Jason Hiller
Ireth
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Post by Jason Hiller on Dec 17, 2009 22:57:23 GMT -5
Jason felt Zephyros’ hand on his shoulder and heard the whisper in his ear, and nodded once before Zephyros moved away. He moved back to the willow and leaned silently against it, his head lowered slightly and his eyes half-closed, to give him a look of sullen boredom that belied the small light of happiness Zephyros had kindled in his heart. Alaheidra couldn’t know about that.
He heard her approaching before he saw her, and remained silent and aloof, his eyes averted from her face even when she brushed up against him, cupping his chin and turning his face toward hers.
“And how is His Wolfship this evening?” she asked mockingly.
“As well as can be expected, Your Hagship,” Jason retorted icily.
Alaheidra gripped his chin tighter, taking hold of Jason’s tongue with her other hand, and tugging on it a little before letting it go. “Such a sharp tongue you have. You should have been made a serpent instead of a wolf -- your bark is worse than your bite.”
“Rather like the willow I’m bound to,” he retorted, not looking at her. He wondered if Zephyros was hiding nearby, listening… maybe Jason could help him learn more about his curse, and what bound him to this wood.
“Indeed.” Alaheidra studied him quietly for a moment. “If my company displeases you so much, why don’t you just leave?”
Jason laughed hollowly. “You don’t think I haven’t tried? Every path I take to get out just leads me back to this accursed glen.”
“That is not my fault,” she reminded him. “I wasn’t the one who enchanted this place, so don’t take out your frustrations on me.”
Jason nodded, his lip curling. “Yes… that would be your father’s fault. What was his name again?”
“Dorimus,” she answered, raising an eyebrow. “And don’t look at me with that sneer. You know why he did it… you know what he wanted from you. What I want.”
Jason resisted the urge to roll his eyes, tuning out the sound of her voice as she launched into their nightly exchange. He gave his rehearsed reply, saturating it with venom, but knowing it would do no good. They were both too stubborn.
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Zephyros Aetai
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Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Dec 17, 2009 23:22:20 GMT -5
Zephyros twitched a little. Dorimus... he'd been banished from Talsarind for dark magics... banished from most countries for dark magics. And this woman was his daughter? But then what co-. Oh right, she wanted to marry him... Dorimus must have planned for the long term. If she had Jason's heir, then the throne of Elsamane would be in Dorimus' family... and the apple didn't fall far from the tree.
That's... devious. But if he cast the spell, how would she break it?
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Dec 18, 2009 0:16:03 GMT -5
“One of these days I'm going to lose my patience with you,” Alaheidra told him, her eyes dark with ire. “I will have you, one way or another.”
“But how much of a king would I be if I was a wolf by day forever, and bound to this forest on top of that?” Jason asked, looking up at Alaheidra, his curiosity for once outweighing his distaste for her. “And would my curse be passed down to the heir I fathered?”
She shook her head. “No, I would be sure to remove both curses before we wedded. I have that knowledge -- I was there when Father cast the wolf-curse in the first place, years ago.”
Jason shuddered. He remembered that day, the morning after his thirteenth birthday… his first day as a wolf. He had nearly given the chambermaid a heart attack; she had broken her ankle in two places after falling down the stairs, fleeing from him in terror. And then his parents had come to see what was the matter… The memory made his stomach twist.
He looked up at Alaheidra with fire in his eyes. “There is no word in any tongue on this earth to describe how much I hate you.”
Alaheidra sighed. “Such a shame… such a shame. Well, I am a patient woman. I’ve waited six years, I can wait a little longer.” She turned away to leave the glen. “Have a pleasant night, Your Wolfship.”
Her cold laughter echoed behind her as she vanished into the shadows.
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Zephyros Aetai
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Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Dec 18, 2009 12:49:45 GMT -5
Zephyros slowly came forward as soon as she was gone."Well, that was informative."
He glared in the direction she had gone in, crossing his arms. "She is certainly Dorimus' daughter. A slimy snake just like him. I think I would rather remain a wolf than marry one such as her myself."
