forum Private with Serpentess

Started February 11, 2022 by @emilyevewrites group

tune

Mardicos noticed her mouth open, wondering what she was about to ask. Though, when she didn’t say anything, he left it alone. No point in forcing her to say something she didn’t want to.

At her words, he gasped and turned away, a small whine coming from him. How? How did she know? Was it so obvious? A shiver passed through him and his eyes grew moist again.

“You’re… very observant, madam,”he breathed, closing his eyes. His tense shoulders lowered, and when he opened his eyes again, there was melancholy in them.

“She was a witch. Also, the leader of a cult. And… a fucking seductress bitch that shattered my entire existence. This curse, my feelings for her, my whole fucking life!”he said, his voice rising to a powerful shout.

He swayed, nearly panting as the hair on his arms grew thick and dark. Mardicos then took several deep breaths, his arms slowly returning to normal. After a moment, he started to snicker. He finally looked at the woman, one of his eyes the icy blue of his wolf form.

“She did this to me. She tortured me, experimented on me, took the broad shoulders I was fucking born with! But, despite everything she did, I still love her. I put a goddamn broadsword through her chest, then cut her fucking head off, a little over five hundred years ago. And I did it because I loved her. How does that make any sense?”he asked, laughing as tears streamed down his face.

Farah inhaled swiftly as he shivered, and she knew at once she had touched a nerve. "Most people tell me so," she remarked quietly, though her observations were minimally based on body language and more often provided through the reading of others' thoughts, emotions, and memories.

As Mardicos shouted, Farah flinched away, cold fear shooting through her for only a moment before she controlled it back to a neutral stoic flatline. She maintained her composure, even after seeing him nearly change again before her. Then, finally, he looked at her, and she saw the eye color in one of his eyes had changed

Gently, Farah reached out and touched the man's arm. "Love can cause us to do things we wouldn't normally do otherwise," she began once he was finished with his story. "I may not have experienced the things that you have in my own physical body, but I understand."

Her thoughts drifted to a specific person for a moment before she shook her head.

"But while love can be quite brilliant and glowing and… magical, it is important that we don't use it as an excuse for our hateful and wicked actions. And from my understanding, that is what she did to you. Am I wrong?"

Mardicos smelled her fear, but it barely registered. His emotions were too wild at the moment, and the memories of the gorgeous bitch he loved terrorized him. He missed her so much, but it was for the best.

Their past had been too dark, they both knew this. After so many years apart, he couldn’t bear it anymore, but he couldn’t even be around her without thinking of her betrayal! It had all been too much! They both understood that.

Mardicos flinched at the woman’s touch, watching her cautiously. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he wasn’t sure how well he could control himself. Mardicos listened to her though, and was a bit confused by her words.

‘In her own physical body’? What the fuck does she mean by that?

“You’re not wrong. She fucking used me. But, there was no malice behind my blade. I killed her to free us. We both wanted each other, ached for each other, but the past ate at us. It took me fucking years after she came back for me to even think of going near her. And that was when I fucking killed her,”he explained, his voice quiet and his laughter dying down.

He sighed sorrowfully, wiping the tears off his face and leaning back against the tree. His eye slowly turned back to blue grey. He was silent for a few minutes before looking back at the woman.

“You know my name, first name at least, and the most painful part of my past. But, I know nothing of you,”he mentioned softly.

(Sorry this is short O.o)

Farah listened to him continue, and she frowned sympathetically. "I'm sorry," was all she could whisper. Her eyes softened as she looked up at him, and blinked. She shook her head at his final implication and contemplated her response. "What would you like to know?" she asked quietly.

(You’re good. I’m casual about the length, I just, obviously lol, like to write a lot)

Mardicos gave her a small smile, then sighed again. He brushed a hand through his hair, his fingers lingering on the bigger white streak.

“Your name, firstly,”he replied with a chuckle.

He then hummed, wondering what else he could ask her about. He could ask for the most painful part of her past, but he decided against it. It was torture having such memories, let alone talking about them. But, there was so much else he could ask about.

After a long moment, he shrugged. He just didn’t know anything about her, no clues on where to start.

