| |
Darkseeker
|
Before he could utter a mild warning to the mage, Caoilfhionn’s hands were meeting the broad planes of Bhaskari’s head. He expected the horse to fling his head back in avoidance of the touch he was being subjected to, as the stallion was not the biggest enjoyer of unfamiliar people. Yet, to his surprise, his steed huffed out a soft noise and even dipped his skull to obtain more of the affection being placed upon him. For a moment, Faelin stood there, watching the mage and his horse, their forms bathed in misty morning light. It was a rather pretty picture, if it wasn’t for the identity of the person involved. Coming out of his observing state, Faelin hooked his leg over the beast and situated himself into the saddle. It was plush, well made and expensive. That didn’t help the fact there was little room for two upon it. He did not trust this mage to not fling himself from the horse mid-journey. So, Faelin bent down and encircled his hands around Caoilfhionn and hoisted him up into the air. Then, he placed him in front of him as gently as he could manage in order not to further damage the goods he had been commanded to collect. Around them, his men did not spare them a second glance, this was ordinary to them. They were used to capturing sentient creatures and hauling them back for their masters, it was nothing more than their usual job. Perhaps a mite more difficult than others, but there were always those that posed a little more trouble than they were worth. Faelin knew that nothing played on their minds apart from returning home to their families, to return with their hard earned money. Faelin had no such family to return to. Well, perhaps one member. The trail was well demarcated, leaving the caravan of horses to tread steadily along it. No stones or divots to disturb their stride, Faelin kept one hand gripping the horn of the saddle, causing his arm to push into Caoilfhionn’s form and remain there. His other hand rested firmly on his thigh, prepared to grab at their captive if he attempted anything. His fingers drummed on the thick pants, creating no noise but it did aid in relieving some of the tension from his bones. He did not particularly want to have a lengthy audience with the royal family, but he knew it was inbound and there was nothing he could do about it. The sky had become shrouded in moonlight long before they approached the estate’s walls. Caoilfhionn had become slack long before even that, his weight shifting against Faelin and remaining in place. The man did nothing to disturb him, instead he kept Bhaskari walking along the now cobbled path. They passed through the gates with ease, not a word uttered as the wall guards recognised their superior and graciously granted him access. There were sprawling fields, woodland, hillocks and waterways. It was a snippet of the world outside but in the centre lay a foreboding grey visage. With turrets, towers and flaming scions on top. It was King Herald’s castle, where many people, many creatures resided. Surrounding the castle for the most part were crooked buildings for as far as the eye could see, yet on one far outcrop of the lowest castle walls, there was nothing. A simple iron gate that opened into the grassland that swayed before a towering collection of forest. Faelin’s eyes were carried towards the trees, watching the way the leaves shifted in the wind of the night. His distraction was short lived as he felt movement in front of himself and his eyes darted down to lock onto his captive. The hand on his thigh twitched, preparing to crush down on Caoilfhionn’s arm if he tried to bolt once he got a look at where he was. But he didn’t, he spoke instead, appearing more irritated and nauseated than anything else. “There is no magic in our kingdom. You are perceiving things which are not there.” Faelin’s voice was hoarse, not only from disuse but from the dregs of poison that still travelled through his bloodstream. His skin as pale as you could become before becoming a corpse, slick with that sheen of sweat that plastered his hair to his forehead. The tiniest of trembles remained in his muscles, but he was fighting to keep them hidden from prying eyes as they approached a small wooden post. His men moved to tie up their own horses and began offloading their belongings and passing them onto other humans, they were castle servants and they worked around the clock. Faelin moved his hand from his thigh to grip Caoilfhionn’s shoulder at the curve of his nape, a firm gesture meant to indicate for him to stay put. As he descended from Bhaskari, the chain that linked him to the mage let out a melodic sounding chime as it brushed against itself and the golden fixtures of the horse’s tack. Faelin’s feet met the ground with a heavy thump, a short grunt of discomfort from the man himself and then he was reaching up to collect his quarry from the saddle. “You will be taken to be cleansed. Then you will go before the King and he shall decide your fate, mage.” Faelin kept his tone as disgustingly monotone as usual, no inflection to give away his true feelings on the matter of the cruel work he was participating in. “They will be nice people,” He added after a moment, casting his eyes down from where they had been looking at the castle to peer into Caoilfhionn’s own eyes. “The people that cleanse you.” He explained further. “They will be kind to you.” As the last word left his lips, a middle-aged woman dressed in a dull dress approached with an open palm. A palm that Faelin dropped his end of the chain into, encircling it around the woman’s wrist where the metal melted into itself and conjoined the two other people. “Its name is Caoilfhionn. It needs to be prepared and ready for presentation for the dawn debrief, I trust that you are able to do this?” He spoke now to the woman, his tone far softer than it had been with Caoilfhionn even as he stripped the mage of all respect with his chosen pronoun. The woman nodded her head and turned to Caoilfhionn, with that Faelin moved on. Turning his back to the pair and striding towards the open doors and vanishing into the shadows of the castle to curl up in his own quarters. |
|  |
|
| |
Lightbringer
|
