Private Tales On swift wings..

[Sidereal Penumbra]

He knew she was there before she even spoke. He could feel his shoulders tensing before the words left her lips. The recruit handing off the supplies lofted his brows and scurried to the back.

Smart male.

Sid twisted slightly, looking at the female. Mild amusement mixed with a spark of annoyance crossed his tan-skinned face. “Let me guess. Clara decided to prattle on about my business to you, did she?” Of course, he knew. He’d heard it. He turned back to the counter, gathering various items into a large pack. The supplies he’d asked for.

“Some jobs are better done alone.”

 

[Lorelei]

Her lips pressed into an awkward, thin line as she watched the other male scurry off, her grey eyes shifting around the tent. It was too late to claw the question back now, and so she had no choice but to lift her chin slightly and resume her questioning with surety.

"I.." Shit.. She hadn't considered she'd get the female into trouble. Her mouth opened and closed for a moment, like a fish out of water. A very small fish in a very large, very dangerous pond. "She, I.. Forced it out of her." she told him quickly and frowned.

"Can I..accompany you? I have no idea what's going on at the border but it's not a job for one.." her arms folded. She realised that despite her warrior's stance, that even with her chin raised and shoulders squared, her feet set shoulder width and her arms crossed over her chest, that without her fighting leathers she might appear more like a petulant child in her cotton night clothes. She tried not to let the rather embarrassing thought distract her.

"It's my duty as a soldier." she argued with a firm nod.

 

[Sidereal Penumbra]

He bit back a bark of laughter at her lie. And how terrible she was at it. His wings ruffled at the effort before re-tightening. HUNT BOOK help him. He carefully shouldered the large pack and turned. It was made to fit beneath wings.

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

Hazels glinted with gold stared down at her. Her warrior-like frame was blocking the tent’s exit. Her eyes were like the mists that covered the training grounds in the dawn. A loud voice inside him knew letting her come along was a bad idea. Being anywhere NEAR her was a bad idea if his suspicions were true. Yet his General’s voice saw the value in having her come. She just fought there. She could have valuable intel.

Fuck it.

He turned. “Get another pack ready. Leathers too,” he called to the recruit in a clipped voice. He turned back to Lori. “Meet me at the southern most training field in about three hours. If anyone asks, say you’re reporting to me. Do not share any other details. Understood?” He stepped closer, enough that if he shifted slightly the tips of his wings would brush against her own.

His voice was low so only she would hear. “Bring your swords. If I’m not convinced you're fully healed, you’re staying here.”

 

[Lorelei]

Lori's head shook quickly at his question, her blonde waves tousling at the movement. If he said no, she'd already intended on following him. She couldn't stay here, not now, not without some sort of protection..It was best to leave.

She held his gaze and swallowed hard as he seemed to study her, her own feckless wings shifting slightly as though they could hide themselves from him. The stoic expression broke the second he changed his mind, a momentary lapse in her own serious demeanour to grin at his surrender. It only lasted a moment before she gathered herself and cleared her throat.

"Good." she nodded, but couldn't help but tense as he stepped in close to her. Gods, he was.. imposing. Her pulse pitched slightly and she avoided looking at him as he spoke. The scent of him however, she couldn't avoid, and her breath caught.

"Understood." she nodded stiffly, her lips twisting..

 

[Sidereal Penumbra]

“Three hours,” he repeated in a low rumble. Then he was gone. A shudder whispered through his wings.

Three hours later and most of the camp was quiet. Some were on late night drills but most were asleep or tending to other duties. There was no light on this training ground save for the moon above them and the clear, starry sky. He dragged a hand through his hair and frowned, looking up at the sky.

Why had he agreed to this again?

 

[Lorelei]

Wherever she moved, the tension in the air was palpable. She had humiliated a male in front of the entire camp, and three of his friends were already waiting outside of her tent for her to return. They blocked the entrance, named her a lying bitch, and warned her to sleep with one eye open to which she cheekily replied that she needn't open her eyes at all to put them on their asses. 'We'll see..' they chuckled in answer, and shoved her to the ground before leaving, but they'd be back.

"Pricks." Lori growled as she pulled herself to her feet and went inside. Her corner of the tent had been trashed. Her cot was broken and her blankets and pillow shredded. Luckily, she didn't have many possessions, but anything she did own had been destroyed. She rubbed at her face as a deep huff tumbled from her lips in exasperation, another male who sat reading something on his cot shrugged as she looked at him.

"Didn't see a thing.." he told her without looking up.

