Dain"al

"Mo sc"th beag."

The words were spoken softly, and had the form under the blankets shifting and falling as she poked herself out from underneath the covers, all spindly limbs, and sleepy little rumbles. The source of the words smiled, and lifted a hand to rest atop the head of snaggled blonde tendrils, working down to scratch at her scalp. What effort she was making to get up faltered, and she melted back down against the bed, the only sounds escaping her close to pathetic and mewling. It carried on for a moment or two longer, she never kept track with him, before she rolled onto her back. Where upon, he simply laid his hand across her face.

There was a roll of giggles, like the sound of cracking bubblewrap that escaped her, before spindly fingers found his hand and held it. She pressed a kiss to the palm. "My Dani." The words were murmured breathlessly against his skin. Then doe eyes peered through his fingers and up at the man that loomed above her. With skin darkened by sun, and near black brown mane with golden highlights, he looked wild in a woodsy way. His eyes, which were the blues of the skies, and greens of the meadows were focused on her, a mischievous little smile stretched across his face.

Warmth soared through her, suffusing every limb with a languid laziness that has her rolling, pushing and nuzzling her way into his lap in a silent demand for attention. "You are needy today, Sc"th, aren't you?" She made a sleepy sound, huffed a great sigh. "Hungry again. I am tired of being hungry."

The man gave a sigh, and cupped her delicate cheek with his large hand. "I know. I know. I wish I could make it easier, luv, I really do." Those fingers of his moved to graze along milky flesh, where her rib bones stood prominent. They didn't stop there. No, they continued to move, following every prominent angle, every part of her where flesh was stretched taut over bones. She melted underneath his touch, fingers leaving a trailing warmth, a happiness that couldn't be dampened when she was around him. Even if he was handling her like she was thin delicate glass, he did so in such a way that made her feel loved, powerful.

"I don't like it." The words were spoke against the skin of his stomach where her face had nestled, a disgruntled rumble escaped her. "I know. And there's always me, always, for you." That earned him a soft little whine. "I don't like that either."

He made a concerned noise in the back of his throat, and gently shifted, his arms moving to gather her spindly limbs and all within his arms, and cradled her close. "Eibhlin." He whispered her name almost feverently, and let his lips ghost against her forehead. "Mh?" The sound was soft, and for a moment, she looked everywhere but him. Then doe eyes met eyes of sky, and she could see all the concern and worry for her that hovered within them.

"My Eibhlin. You must eat. You are becoming light as nothing, I fear soon you will fade away into the shadows, and I will never see you again." He curled around her, enveloping her even more so into his arms, while his face found her mess of blonde snaggles, and buried into it. "I can not bear the thought of that ever happening. I won't let you fade, slip through my fingers. Luv. You can not change what you are. You can not change what you must do to survive. It is time that you take a step back, and worry about you for once."

She curled closer to him, her face found its way to the crook of his neck, where she inhaled deep. "Sister will be most displeased with me for not behaving." There was a soft snarl that tore out of him. "Your sister doesn't have someone making her starve daily either. **** your sister." There was a bitter laugh that escaped the thin little fae, like snapping twigs. "My sister is Queen. She can do what she wishes." She sighs.

"And you are her sister. What is she going to do?" Two seconds pass before there's a crooked grin stretching its way across his face. "She can not do anything to truly harm you." Silence came from her for a long moment, before she withdrew far enough so she was able to peer at him. His eyes were earnest, and hope lined the features of his face. "Okay." The word was murmured.

She watched as a smile blossomed across his face, relief sank his shoulders. "Good, Good." The word was murmured as he leaned down to shower her face in a rain of light kisses, which only had a giggle bubbling up from her. "Tonight you will have your fill. And every night after." As he spoke, her spindly fingers came up to cup his face, the smile on her own soft. "And you will have no more worries of me disappearing into the shadows. Your mind can be at ease, my Dani." His head tilted, pressing his face against one of her hands, while his lips moved to brush against it. Her thumb brushed his cheek. "I am glad, Mo sc"th beag, as you made me worry so. The fear of waking up and finding you gone, has been the worst of all."

