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 Posted: Sun May 02, 2010 2:38 pm
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Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 7:50 pm
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 8:14 am
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 11:11 am
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 11:40 am
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Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 8:41 pm
Xiao rocked back and forth on the edge of the stone wall that encircled the castle grounds. His crimson hair billowed around his head in spiked chunks, poking his face in the cruel wind. A pack of shape shifters in all stages surrounded him. Under his father’s orders, they were going to force Adrian to accept the betrothal, whether the contract remained or not.
Xiao personally couldn’t have cared less. Life was good now. He didn’t have to wake up early for lessons or wear what his mother wanted him too. As it was, he hadn’t bathed that day and he was in a pair of plaid shorts with his pajama top. Freedom felt good, so why did his father try so hard to take it from him?
Every other conversation was about the union. Xiao just wanted to play with Deirdre, not marry her. She was a grumbly girl who hissed regularly and scratched him if he didn’t do the right thing. He couldn’t count how many times he’d made her mad. Still, she was his best friend, and he didn’t want to mess that up by having to kiss her. What if he got cooties? Or if they weren’t friends anymore?
He bit his lip and looked down at the ground. Marcus was barking orders, as usual, and paying less attention to his young son than he did the dogs at his feet. The only time he checked up on Xiao was when he turned around and noticed the boy day dreaming. “Wipe that smile off your face.” He’d growled before popping Xiao behind the head. “We’re at war.”
If only. Then he could have stayed home with his mother and sisters instead of sitting outside, on a stone wall, at 4a.m. with a bunch of smelly men.
“Is everyone ready?” Marcus rolled his shoulders and popped his neck. “Alright then. Move out! If anyone gives you trouble, say it was self defense.”
A roar of laughter went through the group.
Xiao felt sick.
Marcus looked back to see his son still seated and huffed irritably. “Get over here, brat. Your a** is gonna hustle like the rest of us. One day, this is going to be yours and I’ll be damned if you’re gonna be a pansy about it.”
Xiao gulped and hopped down, then ran up to his father’s side and tried to keep up. “Wouldn’t it be Kaito’s?”
Even in the dim light, Xiao didn’t mistake the malicious grin as anything less. “It would be.”
As the group advanced on the South side, the noticeably quiet woods picked up a static ring that made the anxious shifters irritable. “What the hell is that?” “Turn it off!” The frequency tuned in the closer they got to the castle, and by the time they broke through the foliage, they found out why.
“Hello, Marcus.”
Xiao gulped. He’d never seen a scarier man at that moment than Monsieur Adrian Delauney. The man’s normally jovial face was a cold, furious mask. His blonde hair was pulled back into a severe ponytail that ran over his pristine white suit. High beams snapped on to illuminate the whole wood.
Adrian tsked. “Pity. I gave you multiple chances to save your skin and this is how you repay me.”
“Like hell! You backed out of our deal and left us to suffer.”
“Suffer?” Adrian copied with a bark of laughter. “How so? Tell me, was it when I gave you Deirdre’s dowry out of pity or when I allowed your clan to live after attacking my guardsmen?”
Xiao heard his father’s teeth grind. It surprised him that Marcus hadn’t attacked, but even he wasn’t that stupid. In the short time they’d spoken, vampires had surrounded the small ground and even the ones without weapons looked terrifying. He whimpered and grabbed his father’s pant leg, only to have the man throw him to the wolves.
Literally.
A pack of werewolves phased in from the upper reaches of the castle, snarling with dripping fangs and claws that left gouges in the stone. Xiao screamed and covered his eyes.
Both sides held their breath.
“Please don’t hurt me, please don’t hurt me, pretty, pretty please don’t-“
“I’m not going to hurt you.”
Xiao gasped and opened his eyes, then looked up into Adrian’s face. His eyes had softened to a warm silver glow instead of the cold steel they had been. When he extended his hand, Xiao ran into his arms. “Oof!” Adrian gave a surprised grunt. He stroked the sobbing boy’s hair, then turned the deadly stare towards Marcus.
“For your crimes against my kingdom, my life, and my family, Marcus Bedlam, you are sentenced to death along with the party who accompanied you.”
Before the final word was spoken the King’s servants descended.
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Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 9:04 pm
Dearest Journal,
Heaven help me.
Earlier in the week I ordered the death of Marcus Bedlam. His death grieves my soul, but not as terribly as it does his children. It was a thoughtless action that left me in the care of his only son, the same boy he had tried to throw upon my daughter.