"Of course you didn't." she answered dryly, and dumped her weapons and leathers on top of the tinder pile that had been her cot. Lori winced as she changed out of her comfortable cottons and into her sturdy new leathers, a halter and tight fitted jacket and leggings. Her bruises screamed in protest as she armed herself with her swords and bent to lace up her boots to the knees before lifting her pack. She didn't look back as she left, and stuck to the shadows of the encampment, avoiding the loitering males.

By the time she arrived at the southern most training field, he was already there waiting, his face cast heaven-bound and bathed in moonlight. She swallowed and cleared her throat, regaining her use of speech. "When are we leaving?.." she asked, dumping her pack and folding her arms, her heel of her boot twisting into the dirt.

 

[Sidereal Penumbra]

He frowned, as he caught her scent. Frustration and maybe…fear? No, he didn't think it was fear. Something else. Eyes glinting with gold flashed to her in the dark.

He dropped his pack to the ground and reached behind him, unsheathing his sword that lay nestled between his wings. “As soon as I’m convinced you’re fit enough to go. How long have you been serving?” He extended his free hand and motioned for her to attack him with her own weapons.

 

[Lorelei]

Lorelei looked around her, as though to check that they were entirely alone. "Fight you?.." she laughed incredulously under her breath. She might've been female, but she wasn't stupid. She knew who he was, she'd seen him fight and she'd seen him spar with his brother from afar. Her brow knit in realisation.."You're going to beat me until I'm not fit enough to go, aren't you?..."

She growled to herself and bent to pick up her pack again, already marching toward the dark tree line. "Six years." she answered his question. "And you can save yourself the trouble. I'm going anyway." she huffed.

 

[Sidereal Penumbra]

Sid's dark brows lofted in surprise. At her accusation and her damned stubbornness. Stooping to sling back on his pack, he sheathed his sword and with two mighty flaps of his wings he launched into the air and landed just in front of her.

"Wait. Wait," he tried to make the repeated request a little..gentler. He was used to taking females to his bed. He was used to ordering recruits about as a General. This. THIS he wasn't used to. "What kind of a male do you think I am? Any why're you so hells bent on coming and throwing yourself back into danger?"

 

[Lorelei]

Lori froze in her tracks as he dropped down in front of her, her body tensing defensively as she took a step back.

His question caused her brow to furrow and her head to tilt slightly as she looked over him as though it were a trick question.. “I.. Don’t know.” she folded her arms and shrugged. “General.” she added stiffly.

“What I do know is that half the males in that camp want me flayed for what happened to Dax, and that If I don’t get out of here right now this is the most dangerous place that I can be right now.” she huffed, a muscle feathering in her jaw.

“But I want to fight. I don’t want to let them…” she rolled her eyes, cutting herself off and shaking her head. “Look can I go with you or not?”

 

[Sidereal Penumbra]

Something cold and dangerous crossed his features. "They what." He was going to fucking kill them all. Fingers curled into large fists at his sides as his nostrils flared.

"If they lay one hand on you...," his voice trailed off as he forced himself to take a breath. "Let me worry about that when we get back." His answer to her second question. He took a step back and turned so he could walk with her, trying to be less...intimidating.

"I asked you to spar because I need to know what kind of skill-level you have. I'm okay skipping that part as long as you promise to tell me if you're hurting somewhere." If she was a liability, she would be dangerous to them both.

"We can fly; it will be faster. I can carry you," he mentioned cautiously. Douala had told him about her wings. Something he would've been oblivious to. He knew as well as anyone what they did to females in most camps and it disgusted him. Something else he was trying to change but the fae were much slower to change than humans.

 

[Lorelei]

She could feel the shift in mood, how his scent changed. She couldn't have looked more confused at his concern if she tried. She pressed her lips into a tight line as she quietly contemplated how exactly to react to his anger. "I promise I'll tell you." she answered in a low grumble. Her wings hurt, but they always hurt and so she didn't see much point in mentioning it. "Just a few aches, nothing hazardous." she assured.

His offer to carry her made her pause in her stride, her gaze on the ground as her cheeks flushed a furious shade of crimson. Her useless wings tucked in as tightly as they could as though to avoid scrutiny. She had never been carried in her life, other than the time, she assumed, that she had been unconsciously lifted from the battlefield two days ago. She could barely recall what flying felt like, and though she craved it, she had far too much stubborn pride to just allow males to carry her.

"Can't..we just walk?.." she asked lowly, realising how much longer it would take on foot. She hadn't really considered that she'd have to fly.

