#umm some tall grass :] i need to get better at drawing that

[rapidhighway]

[the-fiction-witch]

Mariée Au Mal

REAL LIFE X DEVIL / WITCHES COUPLE: TBS X READER RATING: FLIRTY

I walked the stone streets hearing my boots against the stone. Hearing the movement of my dress almost touching the stone. I felt the chill of the wind around me. The darkness crept across the village as the sun set beyond the hill. Every step I took I could hear and see, children being ushered inside, doors being bolted, windows being shut and locked. The whispers of the name they had given me. 'mariée au mal' I knew what it meant. I knew their assumptions about me. I tried not to think of it.

I looked at my shadow walking down the path with the light from the sunset, I looked to my left to a shop the blind already down, but a few shutters where someone peaked out, those instantly dropped as I looked and the door bolted I saw my reflection my long purple dress, black petticoats, black corset, my black hooded cloak, my tall riding boots, my twisted y/h/c hair and blood red lips. I continued on my way moving my wicker basket up my arm a little more, checking on the lavender and honey I had gathered across the forest this afternoon. I walked quickly trying not to draw attention to myself before reaching the graveyard and the little river that ran beside it, perched on the graveyard gate sat a raven it cawed at me so I smiled and offered my hand letting it perch on my ring as I walked over the little stone bridge over the river pushing open the little gate to my house. The twisted metal whining as I did I walked the sweet path through my garden until I arrived at my little thatched cottage with leaded glass windows and the conversatory. I smiled and headed inside my little house though the glass conservatory door putting my basket down emptying out my herbs and honey into my apothecary as the raven flew off into the house and perched on the sofa on his usual pillow

"Hello my little princess" he smirked 

"Will you just. One damn minute" I told him

"What? What have I done?" He whines getting up and coming over fixing his clothes a little but I did my best not to look at him 

"I'm working" I said 

"Umm working? I think your just being mean to me" he smirked into my ear untying my cloak and pulling it off me "come in you can work anytime, I don't get to visit to much anymore, not half as often as I'd like my sweet little princess" he cooed cuddling me from behind "and I have missed you, so badly" he smirked almost growing in my ear as he pushed himself against my dress

"Thomas. Five minutes alright, you've been gone six months five more minutes isn't going to kill you" I laughed 

"It might"

"Nothing kills you"

"Why? Are you trying to get rid of me?" 

"No."

"Good." He says kissing my shoulder "I'm sorry I was gone so long."

"Umm" I said ignoring him

"Aww? Is that why your so grumpy with me?" He laughs before turning me around to face him as he stood in my conservatory his golden hair reflecting the sunsets light, his red textured button down shirt undone half way down his chest, his tight black almost leather pants against him, black braces or suspenders on his shoulders to keep them up even if I don't think he needed them, stubble gracing his chin and the corners of his upper lip but nowhere near as bad as I had seen before when he's been away for longer his hands around me softly his foot between my own "I told you it was work, you know I wouldn't leave my little princess unless I had to" he cooes caressing my cheek "it's a busy job you know, I keep telling you I'll... Take you with me if you want?"

"No thank you" I said turning back to my work "I wish you wouldn't wait there"

"Where? On the gate?"

"Umm. Why not in the garden?"

"You might not see me, besides I like them knowing I'm here"

"You might I don't. It makes them nervous and when people get nervous they get scared and when people get scared they do stupid things." I explained

"Well... Maybe they need a little fear in them"

"I don't want to be feared, Thomas..."

"Don't you?" He laughs sitting in my work bench so I had no choice but to see him "you get off on it"

"What?"

"Oh come on" he laughs "riding boots with the six inch heels? The long purple dress? The black corset? Blood red lipstick? Long black hooded cloak? And you're telling me you don't want to be feared? You love it"

"It's fun sometimes" I admit

"I know it is princess, maybe you and me should go walking in the town sometime really frighten them" he smirked 

"No Thomas. We're in enough trouble as it is" I told him 

"mariée au mal" he smirked to himself 

"Shut up" I sighed 

"It's a good name for you"

"I said shut up Thomas"

"Bride of evil"

"Married to evil"

"Depends on your translation." He shrugs 

"Why did I marry you?" I asked leaning on my desk to slightly glare at him 

"I don't know, you asked me remember" he smirked, kissing my cheek and jumping off the desk going into the cottage "you coming to bed? Or do I have to drag my pretty bride down to hell with me to fuck her?" He smirked,

I smiled as I laid in my bed listening to the wind in the tree's, the sounds of animals in the woods, the babble of the river under the bridge, the quiet of this peaceful little town. I could hear Thomas Gently breathing, his arm around my waist spooning me as he often did wanting to keep me safe in his arms so if I even moved much less left his arms he would know and it would wake him. I couldn't help my mind flooding with the memories of the first night I ever spend on his arms.

I was young, but old enough to know better. I would go and play by the tall willow tree in the forest. I would go and spend hours and hours reading books and gathering flowers. Often times I would speak to the tree and many times it would speak back to me. I had always been a woman on the darker side of the world. I liked the grim and the spooky, I had a fondness for the darkness and what often times lurked within it. I had always been wary of straying too far, never leaving a door open, never offering things without consistency, never going too far if you won't commit to it. Rules I followed like laws, until one night. It was a blood moon, it hung over the willow and that night I decided I wanted to see just how far I could go.

I made an altar at the willows roots, with candles, herbs, a salt circle, flowers, and tools. I called out things but nothing answered. Each time I called out going deeper and deeper until someone answered me. 

"Hello, aren't you beautiful" he smirked as he saw me "not often I get such a beautiful woman calling out to me" 

"I uhh i-" stuttered in shock 

"Shh, it's alright. I guess you don't get answers very often. No need to worry, sweet girl. I won't hurt you" 

"I seek what is to be" I said

"Do you?" He smirked "clever girl as well as beautiful. Are you sure that's what you want?" He asks 

"Yes"

"Then a smart girl like you understands the price it takes" 

I nodded and took the cage from my basket of the small bird I had found he laughed at me 

"You have been misinformed" he says taking the cage and letting the bird loose 

"Then what is the price?"

"The price is different for everyone."

"Then for me?"

"For you?" He smirked "I can give you what you seek. But for you beautiful lady, the price is simple. Your utter love and devotion, swear your life and love for me, be mine and you shall have all that you seek" 

"How do I do this?"

"... Be with me. And swear your devotion to me" he smirked taking my hands 

"Yes master" I nodded

"Whoa... Just Thomas little princess, I'm not your master, and I won't be. You'll be my bride, still happy?" He asked and I nodded "good. Now... We're all done with the formalities, shall we? my pretty little princess? My sweet little wifey?" 

I nodded and he smirked looking at me, licking his tongue slightly across his bottom lip. He moved forward holding my Waist before leaning in and kissing me softly, he was warm, and soft, he tasted and smelt like ash, mahogany, petricorn and mint. He was gentle with me as he kissed me his thumb stroking my waist as we kissed in the moonlight, surrounded by the tree and it's leaves, the gentle breeze as the kisses got faster, deeper until he pushed me to gently laying me down on the grass in the circle of salt with him laid over me…

I woke up peacefully to the sweet symphony of bird song in the tree's. The gentle breeze whistling through the branches and leaves. The hushed sounds of the world before people rise. I was warm between the layers of my dress, one protecting me from the ground the other protecting my body, his arm around my waist his head nuzzled in my shoulder and arm fast asleep barely making a sound but his breaths. I looked seeing his sweet mop of hair nuzzled so close to me, looking up seeing the sunlight cascading through the tree as it rose, the sunlight peeking in through the leaves and branches. 

