Back on Daliis- as, it would later be learned, that was the planet's name, Senya was in jail. As dull as it may seem to leap back to a world that doesn't consist of trans-dimensional girls, the boys' story can't quite be ignored. Yet. Later, there will be a time when the boys can do very little of anything- but that, patiently, is not now.

The jail in Haven was a grotto system dug out of limestone, leading to more or less square cells. There weren't any doors or bars to keep people in, instead the cells were just deep pits. To get out, one had to be lifted by another.

Jailbreaks weren't really that hard to pull off. To keep them at a minimum, no visitors were allowed, and guards were everywhere.

Wren did not know what Senya was doing, and continued to worry him. Probably he was thinking of killing himself again, since the whole 'divine judgement' thing didn't work out, and that both concerned Wren and annoyed him. As much as he liked Senya- on the level of friendship/boyfriendship that they were at- having to deal with his sudden emotional issues was tiring.

He wasn't a bad person for faltering in his sudden role of caretaker. It's a job not many are cut out for. But what ultimately sets a moral compass is a choice, not a thought.

And he chose to wait.

The valley of Haveninkout was warm when the sun hit it- but that only lasted for a few hours. And the wind never gave up in between. As it began to get dark, Wren curled up tighter in his coat. Did waiting politely mean he was going to have to sleep out here?

A couple of guards left the jail at the assumed end of their shift, and Wren saw an opportunity to not come off as a bad person.

"Is there... bail at your prison? My friend's in here."

"No bail." One guard said. "Friend'll get sentenced. But there's short sentences. Only a few months."

"Your friend must be the boy who wrecked the temple, correct?" Another guard said. "Only one in today. His stay will be determined by the holy leader. Likely it'll be religious service, so you shouldn't be too scared for him."

"What time tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? Likely she'll be informed of it tonight, and make her decision then."

The guards left after that, and shortly a new shift came in. Wren kept waiting outside the entrance of the jail, shivering but determined to be good.

The high holy leader came by late at night, though of course Wren had no idea how long he'd be waiting. It seemed like it must have been midnight. She wore layers of fur and brown cloth typical of the region, but it was highly accessorized to look mystic. There was extra bits of fabric and golden embroidery to help differentiate her status. She even had a clear shawl draped around her shoulders.

When Wren saw her, he stood up and blocked the door. "Miss." He said urgently. "I'd like to accompany you inside. You're here to see my friend, and I'm not sure he's fit to make his own case."

"Miss." She said softly, scorning the title. "Kala is my name. You are free to come with."

"Thanks!" Wren said, trying to sound grateful. But he then toned down with energy to match her own somber features. She was quite pretty, but grim, and her face bore wrinkles- marks that seemed to have found their way to her face far ahead of schedule.

The jail was quiet, but the echoes that matched every footstep seemed to suggest an immense size. There were multiple guards at each hall who bowed their heads as Kala passed.

Senya was not very far in, having likely been placed in a wing for newcomers.

"You have ransacked the sacred grand tomb of Lailana, and in doing so, brought a coming wrath to those in Haven." Kala said immediately. "What do you say?"

"I did it to test her. And she has yet to kill me, so I suspect she was fine with me wrecking her stuff. Maybe she wanted an excuse to redecorate." Senya's voice sounded bored, though perhaps dehydrated. The cell was too dark for Wren to see into.

"Sentencing for this crime will harsh." Kala said warningly.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves here..." Wren intruded, as politely as he could, into the conversation. "Senya is not doing much to defend himself. But I know he's going through a hard time, and honestly doesn't mean any of what he's been saying."

"Wren?" Senya asked. "That you, my beloved? Did you bring me my dragon painting yet? I don't know how I'm going to break out of jail without a nude image of you, and a dragon, to motivate me forward." His old tone of mock seriousness was back, and Wren's skin bristled. Out of all times, now he felt the need to joke? Wren had almost frozen to death trying to get him out of jail- and now he was trying to stay in it, evidently.

Kala's lip stiffened. Joking wasn't approved of. And references to homosexuality weren't acceptable in Haven either. Wren watched her face harden and panicked.

"He's insane!" Wren almost stuttered from the sheer force of his statement. "I'm his brother. And he's lost his mind. You know. He can't help anything he says, which is why I, as his younger brother, try my hardest to keep him out of trouble."

"That doesn't work." Kala said. "I will sentence him for death."

"What? No! You can't just toss around death like it's nothing!" Wren's reaction had been a gut one, but then he remembered Ikina was keeping the two of them alive. It'd be one thing for Senya to be put to death. But it'd be another for other people to see him come back again.

It might be a good thing- perhaps it'd be seen as a sign he was spared by Lailana for his damages. Or perhaps he'd be seen as a monster. And Wren, either ways, would be involved.

"Death." She said quietly. Senya could hear her anyways, but for formalities sake she spoke again. "For your crimes, Senya of Iixo, you will be sacrificed for the hopes of Lailana's forgiveness- I, Kala Vel Hirsha of the sacred order, decree it. The date will be tomorrow."

Wren was struck by something she said. "Vel Hirha? Hirsha?" He spoke quiet, afraid he might have made a mistake. But it was extremely rare for last names to be shared- and coincidences to be made. "I know a Hirsha."

"Hm." Was Kala's reply. She had already turned around and began to walk away.

"Aster? Do you know her?" Aster's last name was Hirsha-Loann, a fact few besides Wren knew. Hirsha was a clearly Lailanic name, so generally she stuck to Loann- her father's name.

"No."

"Aster... Hirsha-Loann. I mean. That's her full name. She's my best friend."

"Then where is she?"

"Not here. But I promise, I know her. Is she... of relation to you?"

"She's dead."

"Well, no." Wren said simply. "We thought so too, but she's probably fine. But you do know her?"

"I knew her, yes. She was my daughter."

"Yeah, I had sort of thought so." They didn't look very alike, but she seemed old enough. "Anyways, I know her, so maybe that's enough to make you reconsider killing Senya?"

"Well, it wouldn't work then." Kala was muttering to herself. "Well. She was my daughter, and she wasn't named Aster, and she is definitely dead, so perhaps you only know an impostor. Perhaps Linson Loann kept part of my name when he had a second child."

"No, I wouldn't be surprised if it's her. Weird things tend to happen around her, I guess, so if you thought she died and she didn't, it's not the oddest thing."

"She fell off a cliff when she was four." Kala was watching the ground, brow creased in concentration. "She's dead."

Wren would have loved to say she recently fell into a volcano and survived, but knew now was not the time. "The gods may have spared her." He said. "You know, you're a priestess and all... they may have spared her as a reward to your piety."

"No, I wasn't religious back then... It was after that that I- She's supposed to be dead."

"Well. Yes. But I promise she isn't, and if you free Senya we will bring her back to you."

Kala seemed repulsed. "I don't want her here!" She snapped.

"Let Senya go." Wren pleaded at the gates of the jail.

"Yes. But leave, forever. If either of you returns, it will be death. And if the girl is with you, it will be worse."

"Thank you!" Wren said with a grin. The scary threatening part of her speech was ignored. He didn't exactly care if he was barred from the city or not- he might as well be barred from the country for all he minded.

Kala walked through the wind of the valley with her shawl billowing about. She looked like some sort of deity with the moon shining on her- and as if she were a goddess, Wren was quite happy when she left his sight. He ran back into the jail immediately and found Senya, then lifted him out of his cell.

A guard at the entrance confirmed they were allowed to depart- she had heard their conversation, of course, and then they were gone. Exhausted, but gone. Completely fine to be ordered to leave the city before dawn.

Snuggling up in a sleeping bag worked well enough for them.