 

[Sidereal Penumbra]

He tried not to breath her scent in too much. Or else he was going to fuking lose his mind. And he trusted her words. Her response to his question about her injuries. She was strong. And from the glimpse he'd seen of her at the end of the massacre, he knew she was an adept fighter.

He had to wonder why she hadn't been promoted and just as quickly he knew why.

Perhaps it was time to again push the changes he'd been wanting within the leadership of the army. Later. If they got through this.

"Walking will take too long," he said a bit bluntly. "But, there's a stable a few hours walk from here. We can ride horses if you prefer but it will be your choice." It sounded like she hadn't had much choice being one of the few females within the ranks of males and the least he could do was give her that.

 

[Lorelei]

Lori was full on frowning at him now. A choice? He'd accepted her discomfort and instead of telling her to deal with it or piss off, he'd presented her with an alternative? "Why are you.." she cut herself off, trying to find the right question. He seemed to be trying to be kind to her, something she was not used to in any shape or form and so it had to be only natural to feel that something was off. She glanced across the treeline, a ripple of fear as she considered an ambush of males waiting with a length of rope.. There was nobody else out here.

"It was you, who made Dax run the gauntlet, wasn't it?.." she asked. She didn't expect the Captain to have done such a thing, hell she'd probably be running it herself if he'd had anything to do with it. "You believed me. Why? None of the others would have. Why do you care about the way they treat me? It's nothing new." she frowned and started walking again..

"I'd like to take a horse..." she murmured. "Thanks."

 

[Sidereal Penumbra]

He reached out, a hand gently but firmly touching her elbow to pause her strut. To have her face him. Because what he was about to say was important. His gaze would hold hers. Voice rumbled deeply from his chest. "Because it's wrong, Lori." He used the nickname he'd heard. "The way they treat you is wrong. My mother went through something similar. Worse. So did I. You're worth more than that."

Just as quickly, he released her, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. His General's mask slipping. She had a way of making it slip.

"Are you saying I shouldn't have believed you?"

A rhetorical and worthless question. He was just trying to make her feel at ease. "Come on. Still have an hour or so walk before the stables." He'd turn and lead the way into the woods, adjusting his pack with a grunt.

 

[Lorelei]

She stopped, left entirely at the mercy of his gaze, his eyes softly woven with a chorus of green and gold threads. Her expression paused, melting entirely at his words. She knew what most thought of Puca, they were lesser fae, runts, and she was a female of the species. Life had dealt her a tough hand to play but she'd been determined to claw her way through it every waking day and prove them wrong. It was an endless uphill climb but despite how many times she'd been beaten back down, she always got back up.

Something ignited in her blood the moment he said her name like that. It was something scalding hot and ice cold all at once, and a militia of chills marched across her back, causing her wings to shudder slightly. This was the first time anyone had ever told her she was worth anything at all let alone 'more'. She'd have protested at the nickname had it not been for the fact that he mentioned his mother and his own maltreatment, that he was the General and that the nickname was far better than half of the things she was called by the males back at camp. Or perhaps because she found she rather liked the way it sounded as it tumbled from his lips.

Lori remained quite speechless as he smirked, his rhetorical question met with a slight smirk of her own as she watched after him for a moment before following. She was silent in thought for a long moment before she cleared her throat, her brow furrowing slightly.. "How'd you end up General?.." she asked cautiously.. "You said they treated your mother and you poorly too.. But, now you're General.." she shrugged, finding his position somewhat inspiring.

 

[Sidereal Penumbra]

He glanced over his shoulder, lips set into a thin line. It was a question he thought about often. He knew one of the main reasons. The power he'd been born with. The power he and his brothers had been born with, couldn't be denied. Some knew but he didn't like to advertise it.

A shrug rippled through is broad shoulders. Voice grim and quiet. The earlier smirk gone. "I saw a lot of war and fought endless battles. Kept surviving and kept winning them until they didn't know what else to do with me." Sidereal figured the Erlking thought it best to promote him for maximum control. He knew the bond he shared with his head of spies as well as his son. And he didn't doubt for a second that the Autumn king used everything to his advantage.

"And I wasn't alone. I was for a long time. But I have two brothers. Separately, we're a significant threat. But together? We're unstoppable." He remembered when the Erlking wanted to separate them, fearing their power. But that lasted only a short time. And he supposed in a way, the Erlking had separated them based on their positions.

