A long way from home [Winter]

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W inter nodded, acknowledging her name and placing it away in his brain along with her face. If he ever ran into her again, he would call her Lillian, even if he didn't believe that was her real name. Though, he personally thought that hiding behind a fake name turned you into that fake name, and your real name lost its meaning. He had had lots of experience to figure that out, however. (( winter never gave his name XD )) notes

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(Oh, I am sooooo sorry. I have a horrible memory apparently.)
Aelin nodded and then tilted her head. "So how long have you been here?" she asked. She was new. If she was gonna bother making an enemy, she wanted to make sure they weren't in the highest standings. Then again, she could also just pick a side to ally to and stick with them. After they earned her trust, that was. If she just gave away her services, no one in the world would be left alive it seemed. Blackmail and trust were the two things that got her to work for other cats. And the reason she was all but a slave most of her life. Born to royalty, then turned into a slave and an assassin. What a chain of events life was.

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W inter smiled. "A little while, I've gotten to know lots of cats in that time, however." He wondered what she was going to use the information for. He always had to be careful of what fell from his mouth, just in case it turned around to bite him on the nose. (( its totally okay )) notes

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Aelin tilted her head and nodded. Since the cat before her was clearly trained well, but hadn't attacked her yet, she'd bet they were mostly positive aquaintence. So, no messing with him until she met a few other cats and learned more of those he knew. "A question for a question." she said.

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W inter's eyes twinkled, and he turned his full attention on the cat in front of him. "Who are you really?" he asked, curious and a little suspicious. He had been to many places and met many cats, but hadn't met a single one like her. Maybe he would've if he hadn't killed nearly every cat he met, but he couldn't go back and fix that. notes

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(Sorry, too many spoilers from the book. That's just a warning.)
Aelin frowned. "That's a long story." she sighed. "For starters, my name is Aelin. I was born an heir to mighty lands, then my kingdom was attacked. My parents died when I was eight and I had to run from the attackers pretty much. I fell into a river and everyone thought I was dead. Then I was found by the person we called the Assassin King. He renamed me Celenea and trained me to fight and kill for hire. Then he killed Sam and I got sent to... how would one explain it? It was basically a, hm.... You know how dogs have Omegas? Well, if not it doesn't matter. We were treated like that only worse. Most died quickly, but I survived for a year (whatever the equivalent in cat years is) then was let out by the son of the leader for that region to fight in some stupid compitition to be his champion. I really wouldn't have care, but winning ment that I got to be free for the first time, so I went under the name Lilian." she said, giving a very short version of the story, though what she gave was all true.

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W inter followed her story with interest, then felt a little guilty for not even sharing his name. Since she trusted him, he would trust her, even if it was with a small secret that he had kept for a long time. "Aelin, my name is Winter. I was born in a region far from here. It usually rained, but when the sun came out, my best friend and I would take trips around our area. I always brought along the girls," he gave a small scowl, as if to say he would never get a girl ever again. "My best friend and I joined a clan for a short while, and in a battle, I fell off a cliff. I was thought to be dead, and as I lay there in the snow, coughing up blood, someone came and found me. They saved me, but turned me into a killer. I was trained to kill, and they brainwashed me to do it. I've killed over 50 cats, and I remember every single one of their faces, right before they died. It haunts me, and I wish I could go back and fix it, but I can't." Winter sighed. "I'll never get back on that path. That killer wasn't me, and it will never be me again." Winter met her gaze with the smallest of smiles. "Looks like we have a little bit in common." notes

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Aelin scoffed slightly, seeming to ask 'Just a little?' She said instead, "I get that. I couldn't possible tell you how many cats I've killed, but those I killed because someone else told me to? I'll never forget their last words or breath. Most of the deaths I caused not on orders were a mercy. And the others were defense. But I memorized what I could learn of their history." she said, slightly meekly. She wasn't sure why she trusted the other cat, and she guessed she didn't, but... she sympathized with him.

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W inter nodded, returning to his usual reserved self. He fell into thought, thinking of all the horrible things he did. He wish he could just forget, but it wasn't that easy. The best he could do now was return to the families and say he was deeply sorry. notes

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Aelin shrugged. "That doesn't matter now. If I've learned anything, there are many versions of yourself. Just refuse that version access to your mind."

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W inter shook his head, and murmured more to himself than her, "Even if every face haunts you before you fall asleep." notes

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Aelin shook her head. "That's when you outlogic that part of yourself. That side of you, or most cats, is ussually the type that refuses to let into fear. Simply tell it that it's afraid to let go, and it, logically, should. Or find some other way to outlogic it. That was what I did at one point in time, but then I realized it's a cowards way out. The memory shows that you have a conscience, so... sorry, I shouldn't just randomly be talking and giving advice..." she ducked her head slightly. [/b]

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W inter gave her a quizical expression, then answered her strange but useful advice. "I have thought of doing that, but somehow, the faces calm me and make me feel pity or regret at the same time." He shook his head, those weren't the right words. "No, they make me feel anger, and rage, and sadness. I wish I could go back and stop myself, or stop it when it first started, when I fell from that cliff." notes

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Aelin giggled quietly. "Quite literally in my case. Again though, I only use it in times when present issues are also pressing down and clamping on tight. The... distraction can cost you a lot."