Ironically, it was she who comforted him. I took him to Kaito’s chambers and shortly after Deirdre came. Her tenderness wrenched my heat in two. She hugged him and never let go until his mother arrived. He cried til he had no tears to shed while the murderer of his father buried the body.
Yes, journal. I buried them all. I loaded their corpses into the back of the gardener’s truck, drove them down to the river and buried them on the riverbank so that they could see the sunrise. It was too good for Marcus, but not nearly enough for his family.
His daughters weren’t old enough to understand, but his wife knew. She’d always known he wouldn’t come back that night, and she was pleasantly surprised to see that she was wrong where her son was concerned. She never blamed me, nor did she glare at me. The woman was jaded long before I entered her life.
Still, even if Lyoko or Lisa tells me a thousand times over that it was justified, it never will be. The blood makes me do things that I regret. I can’t stop it, so I’m to blame and one day, I’ll face judgment.
One day, I’ll face Marcus in the fires of hell.
Sincerely,
Monsieur Adrian De Launey
First son of Lord Oden De Launey
King of the Realm of Night
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Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 8:39 am
Kaito had been sneaking out a lot lately. Not enough to cause any serious suspicion, but enough to know that he was risking trouble. Truthfully though it hadn’t started out as his fault - the shadows did randomly transport him after all. Especially when he was sleeping or even just daydreaming, those shadows loved to catch him off guard.
His first true sneak outs started in the early evenings when he knew that he could move around more than the rest of the castle. Then he just went outside to play around in the courtyard. It was fun to be able to splash in the fountains without anyone sending him a scolding glance! Plus, he could run around without feeling gazes on his back all the time. After a couple weeks he would even walk around in the forest on some familiar path. Sneaking out of the castle was actually how he met his first friend that he made by himself.
Though the toddler always had to pause on his outings because without Deirdre something always felt weird. Being apart from his twin sister was like a phantom pain that tugged at him. It was weird!
One time he got chased by a huge wolf in the woods. Well - not really chased, but the thing had nearly spotted him before the shadows pulled him back! It had been one of the few times that he had been so freighted that he didn’t leave the castle by himself for a week.
It was during those times that Kaito would sneak up on the roof where a different group of his friends were. Sure they were silent and cold, but that just proved to him that they’d never tell on him. Kaito tried his best to visit the roof at least once a week and some days he’d even bring things up with him - sunglasses, scarves, hats, the like.
After arranging things, Kaito would lean into the largest friend - the one with huge clawed feet and dragon like wings - and once tucked in the toddler would talk. He would talk about his family, his friends, his wants, his boredom, his adventures, Deirdre -even if he didn’t realize it, he always talked about his twin since she was after all that phantom pain when she wasn’t around- and about other things. Of course he would listen to his friends, but they never had anything to say unless the breeze swept through and made noises for them.
Usually he’d either get interrupted by the sounds of others and Kaito would scamper back down into his room through the window. If not, the toddler would fall asleep in the claws of his friends. And he didn’t have to worry about them dropping him, because they were stable - after all every one of his rooftop friends were gargoyles.
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Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 8:59 am
Finding Kee
In the winter months when Kaito was younger, Lyoko found him shuffling outside in over a foot of freshly fallen snow. His mother had nearly overlooked him as a shadow on the sparkling white yard before seeing him move with something that was nearly the same size as him. “Kaito?” Lyoko called out as she walked out into the snow herself. (Being a hybrid demon/vampire made her oblivious to the ice cold temperature and to the fact that the snow was soaking her silk kimono, but that was okay she'd just toss it later)
“Mommy?” The boy looked up as he tried to drag the thing from underneath a snow pile, “I was goin’ inside, buh-”
“I see.” Lyoko bent down beside Kaito as she realized that he was tugging on a tail. “Do you want help?”
Pouting Kaito nearly looked like he was going to decline - he was gonna prove himself a big man one day that didn’t need anyone’s help afta all!- but then they both heard the whimper.
Lyoko frowned, something was actually alive under this snow? Looking up she spotted the clear spot on the castle roof. Ah, a draft of snow must have fallen and just trapped the poor creature. “Come on. You pull and I shall help to free the creature out, alright?”
“Kay-Kay.” With a fierce look, Kaito dug his feet into the hardening layer of ice just beneath the snow and pulled back.
Lyoko started to shift through the layers of snow and knew that she was close when claws tore into her kimono sleeves. “Come here, boy - oh?” She smiled faintly as she recognized the creature as a female puppy, “Girl.” Kaito let out a yell as he fell backwards and the puppy landed on his chest.
