Hungry Dreamer

Profiles of Venus & Somnus 

     “  ae’ir  .  “  he  would  repeat  ,  simply  ,  cementing  it  within  his  memory  ,  for  the  time  being  .  he’d  skip  the  formalities  usually  offered  at  introduction  ,  on  his  behalf  ;  as  she  didn’t  seem  like  the  type  for  small  talk  &&  meaningless  gestures  .  with   a  light  shrug  of  the  shoulder  ,  he  would  respond  ,  whilst  tucking  pipe  away  on  his  person  .  “  as  much  is  to  be  expected  ,  with  the  current  tides  .  fortunately  ,  airships  are  the  primary  means  of  travel  ,  these  days  .  people  don’t  often  embark  on  normal  shipping  vessels  unless  they  fear  the  skies  .  “

quaint  hum  would  caress  parted  lips  ,  as  he  gave  her  person  a  look  over  .  plenty  of  wing  -  like  appendages  were  decorating  her  form  .  surely  not  .  “  i  take  it  that  is  a  worry  i  need  not  bear  ,  on  your  behalf  ?  “  the  irony  behind  it  would  be  terribly  humorous  ,  to  bear  wings  yet  fear  the  skies  above  .  regardless  ;  eliraine  would  return  sword  to  his  hip  ,  nestling  comfortably  within  holster  ,  before  pushing  himself  to  stand  ,  beckoning  toward  the  exit  of  the  small  ,  alcohol  littered  abode  they’d  currently  occupied  .  their  task  would  be  to  procure  two  airship  tickets  ,  for  the  time  being  ,  and  then  await  the  departure  times  –  a  trivial  setback  .  “  come  .  the  airship  landing  isn’t  far  .  “

     His offered hand had been quietly rejected with a rise of her own, fingers splayed much like a fan before her rounded chin and glossed lips, expression stone cold all the same. Despite their closeness and the warmth of the room her stare was chilling as they inspected the other, her intrigue lay in his stoicism; her marred face did not concern nor alarm him, his voice polite, frank, full of honey compared to her curt replies. Ae’ir be lying if she did not admit some form of admiration for the ephemeral beauty of short-lived mortals, he is no different, yet she did hold resentment to not be viewed the same – especially due to her facial circumstances. The tension in the atmosphere all but evaporated, however, on the answer to her earlier query; airships. Instinct shut her throat ever so tight all but a whispering squeak escaped, light fuchsia eye dilated to such an extreme degree it looked near comical next to the gold one that remained unchanged, whilst the wings tucked to her hips began jittering uncontrollable; like a numbing leg. This had to be a joke? Eliraine’s amused voice set to stone that it truly was the only way, lest they plan to waste time in this hellish hole-in-the-wall, that was unacceptable. “ There really isn’t… anything else? ” How awful!

     “  ah  .  .  .  you  must  be  my  client  .  “  low  voice  would  hum  ,  smoke  curling  from  painted  lips  and  disappearing  into  the  air  above  ,  gradually  .  fingers  would  curl  around  the  handle  of  the  blade  that  rested  at  his  side  ;  lifting  it  ,  somewhat  ,  offering  visage  in  the  form  of  confirmation  that  he  was  who  he  claimed  to  be  .  this  blade  was  forged  by  her  people  ,  after  all  …  or  whomever  had  learned  their  long  forgotten  craft  ,  more  accurately  .  with  a  silent  breath  ,  he  would  push  himself  to  stand  ,  after  dabbing  out  the  remaining  light  of  his  smoking  utensil  ;  the  flame  flickering  ,  dully  ,  before  dying  out  completely  .

she  was different  looking  ,  for  certain  ;  a  fact  that  he’d  felt  at  home  with  ,  almost  .  he  was  certainly  unique  for  a  man  native  to  these  parts  ,  as  well  .  tongue  would  draw  across  upper  lip  ,  briefly  ,  before  smacking  against  teeth  in  thought  ;  and  then  hand  would  extend  –  the  one  free  of  his  blade  –  in  greeting  .  “  eliraine  .  “  he  would  remark  ,  simply  ,  the  monicker  falling  from  his  lips  as  if  routine  ,  which  it  were  .  this  would  be  different  from  his  usual  ,  preferred  avenue  of  work  ,  which  was  bodyguard  duty  ;  instead  the  two  were  to  form  more  of  a  mutual  companionship  ,  for  the  sake  of  travelling  ,  until  she’d  seen  her  goals  realized  .  he  cared  little  for  the  specifics  ,  frankly  .  so  long  as  there  were  things  to  accomplish  ,  and  gil  to  be  had  . 

