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 Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 5:07 pm
"Cade's a prince? Wow." Kururu zoomed around the house while Cornet and Amy talked over tea. Of course, she didn't sound quite as surprised as she should have, but Amy brushed that off as the pixie being weird.
"Yeah, he's told me a little about what he was doing before he got here," she told the chandra, taking a sip of the chamomile tea. "It sounds...I dunno. He was at war with a neighboring kingdom, I think, and something to do with his loosing his brothers crown. It all sounds very dramatic."
"It does sound like one of your books, doesn't it?" Amy nodded. "But he's really nice, though, right? And handsome."
"I suppose you could say that," the kirin said slowly, looking at the girl seated across the table from her. "I hadn't really thought about it." Alright, so she'd had the thought on more than one occasion that Cadeon was very handsome--for someone who had the lower half of a horse. And was definitely well toned, which she could see since apparently he didn't wear clothes until it got too cold to run around naked all the time. "It doesn't really matter, though--he's been looking for a way to leave since he got here. He needs to go home." And I'm probably going to have to be the one to send him away.
And then they did it again--Cornet and Kururu exchanged glances, and she could all but see the thoughts passing between the two of them, unspoken but unison.
"Alright, guys, what am I missing?" Surprised, the chandra looked back at her with a blank, wide-eyed expression. One that looked as if it had been practiced in a mirror. She was about as good at that as Amy herself, which was to say, not at all. "I'm a little oblivious sometimes, but I'm not blind."
"I was just thinking that it was an aweful shame he had to leave so soon," Cornet said into her drink; she'd looked away from Amy. "I mean, he seems to get along here very well. Even Blank talks with him sometimes." Being as inconspicuous as she ever was, Kururu flitted in and out of the kitchen, returning with a plate of food that would've made even the centaur take a step back. Three sandwiches, a bowl of soup, two cans of diet soda and the full bag of potato chips, carefully balanced on one of Amy's larger cookbooks. Well, at least someone was getting use out of it.
"Are you going to eat all of that?" Amy asked, incredulous.
"Hey, it takes work flyin' around all the time," she said completely unapologetically as she settled down on the other half of the table, spreading around her bounty. Rolling her eyes, the kirin turned back to cornet, refusing to be waylayed.
"Fine, don't tell me," she huffed. "But something's going on. I'll bet Harlequin is in on it, too." Kururu grimaced around the first bite of her sandwich, and Cornet took a hasty sip of her drink. "I'm right! Who else is involved? Is Leilani in on it, too?" What in the world could it be?
"Nobody," the pixie said around a mouthfull of food. "It was just the three of us."
"And what is it?"
"I can't tell you." She swallowed the bite of sandwich and washed it down with a sip of drink before continuing. "It's a surprise. But I bet you'll like it when you figure it out." Though Amy generally liked surprises, she was beginning to be a little leery about this one. With not one but all of the chandra that came by regularly or lived here acting strangely (or at least, more strange than usual), she couldn't believe that it was just Cornet, Kururu and Harlequin.
"You'll just have to wait and see," Cornet piped up with a smile, picking up where Kururu left of.
"I heard that Will finally called you back," Kururu piped up, changing the subject with the subtulty of a jackhammer. Unfortunately, it worked. Amy glanced over at her and Cornet glared.
"Where did you hear that?"
"You know," she pixie said, avoiding their gazes, "around. So you gonna call him back?"
"I think so," Amy admitted. "It's the polite thing to do."
"Screw polite!" So speaketh the expert in doing so. "He hasn't called in like, three weeks--"
"Two weeks."
"--two weeks. You can wait two weeks before calling him."
"So, you're a font of experience then?" Kururu turned up her nose.
"My age or my being a puppet doesn't mean anything. Love is love!" Amy gave a delicate snort at the word 'love.' Everything she had experience in was far from it. Somehow, she doubted...well, nevermind.
"I'll probably call him soon." Before Cadeon and Blank got back from their afternoon of searching for a door of somekind...that probably wasn't there. She didn't know why she was worried about it, but she didn't want either of them to be here. She got the weirdest feeling that Blank didn't much care for Will, not that she could blame him. And she didn't want Cadeon to...
"You should call him now!" Kururu exclaimed. "Cornet and I will be your emotional support!"
"I'm not so sure about that," she said dubiously, though she was glancing at the phone. She had thought to call him today. Two days after his phone call indicated that she was being polite, but hadn't rushed to the phone to return his call. "Well, I guess so..."
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 7:09 pm
Amy picked up the phone, glancing only briefly at the number that appeared last. The area code wasn't one that she recognized, but the name was right, so she dialed it anyway, trying not to hold her breath as she called, the way Cornet and Kururu were, watching her intently. Waiting for entertainement just as much as waiting to see what would happen, she was sure. On the third ring, when she was about to hang up, he answered.
"Lykae."
"Lark," she answered in the same short tone, mimicking him. There was a short pause--of surprise she was sure--before he spoke again.
"Amaryllis?" And pleased, too. She wouldn't have thought that he was waiting by the phone for her to call after making her wait so long. This time, the fact that he called her Amaryllis grated on her nerves.
"Amy," she gently corrected.
"Amy." Though he didn't sound like he meant it. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to call." She didn't hear the creak of a chair--it didn't seem like he sat down to talk, or was he too busy to stop for even a moment?
"I could say the same thing." She tried to keep the hurt out of her voice, and for the most part she did a good job. Unfortunately, she couldn't see him grimace.
"I'm sorry," he said lamely, though it was the way he said it that made it seem sincere. Like he really was sorry, and wished he hadn't done it. Couldn't all men do that? "I don't have a good excuse for you."
"Do you at least have a bad one? It's better than nothing." Or the truth would work, but she wasn't brave enough to go out on that limb. Not yet.
"I was...working?" Neither one of them was convinced. He sighed. "As a private investigator, I've only ever had one unsolved case, and that's one located on those islands. Every time I go, somehow the client finds out and badgers me nearly to death." Amy's eyebrows rose. A PI, huh? She had a feeling that he'd told her that before. She wondered what else he'd told her...and she'd told him. She wished she could remember. Instead, she sighed.
"I guess that'll do." Across from her, Kururu made a motion like she'd been stabbed in the heart, and Cornet gave a thumbs up--time to lay on the guilt? "It's better than thinking you had just decided not to call." The pixie frowned, but Amy was too much of an adult to go down the road of, 'Aww, you don't like me so you didn't want to talk to me! That makes me a sad kirin'. She heard Will sigh, and not in frustration, so she knew it'd hit home at least.
"Amy, I really am sorry. I should've called sooner. I wanted to." There was a lot there being left unsaid; even Oblivious Amaryllis could hear it; he didn't feel like delving into that just yet, though. It was then that the inflection changed--like he was smiling. "I'm such a cad, I'm sorry. Please, I'd love the opportunity to make it up to you." Amy couldn't help but smile a little, too; that was exactly what she'd called him. Though Kururu was making motions (dead? Slit throat? hanging?) that most likely meant she did not support giving him a second chance, or at least to make it more difficult, Amy wasn't like that. She couldn't drag it out. Not when she...well, wanted to see him again.
Her hand tightened a little on the phone as she thought about it. There was something...amiss. What would...Cadeon think about her on a date? Out with someone else? Amy fought not to shake her head. Cadeon just wanted to find his way back to his home without delay. She was sure he didn't...
"Maybe," she finally dragged out, a smile growing on her face. "But it'll have to be good."
"It will be," he all but purred into the phone. "Is Saturday soon enough for me to start grovelling?" Amy laughed. Being Thursday, that wouldn't be long.
"That sounds good. What time?"
"Three?" Long date.
"Sounds good."
"I'll look forward to it. See you Saturday...Amy." When she hung up the phone, Kururu rolled her eyes.
