Fantasy ˡᵒᵛᵉˡʸ ˢᵉᵈᵘᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿ ⁻ ᶜˡᵒˢᵉᵈ

[Syrli]

Lincei didn't bother getting up. He had already pushed himself to far by moving around all day even if he was wounded, and carrying her there had almost been the final nail in the coffin. He leaned back and rested against a tree trunk, it's crown was still lush and green, while the ones just a few feet away looked like they had been struck by lightning. He kept an eye on the dome in the center of the grey circle, but there wasn't any movement coming from there. He would go check, but he didn't exactly feel very comfortable to step into something that could possibly kill him instantly. He didn't mind sitting here until she got out on her own.

But of course, someone always had to come by and ruin his peace. As he saw Eliot face appearing through the trees he hung his head down and shook it, laughing soundlessly. Couldn't he had waited like at least a goddamn hour or so? He could sense that he carried silver. Even if he had promised to slay him if he ever came back here, he didn't have the strength to do so right now. He was covered in her blood, and the silver in it must've really weakened him. He pulled the corner of his mouth up into a strained smile as Eliot noticed him. "You know what? I know I made you a promise, so I'm sorry if you came here hoping for me to take care of your suicidal tendencies, but I am really fucking tired. I don't even get paid for this shit!" He chuckled to himself. "So, you know, if you would kindly agree to postponing our appointment of me tearing you to shreds I'd really appreciate that, actually. Or, fuck it, feel free to step into the circle of doom here if you're really desperate. I'm curious to see if it would kill you if you entered it."

"Please, don't point that silver at me. It's really unpleasant, I'll have you know, and I have already offered to spare your life. Momentarily." Lincei held up his hands as a sign of their truce. "By the way, you don't happen to have any of that...what do you call it again? The happy-dizzy-potion? I had a taste of it many years ago, and it would surely do very nicely right now."

 

[Woody.]

He really did expect the male to attack and kill him, but this was fine he supposed. Eliot disliked Lincei for not caring enough about the situation, he seemed to make jokes and be carefree. Especially the topic of alcohol? "Oh, sorry I dont just carry liquor on me. Especially when I was locked in a cell for 20 minutes, thank you by the way." He snorted and looked at the dome like surroundings. If he was suicidal he would most certainly step in the mysterious space. Everything inside it looked dead, and if he tried he'd probably die like the rest. Was Camilla in there? Was she okay? He stood at the edge, the knife at his side. This scene almost felt familiar in a way, inside he could see trees cradling something with its roots. Like the time he first met her with her foot trapped in the roots, this time it held her whole body. He tried imagining her pain, and if she really was okay. Did Lincei just give up and have the forest take her? How the hell was she alive if everything in that dome was dead. There were so many questions, and too little time to ask them. He needed to see Camilla, "Is she at least breathing?" He asked the man who probably wouldn't be much help.

He let the knife touch the area, and watched the knife not exactly die. Perhaps it wasn't a living thing. If he tried his hand first- The thought immediately got blown up due to fear. Why did god give humans fear? He wanted to just walk through like a god and get to her. Knife at the things that held her captive and bring her back to the living. If she were alive, perhaps he could wait it out? How long would that take? If it did become years, would he stay till then? He slumped onto the grass, crisscrossed using the palm of his hand to rest his chin. Perhaps Lincei had the right idea to rest, but he was just getting his strength back. The stinging in his arm had subsided, and the drug that affected his ability to move around smoothly dissipated. If he actually cared for Lincei he probably would have gone back to his home real quick and grabbed liquor. He doubt that he could due to the villagers demand for him to leave.

"Do you think there is another side? Like a hell?" Trying to make conversation at least. If he was oging to wait long for whatever gods were working with Camilla to bring her back, he might as well try to learn something from a monster. Perhaps he shouldn't be calling them monsters, after all- some called them magic folk, other called them otherkin. Whatever they were, he had to learn something about their kind if he wanted to understand Camilla better. If he had known what she was from the beginning- maybe he would have been more inclined to listen to her story.

 

[Syrli]

"Liquor, right." He tasted the word in his mouth. Despite the human languages being quite simple and dull, some words had a bit of extra flare to them, and this one was certainly one of those. He shrugged. "Well, it was worth a shot I guess. And I was actually hoping that it would have kept you away for a little longer than that." Was he here to kill her? To "punish" her, as he had so nicely put it before? "There's more life in her now than before. But if there's still silver in her blood I can't promise you that it will be enough.

He watched the man examine the border of the circle, and hoped that he would try to enter it. He wasn't sure if it would do anything, but if it sucked the life out of him too he'd have some entertainment to distract him for a few moments. It didn't seem like he was willing to risk it though, which was a shame, but probably a wise decision. He sat down a bit away from Lincei. So he seemed to have accepted their truce after all.

