The battle ended just as the last sliver of orange sun could be seen on the horizon. She heard her father walk past her room and down the hall to his, and then came the familiar click as his door shut. She pulled on her cloak and disappeared behind the tapestry that covered a secret passage out of the castle. She broke into a run when she reached the Forrest and didn't stop until she reached the door or his house. She knew Raxven wouldnt be home yet. She let herself in and waited.
All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage, and I promise you something great will come of it.
Casius followed me home in the form of a small flame hovering an inch above my shoulder, allowing me to see the path I walked. Two small, round eyes stared out from the flames core.
"You alright?" he asked, moving to float in front of my face. His eyes watched me intently.
I sighed. "I'm exhausted. They're learning, Casius. They know what to expect now. We can't keep beating them. One day we will lose, and most of the blame will fall on us since we're supposed to be the ones to keep them from advancing too far..."
"They can't expect you and me alone to defeat a whole army, Rax."
"Yes they can, and they are. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. Every day it's harder and harder to drag myself out of bed, let alone cast those spells."
"Go into hiding."
I snorted. "They'd track us down in a heartbeat."
"Well then what are you going to do? Like you said, you can't keep doing this. Just look at yourself!"
"I don't need to," I said, sighing again. "Come on, Blair should be there by now... if she managed to escape tonight. I heard they doubled the castles defenses since the war is moving so close."
Be the cartoon heart. Light a fire, light a spark. Light a fire, flame in my heart. We'll run wild, we'll be glowing in the dark.
She was pacing in the main room of the small house. Pacing and wringing her fingers. Every minute that ticked by eating at her patience. Even though she knew he was alright, every time he went to battle there was that chance that he might not come back. She heard a crunching of twigs and leaves outside and held her breathe. She was so relieved when the door opened and he walked in. Blair ran to Raxven and threw herself into his arms.
"I'm so glad you're here."
"And why wouldn't I be?" She could hear the smile playing across his face in his tone.
"You no I worry." She said pulling back and looking him in the eye.
"How are you?" He asked, his arms still wrapped around her.She had to tell him now, there was no choice. She couldn't look him in the eye though. She started crying and sat down in a nearby chair. His face lost the beautiful smile and suddenly became worried.
"Whats wrong?" He asked kneeling on the ground in front of her.
"Um," she wiped at her eyes, "My father...my father has decided to betroth me..."
"Betroth you?" His tone became sharper.
"To Prince Leo."
"What?" He stood in anger.
"His health is failing and with no male heir, I must take the throne, but i cannont alone."
"He can't make you do this."
"He can and he is."
"And you will just succumb to your father's will?"
"Raxven I have no choice! You know I love you," She stood and stroked his face, "and I would give anything to be with you. But I don't know how to get out of this one."
All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage, and I promise you something great will come of it.
**TN you haven't brought your person in yet, it's around night time so you can bring her in whenever**
Naomi~
The front door slammed as Naomi's brothers, Tear and Shred (stupid names i know) walked in. "Naomi, we're so hungry! What's for dinner?" They chorused. Naomi gritted her teeth and poured their soup in a bowl.
"I've got your food! You two need to start acting your age," she hissed in reply as she walked out of the small room that served as a kitchen. Her brothers, who were totally identical, stared at her, wagging their tail. "Sit down you dogs."
The twin brothers sat down as Naomi set the food on a small chestnut table. "Thank you!" The said together again. Naomi rolled her eyes and pulled a hood over her ears.
"I'm going into town...hopefully to get some more supplies for tomorrow's dinner." She informed them.
"Keira going?" They asked at the same time...again.
"No, I'm going alone," she said as she walked out of the cottage.
"Be careful!!" They yelled as she walked swiftly away.
I sank into a nearby chair with a small sigh, letting my head fall to my hands. I had known this day would come, but I hadn't expected it so soon, or for it to be Leo. Even now, regret ate at my heart with an unsatisfiable hunger. There was just no way for us to be together. If the king, or anyone in the Royal Palace for that matter, found out about us, I would be stripped of rank and title at best, killed at worst.
But there had to be something we could do! If I had to fight for my love, I would gladly give it my all and more. There was no way I would give Blair to some snobby prince. Not that easily.
I felt a gentle hand touch my shoulder. I looked up and smiled at Blair, clasping her hand in mine.
"I'll figure something out, Blair. I won't let them have you. Have you tried talking to your father? Perhaps if I could advance in rank, he might consider it..."
Casius-
I escaped from the house as soon as I could. Not that I didn't like Blair. She was a nice girl and all, but I didn't particularly enjoy being in the same house as the two of them at the same time. Raxven acted so...for lack of a better word -- weird -- around her.
Being a demon, I would never understand humans or their catalog of complicated emotions. We demons liked to keep it simple: anger, fear, worry, grief, happiness, and the occasional pang of regret or nervousness. Other than that, we drew a blank.
Though there had been accounts of a few demons, throughout history, who had experienced the emotion of love, much like I guessed how Raxven and Blair felt towards each other.
I had yet to experience love and wondered if I ever would.
Ignorance is strength, or so they say. I decided to stick to that motto. For a while, at least.
I made my way towards the nearest town in my Dark form, melding into the shadows and proceeding unseen.
Be the cartoon heart. Light a fire, light a spark. Light a fire, flame in my heart. We'll run wild, we'll be glowing in the dark.
Naomi practically towards the town, feeling as though something was following her. She sighed in relief as it came into veiw. Slipping into a butcher shop, a hand grabbed her arm, causing her to jump.
"You're it," a voice growled from the dark. Naomi glared at the hand and up to the person, noticing that it was the butcher's son, Gradie.
"Not funny...I need meat." Naomi replied. The darkness laughed as Grady stepped out, still laughing.
"The regular?" He asked. Naomi nodded quickly as gaurds passed the small shop. "You're jumpy," Gradie laughed.
"Of course I am! Townsfolk hate my kind!" Naomi hissed angrily as Gradie handed her the meat. She said a quick goodbye and ran out of the shop, running into another familiar face.
I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth. — Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights
