If my posts are coming a little slow, I really do apologize. I've been writing so much, but a lot of it gets scrapped and redone and still doesn't make it to the blog in good enough time. And trust me, the writing for me, it's constant. In class, after class, before class, before bed, when I'm sitting on my butt at home, yaddayaddayadda. I have such a small (probably add) attention span that my dad put some kind of 'net nanny' on my laptop to keep me from browsing the internet freely. Of course, I found a way around it, but I still really need to try and focus more on school (yea, right).... At least I'll make it seem like it. I don't really like school. I'm a pretty free ranging soul. But I'll need an education somewhere along the line - best get it done with sooner than later, I'd imagine...
So, here's to a late post. More will be coming, I promise you.
(Am I talking to air?)
....
(Maybe.)
Friday, March 30, 2012
Fae, Chapter Nine
Chapter Nine
“Reports from scouts have come in.” Damien said, over my shoulder. “Humans are closer than ever.”
I looked back at him, but my expression fell when I saw his concerned expression. “How close?”
“Four were spotted not far from the grounds, but they haven’t breached the barriers yet. The scout reported it before dawn broke.” Damien’s voice was impassive, but we shared the similar thoughts – it would only be a matter of time before they reached the barriers. Hopefully, the ancient seals would hold. I turned my body towards him patiently, but made no further moves. “Anything else?”
Damien nodded. “They’re preparing for the coronation.” Just as I’d expected, but no matter. I was calmer now, and more focused after the adventure of the morning. Damien had awoken to find me sitting there, staring at the sword in a meditative state. I’d already finished talking to it, but I’d continued to think there while the sword returned to a more dormant state. We’d gone to breakfast together, but had returned immediately following it. Damien had then went to answer a knock at my door while I stood on the balcony.
Now, we were faced with this situation.
I was wearing my fight clothing. I’d been focusing on each and every thought going through my head, and steadily I was realizing that I was getting less and less doubtful of my own abilities. Then this news sent my facade tumbling down. I took a hand and grasped at my throat where the stress suddenly had made it go tight.
Damien came and leaned against the stone barriers with me, our legs touching as we looked out over the grounds. I heard whinnies today, in the barns maintained by the Earth Fae on the grounds. I decided then, that I needed to walk around the castle. “I need to see how things are going,” my voice had supposed to have been firm. It cracked halfway through, but I’d already turned away from the beautiful scene.
The castle was being cleaned from ceiling to floor, corridor by corridor and room to room. So far, it was most of the way done. Karen, a Wind Fae, was scrubbing away at the bottom of a wall. “Don’t mind me,” I said as she started and bowed low. “Keep up the great work.”
She smiled gratefully and then got back to work. “Okay,” Damien said. “Let’s go.”
I walked briskly to the great hall, where I saw a few elders loitering regally by the almost empty breakfast tables. Aloriel was at a servant table, but she even from here I could see that she had been crying. I didn’t bother with an image as I ran over to her and put my hands on her shoulders.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her, looking at her face carefully while I waited for her answer. “They sent Galen out as a fresh scout,” she said quietly. “The humans are close – I know they are. What if he gets hurt?”
Her worry hit me hard, but I gripped her shoulders tight. “I promise you that no matter what he’ll come back alive for you, Aloriel. I promise that.” She looked up at me, her blue eyes pink with worry. She sniffed and nodded slowly. I couldn’t promise that he would come back unscathed, and she knew it. As friends, though, she accepted my promise, and for that, I was grateful.
I walked up to an Elder next. “How are the preparations going?” I asked. The grey haired Wind fae looked at me with a content smile. “They’re going well. We should be ready by tomorrow.”
I started. “Tomorrow?” I asked, but a knot had already formed in my stomach. She nodded. “Alright.” I said, then turned away. “Princess, you shouldn’t go around in such unfitting garb, it’s inappropriate for nobility.” I disregarded the comment. If I wanted to assure my own confidence, I couldn’t accept other’s opinions about my personal beliefs.
I walked out of the room and then ran to the front doors of the castle. The courtyard was a giant garden, decorated with fruit trees and giant flowering bushes. There was a returning scout dismounting a horse just inside the great archway, and I walked up to him with little notice of anyone else. “Scout, what have you to report?” I demanded, taking the reins of his horse. “More humans.” He looked out of breath. “An attack,” he groaned, and I realized that he was wounded in his shoulder. “And the farms on the outside of the border have been attacked. Another scout I was with stayed to help the people. I didn’t see what happened to him.”
