Castle Hydra: Next Generation

[frostmourne]

Skulni rolled his eyes and pulled the dagger out. "Do tell, which head?" he coughed out. He winked at Aza before slipping into a shadowy shape exactly like the others. It disappeared quickly as a line flash of white in the crowd. "There goes my explaination. Oh well. Jared will explain why he's running off with Arachne then." a disembodied voice mused. Aza's eyes narrowed with fury, and she pulled free from Adele. She paused and closed her eyes for a moment, searching the darkness. She ripped open a void and stormed in.

Jared's conflicted expression broke into a smile and a somewhat relieved expression. His head snapped up as he heard someone else entering. His smile faded a little when he saw it was Aza. "A little bird told me someone was leaving." Aza said brightly, bouncing over. "Well, you must have completely lost it since now you can communicate wih birds. And since when were you all smiles and sunshine?" Adrian muttered. Aza missed her hand as if she were going to blow him a kiss, but instead walked over a slapped him. "Yeah, I love you too." he sighed. Aza focused her attention back on Jared. "So, where are you going?" she chirped, completely ignoring Arachne. "Um..." "Away from you, that's for sure." Adrian snickered. He stopped when Aza turned to glare at him. She smiled sweetly at Jared. "Well? I don't think 'Um' is place." Jared looked nervous, as if he was considering running. "UM is the initials for the Universities of Massachusetts, Miami, Maine, Michigan, Manchester, M-" Jared started to babble. Aza giggled and skipped closer. "I'm not going to eat you Jared. I just want to know where you're going." Jared took a step away from her and hen several more. Aza withdrew, the false cheer gone and replaced by a look of deep hurt.

[lycrawaterz14]

Arachne looked satisfied and just stared at Aza. She was happy Jared had separated himself. It was healthier.

[frostmourne]

Aza's eyes brimmed with tears and she half turned like she was going to leave. Jared reached out as if to stop her, but Aza spun around without him having to touch her. Aza stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his torso and putting her head on his chest. Jared started to feel a creeping misery settling over him. He pulled Aza closer to his body and wrapped his arm possessively around her waist. And when she didn't pull back, he closed his eyes and did what he hadn't allowed himself to ponder on. He let himself pretend that she was there to stay. Because right now Aza was something tangible that he could temporarily hang onto now that the rest of his life had been ripped away from him. As Jared clutched her desperately against his chest, Aza began to cry. She so badly wanted to have the magic words to make this better. To offer him a little peace. But there was nothing to say. So tucking her head into the crook of his neck, she let herself recognize every time when she had failed him in one way or another. Feeling Aza's soft body wrapped around him was a physical reminder of both why he wanted to stay and why he had to leave. But there were so many things he was losing. That he had already lost. How did she just DECIDE something like that! That somebody that loved and supported her for most of her life is just no longer worth the effort. He felt a tear run down his face and then another. They wouldn't stop. Aza began to rub small soothing circles on his back.

Aza pulled away eventually after they both had stopped crying. "I shouldn't have done that. It's going to make this harder." Aza sighed, staring at the ground. Jared put a hand under her chin and tenderly stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I promise. I didn't before when you asked me whether I would come back. I promise that I will come back." he murmured. He kissed her forehead before Adrian allowed him to leave. Aza leaned lightly against Adrian, too tired to cry anymore. "I want to go see Kenan." she sniffled. Adrian nodded and wordlessly had the two of them reappear outside of Kenan's room.

Edited May 29, 2012 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

Arachne looked betrayed. "You just made this harder on yourself..." She sighed.

 

He was quiet, seeming like his rage was over. His door was sturdily locked though, just in case.

[frostmourne]

"I know." Jared said simply, looking irritated with himself. He barely noticed where he was going until he wandered back into the library. What caught his attention this time was a dark, eerie painting that seemed to be continually shifting. It was the color of murky water and formed no identifiable picture. Curious, Jared walked up to it. The image resolved into what he least wanted to see at the moment. Grimacing, Jared turned away and the image faded before Arachne could see. He walked up and down the rows of strange objects, dodging several out of habit. He had spent so much time here that avoiding tripping over a walking porridge lot was natural.

