Belwen put her arm out to slow Lisian down. "Do you see that? It's the thief!"
A chill flew past them, nearly knocking Belwen from the air. She looked in the direction of the breeze and Harn was hidden from view. She felt the distress stronger the further South she flew. It pained the Queen to feel what was coming from Harn. What on earth was going on down there? Why wasn't the tree communicating with her when she reached out?
But in front of her, was another problem they had to deal with. She didn't want the enemy to see her and her sentinel, but to shrink surely would cause them to freeze to death with this chill.
"I have to go to Harn. I can't wait any longer," she cried. "If I distract the intruder, can you deal with getting it away from our land?"
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 3:41 pm
Lisian sighed heavily, glad when his Queen began to speak coheriently. Alright, so it seemed those sickness rumors HAD been just that... He quickly tossed the blanket aside and backed away to give her her space. He felt a bit silly letting his worry get a hold of him like that, but nothing to do about it now. He was just glad that she was alright and obviously getting the picture of what was going on.
“Yes it was, my Queen.” he replied. He gave her her time to reorient herself despite his need to investigate. He stood close enough to be there if her wobbles persisted, but remained well enough away to not seem like he was hovering. Her words brought a deep frown to his face. This was even more serious than he thought before if the Queen sensed something from the other tree. It had been awhile since they'd been able to see the others within it or heard if their condition was the same as their own. Apparently not if this was the feeling she was receiving.
Lisian couldn't help a slight smile at his Queen's question. Only because seeing them made him realize what he must have looked like, “Everyone is eating as much as they can. We've all been in a sort of exhausted haze, but you've been sleeping the most of us all.” He hesitated in his words, “I apologize for the way I acted before, it's because you've been sleeping so much there was worry that you were unwell. I thought that's what I was seeing in there.”
The cold hit him and sucked the warm air right out of his lungs. He gritted his teeth against it, thanking Forn for shutting them in the way it did. There was no way they could have survived had the tree not taken such drastic measures. Even taking on his larger form was bitter. It felt incredibly better, but still not enough for him imagining them all functioning out there like they did during the spring time.
He followed close to his Queen, never slowing his pace down even when a strange figure at the rocks appeared in sight. Who had taken up residence by it? Is this the reason they had received the alarm? He squinted at it trying to make heads or tails of the figure. What was it? He paused when Belwen's arm slowed him. The thief? Really? It was back!? A part of him so desperately didn't want to believe it that he wanted to question his Queen. She would know though, that would be a hard day to forget.
Lisian reached out to steady Belwen as the breeze pushed on them. He could feel a shiver run up his spine, whether it was due to the cold or the bad news he wasn't sure. She looked so pained and it hurt him in return. What were the chances of these two things surfacing at the same time? He wish he had the words to encourage her, but his tongue remained silent.
He nodded firmly at his Queen, his resolve set in his eyes “Of course I will deal with her. They need you, please leave it to me.” He turned to look back towards the intruder. “Just do you best to not let her see you. We can't have something happen to you as well. If you need anything at all whistle for me.” He knew she knew this already and it was unnecessary to say it, but it was just like him to do it. He needed to know he'd done everything to help before releasing her to her own duty. He turned to give her a nod of luck before starting out towards the thief.
The diversion was weak, but she hoped effective. Belwen trusted her Sentry to do his best protecting their land and colony. In the mean time, Belwen had to check on Harn.
When they got close enough, maybe too close, she cast her spell to surround the angel with a tornado cloud of rainbow mist, trying to disable the target's sense of direction and location. Lisian can handle it from here.
Belwen shivered, worried about the Harn flutters because of this cold. Why was it warming near Forn, but freezing near Harn? This was a situation the flutter queen didn't know how to fix. She flew south, keeping to the edge of the clearing as it didn't seem as cold.