This man had to be lying. Caoilfhionn wasn't stupid or dumb, and his magic sense was never wrong. Either this guard was ignorant of the magic or he was just saving face for the Kingb. Either way he didn't like that his words were being dismissed, and he didn't like that he was being thrown into a situation like this unprepared and uninformed . The stone walls were imposing as was the iron gate, he had to force down his instincts that were telling him to run - he hated this. Being so compliant with his capture , but he knew that acting out wouldn't do anything for him. He had blinked owlishly when his captor helped him down from the horse. He didn't like the looks he got, some were curious and interested - nothing to be worried about, but some were scathing and hateful, as if they hated his existence. But some were rather lewd, looking at him as if he was some exotic creature rather than a person . He found himself unconsciously pressed to the side of his captor. He didn't care how pathetic it looked, the taller man was stronger and would deter anyone with ill intentions. And surprisingly , his captor decided to speak to him. His voice was hoarse, like it hurt to talk - good, at least he was still in pain. He deserved it for what he was being put through. He frowned at the way the man spoke, monotone as if he wanted to detach himself from the situation. Could it be he felt , guilty? Who cared, he blinked as he was told he would be presented to the King. He just remained silent in the explanation and nodded his head slightly in acknowledgment. He then looked at the older woman he was being given to, a scowl on his face as he was referred to as an it. He nearly bit the man in retaliation but he was gone as quickly as he came . And he was left with the servants , who eyed him cautiously. They led him to a rather luxurious bathing room, and the hot steam of the bath was rather inviting. And he found himself looking at the water. The door behind them was closed by the older woman who rolled up her sleeves. "Strip, sweetheart. Let's see what we're working with." the woman asked him kindly, and she didn't make a move to forcibly remove his clothing . He cautiously removed his shirt and trousers and underclothes, until he was bare as the day he was born. It was embarrassing and humiliating, and he felt the heat rise to his face as he reddened in embarrassment. He had the decency to cover his exposed parts - he was sure the older woman had seen it all, but she was still a lady and it was rather disrespectful to her . He saw her eye his chest with a slight surprise , but then it changed into something softer and then completely disappeared. "Get in the bath," the woman commanded after appraising him with sharp eyes, and he complied silently , the warm water feeling nice on his skin. "Has your hair been washed recently ? " she asked as she gently took in his long hair in her hands , it probably still had mud and dirt stains from his night on the forest floor and whatever was in the alley. " It was clean, but I'm pretty sure it's filthy after the day I've had . " he muttered as he drew his knees to his chest . The woman only hummed in response, as she used a bucket of warm water on his hair, and began massaging his scalp with soap and he could smell the faint scent of ash wood, lavender and rosemary as she worked it through his hair and constantly rinsed it. Soon his hair was clean to her approval and she combed it throughly before braiding it and wrapping it around his head and then using a warm towel, wrapped it elegantly around his head to keep it in place . She then got him out the bath and refreshed the water . He was then placed in scented rose water with just the slightest hint of jasmine and sage , and she gently rinsed the water over his body and then used Olive oil soap against his body, gently cleansing him with a dutiful nature . After washing him, she placed a perfumed bomb in the water, the floral scent hitting his nose as she let him soak in the scent . While he sat, she trimmed his nails neatly - not knocking down the length but making them more elegant and cleaning the dirt from under them. And she placed a simple clear coat on them , and she took his hands and examined them until she was satisfied . Now that his cleaning was done , she guided him from the bath and wrapped him in a fluffy towel and to the room where some clothing was on the bed along with fine jewelry. He looked at the outfit and he had to admit it was rather beautiful to look at . "Go ahead and get dressed, I'll fix what needs to be adjusted . " the woman helping him said as she gathered what appeared to be makeup and organize it at the vanity. He put on the silken underwear provided , and then the leather pants with the velvet inside lining. The pants were a dark black, almost reminding one of the void of space with how dark they were . He then placed on the silken frilled blouse and tucked it in neatly . And he looked at the mirror and could see how his silhouette looked in the mirror. The woman came and dusted his shoulders and placed a laced jabot with a beautiful red stone in the center . She then helped him with the corset, it was a deep red corset with golden stitching that was in the form of flowers and branches . The woman tightened the golden laces that were on his back . And then for the final touch he put on a pair of polished black leather boots that were heeled. "To the vanity , please, so I can finish up your makeup and hair . " the older woman spoke and the young mage made his way over to the vanity , and he sat down in the chair . She then gently took his chin to access his face and hummed slightly . "Not much work for me to do, you already have a rather pretty face . " the woman hummed softly. She made quick work of his face, plucking his thick brows into neat arches and removing any signs of facial hair on his face ( even though there barely was any ) . She then used a fine comb to extend his lashes , she mourned the fact that she couldn't use any mascara , already having the lampback and elderberry juice to make it, but it would ruin his pale lashes . She applied the faintest amount of rouge to his cheeks, and then painted his lips a deep shade of crimson with lipstick. She then adorned his ears with golden earrings that had sparkling diamonds dangling from them . Once his face was done, she finally removed the towel that was still suspiciously warm , if the steam from it wasn't a clear sign as she gingerly unwrapped it from his head. And he found that his hair was completely dry . And he realized , the towel must've had some sort of heat charm on it to function that way . She then unbraided the braid and combed out his hair again, it coming down in curly silken waves and she looked like she was contemplating what to do with such hair . She then began braiding portions of his hair, almost like intricate basket weave braid and she finished the portion and tied it off with a ribbon. And she adorned the braid with golden jewels and adornments and a slight golden dust around his head . When she was done, she looked rather satisfied with her work . "Alright, you are done . No one will be able to take their eyes off you when they see you." She says as she adds the final touch of fresh roses to his hair . She led him to the door where his captor was waiting for him and she smiled , obviously proud of the transformation she had done on him. After giving the leash back to the man, she then went about her work . Caoilfhionn stood awkwardly before his captor, not sure about his appearance. "Isn't this a bit much ? For someone who's supposed to be a prisoner ?" He murmured , inclined to touch his hair but he stopped himself short . And frowned slightly, earnestly trying to see the use in this . But then the two started walking down a hallway, and then they finally made it to their destination if appears . The Throne Room . . . And imposingly sitting on the throne was who Caoilfhionn presumed to be the King. And he felt his nerves worsen at the sight. And then his eyes landed on the person standing beside the King. They were elegantly dressed and built like that of royalty. He assumed this was a Prince or nobleman of some sorts . |