Aza rapped on the door lightly, her knocking hardly audible. Adrian impatiently pushed her aside and banged on the door. Aza flinched at the loud noise. "You're going to be late for the meeting. Go talk it out with Kenan as quickly as possible and stop being so hypersensitive." Adrian said briskly. Aza nodded submissively, mumbling something Addian couldn't quite make out. "Stop pretending to be timid. You'd usually be choking me at this point." Adrian snorted. "K-Kenan? Are you alright? Can I come in?" she asked, sliding in front of Adrian.

 

[lycrawaterz14]

Arachne could barely keep up. "Where are we?"

 

"Go away." Kenan mumbled weakly. "You can't come in. We mate for life, females don't enter male's bedrooms. It doesn't work like that." He grumbled, sounding like he was muffling his voice with something.

[frostmourne]

Aza turned and stormed away without another word. "This can't end well..." Adrian huffed. Aza left the palace while fighting back angry tears. She kept walking aimlessly until she came to the shoreline. For a moment she just watched the play of light over the waves. It only served to infuriate her more. There was something akin to jealousy in her gaze. She turned away and kept walking as if she could somehow escape her troubles. The more she walked the fainter her outline grew and eventually she melded in with the shadows in the landscape. Adrian chased after her until she was gone. "I didn't expect for her to go ahead with the meeting in that kind of mood. It's suppose to be a diplomatic trip." He vanished as well, reappearing in a hallway with a high vaulted ceiling. Aza was in a rather intimidating business suit. She entered a room where a great deal of yelling was coming from. Wordlessly she sat down and the noise quieted immediately. "Now good of you to honor us with your presence, your Highness." Skulni said sarcastically from a chair directly facing her. Aza looked at Skulni like he was an insect she had just stepped on. "Our assassins are very talented Skulni. Why are you at a peaceful meeting?" she asked quietly, her face perfectly composed. "No threats please. Skulni is here because he is looking after the interests of his country as we all are." interrupted an elderly man near the other end of the room. "That wasn't a threat, governor. That was a statement of a fact. However, I apologize for my tardiness." she said briskly. The conversation continued and Aza jotted down notes occasionally. Skulni's eyes never left Aza.

 

"A repository. It's really more like a library. There are all sorts of objects here, magical and mundane. Things straight out of fairy tales." Jared explained."To borrow something valuable, like the mirror from Snow White, you have to leave a part of yourself as a deposit. You get it back after you return the object. You can deposit your sense of humor, color vision, singing voice and so on. I had to deposit my future firstborn child for a really valuable object once. I'm never doing that again." Jared shuddered from the memory.

Edited June 3, 2012 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

Arachne blinked, then turned to the ground. "...What could you get in exchange of me?" She asked. "Do they have my loom here? The one I challenged Athena with?"

 

Kenan felt bad, but he didn't want Aza hurt. He was angry at Jared, just residual, but didn't want to risk her being hurt. He finally got up, grabbed his cloak, and hovered behind Aza invisibly. He drew back his presence so that he could remain undetected to everyone but Aza.

[frostmourne]

Aza briefly closed her eyes when she sensed someone behind her. She recognized it as Kenan, but made no move to show she even knew he was there. She just kept writing until the yelling became utterly incomprehensible. A duke suggested that they take a short break before resuming the negotiations. Aza swept out of the room and joined Adrian who was still waiting outside for her. They started walking out of the marble building. "That was quick. Let me guess, they're arguing over the interpretation of some obscure religious document, debating whether to lend their support to a war and various other little squabbles." Aza was silent for a long while, still not acknowledging Kenan. "Skulni was there." she said quietly. Adrian immediately opened his mouth, but Aza waved away his words. "Don't worry. He'd be mad to try to hurt me here." She finally turned around to speak to Kenan. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with tears but clearly seething mad.

