User blog comment:HoundTheDestroyer93/Ask Hound And Samia/@comment-28358106-20161130175813/@comment-25808351-20161202213234

Samia eyes narrow as she watches the lingering spectral trail disappear. The cold kicks in and she begins shivering. She dances in the snow as her feet are freezing, clutching her midsection for warmth she bolts back inside. Slaming the back door and hoping around in the kitchen, Samia stops and notices the unmanned stove. Steam rises from the pot of bubbling stew on the stove, she shambles over gently while her feet slowly regain feeling. Samia right away is concerned by the lack of noise activity in the house, the pitter patter of Roxanne and the maids absent from the manor.

Samia strolls through the ground floor checking each room for any sign of life, until she finds them all outside of Hound's personal study. The maids have their ears pressed against the closed door as they listen to the sounds of gear being equipped. Upon noticing the lady of the house, the maids scatter and return to work. Samia hesitantly opens the door. Inside the grand room, Hound moves from weapon cabinet to weapon cabinet grabbing knives, stakes, vials and hand held explosives.

"Marcus, what are you doing?" Samia steps into the room. Hound does not pull away from his preparations or look at her.

"I'm leaving.... The Baron wants me to clear out a Mamono slaver ring to the east. A task I've been neglecting for some time now. Then I'm heading north, beyond the mountains." He stops.

"You're going after Armata, aren't you?" Samia moves toward her husband and reaches out to him, only for him to move away and continue preparing for a long journey. "You're going alone to?" Hound remains silent. "Why? Why Marcus?"

"I'll be fine, I stormed his castle before...." He replies.

"Yeah, over sixty years ago! Who knows what foul creatures and traps haunt that hell now! Why won't you take a team, then I could at least breath a little easier!" Samia blocks his path to the weapon cabinet.

"Taking a team would just slow me down and complicate things." Hound leans in and points his finger close to Samia's chin.

"It would bring me some relief." Tears begin to roll down her cheeks. "I know I can't stop you, after fifty years I've learned the depths of your stubbornness and call to duty. No matter what I say, you'll leave, but you could at least make this easier for me and put together a team! I've met your friends, you have many strong allies to call upon, ask for their help and they will answer.... The favor, the Hellhound's favor. She asked that yo-" Hound sling his duffle bag over his shoulder and heads toward the door. "Marcus?!"

"That bitch wants a favor, I don't owe such kindness." He growls.

"You don't understand, it's about a child!" Hound stops. "She asked that you protect her child from herself. This child is of shark like species of monster. She said her child was under the care of one of your friends." Samia quickly explains.

"Hell if I know who that is and whoever they are, I'm they're strong enough to protect the kid." He replies.

"How can you just turn away from the protection of a child?!" She shouts.

".... Because it's not my child." He scoffs and walks out. Into the snow Hound walks several paces from the front door before Samia calls again from the porch.