|
|
| |
Darkseeker
|
The brief rest had been indulgent, his bed welcomed him with a soft creak as he descended upon it. Face first into the plushness, he felt as though he could melt away into nothingness in that exact moment. He knew he did not have long, but all his body wanted to do was sleep. Unfortunately for Faelin, sleep was not on the table tonight. Instead, he subjected himself to laying on his back and staring up at the high ceiling for the few hours of alone time he was granted. His body still throbbed with the wolfsbane, whilst the sweating had subsided for the most part, he felt positively filthy. He couldn’t bring himself to enter the bathing chamber of his quarters, despite knowing the prince would comment on his disgusting appearance, he didn’t truly care. When the time came, he waited outside of the doors and stared at the opposite wall. Watching as a small spider crawled around the surface, skittering from side to side in search of something. Faelin was less aggressively armoured now, wrapped in a linen fencing shirt and fitted leather pants with many scuffs on them. It was a simple outfit, he wore it beneath his castle armor regularly. The only protection he had on him was a belt fitted with a sheath for his sword which now hung heavily at his hip. Once the door opened, he turned to look down as the two people emerged. The woman swifting handing the mage off to him like an obedient animal. Faelin wasted no time in securing the chain back to a loop on his belt, not looking at Caoilfhionn’s face until he had done so. He blinked a few times as he observed the sight before him, he hadn’t expected the woman to put this much effort into his appearance. Afterall, Faelin had assumed the King wished to use this mage in his scholar’s research or perhaps even as entertainment before being sent to the pits. There was some other plan for this mage, the effort put into his appearance was enough evidence of that. He only realised he had been staring intently down at the other man when he heard his voice soft on the ears, it made Faelin’s body twitch back into reality and he cleared his throat, looking away again. “If it was requested by the King, then it is required.” He swallowed thickly, ignoring the urge to look back at the other man, as tempting as it was. With that, Faelin turned and began to walk down the hallway, expecting his leashed companion to walk behind him. As they approached the large doors, he raised his hand and pushed it through the mess of hair on his head and forced it into a more presentable position. Keeping the strands slicked back as best he could without the aid of some cosmetic. With one hand settled firmly on the pommel of his sword, he walked into the room once the other guards had opened the doors. Inside the grand hall was bathed in gaudy embellishments, draped in the finest of fabrics to display the royal emblem. It was a testament to the wealth and power that King Herald held within this corner of the world. Seated upon a high backed, plush chair the colour of violets, the King saw with a bemused expression. Beside him, his son, a bratty thing that always demanded more than Faelin could ever possibly hope to deliver. His seat was a smaller version of his fathers with less golden trimmings. Once he had reached the area in front of the raised thrones, Faelin snapped his free hand to his chest and bent sharply at the hips in a deep bow. His posture was perfect, tall and imposing. A contrast to how he usually held himself when he was outside of the castle estate walls. “Your Majesty.” He offered, then with a short glance towards Alucard, he added. “Your Highness.” His voice was strong, it took significant concentration to maintain a sense of put togetherness when all he could think of was his exhaustion. King Herald waved a hand and Faelin straightened his spine, stepping backwards to present Caoilfhionn, urging him to step forwards. The King considered the sight before him, an indifferent expression on his face as he appraised the creature before him. He let his eyes wander over his form, judgmental and condescending before drawing up to look at Faelin. Only then did his eyes crease with content. “Good work, Faelin. I heard that this one posed quite the difficult beast to capture, if your subordinates are being truthful.” He wagered, offering Caoilfhionn another glance. “Nothing escapes my men, Sir. Whatever you desire, we can bring it to you.” Faelin countered, sparing not a single look towards the mage. “This one is rather,” He paused to decide upon his wording. “Rather opinionated, Sir. I hope that the plans for it are fool-proofed.” To which King Herald let out a hearty chuckle, shaking his head. He noticed a glint of amusement in the eyes of Alucard, he sat in his throne with one leg crossed elegantly over the other. His long hair glossy with beauty, crowned by a golden circlet, he looked positively angelic. But his eyes carried something that set Faelin’s teeth on edge. “We have plans for this one outside of the usual, Sir Faelin. A very generous plan, indeed. We plan to wed this one into the family line.” Faelin’s eyes snapped away from Alucard and to the King, wide with surprise. His once steadily set jaw went vaguely slack as he processed the information. The King did not like the supernatural, why would he do such a thing? There was only one answer that he could think of, power. To keep power close, but the King had no daughters. His son was the only surviving heir which meant…Faelin looked to Alucard, whose lips had pulled into a thin, sly smile as he looked at Caoilfhionn. His slender fingers thrummed on the arm of his chair as he waited like a predator in ambush. “I understand your shock, however there has been a recent discovery of these creatures and their anatomy. I must say, it is rather disturbing, however it will serve our kingdom well in generations to come.” King Herald explained, giving the mage a knowing look. Faelin was at a loss for words, he couldn’t formulate a response at all. “This one is to marry my son and continue the bloodline, enriching it with the power that runs in his veins. And you,” Faelin looked back up to his King, blinking away his confusion in trade for focusing on his direct superior’s order. “Shall be assigned to protect them, escort them and obey the prince’s wishes until I assign you otherwise.” Faelin cast a short look over to the prince, he looked like a smug cat, evidently pleased with this exchange. He stood there, dumbfounded, but he nodded slowly. He had to obey, there was little choice in the matter. “Of course, Your Majesty. As you command.” He offered with another dip of his head in respect. “Tonight you must be stationed outside of the prince’s quarters while he confirms his partner is satisfactory for the task we have laid out for them.” |
| |
|
| |
Lightbringer
|