My thoughts flashed immediately to Galen. Damien nodded to me as I looked at him, and called for a servant to help the scout. Then, I took off into the air towards the stables. It was always easier to ride the long distances than to fly.
I took my horse Stormstrider and saddled it quickly. In the back of my mind, I felt Firebird’s presence once more.
“You’re getting better already. I’m glad I’ve found a fast learner.”
I didn’t respond as I muttered into the horse’s ear. It ran at breakneck speed out of the barn and Damien’s horse Nighthawk followed quickly after. At the rate we were going at, we made it to the edge of the farm territories in a matter of an hour. There were humans everywhere. Dogs, too.
I didn’t stop as I drew Firebird, and then reared my horse to draw the human’s attention. “Over here, beasts!” I screamed, and it worked. The screams of the other injured Fae called to and drove me. I left three humans bleeding out on the ground before things got tricky. One human grabbed my leg as I whipped around to fight one on my horse’s flank. The horse was screaming as a dog snapped at it’s front legs. I got it to rear, but the human who’d grabbed my leg pulled me off in the next second.
The fall had caught me off-guard, but this time, I gave into Firebird’s power readily, and fire burned across the both of us as we cut our way out of two humans trying to pin me. My horse had fled some distance away, but now the dogs were focused on me. I stabbed one as it tried to bite my shoulder, and it went down with a sickening thud. The remaining humans looked confused, as if they suddenly realized their mistakes. One tried to flee, but Damien appeared in front of him, and the warrior began his own fountain of blood.
Damien’s moved were smoother than mine as he began flying across the ground, cutting and stabbing. I ran across to my horse and then began riding back. The flames on me had died, but my voice was Firebird’s as we screamed at them to flee if they didn’t wish to die like the true warriors they wished to be. Damien had left only four standing, and now, it was my job. I reared Stormstrider, and then charged them. When they ran, I halted, and then reversed course.
The farming community that had been attacked was ablaze. I quickly took the power from Firebird and summoned enough water to quench the flames that even the surviving Fae couldn’t with their buckets. The dead Fae were sickening to look upon, and as their princess, it was all the more devastating. “Galen!” I called, but no one appeared immediately. I dismounted and ran through the streets, thankful that no one seemed to notice that it was their princess, coated in blood, that was running past them.
Finally I came across someone in armor, holding a little girl in his arms. “Ga –” I choked off when Damien grasped my shoulder. Silenced, I knelt by him. The little girl was dead, and the soldier was shaking. “Tell me they’re dead.” The male voice was raging silently with anger, and when he looked up, I saw the bitterness in his eyes. “Most of them are. Three or four fled as cowards,” my voice was low. It was mine again, but I realized it was as comforting as what I’d once heard from my mother.
“I tried to help them,” he spoke more calmly this time. I put a hand on his shoulder, and then patted it.
“You tried your best.”
Galen’s azure eyes were cold as they looked up at mine.
“I failed.”
“There were many survivors. You did what you could.”
He shook his head and said no more. When I reached a hand to close the open eyes of the dead girl, I felt a tear flow down the side of my cheek. Damien stood behind Galen, silent as the grave. Nothing would fix this.
The castle was silent with the exception of a few running soldiers and servants that night, when I returned that night.
The night was pitch black, not even the stars glowed tonight. The coronation was in the morning, and it was probably the only hope for this kingdom now.
“Rebirth.”
Why Firebird did this, I didn’t know. I ignored it as I left Stormstrider with stable hand, but ignored his look of shock at my blood soaked and torn clothing. Galen rode back with Damien, and I heard the two of them dismount behind me. Galen hadn’t spoken since we’d left the village. Aloriel sat, fast asleep, against the side of a doorway. Silently, Galen walked over to her.
I didn’t watch the reunion. Instead, I made my way quickly to my rooms. I knew a small room off of my quarters was already prepared with heated water and a tub to wash in.
