I wasn't aware we were playing Hide-n-seek (Ciar)

Looking about the catacombs, Ren's eyes took in everything that he could trying to commit some of it to memory. The teen liked architecture as well as man made versus natural occurring caves. He blamed his tutor from when he was young. The man had a cavern he'd made his home and that had been where Ren had been taught and spent his days as a child.

Zhen was on his shoulder as usual but caused the teen to stop midstride when the ferret raised on its hind legs, the forepaw on his ear. If he looked he would see her nose twitching as her head looked one way then the other as if trying to locate a noise or scent. Straining his ear for any sound, the youth waited and then heard a soft sound barely perceptible unless you were listening for something. Raising a hand he placed it on the ferret's lower body.

Not willing to douse his wand since that could lead him to have more disadvantage than advantage, Ren raised it but kept it in a position should he need to fire off any quick spells. Walking again this time more cautiously, he frowned when he came upon the maker of the noise. He'd known she was in town and should have figured this was the place she would go.

"Did you get a letter from your parents again Viper? Or did some pesky first year outwit you?"

It was always her fault. Even when she was miles away in a different country somehow it always ended. Ciar was currently huddled in one of the many open alcoves that were supposed to hold important items. A scroll of parchment was clutched in one hand and her other was clenched into a fist. Adjusting her posture from sitting for almost an hour she scraped against the rocks.

Hearing the sound of light footsteps approaching Ciar looked up, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes breifly before it was contolled. With a slight sneer she brandished the scroll. "Two feet," she growled. "Two bloody feet of parchment and ink telling that not only am I an utter disgrace to the family name but I am officially cut off from my trust vault with the exception of three thousand gallons per school year until I'm of age. I didn't even do anything but because my Crup decided to disappear for two days it's my fault and need to take her punishment."

Ciar rolled her eyes and punched the opposite side of the alcove, scraping the skin off her knuckles and possibly even breaking one. Swallowing the stabbing pain the only emotion Ciar showed was the cold fire dancing in her grey eyes. "Why is it always me, Asp?"

Pressing his back against the wall being very careful not to squish or harm Zhen, Ren tilted his head as he listened. He might have guessed it was the former and not the latter. Unfortunately from what he'd observed Ciar's parents were royal bastards with unrealistic expectations. If anyone was surprised about Ciar's vindictive streak one only had to look no further than her parents.

Sighing Ren stroked the silky fur of his pet since it helped calm him as well as helped him think for some strange reason. In his opinion Ciar's parents were just trying to find excuses. He knew that his somewhat maybe friend didn't want to hear it, but sometimes he thought all parents must love their children was a complete farce. Hand unconsciously going to the crucifix under his uniform, he swallowed.

The first thing that came to his mind was, "Because you defy them."

That only made sense to him. Ciar defied and pushed them whereas as far as he knew the other two Whelan children didn't. "Some people...if they can't tame or control you, they seek to destroy you."

Ciar listened to Ren with a passive face though her blood was boiling just beneath the surface. It was true. She did defy them more than anyone else ever had and probably ever would. It was her nature. She was the perfect dueling Pureblood daughter on the outside but inside it was almost as if she got the heart of a lion. She pushed that thought away. No, she had the heart of a wolf. Powerful, loyal to the ones deemed worthy of the pack, but still enough of a loner to be considered a lone wolf.

"I'll destroy them," she growled taking the parchment in both hands and ripping it asunder. "I'll show them who's fault it is. I'll show them what happens when they try to tame the Viper." A feral growl ripped from her throat and she chucked a stray stone across the chamber where it hit the opposite wall with a sharp crack.

A smirk crossed Ren's face momentarily at Ciar's comment. There was no doubt in his mind that the girl would be able to do it. If she was smart about it that was. And she was smart, she just let her emotions get in the way. Sometimes he wondered if there had been a Berserker somewhere in the Whelan bloodline or even coming from her mother's side. That would definitely explain a few of Ciar's quirks.

"If you want to destroy them then be cunning and smart about it, Viper." Tilting his head slightly the other way, crossing his arms, he thought about it. What would destroy the Whelans? He thought he knew of a way that would inflict a wound to Ciar's parents and make the Whelan children stronger. Eyes shining with his idea he smiled wickedly. "I might have an idea, if you're willing to go through with it that is."

Fighting to control her raging emotions Ciar almost missed what Ren was saying. "Tell me, Asp," she growled showing her irritation at her parents. "Because if there is no other option I shall kill them myself. There's only me and my brother left thanks to them."

The teen shoved the peices of parchment onto the floor and away from her. "Either something happens to make them realize that I am more worthy of the name than they or I go back home and I kill them with my bare hands." Ciar turned her steely gaze to Ren and dared him to continue talking.

Shaking his head, Ren took a seat next to the Irish girl. "And that would accomplish what? You'd be sent to Azkaban or worse, Nurmengard."

And that wouldn't do any good because then Ciar's brother would end up with relations who were as bad if not worse than the Whelan's. Ciar's hard work and her wanting to protect her younger brother would have been for naught. Ren highly doubted that that was what she wanted.

"Think about it, Ciar. They disowned you but do you think they'd easily disown the only male Whelan heir?" Giving the girl a meaningful look he asked with a smirk, "What would be more painful than to lose Zephan?"

If Ciar could get her younger brother to side with her and to undermine his parents authority then maybe it might work. Zephan might be too young to play mind games and keep secrets, but it wasn't too early to have him start uncomfortable questions.

Ciar gave a dark, mocking laugh. "They don't realize it but he's growing up faster than they think. He's begun to owl me with questions that he dare not ask our parents. The parents that made one mistake that could very well spell their doom."

Looking at Ren the Irish girl stated, "They didn't disown me. They'd have to go to the goblins to completely cut me off from the vaults and they know that I have good relations with the goblins. Worse comes to worse and my parents did die, the goblins would have reinstated me into House Whelan within hours."

She took the Bowie knife from the sheath on her waist and ran her thumb along the blade. "House Whelan is mine whether they know it or not. Zephan is my best friend and most loyal follower. He may take the title of Lord Whelan when the time comes but I shall be the true head of the family." Ciar laughed again her grey eyes becoming dark as her internal darkness fought to release itself.