The Curse and the Traveler's

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena looked up at him and studied him for several minutes. “I’m sorry you don’t love her the way you did. It is hard grasping a fantasy and then finding out it isn’t what you wanted all along. I don’t want you to be unhappy David... nor do I want Skye or even Max unhappy... I don’t like you having to be dragged away from her and I’m sorry that happened, perhaps if I hadn’t been so foolish then none of this would have happened.”

She rolled to her side and propped her head back up with her elbow. “I’m sure someone, probably Max, when he’s healed, will save us. David...” she touched his arm. “I don’t want rescued. You can’t let them find us. I don’t want to go home without someone to go home with.”

Squeezing his arm gently she smiled. “Where do we start searching for a mate for me. He doesn’t have to be perfect... I just don’t want to be an embarrassment anymore. I don’t know what to ask David... I will just do as you tell me.”

She released his arm and settled her hand onto the blanket of the bed. “You mentioned the need for money here... I take it we can’t just tell them who you are and have it given to us, so perhaps I can get us some. I’m a talented seamstress you know.” She looked up at him, trying desperately to show him that she was willing to try and do this his way.

 

[only_more_so]

Max looked at the diary and started turning the pages. He said to Skye, "It is just a terrible surprise to find a book written in the Fairy language. The only fairy writing anyone has ever seen are on the stones marking the circles and on a few monoliths scattered about the kingdom. Non-fairy people can read Fairy writing with a simple spell, really a trick of concentration, but for some reason only fairies can write in the language."

From the look on Skye's face it was clear she still didn't understand the significance. "I'm sorry Skye, I almost forgot that you have only been here a few days. When the fairies cursed my ancestors, they created this world for them to live in. Since that time they have never travelled here, and we have never been able to travel to them. The only fairy who has ever been to this place was my umpteenth great-grandmother. The fairy princess who was kidnapped and raped by my umpteenth great-grandfather. This is her diary."

Max started skimming the first few pages and a massive headache started forming. Closing the book, Max stood and handed the thin volume to his mother and said, "Maybe you can read this, somehow I can't seem to."

He then moved to sit opposite of Skye at the table, "May I join you? I feel rather famished myself." He filled a plate with small portions of a dozen different dishes, before pouring himself a glass of tea and refilling Skye's cup.

"Max, dear. I don't think I am supposed to be reading this as well, " Beatrix said closing the diary. She was pinching the bridge of her nose as if she had a headache. "The first few pages are a recount of her life before she came here. It actually contains more insight into fairy life than all the other books in the library. But as soon as she gets to the part where she was kidnapped, I find it impossible to read."

 

[caela]

"May I join you? I feel rather famished myself." He filled a plate with small portions of a dozen different dishes, before pouring himself a glass of tea and refilling Skye's cup.

O.k. she'd been wrong. The effects of the tea weren't diminished at all by the food it had to filter through in her stomach. Having him so close - and just across the table was much closer than over on the bed - made her heart race and she knew her cheeks blushed when he refilled her cup of tea for her. Realizing he'd poured himself a cup of it as well her eyes went wide and she looked back from his cup to him, worry flashing in her gaze.

"Should you be drinking that Max? What about the side effects?"

Obviously there was something she didn't know because Max just smiled and Beatrix snorted in disgust and went back to reading the diary. Arching a brow at the Queen's reaction she reached out and touched Max' hand to draw his attention only to gasp and pull her hand away quickly at the frission of electricity that seemed to spark between them and that shot low into her belly in a wave of desire.

Before she found out what was so amusing about Max and the tea however The Queen snapped the diary shut and pinched the bridge of her nose as if she had a headache.

"Max, dear. I don't think I am supposed to be reading this as well. The first few pages are a recount of her life before she came here. It actually contains more insight into fairy life than all the other books in the library. But as soon as she gets to the part where she was kidnapped, I find it impossible to read."

