***Partially Deals with a Join Suncrown/AT ongoing Plot. Enjoy***

Apsley knew that Helen was talking but she couldn’t concentrate on what the woman was saying. She still needed to talk to Keyadis about the Locket and the dream.

“Apsley, did you hear what I said Girl? You have been distracted all day!” Helen gently shook Apsley’s shoulder

“Oh, yes, I’m sorry Helen I’ve just had something on my mind that’s bothering me a little.” Apsley looked down at her hands as she apologized.

“Well, you haven’t time to be distracted. Lord Silverblade is home and dinner will be served within an hour. Head up to Cerillia’s room and freshen up.” She said sternly

“Yes Ma’am” Apsley nodded and began heading up the large staircase towards her friends room, her mind racing. There were so many things she needed to talk to Keyadis about, and not within earshot of the staff if she could help it.

Without even thinking she turned around and headed down the opposite wing to Lord Silverblade’s personal library where she knew he liked to retire after a long day at work. Hesitating only briefly at the door she turned the knob and walked in.

Apsley let out a screech as she was immediately grabbed with her arms pinned at her sides, a dagger at her throat.

“Please don’t! Keyadis it’s me!” she cried.

Removing the knife from her throat he spun her around quickly, gripped her shoulders tightly.

“Don’t ever walk into my private library without knocking! I could have killed you!” He was angry yet there was a hint of concern in his voice.

“Keyadis, your hurting me. I’m sorry, could you please let go? I just needed to talk to you without the many ears in this house listening in.” Tears started to form in her eyes, her voice breaking as she tried to ignore the pain his grip on her shoulders was causing.

Releasing his grip, he turned walking back to his desk, picking up his glass and taking a sip. Guarded eyes observed the expressions playing across her face.

As Apsley rubbed her shoulders to rid herself of some of the pain she walked slowly towards him.

“Keyadis I’m sorry. I should have knocked but I thought you would never let me in. I have some things we need to discuss. It involves the safety of myself and Castien and I felt that you should know what was going on.” Seeing no reaction from Keyadis, she turned and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I…I’m really sorry. I…I should go.”

“No, if you feel the need to discuss something enough to barge into my private library you might as well get on with it.” exhaling noisily he settled into his chair leaning back to listen.

Apsley swallowed the lump forming in her throat. “Anwar came to me about a week or so ago. He said a man named Sarafias approached him and asked him about Castien’s kidnapping. This man said that he thinks he knows who kidnapped Castien, that he himself was tortured by the man as a child. Anwar said the man gave him the name Serro and then Anwar asked me if something had been taken from Castien. I told him that yes a locket had been taken and he said that the locket may very well contain a piece of our son. He didn't give me much more information than that. He said he was going to talk to Agho’linn about this Sarafias person to see if he could be trusted.” Raising her head she looked at Keyadis to see if he was still listening.

Eyebrows raised in question, Keyadis pondered the name Serro “This man named Serro, his name was unfamiliar to Anwar? I must say with regret I am unfamiliar as well, though perhaps some of my contacts may be able to shed some light on this character.”

Standing, he quickly closed the distance between them. Walking over to his pretty little bee, Keyadis ever so gently pulled her into his embrace speaking softly to her.

“Little one, I see this is both a relief as well as an agony for you.” Gently rubbing her shoulders he continued “permit Anwar time to get further answers; he seems wise and quite capable of ferreting further details with or without Agho’linn’s assistance.”

“I agree, he is quite capable, but there’s more that he doesn’t know about yet.” She sighed and rested her head against his chest.

Tilting her head back to see her face, he chided, “If you have additional information you ought to be sharing with him so he can expedite the search.” At this, he paused to watch her expression, seeing tears threatening to fall he thought the worst. “Apsley, what is it you haven’t said?”

