Fantasy ˡᵒᵛᵉˡʸ ˢᵉᵈᵘᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿ ⁻ ᶜˡᵒˢᵉᵈ

[Woody.]

Spoiler: will create a character sheet, but here is just a faceclaim

Julian Morris
Julia

Just a little introduction:​

The village was small, perhaps a little too small for Eliot's tastes. It was the same, like any other day and it would be the same 10 years from now. For Elliot, the only thing he'd ever enjoy in this world would be if he weren't in it. Perhaps that was too dark to say, but it didn't change the fact that there was never anything new or exciting that was in this little village. It was surrounded by trees as far as the eye could see. At times the fog would settle just over the ground, and the morning light would hit through the leaves in a wondrous ray of peace. There was Eliot, laying among the grass with the violet hyacinth scattered about. There was a lot of work that needed to be finished at the smith, however, Eliot was exhausted from the work on the hoes, and rakes. Many of those in the village were simple farmers, and had no need for weapons such as swords. Eliot had loved crafting weapons when he was at the smith in the city. Due to war which had just been won, there were no need for swords and armory. All that was left in the city were his family, which he left behind to find a name for himself. Always overshadowed by his older brother, who had found a shop within the city walls and with the help of their father created a whole smith trade for himself. There would have been no room for Eliot, unless he wanted to be a working hand for his own brother.

And now where was he? A small village across the country? It wasn't on the coast, that was at least a 3 day ride from where he was at. Instead, it was hidden among the woods where he was able to provide his services to farmers who needed someone to craft tools, and simple furniture. Though his craft didn't call for woodwork, he certainly practiced when he had no other work to do. Many in the village had been weary of a stranger at first, their tales of creatures were strange, and they certainly didn't trust Eliot at first. After several months of hard labor, he was able to gain more customers in which he was able to finally find a place with his own name, and future. Little did he know, that future would hold nothing but the same routine over and over again. The faces of the villagers had grown stale to him, and the women were not nearly as right of match for him. Not that they weren't beautiful-- they just wanted the same life all over again.

There were times he fantasied of being a knight among a king, and finding a maiden who would pick a crown of flowers for his head and sing him the songs of heroism and grandeur. The women of the village wanted the simple life they had throughout their existence. So the question that still haunted him was, "Why didn't I do something with my life?"

Letting out a small huff of air, he sat up from his position among the field of flowers and he looked up at the trees. The rays of the afternoon sun had peaked through them, and landed on him like he was some god. Perhaps it was time to return. After all, he had an order of a metal gear for a cart he'd have to get through tonight. He let out a stretch, and one more groan. The sun felt nice on his tanned skin, and he blinked a few times. His head spun for a moment, til he was able to gain focus once more. Now, all he had to do was find his way back which shouldn't be all that hard. The woods weren't hard to master once you've lived in the area for too long. The leaves crunched underneath his boots, representing that the last of summer should soon come. The trees were already turning color, but for now the weather was warm enough to stay out all day. Today felt-- strange for some odd reason. It was quiet. Birds would softly chirp, but other than that there were no other noises. It was a peaceful feeling he wish he could experience often, instead of the blabbering baker complaining to the elder about the lack of wheat that traders have been coming up with, or perhaps why some of the animals on the land seem to fall to the ground. There have been many stories around the village of a small curse, but Eliot never seemed to pay attention. Their imaginations ran wild a lot of the time, sometimes living a life of nothing seem to always bring about foolish imaginations.

Finally the road made itself known. It wouldn't be far walk from the village, and when he slowly made his way towards that direction, he heard a noise. A voice? He couldn't tell. It was coming from off the trail, towards the other side of the trees. A cold shudder ran down his spine at the thought of bandits around here. Perhaps he'd be able to have an adventure he dreamed of? A damsel in distress, perhaps? He couldn't get too excited now. When he got closer, did he hear sniffling? Or was it singing? He couldn't tell. "Hello?" He called out into the trees, as he finally stepped off the known road, and into an unknown area. He rarely explored the forests, and it was a risk going off road to a strange noise. Could be an animal- he had no way of knowing really.

Again he made his presence known, "Hello? Anyone out there?"

 

[Syrli]

Spoiler: Character sheet

"Camilla"

Camilla is a forest nymph, living in the woods surrounding a small village. She is deeply fascinated by humans and their lives, but often find herself torn between her wish to one day become one of them and the sometimes ferocious nature of her being. Her few interactions with humans usually ends up with them dying or managing to flee from her, only to then come back after her with weapons and torches. Either way, she is usually filled with deep anger, distress and regret afterwards. She truly just want to be close to them, but things usually doesn't go the way she wants.

She has no friends or family, but she has a special bond with the woods she lives in. She finds it as her duty to take care of it and the animals that live there. If the villagers are nice to her she also takes care of any livestock that they let into the forest, and guard the shepherds' fires during the night. She occasionally resides in a small abandoned woodcutters hut, where she gathers the small treasures she's stolen from the village. It's also where she takes the men she's managed to lure in. She prefers to sleep under the stars, but puts up with it to convince her target that she's human.

​

Camilla carefully walked on the cold smooth stones in the shallow part of the river. She slowly sunk her lower body into the running water. It was colder than last time. The skirt of her dress flowed out around her, moving in the water as if it had life on its own. She grabbed the now heavy, but still so smooth, fabric and lightly began rubbing it between her fingers, trying to remove the spots of dirt and moss. They weren't going away, she had tried to wash them out enough times to know that. But still, she tried. She remember when she had taken it. It was in the bright of day, she had seen it drying outside a hut on the edge of the forest. She had known that she had to take it. She thought that it might be a milkmaid's dress, or possibly even a nightgown, but to her it didn't matter. In it, she was a princess. She had been twirling around for hours in the sun-lit meadows, the soft light fabric flowing in the wind and caressing her skin. It even hid her tail. The first speckles of dirt and rips had almost destroyed her.

She stood up from the water, the now heavy skirt clinging to her legs. She held it up with her hands as she made her way back to land. Faded spots could still be seen, even against the slightly darker soaked cloth. She wasn't a princess. She was a Godless creature; a feral, evil beast. But if a human would marry her, if she could participate in maybe the holiest of ceremonies and be loved by a human; a true child of God, she would be forgiven and accepted and...transformed. She didn't know how she knew that, maybe the forest had whispered it to her or maybe it was just instincts, but she felt that it was true.

As her feet reached the soft, damp moss of the riverbank she thought of the humans of the village. Many years ago they used to bring their sheep into the forest to feed during the summers. Camilla used to check the sheep's eyes for disease and feed them healing herbs while whispering blessings over them in the dark of night. After a while she had gathered up enough courage to introduce herself to one of the shepherds. They had loved and made love, but he seemed to fade away with her. She was killing him, something about her ungodly nature drained him, and after a while he was nothing more than a lifeless husk. Camilla could barely control her grief, nor her anger. Her hate. Hate of everything she was, her naivety, her fate. That night she killed a sheep, a offering of some sorts, maybe. In his honor. Anyways, it had been a big mistake. After a few days the sheep and the shepherds were gone, and they hadn't came back since. She heard the villagers talk. Lost kids, bad harvests, over-salted sausages or molded jars of jam - every little inconvenience they blamed on the fairy folk, the hidden ones, on her. The only people that came into the forest after that was hunters, but she were never sure if they were after deer or her. She never dared to come close to them.

Well, there had been one exception. A bunch of soldiers had set up camp nearby the river just as the first flowers had began to bloom this last spring. Starved of social interaction Camilla had shown herself to them, and they hadn't been hostile at all. They weren't from here and didn't listen to the village tales and rumors, so they had no idea that they should be aware of young women in the forest. And after being out in war for so long they certainly didn't mind female company. She was sure that some of them had been bewitched by her, but she refused to leave with any of them. Maybe she would kill one by mistake again, or even worse, in cold blood. Blinded by anger and revenge for how the humans had treated her before, a bloodthirsty monster rising up from the most unholy parts of her soul. If anything happened, the others would never talk to her again. So instead, they sat around at night and told her stories about the world. Other nations, queens and kings, castles and glorious victories in battle. One of them told her of his fiancee waiting for him at home. Her name was Camilla. Camilla. It was the most beautiful word she had ever heard, so she took it as her own. She had never had a name before.

