[CLOSED] Colonel Henry Cosgrove - Southern Isles

[00Rebecca_Chambers00]

I wanted to remark on what John said by calling me Death Dealer. I wasn't sure if he was teasing or mocking me. I clearly don't remember much besides the dream I had. It wasn't a funny thing to mock someone who lost their memory but all that was pushed away as I heard him describe the faries and saw the carnival. I was amazed how it looked like fun. I looked to where people well I think people were dancing. I noticed a couple of them had beautiful wings that stand out as it sparkled from the fire. Something inside me,told me they were faries. I frowned. "John I thought you said their wings were invisible like and yet the girl in the blue mask has on and the guy in a green mask have onr." I pointed out a couple of more but I whispearrd it to him.

I watched tjem for a moment and smilrd. "Ummm I am nit all that great as a dancer. I never dance much but it looks like fun." I answered his question with a trith. Of course in the orphanage we had dances and celebration but I alwas thought I had two left feet. I was a bit nervouse to dance as I didn't want to step on John's feet.  

[Genrin619]

"Are you sure you're human," John asked. He peered deep into her eyes. "No human can see their wings. Period. Even our kind has trouble when they're concealing them," he said softly. He studied her for a bit longer and pointed to a woman in a long white and gold gown. "What do you see," he asked her. "Wings?" She was a normal person. This would decide what she could see. "And the woman next to her," he asked, waiting for a reply while observing the second woman's glimmering wings.

He grasped her hands, seeing the recognition in her eyes. "You're not human," he told her, pulling her into the throng of dancers. He twirled her 'round and 'round, admiring the way her hair swayed and the way her face lit up. He pulled her close until she was standing on his feet as a slow song began. He placed one hand gently on her waist and moved her around in sync with the other dancers.

"The question is," he said, "if you are one of us, how did you come to be in the human world? And why?" He looked deeper into her eyes and felt a tingle go down his spine. He quickly looked away. "Are you enjoying yourself," he asked, changing the subject as he loosened his grip around her waist. He felt his face flush red.  

[00Rebecca_Chambers00]

I looked at John. "That can't be posdible. I'm human I know I am. I suppose there could be a,possiblity. I don't know who my parents are. I have been an orphan my whole life." As john dpin me and twirled I smiled and laughed as I was having the time of my life.

When John moved me close I blushed and looked the other way as I didn't want him to see me blushed. "I am having the best day. Thank you for this. Are you enjoying it?" This time I lookrd at him.  

[Genrin619]

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. It's great," he said absent mindedly. He was lost in thought. He couldn't help but think of how he felt looking into her eyes. He had never felt that electric spark before and it was quite unnerving. The music ended and everyone began clapping. He released her and smoothed back his hair. A horn sounded and drums began to play. Everyone began shouting happily and forming a procession deeper into the woods, grabbing torches as they went. "It's time for the feast," he told her. The joined the throng and took their seats at a long table that seated at least 200 people.

The table was covered in thousands of wonderful dishes stacked high on racks and platters. The dishes before them were white with gold patterns. The silverware was gold, as were the goblets. The drums ceased and everyone shouted a toast in the native tongue in Otherworld and everyone began digging in. "How does it look," John asked her, his hand tingling from being in close proximity to hers. He cleared his throat and passed their plates to a server to be filled. A second server came by and filled their goblets with a special Fey wine.

"Cheers," he told her grinning. He took a long sip and watched her carefully. Something about her was making him feel strange. Pleasent, he decided, but strange. The plates were set back in front of them and they began eating. A band on the other side of the table struck up a lively tune as lanterns soared above them through the air.  

[00Rebecca_Chambers00]

I was amazed at everything. Truthfully I have never set foot outside the orphanage. I was a bit curious on this 'Otherworld' as they called it. I was stunned as I saw the beauty of thw feast as John escorted me. All around the table I saw different people with fairy wings and they looked beautiful when the torch caught their reflection.

I watched everyone as they moved with grace and yet I felt out of place. I felt a spark when I'm near John so I tried to hide it. I was lost for a moment until I was handed a cup. "Ummm cheers." I took a tiny sip as the taste was sweet but I didn't want to drink so much. I placed the cup down and looked at the food. I leaned and whispeared to John, "Can I eat? I feel out of place and I am not sure if I can eat?" I know it was an odd question but considering I was born in a low class, I was taught to respect the upper class.  

[Genrin619]

John looked at her incredulously. "Can you ea - Yes, you can eat. Why wouldn't you?" He was very curious about Keira, but didn't want to ask too much of her since she had lost her memory. Instead, he continued to observe her for a bit before returning to his plate. That's when he caught a snatch of a conversation he was not intended to hear. "...human, I'm telling you. The one with the man in blue. I can smell her."

"He's a law man, you fool! And I can sense great power. We can't take her now."

"But she looks delicious. And I'm hungry."

John could take no more. He shifted into a cat swiftly and slinked under the table, over to the edge where the men were talking. Once he was behind them, he shifted back. "If you're so hungry, eat this!" He took a swing at the man nearest him as he turned around and sent him flying onto the table. Within minutes, it had turned into a brawl. People dancing and laughing, their shouts of joy and fear mixing with the loud music and clattering of dishes.

John grabbed Keira and they ran through the trees... and straight into a Fey. He smiled. "Well, that was a bit of fun, huh? Couldn't of done it better m'self. C'mon." He led them through the trees into the center of the forest. "I tell you, that was a great bit of mischeif you did there. Very amusing, I applaud you." John noticed they were staning in a large ring of mushrooms. "Um..." They Fey held up a hand. "No questions, please. Right. Elbows in!"

Within moments they were soaring through the air on an invisible platform and landed at the edge of the forest near the shore of a great lake. Cheers errupted all around them. "The guests of honor have arrived!" There was much laughter and applause. And there he sat at the head of the table with his wife - the mischievous Fey King. He was dressed in the finest robes, with dark brown hair and beard and wings of glittering gold. A great jeweled crown sat upon his head. The Queen came down to greet them and kissed them both on the cheek. She had curly blonde hair and robes of gold and green. Her eyes danced with laughter and she - and her husband, too for that matter - looked to be in their 40s, though he knew they were hundreds of years old.

"Oh that was an exciting display," the Queen cried happily, "So funny! Thank you for that. Both of you. Come, we'll dine. I want to know all about the two of you," she said, leading the way to the head of the table. "Only tell it like a story. I love stories," they sat down and the feast resumed. Only the King, Queen, and their guide (the prince they learned) were paying attention to them. "You go first beautiful," she told Keira.  

[00Rebecca_Chambers00]

I was about to eat but something told me not to. One moment John was on the side of me, then he vanished but I caught sight of him changing in a cat. I then watched him transformed back and hit something. I got up and instict took over me. I grabbed a knife off the table when a brawl broke out. I felt something grabbed me but I kneed it in the stomach and stabbed it in the.neck.

I felt John grab hold of me and took off running until whe saw someone. I realized he was a fairy. I heald onto him as we flew or transported somewhere else and then heard laughter and cheers. I know felt out of place as I saw and guess the man and woman were the king and queen. I sat down and stared at the food then back at the woman and blushed as all eyes were on me.

I looked at John then back down as I looked at my bruises. "Ummm sad to say your majesty that there is nothing to be told of me that will interesting. All I can say is that I have been an orphan my whole life and was taken care of by different caretakers. I was restricted of doing other things because they said I was special. Forgive me as I really can't recall much since I lost my memory. I just woke up in the Southern and was found by Lord John and the Colonel." My cheeks were still pink as I looked down again at my bruise wrist.  

[Genrin619]

The Queen gasped, "Oh, you poor thing!" She piled Keira's plate with divine fruits and various other dishes. "Eat up, darling," she said, stroking Keira's hair like a mother would her infant child. The King rolled his eyes and turned to John, "Here we go again. The second she finds someone to coddle, she overdoes it. This is only the beginning," he told John, shoveling food in his mouth. John followed suit and observed his surroundings.

The sparkling lake was behind him on a pebbled shore; the moon was glittering in the sky. There was beautiful and lively music floating through the air and a fragrant flowery scent blew in from the trees. He watched Keira as she smiled and the Queen prattled away, telling her children's tales of Otherworld. She seemed to be enjoying herself.

The rest of the night passed in a bit of a happy blur, peppered by laughter and the pouring of wine. Everyone was laughing and joking, conjuring up illusions that danced through the air and drifted over the lake. Fireworks were shooting off here and there, pranks were being pulled left and right to cheers and bellows of laughter; everyone seemed to be drunk and rowdy. Before he knew it, the last of the Fey departed leaving with them the King, Queen, and their son. They led Keira and James over to the lake and escorted them into a beautiful, long and sturdy wooden boat. "Just keep following the moon," the King shouted after them as John rowed them away. Soon, they were out of sight. "Let me know if I go off course, okay Keira?" She nodded.

