Topic: Be still my beating heart... you're attracting vampires.

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-08-22 20:51 EST
It had been a rainy day, not a very good condition to scout anything outdoors. She was bored, a bored Gwen is never a good thing. Her intention had been to pass through the Inn and down to the arena below, maybe practice a few new moves. When she entered the Inn and found it relatively empty she decided to stay for a bit, maybe grab a bottle of Badsider.

Approaching the bar she nearly performed the half-turn hop onto the bar that was her normal mode of lurking in the arena but she stopped before she hopped. Sliding onto one of the bar stools she was greeted by an unfamiliar woman behind the bar, and an unfamiliar man sitting a few seats down.

"Evening." Was how he opened, it was an expression she'd heard before but she was feeling a little cheeky and the response reflected that. "It is indeed. Though I've yet to figure out why people insist on telling me. I rarely lose track of whether it's day or night. Pretty rarely."

The woman, soon introducing herself as Jax, laughed at that. That encouraged Gwen to continue. "The other night a man asked me what was up. Everyone should have that information so I gladly provided him with the definition of the opposite of down. Oh, nice to meet you both, I'm Gwen."

Jax had an easy smile and added, "Some of the folks I've run into perhaps don't have the brain power to keep such things in their heads."

David chuckled. "Could be worse. Some of those people could be here right now. Those or the crazy people."

While it was probably true that David was not speaking about her, Katt or Trist the automatic denial was pouring forth from her lips before she could think, "It's totally not true what they say about Minxes!" Thankfully she got no further and then attempted to just sit and look innocent.

David looked at her a long moment before asking. "You're a minx?"

"Oh, Minx as in that's my surname, not the animal or the adjective." She provided with a grin, it was good they didn't think she was crazy yet.

The conversation was pleasant, harmless, shirtless" Gwen wasn't sure how they had gotten to the point where David removed his shirt, but he had. She was pretty sure she didn't actually purr aloud, no that was the tiny dragon hatchling that managed to tear the shirt in an effort to keep David from putting it back on. Good and bad....good the purr wasn't her, bad she couldn't seem to not look at David still shirtless.

Gwen had a few spare shirts she kept in a locker downstairs, just in case one of her shirts became too slashed up while dueling. Those were loose and large, much easier to hide the multiple sheathed knives that way, and now they came in handy. David wasn't so much larger than she and so she lent him one. Good and bad....good that she was polite and helpful, bad that she couldn't see David shirtless anymore.

He had asked her what he owed her for the shirt. At first she said nothing but there was an opportunity there and she took it. "If you find yourself in one of the sporting facilities you can dance with me. And by dance I mean stab, jab or throw magic."

"You would want to beat me up?" This was said with a pout and it took Gwen by surprise. There was a part of her brain screaming to say no that she definitely would not want to beat him up. It repeatedly shouted at her to just say that, what she heard coming from her lips was,"Yes, yes I would. I mean in the rings I would. I don't randomly beat people up outside the rings. Just the usual, you know, undead, super villains, and the like."

His reply also surprised her. "Undead. Like vampires?" She laughed brightly at that. "Vampires are just myths." He leaned in with a serious expression and asked that she look at him. She complied, looking at him was easy. "Vampires aren't a myth, in this town they are just as real as you," he was close to her now and he parted his lips far enough to show fangs.

What Gwen did next she was pretty sure was under the list of "Do-NOTs" when meeting people, or vampires; a hand darted out of its own volition and with a finger lifted his top lip as she leaned closer. David, as it turned out, was pretty mellow for a vampire and he took it with a grace she wouldn't have managed; he even gave her a few moments before leaning back.

He also didn't seem to mind answering a barrage of questions, Gwen had never met a vampire before and was curious. Time passed, and when Gwen looked at the clock she was surprised at how much had slipped by without notice. David was easy to talk to, and ...and something else she had not put a name to yet.

When he rose Gwen felt an unexpected twinge of regret. "Leaving?" He smiled at her and asked,"Maybe, do you want me to stay?"

There was a moment of silence as she considered that. "I was supposed to close up our shop an hour again I stayed because..." Because why' Probably she had never met a myth before and that was interesting. Sure, the problem with lying to herself was that she could sniff out the lie a million miles away. "I wouldn't mind seeing you again."

"See me again?" His brows rose in a manner that suggested something other than what she had meant, or so it seemed to Gwen. "Oh! I don't mean you have to take off your shirt! Not that taking off your shirt wasn't nice to see!" Part of Gwen's brain was watching this conversation fascinated, it wasn't often that she started digging a hole that was hard to get out of easily. "I mean, I enjoyed talking with you." Totally brilliant, one might never suspect she was a well renowned bard.

"Next time I'll let you take the shirt off yourself." He chuckled again and again Gwen thanked whatever Gods there were she didn't blush.

"So, I'll see you again." Was what she choose to take from that.

With a smile he turned and left, something in that grin saying he knew she'd be watching....he was right, she did, all the way until he was out of sight.

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-08-31 18:55 EST
Fold my heart up small Or break it into pieces Find somewhere and keep it there Take it when you go - Jonathan Coulton

When she woke and stretched she felt the ache burn across her back; she would really need to take care of that sometime. Thus far she had managed to force the poison into a contained area, she had even managed to keep it back from her heart. It was wearing her system thin, any training or dueling exhausted her; if she tried to push herself she spiraled into a feverish stupor. Eventually Katt would realize that, despite Gwen insisting that she had the poison under control, Oakas Pokas - Katts sentient acorn healer - made regular trips into her room to perform maintenance healing.

The training she did in the southern glen that day was short lived and it wasn't long before she found herself wandering toward the Red Dragon Inn. Her original intent was to get something cool to drink but when she entered she found the place deserted and there was a couch calling her name. She flopped down on the couch. It was near the hearth and warm; she reveled in the silence with one leg draped over the side and swinging lazily. Out of curiosity she began singing a soft tune, and she discovered that the acoustics of the room weren't bad.

For a moment when Davids face appeared in her field of vision, obscuring her sight of the rafters above, she thought it was a very vivid daydream. Though it would not be admitted the man had been featured in more than one of her minds wanderings of late. He spoke but she wasn't really paying attention, more intent upon the details of his face for she thought him pretty. Then he kissed her and his lips felt too real for it to be a daydream, and so one hand rose and gently pushed him away. There was a mixture of confusion and chagrin twisting in her stomach, "Some people just say hello, David."

This was not Gwen playing at hard-to-get, she still had no idea how to get got or what that meant precisely. Others were showing up and she was thankful for the distraction of it. When the stranger stumbled in bloodied and in obvious distress she jumped at the chance to turn her mind to something she understood. David, on the other hand, seemed to knot her thoughts up into an unrecognizable jumble.

They managed to help the stranger, despite the barriers of mistrust and the incomprehension of languages. Her shirt was a casualty of the encounter though and again her brain opted to follow an easy path and focused itself on getting a clean shirt. That was simple enough, she had extras downstairs in a locker; so without a backward glance she made for the door and down the stairs.

Her muttering melted into singing by the time she got to the locker. Her thoughts so focused she didn't notice that David had shadowed her steps and was standing nearby. Deft fingers wrapped around the bottom of the bloodied shirt and began to tug it up over her slim form when she heard words from behind. "Nice body."

In the rings she dueled, in a battle she was as beautiful and terrible as the finest music written. By the time she turned to face the man her daggers were already in her hands and at the ready.

"What happened?"

Confusion warred with anger as she stared at David as she tried to sort out what he was asking. She nearly cursed when she realized that upon lifting the shirt the unhealing wound of the arrowhead and the spidery pattern of the poison would have been visible.

Into her silence he repeated the question, "What happened?"

((Author's note: Some references are from the 'Minxes don't cry" thread posted under "The Streets" on the RoH boards.))

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-09-02 11:04 EST
I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away - Broken, Seether

She settled her back against the lockers, the daggers disappearing as she folded her arms over her chest. "We were in the Inn, I helped a chap that was bleeding. Got the blood on my shirt and came down here to change."

He mirrored her stance, his strong arms crossing over his chest. "The wound, don't play dumb with me Gwen."

"It's nothing to speak of, my body is handling it." It was unthinkable to admit weakness to David and so she lied. The lie was perfection and had a kernel of truth, the only true flaw was that her heartbeat sped up, lying to David felt....unpleasant.

The expression on his face reminded her of a summer storm, the clouds rolling in as though they were late. "What happened?"

