The buzzing of Naomi's phone buzzes right through her and she groans, prying her eyes open, against the brightness of the day around her. She sits up slowly, disorientated. She rubs her eyes and looks around her with a frown. She is in Jackson's truck. The engine is running and warm air is blowing furiously, thickening the air around her. Naomi reaches forward in between the driver and passenger seat and she turns the car off. She sits back down.

Naomi looks around her and she is alone in the car, in the parking lot at the hospital. Her phone begins buzzing again and she pulls it out of her pocket, answering it and pressing it against her ear. "Yes?"

"Naomi," Soraya mutters breathlessly, "you need to get home right now! I've tried calling everyone. No one is picking up! Please there's these people in the yard dressed in cloaks. I don't know where they came from. I don't know how they ended up here but they're just standing, motionless in the driveway. Please, I'm really freaking out."

Naomi swings the door open, hopping out of the truck and bracing against the cold around her. "Where is Stellan? Where is Delilah? Horatio?"

"Stellan is with my uncle, Delilah and Horatio are in the kitchen arguing about what to do. Please just come home."

The call ends and Naomi looks at her phone, frowning, her heart pounding in her chest. She squeezes her eyes shut for a moment. The memories of the conversation before Sarah put her to sleep floats into her mind. Naomi's cheeks flush warm. She sighs, rolling her shoulders up and back a few times. She tucks her hair behind her ears then walks briskly towards the hospital calling out "Raur!"

Naomi comes to a stop as the back door is swung open and Raurlin is jogging towards her, worry tugging at his eyebrows and lips. He pulls her into a tight hug and Naomi allows herself to be held by him, by her aeturnum. His embrace is warm and Naomi inhales deeply, his scent filling her up completely. She pulls back after a few seconds, stepping back but holding onto his hands.

"I've just got off the phone with Raya. She says she's been calling everyone and no one is picking up. There are strange people at the house, wearing cloaks. She doesn't know how they got onto the property but she says they're just standing outside. Horatio and Delilah are arguing about what needs to be done. She's scared, Raur, we need to go. Now."

Raurlin bites down on his teeth and Jackson walks out behind him asking, "did I hear strange people wearing cloaks?"

Naomi looks past at Jackson nodding her head. Sarah walks out after Jackson, shutting the back door. Jackson walks forward, stopping beside Raurlin and looking at him with a cryptic look.

"How are you feeling?" Jackson directs at Naomi.

"I feel fine, somewhat refreshed. What happened?"

"You don't remember anything?" Sarah asks her walking forward too.

Naomi shakes her head. Sarah nods once, explaining "you were exhausted, I did a little magick to put you into a deep sleep. Figured you needed the rest."

Naomi forces a smile, "thank you, Sarah. Really we need to get going." Naomi lets go of Raurlin's hands and she begins walking to the truck with Sarah falling into step beside her.

Once inside the car, with Jackson in the driver's seat, Naomi pipes up from the back seat "Raur, Jax, you know who those people are?"

Raurlin nods grimly. "I have an idea. Someone would have had to invite them. I would like to know who."

Naomi glances at Sarah and raises an eyebrow. Sarah meets her gaze momentarily then looks back at her window, staring outside at the falling snow. Naomi mimics her, turning her attention to the tug of the tired, the sound of the engine rumbling. The car ride home is in silence. The events leading to Naomi's impromptu sleep play on her mind, her words, the aggression at which she said them all felt foreign. Feels foreign still. Naomi clasps her hands together in her lap. She looks forward and Raurlin is watching her in the side mirror. He doesn't look away as Naomi fixes her gaze on him.

Naomi wants to reach forward and take hold of his hand. To be wrapped up inside of him, in his warmth and his safety. The exhaustion that she felt has been slightly remedied with Sarah's spell but it seems to have awakened a flood of tiredness that Naomi had tried to keep hidden. Raurlin, as if reading her mind, mouths "I know." Naomi smiles lightly, turning her head back to the icy road.

The remainder of the drive is in silence and it is light between each of them. All caught up in their own thoughts too deeply to ponder on the potential awkwardness of the silence. The car comes to a stop at the gate as the gate rolls open. At the top of the driveway a few feet back from the door three cloaked figures are standing. The cloaks cover their heads, hands and legs. All that can be made out is that the figure standing in the middle is much taller than the other two. As the car comes to a halt behind them Raurlin turns and looks at Sarah and Naomi.

"You wait here," Raurlin instructs.

Naomi frowns, flinging her door open. "Like hell we will. This is our home too." Naomi turns to Sarah for confirmation and Sarah smiles, amused before pushing her door open too. Once Naomi is out of the car Raurlin is at her side, taking hold of her hand. Naomi looks from him to Jackson who is standing slightly in front of Sarah, creating a gap between the cloaks and herself.

Raurlin walks forward, confidently and Naomi mimics him. The two step in front of the cloaked figures, in front of the house. Raurlin seems to be radiating heat and Naomi can tell he is frustrated. Annoyed. The cloaked figures fall forward. From the middle one two hands holding a silver spear. The handle to the spear is made of wood and is carved intricately. The spear head is large and a blue ribbon is wrapped around the meeting of the wood and the silver. Naomi looks up at Raurlin.

"Your Grace, My Queen."

Naomi looks from Raurlin to the spear. Raurlin remains motionless. Naomi rolls her eyes and steps forward, lifting the spear and holding it securely, with the silver faced upward to the sky. The figures stand in unison, lifting the hoods off their heads as they do. The removed hoods reveal a man, in the middle of two women. Younger looking, definitely younger than Naomi. But how long have they been that young?