    A ghostly woman stood just near the docks within La Noscea overlooking the raging ocean; each rising crest raced down into the harbor, beating down the shoreline. Didn’t seem like any ships would be leaving port soon, the sea’s had other plans and among them was inconveniencing the swordswoman. Didn’t seem to matter how much gil she offered up the sailors would hear very little of it, her words were lost to all ears – even the most greedy – cowardice reigned supreme for now. That was until a voice caught her attention just to her back and with barely a turn, a single gold eye caught sight of a slender man garbed in darkness; a boa of shadow drenched in crimson to its very ends, draped in silver chains and various other baubles of renown; so he too was honorable? Good. “ Lisheti lichkech. . . ” Fully turned revealing her disfigured face; ashen white crawled along her brown skin, veins and scarring marred much of her eye and brow. The lishet were a fascinating peoples and she was no different; four of her ears took the appearance of feathered dragon wings, much like the ones folded to her hips, clasping their claws just to the front of her garment to keep out of the way, whilst to her back a slender tail swayed languorously side to side; the ends splayed in beautiful feathers arrayed in pinks, purples and blues. Truly one of a kind.

    a  blink  .  then  another  .  thrice  .  with  a  hearty  laugh  ,  he  would  cross  his  arms  over  his  chest  and  allocate  her  the  task  of  clearing  the  remaining  debris  from  her  person  .  “  believe  me  ,  i  wasn’t  intending  on  it  .  you’re  not  even  my  type  !  “  with  a  cant  of  his  head  to  the  side  ,  fingers  would  knead  at  tender  muscle  in  his  shoulder  ,  as  he  observed  the  other  .  she  was  …  quite  antsy  ,  from  first  glance  .  with  a  shrug  of  his  shoulders  ,  he  would  answer  ,  honestly  .  “  all  of  my  travelling  belongings  !  i’m  actually  on  my  way  to  a  mage  that  possesses  the  ability  to  seal  them  within  a  scroll  ,  that  can  be  utilized  whenever  i  need  an  individual  item  .  cool  ,  huh  ?!  “

“  Uso   …   Uso  …  how  interesting  !  if  i  didn’t  know  any  better  ,  i’d  think  you  were  one  of  us  tyrfiin  !  all  of  our  names  end  with  an  ‘  o  ‘  or  ‘ ah  ‘  sound  !  “  he’d  flash  a  prideful  smile  at  the  mention  of  his  people  ,  before  bending  down  to  lift  the  wooden  boxes  he’d  been  carrying  ,  previous  ,  back  into  his  grasp  .  he’d  take  a  few  steps  ,  before  glancing  back  over  his  shoulder  ;  hair  sweeping  across  his  back  ,  in the  process  .  “  wanna’  tag  along  ?  you  don’t  look  like  you  have  anything  better  going  on  ,  ‘sides  bumping  into  me  !  “

                       “ Excuse me? ”

     So, not only was he not bright and klutzy, but suffered severe foot in mouth – maybe that was just a guy thing to begin with, part of her wanted to be petty oh-so-badly, but such was unbecoming of a Soul Soother, “ you know, saying that kinda stuff to a lady gives you bad luck. Hmph. ” A smile followed her little white lie, dimpled cheeks warmed while her eyes narrowed, “ I accept your apology, but if you were truly honorable you’d part with some food? Water? ” Asking for monetary compensation wouldn’t do her any good, she found herself frivolous with her spending habits, this was a safer way to ensure her survival – for the time being. Fuchsia eyes followed along his figure from toe to the very point of his horns, what had he called himself? Tyrfiin? His scent was from a land far away, his very tresses carried traces of his wandering in kind, one lost eye and scars to follow – or they could’ve been something else. Stepping out of his way while he acquired all his possessions, lifting said heavy box over muscular shoulder and started on his way – but his invitation? Unexpected. Eyeing left to right suspiciously and having not many options, the thosok decided to place her bets on this man; good natured, though clumsy, could provide her some protection…. Or even..?

