Follow your Heart [Zander, Raleigh]

[Deleted]

It'd been four days.

Four days since she betrayed Zander. Four days since they met Alaster Draven. Four days since her world had ended. And four days since Theodorus said those words that sunk to her very core. She couldn't shake them, no matter what she tried, always there. Constantly running through her mind. And those words had spurred her into action. She knew what needed to be done. She needed to find out where the other students were, and get them out. How?

Those four days had been spent learning the layout of the mansion. Finding out where the students wands and other belongings had been stashed. Finding out what was actually there that could prove useful. In those searches she discovered a mirror among Zander's belongings. She recognized what it must be immediately. Enchanted to act as a means of communication. It would have a twin. The mirror became the keystone to her plan.

Braelynn made her way down the the basement, carefully avoiding being seen by any of the masked Mercenaries that patrolled the halls. There were at least three she knew she couldn't avoid, but a quickly cast Stupefy did the job, followed by a levitation spell to hide the unconscious men out of sight. And at last she reached the door that separated the basement from the rest of the house...

What was that sound..?

Yanking the door open, she hurried inside to see... plants. Oh. Great. They were trying to make their own escape. "Wait, stop! You'll attract too much attention!" She panicked, shutting the door as quickly as possible, hoping that she was wrong. That no one outside would notice. Turning back, she finally saw Zander.

And it was like the world froze.

@zander
@leigh

[Deleted]

ON the morning of their third day in captivity, at least hat was their guess, these sudden packs of potted plants appeared out of nowhere coming from a few of the kidnappees, Zander included. There were little instructions as to what each potted plant did. So, Headmaster Longbottom had given them a means to escape. Zander felt a small glimmer of hope in this. He could get Sophia out of here.

He immediately sprung into action, along with the other students, and they stayed up all night studying the plants and planning their escape. The next morning they started to activate the plants. They had already taken one guard down when suddenly a voice appeared in the hallway, telling them to stop drawing attention to themselves. As soon as her heard her voice an intense chill rushed through Zanders body, starting at his heart. He lifted his eyes to meet hers.

He forgot where he was for one sweet moment. Forgotten what she had done. She was there, she was within reachable distance off him. She was beautiful, ethereal and-she's one of them.

The seemingly suspended moment in time came to a halt and Zander stood, turning away from the other students to face her straight on. "What... what are you doing?" he didn't sound angry. He wasn't angry. It was a soft tone, almost unbelieving that she was really there at all.

@braelynn
@leigh

[Deleted]

Braelynn didn't think it would hurt so much to see Zander.

The tightness in her chest. The sudden inability to breath, her heart pounding painfully and violently. She felt pain, guilt, love, and joy all at the same moment, unable to settle on one emotion. She couldn't even imagine what he was feeling. Anger? Hatred? Betrayal...

Braelynn took a slow, deep breath, swallowing the emotions that were desperately trying to burst out. She had to be calm. So, when she met Zander's gaze, all that remained was that raw determination to put an end to all of this. "Following my heart." She whispered, only loud enough that Zander might hear. He'd told her once to do exactly that. Only at the time she hadn't listened. She hadn't had the courage too. It was different now. She was different.

Reaching into her cloak, she pulled out the mirror, so he could see it. "Zander, if I can get you out.... Can you use this to call for help?" She asked, her voice finally back to a normal level. Looking around he room, she spotted the familiar face of someone she was not expecting. Raleigh. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Raleigh?"

@zander
@leigh

[Deleted]

@zander && @braelynn

as soon as he saw who walked into where they were raleigh frowned a little. of course her family was in on this. how could they not be. he was sure that somewhere his father might possibly have had something to do with this .. not necessarily this event but he would no doubt be involved in the side of dark magic once again .. "Raleigh?" his eyes met hers and there was a coolness behind them. he wanted to know what the hell was going on and why she was involved. she'd spent the last few years as this dopey doe eyed little girl who had seemed to give in to everyone around her and had a spine like jelly and here she was. "i should have known the rousseau's would be involved somehow .. people never suspect the quiet ones" he said icily as he walked over to them and he had his arms folded across his chest. "what the hell is going on" he asked her, trying to keep his voice from sounding too icy so he had a better chance of getting an answer but it was a little difficult. he had spent three days in a cell .. it would be enough to drive anyone to anger.

