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Cwen Eugenia Faline d'Aguillon

Cwen stood at the window, appreciating the sunrise. She wanted to go outside and feel it warm her skin, but she could not risk it. Returning to her easel she analysed the half-realised scene that started the revolution in Ravenheart: Jaime Katherine Knight, standing proud, proclaiming Jean-Pierre as her mate. A rueful smile carved into Cwen’s face. Pretty and brave for a human. The sunlight crashed into the room as the sun finally broke over horizon. She smiled as it illuminated everything in a warm glow. The happiness was short lived though, as the sun reminded her of her parents. One day she would return to her birth land and reunite with them.

She could hear her human servants scuttle downstairs. They were not safe, but they were her slaves and that allowed them a small amount of security. As long as they stay inside the villa, Cwen thought.

She moved towards a cooled cabinet and took a blood vile. After emptying the contents into her mouth she sat down. There was only one description for Ravenheart and it was chaos. I did not want to stay behind. I could have been home by now. Her thoughts turned to the king. Surely his son’s actions should have sparked some distant memory of equality and love. I need to find a way into the exclusive circle around the king and his trusted “friends”.

Ambition and tradition ruled here. It would not be easy to change Ravenheart and Cwen feared that this revolution might have been thrust upon the city too soon. She thought of François and his sacrifice. Surely an honourable man like him would not have died for an unworthy cause.

Her eyes darted back to the painting. I will try and buy them the time they need. I just do not know how successful my attempts will be. She smoothed her hair back and sighed. This is not going to be easy, but then life never is. Leaving one window open of the bay window she undressed. When she finished bathing and stood dressed in a thigh-length nightgown she relished the sun on her skin for a last time. She turned from the light reluctantly and settled into her canopy bed, closing the thick velvet curtains around her.

Cwen gently left the calm dream she had been enjoying and opened her eyes. At first she thought herself alone in the room, but she could feel the presence of another energy. Slowly scanning the golden wall paper of her room, her eyes settled on the big white moth perched on the wall near the open window. She sat up in bed noticing that the curtains next to her had been pulled back. I remember closing them. She was momentarily confused then returned her attention to the moth. “Eyvør?”

The moth stirred in recognition. “I am so glad that you are safe. You had me worried. I thought that you might have perished in the revolt.” Cwen climbed out of the bed, leaving the deep crimson covers dishevelled. She smoothed her hair back and walked to the screen that cornered off her bath. The white marble was filled with steaming water and a nice aroma seeped from the steam. She took the silk robe that was strewn on the chaise and covered her.

“I have an objective for you. I need you to find out who the main players are in this whole mess, whether they like humans or not. Please find them as soon as you can, but remember, if you are in danger find safety before coming back to me. I know I do not have to stress the importance of staying unnoticed to you, but be careful.” Cwen pushed her fingers to her right temple and sighed, “We will help here as well as we can, but we should not fool ourselves about how dangerous this objective is going to become. Go now and may luck be with you.”

Cwen turned and went for the bath. Yes. That will calm my frayed nerves. She undressed slowly and sunk into the water. It felt lovely against her skin. “This is a big mess,” she spoke it in a soft whisper; before sinking under the water.

Cwen reluctantly immerged form the bath, droplets ran down her legs and she glistened in the moonlight. Tapping her dry, she wondered what the humans of her household were doing. With the towel wrapped around her body she walked to her armoire. She selected a midnight plum dress, which was plain, but elegant. The candles in the room were lit, submerging it in a beautiful golden glow, emanating warmth. She could not sleep in a room that also conformed to this city’s blackness. While towelling her hair dry she stared out of her bedroom window. The city has awoken and the game begins.

A sudden hunger contorted her stomach. She could feel an itching rasp in the back of her throat. Cwen opened the cooled cabinet and retrieved four blood vials. She emptied them methodically and placed them on a silver tray near the door. Merrill will be cleaning her room shortly so there was no urgency in getting the vials taken away. Feeling more at ease she walked to hidden door in the south wall of her room. Marble steps led down into a dark room that would chill a human to the bone. The freezing temperature did not bother Cwen as she took a candle from her room and lit all the candles on her path into her secret room. Illuminated, one could finally appreciate all the weapons neatly arranged in the room. Apart from many others; there was a longbow, spear, long sword and various daggers.

Cwen walked to a glass case that held two fae blades. They were from a strong alloy, unknown to Cwen; it was a gift from her father. She opened the case and took the blades in each hand. They felt familiar, like an extension of her body. Even though she was skilled in all the weapons in the room the fae blades were her weapon of choice. They demanded a wielder of great skill and precision; and above all, one that was deadly fast. She replaced them after much admiration then put out the candles and moved back to her room.

I wonder how the garden looks like tonight. Her first stop when leaving her room was the music room. She found one of her male slaves there and asked him to bring the cello to the garden. The garden was one of the villa’s masterpieces. Various nocturnal flowers were blooming or in full bloom. The pond had a luminous moon of its own and the white marble benches had a pearl glow that gave the whole picture an ethereal beauty. She moved over a small bridge to seat herself under an intricately designed canopy. The cello was brought to her and Cwen enjoyed filling the tranquil garden with a deep and enchanting melody.

