dancing lights

It had felt like an eternity since he’d seen Phen - though knowing he was okay and with Nessa had been a tad helpful these past few weeks. He’d debated sneaking over to the woman’s home in an attempt to see the other fae but he stayed away - he hadn’t wanted to risk doing more harm to Phen’s mental state. Knowing that he would be home eventually was what had been keeping him together. He’d found out quite a bit about himself in the past few weeks of being alone. 

Currently Maverick was in the kitchen putting together some tea, oblivious to the door having been open. Though as Phen got closer the fae had perked up - stopping what he had been doing to pause and listen. Not but a moment later he heard Phen’s voice pipe up and he couldn’t help but whip around to look at the fae. He was speaking in full and complete sentences - something he’d not seen often. On top of that his eyes were clear and bright - another thing he’d not seen much of. He was almost a new man but the same. 

All Maverick could do for a moment was stand there in sock, a mix of emotions flooding to the surface that he kept trying to process as quickly as he could. 

“You should, though I like to think I equally ensnared you - after all you came back for me that says something.” 

True words and equally dangerous words. Stories of those of the Fae being ensnared made it into storybook to tell children before they drifted into slumber. But no, this is a different kind of ensnared and Phen couldn’t deny that they’d both found each other caught in the other’s web. A price Phen would pay with little complaint.

“I had every intention of coming back for you!” Phen said with a cheerful laugh. “I’m sorry that I’ve been away for so long. I’m afraid I found myself... in a predicament.” A predicament indeed, one that he’d not been very fond about since the beginning. Whether he was talking about since he disappeared or far longer... well, that was a mystery.

“But, ah!” Phen held a hand up, index finger pointed up to the ceiling. “If I may, because it is only rightfully that I do so, allow me to reintroduce myself.”

And with that, Phen, standing in the middle of the kitchen did the grand gesture of snapping his legs together and sweeping his arm in an arc down to his waist as he leaned over in a bow. “If I may, I am Phen of the Unseelie High Court. First son of the Silverthistle family.” When he stood up, he gave Maverick a wink. “Also known as Phen, the Fairy of Song. I can promise, my sweet Mav, that I am just as wild but with more sanity thrown in now that I am myself again.”

Phen kept himself hidden. Very carefully. It was too early to come out of hiding just yet when he was having far too much fun. It hadn’t even been his intention, nothing but pure coincidence that the two of them were in the same area at that same time. Well... maybe a little more than mere coincidence but that would be thanks to being of the Fae.

It had only started with one little blue flower. So delicate and sit along the path so it wouldn’t be missed. And then a second flower, amidst far less shining flowers. No, none of them had the same sparkle as his signature blue flowers. One of the very many reasons that Phen had always been able to find gullible humans to fall for his schemes. They were always so drawn to anything sparkling and beautiful. This wasn’t a scheme; however, merely a fun game. It was two more flowers before Phen, hidden in the shadows, sang out softly.

“Eyes so bright and full of life. Imagination wild with delight. She’s tiny but sharp just like a little pocket knife. A sense of wonder and curiosity, So easy it would be to take her hand in mine. I wonder if she sees the monstrosities.Don’t fret over those dreadful humans, darling little girl. You’re far sweeter and greater than they could ever know. You’re like a fairy flower, only beginning to uncurl.Destined for so much more, We shall wait to see what fate has in store. For now, darling little girl, I give you this song of ours. But just you know, should you ever need a helping hand, Come to the forest and find the blue flowers.Dance among them and simply just ask for Phen, the Fairy of Song.”

Phen was nearly silent when he slid into his apartment, his home. He’d been away for so long, he hadn’t even realized how much he’d missed it until stepping into the threshold. Granted, it wasn’t as if he’d been in a state of mind to actually miss it. Phen toed off his shoes by the front door, his feet quietly padding their way down the dark hallway. Everything was still the same, drapes of dark blues and purples covering all the walls, the low blue glowing lights that reminded him of his other home.