Earlier in the Inn, a time that seemed like weeks ago, they were talking easily. He had said something along the lines of she liked having him at the duels. Her reply had been that he was the Minx cheerleader so of course she did. If there was any truth to his claim she plead with him to be that cheerleader it was only because she had heard cheerleaders should be pretty and some people considered him such. That started five minutes of back and forth, him contending that he was -handsome- and Gwen insisting that he was pretty.

Now he looked formidable.

The next few minutes proved to be an exercise in stubbornness, neither giving ground as they rapid fired sentences.

"Let me help you." ...."I can handle it." "Not this time, it won't kill you to allow me to help." .... "You can't help." "I know more about the world than you do." ...."You may know more about this world than I, but about poisons" I think not." "Look, can you just shut up and let me try' I might surprise you if you dropped the tough girl act." ..."I'll have you know I'm now accounted an adult, so woman if you please. And when I act you won't know it, I am a -professional- bard." "You are acting the child now. Let me help."

((AN: Adapted from live play, with permission))

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-09-06 18:27 EST
Fragile, she doesn't see her beauty She tries to get away Sometimes it's just that nothing seems worth saving I can't watch her slip away - The Fragile, Nine Inch Nails

Frustration and rage at showing weakness stressed her system, the poison started aggressively taking advantage to push at her defenses. There was a part of her that noted the signs that her blood was rising in temperature, the torment across her back heightened and she fought to keep upright. "I don't need your help." The words were clipped and angry.

Then he was holding her, an arm snaking around her waist and pulling her close. "Do you trust me?"

A moment later she could feel a type of energy emanating from David, it pressed against her natural defenses, searching for a way in. She'd be damned if she knew why she felt any trust for him — he was brash, cocky, stubborn, kind in his own way and funny. Suppressing her defenses took an effort of will, one that was nearly insurmountable in her current condition, but she managed it. There was a sensation of other....a shoring up the defenses she had erected around the poison. The moment stretched, and Gwen fell to the ground a moment after David; both of them on their knees and breathing shallowly.

Her hands had splayed as she hit the floor to cushion the blow, her chin was bowed, nearly touching her chest. There was a succession of physical pain but somewhere in her heart she could feel a knife turning. Gavin had tried to help her, she had thought him a friend. His help had served as a beacon to his enemies, forcing him to flee the city. He had left her without so much as a spoken word. It was her fault, her actions lead to him leaving; an echo in her heart spoke the word 'abandoned' and she ignored it.

"Why?" Her voice sounded harsh to her ears, stinging with raw emotion she was too tired to disguise.

"Perhaps I care for you enough to do what it takes to keep you safe."

The knife twisted. What was the cost of her friendship" Would she find people that she could be herself around only to have them put themselves in harms way' It made no sense, and worse she didn't want it. She didn't want her family, nor her friends to do such things, not for her — never for her. "I don't understand." The words were edged by her bardic voice, and the ring of truth was a physical manifestation that beat on the air. Gwen did not understand why people would do such things, she could not equate it with the knowledge that she would do anything to keep her family safe, there was no limits to that. That others would feel the same of her" No, it did not compute.

"It means that I would give my life for you." David shifted and then he was sitting in front of her, close enough for her feel his breath as he spoke.

"No." The word a plea. "Don't say such things." There was a vice gripping at her heart, she didn't want him to leave; she wasn't sure she could bear another loss so soon.

Abandoned.

"It's truth." He was so close and it would have been insulting to dismiss the candor in his tone.

She looked at him a long moment, considering. Some internal dialog raged in her brain but the majority of it would need to be set aside until she could sort the feelings from the thoughts. Reaching some resolution she leaned forward and cautiously placed a feather light kiss on his lips; more a whisper of breath brushing lips than a kiss so tentative was the action. Pulling back to whisper, "Thank you."

That was what she was supposed to do right, thank him' She would need to watch herself around him so that he didn't feel the need to rescue her; she didn't want that. Again, there was an echo in her heart....abandoned. She was a Minx and there wasn't anything she could not handle, given time and resources. Abandoned.

He started to protest but she shushed him, "It's not often you'll hear that from me, accept it." There was irony there, but she ignored it. They were both exhausted and they decided to move to a couch to relax a moment. It wasn't long before they were both fast asleep.

Gwen drifted off to the sound of her heart whispering... Abandoned...

abandoned....

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-09-07 13:07 EST
It had stopped raining, but the pavements were still wet. Gwen was currently hidden in the shadows of the northern wall of the complex and waiting. In another twenty minutes a guard would walk by, close to her position, and when he passed she would begin her foray into the courtyard. It wasn't the largest compound in this area of town but it was well armored against magic. Indeed the owner must have spent a small fortune on the elaborate spells and wards she sensed surrounding the grounds, the man had even paid to get the spells embedded in the stones so aiming a spell down would not yield success. That being said, the place was ripe for picking to anyone using natural physical skills.

Gwen was full of natural physical skills! True currently there was a fever raging in her blood and she felt a little unsteady on her feet, but even in such a condition she still had more stealth skills than most. Really what the fever was doing was stealing her focus, on a job usually her thoughts were straight and narrow on the task at hand. Tonight her mind was wandering far afield, to be fair it was wandering to a specific field with a certain specific man.

Damn him and his pretty boy looks.

So pretty.

He had found her practicing in the glen, the air crackled around her as she sang and flowed through stances; her bardic voice lacing the area with undirected magics. David startled her by speaking nearby and it was only at the last moment her brain recognized the voice, her aim adjusted so the thrown dagger was aimed just above his head, and not at his heart. Did vampires still use their hearts" She would need to ask that of him.

He had been teasing her about the fact she could not be all that much trouble if she refused to kiss him back....kiss him back" That was another memory in the Inn with people cheering him on; he had kissed her and she had done nothing in return. When she told him that had nothing to do with worrying over what other people might think of her for doing so he persisted in asking why she had not returned the kiss.

"You'll laugh." He didn't even pause when he returned. "Try me."

The guard would be wandering by any minute now. She pressed up against the cool stone of the wall, it felt good against the burn creeping across her back. The wind was in her favor, not that she expected any human guard to note anything odd on the currents it was still a good sign that things were going her way.

She had expected him to laugh when she told him the truth, she didn't know how to kiss, instead he offered himself up as a practice partner. Thinking back on that it probably wasn't a wholly altruistic offer, probably.

The guard passed by her position without so much as a glance in her direction, once he turned the corner she sprung into action. Cresting the wall was child s play, she had literally been leaping over smaller walls since she was a child of six or seven. Dropping down into the interior of the compound, she crouched silently in the shadows as she surveyed her options. There was a good twenty feet of open ground to cross before cover would be found, timing would be key.

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-09-09 10:23 EST
Gwen took David up on the offer, she had begun to feel increasingly ill-at-ease in the arena knowing that she didn't know how to kiss. Tass had kissed her twice already, he must have noticed that she did nothing in response. Oh, it had nothing to do with the fact that David was pretty....nothing, not one thing, less than not-a-thing.

Listening hard she waited for silence before darting from her position to the side of one of the smaller buildings. It was the building the archer resided in, she had learned as much during her information gathering phase of this mission. Calling him an archer was not an accurate description of the man she supposed. His name was Dillon Carver, an apt surname for a hired assassin, and known in several circles here in Rhydin. Dillon specialized in unique poisons, lucky her that she attracted his attention. Looking back she had been a bit clumsy about gathering information on the slaver, that was probably what spawned Dillons' attention and perhaps an interest. Nothing to do now but move forward.

There was a window ten feet up, it was a matter of a moment for her to be up and in; there was a tingle across her skin, the wards waiting for a magical attack to thwart. Dillons room was two doors down on the left and so she began making her way in that direction.

Usually trying something new was occasion for her heart to leap in anticipation. There was never a pause when she did things like....jump down a pitch black hole, falling forty feet to the ground and attacking a golem that was just standing there in the middle of a painted pentagram. Ok, the lack of pause in those situations sometimes gave her cousins a case of indigestion, but those things were -fun- and she was good at them.

Working up the courage to kiss David had caused her heart to leap, that was for sure, but it was more of a twisting, nearly thudding out of her chest kind of leaping. When he leaned forward and kissed her she stiffened, she hadn't been prepared. After a moment she opted to try to respond; her attempt was artless and unsophisticated, but honest.

There was a sound behind her and she immediately flattened against the wall, her chin tilted down as she chanced a glance. There were three men approaching her position, they had been talking and did not appear to have noticed her yet. Without her magic three-to-one odds weren't favorable, Gwen never needed favorable to attempt something.

Drawing on her natural abilities to blend, she waited still and silent. When they passed by her she struck, the first man was on the ground and dead from a blade piercing through his heart before the other two could process they were under attack. One booted foot thrust out, landing solidly on the side of the second mans knee and the snap of bone was audible.