Biting her lower lip Skye glanced from Max to Beatrix to the diary and back to Max again before asking aloud, "Maybe I'm supposed to read it? Max brought it and gave it to me and doesn't even remember bringing it, he had to ask me what it was when he saw me open it. Maybe there's something in there about the curse or the gem Max gave me? I can't read fairy though so I'll need help if you and Max don't mind."

Blushing again at the sheer audacity of suggesting that she could do what Beatrix and Max couldn't she shrugged slightly and side stepped, "Of course it's just an idea that probably won't work but it couldn't hurt any to try."

 

[only_more_so]

"Should you be drinking that Max? What about the side effects?"

Max gave Skye a wink, and smiled at his mother's huff. He had been about to say, "I've had more experience with the side effects, much more experience," when Skye brushed her hand on his. The shock of electricity made Max regret his bravado about the tea. Finally he said, "I've grown accustomed to the taste, and I think I can contain myself with my mother in the room."

"Maybe I'm supposed to read it? Max brought it and gave it to me and doesn't even remember bringing it, he had to ask me what it was when he saw me open it. Maybe there's something in there about the curse or the gem Max gave me? I can't read fairy though so I'll need help if you and Max don't mind."

Max looked at Skye with a slightly confused look. "Why would you need to read Fairy?" He took another sip of tea, and felt the familiar loosening in his mind. He started to remember something about a book. "Yes... that's right, you probably should read the book. For some reason I keep forgetting about it. Mother, what do you think about Skye reading the diary?"

The queen had pulled a chair up to the already crowded little table which ended up forcing Max and Skye slightly further apart. "What diary are you talking about Max?"

Beatrix picked up a small plate and transfered a small amount of food which she picked at dantily. She reached up to her temple and said, "Skye, would you be so good as to pour me some of the tea? I have a dreadful headache, and it always seems to do the trick."

The door swung open and the king strolled in. "Good, we are all here," he said. Glancing at the group around the table, the king realized they were a chair short. He stepped back into the hall and asked that a chair be brought.

Soon he was sitting across the increasingly cramped table from Beatrix. He told the guardsman who brought the chair to wait outside the room and be sure that they were not disturbed. "So now we need to talk who's going on the rescue mission, and go over anything that we have learned since our earlier discussion." The king patted Skye's hand in a paternal sort of way and said, "I know you weren't there princess, but we'll fill you in as we go along."

 

[caela]

The queen had pulled a chair up to the already crowded little table which ended up forcing Max and Skye slightly further apart. "What diary are you talking about Max?"

Skye looked between Beatrix and Max and the expression on her face was one of complete confusion. Even now they both kept forgetting the book and yet she remembered it without a problem...a fact that only led her to believe she was indeed meant to read it. Why it would be meant for her she wasn't sure but she was curious to see what was in it. Perhaps it was the jewel Max had given her or simply that somehow it was meant to come into her hands. She didn't know but hopefully the book itself would help her. Still she was going to need help reading it.

"Skye, would you be so good as to pour me some of the tea? I have a dreadful headache, and it always seems to do the trick."

"Of course Beatrix," she said softly and with a gentle smile. She'd deliberatly pitched her voice lower so that it wouldn't grate on the Queen's nerves while she poured out the tea for her, "And nevermind about the diary, Max will help me with it later."

Looking at Max she wondered if he even remembered the diary at this point. Not that it mattered if he did or not. She did and since no one else seemed to be able to remember it she had no worried of it wandering away.

She didn't have much time to think on it really however before the King came in and requested a chair of his own. The table was growing entirely too crowded for Skye's liking, it really wasn't meant for more than two people.

"So now we need to talk who's going on the rescue mission, and go over anything that we have learned since our earlier discussion." The king patted Skye's hand in a paternal sort of way and said, "I know you weren't there princess, but we'll fill you in as we go along."