"You're too nice," she reprimanded the kirin. "You shoulda dragged it out more. He was a dog!" And the pixie at least knew how true that statement was.
"I'm just not any good at that," Amy admitted, setting the phone back in its cradle. "I can't hold grudges. And he seemed really sorry about it."
"So why did he do it?" Cornet asked, at least a little less biased than her familiar.
"He said it was work." Whather she believed it or not was another story. Out of habit, Amy reached up and tugged one of her long ears, fiddling with the poof of green hair at the end.
"What if it happens again, huh?" the pixie demanded, hands on her hips as she fluttered down to the table, looking up at Amy.
"Then he won't get any more chances." It was as simple as that. She'd given him another chance 'cause she was just that kind of girl, but she wasn't willing to make herself a doormat. Not when...She shook her head.
"What's Cade gonna say?"
"I'm sure Cadeon won't even notice that I'm gone," she said. Why did she sound wistful?
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:17 pm
"How did it go today?" Cadeon, looking in the window, shrugged. Amy knew that meant they hadn't found anything, though he probably wouldn't have returned for lunch if he had.
"We've searched the entirity of Lun," he said, barely containing a frustrated sigh, "though we haven't been into the city yet. We've gotten up to the mountains on Sol, though it'll be a rough trek to venture farther into the woods there." Amy remembered that trek--it was the one she'd taken when she'd first seen the chandra. Without the moon to guide her, she probably would never have made it there, and without Dark's help, might not have made it back.
"I've heard that island magic is thick there, and at the lagoon," she said, puttering around the kitchen as she prepared a meal for everyone. "It doesn't take to uninvited guests very well, I think." She wasn't sure how Cadeon would feel about pasta, but he'd yet to complain. She'd asked him once, jokingly, how a prince came to be so down to earth and respectful, and he said that he hadn't grown up around royalty. She meant to ask him more, but his expression said that it was a topic that he didn't particulalry care to discuss.
"Just as well," he said on a sigh. "I'm going to look over the lagoon once more and then see the city tonight." He paused, watching her for a moment. "Would you like to come with me?"
Amy glanced over her shoulder at him, but she didn't know what she was looking for. He was, as usual, proped up in the windowframe, resting his chin on his crossed arms as he watched her work. It seemed that the expression from days before flitted across his features, but what did it mean? Butterflies danced in her stomach. No, that couldn't be right.
"If you need someone to show you around, Cornet and Kururu are familliar with Casseopeia." Finishing the pasta, she checked the chicken. With it about done, it gave her another excuse to glance over at him as she got a few plates down from the cabinet. His brow had furrowed just slightly, and as his eyes met hers it seemed that he was wondering if she was being intentionally dense. Amy quickly looked away. Was she?
"I'd be happy to go, but I have plans for this evening." There, she'd said it. Though that didn't leave him an opportunity to spell things out for her, Oblivious Amaryllis was pretty sure she'd managed to figure it out on her own.
"What kind of plans?" he asked curiously.
"She's got a daaaaate." Oh, lord. Amy grimaced at the sound of the pixie's voice and the sound of her chandra's footsteops right behind her.
"Sorry," Cornet murmured. "She doesn't have a filter between her brain and her mouth." But the damage had already been done, or was about to be. Cadeon didn't quite get the concept of a date, but his sharp mind was already puzzling it out while Amy hid as much of her face with her bangs as she could, the tips of her ears pinkening.
"Cornet, will you help me set the plates?" For the most part, everyone ate inside, so Cornet grabbed three glasses while Kururu grabbed the silverware and they set the table in the diningroom. When they exited, Cadeon was looking at her that way again.
"A date," he said, as if trying out the word. "You are meeting someone?"
"Yes." Without meeting his eyes, she fixed the rest of the plates. What did she have to feel strange about? There wasn't anything between her and Cadeon.
"Is this a friend of yours?" Amy thought about that. Did she consider Will a friend?
"An aquaintance," she said with a shrug. Not really a friend, but she did know him. "Dates are to get to know someone better." Among other things, but he'd figured that out already by how Kururu had teased her about it, and how Cornet was berating her for it in the other room, clearly audiable in the kitchen. It seemed that Cadeon filed that into the 'useful for later' section.
"What do you do do on dates?" Amy had to think about that one for a moment. She wrote about dates from time to time, but hadn't been on that many. She didn't count when she'd met Will as a date.
"I dunno. Go to movies, go out to dinner, get coffee. It's mostly just spending time together with someone, doing things that you both enjoy." Cade seemed to think about that as she carefully gathered the plates and walked them into the diningroom. Without thinking about it, she set down Harlequin, Cornet and Kururu's plate and took her own to eat outside with Cadeon, as she usually did since he'd been there. Handing him his plate and a fork, she sat down on the steps, her plate in her lap.
"Are you not concerned that your date will see us sharing a meal?" Surprised, Amy glanced up. She didn't want to admit to Cadeon that she'd already thought of that--and had lunch around 11:30 instead of the usually one or two so that there'd be no chance of Will coming up while they were cozily chatting on the porch. She brushed aside her sheepishness with a shrug.
"He's not coming until three." Though that gave it away enough; Cadeon's raised eyebrows said as much.
"You didn't answer my question."
"No," she said after a moment. "I'm not afraid that he'd see you here."
"So then, it is acceptable for those who are dating to date others, as well?" Amy did blush that time; he must be referring to their having lunch. After all, it was loosely included in the list she'd made earlier.
"This isn't a date," she muttered, pushing her food around on her plate. "This is just lunch." One more thing filed under 'things useful for later. "And what's with the twenty questions, already?" Cadeon shrugged, turning back to his own meal, but Amy had a feeling she knew what it was, going back to pushing her food around on her plate. It looked good, and she had been hungry...
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Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:10 pm
Though they usually chatted over lunch, both AMy and Cadeon were quiet, lost in their own thoughts. For once, the kirin had no idea what he was thinking. Though usually it was pretty easy--find doorway, get home. Fix problem, save throne. It all seemed so dramatic for her life, even such as it was.
After pushing her food around on her plate for long enough that it looked like she might have eaten more than she did, Amy stood, turning to Cadeon, asking if he was finished.
"Yes, thank you." Gathering their plates, she returned to the kitchen. The chandra were done, though they still chatted over their empty plates. At least, until she came into the room. They'd been doing that a lot lately, and Amy couldn't say that she appreciated being made to feel like an outsider in her own home.
"Don't forget to put your dishes in the sink," she told the quiet room as she passed through to the kitchen, pretending not to hear the conversation start up again, softer this time, after she'd left. Though she hadn't expected him to, Cadeon had followed her back around the house to look in the window. But then, there was no one to talk to but himself. She tried to appreciate that fact even as she didn't look forward to answering any more questions about her upcoming date.
"What is there to do in Casseopeia?" he asked instead. Still somewhat related, but at least she wouldn't have to talk to him about Will as she did the dishes.
"A lot more to do than there is out here," she said with a small laugh. "They have a movie theater there, and a strip mall..." After explaining what a 'strip mall' was, and 'apartments,' they had gone to comparing what cities looked like where he was from. Like they'd talked yesterday, and every day before. There, Amy felt like she were on more secure footing. By the time she glanced at the clock again, she jumped, finding it nearly two.
"Oh, I've got to get ready!"
"Then don't let me keep you." The tone was right, but the words were off. There was that look that Amy didn't know what to do with again, so she pretended she didn't see it as she dashed off to get ready for her date with Will.
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Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 4:08 pm
A strange onslaught of nerves pushed worrying about Cadeon out of her mind...at least for a little while. Amy didn't usually put much thought into how she dressed, but today she wanted to make sure she got it right. She wanted to dress modestly, so he'd know that what happened over Halloween was not going to happen again. But she didn't want to come off like a nun, either; she still wanted to be cute.
