The Cursed

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"You run a jewelry store here?" Paul asked. Quadir sat down and pulled his wife to his lap much to their fur babies complaining. "It's called quadverns' hoard. She said she owned a shop in the town she came from, so to make her feel more comfortable here, and Ashley's jewelry shop was closing when they moved. She made me this gauntlet. She's quite talented and skilled." He said showing off the piece of armor he still had on his wrist. 

 

Paul seemed to drop the formalities all together at this point. "Really? My wife's birthday is coming up soon and I've been stumped on what to get her. I usually get her jewelry, but I've never seen work like this before. Her favorite animal is a turtle, but that's too informal and I get her glass blown turtles every Ammar's day. Hmmm." He said lost in thought. 

 

Quadir spoke up, more like he was speaking to an old friend of his. "You told me once how she looked, with silver white hair and rose colored eyes, and I said like a white snow rabbit. Don't you call her your little rabbit ever since then? Do a simple diamond and ruby combo in silver on a chain. Have the jewels shaped like a rabbit?" He suggested. Paul shook his head. "Anastasia can't wear necklaces. She stopped wearing them when one of father's concubines ripped her great grandmothers necklace off of her and it left a scar when it cut her. I get her mostly earrings and bracelets. Oh!" He snapped his fingers. "Can I commission you for a broach of a white rabbit? She collects brooches and wears one every day! I doubt she has seen a diamond rabbit one before, and I know for sure she'll wear it! And a simple charm bracelet from silver with a rabbit charm in silver and a lion charm in gold, oh! And a star charm in rose gold!" 

 

Quadir smiled softly and looked at his wife, he was softly rubbing his fingers across her back in a comforting way. "I'll help you get the material and molds. I can draw out what they'll look like so you can have a reference. " He looked at the prince. "We'll send them by hawk when completed, although I believe we do have the charms you want. They are a popular seller and she made all sorts of animals and objects in different colors. "

[SkySong278]

Alivia nodded in a nonverbal reply before Quadir picked her up and put her in his lap, having to pet and talk softly to their fur babies shortly afterward when she heard them complaining. She then blushed a bit when she heard him say that she was very talented and skilled, still not used to hearing him say those things about her yet. She was glad he thought that way, though but was still a bit embarrassed about it all the same.

 

She was still petting Truffle and Void when she listened to the rest of the conversation between her love and the crown prince. She made a mental note about the gemstones to use as well as the color chain that she heard Quadir say, but then frowned a bit when she heard the next bit of the latter’s wife not being able to wear necklaces anymore. She thought it was both a bit sad and rude that she had gotten hurt as her necklace had been ripped off of her neck by one of the king’s concubines, but didn’t say anything regarding what she was thinking since she didn’t want to be insensitive.

She knocked herself out of her thoughts when she heard what all Paul asked her about her commissioning a broach along with a charm bracelet and the charms to go on it. “I can certainly do that. Sounds like a very fun project,” she said still with the smile on her face while feeling Quadir’s fingers rubbing her back and then had her attention go from being on Paul to being on him (Quadir) instead when she heard what he said about helping her out by getting the molds she needed as well as drawing what they should look like.
 

“Alright sounds like a good plan,” she said in reply before having her attention going to be on Paul when he acknowledged him again regarding how they could get him the commissions as well as them having the charms he requested.

Edited January 20, 2023 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"Well, it seems like you two are quite comfortable with each other. Not a bad thing for a coerced marriage." Paul chuckled and quickly stopped at Quadir's glare. "We are official on paper only. The ceremony has yet to be held and we're currently planning it. However, you know I wouldn't force her to do something she didn't want to do. We have had disagreements already and a bit of a fight, but I realized when she was dieing due to the poison how much she truly meant to me. Mother's health deteriorated after father's death and I experienced that feeling for a moment, but if I had to endure that pain for the rest of my lifetime, that pain would have been agony.  The only other time I felt such rage was when my old captain died. It was lucky for those three that I didn't have access to a weapon."

 

"I distinctly remember that you didn't need a blade to carve a swath of corpses in your wake during that time. You used a cutlery knife, and when that snapped you yanked out a tusk of a troll and used that. That was a mess to clean up, and you wounded several dozen men in your blind rage. Indeed, they are very lucky. Then you leaping on that Blue Quadvern and avis-" 

"Enough of war talk Paul. I don't want to upset Alivia. Speaking of quadverns, I have three bodies stripped of scales and the magic crystals removed from them for you to take to the refinery. A female red and two hatchlings ambushed my men and I shortly after Alivia was settled in. The mother I took on myself. If you can, I would like to have the dwarf Lords of the north mountain range forge it into a dagger. And armor of her scales." He said softly. When Paul looked confused at the request of dragon scale armor and weapons a small movement form Quadir answered his unasked question. 