Lincei snorted at his question. "For you humans, maybe. The concept of good and evil, and life and death, is distinctively human in its core. Would the forest go to heaven if it burned? Not likely. Does that fact make it fear death? No." He glanced over to Eliot, studied him attentively to try to figure out what was going on inside of him. If he had truly came all the way out here to kill her, he couldn't let that happen. She had suffered more than enough already, and the forest had even sacrificed a part of itself. He wondered if the circle that seemed to be covered in ash would ever return to it's lush, green state again. "Look, I don't know why you're here, but I understand that you must feel conflicted. She tricked you, deceived you, betrayed you, et cetera, et cetera. You were scared and acted in self defense, right? And even I could forgive you for that." He paused for a moment, thinking of how to put his thoughts into words so that this human could understand him, and maybe also Camilla, a little better. "Look, would you blame a mother bear for killing the wolf trying to take her cubs? Would you blame a spider for spinning its webs? Camilla, she's...odd. If anything, she insists on fighting her nature, even if there's nothing truly evil about it. Even when she killed that girl...Well, I assume that I should take some of the responsibility for that one too. She probably wouldn't have done it if I hadn't been there, but in my own defense, what happens to a predator that won't accept its nature to kill? It starves." He scratched his head and pushed away the strands of hair that hung down over his eyes.

"What I'm trying to say is that Camilla really doesn't deserve any of the shit that you and the other's have put her through. She only ever dreamed of becoming human, but the more humans I get to know, the more nonsensical that dream seems to me."

--

Camilla awoke slowly to the sound of a low humming melody. It sounded like wind echoing through distant mountains. She opened her eyes and was blinded by the rays of sunlight that shone down through the net of roots above her. Where was she? She moved her fingers, and grasped the ground beneath her. Ash? Had they burned her? Was she dead? She looked on the grey dust on her fingers. She tried sitting up, and the wound in her stomach didn't seem to be as painful as it had before. She looked up to the roots just inches above her head and the grass surrounding her. They were all grey and withered, and the dried out strands of grass crumbled under her hands. She held her hands down onto the ground, and she felt the earth and wind crying out in pain, but also somehow warmth, and love. "You saved me." She whispered. What had she done to deserve such a sacrifice?

She touch the roots above her, and also they crumbled by her touch, so it wasn't hard to make an opening. The full sunlight blinded her as she got out. She spun around and looked at the destruction around her, until she spotted Eliot and Lincei sitting beneath a tree just outside the border. She could feel the blood draining from her face. "Eliot, for God's sake, get away from him! He's psychotic, don't let him near you!" She shouted, and began half-running, half-stumbling towards them.

 

[Woody.]

Eliot snorted, for an asshole this guy seemed to have a wise side as well. Even if she faught against her nature, he began to wish she hadn't fought it. "If she were a predator and I was prey, she played with her food." He slid the knife on the living grass beneath him, wondering more about nature than good vs evil at this point, "Lead me through a fantasy where she probably knew I'd die eventually. Wolves don't even do that to their meals. I would have rather her kill me the moment she met me than lead me along where my friends and village were hurt for it." He hated the idea that she knew he'd die eventually by her, which was why he wished he could have died when he entered her cottage for the first time. A beautiful woman leading him down to the ground where he believed would be hell, at least he'd have seen a pretty face before he had died. Those men before him probably didn't know what she was before they died, doesn't that seem unfair?

Yet, the conversation would die when there was movement from the roots. When he saw her climb, his heart began to pound, and his ability to think properly were gone. She was alive, and even as she saw Eliot, the man that had caused her so much pain, that worried side to her came out. "Well at least she can think properly and knows you're really psychotic. " he laughed under his breath. Probably seeing the two together had caused her instincts to protect come out, and Eliot had felt prideful when she was more worried about Eliot than Lincei. Or she knew he was much weaker than the asshole and probably would get killed within moments of a real fight. Either way, that worry and panic had subsided as she stumbled her way which he had to quickly catch her when she tried to stand between Lincei and Eliot. "You really shouldn't call the thing that saved you, psychotic. " Eliot scowled, "Besides we have a truce until this all gets settled, which I'll use the knife-" he realized the silver in it and chucked it behind him on the ground. He didn't want an ounce of silver near her again. "Or something else, to finish him off." He admitted. Eliot was really being casual of the situation, he found Camilla being alive comforting. The stress of killing the woman he once adored had been killing his insides, and to be released of that worry- made him somewhat tired.