After tossing her clothes around her room for nearly a half an hour, she finally settled on a pair of embroidered jeans and a cap-sleeved shirt to match. With the way the hem was done at the bottom of the shirt, it showed a peek of middrift if she moved a certain way, but it was subtle. More indecision ensued as she decided how much makeup to wear, jewelry, and how to do her hair, but she managed to finish up right as the doorbell rang, making a mad dash to grab the door before Kururu did.
"Hey," she said a little breathlessly. "I'm almost ready; won't you come in for a moment?" Will looked fantastic, of course. Though his hair was slightly too long and scruffy, he made it a Look; like a movie star, who could dress however he wanted to. Paired with a black shirt with the top two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up and a nice, new (?) pair of jeans, Amy was glad she'd put in a little extra effort. It was difficult for her to keep up in the looks department anyway.
"Sure, thanks," he said warmly, coming in only when she opened the door and gestured him in. She figured he was making a point; just because of what had happened before, he wasn't getting too cozy. She could appreciate that, especially since he said he'd be making up for the subsequent weeks of silence.
"Can I get you anything while you're waiting?"
"No, thank you." Leaving him settled on the couch, Amy grabbed her bag and her shoes, returning to the livingroom once she'd fetched them. She found him sitting on the couch, relaxed as if he were in his own home, but he hadn't rifled through her things. Little did she know that nothing in her own home would tell her more about herself than he already know. When she entered the room, he rose immediately, giving her a smile.
"Ready?" Not a bit.
"Absolutely." Looking around, she checked to see if there was anyone around that she should say goodbye to, but it seemed as if the house was deserted. Harlequin was in her loft bedroom listening to "I put a spell on you" and Blank was nowhere to be found. As was Cadeon. Pushing that thought aside, she replaced it with the fact that her 'love live,' such as it was, was so no one would wonder where she was. Closing the door behind her, she asked. "Where to?"
"First?"
"Uh, yeah, first then." He grinned at her then, and Amy thought that she could really enjoy this night. After all, she was going out with an attractive man who thought she was beautiful and had told her so on a couple of occasions. True, he'd been a cad, but he'd admitted that too and was now dedicated to making it up to her. Pushing thoughts about the rude chandra that stayed with her and the centaur that confused her out out her head, Amy smiled back at him. Tonight would be fun, whether she wanted it to be or not.
~~~~~~~~~
"So where are they now?" Sitting far enough outside the city that neither Amy nor Will would know they were there, Harlequin, Cornet and Kururu made a temporary base of operations. What exactly they were doing was unclear, but they were doing it with enthusiasm, and to the best of their abilities.
"They left the restaurant a little while ago and now they're going to the movies," Kururu reported in. "He must've stopped by the florist before he went in; there were flowers at the table, and she got to take 'em with her when they left." The pixie blew out a frustrated breath. "I gotta admit, he's smooth."
"Well, which movie are they going to?" Harlequin asked hopefully. When Kururu named it, her face fell again. He'd already bought tickets, but Amy couldn't have picked a movie that she'd like more herself.
"He took her to her favorite restaurant and out to a movie, and the three of you are conspiring against him?" All of the girls jumped at the sound of Blanks voice.
"Where did you come from?" Harlequin snapped, twisting around so she could get a better look, but he just shrugged. He never told! Blast his having wings.
"But you don't like Will!" Kururu proclaimed loudly, defending their actions.
"Not a bit," Blank admitted, hunkering down so that he'd be eye level with the sitting girls. "But in the end, it doesn't matter what I think, does it?" They fell silent for a moment--he had a point there. He always did. But then, so did they.
"I don't think he's told her yet," the witch said slowly.
"And that's his business," the angel responded. "If it looks like it'll be dangerous, then I'll do something. But in the meantime, haven't you done enough?" He was, of course, referring to Cadeon, who was at that moment running through the woods of Sol pretending he wasn't wondering what Amy was doing on her date. Kururu puffed out a breath.
"You're such a spoilsport." Blank shrugged; he was generally unconcerned with what they thought about his advice.
"I wont bother you with it anymore," he finally said. "But you know if Amy finds out what you're doing, and what you did..." He didn't have to finish the sentence; they all knew she'd be hurt, and upset.
"Well, I'll leave you to your mission," he added, entirely too cheerful as he stood. He knew he'd ruined the fun.
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 2:27 pm
After the movie, which she'd loved, Will took her to the bookstore and coffeeshop not too far from the theater (not that anything that was actually there was far apart in Cassiopeia). He'd bought her a book he found her mooning over and then bought coffee and dessert, an excuse to sit and talk about the movie for what, over an hour?
She hadn't realized...he could be so nice. He was really trying hard to make it up to her, and she was going to have to forgive him. Tonight, she'd had a great time. All of the pampering had her romantic heart all in a flutter, especially at the beautiful flowers that he carried with him that he'd had waiting at dinner.
It was too much.
When the bookstore finally began shutting its doors, they agreed that it was time to start heading back. Because he'd brought his car--something she'd almost quit looking for on the islands--she knew that the date was almost over.
When they stopped, she didn't have time to open the door herself before he was there, opening it for her, extending a hand to help her out of the lower mustang. Smiling as she accepted it, she gracefully exited the car, her gifts clutched in only slightly nervous hands.
Would he want to come in again?
"I had a great time tonight," she said with a smile. "I'm tempted to find something else to take offense to so we can do that again." Amy was rewarded with the rich sound of his laughter as he gently took her elbow, escorting her to the bottom of the stairs.
"That would work," Will said, a smile still tilting up a corner of his lips. "Or we could just do it again next weekend." Amy thought about that, but she knew that was Thanksgiving weekend and she and Dark had already made plans at the shop. She shook her head, but when his face fell, she quickly added, "I can't next weekend, but definitely soon."
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Will looked down at her with that look, the one that Cadeon had given her on a couple of occasions. She finally figured out what it meant.
He wanted to kiss her.
It occurred to her, all in a rush, that Cadeon had been saying that he liked her in a myriad of small ways, for nearly a week by then. Before she'd realized Will had called at all, he'd nearly...With a huge act of willpower, she pushed Cadeon from her mind, focusing instead on Will. Her heart fluttered in her chest, and she told herself it was because he wanted to kiss her.
Tilting her head to the side, she leaned forward just a little, and he took the hint. It was a soft kiss, with one of his warm hands framing her face. Amy's eyes barely had time to flutter closed before it was over, leaving her wanting more. She sighed as he pulled away, but she knew he'd spent the entire night proving to her that he was a gentleman; he wouldn't want to ruin it now.
"I'll call you," he said, seeming to regret dropping his hand from her face.
"Promise?" she asked with a grin.
"Promise." With his eyes on her back, she entered her home, finding it empty; not even Harlequin was home for her to talk to, and she sighed heavily. She wouldn't close the doors of her home to those that needed a place to stay, but it would be nice if she'd traded her privacy for someone to talk to when she needed it.
On the diningroom table, she deposited the book he'd gotten her and her movie ticket stub, which she planned to keep. But she didn't dwell there, instead continuing to the kitchen where she found a crystal vase to put the flowers in, arranging them with care before leaving them on the counter.
On a sigh, she glanced over her empty home again before shaking her head, abandoning the thought of settling in to read her book. Though she wanted to, her thoughts wouldn't settle, much less anything else. Instead, she found herself back outside, sitting on the top stair as she gazed up at the stars. She wasn't usually a night owl, but they were pretty.
Will. Sweet, handsome, and had two legs. He'd showed her tonight that he could be a prince charming even though his first impression was something...slightly less than princely. She'd see in a day or so if he'd actually call her, and if he could keep his word. She liked being around him.