His bitch stood beside him and growled viciously in Alaheidra's direction as well. Zephyros put a hand on her head, soothing her softly. Growling one last time, she turned and moved to sniff at the hidden basket. Zephyros picked her up and pulled her away, "I told you before, none of that is for you. You get fed back home, later."
Looking at Jason, he grinned, "At least when you are forced into wolf form, your Highness, you have the intelligence of a human. Dogs are so stubborn, and never seem to really listen. I prefer the intelligence of a horse or a cat, but you can't hunt with a cat, nor will a cat fight to protect you."
Setting the bitch down and keeping a hand on her head, he looked over at Jason again. "Would you mind me asking how exactly your curse works? Wolf by day, man by night... but how does the willow tie in? And what triggers your transformations?"
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Dec 19, 2009 1:50:43 GMT -5
Jason sighed quietly, moving to stand beside Zephyros as he spoke. His eyes hardened at the bitter memories he forced himself to relive.
"The spell that binds me to the willow is separate from the spell that turns me into a wolf. The wolf-curse has been on me for six years now, ever since my thirteenth birthday. Dorimus came to my father's castle and demanded that Alaheidra have my hand in marriage when I came of age. Father refused, naturally, and so Dorimus cursed me to be a wolf by sunlight and a man by moonlight. I can sometimes be a man during the day, when the moon is seen alongside the sun, and some nights I don't turn human at all, such as when the moon is new.
"What binds me to the willow is quite another story. On my eighteenth birthday, Dorimus came to my father again, demanding that I take his daughter as a wife. Father refused again, and so Dorimus kidnapped me and brought me here with a spell. He died with the energy he had used to cast the spell, but Alaheidra filled his shoes perfectly, so to speak. She cut off a lock of my hair, cursed it and bound it to the topmost branch of the willow, where no one can reach it without harming the tree -- and thus harming me. I'm not entirely sure how it works."
He paced around a little, his face growing anxious and sad. "The enchantments on this forest keep me from getting anywhere close to the edge of the wood whenever I try to escape. I tried to follow your tracks last night and failed utterly. Every turn of the path brought me back to this glen. You have no idea how frustrating it is... and how lonely. Even the other wolves in the wood ignore me. They know I'm not one of them. The only person I've had to talk to other than you is Alaheidra, and we have the same conversations almost every night. As you've heard."
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Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Dec 19, 2009 2:40:30 GMT -5
Zephyros did a bit of math, "So you're nineteen..."
He circled the tree curiously, very gently tapping the bark. "So if I accidentally broke off some bark, it would be like scratching you." He pulled his hand away and snapped at his wolfhound before she could sniff at the basket again. "I already told you it's not yours!"
"I'm sorry, she's bright but she's still just a dog. What was I... ah yes. I had heard that you seem to always have the same conversation with her... I wonder how many times she can accept your answer before she tries to do the same as her father. Have a child, and force another country to accept her child as king or queen. Eventually it has to work, even if it doesn't with you..."
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
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Post by Jason Hiller on Dec 19, 2009 2:51:11 GMT -5
Jason sighed again. "I don't know why Dorimus chose me to be his daughter's husband; there are other powerful countries with perfectly capable male heirs. I'm not particularly gifted in anything, unless you count art... I used to love painting," he reflected sadly. "When I was human all the time and could hold a brush, that is."
He shook his head. "But this is my life now, for better or for worse. I have no idea how long either of us can hold up this stalemate... I'm frightened that she's going to one day lose her patience completely and force me to give her an heir, whether we're in wedlock or not." He shuddered. "I can't think of a worse fate."
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Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Dec 19, 2009 3:06:02 GMT -5
Zephyros grinned, "That's harder than you think. After all... she still has to get your body interested even if she can't get your mind."
He leaned carefully against the tree, his arms crossed. A thoughtful look crossed his face and he looked over at Jason. "Tell me... other than Alaheidra removing them... how could the curses be broken?"
Rolling his eyes, he moved over to the wolfhound and nudged her away from the basket again. "That is all for Prince Jason. Stay away from it. Don't make me tell you again. We both know you're smarter than that."