She wandered aimlessly through the woods, lost in thought and humming a melody of warm winds, hoping to dry the skirt hanging from her hips. It was his scent that she noticed first, and it made her heart flutter. She took a few steps backwards before she could hear his voice and the distinct sound of human steps - heavy boots and the snapping of twigs under them. If it was a hunter he would probably shoot her if she tried to run away now. Although, hunters rarely shouted into the forest. She dropped down on the soft ground next to a tree and found a hole between the meandering roots. She stuck her foot into it and begged the tree for help in an almost soundless whisper. She could feel roots growing out to wrap around her ankle.

"H-Hello?" Camilla responded carefully. She could feel her heart pounding. "Help! I'm stuck and I...I think I've sprained my ankle."

 

[Woody.]

d The thickets were heavy this way, the unfamiliar terrain proved to be unwelcoming to his presence, but he pushed on. The voice that had called out to help had peaked his curiosity, especially when it was a quite feminine tone to it. Perhaps it was the monster that the people feared. That little tale of a creature so big and powerful it could snatch you up to never be seen again. Eliot let out a snort, then almost tripped over some bushes before he came to a small clearing of trees. It was finally a break from the thick wood he had walked through. It was a beautiful area, he had come to realize. The roots of the trees were peeking up from the ground, the branches were large, and formed an umbrella covering above. If he could just chop down some trees near by, this could make for a good area to raise some cattle- if he had been a farmer.

At first, there was no one. The call had stopped, but he could have sworn this was where he had last heard it. It was a soft plea, and it whispered to him like a taunting song bird where you couldn't find its hiding place. IT was when he heard a snap did he spin around in worry, his hand going to his hip where he had kept his carving knife which he used to whittle wood. Once again, he called, "I'm here where-" That was when he stopped mid sentence, just a bit further into the clearing, and past a large root that belonged to a tree was a glimpse of dark cloth. Was this where the voice was coming from? He stepped over several roots, and almost tripping twice did he peek over the tree's root to find a girl? It was hard to describe her, and calling her girl wasn't the term he should have used. She was a woman, and a beauty that he had never thought could put in words.

There she was, in a dress that had spots of dirt, and some tears. But her skin was smooth and clean, then those eyes that seemed to put him in a trance. It was then did he see her foot entangled in the smaller roots. It was as if the tree had snatched her and bound around her foot to keep her. "Oh shit." He stated, rather bluntly, and unscathed his knife, "Don't worry, little lady." He tried to sooth. He didn't want to scare her, if he was a woman with a tangled foot and a man came out of no where with a knife, he would look scared too. He had heard her say sprained foot, and he had grown worried. An injury to the foot would have been like a death penalty for any working man, if he couldn't work then he couldn't eat. "Just hold still, miss." He soothed, and went to the smaller roots in which she entangled her foot. He didn't want to touch her without permission, but due to circumstances, he had to angle himself where he grabbed her small foot and tried slicing into the roots to free her leg.

Eliot's brown eyes had met hers, and he almost dropped the knife. Certainly a woman of this beauty wasn't wandering the woods alone? Was she from the village? He doubted it because after 2 years with the village there was no one like this girl. Half of him wanted to ask, was she the monster? That also almost elicited a laugh from his lips, but he didn't have time to talk himself into thinking this girl could kill him. She was smaller than he- and didn't look like she could even wield a sword to strike him down. "Can you move it at all?" He asked, once the roots around her foot were released, "Did you have a horse around here?" He had to ask because she couldn't have been simply walking about here by herself. Perhaps she had trailed off the road?

 

[Syrli]

Camilla heard the steps coming closer, and shuffled nervously to make sure that her tail was hidden under the lengths of her dress. She finally saw him through the trees. There was no bow strapped to his back and his steps weren't those of a hunter - loud and irregular - but still she flinched when he pulled his knife. As he got closer she got overwhelmed by his scent, it was so long since she had been around humans and there was just something so beautiful and wonderfully unique about them. She couldn't recognize his face, and while it was a while since she had met the villagers she couldn't keep the small spark of hope from igniting within her. He didn't seem watchful or hateful like they, so maybe he wasn't from here. And there didn't seem to be anyone with him either. Her heart didn't stop pounding even though her fear had pretty much subsided completely.

It seemed like the townsfolk were under the impression that she and her kin lured and tricked men into the forests by playing with their emotions, but that was simply far from the truth. There might be some kind of appeal in her spiritual nature that charmed them, but the attraction wasn't at all one-sided. Meeting a human was almost...hypnotizing. Of course you want to make them be with you. It's like picking your favorite flower. You know that it might die, but having it close to you in your home, waking up and being able to see it the first time in the morning...it is hard to resist. As he got down to help her loose from the tree roots, feeling his touch against her skin and seeing him up close she realized that it would almost be impossible to resist. She couldn't help staring at him.

She stood up carefully and rolled the ankle of her newly freed foot while lightly leaning against his arm. "It feels okay, it's probably just a bit sore. That's what I get for walking without boots, I suppose." She tried to say it in a joking, casual way, but she wasn't so sure that it was very convincing. Since she wasn't at all used to being interacting so closely with humans, her behavior was somewhat otherworldly or just plain odd. A few too long stares, speaking a bit too slowly, as if she was carefully thinking about each word, and standing a bit too close. She started nervously stroking the skirt of her dress as if trying to smooth out any wrinkles or spots. It was still visibly damp from the river.

He didn't ask, but she could tell that he was wondering what she had been doing out here alone. "No, no, it's fine. My house is not so far from here." She said and gestured in the general direction of the woodcutters cabin. "My parents are woodcutters, so we live out here. But now they've gone to the city to sell the wood, so I'm here on my own for a couple of weeks and I just thought that I should go on a short walk, and well...here we are. I'm so sorry for bothering you..." She paused for a moment, as if trying to remember his name. "I'm sorry, we hardly ever visit the village anymore, so I'm not sure that we've met. Apparently the villagers started spreading rumors about my father after he decided to sell to the city instead of the village. Rumors that told that my father was dishonest and possessed, killing the shepherds' sheep and kidnapping children to work for him. Can you imagine?" Her storytelling felt a bit rusty, but it wasn't the first time she had used this story, and it usually worked well enough. "Well, thank you so much for helping me. I don't know how long I would've been stuck there if you hadn't found me."

 

[Woody.]

He blinked at her manner of speech. She certainly had a unique- accent? No it wasn't an accent, bit was just her way of talking. It was as if she put so much thought into her words, and then with some hesitation which made it sound like she was lying? He doubted that she'd lie to him, but the way she spoke was just strange. For now, he'd put it aside. She was possibly injured with a sprain, and- was she wet? Some of the dress had seemed damp, and she could catch a cold! Why would she be out in the forest without some more protection?

Her apology though, made him weak in the knees for some odd way. A feeling of warmth rushed through him as if he were love struck, but not in love. It felt strange, but something that wasn't too controlling. He was able to think clearly and make rational decisions, it was just that nagging feeling when he looked at her. But a few weeks? Her father was out and about selling wood, with her mother, and she was alone? How would she survive? He didn't think a young woman without a man in the household creating income would survive for long. Nonetheless, he shouldn't judge too much, and he thought it'd be rude to question her ability to survive on her own. Perhaps they had food rations, and left her coin to survive while they were away.

Still he worried for her foot, if it really was injured. When she asked him his name, and not recognizing him from the village he finally got a bit of information that he needed. So there really wasn't a monster? They were simply pinning the blame on a poor woodcutting family for choosing another seller? That was odd. Even Eliot sometimes went to the city to sell, but other than that he always made goods for the village. "The names Eliot." He smiled, "And I doubt you would have been stuck there all day. Another passerby would have done what I've done. But I do require a bit of a reward for my heroism." He teased, and he knew what he wanted it to be, "Perhaps I can get your name as well?"

That would be a good enough reward right? Something he could actually hold in his mind, and keep. Besides, such a beautiful maiden that needed saving wouldn't be too ashamed of sharing her name with a stranger? Afater all, he gave her his. Now the question was, was her story really true? Did her father really have the rumor surrounding him that he was the monster in the woods? Truly not. The villagers were boring, but they certainly were kind.

 

[Syrli]

Camilla noticed a certain sheen in Eliot's eyes. It was an entirely focused and fascinated gaze, and she recognized it. It wasn't simply an admirer's look, it was something much deeper than what could've ever developed naturally in the short few minutes that they had known each other. It scared her a little, because she knew that her deepest desire was to bring him closer to her, bring him home to her, to really tighten the bond between them and her grasp around his heart. But she also knew that it would mean risking his life, and thinking about him withering in her arms was gut-wrenching.