Cadeon. Really was a prince, though his first impression wasn't that much better than Wills. After then, he'd done nothing but show her respect and consideration since he'd appeared here. But just as soon as he found out that she could get him home, he'd probably never forgive her. Besides that, he'd be gone before he could say 'I wish...'
She was so deep in thought, she didn't hear him approaching quietly. She'd also been too distracted earlier to realize that he'd seen Will drop her off.
"Did you have a nice night?" Amy jerked in surprise, looking up to see the centaur looming over her. To be fair, he probably didn't mean to loon, he was just so tall; he was a head and shoulders taller than she was when she was standing, much less sitting down.
"Yeah, it was fun," she said vaguely, feeling slightly uneasy. She didn't know what to say about her date with Will to Cadeon, especially now that she knew... Though she knew it was difficult, the taur knelt down on the grass, eye-level with her with her on the steps.
"I saw the flowers from the kitchen. Your wolf has good taste." Amy's brows furrowed for a moment--she hadn't told Cadeon that Will had gone to the Bloody Mary as a wolf. But then, just about all of the chandra new at that point, so any of them would've been able to tell him.
"My wolf? Hardly." She blushed. Cadeon shook his head at her.
"Can you not tell that he's completely smitten with you?" A small, maybe kind of sad smile grew on his face. "But perhaps he doesn't know how to make clear his intentions?" And you do? was on her lips, but a moment before she could say it, Cadeon's hand was at the back of her neck--more possessive than Will had been--and drew her close to him. She had a split second to think, to pull away, but she couldn't make herself. That look...
~~~~~~~
"Guys, I think he's eating her face."
"Its called sucking face," Harlequin whispered harshly back, though she wasn't particularly concerned that either would hear them--or bother doing anything about it if they did. The gruesome threesome watched from the bushes, having arrived just before will left.
"I think he's trying to prove that what Will did wasn't really a kiss."
"Compared to this? No way." They watched as Amy's hands traveled up his arms, resting on his shoulders and how his clutched her to him. Just as things looked like they might get interesting, the kirin pulled back, looking...hurt?
"Cadeon," the three barely heard her say. "What are you doing?" The taur looked surprised, letting go of her as if she'd burned him.
"I thought--"
"All you want to do is leave," she said, her lower lip trembling. But you made your move anyway, because of my date with Will. The words hung in the air, unspoken. Harlequin and Cornet shared a glance--she must not have said it because she knew that Cade liked her, almost made his move before. Had that pushed him over the edge? It hadn't seemed like a bad thing at the time...
"I hear what they say, Amy, about this Will." He hadn't denied that he wanted to leave. "I can't tell you how long I'm here, but I can tell you that I won't treat you badly. I just wanted to show you..."
"For how long? How long would you have to play with me before you left, back to the real world? The real war? That doesn't seem so different from treating me badly, and the results are the same." Jerkily, she stood, ignoring the hands that reached out. This time, when she ran into the house, she locked the door behind her. She must've wanted to be alone.
Just as Cade sat, upset and confused, where she'd left him, Cornet, Kururu, and Harlequin sat in the bushes. For once, they didn't have much to say.
"I guess I'll be going to Leilani's tonight," the witch said wryly.
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 10:34 pm
This time, Amy really did mope. She picked up a little when Will called her two days after her date, but that lasted only as long as the phone call. When they said their goodbyes, Harlequin watched as the kirin looked at the phone for a moment, deep in thought, before slowly putting it back in the cradle. She was back to moping around the house.
A couple of times, she'd tried to approach Amy, to see if she wanted to talk about it. She wasn't the most tactful, so, "You're in a crappy mood. You want to talk about it?" was the best she could do, but the sentiments seemed to be appreciated, even if the response was always, "No, thank you." The chandra got the sinking feeling that Amy needed to talk to someone before then, and no one had been there. At this point, it seemed too little, too late.
"Have you had any more luck?" she said with a sigh, settling onto her bed where Cornet and Kururu both lounged. Cornet shook her head; they'd forbade Kururu from trying.
"How's Cade doing?" the pixie piped up, to which Harlequin shrugged.
"Not much better," she admitted. "I think he wants to prove to Amy that he wouldn't just leave her once he found the way back to his home, but on the other hand, he knows that his brother might need him. He's still searching, but his heart isn't in it."
"Leilani said she caught him gazing over the ocean for an hour yesterday," Kururu said, awed, as if doing anything for a whole hour were a foreign concept to her. Harlequin and Cornet knew what this meant--he was pondering his choices, just like the witch had said.
"But he still doesn't know..." As if even afraid to speak it, Cornet fell silent, but Harlequin shook her head in answer anyway. Amy still hadn't told him that she could grant wishes. But she hadn't not told him, as if that mad a difference.
"Maybe Blank was right," Cornet said on a sigh. "It seems like this has caused nothing but trouble. And Will did take her on a nice date." Kururu cleared her throat, causing the chandra to turn and look.
"So...Will seemed to know just what to do to make Amy forgive him, right?"
"Right," they said in unison.
"He took her to the right movie, the right restaurant, and the right place aferwards, right?"
"Right."
"And, since the first night, he hasn't asked or seemed to wonder who--or what--Amy is." Cornet seemed enthralled, wondering where the pixie was leading to, but Harlequin just snapped, "Get on with it! Where are you heading with this?"
"Guys, Will is a private investigator. Why would he try to guess what she liked and who she was when he could just find out?" There was a long, drawn out silence.
"Is that true?" they heard from the top of the stairs, at the opposite end of the room. Harlequin snapped out a curse as Cornet and Kururu tried to not see what they knew they were seeing.
"H-how long have you been there?" Cornet asked, somewhat shakily.
"Do you think that's what he did?" In the tried-and-true Amy stress tell, she grabbed her ear and pulled slightly, toying with the fine hair at the end. "Do you really think that Will...investigated me before calling me back?" Even Kururu was loathe to open her mouth on that one.
"Probably not," Cornet finally piped up, though the pause had been a little long. "I mean, he was trying to make up for the fact that he'd just hurt your feelings, right? Why would he do it again?" Amy seemed to take that information and pair it with what she'd heard Kururu say earlier...and shook her head. She didn't know.
"Thanks for telling me about what you suspected," she said bleakly, disappearing back down the stairs. "I appreciate it." None of the three knew if she was thanking them or...not.
~~~~~~
Amy looked at the phone. She looked at it for a long time. She knew she had to call Will, had to have him tell her that this wasn't true, but she was too afraid that he wasn't going to.
But honestly, was she any better?
She'd been hiding the truth from Cadeon for nearly a month now. That he could wish himself back. But she'd only told him because she didn't know what effect it would have on the universe. But then...what if he was supposed to wish himself back? She sighed and looked at the phone again. She was just being selfish. She would tell Cadeon. But first...
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 10:50 pm
"Lykae." When Will heard Amy's voice on the other end of the wire, he smiled, setting down his pen so he could give her his undivided attention. He wasn't that busy, anyway.
"You change your mind about this weekend?" he asked cheerfully. But she didn't sound...right. The words were right, but she didn't sound as cheerful as she had just the day before.
"Your birthday?" he asked curiously, wondering why she wanted to know when her birthday was. Had she told him that on their last date? Surely she had. Girls loved talking about that stuff. "Ah, hang on, I know this one..." he dragged out, as if he had to think about it. "September third, right? Is that it?" There was a long, long pause.
"We talked about it Saturday, didn't we?" Alarm bells started going off in the back of Wills head; why was she grilling him like this? Though his first instinct was to be irritated, his second was to be concerned and ashamed--he couldn't refute it, though he still tried. "I bet we did, cause you're a virgo, and you said you wished that virgos weren't so boring." That, he knew, she'd said.
"Babe, why don't you just ask me what you want to know? Are you just checking to see if I was paying attention or something?" But he knew she wasn't, and what she said next made his heart sink. Will didn't know who'd told her what he'd done, but she knew, or at least suspected enough to try to call him on it. And he'd walked right into it. A damned rookie mistake...
