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thetravelerwrites · 7 years ago

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The Bargain: Viribus

Rating: Teen Relationships: Female Human x Male Demon/Elf Additional Tags: Arranged Marriage, Marriage, Demons, Elves, Princes, Princesses, Monster Boyfriend, Monster Husband, Teratophilia Words: 7297

After Tyria kisses Pallidus, Fawn suddenly appears before them. It's time for her to meet her betrothed, the massive but gentle Viribus. Based on "The Princes" series of shorts written by tumblr user @your-monster-romance, with her permission.

Read the Original Shorts Here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 The Previous Chapters: Prologue, Pallidus The Following Chapter: Genus, Gale (NSFW), Fawn (NSFW), Tyria (NSFW), Epilogue

Twenty-year-old Fawn sat with her father, mother, and younger sister at the garden table, sulking. How could her father have not told her there were men asking for her hand in marriage? She had read so many stories about great romances and royal weddings and was rather annoyed that she could be missing out on her own. But after her father’s explosive display, she kept her thoughts to herself.

“To be honest, I’m glad you’re rejecting letters,” Gale said haughtily, pulling a book from the pocket of her apron and opening it. “I don’t want to get married. If I did, I’d have to go live with my husband. I much rather stay here.”

Fawn thought that would make her parents happy, but if anything, they looked even more dismayed.

Fawn could feel things getting tense again, even if Gale was oblivious. She stood up, draining her teacup and putting a roll in her pocket.

“I’m going to the menagerie,” She said, taking a few biscuits and a apple tart, too. “I want to take a look at Daisy’s leg. She was favoring it yesterday.” She kissed her mother’s cheek and patted her father’s shoulder as she passed them.

Daisy was a goat she had rescued after she had gotten mauled by a wolf and then was left for dead when hunters chased the wolf off. Fawn had found her a few weeks ago limping on the edge of the castle grounds, eating flowers from their field. Fawn had been nursing her back to health over the past several weeks and Daisy had been getting better, but yesterday she began limping on her bad leg again and Fawn wondered if the leg hadn’t healed right.

The menagerie was located just on the other side of the garden, situated between it and the greenhouse, where they grew most of their own herbs and spices. The menagerie was built in much the same way as the greenhouse, except it had mesh wire instead of glass encasing it.

Inside, the smell of animals was strong, but it wasn’t one she minded. She rolled up her sleeves and put on her leather work apron and got started mucking out the bird cages. Her parents insisted she let the staff do these sorts of unpleasant chores, but Fawn had never been afraid of getting dirty. Once the cages were clean, she refilled their water and seed bowls, moving on to the squirrels and chipmunks, breaking the roll into little pieces for them.

Most of the animals in the menagerie were rescues, and it always made Fawn sad to let them go, but she knew they belonged back out in the forest. There were only a few animals who would be permanent residents, like the blinded owl and the stoat that was missing it’s front paw.

Once the feeding and watering and mucking out was done, she finally turned her attention to Daisy. Removing her apron and washing her hands, she opened the stall to the makeshift infirmary and checked Daisy’s leg.

“Seems like it’s better today,” Fawn said, pleased. Daisy was sniffing Fawn’s pockets, looking for treats, walking perfectly well on her injured leg. “That’s good. Soon you’ll be able to go back home. Although, if you’d like to stay here with me, I wouldn’t mind that either.” She took a biscuit from her pocket and fed it to Daisy, who happily munched away.

She took Daisy out of the menagerie so that she could graze in the field beyond, taking the opportunity to change the straw bedding of her stall. Taking a pitchfork, Fawn shifted the straw and moved it into the center of the stall, so it would be easier to haul, and as she did so, something buried in the middle of it caught her eye. It was large and black.

Thinking maybe a skunk had had her kits in here, Fawn set the pitchfork aside and she sifted through the straw until she could see the object clearly. It was a rose, a solid black rose, from the petals to the stem. Fawn couldn’t remember if this variety had ever grown in Tyria’s rose garden. Did roses even come in black? Pondering, she reached down and picked it up, accidentally pricking her finger on a thorn she couldn’t see because it blended in so well.

There was a snap and a bright flash of light, which Fawn shielded her eyes against. She felt as though she were whirling through the air, and clutched herself until the spinning stopped.

“Fawn!”

Fawn opened her eyes to find herself in a dark place, lit from above by glowing chandeliers. In front of her was her sister, Tyria, running toward her with her arms outstretched. Behind her was… a man? If it was, it was the strangest man she’d ever seen. As Tyria ran toward her, the stranger abruptly dashed away.

“Oh, gods, Fawn, it’s so good to see you!” Tyria said as she flung herself onto her little sister and held her tight. “I’ve missed you so much!”

“Wait, what? Missed me?” Fawn said, pulling Tyria off of her and holding her at arms length. “What are you talking about? I just saw you ten minutes ago. You went to get a rose for your corsage.”

Tyria’s brows knitted together in disbelief. “Fawn, I’ve been here for months.”

“What?” Fawn stared at her sister, dumbstruck, looking around her at the weird, color-washed copy of the rose garden back home. “Where is here?”

“Cavernae.”

“The demon kingdom?” Fawn laughed at her sister skeptically. “Tyria, I’m the one who’s supposed to believe in tall tales, not you.”

“Does this look like a fairy story to you?” Tyria replied, gesturing around at the dark walls and pale blue lights that flickered and danced on the stone of the ceiling.

“All right, you have a point,” Fawn said reluctantly. “So what are we doing here?”

“Oh, Fawn,” Tyria said in a distressed tone. “There’s something I need to tell you. And you may not like it very much. Here, sit down here with me.”

“All right,” Fawn replied slowly, sitting on a bench nearby.

Tyria took a very large breath, sat down beside her, and said, “Do you remember how Father was receiving letters of intent for you and I, but was rejecting them all?”

“Yes?”

“There’s a reason for that.”

“Which is?”

“We’re already betrothed. All of us. Even Gale.”

Fawn’s mouth dropped in horror. “What?”

“Father promised us to the Demon King’s sons during the Great War in an effort to save Coll and his kingdom. We were engaged to be wed before our parents even met each other.”

“But, how could the Demon King have known we’d even exist?”

“I don’t know,” Tyria said. “The Demon King has amazing foresight, I guess.”

“So, the… man I saw you with, he’s your…?”

“His name is Pallidus. He’s the eldest of Zinzo’s sons. And yes, he’s my intended.”

“Do you… like him?” She seemed pretty cozy with him when Fawn arrived.

“Yes, I do. I’m not sure I like him enough to marry him yet, though, but he is wonderful company. Trust me, I had just as many misgivings as you when I first got here. It took a long time for me to warm up to him. I wouldn’t even speak to him for weeks.”

“So,” Fawn said slowly. “Who am I…”

“Viribus.” Tyria rested a hand on Fawn’s shoulder and regarded her in that annoying older sister I-know-what’s-best kind of way. “You mustn’t judge him too harshly when you see him. He may look rather intimidating, but I promise you he’s a very sweet man, if a little insecure. Try not to say anything rude; he’s sensitive.”

“Viribus,” Fawn repeated. “When will I meet him?”

Tyria looked past her, and jerked her chin up to indicate that Fawn should turn around.

“Don’t be afraid,” Tyria whispered in her ear.

Fawn rose from the bench and turned. She saw the tall, slender man she’d seen before, Pallidus, the one who had been sitting with Tyria when she opened her eyes for the first time in this realm. Next to him was a man even stranger than the first.

He was just as tall as his brother, but where Pallidus was thin in an eldritch sort of way, this other man was nothing short of massive. He had muscle on muscle, barely contained in the fabric of his tunic, and it looked as substantial as a boulder. Fawn had always been short, but compared to this man, she was nothing more than a china doll, tiny and breakable, the top of her head not even reaching the middle of his chest.

His hair was black, like his brother, but rather than long and straight, it was cut short and curled slightly. His big horns twisted around his head, like a ram, and his short, pointed ears stuck out of the space between. His eyes were solid black, and his skin was the color of slate, grey with a tinge of dark blue. His clothes were far plainer than Pallidus’s, but no less rich or well made, and he held a bouquet of the same black roses like the one Fawn still had clutched in her hand. If he could feel the thorns, he gave no sign.

“For you,” He said, his voice as deep as a chasm in the earth. “I’m so pleased to finally meet you, Fawn.”

All at once, Fawn’s head began to spin again. She swayed, putting a hand to her forehead.

“Forgive me,” She said vaguely. “I think I need to…”

Before she could finish her sentence, she fell forward. Viribus dropped the roses and rushed to catch her before she hit the ground. His face was panicked.

“I didn’t mean to scare her,” He said, visibly upset.

“It’s all right, Viri,” Tyria said, patting his back. “She’s just overwhelmed. Trust me, I know exactly how she feels. Let’s just get her to her chambers for now, all right?”

“They’re ready for her,” Pallidus said. “Do you need me to come?”

Tyria turned to kiss Pallidus’s cheek. “No, I think it would be better if we gave her some room to breathe. I’ll come by the library later, all right? Wait for me.”

Pallidus nodded, and Tyria followed Viribus to the apartments that had been set up for Fawn, which were right next to her own.

Opening the door, she instructed Viribus to lay her on the bed and help her pull Fawn’s shoes off. Once done, Viribus began to back out of the room.

“I should go,” He said nervously. “She won’t want to see me when she wakes.”

“No, Viri, stay. I’ll stay with you. She should wake up soon, and I’ll help you talk to her. She just arrived; don’t give up just yet.”

Viribus frowned with worry, looking down at Fawn’s sleeping form. “I knew she was a slight little thing, but I didn’t realize how tiny she actually was. I can’t be the one intended for her, I’ll break her.”

“No, you won’t,” Tyria said comfortingly. “You would never hurt her, I know you wouldn’t. You’re a gentle soul, Viri.”

Viribus continued to frown, but he opened the drawer of Fawn’s bedside table and pulled out two books. One was a copy of Beauty and the Beast, one of Fawn’s favorite stories, and the second was a blank book for her to write in.

“When did you put those in here?” Tyria asked.

“The day you came,” Viribus replied. “I had hoped she would join you soon, so I put some things in her room I thought she’d like.”

“That was sweet of you,” Tyria said, patting his arm.

“I just hope she thinks so, too.” He set the books down on the bed next to her hand, and only then did he notice the drop of blood on the bedclothes.

“She pricked her finger,” He said, very, very carefully lifting her hand to examine it, as though she were made of porcelain. “It must have been from the rose. I didn’t even do that right.”

Tyria smacked him lightly on the arm with the back of her hand. It was like hitting solid stone.

“Stop beating yourself up. There’s nothing wrong with you or the way you do things. You’re too hard on yourself.”

Fawn began to stir, and Viribus backed away again.

“Stop right there,” Tyria said, pointing at his feet commandingly. He froze. She went to fetch a chair from Fawn’s new vanity for him to sit on. “Sit.”

He did so, but seemed to be doing his best to make himself appear smaller. It didn’t work. She handed him the books he had laid on the bed.