She halted. There sat a strange, yet familiar creature. She looked nothing like the typical intruder, There was even a tug of kinship from Forn in her mind. But she was also armed and lacked the lithe figures and fluttering wings of any Flutter Belwen might know. The queen needed to investigate to scope the pae out, she wondered if perhaps it was the cause of the freeze and distress of Harn.
"State your name and purpose for intruding on sacred land!" she said, staying behind the pae, and trying to stick to the foliage. Belwen weighed the importance of finding out who the stranger was and their intentions, over heading to Harn. Something told her that maybe this being had something to do with it.
The little fairy accompanying the pae did not go unnoticed. That was part of what eased some of Belwen's concerns about approaching instead of remaining completely out of sight on her way to Harn. Fairies in the Fae Clearing typically do not have malicious intents towards the flutters as they share a homeland.
Teigra
Takeko has to deal with Lisian now, and Vanya will be dealing with Belwen.
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 5:50 pm
Lisian wished his Queen well before heading off in the direction of the thief. Her passion to the words were so strong, he admired her for that. There was nothing she wouldn't do to ensure the safety of their colony and her ones lost.
He didn't look back. With his adrenalin kicking in he almost didn't notice the cold around him. He was so set carrying out his duty that not much else around him mattered. He was doing this for the trees, for his family. Those sleepy, unaware Flutters within their tree. What would they do if they knew what was going on out here this very instant? Oh what things they didn't know...
As he neared the other, a storm of color started up around it. He slowed his movement forward, silently thanking his Queen. She was always thinking on the tips of her hooves. He sent up a silent prayer for safety and knowledge of the situation before he felt he was close enough to be heard and stopped.
“What are you doing here?” his voice was strong and demanding, not leaving room for question. “If you promise to leave quietly and never return, the storm will end. You'll then turn around and head back to where you came from without another word or a glance back in this direction. I would rather this not end up a problem for either of us.”
Having let her guard down due to exhaustion, the Faun Seer nearly jumped out of her fur in surprise. One ear flicked towards the sound and she whirled around towards the one who spoke. This wasn't her home and one hoof caught on the undergrowth, but though she stumbled, she kept her hooves beneath her. Her hands had begun glowing with a fierce, eerie red light that emanated from her palms.
Sensing the panic that gripped his bonded, Veryan was instantly alert and on the situation. Preferably before it could become a situation. "Vanya! Hold on!" His eyes were darting about and though he couldn't see the one addressing them yet, he didn't see any immediate threats. Even if they were attacked, this would not be the best way to answer it. There was no telling what might happen. His bonded was obviously not thinking clearly if she was considering using that here...
The dark faun's eyes were distant, but her ears were focused, twitching at each sound to pinpoint the source. Veryan's voice cut through her panic long enough for her to regain control and stop the seals from releasing. The glow faded and dimmed, but Vanya was still tense.
Calm down...Veryan is here...he has your back. Don't panic. Could end up setting the whole forest ablaze if you do, you fool.
Attempting to regain some composure now that she had time to process the voice and what it had said, Vanya noted that after getting over the surprise, that while sharp, the voice had asked her to identify herself and her purpose quite clearly and directly. Sacred land?
Pushing aside her exhaustion and fear, she focused her Sight on the area in front of her, seeking out the speaker with no idea what she was going to find. Her fear swiftly turned to confusion as she locked onto a single aura. Faun auras presented themselves as primarily a rich, foresty green, much like leaves of a tree. Blood Pae were golden yellow. She was relieved not to see the warm yellow hue before her.
It was a deep, dark green, nearly black.
She'd never seen a Pae'il with a primary aura of that color. What...did that mean?
Mulling this information over, she nervously licked her lips before speaking in a tone far more confident and in command than she felt right now. "You speak to Lady Vanya, Seer of the Faun of Laisidhiel. I mean no harm to anyone, but I will not hesitate to defend myself if necessary."
She paused before revealing anything further. What was going on here? What had she been led into? Seeking more information about the situation, she quietly extended her Sight to cover more of the area, reaching out as she answered evenly, "I was called to offer aid. I am seeking someone in need and was led here by a guide. As I have answered your questions, I ask the same of you. Who are you and what is your purpose here? Of what sacred land do you refer?"
Antidia
*****
Takeko's wariness was turning to concern; the approaching pair seemed to hesitate, as if puzzled by her presence. They had been flying towards her and stopped just out of clear sight range. Not just flying, but from the slow, steady method of it...hovering. Couldn't do that with angel or demon wings. Only...were they Fae then? Well, it is called the Fae Clearing, she reminded herself. It would make sense to find some here, even if she hadn't before on previous trips.
But, why did they seem wary of her? Something wasn't right. She barely had time to finish the thought as the brightly hued figure started to near again, the same time as swirls of color began forming around the angel. Takeko's alarm spiked, the sight of the rising, swirling colors triggering a flashback. Rainbow dust, swirling, blocking her eyes and creeping in through her nose and mouth, making her cough. Her previous action of ruffling her feathered wings as a makeshift cloak may have saved her as her reflexes triggered from the memory and her wings swept up to block the swirls from reaching her face. The only thing she had within reach was her travel satchel; she grabbed for it wildly then pressed the thick cloth over her face. If nothing else, her nose and mouth were protected from any more coughing fits.
Only as the colors continued to rise and swirl did she realize it was not the same as before. This wasn't a dust, coating her skin and airways, no, but a fine mist. She blinked her eyes clear, but the colors were disorienting and dizzying, and she hurriedly shut them tightly until she no longer felt she was spinning. It wasn't the same, but it seemed similar enough. Was it happening again? Had she triggered some sort of local flora reaction? She'd seen flora do some awfully strange things before.
It'd never tried to carry on a conversation before. Not in her experience.
The angel was typically a home body of sorts, never seeking adventures, content to have a cup of tea and bake sweet treats in her kitchen. She wasn't adventurous and thrill-seeking. She wasn't the violent or aggressive type. Such things were well beyond her happy scope of living.
She should have been terrified...something...someone out there was doing this, turning this ability on her as a threat. This was no magical flora defense, but a person, a Pae'il. She knew flowers, not fighting. She should have been scared.
But, fear was not the emotion that crept over the angel.
It was anger.
She'd been through too much in this place, so many highs and lows. She'd experienced terror, elation, trauma, and joy in this meadow. She'd allowed herself to come and go in response to others' whims. She'd come here before to do a task that she had full well feared might kill her, solely out of a sense of duty. She'd come here today because that same individual had appealed to her sense of duty once more and the need to protect others from harm. Now, under assault and ordered to leave, she felt her frustration turn to defiance and she dug her heels in stubbornly.
Literally.
Bracing herself, the angel squinted at the dark figure through the mist. She couldn't see any details, but she had something to focus on. Making sure her voice was clear, if muffled slightly by the satchel, she sent back, "I'll promise no such thing!" The thought had crossed her mind that this ability was similar enough...could it be possible? Did this explain some of what happened that day?
Had one of these individuals had a part in stealing her baby, Xiulan?
Unfamiliar anger pushed the angel onwards and she continued, "Who are you to tell me where I can and cannot go? Do you presume to own this clearing? I was summoned here by one seeking aid. You are clearly not that individual, so begone and leave me be! I seek no trouble either, yet I will point out, many would consider your actions to be hostile." The swirling colors were making her dizzy and nauseated and she squinted to try to lessen the effect. If only the dark figure would move a bit closer...perhaps then she could see... Normally, she would have been praying to the Guardians that the other would simply stop this attack and go away, leaving her in peace.