Skye had to fight the urge to grumble at being called princess yet again but she bit her tongue when she realized that she wasn't going to be able to blame those electric jolts between her and Max on the tea. She'd felt nothing when the King touched her and if those deep pulses of desire were the teas fault surely she would have felt something at his touch.

"Before we discuss anything, why don't we settle a bit more comfortably? This sounds like it could be a long discussion and I don't think I have the energy to have it here. Max would you be so kind as to help me back to the please? You could sit comfortably enough at the foot of it and your parents would be much more comfortable in the chairs beside the fire than we all are around this tiny table," she said with a soft but weak smile.

She wasn't feeling quite as weak as she made out to be but she'd gotten the impression from the King's comment that this was going to be a long talk and now that her stomach was full she really did want to just be under the warmth of the bedclothes once more.

 

[only_more_so]

Queen Beatrix was watching Skye closely and had noticed that the King's touch hadn't made her squirm in her seat like when Max had touched her. "Actually Charles, why don't you help Skye to bed while Max moves the chairs. You know how your back can be."

Everyone at the table seemed unsatisfied with that arrangement before the Queen said, "Or I can help her once I have finished my tea." The queen couldn't help but give Skye a sly wink. But what really set things in motion was the caressing squeeze she gave the king's thigh.

As the King rose to help Skye back to the bed he said, "Hopefully this won't take too long, my dear." He guided her back to the bed and made sure she was settled comfortably.

Max meanwhile was moving two of the chairs to either side of the fireplace. Arranging them at an angle facing toward each other and the bed. As he was moving toward the bed to sit down, Beatrix grasped his arm and said, "Max, why don't you take that chair over to the door, so you can listen in case anyone comes down the hall. Skye is much to weak to take to where we usually meet, unless you carried her the entire way, and this room is much too insecure."

A flash of anger surged through Max, replaced by severe embarrassment. He realized where he had actually been heading, not to sit at the foot of the bed, but to lie against the pillows next to Skye. "That's a very sensible idea, mother."

Soon they were all settled in their places, and the various tensions were quite palpable. The only person who wasn't feeling the effects of the damiana tea was the king, and he had been under the queen's spell for decades.

"I hope everyone is comfortable now," the king started, "or as comfortable as we are going to be. Based on what we know, David and Serena both transported to the city of Lasvegasnevada. I did some checking and we have very little information on that city, since it appears they do not have much production. Princess, I am sure you haven't heard of this Lasvegasnevada, but anything you might have heard could be of great help for when Beatrix travels."

This king paused for a moment before saying, "which brings me to the real crux of the matter. Princess Skye, do you feel you will be able to travel tomorrow night? I have not decided if it is advisable, but if you feel incapable, then that possibility can be ruled out right now."

 

[poohlive]

"Well, here is what we'll do Serena," He sat beside her, and just lightly touched her arm.

"When a girl likes a guy, she'll lightly touch his arm, like this," He did it again, "It's like flirting, but not overtly so. You don't need to grab onto him or slap him, just like this."

His fingers trailed down from her shoulder, light and delicate, as if they were touching a finely made artifact.

"It tells a man you like him and you are interested, without saying you are a whore and want to fuck him. You need to be careful because there is a fine line between saying I'm interested in marrying you, and I'm interested in having sex with you. Do not be overly aggressive, and don't tell anyone you're special. I know you're special, you know you're special, and they will figure out you are special, but just don't go and say it to them. It's.... it's impolite."

David went down his list of the way things worked when a girl was interested in a guy in this world, "Touch him, look into his eyes when you talk, and always ask questions about him. What he does for a living, hobbies, things like that. You need to know what kind of a person he is if you're ever going to have a chance to..."

Something snapped inside his head, a small piece of information that just dropped onto his train of thought like a broken egg. He stood up, smiling. Some good luck was coming their way after all.

"A chance! of course, why didn't I think of it before," He took out his necklace, his prince crest molded into solid gold. It would only be worth a few hundred, like the ring, but this one wasn't like the ring. This one had a magical power.