     how  interesting  they  looked  .  with  a  brief  wave  ,  the  tyrfiin  would  venture  over  ,  hands  on  hips  as  he  introduced  himself  ,  eagerly  .  “  hey  !  the  name’s  zero  –  what  about  you  ?  “  arm  would  extend  ,  hand  offered  in  greeting  as  he  admired  the  other’s  genetic  makeup  .  fuschia  coloured  skin  ,  horns  more  stout  than  his  own  ,  and  impressive  ,  near  impossible  stature  in  terms  of  height  .  how  cool  was  she  ?

he’d  been  tasked  with  aiding  them  in  search  of  some  manner  of  jewel  –  he  didn’t  particularly  care  about  the  specifics  ,  so  long  as  he  received  his  pay  at  the  end  .  it  sounded  promising  ;  and  he’d  had  nothing  but  good  experiences  with  the  adventurer’s  board  ,  thus  far  ,  in  terms  of  employment  .  with  a  small  huff  of  excitement  ,  the  horned  man  would  lug  greathammer  over  his  shoulder  ,  free  hand  positioned  above  his  eyes  as  he  surveyed  their  surroundings  …  he  had  no  idea  what  he  was  looking  for  ,  exactly  ,  but  he  just  wanted  it  to  seem  like  he  did  .

     What a strange male this was; sturdy of build, hulking compared to the previous few she’d traversed the lands with – what in the world? Are those tiny horns? Whatever he’d been saying was all but falling on deaf ears save for his name, one she breathlessly repeated with a stunned expression. His long luscious locks resembled clouds high flying on a warm summer's day, swirling in fantastical shapes and dips, sheltering from both the fierce sun and chilling moon. Intrusively she approached him from the back whilst he searched the plains far and wide, bending over just slightly so that she could reach for his ears; tickling with the tips of her claws in fascination, so cute! So fluffy! Venus could feel herself salivating at the adorableness of this male, fangs all but gnawing on the edges of her fat violet lip, holding back the intense squealing she’d wanted to do in pure excitement. “ mhmhmmhmm!! ”

     crash  .  “  oops  ,  sorry  !  “  deep  voice  would  exclaim  ,  sheepishly  ;  clawed  fingers  sifting  through  ivory  locks  before  rubbing  the  nape  of  his  neck  in  embarrassment  .  he  hadn’t  been  watching  where  he  was  going  while  carrying  numerous  heavy  boxes  full  of  his  wares  ,  and  had  bumped  into  a  smaller  individual  ,  carelessly  .  he’d  move  to  quickly  restack  his  wares  ,  before  offering  a  helping  hand  to  them  ,  lips  curling  upward  into  a  comfortable  ,  apologetic  smile  .

“  ah  …  i  should  pay  better  attention  to  where  i’m  going  .  mmh  !  where  are  my  manners  –  my  name’s  zero  !  “  he’d  grasp  at  their  forearm  and  lift  them  back  into  standing  position  ,  doing  his  best  to  dust  any  dirt  &&  debris  from  their  person  ,  due  to  his  mistake  .  good  as  new  ,  he’d  sigh  happily  ,  glad  he  hadn’t  hurt  them  unnecessarily  with  the  weight  of  the  product  he’d  been  lugging  around  .

                       “ He--OAF! ”

     PLAP! Right into the dirt fell the small Thosok, dust kicking up with bits of pebbles flinging this way and that with the strangers' supplies scrawled along the ground. She was tempted to put all the blame on this mysterious klutzy jerk, but such wasn't very true… after all, Uso made it a point to stand there and scold the large man for not side-stepping and it seems he hadn’t heard her because here they were. “ You lug, you can’t–EEK! WHAT’ER YOU–?! ” He didn’t even wait for her to finish bitching, up she went with her small arm yanked into the air and back onto her heeled feet, even more startled when he started dusting off her hips, thighs and backside – though his intent was innocent, it sure got a lot of weird looks from those passing. This was just so weird?! She’d normally fuss up a storm about being groped up by some random boar man, but, the look on his face? How could she? Seems he genuinely believed everything was fine, so… it was difficult to get snappy. Oh well.

     muscular  frame  was  put  to  use  ,  hoisting  large  axe  over  her  shoulder  as  she  glanced  at  the  woman  opposite  of  her  .  she  had  been  tasked  with  clearing  out  a  bandit  camp  ,  per  the  bounty  she’d  picked  up  in  ul ‘  dah  –  what  she  hadn’t  been  expecting  was  the  men  to  already  be  dealt  with  ,  bound  and  defeated  ,  a  tall  ,  foreign  looking  (  much  like  herself  )  woman  clutching  some  manner  of  precious  gem  in  her  hands  ,  as  bounty  .  powerful  voice  would  escape  lips  ,  full of  life  &&  brimming  with  desire  for  combat  .