[SkySong278]

Alivia blushed a bit at Paul’s words, forgetting for a moment that he was there before it got a bit darker when she heard everything that Quadir said regarding his feelings for her and how they had bloomed. That reminded her of a question she had wanted to ask him around that time, but she’d ask it a bit later.

 

She then looked a bit concerned when she heard the conversation turn to one where he had killed and wounded some people around the time that the captain that had been like an uncle to him had died, expression then changing to one of curiosity when Quadir changed the subject. She didn’t know that Quadvern scales could be used to make both armor and weapons out of until she noticed the small hand gesture he used. She then sighed a bit, figuring it was some secret code or something since she was there.

 

“Well I’m going to leave you boys to whatever conversation you want to have without me present and head upstairs to get ready for bed. I had kind of a long day today with work and am a bit tired. It was very nice meeting you Paul,” she said with a smile as she made a move to get off of Quadir’s lap while discovering that he was holding her. She gently transferred Void over to her right arm with Truffle before also gently removing his hands from around her with her now free hand, curtsying a bit shortly afterward and then heading upstairs after that.

Edited March 16, 2022 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((added wendigo to monster list.))

 

Quadir looked like he wanted to stop her but didn't. "Quadir, seriously?" Paul said softly. "Why dragon armor? You know a battle field is no place for a-"

"Don't you dare say it! You have countless of knights some of them are female, you know how many times I fought beside Flo? My own mother was a master Archer! If she wants to join me I'll get her the best, it's a gift. I'd feel more comfortable with her beside me out there then waiting here wondering if I'd come back home. With the nest of quadverns and the Pandasantias here something to the south west is heading this way. Pandasantias haven't been seen in these parts since ancient times before the creation of the country. I had to go very deep into our records for such information. And what I found that comes after these signs, she being the Deity's daughter can only handle. If the signs are pointing to such, Wendigos would be next. We need silver weapons." Quadir said plainly.

 

Paul sighed. "Fine, I'll send you  tropes with silver swords and crossbow bolts. I'll get going on that request. May I stay here tonight?" 

 

Quadir nodded and got up. "Flo, show the crown prince to the finest guest room. Let him have a bath and a hot meal. " He ordered. "Now if you would excuse me, my wife seemed upset. " 

"By all means go to her. She's more docile than Anastasia, my wife would demand to know my secrets. I know my father has many women in his life, but honestly, Anastasia is a handful, I don't want nor need any more in my life." Paul chuckled as he followed Quadir and Flo out of the room. "Anastasia would make a great queen. If you're planning on having children soon you better invite me to the christenings. I better be named godfather."

 

"Of course you'll be godfather! Anastasia and I know that you'll be the best protector. We even planned the safest route to take for a loyal member of our house if anything where to happen to us!" Quadir looked confused as they went up the stairs, him stopping on the second floor and the Prince being led to the fourth floor guest room. "You speak as though you already are expecting..."

 

Paul smacked his face. "I've been so busy with work and now this idiotic investigation that I haven't been able to write to you. Anastasia is two months along now!" Quadir was silent the burst out laughing and grabbed Paul in a back popping hug. "Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! I'll work on a mobile and a painting for the baby's room at once! A colorful one with a rabbit and a lion with a little lamb! Is that what the star charm for?" Paul gasped for air and hunched over to breathe once let go. "Yep..." He gasped. 

Edited January 31, 2022 by AroaraAngelwolf

[SkySong278]

((okay . I read it and discovered that the second "prey", at the very end, needs to be "pray". it's all very good info about them otherwise, though and I found it helpful ))

 

Alivia got dressed in her nightgown after having placed both kittens down on her bed as well as also closing her bedroom door and then picked them up off the bed, bringing them to the bathroom shortly afterward for a bath. She wasn't sure when the last time they had one was and their fur looked a bit dirty. She closed the door before setting them down and plugging the drain in the tub, waiting for it to fill just a bit and also for it to get warm. When the tub was filled enough to the point where she wanted it and the water was also warm to the point where it was perfectly between cold and hot while not being too much of the latter, she picked them up gently and then set them down in the tub before getting her hands prepped with soap. She gently cleaned Void first by picking her up and gently scrubbing her before putting her back down in the water and then did the same things with Truffle before rinsing them free of the soap afterward. She rinsed her hands clear of the soap that was left on them, drained the tub, and then got two hand towels out from under the sink before bringing them back over to the tub.