She was quiet, silent for a spanse of several moments that seemed to stretch between the two of them. "I don't ever wish to lose you, Dani." She paused, her words a touch breathless. "I can't imagine it. All of the warmth in my world would be gone. My happiness missing."

"Oh, I suppose it is a good thing then, that you will never be able to get rid of me then, Sc"th. Come." He moved, shifting beneath her so he could settle her beside him. "It is still early, and I know how you enjoy sleep. Come, Luv." He patted at his lap. "I will sing for you." Those words had a pleased smile sliding across her features, before spindly limbs moved her closer to him so that she could lay her head on his lap. One of his hands lifted, moved to dive into her hair, and worked against her scalp to turn her into a melted little ball of fae against him.

Quiet at first, his voice lifted in his usual tenor, and her eyes closed, content to listen as he sang. Eventually, his song did just what it was intend to, and carried her off into the throes of sleep.

Papa

"PAAAAAPAAAA!"

The wail of a child cut through the dimly lit room. Two seconds later a blonde child rushed into it, head full of bouncy curls, while the rest of her was thin and awkward with knobby elbows, and knees, one of which was scraped, bleeding and slowly healing underneath. From seemingly nowhere there was a flurry of shadows that congealed and solidified into a form. Tall and thin with wiry muscles that clung to his frame, he could be described as lanky. When one took into consideration the dark, near black eyes, and choppy layers of shaggy black hair, he could even be described as beautiful in a way. The man moved, folding his body so that he was kneeling, arms outstretched.

"Eibhlin. Come here. Tell me what troubles you so, child."

Nothing more than a sniffling mess was what greeted him as she rushed into his open arms, and they folded in around her. One hand came up to cradle the back of her head as he hugged her tiny form to him, while the other soothingly rubbed at her back.

"Sister" Sister pushed m-me." She hiccupped a sob, and wiped her face on his shirt. If he cared, he did nothing to let her know that he did, and instead, shifted his arms so that he could pick her up instead and cradle her in them. "And" And She's b-being mean again. She c-called me a M-M-Monster again." He made a disapproving sound, and clucked his tongue, while he carried her over to the bed and sat her down.

"Wait here."

He pulled away, and retreated off to dig around until he came up with a cloth and a basin of water. His steps carried her back over to the bed where he sat next to her after setting both things on the nightstand. "Here." He slipped a hand under her heel and straightened out her leg. Then the cloth was dipped into water, and applied to the wound. The gentle cleaning earned him a whine.

"Eibhlin. You sister, and so many others don't understand the kind of different that people like me and you are. We do and act and function in a way that is foreign to them, and sometimes that scares people. So they lash out. They chase away the unknown and are cruel to it so they don't have to deal with it in the end."

Her tear stained little face tilted up, and a hand came to rub at her sniffly nose. Those doe eyes of hers settled on the man. "Why, papa" I didn't do nothing." More sniffling followed.

For a moment the man's face looked pained. How could he make it any easier for his baby girl, who would forever face adversity and cruelty, just because of what she was" "Because this world is unfair. It is something I wish you didn't have to learn until much later, little one. It will beat you down, and break you, but you must always get back up, and keep going. You'll grow stronger because of it. And sometimes, living a life in the shadows is easier than living one in the sun."

"That's not fair. Sister gets away with everything. She's always mean to me, but says I'm mean to her, and mama gets mad and I get in trouble."

"I know. I know. I wish I could take you away from all of this. Some day. Some day, little one, we will be free of this tangle of lies, and razor edged smiles. I promise."

"Promise, Promise?"

"Promise, Promise. Nothing can stop me."

Off in the distance, there was yelling, a ruckus being made. Her father frowned, while the little fae visibly shrank, shoulders slumping, while a touch of fear slid across her face. Mama was coming. And she was mad, just as she expected.