"Come on, get dressed. We're going gambling. We'll get to meet some people, make some money, and best of all we don't have to stay here anymore."

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena stared at him as he jumped off the bed. She had a few questions about that touching thing... like are you supposed to feel the hair on the back of your neck stand up? Are you supposed to bite back a chill? And are you supposed to feel like your melting inside? She bit her tongue and decided she’d ask him about all that if it happened again with someone else, perhaps she was coming down with something. Shrugging her shoulders she climbed off the bed, thankful she was wearing one of her more pleasant looking dresses. She slipped her feet back into her shoes and smiled over at David.

“Gambling... oh sounds interesting. Do you think I can do it?” she asked. She wasn’t sure what it was, but David was very excited about it. She hoped it was something fun, she’d messed up a lot already. It would be nice for David to have some fun while they were here, after all she was the cause of all his strife, at least he should enjoy it.

“We’ll see,” was his only response.

They left the room, David locking the door behind them and she followed him once more out to a cab. Serena was getting use to this mode of travel and found it to her liking she leaned in and touched David’s arm lightly and whispered into his ear, “I believe we should get one of these and take it home with us if we get a chance.” She sat back and removed his arm, again she looked down at where her fingers had touched him. “Hmm... I do hope I’m not becoming ill... that is all David needs.” she thought to herself.

When the driver stopped and they got out of the car Serena’s jaw dropped. The people were everywhere and their were lights glowing and loud music was screaming. Serena grabbed David and held on to his arm, pressing herself against him. “David... this isn’t a good place.” Her eyes took in a woman with a large feather on her head and a swimsuit on her body. “David... that woman is... and that man,” she pointed to another person. “Oh David... maybe this gambling isn’t a good idea and this flirting thing... I don’t think its good for me.” She wasn’t sure she should mention that right now being pressed against him made her feel like she’d throw up, she didn’t want to hurt his feelings or cause him more strife.

 

[caela]

"Actually Charles, why don't you help Skye to bed while Max moves the chairs. You know how your back can be."

Knowing the Queen was right to have the King help her didn't make Skye any happier about it. Still she managed to smile warmly up at Charles as he helped her to the bed and made sure she was comfortable and tucked in. It was sweet of him and Skye found herself looking him not as a King or even as a man but trying to picture what sort of father he might have been. Somehow she thought even with the responsibilities of a kingdom, that he had been a good father. It was there in his eyes when he looked at Max and in the gentle way he made sure she was comfortable in the bed.

For the first time she envied Max and David.

Pushing her own thoughts away she smiled as Max came toward the bed. She could tell he planned to settle up high on the bed beside her and she was eager to feel the warmth of his body near his again, once more however the Queen seemed to have other ideas.

"Max, why don't you take that chair over to the door, so you can listen in case anyone comes down the hall. Skye is much to weak to take to where we usually meet, unless you carried her the entire way, and this room is much too insecure."

Skye felt Max's flare of anger along with her own through the gem he'd given her and sighed softly. She knew the Queen was making sense but it was frustrating. She pushed that away however as she knew Beatrix was only doing what made sense not trying to be mean and the fact was that having someone by the door was a good idea.

Settling deeper against the pillows she listened as the King explained that Serena and David were in Vegas. She couldn't help the smile that curved her lips or the soft laugh that parted her lips as she tried to picture Serena in Vegas. She saw the curious looks Max and Queen shot her but the King didn't seem to notice as he continued.

"which brings me to the real crux of the matter. Princess Skye, do you feel you will be able to travel tomorrow night? I have not decided if it is advisable, but if you feel incapable, then that possibility can be ruled out right now."

She was startled at the question. He couldn't be serious? She hadn't even been able to make it to the bed on her own!

"I don't know your Highness. I wish I could give a more definative answer but I can't. I feel better after eating and likely I'll feel stronger tomorrow than I do today but I don't know if I'll be strong enough for Vegas. I truly doubt it.