“Umph! Is - is it ‘kay, mommy?” He asked as he held onto the squirming mess.
“I think she’ll be fine, Kaito. Come on inside -” Seeing his worry made Lyoko laugh softly before adding, “Alright we’ll take her with us.”
“Aye.” Jumping up he cradled the shivering puppy in his arms and followed his mother through the courtyard and inside the cool castle - after all none of them favored fires and couldn‘t feel the cold anyways so why bother with heating? “She’s shivered, mommy.” He whispered as Lyoko let them both into a small private chamber with a stone fireplace.
“I know. I’ll get a fire started, leave her and go get something from one of the kitchens.” She frowned, would they have anything food wise for the dog? “Grab some meat or something.” She added as her son went scampering through the door. Goodness knows that he would’ve just brought some blood back for the dog. Lyoko grinned before she sobered up again at hearing a whimper. “It’ll be okay girl.” She whispered as she shrugged off her kimono and used the dry layers to dry the remaining snow from the pup.
After finding more clothes and some kindling -really she was surprised to find it- Lyoko set a fire in the fire place and commenced on making a small bed for the dog next to the hearth. Now all that was left was to wait on Kaito. She smiled faintly, it would be just fine.
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Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:20 am
You need to have a name!
After tons of begging and even some crying Kaito got to keep the puppy. He grinned, now he actually had a pet of his own and he meant to keep her forevers! Kaito hugged the pup and had carried her everywhere with him. Well except to formal stuff and dinners - Mommy or Dad would have gotten mad then.
Though now that the toddler got to keep the puppy, his mother brought up a good point. “You can’t keep calling her - ‘it’, ‘pup’, or just ‘hey you’. Kaito, if you want to keep her as a pet you need to name her.”
Frowning Kaito nodded. But what could he name her? He’d never named anything before. After pacing around for a while in his room, the boy looked over at the puppy and sighed. “Come on. I’ll figa it out lata.” He took her outside since the snow had finally melted away and played. Fetch, chase the boy, the boy chases you, and just walking around looking at things - it was easy to pass the time with the puppy at his side.
Still a week passed and he had been able to figure out what to name her. Picture books scattered his room as he stared down at the pup, “Sunny? Eww - no.” He frowned and tapped his tail thoughtfully against his bed, “Moon? Star? Bloom? BunBun? Docta Sues? Velveteen Wabbit? Peta Pan?” He wrinkled his nose, none of these were names that would work.
Giving up Kaito pushed the books from his bed and went to walk with the pup through the castle. By now he knew some hallways where no one else would be that he could play alone with his puppy. His twin had been busy lately, the same with both of his parents - but still guards and servants were everywhere lately. It stunk.
Talking of which, Kaito leaned forward to turn the door handle but let out a groan. The Key! He’d forgotten it again! Sighing heavily Kaito leaned against the door, “If we goes back now, they’d see me.” And no way could he use the shadows - they were too random lately!
As if sensing his distress the pup scurried back away from him and left the bewildered toddler alone. Soon enough she came back though this time something was dangling in her mouth.
“Da key! Oh!” Wiping the dog slobber on his pants, Kaito hugged the dog and moved towards the door to open it. Good thing for hallway tables. He climbed up and stood on tip-toe to open the door. Hah! Swinging back down he slipped into the empty room and grinned at the pup, “Come on, ya my Kee!”
Oh! That was it! Kaito grinned, “Yup. You’s be Kee now, kay?” The pup let out a small bark before jumping after her owner
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Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 10:09 am
Gin,
How have you been? I know, it’s been a while - forgive me, but you know how hard it is for me to communicate from so far away. How is Japan? Everything settled back down with your family and the (oh, how to put this) underground problems? I do hope that it did indeed settle down and that life is peaceful once more there.
And yes, the twins are doing just wonderfully. I still can’t get over saying that, “My children, the twins with my blood.” How proud we are of them. Kaito and Deirdre are growing up into such fine royals. Tee, though right now they’re getting to that stage which will surely keep us on our toes. I cry to see them as they grow up but at the same time am giddy with excitement for them to bloom into their real selves. I remember how excited I was to finally grow up (before the disaster happened of course) yet I was awfully depressed to know that one day I may leave my family behind in order to go about my own life.
That depresses me greatly, Gin. How am I to let my children go? I pray that somehow Deirdre and Kaito will always be there as my beloved children. It brings back the nightmares, the horrors of solitude that Adrian wiped away long ago. So long ago that I doubt being able to survive without the companionship of my family. My heart has turned from being some cold loner to being full of warmth and family.