The third man managed to get out a sword and strike at her, but it wasn't well aimed and therefore easily dodged. He shouted something and she nearly cursed, one dagger flew from her hand and buried itself neatly in the mans throat just below his chin. The shout turned to a choked gasp as he fell to the floor, his hands futilely trying to stop the gush of blood.

Pain rammed through her frame, the wound on her back felt as though it might have reopened, she ignored it. Yanking the dagger out of the falling mans throat she reversed her hold on the hilt and jabbed it into the last man standings eye. Then she froze and listened for any sounds of muster. Apparently the guards shout had gone unnoticed, that was good.

Stepping over the bodies she continued down the hall.

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-09-11 09:59 EST
When she got to the door she paused, he wouldn't leave it open or unprotected; she hadn't been able to get any information on this but she was smart. There was a voice in her head that sounded suspiciously like her brothers saying she was only smart about the things she CHOSE to be smart about but she ignored it.

Keeping her senses open to any movement from the hallway she started examining the door and the handle. The traps were easily found, too easily by half. Disabling them was a joke, a bad one that began the seed of doubt about this mission. From the mans reputation there should have been something more complex to disarm, some clever rarely seen device. The only reason she could think that there was none of those things was that he wanted her to get into his room, that complicated the matter.

The pain arcing across her back left her little choice but to proceed with the plan and hope that she succeeded on one level or another. One or another" Oh for those that believed that she was incapable of forethought the planning she had done for this foray would stun them to silence. To be honest if it hadn't been for the fact that she seemed to be dragging family and friends into the whole mess she'd have gone for the blind attack approach.

She thought of David falling to his knees as he poured some bit of himself out to help fend off the poison raging through her blood. Thought of Gavin, now gone somewhere far away, but he too left her a part of himself held within the pendant that rested at her throat. Katt and Trist would throw themselves at Dillon if they thought it would save their wayward cousin....her jaw clenched and she pushed those thoughts away. She would not allow it, no more would she expose those she cared for to be put in harms way, not for her.

Steeled internally she pushed the door open just wide enough to allow her to slip into the darkened room. Here too things were not quite right. It should have been completely cloaked in darkness, but instead a sliver of light pierced the space. Not right....not right....her mind played the litany as she took a step in and closed the door behind.

For a span of heartbeats she stood there, her senses opened wide and gathering information on the room. It was silent, smelled faintly of leather, oils and sweat, the light afforded her a good picture of the layout of the room, though the corners were impenetrable. There was a table on the far side of the room, she could make out the shapes of bottles, knives and paper scattered on its surface. That was also not right; from what she'd learned of the man everything should be tidy, everything in its rightful place. The table had the feeling of ...

She was working through that train of thought when a voice screamed in her mind, "Step to the shadows!" It was her brothers voice and instinctively she obeyed. In the muted realm of shadows she still heard the solid thud of something hitting the door where she had been a moment before. The shape of the object looked like some type of net, the bastard had tried to capture her with a net"

Anger seethed through her thoughts, he had tried to net her like some fish out of water? Plan B it was then, and there was a definite allure to that for plan B involved daggers. The daggers she wielded were forged with magic, her magic, they were an extension of who she was and they felt good in her hands. Her fingers clasped lightly around the hilts as she stalked through the shadows, hunting.

"Come out, come out where ever you are, Gwen. You have no choice left to you, I am the only one that can abolish the poison in your blood. It will kill you. Though I commend you for lasting so very long, very impressive."

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-09-12 11:28 EST
The voice was dulled, as were all things in the realm of shadow; the edge of his voice was mocking, a man assured of victory. He had not yet realized how very impressive she was, and that was a good thing.

"I have some lovely plans for the two of us, Gwen. It's probable you won't like some of them, but given time you will accept them. I promise."

Why did arrogance lead to such idiotic things like talking when one should have been busy concealing ones whereabouts" She was a bard and knew dozens of epic tales where the villain of the story was done in by his, or her, need to hear themselves talk.

When she stepped from the shadowy realm she was one step behind the man. She'd give him credit for the fact he looked like he was about to turn sensing something there, unfortunately to win this game he needed two credits and he was a copper short and a day late. He didn't go home empty handed though, he won a matching wound for his trouble. The dagger laced with poison drove home through flesh, it was aimed precisely at the same location the arrowhead had torn through Gwens back. It would be a painful, but not deadly, wound; or more accurately not deadly yet.

Without a word she stepped back into the shadows, she sensed the man falling to his knees, heard the muffled vulgarities as she raced out of the room, and down the hall. She had tripped some of the wards and now she needed speed to escape. The poison was made from a creature of chaos that they had killed back before they were sucked into Rhydin. There were only three people in the entirety of this plane that had the antidote and they were all Minxes. The timing of the plan was carefully chosen for when both her cousins were busy out of town....leaving just one Minx that could save the man from a horrifically pain-filled death.

There was a shout behind her as she crested the wall, something hissed by her ear as she dropped down and ran. "Lovely plans indeed, though I think it's probable he won't find this one to his liking." She would have laughed but the exertion was wearing on her and her side was on fire. She would need to find a place to rest soon or risk feinting somewhere not of her own choosing.

She turned another corner, there were no more sounds of pursuit and so she slowed. Looking up and around to figure out where her flight had brought her nearly broke her calm. It was Gavin's home that she stood before; the empty windows stared at her accusingly. The pendant was cool at her neck, her temperature had risen steadily over the past hour and her blood felt hot beneath cold flesh.

"He's gone."

She didn't turn to look at the image of her brother, nor did she speak, she felt a lump in her throat and wasn't sure she could force words past it. Abandoned...

"It wasn't your fault. It was his decision, Gwendolen. People want to help you because they care for you. That isn't a bad thing."

She felt fingers on her shoulder, squeezing firmly and lending her strength. But it was a bad thing, it was the worst thing in the world she had ever experienced for it lead to ....to... Pain caused her body to convulse, doubling over as she fought to keep conscious. "I can't stay here, Kel. Help me home." The image was really a projection of herself so it was easy to ask it for help; there was comfort in its form and trust.

By the time she stumbled into the Minx cave she was blinded by torment. The image of Kel led her on to her room where she collapsed, allowing consciousness to fall away. She would need to be sharp when Dillon came calling, but for now she found bliss in a blanket of nothingness where the pain could not reach. For a moment there was a memory....Davids expression when she spat the words "I don't need your help" at him. She was a Minx and she would show them all that she did not, but there was some twinge of doubt....would that make him stay"

She didn't know and that worried her more than she'd be willing to admit to anyone.

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-09-19 18:30 EST
It had been days since she'd last seen David, and two since the poisoning of Dillon. Her sources told her the man was human, and that meant he could not possibly hold out much longer. Then again, the fact she had been living with his poison for so long should be enough proof that reality did not always meet ones expectations.

Her steps were taking her to the Arena, she wanted to practice before attempting to duel this evening. There was a suspicion whispering to her that she was not in the condition to duel, it was joined by the ever growing pain across her back. Straightening her back as she entered the large room, drawing in a breath and focusing her will to push away the awareness of pain.

There was someone on the couch sleeping, and by the fedora and the length of the man it was David. Stalking up on him she discovered that he was feigning sleep, the pillow that flew at her face hit her squarely. Still, he was prone and made for an easy pouncing target, she leap and landed hard on his stomach, her knees pinning him down as she cried out, "RAWR!" The fact that he was chuckling did nothing to discourage her from believing that she was the victor in this battle.

Then began the game of words, a game Gwen normally excelled at but with David she found a distinct lack of depth or knowledge. When she asked if he missed her she expected him to just say yes....though why she would think that she wasn't sure as the man had yet to give her so straight forward an answer.

"Did you miss me?"

Ah! He asked her in return, it was one of those times where she needed to admit a thing before he would confess the same. Finally he used the same trick twice! The answer spilled from her lips, honest and guileless, "I did, shyrol." The last word was in her native tongue, holding the lilting quality of that language.

"Shyrol?" He blinked up at her, confusion on his face.

She blinked right back at him. The word was not one she had ever spoken before, the base meaning of it was boyfriend, but it meant more than that too. It was an affectionate pet name that was the equal of calling someone 'love'. Gwens lips were moving but no sound would come, speechless, again around him. Had she really said that' Furious thought was churning as she replayed the last minute, no....no she could not have said that. How did he know the word then" How"

"Tell me or I'll ask your cousins."