"Uumm good morning" he yawns 

"Hi" I blushed 

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing"

"No, come on tell me"

"So… that's that"

"Aww what? Was I disappointing little princess?" He whines 

"No, no. It's just that's it you know"

"Well, We’re married now”

“What?”

“We’re married. And mated.”

“So… I’m a real witch now” “You were a real witch before. But Now my bride”

“So? What are we going to uhh… going to do?”

“Well, I have to get to work soon. I’ll be down there for a couple of days but I’ll come back and snuggle up with my little wifey, I might not be home some nights. But it’s work. I'll always come back to my little princess, Like any husband and wife when a husband works away” He explained “So? Shall we head home?” 

I stood in my conservatory, the sunlight flickering through the glass, Through the leaves of the forest, the stems and petals of the flowers that grew in here or in the garden, The flicker of rain bows where light flickered through the glass or though sculpted bottles of potions and viles, as well as though light catchers. 

“Hey” Thomas smiled Leaning on my door to stare at me

“What?” I laughed 

“Nothing, I just like looking at you” He shrugs

“Go Look at your pit of sluts” 

“It’s not a pit. It’s a…. Box” 

“Go look at that then”

“Why would I go look at them? When I have my wife?”

“Go hang out with one of your other wives then” 

“What over wives?” he laughs 

“I can’t be the only witch who summoned you and… let you, you know” 

“Of course not. You’re my only wife princess.” He says 

“What about all those other-”

“Shhh, You’re my only wife princess, and if I get summoned by any other little witches in the forest I send the demons. I only come when my wife summons me” He smirked giving my cheek a kiss cuddling me tightly and stroking my stomach “Besides. I’m going to be staying from now on, as much as I can now you have the baby coming” He cooed, kissing my neck and down my shoulder as he stroked my stomach “My beautiful princess, My Beautiful bride. I get to spend all day with you now, My pretty wifey and our baby” 

“Sure thomas” I laughed “Maybe soon I’ll get to go down there?”

“You will, when the baby is born. My sweet little princess,” He cooed kissing my cheek 

[futurewriter2000]

Three Words - pt. 1

A/N: I love this so much and idk why but it hits differently.

XX

Healing. You were healing as you kept stroking the long trunk of the elephant. You caressed its dry skin as he kept nuzzling it closer to you, tapping you gently on the cheeks and causing your hat to fall off. 

You laughed as you tapped his trunk and picked the hat, coming closer to him brushing your hand against his large leg. “You and me had quite the adventures, didn’t we?” you told the elephant as he let out a small sound. You hugged him with your arms that were too small to hug him whole and laid your head on it. 

“You can’t take him with you.” you heard her laugh but you only hugged him tighter. 

“Of course, I can. I’m a witch.” you continued to lay your head on him.

“And where will you put him? Backyard?” she came to his trunk as well and started to pet him. 

“Newt Scamander had his beasts in a suitcase.” you pulled away as she furrowed her eyebrows. 

“Newt who?”

“Nevermind.” you brushed your hand and walked to her, letting your arm wrap around her waist and your head lean on her shoulder. “You think he’ll be okay without us?” 

“Who? Roman?” she tapped his trunk and smiled. “He’ll be fine. It’s you I think that I think won’t be okay without him.” 

“I dealt with Remus and his act a long time ago. All I want is to stay here forever.” 

She moved from your hold and turned around, letting her hand be wrapped around your waist for now, leading you away from the elephant and walking towards home where you had plenty of unpacked bags to finish. 

“We can come back but we were away from home too long. We need to go back to our lives.” 

“Correction. You want to go back to your life. I think this is my life.”

“Taking care of animals?” she asked. “For the rest of your life?”

“They’re the only beings that make the world so innocent-” you said but she cut you off, taking you by the shoulders and looking deep into your eyes. 

“Then stay.” 

“What? I though-”

“I know what I said but if this is what you want, then stay. You’re clearly made for it.”

“I don’t know. I need to go home and figure everything out. I want to be sure that this wasn’t just a getaway- or I don’t know.” you sighed, lowering your head as she wrapped her arms around you and squeezed you. She then let go of you, leaving without a word, only a comforting look in her eyes. 

You were left alone to stand at the chilly road, looking around- looking at the tall green grass, something you could never see back home. The sight of animals that could only survive here, in the nature and not in the industrial city.

It felt like you could breathe here. Genuenly breathe and think clearly. You could think about Remus- his eyes. His dark green eyes, just like the jungle in front of you. You could remember all the gestures, the memories you had with him. Everything. Since the moment you first saw him, to the moment you first talked to him, had a long conversation, first kiss, first time, his proposal, his... his cowardly act- 

You sighed, plopping back down on the grass, your feet digging into the sand in front of you, as well as your bare hands, taking a few marbles, a few larger rocks inbetween your fingers. 

Until you could hear the footsteps that came towards you. At first you thought it was someone you knew here but when you looked up, you couldn’t recognise anybody looking like that.

It was familiar. The walk, the lean posture, the figure and it crossed your mind once or twice but why would he be here- he wouldn’t, would he?

“(y/n)?” he said as he continued to approach you, narrowing his eyes through the darkness. 

“Sirius?!” you exclaimed in shock, trying to get your thoughts in order as you stood up.

“I knew the hat was decieving me- it really is you!” He beamed, opening his arms and wrapping them around you. 

Surprised by his appereance you didn’t know what to do but wrap your arms around him as well. You haven’t seen him in a year and now he just appears out of the blue, at the same place as you. From all the places in the world, he finds you here. 

“What are you doing here?” you asked as you pulled away.

“Look at you!” he put his hands on your cheeks as his eyes scanned your whole body. “You’ve got sunburns everywhere!” He laughed, than looked closely at your nose. “It’s actually cute- it’s like a long strip over your nose- oh and your chin as well.”

“Har- har.” you laughed, punching him away slightly. “Sirius, what are you doing here?” you asked again.

“Following a lead.” he replied. “Just an Aurors job- James is usually with me but he’s taking care of Harry and all.”

“Harry?” you said perplexed, your eyebrows drawing together.

“His son.” he wiggled his eyebrows. “Parental leave and all.” 

“He’s got a son’?!” you exclaimed again, feeling your hand slap your mouth. “Oh my God! I’m so happy for him.”

“Yeah- since the whole wedding thing it was like you fell from the Earth.” he looked around, grinning. “Looks like you sort of did.” 

“Yeah. I needed to get away- get distracted.” you sat back down as he joined you.

“Are you alright?”

“Now? I’m better than I was in a year. I’m finally starting to feel like myself again, you know?” you looked at him as he continued to watch. 

“I’m glad to hear that.” was all that he said, wanting to say more which you realized immediately because Sirius Black could never be quiet for long, nor reply in such short sentances. 

“And Remus?” you asked. “How’s he doing?” 