Normally. At the moment, for some reason though, she wanted him to ignore her suggestion to leave peacefully. The storm, though disorienting and dizzying, was not actually painful or seeming to harm her physically in any sort of permanent way. The realization bolstered her confidence. Her rationale was spotty at best, but she couldn't help but feel like a long sought after answer lay just beyond her reach, just on the other side of the mist wall. Stubbornly, the teal angel raised her wings, then brought them down with a powerful stroke. And again. And again. She just needed to clear the air, drive away this cursed mist, then perhaps, she could see just exactly what sort she was dealing with.
Irish Night Fox
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 12:29 pm
Reacting in kind to the glowing red hands, Belwen readied her own attack and mimicked the stranger, her palms glowed rainbow. It would not really hurt if fired, but it'd sting like a wasp bite. And the stranger would be covered in rainbow goo. She lowered her hands when she saw the stranger did too. Though she wanted to cover her in rainbow goo for the principle of the matter.
Laishidhiel? That was familiar. Why was that familiar to the young queen?
Seer -that held no meaning. Belwen considered if this lady could be trusted just on her word. But the tree's name? Wait, how did she know that was a tree's name. Dangit,where had she heard that name before?
This Seer, was brought to help? Was she sent to help Harn? It would be amazing if that was true. Too good to be true, really. Maybe it was someone else? That horrible thief! She could be sent to help it. Belwen's eyes narrowed as she looked at the Lady. She stepped out of the bush so Vanya could see her and took a quick breath and announced herself. "I am Queen Belwen of Forn Sheedhiel. This is our sacred land, land of the fairies, land of Forn Sheedhiel and Harn Sheedhiel, and home of the Futters. This is the Fae Clearing. I am on my way to help one of my trees, because she is in pain. Do you know something about what is happening?"
Lisian hadn't expected it to be easy, but he had hoped for it. There was something about this being and especially from their last interaction that told him it was a determined one. Still, they didn't have time to deal with her if there was something wrong with Harn. How did these problems seem to rise their ugly heads up at the same time?
He wasn't sure how long his Queen's distraction would last. For the time being he stood near enough to be heard, but kept his distance in case the other was to try anything. They'd managed to keep their identity obscure this long, and though it was now obvious that something was in the clearing, he had to ensure it wouldn't be an experience that would want to be repeated.
“Own it? No, but the ones who do have invited us here if we promised to protect it. You've stolen from this clearing once before so I've been sent to be their warning. Leave.”
He grew quiet at her next words. Someone had summoned her for aid? It couldn't have been Harn. Why would it summon the one who stole it's children? He was also sure Xiu hadn't managed to get a note out, had she? No, it had to be a trick. A thief couldn't be trusted. This cold would have brought a shock to many, that's how it had gotten such a good guess on something they were struggling with. No, he wouldn't allow his resolve to falter. They could take care of their own problems.
Lisian tensed as something behind the mist seemed to change. What was she doing? Was she trying to dismiss the storm? Would it work? Without taking a chance he slipped into some of the dense nature around to keep himself hidden. He wasn't about to reveal who they were to her if he didn't have to. It would be better to lead her away quietly than to give up the identity they'd tried so hard to keep quiet. Still, if it came to it, he'd get physical to protect them.
Teigra
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 4:59 pm
Vanya had not failed to notice the drawing of power that had accompanied her own; even after that dispersed, the other individual's aura remained strong. It was still darkly colored, yet somehow glowed intensely to her Sight. It supported the belief that this was no ordinary, common Pae, lending credibility to her claim. Though the Faun hierarchy had no queen of course, the title was not completely unfamiliar to Vanya. It was clearly a title of power and rank. The names that this Queen offered were also startling. Forn Sheedhiel? Harn Sheedhiel? The similarity to her own home was not lost...
Frowning to herself, she noticed the aura shift slightly, indicating that the individual had moved. Her ears flicked towards the soft rustle of leaves. The accompanying gasp from her Mellon confirmed the suspicion that the stranger had moved into view. She wasn't about to broadcast her weakness to a stranger...yet, it would make this less awkward if the party realized the truth, so she didn't lower her voice when she spoke to her Mellon. She'd felt his confusion spike through their bond and her own was growing. "Veryan? Describe her to me." She kept her stance neutral, trying to remain calm and collected in appearance. Just because she was blind, she didn't want this Queen Belwen mistaking that for weakness.
