a bit off lately and this obsession with killing Lyrica is going a bit too far."

"What do you mean she isn't all dracolitch any more?" Vaskin gasped.

"It's complicated." Manx replied.

"What could happen to a dracolitch that could reverse the process?" Sorrelle added.

"It was my fault. I released a few unicorns from a market when she'd wanted me to go back to grab a poster, and well...one of them stabbed her." Manx said, lowering her eyes.

"So now she's alive?!" Vaskin asked.

"Half alive. Half dead. We're really not sure, only the thing is that there could be all kinds of possibilities from this. Which is why I don't think the Empress will be able to kill her even if it's the right thing to do and the most just. The magic might not let her." Manx replied.

"So..if she's partially alive, can't she die for good?" Vaskin asked.

"I don't know! And I'm stuck as a pawn in the middle of all this where what I see as right others see as wrong, and I don't know which side to choose!" Manx snapped.

"Your decision in this affects us as well." Vaskin said, placing a hand on her arm and looking at her with concern in his eyes.

"I know, which is why it's so hard. And I know I've put you all through so much. It's just...Shouldn't we at least listen to Lyrica's side of things before jumping to conclusions?" Manx replied.

Vaskin looked her in the eye and said, "You have a right to make whatever decision you want. But if you're going to assist Lyrica, the Empress is going to hunt you down. She isn't right in the head these days. If you're really going through with this, we need a plan."

"What?..we? You specifically stated that you want Lyrica dead and that you side with the Empress on this!" Manx retorted

"No matter whose side you are on, I'm not willing to lose you again." Vaskin replied gently, intertwining his fingers in hers.

"And neither am I." Sorrelle stated, putting her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Kaeoryn?"

"I never stood against her decisions in the first place." Manx's father growled, shooting Vaskin a warning glare.

"So...what do we do now?" Manx asked.

"You're going to have to go into hiding until this whole Lyrica thing clears up." Vaskin replied as Sorrelle nodded.

"But where would I go? I can't bring myself to leave any of you again! And how would I take care of myself? I still barely know how to survive in this world and no matter what I just can't blend in. And even if the Empress took the posters down from when I was missing, there might be people who try to turn me in for a reward." Manx said.

"We'll go with you." Vaskin said, gazing into her eyes. "You aren't alone in this any more. Just know that if Lyrica tries to harm you in any way it won't be the Empress who ends her miserable existence once and for all."

"But won't that put you in danger?" Manx replied

"It'll be worth the danger to make sure you're safe." Vaskin sighed. "And besides, The Empress doesn't know quite yet whether or not Xolt told the truth. The only witnesses to your encounter with him are you and Scrapper. If anything, the verdict is in your favor until the Empress can directly conclude that you in fact were helping Lyrica."

"Still, how am I supposed to go into hiding?" Manx asked.

"We'll worry about that tomorrow, but for now it's getting extremely late, and we know you have had a rough day. The Empress met with us before you came back and said that she wants to meet with you one one one after you are fully rested and your minor injuries are taken care of. She wants to hear your side of the story." Sorrelle said, getting up from the table and putting her dishes in the water basin.

Manx nodded.

"We'll have all of tomorrow to hear your full account of everything that happened after you separated from Vaskin on the quest." Sorrelle sighed wearily.

"I'm sorry I had to make things so..." Manx started

"Don't be. Choosing your battles is just a part of life." Sorrelle said.

"I guess I'll see you all tomorrow, then." Vaskin said, smiling softly at Manx before handing her mother his dishes.

"Vaskin, it's dark out and the house is too quiet with Kaeoryn and Manx in it. Why don't you spend the night in the guest room and liven things up a bit." Sorrelle replied.

"Nah, I'd be too much trouble. I don't wanna' impose on you guys." Vaskin said.

Sorrelle grinned. "Please! You'd hardly impose on us because you're practically family now to Manx, and deep down I think Kaeoryn has a soft spot for you."

"Well, I don't know. Manx, are you alright if I.." Vaskin started.

Manx answered, "Of course!...um, that is only if you want to."

"As long as I'm not any trouble." he said.

"You're the good kind of trouble." Manx replied, hugging him and giving him a soft peck on the cheek. "Thank you for sticking with me even though you don't agree."

"Of course! Just be careful, alright?" Vaskin said.

"You'll be there with me." Manx yawned.

"How about you get some sleep." Vaskin commented.

Manx nodded, walking down the hall and saying, "You two. It's been the worst day possible for all of us, I think. Night, mom. Dad."

She pointed out the guest room which was just across the hall from hers. After that, she went into her own room, shut the door, and collapsed onto her bed.

Manx opened her eyes to the sunlight streaming in through the window in the corner. She pulled the sheets back over her head, before remembering the events of the day before.