Caoilfhionn had frowned slightly at the statement of his captor, The King's Request ? He thought . Why would the King want a prisoner all dolled up and pretty ? And the mage could only think of sickening reasons and prayed to his Goddess that he was wrong in his speculation. He could feel his body stiffen at the thoughts and his heart beat quicker. He didn't have anymore time to think about, as him and the behemoth of a man were moving . They had finally gotten to the Throne Room, where it appeared his judgement was awaiting. It seems the King and his Prince had decided to show their face to him he followed suit of the man who had caught him, and it seemed that he wasn't the first from the conversation between the King and the newly found Faelin. He didn't like the way the King just glanced at him , as if he was something insignificant. And then had the gall to call him a beast, and not even address him properly. What a bastard of a man, he found himself thinking. He was fuming inwardly but his face displayed neutrality and indifference towards the statements being made . "We plan to wed this one into the family line." And he felt his facade shatter , as he blinked in confusion . Looking at Faelin for an answer, instead he found the man looking as flabbergasted as he was . But who was he to marry, the only person here was . . . The Prince. He then frowned . Surely, the King knew he identified as a man, so why would he marry his son off to... and then his eyes widened in horror and outrage as he realized his reasoning. He looked at the smug expression on the Prince's face , and he wanted to punch his stupid teeth out. And then the King had the audacity to poke at his unique circumstances - and he stumbled back slightly. He felt his heart beating widely, and he curled into himself, " How dare you ! " he hissed out, disdained , " How could you ! " he said , heaving for breath , eyes alight with fury . " How dare you weaponize my gender, you heinous bastard ! " he spat out at the King, not caring if he got removed or struck for his words , " you speak of something you possibly couldn't understand. If your precious human race was hunted down to the brink of extinction, what would you do? Wouldn't you pray to whatever God there is to help you preserve your lineage , your race ? " he said, his hands vibrating with fury, how he wished he could lash out with his fury . They deserved to burn , they deserved something worse than death. That's when he felt the shadows shift and he grew rigid, he knew that pressure . That familiar feeling. And he looked outside and saw that the moon was eclipsing the sun, and laughter bubbled up in his throat. Of course his Goddess had seen and heard his suffering . And that's when he felt her gown brush up behind him . "My Goddess." He cried earnestly, latching on to her like a child would his mother when they needed comfort . Wailing into her gown an clutching her garments like it was their last lifeline . He didn't care if he looked outlandish . He felt her kind hands run over his hair, and embrace him gently, she raised his head to look her in the face , and wiped away his tears before kissing his forehead tenderly . " At ease, my Dear One, I hear the turmoil of your heart . I wish I could speak with you longer, but this snake must be dealt with . " she spoke, but her voice was odd, it was layered like she was struggling to be here . And he frowned , what was going on ? What could disturb the power of a Goddess ? "You," the Goddess hissed , her voice shattering glass and bouncing over the walls with her fury . Oh she wasn't pleased in the slightest . " King Herald, " his name running off her tongue like it was poison , " in my eons of existence , I have seen Kingdoms rise and fall, Kings and Queen come and go - but I have never, never seen such a loathsome creature as you - one who disrespects the Gods, the sacred balance that the magic of this world brings and the suffering you impose on the magical creatures of this Realm." "You hunt down my Blessed Child like he was a wild animal, and then you chain and parade him around like property. Then you dare to marry him off to use him like some, some " the Goddess couldn't even get the words out , but she persevered in her fury, " you dare to use his womb against him, as if it was something disgusting yet you would take advantage of it. You are a disgusting man . " she spat out. Her form was glitching in and out, but it made her look even more haunting. Her pure white, dress of starlight glowed brightly like justice . Her cloak , billowed around her , showing the voice of space within it and the horrors it held . Her darkened moon halo signified her righteous fury, and the earth began to shake as her form elongated with the shadows , she becoming something colossal and infinite . " Heed my warning , magic has a price to pay, and yours is long is overdue to pay. Death awaits the day you no longer cheat, him so he can make you suffer as those you make suffer do. " she whispered out ominously as he reached out for the King with clawed hands and a falsely sweet smiles . " I swear as the Goddess Of The Moon, The Darkness It Holds , The Crash Of The Earths Tides , The Infinite Gravity Of Space and The Symbol Of Rebirth, Time , & Fertility - If you are bold enough to continue to toy with Caoilfhionn . . . You will wish Death was the mercy you received , because I will erase you from the very existence of the universe itself . Keep toying with me mortal, we Gods are always watching - and I am utterly displeased . " the Goddess wailed in her fury and made her omen , before she disappeared as she came . And the sun returned as if nothing had just happened . And Caoilfhionn could only stare out the window in awe. |
|
|
| |
Darkseeker
|
The poor man barely had time to react to his new positioning for the foreseeable future before beside him Caoilfhionn began raving. Quickly, Faelin had spun around, his hand gripping the handle of his sword as he watched the bitter fury erupt from such a small vessel. He knew the mage couldn’t use his powers, but he was still wary of the unknowns regarding his abilities. After all, he had fallen victim to them once already. His knuckles blanched as he held his weapon tightly in anticipation. He truly had no idea what was transpiring, there was some unspoken knowledge that Faelin was not privy to. Something that meant this man was of use to the royal bloodline. Something that meant he could continue it and infuse it with magic. Yet, the guard stood in confusion as the barrage of words continued from the smaller man beside him. He was about to reprimand him, grab him by his chain and yank him back, close to him when there was a prickling in the air. It ran down his spine and he felt something within him squirm at the sensation, it was fearful of whatever was approaching. He could feel himself hunkering down in submission, completely against his will, obeying a command that had not yet been spoken. Eyes so wide they were white rimmed the entire way around flickering around the throne room, ignoring the sound