“It would be better if she got them from you,” Tyria said. Viribus’s face was doubtful, but he took them anyway.

Fawn sat up slowly in the bed, looking around her new quarters, which had been painted sky blue, Fawn’s favorite color. The ceiling had been decorated with paintings of clouds, corpuscular rays, and tiny flocks of birds. Tyria had situated herself on the edge of the bed.

“Ty,” Fawn said weakly. “Is this…?”

“Still Cavernae, yes,” Tyria replied.

“Where are we now?”

“Your quarters. They’re right next to mine. There’s a door over there,” She pointed. “That leads into my rooms, should you need me.”

Viribus cleared his throat cautiously, and Fawn’s head snapped around to look at him.

“I’m sorry I frightened you,” He said in quiet voice. “I didn’t mean to. I’m just that way, I guess.”

Fawn looked at him, his eyes downcast, his posture hunched. He reminded her of a beaten dog and she couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for him, as alarming as he was.

“It… it’s all right,” She said shakily. “I was just a little surprised, that’s all.”

He nodded. He held out the books for her to take, but refused to stand up or move any closer, lest she become frightened again.

“What are those?” She asked, putting her bare feet on the floor and standing.

“Gifts,” He replied. “I know you like to write your thoughts down in a journal, and while I couldn’t retrieve the one from your home, I thought you might still like to do so. This blue one is blank. The other is a story I know you enjoy.”

She took the books from his hands. His movements were slow and deliberate, as though she was the creature for which she was named and might scurry off if he moved too fast.

“Beauty and the Beast?” She said, surprised.

“Yes,” He replied, still looking down at his feet, his hands fidgeting in his lap. “A story about a beautiful woman who falls in love with a hideous creature. The beast is then transformed back into a handsome prince through the power of her love.” He shrugged one of his shoulders and grimaced. “I’m sorry I can’t do that. I’ll be like this forever, regardless of who does or doesn’t love me.”

She felt a peculiar aching in her heart that compelled her to extend a shaky hand, taking his chin and lifting his face so she could see his eyes. She was startled in a completely different way when he looked at her full on; he gazed at her as though she were sunlight, or starlight, or some equally radiant thing. Like he was looking at the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. It was rather intense. Her heart skipped a beat.

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” She said softly, pulling her hand away. “There’s nothing wrong with being a little different. People can’t help how they’re born.” She managed a tremulous smile. “I’m sorry if I was rude. I didn’t mean to cause such a fuss.”

“No, it’s my fault,” He said. “I shouldn’t have just sprung myself on you like that. I should have been more careful. I’m just glad I was able to catch you before you hit your head on the bench.”

“You caught me?” Fawn said, a genuine smile on her face. “Thank you.”

Viribus seemed transfixed by her smile and didn’t appear to be capable of answering. Tyria hid her own smile behind her hand. She couldn’t help but be amused by this mountain of a man rendered speechless by her wild, flighty little sister.

“How did you know this story was my favorite?” Fawn asked.

“I’ve seen you read it hundred of times,” Viribus said.

“Seen me?”

“Yes,” He replied, pulling a mirror identical to Pallidus’s out of his trouser pocket. “Mother enchanted these and gave them to my brothers and I. It has helped me learn about you.”

“Oh, like in Cinderella.”

“Yes. I’ve watched you cycle through hundreds of books, but you always return to this one sooner or later. I can’t read it myself, but I’ve heard you read it out loud enough times that I know it by heart.”

Her smiled faded and she looked at him in concern. “You can’t read?”

“No,” Viribus said sadly. “And the tragedy of it is that I love stories very much. But when I try to read, the letters jump and dance on the page and I can’t concentrate on it. Father is the same, though not as bad as me. I used to beg Mother to read to me constantly, but I stopped when I became grown.” He saw the sympathetic look on her face and added: “I’m not stupid. I understand a great many things, I just can’t read about them.”

“I could read to you, if you like,” Fawn said brightly. “I read for my animals all the time. I like having an audience.”

“You would do that?” Viribus asked.

“Of course,” Fawn said. “I couldn’t imagine not being able to read. That would be my worst nightmare.”

“If that’s the case,” Tyria said, standing. “You should see the library. It’s amazing. You could pick out a few books while your there and get started.”

“Oh, yes, let’s do that,” Viribus said enthusiastically, standing to his full, impressive height.

Fawn took a step back without thinking.

“Oh,” Viribus backed up as well, ducking his head. “I’m sorry.”

Fawn glanced at Tyria, who gave her a pointed look. Taking a deep breath, Fawn resolutely stepped forward and took Viribus’s hand.

“Will you show me the library?” She asked him.

“Yes,” He replied, smiling hesitantly. “Yes, I would love to.”

Pallidus was there, leaning against a desk with a small book in his hand, waiting for Tyria like she requested. He closed the book and set it on the desk, standing up straight as they entered, smiling widely at the sight of Fawn and Viribus together. Pallidus extended his elbow for Tyria, which she took.

“I really didn’t get the chance to introduce you two properly earlier,” Tyria said. “Fawn, this is Prince Pallidus, Heir of Cavernae. Pallidus, this is Princess Fawn of Suida, my middle sister.”

Pallidus bowed low, the delicate chains around his horns making a pleasant ringing sound as he moved. “It is an honor to finally meet you, my Lady,” He said.

Fawn curtsied. “A pleasure, my Lord.”

“She hasn’t met Genus yet. Is he here?” Tyria asked.

“Oh, I’m sure he’s in one of these rooms, he always is. I could find him, if you wish.”

“No, no, she’ll likely meet him soon enough, anyhow. Dinner will be in a little while.”

“Speaking of which,” Pallidus said. “Why don’t we go speak to Mother about the menu? Fawn is vegetarian, didn’t you say?”

“Yes, she is,” Tyria said, winking at him cheekily. “We’ll see you at dinner, all right?”

Fawn nodded, a little apprehensive. “All right.”

Pallidus and Tyria excused themselves and left, still arm in arm.

Viribus gulped nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “So… would you like a tour of the library?”

Fawn swallowed her terror at being left alone with this grey giant and said, “Yes, please.”

He took her through each of the many rooms that made up the library, smiling a little at her excitement as she forgot her nervousness and looked over each title, every tiny leaflet, every oversize tome. He walked with her, but was always mindful to leave several paces between them, so she didn’t feel like he was looming over her.

She’d spend a lot of time examining each row for books she recognized, and even pulled a few off the shelf that she had never heard of before, asking him about them. He only knew the story of one, so she put that one back and kept the two he didn’t know to be read later.

In the very center of the seventeenth room, she found a huge model castle, carefully hand painted and glittering, sitting on a pedestal.

“Oh!” She breathed, rushing over to it as soon as she saw it. “Look at this! This is an exact replica of the castle in my Cinderella storybook. Where did you get this?”

“That?” He said. “I made that.”

She turned to look at him, her mouth hanging open in shock. “You made this?”

“Yes,” He came to stand on the other side, so that the table was between them, and pressed a tiny button on the side. There was a minuscule chiming sound.

She laughed with delight. “The little bell tower even works! Oh, Viribus, this is lovely.”

“You like it?” He asked, pleased.

“Yes, very much,” Fawn said.

“Then it’s yours,” He replied.

“What, no! It belongs in the library. It’s perfect here. It makes the room so lively.”

“Hmm,” He mused. “Then I’ll make you another one for your room. What would you like? The one from Snow White? Or I could make the dragon’s hoard from that really long story about a ring.”

She thought about it, examining the intricate detail on the towers and the parapets and the apiary. It reminded her of her own castle.

“Could you make my home castle? The one I live in?” Her face fell a little. “Well, lived in,” she clarified.

He watched her face sadly. “Yes, I can. I’ve seen it from many angles, so I’m certain I can replicate it. Although, there may be one or two things on which I could use your input.”

“I’d love to help,” She said.

“Well,” He said a little uncertainly. “Follow me, then. I’ll show you my workroom.”

“Should I bring the books?” She asked, holding them up.

“Oh, yes,” He said. “Would you mind reading to me while I work? It’s awfully quiet in that end of the palace.”

“Sure,” She said, following him back out into the hallway, but just as they stared down the long corridor, a bell tolled somewhere.

“Looks like it’ll have to wait,” Viribus said, a little disappointed. “It’s time for dinner.”

The next day, he led her to a secluded corner of the hallway at the very back, away from most of the rooms. She was a little nervous, being this far out with him alone, but she was determined to make the best of the situation. She didn’t want to insult him more than she already had.

“I’m sorry it’s such a long walk,” He said, holding the books from the library under his arm. “I can make quite the ruckus sometimes when I’m building things. Father had my workroom put out here so that I wouldn’t disturb anyone.”

“Do you spend much time here?”

“Almost everyday,” He said. “Pallidus and Genus are usually in the library, when they aren’t entertaining your sister, that is, which is another reason it’s so far away. It’s hard for them to read over my banging and sawing.”

“Don’t you spend any time in the library?”

“Not really. There’s no point since I can’t read. The only time I’m in there is when I’m placing a new model or they need help moving shelves. Otherwise, I’m in here.”

“By yourself?”

“Mostly.”

“That sounds… lonely,” Fawn said.

He merely shrugged, and opened the door. As she entered, she let out a wondering gasp.

In the middle of the room, surrounded by walls of tools, equipment, materials, and paint, was a huge table that contained a display of a tiny but vast forest. There were hills and trees and minuscule woodland creatures. In the very center was a clearing by a lake, where stood a single fawn the size of her thumbnail. It almost looked as if this tiny creature was the centerpiece and everything else had been built around it. The way it was all painted and placed made it look real, as if at any second, the breeze would shift the branches and make the leaves dance. She almost expected the fawn’s ear to twitch.

“Viribus,” She breathed. “This… this is incredible. Did you really make all of this?”

“Yes,” He said, watching her face. He did that a lot. “This one has taken me months. It’s not quite finished yet, but it’s getting there.”

“You’re amazing!” She said, giving him the biggest smile he had seen yet. “You’re a real artist.”

He scratched the back of his head. “I wouldn’t say that.”

“I would, and I just did,” She said emphatically. “I couldn’t do this. And it’s such delicate work. Look how tiny these are!” She reached out to pick up the little deer, but stopped herself. “Oh, I’m sorry. May I?”

“Yes, of course, please,” He said, sitting on a stool near the table. He watched her pick up the small deer and examine it carefully, a soft smile lighting up her features. She walked up to him with it, stopping in front of him so that they were very close, and held it up to him.

“How did you paint something this small?”

He gulped at the proximity, but managed to say, “Uh… I can show you, if you’d like.”

She nodded vigorously, and he stood up, walking to the far end of the room, where there was another table covered in little carved figures, ready to be painted. He picked out another animal; from the shape, she guessed it was a mountain cat of some kind. He opened a tray that had many small reservoirs, all filled with paint. Using a spare section of the table, he used a paint trowel and mixed an orange and a gold paint together to make the perfect color for a cougar’s fur. He took up a small, finely bristled paintbrush, dipped it in the mixture, and drew short, deliberate strokes along the cat’s side, his hands completely steady.