"I would be very disappointed if we don't." Jared replied. He resumed walking, but at a slower pace so Arachne could keep up. He stopped in front of a shelf with hundreds of objects from mythology. The shelf at eye level was labeled 'G/R M: Fruit' and had golden apples, pomegranates and various other fruits lying around, each with a tag attached. Jared inspected some of the tags and reached to a higher shelf. He pulled down three looms. One was elaborate, the frame gilded with gold and silver and encrusted with gems. The other was plainer, simple and made of wood. The third was also wood, but with simple patterns and figures carved into it. Jared tried checking the tags. "The pages mixed up the tags again. They've got these labeled as lamps. Which one is yours?"

[lycrawaterz14]

He revealed himself. "I..." He shook his head, unseen by his large cloak. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude... my people are demanding a REAL heir, and I just... went off on Jared and yelled at you..." He hung his head in shame.

 

Arachne pulled out the simplest wooden one. "This one." she growled. "You never answered. What could you have gotten in exchange for me...?"

[frostmourne]

Aza sniffled a little bit, but she wiped away her tears. She sighed and took Kenan's hand. "I suppose I overreacted too." she mumbled, eyes fixed on his hand. "So, Jared 's left and I forgive you. So the only problem left is...What do they mean by a 'real' heir?" Adrian cleared his throat loudly. "The usual drill?" he asked, hinting that he didn't want to be there. "Oh, right! Don't forget the-" she started. "I know, you don't have to tell me. You two...do whatever you do whenever you're not sobbing in each other's arms like you're characters in a soap opera." Adrian snorted, moving to find the master computer. Aza refocused her attention on Kenan, offering him a watery smile.

Jared looked confused with her question. "No one ever gives up all of themselves as a deposit. That pretty much defeats the whole point of borrowing the object." A small folded paper crane flapped over and peered at the two of them without eyes. Jared waved it off, not looking at it. "In a minute Lance." he said dismissively. He studied Arachne closely for a moment. "Besides, I would never trade you in for anything here. You're much more valuable than any dusty old magic lamp." He looked to make sure that the crane had flown away. "Don't tell them I said that. They take great pride in their collection."

[lycrawaterz14]

He didn't pick up his head. "Y-you know..." he muttered. "An actual... Blood heir. Someone to continue the line." he sounded like he was folding in on himself In embarrassment. "But I mean... We haven't even kissed before, I'm not expecting anything of the sort, they just keep asking, and keep asking, and Mara is supposedly carrying so if her child is born before or around the same time as mine then it could challenge my heir, and if I never have one then it will override Jared and/or Adrian, and..." he shook his head. "I'm sorry... I blabber when I'm nervous..."

 

Arachne shook her head. "I highly doubt that. I wish I could cease... Just disappear. Begone. Everyone else wants me to... You've been tolerant of me, at least not spat on me as the others..."

[frostmourne]

Aza went slightly pink and dropped her gaze for a second. She put her arms around Kenan's neck and looked up again. "If..." Aza looked like she was choking on her words. Her ears were starting to turn pink too. "If you really want a blood heir..." She opened and closed her mouth a few times before any sound came out. A incomprehensible squeak made her go bright red. Adrian returned holding a large box. He dropped the box and stalked over to Aza. He was fuming mad as he grabbed Aza. "We need to talk. Privately." he snapped. He towed her into a void and sealed it, making sure Kenan wouldn't be able to listen in. "You know why you were never meant to be married off to provide a heir. You've heard this a million times before. Worst case scenario, it kills you, me and half the family. Best case scenario, it kills you. Either way, you die." Aza wrenched herself out of his grasp, still blushing furiously. "What I do with my life is none of your concern." "We both know that's a lie. Besides, my life is on the line too. Everyone related to you has their lives at risk." Adrian scoffed. Aza didn't reply, turning away. "So are you really going to die and possibly kill half your family just to make him happy?" Aza nodded, still not looking at Adrian. Adrian sighed, looking like a kicked dog. He opened to void and let both of them out. "I value so little to you, don't I? Well then, goodbye your High High Highness." Adrian barked. He started walking out the building but not before throwing a final insult at her. "No wonder Jared couldn't stand you any more!" Aza just stared at the ground, trembling violently. The world spun around her and it felt like someone was strangling her. All she could think about was that last dream she had in the mirror.