“  looks  like  you  took  out  the  trash  before  i  could  .  “  a  quirk  of  the  brow  ,  free  hand  kneading  at  tense  muscle  in  her  neck  region  whilst  the  other  clutched  her  great  -  axe  .  afterward  ,  gloved  hand  would  relocate  to  point  at  the  shiny  object  the  other  woman  had  newly  come  to  possess  ,  curiosity  alight  within  her  optics  .  “  what’s  that  you’ve  got  there  ?  didn’t  hear  any  mention  of  jewels  in  the  headhunt  i  picked  up  .  “  not  that  skarneswys  particularly  cared  ;  gaudy  jewelry  was  not  her  thing  ,  in  the  slightest  ,  far  preferring  more  primitive  sorts  of  decoration  .  

                          “ ƫaan hom sa wĩw. ”

     The words all but whispered past her violet lips upon the sound of another approaching, even over the pained groans of the low lives scattered about their once safe haven – no more. Venus’ eyes glittered with an obsessed admiration to the gems within her clawed grasp; at the center of her palm, situated before four other smaller stones, was a good chunk of sapphire, crimson and purple. Its very existence seemed to pulse much like a heart with little blue wisps expanding from the center, drifting off into each breath the Loyaian took. Magnificent. Reluctantly her precious cargo was stowed away in a pouch clasped to shapely hip, “ so sorry, nektee, even if you’d gotten here first they were not much of a fight. Nothing but puppies, really.. ” A slight cant of her head followed by her magenta tresses, locking eyes with the other foreign woman; muscular, eager, bright like a flame. Venus felt her gut twist in anticipation of her new arrivals intentions, taloned toes scratching and digging at the soil.

     “  i’m  not  sure  where  these  misguided  notions  about  my  age  stem  from  ,  but  they  are  incorrect  .  “  he  would  scoff  ,  the  only  thing  more  offputting  than  Venus  herself  was  her  choice  in  wording  .  The  jab  at  his  father  ,  however  ,  had  annoyed  him–  with  chin  propped  atop  hand  ,  he  would  bite  back  in  retort  .  “  i  never  knew  my  father  .  what  excuse  have  you  for  being  a  slovenly  parasite  ,  if  you  don’t  mind  me  asking  ,  ma’am  ?  as  far  as  i  know  ,  your  regal  mother  remains  in  your  life  .  “

     “  if  raining  on  parades  is  what  you  dub  behaving  rationally  and  not  sticking  out  like  a  sore  thumb  upon  foreign  soil  ,  then  it  is  a  title  i’d  bear  proudly  .  “  he  would  murmur  lowly  in  response  ,  wistful  sigh  caressing  his  lips  as  he  ran  gloved  fingers  through  ebony  locks  .  he  wouldn’t  play  her  games  ,  and  as  such  he’d  refused  to  join  her  in  leaping  from  rooftop  to  rooftop  in  search  of  whatever  thrills  she  could  possibly  desire  .  no  ,  instead  ,  he  would  be  tasked  with  ridding  himself  of  the  company  of  this  newly  -  found  vermin  .

from  where  and  when  his  jagged  lance  had  appeared  was  a  mystery  of  little  import  –  what  mattered  was  the  man  that  was  at the  other  end  of  it  ,  quivering  helplessly  like  a  mewling  babe  .  frown  marred  his  lips  ,  free  hand  resting  on  hip  as  he  stared  ,  and  stared  ,  and  stared  ;  with  venom  dripping  from  his  gaze  .  “  i’ll  have  you  know  that  is  royalty  that  you  were  ogling  ,  sehr  –  royalty  i’m  tasked  with  watching  over  .  removing  your  tongue  would  be  a  justifiable  punishment  ,  should  i  so  desire  …  but  i’ll  merely  let  you  go  with  a  warning  .  think  not  to  even  gaze  in  her  direction  lecherously  ,  again  .  think  not  to  even  fantasize  in  our  absence  ,  lest  you  favour  the  thought  of  your  nether  region  being  hoisted  upon  a  spike  .  “

ah  .  he  was  truly  afraid  ,  now  .  had  he  been  a  lesser  man  ,  he  would  have  laughed  at  the  pitiful  sight  .  with  a  low  sigh  ,  he  would  return  polearm  to  it’s  rightful  place  at  his  back  ,  stepping  off  in  the  direction  venus  had  fled  to  .  surely  she’d  landed  her  eyes  upon  something  ,  for  she  was  giving  chase  far  too  strongly  to  just  be  having  fun  .  he’d  allow  it  ,  for  now  ,  but  a  thorough  reprimanding  would  be  in  order  ,  later  on  this  night  .