Watching him work was mesmerizing, and Fawn couldn’t help but move closer and closer, until he could feel her breath on his neck. It made the short hairs on his body stand on end, but he forced his hands to remain stable and continued on.

It wasn’t until she knitted her hands together, placing them on his shoulder and rested her chin on top of them that he stopped altogether, turning to look at her with wide, almost terrified eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” She said as she pulled away, although she didn’t remove her hands from his shoulder. “Was I throwing you off? I can back up, if I’m bothering you.”

“No!” He said quickly. “No, you’re… you’re not bothering me at all.”

She smiled, resting her head back on her hands, waiting for him to continue. This close, he could smell the perfume of her hair, like clover and wildflowers. He took a deep breath and turned back to his work, but now his hands were shaking and he couldn’t get them to stop.

Before it could get awkward, though, a yipping sound caught her attention.

“What’s that?” She asked, following the sound.

“Oh, I…” He began, but stopped when she gasped.

She bent down under one of the tables, and when she stood up, she was holding a small brown dog, likely a forest mutt.

“Where did he come from?” She cooed, cuddling him to her cheek.

“The outside,” Viribus said. “I’m the only one that Father allows outside, so I can collect materials for my work. He doesn’t like me doing it, but it’s the only way I can get the things I need. I can only go out twice a month, at night, for thirty minutes. No more than that.” He reached to touch the dog’s ears. “I found him a few months ago, and I think another animal attacked him.”

The small dog became frantic to get to Viribus, so Fawn handed him over. Viribus cradled him like an infant.

“I named him Peach. Father doesn’t want us to bring live things from the outside down here, but I couldn’t leave him out there like that. He’d have died.” Viribus looked up anxiously. “You won’t tell Father about him, will you?”

“Of course not,” Fawn said consolingly, scratching the dog’s ears. It happily licked at her hands. “Oh, Peach. Viri’s just a big, soft teddy bear, isn’t he? Yes, he is.” Fawn giggled and looked up at Viribus with a wide grin, laying her free hand on his arm.

The contact made his spine shiver. Again, he seemed at a loss for words. He often felt that way around her.

“Why doesn’t your Father want you or your brother’s to go outside?” Fawn asked curiously.

“It’s not safe,” Viribus said, going to sit back at the table.

“Why not?”

“Well, several reasons. There are more humans now than there have ever been, and they are multiplying rapidly, encroaching on the old territories. There are far fewer of us than them, and since the old treaties between our kinds died out, many humans have forgotten the old codes and regard us with fear or hatred. Demons have often been attacked when they try mingle with humans. Elves have retreated far into their homes and have stopped venturing out for fear of the same.” Peach had one of Viribus’s large fingers in his mouth, snarling playfully, and Viribus smiled down at him. “Not to mention the sun.”

“What about the sun?”

“For a lot of demons, sunlight is harmful,” He replied.

“Will it kill you, like vampires?” She asked.

“No, not unless we spent hours and hours in the sun, but that’s bad even for humans. No, it’s more like an allergy. It makes out skin burn and welt. It’s not lethal, but it’s not pleasant, either.”

“Are elves the same way?”

“No. Actually, most elves enjoy the sunlight.”

“Well, you’re half elf, aren’t you? You might be immune to sunlight.”

He tilted her head at her, considering. “Now, there’s an idea.”

“Have you ever tried going out during the day?”

“Oh, no, never,” He replied, shaking his head. “Father would be most displeased. He worries for our safety, above all things.”

Fawn was reminded of her own father, and she sighed unhappily. She turned her attention back to Peach to distract herself.

“Well, now,” She said, pulling the dog from his grasp and setting him on her shoulder. “Why don’t we read for a bit while you’re papa does his work, hmm?” She smiled up at Viribus. “Would you like that?”

“Yes,” he said quietly. “I would like that very much.”

She took a stool from a different work station and sat it next to him at table, laying on of the books in front of her and opening the cover. Viribus had laid the cougar aside and picked up a flat, thin length of wood and a small carving knife, meticulously cutting out the shape of what would be the Suida capitol’s great castle, Fawn’s home.

“’Many years ago, so long that time itself has forgotten the name of the country, there lived a great king with no heirs…’”

When Fawn was with Viribus, days passed like seconds. She loved to watch him work in his workshop, and he adored the sound of her voice when she read. He was happiest when she shared her own stories with him, ones she had written herself. It was like a little piece of her only he was allowed to see. The first time she sat in his lap to read, he very nearly cried.

It took some convincing, but she finally got him to join her in the library for a reading. She invited Tyria and Viribus’s brothers, too, and though Viribus thought his brothers would laugh at such a thing, they always turned up and listened to her readings. Once or twice, his mother and father came to listen, as well. It became a weekly thing, and it made Viribus very, very happy.

As if to repay her, he went out of his way to accommodate her. Anything she wanted, he would get her, no questions asked. He would do almost anything to please her; if she were to request that he burn down his entire workshop, he would do it with a smile on his face as long as it made her happy. Not that she ever would. It was her favorite place to read.

Most of the time, she read out loud to him, but there were times when he needed to concentrate hard on his work, so she would stay and read in silence. He just really enjoyed having her nearby, even if they weren’t interacting.

She’d often throw on an apron and help him keep the place tidy, even though he told her each time that she didn’t have to do it. All it took was a kiss on the cheek and a smile, and he let her do whatever she wanted.

When he went out on his bi-monthly hikes to the outside, she waited at the portal, anxious for him to come back. Once, he’d come home with an arrow in his shoulder, and she was beside herself with worry. He said there had been hunters near the portal when he came out, and he had tried to lead them away, but was shot in the process. He made her swear never to tell his Father, lest he revoke his ability to go out. She promised, helping him remove the arrow and dress the wound, burning the bloody tunic afterward.

Seeing him with his shirt off did strange things to her body. She always knew he was muscular, but feeling the solid muscle shift under his skin with her own hands was something new entirely. It made the blood rush to her cheeks and pooled warmth at her midsection. There was a powerful ache rising up in her that made her heart beat hard in her chest and her thighs clamp shut. It made her imagine things she had never thought of before, like what his hands, or his lips, would feel like on her bare skin. It took a strong force of will to stop her fingers from lingering on the flesh of his back, tracing his spine downward, and seeing where it led.

She was quite old enough to understand what these feelings were, even if she had never felt them before. It was still a startling revelation. She desired Viribus. She wanted him in a painful, aching, physical way.

But desire and love were two different things entirely. Did she love him? She certainly knew she cared about him a great deal, but was that love? How would she know? How did he feel about her?

She wouldn’t have to wait long for the answer to that last question. A few days after the arrow incident, she went to his workroom to meet him, carrying bandages concealed in a bag so that she could change the dressings on the wound, when she heard his deep, bass voice through the door.

He appeared to be playing with Peach, wrestling and roughhousing. As much as Viribus thought of himself as a clumsy, hulking monster, he had never once hurt Peach, even accidentally. Or her, for that matter.

She suddenly heard a scratching at the door. Peach must be able to smell her. Just as she put her hand on the knob to open the door, she heard Viribus say: “Waiting for Fawn, eh? She’s coming soon, buddy, don’t you worry. You love her, don’t you, boy? Do you love Fawn, Peach? Huh? Do you love her?”

He must have picked the dog up, because the scratching stopped. She heard Viribus sigh softly on the other side.

“Yeah. Me too.”

For a moment, the only thing she could hear was Peach’s excited panting and yips. Then she heard Viribus say, in a more cheerful voice, “Let’s get this place cleaned up, eh, Peach? Make sure she doesn’t work her pretty little hands to the bone this time.”

Fawn laid a hand on the smooth wood of the door, listening to him knock around inside the work room, putting things away and talking to Peach animatedly.

Something had taken hold of her heart, something as strong as iron and as soft as rose petals. She had never felt it before, but knew what it was in an instant.

Of course. Of course she loved him. He was her Beast, how could she not? She pressed her forehead against the cool door, bathing in the new emotion, letting it swallow her up. Knowing that he loved her made the desire for him stronger and more urgent, like a fire fueled with spirits. Her breathing was a little uneven and her body tensed in ways it never had. It took several minutes before she was able to settle herself down and enter the room.

As she came in, he smiled at her affectionately, and the fire was kindled anew. Watching him strip off his shirt and submit to her ministrations with trust in his eyes did absolutely nothing to quench it.

She had been in the underground kingdom for three months, and in all that time, he had never once brought up the engagement. He gave her as much space as she needed and didn’t press her or ask her about the betrothal, perhaps afraid of what her answer might be.

One afternoon, while taking tea with her on the balcony of her apartments, she surprised him.

“I wrote a new story. Would you like to hear it?”

“Always,” He said with a wide smile, sitting down on the balcony bench with her.

“I haven’t figured out a name for it yet,” She said, opening her journal. “It just sort of spilled out of me yesterday evening, so forgive it if it’s a little rough.”

“I’m sure it’s wonderful, just like all your tales.”

She smiled up at him. “Very well then,” She replied, clearing her throat.

“’Once upon a time, there was a young woman who lived with her family in the sunlight. She was of royal birth, but she was a wild thing, hard to dislike but even harder to tame.”

“Reminds me of someone, but I can’t think of who,” Viribus said playfully, and Fawn shushed him in a good natured sort of way.

“'One day, while playing with her animal friends, she stepped through a hole and fell into a dark, impossible place far underground. There, she met a strange man, who insisted they were to be wed. Shocked, the poor girl collapsed.'”

Viribus’s smile faded. He knew this story.

“'When she awoke, she saw him waiting there. He was huge and monstrous and hulking. But when she reached out to him, he shrunk from her, as though afraid. He was timid and unsure of himself, a stark contrast to his fearsome exterior.’”

Viribus shifted in his seat anxiously. She seemed to notice, but continued.

“’It took time, but the two tried to understand one another. They found they shared the same love: a love of tales. This is just like Beauty and the Beast, she thought. So she made him a deal. She would read him a story each night, and he would put off the wedding for another day. He agreed. So, as time passed, the wedding was suspended and many stories were told.’

“’One evening, he came to her chamber and sat down to receive his story, when she realized that his eyes, which she once found terrifying, looked at her with splendor, as if she were the only thing in the world worthy of being looked upon. The next night, she realized that the body she once believed to be huge and intimidating, was in fact strong and protective, and would gladly take sword and arrow if it meant keeping her from harm. The next night, she looked at his hands, and instead of the violent bludgeons she had suspected they could be, she saw them for the careful, creative things they were, able to calm wounded creatures and make beautiful, delicate things to be marveled at and wondered over.’

’And she realized then, he was beautiful. Beauty and the Beast was indeed a fairy tale, because in this young maiden’s story, her beastly prince was beautiful just as he was, and she would never want him to change. All at once, she knew then that she loved him.” Her voice softened to a near whisper. “She loved every strange, wondrous thing about him.’”

