It was too dark to see from behind the blindfold. But hearing, hearing was possible.

There was the sound of water lapping gently.

Gulls cawing.

Men laughing.

The clank and crank of machinery.

The scrape of feet pacing back and forth on the dirty floor.

It was hot. Stifling. There were no windows, none that opened, anyway, and the Rhydin summer was baking the room, allowing for heat to come in but none to escape. It smelled like oil and metal baking in the sun, a hard rough smell. One of industry and progress.

Fahl was pacing. That was the noise of the feet on the floor. He was hurt, and unsure of what his next move should be. Nothing was going the way he wanted it-- and now he was stuck here with her. She was hurt too, he knew, and it was only a matter of time before one of her friends would show up. Or one of them would die.

He was weak and his feet dragged. Back and forth, back and forth. The sweat didn't matter. The heat was nothing to him right then. He had to think. He needed a plan...

Lydia couldn't open her eyes just yet, but she finally came into consciousness. Slowly but surely. Fingertips flexed lightly, head rolled a little before straightening, lips parted as a pitiful sound resonated in her throat. Gods did she hurt. All over. Inside she burned and ached, her right knee throbbed, yet she shivered. Of fear, shock, and the feeling of freezing, despite her surroundings.

She moved to raise her arm, but it wouldn't move. Nor would the other. She tried to shift a leg, but it didn't move either. She squirmed, just barely, as she tried to move, but limbs were bound to the chair she sat in. Arms to arms, legs to legs.

It was then when her eyes opened.

That's when the panic really settled in. With a sharp intake of breath she pulled against the bindings, but they weren't giving at all, instead, they drove deeper and deeper into already sore muscles and joints. One last tug and she settled a moment, listening to anything she could hear around her, wincing at a particularly loud 'clank' of machinery. Brows furrowed when she picked up the scraping of feet, and hand tugged against the binding once more. A useless gesture, but it was impulsive more than anything.

Fahl heard her move. It caused him to start a little and turn his eyes toward the now struggling form tied to the chair in the middle of the room. He frowned, biting his bottom lip and shaking his head a little. To talk or not to talk? If anything, she knew the only way out of this place... and he needed it.

"You're up." His voice was clearly pained. The shuffling stopped as his pacing paused to examine her. "You need water." It wasn't a question but a statement and he shuffled across the room again to come back with a bottle that was uncapped. "I'm going to take off the blindfold and help you drink..." He was behind her now as he spoke and there was a gentle tug at the cloth tied around her eyes.

She paused and stiffened quite a bit when she heard the familiar voice. Everything came rushing back to her in waves then. Leaving The Stitch with Erin, passing that alley, Fahl dragging Erin away... it was all vague though, blurry at best. Nothing specific was coming to mind, though the thoughts of Erin caused lips to turn down in a frown. Was she alright? Where was she?

Before she could think of it too much Fahl was behind her, tugging at that cloth. She pulled her head away a little as a reaction, just once though, before settling down. There wasn't much to do at that point, and seeing was much preferable to not being able to see.

The cloth was gone in a moment and he let it drop to the floor at her side. The room was a large open warehouse. Everything was grey. The walls, the floor, the dingy ceiling. In front and behind was a mishmash of machinery. Spare parts from strange ships were stacked here and there and look as if they had tumbled to the bottom of piles.

The only light came from a small plate glass window in the ceiling just behind where Lydia was sitting. The rays traveled through dust, illuminating it as it rested on every surface it could find. It also was stifling in the heat. Fahl was breathing heavily behind her. He was still losing blood, losing time, losing patience.

"Drink this, it'll help." The bottle was held forward and towards her lips. He didn't press it, not yet. Just assumed she would need the nourishment. No one had to die, he repeated to himself. We can both get out of this... He was reaching around her to offer the bottle and the front of his body brushed over her shoulders.

Feeling him against her Lydia leaned forward, trying to pull away from him. Squinting as she took in the environment. It just wasn't registering with her though, where they might be at, or what was around her. As the bottle was held closer lips pressed together as she turned her head away. Thirsty? She was, she really was. But she wasn't in any position where she actually wanted to cooperate with Fahl. Not after everything. Not after this.

Hands struggled against bonds as she pulled away from him. She wanted to break free, lash out at him somehow, just get up and run away. Why couldn't it have just been that simple? She even tried to summon forth some magic, but nothing came. She was sucked dry and it'd be a while before she'd have any strength to use it again.

"Please, it doesn't hurt anyone but yourself..." He kept the bottle there. There was a desperation in his voice that wasn't there before. Perhaps it was the pain, or maybe it was the fact they were stuck there-- it really didn't matter anymore, it was there. He sighed, leaning his body away from hers best he could while still holding the bottle.