"Just because I know your birthday?" he asked, trying to sound appalled. "Amy, as a professional..."
"Please don't lie to me, Will. If you tell me you didn't do this, and mean it, then I can't do anything but take your word for it. But don't lie to me."
...What was he supposed to do with that? There was a long pause as he considered his options; too long. She knew she had him, but she must've known that from the moment she'd picked up the phone.
"Amy, I..."
"That tells me enough." This time, the pause was from her end. "I appreciate your at least being honest about it. But please, don't call me again. Goodbye...Will." Her words were laden with regret, and he cursed himself to the moon and back, a fool and so many other things.
"Amy, wait!" But it was too late. She'd hung up the phone, and probably wouldn't pick it back up if he tried calling again. To explain. But then, what was there to explain? He huffed, throwing the phone down onto the desk. It wasn't as if it wasn't public damn information. And she knew he was a private investigator--this was what he did, for Gods sake!
...But his ire was fueled with guilt, as little as he liked to admit it. He snarled, flipping open the pages before him, needing to submerge himself in work. And it had all been going so well...
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:22 am
So, Will had her investigated before he called her back. Had he liked what he found, then? Why had it mattered? Amy sank into the fluffy couch, but did little other than look at the phone in her hands. It wasn't that he'd lied to her--though it had been a near thing. He just...hadn't told her. That made them about the same, at least on this point.
She was going to have to tell Cadeon.
"I know what you're thinking," Blank said, sitting beside her. She looked up, but had long since ceased being surprised at his sudden entrances. Not that she'd noticed, but he actually hadn't done the amazing appearing act this time--he'd been stopped at the door by an upset--yes, upset!--Harlequin, who told him everything that had happened. Though it didn't seem possible, Kururu felt guilty for blabbing out her concerns--and then guilty that she hadn't told Amy directly. It wasn't her way, apparently. So they were already gone, leaving the angel, the witch, and the kirin.
"You're doing better than I am, then," she said with a weak smile. "I don't know what I'm thinking."
"You're thinking that you're not any better than Will, since you haven't told the 'taur about his ticket back." Amy sighed and nodded sullenly. "I agree that you should tell him, but I don't want you to feel rushed about it, either. It's been a rough week."
"But he wants to badly to go home," she said miserably. The only two men ever really interested in her, and one was doing thorough background checks and the other just wanted to leave as soon as possible. "It wouldn't be fair."
"But it's not fair to you for you to put yourself through this today." Amy shrugged; it being fair to her was the last thing that crossed her mind. Not because she was trying to be thoughtful, but because her priorities always came after those who she could help.
"Better that I get it over with so I might be able to have a better week." She had a flash of what would probably happen--a few more days of pushing the window in the kitchen open, to only have no one be there. Fixing an extra plate with no one to eat it, sitting on the porch alone. She sighed again. It was still the right thing to do.
"Do you...know where he is?" This time, it was Blank that sighed.
"Let me take you, at least." Amy nodded, asking for a moment to get dressed. Though her spirits were down, she was still pretty spry, and she returned within a few moments, dressed in her favorite jeans and peasant shirt, ballet shoes poking out from the hemline. Amy was still Amy, after all.
She followed him quietly onto the porch, where he gathered her (somewhat awkwardly) into his arms--though she was short by human standards, she was still taller than the chandra. But he was tough and she was light; it wasn't much trouble to get airborne, headed for the beach. Even from a distance, she could see the taur standing at the water, the waves barely brushing his hooves in the sand.
"You can set me down here," Amy said, pointing to the dune. "Thank you." Slipping off her shoes, holding onto them by the ribbons, she walked over to where he stood, Blank making a seat for himself in the grass. He didn't think Cade would strike out in anger, but it was a long walk back alone if the taur jumped at the opportunity like he thought he would.
"Amy," he said, surprised to see her. When she got up to him, he could see that she was upset, but it didn't look like how he'd seen her the day before. "What happened?" Instead of answering, Amy tucked the ribbons in her back pocket, the shoes dangling there so her hands were free to gently run up his torso. If she stood on her tippy toes, she could rest her hands on his shoulders without stretching too much, giving her the perfect opportunity to give him that look.
Instead of the onslaught to her senses like he'd done before, this kiss was gentle as he leaned down a little, wrapping her in his arms. Because his eyes were closed and she knew he wouldn't see, a single tear slipped down her face. After a brief moment, she pulled back, though still in the circle of his arms.
"Won't you tell me what you're thinking?" he asked, brushing a stray tendril of hair back behind her ear, though the wind would surely tug it free moments later.
"I think you're very handsome, Cadeon. I think you're smart and charming, the perfect prince, and I think that no matter what happens I'm glad you came here." He looked like he was going to say something, but she pressed on. "I think you were right--you would've treated me better than Will, even though you'll be leaving soon. We couldn't date traditionally; I'm not sure the movie theater has seats that would accommodate you. It'd be difficult to cuddle, and impossible to..." She trailed off, blushing a little. Before he could defend himself, she still continued, clearing her throat as if to push back the embarrassment.
"It still would've been nice. But you've always been honest with me, even with it hurt. I...haven't been as honest with you."
"I don't understand," he said, statement clear in the tone of his voice and the look that he gave her. Honestly, he was starting to get a little worried. "What haven't you been honest about?" But she answered his question with another question.
"Cadeon, what am I?"
"I know who you are," he stated firmly, gripping her shoulders as if to bring her to her senses. Amy shook her head as if that were unimportant, and he fought the urge to shake her right back and demand answers, rather than more cryptic questions.
"You never wondered why I have ears and tail like this? Or a horn?" It was clear that he had--but he'd probably thought her a unicorn. Well, he was half right. "Aren't there any kirin-taurs running around where you're from?" He stilled as that sank in.
"No," he said slowly, his brows furrowing. But he'd heard something about kirins. Heard that they...
"Kirins can grant wishes."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Amy's heart leapt up in her throat to hear him say that--though it settled back down somewhere in the pit of her stomach. It meant that he wasn't thinking about getting home. Wasn't thinking about his responsibilities. He was thinking about her, which was both elating and upsetting.
"It means you could've wished yourself back the first day you arrived."
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 2:27 pm
Disbelief. Shock. Anger. Those were the emotions that crossed Cadeon's face, and Amy looked down at her bare feet in the cool sand. She deserved it. There was a stretch of silence between them, the only sound the crashing of the waves and the laughing of the gulls.
"Why...didn't you tell me?" he ground out. Amy was afraid for a moment that the grip on her shoulders would tighten painfully, like his grip on her wrist when she'd first found him a month ago. But they didn't, and it almost made her feel worse.
"I'm not that good of a kirin," she admitted, not meeting his eyes. "Sometimes when I grant wishes...things don't turn out right." She couldn't tell him about Dark and Lyra. Things had turned out for the best in the end, but what if if hadn't? What if she hadn't been there? She wouldn't be...wherever it was that Cadeon wanted to return to.
Amy felt more than saw his gaze on her, but she still still studied her toes in the sand. She could tell that he was angry, and maybe a little hurt, but she knew that he was working things out in his mind.
"What could possibly go wrong by my wishing myself back home?"
"I don't know. Nothing. Anything. Sometimes making a wish just makes things happen, but sometimes it puts into place a chain of events to get the effect you wished for. Sometimes it works out for the better. Sometimes it doesn't." And I always remember what was. A blessing and a curse. There were times when she wished she knew how to get in touch with her mother, ask for guidance. Would it help?
"So I'm to believe you didn't tell me...because you were afraid of the results such a wish would have?" Dumbly, Amy nodded.
"I know its hard to believe..." she whispered, but before she could continue, she felt Cade's arms close around her, pulling her close to him. Though she was only up to his chest, he rested his head on hers, carefully avoiding her horn.
