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 Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:54 am
 Alice felt love pouring through the mental link towards her. She didn't want him to go, didn't want to be left alone but knew that they both required sustenance. She watched him walk away and then walked the path back to her house, her heart full of joy. Her steps were light and springy, her thoughts were of Aarvard. She wasn't paying attention when a figure stepped out of the treeline. Her thoughts became like steel and her stance was that of someone who wasn't afraid to fight or defend what she loved. She felt a darkness within her, a beast that fought for control but she tampered that down and focused. This creature was filled with evil, such evil that it hurt her head, sending psychic shards through her brain but she never revealed her pain. Without realizing it she transformed her attire into one of battle armor, it was red with a faint glint of silver. She readied herself for the upcoming battle. She briefly touched the creatures mind and knew that Aarvards cousin was behind this.
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Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:51 pm
Charles saluted to Aavard. "Hello, dear cousin," he sneered. Aavard growled and Charles threw off his coat. "Let's see what you can do." He sprang forward into the water as wings black wings sprouted from his back. Aavard felt his amulet burn and was once more consumed with an unbearable pain. White wings grew from him and unfolded. Charles gasped and took a few steps back.
"White wings? How...? The amulet?" He watched Aavard collapse on the bank in pain until, at last, he stood. His chest heaved. Charles took a few steps back. "I want that amulet!" Aavard slipped it off. "This is what you want," he groweled, "This is what you think makes you powerful!? Is it!?"
"They're not black," Charles whispered. He drew his wings into his back and knelt down on one knee. Aavard looked on his cousin in surprise. As Charles turned to leave, he stopped and looked Aavard in the eye. "What are you doing?"
"What do you mean," Aavard asked. "With that human," Charles explained, "What's in it for you? Are you going to kill her? Is it some sort of trick?"
"Have you ever thought that I love her?" Charles frowned. "Love her? A human? You must be joking."
"As I understand it, you relinquished the throne to marry a human girl."
"Yeah," Charles said softly, his face smoothing over, "I did, didn't I? I guess it's about time I went home." He climbed back onto the opposite bank and made it to a tree before turning back once more. "I almost forgot why I was here." He unrolled a thick parchment and began to skim the lines, paraphrasing, "It says here the basic duties of a guardian, watching over the territories... going into battle on the front lines to drive vampire hunting parties and armies from your territory... and... You are to be sent to the front lines after tomorrow night at the ball following your corronation announcement. Yeah." With that, he turned and left.
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Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:13 pm
 Aavard stared after his cousin in disbelief. I only have one more day with my love? How am I to tell her? Blinding pain gripped his muscles once more, tightening until he could no longer stand. He cried out and fell face down into the edge of the water. For a long time, it felt as if he was nowhere - that time and his very being ceased to exist. And then there was white. You know what you must do, Aavard, came his late cousin's voice. Tomorrow night, at the ball. You know what must be done. Follow your heart. His vision cleared and he noticed he was human once more. He nodded to himself. I know, he agreed, Tomorrow, in front of everyone, I will ask for her hand...He quickly scooped up two fish and tied them to a line from inside his shirt pocket. Smiling to himself at his good catch, he made his way back to the house to cook them for dinner. I wonder what she will think about me going to war. Hell, I wonder if she will agree to move into the palace? I hope she will. At least I know that way she won't be all alone. At least I know she will be taken care of at the palace. He was so lost in thought that he didn't realize he had arrived at the house already. And there was Alice, dressed for a fight and coming down the stairs. "Alice, what's going on?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:05 am
"Kill" The word ripped itself out of Alices mouth. Aarvards cousin sent one of her demons from her past to confront her and possibly kill her. She stormed past Aarvard and went to meet the creature. She briefly heard Aarvard shouting after her but the insane need to kill, the blood red jealousy, the ferocious need to protect outruled any other instincts that she would have had. Her eyes blazed red, the beast crouching deep within wanting no fighting to be released. She met the creatures' head on attack with a swift swipe of her blade. She needed to draw blood, needed to inflict massive amounts of pain to her, her mother. She hated the vile creature with every fiber of her being. She left me for dead, how dare she return here? Rage consumed every corner inside her mind. Finally she noticed that Aarvard was pinning her down, her blood lust abated she acquiesed and went limp. Her mind was a torrent of information as the mental link between them was still open. She couldn't make any sense of what had just happened. She couldn't take the agonizing pain in her head and her heart so she just collapsed...Fell asleep until her mind and heart could take the outside world again.