“You really want to know?”

“You were always the one I could count on to tell me the truth. So just rip the bandage off. He has found someone, probably lives with her-”

“Umm...no.” he forced a smile and looked away. “He lives by himself, struggling to find a job and just regretting what he did.” he continued, looking back at you. “I don’t think he can live without you.” 

Shocked by his words, you turned your head away completely speechless. 

“He tried calling you, going to your place, your parents but nobody told him where you were. They said you didn’t want anybody to know.” he took a hold of your hand and brought it to himself. 

You looked at him with tears in your eyes, unaware of how it still hurt. “He left me, Sirius.” your voice shivered. “He just left me with no explenation.” 

“I know.” he brought you close to him, letting you lay on his chest as his arms wrapped around you. “I did beat the crap out of him. Went all kung fu, you know?” he started to joke and you laughed, making him smile as he heard your laugh. “I don’t know what he was thinking leaving you- you looked gorgeous in that dress.” 

You looked up into his eyes, swallowing the tears that tried to come out and smiling at him. “Well, you did help me pick it.” 

He continued to stare into your eyes so lovingly, almsot letting you know that his thoughts were a bit more dangerous right now because Merlin had he missed you. You were his best friend beside the other three and he had such fond memories of you- always. The boys were amazing all the time with him but it was you that just gave this incredible woman’s touch and perspective to his life that really mattered. 

He shook his head, chuckling and trying to get rid of any further thoughts. “I know. My taste is impeccible.” 

“It really is.” you followed his gaze into the forest. “So how did you find me?”

“I was just passing by, looking at the elephant herd at the distance when I saw a girl hugging one of them. She looked vaguely familiar with her walk and body movement.” he looked at you, his eyes traveling down your outfit. “She reminded me of you so much and I wanted to walk away because the chance of you being here was 1 to million but it was like an insitinct inside of me telling that I should be sure. So I followed you and found you- the hat is horrible by the way.” he pointed out in the end.

“Leave my hat out of this. “ you chortled and shoved his shoulder. 

“I like your hair- I never saw you with short hair.”

“It’s really hot here and just dealing with hair every day and sweating- I just wanted to chop it.” 

“So are you ever coming back?” he asked, changing the subject.

You looked at the distance again, taking some breath in as you remembered how much you could have missed in one year. James had a baby, Sirius grew a beard and Remus- well, he’s going through some troubles but until you talk to him and resolve what you’ve been avoiding for so long, you won’t be able to move on.

“Yes.” was all that you said, making Sirius smile. “I need to talk to Remus. One talk to find some closure and finally end that chapter of my life.” you finished with a stern look in your eyes as Sirius smile faded.

“So, no second chances?” he asked and you shot his head to him, disbelieving the question he just asked you.

“No. He left me at the altar, saying he’s sorry- like all those years didn’t mean anything to him. I took a year to move on from him. Hell, I’ve gone through more shitty nights crying into my pillow and asking myself what the hell is wrong with me for him to leave. I thought the worst of myself, thinking was I not enough? Talking down on myself, trying to find any reason of why he wouldn’t want to marry me up until I finally realized my worth and see that I was never the guilty one. He was and believe it or not, I am sad that he didn’t move on but at the same time I’m so happy that he knows what he had lost.” you stood up and pattend the dust of your clothes. “It was nice seeing you, Sirius but I need to pack. I’ll see you back home- I guess.” 

[gameofthrawns]

Flirting Youths

A/N: My (late) submission for tarched’s HTTYDArtAugust event, Prompt 6: “Alone, us two, kissing in the gentle breeze”.

After the doom and gloom of my story for the previous prompt, I had decided to go with the opposite route: Something short. Something that didn’t try to be hipster or unpredictable like my...five previous stories. Just pure fluff, so full of meaningless fluffy feels that if you put in water, it’d probably float...up into space.

Well, I hope I at least got the meandering Hiccstrid “fluffy feels” part down, but this got longer than I wanted. I find myself usually writing from a guy’s POV, probably because I’m a dude, but uhhh I gave the other side a shot this time.

Astrid Hofferson was having a rather...unusual day.

It had started out as a normal enough day on Berk. Wake up, get up, some training with Stormfly as the sun rose, a quiet breakfast with the family, some chores, and so on, and so on.

Yet the moment she met with Hiccup in the afternoon to accompany him on “his quest to map the world”, as he liked to call his and Toothless’s daily fix of reckless stunt flying, she found herself unable to quite think of anything else besides him.

It wasn’t his charming grin, or his mesmerizing green eyes, or the oh-so-cool way his hair rippled in the wind as they sped through the air, or how his “flight suit” was tight enough to really highlight his lean, muscular build, especially his legs and ass.

Now certainly, Astrid still noted these things during the flight, but today she was more engrossed by something a little less tangible, the simple fact that he was going to be her husband. It was distracting enough that now, sitting behind him by a lazily-flowing stream and pulling at the grass to prevent herself from reaching out tying another braid into Hiccup’s hair, she couldn’t focus at all on what he was saying. He was scribbling something into his little drawing book with a charcoal, staring at the horizon. He was saying words, talking about something interesting, certainly, things that usually got her attention—she heard “fire” and “war” and “dragons” mentioned frequently—but today...today she just didn’t feel like talking.

She was excited about marriage. Ecstatic, really. But then she thought of what she was like when she was fourteen, what that younger Astrid would think if some norn had seen her future and told her that she was destined to marry Hiccup “the Useless”, Chief Stoick’s embarrassment of a son...out of love, no less. It was fortunate that none had tried back then, as it actually might have ended with a very dead norn.

How suddenly, how decisively, things could change, if not in an instant than at a rapid, tumultuous pace. Much like...a dragon raid from the days of old—Funny how the last one was actually only five years ago, yet it seemed so far back in the past. Yes, she liked that analogy. She just hoped she’d remember it.

Astrid knew she could have just said “Hiccup” or punched him in the shoulder to get his attention. But for some reason it felt like cheating. That was her style. Hiccup was usually a bit more...subtle? No, fancy. What was it he called it, “Hiccup flair”? “Haddock charm”? So, seeing as how she was going to be a Haddock soon...

Over the past five years since the dragon raids stopped, since Hiccup and Hiccup alone—his attempts to share the credit with others be damned—turned dragons from Berk’s worst enemy to its greatest friends, Astrid had been waging a war within herself, arguing over just what she and Berk ever deserved to have a person like Hiccup rescue it, someone with such a seemingly endless amount of love that he was able to share it with both creatures that were trying to kill him and a village that actively shunned and mocked him...yet still had more than enough in the end for her and her alone, so much that it sometimes she really did believe that her face was brighter than the sun, that no woman in the world had eyes or lips or breasts as stunning as hers, Freyja herself was actually jealous of her beauty, that the only thing more wonderfully golden than her hair was her heart. One time, just before a dragon race, she even believed him when he said that she was, by far, a better dragon rider than her. She got embarrassingly upset when Hiccup and Toothless won by fifteen points.

She began to undo her braid. Yes, letting her hair down was certain to get his attention, especially with this wind; she imagined her hair flowing wild and free, like strands of sunlight.

At some point, Hiccup must’ve realized that Astrid was up to something, as he suddenly put down the charcoal and turned his head back.