 

She picked up Truffle and started to dry him off as gently as she could and most of the way before setting him down on the bathroom floor and then did the same with Void with the other towel. She then opened the bathroom door again to let them wander around her room and to get all of the way dry while she went over to her study to get a book to read. She located one on her father, brought it back to her room, and then sat down in a chair beside the window to start reading. She had just gotten to the second page when she heard Paul and Quadir's exclaimed conversations on the second floor stairs. She smiled when she heard that the crown princess was pregnant while also hearing Quadir's idea of making a mobile along with the shapes he was planning on adding to it which gave her an idea. She placed a piece of paper in the book where she was, got out a piece of parchment paper along with a pen, and then started to write down the stones that she could make the shapes for the mobile out of to help Quadir with it.

 

She wrote down rabbit and then beside that, a diamond and rose quartz for the gemstones to use for it. She wrote that the diamond would be used for the body of the rabbit and the rose quartz would be used for its eyes beside the gemstones. Next she wrote lion and beside that, topaz and black opal for the gemstones to use for this other shape. She also wrote that the topaz would be used for the body of the lion and the black opal would be used for its eyes. Lastly she wrote lamb and beside that, silver aura quartz and also black opal to use for this last shape. She added a last note beside these last two gemstones that the silver aura quartz would be used for the lamb's body and the black opal would also be used for its eyes just like with the lion. Below those notes, she added another note that was to ask Quadir to ask the miners about getting her medium sized stones for the bodies and small ones for the eyes or possibly getting them ordered along with talking to him about her ideas and what he thought.

 

Then she put the pen down on top of the piece of paper on the desk beside the book, picked up the book again, turned her chair around so that it was backwards to the desk, took the piece of paper out of the book where she had left off earlier, and started to read it again from the paragraph that she had stopped on.

Edited February 23, 2022 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Quadir knocked on her door and opened it a crack. "May I come in? Oh dear, did you two get a bath?" He cooed as the kittens ran to him screaming and he scooped them up. "You where awfully dirty! Have you two been keeping the underside of our shelves clean? You make great feather dusters.." he chuckled and stepped inside closing the door behind him. "I didn't mean to make you feel excluded. You looked like you wanted to ask me something earlier, what was it?" He asked setting the furballs down and pulled out a string to play with them. 

[SkySong278]

"Of course my love," Alivia said with a smile when she looked up briefly and saw him open the door after he knocked on her door and the smile stayed as she saw their fur babies run to him while complaining a bit. She giggled a bit when she heard the last couple things he said to them as he had them in his arms before hearing the other statement and the question he said and asked afterward. She blushed and looked back down at her book as she said in reply to both, "You weren't. I just figured you two could use more time to chat without me there and that what you wanted to tell him about was some sort of a surprise for someone that I thought would be better if you two talked about it without me being in the way. I really am tired and will be going to bed soon, but I got distracted by giving them baths and wanting to find out more about my father. Um just when you first realized that you loved me. I figured it could wait until we were just by ourselves in either of our rooms."

Edited January 31, 2022 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Quadir sat down with a blush as he moved the string around for the kittens. "It was after you got shot. I just felt this overwhelming need to protect you, like some animalistic part of myself just couldn't let you go. Although my dad an I fought, well... He told me once I became a teenager that I'd that ever happens it's the blessings way of saying you found your match.  That the Deity blesses the pairing and knows that she would be a great leader and a important member of our legacy. Also, yes I was hunting the gollums that day I met you, but that was because something drew me outside. The flatlands are the beginning of my land, although still under Evens in the homestead town act. I believe the Deity sensed the men's intentions and influenced me to go out. " He said softly. 

[SkySong278]

Alivia blushed a darker pink color when she heard everything he said, feeling a bit surprised when she heard that her father influenced him to go out around the time that she and Evens’ soldiers encountered the Gollums. “Oh, really? Um I realized that I loved you when I saved you but I started feeling strong feelings towards you before then which was around the time we were finding out more about each other,” she said in reply as she put the piece of paper back in the book to mark the place she was on again while watching him play with the kittens.

Edited June 17, 2022 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"hmmm, well I was growing to like your company, but to be honest I still thought you were too good for me at that time. Still do sometimes. Um... " He said softly seeing her put away her book. "I'll let you sleep. I'll go work on those drawings." He said standing up and leaving the kittens there. He went back to his room and changed into his night attire and started to draw sitting on his window seat. 