The garden stirred wondrously in her presence. All the flowers were in full bloom and filled the garden with strong aromas. There were yellow Evening Primroses, Night Bloom water lilies, Moon flowers, Night Gladioli, Brahma Kamal flowers, Casablanca lilies, Nottingham Catchflies and Dragon Fruit flowers. Cwen stood shortly after the soft notes died in the silence of the night and motioned for the cello to be returned. She felt restless and paced a bit then decided to take a trip into the forest. Perhaps Eyvør would be willing give me a few moments of conversation.

“I know I did not notify you about the visit, but I needed to move beyond the walls of my estate.” Cwen touched Eyvør’s cheek lightly then proceeded to walk to enormous oak that dominated this part of the forest. She was still enchanted by its presence, wondering how far its roots reached in the forest. She stopped and touched the trunk. It was hard and dry beneath her fingers and the touch filled her with peace and strength.

Breathing in deep she waited for Eyvør to be the first to move back to her home. The air was fresh and Cwen admired the beauty of the moon. Aside from her estate it was when she was here in the forest, so close to nature that she felt at home. The delicious aroma of crushed apple filled the air. “Are you going to bake?”

The idea of eating human food did not appeal to Cwen, but that did not mean she could not appreciate how it smelled. She wondered sometimes how it would taste again. A small pang of pain convulsed around her heart, pulling the corners of her mouth down, but she smothered the feeling and regained her composure.

Vadimas Agrona paced the halls, annoyed he'd been summoned from his realm by an immortal. An immortal who didn't even have the manners to see him right away. As the minutes ticked by, Vadimas began to lose his temper, lashing out at anyone who happened by. Eventually, a side door opened from which a small man beckoned to him.

Upon entering the chamber, he noticed that all the fine furnishings, all the lines of the room, and even the windows somehow directed the attention to a grand throne, and in consequence, the man sitting upon it. Still in a foul mood, Vadimas chose to examine his long nails rather than the ill-mannered king.

"I have a job for you." Vadimas said nothing and moved on to examining the criss-cross of dark veins showing through his unnaturally pale skin. "Too long we have remained in our kingdom, too long have we remained shut-in. Now that our dear prince has fled with his mortal pet, we are finally free to expand our reach. You will be my eyes and ears. You will go forth and spread my will, seek out those of sizable talents. Call upon me and I will send my soldiers to capture and... persuade them." He could almost feel the cruel smile twisting on the royal's lips. He looked up and saw it exactly as he imagined. These fools always thought they were evil. They didn't know what evil was. Vadimas didn't have to pull a face to make the king falter in his demeanor, uneasy and questioning what he'd done.

He let a small portion of his power snake through the room, curling like smoke, pulling at the king, promising pain. "You didn't say please," he said softly. "Demon Vadimas Agrona, I charge thee with this task," the king shrieked, his voice breaking slightly with panic. Vadimas flinched as the invisible bonds fell upon him, heavy and unyielding. "You are dismissed."

With a snarl, Vadimas turned on his heel and vanished from the spot. He vowed to break from his bonds and eat the king's heart.

* * *

It wasn't long before he reached the forest that stood between the main of the kingdom and the outer walls. He was annoyed, having seen no one but common villagers and the random cluster of soldiers. Turing away from the road, he flashed through the woods, deeper and deeper until a flicker of movement caught his eye. "Two young girls, all alone," he murmured to himself in melodious tones. "One with the stench of mortality, one with the crisp glow of the Sun Walkers." His heart burned with hatred and hunger to see one of her kind again. With all the silence of a shadow, he melted into the forest and kept pace with them at a distance. Beautiful, to be sure, and certainly more than they seem... He smiled an evil smile. Just the thing to brighten my spirits.

Eyvør mumbled something that sounded like "nails of shadows" and "smells like society." She stayed behind Cwen for a while, squashed against the tree rather uncomfortably. Her forehead rested against Cwen's back as if to show affection.
Finally, she spoke up in a rich unknown accent, "Nature has rule: harm not it; it harm not you." She frowned, frustrated - it sounded a lot better in her head. Being isolated from civilization had its setbacks, but she got by with the bare necessities. She laid a hand on Cwen's shoulder, her ridiculously long nails curling over her frame, and whispered into her silver hair, "Ne maman. Safe." Even though she was not quite sure herself, she knew that if they were so securely guarded, they would never find out. There was an evil, but the evil did necessarily target them, nor would it be helpful to mankind to protect only oneself from the evil.
Cautious, we should be, and wary, but not closed for new experience that might allow us to help and save.

((OOC: Sorry for the lame post. I'm caught up in the world of Jamie at the moment hehe))

Vadimas melted into the shadows once more, curling like smoke along the ground and forming to the trees as the two females turned back. Anyone looking on would assume him merely part of the shadows, and he was grateful for this ability; the Sun Walker seemed to be aware of his presence. He heard her mention something about a palace auction and reached his mental connection out like a web through Ravenheart. Ah, yes. The fallen Prince. It was then that Vadimas pulled his net over the du Bouvier palace and found something curious within - a violin the Prince had enchanted in secret; it had belonged to his mate. The King would no doubt find it before the auction. If he found it was more than it seemed - which wasn't hard to sense - he would surely take it for his own. The desire to strike out at the King reared it's head once more. He made up his mind to abscond with it. Looking down at the pair once more, he realized just how he would do it. With a deep and quiet chuckle, Vadimas shot ahead through the trees, letting his essence taste each one until he found the one that belonged to the mortal.

There he stood in his physical form, just out of sight in the shadows of the surrounding trees, waiting.