"I should've known," he said. He sounded amused, hurt and resigned all at the same time. But he knew now--wasn't he chomping at the bit to leave?
"You only get one wish," she hurried to explain, "but if you use it to--" He hushed her by covering her mouth with his. Amy could tell that he was upset, but she couldn't tell if he was mad at her or not. Shouldn't he be furious? She'd expected him to stay only long enough to give her a piece of his mind. Her own mind wandered as she fought to catch her breath. Seemingly satisfied, Cadeon pulled back just slightly.
"You should have told me," he said sternly. When Amy didn't meet his eyes, Cadeon cupped her face with one hand, tilting her chin up. It still took a moment for her gaze to sidle back towards his, but he didn't continue until it did. "You should've told me," he repeated. "But...I understand why you didn't. Amy, you're always trying to take care of everyone around you. Do you ever take some time to take care of yourself?"
Amy gaped up at him, not sure what to say or do. The only person (sort of) more surprised than she was was Blank. He hadn't been sure of what to expect from the prince once she'd told him, but this wasn't it. For once since the taur had been brought here...he was glad of it. He hadn't expected the taur to understand, and clearly neither did Amy. Being proven wrong was what she needed right now.
"You're not mad at me?"
"A little," he admitted honestly. "But if what you say is true...then it might be better for me not to use my one wish that way." So...he had plans to use his wish another way? Amy wasn't sure what to think about that.
"B-but then how are you going to get home?" Cadeon sighed as he looked over the water.
"Something like a wish..." He shook his head. "I don't think that's the doorway back. It can be used that way, but what if I wished for something else? Then what?" He sighed, his hands absently running down to Amy's elbows, still holding her. But he seemed torn. He knew he could--and should--return home.
Her excuse was now his.
Beyond the notice of either of them, Blank slowly stood and left them alone; it seemed she wouldn't be needing a lift back, after all.
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 8:24 pm
"He hasn't even said that we did a good job." Kururu snorted indelicately as she flitted around the house. Amy and Cade were out, pretending to look for that non-existant door again, but the kirin had packed lunch for the two of them before she disappeared today. The weather was nice before the winter rains came to the island, so the chandra left behind figured that she had the 'taur were taking advantage of it while they could.
"Of course not," Harlequin murmured, watching Leilani work beads. The fairy must be half crazy to sit there and string all of them by hand, but even she had to admit that she was turning her loft bedroom into something cozy, not just an unfinished part of the house with a bed and a dresser.
"But we don't know how its going to turn out yet," she piped up, not looking up from her current project. "They only got back on good terms a couple of days ago." Over her shoulder, the pixie made a face at her; it was clear what Kururu thought about that. As far as she was concerned, they had kissed and made up and everything was working out just fine, thank you very much.
"I guess so," Cornet said diplomatically, trying to ignore her familiar. "But it seems to be going well. And Will hasn't called or come by."
"And I wouldn't expect him to, that creep! Amy told him off good." Everyone looked at her. "Well, she told him not to call, anyway," the pixie amended, since Amy wasn't exactly the kind of girl to 'tell someone off.' Cornet sighs.
"You think that'll work for me?" Kururu hit her with a pillow.
"They don't have Chandra-taurs, silly," she said, purposely missing the point.
"Hey, what did you say Will looked like?" Leilani asked suddenly, finally looking up from her work.
"Medium hight, dark hair, green eyes. Moves like an animal. Why?"
"He's dropping something up on the front step." Before anyone could blink, Harlequin flew down the stairs, nearly sending Kururu spinning in her haste. She had to see this.
Yup, it was just as the fairy had said. He'd brought something with him, too, and he was setting it on the steps as Harlequin opened the door with a snap.
"You've got a lot of nerve comin' up here again, a*****e." They glowered at each other. He must know who she was, at least, because 'who are you and what are you doing here' weren't the first words out of his mouth.
"I didn't want to cause drama," he said, though it clearly pained him not to give her a smart comeback, "but I wanted to drop this off."
"She doesn't want anything from you." So that might not be what Amy would say, exactly, but everyone had seen how upset she was with him, again, when she'd found out that he'd done a freaking background check on her before he'd called her back.
"I know," he said with a shrug. "I just wanted things to be fair."
"The only way it would be fair is..." If that package that looked like a stack of papers was a detailed background check that he printed up and had brought to her. Irritated, frustrated, and for once in a long time unsure of himself, Will tossed the package at her feet.
"Give it to her or don't," he said, tired of Amy's houseguests jerking him around. "But I brought it for her. As an apology, it sucks, but its the least I can do." Turning on his heel, he made his way back down the cracked driveway to slide into his mustang again, obviously in a hurry to be gone from there when he was so unwelcome, but he had too much class to spin tires.
Curiously, Harlequin picked up the package. It was just a box, about paper sized, so she popped the top and peered in. It had obviously been printed on his office stationary--a smooth way of giving her another number to reach him at--and the first line was William Gene Lykae.
"What the hell kinda name is 'Gene' for a werewolf?" she murmured to herself. He might've brought it for Amy, but she and the girls were gonna have fun with this first.
"I'm not touching it," Leilani said, turning up her nose. "He brought it for Amy."
"Normally I would," Kururu murmured, looking away, "but thats kinda personal, isn't it? We don't know how much he put in there."
"Cornet," Harlequin said, almost pleadingly. "C'mon, it'll be fun!"
"No, he brought it for Amy."
Dammit. Huffing out a breath, she trudged back down the stairs, tossing it carelessly on the diningroom table. Spoilsports.
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:56 pm
Amy was determined to enjoy having Cadeon--well, Cade--around for as long as she could.
"You want me to call you Amy, so I want you to call me Cade." And she had. Just like they'd run, with her on his back, over the islands like they were outrunning something. Maybe they were. Cade had told her that he didn't think she was the only doorway back to his home, so they still halfheartedly searched, though she held her breath every time he tested a new walkway, a new entrance.
On their excursions, he would pick the prettiest spot--under a waterfall, at the top of a mountain, at the edge of the pier, and they would kiss or hold one another. Amy knew it would never be anything more than that, but that was kind of ok with her. That mean that...whatever it was that they had would be about something more.
After lunch and a long mornings ride, they opted to head back to the house. While Amy would've been happy sitting outside and reading, Cade at her back, reading over her shoulder, Harlequin met her at the door and had different plans.
"You got a package while you were out," she said. "I put it on the table."
"Wonder what it could be?" she asked, more to herself than anything. She didn't say much to Cade, knowing that he'd only follow her to whichever window she was closest, and of course she'd push it open so they could talk; she was glad that it rarely got very cold on the islands. She tried not to think that he might not be here for the cold months anyway, instead looking at the small white box waiting for her on the kitchen table.
After picking it up, she moved to the window where he waited for her, settling into the window seat that was conveniently nestled in the wide frame. If she was going to sit in it often, she'd have to reupholster it and probably add some more padding, but it would do for the time being.
"What do you suppose it is?" the 'taur asked, looking over her shoulder, bracing his elbows on the seat.
"I dunno. Guess we'll see." She'd noticed that Harlequin still waited at the corner of her vision--it must be something interesting to keep the witch so captivated. She had the fleeting thought...but no, he wouldn't have dropped anything off. Not after their last conversation.
...He had. Amy was suddenly keenly aware of Cade looking over her shoulder. She'd told him everything that had happened--and not happened--between her and Will, mostly 'cause she thought it was fair, but she hadn't expected such a reminder that he'd had competition, even if she didn't think of the dark-haired man as much of that anymore. But the header on the stationary was unmistakable.
William Gene Lykae
Age 45
Born on Polaris, the city of Gothalis, December 14th 1963
"A background check," Amy breathed. Though she did have to take a double-take at his age. "I didn't realize he was so...old." Cadeon shrugged as if a twenty year age difference was no big thing.