"She...she's got hooves like a faun...or more like a fauny," Veryan corrected himself, picking his jaw up off the floor. "Closed like theirs are. That's where the similarity ends though. Light stature, but with wings like a butterfly. And antennae." The Mellon sounded like he was still at a loss, but managed to give a short, business-like description of the strange being before them.
Vanya didn't seem to be as surprised by this info as her Mellon had. She'd already been surprised earlier by the aura...this seemed to be confirming her suspicions. She just...wasn't exactly sure how to word those suspicions yet. The information that was piling up, however...
The names of the trees, which the Queen had confirmed them to be. The connection to those trees. The deep green aura. This being, who appeared so different, and yet still had hooves...as some of their distant brethren had.
But...how? How could it be?
Before leaping to any wild conclusions, Vanya wanted more proof. Could it be? Spirits, give me a sign. Deciding to share just a bit more information without divulging everything, Vanya spoke, "I received a message seeking help. I could have been mistaken on its sender, for this is not what I expected...but I was lead here by a light. I have traveled far from my own Tree, across the entire Isle. I do not believe this to be an accident nor a joke of the Spirits. Clearly there is some purpose in my being here. Your tree, the tree in pain; is it near here?" Her Sight could feel something nearby...faint, still at a distance...
Antidia
*****
The stranger's response hadn't been what Takeko had expected. Nor wanted. In fact, he was raising more questions. The ones who owned it had invited them here? Who claimed then to own this clearing? Also, he said that she'd stolen from the clearing before?!? The angel was momentarily indignant at the suggestion that she would ever steal anything!
Dizzy from the swirling colors, Takeko dropped to one knee, one hand on the ground while the other held the satchel to her face. She still didn't trust breathing this in without knowing what it was. Though it wasn't dispersing the mist completely, her efforts were keeping it away from her face at least, so she kept beating her wings in a rhythmic fashion to keep the air clear. She could no longer see the figure anymore, and to minimize the dizzying effect, closed her eyes tightly.
What in Telrunya could the stranger be going on about? He recognized her specifically, from the sound of it...were they not driving everyone from the clearing? Why her? What was this about stealing?
"What have I stolen? A few herbs?" she snapped back, irritated. It wasn't as if those didn't grow back. She was always careful only to take a few cuttings, leaving plenty to regrow and repopulate the area. She reached back further in her memory, unconsciously linking this attack to other malicious activities. Oh Guardians, what if....what if these creatures had planted the mandragoras? What had been their plan for those terrible things? It was the one time she'd been careful to harvest all and leave no chances for anything to sprout again by accident. What a horrifying thought, if she was now dealing with the creatures that planted those terrible things...
Her mind moved forward in time and she froze. No...there was an even more terrifying thought. No...it couldn't be. They couldn't mean... There was one time when she'd taken something else from the clearing. Something dear. Something she'd later lost...no...had been taken from her...
Lisian felt his own flare of anger at its tone with him. Why was it here? What things did it need so desperately to get its hands on that it would create such elaborate stories and lash out like that? This was becoming more of a chore then he was expecting. He wouldn't let his Queen down. If it didn't see reason soon he'd have to switch his tactics.
Herbs? Really? It was almost laughable. Did it really not find Xiu any more important? It brought him even more comfort in their decision to save her from this... thief. Did it even remember her? Was that why it was here; trying to take her back or to even take more? He'd never dream of allowing such a thing. It had hurt to see Xiu go through so much from it, but he was glad they'd been able to at least recover her.
No, he'd help it remember Xiu. Help it remember how much pain it brought her because of uprooting her and taking her away. Raising her elsewhere away from the clan she so desperately needed and who needed her so in return. How may sleepless nights they'd had trying to recover all those seeds...
