The two watch members seem to lose themselves in each other's gaze. A tenderness seems to wash over the inspector's face, even if just for a moment.
"Talia, I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you. With your talent, it's only a matter of time until the Black Books come calling to recruit you. I just hope that you---".
Talia's immense blushing is enough to cut Innvar short, and snap him back to the problem at hand. He begins fumbling at his side for his well-made manacles.
"Uhh, yes, of course. I'll have to take you to the Watch Headquarters. Until we can be sure that the enchantment is taken care of. We should be able to dispel it, given some time. We'll need to come back, for the bodies, too. I don't want anyone to get too close to that thing, until we can be sure it's not a danger. You twins would do well to take care of things here, and smooth things over with the workers as best as you can. I respect House Lyrandar, as I said before, and the public doesn't have to know anything that won't hurt them."
The inspector nods, and leaves with a manacled Lord Byron. The others follow.
"I...it's hard to explain, really. But I know it's keyed to those things in a pile over there. When...I...and my guards....began to look through them, I was instantly overtaken by an urge...no..a desire...no...a need to protect it. To guard it, you know? Like...like an animal or something? I defended it so fiercely, I...I couldn't even see. I couldn't even see who I was lashing out against. It's like...nothing made sense...except that damn treasure."
Broken and exhausted, Byron turns to his children; "I...I think I'll probably still have to go with the Watch. Until this spell, or whatever, wears off. You kids know I was never any good with magic stuff. I could be dangerous still. I want you to get in contact with Merk, down at the docks. He can take care of things here...until I get back."
Mercury d'Lyrandar is the steward that takes care of the other half of the Lyrandar concern in Sharn; the docks and all things related to water-transport.
"Anything else...anything else...", Lord Byron lets the words roll on his tongue. "This day has already asked so much of you both. But there is plenty to do. The servants must be rounded up, Flash must be found, the guards....oh gods...the guards! I murdered them! Each and every one of them!" Lord Byron breaks down under the considerable weight of even the thought of dealing with the repercussions of his charmed actions.
The twins do their best to move their father away from the treasure, and Deerian is able to find some rope. Wearily Byron reassures the twins; "You must know that I would never knowingly hurt you. This...compulsion...gets the better of me. It feels like I'm drowning."
Lord Byron lifts his hands in surrender. Knowing that he must be restrained does not help his dignity any. The spell protecting Byron seems to flicker and fade as Deerian approaches.
Byron's lip begins to curl; his visage shifts from defeat to the beginnings of resistance. His eyes follow Deerian's movements like an animal.
Clear can be used at-will. The duration of the protection spell overlaps, but does not stack with the current one. Basically, as long as someone is by him, applying the spell before it fades, he'll be free of the compulsion.
"Please...give me a minute. It still feels a little like I am underwater. My memory is a little hazy...I remember inspecting these goods that Flash left with my guards..." He looks around him..."Oh...my gods....my guards...I remember...fighting with them....over it...as if they were trying to steal it from me. I felt, like an animal, as a dog guarding it's bone..."
Lord Byron closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath, to steady himself.
"I remember hearing Flash's ship take off. I felt the surge of wind, I could have stopped him, but I didn't care! I saw your mother, with him...they left together...but I didn't care! All I could think about were these stupid jewels!" Byron kicks over the closest case, spilling their contents across the floor.
He seems to swoon for a moment, and the swirling magical light dims visibly.
At the mention of adding to and securing his hoard, Lord Byron lunges for the proffered ring. Deerians command of "Clear!" activates the spell just as Lord Byron makes contact; a soft white glow envelops his whole body as his face twists, bearing the look of angrey resentment and betrayal, before drastically changing to a complicated mix of defeat, sorrow, and relief. He is obviously processing everything that has happened since his charm.
It's overwhelming; he grabs Deerian in a fierce embrace, sobbing again. He's smearing blood and tears all over his adopted son, but his grip would suggest that he has no intention of letting Deerian go. He can only manage to blurt a teary: "I'm....so....sorry!"
"Yes. My family. My family. It's all gone... He took it all away....No. No he didn't! They're right here! Here..."
Lord Byron drops his rapier, clanging to the ground, and turns to another chest now, gently flipping it over. He begins stuffing his robe with even more of its contents, all the while muttering: "Ellirayne, my sweet daughter. Deerian, my stout son, noble hands of Lyrandar all. Never leave. Never leave. Never leave."
As he takes each item from the chest, he kisses it gently. They appear to be coins or gems of some sort.
The more he kisses the coins, the more the twins are able to see that, mingling with the dried blood and tears, a gold sheen is developing all over his face.
Byron looks around the room, his animal ferocity waning a little. The visual barrier between the onlookers and the twins serves to help him focus on the twins.
"Just...want...to help? Help me count? There's too many. Come here, then. Count treasures with...Daddy."
A twisted smile breaks on Lord Byron's face;
As the twins approach however, the smile turns into a look of horror, and twists once more, as if he was struggling with something just beneath the surface of his skin.
In what appears to be a flash of clarity, he begins shouting again: "NO! Don't! Please! Stay back!" he shoots a nervous glance to the pile of bodies all around him. "Don't help me."
It doesn't last long, and the same feral monster is soon looking back at the twins. "I'll kill you if you come any closer."
"No! Get back!" Lord Byron reaches to his neck to activate his dragonmark. Aiming his fingers at the twins, he sends a gust of wind directly at them. The rush of the conjured wind blast is enough to keep them from advancing momentarily, but that's all that he needs.
Byron jumps down from his throne, and reaches into the open chest. "No! You're not taking her away from me. She's mine. This is mine. These are all mine!" He starts frantically shoving handfuls of the chest's contents into his robe. With an animal ferocity he takes great handfuls of the coins and gems, and stuffs them down his pants. The more he gathers, the more frantic he seems to become.
His spell fades, and the twins are free to move again.
The words of the twins seems to hit Lord Byron like a punch in the face. When he spots them, he reels, almost falling off of his post.
"My dear, sweet children, I know you would never hurt me. I know. I know. We can talk. We can..." he begins sobbing, tears streaming from his face. "Your mother....is in here. My brother, too. They're all here." He points to an open chest near him.
"You...just...want to talk..." Lord Byron seems to be experiencing some kind of pain, his face twists and recoils as he tries to process the words of the twins.
"NO!" He wipes the tears from his face, re-hydrating the dried blood on his hands, his face is now smeared with blood and tears. "You want to take them away! Again! You want to steal them! Thieves!"
He picks up his rapier again, and thrusts wildly. "Get away!"
"You! Get away from me! This is mine! It's all mine! I'll strike you down! Thieves! Filth! I should run my blade straight through you!" Lord Byron screams from the top of his lungs; he paces on the top of his perch. His eyes are wild, and he bares his teeth, like a rabid animal.