Astrid shot him a knowing smile. She placed a hand on her hip and smoothed her hair out with the other. Just for good measure, she briefly raised her eyebrows.

Much to her dismay, his blank stare simply became one of confusion. She felt her smile dissolve into a frown.

Hiccup seemed to take notice, and he started to shift uncomfortably, his eyes darting around in search of what was upsetting Astrid as if it wasn’t himself. “Umm...”

“Really?” Astrid threw her hands forward and shook her head in exasperation. “Don’t you, like...” She instinctively reached for her hair but quickly forced her hand away. No, Hiccup was clever enough to figure this out on his own.

He opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again, raising a decisive finger this time...but for a long three seconds, nothing came out.

“Your—”

“My hair!” Astrid sighed, pulling on a lock for emphasis. “It’s down!”

“I-I was just about to say that.”

Because the gods wished to annoy her further, a gust of wind blew the hair out of her grasp, scattered strands falling back down all over her face.

That made Hiccup chuckle, which made her even more annoyed.

“For you,” she muttered.

“Sorry, sorry.” Hiccup scrambled to his feet, slipping his left hand into her right and using his other to brush those rogue strands of hair off to the side. “Don’t pout. Though it’s kind of ador—”

“I’m not pouting,” she lied, un-puckering her lips. Astrid was suddenly reminded of how tall Hiccup was as she craned her neck up to meet his gaze, though the effect was somewhat ruined when she noticed single hair, noticeably longer than the others, lazily jutting out of his chin. It was starting to get hard not to smile. Or pluck out that hair.

“And now I have to re-braid it all again,” she said, staring at the bits of her own blonde hair fluttering in the wind. “In this wind...”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Hiccup assured her as he rested his head on the fur padding her shoulder guards, nuzzling her neck. “You should wash your furs.”

“You should wash your hair,” she countered.

“Fair. It’s just...changing topics from ‘My mom was eaten by dragons’ to...this...”

“Ah.” Astrid suddenly felt guilty; is that what Hiccup had been going on about? His lost mother? And here she was, trying to seduce him like...some cheap harlot. She didn’t even get the seducing part right, either.

“And, and I guess it’s just that hair being down is so...” He shrugged. “I don’t know. Normal? I mean, considering that I’ve already seen, uh, the rest.”

Astrid smirked. “What, I have to take my shirt off to get your attention?”

Hiccup somehow slipped his head down from her shoulders until nose was somehow tucked between her breasts, his grin so large that she could see it through his unruly mop of reddish-brown hair. “Couldn’t hurt,” he mumbled.

Astrid lifted his head by his chin, suddenly feeling the need to tell him...something.

“Hiccup,” she said, resisting the urge to kiss him.

“Yes, milady?” She said nothing, and he slightly shook his head in confusion. What is it?”

Astrid smiled. Silly Hiccup. “Nothing, nothing,” she said. “It’s just...I’m really lucky to have you, you know? Really lucky.”

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. “Why, of course you are,” he said wryly. “And very skilled. Only a shieldmaiden like you could possibly handle such...uh...raw—”

“No, really,” Astrid said, forcing herself to look serious. “That right there. You’re always reminding me of how beautiful and amazing I am, but do you realize how great you are?”

“I-I mean, I-II’ve gotten a lot better over the years,” he said quickly, “but from the start, like, you...you’re Astrid Hofferson. You were always just—”

“Do you know how lucky I am?” She tried to somehow increase the intensity of her stare, hoping that was enough for her boyfriend to understand. “Really, really lucky.”

Hiccup nodded dumbly. “Okay, Astrid.”

Not good enough. “Like, you’re the son of the Chief! And, uh...” Astrid went on, finding herself at an unusual loss for words, and that fact only made her more flustered. “You ride a Night Fury?”

“Uh-huh.”

“And you’re nice. You’re so kind to me. The gifts: the axe, these furs...” She raised her furs to her nose. Not that bad, but still worth washing.

Hiccup just smiled. “You’re Astrid. You’re like my...shining sun, and...uh...”

Astrid pinched her nose and said, “‘And you’re worth it, milady.’”

Hiccup frowned. “I-I don’t sound like that,” he muttered.

She rolled her eyes. “Like remember how...mean I used to be towards you?”

“This again?” Now it was his turn to rolls his eyes. “The whole village sort of was. Even my dad.” His smile faltered. “And I mean, I kind of deserved it...”

“You didn’t,” Astrid said fiercely, shaking her head.

That made Hiccup smile again. “You sure?”

“Well...” she intoned playfully. “Maybe,” she said, raising herself on to her toes and planting a kiss on his right cheek. “Because....” A kiss to the other cheek. “You were...” A kiss to the nose.

“Hiccup?”

“Smartass,” she whispered. he grabbed the back of his head and gently pushed his lips into her own.

It was a slow kiss, starting out soft, gradually building, but definitely not in a hurry. Astrid closed her eyes and didn’t move—not when she felt the wind blow a random leaf into her hair, not when she heard Stormfly not-quite-stealthily approach—and neither did Hiccup. Perhaps both of them were hoping that if they stood still enough time would simply fre–

The sound of moving wings was her only warning before an unnatural burst of wind sent her and Hiccup stumbling into the water.

Toothless chortled in deep amusement as the riders trudged out of the stream, soaked in water angrily shouting. Stormfly craned her head back to him haughtily—I can flap my wings better than you, she squawked, apparently unaware that this was exactly what Toothless was hoping for. He tried to come up with some reply, but the glare Hiccup shot directly at him—so adorable, so human—made him laugh even harder.

They deserved it. It seemed like every twelve or so suns, either Hiccup or that Astrid girl would have some sudden, deep revelation that demanded the other’s immediate attention, though usually only when they were alone with him and Stormfly. They would chitter on about it for far too long, and suck each other’s faces for far too long, and there’d been a few times recently in which they even rutted. Though Toothless had to admit, he was actually looking forward to seeing what their hatchlings would look like.

Toothless finally sobered at that last thought, as he silently wondered if he’d ever have hatchlings of his own.

[mythopoeticreality]

Beginings

((written as part of this challenge))

Sunlight. Catherine frowned, staring out the window, her eyes narrowing. Brilliant, blindingly bright afternoon sunlight catching off of the white towers and walls of the courtyard outside, and green turf being crushed beneath people's feet as they darted back and forth calling to one another. She shuffled onto her knees, pulling herself up to the sill. If she reached, just stretched...There! The tips of her fingers just touched the latch enough that she could push it up. She cracked the window open. And there it was! Yes, she could smell warm stone and sweet grass and horse and sheep and all those other daytime scents.

Her frown deepened. It all made sence, of course, she thought as she slid back down to the floor again, turning her back on the window. They had arrived, her family and herself, no more than  a few hours ago, and it had been daylight. She had just slipped away from her father and mother, and it had been daylight. Only moments ago, when she'd been standing outside this room, it had been daylight.

A sharp sigh escaped her, sounding all the louder in the heavy silence of the room. Floorboards creaked beneath her feet as she paced a step back, then turned.  She stared at the ground, crossing her arms, then sighed again. Across all of England, she was sure, every person and every place were in agreement: It was day. All of England that was, save for this singular room.