of the royalty ordering him to stop whatever the mage was doing. This was no magic, it was something far superior. Then, from behind him, he heard a voice then the mage all but leapt into her arms for safety. Faelin turned, casting his gaze upwards to the ethereal image of a woman before him. Then that fear in him reached a precipice and he ducked his head away from her, face creasing and eyebrows furrowing. He felt like crying, there was a welling up of something inside of him that he couldn’t control. It made him cower away from the woman, trying to back away until the chain that connected him to Caoilfhionn tugged gently and he stopped. He remained there, hiding in plain sight from this creature that had altered him so horribly. Upon the dias both the King and his son were pushing themselves back into their seats, Alucard had plucked his legs up from where they were leisurely residing and held them close to his torso. They said nothing now, only watched in horror at the apparition before them. They gave no indication that they were absorbing what the woman was saying, merely staring over at her with expressions so contorted it was difficult to decide what was going through their heads. Just as swiftly as she had come, the image faded out of existence and the pale light of day re-entered the eerily quiet space. Faelin felt that overwhelming pressure lift from his soul, rushing to fix his demeanor. Gods, he hoped that the king and his son had not seen his reaction, that they were so aghast with surprise and fear that they had taken no note of his cowardice. They seemed to be preoccupied with staring at Caoilfhionn. The room was silent for what felt like minutes, until Alucard finally broke the trend. Correcting his own posture, the prince lowered his legs and relaxed back into his previous position. A smooth, syrupy laugh coming from him, it was one of regality and poise. One soft hand raised to gesture idly towards the mage, head tipping to look to his father, exposing the long plane of his neck. “This one is powerful, just like you suspected.” He mused, gliding his eyes back towards Caoilfhionn but keeping his face pointed towards the King. “Conjuring up such an illusion even with the collar in place, truly sublime.” It sounded as though he were praising the mage, gifting him compliments. It seemed to work as the King too relaxed, the light returning to his eyes as he nodded in agreement. “Of course, it is a true vessel of the arcane. It will prove mighty useful to me, and to you.” King Herald’s voice did not hold the same confidence as his son, clearly still shaken by the scene he had just witnessed. Meanwhile, Alucard was back to himself, as though nothing distressing had occurred at all. “Well then.” Alucard rose from his seat and dipped his head in respect to his father, the glittering white robes he wore fell in a lovely configuration around him. “If this display is quite over, I have some preparations to attend to if I am going to consummate this arrangement.” He looked at Faelin. “You. See to it that he survives the day and is at my quarters before dinner is served, he shall be dining with me tonight, alone.” Alucard did not refer to Caoilfhionn in the same dehumanising way his father did, but when it came to talking to Faelin, it was as though the guard was simply an object. Nothing to show any real respect to. Alucard descended the few steps and sauntered across the open space to encroach upon the mage's personal space. He paused before him and gliding a hand forwards to skillfully pluck Caoilfhionn's wrist from where it hung at his side. Lifting the back of his hand to his face, Alucard bend at the waist before pressing a demure kiss upon the skin there, looking up at Caoilfhionn with a smile before returning the other man's hand to his side. "I shall see you this evening." With that whispered promise, Alucard took off. Leaving the pair chained together and King Herald on the throne attempting to pass off the threat as meaningless, an illusion brought forth by this mage. It seemed he needed to procure a stronger collar for this particular beast. |
| |
|
| |
Lightbringer
|
Just as she was here, the Goddess was gone and he felt empty. There was something terribly wrong with this castle , the Goddess was usually more radiant in her visits, at times he could barely look her in the eye because of her radiance . Oh how he wished he could bask in her presence again, and he longingly looked out the window . But much to their disappointment , the Goddess was no where to be seen, and that was such a pity, he really wished to see his Goddess make those pitiful mortals suffer even more . He was still left reeling in her magnificence , and he looked around the room . He noticed that Faelin was utterly shocked and the King and Prince were frozen in their spots . But it seemed that the Prince recovered quickly than most , and he had claimed that the visit of the Goddess was nothing but an illusion conjured by the mage . And the mage gasped in offense at such an accusation, looking at his own hands - surely they weren't this willfully ignorant about magic ? If he was casting an illusion , it would be quite obvious , that's why illusionist tended to stay hidden for the illusion to work. It took intense mental fortitude and concentration . "Surely you know the basics of magic, Your Highness." The mage scowled, but tried his best to be respectful, " an illusion of that scale would be hard to manage, not to mention I can't do magic right now because of your own collar . " he said coldly, as if scolding someone for their own stupidity , " besides, you know it's obvious when a mage is doing magic. And how could I do an illusion right in front of you without you seeing through it, why do you think in most battles illusion based mages stay hidden , it's because such magic takes mental fortitude and immense concentration - that just not be broken . " he said logically, folding his arms in disdain at the dismissal . "How can one be so arrogant to the fact that a Goddess paid you a visit and gave you an ultimatum." He said , looking directly at the King, eyes narrowed and wary. He knew that the King was rattled and knew the truth , but what he did about said truth was definitely to be seen. He rested his hands by his sides again. And he was shocked by Alucard's lax behavior after such an incident . And he felt his heart drop at the mention of consummating their relationship. Would this man not be considered his fiancé? He noticed that the Prince seemed to respect his chosen gender, and he was cautiously optimistic about that . Maybe the Prince wasn't so bad ? And they could work something out. But the fact that he will be dining alone with the Prince , that sounded scandalous. But what was even more shocking was the way he easily sauntered over and took his hand and placed a delicate kiss on it. With a damned charming smile , and whispered sweet words as if he wasn't derailing his life . He couldn't ignore the flush of heat that rose to his face . He couldn't deny the fact that the Prince was a good-looking