“Something about you. What sort of witch are you?”he finally asked.

The woman nodded slowly. "I'm Farah," she replied, a small smile gracing her lips as she finally told the man her name. She was prepared for any question he might ask her, and she heard the thought turn over in his mind about asking her about a dark past. She waited patiently before he finally asked.

"I don't like to think of myself as a witch," she replied. "I am a fairy. A mind fairy, at that, but I've been able to practice other elements as well. Like…" She grinned, her eyes turned silver-blue, and she held her palm up. A water bubble formed as she drew moisture from the air.

“Farah. Elegant, simple, foreign. Fascinating,”he said with a thoughtful hum.

He noticed her smile, and the tension in his body seemed to fade away. What was so soothing about this woman? Or was he just outrageously lonely? Probably a combination of factors.

He listened to her, then watched her create the water bubble. So… a sort of elemental witch? Was that what a fairy was? Or was he just utterly wrong?

“It’s been awhile since I studied unusual creatures. A ‘fairy’? A mind fairy? Fuck… You’re a goddamn telepath, aren’t you? That’s what you meant by not understanding in your own body. How much do you know?”he asked, sighing.

Farah felt herself flush a bit at the way he said and described her name. She'd always liked the sound of it. "Thank you. It means happiness… joy… beauty… pleasant…" Her flush deepened as she realized she was rambling about the meaning of her name – of all things, her name!

She laughed quietly and closed her fingers into a fist to pop the bubble. "I have the ability to communicate through telepathy, but I chose not to. As a mind fairy, I can read thoughts, sense emotions, view memories, and create dreams. Telekinesis is also one of my stronger abilities. I can also heal and take away pain, as you know, and I'm able to manipulate auras."

She sighed softly, not used to talking so much, but he wasn't stopping her, so she continued. "As a fairy, you're born with a specific element. Mine, obviously, was the mind. I've also worked to master the other elements as well. Water, fire, earth, air, and light. I'm quite well-rounded now…"

She trailed off, a bit overwhelmed from talking so much. Farah was a naturally well-mannered woman, soft-spoken and quiet, especially after a certain incident in her past…

But as she spoke and listed her powers, she found herself becoming a touch embarrassed. She wasn't fond of the amount of power she held, as it attracted unwanted attention from many undesirable individuals.

Mardicos nodded at her words, a soft smile appearing at the way she flushed. There was a gentle gleam in his eyes, even as he admired her features.

“It’s a fitting name,”he remarked.

Mardicos listened closely, intrigued but a bit wary. This woman, Farah, was quite powerful. Probably one of the most powerful witches, or individuals, he had ever met.

“I see. And, I get the feeling you’ve read my thoughts and saw some memories, yes? Is that a reason why you’ve been able to read me so well?”he wondered.

Mardicos noticed her demeanor, and picked up on the smell of her embarrassment. Her apparently quiet and humble nature intrigued him.

“You are quite powerful by the sounds of it, and also by the fact that you healed scars caused by a High Priest and a Witch Queen. But, power always comes with some sort of price or burden. I understand what that’s like all too well,”he said, his voice soft, comforting.

He descended into deep thought for a moment, then shrugged. Fuck it. Why should I hide?

“I’m no mere lycanthrope. I’m what is called a Midnight Wolf, a beast so ancient and rare that even the myths have faded. From my knowledge, they were supposedly pets of the gods, or slaves. And… I understand why from personal experience,”he mentioned.

Farah looked away, embarrassed as he asked his question that she most likely knew would be asked. "Yes, I'm sorry," she apologized quietly. "I read thoughts as a habit since my abilities are pretty much always active. I try not to be invasive."

At the mention of her power, she slowly forced herself to look back up at him. "I'm rather ashamed of my power," she admitted. "Sometimes I hate it, in fact." Normally, she was never this open with anyone anymore, but this lycanthrope seemed trustable and genuine. He'd shared so much vulnerability with her, it was time she returned the favor.