The patch of light that filtered through the window was pale and cold, silvery in color against the black void of the floor. Catherine knelt down, waving a hand and watching her shadow follow her movements. “Hrmmm...” She sat up, glancing around.

The room itself seemed to be made of nothing but silhouettes and shadows, cut out in silver: walls and floors, the chests and bookcases, the fireplace on the far wall and the silver basin set in a place of honor upon the desk. Catherine shivered, a chill raising bumps across her arms as she pushed herself to her feet. She felt, if she just listened hear enough, that somewhere on the edge of her hearing she would hear the chirping of crickets.

It wasn't crickets that reached her ears and pulled her from her thoughts, however, but voices. Footsteps, drifting down the corridor, coming this way. Oh...oh, no. Catherine froze, feeling her throat draw. She was not supposed to be here, she was not supposed to be here at all... She stumbled back, eyes darting across the room for somewhere to hide.

“....And really, John, I do have to wonder to what purpose you intend --” Light flooded into the room, framing the two men who stood there. They froze, the one who was speaking fell silent, turned and blinked at Catherine.Catherine blinked back at him.

A moment passed where the man merely sighed and shook his head. Though built like a knight, there was nothing he reminded Catherine so much of as one of her tutors. He was holding a candlestick, and he ran his free hand up through his mousey brown hair. From the look of things he did that often. Turning back to his companion, his brows climbed up his forehead as if somehow blaming the other man for her presence.

The other man – oh, God above! – The Raven King, for who else could he be? Willow-reed slender and pale and tall, all dark hair and sharply carved featues and handsomeness. He looked just like the statues on the city steets, He looked just like the stories said, down to the boots of soft black leather.

The Raven King's gaze scanned over Catherine for a moment, in a way that made her heart thud, and felt as if he were looking through her, rather than at her, into her mind and into her soul. Then he shrugged, waving his companion – servant? – after him.

Catherine backed out of his way, her eyes never leaving him.

“Place it on the desk, William.” The Raven King murmured, sweeping past her, towards a silver-framed mirror hanging on the wall. His lips pressed together and his eyes narrowed  as he ran his hand along the edge of the glass.

Then he turned, glancing over his shoulder at Catherine. Another long pause as her looked at her in that way of his again. He turned more fully to face her, leaning back against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Where did you come from, then?”

Catherine felt her face color, despite herself, and found herself greatful it was so dark. Shuffling from foot to foot, she glanced for a moment over back towards the door. “Ummm...Winchester?” She ventured, turning her eyes back up towards the King.

“Ah, she's a bold one.” The servant – William – said, standing in the candlelight. Catherine glanced back towards him, and he bowed his head towards her.

Even the corner of the Raven King's lips twitched upwards. “You came a rather long way.” He drawled, “How did you get in here?”

“The door was opened.” She said, pausing a moment, before adding, “It's night in here.” as though that should somehow exoneate her.

That was met with another shrug. Another silence as the Raven King eyed her for a bit longer, and then, with a whimsical suddenness, he turned away, pacing back towards the desk and William.  “Tell me, Catherine of Winchester.” He said, “What is it that brings you all the way to Newcastle?”

Under the combined gazes of both men, she felt the uge to shift from foot to foot again. No. She was better than that. She was twelve years old and soon to be apprenticed to a magician herself. She was not afraid, and if she was, she would not show it. Taking in a deep breath she streghtened her back and steadied herself. “My father saw I had magical tallent. He wants to apprentice me to a magician he knows here...a, a member of your court, Your Majesty.”

That did not quite seem to settle them. The Raven King's brows shot up, as though prompting her on, and William was muttering something that sounded like, “And there are no Magicians in the south?”  

“No...no one will take me at home, sir. Not after my last tutor, he...” Catherine pressed her lips together, and absently reached back and tugging at her hair, “He was moving too slowly for my tastes and I was getting on in my studies well enough without him you see...he was more of a distraction than anything...umm....” She sighed, “He became lost. In a labyrinth I'd made of my father's house.” a pause before she quickly added, “He did find his way out. Eventually...”

The two men shared a look.

“Did you, now?”

Catherine nodded.

“John...” There was a warning in William's tone, but The Raven King merely reached back, pulling out a chair from beneath the desk and dropping himself down onto it.

There was a glint in The King's eye as he turned back towards his servant. Something in his look that Catherine recognized from the way she acted towards her tutors. Like he was daring the other man to go on.

When Wiliam said nothing more (beyond an exasperated sigh and a roll of his eyes) The Raven King turned back to her.

“Show me.”

Catherine's heart stopped for an instant.“Pardon?”

“Let me see what you can do, Catherine of Winchester.”

And what else was she to do? The Magician King of Northern England was standing before her, asking her to preform some magic for him. As her eyes scanned the room she felt almost as though she were watching herself from a distance. Her skin was buzzing and she felt lightheaded. Finally her eyes landed back upon the Mirror.

She sliped infront of it, waving for the King's attention (Though in truth, she had no need to, she could feel his gaze intent and focused, upon her even as her back was turned.). Standing there, Catherine took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, pressing the tips of her fingers against the glass. The moments passed. And then something shifted, the air changed, as it has when she'd opened the window letting in the sweet air from outside.

Catherine opened her eyes, and grinning she stepped back, gesturing towards the mirror.

Her refection turned, and curtsied to the King.

The Raven King nodded, his expression unreadable. He stood then, and it was William who spoke next, clearing his throat.

“My lord,” He said, “We should probably find the girl's parents, yes?”

“Hrmm?” the Raven King glanced back,  gave a vauge nod, and gestured for Catherine to follow.

In a daze, unsure, exactly of what just was happening, Catherine did all she could do and followed along.

“Who was the Magician you were to be apprenticed to?” It was William who asked this as he walked along beside the other two. Catherine glanced up at him, her brows drawing together.

“Thomas of Manchester.” I said. “Why?”

“Because,” William said, casting a glance back over to his King, “I have a feeling he is about to learn very soon that his apprentice has been stolen away from him.”

[smcadam]

Changeling 1.

Blinding light glittered off the waves of the great blue sea, stinging the eyes of Morgan Fells even through her thick sunglasses. The heat gathered in the car, boiling leather roasting its three occupants. Somehow Jen withstood it in the passenger seat; her skin simply tanned without suffering or sweating. Kyle on the other hand was burnt and flustered, surviving only by regularly opening all the windows so that the vehicle shuddered with roaring cool wind.

Morgan shook her head, feeling black locks ripple in the wind as they slid open once more, then leaned over to begin cranking one closed with tired arms. “Can’t you just open yours next time Kyle?”

“Nah, doing all of them gives better circulation! Bear with me!” Kyle’s tangled red beard grinned at her through the rear-view mirror.    

 Jen’s blonde head reached across to mutter something into his ear, words lost in the wind before she began closing her own window.

 “Yeah  but it’s deafening whatever you do! Better do all four get it over with quickly, eh?” He kept one hand on the wheel and placed the other on four buttons. Immediately the motors buzzed again and the windows opened fully once more, eliciting a cry of despair from Jen.  “My car, my rules.”

 “Your rental,” Morgan conceded and fell back into the middle seat, blowing black bangs out of her face, “But yeah, your rules.”  