"Lyrica." She muttered to herself, throwing off the covers and sitting bolt upright. She clambered out of bed, half stepping and half tripping onto the floor. Her legs ached from all the running she had done and her back was sore from the nights spent sleeping on cold stone.

Manx peeled off the shirt that she had worn for the past week, wincing as it came unstuck from the scab on her back. She walked over to the dresser, opening the drawer and seeing all the new clothes her parents had bought for her before the quest. They were immaculately clean, well folded, and never worn. Manx sighed. She'd never really had this many outfits to choose from, and the idea of wearing new clothes that hadn't been oversized or torn was still alien to her.

Manx decided on a red sleeveless top and brown shorts with a transparent tail skirt that was more decoration than anything. She then ran her hands through her hair and looked at herself in the mirror that hung on the back of the door.

"I'm such a mess." she muttered to herself.

A soft knock on the door startled her, bringing her back from the inner recesses of her mind.

"Are you up yet?" Vaskin asked.

"Yes." Manx replied, opening the door to face him.

"Wow... You look..." Vaskin said

"Like a wreck?" Manx added.

"What? No. I guess, ah...stunning was the word I was going for." he continued.

"That's one way to put it." Manx sighed.

"No, I mean you look really good!" Vaskin replied.

"I haven't had a bath in over a week. I'm covered in cuts and bruises. My hair's a mess, and I literally feel like I've been thrown off a cliff." she stated.

"But you're alive, and safe. And that's all that matters to me." Vaskin said.

"Oh don't be poetic." she groaned, playfully poking him in the shoulder.

"I really mean it! Red's a good color on you. It brings out your eyes."

"Oh stop that!" she shot back.

"I can tell you're tired. You sure you don't want more sleep?" Vaskin said.

"I can't. I have things more important than sleep." she replied.

"Like breakfast?"

"Shut up you." Manx chuckled, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You mom is making breakfast." he said. "We can eat together."

"Fine, but I have things to deal with." Manx said.

"The Empress wants to meet with you when you're fully recuperated from your ordeal, so there's time to wait. And I'm not letting you go into hiding without Miraj checking you over to make sure that none of your injuries need medical attention." Vaskin replied.

Manx stepped back, looking into his eyes. "I've done fine enough all this time on my own." she said.

"How's the ah...cut on your back doing?" he asked.

"It's fine. And if it's not Miraj can look it over."

"Manx!" he groaned.

"No." she said, glaring at him.

"I didn't even say..."

"I know what you are thinking, and my answer is no. You are not treating that wound again. And especially not when my dad is right down the hall!" she spat.

"Why not?" Vaskin asked.

"Because..." she sighed. "If my mom saw the scars on my back from when I was in the dungeon it would break her heart."

"You have to put more faith into..."

"NO!" she yelled. The door to her parent's room burst open to reveal her father wearing just a pair of shorts wielding another one of his infamous battle axes.

"Now look what you've done!" Manx growled at Vaskin.

"Hi..um sir! It's just a disagreement, see? Nothing harmful." Vaskin said, his face flushing beet red.

"What's going on here?" Kaeoryn growled, his muscles tensing under his fur.

Vaskin swallowed hard.

"Dad, go away!" Manx groaned.

"Is there something going on that I should know about?" Kaeoryn harshly replied.

"Vaskin and I just got into an argument. That's all. End of story." Manx shot back.

"Care to elaborate?" Kaeoryn said, raising an eyebrow while glaring at Vaskin.

"It's nothing!" Manx snapped.

"Oh, Kaeoryn stop that and leave the poor kids alone." Sorrelle called from the kitchen.

Manx sighed in relief, glad that her mother was there to de-escalate the conversation.

"So Manx, can you tell us the details of what exactly happened yesterday?" Sorrelle asked as she finished cooking and called them all to the table.

Manx shrugged and said, "I suppose it's better to tell you. It was just...really horrible."

"Take your time, honey." Sorrelle replied, passing her a plate of fish.

"It's okay. Really. I'm ready as I'll ever be I suppose." Manx replied.

"If I recall correctly, you said that Xolt's friend put a neutralizer around your neck and then they left you in the mountains." Sorrelle said.

Manx nodded, pushing her food around with her fork. "Him and his friend also killed a young dragon for no reason other than the fact that she stood up for me. When Xolt brought his sword down on the dragon's spine, I could see it in his eyes that he could barely follow through with it. He then handed his sword to his friend and she..."

Vaskin put his arm around her shoulders as tears welled in her eyes.

"I know deep down he didn't...didn't want to hurt her. And the fact that he...left me in the mountains...means that maybe...deep down...maybe he didn't...didn't mean it!" Manx choked out between sobs.

"Come here. I've got you. It's okay now." Vaskin said, as she leaned into his shoulder, hiding her face in shame because of her tears.

"Thank you." Manx whimpered, wrapping her arms around him.