The Hunter and the Haven (JessicaHouse & Akkas)

[Akkas]

Quihen listened with interest. He heard a few similiarities - the angels he knew also looked human to people - and a few differences.
He started his game at a seemingly odd way, making moves that sometimes seemed unnecessary. It kind of seemed like a kid was playing, like he needed all of his focus to remember how each piece could move, and therefor he couldn't put energy in tactics. That's what his side of the game looked like for now.
"I have plenty of friends," he told. He had to correct himself. "Well, I had plenty of friends. I haven't spoken with them for a long time, because the other hunters imprisoned me. Though I'm sure many of them would still consider me their friend or ally."

[JessicaHouse]

"Tell me about something fun you did once," said Mihr. "Something that didn't involve violence."

Having decided she'd set up the board enough, Mihr finally moved the game to the next level and took one of Quihen's pawns with her own. The pawn she used was left vulnerable to one of Quihen's pawns, but was also covered by one of her knights.

[Akkas]

"Oh that's easy," Quihen said laughing. "I recently read this book." He reached to his pocket and got out the folded paperback cover of a book. It was only the full cover; front, side and back. All that was left of the pages, were tiny edges where the pages were ripped off. The cover belonged to one of the latest bestsellers. "And I have to disagree with the reviews. I'll admit it was well-written, but to call it astounding is just undue. That whole plot twist was not a twist at all. At chapter three they already hinted it was coming."
He moved his own pawn forward so it would not be taken too.

[JessicaHouse]

Mihr noted that he did not seek to sacrifice pawns in a bloodbath to get revenge. An important thing to note in her opponent, but also something important to note in someone she was considering trusting.

Her eyes drifted up to the book in his hands. "I was not a fan of that one at all, honestly, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. Now, you may find this next question a bit too personal, but do you have someone you love?" Depending on how he interpreted the question, it might not have been personal at all, but she wanted to see how he answered.

[Akkas]

Quihen thought about that. "I really care for my student. He's quite talented and the way he thinks is so original. He teaches me a thing or two every day. I loved my parents, but they're not around anymore. And my friends... Well, they are more allies than friends. I know most of them don't hang out with me for my company. If they did, they'd have visited me in prison. Only a handful of them came once or twice for some advice."

He placed a piece somewhere that could take the queen in the next move. It might have been a greedy move, for that piece was now vulnerable to be taken.

[JessicaHouse]

"Can you describe for me a moment you remember with your student? Something nice... something pleasant from your time with him."

Mihr was enjoying the answers he gave, vague as they might be. She moved her bishop and said, "Check," as the bishop had a direct line to the king. He'd not be able to take her queen on this turn.

[Akkas]

Quihen grinned happily at the progression of the game. He wasn't really after Mihr's queen anyway. He was getting bold because his pieces were in position. He placed a knight between her bishop and his king. Horizontally equal to that knight was a rook; if Mihr were to take the knight, he could take her bishop. Now he was starting to show that he had build up a strong defense. There were more spots that would be potentially dangerous.

He thought back to some fun moments he shared with his student. Smiles come and fade as he tried to pick one that doesn't involve any violence or mean things in the background. Even moments that he would consider innocent or neutral, he knew Mihr might not. Like learning how his stolen ring works. He knew it might not be wise to add the adjective stolen.
"I'm not sure I have a story for you," he had to say. "Whichever moment I pick, I know there's a detail that a being a good would not appreciate. Nothing seriously bad though!" He quickly added the last bit. "Just little things."

[JessicaHouse]

Mihr gave him a skeptical look. "I see..." She folded her hands together, keeping her fingers far from the pieces on the board for the moment. "Did you ever strike or hurt your student? Did you use negative reinforcement? Were you sleeping together?"

She knew he and his student got up to no good, that much was a given. She wanted to know if he'd abused the boy in any way.

[Akkas]

Quihen gave Mihr his full attention. "Never," he said. He was shocked she even asked. "The only time I actually hurt him, was when we met. That was before he became my student. Nowadays, the only times I hit him, is when I'm teaching him how to fight. And then I always ensure I pull my punches. I want what's best for him, Mihr. I would never..." He shook his head. He was repulsed by the idea of abusing his student.

[JessicaHouse]

Mihr could sense no hint of a lie in his voice, so she smiled at him. She moved her knight and said, "Check." It was easy enough for him to get out of check again, and she'd left herself open for him to make just a few moves and achieve checkmate. The game mattered not to her anymore. She got what she really wanted out of this demon. She'd learned that while he was still very much a being steeped in sin, he was not even as bad as many humans she'd come to know. Moreover, he was not at all a threat to the children in the haven.

[Akkas]

Quihen blinked at the game. He merely made his king move a step, as the game looked unfamiliar now. He had to take his time putting his focus back to it. "Why did you even ask me that?" he asked distracted and concerned. "Do I look like someone who would do any such thing?"

[JessicaHouse]

"What does someone who would do such a thing 'look like'?" Mihr asked, crossing her arms. "I asked you because it needed to be asked if you are to stay here. I run a haven here. A sanctuary. It's my responsibility to make sure the people who live here, especially the children, are safe. Anyone could be a threat to them. But you seem to have spoken truthfully, which I greatly appreciate, and you have proven yourself safe enough to be around them. That's good, because we'll be having dinner soon, and then you will meet the children."

[Akkas]

"I'm sorry," Quihen said. "You had every right to have asked. People lately just seem to - falsely - accuse me of anything and that was the worst one yet. I don't like all the false rumors. Thank you for deeming me acceptable. How many children are there?"