"I fear my power is the only reason people value me," she whispered, again averting eye contact. She didn't wait for him to confirm or deny. "The people who want to build friendships and romances with me do so to brag of my abilities. So I'm out here now." She lifted her arms and motioned to the woods around them. "I have a cottage not far from here. And yes, I know it's quite desolate, but… I can't help but like being alone." Especially after Aster Dell… If I tell him, he'll think I'm a monster… That day has lived in my mind for sixteen years…

With her words out of the way, Farah again began to listen to Mardicos speak. She found him especially intriguing. "A Midnight Wolf?" she murmured quietly. "I believe I've read of those before…"

Mardicos grunted in acknowledgment, then shrugged. It is what it is. It was as simple as that. Though, he might have to watch his thoughts a bit more… maybe. Or, he could take advantage of it.

“I understand that feeling. But, Farah, don’t be ashamed of your abilities. I’ve met a couple powerful witches before, one was a seductress bitch and the other a psychotic killer. You are neither,”Mardicos said.

He listened to her, sighing softly. It was sad that she had been used for her abilities.

“Solitude has also worked better for me, simply because less people die. They either want to kill me or I lose control. But, besides all that, it seems fortunate that I came this way. I never realized there was a cottage around here, let alone someone living there that would save my life instead of put an end to it,”Mardicos replied softly.

His eyebrows rose slightly and he hummed.

“You have? I didn’t think that anyone outside the lycanthrope world would know. A stupid ass thought, considering that books about legends aren’t uncommon. Though… now I’m curious, and a bit wary. Do you know of the Two Kingdoms legend?”he asked.

Maybe not a psychotic killer, but I have killed… she couldn't help but think. The thought alone was enough to bring back the vivid memories, and Farah's fingers trembled slightly as she blinked them away. She clasped her hands together to hide their shaking.

Farah's eyes softened. She couldn't help but find it slightly amusing that they were connecting over being alone. "Well, if you'd like to come back with me, I promise it's a much shorter walk there than it is to any other civilized settlement. Unless you have somewhere to be." The fairy quickly added the last part, not wanting to sound like she was forcing herself on him. It was only intended to be a kind offer, perhaps one a friend might make.

"The Two Kingdoms legend?" Farah repeated thoughtfully. "It sounds familiar, but I read so often it seemed everything has begun to melt together. Do refresh my memory."

(This turned out a bit longer than I expected, to be honest, lol)

Mardicos’ keen eyes caught the sight of her trembling hands before she hid them. He glanced up at her, then reached forward to gently take hold of her hands.

“We all have our haunts, Farah. All we can do is move forward,”he said softly, brushing his thumb across her knuckles.

Mardicos chuckled at her offer. He had Eidna, his horse, but she was days away. Otherwise, it was just the open road for him. Though, it amused him how Farah was trying to be so polite about it. She was far from the aristocrats he had known, but nowhere near as rude as the commoners or merchants.

“I have nowhere to be,”he said simply, a small smile on his face.

He looked down when she requested him to explain the legend, chuckling. It was strange to have to explain a legend that was not only true history, but also one he had seen personally.

“I’ve mentioned some of it already. To be as breif as possible, it was… a few decades after the Fire Rains, the cataclysm that freed me. The two kingdoms that existed before the Fire Rains were revived. The Mother Flame Cult, the one the bitch led, grew powerful enough to resurrect said bitch, and she decided to try conquering the nearby lands. But, the ‘Midnight Wolf of the Fire Queen’ returned before she had fully assembled her army, and murdered her. The cult fell, the Wolf vanished, possibly killed, and both kingdoms disappeared without a trace,”Mardicos said, snorting afterward.

He shook his head, remembering everything that happened. The legend was vague, and a bit inaccurate in places, but otherwise truth.

“I missed a bit of it, honestly. But, I can tell you from personal experience, that I didn’t fucking die, I left. And the kingdoms didn’t vanish, they sank, and are currently buried beneath miles of beautiful plains. The moment I killed Eidna… the witch that betrayed me, both kingdoms were just swallowed by the land. My curse steadied, and dragons decided to return to the world after an Era of being almost nonexistent. All of that, because I fucked a goddess, fell to her lies, then chopped her fucking head off,”he added, sighing.