Viribus’s heart stopped, and then beat way too fast. She couldn’t mean…

“’How would she tell him, then? How could she put it into words and make him understand that what she said was the truth? He doubted himself and saw himself as a monster, so how to make him see, that to her, he was a good man, the only man worthy of her love? In what way could she tell him that being held by him was like being wrapped in her favorite blanket, safe from any danger? How could she show him that the sight of him filled her with desire, a thirst for him she couldn’t slake. How could she say and make him believe that he was the only man she would ever want? How?’

“’And then she knew. It was simple. The answer had been there all along,’” Fawn said, looking up at Viribus and slowly closing the book in her lap. “’She would just tell him a story.’”

He reached out with his hand and touched her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, putting her own hand over his sighing in contentment. He bent to rest his forehead on hers.

“That was beautiful,” He said quietly.

“It’s a true story, you know,” She whispered. “And it’s not over yet.”

“No?” He said, looking into her eyes. “Then how does it end?”

She tilted her chin up and gently pressed her lips to his. “She keeps telling him stories, not to hold off his advances, but merely to make him happy. In fact, there’s only one night when no story is told.” Her cheeks flush. “Their wedding night.”

His heart danced in his chest and his eyes widen in shock. “You’ll marry me?”

She nodded, her sweet smile full of affection. “Yes, I will.”

He breathed a sigh of relief and shut his eyes, tears falling freely down his cheeks. He rested his head on her shoulder, weeping unashamed, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, humming a soft lullaby into his ear.

“The story is only going to get better,” She said as she pulled him back a little, wiping his tears away with her fingers. “I promise.”

“I believe you,” He said gently, and he bent to kiss her again.

A kiss that was interrupted by a familiar voice screaming obscenities from the hallway outside of Fawn’s balcony.

“Oh,” Fawn said pleasantly. “Looks like Gale has made it at last.”

Since my work is no longer searchable, please do me a favor and reblog this story if you enjoyed it. Help me reach a wider audience! To help me continue creating, please consider buying me a Kofi, becoming a Patron, or donating directly to my PayPal!

Thanks for reading!

My Masterlist

The Exophilia Creator’s Masterlist

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rdlain · 2 years ago

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💩 🦸‍♀️ 🧑🦕💻 🌄

Here’s the link to get a random Wikipedia page. You now have a neogender based off of the page that was pulled up–what is it?

Ocrasa is a genus of moths belonging to the family Pyralidae.

holy fucking shit....I won the jackpot....I'm moth/mothself!!!!!!!

;-; howdy folxxxx please donate to my gofundme to help me leave my abusive housemates (want me to wash le dishes DX) I'm just a wittle moff ;-; and 24 ;-;

Are there any particular feminists or feminist groups you look up to?

As far as written stuff goes nobody breaks it down better than Dworkin. Also I'm going through Gyn/ecology and I love how heady Mary Daly gets, emphasizing that finding the words to speak of our reality is difficult in man-made linguistics (our very speech in innately propagandized towards a male favor) very very interesting.

For $0, name a woman.

Wendy Williams

If you had to pick an animal to represent your blog, what would it be (catfems, you don’t have to answer cat)?

get vulpix'd

lookin very autism-creature in this card

Do you identify as a member of any of the -fem titles (factfem, nicefem, rudefem, etc)?

I self-id as a ROFL-fem

What was the first thing that peaked you, and when did you peak (not just specifically “peak trans,” but anything “peak patriarchy”)?

My mother always made it a point to emphasize that being born female doesn't hinder my ability to do anything I wanted to, thanks to her I've lived my whole life being pretty aware of society's attempts to mold me and force me back into the femininity-prison. In high school liberal feminism was gaining enough traction for my friends to start hosting their own feminism group that open my eyes to the activism portion (just slut walk era stuff, I remember we'd make pins with slurs like "slut" "slag" "bimbo" and wear them in an effort to """reclaim""" it, real cringe shit right there lmao)

In regards to trans stuff, I never bought into it. I assumed others didn't either and were being polite to accommodate their dysphoria. It was a total mindfuck to realize that no, there were actual TRUE and HONEST believers and they were INSANE lmao. I came out as a lesbian and one of the first things my friends brought up was the (now classic) "but wait would you be open to dating a transwomen??" I said fuck no it's impossible to transition out of malehood, and after like a month of internal debate they called me exclusionary and kicked me out of the feminism group. In an effort to make sense of what the fuck just happened I went through the lesbophobia tag on tumblr and found radical feminism.....the rest is history lmao, thanks for the inadvertent consciousness raising troons <3

#also thanks for the ask babygirl <3

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fyrapartnersearch · 7 years ago

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The captain has turned off the fasten seatbelt sign

Hello, this is your captain speaking. We’re currently flying at the altitude where passenger planes can be spotted! One of my co-pilots is starting to disembark before landing, so I am currently searching for a craft that will carry a story on new wings!

About your aviator: My name’s Jaimie. Hi!

I’ve been flying for many years (15+) but more recently have been stationed abroad (Therefore I’m not going to dole out timezones- it scares away the passengers) all you really need to know is that outside of my flight pattern (my hobby) I have a really time consuming job (40+ hours) but fear not! Rain or shine, this plane always makes the trip! My trips are normally good for one ride a day, however, sometimes I’m willing to take a layover if the going’s good.

Age wise, I’m 27. Welp.

You’ll notice (or not) in the tags, I clicked fandoms. Despite the fandom ‘click’ I will only use original characters (OCs ONLY).

Let’s go over some air safety rules!

- Noted above, I only write OCs. Please don’t email me about [Spiderman x Deadpool] or whatever the kids are writing now. NO. I don’t want to role-play your fandom! Hope that clears that up.

- I only write as men. I am looking for a MxM role-play. I double often with a vast range of characters (I repeat, I this aircraft serves all kinds!). I respect your want to play any other story, do not email me saying, “I read your post, but I really like writing a female…lol is that okay?” I will politely turn you down and privately share your faux-pas with my colleagues about you not being able to read. So…hope that clears that up…

- Please be legal age if you want to write NSFW stories. You must be 18 or older to fly unaccompanied by a legal guardian. I am an adult, I would prefer adult themes but I am not above writing SFW stories either. Let me know what you’re interested in…and your age. We can discuss limits should it be needed.

- I like to think I’m pretty friendly, I would love to talk to you! If you want to chat or be buddy buddy, cool beans friend! I’m all for those kinds of words.

- This has been peeving me for some time. Everyone always says, “I usually get dropped because x doesn’t respond/ the story dips off and I don’t know what to write/ I have no time/ I need time to think of a reply/ etc.”

I will absolutely tell you if the story is going nowhere/ let you know if I want to stop/ Can’t write anymore. Please do the same. I will not be upset and respect you more for it. I might even hit you up if you feel like the time might be right at another date. To those who have previously messaged me, please don’t re-message. It didn’t work for some reason, I see you floating around here too. To you, I say good day sir-madams!

- Lastly, I will provide story prompts and name my character I intend on using. The plotting point of the role-play (not even the writing) is usually where I lose people…I also get the line, “What are you into…I’ll write whatever…You choose…” Well damn. I will choose. Call it, fatigue from the lack of will to be frank about what one truly wants.

* (Character bio’s in depth will be provided to those interested in the story/character combo.)

The Flight plan (plots)

1. (Fantasy/Sci-fi/Modern) Startop or affectionately dubbed 'ST’ by his small group of companions is a botanist and lover of any kind of plant life. Working in a world filled with something akin to 'scientific magic’ people not only live along side the growing technological industry but also have discovered alchemic answers to the 'magic tricks’ in the world. As a result animal-like monstrosities have been released in this land along with anomalies in the plant life. A glorious haven for ST, he works in an old castle like building, toiling behind 'chemicals’ to enhance plants to better serve humanity. There is a 'slip up’ here and there, but nothing that can’t be swept under the proverbial rug…or burned. The quirky semi-scientist who slums it in a laboratory has never lived a life of adventure in the fantastic world around him. They say he can work magic on foliage but perhaps someone in his genus could strike up some chemistry instead.

2. (FANDOM- Love Pistols Manga) (Notice: if you have no idea what this is, please either google it or over look this prompt). After losing his best friend to another man in South Korea, Leroy is devastated. At the losing end of a love triangle, the heavyweight faces his future back in New York with disdain. The god-father to his secret love’s son and rival of his current lover. Leroy finds little joy in the time spent back home. Everyone is moving on without him and being the heir to his father’s banking company, Leroy will either face an arranged marriage in order to keep the family wheel turning or find someone to replace his previous 'Prince’. It’s tough being an Alligator in such a cold city, but maybe someone can help this reptile warm up.

3. (Fantasy) Serbian is foremost a sorcerer but a small fact remains that he is also a demon. Demons fall in many categories in this world, some being benign, others being a threat. In this world there are humans and those who are not. Serbian falls into the aforementioned slot, which he is all too painfully aware of. Spending his time with a page held against her will, and a two tailed beast, the demon often finds himself peddling his wares to fellow demons and humans alike, forever on the move, a nomad in a mysterious continent. Yet, the humans strive to rid the world of demon-kind engineering 'aeygles’ a hybrid of human and demon kind to ward of the surmounting threat to humanity. Stifled with a secret hidden within himself, Serbian struggles to live in a chaotic world wrought with danger, aeygles, daemons, mystery, and magic. Will he succumb to the rise of humanity, or help snuff it out before the Aeygles prove to be more dangerous to both demons and humans alike?

4. (Fantasy/Slice of Life/Modern) Thad is a damn good chef. He has hit a low point however and now works in a sleazy part of town, in a run down restaurant, smack between a strip joint and a dollar theatre. This doesn’t get him down however, being a slacker is kind of his thing. When he’s not working, he spends his time in bars, drinking, or playing the bass in a punk band for kicks. The point remains however, Thad is a damn good chef. He has been for over 500 years. Though that’s pretty young in the lifetime of an imp. The world has always had a side not so often seen, and his world is nearly invisible, thanks to the OG monsters who kept things in the shadows. Life for monsters has been changing however, vampires being more lax, werewolves running amok from time to time. Still, despite this low point, it’s but a small bump in the trajectory of his so-called life. He’ll either continue on as he has been for 500 years or be thrown for a loop by whatever comes his way. But that’s the beauty of life. You never know who or what might be coming down the road.

5. (Fantasy/Sci-fi) On the alien planet of Avis, in the Sol System- a neighbor to old Earth’s Solar System there live a species undisturbed for eons. Despite the lack of communication between others, the Harpee have thrived with their minimalist technologies, living on their harsh, jungle infested planet. Muteo, a young Harpee prince is leery of taking on his mother’s position as ruler of his people. However, with four waring factions between the Harpee, there is a little competition. With the threat of contact from other worlds looming and the choice to follow in his mother’s footsteps- what is the prince to do? Will he choose to explore these 'settlers’ from another world, or to unify his people and fight them.

There you have it folks! Grab your ticket and fall in line, we’ll be boarding soon!

I only role-play through email: [email protected] (there it is!)

Please don’t email me with no idea what you’re interested in. If you want something a little different or want to modify the stories in any way, please let me know! I’m all for the change! I am also willing to collaborate on a plot/character IF a decent story has been developed and the need arises to make another character.