     Halfway across the market she fled from her charge, or at the very least felt that she had outsmarted him — no matter how naïve the idea. Venus was never one to underestimate her worth when it came to battle or lust, but Felias? He was a peculiar fellow, not at all driven by the base desires as the other males of the clan had been. Distracted from her thoughts was the impending pulse of waves through her mind, a nauseating swirl not only in her gut but the crevices of her subconscious, luring her to follow its silent cries. She obeyed: a deep longing burned in her soul, as if she were incomplete and needed to be filled, after all, that is what she was made to do. Dropping to the ground just hidden in an alleyway between two establishments just as she stepped into the light, startling a human couple that she missed by a hair in their path. Venus smiled warmly, “ excuse me, darlings. ” What cute young love this was, even if she had interrupted them.

    “ This is a most extraordinary find, my lady! You will find no better in this market or any other, for you see, this special crystal was found in a far away land by a renowned adventurer. From what I hear it’s quite the story! ” Loudly boasted a man from just on the other side of a large crowd, thanks to the Princess’ height it was easy to see what was going on: a man with a long unkept beard, draped in clean robes and puffy pants, he stood before a stall with a variety of jewelry and trinkets, even pure diamonds and gems of varying sorts. A vendor? Yet it was not his voice nor his customer she had locked on with violet eyes, no, it was his most extravagant display; the Everstone encrusted into a piece of hair ornament. Mothers Eyes! Venus felt so lucky that it was also the very base, something she could put in her hair for safe keeping, finally, and to hold off the impending power. “ Really?! ” Squealed the female patron, hands clasped just under her chin with eyes wide and glittering, to her side stood guards with swords tucked in their sides, their shields and shoulders bore the crest of their house and no doubt where their charge hailed from. Another royal? Sneakily she ventured around the crowd and noise, hoping to get a better view and not be so obvious on her eavesdropping, elegant yet cautious steps as she hid behind an empty stall.

    “ Yes, yes! This is also true gold here, and as you see when you touch this crystal — ” Ignorantly the man jabbed it a few times with the tip of his nail, setting it aglow with a swirling power at its center, the light beamed as if it were truly alive. “ – it shines! Fascinating, no? I’ve had four of these precious crystals, smaller, of course, they didn’t come with this beautiful hairpiece, however! For you… hm, I will offer 500 gil. Surely this is suitable for my lady of noble prestige? ” A subtle note to her birthright, hoping to butter her up. 

    “ Please, I very much would! ” One of the guards seemed nervous so attempted to dissuade her, she was quick to shut him down before a breath could pass his lips, “ I’ll not hear another word! My wedding will be soon and this is the perfect piece! Father will be understanding of such a price, and when he sees this? Oh! Good sir, please tell me who purchased the others? ”

    He gave a firm wave of the hand coupled with a frown, “ I am deeply sorry, but I take the confidentiality of my patrons seriously. With all due respect, my lady, I cannot willy-nilly sent out my clients information, nor my connections. Surely you understand? ” 

    “ Ah yes, yes… merchants must make their money. I will pay a pretty penny should you change your mind. ” For now the woman would take the no, brushing brown locks behind an ear before exchanging gil by sack and the gem bestowed upon her lady. He thanked her immensely as she walked off with a big grin, stepping into what seemed to be an extravagant carriage. Venus made note of it before glancing back to the merchant, spying what looked to be a book of sorts under the counter: flipping through a few pages before he pulled out a quill scribbling a few things down, then secretly stuffing it away.

     making  his  lodging  arrangements  hadn’t  taken  too  long  at  all  ;  providing  the  gil  and  subsequently  being offered  room  number  and  key  ,  afterward  .  it  was  of  no  surprise  to  felias  ,  however  ,  that  once  he’d  returned  outside  of  the  establishment  ,  the  woman  he’d  been  tasked  with  tailing  had  gone  missing  ,  once  more  .  fingers  would  pinch  the  bridge  of  his  nose  ,  in  minor  annoyance  ,  as  he  surveyed  his surroundings  …  all  he  had  to  do  was  follow  the  trail  of  disgruntled  people  ,  surely  .  footfalls  would  guide  him  in  the  appropriate  direction  ,  a  shadowy  figure  visible  atop  rooftops  ,  in  the  distance  .  in  one  ear  and  out  the  other  ,  per  usual  ,  he’d  muse  .