"Eliot." She tasted his name in her mouth. She hadn't heard many names in her life, but she kept each and every one of them as a personal treasure. It was something so deeply human about names. The meanings behind them, the nicknames that were made of them and the swirly ways they wrote them at the ends of letters. Camilla kept a small notebook at home with all the names she had learnt listed carefully, and so far it was a very short list, so she couldn't wait to add Eliot. "I'm Camilla." She answered him. Even though she had been telling him lies from the moment she saw him, this one in particular felt the most dishonest. Eliot probably wouldn't even notice, after all it was just two words. But to her it felt disingenuous and undeserved. A creature like her, pretending to have a name? Pretending to be human? What on earth made her believe that she would be worthy of that?

She decided to play along with his playful manners. "Well, Sir Eliot, if my name isn't quite reward enough for your heroic deeds I would love to invite you over for some food, if you have the time." She got caught up in the enjoyable interaction between them and her dreams about knights and castles, and her mouth had formed an invitation against her will. Or to be honest, exactly according to her will, but against her better judgement. Well, she assumed that it would be fine to have him over for a meal. They could enjoy each other for a while, and then he could go home and...recover. Let him connect with other humans, friends and family and...The thought of him being with a woman made her knit her eyebrows while feeling a distinctively dark seed of jealousy in her chest. She knew that it might be rude to ask, but at this point she couldn't just ignore it. "Or if there isn't a missus Sir Eliot, of course." Her voice seemed particularly weak, maybe even a bit strained, as she averted his eyes.

 

[Woody.]

Camilla, he repeated in his mind. It tasted sweet on the tongue, and he liked the way slipped off the tongue. Perhaps Camille would be struggle to get home by herself. He looked about the forests in which she pointed, and wondered if it was too far to at least walk her there. All he could think about was protecting this little bit of treasure he found lost in the woods. Why was he already calling her a treasure? His thoughts were all muddled up, why couldn't he simply let these thoughts slip away like he would any other person? Even when she spoke his name it was hard to think straight, but he would certainly try his best.

"A reward such as dinner? I think that would suit me just fine." He smirked, and watched her for a moment before realizing that what kind of woman would invite a man alone into one's house? Something like that would be- scandalous. Some would call her a 'loose' woman, there was that moment of hesitation that sort of made him falter. Perhaps he was being to paranoid, because something was up and to find out what, why not accept the gracious offer. Then the topic of a possible wife, and he grew uncomfortable. Yes, he should be married by now with a stable income like his? Wait, why was she asking as such was she going to prostitute herself? No, that couldn't be, it was just a reward for helping her free her foot. There would be no prostituting, and there certainly wouldn't be any moves made by him to do such vulgar things. Though, the young smith was wary, he still would attend dinner. Only to make sure she was safe, and that she was well cared for. That was what men did for damsels right?

Instead, he just chuckled off the comment of a wife. She sounded a little quiet at the question, but he decided to give her an answer than just bashfully standing there like a dumbass, "If there was a wife back home, I certainly wouldn't have been in the forests. Instead, laboring off as she nagged me all day." He teased, certainly if he did have a wife now- he wouldn't have a lot of the freedoms such as taking the time to walk into the trees in which he found this little lady. And he was glad he wasn't married, because here he was already having muddled thoughts being around a woman. "But I can attend dinner, and you won't have to worry about a wife knocking on your door demanding her husband back." He sighed dramatically, after all. A knight certainly wouldn't have a wife as he saved a damsel. Only single men would go up for a task as such.

 

[Syrli]

"It's the least I can do, really." Camilla said. "Not many people walk by here these days, and it's soon dinnertime anyways." She noticed something on his face that looked like...confusion? Doubt? Frustration? Something was off. Was he trying to resist her? Men usually stood no chance at all, after all her purpose was to lure them in, they usually just stood there barely being able to speak in complete sentences and keep their hands in check. But Eliot, he seemed to be cautious and controlled in a way that almost made her a bit angry. Like a defeated wolf who had managed to let her prey escape she felt something dark, shame-filled and mad inside of her. The part of her that wanted to abduct and kill men as revenge for all the pain that humans had put her and the forest through. But she needed to suppress it, because it was exactly that part of her that she wanted to get rid of. And now, she had Eliot in front of her, and he might be her savior. She mustn't scare him away, and she couldn't hurt him. She wouldn't allow herself to lose him.

She nodded slightly after he conformed that there wasn't a woman in his life. It helped to calm her, but her worries couldn't be completely erased. She wondered where he lived, which house in the village was his. Maybe it was in view from the forest. It wouldn't hurt to go check.

They began walking towards her cabin. They stepped over a few barely distinguished lines of mushrooms or moss covered stones, but if you didn't know what you where watching for they'd be easy to miss. Fairy rings. If Eliot had entered the fairy ring alone he probably would've gotten lost or gone mad, but with her by his side he was protected enough. Inside of the rings time flowed weirdly, which is why the inside of her cottage would probably still smell like freshly baked bread, even though she hadn't been there in days. There was no logic controlling the passage of time. While some things seemed frozen, you could spend what feels like an afternoon in the cabin and return to the village and discover that a whole week had passed.

The small house on the edge of a meadow slowly came into view. Against the walls stood different pots and plants, and on the side of the house was a small garden where different vegetables grew in rows on the ground. Behind it you could get a glimpse of some kind of animal enclosure. They entered, and the inside smelled of herbs and warm wood. Bouquets of thyme and sage hung upside down from the ceiling to dry, and books and bottles and jars were placed pretty much everywhere. A black and white cat rested on the windowsill in the sunlight that beamed through the window. "I'm sorry, it's such a mess..." Camilla suddenly became a bit embarrassed, and walked up to the table and closed a notebook that was laying open. "I'm not really a big hunter, so I don't have that much meat...but I can make a pretty hearty vegetable soup with some bread, if you'd like. There's a lot of nice vegetables and herbs this time of year." The cat jumped down from the window and went up to smell the stranger that had entered their home.

 

[Woody.]

The area was unique, just like she was. It was as if this was a whole knew "realm" when in reality it was just a part of the forest that had beauty that no other parts had. It was a bit misty, and dare he say... magical? Or had the feeling of magic swarm the air. He never knew a creature nor mage and so to actually say it was a feeling of magic was just a figure of speech for him. Unknowingly coming close to a fairy circle, he wouldn't have known what it had been in the first place. This man lived a human life, with no thoughts of creatures or monsters other than myths. Perhaps he believed in some Fae folk as a way of understanding seasons and other strange occurrences in the natural world. Yet he still followed this stranger without much caution to the fact she could harm him, perhaps it was the man inside him that told him a woman couldn't hold power over him. Perhaps that was a side he couldn't control due to the fact that gender was very split among the community. Women gave children, while men provided. That was the laws of the natural man, in most of the world's viewpoint, or at least the human viewpoint.

The cottage that they were coming up too was cute and quaint. Compared to his, it was just a bit smaller, but the outside garden, and decorations made it look much larger. The plot of land was much larger than his in the village, and he wondered if her parents paid tax to the king if they lived out by themselves. These woods weren't public, usually, and most of the game around here would have belonged to the King. Eliot was still impressed and mesmerized by his surroundings, it as like he was getting fresh air for the first time in a long time. The beauty that so enchantingly lead him towards the hut, was just as fresh as air itself. The women in the village had no sense of adventure, he could tell that she had some sense. It made her more admirable. Still, there was that doubt in the back of his head and he worried for some reason. Like that little voice in his head that held all sense of rational thinking was begging him to run. Yet, as a human, he had no control that rational thinking in the presence of this woman.

Camilla had lead him inside, and he had to duck a little due to some of the hanging ornaments and plants. It was like being outside all over again, but the obvious signs of walls and furniture reminded him he was in a home. The movement of a cat had startled him a bit, "I haven't had a soup in a while." He commented, as he crouched down to the cat, and put out the back of his hand to allow the cat to smell him. Though he enjoyed a dog's company more than cats, he certainly didn't hate cats. Most he met had hissed at him which caused his hesitation at first, "Living as a bachelor, I have to learn to eat breads, and meats most of the time. It would be wonderful to finally have something more refreshing." He looked up at the beauty and gave her a smile.

In fact, it had been awhile since a female had actually cooked for him, other than a rather elderly woman who at the beginning thought she could snatch his bachelor hood for herself, but when he showed no signs of interest she had gone cold towards him. His mother had died young, and so he had to live with bread and meats most of the time.

"Perhaps I could help out? I would feel guilty if you did all the work." He asked, he felt like he needed to please her, and if she did all the work he knew that he'd have this pit in his stomach. Like he wanted to serve her and not her serve him.