He finally gave up and picked her up again. She squirmed in his arms, but he was more than strong enough to keep her in his arms. "So you used to paint? I never was very good at the arts, though I don't think my father disapproves of a son who loves to hunt. ...I don't normally hunt wolves unless they've been known to kill people, though."
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Dec 19, 2009 3:12:39 GMT -5
Jason shifted uneasily, a frown coming over his face. "I've never harmed anyone intentionally, as a wolf or a human. You probably mistook me for a real wolf who had been killing people, am I right?"
He paused for a moment. "The curse binding me to the willow can be broken if someone finds a way to reach the lock of hair on the highest branch without harming the tree, and then bringing the lock and the ribbon holding it down to the ground and burning them. I know the wolf-curse has some sort of loophole; all of these kinds of curses do. But I don't know what it is, and Alaheidra won't tell me."
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Zephyros Aetai
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Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Dec 19, 2009 3:22:43 GMT -5
"Yes, I did. There are a few in this forest, and I thought you were one of them. I know better now. The first sounds hard... I wonder if I could train a falcon to do that..." Zephyros bit his lip a little. "The loophole for the second curse might be easier for you to find if you were home. Besides, at home your family knows about the curse, and so you wouldn't have to worry about, oh... being hunted, for example."
He grinned over his bitch's head as she continued to struggle in his arms. Finally putting her down, he stayed between her and the basket. She sat in front of him and looked at him, whining.
"That isn't going to work. It's not yours, and you can beg all the bread you want off of that girl my parents want me to marry."
Looking at Jason, Zephyros wrinkled his nose. "Being the youngest of four sons means my parents kind of want to make me... less of an imposition. If I marry this girl and her parents don't have an heir, then my parents hope that I'd be chosen over some cousin or something. I don't know, I ignored the politics part of my lessons. More fun to throw balls at my brother."
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Dec 19, 2009 3:55:26 GMT -5
Jason sighed again, running his hands through his tangled curls. "I've told you, I can't escape this forest to get home in the first place. And then comes the matter of finding the loophole, IF I manage that."
"I appreciate your concern," he said, meeting Zephyros' eyes. "I truly do... but is it worth all the trouble? My whole family probably believes I'm dead and buried by now, for all I know... shot by a hunter, or starved to death, or killed by Dorimus or his daughter for refusing their demands. If I could prove to them that I'm alive somehow, maybe they could come and find me..."
He looked at Zeph, biting his lip a little, and turned and took a few steps away, muttering to himself. "No, no, stop it, Jason. You can't possibly. He's already given you so much out of pure generosity... asking for anything more would be selfish..."
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Zephyros Aetai
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Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Dec 19, 2009 4:26:03 GMT -5
"No it wouldn't," Zephyros interjected, dragging his hound with him as he moved to follow Jason. "Part of what keeps you here is the spell binding you to the willow. I was thinking of if we figured out how to end that, then you could go home. Naturally the first spell would be broken first. And it's not selfish to want to let your family know you're alive." He paused and spoke to his hound. "Stop fighting, I'm not letting you go back to the basket. I don't trust you.
"Anyway, I could write them a letter, or even better, bring you what is necessary to write them a letter yourself. They would know your hand after all. And I don't mind helping. It's only right, especially if you've been held captive in our country without us even knowing about it. My family owes you at least something. Something more than a single basket of decent food. Now, your time as a human is growing short, and I need to get home before people grow concerned about me."
Dragging the bitch with him, he kept one hand on her ear and offered Jason a hand. "If you'd like, I could come by tomorrow after moonrise, and hide again when she comes. I won't even bring a hound next time so if I misjudge the time, you won't have to worry about an over-anxious dog wanting to attack the first wolf it sees. Would that be acceptable, your Highness?"
I have to figure out what it is about you that has me so fascinated. The more time I spend with you, the sooner I will figure it out, I know it.
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
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Just another nancy boy...
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Post by Jason Hiller on Dec 19, 2009 14:40:57 GMT -5
Jason's eyes shone with boundless gratitude at Zephyros' generosity. He took the younger prince's hand in his own and shook it firmly. "Your Highness... I can't possibly thank you enough. If there is anything I or my family can do to repay you, just name it and it shall be yours. Within... reason, of course."