"How did you like the festival," he asked, pulling the oars into the boat and letting them drift for a little while. He took off his mask and threw off his cloak into the bottom of the boat.  

[00Rebecca_Chambers00]

I smiled at the queen if though I still felt uncomfortable. As she gave me the go ahead to eat. I picked up a fruit and took a bite as it was the sweetest fruit I tasted. I was enjoying it as the queen asked me question and so forth.

I was fascinated by the Queens tale as she told me different versions of the Otherworld. The suppose frighten of vampires didn't scare me at all and the queen was suprised. I laughed as the queen would tell me funny stories and even once I danced with the princd.

As the festival came to and end and it was inly me and John, I looked at the water as it sparkled. I took off the mask as I smiled loving the wind stroke my face. The wind blew my hair and I enjoyed it and look back down at the water. I nodded as John asked me to help stay on course. "I enjoyed the festival very much. It was the most fun I have and actually first time I was far away from home, the orphange. But even as a child there is always a negative. I know something bad will happen and crush that happiness as I tried not to get excited. But I did anyways." I watched us drift as the moon's rays helped fuide us.  

[Genrin619]

John propped himself up on the oars running across the boat. "Keira," he said, "It's different here. You don't have to be afraid to be happy or to have fun. You can eat when you want, you can laugh if you like, and you can always be happy without fear." He looked up at the moon and suddenly reality came crashing back to him. "Colonel," he whispered. He dipped the oars back into the water and began rowing at a stong, steady pace. He couldn't help but worry as memories crept into his mind.

Arrows peppered the ground around the rock where he and Henry took shelter. The other remaining soldiers had done the same with various other rocks and dunes. "Colonel, what do we do," he asked, cluthing his sword and breathing heavily. The colonel looked him dead in the eye, "I'll tell you what we will do. Pray to the gods and come at them with everything we've got." John nodded as the colonel shouted the command. They charged forward. An arrow struck him in the shoulder, but he kept charging, spurred on by Henry running along side him. They jumped over their fallen comrades and met with the vampire clans. He rammed his sword into the stomach of a young woman. Her angry expression melted into relief and finally, it was blank. She fell. John shook with adrenaline. The colonel was way ahead of him now, hacking his way through the hordes.

***

The colonel sat in his study as the afternoon sun broke through the windows. He was reading a book. He seemed at peace, John noted as he watched through a crack in the door. He smiled. The colonel put his book down and relit his pipe, turning to look out the window. John felt guilty for intruding and backed away into the hall.

He pulled the oars into the boat as it reached shore. He could hear the excited shouts of the last few partiers as dawn approached. He stepped out of the boat and held out his hand to help Keira. "Come on. We have to go see the colonel."  

[00Rebecca_Chambers00]

I looked at John and gave a smile. "Its no different from the world I live. Wars are made, love in the air, classes, pointless fight. Its no different. I was taught to respect the upper class and so I shall. This world is no different, just different races." I turned away as I jnew I probably crossed the line.

I stayed quiet until I heard John say the word Colonel. I knew where he was going as I felt the pace the boat was going. As we got to the shore I flinched as memories crossed my mind. I looked at John's hand and then I notixed something charging behind. "John."

Insticts kicked in as I quickly stood and shoved him out the way as I felt the impact. I hiss as I fell side ways into the water. It was freezing cold but I kicked as I quickly got up. I was soaked head to toe as I saw claws aiming for me. I caught the wrist as I kicked it back. At the smaetime memories flashed.

"Furies will be no match for us, just protect this line we cannot let them cross and disturb the balance of both world." I stood in my armor as I dodge a Fury. I grabbed hold of its arm and twisted it. The screetching noise echoed as I stabbed it through the jaw. I came back to reality as I twisted the Furies arm and it hissed. "You can't protect both worlds Death Dealer." He hissed.  

[Genrin619]

John stabbed through its back with his sword. The creature vanished in a puff of black smoke. He grabbed Keira by the arm and dragged her back to the streets as fast as he could. She had a hard time keeping up. "That's it. You're not leaving Captain Munroe's estate grounds until the colonel is walking again and decides what to do with you. It's for your own good. Can't seem to go one day without something trying to kill you," he said furiously. They reached the gates of the estate and were waved through. He turned to Keira.

