Serenity had walked a little ways from the town, not to far off. Despite that it was night time and an occurrence like that when she was with Grayell was likely... well she knew bloody magic and wasn't afraid to use it.
The evening was nice anyway, not to cold even. It had been a while since she practiced much less used a piano. She was given everything an ordinary child might dream of. Part of that was an education into many things, such as the arts. Serenity wouldn't consider herself the best, but she was fairly talented with the piano and had a singing voice to go with it.
Climbing up a little hill where a tree stood at its peak, Serenity leaned on the trunk and looked up at the stars, thinking back on her journey.
Her father came into her mind, and with that memory no feelings to go with it, neither love or hate.
She smiled weakly at the thought for a moment and then looked straight into the horizon. Then she sang,
Grayell had followed his ears and the tugging in his gut to this very hillside. He had come upon it as the song died, such a beautiful, entrancing melody ..... it stirred unfamiliar emotions within him and felt compelled to follow.
He paced quietly up the hillside, the darkness as sound a cover as any... and spotted her.
The moonlight dropped upon her hair and set her face aglow, a bare whisper of her curvaceous form apparent in the dim light. He stopped and looked for breath where there was none.
Serenity. Another surprise, another moment that tore yet another smile from his soul and painted his face regardless of his intent. She disarmed Grayell all too easily and at this moment, like the last; he cared not.
He walked slowly, almost apprehensive to interrupt.
She finished her final note, allowing the natural wind to carry it back home.
Oh father...
Serenity was about to sigh when she finally noted the footsteps in the grass, and then his voice. Grayell had listened to her memory,
"Oh, I wasn't..I...."
The lady mage had performed before in public, in full concert halls as well giving full recitals. She was a regular at her university student recitals.
And yet she was blushing a little, though she hoped it couldn't be seen in the veil of night. Standing up straight and coughing a little she managed a less awkward smile,
"Grayell, pleasant meeting you this evening..I mean...its nice to see you again. Out for a walk?"
Grayell shook his head and smiled. He appeared warmer, not in character but his presence alone. He had a reassuring presence about him (cause I worked on Kinship lol) and he walked toward her without a word.
He stopped, leaned on the tree beside her and looked up. Almost strange behavior, to so casually lean next to her like this. He was smiling, eyes wide and bright in the darkness.
No. I was in the tavern actually but your song carried on the wind. I had no idea you had such a lovely voice Serenity....
Look. You have an audience.
There was something unsaid but his segway mattered. He pointed above them, to a lower branch where to nightfowl were resting, huddled together in the cool night. They cooed to one another, obviously a mated pair.
"Oh my," she wondered if it was her magic at work or if she was just to loud. Silly thoughts aside she found that she was glad he was the one who heard her sing and not some stranger who tried to sneak up on her.
Realizing that she noted how stupid it was to have done what she was doing.
Her head came out of the clouds when Grayell mentioned an audience, and she followed his indication to the birds. She couldn't help but chuckle,
"Oh, well in that case I suppose I shouldn't disappoint my audience then." her audience she of course meant Grayell as well.
She stepped a little away from the tree and closed her eyes. The wind was beginning to pick up again, but not as strongly as Grayell had seen last time. A visible current could be felt encircling her, but it wasn't threatening. The wind felt cool, lighter even, the currents encircling her were even, precise.
When she started singing again the wind dispersed, and encircled the little hill around them all as it could be seen due to all the leaves and bits of grass it carried.
Though it could barely be heard, the wind was carrying her voice all around them. It wasn't an echo, nor was it very clear, but the woman seemed to share her voice with the wind. The sounds it carried with it flew by Grayell's ear, as if someone was speaking softly to him.
The currents flew through him, carrying her voice and spirit as it circled around him. The wind had a life of its own, and shared its music with Serenity.
Grayell sighed, slow and deliberate. His eyes glossed over, something that could not be hidden in the moonlight. He wouldn't wipe them, could not so much as bare a trembling lip, but his throat felt tight, constrictive. His heart was suddenly quite loud in his ears, but no so rude as to interrupt her song. His knees didn't want to hold him up so instead he bore his weight against the tree.
