Castle Hydra: Next Generation

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan yelled as his shirt was grabbed and a girl pulled him to the ground. The girl grinned evilly and licked his cheek.

 

"Arachne!" Kenan shoved her away, but she had a good grip on him. "Aw. You used to be happy to see me!" She laughed. Kenan rolled over and pinned her to the snow. "You're dead!" He yelled and got up. Arachne laughed. "No I'm not. Clearly." She sighed, and stood up. She was in a black long-sleeved dress and her hair was pulled back, and somehow formed into a spiderweb. Kenan fell backwards, thrown off by being slung around.

 

"You messed up my hair!" She laughed, and offered him a hand. He looked at her suspiciously. "What?" She smiled. Kenan slowly stood up, holding his head. She just grinned. "I just came to offer you myself." She shrugged. Kenan blinked. "What?"

 

"You're under the semetic clause. I just offered you my hand. Considering I have no father to tell me what to do." She said smugly. Kenan still looked confused. "You mean like...?" "Marriage?" Arachne finished his sentence. "Yes." She smiled. Kenan blinked. "I..." "Don't worry about it! If you don't find a girl, or that useless girl you're chasing dumps y-"

 

"She isn't useless." Kenan said sternly. Arachne fell quiet. There was an odd silence, and she put the pieces together in her head. "You really like this one." She pouted. Kenan quietly turned the weird ashen color. "And you haven't even said anything? Thirty years? And she hasn't brought it up? Wow. Well." She chuckled. "Whenever this backfires, give me a call." She winked and Kenan just studied the ground.

 

Arachne tackled him again, before quickly darting off.

[frostmourne]

"Could you leave me alone for a minute please?" she murmured, head in her hands. "As you wish." he replied, walking away in a random direction. Jared turned to the nearest pine tree once he was a good distance away and started talking with it. "I don't know. He could always just ask, but I think he would just be too nervous to even mention it. Her father probably wouldn't mind as much as she thinks. He loves her, or at least as much as a person like him can know of love." he said quietly. The pine tree's rustling seemed to make sense to him. "Jealous? You're quite a rude tree." Aza caught his last sentence as she walked over. "You sound delusional when you talk to trees." she said, looking amused. She had walked away by the time he had started to reply.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan stood up, quickly trying to wipe the venom off his cheek. It had already turn his skin a deep red from the strength of it. He turned back to look for Aza, but found himself alone. He sighed. "Great..."

 

He walked into the woods. "AZA?" He called.

[frostmourne]

Aza ran towards his voice, following invisible trails. "Here. What happened to your face? If it's venom, this might tickle." She slit her hand again and put it on his cheek, blood following freely. The blood seemed to gather on spots where the redness was the worse and seep into the skin to get the poison out. Once it was finished, Aza lifted her palm off his cheek, but quickly curled it into a fist to hide whatever happened to it. It clearly wasn't healing as fast as usual. "Really? I think- I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" Jared walked in on them, clearly in deep discussion with a maple tree. "No, please, go on." "Now, as I was saying, the most recent discovery of that species was-" He broke off as he realized he was standing in a large puddle of tree sap. "Never talk with a tree unless you wish to keep talking for the next century. They don't know how to end a conversation except by throwing things on you." Aza muttered, almost looking like she would smile. It was too soon after being trapped in the mirror and the beginnings of a smile faded.

[lycrawaterz14]

"Thank you, Aza... it's a long story..." he sighed, and watched Jared quietly. "I'll... keep that in mind?" he said thoughtfully. "Aza? You alright?" he asked quietly, and pat her back.

[frostmourne]

"Yes, I'm fine." Aza said, answering a little too quickly in a voice that was slightly too high pitched. She curled her fingers tighter. Jared sighed and thought it would be best to leave the two alone. "I'll go find Adrian." he said, slipping away. She seemed to be trying to hide her hand behind her back. A trickle of dark blood dripped off of her hand. "It's nothing." she squeaked. Adrian was standing exactly where Jared had left him, sappy grin in place. "I hope his face freezes that way."

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan pat her back and took her bleeding hand and led her back to the bench.

 

"Do you want to tell me what you saw?" he asked quietly. "I'm not always going to be around to hear..." he said, and kissed the back of her bleeding hand gently.

Edited October 12, 2011 by lycrawaterz14

[frostmourne]

Aza leaned against him and sighed. "Every happy memory, twisted into macabre scenes. A visit to the pond ended in me drowning someone. A smile turned into a snarl. Then just before I woke up, there was a memory I didn't recognize. It was purely imagined, but it was somehow just as frightening. I thought that I had woken up, since I was in the castle with the three of you. There was a voice that told me to choose one of you to die. I didn't say anything. I couldn't. Then Adrian said that he couldn't keep following me around like a lost puppy and left. Jared just smiled sadly and shook his head. He burned until there was nothing but ashes. And then you asked me to forgive you and that you had to leave. I didn't want to be alone again. Not again." she said quietly. She didn't mention the other dreams.