I love them all. When I reflect on my past years of solitude, I wonder. Wonder how it was even possible for me to have survived that long without anyone? Without them I fear that the demon blood in my veins would take over.
Ah, but no need to worry about that right? Despite the threats from others I feel that things will be fine again. I cherish every moment with the twins as they grow and feel comfort in the arms of my dearly beloved vampire king. I laughed a little to realize how much more comfort and belonging I have here in the shadows, Gin. Fame and the spotlight was never for me. Not even when I was human long ago. Such things only lead to trouble.
Kaito still does have a weird relationship with the shadows while Deirdre does have that attack of hers. Odd right? I wonder what other talents the two will show as they grow. It seems that only time will tell.
I must say goodbye now my friend so I can go to my husband. Adrian worries me - he finally did it, Gin. He ordered the death of that horrible shape-shifter Marcus. But you know how my beloved is about such things - he grieves terribly. I wish he would realize his own soul that gleams brightly behind the vampire and the guilt. It's not like he killed the innocent boy as well.
Again it seems that only time will tell what becomes of my family. One day I’ll visit my old home and find you again, Gin.
~Sincerely,
Lady Lyoko De Launey
Of the Dragon House of Japan
Queen of the Realm of Night
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Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 10:10 am
Dearest Friend,
You really should come visit us. I’m sure the twins would be amused by the stories you have, old friend. Especially of how their parents first met. How you cunningly cut in behind the scenes to throw us stubborn loners together. Most would be angry at your conniving ways with your potions and herbs, but really I thank you all the more for it.
The twins are doing well, they both seem to be tightly tied to one another at times while other times so far apart that it makes one worry about their relationship. Yet I can see that they really do love each other as siblings should. It makes me reminiscent of my own family, I wonder how my brothers’ descendants are doing? If there are any left that is.
Kaito fights with the shadows while Deirdre seems to be fine with her ability. That sounds odd right Kaede? They are vampire royals with demon blood running through their veins, so why the special emphasizes on just one trait a piece? I don’t know. It seems that every child that lives here in this place has some secret ability of their own and when I had my children that came with them.
Thankfully both have made friends with several of the children that live around here. Not that most are normal, mind you, but our children are far from normal themselves. One day while I was strolling through the woods I spotted my Kaito ridding on the back of what appeared to be a young chimera. I believe she was at the party that we hosted in the castle along with several others that I have spotted randomly around the castle.
Including a rag doll like girl who I spotted playing with the twins just the other day. Kaito appeared to be teaching her to dance under Deirdre’s guidance and the girl carried a book with her that they seem intent on looking at. Perhaps a journal or sketchbook? Either way I was just glad to see my children having fun with another.
Maybe I should approach my husband about letting the twins have their own party of sorts? What is it that most children do now a days? Some sort of overnight party, but instead of just calling it a visit or event it has some name…hmm. Oh! A slumber party that’s right. I think I’ll wait until the twins grow some more before suggesting it however. Despite the work, I think it would be fun for the twins to experience such a thing.
So perhaps I really will set about to planning such an event for them. It would definitely be interesting.
I hope you are faring well, my friend. I still hope that one day we will meet again.
~Sincerely,
Lady Lyoko De Launey
Of the Dragon House of Japan
Queen of the Realm of Night
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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:41 pm
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Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 3:11 pm
Seductively wrapped cakes paraded just beyond the toddler’s reach. Her long nails grazed over the icing, too uncoordinated to pierce the cupcake and drag it down with her before attracting attention. Deirdre stuck her tongue out and tried again, only to squeal and jump down when two figures approached.
It was wrong of her to be here and she knew it. Both of her parents had forbade their children from attending the ball. If they were so much caught peeping out their doors the consequences would be immense, which made it all the more irresistible to the young princess. What was a ball without a princess to attend it?
Already she could see the differences.
The wall of mirrors in the dance hall was gelded in bronze and red velvet drapes. The chandeliers and candelabras were lit for the first time since her birth. She noticed that the couches were gone, the food was yet untouched and the throne was cast into darkness. The only sign of fluorescent lighting was tossed over a lone wooden chair, sitting in the center of the room. Its worn appearance was mangled further by the manacles attached to its legs, and the thick leather strapped around its shoulders. Splatters of dark red speckled the flooring beneath it.
Her parents weren’t visible in the crowd at all. The vast members of the coven were all joined, which confused the toddler, and all of them wore thick garments while clutching golden masks. She frowned from underneath the purely decorative snack table. And where was Kaito? Sophie? Neither one of them was likely to miss it; she just had to find their hiding spots.
