Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ailes nodded and closed her eyes; by the time Toole returned Ailes was sleeping.

The next morning was cold and Ailes was awoken by her mother's touch, "Come on sweetheart," she whispered, "It's time to leave. I have everything packed already."

Ailes struggled out of bed and rubbed her eyes, "Okay..." she slid her feet onto the floor and shivered at the piercing coldness of the floor. after she flew into her slippers she walked over to Toole's side of the bed and kissed his shoulder then his cheek as a tear slid onto his neck, "I love you... good-bye..."

Ailes smiled and wiped a tear from her cheek. she ran downstairs and just as her mother was about to heard her out the door she made a mad dash for the kitchen. in there she found a little dish and filled it with sugar, then ran back up the stairs

"What the hell are you doing Ailes?" Ive forced a whisper.

"I'll be right back!" she hissed as she dashed down the staircase. as she neared the door she slowed her pace to a fast walk and walked through the open doorway; setting the dish of sugar at Toole's bedside with a giggle, "Sweet dreams love."

Ailes came down the stairs and smiled,"Good morning, Jezabelle."

Ailes smiled, "You take good care of Toole for me, okay." she grabbed a few of her bags and set them outside the door, then came back in and hugged Jezabelle, "I'm going to miss you too. Don't forget to come visit, okay."

Ive and Ailes made their trek through the crumbled streets of Arias, to the gate and went back home to Rodasia.

Dinner was very quiet that evening as Toole spent most of it lost in thought, and Jezabelle was trying to keep up in writing responses to the two mistresses who were still housed at Toole's despite the fact the jails were rebuilt first.

Toole was working on evening tea, and started writing a new journal specifically for Ailes to map out the days events and his feelings on the things he has done. He closed the book and finished the cup of tea, he stood up as someone came through the backdoor. "I apologize for barging in like this, but everyone is so busy during the day. I forgot all about it till about an hour ago, but these belong to you now. Mother left them to you, and..."

Toole looked at the box holding ribbons; "You had better take those back, I want no part of her wrath by getting me involved in one of your jokes, and where is mother i haven't seen her around town lately?"

Carnath looked confused; "Umm brother, mother's been dead for almost two months now, and no one has told you yet?"

Jezabelle tensed up wondering how Toole would react, she didn't make eye contact with either of them, she twisted an ear slighty to hear better though.

Toole glared at Carnath; "If this is one of your practical jokes..." Carnath held up his hands; "Whoa Toole, this is one thing I wouldn't joke about, Father hasn't told you yet has he, great i just blew the secret right out of the water."

Toole went from disbelief to anger his voice rising in octaves as he spoke. "You mean to tell me father has told you to keep it a secret my mother is dead? Just what the hell kind of family are we?" Carnath sighed; "Its not like we didn't want to tell you Toole, father felt it was his responsiblity, and everyone was worried about you slipping into that depression after the mirror incident."

"So that was the problem, you let me believe she was alive, and here I thought i had the chance to apologize for being such an a** to her."

Carnath picked up the box, and started to back out the still open door. "You can scream all you want about it Toole, but the cold hard truth is that your harsh words spun her into suicidal depression. In effect you killed our mother, you broke her heart, and we all should be hating you at the moment. You knew better, yet you just preached about how you had already decided to die, and completely ignored the fact there was a chance to live. Yet we all came to an agreement to forgive on the grounds that you were dying and that such a realization was going to be sooner or later."

Toole noted Carnath was outside of the doors and with the turn of his head the doors slammed shut and were locked. He left the kitchen table, the journal still sitting at his place, and later when Jezabelle brought it up to set it in his room she couldn't enter. the door was locked, but her key would no long unlock the door. Jezabelle's ears dropped in sadness, and she simply walked on down to her room and closed the door.