(ONE-SHOT)

Walking through the streets of Elderkeep, everything that he hated about the place flooded back. Of course other things came back as well, like the excitement to see his children. The need to check on Eirwen & Yule and Nikita, to help those who he had left for a short time. He wasn't sure how Zev was able to just leave, but that was probably why he was the leader and Ermir just made sure people got fed. But without him here that meant he had to step up with Luka, to be a team against the tribute. 

But he could worry about that later, now focusing on the animals in his hands and getting everything set up. However the look that Cyrus gave him when he came in, followed by the hand over Elaxi's mouth, he knew something was wrong, just not what. Ciel instantly reached out, sensing the frantic urge that started to swell inside of Ermir. His instant thought was his children, but he saw his daughter picking up dishes and Ciel would smell his son, in need of a bath. Then the image of Nikita passed through the pair's minds as dyrs communicated. 

Stepping forward on unsteady feet like a man who had too much to drink, he made it into the kitchen, slamming through the doors. "Where?" He snarled to no one in particular, knowing Ciel would pass the message along. Elaxi came in, not sure whether to hug him or let him be, but settling on opening the back door, bringing Ermir to the place she had been staying. Ermir caught the sight of her dark hair and before she turned thought it was just a false alarm. Nikita was safe in the hut like she was supposed to be.

"Nikita!" Walking in he was surprised she didn't immediately charge him as usual, ignoring Ciel as he tried to warn his Dresmondi. Because he knew she wasn't Nikita, not anymore. Something Ermir noticed the second he crouched to see her face, her eyes and expression a dead give away. He whirled towards Elaxi, knowing she understood he needed an explanation. And so she did, sharing what they had heard happened that night, about Hiram and what he had done. How valiantly Bashir had fought and tried, and how little anything seemed to matter to the red-head. 

Ermir squatted as she spoke, hands pressed into his eyes, no tears came, it had been a while since they had. Reaching out and holding her small hand, the one's that so often grabbed for him, he wished for her to grab back. Those dark eyes not the same playful yet terrified ones he'd often worried about. Such an innocent life, lost because a man decided he needed a fucking coat. He knew it was a bad idea, but he wanted to sweep into Elderkeep on a tornado anyways.

Either way he wasn't leaving her alone, it didn't matter at this point, but that didn't compute in his mind. He hadn't protected her, he had left, she had come looking and she was now essentially dead. He hadn't done the dead but he might as well have, at least that's how it seemed as he pulled her up and into his arms. For all the hugs and meals all he had caused was suffering, and this gave him the push he needed. This couldn't stand the way that it did now. They had to pay for this, and they would. 

And Nikita would get her revenge, he just wasn't sure how yet. So held her, rocking back and forth while he thought about how to make them all pay.