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 Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 3:09 pm
"Well. Look at that!" Cerri murmured, laughing a bit nervously as she looked down at the boy, eyes slightly wide. So far, things had not gone well, and she was hoping not to incur his ire again. "We found it! Isn't that nice? M-maybe we'll see Ink again, and perhaps we'll meet some children, and you could... um..." she trailed off at the cutting look the boy sent her, then cleared her throat and squared her shoulders, trying to look in charge and calm. "A-anyway. Let's head on inside."
As they walked to the door to the library, the woman wished desperately that she'd been better prepared for this. Daemon had proved to be more of a handful than she'd thought; moody and dark, always glaring at her. And oh, the bursts of temper he'd had. She'd tried to introduce him to an alarm clock, and when it woke him up this morning, he'd thrown it against the wall, then stomped on the pieces. It had been rather frightening, especially the feral look on his face. While pushing open the door, she shot him another nervous look, and was dismayed to see the smooth as glass, bored, sleepy expression in his eyes. That meant he was on edge, and ready to strike out again.
The woman was yammering on again. Oh how he wished sometimes that she would just hold her wriggling tongue. At least now she would be quiet if he glared at her, which was a start. Grumpy, annoyed at being pulled out of the house and forced to socialize, he followed her into the library, feeling that chill seep through him, stemming from the jewel that he wore around his neck. That cold made him so very, very angry; angry enough that he wanted to hurt someone. He hoped they wouldn't meet anyone here today, that he could simply rest in silence and read a book.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 3:30 pm
Kuni had left Mariette in the library again, alone. It didn't bother her much, but she needed people around her more, and the library was usually completely empty... except for that librarian named 'Ink' who she truly believed had secret evil plans, no matter how much she was told that he was a nice guy.
Pouting as she walked slowly past the shelves, she brushed her fingers against the binding of the books. Mari could hear someone talking from outside.
The library door squeaked open, but she was too far away to see who it was. She hardly knew anyone yet. Only the other day she had gotten caught in that book accident, but she only got the name of one person. She didn't even know who had knocked her down.
Making her way down the aisles, Mari stumbled on a stray book sticking too far out from the shelf, her tiny crown slipped off of her head. The ping of it rolling across the floor echoed throughout the library. Biting her lip, she hoped no one noticed her clumsyness.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 3:58 pm
However, the crown kept rolling, and rolling... only to be stopped by thumping into the side of Daemon's foot. He blinked, trying to leash the surge of rage that welled within him, then looked down... and blinked. What was that thing? he wondered, bending down slightly to peer closely at it. Oh. It was a crown. He crouched and picked it up, turning it over in his hands and examining it, golden eyes hooded and sharp with intelligence, though his expression was still one of absolute boredom.
Cerri gave another nervous laugh as she saw the crown hit the boy; what was he going to do? "Oh dear! I'm sure it was just an accident! Don't get angry... Daemon?" she asked, realizing he wasn't listening to her or exploding in temper. Instead, he was examining the crown over as if it were about to spark a memory, something important that he'd forgotten on coming out of the book. "Daemon, we'd better find out who that belongs to, and give it back." she urged, then began to look around, trying to spot anyone.
"Hello? Did someone just lose a crown?" she called, her voice echoing through the place, carried to Mariette's ears.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:15 pm
"Hello? Did someone just lose a crown?"
Mariette heard a voice and frowned.
Obviously someone had discovered the crown, and her childish klutzyness had been noticed. She took pride in her grace, and when she did something clumsy, she became quite unhappy with herself. Her tiny hands and feet often caused her problems. Mari cursed her bloodline for giving her such a small, frail body.
Peeking through the holes between books, she observed the two people in the doorway. There was a boy and a girl... the boy seemed to be holding her crown in his hands, turing it over as he gazed at it.
"Excuse me," Mari stepped out from behind the shelves, placing her hand on her hip. "It seems as though I have lost my crown. You have seen it?" she spoke as though she was completely oblivious to the fact that it was cradled in the hands of the boy in front of her.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 5:17 pm
Stranger. Angrily, the boy stood and whirled to face in her in one fluid movement, catlike in his predatory grace. He clutched the crown tightly, unwilling to give it up - he'd been so close to remembering. So close! There was something about Queens, those females, that was so very important, and he wished with all his being that he could find the answer to the question of what that was. When the girl asked about the crown, he actually snarled at her, the expression finally cracking the bored look he wore so often, and brought the item to his chest. "No." he told her, a chilling cold in his voice. "Mine."
"Daemon!" Cerri gasped, appalled at his behavior. "You can't just keep it if it belongs to her! Think of how you'd feel if I took your pendant!" she squeaked at the vicious look he sent her at that, but held firm. "You give that back right now!" Then she looked to the girl, an apology written in her eyes and on her face.