[Deleted]

Following my heart.

Zander shoulders slumped forward at the words, knowing exactly where they came from. He had told her to do that and she... she hadn't listened. She had stayed with the bad guys. She had continued to let them control her. He took in a long breath and on the exhale he was rushing toward her, stopping just short of her and catching his breath again as she lifted the mirror.

"Yeah... yeah, I could. But how can we get out without getting caught?" the original plan with the plants an all was to use brute force to get out which now... seemed like a pretty stupid plan. But Bay was smart. She would have something.

As she said Raleighs name, Zander turned to look. He knew Leigh was there, but he hadn't really spoken to him. He could see the coldness in Raleigh's eyes and instinctively turned on his heel to stand slightly in front of Bay as Leigh moved forward. "Hey, cool it, Flint. She's here to help, okay?" At least, that's what she was saying and Zander trusted her. He didn't have a good reason to... but he did.

@leigh
@braelynn

[Deleted]

The girl smiled a little at Zander, even though it hurt. It hurt, because she couldn't forget what she'd done to him. She'd got him into this mess. A mess far bigger then she'd ever even considered.... Desirae had dragged her down a path so dark and twisted that it terrified her. She didn't know what they were going to do with the students down here. What that.... that man would do to them. Heck, what he would do to her if he found out. Braelynn had made sure he wasn't in at the Mansion when she came down here. That smile lasted only a moment, before her expression went still once more. Before she could share her plan though, Raleigh was speaking.

Braelynn wasn't surprised by Raleigh's harsh, cold words. When she spotted him, he expected him to piece it together quickly. But, she did not flinch, like she would have before. She didn't cower, and apologize, or revert to that proper quiet girl he knew. And Zander, sweet Zander, stepped between them. "No, he's right, Zander." She replied, her voice even and cool, lacking any emotion that had been there a moment before. "I don't expect any of you to forgive me... No, I don't want any of you too. But I need you to listen to me before anyone else gets hurt." She directed that last sentence to Raleigh alone, the girl standing a little straighter in... not confidence but it definitely wasn't cowering.

"I've already taken care of some of the guards, but they won't stay out for long, and more will come. I can get one, maybe two people out without being noticed." She paused, looking back at Zander then. "It's your mirror, Zander. So you're the only one that knows how to work it." That meant she had to get Zander out, for sure. She was going to leave it there, just Zander. Protecting one person would be the easiest. But there was something.... some unsettling feeling deep in her chest. And she looked at Raleigh. "Will you come with us? I can get you a wand." Why did she feel like... like something bad was going to happen?

Stepping back to the door, she opening it just a crack to look out, before looking back at the pair. "We have to go now."

@leigh
@zander

[Deleted]

@zander && @braelynn

"Hey, cool it, Flint. She's here to help, okay?" raleigh snapped his gaze to zander and narrowed his eyes a little. "did i speak to you lloyd?" said as zander shifted himself between himself and bay. well it seemed being locked in a cell for days had no effect on his feelings. raleigh had pieced two and two together about them a while ago and now it seemed zander wasn't gonna let that go. regardless of what she did. "No, he's right, Zander." "I don't expect any of you to forgive me... No, I don't want any of you too. But I need you to listen to me before anyone else gets hurt." worried about people getting hurt. people were already hurt. people had been hurt and he doubted they'd all make it out of there without getting hurt once again. "good, because i doubt it'll happen." he said as she spoke the last part of her words direct to him. "I've already taken care of some of the guards, but they won't stay out for long, and more will come. I can get one, maybe two people out without being noticed." "It's your mirror, Zander. So you're the only one that knows how to work it." he almost turned away, almost went back to the other students to help with their escape plan. they all wanted out of here and for some strange reason he wanted them to get out without anyone dying. "Will you come with us? I can get you a wand." well that stopped him from walking away. she wanted him to go with them? he glanced back to the group of students, his classmates and was quiet for a moment. he knew time was of the essence but it was a harder choice to make than he ever thought it would be. he looked back at her. "try anything funny and i'll use it on you" he warned as he moved toward the door she had come in from.