 

[Syrli]

Camilla started to gather the ingredients for the meal. She chopped large ruffled tomatoes, fennel, leek, garlic and herbs. She also unwrapped a small package of smoked pork belly, and diced it into pieces before adding it all to a large pot. As it began frying, and the aroma spread throughout the room. She looked at the knife in her hand. It was simple, and probably not that well-made or expensive, but she had gotten it as a parting gift from one of the soldier boys, so it obviously meant a lot to her, as all human things did. It was still almost as sharp as when she had gotten it. She didn't really cook for guests that often. She remembered the presence of Eliot behind her, and tensed up a bit. She moved the knife carefully as to not cut herself. She turned her head to make sure that he was okay. His skin still looked bright, and his hair deep and lustrous, and he stood tall and sturdy. The sight of him standing there in her kitchen...oh, how she wanted him to stay there forever. Something about him just felt so...secure. Maybe it was his kind eyes, his way of holding himself, or just her imagining how it would feel to rest close and entangled with his body.

She had to turn back away from him, fearing that she might start blushing. She cleared her throat. "No, no, it's fine. After all, it was I who wanted to pay you back." She paused for a moment before continuing. "But if you'd really like to help, you could maybe get a fire going? It can get cold and dark out here pretty fasts during these months. There's a pile of firewood just outside." She said and motioned towards the fireplace in the corner of the room.

She added some stock to the soup and let it simmer gently. She picked out some plates and spoons for them and set the table, and cut thick slices of bread for dipping. The soup would be ready in just a few minutes.

 

[Woody.]

Camilla seemed to work diligently in the kitchen, was she nervous when he had come behind her? He didn't mean to frighten her, if he had. She just seemed so delicate and innocent that his taller and broader body towered over her a bit. She smelt like sunshine though and he almost wanted to get closer. When her offer to allow him to start the fire was proposed, he excitedly did as he was asked. There was a sneaky suspicion that if she asked him to do anything, he'd simply obey, but due to him asking to help her he had just considered it her giving into his demands. "Of course, my dear." He stated, and quickly went to do his task. Once outside though, he looked at the sky and saw that it would soon get dark. The air was crisp, and he just stood by the wood for a second to look at his surroundings. Living out here alone, for a week? He didn't feel right letting a young lady live out here by herself, what if a bear were to wander too close? Or a woodsman that wasn't trusting came up to her door? He picked up some wood, and gave one more look towards the trees. It was quiet. Perhaps leaving her here after he left wouldn't be too bad. He hadn't seen any dangerous animals on the way here, and he doubted any woodsman would want to go this far into the tress.

Eliot came back inside, and quickly began the fire. Making sure to bring a little extra inside, that way when he left tonight she didn't have to wonder out in the dark for more. The crackling flames reflected through his eyes, and already the fire was warming up his body. When he turned his head to see she was almost done preparing the table, he stood and let out a sigh. He knew that if he kept feeling guilty about leaving her out here alone, and saw her as a weak woman he knew that it was a matter of time before he asked if she wanted to come to the village. From what she told him though, the villagers hated them, and he wouldn't want her to be scorned.

The soup was already smelling delicious and his stomach growled. He hadn't realized that he was hungry until now, that felt strange. "Camilla." He finally spoke her name, as she set the plates on the table, "Would you consider at least staying with someone from the village?" She probably wouldn't say no, but he had to at least ask. That knot in his stomach only grew tighter, as that worry settled in. That need to protect and to obey her whim had grown a little strong while he was in her presence. IT was like it was just growing stronger when he was near her, it fogged up his mind like a plague.

 

[Syrli]

My dear? Camilla felt like squealing and crying at the same time. Being here, around her, was probably already getting to his head a bit. This wasn't a place for humans. He definitely would have to go back to his own home tonight, even if it did pain her. She would have to walk him home after dinner, since there was no way he'd make it alone in the dark. As a human in these parts of the woods the odds were against you even in the bright of day. She finished up the soup as he made the fire. She had whispered blessings over the wood before, so the ashes and smoke would hopefully act as an extra layer of protection of whatever creatures would lurk outside once night falls. Humans within the fairy circles always seemed to grab unwanted attention.

She was just about to finish setting the table when he spoke her name. She looked up at him and it was clear that he was very worried, or maybe even scared? Oh god, she hoped that he hadn't seen anything - or anyone - while out getting the wood. She quickly peaked over his shoulder out the window, before looking back on his face. He still looked fine. As he finished his question she calmed down again, he was just worried about her. Well, there wasn't really any reason for that, but he couldn't know that. She probably was a lot safer here than in the village, where hunters probably would like to display her head on their walls. Still, him being concerned about her was oddly charming.

"Eliot, you really don't need to worry. There's nothing really dangerous out here." An idea suddenly struck her. "But I guess, if it will make you feel better...I could follow you back after dinner and get a room at the inn. Just for tonight. Is that better?" She didn't really have any intentions of staying in the village, but it would make for a good excuse for her being able to follow him back, since he might not have let her walk home from the village alone anyways. Plus, she'd also get an opportunity to see where he lived. She served up some soup for both of them and sat down, tearing a part of bread off and letting it soak in the warm liquid.

 

[Woody.]

A look of relief had washed over his eyes, if she were to follow him back to the village and actually stay at the inn-- he would most likely feel a lot better. Just protecting Camilla would be fine by him. She was precious, even if her father had "betrayed" the village by selling to another city instead of the village, she shouldn't be disowned by the village. In fact- they should be celebrating her. Worshiping her... where did that thought come from? Worship? Shaking his head of those thoughts. It just seemed harder and harder to focus clearly, and the more he stayed the more the fog crept through his head. So he sat down, and muttered a, "thank you." before he took the spoon and dug in. Saying it was delicious would have been an understatement, finally a warm hot meal that was made by the soft hands of a woman.

The idea of at least guiding her to the inn would let him eat without worry. Why was it that he could only think about her safety? There were many that held beauty in the city, so why was hers so unique? Was it those eyes? Was her bashful smile, and those pink rosy cheeks. The dress that both outlined her body and held her secrets were so enchanting. Most of the men in the city would have commented that she had too much on to gain favor in the eyes of most, but she was perfect in his eyes. As perfect as the sun that warmed up the cold morning, the relaxing first breath of fresh air. He was lost in his thoughts, that when she began eating, he almost forgot to follow suit. Damn these thoughts, and damn his weak mind for only one woman was able to make him weak in the mind.

Following suit and tearing off a part of bread to allow the soup to soak and add flavor to it, he wondered about her though. She seemed to be doing fine with her ankle which had been trapped, but he wondered about her dress. It was damp earlier- and it was torn a bit. Did she not own another dress or was she in need of one? He could certainly pull out his wallet of coin and hand her all of it. why would you say that, eliot. he surprised himself when that voice in his head stopped him from doing just that. you need the coin to purchase materials tomorrow. The rational side was finally peaking out, fighting that fog that hid all his reasoning. he opened his mouth to offer his coin purse to allow her purchases, but instead he was able compliment her to avoid himself from offering to buy her another dress, "Your dress is rather torn. Perhaps I could have them sewn up by a woman in the village." Then that fucking foggy side of him still persisted as he added, "A beauty as such as yourself shouldn't be wearing something that is so worn out." It was probably her favorite dress and he didn't know it. It was still a beautiful dress- but he could possibly have the holes fixed and then return it to her. But then the idea of that being her only clothing made him bashful, and he cursed himself.

 

[Syrli]

She recognized the look in Eliot's eyes. He was fighting out the battle inside of him. His eyes was darting around the room and his entire demeanor was fevery. It was hard to concentrate on the soup, as she was trying to keep an eye on him. A part of her knew that this was the perfect moment to strike, anything she said to him now he would probably agree too. If she wanted he would never go back to those other horrible humans, he would stay with her and never leave... She tried to shake those thoughts away, focusing on how the person who was so dear to her was weakening before her. She had to restrain herself.

She wished she could know exactly what was going on inside his head. Was he trying to resist her? What if he didn't want to be with her at all and had followed her against his will, completely under her spell? She really hoped that wasn't the case. Most men would have had this conflict Eliot was having right now only minutes after meeting her, so there truly was something strong within his soul, and that gave her hope. Partly because it meant that he probably hadn't just been blindly following her like a duckling, but his strength would probably also be crucial for his survival.

As she pointed out the state of her dress she was a little embarrassed. She had hoped that he wouldn't notice, even though the wear and tear was obvious. "Don't waste your coin. There's no point having a perfect dress out here - it gets torn up right away anyways." She gave him a gentle smile. She looked over at the cat that was laying stretched out in front of the crackling fireplace. As they began to finish their food she knew that it was time to leave. "We should get going now, Eliot. Before it get's too dark." She looked around the room. Bringing a part of home with you could act as a protective charm against the creatures out there in the night. She picked a bottle of elderflower cordial from a shelf and handed it to Eliot. "Here, take one. I made too many anyways, and I've really enjoyed your company here this evening. I wish you could come back sometime."

