Halcyon's eyes skimmed the slowly waking town behind her. Her belt was laden with small sacks filled with the supplies she needed. Food was shrunk by magic and she had eaten her fill along the way. Time to move on again. The Moon elves were those of lost and forlorn, used to being on their own and depending on little if anything. They often were loners, even from themselves, so having little company was no problem at all, Halcyon preferring it be none at all. Nothing to worry about though. Nearly every person or thing she had come across she had either killed before their next breath or had tried to kill her.
The elf swiped her cloak out of the way long enough to straighten her cotton white top. Her frayed and torn white skirt caught the breeze, her legs protected with tights and long high boots that tied all the way up to her theighs, giving her more stability in landing when high jumps came to be made. Belts holding all sorts of daggers and knives roped around her limbs, but easily covered when the battered graying cloak was pulled back into place and fastened with the brooch of the symbol of the Moon Elves. If anything kept them in hope, it was this strange "make-beleive" bird.
Halcyon then picked up a strange sense. It seemed hostile and sinister. Then again many of such prescences she had encountered before. No use sticking around here. Taking one last look at the village she could have at one point in her life enjoyed normally, the elf spun on her heel and sprinted down the gravel dirt road that led through the wilderness to the mountains. They were her next destination. Many refugess and government-sought people hid there and lived quite peacfully and well. Maybe, after two exhausting years of running, she could as well.
The woods were quiet and whispering, the falling leaves of on-coming autumn crunching lightly as her feet padded through them. All was a blur around her and she missed coming to a halt to see the sights around her. She may have been halfway around the country twice, but if you asked her what some of the most beautiful sights were, she wouldn't be able to tell you. All was but a blurr passing by. Passing by like the time; a thing known but not paid attention to from her. Her life was simple: she ran from those who chased her, and if she managed to stay several paces ahead of them, maybe she'd have some time later in her life to resume some of the things she had missed.
Halcyon skidded to a stop when her right calf began to sting with a minor pain. A bush had caught it, launching several thorns into her boot now causing an irritating itch. The elf paused a few minutes, carefully sweeping her cloak behind her as she plucked them free of the white leather. The sky was graying above her with rolling clouds, soon to bring heavy rain that had been looming above them several weeks now but had stubbornly refused to fall. It seemed to be waiting for some cue, some signal to finally open and release all it held. The morning sun was blotted out in hues of yellow and gold, almost non-existant behind the gray.
Halcyon shook her head. Such weather spelled bad luck. The elf strode a few steps ahead, but the nagging voice forced her into a run again. Now the colors blurred around her again, the elf not able to make out the individual beauty of each. Not the time.
WHAM!
Halcyon slammed into something invisible, knocking it over and hearing it grunt with pain as she landed upon it and rolled off, skidding through the leaves. Angered because she had let her senses wander she staggered to her feet, tearing a dagger free from its sheath, only to find thin air before her....or was it? Her skin tingled with an aura. There was something there. Well concealled, but nothing existing could ever completely erase every trace of its being; a thing the elf had well learned over time.
"Show yourself, I know where you are," the elf ordered, staring right at the aura she felt. Her voice was a bit raspy from not speaking in so long. After being alone most of her journey, making exceptions only for the usual spells she had recited, Halcyon had most certantly not spoken to herself all this time. Speaking dulled other sounds. So she didn't ever speak when she didn't need to. Her voice was out of practice, but she found it slide into function again when she repeated, "Show yourself, or I shall force to take other measures."
The elf nearly jumped when out of thin air a form began to solidify. It was a young male, maybe only a few years older then she. His hair was a blazing red, such as his eyes. The color coal would get after being heated in a fire in the rich flames. He wore a black cloak, and beneath a wollen white sweater and cotton black pants, thick boots covering his feet. He seemed not to be armed, and his gaze was hard and peircing. He opened his mouth to catch his breath, revealing enlongated canine teeth. Halcyon sucked in air.
"What are you?" she demanded.
The male, still brushing himself off, looked up. His body was muscular and obviously ahtletic. "What am I?" he repeated in a rich tone. "What are you?" He stared at her a moment and then added, "Don't answer. I know who you are." Halcyon's stance shifted, her feet spreading a bit and fixing to the floor. "No need to be hostile, elf. I will not hurt you, or turn you in, or any of that nonsense. I think it's silly so many people persue such a sorry being as you, without even knowing your crime. They merely want to kill you for the money, and because the king tells them so." His eyes glinted with curiostiy. "Tell me, were the rumored charges the king started anywhere near true?"
Halcyon, letting her guard waver, turned her eyes to the ground. "What's it to you?"
"Nothing. Maybe everything." he taunted, straightening and then held out his hand. "Halycon of the Moon Elves, I am Ciarou of the Mancherai clan."
Halcyon regarded the hand and then her eyes widened. "The Mancherai clan? You're a-"
"Half-vampire? Yes." he answered with a smile. "Does that bother you?"
Halcyon bit back the retort and pressed her silvery lips into a thin line. She reached gently out and cautiously shook his hand. She may be running, and all may be her enemy, but Elves and most of the other creatures held manners, dignity, and pride close to them. When one, even your enemy presented such manners, one was oblidged to return them, even if death would surely follow closely after. It was ironic, but the way of things. And it would most certantly not be of an elf to break any under any circumstance.
"So what were you doing, invisible and walking through the forest?" Halcyon asked.
Ciarou regarded her a minute, persing his lips. Deciding to answer he replied, "I was taking a walk. Is that a crime?"
"No, but getting in my could have gotten you killed."
"Really?" he rose a brow. "Maybe I should get in your way more often."
Halcyon, despite herself, felt the corners of her lips curl upward. He had the shrewd humor of most her kin. Then, taking no more time to think, the elf turned on her heel and began to race forth, thinking to leave this new acquaintance alone and unknowing. It was best so. He might turn on her, so if she refused to kill him now, then she'd have to make him another enemy and avoid him as if one.
"Wait!" his voice echoed after her and she felt a sharp jerk on her arm, wrenching her joint from the socket. her teeth slammed together to supress the cry of pain surging through her shoulder and she dropped to her knees. The vampire dropped next to her, still holding onto her wrist. "You!" the elf roared, realizing she should have killed him earlier. He had wounded her. That was his plan.
"I meant you no harm, but you didn't wait as I commanded you to." he defended.
"I take orders from no one!" she spat angrily, feeling her pride crush as she lay on her knees at his feet, looking up at him with hate.
He then bent down to her and laid his other hand upon her shoulder, steadying it. With a quick snap her bone re-entered the joint and she bit her tongue so not to cry out again. Blood salted her mouth and she spat it out. The vampire's eyes jolted to follow its path into the leaves, every drop of blood that spattered making his eyes sparkle longingly. Halcyon felt disgust but yet curious wonder at the same time. He had injured her, and hurt her again by healing it, but the elf's anger eased a bit when he yet again lay his hand to her socket and soothed it with calming magic.
"Now will you let me leave? I must reach the-" she stopped herself just in time. Halcyon gave the vampire and icy stare, daring him to ask for more of a reason. Ciarou seemed hesitant. "We just met."
"And? That already means I've waited too long to kill you."
"Kill me?" he seemed interested. "You honestly think you could? You? A scrawny little Moon Elf?"
"Oh, yes...yes I do."
((nice long one for ya, just as i said))
Posted at 11:51 pm by Kelp