“A few nights later I had a really disturbing dream about a Locket and inside the locket were two pictures, one of a man and one of a woman. When I woke up I sketched what I could remember from the dream of the locket and the pictures. It actually happened to be quite detailed when I was done. I talked to Castien and he said the locket I drew and saw in my dream is his locket. I told him that I wanted to find out where the locket was and to get it back from him and he told me that the ‘bad man’ had taken it and told me I couldn’t get it back and begged to not let the man hurt me. Keyadis, I think that this locket is the key to finding out if this man Serro is the man that took him. And to possibly getting back a piece of my son. Oh that was the other thing Anwar said, that this man may have taken the locket in order to take a piece of Castien with him.” She took a deep breath here and looked at Keyadis. “I still want to find out who made this locket and who the people are in the pictures, but more importantly, if this man has a piece of Castien or Castien’s soul in the locket, could he then know where Castien is at all times? How am I supposed to keep him safe?”

“For now I would suggest anyone spending time with Castien be on guard to any possible situation.” Stepping back a bit he spoke his thoughts aloud. “Either the locket is a key to Castien’s past or Serro has another motive for abducting him and keeping the locket.” Seeing that she still did not appear to be relieved he wiped a stray tear from her cheek and sighed “Okay, I will ask Sara’thai to possibly increase the guards around the manor. And maybe take a guard with him when he goes to the farstriders with Castien.”

“Thank you Keyadis. I am going to go freshen up a bit before heading down to the dinning hall.” Feeling that the issues surrounding Castien would be taken care of as much as they could be she turned and headed for the door.

As she placed her hand on the knob she turned, “Actually, I’m not finished with you yet.” Her cheeks flushed red as she stalked back towards him. “Are you screwing them Keyadis?” Her voice broke as her frustration and hurt boiled over, tears spilling down her face.

Stunned by the abrupt change in her mood, he asked sounding bewildered “Screwing whom?” Rubbing his jowl absently “Really Apsley I swear on my sisters life I do not have any idea of what you are talking about!”

“It’s all over town Keyadis. They are saying you spend more time at the Teahouse then your own office. I am not naïve, I know what they do there. What they offer for ‘dessert’. I know that most women in my position wouldn’t care because they were forced into a relationship they are not happy in, but I have feelings for you Keyadis, and the thought of you with….with one of them in an upstairs room of the teahouse…just makes me sick to my stomach.” She looked away from him then, staring at the books and roughly wiped the tears from her eyes.

He chuckled a bit “Ah that! Well it is true I am spending a fair amount of my time at the teahouse along with some funds, rest assured I am conducting business there not partaking of said business’s… Shall we say high quality dessert offerings?”

Turning back to his desk he sat down assuming the topic would be closed on that note.

Walking to the desk she put her palms flat on top and leaned towards him, “That’s all you’re going to say? ‘rest assured’? It’s the talk of the town! How do you think that makes me feel? People are assuming that you are not satisfied? Are you promising you will never take part in the offerings? What if a client offers to pay?!” she had been holding this in for too long and now all the questions flooded out of her mouth, like a dam that has exploded.

Bristling, nearly shouting; “You need to learn now and bloody hell I mean it; what I do in regards to business is NOT your affair!” Shoving his chair back, it went careening into the wall behind him as he met her eye to eye, only the desk between them as he glared at her.

Continuing on,” Why would people be worried about my level of satisfaction? You worry over the commoner’s opinions of my level of sexual gratification? Do you realize you are absolutely the pinnacle of dim-witted?”

Apsley raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face. “How DARE you insult me?! It is not the commoners I worry about. The rest of the noble community listens to the gossip and spreads their own. I am trying to RESTORE the Nerel’thos name not ruin it! And obviously you have no care in the world for the fact that I want to be more than just a fel damned business transaction! Maybe if you weren’t so caught up in YOURSELF you would see that!” she snapped, her face beet red as her anger increased.

Unmoving, eyes never leaving hers he growled out “Watch you don’t make a decision we both regret.” Eyes boring into hers he continued. “Contrary to your very low estimation of my moral fiber, I do care what our families think. That being said I have little concern either your Lord Steward nor Lord Rellen’thas would find your current behavior particularly charming!”