You were right, Las Vegas doesn't have much production. It's a gambling town. A place that people in my world go for vacations. It offers almost any pleasure you could want but it's main draw are the huge casino hotels where people can gamble at any and all hours day or night. I've never been there myself but if that's where Serena and David are finding them is going to be difficult. It's a large city with crowded streets that would make it easy to walk right past them without seeing them."

 

[only_more_so]

"I don't know your Highness. I wish I could give a more definative answer but I can't. I feel better after eating and likely I'll feel stronger tomorrow than I do today but I don't know if I'll be strong enough for Vegas. I truly doubt it.

Max couldn't help but feel concern for Skye's weakness. He felt worse about her weakness than he had about his own stabbing. The king was slightly more practical when he said, "We won't rule it out right now, but we will need to know by lunch time tomorrow. Recovering from magic can be a lot faster than recovering from normal fatigue, so you might feel better than you think."

You were right, Las Vegas doesn't have much production. It's a gambling town. A place that people in my world go for vacations. It offers almost any pleasure you could want but it's main draw are the huge casino hotels where people can gamble at any and all hours day or night. I've never been there myself but if that's where Serena and David are finding them is going to be difficult. It's a large city with crowded streets that would make it easy to walk right past them without seeing them.

Max couldn't help but grin when he thought of David and Serena unleashed on a gambling town, especially if it catered to other human vices. Although he was daunted by the prospect of it being as large as she seemed to think.

Max said, "if what Quint reported is true, then David only had his bathrobe, and probably his signet ring. Serena had the dress she was wearing and maybe some small bits of jewelry, although I can't remember anything she wore with regularity. If they go to an exchange they will probably have enough money to stay perhaps a week if they get a bad price, perhaps a couple of months with a good exchange and meagre living.

The question becomes where to concentrate the initial efforts? If there is gambling, then I am sure David would not long be short on funds. So he would likely stay in a conspicuous place. Are there any conspicuous places in Las Vegas?"

 

[poohlive]

"The Bellagio Hotel and Casino."

David stood at the front entrance, blinking at the harsh lights that flashed at him. They pulsed together, moving back and forth like the ocean's edge lapping against the shore. He could feel the pulse of things already, move with it. The very crowd reviled excitement in the air.

"It's ok," He said to Serena, holding her close to him. He could feel her shiver as his arm reached around her, pulling her towards him like a lover. She was under his arm, and no one seemed to mind. She was just new, they were a couple. No one cared in Las Vegas so long as you had a story.

Even if that story was a lie.

Passed the main entrance things calmed down. The hustle and bustle of the world faded away to people sitting eagerly at tables, looking for their next chance at a million dollars.

Here the games called out to him. Poker, blackjack, roulette, craps, and on and on. The games kept coming up, millions of them, different versions different styles. Each had a distinct way to play, offering the best of odds, the hugest winnings, and the luckiest of gamblers.

He would need something with more chance and luck involved. Roulette and craps would be best. With this necklace, the small charm could not do much to affect cards already dealt. Poker and blackjack were not completely about luck, they were more about playing strategy and weighing the random effect of the cards already shuffled. Roulette was nice, but he could not get close enough to the ball to effect it. If he moved in close enough, people might suspect something.

The fact that he was about to win a millions dollars everyone would start to suspect something, so he needed to be very careful.

Craps was the best way to go. He could hold the dice, affect them at his leisure and take home the winnings.

Serena still felt warm pushed up against his side. She had not moved from that spot since thay'd come in. He smiled at her, hugging her tight and kissing her on the forehead.

"Don't worry, I'll find us a quiet table."

Indeed there was one, near the back. Only a dozen or so people were around, most of them involved in their own games. David stood there quietly as he watched a shooter throw the dice a few times.

"Pay attention," He said to Serena, as he pointed to the shooter, "Watch what he does, ok?"