"She's gonna l-lock me away. I don't- I d-don't wanna"." Her words echoed off into another sob, as she scrambled, and threw herself at her Papa. "She always keeps me there super lon-"

What ever else she was going to say was lost in the clatter of the door opening. In strode a woman that looked to be the complete opposite of her father. Where he was dark and lanky, the woman was curvaceous, faintly plump, and there was a nasty scowl on her face. Eyes the color of golden honey snapped to the little form cradled in his arms.

"Eibhlin." Her name was hissed by mama, her papa stood, settled her on the ground and shuffled her behind him.

"I'm dealing with her right now."

"I've come to take over. The little brat left her sister a sobbing mess again."

"Isib"al, Why do you always believe what she says happened?"

Golden eyes snapped onto him, and something dangerously feral lingered beneath the unhappy expression on her face. "Because she is the bastard child. And nothing but trouble. Now move, unless you'd like to jo-"

"Shhh." He shushed her immediately, shifting uneasily on his feet. "A moment."

He ignored the scowl she gave him, even as it lingered when he turned and dropped down to speak with the girl. "Remember what I said, okay, little one" Accept what you must. And remember, promises." He tapped her nose, and offered a sad smile. In return, she broke out into more sobs. "Papa. Please. P-Please, Papa, I d-don't wanna, wanna-" "You must. I am sorry. Please, little one, do not make this hard. Please."

"Alright. Long enough." Her mother's words cut like Ice, sent the little fae forward, where she clung wildly to her father. As much as he wanted to, he didn't wrap his arms around her this time. Her mother stepped forward, fingers moving to curl into the tender hair at the back of her neck, while the other roughly gripped her upper arm as her mother yanked her from her father. The girl yelped, face twisting in pain and surprise as she flailed out wildly with her limbs.

The woman snarled unhappy words under her breath, and yanked her further away from her father as she struggled and sobbed, her free hand stretching, trying to find anything to catch onto and gain her a couple more seconds of freedom.

"Papa! Papa, Please, I didn't mean to. I d-didn't do it, Papa, don't let her lock m-me away. I don't wanna g-go into the c-cage." Her cries were desperate, pleading as the woman yanked her, and dragged her from the room. All she saw was his back turned to her, like he was even unable to watch"

She didn't see the way he sank down to the ground after she was gone, and sobbed.

She fought the woman every step she took as she dragged her down the hallways, all to no avail. Despite the time it took for her mother to do so, soon enough, she found her mother and her before The Door. Her sobbing and pleading faded into silent resignation.

As the woman yanked the door open, and shoved her inside the room, she complied. The woman paused for a moment, watching her.

"Maybe you can come out when you know how to behave.?

That was all she said, before the door clicked shut, and two seconds later she could hear a key turn within the lock in the door. In despair, she carried her tiny little self to the single bed in the room, where she collapsed, and proceeded to cry herself to sleep.

It would be two weeks before she'd hear a key in the lock again.

Mama

The sound of soft melodic humming floated through the air, matching the morning warmth that filtered in through the window. Seated on a simple yet ornate bed, with deep purple the color of the covers, was a curvaceous woman dressed in a simple gown of emerald green. Nestled between her legs was a scrawny little form with knobby knees, and a curly unruly mess of blond hair. She winces as the woman works a brush through her hair, and happily continues to sing.

Mama is happy.

Mama is in a good mood.

It means Mama is kind to her, shows her the same gentle care that she shows sister. She is still a little monster, but she is behaved. Good. Loved. Bitter blackness is replaced by reds and oranges, sweetness in the summertime. She rumbles happily while Mama brushes, soaking up every bit of affection the woman has to offer before it all crumples in the dust.

Slowly, Mama's humming dies off, and there's a light tug to her curls. "Eibhlin."

Her little head tilts up, and those big doe eyes of hers tick upwards to find her mama's face. "Yes Mama?"