Slamming her fist on the desk she turned around and walked to the middle of the room. Sighing with frustration, she looked back and him and said "Your probably right. But they have never approved of my behavior! Listen, I just don't like finding out about your tab at the teahouse from other people! What was I supposed to think?! Did you NOT hear me when I said I have feelings for you? I do not share my men. Ever. I mean sexually that is. I"m sorry Keyadis, I shouldn't have blown up like that when you said that you haven't been with any of them." walking over to his desk she turned to face away from him and slid down to lean against the front of it. Hugging her knees and leaning her forehead on them she closed her eyes.

"I heard you, but what you fail to comprehend for the umpteenth time is how I run my business." Storming around the desk he grabbed her by the shoulders, lifting her off her feet to set her atop the desk. "Now listen woman! I have never felt the need to explain myself and really I am of no inclination to start doing so at this stage in my life. Will you please tell me what it is about me that has you convinced I am such a cad?"

Putting her finger up to her lips she looks as though she is thinking, "hmm, lets see...only the fact that you tried to get me in bed the first time we talked and when I refused you decided my cousin would be better? Not to mention most men i have met in your line of business seem to care about their own needs more than others. I don't care how you run your side business that is up to you. I just wish you had given me forewarning that you would be treating your clients to services at the Teahouse. I don't care who they are or why you bring them there. Maybe part of it is the fact that I realize you have made promises to people about not bedding me and all the men I have known would just go find it elsewhere in that case."

Grinning he stepped in closing the space between them "Well darlin, I really do understand your desires; If I were you, I would most assuredly want to do me too!" No wonder you've gone and got your knickers in a twist. You've been thinking your man has been paying for it!" Hell if I were in your shoes and my man was attending the teahouse I would be steaming mad too thinking he didn't know he could get it for free all along."

Yanking her up, spinning around and walking clear across the room, he kissed her soundly presssing her against the door. Leaning back he smiled down at her. "See, I have this theory the longer you have to wait the longer you will have to wonder about how great it will be to finally have your prayers answered!"

"Don't you mean how great it will be to have your prayers Answered? I mean... you are the one dreaming of my hair on your pillow." She looked up at him with an evil grin and tilted her head to the side. "I'm sure once all the tension between us has been alleviated we might actually understand one another better."

Still smiling he pretends to dust himself off. "Honey you need to stay busy and stop thinking so poorly of me. If it's that bad by all means go find some other man to marry." Sighing "Really this is ludicrous."

"You aren't the easiest person to read Keyadis, and you don't make your feelings well known. And there is no going to find another man, this is what has been arranged and I really have very little say in the matter. I don't think your a horrid person. Having been left once, I suppose I just like to know what i'm up against. And sometimes I find it hard to tell if your actions are due to your wanting to appease me so that this union will take place and further both families, or if it's because you might actually care for me." She sighed "I have feared that teahouse since Kevlyn opened it. I haven't even stepped foot inside the establishment."

Releasing her he turned and began straightening the room, over his shoulder he spoke. "The teahouse is the least of your problems at least with me. I will say this once, though I enjoy looking at great beauties, there is nothing beyond that on my mind." Raking a hand through his hair he turned to look at her. "There have not been many women in my life and though I do like you, this incessant need to hear about my feelings is tiring. My mind is set on courting you and you alone, if there are other concerns you need only speak with Emma as she knows my moral fiber better then anyone else alive." Gesturing to her gown "Now if you don't mind we should eat, for the hungrier I become the worse my temper will grow!"

"Helen sent me to change and freshen up for dinner and I came here instead. Would you like me to change first?" She questioned carefully as she looked at her dress.

Snorting in derision "Ah, yeah if you want to keep her looking at you with any sort of dignity. Helen has no use for troublemakers and if you find my temper harsh just wait until you piss her off, now run, go change and I'll meet you downstairs."