As he made it to the main part of the apartment, he could see the numerous cushions that created a large place to lay or sit -- couches had always been far too boring and Phen had never been able to sit in them properly long enough. But he could also see the mess of his creativity, a ghost of before he’d disappeared. It was a bit more cleaned up, but Phen would have to go through everything. Perhaps he’d make use of the bedroom for once too.

But his goal wasn’t his artwork or the familiar trinkets of home. No, his goal was the other fae that resided within the walls. The one that Phen had been terrified would have disappeared and he’d come home to nothing.

“And somehow, with my mind clear, you’re far more dashing. I have to give myself credit for ensnaring you, Maverick.”

Phen’s voice is clear. His eyes, bright mint green the clearest they’ve ever been in a very long time. With there’s a tiredness in his body and eyes as well, everything else about him is relaxed and somehow stronger. This Phen is a much different Phen but with the same classic smirk.

It was similar to rising up from dark murky water after being submerged until lungs were desperate for air again. There was an overwhelming sense of clarity, one that brought Phen to tears in the first moments that he could feel himself whole. After the initial wave had passed, Phen found himself sick to his stomach and the flood of memories were haunting and terrifying.

It was a blessing in disguise to have part of him missing, one that he did not realize until faced with the horrible truth. Those memories didn’t come back all at once but instead in chunks that only made it worse. The moment he seemed to find his bearings about one set of memories, he found himself pulled under by the next wave.

All the fears made sense now — a shared story behind each one.

It took days for Phen to collect himself into something that could be coherent enough to give Nessa the parts of the story he’d been willing to share. The story that no one, not even Phen, had known about. It’d been locked away in his broken mind, assumed to be forever tangled into a mess never to be straightened.

When it happened there had been no one who’d known where he’d gone or what happened after a period of time had passed. It wasn’t odd for Phen to disappear from his family’s manor for long periods of time considering he jumped realms all the time. They wouldn’t have assumed anything and when he did return… well, they’d never been ones to care enough to concern themselves with what happened. Zelda was the exception but she only made sure he was mostly in one piece. Mostly.

How clearly evident it had been that something was not quite right with Phen. But his parents, high in the court, knew it was an Unseelie-eat-Unseelie world. Should Phen fall under the tide… well, that would be his own loss. Both siblings had been groomed to follow in their footsteps should one prove weak.

With the truth coming to light and after another week for recovery, Phen had bid Nessa and Harlow goodbye and thank you. After everything that Nessa had done for him, Phen did not leave without a parting gift. A promise to fulfill his debt that he now owed the witch. Strange to think he’d come out the other side of this thanks to a witch when all of this had been done at the hands of a witch.

Being in the city for the first time since he’d disappeared felt overwhelming. The few changes were not surprising to see, especially the new location of where slaves were kept. He may have failed to mention to Nessa that he’d been the cause of the explosion at the chateau, that he’d caused the brands to falter. He only knew the details of the aftermath thanks to Harlow when he’d asked for an update on what had gone on.

Despite the urge to travel around the city and find his bearings again, Phen could only do so for so long before the exhaustion weighed in. More so, he was desperate for home.

“He’s where? Why?” It wasn’t Harlow that greeted Nessa at the entranceway to their home, but the housekeeper, who was in hysterics about faeries. It wasn’t as if the witch was angry about Harlow having guests over or even letting people in, but the hysterical employee who had accosted her only seconds after entering the house was enough to drive the witch mad. “She let him in? Very well, go calm yourself. I’m tired of your presence.” She dismissed the woman with a wave of her hand, hanging her coat in the closet before entering the main seating area, the only place in the house that was actually intended to have guests. It was only a matter of seconds before she laid eyes on the confused man, though she was no clearer on what was happening than he was. Stopping in the entrance way, she poured herself a glass of red wine, a staple in the Ozmand lifestyle household that was no doubt put at the ready by Harlow. Despite her persistent thoughts telling her not to, she poured one for the faerie and carried it over to him. “Remind me to tell Harlow to stop bringing in strays.”

The glass was set in front of him, just far enough away that should he start freaking out it wouldn’t be knocked over or shattered. “I’d ask what you’re doing in my house, but I fear you haven’t the slightest clue either.” Taking a seat in the chair, a small coffee table separating them, she arched a brow. “Phen, you’re in my house. I wish I could tell you what happened, but I came home to a housekeeper screaming at me, a bottle of wine set aside by my Harlow, and a note that says.. ” Leaning over to fetch the note from the table, she glanced over it quickly. “Help him. What exactly am I to help you with?” Gesturing towards the wine, she reclined back in her chair. “Drink that and calm yourself, I won’t be fealing with more hysterics tonight and I’d prefer not to use my powers on you.”

Being inside Nessa’s home was a bad idea. Very bad idea. She’d be angry. Phen just knew it. If he avoided the council, he really avoided Nessa. Alasdair was bad enough chasing him around about money and the last time the two of them had a spat Phen took a whole day to heal at home. But now he’s with the witch. Witches. Even the word brought a shiver down his spine. He’s still looking around at every corner of the room as his hand reached for the wine. It wasn’t the same but it would be something. Quietly, he took a sip from it as he tried to piece together parts of the puzzle. Help him. Help him.

Zelda. She must have left the note. How did she find him? Where had he been? Phen couldn’t remember anymore. Not shocking, but concerning considering she’d only just brought him back over to this realm. “My sister... my sister... I have a sister.” The way he said the words, it was as if he was convincing himself of the fact. He knew Zelda. He could see her, but the memory almost seemed to fog over. His parents. He couldn’t remember his parents. Their faces. What happened?

Phen squeezed his eyes closed and took a few deep breaths. “Something’s wrong,” Phen said when he finally opened his eyes and set the wine glass down. He pushed his hands through his hair nervously. “Long time. Something broken. Things don’t stay where they should.” He shook his head hard before leaning back against the cushion again. Phen looked down at his hands. They healed up but there was still dried blood on them.

It began with a bright light and then nothing but darkness. Memories of prior events are spotty with the exception of the overwhelming feeling of being out of place. Phen wasn’t sure how much time had passed from when he saw the light and blacked out to the moment he woke up. What he did know was that when he woke up everything was dark, cold, and wet. His eyes adjusted fairly quickly so he could see that it was a dark tunnel, the stone covered in condensation and water running little streams along the stone floor. The only light came from a source up above, a grate that gave Phen little indication of where he’d found himself. A worried noise escaped his lips as he pushed himself up from the ground, hands raised up to see they were painted with blood from what would have been scrapes that had healed.

Carefully, Phen pushed himself up to stagger to his feet but doing so only made him ill. His stomach rolled and he lurched forward, grabbing the side of the wall as he tried to wait for the dizziness to pass. How did he get here? Was Maverick looking for him? What happened? There were no clues. Phen could piece together that it couldn’t have been anything good considering his memory loss and the bits of blood on his hands and shirt. But the air felt different — in a good way. Despite feeling uneasy, he closed his eyes and forced past that to focus on the air around him. Magic. He was in the Feywild. Where exactly, he was not sure and that could either be very good or very, very bad. The only direction for him to go would be forward.

And so Phen found himself carefully making his way down until he started up an incline and found himself in the open air and sunlight greeting him. As much as he wanted to revel in the comfort of the warmth, it took all of a few seconds for Phen to realize he was not where he should be in the Unseelie Court. “Oh no… no, no, no….B-Bad. Bad.” Phen shook his head as he quickly ducked back into the tunnel. He wouldn’t be able to stay hidden much longer. With shaking hands, Phen searched franticly over his shirt until he felt the small charm that hung from his necklace. Quick as he could, he yanked it off and tossed it down to slam his foot into the little ball charm and breaking it.

He fell forward on his knees has an overwhelming wave of unease passed through him. Something was stirring and before Phen had time to put together what was about to happen, he saw the colorful bursts of light all around him. A large one spouted out from underneath him, the loud pop in the air sure to draw attention as Phen was rocketed off onto his side a few feet farther into the tunnel. His vision was spotty but he saw the mist before she appeared, the usually annoyed expression of Zelda’s face before she met eyes with her brother.

“Phen, what have you done?!” Zelda exclaimed as she rushed over, dark blue dress willowing around her. She immediately went to grab his arm, pulling him up to his feet before she looked over her shoulder. “Phen, look at me! What have you done?”

He wanted to answer. The words were lost somewhere in his head and he could only pick one out at a time before another seemed to disappear from him. Everything was far too bright and he couldn’t be sure if Zelda was really standing there in front of him. Frustration crossed her features before she yanked him close and then they were gone before anyone could know any better.

When they appeared again, it wasn’t in the Feywild. Phen could figure that much out by how different the air felt around them. He was muttering incoherently as Zelda pushed him away, hands on either one of his shoulders. “Phen, snap out of it. Now.”

Blinking, he forced his eyes to meet her own, trying desperately hard to focus them on her and not on the shadows and the buzzing inside of him. “I’m here…here…”

With a sigh Zelda glanced around before she pushed Phen gently down onto the doorstep. With a quick flourish, she glamoured a leaf into a note with simple words: Help him. “Phen, listen to me. Give this to the witch, okay? You must stop this nonsense. You are not yourself. Do you understand?”

Phen nodded his head slowly even if her words sounded like they’re underwater. He still didn’t know where he was or what happened, his memory nothing but blackness. Too much of his memory is blackness. His mind had been broken for a long time now.

@unseeliephen

It had been like any other day for Maverick - eating breakfast, then laying on the cot in his cell until free time rolled around. However his wait had been cut short as a guard approached his cell, unlocking it and telling him to follow. This wasn’t the normal mundane routine he’d become accustomed to - which made him wonder why he was being taken out. Surely he hadn’t been rented? No one had been down here all morning. Though confused he did as he was instructed and followed after the guard. 

Before he knew it he was pushed into a chair and having the brand on his arm removed. The fae was a little more than shocked to feel his powers once again running through him. There was a rush of emotions that he attempted to hide from the guards but the slight tears welling in his eyes was hard to conceal. It took them no time at all to interrupt his moment by pushing him up and out of the room to an unfamiliar area of the chateau. However the second he caught sight of Phen he knew what had been done and why his brand had been removed. He’d been claimed, which was something he hadn’t expected to happen so soon but was overjoyed that it had. 

Approaching the short brunette Maverick couldn’t help but smile as he tried to keep his emotions in check. His ears were now pointed, his hair a bit of a lighter blonde and his once blue eyes now a bright purple. “Thank you.” Was all that his brain could muster up to say before he simply leaned down, capturing Phen’s lips in a heated and emotion filled kiss. 

Phen had been a chaotic mess all morning. Enough so that he’d been snapped at by a number of people to calm the fuck down. No. Today was not a day of being calm. He’d woken up that morning with a mission in his mind and when Phen wanted something he tended to fixate until he got it. Today that would be Maverick. And no, not just for a day to enjoy his presence, but for good. Phen would have one part of his family in his home and he was going to be fucking happy about it.

After he’d handed over the necessary funds for Maverick, Phen waited and waited so the proper steps could be taken. The most important of all being the removal of the brand which Phen had been very insistent was a necessity. Contained in one of the rooms, Phen bounced from one spot to the next, his head shifting side to side as he sang quietly and quickly under his breath. Nothing that made sense to anyone as made clear by the guard who looked at him as if he was insane.

Cal was walking briskly down the sidewalk, intent on getting back to his house as soon as possible. It had been a lousy week already, and he just wanted to go home, shut his eyes, and get some sleep. But he was momentarily distracted when his enhanced hearing picked up what the guy further down the sidewalk was saying….to the dog he was holding. Cal slowed as he approached the pair, an eyebrow raised. “Everything okay over here?”

Okay. Okay. Okay. Nothing is ever really okay. Phen has tried too hard to keep things okay but nothing is ever actually okay. How many circles? Round and round. A never-ending cycle that sent him into a void he isn’t sure he could ever find a way out of at this rate. “Okay... okay...No. Yes. No.” A bark brought his attention down and Phen stood up again, holding the pug out to the other. “Help? I don’t know. I’m not.. where... Am I still in Thorn Haven?” The panic started to set in at that moment. “Oh no, oh no! What if I’m not? What if I’m not there? How do I get home? Home. Home! I need to get home...”

They weren’t given many freedoms inside the Chateau but the yard time was the best part of the day. Emerson stood out in the sun, face towards the sky with a small serene smile. It wasn’t the same as walking free but it was something at least. “I can’t wait for the seasons to change,” she said absently. The demon knew others were around her and someone would overhear. That was the other thing about being in a cell most of the time, it was easy to get lonely. Emerson was a creature that craved affection and physical touch from others, it was part of her nature as a succubus. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes to see another standing near by. “What’s your favourite season?”

Phen tilted his head, a curious expression across his features as he stared up at the sky and then back down to the slave who’d spoken. Seasons changing are something Phen’s particularly in touch with. Each new season brought along a new mess of possibilities - a changing of time and attitudes. People were a lot more feisty in the winter than they were during the spring or fall. But what is his favorite season? Now that’s a question Phen tossed back and forth. “Spring. Flowers are in bloom and that’s the best time of the year. People are also much more gullible that time of year.”

“Oohh!! Like a magician, only much less creepy because you’re very pretty. Or is it handsome? I’m never sure if boys like being called pretty, but you are!” Her grin was huge by that point, stretching across her face as she bounced from foot to foot. “CAN I SEE THEM!?” Her hands reached out, gripping his arms to try and contain herself from some of the excitement. His suggestion for her mean roommate had her gasping, dark eyes widening at it. “I can’t kill him, I’m not that strong – and it’s not okay to just kill a crazy person.” Phaedra still firmly believed that her roommate was indeed the crazy person. “The council? Is that the boring old stiffs who put me in the same cell as him?! LET’S DO IT.” She giggled again, clapping her hands while she continued to bounce. The idea of pranking an entire room of people – now that sounded like the right way to spend a day.

“Let’s go, go, go!” This would be a grand adventure. Not only would Phen get to have his fun and mess with the council, he’d get to have some fun with someone who might just be on his level. Hopefully. Phen tended to get tragically bored with those who wouldn’t want to have fun. Well, his type of fun. “Shhh, I won’t tell them you helped. Come with me, we can go to the building! If Freya is working we might have trouble. Big trouble. Sassy trouble.” Phen has a few tricks up his sleeve that might work to get them past if that ended up being the case. Phen turned around, bending his knees to lower himself. “Hop on, pretty! We’re going on an adventure!”

The dinner party had been…interesting. He couldn’t complain too much as his outfit - while garishly pink - had at least covered his body, which was more than some could say. Overall he had simply stood around, ate, conversed and drank a lot of wine. After all who really wanted to be sober at a dinner party like that? Luckily he had managed to find Phen in the hustle and bustle of the party and had stayed close to the other fae’s side until he had been insistent he come home with him. How could he say no? 

With a copious amount of alcohol in his system he slept like the dead. Though once the morning hit he could feel himself getting warmer, his dreams turning a bit more dirty as well. It wasn’t until he felt Phen’s skin against his own that he woke - each touch felt as though jolts of electricity were being sent through him. His mind already clouded over by lust and such an oddly strong desire to have sex. He prided himself on having a healthy sex drive but this was unlike anything he’d felt before. “Mmm I’m awake now.” he murmured as he moved his hand to run through Phen’s curly locks. “You horny too?” he questioned with a smirk as he let his free hand run down the fae’s side.

Hearing Maverick’s voice sent a thrill of excitement through Phen. It meant the other woke up and Phen might be able to get ride of the god awful heat that had taken over him. He’s woken up horny a number of times in his life but this is far different. He’s not able to stop fidgeting against Maverick, tangling their legs together and pressing kisses along the bit of expanse of the other’s chest he could reach from where he laid. “So it isn’t just me?” At the very least he knew it wasn’t just him.

          Kora for her credit is in a panic, eyes searching his body for any signs of physical injury. She sees nothing, and smells nothing but his stress and fear. She recognizes the symptoms then - of one reliving a trauma right before her eyes, post traumatic stress - it’s usually seen in those who have seen war or experienced past abuse. Who, or what had hurt him? His eyes are a dull green in comparison to their usual bright spark.

           Her voice settles into a quiet whisper, “You are here with me Phen, in the magic shop. In Thorn Haven. Do you smell the sage? The lavender? The smell of magic and old books? Breathe all that in. Try and focus on that for me.” She attempted to distract his mind, bring him out of this scary episode gently. Kora doesn’t know the extent of what happened, but she does know she needs to clear his mind.

          When its not working fast enough, the werewolf removes her hands from him, and rises quickly to her feet.  Swiftly she  pulls her dress away and shift into the familiar black wolf that he remembered when he could not recognize her in this state. A moment later she is padding on all fours toward him, her dark muzzle nudging under his chin. A whine escapes the wolfs throat as she pressed her warm and furry flank against him, weight there for more than physical support.

The sound of rushing water is deafening in his ears. Is there rushing water? No, no he doesn’t feel wet but he can hear it and he can smell it. The salty brine, the twinge of magic, the dark shadow looming overhead. The static playing in his ears doesn’t die down either, it plays along with the rushing water and builds high and higher into a crescendo - waiting to send him over.

Then there’s a warmth that is steady and solid. Soft. His eyes blink to try to bring the pieces of the world together, to build them one by one. His arms feel heavy and he’s not sure if he’s fully in control of them, but eventually he manages to wrap his arms around the solid form of Kora. Now closer, he can feel the sound slowly dissipating and can see the world around him more by each passing second. There’s not water pouring over him. There’s no darkness. Phen is in the magic shop and Kora’s the wolf pressing against him.

          Kora, by her nature is a curious little thing that was once obsessed with faeries - and she loves Phens home about as much as she cares for him. It’s always a little different each time she sees it, a little more or a little less chaotic and she never knows what to expect.This time there are less drawings cluttering the floor. Is that one of Teddy in the corner? She is desperately trying to allow her mind to wander about, instead of focusing on the curve of his mouth as finger meets lips in a quiet shh. - What would those lips feel like against her skin? She almost leans in to find out with eager and uncharacteristic anticipation, but his order stops her as eyes flutter closed. There is a short pause as he searches about and a nervousness settles within her.

          Heat spreads across her face at his question and it takes her a moment to finally open her eyes again. Part of her doesn’t trust him to resist playing a trick on her just to see her flustered, especially now with the whole town going mad with lust. “Phen, you can’t ask me such ambiguous questions and expect my mind not  wander in a billion different directions trying figure out what you mean right now!“  She insists as she leans slightly to the side to try and peer behind his back. Is he teasing her? Probably. He is crazy after all. Whatever sort of toy this is, a darker part of her hope’s it vibrates.

That’s the point. Phen can’t help but laugh, knowing that he is being ambiguous, keeping the truth from Kora without explicitly lying about it. A common tactic and oh so perfect for this very occasion. Phen’s having far too much fun as he reaches his free hand out to poke Kora’s nose. “It isn’t as much fun when you know all of my surprises,” Phen says as he tilts his head from side to side and looks Kora over. She is pretty. Achingly pretty in a way that makes Phen get distracted too easily. It’s a different kind of pretty. Not like fae who are sharp and dangerous edges with half-truths and wicked words. Kora’s just as dangerous, but she’s classically beautiful in a way this realm only has the ability to create - but with sharp teeth and knowing eyes.

“I didn’t eat the poop cake!” She squealed, that would have been silly. It smelled nothing like a chocolate cake and too much like the third floor bathroom. Though, the baker lacked the abilities that the faerie capabilities to make it believable. “Oh! What did you do?!” She watched as the man dropped his hand from her arm, grumbling something about faeries under his breath before he took the money and sauntered away. “That was a neat trick! Can you do it again?!” Another giggle left her lips and she grabbed the man’s arm, lips curling in a smile that seemed to stretch from ear to ear. “I like you! I’d be happy to help you find others to eat your special cake. OH! Can we give some to my roommate?! He’s so grumpy. He’s no fun at all. I don’t think I like him.”