"Aza wouldn't spit at you. Well, more likely just murder you if she had an excuse. Umm...Adrian...he would if he could. Does Adele hate you too?" Jared asked, trying very badly to cheer her up. "And tolerant? I'm I really being that bad of a companion that I'm merely 'tolerant'?" he said jokingly.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan held her to him, as if shielding her. "I'll kill him. I'll ing kill him. What'd he do to you?! What did he say?!" he growled, furious. "No... No I won't." he loosened his grip, slowly but surely. "I won't... Aza I'm so sorry... So so sorry... There was no need for you to see me like that..." he finally let her go, sighing. "I didn't mean now. I just meant that is what my people want. I'd never want you to even consider something that you don't want to." he ran his hand across her cheek, the bone feeling odd.

 

"You are the greatest companion I've had." she muttered. "When we were younger Kenan use to go on walks with me. My greatest companion before, and he would practice archery on me. At least I can be near you without cringing or pain." Arachne looked away, somewhat with sorrow. "Adele pities me. I'd rather be hated than pitied." she spat.

[frostmourne]

Aza didn't respond at first, her eyes glazed over with horror. She pressed her hands to her eyes as if she could force away the memory. It felt like someone had ripped another hole in her heart. "He just reminded me of something." She calmed a bit at Kenan's touch. "Kenan, say we did have a child. If two of us were going to die and you could only save one, would you save the child or me?" she asked quietly, struggling to show no emotion. She was mentally and emotionally drained, and she doubted she could continue the meeting. She would have to ask her father to send a replacement. She wobbled a little on her feet and sank to her knees. Faint black wisps floated around her an solidified into white silk threads. Aza wearily brushed them away, not wanting to take the time to recover. More wisps appeared, her battered body demanding her to rest. She tiredly pulled herself to her feet, leaning heavily against the wall.

Jared looked somewhere between surprised and sympathetic."Archery practice? Aza just used me as a pincushion whenever she got bored. Sadistic minds think alike?" A humorless smile flashed on his face. He turned and jumped when he saw Addian behind him. "Decided to take a leaf out of your book. Apparently, I'm not particularly needed by Aza." Adrian offered a brilliant smile before starting to meander up and down the shelves. "You can't do that!" "Why not? You did." "She needs something to hang on to." Adrian snorted, thinking that she could hang on to Kenan but not voicing the thought.

Edited June 11, 2012 by frostmourne

[lycrawaterz14]

He chuckled. "I think you have forgotten who you are talking to." he kissed her forehead, picking her up and sitting down with her in his arms. "No one's going anywhere. I simply wouldn't let either die. If worse came to worse I would trade myself for both to live. Life is the one thing I can bargain with. My sister's behavior? Not my place, but who lives and who dies is decided by myself and the fates." he curled her close to him. "See? Nothing to worry about. Rest a bit. You're tired..." he cooed.

 

"She has chosen her fate. Even I have stopped groveling for my old life, albeit harder alone. She isn't even alone! She's got Kenan." Arachne snorted.

Edited June 11, 2012 by lycrawaterz14

[frostmourne]

Aza smiled but it was a weak, unconvinced smile. She wanted to make herself believe what Kenan had said. She wanted to give in and shut out the rest of the world, even if it was only temporarily. Her eyes drifted half shut in Kenan's arms, but she shook herself awake again. "Pretend you aren't one of the most powerful beings in the universe and give me a straight answer before I fall asleep please." she mumbled, rubbing her eyes sleepily. There has to be balance or there will be conflict. I don't want to be the one that starts that fight. I wonder if that's why I never knew my mother. Was it my fault? Her string of jumbled thoughts didn't make much sense in her current state of mind.