"I love you, you know that, right' Sometimes you do things that just"...And sometimes there are just things that I can't control."

"I do." Pause. "But you're the queen. You control everything, don't you Mama?"

"If only it was that easy. There are some things that escape even my control. But come now. I won't burden you with things you won't understand just yet."

"I understand a lot more than you think. I just watch. People ignore me."

There's a haughty laugh from her mother. "Of course they do.." The brush was run through her hair one last time before it was set aside. "There, Little Monster. All free of tangles. You have such pretty hair, but is always tangles so."

Those doe eyes turn to admire herself in the mirror not too far from the bed, before she shifts. She leans up to press a kiss to her mama's cheek.

"Come. Get in bed. I will sing to you and pet your hair. Come." She folded back the covers, and with little hesitance those spindly knobby limbs are moving to settle her down on the bed, where she'd wiggle down under the blankets the rest of the way, before mama tucked them up over her shoulders, and beneath her chin. Then she dropped herself onto the bed, and moved to stretch out beside her. Long fingers moved as she cured and arm around her head, and found those freshly brushed curls. No tangles.

Soft, began her mama's voice. For reasons unknown, there is sadness in her voice as she sings.

"Fate has been cruel and order unkind" How can I have sent you away?" She tucks a curl behind her daughter's ear.

"The blame was my own; the punishment, yours...The courts are silent today." Eibhlin's eyes close, and mama shifts, curling closer to her. She doesn't notice the silent shake of her mother's shoulders. There's a quiet pause between those sung words and the next.

Mama draws in a shuddering breath. "But into the stillness I'll bring you a song....And I will your company keep." Those fingers continue to stroke lightly.

"Till your tired eyes and my lullabies, have carried you softly to sleep?" Her words trail off into a hum, and Eibhlin settles, nearly asleep.

She's almost gone when mama curls even closer than before, and whispers.

"Baby girl. I'm so sorry. It's all my fault, and I am sorry I am not kind often. Some day, some day you will understand.?

Mama thinks she's asleep, so she doesn't say anything, she just lets her curl around her and hold her. Everyone says she'll understand things when she's older.

As her mother began to weep again, she really wasn't sure if she would.

Dain"al

It was her birthday. Not that she would enjoy it. She woke up alone, Dani's sudden disappearance like a hole worrying its way through her heart. He had disappeared a week ago, to the day. He had spoken of going to visit his mother. He left. Never came back. The worst part was that sister had forbade her to search. And when she had tried" She was thrown into The Cage. She hadn't eaten since the night before she was tossed in here. There's a quiet lingering glance given to the blaringly white walls, before she falls back onto the mattress beneath her.

She's nearly asleep again when she hears a key in the lock of the door. She shifts, rolling off the bed and onto her feet, where she stayed, watching the door warily. The door pushed open, and one of the guards poked her head in. Then she pushed the door open the rest of the way. Doe eyes fall on the woman, and she watches, blues and greys and yellows mingling to greens danced. Guards always had such pretty colors.

"Princess Eibhlin. Your sister has sent us to fetch you. She wishes to bestow you with a gift."

There's a frown that pulls at her features. Sister has a gift for her" There's unease that settles in her stomach, but it doesn't smother the faint flicker of hope that maybe someone had found Dani. It was what made her stand and cooperate without any fuss of sorts. She smooths the crumpled dress she wears, velvet and dark green in color, the best she can. She's not very successful. She fights for a moment longer, then gives up, squares her shoulders and lifts her head. Sister would most certainly would complain of her current state, but she'd keep her head held high, and defiantly. Without a word to the guard she moves to stride past her and through the door. She only pauses in the doorway to glance over her shoulder.

"Throne room, yes?"

"I-. Uh, Yes. The throne room, Princess."

With that, she nods, and stalks her way down the hall. The guard scrambles to follow after and catch up.