“  i  think  not  .  “  he  would  huff  in  response  ,  from  below  ;  arms  folded  neatly  over  well  -  trained  chest  ,  as  he  watched  her  ,  closely  .  golden  eyes  were  alight  with  vexation  ,  beckoning  the  woman  down  to  ground  level  before  she  should  create  even  more  of  a  scene  .  speaking  of  ;  he’d  just  remembered  he  should  be  keeping  note  of  each  transgression  ,  fetching  small  black  book  from  his  person  and  jotting  down  a  few  notes  .  it  would  do  ,  for  the  time  being  ,  until  time  to  report  to  their  queen  was  upon  them  .

“  we’ll  travel  like  the  locals  do  so  to  not  stand  out  .  lest  you  want  someone  to  come  and  attempt  to  pilfer  more  of  your  belongings  ,  mm  ?  “  a  slight  cant  of  his  head  ,  accompanied  by  a  lift  of  the  brow  .  he  already  knew  he  was  right  ,  but  whether  she  was  willing  to  acknowledge  it  or  not  was  a  completely  different  story  .  as  stubborn  as  a  wild  chocobo  ,  she  was  .  he  wasn’t  paid  nearly  enough  to  deal  with  this  sort  of  person  .  he’d  have  to  have  a  long  ,  frank  conversation  with  the  queen  ,  upon  his  return  home  .

     Oh no, yet again he stood below with a searing glare, much like a stern father vehemently demanding her below and remain civilized. How boring. Who was he to say what was normal and not? Besides, most of the people seemed indifferent to her antics, of course indifferent in Venus’ terms was being blatantly stared at with passive aggressive remarks in attempts to correct her. Lucky she hadn’t attracted the attention of the knights, though who knew for how long, “ aww… you’re always raining on parades, did you know that? What if I like it up here? ” Twisting around with one hand and clawed foot dug into the side of the building, hanging the other two free before grinning wide, smoothly purring “ why don’t you come up here and make me— ” she all but went silent and straightened her expression, eyeballing a hume that was just off to the side of the duo, listening in, lewding staring upon the glorious bottom of her highness.

    “ My lady, so fair and beautiful are thee. ” Dramatically he reaches arms high, elegantly stroking his breast whilst the other pointing high to Venus, “ bold and free~ Is this scoundrel bothering you? Perhaps I could shoo him away? ” She, herself, did nothing but watch with a quizzical expression; what made him think to flirt with her? He was ugly, a human and… so very disrespectful speaking of Felias in such a way, “ . . . . ” Immediately red-violet eyes danced back to her true object of obsession, “ well? Are you going to do your duties or force me to… reprimand him? ” Surely he’d disagree with her methods of punishment: Loyaian were far too violent and cruel, morbid even, that would most certainly land her a wanted criminal by the moral standards of villages and cities. That was one thing she did miss about home: the respectful address of all clans, the climate and most importantly; her Kisses~ Hopefully she wasn’t too lonely.

    Just as he was preoccupied with the human male that was still beside himself in gaining Venus’ attention, frustrated that the both of them were completely ignoring his existence. Pursing her lips tightly hoping to hide away an excited grin, patiently waiting for her viera companion to scare him off before she took flight herself right over the shingles that had been holding her by mere threads. Powerful legs propelled her from rooftop to rooftop, skillfully diving over ledges to hopefully lose Felias in the many alleys and crowds – not that she’d go into them but at least could use their disgusting scent to mask herself. There was very little time to waste, the Everstone was surely here and who knew for how long? If the energies were absorbed she’d lose the scent and be left to interrogate person after person, ugh, what a nightmare.