"And you can call me Sid. I'd prefer that over General Prick." The smirk was in his eyes this time as he looked back at her through the darkened woods. There was a flickering light ahead, the first light of the stables. He knew the family well. They'd keep their secrets.

 

[Lorelei]

Her stormy gaze drifted over those wings as he walked a little ahead of her, and something in her chest ached. She didn't have to have seen him fly to know how strong they were, and they were much larger than hers were. That he could pull himself into the air whenever he pleased was a thought that caused the ache to spread to her throat, and she swallowed it as he looked back at her.

"Hm.." she nodded as she listened. "You're lucky." she told him quietly, her lips pursing and her gaze remaining on the path ahead. "Your brothers.. The Prince, and the other Puca, right? I saw you three put the Captain in his place a little while ago." she laughed under her breath.. "He's not been particularly easy on us since." she shrugged.

She looked up at him as he told her his name, and despite the sheepish blush on her cheeks, her smile met her eyes as she laughed stiffly. "Sorry.." Had he been like most other males she knew, she'd have paid for speaking to him like that, and the price should have been all the more for the fact that he was authority. Lori didn't deal particularly well with authority, clearly.

"I realise I didn't thank you." she wasn't really used to having to thank people either.. "I figured I was dead already, so I owe you my life.. And for, having Dax punished. The Captain would probably have commended him." she snorted.

 

[Sidereal Penumbra]

He was lucky. He agreed with her. He had family, family he could depend upon even if they were all caught within the same nightmare.

“I doubt Captain Misha will maintain his position for long,” he rumbled. A pause and a blink of surprise at her words of thanks. He had to stop himself from staring back at her because he knew he could easily get lost in those eyes of hers.

He knew this was going to be a losing battle. Wings shifted and his back straightened. “You don’t owe me anything,” he said gently. And left it at that. The barn lights and the little house attached gleamed brighter now. They were some of the groundskeepers for the camps.

A small boy looked up and grinned. They were a lesser fae family. Their eyes and skin seemed to glow in the darkness. The boy had a set of small antlers growing from his head. He ran over and launched himself at Sid.

“Growing up I see,” Sid grunted as he took the forced hug and set the boy down.

“You promised to come last week but didn’t.” The boy pouted.

“There was an emergency,” Sid grumbled.

Exasperated, the boy through his head back. Then looked rather interested. “More war snd fighting!” He peaked around Sid to see Lori. “Oh. OH! Who is she?” The boy straightened and tried to untangle the hair around his antlers.

Sid grinned. “Lori this is Alexander. Alex, this is Lori. Are your parents home? We need to borrow two horses but you have to promise not to tell anyone.”

Alex blushed at Lori. Shook his head at the general. “No. But I can show you what we have. Come on!” He’d skip back toward the barn.

 

[Lorelei]

"No, he won't." she answered quietly. "Garrick will no doubt take it from him. He's been gathering quite the following. Loyal to the Erlking, I suppose, but if you thought Misha was a prick..." she laughed, but there was more dread than mirth in it. She knew the brutish dog was just waiting on his opportunity..

You don’t owe me anything.. Lori frowned at that. She owed him her life, whether he agreed with it or not, and she chewed gently on her lip at his response, uncertain of whether it'd been said out of kindness or dismissal. She kept her gaze downcast and remained silent as she followed him toward the little house.

She paused at the sight of the child, her head tilting as she watched him run at Sid. She didn't have much experience with children, and she simply tilted her head and waved awkwardly as the two were introduced. "Hello.." she offered a hesitant smile, glancing to Sid as she followed along to the barn.

She couldn't stop staring at the little farm house, home to 'parents' and a seemingly happy child. She realised then that for the past six years, unless she'd been sent out on some mission, she hadn't been anywhere. She hadn't done anything but train or fight. Hadn't seen such a thing as a family in so long..

"They won't mind?.." she asked quietly..

 

[Sidereal Penumbra]

"Take it from him?" Dark brows lifted on his tan skin. "There are a few arrowing for the next Captain position," he mused thoughtfully. He chose not to say anything more. He was going to damn make sure to put who he wanted in that position, though. Unless the Erlking ruined his plans, which was a possibility. Still, the Erlking didn't usually care about who was Captain unless they ended up being like Misha.

The dumb shit.

Sid paused, looking back to Lori. He leaned closer to her a shoulder brushing just slightly against her own, his voice dropping as Alex continued to ramble on, talking about each horse in the barn and why the two he was bringing out were the absolute best.