“Have you seen the sacrifice this year?” Said a lilting voice. Deirdre looked at the golden slippers peeping from beneath the woman’s azure dress.
“Pray tell, have you?” This one was masculine. “A ghastly wretch, if you ask me. Last year’s was much healthier. This poor beast looks like a breeze would topple it over.”
The couple shared a hearty laugh before engaging with the crowd once more. Deirdre exhaled. She crawled to the end of the table, dragging her dress up around her knees. Making sure no one was watching, the tot ran for the nearest curtain and dived behind it. When she peeped out the side, she could see the chair and little else.
The crowd began to part as a couple dressed in black walked towards the chair. Their outfits were trimmed in gold, with a cape lined in thick fur sitting on their shoulders. A tall blonde held the arm of his lovely bride, his impassive face a frightening sight for the young child. For the first time in her life, Deirdre saw the things she had been taught to fear and respect since day one.
Her parents.
Adrian held Lyoko’s hand above the chair, and then walked in front of it to lead her into the crowd. With the grace of a panther, he slowly walked to the rear of the chair, placed his hands on the back and waited.
The doors to the hall slammed open with frantic howls that echoed off the pristine walls. Deirdre jumped back. Though she couldn’t see it, she knew someone was being dragged into the room as the screaming continued to get louder and louder as the person drew closer. The voice was nearly broken; hoarse to the point of sobbing and unidentifiable as male or female. Her hands bunched into the curtain, eyes closed in fear.
A gnarled hand snatched her up while another one closed over her mouth to block out her scream. “Hush child. I mean you no harm.” The being set her back down on her feet and spun her around.
It was an elderly vampire, with her fangs cutting into the wrinkles around her face. The shawl that covered her shoulders was soaked in mud. “Don’t be frightened. It’s only for show.” Tenderly, she brushed back Deirdre’s hair. “But I should warn you – She will die.”
Deirdre turned back to see. It was a woman, and now she was strapped into the chair, her shoulders pinned back by her father’s iron grip. The woman’s beaten face was covered in tear stains. Her wild eyes sought for help in a sea of unwavering excitement. By now, the lights had dimmed further and the crowd was donning their masks.
She turned back to the woman. “Nuh uh. Daddy’s nice. He’ll save her.” Deirdre nodded. Didn’t she know that?
The woman frowned. “Oh cher-“
“Stop it!” She slapped the woman’s hand away from her head. “He will save her!”
“Are you willing to beat on that?”
Deirdre frowned. She was becoming highly irritated and desperate, since the woman’s screams were being hushed. “What’chu mean?”
In a swift movement the old woman pulled three gold marbles from her pocket. The centers of each one had a swirling mass of white, surrounded in coronas of living lightning. “You have the power to save her.” She held the marbles up to Deirdre’s line of sight. “Pick just one, and she could very well be saved, but choose wisely. Only one option will leave her be.”
“…And the others?”
“Worse than death, cher.” She slowly rotated her palms as she looked over Deirdre’s head. The toddler turned around with a gasp. Adrian was peeling back the woman’s veil of dark hair, exposing her throat to his mammoth fangs. Somewhere in the process her nose had been broken, and thick streams of blood coated his hand where he pulled her head to the side. “Quickly! She’ll not last long.”
“Think about it, you know your father. One bite from his poisonous fangs and she’ll be one of the damned forever,” whispered the old woman. “What if she’s in love? Her family, her children? What will happen to them if you don’t save her?”
Deirdre bit her lip. What other option did she have left? Daddy wouldn’t hurt her, he was just pretending. But if he wasn’t and she died… “Okay! I pick…,”her hand hovered over the marbles. “you!”
A sadistic grin broke though the old woman’s innocent smile. The other two marbles disappeared as she plucked Deirdre’s choice up between her thumb and forefinger. “Wrong. Choice.” She crushed it, and then disappeared.
Deidre spun around. Her father’s fangs shredded through the woman’s throat, snapping her veins like flimsy twin with a fountain of blood spiraling into the air. She felt her chest tighten without the air she needed to stay sane. This wasn’t happening, it wasn’t happening, she didn’t, she couldn’t-
“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Prompt Tis the Halloween season, a time of tricks and treat, sometimes both. Dear Dierdre has found herself confronted by an odd person who is offering her an assortment of goodies and surprises. But, each one has a price, and it's not money. Does she pick one who's benefits outweigh the risks, or does avarice cloud her judgment and she finds herself stuck with a trick in place of her treat? Remember, the prettiest of gifts is not always the best.
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