"Not for a wolf," he said.
"What is it with you guys?" she asked, raising her brows. "He went as a wolf for one Halloween and thats all you can think about." It was Cadeon's turn to raise his eyebrows at her, not sure if he should laugh because she was kidding or gently explain to her what was going on.
"You haven't read far enough into that paperwork, have you?" Amy frowned, though she continued reading. Born to William Tiberius and Eugena Wynn Lykae. Werewolf, fullblood. Wait, what? Fullblood werewolf?
"That's just silly," she breathed.
"So's a centaur dating a kirin, who looks like a human," Harlequin informed her, polite as ever. Amy still took a moment to let that little tidbit of information.
"Werewolves live a long time," Cade informed her. "It's why being 45 is not that old. Do kirin not also live a long time?"
"Uh, I think so." He seemed confused that she wouldn't know how long kirin lived, so she hurried on to flip through the rest of the papers, though she was still kind of stuck on the werewolf thing. That would've been nice to know, wouldn't it?
You weren't exactly forthcoming, either. But she couldn't get rid of her ears, horn and tail.
And he'd had wolf ears and tail; he never told you it was a costume, did he? Amy shook her head a little. It didn't matter. She appreciated the gesture of this paperwork, and that alone she felt put them back on even footing. But she couldn't be with someone she didn't trust, and she didn't feel like she could trust William Gene Lykae.
Without finishing going through the files he'd given her, she quietly slipped them back in the box, ignoring Harlequin's sound of distress. Tossing the box back onto the table, she turned into Cade's arms. There would be complications. With someone like her, and someone like him, there was bound to be.
"Amy? Don't you want to read the rest?"
"It doesn't really matter." Cade dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head and sighed a little; she knew it made him feel a little better knowing that, too. At least this way she could know that there were no hard feelings between them. There wouldn't be anything else.
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Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 9:02 pm
"Well, its nearly December," Cornet said with a sigh, looking out the window. "We should batten down the hatches for all the rain that's coming."
"Rain?" Cade asked, poking his head in through the window. "I haven't seen it do more than drizzle yet; I was wondering if there was a wet season here at all." Amy, on the window seat, nodded, closing her book.
"We don't really have snow on the islands," she said, a touch wistfully. "At least, that's what I've heard. Instead, this is our rainy months. It starts around December and continues until February. It's a nice break from the heat of the summer, but I bet it gets pretty gloomy come Christmas." Cornet and Kururu nodded glumly; they'd both been here for many holiday seasons before Amy. For a moment, the kirin tapped her chin.
"I need to get a few things from Cassiopeia anyway," she said, thinking. "If we stop by there, we can grab some area rugs and I can get what I need to fix the window seat. We can go shopping while we're there, too."
"If Cade comes and we take your car," Cornet piped up, "we should be able to get it all in one go." Though the 'taur raised a brow at being transcripted to be a pack mule, he didn't say anything. He'd needed an excuse to head up there, as well; he hadn't checked most of those doorways and shops. Though now he dreaded going back as much as he did not being able to, he still felt obligated to look. He and Amy exchanged glances, and he knew she understood, though she looked away quickly.
"Is Blank around somewhere?" she asked, peering around. Cornet shook her head.
"He must've intuitively known he'd have to do work if he was here today," she said, picking on the angel. "I haven't seen hide nor feather of him today."
"Well, he'll be back to help us eat," Amy said with a smile, unfolding herself out from the window seat. "Do you mind following the car?" she asked Cade, who shrugged.
"Shouldn't be a problem. Either way, I know how to find the city now, so I can catch up with you if you lose me." Amy patted his hand and said she'd try not to lose him. Excited to go on a car ride, Kururu and Cornet piled in the little Jetta, Amy following and putting the top down while they still could. If she kept the speed down to 25 or 30mph, Amy knew that Cade would gallop alongside them--a sight that she loved.
Keeping her eyes on the road, she ignored Kururu and Cornet as they fought about what to listen to on the radio. Thankfully, it was a short trip, though it was still long enough for Amy to wonder if this would be the day that Cade would find his doorway back home. She'd told herself that she'd never bother Will again, but how would she feel once she was alone again? She imagined it was a lot harder going back than it was not having someone in the first place.
Loved and lost, my foot, she thought to herself.
But pulling into the small parking space meant an end to her thoughts and the squabbling between the chandra and her familiar. "Alright, we're listening to bluegrass on the way back if you two don't stop bickering. Clear?"
"Eeeeeeeewwww, bluegrass?" the pixie wailed, not waiting for the door to open as she flew out. Though Cornet must've agreed, she just winced, promising they'd work something out on the way back. Coming up behind them, Cade tossed his head--much like a horse would--as he came to a stop. He looked winded, but not too bad for his run. She'd have to remember to go a little slower on the way back, since he'd be carrying things.
For the most part, no one in Cassiopeia thought much about a centaur walking among them. According to one girl Amy talked to, it was rare to see them around these parts, but everyone had at least heard of them. A few more leading questions about where centaurs were usually seen got her little information, and she thought, ironically, that it would probably take someone who could ask the right questions to get the right answers. Like a private investigator.
But at least no one bothered him, and almost every store with an entry way wide enough allowed him in as long as he was careful not to crack the tile or scar the wood flooring. After stopping and grabbing a few rugs and the makings for another windowseat, Amy left Cade and the girls by the car while she ran in to grab groceries; they might not let him in, and she didn't want them telling her to get all sorts of junk.
While she was inside, Cade poked around the rest of the market, looking in stores even if he wasn't interested. Just to make sure. He owed it to his brother...owed it to him not to give up. His breath catching slightly in his throat, he wondered if the doorway would just take him, or if it might take someone else. But he shook his head. It wouldn't be fair...to ask something like that. So soon. Not when the only thing he'd promised her was today. Maybe she didn't want anything more.
By the time they'd both made it back to the car, his spirits had fallen a little, and though Amy asked him about it, he couldn't bring himself to tell her, shaking it off and saying only that it would be a harder ride back with the large rugs. She apologized and offered to put them in her car with her (a marvelous contraption...he'd asked her already how it worked but she hadn't been able to give him a good answer), but even a glance at the small vehicle showed that it probably wouldn't work.
"Don't worry, I'll be alright," he assured her.
"If you're sure," she said doubtfully. "I'll go a little slower on the way back. Its not like I'll run into much traffic." The trip back to the house was mercifully much more peaceful than the trip off; Amy made a mental note to remember the bluegrass threat for next time. Personally, she liked it, but the chandra and her familiar obviously did not as they discussed quietly their selections.
Back at the house, Amy hurried to give the groceries to an unsuspecting Harlequin, telling her, Cornet and Kururu to put them away while she helped Cade with the rugs and the supplies for her windowseat. Maybe if she got everything taken care of in the next week or so, she could have a place for Cade other than outside when the rains came.
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Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 10:03 pm
A crash sounded and Amy grimaced; she should've known better than to leave it to the girls to put the rugs down. Harlequin was swearing and she heard Kururu say that they could probably glue the vase back together, but it was a pretty big crash--she'd probably just find it in the dust bin later. But Amy couldn't shake the feeling that the pattern, the groove she'd finally gotten into with the chandra that shared her home and the centaur that shared her life was coming to an end. Cade's restless pacing showed that he felt the same way, but she couldn't put her finger on why.
Either way, she knew that she needed a new windowseat cushion. Once he was gone... She shook her head clear of that thought, pausing in her sewing. That time would come. For now, he was still here.
"Poop," she murmured, poking her finger with the needle as she sewed on buttons. Cade stopped his pacing and settled down beside her as she nursed her finger.
"Don't you have a thimble?" he asked curiously. Obviously, there were at least a few similarities between her home and his.