#oc rp #long term #email #submission

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obsidianapanthera · 7 years ago

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PEOPLE I’D LIKE TO GET TO KNOW BETTER! (please repost, not reblog!)

one ( name / alias ): Kuro Mun/ Birb mostly two ( birthday ): May 3rd three ( zodiac sign ): Taurus four ( height ): 5′3″ ish five ( hobbies ): playing games, bit of writing, drawing, complaining six ( favourite colour(s) ): Emerald’s always nice. seven ( favourite books ): Inheritance Cycle, Dragon’s Breath, Last Dog on Earth.. like shyit man plenty books I’ve read and enjoyed while growing up. eight ( last song listened to: ): C2C - Delta on repeat nine ( last film watched ): Pacific Rim Uprising ten ( inspiration for muse ): He was easily forgettable at first but revisiting the manga I had, I grew to like him being a catty old bastard. He’s cunning, sneaky, yet eloquent who had the strength and uncanny speed to actually pose as a threat instead of being only Brains and no Brawn. Gotta love me some intelligent boys that get written off as weaker than they truly are, bonus points for being a sassy little bastard too. eleven ( dream job ): Uhhhh be happy doing my job? twelve ( meaning behind your url ): Ain’t nothing more than Obsidian, a hard, dark, glasslike volcanic rock that’s brittle and breaks into very sharp edges not unlike how Kuro fucking IS on a daily basis and Panthera.. which is a name to describe a genus in the Felidae family.. namely jaguars are categorized under it since black panthers are.. well melanistic jaguars, I mean who fuckin knew right? I sure as hell didn’t. Literally just “black panther/cat/feline” in fancy words you can say.

Tagged by: No one, I decided to do it cause why not Tagging: No one, feel free to do it

#||about mun #out of catnip #( the extra A in my url is just so it rolls off the tongue smoothly NLVSKdng why? Cause I felt it'd be better.)

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ryttu3k · 7 years ago

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After some really tedious grinding, let’s go fight some birds! Then, to Lilycove!

The current team:

Lovely nice numbers, haha. 36, 35, 34, 33! Also, yes, Sage has not yet evolved. I want them to learn Earth Power at level 37 before they do, otherwise I have to wait until level 40.

Highest-levelled Pokemon at the gym is level 35. Honestly Oleracea should probably hit that INSIDE the gym. And on we go!

Bird Keeper Jared leads with Swellow, level 30. Discharge OHKO! Good start, haha. Next is Skarmory, level 30. Let’s give that to Chickweed, actually, save that PP! It’s not a OHKO but only because of Sturdy XD

Picknicker Kylee has a Swablu, level 31. Another easy OHKO!

Camper Terrell leads with Doduo, level 28. Next, Pelipper, level 30. Easy pair of OHKOs!

Bird Keeper Will has a Dodrio, level 32. More OHKO!

Bird Keeper Bran has Pelipper, level 32. Et cetera.

So that’s OHKO for every Pokemon in the gym before Winona except the Skarmory with Sturdy XD Time for the actual gym battle! She leads with Swellow, level 33. It uses Quick Attack, Oleracea OHKOs it. Next is Altaria, level 35. Oooh right part Dragon - ACK Earthquake, down to the reds! Alright, Snowdrop is in! Yeah, that Earthquake didn’t do much. Ice Fang does it! Next up is Skarmory, level 33, let’s make this a real team thing and get in Chickweed! OHKO, no Sturdy here! Last is a level 33 Pelipper, and Oleracea can finish things off with a Discharge OHKO!

Nice nice :D And now Sage evolves, and I can replace Sky Drop with Fly!

ONWARDS.

I see you there, Ninja kid! You don’t scare me, I have a fully-evolved Psychic/Ground-type now! Ninja Boy Tsunao leads with Koffing, level 29. CHECK OUT MY LEVEL 37 CLAYDOL... or not because it self-destructed XD Another Koffing, level 30, and this one gets to eat Extrasensory! Finally, a level 31, and the same!

That was so satisfying.

Parasol Lady Angelica has a Castform, level 34! And it’s raining, so Discharge will work extra nicely ;D

Ace Trainer Jennifer has a Milotic! <3 Level 36, ooh, we’re actually getting HIGHER than Oleracea. She takes it out, then gets a nice heal-up.

Bug Maniac Brandon has a Masquerain, level 34. Discharge OHKO!

*weeps gently at every Absol call*

Oh my gosh found a Light Ball. Too bad my Pikachu is fucking dead.

Street Thug Gomez has a Cacturne, level 34. Yeah, Chickweed’s!

Ninja Boy Keigo leads with Ninjask, level 32. Chickweed again! Next is Koffing, level 30, and that’s Sage!

Ruin Maniac Chip leads with a Baltoy! I have a Claydol :D Snowdrop is only ten levels higher no biggie. Next is Nosepass, also level 32, and this is Edel’s! Whoa it has Discharge. No harm done, Edel is pretty sturdy. No pun intended.

Delinquent Sharlene has a Sharpedo, level 34. A satisfying Discharge OHKO!

Ranger Carlos has a Nuzleaf, level 33. Oh hey, wasn’t a Nuzleaf the origin of the word ‘Nuzlocke’? Either way, let’s try out Edel’s Sky. And it’s a OHKO! Next is Manectric! I have one of those. Time for Sage to show off their new Earth Power! And another OHKO!

My physical fitness is rubbish, thanks, Ranger Jenna XD;; She leads with Lombre, level 33. Discharge down to the yellows, Water Sport does... fuck all, another to finish it off. Next is Grumpig, level 33, and this one is all Snowdrop’s!

On to route 121!

Hex Maniac Tammy leads with Duskull, level 33. That’s Snowdrop’s! Next is Sableye, tricky. Only thing that’s SE is Fairy, but my only Fairy move is on my Psychic-type. Which. Yeah. I might keep Snowdrop in, because at least she’s strong and has other moves. Yeah, Ice Fang does about half damage. Shadow Claw from Sableye doesn’t do much at all, and another Ice Fang finishes it!

Beauty Jessica leads with Kecleon, level 32. Please beat it up, Chickweed XD;; While Mega Evolved, because hell yeah. Next is Seviper, level 34. All Sage’s!

GASP. AQUAS. They’re heading to Mount Pyre. Oh, and here’s Safari Zone! Maybe later.

Teammates Kate and Joy have a Slaking and Spinda, levels 35 and 34. I’ll get Chickweed in, and sic Snowdrop on the Spinda. Oof, Psybeam to Chickweed, you little shit. He kicks Slaking down, and Snowdrop finishes off the Spinda. Holy shit YES Snowdrop you can learn Crunch :D

Poke Fan Vanessa has a Pikachu! Sob. Level 35. Let’s get Sage in! Easy OHKO.

And my first route encounter is... a Shuppet! Hey, that works! She shall be named... Uniflora, as in Ghost Pipe.

Oh, Lilycove! Well, I’ll heal up, then head for Mount Pyre!

Back to route 121. Gentleman Walter has a Manectric, level 35. Here’s mine! Or, well, not, here’s Sage XD

Haha, there was a healer right near the entrance to Mt Pyre. Of course there was.

Okay lmfao looks like I’ve caught everything thus far available on route 122, so no catches here!

In to Mt Pyre! I already have a Shuppet, so let’s see what else is here...

Oh, Poke Maniac Mark and his Lairon, level 36 XD Double Kick from Chickweed handles it!

Ooh, a cleanse tag.

You know, Atsuko probably buries Daisy here :(

Duskull! That’s my catch, then. Monotropa, then? The genus name of Ghost Pipe!

Psychic William leads with a Staryu, level 35. Discharge takes it down! Next is Grumpig, level 35. That’s Snowdrop’s! Cronch.

Last for this level is Hex Maniac Valerie, and Sableye, level 36. Uuugh damn Sableye. Volt Switch does a fair bit of damage, switching to Snowdrop to finish it!

Black Belt Atsushi has a Machoke, level 37. Over to Sage!

“When I told everyone I can talk to Pokemon, they became concerned for me...” Interesting words from Fairy Tale Girl Momo! She has a Jigglypuff, level 35. All yours, Edel!

Young Couple Dez and Luke have a Manectric and a Delcatty, levels 36. First step, get some better fighters in, haha. Chickweed and Sage can take these two! Oh FUCKING Sing... Sage Earth Powers the Manectric, and once Chickweed wakes up, he... immediately gets hit by Attract from the Delcatty are you fucking. Ayyy he got the hit out anyway! Nice.

Man I’m just gonna skip the trainers on this level.

:D Shadow Ball and Medichamite! Nice.

Ooh, there’s Medicham in the outdoors areas. Well, that explains the Medichamite XD AND VULPIX. DARLING. Oh my goodness.

And we’re at the top. I see... at least three grunts on the path up, and Archie and Matt at the top. BATTLE TIME.

First grunt has a level 36 Grimer. Sage wrecks it.

Next grunt, leads with Carvanha, level 33. Discharge OHKO! Next is Mightyena, level 35, and that’s Chickweed’s!

Last grunt, leads with Mightyena, level 34. Over to Chickweed! Huh, I wonder if Blazikenite counts as an item for the purpose of Embargo? ...nope. No kill like overkill :’) Next is Golbat, level 34, back to Oleracea for a Discharge OHKO!

Nice.

Archie is heading for Slateport, and I have a fight with Matt! He only has his level 38 Sharpedo, and I have a level 41 Manectric ;D

Red Orb acquired. With my handy dandy Fly, we’re off to Slateport!

“We’re taking your submarine!” “Oh dear where did that voice come from?!” Check your submarine?

Aaand no more submarine. Oops. Will dash back to Lilycove as soon as I take care of these boring ol’ grunts! First one has a Mightyena, level 36, that’s Chickweed’s.

Next grunt leads with Carvanha, level 34. Oleracea takes it out! Next is Golbat, level 34. Fuck it, Oleracea can take this one, too!

Nice, a free trip to Lilycove. A brief explore of the town - apparently an Aqua grunt has 101 Skitty at their parents’ place, and a lovey-dovey couple roleplay as... Lisia and her Altaria... as one does.

Here seems to be a good place to stop!

Current Team

Reserves

Dead

Catnip the Skitty, found route 116, killed by Lass Janice’s Marill in route 116

Daisy the Pikachu, found Slateport City, killed by Archie’s Sharpedo at Mount Chimney

#atsuko's adventure

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thetravelerwrites · 7 years ago

Text

The Bargain: Genus

Based on “The Princes” series of shorts written by tumblr user @your-monster-romance, with her permission. Read the Original Shorts Here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Previous Chapters: Prologue, Pallidus, Viribus Following Chapters: Gale (NSFW), Fawn (NSFW), Tyria (NSFW), Epilogue

The third brother, Genus, finally meets his betrothed, Gale. Gale rejects the planned wedding outright and is determined to escape, even if she has to ask her so-called future husband for help. Please reblog and leave feedback!