 

[Woody.]

Looking at the cordial he licked his lips, she was certainly something if she could making something like this. He would certainly indulge himself by the end of the night- go home drinking with the thought of camilla on his tongue. But he didn't want to leave. The soup was lovely, her company was beautiful, and he just wanted to near her all the time. Why couldn't she just let him stay? Sleep the night-- why did he have to beg her to stay in the village? He'd gladly wake up to her every day for the rest of his life. But when she quickly shoo'd him out of the hut to start their journey back home, he grew anxious. Would she yell at him if he begged to even just stay on the floor? He wouldn't want her angry at him for any reason. The way back was strange, it was getting less and less magical and more and more like reality. It was as if just leaving that place was sort of clearing his head. Did he still feel attracted to camilla? Sure as hell, he was. However, he was getting a little more conscious of his behavior and was a bit more embarrassed by his own thoughts. Though she would never know what his thoughts were when she looked at him. Those thoughts would remain under lock and key.

The village was already coming up to view and he mentioned. He would of course give her coin for the inn! he doubted he saw her actually grab any! It would be the least he could, and then in the morning he could show her his smith! Why was he getting so worked up about showing her his pridehood? Damn it, he hadn't met a girl that made his head spin and had this haunting feeling about her. It made him delerious, and all warm. But even as they went down the path, those emotions were almost dimming. To the point he was able to find it odd that she would make him feel like this in just a few hours. It felt like more than a few hours since he met her... wasn't it odd?

He decided to comment it while they were on the path, "I feel like I'm drunk, and I don't think I've had anything to make me so." He stated, as he listened to the quiet breeze of the wind hitting the leaves. "Perhaps your cooking has made me so warm and fuzzy that I could just sleep all day." He muttered as he looked up at the sky. Why was he telling her these things? Did a woman enjoy listening to a man mutter nonsense all day? Perhaps she had drugged him while he wasn't looking.. but he felt this way the moment he met her. "Perhaps you should make me more soup one of these days. After all, does this make us friends?"

 

[Syrli]

He feels like he's drunk? It surely felt like she had heard the word before, but she only had a very vague understanding of what it meant. It was something like a feeling of dizziness from something you eat...or drink? Was he saying that she had poisoned him? But he also said he felt warm and fuzzy, which certainly made Camilla confused. Not really sure how to reply, she just mumbled something that sounded somewhat agreeingly, and hoped that he wouldn't think much about it. "Friends?" She wondered if she had ever had a friend before. "Of course! You'll come visit me again tomorrow, won't you?" She truly couldn't wait.

As the village came into view Camilla grew tense, but tried her best to look natural. Normally she'd stay well out of sight from the houses, but with Eliot by her side she reluctantly stepped out of the forest and onto the paved streets of the village. She tried to calm her nerves by telling herself that it was so late by now that no one would even notice that she was here. As they walked further into the city she noticed that some people still were out and about, and in the distance she could hear the sound of laughter, loud voices and clinking glass. She wished she could have something to hide in, like a hooded cape. The odds were probably slim, but if they happened to bump into one of those hunters, they would probably be able to recognize what she really was.

The opened door of the inn seemed to be the source of the joyful chatter that they had heard before. She suddenly stopped in the middle of the square. She didn't dare to go in there. She turned to Eliot and lightly touched his arm in the hope of that it would make him less likely to want to try to argue with her. "I'll be fine from here. It's late, you should head home and get some sleep too." She let her hand slide down to his and held it lightly. "Thank you for tonight, and for seeing me all the way here. I'll be looking forward to the next time I get to meet you." Their fingers slid apart as she backed away and began walking towards the inn. It seemed that he was still affected enough by her to not object.

Camilla looked over her shoulder, and saw that Elliot had turned around and begun walking in the other direction. She also turned her back towards the lively inn, and began following him from a safe distance. She just wanted to see where he lived. And if he lived with anyone. Who his neighbors were...

"I really thought you'd be in bed with him by now. Well, if you don't want him, I'll gladly take him." She spun around, startled by the voice until she saw the familiar face leaning down over her shoulder and grinning. Lincei stared at her with his cat-like eyes, and his slightly unhinged gaze was enough to make even her a bit unsettled. She definitely preferred his cat form over this gangly, ghost-like body. "You're losing him." He whispered without breaking the stare for even a moment. She turned her head just in time to see Eliot's back disappearing behind a corner. She began to walk after him again, and Lincei easily kept up with her. "Why did you follow us?" She hissed at him, while trying to figure out where Eliot went. "You know how I hate the stench of human food." He grimaced. "I couldn't possibly stay in there for long. Plus, unlike you I'm not mortified at even the slightest whiff of a human, so I come here quite often. You should've seen me here the other night! The humans adore me. The stood and petted me endlessly, completely unknowing that just an hour ago I had taken two children from their own homes! Can you believe how stupid these creatures are? No, no - he went that way, can't you smell him?" He said as he pointed her in the right direction.

After a while Eliot stopped at a house on the edge of a block, and Camilla and Lincei found a hiding place where they could keep watch from a safe distance. She could see the windows light up from the flickering light of candles inside, and Eliot's silhouette occasionally passing by. She tried to angle herself so she could get a better look inside. Was it only him? The silhouettes weren't really clear enough to tell. "You really are obsessed with him." The voice beside her chuckled. "Why are you so fascinated by them anyways? He's just a dumb human that is too lustful and full of himself to be able to resist you, and it is in your nature to punish the humans for their sins. To kill them. Look at you, in that ridiculous dress, weakened and infatuated by that...that thing. Pathetic." Camilla tried her best to ignore him, and luckily his babbling was interrupted by someone approaching them. After a while it became clear that the person was a young woman in a beautiful dress with lace trimmings, carrying a basket. Her hair was shiny and fell around her face so perfectly and she was....heading right towards Eliot's door? Camilla felt her heart drop as she heard Lincei's chuckle beside her again. "Oh, this is going to be fun." He whispered. Time seemed to pass in slow motion as she watched the girl approach Eliot's home. Images of her entering and being greeted by Eliot's happy face, them holding each other, kissing and making love flashed through her head. She had begun to breathe heavily without even noticing it. She only saw the girl who was about to ruin everything she had ever wanted. Dark thoughts flowed through her body and covered every inch of her like thick, black tar.

"I brought this for you." Lincei whispered and held out her knife towards her. "Thought you might need it."




"H-Hello? If you're interested I have some - "




Camilla looked into the girls eyes, and they stared back into hers. They seemed to almost be shivering, darting all around. Her mouth hung open as it desperately tried to scream, but only breathy whimpers managed to get out. The skin of her throat felt soft and warm as Camilla held it, alternating between clawing into it and gently caressing the lines of her throat and jawline with her fingertips. Her body began to slump down onto the ground, and Camilla let it fall from her grip and from the knife, that silently slid out of her flesh as she fell. The basket hit the ground and its contents spilled out on the street. Knitted gloves, hats and scarves in different colors and sizes, along with a small pouch of money. Camilla stayed and stared at it for a few moments before she turned and fled back towards the forest, with Lincei right behind her.

 

[Woody.]

Of course he'd see Camilla again, not because he was drawn to her, but there was a way about her that made him actually comfortable. With all his thoughts and desperate emotions, there was just that small part that actually cared. Not blinded be the infatuation that fogged his mind. Eliot had watched her gently touch his arm, and when they separated he had wished she'd have stayed close. Her voice had done its job as he mumbled an agreeable sound and quickly gave her one last look before they parted ways. In his mind, he saw her go to the inn as he stumbled back home. Everything just felt right.

The night was certainly beautiful and without Camilla, it felt kind of bare. It was as if he was missing a person he'd just met. Thoughts of there interaction played through his mind, and he wished he could spend just a little more time with this mysterious person. His home was small, but it was warm. His Smith was attached to the side, and he had to light a candle to actually see. Putting the gift Camilla had left him on the table, he decided the best thing to do next was sleep. He was tired for some odd reason. As if the moment in the forest had made him spill his energy, now he just needed to sleep.

However, in the morning there were screams and crying. Waking up immediately, he just stared at the wall. It was like all of yesterday was just a dream. A woman came into his thoughts, but it was different. Was Camilla real or a dream? The gift on the table had proven that it was real, so why was it like a distant memory.