Smiling still, he watched her as she sang until he could not any longer. Thoughts stirred though none gave clear voice within his mind and he found himself looking at the ground and nothing. The inkwell of darkness surrounding them hid his past well, and left an open, empty void on which he knew he had to build a future. That emptiness could be frightful, but not at this moment.
Her warmth was something that radiated from her without explanation, without definition; and settled around Grayell - like a babe resting upon it's mother's bosom.
He sniffed, nudges his nose with a knuckle - an entirely unnecessary act but perhaps a vain attempt to break the spell she cast.
You have a gift Serenity. I am honored to have heard it.
The artificial wind currents died out slowly after she ended, she smiled as she caught her breath. It wasn't often she gave a performance like that in public as she was never allowed to use magic. It was actually as a child that she learned she could use the wind to carry her voice farther than it could go.
"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed..."
When she turned around to see Grayell, there was something about him that seemed a tad off. He wasn't exactly as she met him before in that tavern or even after he took her out that evening. She couldn't quite tell what it was, but the feeling couldn't be shaken.
Grayell smiled a false smile, pleasant enough but for her benefit. He leaned forward off the tree and shook his head, chuckled a little.
Nah, nothing. The past you know. The past is like ass holes, everyone's got one.
... oh hey, sorry about that. Heheh.
But really, you have a fantastic talent for singing. Truly incredible stuff. I have no talent for singing myself, wouldn't surprise me if I was tone deaf. But I listen well enough. So does your new friend here.
Grayell chirped, an almost alarming facsimile of the birds above them; and held out a hand. The larger dove fluttered down and landed upon his hand, and he stroked it gently, cooing in the same manner as the birds. He looks to Serenity sideways and grins in a cheesy manner.
Yeah, I think he's smitten with you. His girlfriend there might even be a little jealous....
She couldn't but laugh at his joke, while she didn't use vulgar language much herself, his crude humor had its own charm.
Serenity nearly gasped when the little bird came down to see Grayell. As a little girl she always wanted to play with wild animals like it happened in one of her story books, but her father wouldn't have it. He said it was dangerous but she only wanted to sing with birds.
"I'm actually more jealous of you at the moment, how did you get him to do that?"
The lady looked up to see if the other bird would land on her hand, but it wouldn't have it, perhaps Grayell was right about her being jealous.
Pouting, she looked at Grayell with a jealous eye but soon started laughing.
"I can't believe you're the same man I met only recently in the tavern who smelled of ale. No offense of course," she grinned.
Not long after she said that a wolf's howl could be heard in the distance, and it surprised Serenity to the point that she jumped into Grayell's arms. She was shaking.
The dove flew back to his partner immediately and Grayell almost fell back - but instead slipped hands about her, holding her steady. His breath had stopped entirely, his ears were almost pivoting and his nose, flared as a wild animal. He exhaled, almost snorted and then looked upon his frightened friend with a kind smile and kinder eyes.
Ah, no need to be scared. We are far too close to town and the game runs too thick this year for them to be a threat.
Grayell's hand rubbed her arm slowly.
You know, wolves are in fact fascinating creatures. They are very vocal, organized and loyal to their families and are in fact more faithful than people. A lone wolf howling is either lost, lonely; or is signalling his pack that he has found something of interest. Beautiful animals.
As for ale... well yes it's preferable to some of the dregs that frequent the tavern - but then I didn't expect to meet someone quite as charming as you Serenity. A pleasurable change of circumstance, I must say.
He was not at all alarmed and with good reason. Grayell knew animals well enough and his words were true, were these true wolves. Surely she was just startled.
She could barely hear Grayell, under her shakes and the monster that appeared in mind Serenity was a little girl curled up in a corner. Since arriving, since meeting Grayell she nearly forgotten her irrational fear.
Finally calming down a little, she looked up to see Grayell up close and immediately backed away. Serenity brushed her hair with one hand while turning frantically, as if searching for the beast that made the noise. When she was done she turned slowly to Grayell, a serious expression taking over her smile.
"I'm sorry, its just a fear I have...for the wolves. I know they're beautiful creatures, I'm just afraid of them."