“Herbs? No, you stole life. You weren't alone though, no, you and another took them. You stole their children right from under them. A day hasn't gone by that they haven't cried, searched, done everything to recover them... This is why you have to leave. You can't be trusted.” His strong voice was laced with pain, but it also brought more passion.
He wasn't budging in his decision.
Teigra
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 10:47 pm
Takeko felt a sharp pain in her chest and her wings fell limply to her sides. No. Nononononono. Even closed, her eyes stung and it felt like the world was crashing down all around her as the pieces suddenly snapped together, revealing the full picture.
One didn't normally think of stealing living things. One stole objects. Things. Not people. It's why she hadn't thought of Xiulan's seed at first. Not that there would be an explanation to excuse this wrong that this stranger felt she'd committed. She wanted to explain that she'd saved her, that no one had been there to care for them, that she wasn't about to leave a poor little one alone and defenseless. She hadn't even been sure that it was a baby until it had hatched later in her home. She could have brought her back then, but...there had been no sign that anyone ever lived here in the Clearing. But, they wouldn't understand.
There was no rationalizing away the rage one felt when their child was taken away.
She knew...she'd spent the last few seasons dealing with the same anger and sense of loss. Tears leaked from her closed eyelids and dripped down her cheeks. The angel had fallen to both knees and curled in on herself, wings no longer trying to disperse the mist, only folded around herself. Her chest ached and all the fear and despair she'd tried to push down just to survive when seasons of searching had come to naught swelled and burst forth. It was nearly overwhelming, and after a moment, she made a realization that this...this horrible person saying these awful things...had likely been the one to take her baby from her.
"You...it was YOU!" Her voice began softly, was interrupted by a quiet sob, then came back louder, full of passion. "YOU took her!" All she could focus on was the cruel, heartless being that lay beyond the mist wall, stirring up her emotions that she'd tried so hard to move past. The sorrow, the mourning, so many seasons of wondering what had happened to her precious baby, who had taken her, whether she was even still ali--
And this sadistic being was taunting her from out of sight, accusing her of being the horrible one?
Never in her life had Takeko ever felt the urge to commit violence against another. That temptation would have been nearly irresistible right now, if the stranger had been standing within reach. And if she wasn't so overwhelmed with the number of thoughts running through her head all at once. Where was she? What had they done with her? Did she even want to know? Her thoughts were growing irrational. She wanted to demand her back. That they pay for taking her away. Even if she knew deep down that none of that was likely to happen.
No, she'd tried to come to terms with losing Xiulan. The only way she had managed it was to convince herself that even if she wasn't there with her, that somewhere out there, her baby was growing up healthy and happy. At risk of destroying that illusion she'd created for herself, she managed to blurt out in an accusatory tone, "What did you do to her?" Her voice cracked, her sobs clear even through her anger. "Did you hurt her? Did you hurt my baby?"
"Did you hurt Xiulan?!?"
Still in a haze of irrational, maternal fury, Takeko swore by the Guardians and all that was holy, if she found out that they had hurt her baby, she'd come back and burn this clearing to the ground if that's what it took.
Vanya spoke of her tree , which confirmed Belwen's thought that Laisidhiel was indeed a tree. But she still didn't know how she knew.
The queen lifted her feet off the ground and moved around the Seer, measuring her and debating if she can be trusted on her word. There was something about her body language. The way the little fairy had to describe her gave the queen suspicion. "Can you see me?"
The queen looked in Harn's direction as she felt the distress signal stronger than before. She was getting nervous and anxious. She wanted to learn more about this stranger, but her flutters really needed her. The flutter queen had to trust Vanya because she did need help. But so many details gleaned just seemed to raise so many more questions.
Belwen nervously buzzed looking between Vanya and Harn's direction. "Vanya, did Mother send you?" She knew that the seer mentioned a light leading her here, but that could have been mother. She used many ways to communicate, and maybe this could be another?