[SkySong278]

“Oh. Is there anything I can do to help with that?” she said and asked in reply to the other things he said before hearing the rest of what said. “Oh um okay,” she said in reply before getting up and quickly heading over to his room with her notes of ideas for the mobile. “Hey um Quadir? I have some ideas of what the rabbit, lion and lamb can look like for it if you’d like me to help you with it,” she asked and said as she stood just a bit inside the room and a little ways away from the doorway.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"If you want to make them, then come in and tell me what you need. I'll gather them myself. The mobile will be my knot work. The painting will have the lion lamb and rabbit, but if you want to make something for them yourself I can help you." He said softly focused on drawing. He came to the door and handed her the drawings. "Here, that's what he had in mind for the broach and the charm bracelet." 

[SkySong278]

“Oh um then never mind but maybe I can make them small jewel replicas of the animals in the painting otherwise, I’m not sure what I can make them. I guess I’ll continue thinking of what might be a good gift for them and I’ll just head onto bed as I guess my head’s more tired than the rest of me is,” she said in reply before he came over to her and handed her the drawings for the gifts Paul wanted to give to Anastasia. “Okay. I’ll start working on them tomorrow,” she said before heading out the door of his room to head back to hers but not noticing that she left the piece of parchment paper that had her notes about her ideas for the baby behind.

 

((sorry . just noticed and realized that I hadn’t had her reply to him regarding what Paul was thinking for his gifts for Anastasia))

Edited February 1, 2022 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Quadir drew sketches of the painting he wanted to do until late in the evening. Yawning he looked over to the bed and froze. He swore. "Damn you stupid idiot!" He said whacking his palm against his forehead. He growled lowly and huffed in irritation. He upset her didn't he? He was so focused on drawing the things out he didn't properly listen to her. He spotted the parchment paper and looked at it then pressed his head against the wall. "Stupid, stupid moron. " He could have listened and told her he can tie the animals she made to the mobile. 

 

Heaving a heavy sigh he set aside the paper and walked over to her room. He was going to knock but it was nearly midnight now, so he softly opened the door and slipped inside. Carefully he got on the bed on top of the covers not caring if he got cold, and laid down beside her holding her back to his chest. "I'm sorry dearest. I'm a fool and ignored you. Forgive me.." he whispered softly although she still seemed to be sleeping, he didn't care if he got a response from her. He ran his fingers over a strand of hair. "I fell in love the moment I saw you. I thought you were a dryad, a forest nymph who was rudely pulled from her tree that contains her life.  Or a kitsune, a fox who transforms into a beautiful woman..." He sighed softly. "I'm still scared you'll leave me. I love you more now than the breath in my body..." He trailed off then kissed her tenderly on her cheek and snuggled close to her before falling asleep. 

[SkySong278]

Alivia went back into her room, closed the door behind her shortly afterward, unmade the bed, and then fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Late that night, possibly close to midnight, she felt like she was being held closely from behind but she didn’t feel uncomfortable by it so she figured it was Quadir. When she felt the tender kiss against her cheek, she knew for a fact that it was him. She could tell that he was saying stuff, but her mind was too tired to process exactly everything that he said.

 

She was still sleeping the next morning, too comfortable to get up just yet but she did shift positions so that she was now facing Quadir instead of away from him. Although he wasn't under the covers and on top of them and the comforter instead, she tried to get as close as she could to him anyway.

Edited February 1, 2022 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Quadir hummed softly when she shifted and tightened his arm around her not even waking up. He stirred a little bit more when the two kittens decided they wanted to snuggle and crawled up underneath his chin and Void on top of his head.  

 

This moment lasted about another hour longer before a soft knock sounded and Donna peeked in. She yelped when she spotted Quadir and squeaked out a sorry before shutting the door again. "Ow.... So loud.." Quadir muttered. 

[SkySong278]

Alivia continued to sleep for an hour longer or so, stirring slightly when she heard both Donna and Quadir say what they did but didn't open her eyes until a few minutes or so later. "Mm? What's loud?" she asked curiously as she rubbed her eyes clear of the sleep. It was also around that time her head registered everything he had said while she had been sleeping and she said and asked in reply in order while resting her hand both softly and gently against his cheek: "It's okay and I forgive you. Oh, you did? I'm betting it was the second option since you said I reminded you of a fox friend you knew before she had run off to be with a Todd. I won't and I love you, too." She then looked up slightly and emitted a small giggle before saying as she got herself composed again, "Void's on your head."