"Who sent for you?" Raurlin demands.

"Your Grace, I can assure you that as-"

"Who?" Raurlin snaps loudly, his voice vibrating against the cold air around them. His hand tight against Naomi's. Naomi glances at him and his eyes are glowing. The man tenses, leaning backwards. The two women watch on wide eyed, breathing shallowly, as if bracing for the worst.

The man steps forward, dropping to his knee in front of Raurlin. "Your Grace, it is our sworn duty, in times such as these to be present. It should not matter who sent for us."

"You will tell me what should and shouldn't matter?"

"No Your Grace," the man speaks rapidly, shaking his head. "I meant only that-"

The front door swings open and Naomi looks over her shoulder as Horatio steps outside, face flushed. He trots down the stairs. He steps beside the kneeling man and bows lowly. "Your Grace, it was I who sent for the record-keepers. Whatever punishment you should find fitting for them, allow me to accept it, without question, on their behalf. They are young, they do not know of the ways of old."

"Horatio," Raurlin bites out, "straighten." Raurlin exhales a loud breath, releasing Naomi's hand and turning to face the house, his arms folding across his chest. Naomi swallows down, looking past the record-keepers to Jackson and Sarah. Jackson nods his head once. Naomi clears her throat and steps forward.

"Sir," She states, clearly, "rise." The man stands up slowly with a look of relief.

"My Queen-"

Naomi holds her free hand up and the man falls silent. She examines his face, angular and sharp, with thick brown hair. The two women behind him, both with blue eyes and blonde hair that is braided out of their faces and intricately. Their cheeks are flushed pink and their lips have turned a deep blue.

"Horatio, show our guests to the dining room. Something hot to drink to warm them up. See to a fire."

Horatio bows again in front of Naomi. Naomi turns her attention to the record-keepers. "You may enter our home, confined to the dining room, until a decision has been made regarding your presence here." Naomi steps aside, holding an arm out, motioning to the open door. Horatio nods at the record-keepers and they follow him inside.

Once they are out of sight Naomi turns to Raurlin frowning deeply. She hands the spear to Jackson. "Raur, they could freeze to death! We couldn't have left them just standing outside. Now would someone like to tell me what on Earth is going on?"

"Havebyr Record-Keepers," Raurlin mutters, his back still turned to Naomi. "Bottom of the barrel, feed on drama and sensationalism. Appearing at the worst of times, demanding the right to be in your business. I've never liked them."

Naomi turns to Jackson, resting a hand on her hip and raising an eyebrow. Jackson sighs, with a look at Raurlin's back. "The Havebyr Record-Keepers are just that, My Queen. They maintain and safe-guard a codified history of our existence. They do sometimes just appear, in circumstances like today, they are invited. They will likely insist on spending time with us, over a number of weeks. They will want to sit with each of us individually, have us recount the events from way before we met each other, in excruciating detail. It is an uncomfortable process, they are blunt and emotionally stunted."

"Havebyr surely doesn't still exist," Sarah challenges.

Jackson smirks, "of course it does. The arrogance of humans has led them to believe they have discovered all there is to be discovered on this Earth but we existed before and we will exist after. Havebyr is cloaked, only those permitted access will ever be able to find it. And those permitted access will be you, Naomi, and your aeturnum."

"Raurlin, why do you have such a problem with them being here?"

Raurlin merely shakes his head in response and Naomi turns back to Jackson for a response. Jackson mulls over the idea of sharing Raurlin's secrets. Naomi steps forward demanding, "well?" Jackson's shoulders drop and he looks upward, a cloud of steam blown from his mouth.

"They came after The Great War. Raurlin's father was set to be king so naturally they started there and worked their way around the clan. They demanded in-depth detail of every kill that was made by our hands during the War. They demanded the intimate details that were shared between...Idonea and I. How Raurlin killed Sigrid. They would sit with us for hours at a time, poking and prodding. They would have those who would scribe and those who would draw, then we needed to confirm if their depictions were accurate, make changes where necessary."

"Sounds like quite the task," Sarah confirms, folding her arms. "I guess we will need to strategise as to how we will deal with them being here."

Naomi exhales a breath, musing on their presence. "We are an anomaly to the supernatural history that has come before us. Why would we not just be truthful? Yes it will be uncomfortable but we will draw the lines to what we do not want to share. From what I understand, it is a traditionally necessary process. What did Horatio mean when he said that they are young and do not know the old ways?"

"Typically it is the elders that record-keep announce their arrival in advance. They will wait outside the homestead as long as necessary. The spear is customary, an indication that they mean no harm, the acceptance of the spear is an indication that we will receive them without qualm."

Naomi pulls Raurlin's shoulder, forcing him to turn to face her. "And you didn't think that would be information to be shared before having me pick up that spear?"

Raurlin drops his chin to his chest. "You're right, Naomi. It is tradition and it is necessary. I just feel a little blind-sided. I will have to talk with Horatio."

"They are inside," Sarah interjects, "and we cannot leave them sitting inside indefinitely. We will have to go in before you all freeze to ice."

Jackson steps forward towards the door, shoving his hands deep in his pockets. "The elders will at times present a proposal for their intended stay and what is to be covered. Let them convince us on why they should entertain us." Jackson doesn't wait for a response as he walks inside and Sarah follows closely behind him.

Naomi raises an eyebrow at Raurlin. Raurlin groans, rolling his eyes that have now settled. "Come, my aeturnum. We must uphold tradition."