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Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 1:18 pm
 Aavard pinned her down. She fell unconcious. He frowned and scoped her up into his arms. He carried her and the fish into the house. He tucked her in bed gently and kissed her forehead before beginning to cook the fish. He opened his bag and pulled out the vegetables and fruit he had gathered. He withdrew his knife and set about chopping the vegetables for a stew and poured the fruit into bowls for a desert. Once the pot over the fire was boiling, he added some cured, dried meat from his pack for flavoring and stirred it in with the vegetables. Now all he had to do was wait for them to finish cooking. He sat in a chair at the table, thinking about Alice. "Kill" she had said. Aavard began to worry about her. "She's been out here too long," said a voice behind him. "Daegal!" The dark haired man sat in a chair across from him. "What are you doing with her?" "She's not a human, if that's what you are worried about." "No, she's not," Daegal agreed. "Charles thinks she is. I'm not sure why that bothers him so much. I think he'd be bothered no matter what race she was." Daegal nodded and sat there in silence. "Why are you here," Aavard prompted. "You will be at my parents' anniversary ball tomorrow to hear the announcement of my crowning, yes?" Aavard nodded. "And the girl?" "She'll be there too." "Good," Daegal stood and walked out of the door before turning back. "I took the liberty of brining you your clothes. For her as well as you. Don't worry. I didn't touch anything else in your cave." With that, he left.
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Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 3:12 pm
Alice slowly awoke to the smell of food. She lay down for a minute and waited for her memories to assault her. She couldn't believe that she had done that, had willingly slaughtered another being even if it was her mother. It wasn't in her nature to willingly kill another creature. She knew that her soul was scarred but wasn't quite sure how to go about healing the rift that was there. Alice cast her thoughts out and Aarvard talking to Daegal. She lay there listening to the timbre of Aarvards baritone voice. Gingerly she sat up and noticed that she was still covered in blood. With a thought she willed it away. Slightly changing her shape she lengthened her hair to a more desirable level and plaited it. She kept her usual attire on. Seeking out aarvard she left the confines of her bed. She found him in the kitchen attending to the food.
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Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 5:08 pm
Aavard heard Alice enter the kitchen. He set two bowls out on the table. "The body vanished, so I couldn't prepare it for burial." She said nothing as he ladled out the soup and set two fillets on two plates. "Who was she," he asked quietly. He reflected on his conversation with Daegal and his last conversation with Charles. He was confused. Why is it so important if she is human or not? He sat down in a chair. Still, she had said nothing. "You smell of death and hate," he said softly, "And don't try to tell me different," he said as she opened her mouth as if she was going to say something; no sound came out. "I've had experience with hate and death. I know. Sit." She sat and they ate in silence for quite some time. "So, who was she? Your mother," he guessed. Alice's face paled. "I see." He continued to eat, waiting for her to speak. His joints began to ache. He froze mid-chew. Not now, please not now! His muscles contracted and he dropped his fork onto the table. He closed his eyes tightly. Stop. STOP! His whole body shook with the effort to control it. He gripped the table tightly. It sounded as though it might crack. Finally, the pain dulled and his muscles loosened. He retrieved his fork and speared another piece of fish. He looked up at Alice as if nothing happened. "Why did you kill her?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 12:26 pm
Alice looked at Aarvard in shame. She began to speak, her voice creating a visual of her childhood. "She was my mother. After she gave birth to me, she left me for dead and ran to save her own life. Even then i knew that she was a traitor. I swore to the goddess that if i ever came across her again that i would kill her. Despite being so young physically, my mind and mental abilities were quite developed. It was those abilities that saved my life. I was able to ensnare the werewolves who came to investigate the scent of blood surrounding me. They brought me here away from the pack because i was a half-breed, which to them is a weakness." Alice looked away, uncomfortable but unable to do any less then tell Aarvard her story. "They check in on me every once in a while but the only thing that kept me going then even as a young girl was the promise of retribution." She saw Aarvard visibly struggle with his new abilities. She reached out her thoughts only to find that he had blocked himself off to her. She sat there silently waiting for his judgement
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 5:09 pm