Jared still looked unhappy with Adrian. "Well, how is she?" Adrian didn't respond, ignoring Jared completely and playing with objects on the shelf. He only stopped when a winged sandal missed his head by inches. He wandered off to the Grimm Collection to examine a pair of seven league boots. "I swear, he has the attention span of a three year old." Jared sighed, putting the items back on their shelves. He turned back to Arachne and began talking again. "It doesn't matter if she isn't alone. Adrian has known her longer than I have, and for him to-" "Just leave is more or less like having a sibling cheerfully murder you by hacking you to bits wih a chainsaw while proclaiming their utter disgust of you." Adrian interrupted, grinning shamelessly. "I should have done that a long time ago."

[lycrawaterz14]

"I honestly don't know. My father had that choice, and he chose me. I don't know Aza... I'd find a way to keep you both." He pet her cheek and cradled her close as she started to fall asleep.

 

Arachne looked cold. "She deserves it." She hissed.

[frostmourne]

Aza attempted to protest, but it came out an incoherent mumble. Her eyes drifted shut and the silken strands around her started weaving themselves in to a net. It was having a difficult time trying to get around Kenan before seeming to give up and weaving around him too.

 

Jared flinched as if she had hit him and shifted uncomfortably. "Not now. Not like this." he murmured, beginning to pace back and forth. He was about to voice the suggestion for him to check on Aza when he noticed Adrian giving a death glare. Adrian immediately stopped and strolled over to Jared. "Do you remember what happened a few years after you met Aza? She sliced your arm off, slaughtered everyone in the building and then set it on fire. Three weeks later, she quite nearly bled you dry. It was a terrible century, wasn't it? Everyday, you were killed over and over and over, but she just wouldn't let you die." Jared shook his head and stepped away from Adrian as if to escape the effects of his manipulative personality. "Why do still defend that psycho?" Jared looked momentarily swayed by Adrian's argument but quickly cleared his head."She didn't mean it. She was just a little out of control." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan didn't fight it, just holding still and wrapping up with her. He hummed slightly though, as if to comfort her.

 

Arachne glared, but didn't say a word. "Because he's kind. Kind people get stepped all over." She growled in his defense.

[frostmourne]

Aza knew she was dreaming, and she was absolutely sure what would be the thing that stepped out of he dark. It was strange. She had never been afraid of the dark. Sometimes loathed it, hated it, but never...terrified of it. She was the dark. But now, she was afraid. Afraid of herself and what she would do if she really did completely collapse one day. It felt like that day wasn't too far off. The figure in the shadows stepped out and smiled at her. Aza saw herself but something was off. The one that stared back was hauntingly beautiful despite the pure black eyes. Far more beautiful than the real Aza, who seemed like a trampled dandelion growing out of a crack in the sidewalk next to a white rose. The smile was frightening cold and harsh. Aza instinctively moved away, tensing and backing against a wall. She hadn't been paying much attention to her surroundings until then. It was the rose garden with dazzling sunlight and insects buzzing everywhere. Jared was dead asleep, looking nearly comatose after working on a project for months without a break. His notebook had fallen into the fountain. Aza ignored her doppelgänger and started to walk towards the fountain. She drew back after stepping into the sunlight and being slightly singed. The other Aza glided forward into the sunlight, not injured at all. She playfully prodded Jared awake and he smiled sleepily back at her. Aza looked horrified as she watched herself inconspicuously pull out a needle and quickly inject it. Jared gasped softly and looked at her with confusion. Aza turned away from the scene, the hands over her ears not helping to block out the screams. She kept telling herself it wasn't real. She could sense the other gracefully moving towards her. "Have you no mercy in your heart?" Aza mumbled. The other smiled, a ruthless, vicious smile. "I am you. You have no mercy. No heart. So, can you still truly love, with no heart?" Aza stirred uneasily in her sleep, her eyes twitching restlessly. An occasional whimper escaped her lips. The cocoon was turning black and falling to pieces.