Soon enough she falls into step a couple paces behind her, and takes on the appearance of a guard following after to make sure she went where instructed, in truth the woman was just quietly praying that Eibhlin would follow instruction and go to the throne room. She didn't want to risk getting close enough to the girl to be caught by her terrors and left a whimpering mess in wet pants. She's heard the rumors, found the various victims. Some of them never recovered from their delirium. That was something she didn't want to risk if she didn't have to.

Eibhlin herself, ignored the guard and the terrified look on her face that she had a horrible time hiding. Obviously people talked. Especially those in the courts. Everyone's lips were looser than a stripped nut. She had no ill will towards the guard. So she ignored her, and ignored her, as she weaved her way through the elaborate halls of the palace, until she found herself before the wide gilded double doors that led into the throne room. Another guard stationed at the door had started to pull the door open for her, and she waved them off. "Move." The word's nearly growled, and there's a shimmer of black roiling across her skin. The woman complies, and she slips in through the small opening left.

The guard following has to stop and pull it open more. She smirks to herself for a moment, bare feet quickling carrying her beneath the stone arches with such an uncanny realistic look to trees and vines tangling to create them. Quickly enough that smirk is fading from her face". Because she sees Sister. There's more guards in the room than normal. Why did Sister look like a cat that was about to eat something she had played with for a long while" Confusion furrows her brow. What was Sister up to' What had she done" She shifts on her feet as she comes to a stop at a respectable distance.

Her sister sat like the regal creature she was, clad in a clinging gown the color of mauve. As always golden topaz glitters in her ears and at the hollow at her throat.

"Eibhlin. Sister. You should have worn something nice. It is your birthday, after all. How are you?"

"I'm just fine. What is it that you have for me?"

"My, my so impatient. Come. My gift to you."

She gestured, and two guards dragged forward a stumbling form. A familiar head of brown and golden hair. Doe eyes moved, and her stomach dropped. "Dani!" His name tore from her throat, horse with concern, worry, and she surged forward, just as the guards let go. He stumbled, collapsed, just as she dropped in to catch him. His skin was hot and feverish, his shirt hanging open, torn, singed. The exposed skin beneath angry, welted, blackened with scorch marks. There were scored cuts traveling down his back, angry with improper care and lack of cleaning, crusted with dried blood. His eyes were glassy and swam until they managed to focus on her.

"Mo sc"th." His voice cracked, parched from days of screaming and no water. He was so weak. So broken. All the warm and colors drained from him, dull and lifeless. He was dying. She knew it. She could feel it. Terror raced through her, panic burnt her stomach, made her heart pound like it was trying to beat its way out of her chest. Black swirled frantically across her skin. "Dani. Dani, my Dani. Please, my Dani. What happened?"

He struggled for a moment, weakly sucking in a breath and trying to form words that didn't, or couldn't surface. Longs spindly fingers moved, smoothing his hair, tracing the features of his beautiful face, now bruised and swollen from abuse. Once more those blue skies and green meadow eyes found her, and she could feel her heart shattering. There was nothing she could do. She knew Sister had done this. She knew, because she still bore the scar of a burning handprint across the expanse of her shoulders. She had been scorched and roasted once when they were younger. Sister had held her down and listened as she screamed against the fire and anguish that filled her. She would have suffered through it a hundred times if it meant he didn't have to suffer, that this didn't have to happen. That he didn't die today.

There was a pause, a catch in his breathing, before his body seemed to kick up a few more degrees in whatever fever burned through him. He breathed again, moaned in pain. His long lashes fluttered, and she rocked forward, arms curling around him, forehead pressed to forehead. He couldn't find enough energy to do much of anything other than lace fingers with hers when her hand sought his out. The silence as time stretched along was filled with hiccups of upset and soft breathing.