And she knew where the fear first manifested, and its fangs and roar haunted the back of her mind.
"The past is like an asshole after all," she repeated awkwardly trying to capture the same delivery as Grayell but knowing she failed miserably at it.
Grayell approached her with outstretched arms but made no attempt to touch her. She was truly fearful and he knew too well what that felt like. Still, he had to reassure her.
Fear is the monster, not the wolf. Truly, you have nothing to fear with me here Serenity, I'd sooner gut any beast before I let it scare you like this.
Would you like me to walk you home?
His eyes were concerned. His words hadn't the comfort that he would have her feel, but his expression was careful, concerned. His eyes were on her, only on her but his ears were careful, scanning the night surrounding them.
Grayell knew to be careful in the night. Men were fearful of the dark with good reason. He would not let his guard down even in the deepest, drunken stupor. This was no exception. But his attention was on her and her alone. She seemed almost frail in this state, something that somehow made him feel guilty.
Far away beyond the sight of Grayell and Serenity, lay in wait a pair of sharp yellow eyes. The creature breathed heavily, knowing her scent. He had followed her this far and for the first time was so close. The werewolf could smell the other one as well, the man, he would not get in the way.
Her voice and how it sung even miles around, how sweet it was in his ears, he could almost taste her breath in the notes.
Yet she was with someone else, the rage swelled within the beast and was fueled by the jealously that belonged to a man. With one last howl it ran out of its tree cover and sped at ridiculous speeds towards Grayell and Serenity.
In mere seconds the brown haired beast was within striking distance, and in a second more before Serenity.
She didn't have time to look up before she was swept off the ground and carried two massive arms.
Standing up the creature easily peaked 8 feet in height and had an incredibly build covered in thick brown fur. The wolf looked down at its catch, a speechless Serenity who now felt as if she just walked into a nightmare.
Looking down at Grayell, the wolf sneered and gave a mighty roar that could of easily waked the entire town.
Holding Serenity in one arm now, the wolf sped off back into the trees, leaving Grayell in its dust.
Last Edit: Aug 10, 2011 1:48:31 GMT -5 by Serenity
Sudden, violent and incomprehensible rage. The man fell back and something primordial leaped forward with uncaged ferocity, clambering it's way through his gut, his gullet, until it tore out of his mouth with a reckless, bloodwrithing howl. His hands tore at the air, nostrils flared with such unrestrained intensity that his face contorted and his back hunched, curled and snapped as his arms, legs and buttocks trembled with anger.
Grayell was pissed in a sudden instant, something that took no thought or time to consider; and whilst his mind was speeding with hurried enthusiasm to catch up, his body was already on the move.
Like a predator having it's prey snatched from under it's drooling more, Grayell gave chase; feet hammering at the ground with little thought given to what lay in his path. There were no words that needed expression.
But he knew that beast. Not that particular beast, but the blood it bore and the devious nature it was capable of. Before it ever touched serenity he hated it with an undying, jet black flame in his breast that would have his eyes kill it, crush it with their gaze.
And now it took his friend. No words. Blood stirred in an unusual manner, coursing to his legs and lungs, pushing him harder. No words. Just rapid movement, as fast as his body could manage.
The fear that controlled her was so powerful Serenity was on the verge of fainting, yet something told her to stay conscious. Despite that her will power seemed to be sapped away in the sight of her worst fear and she doze off in the wolf's arm. It broke through the tree line of a small nearby forest, sure that Grayell would never catch up to it. Even if he could, the monster's power was beyond him. Or so it believed anyway.
Grayell would be nearing the same entrance as well, yet another werewolf was about to block his path. Breaking away from its cover as well was a smaller, light brown furred wolf that was only a little taller than the hunter. It rammed at him with incredible force nonetheless and both of them rolled on the ground. The werewolf got up and growled at Grayell.
Without another warning the beast jumped at Grayell, attempting to take him down with a single bite.
You have free control over the outcome of enemy actions and your own. The werewolf that has Serenity is a special case though, and I will determine the actions taken against it.
Last Edit: Aug 10, 2011 2:17:34 GMT -5 by Serenity