Just when she thought she could control her heartbeat around the man, now she could feel it thudding against her rib cage. "No!" Fingers wrapped in the fabric of his shirt and she shook him. "Please, please don't do that!"

Maybe he sensed a growing panic in her or maybe he thought he took that teasing far enough, he offered her an out, "I see, it's another word for boyfriend."

It was! It totally could be used for that. It totally wasn't how it was used back home but in theory it could mean that. "Yes! That's it, just another word for boyfriend! Nothing more than that!"

"So what are it's other meanings?"

Ugh! He was trying to force her heart out through her ribcage, that was the only explanation for it. "I'm happy you want to learn my language, but perhaps we should start with something simple, or grammar related."

"Or you could explain why you called me boyfriend in your native tongue?"

They had reached an impasse, David shifted and rose from the couch, she was curling up into a protective shell in the corner of it. He began to speak to her using a dialect of Elvish she had heard before, it formed the words in an odd order and some of the words were enunciated strangely but she could understand it. It was surprising, this talent of his, and disturbing, did he already know the other meanings for shyrol"

He continued to move to the door, this was another behavior Gwen didn't understand. He was always walking away from her, "Why do you always walk away from me, David?" Calling to him from her place on the couch.

"To see if you will chase?"

"Have I not already caught you?"

"Not yet."

She growled softly and muttered at his back as he left, "Killing things is much easier than this..."

Still, when he left she followed.

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-09-21 12:25 EST
It had taken a bit of time but she found the dilapidated buildings in the marshy areas outside of town; it still lacked the charm of people, or live vegetation, or not being marshy. It was precisely for those deficiencies that Gwen was wandering in this place, she felt sure that no one would disturb her here, in this place of forgotten lives.

"It's a cowardly action to run from the man, Gwendolen." The image of her brother appeared at her side as she scrambled over a fallen column.

"Not running." Around the corner of a crumbling building and peeking inside; it smelled of mold and stagnant waters.

"Hiding?"

"Not hiding." A small slithering form darted away from where her foot landed in ankle deep water.

"Gwendolen."

She huffed and turned to face the image. "This is ridiculous, you aren't real. Why should I explain myself to you?" Her hands coming to rest on her hips as she glared in defiance.

"Because I am real enough. Amin mela lle*. He said he loves you, Gwen, you can't run, nor hide, nor ignore him." The image moved with the flowing grace she admired in her brother, had always wanted to possess.

The memory of David by the lake as he asked if she loved him invaded her thoughts. She had replied with,"I don't know, David. I feel something." Gwen did feel something for David, something new and unknown. There were times she felt her heart would break to be away from him a moment longer, and others she felt it would break to be near.

David followed up by asking if she'd miss him if he were to leave suddenly. Now, as when he asked, she felt the dagger twist in her heart....abandoned.

"He did not mean that he was going to leave you Gwen, he was trying to help you clarify your emotions." The image of Kel moved closer, a hand falling to squeeze her shoulder as she turned away.

The anguish she heard in her voice when she spoke to David, saying the words, "You aren't going, are you?" struck an uncomfortable chord in her soul. Why did a man she'd known little more than a month evoke such a response"

"Because you love him, jhori moraes-ah*" The grip on her shoulder tightened as he spoke, perhaps because he knew she was going to try and run.

"No, and that means that you do love me. " Had been Davids reply to her question, an echo of her brothers words now.

The water seeping into her boots was easy to ignore, not as easy was an image of David seeping in through cracks she didn't know existed; through some weakness in her like a weakness in the leather of her boots?

"Love isn't weakness."

No, but it created weaknesses for others to exploit.

"Gwendolen."

She was no longer in the mood to listen and she bolted like a spooked deer, fleet-footed in her escape across the broken land and off deeper into the marsh.

((AN: The elvish used is from various sources, and some that are my own. Amin mela lle = I love you. Jhori moraes-ah = an affectionate term for little sister. Based off live play with references to the "Minxes don't cry" thread. :) ))

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-09-23 14:57 EST
When the walls close in around me When the ceiling's caving in When the anxiety surrounds me When my patience is wearing thin (Drive, Assemblage 23)

It was a headlong dash through the marsh, no reason to color it any other way. There was a sense of relief, of solitude that was difficult to obtain in the town proper. Boots splashed in ankle deep waters, sprung up over gnarled oddly shaped trunks that never sprouted to real trees and ran.

She ran away from all her demons, and so she could be alone. Away from him, from everything he represented and the emotions that followed. Life should be easy, any problem solved with a twist of her blade; like her solution to the assassin, a thrust of a poisoned dagger. Not a weakness? He had found some chink in her armor, created an instability that clouded her thoughts and drove her to distraction.

There were trees now, some small branches reaching out to grab at her clothing, and attempting to snag a lock of blond hair as she flew by them. A ghost among a slowly dying landscape, herself slowly dying from the poison in her blood; it felt so right running from him and so wrong.

Gwen was not sure what made her stop so suddenly and draw her daggers, but if she could not trust her emotions around David she could still trust in her instincts when it came to danger. She heard the hiss of an arrow in flight and dove to the ground, heedless of the murky waters and mud that sucked at her when she landed. The arrow struck a tree a few feet off, at the right height to have cleaved through her chest if she had continued the path she had been on.

"Pas the-ith." Cursing softly as she pushed up from the ground, grey eyes scanned the area, there wasn't much cover she should have been able to see someone. Not much cover....and he was using a bow, another muttered curse and she summoned her familiar, a fire elemental that took the shape of a fox, Opera. The little fox was not happy when he appeared, water was everywhere in this place, it permeated the very air, fire plus water did not make for a happy Opera.

She hummed a bar, soft and urgent and the familiar darted off to scout. Next came a powerful harmony, a thrum on the air and a shield shimmered in the air before her as she ran at the direction of the arrows most likely origin point. Another arrow struck the shield, this one coming in low and to the left of center, it skittered across the invisible shield and buried itself in the mud behind Gwen.

There was a part of her brain that was telling her she should be more cautious, that this was a dangerous man she was chasing down. It was the same thought that drove the rest of her thoughts to near ecstasy; she reveled in it, wanted it because it was something she understood. It was danger that could be handled with a blade and the man would pay dear for stalking her when she was here, shattering her solitude.

Sometimes she ran toward all her demons...

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-09-24 18:40 EST
Everything's gone all wrong What have I done" What have I done" Find a deep cave to hide in, in a million years they'll find me. Only dust....(Poor Jack, Tim Burton)

In battle she could be free, in the hunt she could simply exist and allow instinct to guide her body and thoughts. When everything else was boiled away, leaving just the core, Gwen was a creature of the wild, of flight and fancy. It was the reason she retained a childlike demeanor, the ability to feel pure joy at simple things and divorce violence from hatred. If she felt anything for the man she pursued, or was pursued by for at this point it was unclear what was happening, it was annoyance. The weakness he brought to Gwen was physical, but it bled into her emotions as those she cared for got tangled in his web.

Another arrow skittered across the shield, another low and to the left. He was aiming at her legs again, trying to trip her" Those blows, if they found a mark, would be disabling not deadly. So the man had changed his mind from the start of the battle, for that first arrow was a kill shot and these were not, that caused her some small worm of worry.

The ankle deep water betrayed her then, it hid the trip wire that caught her toe and sent her down to the waiting earth. She attempted to tuck and roll but her boot was firmly caught and she only managed to cushion the fall, and not stab herself with her own daggers. Jerking her foot, it tore free and she was flipping up, the mud making for treacherous movements. She made her feet but the ground slid and she was not in a solid stance when the weight crashed into her, a shoulder pounded against the wound on her back and she felt herself leave ground, flying a few feet before gravity brought them down hard.

"I see my Minx trap has caught me a beaut." The words were a growl, edged with sardonic laughter and triumph.

Her arms whipped around and one of the daggers found flesh, she could feel it bite deep through layers of armor to the flesh below and on to solid muscle.

There was a grunt of surprise as his arms encircled her waist from behind and squeezed with a formidable strength, pain roared up her spine and her breath was forced from her lungs. "I can see why the vampire keeps you around as a toy. Shame he doesn't actually want to play with you. Does he?"

She was too busy trying to draw breath into her lungs to fully process what the man was talking about, and it didn't matter. What matter was twisting the dagger and tearing it out, sending it plunging back into the depths of foreign flesh.

"Won't do more than kiss you once then gone. Maybe you still need lessons?" There was a cruel mockery in the tone, but worse was the implication that he not only knew about David but had been watching them. Then he screamed. Oh, he was expecting the dagger to sting him in the leg again, what he wasn't expecting was a face full of clawed fire. Opera raked his paws across the mans face, his chittering a mad battle hymn, the wounds deep gouges burning flesh.