If anyone asked he was just teaching his wife a new game, nothing weird or odd there. Nothing at all, nope.

The guy had a run of bad luck, three sevens in a row. He left the game in shame, as they asked for a new shooter.

"Right here," David said, pointing to Serena. He pushed her to the edge of the table, as the Pit Boss pushed the dice towards her. Large see thru dice with red sides and white colored numbers.

"It's ok hun, pick them up," His necklace started to thob at the excitement, eager to do its work. He could feel it, already affecting the outcome. They were going to win, big.

"A hundred," He said, changing out the money. Just about all they had, only twelve crumpled dollars remained from their excursions within the city.

He slid the money down to the small corner picture of two sixes, "Come on boxcars."

David gave a wink as Serena, as he touched her hand with his own, "It's ok Serena. Just throw the dice like you saw. We need two sixes, remember that, ok?"

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

To say Serena was intimidated by the noise, garishly dressed people, the amount of excessive drink and smoke that filled the room, would have been an understatement. She was scared. Serena clung to David, the nausea she felt earlier was nothing compared to the amount of feelings that were rolling through her as she made sure she didn’t leave his side. Though David seemed to be in his element Serena was anything but.

When he’d told her to watch the table, she did. She wondered why, but it soon became obvious that people played with a couple of cubes with dots all over them. If they spun correctly then the player won some little disks. There were all sorts of colored disks. Stacks of them. Red, blue, yellow, green... each one had numbers on them and when people won them they got very excited and when people lost they got very sad.

David pushed her forward and she almost bulked. Her eyes grew huge and she looked back at him liked he’d lost his mind. She knew he had. He just kissed her a bit a go on the forehead in front of everyone. How was she supposed to find a mate if he did that... and now she was positive she was coming down with some sickness that the people in Skye’s world had. She’d suddenly felt her whole body break out into a fever when he’d done that. “Yes,” she told herself. “I’m getting sick... damn.”

Her attention was drawn back when she heard her Prince tell her to pick up the dice. She did so, held them in her hands, studied them and shrugged. David’s hand covered hers for a second and Serena felt a shot of energy move through her. This only confirmed that she was not fit to walk among the people of Las Vegas and she would need to return to the hotel as soon as David was done making her throw these cubes.

“Throw them?” she asked. It wasn’t often she was asked to throw something. Her aim was terrible. She remembered the time her mother’s delicate fairy statue broke because David had told her she threw like a girl, granted she was eight at the time and she was a girl... but she didn’t care. She threw the ball they’d been playing with at David, and missed. The statue toppled and the fairy broke.

Serena’s thoughts were pulled back to the present when she heard a “come on lady” erupt from someone behind David.

She glanced up at him a look of bewilderment on her face. “I’m sorry,” she said. She hadn’t meant to lose her thoughts to the past. She turned back and thought about the number 6 and she tossed the red cubes and let them slide along the green cloth that was littered with markings she didn’t understand. As the dice fell Serena turned away to pull David to the side and beg him to take her back to the hotel because she was sure she had a disease.

She didn’t get one step or one word out before the group of people around her erupted into an excited cheer. Her face contorted and she wondered if perhaps these people had suddenly gotten something because of the dice she’d tossed. Turning back she looked down and saw the two cubes were showing sixes and she shrugged her shoulders. “Well... at least I can do something right," she said, shrugged her shoulders again and waited to see what happened next.

 

[caela]

"If there is gambling, then I am sure David would not long be short on funds. So he would likely stay in a conspicuous place. Are there any conspicuous places in Las Vegas?"

Oh god but SKye couldn't help it, she burst out laughing at Max's innocent question. Was there anyplace conspicuous in Vegas?! She saw all of them looking at her like she'd lost her mind and it only made her laugh all the harder. Finally she managed to calm herself down, though she was still smirking with mirth, enough to try and answer.