"I'm sooo sorry. He... doesn't really know how to act around people. I'll get your crown back for you, I promise."
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 5:32 pm
"How dare you, you incompetent fool!" her rising voice echoed through the hollow library, slightly shaking some of the wobbling books. Mari was suddenly angered by the boy's rash actions. He could not take her crown. She'd... she'd smack him in the head if he resisted.
Mari ignored the woman's gentle apology. She seemed to be losing control over the boy and was unsure what to do with him. He needed to be put in his place. What a jerk! Who does he think he is, stealing my crown? That's the closest thing I have to me...
"Give me that back!" Mari reached over the boy's defensive shoulder, attempting to grab the crown from his hands. "What use could you possibly have with my crown? You don't plan to sell it, do you?!"
Mari scrambled to reach for her crown, her tiny hand finally wrapping around one of the extending pieces. Raising the other hand into the air, she prepared to smack him so hard, he'd regret ever leaving his storybook.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 5:48 pm
When she swung, however, she'd find herself coming into contact with a shield that was clear, but flared black where she came in to contact with it. There was a deadly quality to his eyes now, as he brought up his own hand, intent on doing some damage to this... this female who thought to challenge him. Something in him whispered that he'd destroyed better women than her, but he didn't remember anything of the sort, didn't know where the voice came from; he knew only that it was silky smooth and cold, and filled with a rumble of thunder. When he spoke, his own voice held an echo of that same sound, hinting at the depth it would have when he was a man. "No one touches me." he snarled, then gathered his strength from the black jewel about his neck, prepared to unleash a storm that would destroy her...
"Daemon! She's a Queen!" Cerri broke in, hysteria in her voice as she hoped desperately that this would work. "Warlord Princes are sworn to serve and protect!" he wouldn't remember the Blood Protocol in it's entirety, but oh how she hoped some brief flash of it would help leash his temper now, before he killed someone. "You hurt her and you'll never forgive yourself! You give her that crown now and you apologize!"
At that, something flickered in his eyes, and he slowly lowered his hand. Queen? This... loud, obnoxious girl was a Queen? He pondered that for a moment, struggling between two conflicting urges that he didn't understand. One wanted to hurt her more now that he knew; she was just like all the others - though what others, he had no idea. But another part of him wondered if maybe, just maybe, Cerri weren't right. Maybe he ought to yield. There was another moment of silent contemplation, and then he very grudgingly handed over the crown.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 6:23 pm
Breathing heavily from the struggle, Mariette grasped the crown from the boy's unforgiving hands and balanced it back in its rightful place on her head. Hate. She hated him. Mari was almost on the verge of tears. Not that she was a crybaby, but she was so angry at him that she could not help but cry. A strange feeling erupted inside her.
She wanted to kill him.
Like a lightning bolt suddenly striking her, she felt something she had never felt before, and it was horrible. It seemed to be a memory of something of the past. Could she really kill...?
"I don't need his apology, and I'm sure he wouldn't bother giving one. Just don't ever go near me, or my things, again." Mari spoke in a voice so caked with hate, she thought she'd kill him right then and there. Unfortunatly, she knew she couldn't for multiple reasons. One, there seemed to be something protecting him which she felt when she tried to hit him. Two, she was afraid it might corrupt her, and she would get use to killing for almost no reason. Three, her friend and family may not want her anymore.
Turning away from the scene, she covered her face in the shadows, the tears finally beginning to slowly drip down her red cheeks.
"Just stay away."
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 6:41 pm
The boy watched her go, no expression showing on his face. He'd seen what was in her eyes, seen that hatred, and somehow, now that he knew what she was, it bothered him. He didn't want a Queen to hate him. He pondered that a moment, then started forward. He shook his head at Cerri when she tried to follow, commanding her without words to wait.
He approached the girl silently, in a predatory glide - even when he wasn't hunting, he couldn't hide who he was. He stopped several feet away from her, something in his heart twisting as he realized he'd made her cry. He was silent several moments, and then, he began to speak.
"I'm... sorry." he started, the words unfamiliar and ungainly in his mouth. "The crown... Queens... it reminded me of something." he murmured, a frown marring his brow. "I was trying to find out what it was, and you startled me." This was the most he'd ever spoken at one time, and it was becoming a struggle for him. "I shouldn't have... have tried to take something of yours. Forgive me, Lady." he asked, not sure where the title had come from, but instinctively knowing it was right for someone of her rank. Even if she was a Queen without Jewels, she was still a Queen.
According to Cerri, anyway, and she hadn't lied yet.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 6:54 pm
Wiping her eyes, Mariette looked up at the boy with a solemn expression.
"What didn't you understand about 'stay away'...?" she spoke quietly, a much more hushed tone than the one she had used before. Stupid boy... she thought to herself, not in as much a hateful way, but a young, childish way.