man and damn he was a sucker for a pretty face and sweet words . And he had always wished to be treated in such a way, so if his cheeks reddened bashfully, and he looked away like a snobbish child rejecting someone then sue him ! A man could want romance , even if it was from a stupidly hot enemy, that was now technically your fiancée. He realized that it was quiet and even Faelin hadn't said anything yet out of his shock. And suddenly Caoilfhionn felt a pang of pity for the man as he was looking rather rough and Selene's appearance wasn't helping. He quickly strode over to the man with a quiet comfort , and hoped his unease was over and it seemed it was . The two then made their exit from the Throne Room. And once they were far enough, the mage let out a rather uncouth shriek of frustration . It startled a poor maid and he looked rather embarrassed by it. But he took a deep centering breath. " Me ! Married off ! Like some damned trophy ! Just because I can bear children , what disgusting behavior from that man. And he dares to call it disturbing biology! It's natural, it's not something to be ashamed of. " his voice being outraged at first and then he began shrinking into himself , and he held himself in a self soothing manner . "Is the King always that scheming and unpleasant. " he said turning to Faelin, hoping for answers , " And the Prince, he seems like a wolf disguised as lamb - a pretty face with an sharp tongue. I don't know much about him yet, and I guess he's my . . . fiancé? " he said unsure , " What is the Prince like? Do you think I'll at least get some peace with him ? " his voice barely above a whisper - contemplating, if he should just play the role assigned to him. That's when he looked at Faelin, and worry was etched on his face as he looked at the man. "By the Gods, you look horrible - I used too much wolfsbane, I apologize , I didn't think it would affect you so badly, but surely you have moonpetal elixir ? That's the quickest cure for the poison for a werewolf like yourself?" He said fretting over the man. |
|
|
| |
Darkseeker
|
The continued complaints from Caoilfhionn would not do him well in the long run, for the King as of now was too bewildered to consider a punishment, but he would remember these barbed words and condemn their speaker. He watched as Alucard interacted with the mage, noting the suave calmness that emitted from the prince in spite of what they had all just witnessed. This entire fiasco was going to be a right pain to deal with, Faelin found himself at the epicenter, babysitting not only the volatile mage but the equally frustrating prince. Finally, they were permitted to leave. However, the moment they had left the hearing range of the throne room, Caoilfhionn started spitting in anger. Leaving Faelin to look at him in surprise at such an outburst, the servants around them began to scatter, fearful of a magical creature having an episode. He stood by and watched the mage, eyes following his movements closely, listening to the gentle jingle of the chain that linked them. He was a willing ear for the most part, letting the other man speak his frustrations to the world. He was placid until Caoilfhionn started sputtering such strange sentences that Faelin began to try and form questions but all that came out were abruptly ending sounds. His eyebrows furrowed deeply in his confusion. Bearing children? That sounded slightly ridiculous, but his king had implied it to be possible. He had suspected there was some way of injecting the magic from the mage into the prince via a marriage or ritual, not the direct production of an heir. His hands came up to try and stop Caoilfhionn from talking, holding his palms up to him but it was useless as the man continued his questioning. Faelin’s eyes scrunched up as he attempted to process the questions being thrown at him, his own confusion and the appearance of something so all consuming mere minutes ago. The searing sensation behind his eyeballs ramped up, the tingle of his fingers began again as the uptake in his heart rate pushed the remnants of wolfsbane around his body again. “Bear children?” He finally managed to get out, but it was swamped by Caoilfhionn’s own words as he turned his attention towards Faelin, worrying over him as though he had not been the direct reason for his current predicament. Faelin was calm until that accusation slipped from Caoilfhionn’s lips and his eyes shot open, pinning onto the other man. His hands dropped from where they were held and snatched at the chain, yanking Caoilfhionn towards him to the point of collision between him and Faelin’s chest. His free hand gripped under Caoilfhionn’s jaw and hiked it up to look at him, fingers curling into the small amount of flesh on the bone. His own upper lip curled, obviously angered at the mere mention of such a topic, not a pointed tooth to be seen. “Do not,” He began, voice low and rumbling. “Call me that.” Faelin’s eyes were bright with fury, pointing right down into Caoilfhionn’s. “I am not one of these beasts you think I am. I am forbidden from taking potions beyond that of basic healing, I am not a beast and so I do not need a cure for wolfsbane. I am perfectly fine.” Faelin’s demeanor was the most sharp and intense it had ever been around Caoilfhionn, he couldn’t stop his reaction. He paused before throwing Caoilfhionn’s jaw out of his grasp and releasing the tension on the chain. Faelin took a few short paces away, his back facing the mage as he took in a quick deep breath. His hands at his sides once again, his left hand resting on the familiar pommel of his blade. “The King is a gracious man.” The practiced chorus of praise for his king came easily. “He has great plans for this kingdom and you are to help him realise them.” Faelin only now turned back around to look at Caoilfhionn, the fury gone from his dull eyes. “Marriage to Lord Alucard is an honour to be appreciated.” Faelin ran his tongue over his drying lips before shaking his head and glancing away from him. “Your thoughts are on the matter are meaningless, you have to accept your new life.” Just as he had. “Now, what on earth were you just blabbering on about? Children? You are a man, are you not? Or am I a fool?” Faelin questioned him now, he was supposed to be in control but every time Caoilfhionn spoke it was so hard to get his control of the situation back. He moved to pull Caoilfhionn along as he continued to walk down the hall, heading for the exit where there were no houses, where the forest and gardens lay. There was a light wobble in his gait, but he made no comment on it as he continued to march forwards. |
| |
|
| |
Lightbringer
|