"My child!" He had heard the scream louder, the call of a mournful woman and sobbing villagers were near his home. When he stood out without his shirt to see what the commotion was about he saw a group of huddled villagers. A woman he knew as Agatha was cradling a body, was it Mazel? The girl was betrothed to the baker, and often tried to knit to earn coin. At times she'd visit Eliot to sell him leather gloves for when he work on swords. She had a gentle heart, and was best known around for her generous deeds.

Upon further inspection, he saw blood, and the neck slit. Looked clawed at with a long slash of what he could see to be a blade. Grabbing the nearest man, Eliot panicked, "What happened?"

Boris looked at Eliot with angered eyes, "The monster has come back. Mazel was found outside your home, and two of the children have vanished." The talk of the monster only reminded him of Camillas story of her father being accused of bad deeds.

"Camilla's father? He questioned Boris who gave him a strange look, "who?"

"the woodsman in the forest." Eliot tried to be specific, but Boris scowled, "What are you going on about boy?"

Eliot had become confused and looked at Mazels body. Villagers kept whispering about a monster, some stating the monster had claws and red eyes. Other whispering that it lured out children to their deaths.

Looking at Mazel, a worried feeling overcame him. Was Camilla alright? She had stayed at the inn, hopefully she was there. He moved past others and headed towards the inn. If Mazel was murdered, then he needed to check on Camilla. He didn't want her getting the same treatments Mazel had received.

The villagers were wrong though, it was from a knife. She was murdered, not killed by a monster. He worked with swords, knives and all sorts of weapons. He knew a knife cut from anywhere. The missing children on the other hand made him worry.

Upon arriving at the inn, he spoke with the inn keeper and asked for Camilla. The inn keeper was confused, and even with a description of Camilla the man said, "No one like that in these parts. Though she sounds familiar." When Eliot tried to explain she lived in the woods, the man got angry. As if a girl in the woods was a taboo. "Monsters live in that forest boy. Cruel, dark, and monsterious creatures that will steal your hearts. They'll gouge your eyes out, and eat your liver. Don't go near those woods."

Eliot disliked these rumors of a monster, he didn't believe such tales that were meant to scare children. He did want to know why Camilla didn't stay at the inn, and got his things and brought his hunting knife for safety reasons and went out back into the trees.

It was different now, the forest was quiet like yesterday, but it was a bit foggy. He tried to remember which way she led him, and he tried to leave knife marks in the trees to know which way was what. "Camilla?" He called, all he wanted to know was if she was safe. Mazel was beautiful, probably one of the most in the village. He worried that whoever attacked Mazel would aim for Camilla. He'd then want to know more about this 'monster ' more. If it was still about her father, he needed to know more details because her father was supposedly out to the city.

It was when he came across the mushrooms that were aligned in an odd way did he see a cat looking at him. Felt a little odd, and discomforting, but he recognized him and he was close.

 

[Syrli]

Camilla wiped her face with her sleeve as she continued making her way deeper into the woods. Her eyes was burning and there was a distinct lump in her throat. She forced herself through the brushwood. She who normally moved so elegantly without even the slightest sound was now barging away from the village, as far as she could away from it. She grunted and screamed out in frustration and pain as the twigs and thorns grabbed onto her skin and dress. She only stopped at the sound of laughter from behind her, and as she turned around she saw Lincei folded over in a hysterical cackle. "Oh, man! You should've seen the look on your face!" He paused for a moment to catch his breath. "You really just killed an innocent merchant, didn't you? Gosh, I wonder what your dear human will think about you now, huh?" He stepped closer and leaned in toward her face. His ash gray hair laid messily over his forehead as if it was damp, and nearly covered his yellow eyes and slitted pupils. "Why are you crying? Can't you feel it ? The rush, the energy, the power. After all they have done to you, to all spirits, to this forest...They have threatened and disrespected us for years, and you and me could have them all gone within a week if we wanted to! For fucks sake, I've seen you kill before! Why do you act like such a weakling all of a su-" The point of the knife against his stomach interrupted him mid sentence. "Please, shut it!" She hissed through her gritted teeth, her voice broken by tears. "Oh please, go ahead." Lincei sighed dramatically. "Shove it into me. Both you and me know that it doesn't contain nearly enough silver to hurt me." She let the knife fall from her hand into the moss. She was disgusted by its blood-covered blade and how the handle felt against her palm.

She spent the night endlessly pacing back and forth between the trees, as if she was in some kind of trance. Lincei eventually got bored of watching her breakdown and must've left, because she did not know where he was. She had made a horrible mistake, and her mind was going through scenario after scenario of what could happen next, and how she was going to fix it. She couldn't let him realize that it was her. He could never know. What would the other villagers say to him? Would he tell them about her? Were they coming out here to seek revenge right now? As sunlight began peaking through the trees she tried to pull herself together. She picked up the dress that she had been washing in the river and pulled the soaked fabric over her head. After tonight it was even more torn than before, and her skin was also scratched and bruised in some places. There was still some darker spots over the chest of the dress, and to her it still reeked of blood, although she couldn't figure out if the smell was only in her head or not.

She thought that she could feel the presence of a human within the circles, and she was pretty sure that it was Eliot's. Even though she longed to see him again, she was afraid of how their meeting would go. Either way, she couldn't let any other malicious creature get to him first, so she began heading towards the cabin.

She approached cautiously as she finally spotted his back through the trees. She frowned at the cat, before cautiously approaching. "Eliot?" She noted the knife, but his stance did not seem to be either vigilant nor aggressive, which was seemingly a good sign, at least. "How...are you?" The lines and lies she had manically rehearsed over and over in her head the whole night seemed to have escaped her completely. But seeing him actually made her feel some kind of comfort, and his company felt like the only antidote to her suffering. Her eyes began burning again as she held her tears back. "It's...so good to see you."

 

[Woody.]

Eliot had heard her voice, and a rush of relief fell over him. At the same time though, he had almost wanted to accuse her of lying to him. Why didn't she go to the inn like they planned? It was dangerous out here by herself, she could have gotten hurt! When he spun around to look at the girl who had appeared behind him he let out a sigh, "Thank god you're okay." He muttered softly, he didn't want to startle her. This time for some reason, he was almost clear headed. The fog hadn't entered his head, quite yet. The adrenaline of possibly seeing her hurt had probably helped with that, and the small bit of anger. The anger seemed to vanish though when she admitted that it was good to see him. Her dress was soaked, and torn worse. Had she tried to walk home in the dark? What on earth had she tried to do, and now what she wore was almost useless. He wouldn't say that out loud, so he simply tried to comfort her. Her hesitation to speak, and her nervousness had him worried. Perhaps she was running from the murderer too? Words from the villagers all pointed that there were only monsters in the forests, but here Camilla was, innocent as the day she was born. What creature like her could hurt a person? But the mention of a woman had made the inn keeper upset, and warning him to never enter the forests was a sure sign something was up.

"Camilla, there had been children missing, and Mazel had been murdered- This talk of a monster." He tried to find words to describe this morning, but seeing her made his words all messed up. He didn't want her to hear all the gory tales, "I just thought the monster had gotten to you." He murmured, thoughts of her delicate flesh being ripped to shreds by an unknown shadow haunted the back of his mind. Yet upon inspection he saw small cuts on her, and it had only proven his point that she had tried to get home in the dark. "We had a deal you and I. That you'd stay in the inn, and when I went to check on you-- the innkeeper said you hadn't stayed there." Eliot tried his best to sound passive, but he had a small temper already in progress. Didn't she realize that she could have either died? The murderer had struck last night, and if she was out last night she could have easily been a target! He pinched the bridge of his nose, there was so much to be angry about, but the thought of her ever being a monster didn't cross his head. She was sweet in offering him a meal to eat, and she was kind enough to laugh and talk with him. A monster would have never let him leave her house, a monster would have gutted him right then and there with no question. Which was why he had so much trust in the girl.

Why was he trying to chastise a woman who wasn't his mother or sister? Any part of his family at all, she was someone else's responsibility. He had gone out of the way to the woods for her, practically tripped on roots, and rocks to get here. Eliot was sure that if she didn't respond to his calls, he would have been lost in the forests for sure. Yet, he still managed to find her so he shouldn't be too upset. He should have walked her to a room in the inn, go as far as made sure she fell asleep. That way she didn't look so worn out and beat up. The dark spot on her dress had him worried to. Was she injured? It probably was dirt, but one couldn't be too sure. Camilla just looked defeated, and he disliked the idea of her being so tired. "Being out here alone will only make you a target, Camilla." Why did his voice sound so soft, when he wanted to be angry? Tell her that she should have stayed safe.