 “Don’t side with him Morgan! Keep closing them- he needs two hands to drive,” Jen scolded.  

 “Easy for you to say, you’ve got a button- these are hand cranks!”  She yelled back, leaning back to breathe. It was enough to extricate her from their contest, but Jens window continued to rise and fall for the next ten minutes as the green Spanish countryside whizzed by outside. The wind did serve to cool Morgan’s olive skin and she could close her eyes against the bright light providing her some pleasant rest only interrupted by her phone buzzing.

 “Hey, close them please, I’ve got to take this!” Morgan called, answering the call as the winds roar became a whimper.  

 “CONGRATULATIONS!” Two female voices screamed into her ear.  

 “What? Mum? Rose? What happened?”  

 “I’m sorry, she got to them firs-“ her younger sisters voice was quick and hyper.  

 “We weren’t going to leave them for two weeks before you came back sweetie,” her mother’s voice.  

 Morgan blinked and pulled at her sunglasses, suddenly nervous, “My results came? And you opened them?”  

 “Results? What, you pregnant?” Kyle teased from the driver’s seat, only to be shushed by Jen.  

 “Yes, I’ve got them here- sit down Roslyn- do you need something to write these down? No, I’ll repeat them if need be. First of all, drumroll please, English got a B! Human Biology was a B! Psychology got a C!” As her mother spoke, excited whoops and claps came from Roslyn as if to add atmosphere.

 Morgan smiled and nodded, “And German?”  

 “What do you think?”  

 “Umm… another C? You’re playing with me.”  

 “No, young lady. That was a fail. To no one’s great surprise.”    

 Morgan flinched. That badly? It had admittedly fallen behind her other subjects, her brother Dio had been back in London so there was no one to practice with, but an all-out failure? Casting her mind back, that exam hadn’t filled her with confidence, it was right after Psychology and she had fumbled over her words. Essays counted too though- had her work over the school year been that poor?  

 “I need it least anyway. Probably why I came to Spain- wait, Mum, have you been opening my other mail?” Morgan snapped, “Rose! Has she been opening my letters?”  

 “What letters? Bank statements? No, she’s been counting off the days for the SQA results to come. It’s on the calendar and everything”  

 “Don’t be down Morgan, congratulations- that’s everything you needed, right? You can apply to nursing like you wanted!”  

 “Yeah…yes, those meet the requirements,” She nodded, “Thanks, I’m glad I’m not worrying about this tomorrow.”  

 “Ooooh yeah, send us a picture when you’re on the ground. How are you feeling? Scaaaared?” Rose teased, pulling the phone from their mum.

 “N-no, I’m pumped. I’ll be basically flying! And I’ll phone straight afterwards, don’t worry Mum or Dad, they’ve only had two faulty parachutes this year.”  

 “I won’t tell them that. Congrats again Morgy! Thanks for leaving some space so I can beat your results in a couple of years.”    

 “Yeah right, Rosy, don’t tempt me to sabotage you.” She sobered, “What about Dad? How is he?”  

 “He’s fine, says it’s great to only have his favourite daughter around the house. Out working a lot, the office has a new client. Oh I gotta run though, take care, say hi to Jennifer for me!”  

 “Alright, seeya sis, bye Mum,” Morgan smiled as the other end went quiet, though a small pit filled her stomach.  

 One failure. It was just German, it didn’t matter, she had been expecting this holiday with Jen and Lyn and Emma to take them to Germany when she was choosing subjects and those plans had been scrapped around the New Year. Barcelona and her tenuous hold of the Spanish language awaited her. Nursing in Edinburgh wouldn’t need German. Right?

 Jen and Kyle were quick to offer congratulations when she shared the news with them, half yelling when the windows once more opened wide and their previous argument resumed. Morgan stayed out of it, it was indeed Kyle’s car to rent or crash if the worst came of it, and her head was still swimming with her grades- the final merits of thirteen years of schooling. There was nothing left to gain from school now, that last tenuous link since finishing sixth form was gone, leaving her free. Free to pursue nursing, or subjects beyond that. Free to enjoy the holiday without worry about grades. Free to start her next chapter.  

 Somehow the freedom left the car ride across the Spanish coast sombre, while the sun dipped down to dye the sea a molten gold. Clouds were adding great black blotches, gaps in the overwhelming brightness that Morgan relished as evening came, the tension of the air yearning for a stormy release. The night suited her better and she used the chance to speak more with the couple, aware that they were about to part; she would head west to Barcelona from here, while they went north east back up into France.

 Grass and fields faded to the urban structures of a port town, all bright pastel houses and white washed walls with seats outside guarded by umbrellas. Numerous arching canals broke up the streets to render the town almost maze-like and busy with traffic, so it was almost entirely dark by the time Kyle located her hotel, the Sirena.  

 “Well, Morg, it has been a pleasure to have an honest girl who actually listens to rules but you can stop being a third wheel now. Out we go!” The ginger man grinned as he emerged and pulled her small purple suitcase from the boot.  

 “Tch, thanks for having me Kyle, this was so much better than being the train!” She gave him a quick hug before hurrying to the passenger seat to embrace Jennifer, “Enjoy Carcassonne.”  

 “It’s the car there I’m worried about,” the tan woman muttered back, pulling her in tighter with a conspiratorial grin, “I think he might be going to pop the question.”  

 “Oh… really? Wow…If he does, say no and see how he reacts,” Morgan whispered back.  

 “I can’t do that it’d break his wee heart. Anyway shoosh and be careful tomorrow, no trying to fly without a parachute!” She released her softly, “And be careful on the train- you remember where the station is?”  

 “Yes yes, but I’ll see if I can land in Barcelona and skip that bit out,” Morgan tugged the handle from her suitcase and checked her bags pockets quickly before nodding and waving as the little red car drove off. Then she turned and pulled her suitcase into the tall cream coloured hotel.

 *********  

 Orange streetlights glimmered and reflected off the harbours waves as she hurried through the streets. Alleys crammed with staircases connected the tiered roads to one another, and all was a hustle and bustle on a hot summer evening. Loud crowds cheered for football from sports bars, families eating out nattered together, and a couple of jetskis roared across the otherwise quiet seaside.  

 She didn’t like it one bit. This tension filled the air, hot stuffiness in the night replacing the beautiful bright day. People looked more at a young woman in the dark than in the day and while she could deal with any trouble, it would waste time and energy. The girl pulled her curly black hair back under her summer hat, adjusted her rucksack and hurried up an alleyway where a gang of teenagers were practicing skateboarding on the stairs.  

 A clatter and a shout of concern came behind her, and she chuckled as she arrived outside a tall cream coloured building with high pillars leading into its atrium. Cars and taxis buzzed around outside while some two dozen holiday-goers ate and drank in a restaurant on the left side, all shades and sunburned skin. Too many to try sensing here. A narrow street off to the side caught her attention and she hurried down it instead, ducking around a pair of dumpsters to find a clear patch amidst graffiti on the wall.  

 There she glanced around a hunkered down, pulling a small lavender chalk from her pocket. With no one in sight she began to sketch, steady fingers drawing a precise circular glyph across the uneven brickwork, then adding characters and lines off of it. Once complete she inspected it, double checking for any error, and placed a hand on the rune as she focussed her Power.  