She still looked like her, the color in her face was slowly coming back. He wanted to pull her into a hug and never let her go, but that connection with her was weak. Both sides in a stance where they couldn't quite trust the other. After all, after today it would go one of three ways. Either he dies to the fucking catman, he leaves and lives the rest of his life in another village, or he at least leaves on good terms with Camilla. He really didn't think she'd forgive him the slightest and knowing she was a creature who would kill him one of these days made him very hesitant.

 

[Syrli]

Lincei looked at Eliot and then shook his head. "If you really thought that she was really planning to kill you, or anyone for that matter...well, I don't know what to tell you." He couldn't count how many time he had had that discussion with her, he trying to convince her to just kill him before he caused any trouble, and her being painfully stubborn to keep them alive. But after all, Eliot had only known her for a few days. And they probably hadn't discussed whether or not she would kill him, either. He shrugged and sunk down deeper into leaning against the tree.

--

As Camilla came closer it became painfully clear that Eliot wasn't exactly fleeing for his life, despite her panicked warnings. Oh god, what had Lincei been telling him? She slowed down, as she approached, because the atmosphere between them wasn't at all as explosive as she had thought, it was hardly even tense. She still tried to place herself between them though, although she was decently sure that it wouldn't bother Lincei even if she was in the way. As she had just reached the spot between them however, Eliot caught her and turned her around so that she faced him as he lightly held her arms. His touch felt even more intense than she remembered it, and she wasn't sure if it was in a good or bad way. She looked up at him as she regained her breath, occasionally glancing over her shoulder towards Lincei. She was still a bit concerned, although it seemed like he hadn't even bothered standing up.

Hearing Eliot calling Lincei a 'thing' made it feel like she had a knot in her belly. Oh, how badly didn't she want to just forget and pretend like nothing of this had happened? That she wasn't just a creature, a thing to him anymore. She highly doubted that Lincei had actually saved her, and when he looked back att him again with a questioning he just grinned and shrugged. "What did he say to you?" She asked Eliot. "I'm sorry, I really didn't want you to meet him. He's a hazard." She didn't turn around towards him, but Lincei responded anyways. "I'll take that as a compliment!"

Eliot pulling up and throwing away the silver knife made her flinch. She just couldn't get the things he had said about her down in that cell out of her head, no matter how badly she wanted to. When Eliot said that he was planning to fight Lincei she knew he had to intervene. They were both covered in blood, and she didn't know if it was hers or each other's. "That's an incredibly stupid idea off both of you. Lincei, just leave." He finally stood up from the tree. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean? I made this fine gentleman a promise to end his life, and a promise is a promise! Do you really see me as the kind of person to abandon an agreement so easily? I'm a man of my word, Camilla! You know that." His voice dripped of sarcasm, and Camilla tried to usher him away with her hand as if he was still a cat.

 

[Woody.]

Now they got scowled at for wanting to fight? It was a simple agreement that two adults would be able to make on their own. It was comical to witness her worked up over a rumored fight. Even as she shooed him off, he'd have to find the bastard if he really did want to die quick for now he wanted to live for as long as he could, as long as he got his questions answered that is. She shooed him away and he knew things would become serious, perhaps Lincei should stay to make things light hearted, like the way she was acting towards Lincei now. As if he was the annoying pest she adored.

"You should really thank him though." He commented, glad he could at least compliment the man for his hard work in the village, "He was the one to fight John and take you back to your forest." He winced as he remembered the deal he tried to make John, that she would leave the forest for good. What would the forest be without her? It already looked like it gave her life again... did the forest hate him for almost killing her? Eliot just didnt know where he stood in life now. He had woke up from a nap in the meadow a few days ago. He prayed for a woman who wasn't mundane and that he could live an adventure than die in the village, and what do you know, he met this mystrerious woman who he would have been happy to marry, settle down with, and grow old and die with. Just in the span of a day with. Whatever God was listening to him, had a fucked up way of giving him all that and making it god awful. It was adventure he didn't want to relive, unless it cut out all the parts that caused chaos. Now there were dead people, and torn bonds. He was now in the state of, 'what was real and what wasn't.

He had let go of her arm, and just took a step back to give her space. He hoped that this would be over, but he had to be resilient. Like a child not wanting to have that hard conversation about what he'd done wrong. "I-" He started, just not able to pick a starting point. So much to say and so many things he shouldn't say. "The main reason I followed Lincei out was to simply see if you were alive or dead." He said honestly, "But I can't tell if it was out of guilt or simply cause I had felt something for you."