 

[Syrli]

A monster. That's what they thought of her...She could probably never come back there now, not in many years at least. What if someone had seen her? She gulped before she spoke. "A monster? What kind of monster?" She was trying to figure out how much he knew, but even though he seemed to be upset with her, it didn't seem like he suspected anything. "You went to check on me?" Her shoulders lowered slightly, touched by his kindness. She hadn't meant to worry him, not at all. At the very least it seemed like he was more concerned with her safety than the victims death, which was a pleasant surprise. If he had mourned her like as if she had been close to him she'd have no idea what to do with herself. "I'm sorry Eliot, but the innkeeper recognized me and said that she wouldn't let me stay there. I didn't want to come and bother you again, and also I didn't know where you lived, so I decided that it was best for me to just head back here..." She really hated the feeling of him being upset with her. It made her feel...ashamed, almost. "I hope that you understand, and can forgive me." She would do anything to take his worries away.

Her eyes felt sore, and she didn't know if it was from crying or staying up all night. Probably it was a combination of both. She felt slightly dizzy. The whole situation was just so surreal and mentally exhausting. While she had been desperately trying to figure out ways to make sure that Eliot wouldn't leave her, she also felt something so dark and familiar inside of her. When cutting that girls throat, oh how wonderful it had felt, in some twisted, wicked way. The warm blood on Camilla's hands, the whore's pathetic whimpering...She would never see Eliot again, and would never steal him away from her. He was hers, and only hers. Camilla would protect him from everything and everyone. She looked down and saw that the cat was watching her. She looked up again to avoid meeting it's gaze and took a deep breath to calm herself down, and to push that part of herself deep, deep down again.

"I can't go back to the village, they hate me for what my parents did and they can't seem to ever forgive us. I think I'm safest if I'm here and don't pull that much attention to myself. Mst people doesn't dare to come all the way out here." She tried to calm him. She wanted to invite him to stay with her, but even though he seemed strong and refreshed now after the night she wasn't sure if he could stand staying with her for long. She noticed that the cat was rubbing against Eliot's legs, and tried her best to not let her feeling show on her face. "I'm a bit tired, can we please go inside and talk?"

 

[Woody.]

Eliot hesitated for a slight second. The innkeeper shouldn't have done that, given that knowledge allowed his anger to simmer off of her and lean towards the innkeeper. Still, Camilla certainly tugged on his heart strings because he just melted at her need for forgiveness. To have to live with villagers that hated you for so long must have been draining. "Of course I can forgive you." He let out a small sigh, "The innkeeper certainly will have an earful when i get back."

Her offer to allow him inside to talk wqs refreshing. She looked exhausted, and it she needed to sleep he would gladly watch the door for her till she awoke. The cat that so affectionately rubbed at his leg was a curious thing to see. Cats weren't his kind of animal, but at least this one acted kind towards him. Stepping over it to follow Camilla inside like a love sick puppy, he still had to fill her in on Mazel. The girl was a sweetheart who didn't deserve such pain, seeing her body had frightened Eliot. "Mazel had been found near me house. The poor girls throat was slit." He decided it was better to let her in on what happened. Whatever thing killed Mazel certainly would get whats coming to it. "She certainly was a sweet woman. The gloves she gave me truly helped the burns I would get from kindling my fire." The thoughts of never seeing Mazels warm welcoming smile saddened Eliot. He didnt have any intentions of trying to win her affections due to the betrothal, but he would have certainly tried if she hadn't been betrothed. But here was Camilla, a beautiful woman who seemed to easily take in Eliot. Seemed kind enough, but he didn't know her well enough to compare her to Mazel quite yet.

Taking a seat at the table, the very same chair he lounged in yesterday he looked to Camilla with his brown eyes. "I feel that you might be right though. The village might be displeased with your fathers work, but I doubt the man who did this to Mazel would come out this far for you." He might as well be grateful the inn keeper turned her away. It kept Camilla safe, though the look in her eyes told him she was probably too sleepy to even converse with him. "Perhaps you should lounge in your bed? You barely can keep your eyes open, sweet Camilla."

 

[Syrli]

"Please, don't scold anyone on my behalf. Actually, I think it might be best if you don't mention me at all." If he went around talking to everyone about her, sooner or later someone would put two and two together and realize who this mysterious girl in the forest was and why he suddenly was so obsessed with her. If they did, they would probably do everything they could to prevent him from visiting her again, and might even send people out to find and kill her.

As Eliot told her about Mazel she wrinkled her nose. She could hear both light and dark in his voice. Sweet reminiscing of and mourning the loss of the kind girl he knew, but also anger and disgust aimed at her murderer. Camilla felt like she wanted to shrink up and disappear into thin air. Why did he speak so fondly of her? She was just a girl, for crying out loud! A selfish, simple human like all the other villagers! She had seen how they killed and took from nature as if it was their slave, how they were unfaithful and how they beat and hurt the people that loved them. That girl was no different from the rest, she was sure. And they had the nerve to call her the monster! There was a few exceptions of course, like Eliot. He was not blinded by the self-righteousness of humankind. She felt like shouting all these thoughts and feelings at him, to show and share her pain and frustrations with him, but she bit her tongue and toned it down a bit. "Well, maybe she had done something bad. People rarely become murderers over nothing. Maybe she had cheated or stolen or lied or....whatever. From what I know those people aren't really the forgiving kind." She realized that it sounded like she was trying to defend the murderer, which just so happened to be herself, even though she knew that her deed was horrific and inexcusable. "I-I mean, still...what a tragedy. So many years of life lost only because of one person's madness." She quickly added, hoping that it would help.

She sat down opposite to him. "No, no...I'm sure that if I laid down I'd fall asleep, and I can't sleep now. You've only just arrived and it feels like I've waited the whole night for you to come back." She didn't feel like missing out of a single second of his company. "I can sleep later. Would you like some tea, or anything to eat?"

 

[Woody.]

Eliot felt a wierd sensation, not the sick love puppy kind of sensation, more of fear. For some odd reason the way she spoke of Mazel doing something bad to actually deserve being murdered was something he didn't expect from her. Mazel was the town's sweetest and most innocent woman. She didn't deserve what had come upon her, and he had to bite his tongue to stop from interrupting her and arguing with her. No one, not even the worst criminal alive should deserve death. Yes, they should be punished, however, life was a precious thing. Eliot understood the great joy of living, and to rip out the most precious thing from someone was cruel. Camilla didn't know Mazel, and since Eliot had communicated with her for two years while in the village there was a missing piece in his life. A person he wouldn't interact with again. His fingers tapped the table a little bit as she tried to push the idea that it was a tragedy. Certainly was a mad man who did this, because whoever targeted Mazel had to be mad to have done something so cruel. The way the blood dripped from her throat, and her lifeless eyes looking up to the sky. He couldn't think of that right now, he hadn't seen many dead bodies in awhile. Seeing something so gruesome and near his house. If he had just walked out he would have found the murderer before poor Mazel could. His thoughts were all over the place about Mazel and about this monster.

But something tugged at him to pay attention to Camilla, like a hand gentle stroking cheek to pull his attention all on the woman before him. Mazel wad dead, Camilla wasn't. He should pay attention to this living thing than live in the past. If she wanted to stay under the radar of the villagers, he would gladly keep it a secret, and if she wanted to feed him and stroke his hair as she told him everything about her... Even now, as she sat across the table from him he wanted to get closer and just touch her. "Tea would be nice." He stated, his focus now entirely on Camilla. She was just being polite not wanting to sleep, perhaps he interrupted her moment to sleep to check in on her, and to ask for some tea? was he trying to hurt her? He wouldn't ever want to do that to the sweetest woman in the world. However, he didn't want her to work and immediately stood, the thought of her working after being worn out was being a rude guest. "Perhaps I should make some tea. I don't want you to move too much, my dear." He was a bit frantic. In his head he would do anything for Camilla in this moment. Kiss her feet and bathe her in riches. Gods, why was he so fucking weak again? The fog had returned, but he didn't see it as fog. He simply saw it as taking care of Camilla after her night of having to run back to her home. His concern for Mazel had vanished so fast just the by the way she looked at him.

"If you would kindly tell me where you keep your stash." He offered, "Then I could make us both tea, and then we can converse more about each other." But he didn't want to converse. Oddly enough he just wanted to - hold her? He needed to focus, Eliot was thinking about doing things with a woman he had just met yesterday. There was no need to converse when all he wanted to do was be near her. As if he company alone was all he needed to satisfy that foggy feeling in his head. Oddly enough though, he wasn't fighting it as much as he did yesterday. He was more relaxed and more open about this feeling in him towards Camilla.