"No. I served with his dad in the war over two hundred years ago on the front." His jaw clenched at the memories. That's when he and his brothers had been separated. He'd been grounded. They'd had to fight across the battle-ground just to reach each other. But once they found each other? That sealed the battle.

"He'll understand." Alex trotted back out leading two large black, sleek looking horses, already saddled up.

"This one is Thunderbolt and the other one is Earthquake. Earthquake is a softie but Thunderbolt likes to nip but becomes a softie when apples are involved." He beamed.

 

[Lorelei]

Her slender brow rose at his comment on the Captain's potential replacements. There were very few females in the camp, and she was the only female with wings. Most others were healers. The males would usually follow whomever was the strongest, their alpha male mentality weeding out those born to lead and those content to follow. But, to the females, whomever was given the position of leadership over the legion mattered a whole lot more. Misha was a bastard, but he wasn't the worst. She had already had her run ins with Garrick and the male had already made his vile threats more than clear. If things were bad for her now, they'd be even worse for her if that brute took charge.

"Well, he sure seems to think so." she muttered. "But, he's strong and I imagine he'd be a natural leader. I'm sure he'd be the sort that the Erlking would like." she huffed quietly, and then bit down on her tongue as she realised what she'd just said, and the tone she'd said it in.. The Erlking must have thought something of Sid if he was his General, though thus far, he wasn't exactly what she'd have expected.

Her wings tucked in tightly at her back as she felt his shoulder graze against hers and she looked up at him, the scent of his skin strong at this, very short, distance. She swallowed, and nodded at what he'd told her.. "I see.." she answered in a quiet rumble, and her grey eyes shifted to the two horses, a small smile curling at her lips.

"Sounds like Thunderbolt and I have some things in common." she smirked at the child and strode calmly forward, holding her palm out to the creature introduced as Thunderbolt and cooing softly.

I promise you apples so long as you promise not to make an ass of me..

 

[Sidereal Penumbra]

"Oh?" That easy-going smirk was back on his face. One that kept slipping around her. "The apples or the...," his voice quickly trailed off as he realized how that would've sounded. Apples or the biting? He was Lori's superior and no way in hells was he going to make her feel more on edge than most males at the camp probably already did. Gods, what was he thinking?! He quickly turned his attention to Alex and ruffled his hair between his antlers.

"Tell your Pa some gold will be coming his way for this." The boy beamed. and stepped back. Sid ran a steady hand along the horse's sleek neck and trasping the saddle, he hauled himself onto Earthquake's back, tucking his wings in tight.

Riding wasn't impossible with wings.

Just had to do it carefully. "Ready?" His golden-hazel eyes found Lori's set in the dark. When she was, he'd lead the way back south and to the border, weaving through the dark woods. His wings remained tight and stiff. He'd forgotten how vulnerable on the ground he felt. That only made him admire the female he was riding with more.

 

[Lorelei]

"Both." she answered quietly as his question trailed off, a grin spreading across her face as she stroked her hand down the horse's face until she was sure the beast was accepting of her. A gentle nibble at her palm told her that he was, and so she patted its neck and swung herself up into the saddle.

"Thanks Alex." she smiled to the boy, and turned the horse about to follow Sid's lead.

Lori hadn't ridden a horse in some time. She had always been around them growing up, and so had picked up the skill in her younger years. She smirked to herself as she kicked the beast into a canter and passed by the General, only slowing when they reached the edge of the river. Lori stared down into the dark waters, knowing fine well the sorts of creatures that dwelled in the rivers, and in dark forests like these.

"Think its safe to cross here?.." she murmured quietly, her wings shifting slightly as she caught sight of her reflection in the glassy surface of the unnaturally still water..

 

[Sidereal Penumbra]

"Fuk no," he responded, eyeing that water. But they were losing too much time riding already. And any sort of better crossing with a damned bridge was a good extra day ride out of the way. Reaching behind his back, he unsheathed his sword and gripped it in his hand.

"But we don't have time to find another." The horse pawed at the ground and shook its head. "I know Earthquake," his free-hand tightened on the reins. "I'll go first," he rumbled, eyes sharpening and alert as he nudged the horse forward. Wings tense. The water quickly lapped past his ankles and it was...frigid. Strange for this location and this time of year. At the other end of the river some bubbles broke the placid surface. He looked back to Lori, mouth opening to urge her forward when a leathery-black tentacle suddenly broke the surface and wrapped around his waist, tugging him beneath the icy-surface.

Earthquake reared and ran for the opposite bank.