I stripped the bloodied clothes of roughly, and washed myself thoroughly before returning to my bed chamber. Damien was there, clean already and changed when I finally turned around, dressed in a plain white nightgown. My long dark hair looked black now that it was damp, but the waves that it had always melted into gleamed in the light. “I must admit, you look the most beautiful when you’re not even trying,” his voice was low, and his perfect lips were curled on one side ever so slightly. Given the events of the day, I wondered why he was in such a mood. “Damien, I hardly think–,” I started to say, but he cut me off.
“Princess, don’t deny it.”
I blushed, and turned towards my clothes chest. I knew I would be wearing one of my mothers dresses again. They had always been finer than mine, and so I dug into the chest to hide my face from him.
I didn’t find what I was looking for in the chest. “Servants already took the dress you’re searching for. They’ve been ordered to prepare it more fully for tomorrow’s events,” his voice was still that low, warm purr it had been moments before, but now it began to lure me in. I stood and looked at him.
“Damien, not now.”
My wet hair fell over my shoulder when I slumped onto the bed in exhaustion. The covers didn’t call me to them. Haunting images filled my head, the events of today etched permanently into my psyche. “Where are Aloriel and Galen?” I asked, placing Firebird gently on my lap. An sudden urge for revenge filled me, and I gripped the sword tight as the muscles in my arms stood out.
“Stop it!” I thought at the sword in a rage. There was silence, as if the sword was waking up. “What did I do?” It asked, as if surprised.
The silence that fell in my own mind as I realized it had been my own anger that had flared filled and chilled me to the bone. I knew now that I had the strength to lead, and the passion, but I would now have to control my anger. Much like my father before me, I would still have much to learn if I wanted to save my people from what my own brother had caused. “Mira?” The gentle voice came from Damien, as he knelt in front of me. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I said. It was true – I wasn’t injured, I wasn’t ill. But inside my mind was numb, my fingers warm from holding Firebird. Damien brushed strands of hair from my face, and then kissed me before leaving. Apparently, I was going to be alone tonight.
“Reports from scouts have come in.” Damien said, over my shoulder. “Humans are closer than ever.”
I looked back at him, but my expression fell when I saw his concerned expression. “How close?”
“Four were spotted not far from the grounds, but they haven’t breached the barriers yet. The scout reported it before dawn broke.” Damien’s voice was impassive, but we shared the similar thoughts – it would only be a matter of time before they reached the barriers. Hopefully, the ancient seals would hold. I turned my body towards him patiently, but made no further moves. “Anything else?”
Damien nodded. “They’re preparing for the coronation.” Just as I’d expected, but no matter. I was calmer now, and more focused after the adventure of the morning. Damien had awoken to find me sitting there, staring at the sword in a meditative state. I’d already finished talking to it, but I’d continued to think there while the sword returned to a more dormant state. We’d gone to breakfast together, but had returned immediately following it. Damien had then went to answer a knock at my door while I stood on the balcony.
Now, we were faced with this situation.
I was wearing my fight clothing. I’d been focusing on each and every thought going through my head, and steadily I was realizing that I was getting less and less doubtful of my own abilities. Then this news sent my facade tumbling down. I took a hand and grasped at my throat where the stress suddenly had made it go tight.
Damien came and leaned against the stone barriers with me, our legs touching as we looked out over the grounds. I heard whinnies today, in the barns maintained by the Earth Fae on the grounds. I decided then, that I needed to walk around the castle. “I need to see how things are going,” my voice had supposed to have been firm. It cracked halfway through, but I’d already turned away from the beautiful scene.
The castle was being cleaned from ceiling to floor, corridor by corridor and room to room. So far, it was most of the way done. Karen, a Wind Fae, was scrubbing away at the bottom of a wall. “Don’t mind me,” I said as she started and bowed low. “Keep up the great work.”
She smiled gratefully and then got back to work. “Okay,” Damien said. “Let’s go.”
I walked briskly to the great hall, where I saw a few elders loitering regally by the almost empty breakfast tables. Aloriel was at a servant table, but she even from here I could see that she had been crying. I didn’t bother with an image as I ran over to her and put my hands on her shoulders.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her, looking at her face carefully while I waited for her answer. “They sent Galen out as a fresh scout,” she said quietly. “The humans are close – I know they are. What if he gets hurt?”