Aavard stared at the table for a long time, unsure of what to say. He decided it was time to tell her. He took a deep breath. "Tomorrow night may well be the last night you will see me. After the ball, I am to leave. I'm going to the front lines of the war, as is my duty as the new prince. When I return, I will be King. It would be a lot easier not to get killed in war if I didn't have to worry about you doing something like this and getting killed," he sensed an objection and raised his hand, "Let me finish. I know you can take care of yourself. You've proven that a thousand times over already. But what if you are too outnumbered? What if you attract the attention of someone far more powerful?" He paused here and sighed. "I want you to consider moving into the palace while I am away." They sat in silence as she processed what he had just told her. He knew he probably should not have dropped it on her without any warning, but she had to know he was going to war. Time was running out. He might never come back. The quiet seemed heavy and lengthy. A thought popped into his head, a thought that might cheer her up considerably... he hoped. "You know, tomorrow night when I am officially crowned prince, you'll become a princess. That won't change, even if I am killed." He said this conversationally, as if he were discussing the weather, and sat back to gauge her reaction. She froze.
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Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 11:36 am
Alice froze, her thoughts turning to terror. All she had known was living out in the wild. Away from the influences of societal pressure. She wasn't sure how to act around royalty. But the sad thing was, she knew Aarvard was right. She wasn't going to argue but compromise with him. She cleared her throat, "What if i lived near the palace, instead of in it? I don't know how to act around these people and i don't know any of your family enough to trust them." She tried to contain her thoughts of pure and utter terror from spilling over onto their mental link. He didn't need to worry over her while he was away. She understood duty from his memories and wouldn't keep him from his responsibilities. The only thing she absolutely refused to think about was what would happen if he died. There was no Aarvard with out Alice. There was no Alice without Aarvard. She would do whatever he asked of her except for live in the palace.
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:04 pm
Aavard felt the dread in the pit of his stomach grow. He knew what would happen if she lived out of the protection the palace offered. He rubbed his chin in frustration. He could feel he was going to need a shave before tomorrow night. He knew he would be on the front lines in one day, and if all went well, he'd be home within a week before being sent out again. "Okay," he sighed, "How about this? You try it - just for a week. If you don't like it, you can do what you want. Okay?" He could tell she was mulling it over and felt relieved that she was at least considering what he had to say. He decided that she needed a bit more convincing. "My cousin must return to battle at my side, if that is what you are worried about. And my Uncle won't harm you. He's kind, and you may not even see him; he has enough to worry about. Just please... one week. I need to know that you are protected. If you stay outside the palace... the vampires may get ahold of you. I don't want you to be hurt. Please," he said taking her hands, "For me?" He waited for her reaction, she seemed torn as images of faceless attackers flooded his mind, coming to take Alice away and draw him out. He needed to guarentee her safety while he was away. He cringed. "If you must, I can have them make you a place to stay in the courtyard, just outside the tower where my old room is. But I'd really rather you stayed in my room..."
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 9:59 am
Alice agreed silently her decision passing through her mental bond with Aarvard. She hated seeing him so distraught over her especially when he had other things to worry about. She brought her hand up to his face and held it there infusing love and compassion through their bond. She knew that she would make it in the palace without him despite every fiber of her being beckoned...no demanded that she protect him. He had come out of the darkness and completed her. Filled her with light when her soul was close to caving, to giving up on life. She would do this small thing he asked of her because he had given her life, given her a purpose again. Lets run beneath the moon. Forget our worries and cares for a while and enjoy ourselves. Do me this honor this one thing i ask of you.Alice stood and shifted, her form becoming transparent and then reforming into her wolf. She put her muzzle against Aarvards hand and encouraged him to run with her. She wanted his spirit to know love and joy. She wanted him to know that she loved him. She waited for him to join her, holding the image in his brain, considering that he was now a guardian and would have a more difficult time shifting since it wasn't as natural anymore.