[Deleted]

Zander wanted to say something else and even moved forward a little but at Leigh but Bay's words stopped him. He turned to look at her as she spoke about not expecting anyone to forgive her, but that they needed to trust her. Zander nodded, "I trust you, Ly-Braelynn," he said before pulling his eyes away from hers. I was, admittedly, hard to look into them for too long without his brain ceasing to function due to an overload of different feelings. "Gimme one sec," he moved back to the group, grabbing his pack of plants and handing them to one of the other kids. "You guys stay here. I can call for help with that mirror. Then, when it's clear someone has come, we'll come back for you. Just lay low," he said. Then he turned to Sophia, quickly kissed her on the forehead and slipped back to Leigh and Braelynn.

He arrived in time for her to explain that she she could only take the two of them. Zander turned to Leigh with a skeptical look as she asked him to join them, but didn't say anything about it. Zander nodded, "yeah, I need to get outside with it," he explained, moving forward as Bay opened the door and said they needed to go.

Yeah, like heck Zander was going to let Leigh lay a finger on Braelynn, whether she betrayed them or not. He followed her lead...

@leigh
@braelynn

[Deleted]

How? How did Zander trust her so easily? Braelynn swallowed at his words, to keep her emotions from rising to the surface. So trusting, pure, and innocent. She hated herself for dragging him into all of this. For making him a victim. She didn't respond, unable to muster the strength to speak, and instead chose to nod. And then there was Raleigh. Strong, troubled, but a survivor. She'd hurt him too. Despite them never being close, he was still important to her...

Focusing on how to get them out, and where to go helped. So when Zander said he needed to get outside, she nodded again. "I can do it." She held the mirror out for him to take, once again feeling that nagging in her stomach. Only when he took it did she look at Raleigh again, the boy saying he'd use the wand on her if she did anything. "Good. Don't let me betray you again." She didn't specify what betraying entailed. She would leave that up to him to decide. And while she was sure she wouldn't do anything.... There was still a chance. After all, there was that creepy woman she'd met a few days ago. From what she'd heard, her abilities over the mind were greater then most. If that woman was around and got in Braelynn's head during this she would need someone to stop her.

Braelynn led the way, stopping for only a moment after the door was closed to pull out her wand and cast several protective incantations, just in case any guards came. IT wouldn't stop them, as they could break the spells, but it would slow them down. Next she lead Zander and Raleigh to where she'd hidden one of the guards, and grabbed his wand, handing it over to Raleigh.

At the end of each hall, Braelynn would look first, to ensure the coast was clear, before motioning the boys to follow. They were almost outside, the backdoor of the Mansion just at the end of the hall they were currently in when she stopped. There was a.... tension in the air. She motioned to Zander and Raleigh to stop, and crept forward, wand held tightly in her hand as she looked through the archway that led into one of the many sitting rooms. All the color drained from her face.

Desirae was in the room.

@zander
@leigh

[Deleted]

@zander && @braelynn

as the three of them left the cell, raleigh glanced around, trying to commit everything to memory encase they had to come back without bay. for any reason. it was weird being almost free and still so trapped in the place that had held them for a few days. as they came across the henchman he took the wand from bay and held it in his hand for a second, looking at it and figuring it would do the job. he nodded slightly to bay as they kept walking and he kept his eyes on her though, just encase this was just a trap to lead the kid she was supposed to love into a trap .. wouldn't be the first time in history people hae used love to get what they wanted. as she motioned for them to stop he did for a second. there was something different about now. the last few halls it had been .. okay. he glanced to the opening at the end of the hall before he made his way up behind bay, put his hand on her shoulder to let her know she was there and moved to peer around her and saw her sister sitting there. he frowned a little, gripped his wand and pulled back a little to look at her. "are you trapping us?" he spoke to her in his lowest voice possible, not wanting to give their spot away if it wasn't .. but he had to wonder.