[JessicaHouse]

"Ten," said Mihr with a smile. "As you can imagine, this house can get quite chaotic with so many in here. Now, granted, some of those 'children' are in their teens, but I consider them children nonetheless." Mihr's smile disappeared and she interlocked her own fingers together. "Oftentimes I'm glad that normal mortals cannot find this place. If humans were capable of finding this house without being in need of a haven, surely I'd have their parents sending the police to take these children back... back to those abusive homes. Or worse, Social Services would come to put them back into the Foster Care system. Some of these children are here because of what they endured at the hands of Foster parents."

[Akkas]

Quihen, who hasn't spend much time in the human world, was stunned to hear this.
"Why don't any of those authorities see the truth?" he asked. "Do they just not care or are they too blind and deaf to look at and listen to those children?"

[JessicaHouse]

"The reasons are... well, they vary." Mihr sighed. "Sometimes they don't care. Sometimes there's just too much bureaucracy in the way, and the rules prevent them from doing what they'd prefer to do. Other times the parents are just... really convincing. Sadly, many serial abusers have learned all sorts of ways to cover their tracks. Emotional abusers are the worst, because the harm they cause leaves no mark."

Mihr rose from her chair. "Stay here a moment. It's time for dinner, so I'm going to let the children in."

[Akkas]

Quihen nodded to show he heard her. "I'll be nice," he reassured.
He began to put each of the chess pieces back on its starting place.

[JessicaHouse]

Mihr disappeared through one of the doorways, and soon the sound of stampeding little feet heralded her return. But before she arrived, the many children of the haven did first. They rushed to the dinner table, only a few of them stopping to wave at Quihen on the way, and each sat in their individual seats, as if the whole matter was practiced.

Mihr emerged from the same doorway a few moments later, along with a few young adults. "Everyone," she said, and all eyes turned to her. She drifted over to Quihen. "This is our new friend, Quihen. He'll be staying with us for a while, until he no longer has need of a haven. Quihen, would you like to say anything to your new roommates?"

[Akkas]

Quihen cheered up as the children raced him by. He waved back at those who waved at him.
"Yes, Mihr, thank you." He directed himself to the children at the dinner table. He started to tell at a tone that befitted a good storyteller.
"I would like to tell you the story about my nickname. When I was young, about the same age as some of you, my parents used to tell me a story before bedtime. It was my favorite time of the day. I heard stories about princesses, dragons and knights. Talking cats, magical forests and brave heroes. But only a few weeks after my first story, my parents repeated one I had already heard. I asked them for a different story and they obliged, but this story too they had already told me. After all those original stories I couldn't bear to hear the same ones over and over. I had to hear something new. I hunted for books and found them, but that wasn't enough. As I grew older, I traveled and listened and searched for more books and greater stories. By now, I have heard all the stories. But still I hunt, for new ones are still being written." He came to the clue of his story: "That's why they call me the Fairy Tale Hunter, because I have hunted down every fairy tale that was ever written. With me, none of you will ever have to listen to the same story twice - unless you wish so."

[JessicaHouse]

As he started to talk, the children continued their own conversations, some of them talking louder than Quihen.

Until Mihr muttered, "Ahem," and the children fell silent. "Children, our guest has something he wishes to say."

With the children now silent, Quihen was able to tell his story. Once he was done, some of the younger ones looked enthralled at the idea of hearing strange fairy tales from this newcomer, while the older children rolled their eyes and returned to their conversations.

Mihr stood at the head of the table and held out her hands. All those present, children and otherwise, stood from the table and joined hands in a circle.

"Everyone," Mihr said in a sweeter-than-normal voice, "Please bow your heads and close your eyes as we pray."

[Akkas]

Quihen was happy with the amount of interest he could see in the children. He was happy with each of them he could amuse with his stories.

His joy quickly became full on awkwardness as Mihr and everyone started to pray. He always tried to avoid prayers, because those were conversations to God. Quihen, as a (former) killer of angels, really did not want to get His attention.

Quihen slowly backed away from the circle and kept his head down. He tried to be unremarkable, invisible and undetected. Being this close to praying people was already too near for his liking.

[JessicaHouse]

Once the prayer of thanks was over and all present opened their eyes again, meals appeared on every plate, each tailored to the liking of those present. A mix of pleasing aromas filled the air, followed by the sounds of delighted children who immediately set to eating their fill.

Mihr, whose place at the table was empty, stepped back, allowing all others to partake of the meal. Angels had no need to eat, and most couldn't eat at all, so dinner was not for her.

[Akkas]

Quihen didn't want to interrupt the routine the children had. He quietly went over to Mihr. "What am I supposed to do?" he asked softly. He assumed there was no spot on the dinner table for him, since he only just arrived. He was fine with that, he just wanted to know what she thought was best. He didn't want to just stand around and wait or do the wrong thing. He was not an insecure person in general, though he was a little in here. He knew he still had to prove himself.

[JessicaHouse]

Mihr gestured to a plate of mostly meats on the table, in a spot where no one else was sitting. "That's your plate, Quihen," she said. "Go ahead, eat. You're a guest here, and I take care of my guests. I had to take a guess at what you might like, though."

[Akkas]

Quihen was surprised to hear that. "How did you even have time to...?" he started to wonder with awe. "Thank you!"
He sat down cheerfully and greeted the ones next to him. Despite his title as 'hunter' he had a preference to vegetables. Although he did start to eat as if it were one of his favorite meals.