"This - right here, where we are standing inside the gates - is as far as you are allowed to go, understood? I don't need you getting assasinated after the colonel risked his life for you." Her face flushed red and she nodded, looking thoroughly unhappy. "I'm sorry," he said a bit more calmly, "But it's how it has to be." He turned and led the way back to the healer's.

Blood pooled on the floor around the table as the colonel lay gasping. Three healers now occupied the room, running around mixing tonics, flipping through books, and pressing gauze on the colonel's wounds.

"What happened!?" John felt the blood drain from his face. "We were attacked by an anti-human group looking for the girl," said a voice behind them. It was Captain Munroe. "Now what is it they should be wanting with you, girl," he asked Keira curiously.  

[00Rebecca_Chambers00]

I was getting upset as I was lost. I didn't understand why I keep getting attacked but I knew it was in the back of my mind. I shook my head as John pulled me. Once we stopped I pulled my arm from him because he was hurting me.

I wanted to refuse and just leave as John was telling me to stay put but I didn't argue as I went red and nodded. As we walked in my eyes went wide as I saw the room. I felt guilty as I knew it was my fault.

I heard Monroe's voice come from behind as I turned and lookrd at him. "I don't know. I honestly don't. If Lord John and the Colonel would have left me alone and just let me die,.then none of this would have happen. I blame myself for this as apparently everyone wants to kill me. And prehaps maybe I should just die." I pushed passed the Captain and John blending in the crowd. I knew everything was my fault but I obeyed as I didn't go off the estate. Instead I found an baren place looking out at the lake. I sat down feeling guilty.  

[Genrin619]

Henry woke up feeling very cold. His head was pounding and he was very aware of people staring at him. He sat up cautiously, feeling the stinging of the wounds in his chest as he did so. He heard a collective sigh of relief around the room. "Welcome back, Colonel Cosgrove," a healer said to him. Back, he asked himself, Where did I go? ...I must've died. He saw John hovering anxiously near the door.

"Where's Miss Keira," he asked John. John shrugged, "She took off a couple of hours ago. She's on the estate, though. I would've gone after her, but I was needed here." Henry slid off the table and stood shakily. His bandages tightened as the muscles in his torso flexed. "I'll go find her."

"But, sir... you have no shirt. It's cold."

"All the more reason to find Miss Keira," he said, "Don't you think she's cold too, John?" John's face flushed and he hung his head. "I'll go with you, sir."

"No, John. This is a delicate matter. I'll go alone. Don't fret. I'll be back."

Colonel Henry wandered outside, letting his senses guide him. At last he found her down by the captain's lake. He approached her and sat down next to her. She was startled. He assumed it was because he was still very pale, wearing no shirt, and his bandages were now bleeding. He smiled appologetically. And gazed out at the lake. "John means well," he said after a while, "He really does care about you, you know. I can tell by the sound of his voice. He just got a little scared for you is all," he turned his attention to her. She looked as if she was on the verge of tears. "You mustn't be angry with him... or upset with yourself. Everything happens for a reason. This was meant to be."

He plucked an apple from a low hanging tree branch and handed her the apple. "When John upsets you, pay him no mind. It's his way of looking out for you. He doesn't really understand people. Give him time. He's still just a seed. Soon, he'll become a fully blossomed apple tree. And he'll be just as sweet, I promise."  

[00Rebecca_Chambers00]

It was cold but it helped me stay numb as the weight of guilty hoverred over me. I tried with all my might to remember why everyone was after me but it didn't help. The cold air lingeted as tears started to shed. I felt someone sit next to me and I was startled it was the Colonel.

I wipped the tears away as I heard every word he said. I got up as I looked at him. "My lord you shouldn't be up. Your bleeding." I placed the apple down he gave me as I looked at it. "Well its not bleeding that much but I need to take you back my lord."

I sigh as he was explaining about John. "I am not upset at John because he is right. Everywhere I go, everyone wants to kill me and the worse part is, I don't know why. I saw the room whete anti-humans were looking for me. I looked into Captain Monroe's eyes and I saw how he looked at me. He blamed me for it. You would have been lost and I my heart would not bare if John was deeply heart broken because you died. I would never forgive myself if that happened. You should have lefy me to die that was the way it was suppose to be."