Dillons grasp faltered then, and it was enough, her lungs filled with air and the unleashed magic of a sung phrase violently threw the man back and away, crashing into a nearby tree with a sickening crack. There was blood covering her pants, and pain running races up her spine. Her vision was blurry as she approached the still form of Dillon, Opera was on the mans chest and growling.

Quickly she searched him, hoping he was as arrogant as he seemed. Her search was rewarded in the form of a pouch full of vials, he kept his poisons on him. Arrogant man, a lucky stroke for her though. Pushing up off the ground she stumbled toward town, pausing once to use the marshy water to clean the blood off her dagger, pants and hands.

It wasn't until she reached the glen and caught the scent of David that her brain began to replay the words Dillon spoke. She did not realize it yet but she had gotten the means to cure one poison only to be infected with another, a subtle and more insidious one.

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-09-26 14:47 EST
Of late she found herself in the great hall of the Inn, when there wasn't a party there it was surprisingly quiet. It must have been the thick wooden beams used in it creation that kept all sounds out and in, for not once did she ever hear anything other than the noises she made when she was there.

If the acoustics in the Inn were good, they were wondrous in this place. The timber itself seemed to sense what her song needed and provided it willingly and with abandon. She was singing an old song from her home, one of love and loss; it suited her mood and it filled the empty spaces.

~%Where two lovers meet beneath the green bower. Where two lovers meet out beneath the green tree, And Mary, fond Mary, she says unto her true love, "You have stolen my young heart by the banks of the Lee."%~

The Lee was a river that ran through the forest on her fathers lands, it flowed from the mountains and down into the valley far, far from it's origin. With all her inexperience with relationships she still, at times, would daydream about the time she'd meet someone that made her feel....whatever it was that she saw in her fathers eyes when he spoke of her mom.

~%For he loved her very dearly, most true and sincerely. There is no one in this wide world he loved more than she. Every bush and every bower, every wild Elvish flower, Reminds him of his Mary, on the banks of the Lee. %~

She was aware that the image of Kel had shown up and was listening to her sing, silent and somber. Gwen closed her eyes, unwilling to look at him, this emotion stirring in her one she was unwilling to share.

~%Don't stay out to late, love, on the moorlands. Don't stay out too late love, on the moorlands for he. But little was their notion, when they parted by the ocean. That they were forever partin' by the banks of the Lee.%~

The notes reverberated in the rafters, echoing and creating soft harmonies. She could still recall the expression on her fathers face, the exact set of it when he was told her mother was dead. Up until that time she had thought him invincible, the strongest elf alive, unbreakable. In her mind she could hear the shatter of his heart, could see the fragments fall away in pieces far too small to ever be reassembled. Would she feel like that when David left' Did she dare to allow him to get close enough to risk it"

Dillons words haunted her sleep, taunting her until it was no longer worth closing her eyes at night. Maybe when the poison was purged from her blood and the constant fatigue and pain were gone she'd be able to think straight again? David had retreated from her again when she tried to get close, again. Was Dillon right' Was she just a toy?

~%So he pulls his love some roses, some wild Elvish roses. He pulls his love some roses, the fairest to see. And he lays them on the gravesite of his own dear darlin' Mary. On that cold and silent grave where she sleeps 'neath the dew.%~

The room swallowed the last notes of the song, leaving her in silence. Yes a toy, Gwen thought as she moved to the rafters to lurk, for that type of love was not for the likes of her.

(Song is an Irish folk song "Banks of the Lee." with minor editing.)

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-09-29 18:58 EST
Gwen had spent the better part of an hour figuring out the exact spot in the great hall where the acoustics were perfect. She had dragged a table to the spot and determined that if she stood on it that everything lined up exactly right to give her voice the best quality. Hopping up and drawing in a deep breath, she started belting out a new drinking song she was working on.

~%Oh, what do you do with a drunken dueler" What do you do with a drunken dueler" What do you do with a drunken dueler, early in the morning" Throw him in a pit with a Randy Baron, throw him in a pit with a Randy Baron, throw him in a pit with a Randy Baron early in the morning!%~

Some part of her sensed David coming closer, she switched tunes to something that was polished as he walked in. He dragged a chair over to the table she stood on and sat so they could chat. "Working on a new job?" There was a smirk playing across his lips. "If I was this place would be packed." It would have been too, the drinking song she was working on was sure to be a hit. "Packed with drunks trying to get a feel of you and looking up your skirts when you wear them."

Gwen huffed at him softly, "You need to know how to dress for a job, here I would not wear a skirt, maybe to a noblemans party."

"Or if I asked you to wear one."

Gwen gave that some thought; he had, after all, worn a kilt when asked. "Maybe. Depends on where you'd want me to wear it."

"In my lap, facing me." Was the answer that came far too quickly for it not to have been thought of beforehand.

"That was mighty specific, David. I meant where as in the arena or the Inn."

"Every where we go. You in a skirt, in my lap, facing me." He was smiling at her now in a manner that made her feel like a mouse being sized up by a cat.

She pounced on him. Nevermind she was now in the exact position he said he wanted her to be in, she wasn't in a skirt and so it was her win! Taking her prize, she used her nose to push his chin up so she could playfully bite the soft flesh of his neck, her teeth just grazing across the skin.

"Hey stop that." He was pushing against her, trying to lean her back. "Do that again, and I'll bite you for real."

Gwen never did take well to people telling her she shouldn't do something, besides it felt nice. Another playful bite to his neck was apparently one more too many for he growled and a moment later she felt his mouth on her neck. His fangs ran a path along her flesh, and his tongue tasted her flesh. Her heart skipped a beat and she gasped. Kissing him was nice, but this was rapturous, something she usually only felt in the heat of battle and she wanted it. One hand reached to cup behind his head, her fingers tangling in his hair to hold him close.

"Careful, you might make me bite down." He whispered the words but he didn't stop teasing the flesh of her neck with his lips, his fangs and a flick of his tongue.

She murmured something intelligible, it was all she could manage, her brain was shutting down in favor of putting all it's effort into enjoying his touch. The only reply given was something that sounded like, "Feels gooooooooooooooood."

He was pushing back on her, his lips moving to her ear to whisper. "Perhaps but there is one thing you are too scared to try."

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-10-02 20:03 EST
I have looked down the saddest city lane. I have passed by the watchman on his beat And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain. Robert Frost

Gwen was busy trying to redirect her attack and get back to his neck, she grunted in a manner that could have been construed as a question.

"I haven't bitten you yet."

"Um, yes, yes you did, and I liked it." Later she'd kick herself for saying that, but now she was focused.

"A vampire bite, Gwen."

Like magic Gwen stopped pushing forward and actually leaned away. "Oh. I thought you didn't do....that anymore." She quite clearly remembered asking him about that and he most definitely said he didn't.

"I don't unless it's offered." His gaze was now fully fixed on her neck.

Her expression was calm, quiescent. Her heartbeat, on the other hand, had picked up dramatically. Her tone was smooth and that was good. "I see. That is, I'm not sure I understand why someone would offer themselves up as a snack."

"You never know until you've tried it."

"Not a valid argument! My cousin have told me that isn't at least a dozen times. There was the time I was five and said I attacked the troll because I never tried it. When I was seven and I climbed the highest tree I could find and jumped off to test my levitate spell....ok, I didn't know how levitate yet but it could have worked! When I was fifteen and I ran in front of Trist while she was practicing archery to see if I could dodge....I have a scar from that one."

"Point is you have wondered about vampires and this would be a lesson about them." Right over top of her rambling.

"I eh, oh! I can't have marks on my neck, bad for business, and it might hurt my vocal chords, definitely bad for business. Deal-breaker right there!" He was leaning toward her now, and she was leaning away. Her back hit the table and bowed so she could move her neck further away from him. One hand moved to rest on his chest and began to push at him.

"It wouldn't hurt your voice, unless you enjoy it a little too much. You might enjoy it Gwen." His lips parted just enough to show his fangs.

"And I might not. None of this is selling me on the 'be a snack' thing, David." The hand on his chest was pushing harder now.

His hand fell to her hips, fingers gripping as he leaned forward again. "Don't worry, it won't hurt."

Her arguments were good ones, or they felt good to her, but they weren't working. She couldn't bend back any further so she switched up tactics and leaned forward to kiss him flush on the lips. David returned the kiss, and for a moment she thought they were off the topic of biting when he pulled away from the kiss and pressed his lips to her neck, where the pulse of the artery was its strongest. Without thought her head canted, exposing more of her neck to him, a soft moan escaping her lips. His fangs grazed flesh and she pushed against his chest again.