"I ... I have to go help my flutters. If you were led here to help, follow me." Belwen prayed to the trees that she wasn't making a mistake in trusting this stranger. But she had to also trust in her instinct.
Teigra
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 4:52 pm
Should Vanya choose to help Belwen,
she will be led by Belwen, and they little light to a location near the southern-most point of the Fae Clearing. The closer the get to Harn, not only does it grow colder, but there's snow on the ground.
Coming to Harn, they will notice several things that are causing the tree distress.
The illusion that the trees normally projects to outsiders, that it appears smaller the closer others get, has stopped. The tree is full sized and towers over the landscape. It looks like it is hundreds of years old. The tree is frozen, covered in several inches of ice. The leaves are frozen under a tremendous amount of ice that hangs, threatening to spear anyone that comes near.
The ice is has broken the illusion. And the snow and cold is emanating from the tree, expanding to cover southern Fae Clearing. The chilly breeze flows down the trunk to tree anything in it's way.
Should Vanya choose to not follow Belwen,
Belwen will flutter away in distress, no longer interested in the stranger because Harn needed her more.
The little light that led her out to the clearing will sag and drop to the ground, and disperse after a short time. Vanya will be free to return home. Or to further explore and possibly encounter Takeko and Lisian in their dispute.
Teigra
Antidia
Guardian_Iris Captain
Offline
Irish Night Fox Crew
Chatty Regular
Offline
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 7:32 pm
Lisian shook his head. It was putting on the best performance he'd ever seen. It's passion was alarming, but if it had seen everything Xiu had gone through... There were no words for what she'd done. No words for the struggle that Xiu went through trying to find her place as well as the struggle for the rest of the Flutters. The endless days trying to search, the resources and time. If she'd just left it. If she'd let them deal with it, even as a small group, they could have taken care of their own. Who was she to think she could take better care of their own?
What about their Queen? She hadn't been the same since the happening. He'd seen her struggle with her own heartache. He sometimes wondered if she blamed herself for it, when all along it was their thief that had done it. If only they had been so blessed as to have the other thief come back around and drop the other seed off. Slowly they'd seen them coming back and it was the same with all of them. The transition and the heartache...
“I took her? No, you took her.” he hissed. It was getting harder and hard to keep his cool. “Clearly you know what I am referencing. You remember. That's the day you broke their heart, as well as ours. You took our future from us. You took their children.”
What did they do to her? Did she dare to think they'd do something to their own? Who was she to lay claim on her as her 'baby'. No, she didn't create her, grow her, and give her life? She may have had her for a portion of her life, but that didn't mean she was a part of her! No, she was born of the twin trees. She was theirs. “She's their child. A dearly beloved. Why would you ever consider they'd hurt her?”
He took a deep breath and calmed himself, evening his tone again with her. He once again stepped out when he felt she had given up breaking from the mist. His stood tall, intimidating. “You need to leave. You've caused enough heartache.”
Teigra
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 9:11 pm
As Belwen circled the dark faunness, Vanya's ears twitched to track her, but she made no attempt to move her eyes to follow her and they remained completely unfocused straight ahead. She wasn't going to deny that she was blind, but she was careful in how she answered. "I can no longer see as you can, no. I gave up that ability many seasons ago in exchange for a different sort of Sight. Veryan has to serve as my eyes to describe what you look like," she confirmed, but did not yet expound on what her other Sight entailed.
Vanya could sense and see the rapidly fluctuating emotions of the...what had she called herself? A Flutter? Though the aura was unfamiliar, she could interpret that she was highly anxious about something. Clearly less interested in Vanya, she seemed eager to get back to the tree she'd said was in pain. Focused on the Queen's state of mind, Vanya failed to control her own reaction at the surprising question that followed.
Mother? Did Mother send her? She hadn't mentioned that part of the letter. Without her mentioning that detail, for the Queen to ask her unprompted...
Spirits, is this my sign?
Before she could even respond, Belwen was gone, asking her to follow if she'd been sent to help. All signs certainly pointed to this being the reason she'd been brought here. Vanya only hesitated a second, then started after the sound of the retreating Flutter. Fortunately, the light (which she'd not been paying attention to for some time as she'd been focused on Belwen) bounced ahead, trailing after the Flutter Queen and continuing to guide the blind Seer in her wake.
As they moved forward, the air grew colder and colder. Soon, Vanya felt the crunch of snow beneath her hooves. She hadn't felt that in many seasons, but it was a sensation that was difficult to forget. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering and focusing on a glow that grew larger as they moved forward. Was that it? She could feel the power, the life flowing outward, but it seemed...dulled, for some reason. Restrained. Something was definitely wrong, if this were indeed the tree of which Belwen spoke. If Vanya's suspicions were correct, then something must be done.
But what?
The cold wind blew in their faces, sweeping the faunness' hair and antler foliage backwards. Shivering, she sought out Belwen's aura and tried to speak up over the icy wind, "Queen Belwen? Is this the Tree? What can you tell me of what you see?"
Antidia
*****
The cruel voice seemed intent on breaking her heart. Still, it painted her as the monster, droning on about her hurting others who had never even seen her child before. Their pain? Their suffering? Takeko's anger blocked out any logic, any sense of sympathy. All she could think was the pain that this monster had inflicted on herself, on her family, likely on Xiulan as well.
"You attacked us! I found a lost, abandoned seed that clearly you didn't care enough to protect as she deserved!" she snapped back, fingers digging into the soil below. "You used violence to take her! Do you have any idea how terrified...how I've mourned for her? What assurance did I have that whoever took her didn't take her to eat her? Didn't just...just kill her...?!?" It was a struggle just to get the words out and Takeko felt a wave of fury well up within her. The urge to turn on this voice with violence washed over her again and after a moment, the angel stirred. She rose from her hunched over position and began crawling forward. If she'd been thinking clearly, she may have realized that the swirling mist was magical in nature and there was no reason it wouldn't just follow her. However, she started crawling forward, slowly but with clear determination, the single thought that if she kept moving, she'd eventually break through it.
"You...you MONSTER! What assurance do I have NOW that you didn't hurt her?!?"
The fury was palpable in her voice, barely-contained hysteria clear. It seemed the angel may have gone mad. She kept moving, barely turning her head away from the swirling mist as she left the heart of the storm. "What about my pain? What about my family? You didn't even know her! I raised her! Like my own daughter! She had a mother and siblings and other family who all loved her! Do you have any idea how much pain and heartache YOU'VE caused?"
Breathing heavily, Takeko gave up on holding the satchel to her face for the sake of continuing to crawl forward. "What about the pain you caused Xiulan, ripping her away from a family that loved and cared for her all her life?"
The frigid temperatures were dangerous for the delicate flutter queen, but she persevered, pushing though the snow and wind. When she finally saw the tree, she flew as fast as her near frozen wings would take her and she fell to her knees. She extended her hands, gently placing them on the ice. She started to cry out to the tree, "Help me, I don't know what to do."
When Vanya arrived, Belwen was concentrating on reaching through the ice to Harn. She needed to know above all else that the flutters inside were okay. Vanya's voice rang in her ears and the queen dropped her head in defeat. Her pleas from Harn went unanswered. "Lady Vanya," she said with her head still down, "This beautiful tree of life is encased in a thick layer of ice. Even the leaves are encapsulated in ice, frozen in time from when the ice covered them. Icicles hang dangerously overhead. I cannot penetrate it to reach the tree. I need to get inside! How could this have happened.? Forn, help me!"
Pounding on the ice was all she could think of, but it yielded no results. "Harn, please! Are your flutters alive?"
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