 The sensor spell wasn’t strong, it turned dark purple and began to fall apart in an instant, but that was all the better and just what she needed. She felt insight flood into her, a rough sense of the building- four storeys tall with some sixty inhabitants- and the scent of her prey. Within the building, over towards the eastern side and significantly higher. The second floor above the restaurant.  

 “Perfect. Finally everything draws together,” She murmured. It was so close. All these months of tracking, and watching and stalking- even just this evening of scouring the town’s hotels and hostels for its trace, and here it was. She fell back into a sitting position, fighting to calm the excitement within. It wasn’t over yet. It was good, but things had to be perfect for her to strike. Was it alone? Or would the other two be with it? How could she get close enough?  

 Curls flew around her head like thunderclouds as the woman shook her head. There were some things she needed no magic to do, and checking for a red car required nothing more than her eyes. Even so, it paid to be cautious, and so she switched to a long heavy scarf and coat with pointless glasses before leaving the alley. If she was recognized from anywhere before, the prey would notice and things would be far more difficult.  

 She searched four streets and two car parks for the vehicle. A few matched, the same kind of red Honda, but none had the same number plate and she doubted they had switched it. But what if they had? What if they knew and had prepared a trap with it? What if her own pursuers had anticipated her destination and made to cut her off?  

 No. There was just one her sensor spell had detected. Third floor, left hand side of the building. Steady spits of rain began to fall by the time she returned to the Sirena hotel, letting her fringe hang and obscure her features. She likely had to book a room, or pass off a story that she was already booked in as a daughter, sister or friend of someone else, but either might cause problems on departure in both the best and worst case scen-  

 It was here.  

 Her heart clenched and she suddenly veered right across the foyer, eyes watching the reflection of the restaurant in the windows. Her target sat on the end of the bar, black haired and wearing a pink jumper now against the cooling night. Its skin was tanned a little from the sun, fingers picking through the fries as it watched some newsflash over the TV.  

 She slid into a seat and pulled out her stolen phone, pretending to browse as she watched the reflection, mind racing. It was right there! So it wasn’t in the room. Therefore the room would be empty. But what if it hadn’t booked a room? There were plenty of fries left; surely she would have time to search? Unless it gave up on them. She knew a rough location, but not precisely which room, and asking would make things difficult later. Should she try to steal the key? No, that would be more attention too and involve innocents in this.

 She blinked, releasing a breath she hadn’t realize she was holding and stretching her fingers from their white knuckle grip. Information. She needed information. That was what it all came down to. Why hadn’t she packed a wig? It would be perfect for making a disguise.

 No one stopped her from making her way upstairs- as it turned out, all the rooms had key-card slots built into the handles to provide security, and several cleaners passed her without concern. The second floor held five rooms that could be the area her sensor spell picked up, but two were doubles and one was taken, leaving Eighteen and Sixteen as her options.  

 Number Eighteen was more likely. It was in the corner of the building, probably giving it two windows instead of one. She knelt down outside it and almost slid a marked envelope under the door before stopping herself. Certainty was essential. She had maybe one chance or the target would know she was hunting it.  

 “You alright?”  

 She skittered back and almost slammed into a table as a pair of feet entered her view and she tracked them upwards.  

 “Uh, are you alright? Didja get locked out?” It asked, confusion dancing in the green eyes at the sight of the marked envelope.  

 “Yes- oh, yes, thank goodness, you speak English too! I think my card fell out on the other side of the door and so I’d rather try to fish it out myself before going down and trying to charade things through,” She rambled and stood up, fighting to force her fear away. It was right there, guised as a human girl, her match in height now that she was here. Close enough to reach out and touch. Closer than she’d even been.  

 Her hand fished for the black crystal in her pocket as it smiled and said, “They’ve got pretty good English downstairs- or the lady I spoke to did. But good luck with the… uh, fishing…what was your name?”  

 Which credit card did she have? The one she lifted in Heathrow? “Eillean. Thank you, I’ll take that on board. Good evening, rest well. Bye.”    

 “Take care Eileen, don’t be scared to ask.” It smiled and turned to unlock its own door to room Sixteen , exposing the handbag under its arm in the motion.

 That was the chance to seize. She walked behind it and stretched an arm quickly. The marked envelope slipped forwards between two fingers and fell softly into the bag without a break in stride as she hurried into the staircase. A moment passed as she heard the door swing open, listening out for the cry of surprise or outrage. If that came she had to move, tackle it, get them both in the room and silence her before anything else co-  

 Click.  

 The door closed, leaving her with the sensation of drums pounding in her ears, heart beating as frantically as a bumblebee. She almost toppled down the stairs as she relaxed before catching herself and hurrying back down to the lobby, out into the night and then to the alleyway once more.

 There she set about preparations- assuming the room was square, she would need four talismans, small slates she inscribed with yellow chalk runes, and two large identical sheets of card she inscribed with identical circular green glyphs.  The black crystalline chalk still rested in her pocket, before she drew out an envelope like the one from earlier and focussed her power into it.  

 She was flagging. Preparing six talismans before this drew too much of strength and she had to pull on the power of the black crystal before there was a popping sound and another envelope appeared from nowhere into her left hand, heavy with a rectangular weight inside.  

 She collapsed, leaned against the brick wall before tired fingers tore open the envelope, revealing a black rectangle of technology.  

 “Perfect. Fortune beyond fortunes.”  

 She couldn’t help but grin as she turned its phone over in her hands and unlocked it, feeling her heat leap at the sight of a new text message waiting for her eyes.  

 ***********  

 Dio had evidently heard of Morgan’s grades from their Mum. His text was a single word with a smile at the end: SCHLECHT.  

 She shook her head and smiled at the receptionist, “Just my brother being… himself. Yes it’s definitely mine, thank you so much- here do you find it?”

 “A young woman handed it in. Said she found it in the restaurant,” the lady croaked in strong accented English and slapped a form on the desk before her, “Now sign this so we know you got it safely- and don’t lose it again, yes?”  

 “Really? Ah, sorry, I’ll take better care of it,” Morgan blushed and scribbled her name down, before hurrying away up the stairs once more, fingers tapping across the phones screen. It was tempting to just do a sad face at her brother, or maybe a German insult back. But those were cheap she considered as she swiped the key card of and unlocked her room.  

 “Gee, thanks brother, hope London is as nice as Spai-“ Morgan’s thumb typed, only for a flash of movement to catch her eye. The door clicked shut behind her by itself. A foot creaked on the floor. She was turning, but too slow and then something collided heavily with the back of her skull, making her vision flash and the world spin around her.    

 She screamed and fought to turn over as she hit the floor, phone bouncing from her gasp, but the other figure was already on her, grabbing her arms and pulling them behind her back, pinning her down.  

 “Stay down! Don’t fight or you’ll suffer more misfortune!” a girl’s voice shouted, oddly familiar. Morgan wailed and scrabbled, trying to scratch at her attacker, only for another wave of pain to crash into the back of her head and she went limp, eyes blurry and tearful. Was the floor tilting? Something was wrapping around her arms, the weight still pressed on her legs, and after a moment she belatedly realized she could still speak.  

 “HELP! HEEEEEEEELP! ROOM SIXTEEN, I’M BEING ATTACKED! HEEEEEEEEEEELP! SOMEONE! PLEASE!”  