Apparently he had said something wrong. Because instead of being grateful for the knowledge, Faelin had yanked his chain until they were in close proximity, which earned a surprised yelp from him. And the mage had to place his hand on the chest of the man to avoid his head bumping into the chest. He didn't expect the man to forcefully rise his chin , and then vehemently deny his heritage . And he felt a sort of sadness, he couldn't imagine being forced to deny and hide his heritage. "I am not calling you a beast, I am just saying you stubborn man, that if you want to get better quickly Moonflower Elixir is the best healing potion for you. Deny it all you want, it's the best way to help you, and I am just trying to help you. Let the poison run through your system and wreck your nerves and senses for all I care . " he said, baring his own fangs at Faelin in annoyance, but he said nothing more to further anger the male . He huffed like a child being scolded when he was released and frowned at Faelin. Such a worrisome man, he pitied the poor woman that would be mated to him once he got his shit together . If someone could get through that thick iron heart of his that was , could the man even feel love for someone ? Or attraction in the very slightest. He seemed rather married to his job, and the King at the very least . He listened to the words from the man, and scowled . He knew that tone , this was something practiced and rehearsed . Said multiple times until it was perfected , if it's as the truth , no one would ever know . It was something that had been ingrained in Faelin's mind to believe and say. He couldn't possibly believe these were truly Faelin's thoughts on the matter . But he said nothing, and kept his words to himself . He didn't need to keep making trouble , because he couldn't retaliate if he did . He was rather defenseless at the moment. That's when Faelin asked a rather loaded question. Which caused him to freeze in his tracks, and stumble when the chain forced him to move again. Damn that thing was annoying , he thought through his gritted teeth. For a moment he remained silent . " I identify as a male . . . but what I was born as is a bit more . . . complicated. " He said , his voice low and vulnerable , " For context, witches have become rarer and rarer in this day and age due to mortals deciding to hunt them and kill them for their power . Soon there was in imbalance between men and woman, there wasn't enough woman for men to reproduce with - and of course a man can't have a kid. And so they prayed for the God's help in this situation." He paused for a moment , eyes sort of anxious, hoping that he wouldn't be judged . " And the gods, blessed a woman with an intersex child. A child , that would grow and be found to have the womb of a woman , to bear life within it," and he touched his own stomach unconsciously, thinking about that heavy responsibility, " and the genitalia of a man to give life . The child was free to choose how they presented , but they went through the monthly pains a woman would experience for they had a functional uterus. And these witches were praised because they were precious and due to them, the population stood a chance , and so they kept the records of witches of my gender secret - why ? To keep us safe from situations like this . I don't know how the King found out, but the mage who did this, who exposed such a sacred secret would be put to death by the Old Laws . " " Because Alucard , if he can stand my odd biology, he will be able to get a biological heir out of me. " he whispered , sort of haunted by the thought, " but what they don't understand is, if they want a magically powerful child, they must be willing to bear the consequences. " he said somberly, " why do you think that the healthy mages can't do anything like me ? I could command a hurricane with my mind, I could plunge the world into eternal night if I so demanded it ? " he paused for a moment. " Those mages have their health and vitality, and yes they can be powerful and strong, but ones like me ? We're rare and valuable , our very essence screams power and we command it because it flows through our very veins. But how did we get here ? Sure some worked hard from exhaustion, some were powerful enough to awaken , but like I said earlier magic had a price . And so does powerful magic, it can weaken your body - because mortals aren't supposed to contain such raw power in it. It can corrupt the mind and drive one to the brink of insanity . As for me, my body is frail and I'm not very physically strong . That's why the more powerful mages attack from distances and have someone to have their back , even though they're powerful - someone needs to cover their weak points . " |
|
|
| |
Darkseeker
|
Faelin narrowed his eyes as he walked, keeping his head trained forwards and trying not to look over his shoulder at his captive as he trailed behind him. He was doing his best to understand the complicated ideas that Caoilfhionn was throwing around but it was doing nothing but further fuzzying his poison-addled mind. He felt like he was in some sort of strange fever dream, perhaps he was, considering the last twenty-four hours he had endured. Eventually they met an unassuming door, which Faelin pushed open with ease and held there for Caoilfhionn to follow him through. The space outside was vibrant with life, sprawling gardens sculpted to perfection with every plant one could possibly imagine. Beyond it, standing tall and proud, was a vast patch of forest, one that Faelin knew very well. “I do not understand what you are talking about.” He felt a smidge stupid for not understanding the entirety of what the other man was attempting to get across. He closed the door behind them and began walking down the limestone paved path that curled around the gardens. Above the plants fluttered insects and other little creatures that darted from one flower to another. Despite the season being cruel, this place was kept alive as though it were the peak of summer. The forest did not get such treatment, he was sure the King wanted his personal gardens to be beautiful year round, but detested the idea that the potential creatures hiding in the woods enjoying a similar blessing. “What matters is that you can give unto Alucard a child, yes?” He asked but this was the one part of their conversation he could understand. “So, that will be your duty now. Bound to him and to give him an heir, perhaps more. They may handle these so-called consequences you speak of, you will then be able to live out your days being waited on hand and foot. I do not think that is a terrible life. Even if you act as though it is.” He commented, gliding his eyes to the side to watch the plants he was passing by. “Surely you would eventually grow tired of travelling and performing parlour tricks.” He mentioned it casually. “Though they were rather impressive parlour tricks, I will admit.” Dishing out the veiled compliment through the hoarseness of his throat, he had to pause to draw up a wet cough from his chest. Wincing at the sharpness in the muscles that was left in its place. He stopped walking, having to take a moment to steady himself, using a pillar of stone upon which a lantern sat. He gripped it in silence, grimacing through the discomfort even though the ringing in his ears had begun. The concoction of chronic fatigue, poison and exhaustion were catching up with him. His men were still in their beds, resting peacefully but he had duties to perform still. Faelin drew