Mardicos stared into oblivion as he remembered Eidna’s sad eyes, as she sank to the floor, dying in front of him. She had regretted hurting him, had fallen for him as well, but there was nothing either of them could do. The past was simply too much to be ignored, too much for either to forgive. They had both wanted to be free, and he had given Eidna her freedom.

Farah inhaled quickly when he took her hands, but the gentle strokes of his thumb across her soft skin eased her tense posture. Although at his comment, her lips twitched, and a reserved look shaded her eyes. "And sometimes our nightmares never leave us," she whispered. There was loads of emotion in her tone, but she didn't elaborate any further.

The fairy listened intently to the myth version and Mardicos' edited version. She chuckled quietly at some of his remarked, but ultimately, she maintained a serious demeanor and felt sympathy for the man. "I'm very sorry for all the pain you've endured," she finally spoke gently, using the connection of their hands to transfer calming, peaceful aura energy to him. It wouldn't heal the past, but Farah wanted to do what she could to help him. "I can't promise much," she continued, "but I can tell you that love that ends with a betrayal of some sort was rarely ever love." The words she spoke rang immensely true to her… but it was a story for another time, she supposed.

Suddenly, as if breaking out of a daze, she realized he'd accepted her invitation to return to her humble little cottage. He said yes… It was a pleasant thought to end a rather grim story. Farah stood up once he was finished explaining his legend, using his grip on her hands to urge him to rise from his seat as well. "Very well, then," she remarked. "Shall we be off then?"

Mardicos watched her reaction, and was honestly a bit dismayed when she seemed to tense up again. It had been ages since he last talked to someone though, so it wasn’t too surprising that he wouldn’t be as successful with comforting another as he’d hoped.

“I know. I really know,”he said softly.

He sighed, shrugging a bit, then glanced down at their entwined hands. Her soft, delicate hands compared to his rough, brawny paws. It was a fascinating and beautiful contrast.

He looked back up at Farah when she spoke. There was something so soothing about her, her eyes, her tender hands. He was sure magic was involved somehow, but he didn’t really care. He then hummed at her comment.

“I’m not sure of that, but I’ve always found that love chooses for you,”he said with a resigned shrug.

Mardicos followed Farah up fairly easily, chuckling a bit. He nodded at her words, giving her hands one last caress with his thumbs before letting go.

As a last minute thought, he moved over to his shirt and axe, putting the first on and easily plucking the second from the root. Despite the dirt and debris that clung to his clothes, the complete image was tailored and refined.

“Lead the way.”

"Unfortunately, I don't know if I believe that," Farah replied, a sad smile on her lips. Her experience with love had been somewhat similar to his, but at the same time, very very different. She wasn't quite sure whether to tell him yet, but she decided against it for now. It would come up at some point, maybe when she could trust him a bit more.

A light pink flush appeared on her face as his hands caressed hers, and when he let go, she let her hands fall plainly at her sides. Farah waited for him to slide on his shirt, hating herself a bit for feeling disappointment as his skin was covered. Although, she smiled and nodded at his statement, making her way swiftly through the trees.

Eventually, she stopped at the edge of a seemingly empty grove. Slowly, she exhaled and raised her hand to dispel a section of the barrier that protected her. "Come on," Farah urged, stepping through and closing it behind Mardicos when he followed her lead.

The little cottage before them was homey in the best way. The atmosphere inside the barrier was somehow warmed as well. She looked over her shoulder at him with a gentle smile. "Surprise. Welcome to my home."

Mardicos shrugged,”We all have different experiences.”

He left it at that. It would do no good to linger on foul memories too much longer. That, and he figured neither of them wanted to think on those foul memories anymore.

When Farah blushed, Mardicos couldn’t help a small smile. He then noticed the hint of disappointment in her scent, and his thoughts whirled on that. Why was she disappointed? That he had let go of her hands? Did she like seeing him shirtless?

The questions went on and on, then drifted into questions regarding her. Why was Farah so soothing? Why was her smile so wonderful to look at? What was it about her scent that was just so irresistible?