"Conspicuous is Vega's middle name Max. Take your castle, fill it with lights and that noise of crowds happily losing their money, than cover the outside with lights as well and line up differing versions up and down both sides of the street and you have Vegas. It's a city built to be conspicuous. It's hard to explain until you've seen it."

Curling down deeper into the bed she was still giggling softly to herself and grinning impishly at Max.

"If I'm truly feeling stronger tomorrow I'd be glad to go with the Queen to try and find David and Serena. Serena must be scared witless in that town. Hell she was scared out of her mind in my town and it's tiny and quiet and we ran into hardly anyone. Vegas is huge and there's no avoiding crowds, the poor thing must be scared to death."

 

[only_more_so]

"So it's as bad as all of that?" Max couldn't help but give a nervous laugh. "Well, hopefully when we get there something will stick out more than the others. Or maybe David will be clever and leave a message somehow."

The king said, "If it is like you say, not that I doubt you, then there isn't much that can be done until we get there. Max, did you make any progress on the research you were going to do?"

"I found one book that dealt with the magic on the inanimate. It sounded like it was possible to embue an item with magic, just like the seeds, but with complications. Most of the book was theory, and conjecture. But the last chapter looked like it held promise. But I just couldn't seem to make sense of it. I left it out so maybe you or mother could look it over."

"In what way didn't it make sense Max?" Beatrix asked.

"I don't know, it's like I could understand each word, and I could see the diagrams, but the words didn't seem to make sentances, and the diagrams were just jumbles of lines."

The queen thought for a moment and said, "Do you think it could have been written in Fairy? That is how it felt the first time I tried to read the boundary markers."

Max heard a gasp from Skye, but when ahead and said, "But there are no books written in Fairy, just those stones."

 

[poohlive]

The odds were thirty to one, so one hundred dollars had now grown to 3 thousand. A stack of blue chips headed his way, and David could only smile at this. Three thousand would buy them a good month in Vegas. They could live off of three thousand.

But still...

"Let it ride," he said, nodding as they passed the dice right back to Serena once more.

"Serena," He whispered in her ear, close to her now, very close. He had to be close, because a lot of people were watching them now. Security camera's, pit boss's, everyone was looking closely at the two new people who had gotten extremely lucky.

"You've got to roll sixes once more," He leaned in close to her ear, whispering to her, his lips almost touching her, caressing the soft skin just above her neck. To anyone else it would look like they were just happy and kissing after winning so much money.

"Once more," He said, as he held her hands, the lucky necklace between them both, passing off whatever it was that made these things happen. Just once more to let it ride, once more for a chance at a fortune.

Please, just once more.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena was dying. She knew she was. This sickness was getting worse and she needed to go home before Skye’s world killed her. David’s breath upon her skin had sent a fire burning inside her. Her stomach jerked and she felt tingles coursing over her. She felt them everywhere... and that frightened her. She breathed deep and could smell the scent of David... however this time he didn’t seem to be the same David he’d always been. She leaned into him slightly wondering why he didn’t seem affected by this illness that was contaminating her system.

Swallowing and shivering, she nodded her head yes. She turned around and the warmth of his touch was still burning through her. Several of the onlookers had gathered closer to her and David, forcing him to take up residence right behind her and she could feel him against her. She shuddered, “Damn,” she thought to herself. “Chills. Why chills? Why do people have to get chills when they are dying?”

She looked back at David and bit her lower lip. She stood up on her toes to better reach him and he leaned down to ease the strain. “I’m not feeling well,” she whispered. “When did he start smelling good?” she thought.

“Once more Hon,” was all he said.

Serena turned back and nodded her head. She didn’t do anything different. She didn’t understand everything, but David wanted sixes and everyone around her seemed happy that she’d thrown sixes so, she did it again. She tossed the dice and this time watched them roll down the green table with all the silly numbers. Her eyes followed each spin and each knock the corners of them made. She could feel the excitement rolling from the crowd as well as David.