David leaned back allowing her to push him away. Gwen's voice shook when she spoke "No vampire bites, ok?"

"Very well." He stepped back and held his hands out.

"Do you enjoy that, David?" She asked as placed her hands in his, fingers twining.

"Enjoy what?"

"The vampire biting thing."

"It has been a long time, but if it was you I might."

Might, that certainly wasn't enough for her to worry over. She could admit to herself she was curious, but then again she was curious about everything. Her mind would replay this over and over in the next few days, she knew that it would. There were moments she felt disconnected with herself because of how often David intruded on her thoughts. She shivered thinking of his fangs raking across her flesh, it had felt....nice.

No, she would put any thoughts of allowing him to do that aside, she could be sensible and not do something just because she was curious. She could! Damn him though....it had felt nice.

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-10-04 19:43 EST
The room was dark and cool. Gwen was laying on her stomach and concentrating on pushing the pain away. Katt had a sample of the poison so it was only a matter of time before she would find the antidote. All Gwen had to do was put up a good front until that happened and things would be fine again. Keeping up that facade was wearing her thin and she needed these hours away from her cousins and David to simply let all defenses down.

There was pain in letting down those defenses, a pain that permeated through her body; flesh, muscle and bone all carried some of that burden. A simple illusion spell was kept up when she was outside this room, if David ever accidentally came upon her while the spreading signs of poison were visible it would be hidden from his eyes. Those signs had spread considerably over the past week, she was losing the battle against an enemy she had already killed, it seemed unfair.

It was not the only reason that Gwen denied David his vampiric bite but it was a large obstacle. Her blood was almost always raging with fever, and although she seemed to have done a good job masking the additional heat of her body it was unlikely she could mask the taint of the poison in her blood. She shifted to her side, a motion that elicited a moan. How could there be so much pain?

Drawing in slow and even breaths she tried to get the agony down to a level that was more bearable. It wasn't working, nothing she was doing was working. She had begun to slide down the slope and was accelerating toward a crash. Desperately she fought to find something to cling to and stop the spiral. She refused to have people worrying over her, especially not when she was so close to having the antidote.

Sleep claimed her then, and it should have been a relief. Instead it brought her visions of Dillon rising from the swamp she'd left him at and coming back to find her in this wretched condition. In the dream the man smiled wickedly down at her and then began to pet her like she was his trained dog. "Ah Gwendolen, we have such pleasant days ahead of us, and I will make sure you are in pain for each and every one of them."

When she woke her body was stiff and she was covered in a film of perspiration. If anything she felt worse than when she retreated here. Groaning as she rose to head for the shower "Katt you really need to hurry on that antidote."

Dayvid

Date: 2010-10-05 13:17 EST
Edit :

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-10-05 13:59 EST
And all the things that you never ever told me And all the smiles that are ever gonna haunt me Never coming home, never coming home Could I" Should I"

And all the wounds that are ever gonna scar me For all the ghosts that are never gonna - The Ghost of You, My Chemical Romance

Gwen flung her arms behind her as she jumped across the yawning chasm between the two buildings. Landed lightly on her feet and continued racing along the shingles to the next edge, flinging herself off that one with the same abandon as the last, and the first. The pain was manageable today and she reveled in the sensation of running and jumping from roof to roof as the inhabitants within slept.

Her thoughts were slowly draining, leaving nothing but the logistics of where to leap off this roof and what direction to go in next. The day had dragged by slowly, she had found herself alone and reviewing her relationship with David. The conclusion she reached was that she was failing miserably. She had never failed at anything before and she wasn't handling it with grace.

The image of Kel had been there and had done his best to explain away all the points she brought up as proof she was failing. It might have worked if she didn't believe that Kel would say anything to snap her out of her brooding mood.

"He walks around without a shirt so that other women will notice him."

"He walks around without a shirt on to see if you will notice him." Kel had retorted.

"He went to the Inn to flirt with other women."

"He wants to see how you react, he's testing to see if you care. You still have not told him how you feel for him, Gwen."

"When we're together he always pushes me away." That one probably hurt the most. No matter what she did he pushed her away. Time and again she asked him to explain what she was doing wrong. Always, always he said nothing. If it was nothing why did he push her away' The answer was obvious, she was failing and he didn't want a girlfriend so full of fail.

She hadn't given the image a chance to respond to that, she was tired of the blatant lies that would come of it. How could she fix things if they wouldn't explain to her what was broken? All her life she had been called stubborn because she would stick with something until she'd mastered it. Being with David was a whirling mess of ups and downs and she wasn't sure she wanted to stay on the ride. The memory of her brother chiding her for running from David was trying to force it's way to to the front, to confront her view of things.

The next jump was a longer one, the space between the buildings enough that it should have given any sane elf pause. Gwen hit the edge of the roof and pushed off, the muscles in her legs contracting to give her the lift she needed. Arms spread wide like a flying squirrel as she sailed over the dark street below. The landing was picture perfect, she didn't miss a beat choosing a new direction and racing toward the newly chosen destination.

"Should have just stuck to the things you're good at stupid Minx." The words ones that she'd been saying far too often of late. Gwen had already given up on the thought of leaving David, she ....loved him. Here, alone in the night she could admit that to herself, that what she was feeling had to be love. When he finally decided to leave it was going to tear her heart out, or she hoped it would tear her heart out. She wanted no part of this relationship stuff anymore, wanted to be set free....wanted, needed... him to stop pushing her away.

Wendigo David

Date: 2010-10-06 21:18 EST
He found her in the Red Dragon Hall singing a song alone. The lilting language wasn't one he recognized, but the tune was melodic and he enjoyed listening. Perching on the back of the couch he stood silently as she finished the verse and fell quiet.

"You didn't have to stop singing." Moving around the couch to sit beside her as he spoke.

"It's a long song, I didn't think it'd be polite to have you waiting. What brings you here?" Gwen's eyes were shut, and she didn't seem inclined to open them.

"Checking up on you."

"Checking up on me?" She said it in that neutral tone that meant the question had multiple meanings. He kept to the truth, it seemed the best course of action with the skittish Minx, "Yes, you were in a lot of pain yesterday."

"Nothing I couldn't handle."

She had shifted to the proud and stubborn Minx....He slid an arm around her shoulders and made himself available to lean against should she choose. "Didn't seem that way last night." Those slim shoulders shrugged beneath his arm.

"What did you do today?" And now the changing topics Minx. "Mostly practicing."

"You need it." Into the smartass Minx, well he liked that one, it brought with it a smile. The smile faded quickly and her brows crinkled, drawing down in a manner that he'd come to recognize as her 'thinking expression.' "What are you plotting?"

"Me" Plot' I do no such thing."

With most women that would probably be a blatant lie. Gwen wasn't really a planner though, he'd seen firsthand that her most likely plan of action was whatever popped into her head at any given moment. He was pretty sure she had no idea what she was going to do until she was halfway through the action. "Have you decided what you want to do tonight?"

Then she whispered something, so soft he was sure he had misheard the words, "Melin le." He had been about to do something else but the action was forgotten as he turned to look at her expression. Melin le, if he recalled correctly that should mean I love you. "Gwen, did you just say what I think you said?" Reaching out a hand to gently capture one of hers, cautious once more not to spook the surely skittish Minx.

She took his hand but wouldn't make eye contact. Yep, skittish Minx, at least her eyes weren't wide in shock and disbelief, she had said the words and knew she said them — she had meant to say them. Gwen was chewing on her lower lip, something she did when she was nervous.

"It would be nice to hear that from you more often, Gwen." She didn't look to him when she responded, "You haven't much room to talk on that, David."

He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "I love you." She made no response but he could hear her heartbeat increase. "Stubborn Minx."

"Am I?" She turned to him then and in a smooth motion and she had deposited herself in his lap, an arm sliding around his shoulders.

"Yes."

"Isn't everyone about something?" Spoken as she nuzzled her way up under his chin, kissing his neck.

"True, but you don't like to hear no." He nipped at her neck as she worked her way up to just beneath his ear.

"Does anyone?" Her hand moving behind his neck and fingertips brushing across his flesh; when she placed the feather soft kiss just beneath his ear he felt his body start to respond.

"Careful now, you might start something." He could sense her heartbeat picking up more and she gasped softly when he nipped at her neck again.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Following up the words with a warm, firm kiss to his neck, her tongue dancing along his flesh.

"You know what I'm talking about." One hand moved to trail up and down her spine, she was pressing her body against his and it felt nice. He didn't want to push her too far too fast, but she felt nice....