Edited February 1, 2022 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"Donna's loud." He mumbles then heard what she said after. "What are you talking about?..." He mumbles and rubbed his eyes. Then everything seemed to click. "Oh... I thought you were asleep... " He said now having his hand across his face now turning pink. "Yeah I did say that, although it's fitting because your father has a fox head. " He said softly.  Hearing her giggle and say where Void was he moved his hand to his head and picked up the baby rolling onto his back as she complained and set her on his chest. "I thought you were a pillow on my head..." He cooed at the kitten and calmed her down. "Truffle was under my chin. "

[SkySong278]

"Ah okay and I was. My head just registered everything you said so I thought I'd reply to it all. Mhm and it is very fitting," she said in reply to his first couple of statements before watching as he got Void off of his head and put her on his chest instead as he rolled onto his back. "I saw that and he looked quite comfy," she said as she was still laying on her side and her head was still on her pillow. "What did you think of my ideas for the gemstone animals that I thought could go on your mobile? Do you think the medium size would work or should they be smaller instead?" she asked a few minutes or so later.

Edited February 1, 2022 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"Medium size would work nicely, and we can inlay a bronze star in the wood, and tie the animals so the baby can see them. We should get up now. " He said sadly and got up still holding Void he paused then grinned setting the kitten back down on the bed. "I'm gonna go jump on Paul. He's not a morning person." He grinned and dashed out the room and up the stairs. From her open door Donna peaked inside then jumped when a loud yell sounded nearly echoing in the castle. 

 

"GRAHHHH!" "WHAT THE HELL?!"  Then laughter.

[SkySong278]

“Okay. I was thinking that we could do that and plus the shining on them could reflect onto the wall for the baby to enjoy further. Aw okay,” she said in reply to everything he said while pouting a bit after she had said the last statement. She got out of bed shortly after he did, stretching a bit and then looking a bit curious afterward when she heard everything else he said regarding jumping on Paul. She nodded all the same before he left to head to whatever floor Paul was on and then smiled at Donna when she noticed the latter peek into the room. She then also jumped a bit when she heard the yell, but then giggled shortly after when she heard the laughter as well. “Good morning,” she said in greeting to her maid after she had gotten herself under control again.

Edited February 23, 2022 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Donna was pink. "I didn't mean to interrupt you two-"

 

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU MONGREL!" pounding footsteps and laughing was heard as Quadir leaped from landing to landing down all for flights of stairs as the Prince- who looked worn out, messy and angry stumbled down the steps after his friend tripping in his slippers and landed on the second floor. Snores came after a moment of quiet, the prince obviously not a morning person. 

[SkySong278]

“It’s okay and you didn’t. I was still sleeping and Quadir was trying to get up. He just wanted to sleep by me last night as we both feel better sleeping next to each other,” Alivia said in reply to Donna’s trailed off statement as well as saying a small explanation of why he was in there. She then heard Paul’s yell and stomping before hearing more laughter that was followed by the sound of someone falling down the stairs and then snoring sometime afterward. She frowned a bit before leaving the room and going by Donna while saying “Excuse me” to see what was going on, seeing Paul laying on the floor and sound asleep. She then looked downstairs saying to Quadir that was now down there, “Dear he’s asleep again.”

Edited February 1, 2022 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"ugh. Honestly I think he has NARCOLEPSY!" He shouted and the Prince raised his head. "Wah... Shut it and drag me down. So tired.." Paul yawns and fell back asleep. Quadir huffed and stalked up the steps grabbed the prince and lifted him over his shoulder singlehandedly. "He does have narcolepsy and uses his magic to repress it until he's safe. We're all in our pajamas, so let's eat first before we get dressed. " Quadir said as he went down the steps. 

 

Once in the dinning room he plopped the prince down in a chair and went and got smelling salts and coffee for him. The prince jolted awake at the smell of ammonia and groggily took the coffee. "So weird seeing your face. My little sister sure missed out on a catch..." Paul grumbled rubbing his eyes. Quadir's mood seemed to deflate at the mention of the princess. This reaction was a clue to what his mother wrote in the letter she left for Alivia. It had mentioned a one sided crush. "Yeah well she didn't like me anyway. She's shallow and spiteful and only cares about apperinces. She should be careful otherwise she may end up with a curse like mine." Quadir grumbled stabbing at his pancakes.