"Sc"th. Luv". ya." Three words finally produced in all his struggling, a bare whisper uttered with not enough energy. She heard resignation in them, He was dying. He knew it, and of the things he could have struggled to say, it was to let her know that he loved her. Splintering. Her whole heart was splintering, she felt like she was dying, like something was sucking all the air from her lungs. Tears burned the back of her eyes as they spilled over cheeks that swirled wildly with black. "Dani. Please. I love you, Please don't- You're all my sunlight. I don't want nothing but darkness. Please. Please-" Whatever else she was going to say was swallowed up in a sob that broke free.

There's another anguished cry that escapes him, and it's like a knife in her heart, twisting, mutilating it with malicious glee. His features twist in fear, pain. Terror. He doesn't want to die, she can tell. But he's suffering so much. He was in so much pain. So much and she could do nothing but watch. Watch and wait. Both thankfully and not. Finally, she comes to a decision and firmly presses her lips against his.

"My Dani. Baby. It's okay. I know you hurt. You can go, please. Just stop your pain. I- I'll be okay. I-" Her words are choked by a sob, before she crushes her lips to his again. There's the faintest response, movement against her lips, struggled words that she simply swallowed. "Stop suffering. Let go, please, let go. Don't make me watch this, love. Gods witnessed, I love you so much. So much this hurts."

There's a flutter of eyelashes, and this time when his eyes find her they are dull, nearly colorless, absent of sky blues and grassy meadows. She shifts from knees to her butt, gathers him in her arms and holds him close. There's a whimper at the jostling. He inhales, and his eyes focus on her. One last burst of energy has his hand coming up, fingers ghosting across her cheek. There's nothing but love in his eyes, as lifeless as they were. Her hands come up, fingers trace the swollen and purpled planes of his face. Her lips press against his forehead with a lean. He exhales, body shuddering. His fingers drop from her cheek, while the rest of him goes still. He does not draw another breath, he does not stir. All of the essence that was him was gone, he was naught but a shell of the man she loved". But still she clung to him, and rocked, shadows licking angrily along her skin. She couldn't let go. He was hers, and sister had broken him only to give him back so she could watch him die.

Dani was gone. And it was all Sister's fault. There's a low mournful keen that escaped her, made low in the back of her throat. Then a sob broke through, and the rest followed like a wash of tidal waves crashing onto the shore. She cried until she couldn't cry anymore" Then it seemed like something within her completely snapped. Eyes that were once grey blue were black, sclera included. Gently, she laid Dani's body on the ground, while shadows whipped across her skin wildly.

"What did you do' WHAT"D YOU DO TO HIM?"

She snarled, and with a push of her foot, she flung herself towards sister. Quick as lightning, one of the guards darted forward, her staff coming up to connect solidly with her gut, knocking the wind from her. Another quick movement, a blow to the back of the knees has them buckling beneath her, and she falls. Another two guards move in, one on each side to retrain her arms, before hauling her up. Black eyes watched her sister as she approached hungrily, while she struggled against the guards.

"I took your toy and I broke him, Dearest Eibhlin. Because I could, and I enjoyed every minute, every scream I elicited. Maybe now you'll behave. Maybe next time I won't break your toy." There's a cackle of malicious laughter that escapes Sister as she watches her with glee.

"You bitch." She spits the word and struggles harder. "I hate you. I HATE you. You-"

"I what? I am the queen, therefor I do as I wish. You can not stop me." Her attention snapped towards the two guard that are holding onto her. "Throw her back into The Cage. Leave her there to rot for all I care." She waved a hand, dismissing the guards. "Dispose of his body, how ever." This is snapped a few more guards, before they all started to move.

Eibhlin fought. She fought with everything she had in her. She clawed, and snarled and struggled with everything inside her". Until one of the guards hit her with a solid strike to the back of her head and knocked her out. Her body slumped, and the guards, now that she no longer struggled, carried her with ease.

When she woke it was in the same room as earlier. Only her heart was so heavy. So heavy with sadness and blackness, and bitterness. Anger that would seethe until it was cut by the weakness of starvation as the days crawled by. She had been left to die, she was certain of it. Days blended together, she lost track.

Dehydration had left her delirious by the time the door had finally creaked open again.