That was probably something he shouldn't have mentioned but he continued, "Lincei told me some things about you that a part of me refuses to believe, but I don't want to hear it from him, I want to hear it from you. And I know I don't deserve any answers for what I did to you, but for me to be able to leave you completely alone and disappear I need to know," he tried to arrange the question better. If she refused him an answer, that would be fine too, at least he attempted to get answers before he made a decision about her.

"Did you intend to make me fall in love with you then to never tell me I would die eventually? Every man you have been rumored to love was kill by you so would I have been some nameless man you threw away?"

Everyone had been telling him she would kill him. In his head, all he could think of was she was doing it on purpose. The only reason Mazel died was cause Camilla was afraid of losing her meal. All the villagers he trusted had put so much information in his head, that he should have confronted Camilla first. It was the fear of dying that made him so weak, and he needed this answer to know if he had a right to have been scared or if he completely assumed she was an evil creature for no damn reason.

 

[Syrli]

Lincei seemed upset by her shooing him away. “Whatever.” He mumbled before turning around and heading off. Camilla hadn’t meant to disrespect him, she just really didn’t want them to fight. If anyone needed to clear things up it was her and Eliot, not Eliot and Lincei.

She was honestly shocked when Eliot seemed to be honestly defending him. She shook her head. “If that’s true, he probably only did it to get first row seats to me dying. He loves a spectable. And pain. Please stay away from him.” Why was she so protective of him? Maybe she felt like she at least owed him safety after all she had done.

So he hadn’t came out her to finish her. Was it true what he said, that he might still have feelings? She didn’t know if she should laugh or cry for him. Her magical strings to him was cut, and she knew that it would be impossible for her to tie new ones. So if he still felt something for her, it was probably real. But unlike magical bonds that are intense but easily broken, real emotions doesn’t go away that easily. How was that difference from a curse? Her love have only brought him misery.

The questions he asked of her were hard. She hadn’t thought she’d have to answer them until much later, when they would already be living in their happily ever after. But he deserved to know. “Well...I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t aware of the risk that you would...not survive. But I truly never intended to kill you, not even hurt you, I swear.” She looked up at him. Would he believe what she said? “I was just so lost in my dreams...stories about human life fashinated me so much, I just couldn’t let it go no matter how hard I tried. I had heard a rumor that creatures like me could be healed, could become human, if only they partook in a ritual under God. I-I know that I must sound horribly selfish, to be willing to risk your life to fulfill my own wishes, but I really thought that it would be the best for everyone. And if I was faced with the same decision today, I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t have made the same choice. I wouldn’t be willing to risk your life, or lie to you, ever again.“ She felt like she couldn’t look him in the eyes anymore. She lowered her head in shame, and regret. “I am so sorry. For everything.”

 

[Woody.]

Eliot furrowed his brows, those eyes of his looked away from her. He didn't expect her to say sorry. Of course, not until he begged on his knees for forgiveness. Again, it was that middle where he didn't know if what his feelings towards her were because of the bond they previous had or during all that shit- his feelings were real. Everyone told him that he was under her spell, the proof of the silver water in his arm showed to him that there was a magical connection from her side. Looking at her own arm that held the longer jagged cut, giving her up was a foolish thing he had done. She was a monster, there was no denying it. Perhaps not in his eyes- anymore. But he listened to her story of pure curiosity about humans that had drawn her out again, she even admitted to understanding the risk she caused him. God, why did he feel so guilty now? Just looking at her made his heart beat painfully, he shouldn't have given her off like a lamb to the slaughter. She was just curious and her own curiosity had sparked chaos, chaos that wouldn't have happened if he just gave into her from the beginning.

"You shouldn't want to be cured, darling." His voice trying it's best to stay leveled as she spoke so poorly about her cursed nature. If she was truly curse, he doubted the forest would have given up some of its life force for her. If humans weren't in the picture, then she would never need to be cured. A perfect creature who he took for granted, humans had spoiled his image of her, and had taken him away from their bond they shared. Even if that bond was tied by magic that he didn't control, he knew that the fog hadn't completely taken over his mind. Even when he wasn't out of fog, he still had that same feeling of love and affection. Especially that moment they shared in the stable, he may had just done it to distract her, but the bond had been broken and he even admitted to loving her.

When she looked away, he fell sad again. He despised to see her in pain, her sad eyes only told half her story. If she loved the other humans, she must have experienced loss. Maybe that's why she wanted the cure, to stop herself from losing people she loved due to her nature. "But if you'll ever want my forgiveness then you'll have to make it up to me for the rest of our lives. Perhaps as punishment, you marry the very same man who gave you up?" He was teasing of course, but if she so badly wanted to become human- then they could always test that theory. If she didn't become human, then he'd stay and die like the rest, but he'd be willing to die if it meant to make her happy. OF course, as his punishment he'd have to provide for her as a blacksmith would, and buy her whatever her desires were- even if had to spend every last coin.