in a deep breath that pushed out his ribs strongly, lifting his head from where it had fallen. He wanted to rest, he wanted to fall asleep in a bath and forget about his life. When he was in his quarters, he could forget about the crimes of morality he had committed, forget about his role in all of this. It was bliss. “No matter…” Faelin turned to look at Caoilfhionn, the whites of his eyes shot through with harsh streaks of blood. His pupils were pinpricked, so constricted that barely any light was coming in, his vision was hazed but he could continue on. “Tonight you will have to serve His Highness, so you must come to terms with that if you want to be able to live with yourself after the fact.” His voice came a little slower, as though he was struggling to articulate the words properly on his tongue. He stood for a moment longer, peering down at Caoilfhionn before his weakened knees gave out from beneath him and he crumpled to the ground. Cracking his knees on the stone pavers with a sickening noise, his head fallen forwards but his body was slumped against the raised garden bed. Still conscious but clearly not in any sort of shape to be moving and talking, Faelin let out a low groan at the pain that shot up from his knees. It was quickly taken over by the thrumming of his head, it felt as though his brain was bouncing off of his skull at unnatural speeds. Bleeding a warmth through his skull and down his spine, leaving his limbs unusable. |
| |
|
| |
Lightbringer
|
Caoilfhionn had to groan at Faelin when the man admitted he still didn't understand what he was saying. He was going to vent his frustrations with the man, but then he opened the door - and they were in a garden. His eyes widened in awe of it. It was so pretty , and he took in every single flower , plant , and tree within it . The butterflies floating about was a testament to its ingenious nature, and so were the buzzing bees . And he swore he saw the iridescent sheen of a hummingbird darting about the flowers cheekily . He followed the limestone pathing, taking in the beauty of this little haven, and there was even a forest near it. Maybe they could visit it ? But this garden was beautiful and he wanted to see more of it. Maybe he could escape here when he needed a break . It was rather peaceful. That's when Faelin decided to speak , again. And he frowned when the male mentioned him giving Alucard a child. He slowly nodded, again confirming his ability to do so. And he listened to the words , and he couldn't deny the reasonableness to them. But he was afraid, of what they would do when they realized the cost of having powerful magic. Would they simply dispose of his child ? Or keep them hidden from the world ? Or even worse make them part of their twisted plans and corrupt their pure nature ? And sure he would be Alucard's legal spouse , but who's to say the man wouldn't grow tired of him and take concubines or mistresses ? And then he'd have to deal with his own jealousy. Not to mention, the politics of the court. Sure he would be the spouse of the Prince, but would they even show him the proper respect deserved ? Those were the things he thought about, and not to mention - being targeted by assassins and such for being such a high profile person . Or even his children being subjected to such targeting. It was scary and worrying to think about. Maybe he was being dramatic, and it wouldn't be as bad, but it for sure wouldn't be cushy as Faelin thought it would be . He was going to scold the man for such thinking but he then went on to talk about his tricks. The mage actually let out an undignified snort of amusement at the statement. " Being on the stage and giving light to those who need it has always been amazing and fun. I want to travel and see the world beyond what I know, I'm immortal , and I'm a very young one , so my journey is just ahead . I have to find a way to amuse myself unless I wish to see myself go insane . And what do you mean grow tired of traveling ! " he asked scandalized, " don't you want to see what's beyond the castle? Beyond your safe borders , I was heading to what were rumored to be Floating Islands where sirens sang - and some say that dragons roost on the island too. " he whispered it, as if it was a secret with glittering eyes . "And I resent you calling my magic parlor tricks , that's a hit to my skill and control of my power . " he huffed snootily . He then looked at the man, as he coughed . And how Faelin was wobbling slightly, he even had to lean on a pillar , and nearly knocked over the lantern. The man looked one bad moment from keeling over and it was very worrying. Sure he had used a lot of wolfsbane, but that much shouldn't have had such a horrid affect, unless the man was highly sensitive to the flower because of an allergy or just bad genes and possibly a first encounter with such a deterrent. Either way he was in rough shape. He was still trying to talk. Just how stubborn was this man ?! Caoilfhionn was about to interrupt his little speech about him serving the Prince to mention his eyes looked horrible. But then the inevitable happened, and it happened so quick , he wasn't even sure he saw it. "Oh my Gods, Faelin ! " the mage had shrieked and stumbled over to the man , with panic in his eyes and face . The sound the man's knees made was not the best noise to hear, it sounded like they were definitely broken or at least fractured . And he realized in horror the man had hit his head on the raised garden bed. This poor man, what a horrible day he was having . And he had to gently position the man's head on his lap and gingerly stretch his legs out to make sure he wouldn't further hurt himself . " You foolish man, why didn't you listen to me ? " Caoilfhionn scolded Faelin, sighing as he took a handkerchief and put it in a fountain to wet it. And gently dabbed at the man's forehead . "Y'ous 'ery 'istracting " came the garbled reply from the man , " 'erty 'oo " And he raised a brow at the statement . He needed to keep him talking, he was definitely concussed and out of his mind . " Is that so ? " he cooed, as if he had a clue what the man was saying . The man tried to bob his head , " Tsk, don't move . I don't know if your foolishness has caused damage to your spine . And I don't want to move you prematurely." " yo'r very 'owly. An' bitty" Faelin continued on with his babbling. " Hm, I was bitey, I hadn't fed on human blood in ages . And yours is very sweet, and I liked it I'll have to admit. " he said, whispering it like he was telling a child a secret. " u' strong noodle man. Make me'se 'ad to 'hurt 'oo. No 'ike hurt others " and the man was almost pouting at this statement Did he have guilt for what he did ? If so that was rather sad that it took this to be able to admit it. "I'm sure the others forgave you when they saw what you're dealing with. But you should rest now . . . you've done good ." He said softly, looking at the man. Before he knew it, the man was fast asleep on his lap and the mage groaned , because how the hell were they gonna leave ? |
|
|
Fall Month: 2 
Day 
Hurricane