 

Jared looked at the other two like he was about to burst into tears. He had never been as adept at hiding his emotions as Aza and Adrian.

[lycrawaterz14]

Kenan heard her whimper, and gently rubbed small circles on her back with the hand he supported her with. It was wrapped up too, but he moved so gently it didn't disturb the threads. "Shhhhh..." He purred. "Aza?" He said, a little louder. "I love you... really." He said, laying his head on the cocoon. "I'm sorry you're afraid of marriage. And sorry you're afraid of hurting Jared. But I wish you'd let me help you change that." he sighed.

 

Arachne gently rubbed his back. "I'm sorry." She murmured.

[frostmourne]

Aza quieted, but she still seemed uneasy. She tried to wake herself up, not wanting to continue dreaming. She sank into a deeper dreamless sleep, soothed by Kenan's presence. The cocoon had completely fallen away, the remains of silken threads waving in the slight breeze of an open window. The governor stormed into the hallway, seeming irritated by Aza's absence from the meeting. "Why Arlex would send that spitfire daughter of his when she's clearly not in any state for politics-What's going on?" he muttered, halting at the scene before him. He opened and closed his mouth soundlessly a few times before turning around. "I'll adjourn the meeting for today." he squeaked as he moved away.

 

Jared drew back from her touch, his ears turning pink. "Why? It's not your fault he's a spineless worm." Adrian said scornfully. Jared seemed to shrink a little, distancing himself from both of them. He turned and started into a shifting maze of shelves near the back of the library. He moved through them with practiced grace, but Adrian couldn't even enter without nearly being run down by an enchanted wooden horse.

[lycrawaterz14]

He disappeared, placing her into the Princess' room, usually Mara's. It was gilded, literally, with gold. It shone with embedded jewels and many rare minerals. He kissed her cheek and reappeared within moments, while Adele took his place with Aza."I'll replace her. There is no need to cancel the meeting." Kenan placed a hand on his shoulder, 'accidentally' giving him a bone-cold ripple through his body. His voice had the ring of authority, borderline anger, showing he did not want to be questioned.

 

"He'll replace her with me. I've had experience in the shadow's affairs before, once even a personal friend of Arlex's." A handsome young man said, removing Kenan's hand off his shoulder. The man grinned. "I am Judeao. Senate's affair's councilor. I believe I'll do a better job than Death ever would." He grinned shamelessly, his dark hair slicked back like a buisnessman, and his voice one of luxury.

 

Arachne was light on her toes, reminiscent of a spider. She scuttled behind Jared, refusing to leave until he felt better. This was now her goal in life. Once completed, she would fade.

Edited June 17, 2012 by lycrawaterz14

[frostmourne]

The governor looked like he was going to faint. He tottered into the conference room, causing the chatter to pause. The delegates took one look at the expression on the governor's face and at two behind him and immediately began to scramble to collect their papers and leave. A long drawn out hiss stopped movement in the room again. The snow leopard walked into the middle of the room and sat down. "No one. No one will be replacing Aza." it said calmly. "Now, mayors, it would make more sense not supporting the war. Your countries can't afford any more economic difficulty and the war would not benefit you in any way. It is wiser to form a bicameral legislature to resolve the civil war." His gaze rested on two nearly identical men who had started to whisper to each other before nodding and both leaving. The snow leopard continued to force compromises until only one person was left in the room. It walked up to Skulni and carelessly beheaded him with a swipe of its paw. "Now if you'll excuse me, there are two more heads that are going to roll." The snow leopard jumped gracefully put the window.

 

Jared stiffened and came to a dead stop when he felt the slight breeze as the door of the library swung open an shut again. The next thing he knew he was pinned to the ground by a pair of paws the size of a dinner plate. "I never should have let you near my daughter." it commented dryly, unsheathing its claws. "But you weren't the Sapienti's brightest star for nothing." Adrian was outside the maze, unconscious on the ground. A little blood was dripping from a gash on his forehead, but he seemed otherwise unharmed for the moment.