Eavesdropping (Zephyr)

Mariya walked into the common room quietly her snake, heading for her older brother's dorm where he slept curled with the other snakes. She noticed someone by the fire and smirked a bit recognizing the profile. With her wand she stoked the fire with a ball of fire from her wand. Cart wheeling across the room with a graceful spin she sat at the person's feet. "Why isn't it the the malicious master mulciber" she grinned up at Zephyr.

Zephyr sat, his arm extended across the back of the sofa he sat on, his one ankle resting on the opposite knee, and a book propped against his bent knees of the leg resting on the other. Clad in his uniform, minus the robes, his sleeves were rolled to just below the elbow and his tie loose with the top button of his shirt undone. Done with classes for the day, he opted to enjoy a some reading before beginning to prepare to head home for the holiday. Think Dahlia will be waiting when we get home? Hard to say, but I hope so. Gonna slip her the D, Zephyr? It is possible, Calix. You better make it more than possible. Cheeky bastard... Smirking at Calix's comment, Zephyr turned the page in his book before glancing up as the fire was stoked by a small ball, similar to what was burning, flew into it. As a small form plopped at his feet, Zephyr raised an eyebrow at the girl and closed the book, keeping his finger in the pages to keep his place. "Miss Carrow. To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked his housemate and daughter to one of his favorite professors.

"I spotted you sitting here alone, and conceived you may enjoy some company" Mariya said with a smile "Though your never really alone are you?" the comment was off the cuff and could be taken as the musings of a strange girl or otherwise. "Excited to return to hause von mulciber then? to be with the family whom adore you?" she grinned at him and with a minute front cartwheel she was folded neatly on the couch facing him her knees under her chin. "i quite enjoyed our games with the hufflepuffs last month we'll have to engage in those games once more sometime."

The comment about him never being alone made all The Fellows fall deathly silent. Did she know? How could she? As Osirus appeared next to him, his wise eyes took in the girl at his feet. Tread carefully. She's different, Zeph. Nodding both to him as well as to the girl, he answered and played off her comment, "I don't often seek company, but with a large family, as I have, and with as close as we are, I am often not alone. However, I sometimes make exceptions." Giving Mariya a wink and a smirk, Zephyr added, "I look forward to returning home. It's nice to get away, but it's also nice to go back. Are you heading home this Holiday?" Watching her tumble gracefully and land on the sofa next to him, Theon smiled. Quite the tumbler. Cartwheels to your feet, somersaults to the sofa.... Shhhh.... Zephyr couldn't help but chuckle when she brought up the 'games' with the pig-headed Puff that they had all engaged in a while back. He wasn't going to lie, it had been rather fun putting him in his place. Too bad we didn't kill him, though. Would have really helped humanity out being rid of him. A stern look from Osirus quickly silenced Eryx before he looked back at the strange girl. "You enjoyed taking him down a few pegs, too, I take it? Think he learned his lesson?" he asked, slipping his bookmark into the book and setting it aside.

Mariya giggled at his comment, in the distance she could hear buzzing and it made her head hurt. The buzzing slowly grew louder but she worked past the pain for a few moments. "Yes going home to my brothers my sister and with my dad! you'd think having him as a professor is fun but i can never see him" she confessed. "Yeah i like to cartwheel alot" she said to the tumbling comment "its fun and gymnastics is something i'm better at that my brothers arent" running a hand through her hair she felt the tips redden a bit. "If only we could have killed Mister Smith i know he'll be a snide bastard again soon, which means we'll just have to keep playing"

"Why can't you see him?" Zephyr ventured to ask. Likely it was due to him being busy as a professor, but you never knew. All four Fellows eyes grew wide as they looked at Mariya and her comment about gymnastics. But you didn't.... I know, hush... How did she- Hush, I said... Feeling Osirus' hand on his shoulder, he drew a subtle deep breath to regain his composure. "You certainly have a talent for it. It must be funny to see them try to best you," he said lightly. Though he was the picture of calm on the outside, inside, his heart was racing as he tried to think of just how she had known about that comment from Theon. See! She agrees that we should have ended him! A well landed punch to Eryx's upper arm from Calix immediately shut him up, but outwardly caused Zephyr's head to tick and his jaw to flex slightly. "Well, if he keeps it up, just gives up another reason to toy with him again," he said with a chuckle that sounded a little more forced than it had before thanks to the uncertainty of what was unfolding in front of him.