[lycrawaterz14]

Damn. he thought. "I'm sorry... it's my fault. If I had just shadowstepped you away from him the second we saw him then this never would have happened..." he said, immediately blaming himself, but sighed and looked at her.

 

"Aza...? A..." very dangerous he added in his head "woman offered me her hand today... I need to know. I'm sorry it's so soon after all this happened, but I need to know..."

[padfoot]

Zeke looked at his mate and smiled nervously, "I know, it's just that she has not seen me in almost 35 years. And I killed my father and brother the last time", he said, shutting up when he heard his mother returning. She walked in the room carrying a tray of teacups. She set it down on the coffee table and sat in the armchair across from them, "so, what are your names?", she asked, stirring sugar into her tea. Zeke took a shaky breath and spoke, "my named is Zeke," she stopped stirring instantly, "Zeke Warr". The old woman began shaking so violently her tea sloshed over the edges and dripped onto her apron. She shook her head, "no. No, it can't be you, my son died in prison", she whispered, the color draining from her face as she looked up at them, "You. You can't be my son. My Zeke would be a grown man...your just a boy", she stammered. She reached for the phone on the table next to her, "Im calling the police. They will take you away and stop this cruel prank". Zeke glanced at Lorelei, "do something to stop her", he breathed then spoke up, "please mom, it really is me and I can't explain what is happening", he said, trying to calm her down.

[sairi123]

Lorelei had already filled her lungs and was singing a very low, almost inaudible tone. Zeke's mother slowed to a stop before she could reach the phone, the sirens' hypnotic voice had her transfixed. Once Lorelei was sure the woman was under her control she changed her tone to a more relaxing tune and the elderly woman began to sway gently as if in the ocean. She let her voice trail off before turning to Zeke again, "She'll come to in another minute or so and stay calm enough to not call the police. But she will still want answers, she's scared, Zeke." Lorelei looked at her mate with sadness in her eyes. "You'll have to tell her why you left, why you look so young," she stopped again to look at Zeke's mother, still swaying gently, the effects of her sirens' song begining to fade.

[frostmourne]

"Know what?" Aza asked, looking puzzled. If Adrian where there he would have laughed at her for being so naïve. She looked peaceful, even happy before he started speaking. "It wasn't your fault. If you keep blaming yourself for everything that happens to me I'll have to lock myself away. I hate to see you so upset. And what woman? I'm jealous already and I don't even know her name." she said brightly. "She's the one who had the venom isn't she? It's quite effective." She uncurled her fingers to reveal a slightly swollen cut that was still freely bleeding. The cut was slowly improving, although not at its usual pace. Jared listened half heartedly to a droning oak tree. He wanted for the two to come out of the forest and he hoped against reason that nothing important had occurred . Adrian seemed to be slowly coming to his senses. "What happened?" he asked, blinking. Jared shook his head and went back to listening to the tree.

[lycrawaterz14]

"Yes... that's the woman with the venom. And..." he turmed to the ground. "I need to know if I even have a chance Aza. With you..." he managed to choke out. "I..." he stopped himself.

[frostmourne]

Aza tensed, looking like she would flee at any moment and then tentatively relaxed. "You've always had a chance Kenan. You just never asked." she she said softly, cheek pressed against him shoulder. "I'm glad you finally said something, but I wish it was under different circumstances." Adrian kept prodding Jared, hoping he would tell him whatever had occurred. "Oh that's it. I'm going to find Aza." He jumped up, but ivy vines wrapped tightly around him. "Fine." he said tersely, crossing his arms.

[lycrawaterz14]

"I'm sorry... but Arachne was only the first offer. I'm sure they'll be more. Power always tempts my kind." He shook his head, a bit shy still.

[frostmourne]

"No need to tell me. I've been dealing with suitors ever since I can remember." Aza muttered under her breath. "I've had enough moonlight waltzes to make me sick of them." She smiled and placed her hand on his cheek. "I have to ask, why did you wait so long? Am I really that intimidating?" The cut had healed, but the ragged scar was still fading away. Adrian struggled a bit more against the vines before hacking them away. Jared winced slightly, as if the death of the plants had physically hurt him. More vines sprang up and the trees moved to form a thick wall. "Why can't I go see them?" he demanded, looking like he would rip up the forest if he had to.