 

[Syrli]

Camilla was thankful for his offer to help and pointed towards a jar of chamomile tea. After he finished preparing it, she sipped it carefully. It felt silky smooth and pleasantly warm, but it probably didn't do much to help with her sleepiness. The only thing managing to keep her awake right now was Eliot. Even though she probably wasn't that great of a conversationalist at the moment she listened attentively to Eliot as he spoke. She asked him about himself and his work and his family, eager to learn everything about him.

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Bjorn stood behind the counter of the tavern of the inn. He was drying of some dishes, while cautiously watching his only customer at the moment. After all, it was still a couple of hours before midday. The man sat infront of an empty glass with his hands locked behind his neck, staring down at the dark wood of the table. He had been like that for a while now. The mans hair had distinctive streaks of grey in it, and Bjorn didn't have to see his face to know that it was red from crying. Poor man. First the sickness took his wife, and now his only daughter was gone too. He reached down to grab a glass, and poured up a pint of a nice cider.

"Here." Bjorn said carefully as he placed the glass next to the empty one. "On the house." The man looked up at him with an alarmed look on his face, as if he hadn't expected another person to be there. The man mumbled a thanks and looked away. Bjorn felt like he had some kind of responsibility to take care of him, after all he didn't have much else to do, and it was getting a bit awkward to stand around while the man was sobbing in the corner. "You mind if I sit down with you? I wouldn't mind a drink myself." The man eyed him up and down, and then shrugged. Bjorn brought the opened bottle of cider and another glass, and sat down opposite to him. For a moment they sat in silence and sipped their drinks slowly. However, Bjorn got the feeling that the situation was growing slightly less tense than it was before. "What will I do know?" The man finally said. Judging by the wrinkles around his eyes he was probably a couple years older than Bjorn. He thought that he could see the sheen of tears on the man's eyes. The man turned his head away from him as he continued speaking. "I have no wife, no children, no family...I am too old to remarry and soon I will be too old to take care of the crops. She was the only part of my life that was left." Bjorn was suprised by his composure. Even as he was wiping his face with his sleeve his voice remained at least somewhat steady and clear. Whenever Bjorn cried he could barely speak. "What about your son-in-law? I'm sure his family will help." The man took a big gulp of his drink. "Oh that poor, poor man...My neighbor and his wife has been watching over him since we heard the news of what happened, to make sure that he doesn't put himself in any danger." He paused for a moment. "Do you think I am weak? I should be there helping him, shouldn't I? I just...I just couldn't handle it. I couldn't handle seeing her body either. The doctor said she probably didn't survive more than a couple seconds. He said at least she didn't have to suffer. Can you imagine that!? She's DEAD, for god's sake! Killed by something pure evil, slitting her throat like that." Bjorn was taken aback by his sudden shouting.

"Who do you think killed her?" The man snorted, as if Bjorn's question was stupid. "Mazel had no enemies. No one could ever want something bad to happen to such a pure, kind girl. So it isn't a who, it's a what, let me tell you. Some people whisper rumours about a monster with claws and fangs, but they're wrong. The monsters of the forest look and act almost like us, and that's why they are so dangerous. You don't even realize that you're in danger before it's too late. I bet you it's the same godforsaken creature that took those two children, and it won't stop until it is stopped, I'm sure." The mans eyes had shifted from drowning in sadness to burning with anger. He had almost finished his drink already.

Bjorn could easily wave off the words of the man as stories. After all, he seemed to be blinded by hate for whatever had killed his daughter and was also quite drunk, but his description reminded him off something. "You know what? That blacksmith came by here just this morning and asked me about a girl living in the forest, and I thought that it sounded quite suspicious, but I didn't think much about it. But now, after having heard the news about the recent events..." He raised his eyebrow towards the man. "Eliot? Mazel's body was found not far from his home.”

The two men decided that it was best to go and have a talk with Eliot. After finding out that he wasn’t at home nor at his smith, they grew worried. It didn’t take long for them to gather a small group of people willing to go search the forest for him.

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Lincei strolled around the forest. He was sick of them being all lovey-dovey, so had escaped through the window. He couldn’t wait until he eventually died so things could go back to normal. She was annoying as all hell, for sure, but still they were two sides of the same coin, so leaving her wasn’t really an option. But if she didn’t have the guts to sort out the deal with the boy, he would eventually have to step in and take care of it.

He sniffed the air. Humans? All the way out here? Well, if they dared to enter this part of the forest they’d get what’s coming for them. It wasn’t his problem. As they got closer though there seemed to be more of them then he had first thought. He also felt the faint scent of smoke. It might look stupid to bring torches in broad daylight, but it surely was a good way to fend off malicious spirits. As they got even closer he could hear them calling the boy’s name. That probably wasn’t good.

He jumped back in through the window and saw her sitting in the small couch. She was leaning on the human sitting next to her and seemed to be sleeping. Bleh. He dug his claws into her leg and she bolted awake.

 

[Woody.]

Eliot had been content with her. The movement of her lips as she spoke about herself was so relaxing. Of course he gave her every bit of information about him, and he was surprised that how in detail he was. He talked about his family, and their expectations they had for him had been too much. His brother becoming the shining child in the city while Eliot was just out by himself, unwed, and just a simple black smith. He talked and talked till the moment he felt his energy lack. He was tired and he was only there for a few hours. But it was when they got to the couch to get comfortable did she lean into him for support, he even noticed her eyes were slowly shutting. She was soft, so soft that he almost fell asleep too. He just wanted to relax and keep her close, protect her from all the monsters that were out in this world. Especially one that seemed to haunt the village like a plague. If only Eliot could destroy that monster, that way it wouldn't make its way to sweet Camilla.

Even now, his eyes drifted close. He could have been asleep with her. Basking in the sun that hit the window just right. Like two cats taking naps under the beautiful bright lit sky. Though, he could have sworn he heard his name being called. Perhaps it was just his imagination, because in his mind he didn't want to be lulled away from his quiet peaceful moment. He learned a bit about her, though most of the time she was interested in his human antics. As if anything mundane to him was magical to her, that was the first time a woman was so excited to hear about his ability to craft things of steel and silver.

"Camilla." He mumbled to her, his head had been leaning down on hers, but when she bolted away he blinked trying to find the problem. Seeing the cat, he scowled. This cat had a habit of appearing out of no where, and he looked out the window. this time he heard his name much better. The voices of men were coming through the trees, and he tried to think of a reason they'd come out this far. No one ventured into the woods, the villagers were always to wary of doing so.

"I think they're calling my name." He stated, and rubbed his eyes a bit. The nap surely helped, but he had forgotten what happened this morning that made him come to her home in the first place. All thoughts of Mazel had been washed away and replaced with a soothing voice telling him to focus his entire being to Camilla. He gently pushed his body away from Camilla to stand, "I better see what all the fuss is about." when he looked down at Camilla though, that tug told him to go back into her arms. He made his way to the door when he finally found the will power to separate himself from her.

Stepping out int he grass he called, "Bjorn!" He called out as if it wasn't strange for him to be way out here and not in the village helping them figure the murderer. If they had known he simply took a nap with a woman, they'd surely grow angry. "What are you fucking doing out here?"

Bjorn, and others he recognized were not people to hike around here. Especially Randal, the man was skinny and his skin was rather pale. He looked like he was already dying from walking in the trees, not only that... they held torches. When the men had crossed to the opening, Randal had grown cautious, the small hut behind Eliot made some of the men grow wary. The talk and stories suggested a monster lured men out into the forests. Though the tale of what the monster looked like was skewered, they seemed on edge.

"He's been entranced." An older gentleman mumbled, the elderly man whose thought the monster could have been a witch who stole men to eat. Another grumbled, "Perhaps he's the monster-- an outsider?" As some of the men grew uncomfortable and muttered amongst themselves, Bjorn stated, "Why are you all the way out here, boy. Do you not think the thing that killed Mazel is out here too?"

The idea of Mazel entered his head again, the mild shock on his face at the thought of forgetting such an event while in Camilla's presence was ridiculous. "I-I..." He began, "I was checking on Camilla, I didn't want them to hurt her."

"who?" randal accused, "We know not of a Camilla."

Eliot scowled, "She lives here, you know her family..."

Bjorn furrowed his brow and stated, "Boy, you best get behind us... No one lives out in these woods. If they are- it surely be a shapeshifter..."

"A witch!" Another cried.

"No, a goblin!"