Mariya yelped with pain as her upper arm felt like she had been hit, her body skirting back a bit "Owww.." she moaned "Sorry..i could have sworn someone just hit me" she frowned and shrugged off the cloak and rolled up her sleeve where her arm was red from impact and the lines of knuckles could be seen.

Zephyr's jaw went slack when Mariya commented about being hit. Seeing the obvious welt on her petite arm, Zephyr got to his feet and backed away, his heart racing. All The Fellows and Zephyr in his inner mind looked at Calix who had thrown the punch. I didn't touch her! How did that.... How is that possible?! I don't know, Zeph. I've never seen this before. Stay calm... Glancing around, a flicker of panic dancing through his stormy eyes, Zephyr was glad the Common Room was empty. "Must have been the Bloody Barron. Always plays pranks on people.... Though, have never seen him do that before..." he mused, turning his focus back to the girl. He hoped that he played what happened off well enough that she would buy it. Nicely played... Hope it's enough.... Hush!

Mariya slid her cloak off her shoulders laying it on the chair, she looked up at Zephyr "Oh...I understand now" she said as slowly the buzzing turned to distant voices. The closer sounds she heard were welling up in her brain "i understand.." she murmured as her senses began to hit the point of where a machine could over heat. Suddenly a tear drop leaked from her eye..a single tear of blood. As it dropped onto her pale hand she looked down at it then back at Zephyr "Please don't go.." her voice was strangely serene as the gravity of the situation settled on her small shoulders. She frowned and through the noise picked out a single name "Eryx.."

She understands? She understands what? Just HUSH! But, Zephyr! No, quiet! Zephyr didn't know what was going on, nor what Mariya meant by she understood. How could she? Did she really know? And, if she did, how? Watching a single tear of red run down her cheek and drip into her hand, Zephyr swallowed hard. What does it mean, Osirus? I don't know, Zeph. I really don't know. His head ticking to the side as the corner of his mouth twitched, his eyes remained focused on the girl as she asked him not to leave. "I think you and I both need a-" he began before she uttered something that he never thought he would hear coming from anyone other than his cousins, their parents, his parents, or Dahlia: Eryx. How the fuck does she know me?! I don't know! I DON'T KNOW! This is not good! This is NOT good! Calm down, everyone! What are we going to do?! I thought we were careful! We were! Then how does she know?! HOW?! I SAID I DON'T KNOW! EVERYONE CALM DOWN! Zephyr, you, too! As his mind exploded with what could only be described as pure chaos, Zephyr winced and put a hand to his temple, hissing in a sharp breath. How could this have happened?! It doesn't make any sense! I know, but we need to calm down. There has to be a logical- No! Fuck logic! Feeling his knees give as The Fellows continued their panic in his mind, Zephyr took a knee on the floor, resting his free hand on the arm of the sofa to steady himself. "No.... No...." he barely whispered to seemingly no one, but really he was speaking to The Fellows. If they didn't get a grip, he knew exactly where he was heading.

The buzzing in her head got louder building to a climax, taking a deep breath she held it as she closed her eyes. Letting it out slowly she felt a slow moving calm settle on her, opening her eyes her heart ached her, soul wanted to reach out to Zephyr to calm him. Silently she moved so she stood and took the steps she needed to be in front of him, touching the side of his face she said "its okay" in a soft tone as she sent a ball of warm healing energy into his body.