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 2:01 pm
Aavard glanced to the wall by the doorway where the chest of clothing was placed by Daegal. He felt Alice's muzzle in his hand and dropped to his knees next to her on the floor. He ran his fingers through her fur gently and then wrapped his arms around her. He held her for a little while, not bothering to contain his sorrow. He shifted, somewhat slowly and painfully, into his wolf form. He trotted to the door and looked back at her. She sprinted past him playfully; he chased after her. The sun was setting on their last day together. He was suddenly gripped with a terrible sorrow. Aavard stopped in his tracks. Alice wandered over to him and nudged him with her muzzle. He looked into her eyes. His sorrow was immediately pushed to the back of his mind. He playfully snapped at her. She ran and he ran after her. He was going to enjoy tonight. Tomorrow, was going to be a big day. For both of them. Tomorrow, he would ask her not just to be his mate, but to be his wife. The thought of this thrilled him. She could feel his excitement though he concealed the source. He wanted it to be a surprise. Eventually, with the moon high in the sky, they reached a meadow. He shifted back to his human form and lay back on the tall grass. He sighed happily. Alice sat next to him. He reached over and pulled her into his lap, running his fingers through her fur once more. He sang a soft song to her from his homeland and waited for her to shift.
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 3:55 pm
Alice ran with joy, howling at the moon. Embracing the night she and Aarvard raced through the forest. They leapt over trees, ran through creeks, snapped playfully at each other. Her heart was ready to burst, each emotion amplified because of her wolf calling to her mate as well as Alices feminine side appreciating Aavard's strength and dominance. They came back to her house, Aarvard shifted first. He tried to hide the pain from her but nonetheless she knew. She lay across his lap enjoying the feel of his fingers running through her fur. She didn't want to shift back right away but she knew that Aarvard needed the human half of her. Her form grew transparent, her molecules rearranging themselves back into her true corporeal form. She no longer hid herself from him, trusting him with her heart. She lay next to him infront of the fireplace, his hands still running through her hair. "I love you, siavemet" Alice said in her musical voice, the ring of truth resounding throughout the room. The translation of siavemet traveled across their link- my heart.
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 8:42 pm
Aavard felt his heart leap into his throat as she said I love you. He was numb all over. He wished she hadn't said that - he didn't see how he could go off to war and leave her behind now. He tilted her chin upward and kissed her gently, allowing the full depth of his love to reach her. He took in everything - the beating of her heart, the flutter of her eyelids, her gentle breathing... Aavard trailed his fingers from her chin, down her throat, down her arm, and finally to rest on top of her hand tenderly. He felt her shiver as he did so. He lingered there for a while, kissing her deeply and passionately to quell his fears. His heart felt as if it was going to beat out of his chest. Visions of a happy future filled his mind... A family, a home, a normal life... Finally, he pulled away somewhat out of breath, his breathing ragged and uneven. He crossed the room shakily to the chest Daegal retrieved for him. He pulled out the royal prince coat and pants of his father's. They were a deep blue (pretty much black, except when caught by the light) with silver accents. The shirt was cream colored and had a low neck that would show off his toned chest. The amulet would be in full view there - a symbol of power throughout the kingdom. Next, he carefully withdrew his mother's gowns. A beautiful cream and gold dress, a light green and gold, a sapphire and silver, a ruby and gold, and a dark purple and silver. Each had matching jewelery and jewled slippers for dancing. He stood back and beckoned Alice forward. He saw her eyes widen at the extravagent gowns and jewels. "Which one would you like to wear tomorrow?"
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