"Still said like it's a bad thing." Spoken as she continued to explore his neck with her tongue.

He shifted and nudged her head back, kissing the front of her throat, teasing her with his tongue and fangs. Gwen responded in a way he hadn't expected, the hand behind his neck starting pulling him against her making it difficult to pull away. David gently peeled the hand off his neck and shifted it behind Gwen's back, pinning it at the base of her spine which stiffened slightly as she spoke, "David, don't....don't push me away."

He heard the fear and pain in her voice, he responded by caressing her neck with his tongue, fangs grazing softly over the flesh. Gwen's body relaxed, her head tilting back to allow him better access, grey eyes nearly closed.

"Do you want to continue this, Gwen" Even if it will probably lead to something more." He whispered in her ear, breathing deep to draw in the scent of her longing.

"Please." The word was a soft plea and a demand.

"Are you sure?" He leaned back and waited for her to meet his gaze. Those grey eyes locked on his and he saw a mixture of lust and determination. "There are still a number of steps between this....and -that- and I would like to try a few of them out." She paused before stating more firmly, "I would really like to try them out with you."

That was good enough for him, he scooped her up in his arms. "We should go home then so we can relax and not worry about someone catching us."

"Sounds like I've found my plan for the evening."

"Yes, yes it does." He grinned widely as he carried her out of the Hall and toward his home.

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-10-11 11:33 EST
The antidote that Katt made was still working at cleansing Gwens blood of the insidious poison, but after five days she was starting to feel more like herself again. It had been months since she had been free from pain and there was some change it wrought within that Gwen was working at repairing. She had started snapping at people when she didn't mean to do any such thing and that bothered her immensely.

The freedom from constant pain also gave her time to start sorting through her thoughts and emotions, an uncomfortable thing for the impulsive Minx. Water was seeping into her boots as she dashed through the marshy lands, heading to the abandoned village. Gwen was fairly sure that David would not be able to follow her here and she needed the time alone, well mostly alone, the image of Kel ran with beside her, matching her pace.

When the weather and time-worn buildings came into view she slowed her pace; picking a path to one of the remaining walls and climbing it to perch where a ceiling used to lay. For all that it symbolized the death of a community the place teemed with life that buzzed and whispered in her ear.

~%All the places I've been and things I've seen, A million stories that made up a million shattered dreams. The faces of people I'll never see again, And I can't seem to find my way home%~ She sung the words to a low, melodic tune, her heart felt heavy and the song expressed it. The magic of her singing added the weight and depth of the emotions she was feeling and hung on the air like a physical blow.

"You miss Gavin." It was a statement from Kel, as true as any he had spoken.

"I miss you, medor tal." Gwen replied without looking to the image. She did miss him, and her father, and her home. In the past few months she had been too busy keeping herself alive to live, and now those wounds that had been set aside were reopened and revisited. "And....I miss Gavin." After spending time with David she was coming to realize that had Gavin stayed it was likely she would already have been taken when she met David. It made her uncomfortable to think that she had gone from not noticing men at all to finding two men, one after the other, that brought out these alien feelings; two very different men at that.

One hand rose to her lips, fingertips brushing lightly across them as a memory of David crossed her thoughts. Gwen felt a warmth radiate from her stomach and flood her body at the memory of his exploring hands, and the taste and feel of his flesh. Technically they still weren't lovers but they were walking the line and Gwen wasn't sure that she wanted to keep stepping back from it.

"You can miss me, miss home, and still be happy, jhori moraes-ah." Kel was seated next to her, a hand gripping her shoulder. "And you can miss Gavin without it meaning you love David any less."

"Are you sure?" Gwen whispered, but it was directed inwardly and Kel didn't reply.

She stayed out there long after the sun had disappeared, retreating below the horizon....a voice in the darkness singing to the stars.

~%Only a moment ago we had nothing but time Everything lasted forever and you were all mine Only a dream I know Thinking you'd never go Tearing off pieces of myself Just for the time it buys me

Fold my heart up small Or break it into pieces Find somewhere and keep it there Take it when you go

There in the frame of your face, in the cast of your eyes I saw this coming but still I am caught by surprise All of this time I knew That I'd be losing you That doesn't mean that it's OK That doesn't mean I'm ready

Fold my heart up small Or break it into pieces Find somewhere and keep it there Take it when you go

Some things you always remember, some things you forget No way to make it up now, no room for regret That's no good for anyone And so I come undone Now I am less than what I was Whatever's left is yours now

So fold my heart up small Or break it into pieces Find somewhere and keep it there Take it when you go %~ (Jonathan Coulton, When You Go)

((AN: *medor tal - stupid man, Gavin is mentioned in the "Minxes don't cry" thread, posted in The Streets folder over on the RoH site.))

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-10-19 13:09 EST
This one goes out to the one I love This one goes out to the one I left behind A simple prop - to occupy my time This one goes out to the one I love (REM) For those outside of Gwens society it might have appeared like she came from a people people that did not like adornments; for few among her kin wore rings, necklaces or bracelets. Oh they collected such things, as evidenced by the Minx women and their stashes, they managed to collected many a pretty thing.

Gwen only wore one piece of jewelry, the pendant that had been gifted to her by Gavin. Indeed that small pendant never came off but rather lay beneath the folds of her shirt or was the sole object she wore while bathing. It was a symbol, a reminder that she was not forgotten. All jewelry had meaning, she had grown up being taught this and believing it with all her heart. Her parents bore two pieces of jewelry each. Her father bore the wedding ring from his first wife on a chain around his neck, and the ring that was gifted to him by my mother. Her mother wore a small silver songbird on a thin silver chain, gifted to her by her father, and the ring given by my father.

It was not an unusual thing, for a couple to exchange rings to show a deep commitment; indeed Rhy'din jewelers showed a brisk trade in such things. Before coming to Rhy'din Gwen did not know what the word 'divorce' meant, she had never heard of any couples that had bonded breaking up and taking other mates. Some of the pairings and partings she had witnessed in this town had shocked her to her core, not an easy thing to do to a Minx.

When David blithely slipped the ring on her finger her first reaction was to try and gut him for being so inconsiderate. She could be rationale sometimes, when she felt like it and so she went about the task of removing it from her hand. It wouldn't budge, the damn thing was stuck as though it had been spelled onto her hand.

At the moment she was busy twisting and tugging at the ring in a vain attempt to get it off of her hand. She had retreated to the Minx cave to worry and work at it, the image of Kel was beside her on the floor. "You're going to yank your finger off, Chipmunk."

"Caer, shyr eil eiraer, paelor ver air ol shor pas tandros.*" Muttered angrily as she tugged at the ring again.

"If you're going to use the curses you learned from Gavin you should say them in Common." The image rose and stretched, though why he did so was a mystery to Gwen, his muscles were not real so they could not possibly ache. "You know what Father would say about the fact you cannot seem to remove the ring, right?"

"For the love of demons, blood and ashes, Kelanthe, if you've nothing productive to say then stay quiet." Following up the words with a mighty tug at the ring, there was a crack and for a moment Gwen saw stars. "Ow....owowow." A moment later Oakas Pokas was racing up to her flailing his little twiggy arms and chittering angrily at her, demanding a look at her hand.

"You broke it trying to get the ring off" Does that not tell you anything Gwen?"

"Yeah, David's devil magic is strong." Grumbling as she held the swelling hand out to Oakas for some magical healing ministrations.

"Right, his devil magic." Said in a dubious tone with a raised eyebrow at Gwen.

"It doesn't mean anything more than that. Nothing. Not a thing. Just a strong devil magic spell."

The image of Kel watched her for a long moment before shaking his head and slowly disappearing. With a deep sigh she rose and flopped onto her bed, she would try to remove the damn thing later.

*Translation: Hell, blood and ashes, devil put it on with dark magic

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-10-26 11:20 EST
The moon hung low in the sky, so low that Gwen felt like she could reach out and touch it. It held that odd faded reddish-yellow cast that is associated with a harvest moon, it reminded her of the paper she used to color on as a child. The night was cool, the breeze just strong enough to maintain a comfortable temperature as she raced through the abandoned field that had recently been host to the cirque.

There was something eating at her, a feeling of discontent. Just the fact she felt that way annoyed her but the thing that tipped it to anger was that she had no idea why she felt that way. It was true she was far from home and that she missed the family she had left behind but she didn't believe that was the cause. No, this had a different edge to it, it felt like....confinement.