All Gale remembered was getting up from the garden table to look for her sisters, who were taking their sweet time returning to her birthday luncheon, when she stumbled out into the open meadow beyond the castle’s rose garden and fell after stubbing her toe against something solid.

Looking back, she saw that she had tripped over a glittering rose, pink and transparent, that appeared to have been sculpted from crystal. She had never seen anything like it before. It was the kind of thing that would be the jewel of any dragon’s treasure hoard or in a display case of a grand art collection. It looked incredibly out of place, standing straight up out of the ground surrounded by waving grass.

Thinking to show it to her father, who had been acting rather odd lately, she took hold of the seaglass-green stem and attempted to pull it up. It was anchored pretty solidly, so she yanked and ended up snapping the stem from whatever held it beneath the earth with a soft tink!

Then, it was like a small explosion went off all around her. The grass and flowers of the meadow kicked up and swirled around her so fast, it was if she were in a hurricane. She closed her eyes and shielded her face, certain she would open them again to find her gown shredded and cuts all over her skin, but when the deafening noise finally died away, she saw no such thing. She was completely unruffled.

“It’s you!” A voice called suddenly from across the long, dark hallway in which she found herself. A young… man… scurried up to her, dropping a tall stack of enormous books in his haste. He took her hand in both of his, exclaiming, “I can’t believe your finally here! I was giving up hope you’d ever come! I’m so happy to see you!”

“Unhand me! Who are you? What are you?” Gale shouted, her heart pounding, as she wrenched her hand from the grip of the shortish, grey skinned man. If he could be called a man.

He wore spectacles, seemingly an academic type judging by the ink smudges on his hands and the smell of old books that permeated from his skin and clothing. He had on a simple, plain white shirt and natural linen trousers, with his curly black hair hanging down his back in a messy braid. He was mostly clean and pressed, but had the slightly mussed-up, unkempt look of a person not overly concerned with their appearance.

He was rather stout but not muscular, and Gale suspected this was a fellow who spent most of his time sitting down. He was, in fact, rather squishy looking. Although, judging from the enormous stack of books he had been carrying, he possessed considerable strength.

Despite somehow looking like a history professor, his body was quite animalistic in nature. In place of feet, he had cloven hooves like a goat or a deer, and his legs were double jointed and covered in soft black fur from the reverse knee joint down. He had short antlers on his head and a thin tail swinging behind him. His head was just level with Gale’s, perhaps a hair shorter, but his antlers made him appear taller.

His ears were small but pointed and twitched slightly when he smiled. He could also apparently move them backwards and forwards, sticking them out or flattening them against his head like a small creature listening for predators. The whites and irises of his eyes were solid red with small black pupils as their only distinguishing characteristic. It was an odd juxtaposition of features.

He had rushed up to Gale before she had even had the chance to open her eyes, taking her hand and shaking it vigorously, going on about how please he was to finally see her in person as though they were lifelong penpals or some such. His enthusiasm was daunting, and the strangeness of his appearance did nothing to reassure her.

“My name is Genus, my Lady,” He said, bowing. “I’m so happy you’ve come! It’s truly an honor to meet you!” He was practically jumping up and down in excitement. She backed away from him in alarm.

“Gale!”

Gale turned and saw her sister Fawn dashing up, followed by an absolute giant of a man. The giant had similar features as this short, chubby man, except the taller of the two had solid black eyes, a darker skin tone, no tail, and ram’s horns rather than antlers. He trailed after Fawn, who was maybe three-fifths his height, like a lovesick puppy.

Fawn flung herself onto Gale, crying. “I’m so happy you’re here! We missed you so much!”

“What? We? What are you talking about?” Gale asked a little hysterically. “Where is here?”

Instead of answering, Fawn took the giant by the hand and pulled. He knelt down so that she could whisper in his ear. After listening for a moment, he nodded in agreement and she smiled at him, laying a hand on his right cheek and kissing the left. Reluctantly, he slipped out of her grasp, then stood and trotted off.

“He’s going to get Tyria,” Fawn said. She glanced at Genus, who was shifting from foot to foot, with no small amount of sympathy. “We need to talk.”

After a moment or two, Tyria walked up on the arm of another impossible man, this one hauntingly thin and gaunt, with horns spiraling high out of the top of his head decorated with delicate silver chains. He was dressed very rich in green silk and emeralds at his neck and ears. His hair was long and black, and he walked with a graceful swagger. A bit haughty for Gale’s taste, but Tyria seemed quite taken with him. She fussed and picked at his tunic, and he smiled at her fondly.

The giant returned as well, reaching out for Fawn. Gale’s middle sister stepped into the safety of his embrace without hesitation, placing her hands on his chest, her eyes dewy as they looked up at him. He gazed down at her as if she were the only thing that deserved his attention.

Gale looked at both of her sisters as if they, too, had grown horns. “What is going on here? I feel like there’s a joke that everyone is in on except for me.”

“Not much of a joke, I’m afraid,” The tall, gaunt one said. His voice was quite musical. “Although I’m sure my father finds this all rather amusing. He always did have an odd sense of humor.”

“And your father is?”

“Zinzo, the Demon King.”

Gale’s head rocked back. “Uh… what exactly does the Demon King want with my sisters and me?”

Tyria and Fawn shared a look between them that made Gale very nervous.

“Now, you mustn’t get upset, Gale,” Tyria began.

“I’m already upset, Ty, just tell me what’s going on!”

Tyria took a deep breath and, with Fawn’s help, carefully explain the situation with the betrothal, trying their best to convey that the brothers were not in control of the situation and that Gale shouldn’t hold it against them.

“Are. You. Serious?” Gale said through gritted teeth as they concluded the explanation.

“I’m afraid so,” Fawn replied. “Father made the deal before he even knew he’d be having daughters, before he even married Mother. He thought, at the time, that he would never have to make good on his promise.”

“So… what? We’re literally just collateral for Suida? That’s the only reason we exist at all? What kind of nonsense is that?”

“I know it’s hard to accept, Gale,” Tyria said. “It’s not ideal in any sense. Trust me, I was plenty angry at Father when I first arrived. But it’s really not so bad here once you get used to it.”

Gale massaged her temples, trying to wrap her head around the day’s events. Genus fidgeted and watched her apprehensively, with his brothers standing at his shoulders in support. Her sisters stood on either side, creating a wall of insanity she couldn’t penetrate.

“Well,” Gale said. “It was nice to meet you all. I’m leaving.”

Her sisters and the brothers exchanged uneasy looks.

“I’m afraid you can’t leave,” Genus said woefully.

“The hell I can’t,” Gale retorted. “I don’t really care what promises my father made, I don’t recall signing any contracts. I am an adult and I want to leave.”

“No, Gale, you don’t understand,” Tyria said. “None of us can leave, not even Zinzo’s sons. There’s a protective barrier around the kingdom that prevents anyone from entering and exiting without Zinzo’s permission.”

“Then take me to the Demon King and I’ll make him release us.”

Again, Fawn and Tyria exchanged glances.

“What?” Gale fairly snarled.

“Well…” Fawn said in a small voice. “I’m not sure what Tyria wants to do, but… I don’t want to leave.”

“Why?” Gale asked venomously.

“Well…” She said again, reaching back to take the giant’s hand in hers. “Just before you arrived, I agreed to marry Viribus.”

There was a joyous exclamation between the five of them, congratulating Fawn and her massive groom-to-be as they grinned sheepishly. Gale watched them in horror.

“You can’t be serious!” Gale said. “You’re really going to marry that monster?”

Viribus flinched, and Fawn’s eyes widened in offense.

“Gale!” Tyria said reproachfully. “This is a special day for Fawn and Viri. Don’t you dare spoil it for them.”

“Oh, my gods, am I the only sane one here?!” Gale shouted. “How can you both be all right with this? It’s ludicrous! We are not commodities to be bartered! We are people! Royalty! We have rights!”

“As royalty,” Tyria said, her voice shaking a little as she went to lay her hands on Fawn and Viribus’ arms. Fawn was visibly upset and Viribus was holding her with his head hanging. “We are servants of our people. Their safety and prosperity is our primary concern. Father made this deal with his people in mind, knowing he might have to make a terrible sacrifice. His methods may have been deplorable, but above all, he did it for his people, his country. We can aspire to do no greater than that.”

A faint half smile drifted across Pallidus’s face.

Gale shook her head. “You have either lost your mind or been brainwashed. Either way, I’m not sticking around long enough for either of those things to happen to me.” She addressed the tall man standing with Tyria. “Take me to your father. This nonsense ends now.”

She left Genus and Viribus, looking stricken, and a weeping Fawn behind her, not sparing a backwards glance.

Zinzo sat at his desk in the grand sitting room, reading a message from an outer province. He smiled as Tyria, Pallidus, and Gale entered the room.

“Well, well,” He said, standing. “It’s about time. I assume Fawn and Viribus have good news, if she has come at last.”

“We shall let them make the announcements at the appropriate time,” Pallidus said.

“Wise,” Zinzo replied. He turned his attention to Gale. “Now, I assume you have questions.”

“No, I don’t,” Gale replied a little hostilely. “I understand the situation well enough.”

“Ah. Well, that’s good. Tyria here need quite a lot of explanation and assurance. So, you--”

“I’m not here to make nice. I’m here to demand our release.”

Zinzo’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh?”

“You’re holding us against our will. We’re hostages. There are laws against that sort of thing.”

“Perhaps in your kingdom. The rules are different here.”

“I don’t care what the rules are here. I’m telling you I’m not going to play your game with you. Let us leave.”

“Gale!” Tyria hissed warningly.

“No, Princess,” Zinzo said lazily. “This should be interesting.”

Gale crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the king, who looked at her with a smug grin on his face.

“Tyria told me that when you made the deal with my father, the only son you had was Pallidus, and he was but a babe in swaddling.”

“That’s so,” Zinzo said.

“So how did you know you’d have two more sons? How did you know you’d need three brides?”

Zinzo quirked his head at her. “How do you think I knew?”

Gale looked him up and down with a scowl. “I think you’re a seer, or otherwise capable of divination.”

“Very astute,” Zinzo replied, to Tyria’s shock. Pallidus looked guilty but unsurprised.

“So you tricked my father into agreeing to your deal,” Gale said.

“No,” Zinzo replied calmly. “I merely used my foresight to my advantage. It’s a common tactical strategy. Both your father and I had a problem on our hands, so we made an exchange that was mutually beneficial. He just didn’t realize I knew more than he did about the matter. That doesn’t make it a trick. If anything, it could be argued he was attempting to take advantage of me, he just couldn’t see the entire picture.”

“Even if that’s true, I still doesn’t mean I’ll agree to it, and there’s nothing you can do to change my mind.”

“Perhaps so,” Zinzo said. “But you should try anyway.”

Gale frowned and huffed. “Use your foresight. Does this ploy work out for you?”

Zinzo grinned wickedly. “Spoilers.”

Genus was waiting for them anxiously when they came out of Zinzo’s sitting room. Fawn and Viribus were absent.

“I’ll take you to your room,” He said.