     “  fair  enough–  if  you  wish  to  slumber  outside  like  the  wild  animals  ,  far  be  it  from  me  to  stop  you  .  “  gloved  fingers  would  brush  ivory  locks  out  of  his  face  ,  footsteps  continuing  one  after  another ,  a  frown  of  distaste  marring  his  features  in  response  to  her  choice  of  wording  .  she  was  definitely  the  offspring  of  their  queen  .  the  outskirts  of  the  village  were  within  eyesight  ,  now  .  teeming  with  life  ,  fires  burning  ,  citizens  frolicking  the  marketplace  …  quaint  .

“  try  to  fit  in  ,  at  least  a  little  ,  won’t  you  ?  “  he’d  bite  ,  quietly  ,  in  response  to  her  having  nearly  ruined  a  vendor’s  wares  with  her  footsteps  .  he’d  offer  recompense  in  the  form  of  shiny  gil  ,  tossing  the  circular  golden  currency  atop  wooden  stand  ,  before  fetching  one  of  the  vegetables  for  his  own  consumption  ;  lifting  ripened  tomato  to  full  lips  and  biting  into  it  ,  carelessly  ;  savouring  the  slightly  sweet  taste  with  appreciation  .  it  had  been  some  time  since  he’d  last  eaten  ,  after  all  .

it  didn’t  take  long  for  them  to  arrive  at  their  intended  establishment  ;  a  large  ,  multi -  storied  inn  with  plenty  of  rooms  left  to  spare  ,  seemingly  .  felias  would  glance  back  over  his  shoulder  ,  her  earlier  complaints  still  planted  firmly  within  his  mind  ,  before  speaking  .  “  wait  here  .  i’ll  procure  a  room  for  myself  and  then  return  .  what  we  do  from  that  point  forward  i  leave  to  your  discretion  .  “  and  with  a  dismissive  turn  of  the  nose  ,  he  would  step  inside  . 

      Her discretion? If that were the case he’d not be ordering her around, stalking and making certain she remained on task due to her mother. You think the least he’d do is entertain her flirting or kept his clothes half-on, but noooo, he prefers not only silence but no company at all! Impatiently clawed fingers rubbed the tip of her flat nose, waiting, waiting, waiting… Why was he taking so long? Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad scoping out the place, no doubt she would be praised for her efforts to remain aware and not goofing off. Swiftly on heel she turned around and took an effortless bound into the air, leaping over a few passersby who shrieked in surprise. So easy to startle, so how did humes dominate every aspect of their world? Ugh. Hanging from the shingles of a home one of her digitigrade legs swung up to sink large claws into the wood before pulling upwards, vanishing.

                      “ What in the world is that woman doing? ”

             “ I don’t think she should be jumping around like that. What if the children see? ”

     “ One’a them viera? Don’t look it. Still bein’ a nuisance,           thinkin’ they can just swing ‘round ‘n the like. ”

   What they said mattered little to the Aksef Princess, how could they possibly understand her brilliance? From the tallest peak on the side of a building she surveyed her new territory with a hawkish glare, unaware of the many teenagers and children surrounding her below taking in awe of not only her brazenness, but climbing skill. Each rooftop sat a small chimney or two, little weathervanes on distant farmhouses and little shacks dancing left, carrying the smell of charcoal drenched in smoke straight into her face. “ Oh mother– ” With a few swings Venus climbed to the roof and started dashing to and fro:  leaping effortlessly from windowsills, shingles and flagpoles. “ There it is again. No doubt it is here, tiny, but still here. ” The aura of the Ethereal Mother was intoxicating, like bouncing embers from the mother flame, riding waves of gray smoke dissipating into the breeze. A dark slathering hunger dripping from each fang, jaw muscles tightened in anticipation to snap into flesh drenched in crimson, a surging adrenaline that flowed and raged much like the sea. Vertical slants in her eyes constricted to near strips, a soft glowing violet filled her very gaze as she inhaled deep, “ You will not escape me this time — ”

     “ Felias, go– oh. ” Blinking a few times, a single finger caressed the bottom of her lip, rocking innocently on her thick toes. “ … I don’t remember how to get back to the Inn. Huh. ”

     “  long  enough  .  “  he  would  bite  in  retort  ,  adjusting  his  glasses  neatly  as  he  stared  at  her  ,  unamused  .  her  assumption  that  he  was  lonely  was  an  asinine  one  ,  near  blasphemous  in  nature  ,  as  was  her  suggestion  that  he’d  actually  found  pleasure  in  her  company  .  with  a  breathy  huff  ,  he  would  lift  shielded  arm  ,  gloved  hand  coming  between  the  both  of  their  faces  ,  creating  separation  ,  as  she  attempted  to  close  the  gap  betwixt  them  .