Her worry hit me hard, but I gripped her shoulders tight. “I promise you that no matter what he’ll come back alive for you, Aloriel. I promise that.” She looked up at me, her blue eyes pink with worry. She sniffed and nodded slowly. I couldn’t promise that he would come back unscathed, and she knew it. As friends, though, she accepted my promise, and for that, I was grateful.
I walked up to an Elder next. “How are the preparations going?” I asked. The grey haired Wind fae looked at me with a content smile. “They’re going well. We should be ready by tomorrow.”
I started. “Tomorrow?” I asked, but a knot had already formed in my stomach. She nodded. “Alright.” I said, then turned away. “Princess, you shouldn’t go around in such unfitting garb, it’s inappropriate for nobility.” I disregarded the comment. If I wanted to assure my own confidence, I couldn’t accept other’s opinions about my personal beliefs.
I walked out of the room and then ran to the front doors of the castle. The courtyard was a giant garden, decorated with fruit trees and giant flowering bushes. There was a returning scout dismounting a horse just inside the great archway, and I walked up to him with little notice of anyone else. “Scout, what have you to report?” I demanded, taking the reins of his horse. “More humans.” He looked out of breath. “An attack,” he groaned, and I realized that he was wounded in his shoulder. “And the farms on the outside of the border have been attacked. Another scout I was with stayed to help the people. I didn’t see what happened to him.”
My thoughts flashed immediately to Galen. Damien nodded to me as I looked at him, and called for a servant to help the scout. Then, I took off into the air towards the stables. It was always easier to ride the long distances than to fly.
I took my horse Stormstrider and saddled it quickly. In the back of my mind, I felt Firebird’s presence once more.
“You’re getting better already. I’m glad I’ve found a fast learner.”
I didn’t respond as I muttered into the horse’s ear. It ran at breakneck speed out of the barn and Damien’s horse Nighthawk followed quickly after. At the rate we were going at, we made it to the edge of the farm territories in a matter of an hour. There were humans everywhere. Dogs, too.
I didn’t stop as I drew Firebird, and then reared my horse to draw the human’s attention. “Over here, beasts!” I screamed, and it worked. The screams of the other injured Fae called to and drove me. I left three humans bleeding out on the ground before things got tricky. One human grabbed my leg as I whipped around to fight one on my horse’s flank. The horse was screaming as a dog snapped at it’s front legs. I got it to rear, but the human who’d grabbed my leg pulled me off in the next second.
The fall had caught me off-guard, but this time, I gave into Firebird’s power readily, and fire burned across the both of us as we cut our way out of two humans trying to pin me. My horse had fled some distance away, but now the dogs were focused on me. I stabbed one as it tried to bite my shoulder, and it went down with a sickening thud. The remaining humans looked confused, as if they suddenly realized their mistakes. One tried to flee, but Damien appeared in front of him, and the warrior began his own fountain of blood.
Damien’s moved were smoother than mine as he began flying across the ground, cutting and stabbing. I ran across to my horse and then began riding back. The flames on me had died, but my voice was Firebird’s as we screamed at them to flee if they didn’t wish to die like the true warriors they wished to be. Damien had left only four standing, and now, it was my job. I reared Stormstrider, and then charged them. When they ran, I halted, and then reversed course.
The farming community that had been attacked was ablaze. I quickly took the power from Firebird and summoned enough water to quench the flames that even the surviving Fae couldn’t with their buckets. The dead Fae were sickening to look upon, and as their princess, it was all the more devastating. “Galen!” I called, but no one appeared immediately. I dismounted and ran through the streets, thankful that no one seemed to notice that it was their princess, coated in blood, that was running past them.
Finally I came across someone in armor, holding a little girl in his arms. “Ga –” I choked off when Damien grasped my shoulder. Silenced, I knelt by him. The little girl was dead, and the soldier was shaking. “Tell me they’re dead.” The male voice was raging silently with anger, and when he looked up, I saw the bitterness in his eyes. “Most of them are. Three or four fled as cowards,” my voice was low. It was mine again, but I realized it was as comforting as what I’d once heard from my mother.
“I tried to help them,” he spoke more calmly this time. I put a hand on his shoulder, and then patted it.
“You tried your best.”
Galen’s azure eyes were cold as they looked up at mine.
“I failed.”
“There were many survivors. You did what you could.”
He shook his head and said no more. When I reached a hand to close the open eyes of the dead girl, I felt a tear flow down the side of my cheek. Damien stood behind Galen, silent as the grave. Nothing would fix this.