He met Zephyros' eyes with a smile. "That would be far more than acceptable. I would very much like to see you again tomorrow night. Goodnight, your Highness, until then. And take care -- I wouldn't want you to be punished for sneaking out to see me too often."
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Zephyros Aetai
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Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Dec 19, 2009 15:28:39 GMT -5
"Who is going to punish me? My parents? So long as I tell them I am hunting an illusive quarry, then I have nothing to fear," he said gaily. His bitch whined, pulling toward the basket and he rolled his eyes. "I should get going before she decides her stomach means more than my orders. Fare thee well until the morrow, Prince Jason. I do need to be heading home."
He shook Jason's hand, then left the clearing, nearly dragging his hound with him. Intentionally he made no comment of reward. Kindness did not always require being repaid. Besides, this is totally selfish. You intrigue me, and if I do things for you, the better I will learn about you.
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Dec 20, 2009 1:20:39 GMT -5
“Farewell, Prince Zephyros,” Jason replied softly, watching him move out of sight. “And thank you again.”
He returned to the basket, carefully digging it out of the thicket, and receiving several more cuts for his pains. After finishing the slice of bread he had started eating earlier, as well as a second, he hunted around in the basket for the razor Zephyros had mentioned including. Finding it next to a bar of soap, he took the basket down toward the river to give himself a much-needed proper shave.
Halfway there, he stopped. Alaheidra would definitely notice if he was clean-shaven when she came back to him at dawn. She would ask where he found the tools to groom himself properly, and then what could he say? She already knew about Zephyros, to an extent, but Jason didn't want to reveal that Zephyros had been helping him under her very nose... she'd get suspicious and keep a watch for him. That would end badly for them both.
He sighed, looking down at the soap and razor in his hands, an idea forming in his mind. He could give himself a shave, however haphazard, and then make up a story about a careless hunter dropping his dagger somewhere in the woods. Yes, and then he'd produce the breadknife as proof. The soap might make her suspicious, but he could always say he’d made it himself. Making his own soap was difficult and took awhile, so he didn’t do it often.
He turned his course and slipped away to a different clearing, some distance from the willow-glen. In it was a small, crude hut Jason had built for himself out of branches and animal skins. Jason had to wonder how no one had found it and pillaged or destroyed it by now -- not that he had anything valuable to steal.
Ducking into the hut, he peered around, seeing by the scrap of moonlight filtering through a flap in the ceiling that served as a window. The hut wasn’t exactly a hut -- more like a small storage space. There was no bed, since wolves didn’t use them and he rarely slept while in human form. Along the walls were crude shelves, which held various dishes and tools made of bones, and bunches of dried herbs hung from hooks in the ceiling.
He set down his basket and found some spare clothing and a towel he had made haphazardly for himself out of deerskin and sinew. Taking those with the soap and razor and coming back to the river, he gratefully stripped off his clothes and stepped into the chilly water for a bath. On second thought, he pulled his clothes into the river with him, to wash them properly with the soap.
He shaved his cheeks and chin once his body and clothes were clean, and trimmed his hair somewhat awkwardly as well. Drying himself off with the towel, he changed into his dry deerskin clothes and took the damp homespun ones back to his hut. He built a small fire inside a ring of stones and hung his clothes and the towel over the flames to dry, gazing contemplatively into the hissing embers.
It was strange, Jason thought, how utterly fascinated Zephyros seemed to be with him. Not that Jason really blamed him… it wasn’t every day someone was cursed to turn into a wolf and live in a forest forever, was it? Still, Jason couldn’t help but feel that something else kept drawing Zephyros back to him. The young prince was the first and only friend Jason had made in the past year, and his generosity was admirable. Was it chance that had brought them together, or something deeper?
The more I think about you, the more I want to see you again... tomorrow night can't come soon enough. With luck I'll be free of this forest soon, and then perhaps together we can find a way to break this wolf-curse. I just wish there was some way I could repay your kindness to me. I would give you anything.