"Stop... Just stop..." Zephyr whispered to The Fellows as the pain in his head hit its peek. He didn't understand how Mariya knew of Eryx, but all that mattered now was that she did, somehow, know. We will figure this out! The fuck we will! How do we know she's not going to go off and rat us out! Eryx, calm down! She's in his house! You really think she will- How do I know?! It's possible! Anything is possible at this point! She knows about me! Who is to say she doesn't know about the rest of us! JUST STOP IT!!! Zephyr didn't know how much more of this onslaught he could take, and just when he least expected anything more to happen, he felt a light touch on the side of his face. HOLD STILL, ZEPHYR! Stop it! Make her stop! Eryx! Cool it! Give her a chance! Trying to hold himself still, he felt a feeling like being submerged in a warm bath begin to wash over him. WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!?! QUIET! QUIET ALL OF YOU! Fighting against a hard tick, which he inevitably lost against, Zephyr let out a strained groan as  he felt Osirus' strong arms wrap around him. She's helping. I know about this magic, it's ok. Relax... Zephyr, breath with me. In...out...in...out... Good keep it up... 'Atta boy... Seeing him shoot a fierce warning to the others as they continued their panicked rantings, gradually, the other three fell into a tense quiet. Slowly, painfully slowly, the edge of Zephyr's pain began to fade. Feeling a tickle under his nose, he knew what happened. Yes, you're bleeding. We will take care of that later. Keep focusing on what I told you. Knowing the girl couldn't see him, Osirus still glanced at her and gave a thankful nod and smile.

Her eyes had fallen shut as she took pieces of his pain and replaced them with painlessness, warmth began to trick down her face and licking her lips she tasted blood knowing her own nose was leaking as a result of the strain. Keeping her eyes shut she stumbled towards him and hugged him tightly not once letting her hands loose contanct with his head. Placing them at the base of his neck she whispered softly "its okay your safe big brother, i'll help you, i'll keep it a secret i promise"

As his pain continues to ebb away, Zephyr's breathing also eased along with the tension and strain that always took the most toll on him. There we go, Zeph... Good... This Mariya is definitely different... How can she- How can she know? I don't know... Feeling her small arms wrap around him, Zephyr tensed out of both instinct and the hiss that resonated from Eryx at the contact. Opening his eyes, he spotted the rest of The Fellow behind Mariya. Their own forms of concern and panic coloring each of their faces. The girl's whispers as her hands cupped the base of his neck, brought on a small tick of his head as the tension began to rise slightly. You think you can trust- Eryx, stop! I believe she can be trusted. Look at what she just did for him. That means nothing. It's means everything! She knows about your sorry ass and didn't run for the nurse or the Headmaster! If... If Osirus trusts her...then I trust her, too.... A stunned silence fell over the three at Zephyr's declaration of trusting his housemate. He didn't know how she knew or why he trusted her, but he did and didn't care, in that moment that she knew. Relaxing against her petite frame, Zephyr closed his eyes to let her magic continue to wash away the side effects of The Fellows' and his own panic.

The pain built up the more she washed from him the more pain she was in. She took each piece of his agony and carefully filled her smaller frame with it. As she washed away the last of it cleansing him of his own torture, her body stiffened. Her hands fell away from him as she slid down to the floor her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

When Zephyr's pain was finally gone, except for the normal amount that generally lingered after such encounters with The Fellows, he began to feel much like his normal self. She's a wonder... That she is... Feeling her body stiffen and slide away from him to the floor, Zephyr's eyes snapped open just as she landed and her eyes rolled back. "Mariya? Mariya, are you alright?" he asked, wiping his nose with the back of his hand before putting it on her hand and his other hand on her forehead. What did you do? What did YOU do? Shut the fuck up both of you! He didn't know what happened, but he wasn't about to not help if he could after what she did for him. Keeping his eyes focused on her, he hoped she would answer.

Her breathing slowed and her racing heart followed, suddenly her whole body stopped. Then as if on cue her eyes rolled to normal and she jerked upright with a savage gasp. "To much to much at once!" she choked as her body rebooted.

Seeing her breathing slow and finally simply stop, Zephyr froze. Don't say anything.... Osirus' curt command to the others was met with the silence that he demanded, and Zephyr was glad for it. If she needed him to act, he didn't want or need to be distracted by The Fellows as he helped her. As she sat up with a loud gasp, Zephyr startled, and put an arm against her back, helping her to sit. Thank, Merlin... Is she alright, Zephyr? Letting out his own breath that he had been holding, he asked her gently, "Mariya, are you alright? What do you mean too much?"