 “They can’t hear you.” Her attacker sounded proud as she pulled something tight around her arms. “You may as well save your voice.”

 “Save my voice? SCREW YOU! HEEEEEEEEEEEEELP! SOMEONE! HELP! PLEASE! ROOM SIXTEEN! ROOM SIXTEEN!”  

 “Argh, be quiet and listen for one moment!” A hand grabbed her head and pushed her down. There were some other things in her room, she noticed belatedly. Small slates with weird yellow squiggles on them in the corners. Was that a decoration? It did match the orange walls, but she couldn’t remember seeing them before.    

 “You hear that? Nobody’s panicking, nobody’s hurrying. Everyone’s going to bed or going about their business. It’s just night time, there’s not a sound leaving this room, so screaming or talking will make no difference.”  The hand released her head and she heard the sound of scissors cut behind her neck. “There, stay calm. You needn’t suffer more misfortune than need be. I didn’t come here to hurt anyone or�� well, I guess you’re female too so you don’t need to even consider that option either. I’m simply here to reclaim what you stole from me.”  

 “What? I didn’t stea-“  she gasped as something sharp was driven into her neck. An icy needle that brought with it a sudden tingling sensation through her shoulder that stayed even as the needle was removed.  “Ow!”  

 “Apologies.” The woman moved her weight and Morgan heard the floor creak, “You can move now, just… don’t attempt anything foolish.”  

 “What?” Morgan squirmed and rolled. Her hands were tied behind her back, but her legs were free and she awkwardly rose and swivelled, glaring at her captor who sat cross legged looking at an empty injection needle in her hand.  

 The woman was young, and about her height, some five and a half feet, with olive skin and black curly hair cut short in almost a bob. She wore a cardigan over a blue summer dress and her eyes were dark as the ocean, though aside from that there was a striking similarity she hadn’t noticed earlier. She looked like herself.    

 “You’re… Ellen? Eileen?” Morgan shook her head, “Hey! You were lying! You were trying to get into my room, weren’t you?”

 “A little bit.” She looked down, “My apologies, it was the best plan I had to get you alone.”  

 “Alone? What did you d- argh?” Morgan’s demand was broken by a sharp cry of pain as the tingling sensation spread through her body. Her fingers tensed and shifted, clawing at air as her back arched and a terribly itching stretched across her feet. Toes cracked and curled before her eyes as the nails stretched, curled and darkened, turning grey then black. Red blots began to shift beneath her skin as if her legs were bleeding internally, but the skin itself did not break. Instead it began to harden; a slight glossiness spreading over her legs and feet as if they were laminated.  

 “That’s why I didn’t want to blast your head more. This shall be bad enough without.” The dark eyes of her captor bored into her, and for an instant Morgan fancied she could see a faint glimmer of emotion therein.  

 Then the world flashed and the lights of the room glared with sudden intensity, shrouding everything in brightness. Something scratched at her ears and nose, a pain erupted from two points on her skull and she released another scream, toppling onto her side. She blinked and screwed eyes tight, fighting to overcome the tingling there. The horrid sensation of her legs stretching and toes moving provided an unwelcome distraction, and she curled around, risking a glance down at her feet.  

 Reddish blackish claws had sprouted to entirely cover her toes and were pooling together, stretching and merging to form two larger claws like hooves. The keratin covering spread from them, forming a tough shell across her elongating foot and up across the ankle. Tensing her fingers and rubbing them together confirmed that her restrained hands had become glassy talons too, though she still had ten digits there.    

 Hands tugged at her shoulders and she felt herself pulled across the floor, too weak and overcome with agony to resist. “Here, you’ll hit your head on the shelves if you squirm over there.”  

 “Ge…. The li… too bright…” was all Morgan managed to hiss in reply, and a moment later the blinding brightness dimmed to a welcome orange glow. Her eyes still hurt to open, and the room swam when she did so, glowing with strange colours- a blue and black blur across her doppelganger, a green glow near the doorway, and a yellow ambience all around the room. Then she blinked and there were normal colours again, albeit blurry and occasionally crackling with those other tones.  

 Another wave of pain arched her back and she fell over more, legs swinging and waving desperately as if motion would relieve her torture. They stretched thinner and long now, two pronged claw toes tensing while the reddish black chitin flowed up  to encompass her knees. Her shoulder blades cracked and a second later Morgan squealed as something smooth and scaly flowed against his back.  

 “SNAKES! G-get them out! Getthemout!” She fell back as if rubbing them against the floor would get rid of the sensation, but there was no relief and doing so let her spy her reflection in the mirror. Yellow irises surrounding by black sclera greeted her, inhuman eyes staring out from her grey tinged face, while two feathery prongs like horns sprouted from amidst her hair. “What is this? What’s h-happening to m-me? P-please… please, stop it!”  

 There was no answer from her captor. The woman had moved, and now sat with her back to Morgan’s agony, the little purple suitcase lying open before her. Then the vision swam again and Morgan tensed and writhed, every joint and ligament pulling and heavy. She cried out again before the experience repeated itself and she screamed out, arms flying out to bunch the floor in pain.  

 Her arms! Morgan blinked, staring half in horror at the dark clawed digits before her, no longer restrained or held back by her pink jumped and bonds. Those lay behind her- she was free! Free with hands ending with sharp claws, her captor facing away from her. Her new legs stretched and tensed as she scrambled to stand on them.  

 Morgan’s first step was difficult, she overbalanced but at least fell towards her, close enough that the scissors she had sliced her hair with were almost within her grasp. Her clawed hands stretched out to grab them and for a long moment she stared at the girls back as she pulled her hand back. A stab, and then she could flee and find help. A cut and then she could escape. Her hand shook, the tingling shuddering pain unwilling to let her steady her grip as she grit her teeth and dropped the scissors.

 She could only curl up as the pain grew, as if her heart and stomach were twisting within, every tendon, ligament and muscle fighting to contract and expand and tighten against her will. Another jolt came and Morgan watched in horror as everything else seemed to stretch. The orange ceilings and walls rose and shifted further away, the bed rising higher. Her t shirt felt looser, shorts hanging off her frame, and with a shriek Morgan realized how she had escaped her bonds.  

 The next wave of pain came and she felt herself shrink once more. Limbs and body folding smaller and smaller as if she was being compressed by some terrible force. Barely child sized she found herself dwindling, the bursts becoming closer and closer together as if eager to crush her down to nothing and wink her out of existence. Her own clothes soon felt too big, merely great piles of fabric around a dwindling lump, but in their place she felt something else curl around her form, soft as gossamer but slightly scaly as she pulled the strange black material close.  

 Then, as if a switch had been flicked, the pain ended. She quivered and shuddered still, curled up as she waited the next wave, the next change, the next mutation. Yet none came. Instead she felt fabric lift from above her and sudden light sting. She flinched at the sensation but dared to open her eyes to see a towering face bigger than her entire body as her captor loomed overhead, dark eyes faintly red.  

 “Wha… what did you do me? What is this? Who are you?!”  

 “Like I said, little fraud, I’m merely reclaiming what is mine” She smiled slightly and lifted an upturned empty rucksack like a trap over the tiny being. “As for my name… I am Morgan Fells. The one and only.”