“No,” Gale said coldly. “Tyria will.”

He lowered his eyes. “Very well.”

Tyria glared at Gale and put a comforting hand on Genus’s shoulder as she passed. “I’ll come to the library later,” She said to Pallidus, who nodded, putting an arm around Genus and leading him away. As if he was the one who needed assurance.

Gale stomped down the hallway with her arms folded forbiddingly over her chest. Tyria sighed in annoyance.

“You’re being quite unreasonable,” Tyria said.

“I’m being unreasonable?” Gale retorted. “Have you actually gone insane? How can you expect me to just be all right with this?”

“I don’t, Gale,” Tyria said irritatedly. “But I do expect you to be polite. Genus has seen your your every possible need. He’s a good man, if a little quiet. He loves books just as much as we do. You should let him show you the library. It’s breathtaking.”

“I would rather gouge out my own eyes,” Gale grumbled.

Tyria rolled her eyes. “Well, the least you can do is apologize to Fawn and Viribus. They’re both very upset. You ruined their announcement.”

“Sure, I’ll get right on that,” Gale replied sarcastically.

Tyria grabbed Gale by the shoulders and stopped her roughly. “That’s enough. I understand you’re angry, but that’s no reason to take it out on people who have no control over your circumstances and are trying to make the best of this situation.”

Gale shook her off. “You’re not Mother. Stop telling me what I should do and how I should feel.”

Tyria shook her head in disappointment and agitation. “This is your room,” She said, motioning to a door with constellations carved into it. “It’s next to Fawn’s, and mine is the next door down. Maybe you should spend some time alone and think about things.”

“It’s not going to change my mind,” Gale said stubbornly. “I’m going to get out of here. It’s only a matter of time. And if I have to leave without you, I will.”

Tyria’s jaw worked in frustration. She opened her mouth to vent at Gale, thought the better of it, and said instead: “Dinner is in an hour. You will be there.”

She turned on her heel and walked away.

During dinner, Gale refused to sit with Genus, instead sitting in the seat next to Tyria ordinarily reserved for Pallidus. Tyria huffed in aggravation, but assured Pallidus it would only be for the evening.

“We’ll see about that,” Gale said obstinately. Tyria growled and didn’t speak to Gale for the remainder of the meal.

After the main course had been served, Viribus and Fawn stood, announcing their engagement to the delight of everyone in the room. The best wine in the castle was cracked open and a celebration was conducted. Gale sat in silence, refusing to participate. The table collectively ignored her.

That evening, she went to her room without speaking to anyone and plopped down on her new bed, groaning in frustration. What was wrong with the people here? What was wrong with her sisters? Was it something in the water?

She stared at the ceiling, her gaze unfocused on the mural of the night sky meticulously painted above her. Her thoughts chased themselves round and round, consuming her to the point where it took her several seconds to see the hidden wonder of the mural. Furrowing her brow, she peered at the ceiling through narrowed eyes.

“How did they pull this off?” She breathed in astonishment. After examining the mural closely for what felt like hours, she fell into an uneasy sleep, determined to asked about it in the morning.

She woke late the next morning, nearly missing breakfast. She refrained from speaking during the meal, resolving to seek out the person who made the mural and ask them directly.

After eating, her sisters and the princes disappeared, leaving her to wander on her own. Eventually, she made her way to the library. She had no idea where it was, but she always seemed to feel a pull toward any large collection of books in any place. She just naturally gravitated to spaces of learning and wisdom.

Once there, she reached out and grasped the handle, but before she could turn it, she heard her sisters talking with Genus and the other men behind the closed door. She leaned against the door and listened to the voices within.

“She hates me!” Genus cried, his voice muffled as though his head were in his hands.

“That’s not true, Gene,” Tyria said. “She doesn’t know you yet. She scared and confused and angry. I know how she feels. It’s exactly how I felt when I first got here. You were the one to finally change my mind and got me to talk to Pallidus. Remember that?”

Genus didn’t answer.

“Don’t worry, brother,” Fawn said. “Just give her time. She’s a willful girl, she always has been. You know that.”

Genus sighed. “Yes, I know. It’s one of the things I like about her. She’s never been afraid to speak her mind. I’ve always envied that.”

Fawn scoffed. “It’s not so much that she isn’t afraid as it is she doesn’t know when to keep her trap shut.”

She was clearly still angry at Gale. Gale felt a twinge of guilt, but not enough to convince her to apologize. She stood by what she said. For Fawn to marry that hulking giant was just absurd, as absurd as it was for Tyria to marry that prissy dandy, or for her to marry that short, excitable bookworm.

Gale heard the rumble of the large man muttering, possibly comforting Fawn, but she couldn’t make out his words. There was a lull in the conversation, during which Gale knocked on the door. It opened, revealing Genus’s pale, surprised face.

“Oh!” He exclaimed. “I… I didn’t expect to see you. Please come in. You don’t need to knock, you know. It’s a public library. Anyone in the palace is permitted to use it.”

“Then you should keep the door open,” Gale said.

Genus blushed and flung the door wide. “Would you like to come in?”

“No, I had a question.” Gale could see his brothers and her sisters looking at the pair of them with matching hopeful expressions. She scowled at them.

“The mural of a star map that’s painted above my bed. The constellations, they’re correct down to the spacing. How did you do that? Who painted it?”

“Oh, Viribus did,” Genus said, motioning back at the giant, who smiled tentatively. “He’s a very talented artist, even though he’d never admit it. I mapped it out for him, though.”

“How did you manage that if you’ve never seen the night sky for yourself?” Gale asked.

“I have star charts.” He pointed at the desk. “They’re a few centuries old, but they worked well enough.”

“A star chart from three hundred years ago would be different than the current sky map,” Gale said skeptically.

“Yes, that’s true,” He said. “I used grafts and calculations to determine how much they would have shifted and based the resulting positions on my equations. I’m pleased to learn my math was correct.”

“That’s… impressive.” Gale had to admit, it was. “And labor intensive. It must have taken weeks to plot it out correctly. Not to mention the patience involved in mapping it out above your head. Why did you go to so much trouble?”

“For you,” Genus said simply. “I wanted to do something nice for you. I know you love astronomy and have your own observatory at home. I regret that I cannot give you an observatory, so I did the closest thing I could think of. Did you like it?”

It was Gale’s turn to blush. “I… yes, it’s very lovely. And factual, which is the important thing.”

Genus laughed, a gentle, boyish sound. “I thought you’d approve. Viribus wanted to take artistic license with it, make it a bit grander, but I figured you would appreciate the accuracy.”

“You were right,” Gale said begrudgingly. “Are you interested in astronomy, as well?”

“Oh, extremely. I’ve always wanted to see the sky. It’s my dearest wish.”

“So why don’t you just go out?” Gale asked bluntly.

“I can’t leave,” Genus said, shaking his head. “Father would never permit it.”

“Why not?”

“It’s dangerous for us on the surface world. He worries for our safety.”

“But if you--”

“Gale,” Tyria said sharply. “Let it go.”

Gale scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Fine. I just wanted to ask about the mural.” She turned on her heel and stormed off.

“Wait!” She heard Genus called. She didn’t stop walking but she did slow down enough to allow him to catch up with her, his hooves clacking noisily against the dark marble floor.

“I nearly forgot,” Genus said, reaching into his satchel and retrieving a wrapped gift. “Happy birthday.”

Gale, surprised, took it hesitantly, carefully tugging the item inside from it’s paper wrapping. It was a book on elvish astronomy.

“Elves have different constellations that humans, did you know? This book has a list of them as well as how to identify them and the elvish names for the stars in each one.”

“Wow,” Gale said. “I always assumed the constellations were universal.”

Genus laughed. “Yes. Humans tend to do that.”

Gale looked up at Genus’s smiling face and was struck by how… genuine he seemed, despite his odd appearance. Like it had never once occurred to him to tell a lie in all his life. He had a childlike openness about his demeanor that, she hated to admit, was intriguing. His default state of being was curiosity.

“Thanks,” Gale said. “For the book. It’s nice.”

Genus grinned and bowed. “Well, I’ll leave you be for now. I know this is hard for you; I don’t want to make you feel any more trapped than you already do.” He turned to go back to the library, calling over his shoulder, “But please, should you need anything, don’t hesitate to send for me. I’d be happy to assist you.”

“Thank you,” She replied. He waved a hand and disappeared back into the library.

“She liked the book! She actually talked to me!” He told the others excitedly. The purity of the happiness in his voice made her blush return. All right. So maybe her sisters weren’t as crazy as she first thought.

It didn’t matter. Having nice jailers didn’t make this place any less of a prison. She was still determined to escape.

Gale spent every waking moment over the next couple of weeks in the library, pouring over books about the Demon Kingdom of Cavernae. As it’s name would suggest, the vast majority of it existed in caverns and caves deep beneath the earth and that only a tiny portion of it was present on the surface. Gale had often wondered why, in the entire history of the Cavernae Empire, the reigning monarch had never tried to conquer another kingdom, but reading the history of the Demons, Gale realized it was because they didn’t need to.

Cavernae was everywhere. It spanned the whole continent, underneath the feet of all the kingdoms and countries. It was a few hundred feet at it’s shallowest, and over seven miles down at it’s deepest. It never ended. Gale didn’t know how to feel about the fact that there was a kingdom full of people underneath her own all this time that she never knew about.

Genus was often in the library with her. At first, he merely smiled when he saw Gale and left her alone, unless she asked him to help her, which he was happy to do. He found her books on any subject she could think of, seemingly pleased that she had taken interest his home. He proved to be a treasure trove of useful information about it and more often then not, she turned to him with her questions rather than a book.

She had been careful, asking pointedly vague questions in hopes of gleaning the information she needed to make her escape without arousing suspicion. He didn’t seem to notice, prattling on willingly about the barrier, where the portals were, where they currently were in relation to your castle in Suida. Gale were surprised to learn that the palace was actually straddling the line between Suida and Gale’s grandfather’s empire.

Finally, he gave Gale the information she was after. There was a portal in the palace. He told her that Viribus used it to bring materials from the outside world, and that it only opened at certain times, during the full moon and the new moon. Those were the only days Viribus was permitted to go out, and even then, he was to be no longer than thirty minutes. It was unguarded because it didn’t need to be; everyone in Cavernae knew the risks when it came to the outside world, and none of them were willing to risk their safety or the Demon King’s ire.

But Gale wasn’t a demon, and she wasn’t answerable to Zinzo.

She waited for the perfect moment. She couldn’t go when Viribus did; he’d catch her and bring her back. She learned he sometimes did errand running for the palace because of his immense size. Fawn would often accompany him to the markets outside of the palace. She was apparently beloved by the people there, and they delighted in seeing her out, so their visits were often, sometimes bringing Tyria and Pallidus with them. The only time Viribus missing his outing to the surface world was on days when he had been to the markets with Fawn.

Gale began to subtly plant the idea of going to the surface with Genus in his mind so that he could see the stars. She tried her best to insist that it would he for his benefit, not hers. At first, he was complete opposed to the idea, not wanting to anger his father, but also concerned about what could happen to him up there.

