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 Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:59 pm
The sun had set barely an hour ago, yet Beauty had already stretched, checked the rookery and found herself a meal. She was sitting on a stone bench within the castles vast gardens with a fairytale book in her lap. Spread on the bench beside her was her breakfast, slices of apples covered in cheese. She was nibbling a slice while she ate on occasion she would push back an errant strand of her chocolate colored hair.
A fresh rose was tucked into her pulled up hair giving off the hint of it's fragrance and spilling into the air as the pages of her book flipped and fanned it. She smiled softly as she read the fanciful stories dancing in motion in her minds eye. How creative the humans could be, it was fascinating to her though some of her brothers and sisters might disagree.
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Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:10 pm
Nick was walking around, a bit preoccupied since he was worried about Cailin...not that she would be discovered by any gargoyle, but by her family whom he knew was out hunting for her, probably passing around more rumors about how evil the clan was. Could he of chosen to do no less than he had already done?
The answer was moot, since he'd never of let her go back even if she'd of wanted to. She was happy, being on her own for once, and that thought cheered him and he decided to push it aside for now. No longer content to wander the rookery and the forest, Nick had flown to the castle and was walking in silence with his wings folded about him. Finding the garden, he moved towards one of the flower bushes and sniffed at the blossoms. The sound of pages turning finally caught his attention, and he realize he was not alone and paused to see whom it might be.
She was a young gargoyle, probably close to his age, with her nose stuck in a book. He was still a bit uneasy with clan culture, having grown up with a name and other human, he found it hard at times to deal with the differences. If it weren't for his wings and claws, one might argue he was human himself. Perhaps he would become used to it as the years passed...? Eh, who knew. Straightening up, he thought for a moment what to say before finally asking, "What book is that?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 9:59 pm
Beauty looked up from her book startled from her reverie by the voice of another, a small smile crossed her features instantly though seeing another gargoyle. She moved over a bit making room on the bench incase he wished to sit. She stroked the spine of the book tenderly.
"It's a book of fairytales, quite charming. It pleases me that the humans have placed them to parchment, it gives me hope that they can believe and learn from things that they are not used to."
She paused a moment gazing down at the book and the inked illustration of a mermaid, each scale drawn with tender care. Her head darted up and she blushed.
"Forgive me, I get so lost in what I'm reading sometimes. I am...Beauty." She said the name with a half sigh half laugh, it never failed to amuse her that the humans would give her such a name. She felt herself quite lacking in beauty and quite well versed in her abilities to read and write. Couldn't they have named her 'Curiosity' or somesuch?
Looking up at the male before her she smiled and stretched her wings a bit. "What have they called you brother? Or have you yet to be named by them?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:25 pm
Nick hesitated at first, not sure if she was merely admitting she was beautiful (which he did have to agree), or that her name was Beauty. Unsure as to which, he decided to go wtih the second in hopes he got it right. The lack of names amoung clan members was one of his biggest problems at the moment. Having grown up learning that everyone had a name, he had troubles refering to his own clan members as 'brother' or 'sister' even if he wasn't biologically related to them.
"Nicolas...or Nick, as I prefer. It is a pleasure to meet you." He gave a sort of grand bow, sweeping one arm out in a very human gesture before sitting down beside her in the space she'd vacated. "I...grew up among humans, so I must agree that there is much that they have to offer our people in knowledge and wonderous tales, if we but allow ourselves to be open to them. I am glad to see one who shares just such a joy as you."
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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:47 pm
Beauty chuckled at his expression and looked down at her book. "I was not so aptly named, but that is what they have called me. Most have been embracing the names they are given so I have accepted mine. Nicolas is very nice though..." She looked at him mildly excited by his next statement.
"Raised by humans? Then they must have given you that name when you were but a hatchling! It must be so wonderful to have a connection to them...to be able to understand them better. I wish I were able to understand all their habits, I try to be open. There are many who try and yet so many who do not, they see only the barbaric humans that threaten the peace and happiness of others. I wish somehow they could try to understand that their not alike." She blushed and trailed off.
"Forgive me, I tend to ramble quite a bit, I'm not used to much company."
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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:51 am
"I think Beauty fits you quite aptly, in my own opinion," Nick chuckled, his eyes taking on an excited sparkle, to be replaced by a sadness as he thought of his human father and the clan he never knew. Looking down at his claws, he sighed deeply before continuing.
"My father told me the story of how he found me...before I'd hatched. The humans had grown quite a hatred towards my clan, and one day finally they attacked and killed everyone. My father was forced to be in the mob, he was a priest and could not go against what they said without risking his own death. To make up for his cowardice, he hid my egg before the rookery was overrun, and managed to save me. When I hatched, he raised me as if I'd been his own son, and taught me as much as he could before he died..."
His voice trailed off into silence for a moment as he continued staring at his claws, fighting the lump in his throat. When he felt reasonably calm again, he continued, "He did his best to make up for what he hadn't done to stop the carnage, and perhaps there was nothing he could of done short of get himself killed. As it is, I owe him my life and I do my best to return the love he instilled in me to everyone." Giving her a lopsided smile, he added, "But there are more times than not I feel more human than gargoyle...I struggle with clan life, to fit in..."
A funny idea occured to him then, and his smile widened as he turned to face her full on. "Say...what would you say to a trade? Can you teach me to be more like a gargoyle, and I can teach you more about what it is to be human..?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:39 am
A light blush flashed across her cheeks and she smiled softly. "Thank you, I really thought everyone would think it a cruel joke." She noticed how his eyes dimmed and frowned as she listened to his sad story. How hard it must have been for him so torn between two worlds. The gargoyle in her wanted to protect, but he was no hatchling anymore, and his clan was long gone, even the human that had raised him was gone. She lightly placed her hand on his shoulder her claws giving a gentle squeeze.
"He sounds like he was a good man, and raised a good gargoyle, you belong here as much as any of us do." She smiled and let her hand drop back to her book.
She looked at him curiously as he turned more to face her, his expression was so happy she was curious as to what had caused him to smile so suddenly. His question however made her smile as well and she nodded after a moment of thought. "Yes...though I'm not sure how fair of a trade that is, I spend so much of my time at the castle now reading and learning about the humans. I don't quite fit in with my rookery sisters or any of my sisters for that matter..."
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