[Deleted]

Zander followed, heavily aware of the tension between the three of them and in the air in general. He was also hyper aware of all the things running through his head that he wanted to say to Bay, and how he really hoped she wasn't leading them into a trap. But, he just knew she wasn't this was real. This was a rescue.

He had the mirror now and held it close to him as the turned the next bend. Braelynn looked into an archway leading to a room and stopped. Zander placed a hand on her shoulder before peering over her head to catch the glimpse of Desi.

He felt his blood start to boil and almost moved forward then and there... and then Raleigh spoke. Zander turned to face him, but it was too late...

@desirae
@braelynn
@leigh

[Deleted]

It had been a very, very strange past few days. Desi had opted that her and Braelynn be placed with the other students in order to be rescued and taken back to Hogwarts as innocents. But that meant she had to wait until Alastor was all set to go with the plans and ready to get the students back. This mansion was big, and all the masked people didn't want to play, no matter how hard she pouted.

So, here she was in one of the sitting rooms, feet up on the couch spinning her wand around in her hand, completely void of something fun to do. That was, until a spider climbed onto her shoulder.

"Hello friend," she said softly. At least there was one familiar thing in this boring hole. Then it told her... someone was at the door, someone was trying to escape.

In an instant her wand was in her hand and she was standing, aiming her wand at the three faces in the doorway. At first her gaze was cruel but... she softened and almost lowered her wand, but didn't. "Braelynn... what do you think you're doing?"

@people

[Deleted]

Why.... Why did they move forward? She could have talked their way out of this! Maybe... Actually, Braelynn just spotted the spider on Desirae's shoulder and knew what had actually alerted Desirae to their presence. The spiders had been watching. Somehow. She hadn't seen any, she'd been looking for them! And yet one had slipped through.

Taking a slow breath, Braelynn didn't respond to Raleigh's question, instead she stepped into the archway. Between her sister and the two boys. Her wand still in hand but not raised. Not like Desirae's. "I'm doing what's right, Desirae." She stated, never looking away from her sister. Desirae knew they were out. Which meant she'd warn the others. Maybe before Zander could even call for help. There was only one option.

"Raleigh, the door at the end of the hall will lead you outside. I'll make sure Desirae doesn't warn the others, just get Zander out safe." She lowered her voice then, so only the boys would hear.

@leigh
@zander
@desirae

[Deleted]

@zander && @braelynn

"Raleigh, the door at the end of the hall will lead you outside. I'll make sure Desirae doesn't warn the others, just get Zander out safe." he frowned and looked at desi. tearing his gaze from her he looked at zander then to bay and nodded his head a little. "keep her occupied .. give us ten minutes" he said as he reached to clasp his hand around zander's arm and he moved to pull him away from bay and down the direction that she had said. they needed to get out if they had any chance of letting anyone know where they where. "you want to see your brothers again .. i'd suggest you hurry up" he said to him as he kept moving down the hall, his eyes moving around the hall. if they found them trying to escape he had a feeling they were as good as dead. as strong as he and zander were he doubted they could fight off multiple enemies. raleigh had a wand he wasn't sure worked and if all zander could think about was bay then he wasn't going to be any good either.

[Deleted]

Everything was happening so quickly. Desi had spotted them, calling Braelynn out. Zander tried to step forward but his feet didn't seem to be working. Then, next thing he knew. Braelynn was telling Leigh to get Zander outside and leave her behind. Zander looked to Leigh, then back to Braelynn before Leigh agreed. "No-" he started before Leigh's hand was clasping his arm and Leight was starting to lead him down the hall.

"We'll see you soon, Lynn. I'll see you soon!" he said, reaching out a hand to catch her fingertips for one short moment before he was pulled out of reach. Braelynns was a good fighter. She was the Dueling Club Co-Captain for heavens sakes. She could do this.

At Leighs words about his brothers, Zander finally turned away from Braelynn and picked up the pace, tearing down the hall until the broke through into the fresh air...

LE END OF THREAD!