After a few months of incessant hounding, he began to soften. When he finally agreed, she did your best to hide your triumphant smile.

The next full moon, Viribus and Fawn had been out at the markets all day and were exhausted, going to bed right after dinner. This it it, Gale thought. This is my chance.

That night, she had talked Genus into meeting her in the library and he would lead her to the portal room. She decided not to take anything with her for fear that Genus would become suspicious, but her eyes fell on the book Genus had given her for her birthday and found she couldn’t leave it. She tucked it into her dress, trying her best to conceal it, and ran to the library.

“I don’t feel good about this,” Genus whispered, trying his best to move quietly, though his hooves made that impossible. It was very early in the morning, though, so most everyone in the palace was sleeping.

“Don’t worry,” Gale said reassuringly. “We’ll just pop our heads out and come right back.”

“But we don’t know where the portal will empty out,” he said a little desperately. “What if we stumble into some poor fellow’s garden? We’ll give him a fright.”

“It’s the middle of the night, Gene, any sensible person would be sleeping,” Gale replied.

“The implication being that we aren’t sensible?”

She grinned at him cheekily as they hurried down the corridor. She stopped in front of the large door. There was a strange looking lock on it.

“You won’t be able to open it,” He said, putting one of his fingers over his razor sharp canines and biting down. Blood immediately welled from it. “This lock only responds to the blood of the royal family.”

He dripped a drop or two of blood into a tiny reservoir at the lock’s base, and the filaments that extended out of it to hold the door shut retracted. He pulled the handle, and the door swing open.

There up on a dais, was a glittering doorway formed of branches and vines, similar in color to the rose bushes in the underground garden. In the middle was a bright, swirling light, and beyond was a forest.

“Come on!” She urged him, grabbing his hand. He groaned in reluctance, but allowed himself to be pulled forward. Standing before the portal, he hesitated, and Gale found herself unable to shift him.

“What’s wrong?”

He stared into the portal at the forest outside. “I’ve never been surface side before. I’m… nervous. We really shouldn’t be doing this.”

“When are you going to get another chance, Genus? Come on, we’ll just go in and out. Ten minutes, I promise.”

He grimaced at her and swallowed.

Gale took his hand again. “Come on, Gene. You know you want to see the stars.”

He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose, knocking his spectacles askance. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

Her grin widened and she started forward into the barrier. This time, he stepped forward with her. When he opened his eyes again, they had passed through and were standing in the forest they had seen reflected in the portal.

He opened his eyes and stared around them at the tall trees. “I’ve never seen real trees before! They’re everywhere!”

“It gets better,” Gale promised. “Ready to see the sky?”

For the first time that day, he forgot his misgivings and grinned at her in excitement.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

Gale took his hand and led him to where she saw the trees begin to thin out, and with a few seconds, they were standing in an open meadow, flowers everywhere in the ankle-high grass. He stared down at them all with a joyful expression.

“There are so many!” He said happily.

“Genus,” Gale said, laughing. “Look up.”

He did, and the smile faded into wide-eyed, open-mouthed wonder.

They couldn’t have picked a better night for this. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the stars shone as bright and clear as if they were fireflies in a jar, winking and glittering above them. The dark blues and purples swirled overhead, painting a picture more beautiful than any mortal hand could produce.

“Gods below,” He breathed. “The books do them no justice.” He reached up, hand spread, as if to touch them. “What miracles. What treasures.”

Gale watched him, a soft smile on her face. His open awe was more than a little endearing in a painfully naive way. It almost hurt to look directly at him, so she turned away to stare down at the horizon and froze in shock.

There, just beyond the meadow, was a castle. She recognized the spires, the towers, the observatory on the roof. The rose garden. Tyria’s rose garden.

This was Gale’s castle. She was home.

Her heart began to beat as if trying to propel itself out her her chest. She turned to look at Genus, who was still captivated by the night sky and not paying attention. She could run now. She doubted he’d be able to catch her, not on this terrain.

Just as she had turned slowly and lifted her foot to sprint, she heard Genus say, “They’re disappearing.”

She turned back to look, and he had a frown on his face.

“What’s happening?” He asked in confusion, looking around you. His gaze focused on the crest of a nearby hill and he stopped, his eyes widening with apprehension. “Oh.”

She followed his gaze and saw that the sky on the horizon was turning blue and brightening. Dawn was coming.

He began to back away toward the safety of the woods. “I shouldn’t stay out. The sun is dangerous.”

“Maybe not,” She said, grabbing his arm to keep him from retreating. “You’re half elf, aren’t you? Fawn said it might be possible that you didn’t inherit the sun allergy, like other demons have. You could be perfectly safe out here.”

“But…” He said, still trying to pull away, though Gale held him fast. “But I… Father said…”

“Don’t you want to see the sunrise?” Gale insisted.

“Of course I do,” Genus whined. “But…”

“Stay,” Gale said. “Stay and see. Isn’t a couple of little blisters worth a once in a lifetime experience?”

He grimaced, his eyes darting to the horizon, where the sky was progressively getting brighter, and back to Gale's face several times. “Gale… I don’t know about this…”

“Look,” Gale said, taking his hands in hers and pulling him close. “I won’t force you to stay if you’re determined to go back, but you know as well as I that this may be the only chance you have of seeing this. Do you really want to pass it up?”

His brow furrowed and he looked back and forth between the sky and her eyes.

“You’ll stay with me?” He asked.

“Yes, I will.” She said, surprising herself by realizing she was actually being sincere.

“You promise?”

“Of course. Do you trust me?”

He narrowed his eyes at her but responded with a slow, “Yes.”

She squeezed his hands reassuringly. “Then trust me.”

He puffed an explosive breath out through his pursed lips and nodded. Looking once more at the crest of the hill, where a golden light was beginning to form, he faced her and closed his eyes, waiting.

In a few moments, the sun began to break over the hill, sending light and shadows across the sleepy meadow and over the two of them. Gale paid close attention to Genus’s skin, looking for any sign of puckering or burning. When the sun was a quarter of the way up, she realized he was indeed immune.

Smiling, she squeezed his hands again.

“Genus, open your eyes. It’s safe.”

He did, looking in the direction of the sunlight, and inhaled a long gasp. The sun had painted the sky in blues and golds and reds. The rays filtered over the trees, casting long, lazy patterns over the fields. A gentle breeze blew through the grass and flowers, making the shadows and light dance together, like birds on water. It was breathtaking, even for Gale, who had seen her fair share of lovely mornings.

“The colors,” He said reverently, staring out over the field and crouching, as if the force of the beauty he was witnessing was preventing him from standing upright.

Looking at him, staring at the sunlight with the eyes of someone brand new to the world, she felt a stab of guilt. This was such a simple pleasure, one any person who lived on the surface would be privileged to from birth, but for Genus and his brothers, a joy that was out of reach. There was nothing fair about that. No more than being abducted and forced into an arranged marriage had been.

That’s when she realized, she couldn’t leave. Genus was just as trapped as she was. She had to help him and her brothers. There must be a way to free them as well as her sisters. She would find a way.

Gale looked distantly at her home, feeling as if her heart was being pulled in two directions, and sighed deeply. “We should go. Our absence will be noticed,” She said reluctantly.

“What?” Genus said, standing back up and looking at her with a frown on his face. “But… aren’t you going home?” He motioned at the castle looming darkly in the light of the rising sun.

Gale’s heart leapt into her throat. “I… wha… What do you mean?” Gale stuttered.

Genus let out his breath in a mirthless huff. “Gods, you must really think I’m stupid, don’t you?”

She shook her head, unable to speak.

“You think I don’t know who’s castle that is? I’ve looked at it every day my whole life. I know it backwards and forwards. You think I didn’t notice it when we came out of the forest? I’m surprised you didn’t just take off running as soon as we got here.”

“Genus, I…”

“Did you think I didn’t realize what you were trying to do, asking all those questions about the portal? I knew you were trying to escape. You said you would on day one and I never believed you had just given it up. I knew you’d find a way.” He nodded his head toward the castle. “So get going.”

Gale shook her head in disbelief. “Why did you help me, if you knew?”

“Because I love you, Gale,” He said simply, as if it should have been obvious. “I’ve always loved you. I just want you to be happy. If you can’t be happy in Cavernae, then that’s not where you’re meant to be. You should go where you happiest, even if that’s not with me. And hey, I figured if I helped you, at the very least I’d get to see the stars.”

Gale’s throat tightened. She could feel tears coming to her eyes. “But your father…”

“Oh, don’t you worry about him,” Genus said, waving a hand dismissively. “I’ll talk to him. He can be reasonable at times. I’m sure he won’t like it much, but I’ll smooth it out. Don’t worry.”

“Genus,” she said, tears beginning to fall. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” He said gently, cupping her cheek with his hand and wiping the tears away with his thumb. “Just be safe. Be happy. For me.”

A stone lodged itself in her heart. She stepped close and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. His arms went around her waist and squeezed, his nose buried in her hair, breathing in deeply. He was so warm, she found, and she enjoyed the feeling of his hands on her back, his thumbs rubbing softly. She loved how he smelled, like books and leather and ink. His kindness and selflessness broke her heart. She knew that doing this for her could cost him dearly. The idea of him paying any price for helping her made her ill.

Though he made no effort to step away, he said, “You should go. I have to get back to the palace. The portal will be closing soon.” His hand tangled itself in her curls.

Taking a breath, Gale replied, “You’re right. We should get back.”

He did step back at that, narrowing his eyes at her, his hands stilled on her waist and hair. “But, aren’t you going home?” he repeated.

“Yes, I am,” She said. “With you.”

He continued to frown with confusion, opening his mouth to speak but no sound came out.

Gale took his face in her hands, pulled him toward her, and kissed his lips. He immediately kissed back, as if hungry for it, his hands putting themselves on her hips and drawing her as close as possible. When she pulled away, she wasn’t the only one with tears in their eyes.

“Are you sure?” He asked her, his forehead resting on hers and his hands gliding up her back.

“Yes,” She replied. “Let’s go home.”

He gave a watery laugh of relief. Gale took his hand and led him back to the portal. He cast a wistful glance back at the brightening sky and followed.

Before stepping into it, Gale stopped short and looked back through the trees for one last glimpse of her family home, knowing she may never see it again. She bid a silent apology to her mother, father, and brother, hoping that they were all right and that they’d understand.

Genus squeezed her fingers gently, not wanting to rush her but reminding her the portal would be closing presently.

She turned back to him and smiled, laying a kiss on his cheek to make him grin, his sharp teeth flashing in the sunlight. Together, they traveled back through the veil into Cavernae. The portal sealed itself just seconds later.

Thanks for reading!

My Masterlist

The Exophilia Creator’s Masterlist

#Monster Lover #Monster Boyfriend #Demon Prince #Demon Boyfriend #Elf Prince #Elf Boyfriend #Interspecies Romance #Arranged Marriage #My Writing #exophilia #Pallidus #Tyria #Viribus #Fawn #Genus #Gale #The Bargain

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