to  distract  her  from  her  mission  ?  preposterous  .  and  it  was  precisely  because  this  was  a  fresh  ,  new  world  that  he  could  not  allow  her  to  do  as  she  pleased  ,  without  judgment  .  “  regardless  of  how  you  feel  about  my  being  here  ,  i’ve  been  tasked  with  watching  over  you  .  by  someone  with  far  more  power  than  you  ,  might  i  remind  you  .  “  allowing  their  sacred  jewels  to  be  fractured  and  spread  across  these  lands  was  one  infraction  too  much  ,  on  her  behalf  ,  already  .  felias  would  not  leave  room  for  another  .

“  there’s  a  village  not  far  in  the  horizon  ,  certainly  they  have  an  inn  .  “  it  was  more  of  a  command  than  a  suggestion  ;  polearm  being  lifted  into  his  grasp  and  carried  along  ,  as  graceful  steps  guided  him  southward  .  she  would  follow  –  he  was  certain  ,  even  if  she  didn’t  appreciate  being  ordered  around  by  someone  who  didn’t  birth  her  .  it  mattered  little  to  him  ,  however  .  his  task  and  ensuring  the  safety  and  secrecy  of  his  people  were  his  primary  concerns  .

    As always the sour-puss in matters both personal and professional, did he really have to be so stubborn? He couldn’t honestly be that intent on getting back to their land, could he? Curiously she watched him trot along the dirt path towards said inn, pondering on the likelihood of his catching on should she try to tail it in a different direction – oh no, it would be for naught. Felias was an exceptional hunter for sure, even when she actually put effort forward it was always his arrow that struck the mark first… annoyingly. In defiance she whipped in his direction and followed casually with graceful sway of hips, decorative gems and chains jingling rhythmically to the sashaying of shapely hips, “ you can go inside and frolic with the humans, if you so desire. Me? No. You should know better than to mention it, you’re the only one who can fit inside. ” Not to mention all the intense staring coupled with harsh whispers, flickering candles and the stench of ale; putrid. No. Venus would not step into such squalor again. 

    Besides, the idea of being cornered inside such a small space kept nagging in the back of her mind, surely it would not take long for thieves and pirates to hear rumor of shattered gems, plus it wasn’t as simple as removing them from her person — it just wasn’t possible. Not right now. “ Well? Make sure you smile real cute, too, you don’t want to scare them with your coldness, mmm? You want them to see what I see: a cute, strict, mean young boy. ” It was hard to hold back the innocent grin that spread across her orchid face, fangs digging into the fullness of her plump bottom lip, “ fufufu— ”

golden hues would narrow , spear clutched powerfully within the grasp of his left hand , as he watched hawkishly from above . felias was perched atop tree branch , the noise of the local fauna doing pristinely to hide his presence . with an intake of breath , he would leap from his perch , landing before the taller woman , with bladed spear angled right at her abdomen . had he actually been an assassin , this likely would've been a very bad situation for the princess .

" as off guard as ever , princess venus . " he would murmur , lowly ; returning weapon to his side and standing straight , now , brushing dirt && debris from his ebony garb . he had been tasked with tailing her on her ventures , by overbearing ( by some means ) mother . with a weighted sigh , he would level his gaze with her own , staring at the towering woman with both mild annoyance , and disappointment .

" you cannot assume merely because of your political power people will not attempt to harm you-- . " tongue drew across fang , hair being brushed over shoulder by an idle hand . he wouldn't bother to scold her , too much ; for she had a knack for not retaining the information he spewed , regardless : dubbing him a ' worrier ' and informing him that he should loosen up . how troublesome .

      A soft chill ran along the edges of her soft belly that merely kissed the tip of his blade, and instead of swatting away the offending object her hand instead opted to tenderly stroke along the flat of steel, fingers tickling the rim until reaching the wooden end – till he skillfully pulled away. “ How rude. ” Who did he think he was, anyway? Sweeping in with a sneaky little  ambush, and not even nick her skin? Hardly any fun when there isn’t any bite! “ How long have you been following me? ” Any sort of concern on his behalf had gone completely unnoticed, his warning was a wise one yet the words wasted away on Venus; she was far too impulsive and persistent to care. When her desires stuck on something it was all but near impossible to rip her from it, “ …wait a minute. ”