"And my name's not 'Lady', it's Mariette." Sniffling quietly, she looked away again, engulfing her face in the warm light coming from behind her. Should she forgive him? Could she forgive him? It was hard, but she had to do something.
"I-I... accept your apology... I suppose." speaking without turning her head to look at him, Mari held her breath. Would he think she was weak for giving in so easily? Pathetic for getting so emotional over it? She had given him a bad first impression, and had recieved one in return.
"Oh... and, I don't really remember... I may be a queen, but I don't really recall anything about it..."
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 7:19 pm
"A male's first duty isn't to serve, it's to protect." Was his answer to her first question. That was why he hadn't obeyed her, he supposed, really. Maybe some would have thought it better to be obedient, but not Sadi. It was much better to try and soothe her hurt feelings, to try and get the rage out of her. If she needed to, he might even let her strike him.
Maybe.
"Your name might be Mariette, but Lady is what you are." he continued, shrugging. "All Queen's are. It's your title... even if you don't remember being one. Cerri may be a babbling fool, but she doesn't lie. You must be a Queen. That means..." There was something queer in his golden eyes, some indefineable emotion that he didn't even try to pin down. "That means that I'm supposed to protect and serve as your sword and shield. I shouldn't take your things and make you so angry that you cry." Because as easily as he could get angry enough to kill her, something told him that she could do the same with him. And, because he wasn't sure quite how the force inside of him worked, she might just be able to succeed.
Females were capable of a much sweeter savagery than a man, whispered that voice inside of him.
"So Lady... Mariette. How long have you been... well... alive?" he wondered aloud, trying to start a conversation, and going about it rather awkwardly. He really didn't know how to relate to people, it seemed, as he struggled to put aside his cold facade and reach out to her.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 7:39 pm
"You don't need to serve me at all. I'm sure there are plenty of other queens willing to take you in..." she smirked, finally showing the first sign of happiness since their meeting. "And I don't seem to act like much of a lady."
"Hmm... how long have I been alive? Lets see... about three days it seems... How about you? When did you get here?" Mariette had never really thought of it before. She had just appeared on this world, almost fallen in. Kuni had taken her under her wing and treated her as her own. Yet... not many had been too nice to her yet. Only three days and she'd been knocked down under a pile of books, and ow this boy had treated her so rudely, though he had begun to make up for it.
"By the way..., what it your name, Sir?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 7:52 pm
"I'm Daemon... Daemon Sadi." he answered a little reluctantly, as if his name were something to be ashamed of, or at least kept close to his chest. "I've been here a couple of weeks." He paused a moment, then gave her a tiny smile. "And who's to say how a Lady should act, except for the Lady herself? No one, that's who." There was another long pause, and then he shook his head again. "I have met no other Queens in this place. I think... where I used to be, there were many." A look of revulsion crossed his face as a flash of memory came back to him, and then his expression was smooth again, as if carved from wood.
"I don't think I liked serving any of them very well... but I would like to try serving you." he told her, shrugging a shoulder. "You don't seem too awful." He'd certainly talked more to her than he had anyone else in this miserable world. "And I like... that you stand up for yourself. Not many would do that when it came to me... I think. At least, that's what I remember. Somewhat."
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Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 6:25 am
"Daemon..." she mused, playing with the name. "It's a nice name." For some reason she actually did like the name. It was different than regular names like 'Adam' or 'Steve' that she had heard while in town.
"At least you can remember so much. I remember nothing. Not how I became a queen nor if I was a good one or not. I sure hope I was, but the one thing closest to a memory to me was..." Mariette didn't really want to say it. If she did, there was no possible way she could ever have been a good ruler.
"When I wanted to kill..." she whispered, looking down at the floor. Both of them were quite twisted children in their own strange way.
"You seem like you could be nice, but you also have a temper that may get in the way of learning things of your past." she concluded, hoping he wouldn't get annoyed by her remark on his temper.
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Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 7:55 am
"Some things I wish I didn't remember." he told her honestly. Those things were the flashes that came and went so quickly that he couldn't hang on to them. The ones that made him revile even the simplest touch, the ones that whispered at him that he was really nothing more than an animal in a man's skin. It was those flashes of memory that made him so cold, and so very angry. "Everything has a price." he whispered, not entirely sure what it meant or where the saying had come from, but absolutely sure that it was irrevocably true.
"And... I think everyone wants to kill sometimes." he told her, realizing that the thought distressed her. "At least you're honest about it. It's better than hiding from the thought and wishing it would go away. And..." he shrugged a shoulder; obviously the thought of killing didn't make too much of an impact on him at all. "Queens sometimes have to kill. So do the people who protect them. It's just the way things are. So don't worry about it too much, okay Lady?"
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