"I don't want to hurt you. I just need to get you home... you just don't understand..." He trailed off because it was useless talking to her. If she understood none of this would have been necessary at all. There was a long labored sigh as he closed his eyes again.

"Tell me where the t-stone is and it all stops." There should have been a threat in his voice, but there wasn't anymore. He wet his lips again and pressed the bottle forward. "This whole thing will be much easier on everyone if you just cooperate."

Pale blues narrowed as movements ceased, and head fell down a touch, gaze set in front of her. "Don't understand...?" Words came slow, labored. Voice a bit hoarse. "You just.. took me away from everything and everyone.. you.. attack me and my friends..?" One hand tugged against a bond once more before falling limp. "To take me home?? Veian is not my home.. it's not.." Those words were spoken through clenched teeth. She didn't care why he wanted her back either, even if it was a little confusing. Months ago, she thought he had given up. Thought he had seen she couldn't help him or anyone else there.

Lydia wasn't about to let on any information about that t-stone either. "..I'd sooner die than go back with you Fahl." It was quietly said, but they were serious words. Lips pressed together as she stared ahead, shivering just a touch. She was still cold, and she'd feel cold to the touch as well. Almost like ice.

"You can't die." It was a quick response-- cutting her off almost. "Don't you see? Why would *I* do any of this if I didn't *have* to?!" He was getting angry, letting the water drop to the floor and spill out around her feet. The pacing started again and she could see him finally, blood stained shirt and all.

"I don't care if you hate the place.. you have a responsibility. You have a prophecy to fulfill. You have a people to save..." He was shaking with anger, the pacing picking up pace and he went back and forth and back and forth. The gait was slow and shuffling, still, though. "I am not a violent person... I'm not..." He was talking more to himself than to her as he turned again to look at her. "But this is it. This is what's left. And you are going to cooperate. You have to. If not because you want to save your people, then because I'm going to make you. *I* won't let them die. That will not be my legacy."

His eyes glowed faintly for a moment before falling back to their normal blue. He shuddered and reached a hand back to check on his wound, looking at the blood stained fingers when he brought it back. There was something that sounded like a growl and he shook his head. "I will not be remembered as the man that let his people die. Not because of a spoiled little girl."

Lydia watched his movements, gaze slowly following him as eyes narrowed suspiciously, brows furrowing a little. Prophecy? What prophecy? She honestly hadn't a clue what he was talking about. Her gaze wandered to his wound a moment, then back to his face. "If *you* don't want them to die...? Then *you* go fix it.. and leave *me* out of it.. because I'm not going back.. even if you get me there you think I'm going to help you? You're insane.." She was getting angry as well, her words a hiss as she tugged on those bindings. "Your people are just that.. yours. Not mine.." Head hung, shaking somewhat as she blinked slowly, world starting to blur a little around her. "The elves.. the humans.. so ridiculous.. all of it.."

"You need to be there... I'd rather not deal with you at all, but.." And the pacing started again. He was thinking, as if he hadn't mulled it over before. But he had. Over and over. This was his only choice. There was a hatred in his voice that wasn't directed at anything. It just was. He couldn't really blame her... but then, he was a man of duty and it killed him that she just had forsaken hers so completely.

"You need water. You need rest. Get over yourself and drink..." He sought out the bottle, part of it still left in the bottom. He wiped the mouth of it with the back of his hand and offered it over again. Holding it close to her lips. He waited a moment before pressing it to them a little forcefully. "Drink."

He really had gone insane hadn't he? Lydia watched him another moment, then withdrew back in her chair as far as he could when Fahl approached with that water. Lips pressed together as she turned her head away, but he kept on with it. And really, the girl was pissed. She didn't have much to fight back with, but she was certainly going to fight back with all of it. Even if it would do little to no good.

Snarling, she canted her head to the side suddenly, leaned forward, and clamped teeth down on the flesh of his hand as hard as she could.. which truthfully? Wasn't all *that* hard. She was weak, and struggling at times just to remain awake. But she still bit him, enough to hurt, but not enough to draw blood.

His hand pulled back and out of her mouth and he looked at it with an open mouth. It seemed as if time stopped and then he took the hand and pulled it back letting it come across her face. It wasn't hard, but she wasn't strong at the moment, and it would at least leave a mark.

Lydia's head snapped to the side as his hand hit her face, making a loud 'smack' resonate within the warehouse. She wasn't strong. Not at all. Lips parted, sound was made, but no words formed. Pale blues slowly closed then, as neck went limp and her head hung. She was out cold.

"Stupid little..." He grit his teeth and shook his head. It was time for plan B.