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Zephyros Aetai
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Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Dec 21, 2009 2:14:02 GMT -5
- - -
Zephyros sat alone in the glen, fiddling with a quill and parchment. There was an inkwell in his pack, but he didn't want to set it out just yet. Not until Jason was there, and human. He looked up, unable to see the moon yet. Sighing, he just picked up a block of wood, making sure it wasn't willow, and started carving. He didn't know what he'd meant to make, but it was quickly turning into a very handsome wolf. Smiling, he just let his hands do as they wished.
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
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Post by Jason Hiller on Dec 21, 2009 2:43:06 GMT -5
Jason stepped softly through the trees on his way to the glen, then stopped and sniffed the air, his tail beginning to wag. Prince Zephyros had passed this way recently -- he was probably waiting for him in the glen. Jason hurried in that direction, coming quickly through the trees and into the glen, where sure enough, the prince of Talsarind was waiting for him. He was carving spmething out of a block of wood... some sort of four-legged animal. Beside him on the grass sat a scroll of parchment and a quill pen.
Jason came to Zephyros' side with a soft whine of greeting, dipping his head respectfully and sitting down at Zephyros' side, watching him curiously. He lifted his eyes to the heavens, seeing the moon just beginning to move into the clear sky above the glen. He held still, wincing at the awkward shifting of his bones and muscles as he became human again. At least in his current position he could achieve some level of modesty.
"Good evening, Your Highness," he said softly, with a smile. "It does my heart good to see you again. The day seemed far too long in the waiting."
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Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Dec 21, 2009 11:00:25 GMT -5
Zephyros smiled at him, then turned back to his block of wood. "Good evening, your Highness. I'd wait elsewhere, but here we know exactly where the other is, and where the moon is. My gaze is fixed; you may go get dressed without concern for your modesty."
He continued working on the carving, carefully forming the minute details of a wolf that had just turned to look at something. The ears stood upright, the tail low, the legs straight and graceful. A creature both beautiful and deadly, one to be feared and respected. "I brought ink, parchment and a pen this night, and will send your letter to your family on the morn."
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
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Post by Jason Hiller on Dec 21, 2009 14:04:50 GMT -5
"Thank you," Jason replied, pulling his clothes quickly out fron under the willow and onto his body. Returning to Zephyros' side, he examined the carven wolf taking shape in the prince's hands. It looked a lot like himself, Jason thought with a smile.
"That carving is beautiful," he murmured. "You have a great deal of skill."
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Zephyros Aetai
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Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Dec 21, 2009 21:07:02 GMT -5
"Thank you. I guess I wasn't being entirely honest when I said I don't have any artistic skill. I just sort of taught myself and I don't do it often. How are you this night?" Zephyros asked, finishing the carving and tucking it into his pack carefully and pulling out the ink. He looked at the moon again and stood quickly, grabbing the letter supplies. "I think I hear her coming. I'll be back when she is gone."
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Dec 21, 2009 23:09:54 GMT -5
“Take care,” Jason whispered. He stood up slowly and turned toward where Alaheidra would be coming from, listening to Zephyros disappearing into the trees. He suddenly remembered that he was much cleaner and better groomed than normal, and Alaheidra would have to be blind not to notice. But he had his alibi, he told himself reassuringly. He just hoped it would hold up.
Alaheidra swept into the glen with the cold, aloof manner of a cat. She stalked around the young prince in a slow circle, looking him over closely. Her voice, when she spoke, held all the warmth of a midwinter night.
“You look surprisingly well, Jason… and well groomed. How might that be?”
“A hunter dropped his dagger in the woods, and I picked it up,” Jason lied with a casual shrug. “I was long overdue for a haircut and a shave.”
“I see.”
Alaheidra circled him again, her brows knitting slightly. Something crunched underfoot, and she looked down, seeing the chips and shavings of wood she had stepped on. They were obviously not from the willow; Jason was unharmed. She picked one up and examined it closely. It had been cut very recently with a knife, which Jason had mentioned a moment ago. But where was it now?
“What were you carving here?” she asked curiously.