Blinking rapidly she shivered a bit "I'm alright..pushed myself too far...took more then little me can take" she offered him a wolfish grin before frowning a bit "Can they hear me?"

What does she mean? I don't know, Zeph. But, I suspect it has something to do with what she did to you. Feeling her shiver against his arm, Zephyr pulled out his wand and stoked the fire to get the flames dancing and pour more heat into the room. Replacing it, he scooped her petite frame into his arms and settled her back on the sofa in front of the fire to help keep her warm. Taking our the handkerchief he kept as a force of habit in his back pocket, Zephyr wiped the blood from her face gently, before doing the same to what remained to himself. His grey eyes focused hard on the girl at her question as he tucked the cloth away. What do you want me to tell her? Well... You can tell her that we can hear her. But, can she hear us, Zephyr? After several silent moments, Zephyr looked away and nodded that they could, in fact, hear her. "Can you hear them?" he asked looking into the flickering flames of the fire.

"yes its becoming clearer, at first they were distant" she said looking into the fire, she had let him clean her face and hold her like she was a tiny toy without protest. "A long time ago it became apparent i could sometimes hear the things people try to keep hidden" she said her soft voice carrying "when I met my uncle kronos i could hear the distant voice of his former alter personality, the longer i sit with someone th eeasier it is. I can hear the other people in your head but not you" she tried to explain "people that are sensitive like me, sometimes connect more to people who could have been a sibling or love of there soul and so its easier to hear" she ran a hand through her pink hair as she thought.

Swallowing as he listened to Mariya tell a little about just what was going on, he began to understand. She possessed a skill, a power, that allowed her to hear The Fellows, not on purpose, but because of this gift. It's still weird as fuck, Zephyr. I know it is, but it's not like she's doing it to be malicious. She can hear all of us? Not just Eryx? Bringing his stormy eyes back to her, he thought about how to ask what they were wondering. "So, how many do you hear?" he asked timidly, pointing to his head. It was awkward for Zephyr to talk this openly about his condition with someone that wasn't family. Seeing Eryx appear next to him on the back of the sofa they sat on, Calix leaning on the arm rest, Theon on the floor next to him, and Osirus directly behind him helped to ease him slightly, but not much. They were just as curious about this girl that could hear them when all their lives the only one who had been able to was Zephyr.

"Yes it is weird" she nodded in agreement to Eryx with a soft laugh "Yes I can hear all of you now that the static is clearing up its like someone tuned the radio" she shrugged a bit. Looking up at Zephyr her eyes held no malice as she spoke her tone strong "Are you going to hurt me Zephyr? I know your scared to have someone know about this, but i need to know ifyou mean to harm me"

His inner self raised an eyebrow at Eryx as Mariya answered his question for him. Feeling Theon's head in his lap as she answered his question as well, Zephyr allowed a small smile to touch the corner of his lips as he felt The Fellows relax ever so slightly. That answer your question? Fuck you, Zephyr. It's kind of nice to know she can hear us. All of us. I mean, you're the only one who has ever heard us, Baby. So, she can hear each of us and knows that there are four of us? We are similar, Calix, but different enough that I'm sure she can distinguish who is who. Or will be able to....if you let her stay, Zeph... Flexing his jaw as his thoughts ran through what his family would think, he didn't know how they would take Mariya, housemate or not, knowing about his condition. Sure they knew that Dahlia knew, but that was different. No sense in spending loads of time on that now, Zeph. She knows... It's something that will be addressed later... I don't want anything to happen to her. I know you don't, but focus on the now. Talk to her... Let yourself recover a little. You came close, Zephyr... Osirus is right. Just...relax a little... Giving his head a shake and sighing, he answered her, "I'm not going to hurt you, Mariya. But, I do need to tell you that.... It is very important that you don't speak of this to anyone. Do you understand? No one!" Zephyr's voice was laced with a grave seriousness that rarely ever touched his words. But, it made things perfectly clear that he meant business.

"Do you not know who's daughter i am?" she said with a chuckle "I'm raised on secrecy no one will know. though you might like to know your not the only person on school grounds who is like this. theres another boy. I wont speak his name out of respect but he has the same condition. Yes i can hear his too"