Mardicos quickly pushed the questions aside as Farah moved through the trees. He easily kept up with her, trying hard not to compare the journey to a hunt. He wasn’t hunting Farah, he was following her, traveling with her.

When she stopped, it confused him. He smelled the hint of magic, but where was the house? He watched her, scrutinizing the barrier before following her inside. It intrigued him, but also concerned him.

Was there a way out without forcing Farah to open it for him? He still had one more night before the moon started to wane, and if he was trapped inside the barrier… Mardicos preferred not to think of what would become of Farah. She seemed to be genuinely kind, and he didn’t want to hurt her.

He didn’t say anything though, continuing to follow Farah. He then started sniffing the area, memorizing the scent. Afterward, he shook his head a bit, much like a wolf would. His eyes were bright and curious, and a thoughtful smile lifted his lips.

“Brilliant,”he mumbled.

Farah smiled at his small compliment, and as she did so, a little crowd of daisies sprouted around both of their ankles. She quickly blushed and waved her hand to cause the pure flowers to vanish. "Sorry," she apologized. "It's easier to channel my magic within the barrier, which also means it is easier to release it."

With that, she made her way across the vibrantly green grass to the door of her cottage. The closer they got to the cottage, the more the air began to smell like cinnamon baked goods, earthly alcohols, varying hair products, aging parchment, and warmed tea – each contributing to the unique scent of Farah Dowling.

She opened the door and guided Mardicos to enter her foyer. The interior of her home was filled with a warm, ethereal glow from the small plumes of light that hovered in the air. Directly ahead, there was a small table with two chairs, but only one placemat. Three other chairs were pushed to the side of the room. To the right lay a small kitchen with many bowels on the counter overflowing with fresh fruits and vegetables grown in her backyard garden.

And finally, the room to the right consisted of the most immense library that could've possibly fit in such a quaint little cottage. Books were stacked on shelves, piled on the floor, and gathered into crates along the walls, and somehow, amongst the chaos, a maroon upholstered chair was placed by the window, and a small table beside it contained a single book and a pair of reading glasses, which were rarely ever used.

"Make yourself at home," Farah encouraged warmly, slipping her coat off and hanging it up beside the door. "Is there anything you'd like? I have a pot of tea warming in the kitchen, and there are some cinnamon scones as well, if that's what you fancy."

Mardicos chuckled at the sight of the daisies, and her resulting reaction. It intrigued him that she could so easily manipulate her own magic.

“It’s alright. Is there significance to the daisies?”he asked softly.

As he followed her toward the cottage, he noticed the vibrant grass. He then noticed the smells, recognizing them from Farah’s own scent. She got more fascinating by the hour.

As they got closer to the cottage, Mardicos started to realize that he was covered head to toe in dirt and grime. It wasn’t that he was an utter mess, he did bathe anytime he visited an inn, and he frequently groomed while in wolf form, but he was still dirty.

When they entered the cottage, Mardicos was in awe. The place was beautiful. The lights were fascinating, the library was delightfully packed, and there was clearly history everywhere, particularly with what appeared to be the dining table. But, for some reason, he felt like an intruder.

He had been born in a palace, had seen the inside of a grand volcanic temple before it sank into the earth, but now he only occasionally visited inns. He was so unused to being inside another’s house, particularly as a human, that he simply didn’t know what to do. He knew he was welcome, Farah was making that quite plain, but some part of him wondered if he was truly welcome.

“Tea sounds nice,”he said quietly, his voice unusually shy.

"The, uh… the daisies?" Farah stammered briefly, heading to the kitchen. There was a kettle on the stove being heated with an abnormal-looking flame. Farah's eyes glowed, she snapped her fingers, and the flame vanished. "Daisies are a symbol of purity and innocence in Celtic cultures," she responded, taking the kettle off the stove and moving to find teacups in the cabinet.

She turned to face him, her eyes still glowing as she sensed his… apprehension? Fear? She studied him, discovering quickly that she'd grown quite fond of him already in the short amount of time they'd spent together. Put together with the new shy tone in his voice, she found herself feeling extraordinary sympathy for him. "Are you alright, Mardicos?" she asked kindly. "Anything I can do to make you feel more at home?"