 

[Syrli]

His words shocked her. Why shouldn't she want to be cured? It made her think, however. Did she still want to turn into a human? Leaving the forest after its gift of life to her, made her feel guilty just thinking about it. After all, this was her home, and to be honest, she loved her home. She loved the trees and rivers and the fresh wind. Sure, the ballrooms and chandeliers sounded absolutely spectacular, but could she live like that? Did she want to live her life like that? The line of thought felt like it were punching holes into her whole existence. If she really couldn't see herself living as a human, why had she been so extremely determined to turn into one? She had even risked people's lives, people she cared very dearly about, for that stupid wish that she wasn't even sure if she wanted anymore.

Looking up at Eliot, the reason suddenly became clear to her. She hadn't actually dreamed of becoming human, she had just always badly wanted something just like this. It wasn't about the castles or dresses, all she had ever wanted was to not be alone, to have someone that she could live with and love. It had just seemed obvious to her before that that could never happen as long as she was like this. A horrible creature, incapable of love and unlovable. But before her right now stood Eliot. Despite everything his eyes still seemed to glimmer so magically, and even if he knew what she truly was, he still spoke so fondly of her. And despite the things he had done to hurt her...well, she hardly felt like she could blame him for those things. And if she still wanted to be with him after all this, didn't that mean something special? Something even more special than being a princess in a big dress in a towering castle somewhere?

"I-I'm sorry, I don't know if I could marry you. I'm not even sure if it would work, but if it did I'd abandon this forest. I can't do that, especially not after it saved my life." She understood that he wasn't entirely serious, although she still felt like she had to adress it. She was about to suggest something way more serious, however. "But...I really don't know how, but if you could somehow forgive me for all I've done to you, and to your friends, I'd..." She suddenly felt like she was stumbling over her words. "I'd love to be with you. And I think it would be okay, I-I mean, there's no supernatural bond between us left, so whatever feelings are still there is just...you and me. So I don't think that it could be dangerous for you, I mean." She wasn't sure about exactly what he felt of her anymore, but she knew that her own feelings were definitely strong enough to make her brave enough to ask.

 

[Woody.]

Eliot raised a brow at the... rejection? Had she declined his proposal of marriage? He understood that it could have been a myth, but her inability to abandon the forest to become a human was commendable. He just thought that she would be over joyous over the thought of becoming a human. She was too selfless, to think of nature over Eliot was surprising. Not that she chose the forest over Eliot in the way of love, but eventually he would simply die. Whether that was simply because she wouldn't be human and that risk, or he'd end up growing older and dying. His thumbs ran over the back of her hand as he held hers. Her ageless skin, and pretty eyes would stay the same while he grew old and wrinkly. Wouldn't he want to have someone die by his side with him?

in the end though, she'd be alone. The moment he died, she would be in the exact spot she was in. Imagining her in her cottage simply staring at the window as she waited for another to keep her from her loneliness brought a bitter feeling in his chest. The idea of her simply loving someone else after he died brought bitter feelings, would she even love again or would she never want to be alone? It was the question, "What happens when I die?" that he wanted so badly to ask, but he kept his mouth shut. It was that fear of dying that was coming back, but not because he didn't know what was at the end of the road. It was for Camilla, her path would continue on and on with no end in site. He raised a hand to her cheek, and his thumb naturally brushed her skin. He didn't want to ask it because he probably had an answer. She would simply move on. Time for her was different than him, and eventually he'd just be another lover and another name to throw in the basket. The villagers were already probably putting his name in an unmarked grave, and he didn't want her to make him promise that he would be the last one to love. Because when he did die, he wouldn't mind if she found another Eliot. He'd want her to find an Eliot who knew what she was and accepted her right away without causing her the trouble he caused her.

But the more he thought about it, he was happy about the thought. Having her find someone else to keep her company and her being happy all over again. Even if it had to be Lincei who had to be the one. "Of course I forgive you, my love. We'll simply live our lives out in this little forest of ours." He spoke, those sad thoughts would be pushed away like whenever his rational thoughts would peek through the fog from earlier. "Besides, even though you aren't putting your magic spell on me, I'm still head over heals for you and I would spend the rest of my life with you. Even if we aren't married." He probably was breaking social norms of not marrying the person he'd spend his life with, "I love you, Camilla." He smirked and leaned down to kiss her, not the last kiss cause there would most certainly be more to come. I guess, he did lie. He would say those three words for a second time and perhaps many more times while he lived out his life with her.