~%Oh show me the way to the next whiskey bar, oh don't ask why. Oh don't ask why. Oh show me the way to the next whiskey bar. Oh don't ask why, oh don't ask why. For if we'd don't find the next whiskey bar, I tell you we must die, I tell you we must die. I tell you, I tell you, I tell you we must die.%~ She sang the song softly as she climbed the abandoned ferris wheel; up through the cold metal spokes with her eyes focused on its peak. There was something in the song that resonated with what she was feeling, how long had it been since she went on a real adventure"

One could argue that the fact she nearly died from a poisoned arrow was an adventure. It would never pass Minx-logic standards though, despite the length of time it took to resolve the issue it still was never an adventure. She knew what needed to be done, it was just a matter of doing it. Her heart longed for a trek across lands unknown and facing beasts never seen before that did unexpected things; kind of like those big, horse-sized red sheep that upon dying burst into great balls of fire.

She was restless. There wasn't enough dueling in the world to replace the thrill she got when entering a new city or delving into some ancient ruins to find what lay beneath. If she decided to go on a round about she was sure that her cousins would accompany her to whatever ends they found, they were not built for a stationary life either. But David" There was still that uncomfortable knowledge in the back of her mind that told her that her cousins didn't like David, or more precisely they did not like the fact he was a vampire. They didn't trust him and she couldn't fault them for that, he was a vampire.

There was also the slightly annoying trait that David had of being good at everything, what fun was there if there wasn't a possibility of failure" She supposed that was a vampire thing, to be that good at everything. Eventually the fact that she was flawed, in good ways she believed, would annoy David, right"

A jump brought her closer to the pinnacle, it felt good to be exercising and practicing her skills. If she could be as sure about the rest of her life as she was right then, climbing to a well defined goal. Climbing into the topmost swing she reclined to look up at the stars, hands folded behind her head to create a pillow. No one seemed versed in the names of the constellations here so she had begun to make them up. Her favorite, a ten star configuration that she named 'the Warrior' was bright in the sky. The 'sword' aimed outward as though in challenge to the rest of the heavens.

Making excuses, that's what she was doing in regards to David; a string of soft curses were muttered as she came to that conclusion. The only thing that was a real obstacle was how her family felt about David. Her cousins were here she could speak with them, but her Father and brother...? With her magic she managed to summon a fair likeness of Kel, was there some way of creating a real connection' It was something she would give serious thought to in the days to come, in the meanwhile the stars weren't going to name themselves.

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-11-07 08:55 EST
When you go, would you have the guts to say, I don't love you, like I loved you yesterday

The abandoned village was the same as the last time she'd visited, in a way that was comforting; too much in this town changed so frequently. The first hour she'd spent clearing away a circle and placing the items she had that were given to her by her father and brother carefully at regular intervals around it. Gwen had no idea if this would work, or if she had enough power to make it work but there had been something nagging at her, in the back of her thoughts, that could not - would not - be ignored any longer.

The preparation was mostly mental, she needed to see the path and the results before she could begin the spell. Drawing in a deep breath she moved to the center of the circle and began to sing a long forgotten song from her peoples past. The elvish cadences rising and falling calling to her family, she focused first on Kel, he would be the easier of the two, she'd already created a faint link with him through the image she invested so much of herself in.

There was nothing but an empty space in the path she tread with her mind and music, still she sang on. Pouring a bit of her essence into the spell she saw the first faint sparkles of a connection, it flowed out from her body and toward the empty road in her mind. Time was forgotten as she sang, sweat beginning to form on her brow, she poured more of her lifes essence into the spell.

One song ended another began, then another and still more and she sang and poured in more of herself. At the end of the path within her minds eye the shape of a shadow formed just barely within sight and she knew that it was working. Gwen was not as powerful as Shale, it was probable that he could have accomplished this with no essence at all, or none of his essence. As it was she was already feeling the strain on her body and knew that she had invested more essence than she should have already, and yet....the shadow was the right height, the right stature to be Kel, and she needed him.

Her limbs were beginning to tremble from the effort and she knew she could not continue for long and so she dumped essence into the spell, a rash and desperate last gasp effort. Gwen felt old wounds rip open violently. Sensed the blood pouring from the wound she'd taken by the arrow, tasted blood in her mouth as one of her lungs filled with blood, older still the cuts and bruises from dozens of fights appeared to bleed or spread black, blues and reds across her flesh. To anyone watching the ritual it would have seemed as though some invisible army descended and was striking the elf from all angles at once.

Gwens vision began to fail, she fell to her knees but still she sang. It was only when she felt the strong arms around her and heard his voice, her brothers voice speak that she finally gave in to the darkness, a smile on her lips. "Ah, my silly, beloved sister what have you done now?"

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-12-18 11:23 EST
~%Frosty the snowman, was a merry happy soul, with a cornsilk pipe and a button nose, and two eyes made out of coal%~

"Gwen, didn't I put gems in the snowman for his eyes?" David called out to her as she placed more of the mistletoe.

"Nope, coal."

"I'm pretty sure you said I should put gems as his eyes." He was giving her a look now, she could feel it.

"Nope, coal."

~%Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum. A king with gifts to steal pa rum pum pum pum. Come see what there is you'll like, pa rum pum pum pum. And take what you can carry, away with you, hidden from view, you and your cousins too.%~

"Gwen, pretty sure that's not how that goes." There was a chuckle laced in the words, he was wise not to actually laugh at her though.

"Pretty sure it is." She was climbing down from the ladder and moving over to the table that was laden with pies. Mmmm pies. The manor she got with the Barony came with a chef! He didn't seem to mind baking the twelve pies of Christmas for her either, it was great!

David came up behind her and slid his arms around her waist, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "Everything ready for our holiday dinner?"

"Yes! It's going to be great! Full of pies and " pies!"

"What about presents?"

"All three Minxes will be here there will be an abundance of presence. And we're going to be presenting a show. It's going to be so much fun!"

"No Gwen, presents, gifts to give to one another." He turned her in his arms so she was facing him.

"Ah right, oh! I found some gems this morning I can give them as gifts." She smiled brightly up at him.

"Found huh' In the snowman maybe?"

"Um....nope, definitely not in the snowman.? Then she pointed up at the mistletoe that hung above them.

He shook his head, chuckled and kissed his merry Minx.

Gwen Minx

Date: 2010-12-29 21:14 EST
Gwen found herself wandering the halls of the manor in the late hours of the evening. The holiday dinner had gone well, people laughed, danced and stuffed themselves on pie. She realized she was heading toward the west wing, it was supposed to be off limits for reconstruction but she knew the right path to take to get to the room she wanted.

The song she sang was muted by the tapestries on the wall, and the air itself seemed to hush her tune but the habit of it was soothing and so she continued as she walked. ~%I thought I'd write, I thought I'd let you know. In the year since you've been gone I've finally let you go. And I hope you find some time to drop a note. But if you don't, then you don't and I will consider you gone%~

She was conflicted and she was angry, though she'd be hard put to explain the whys of those emotions. By the time she got to the door at the far end of the corridor she felt an edge of worry creeping into her thoughts and that made the anger burn brighter. "Why should I be angry?" She muttered as she pushed the heavy door inward.

"Because you still have not allowed me to meet your David and you are angry because the reason you have not is you believe in your heart that he is a monster and that my reaction to him will be justified." The infuriatingly calm voice answered her and despite her not being able to see the man she turned toward where he spoke.

The room was shrouded in darkness, not surprising given the hour. It had been recently reclaimed and was now occupied by Kel, it was better than keeping him hidden in the ruins in the swamp. "Kel that isn't the reason. I have tried to explain to you that David is not a monster but you will not listen. Stubborn male Minx." She huffed and strode angrily to one of the chairs that occupied the room. With a wave of her hand as she flopped into the chair the hearth nearby sprung to life, supplying the room with light and warmth.

"Then bring him here to meet me. Or I to him. Either will do, I tire of being cooped up. I will not remain here for much longer." Kel moved into the circle of light, the angles of his face showed the seriousness of his proclamation.

"You promised me, Kel." She whispered to him, fearing that she had pushed him too far.

"I promised for a time I allow my presence to remain secret. That time is nearly up. You can either take control of the meeting or it will happen without your intervention. Either way it will happen soon." He was crossing his arms over his chest and gazing at her with those eyes that mirrored her own. They had some things in common, stubbornness was definitely chief among them.

They spoke for a little while longer about everything and nothing and then Gwen took her leave. She was careful that no one saw her coming or leaving this portion of the manor but Kel was right that it was only a matter of time before the meeting had to take place. As she strode down the dark and deserted halls she thought about it and a thought came to her....no, it was a fear, that when the two men met that she would be a merry Minx no more.