“Oh, nothing really,” Jason answered, trying to hide the note of worry in his voice. He couldn’t let Zephyros get caught! “They’re from last night. I was trying to carve myself a whistle, but it failed utterly.”
Alaheidra’s eyes were like dark spears, piercing him deeply. “You’re lying to me, Jason. I know it. And you know I can’t stand a liar.”
She moved over to the willow, taking a slender twig in her fingers and starting to exert pressure on it. Jason watched her, feeling steadily mounting pressure on his own little finger. She held his gaze, her eyes cold, continuing to press down on the twig, threatening to snap it. Jason swallowed, wincing in pain, knowing he was at her mercy. She could break his finger all too easily, and much more besides.
Zephyros, whatever happens to me, I don’t want you getting caught…
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Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Dec 21, 2009 23:21:02 GMT -5
Zephyros watched with narrowed eyes, then leapt forward. "That is enough of that. Considering the fact that you wish to marry him, shouldn't you appreciate the aspects of him that make him most appealing? Loyalty, and a willingness to sacrifice himself for others?"
He stood easily, watching her coldly. "I helped him, as an apology for hunting him two nights ago. I was looking for a different wolf, and discovered his curse by accident."
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Dec 22, 2009 1:23:01 GMT -5
Alaheidra's eyes widened in surprise at the young boy's entrance; then her mouth twisted into a wicked smile when she recognized him. “Prince Zephyros, what a pleasant surprise...” She kept her hand on the twig, one eye darting back toward Jason for a moment. “I must say I was not expecting you here. So you're my little princeling's benefactor. Well, well.”
She released the twig, letting it spring back into place. Jason sighed audibly as the pressure left his finger, and moved to stand beside Zephyros, looking at Alaheidra icily.
“Prince Zephyros has given me far more in these past three nights than you have in the past year,” he told her, a strange boldness kindling in his heart in spite of the pain he had almost had to endure. “Kindness, care, generosity, friendship. You might want to try them sometime -- you’ll find they make better persuaders than cruelty and anger.”
“I prefer pain,” Alaheidra replied in a deadpan voice. “It’s always worked for me.”
She moved in a slow circle around the two princes, watching them both like a cat cornering a pair of mice. Her attention was drawn more to the younger one, Zephyros… he was, for lack of a better word, beautiful. Divine. His golden curls fell artfully around his shapely face, framing his brilliant green eyes. His body was like a sculpture, elegant and perfectly formed. His arms were well muscled and strong, his legs lean and graceful. The sweat on his skin made him glisten silver in the moonlight, enhancing his almost otherworldly appearance.
Jason shifted a little where he stood, noticing Alaheidra’s eyes roving over every inch of Zephyros’ body. There was a hunger in her eyes that was never there when she looked at Jason. He stole a sidelong glance at the young prince, his brow creasing in worry.
“On second thought,” Alaheidra murmured, stepping closer to Zephyros and brushing up against him, “perhaps kindness and friendship can be the better option…” She met his eyes with her hungry ones, running her tongue over her lips. “If such things are reciprocated.”
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Zephyros Aetai
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Dec 22, 2009 1:35:38 GMT -5
Zephyros shifted away a little, his expression confused. He understood that look, but not why she was directing it at him. Wasn't Jason the one she'd been hunting for years? Glancing at Jason, he grew more confused at the worry in the prince's expression. Looking at her closely, his eyes examined her carefully in an attempt to see what it was she was after.
"Kindness properly executed generally results in reciprocation..." he said cautiously, still trying to ascertain her motives.
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Jason Hiller
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Post by Jason Hiller on Dec 22, 2009 1:52:31 GMT -5
"Indeed," Alaheidra murmured, not taking her eyes off of his face. "It does indeed."
Jason shivered a little, thinking he had a very good idea of what Alaheidra was after. He moved to stand between them, pushing them apart with his own body and looking up into Alaheidra's face.
"Leave him be," he told her icily. "I thought I was the one you wanted. Or else why would you curse me for all these years, and keep me here all these months?"
Alaheidra's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "So you've made your decision, then?"
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