"I have one, but just as soon as I put it on one finger, I'd poke another. And wearing ten of them just seems a little silly, doesn't it?" She laughed and he shook his head at her, though a smile turned up the corner of his lips. "Of course, I guess its also silly to be working so hard on this. It's not like you'll be out at the window through the rainy season." His eyes flew up to meet hers, and Amy quickly added, "I'm going to make it so you can come in the house. I don't want you sleeping outside when its raining."
So he was thinking the same thing.
"Amy..." His brown gaze was troubled as he reached forward, setting a hand on Amy's, stopping her from her needlework for a moment. Like he wanted to say something and didn't know how. The kirin really hated that; she wasn't the most observant, or the best guesser on the easiest of subjects. On the subject of the two of them...she was shooting in the dark on a good day.
"I know you're not going to be here forever," she muttered, breaking away from his gaze and looking at her feet, though she tried to keep her tone light. "I've known that since the beginning." He sighed.
"I owe it to my brother..."
"I know," she said again gently, thinking he was trying to explain himself, but he stopped her, pushing forward again.
"I owe it to my brother to keep looking," he said firmly. "But...it would not be so bad, if I didn't find it. The door, I mean." As if ashamed that he'd spoken the words aloud, he looked away. But he couldn't deny it, even to himself. Duty came first--if he found the doorway, which he was still looking for, then he would go back.
But to stay here meant that he could be with Amy.
Amy closed her free hand over his, not sure of what to say. She knew how important it was to him.
"Do you think you'd be able to live with yourself if you didn't find it?" she asked softly, tilting her head slightly to try to catch his gaze again. "Cade, if you looked forever, if you never knew what happened to your brother, do you think you could be happy?" He swallowed hard--she knew he'd heard her, and that he understood. Scooting a little closer, she set her sewing aside, sliding into his arms as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"I love having you here," she said, dangerously close to saying something else. "But your brother, your home...you know you'll wonder about it, wonder what happened." When he still didn't look at her, she kissed him softly.
"Hey, Amy I--oh, I didn't realize I was interrupting." Kururu would've made skid marks in the air if she could have, turning to head back into the house in a hurry. "Hey guys, she and Cade are necking. She probably won't be worried about it for a while."
Even though she thought her heart would break, Amy laughed, pulling away even as Cade chuckled a little himself. Kururu had given him a crash course in embarrassing slang.
"I guess I'd better go and see what the problem is," she said, standing. "But think about what I said."
"I think about it often enough," he said on a sigh, heaving himself back onto his four feet. Hooves. Whatever. That look again. A different look from the that look that made her pulse race. She supposed he'd tell her in time. Pressing a quick kiss on his cheek, Amy grabbed her sewing and went inside, still wondering why she felt like time was running out...
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:22 pm
"Right on schedule," Cornet said with a sigh, looking out over one of the first gloomy mornings Amy had seen since she'd come to the islands so many months before. Unlike the days that had released cool drizzles on the semi-tropical island, the clouds were dark gray, seemingly heavy with the rain they would release very shortly.
Amy was grateful that the rugs had been carefully placed the day before, with only a few casualties. The fish had been put in a different bowl, plastic this time, and far back from the carpet, and the vase had been thrown away, as well as the furniture rearranged slightly. With a chuckle to herself, she'd say that they'd laid out the red carpet for Cade if she hadn't known better. A rich, burgandy carpet ran from the doorway, through the living area and dining room and through the hallway to the back, which had been emptied of everything except the pictures that were on the walls. She still wasn't entirely sure that he'd make it through, but she didn't have much, and she'd prefer to keep what she had intact.
"Well, its about lunchtime," she mused. "Maybe we can have everyone inside for lunch, for once." Kururu agreed and flew upstairs to see if Harlequin was done moping about the spare bed that had been put into her room, and if she was ready for lunch. That done, Amy poked her head out the door, looking for the centaur.
"Cade?" she called, not seeing him at first, but it didn't take long for him to amble around from the other side of the house. "Ah, good. You ready to test the theory about a bull in a china shop?" Though he laughed, he'd already expressed a few concerns about going through her house. Apparently, structures where he was from were mainly tall ceilings held up by posts, with dirt or grass on the floor to allow easy access and footing for people of the four footed variety. Furniture was practically nonexistant, safe for a few tables tall enough that his kind could stand by comfortably, more like a bar. Amy didn't have anything like that, but she thought about adding a garage type building off the side. Not having the money to do that now, he'd have to settle for the house or being left in the rain.
With a hand on the railing for balance, Cade manuvered the stairs as best he could, ducking under the edge of the roof that sheltered the porch from the elements. Getting out of his way, Amy went through the front door, pushing it as far open as she could. She was pretty sure it would be a tight squeeze, but he'd probably make it.
"It'll be fun," she assured him. "You've never been in before. You'll get to see everything."
"I can see everything through the windows," he said doubtfully. "It isn't as if I've never been outside in the rain before." Amy didn't want to think about that, or why he'd been out in the rain. But just as she'd been assured by Harlequin, she assured Cade that the seasonal rains were pretty heavy, and pretty consistent throughout the next few months, and she'd rather him be in the house.
"Maybe later, if there's need, we can have an addition made onto the side. One that opened into the spare bedroom in the back. That sounds good, right?" When he realized she was coaxing him in, Cade scowled, finishing the last of the stairs and relenquishing his death grip on the railing, only to exchange it for a grip on the doorframe.
A spark of alarm started in the back of his head when he felt a bit of static as he grasped the doorframe. Wiggling his fingers experimentally, the feeling passed, and Amy didnt' say anything. What were the chances, that of all the doorframes on all the islands, of all the cave entrances, that this doorway would be the one that would take him back? Surely fate wouldn't be so cruel. With a quick push with his back legs, he dipped his head to get through the door...
...And suddenly, everything changed.
Looking back, he could see his back legs and tail still on the other side, but his front half was back home, his brothers wartorn kingdom. Back at the battlefield where he'd left, the bodies cleared away but the grass still stained an ugly brown. Not a bird sang or an animal moved, but he saw a shadow at the edge of the clearing.
"You're not supposed to be here," it hissed. Red eyes opened from its dark depths and a familiar grin opened up, looking more like a crack that split the darkness than any form of smile. It was suddenly very clear that this wasn't where Cade wanted to be, here fighting his brothers battle. Those burning questions that Amy had asked, he could answer them now that the warlock that had sent him here stared him in the face. When he tried to push himself back the way he'd come, a scream rent the air--his own.
It felt as if he was being torn in half. He couldn't go backwards, He could only go forward. Be pulled forward.
On the other side, Amy didn't see anything that he saw. What she saw was Cadeon walk halfway through the door frame and stop, a shocked expression on his face.
"Cade?" Shock turned to horror. "Cadeon?" His back feet scrabbled against the wood vainly for purchase, but he couldn't move. She thought she heard the echo of a pained yell right before poof, he was gone. As if he'd never been there.
"What the...?" Harlequin didn't get a chance to finish her newest profanity before Amy began shaking, gasping for breath, not sure that she could believe that this entire time, his way back had been right here. She walked through it five times every day, a mockery of his search.
And now he was gone.
Amy stared at the door for what seemed like forever before she swallowed hard, forcing words past her numbed lips.
"Somethings wrong," she whispered harshly, eyes wide.
"Well, yeah," Kururu said softly. "Cade's gone."
"No, something else." Her gaze fell on the scars that his hooves had made on the wood; he'd tried to come back. Tried desperately. But he couldn't, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was really, really wrong.
"Even if something's the matter," Cornet said softly, placing a hand on Amy's arm, "there's not a lot that we can do. I mean, we don't even know where his home is." Eyes still on the porch, Amy whispered again, "I know someone who would be able to find out."
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