Edited October 13, 2011 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

"I wanted to be sure I wasn't making a fool of myself." He sighed. "And I'm a chicken. Kill unholy rampaging demons, sure. Telling you I really..." He turned away. "That takes thirty years." He sighed. "I'm still making a fool of myself." He grumbled.

[frostmourne]

"A fool in love makes no sense to me. I only think you are a fool if you don't love." she murmured, moving closer to him. A snowflake landed on her cheek, but is didn't melt. She looked up, allowing snow to fall on her up turned face. She snuggled against Kenan, eyes closed and oblivious to the snow settling in her hair. Her eyes suddenly snapped open and she started shaking again. "I can see it everytime I close my eyes." she whispered, horror in her eyes. Adrian walked up the the nearest tree and had a shadow chop it down. Jared shuddered with each blow and jumped up. "Don't you realize how much grief you'll cause her if you storm in there right now?" he said, voice still perfectly even. "Why?" Adrian asked.

[lycrawaterz14]

"See what?" He asked, his hand showing he was unsure about touching her shoulder. "I can give you my blindness if it's that bad... it affects all things, even memory. Anything visual. I promise." he murmured.

[frostmourne]

Aza shook off and forced a quick smile. "Nothing. I really don't want to talk about it." she said, hoping he would drop the subject. "Anyway, I think we should be getting back. I can almost hear Adrian asking what in world I'm up to." she said briskly, avoiding eye contact. She seemed a bit reluctant to go, not wanting to face Adrian's questions and Jared's quiet calm looks. She didn't make a move to stand up, although she stared intently in the direction they were suppose to be heading. Adrian paced back and forth impatiently, casting occasional glances at the dark woods. "She's not a little girl anymore. You worry if she's out of your sight for more than a couple minutes. You don't trust Kenan?" "Not really..." he muttered still pacing. "Just like a overprotective older brother." Jared said. "I'm overprotective? Look at him!" "Exactly. So why are you so worried?" He muttered something unintelligibly and went back to pacing.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan nodded. "If you change your mind, the offer is still here." He actually smiled a bit. "Adrian probably is quite worried... I don't want to leave though... can we finish this another time? I still need the courage to talk to you more..." he lost volume as he tallked, and had turned the weird ashen color.

[frostmourne]

"You would think you were walking into an angry lion's den everytime you tried to talk to me." Aza laughed. She stood and turned to look at Kenan. She leaned forward, face inches from his, looking concerned. She jumped back and laughed quietly before taking his hand and starting to head towards the trees. She noticed it was snowing harder and the wind had started to pick up. It was obviously the beginnings of a blizzard. She wrapped her cloak tighter around herself and started to walk faster. Jared sighed as Adrian paced back and forth, leaving no footprints on the snow. He didn't sink into the snow, as if he had no weight. Aza was probably doing the same thing.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan didn't seem to be intimidated when she leaned close, but actuallly came forward slightly as if he was testing something. When she grabbed his hand he winced as his shoulder jerked on his wounds. "Aza, here..." he grabbed her by the shoulders and held her close, before appearing beside Adrian. "She's fine." He murmured, and grew quiet and returned to her side.

[frostmourne]

Adrian took a deep breath and began asking questions as fast as he could. "What where you doing? Why couldn't I come? How long were you in there? Why was Jared refusing to explain anything? Why do I not remember so many things? What were you two up to? What time is it?" He didn't stop the stream of questions, not allowing anyone to answer. Jared nodded in Aza's direction and silently slipped into the forest. He stopped walking when he reached the clearing with the marble bench. He knelt down beside a pine tree and put a hand on its trunk. "Breathe, hint, buzz, spell. Sigh, speak, say, tell." he murmured. The pine tree began rustling and stopped after a few minutes. Jared remained kneeling there like a statue, getting covered with snow. He felt like someone was squeezing blood out of his heart. He forced himself to stand, brush off the snow from his head and shoulders, and walked back to the others. The moment he was in range, Adrian gasped and winced, stopping his stream of questions. "Poor guy...I never guessed..." Adrian muttered, incapacitated by the strength of the emotions he felt. Aza looked baffled and couldn't even begin to answer any of his questions. Jared emerged from the woods, looking calm as usual. He had a worried expression on his face as he made his way to Adrian. "What happened?" he asked, looking just as confused as Aza.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan just looked confused. "Care to explain Adr-..." Kenan held still a moment, like he thought he heard something. He drew his bow and shot, hitting a small racoon in the hindquarters.

 

Kenan growled in frustration and waved his hand. The arrow dissolved. "I'm... sorry..." he muttered, ashamed and unable to look at anyone.