The castle was silent with the exception of a few running soldiers and servants that night, when I returned that night.
The night was pitch black, not even the stars glowed tonight. The coronation was in the morning, and it was probably the only hope for this kingdom now.
“Rebirth.”
Why Firebird did this, I didn’t know. I ignored it as I left Stormstrider with stable hand, but ignored his look of shock at my blood soaked and torn clothing. Galen rode back with Damien, and I heard the two of them dismount behind me. Galen hadn’t spoken since we’d left the village. Aloriel sat, fast asleep, against the side of a doorway. Silently, Galen walked over to her.
I didn’t watch the reunion. Instead, I made my way quickly to my rooms. I knew a small room off of my quarters was already prepared with heated water and a tub to wash in.
I stripped the bloodied clothes of roughly, and washed myself thoroughly before returning to my bed chamber. Damien was there, clean already and changed when I finally turned around, dressed in a plain white nightgown. My long dark hair looked black now that it was damp, but the waves that it had always melted into gleamed in the light. “I must admit, you look the most beautiful when you’re not even trying,” his voice was low, and his perfect lips were curled on one side ever so slightly. Given the events of the day, I wondered why he was in such a mood. “Damien, I hardly think–,” I started to say, but he cut me off.
“Princess, don’t deny it.”
I blushed, and turned towards my clothes chest. I knew I would be wearing one of my mothers dresses again. They had always been finer than mine, and so I dug into the chest to hide my face from him.
I didn’t find what I was looking for in the chest. “Servants already took the dress you’re searching for. They’ve been ordered to prepare it more fully for tomorrow’s events,” his voice was still that low, warm purr it had been moments before, but now it began to lure me in. I stood and looked at him.
“Damien, not now.”
My wet hair fell over my shoulder when I slumped onto the bed in exhaustion. The covers didn’t call me to them. Haunting images filled my head, the events of today etched permanently into my psyche. “Where are Aloriel and Galen?” I asked, placing Firebird gently on my lap. An sudden urge for revenge filled me, and I gripped the sword tight as the muscles in my arms stood out.
“Stop it!” I thought at the sword in a rage. There was silence, as if the sword was waking up. “What did I do?” It asked, as if surprised.
The silence that fell in my own mind as I realized it had been my own anger that had flared filled and chilled me to the bone. I knew now that I had the strength to lead, and the passion, but I would now have to control my anger. Much like my father before me, I would still have much to learn if I wanted to save my people from what my own brother had caused. “Mira?” The gentle voice came from Damien, as he knelt in front of me. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I said. It was true – I wasn’t injured, I wasn’t ill. But inside my mind was numb, my fingers warm from holding Firebird. Damien brushed strands of hair from my face, and then kissed me before leaving. Apparently, I was going to be alone tonight.
Friday, March 16, 2012
New Story
Going off the theme of 'being careful what you wish for,' I think I want to read a story that plays off the theme of vampires and a girl's dream of getting away from her life. Escapism, as my father called it so long ago. Everyone loves vampires, right? Well, a fair amount of people do now. And everyone just goes mushy!
But vampires are still killers. They're one of many human interpretations of humanizing what goes bump in the night. So why do people turn them into something, not just sexual, but good? Seriously --- the Cullens? No. They are vampires. They aren't goody goody. Even Stephanie Meyer's Volturi were still relatively clean cut. Okay, they were bloodthirsty asses. (Had to say it!) But they still weren't vampires in the classic sense. Classic being: bloodthirsty, cursed, light-sensitive and deadly. Not to mention, evil. Yea, Evil.
Bleh. So I'm going to write something new. It'll probably be short. But it'll be. :)
But vampires are still killers. They're one of many human interpretations of humanizing what goes bump in the night. So why do people turn them into something, not just sexual, but good? Seriously --- the Cullens? No. They are vampires. They aren't goody goody. Even Stephanie Meyer's Volturi were still relatively clean cut. Okay, they were bloodthirsty asses. (Had to say it!) But they still weren't vampires in the classic sense. Classic being: bloodthirsty, cursed, light-sensitive and deadly. Not to mention, evil. Yea, Evil.
Bleh. So I'm going to write something new. It'll probably be short. But it'll be. :)
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