As the dice made their final push forward and landed on sixes again, there was a collective roar that surrounded them. Serena jumped and pressed herself to David’s side. Her arms circled his and she held on tight. “What did I do... I’m sorry... I didn’t...,” she shivered as the crowd pressed around them and she saw all these strangers staring at her. Men suddenly seemed fascinated with her and women, the women could have sliced her apart and sold her to the beasties of the mist. They would look at David holding her and then their daggers of jealousy would stab at Serena.

Whatever was happening Serena wasn’t sure she could take much more. “David,” she said. Her voice was barely a whisper. She looked up at him. “David, what is happening.”

 

[caela]

"Do you think it could have been written in Fairy? That is how it felt the first time I tried to read the boundary markers."

Max heard a gasp from Skye, but when ahead and said, "But there are no books written in Fairy, just those stones."

"Oh good lord!" Skye said exasperated. Was she the only one that was going to remember that darned diary? Apparently so. "Actually Max you're wrong and it's likely from what I've seen tonight that your mother is right. If you'll get up from the door you'll find a red book on that table there written in Fairy.

You brought it to me from the library tonight. You've looked at it, you mother's looked at it and yet I seem to be the only one that can remember it. Bring it here please, if I'm the only one that can remember it it's likely that for some reason I'm supposed to read it...isn't it?"

 

[only_more_so]

You brought it to me from the library tonight. You've looked at it, you mother's looked at it and yet I seem to be the only one that can remember it. Bring it here please, if I'm the only one that can remember it it's likely that for some reason I'm supposed to read it...isn't it?"

Max didn't need the crystal to feel Skye's frustration. Had he brought down a book? He really couldn't remember doing so, although he had a vague recollection of a discussion of written Fairy. Max didn't have long to think about that before the Queen said, "Max, I believe we are done discussing the plans for tomorrow night for now. Charles and I are going to look at that book you mentioned, in the private library wasn't it?"

King Charles was about to object to the Queen ending the meeting. However, she placed her hand on his, and stroked his fingers ever so gently with her thumb. The king wasn't a fool and had seen her drinking the tea earlier, so he said, "That sounds like a good idea, darling. We will have another meeting tomorrow over lunch tomorrow, and go over anything that has come up."

With Beatrix's hand still resting on Charles, they both stood, and headed for the door. Max moved his chair out of the way and opened the door as they left. He wondered vaguely if they would get around to the book by lunchtime tomorrow or not.

Max stepped into the hall and told the guard he could stand down, but could he send one of the maids to clean up the meal. Max came back into the room, but left the door open. He wasn't quite sure he trusted himself with it closed and being alone with Skye. Especially because some of the maids would occasionally neglect to knock when sent to clean something up.

Walking to the nightstand he did indeed see a red book. "How curious. I really have to recollection of bringing it down here." He hesitated a moment before sitting on the edge of the bed. He was sure to keep one foot firmly on the ground as he leaned against the headboard next to Skye. Being this close he could clearly smell all the different scents that drifted from her. The shampoo, the soap, and just her own scent that subtly underlay all the others.

Turning to Skye with the book opened to the first page, he said to Skye, "Reading Fairy is actually very simple. It is a magical language that is also universal, much like my own language. We can travel to all different worlds and speak in our own language, but people are able to hear the language they expect to hear. In the same way, when they speak to us we are able to understand them in our language..."

Max was concerned that he wasn't explaining things well, she seemed a bit distracted. He was actually distracted because every time he looked into her eyes to see if she understood, he forgot where he was. By the time his eyes returned to the book he could barely even remember what he was trying to explain.

"It is all rather confusing, but it has a simple result," Max said with his eyes glued to the book. Starring at the book so long was giving him a headache, but if he didn't finish what he need to say soon, he would never get through it.

"Anyone in any world can read Fairy. Even if they can only read pictograms, they will be able to understand as much of what is written in Fairy as their written language can explain. For instance a caveman might see something written in Fairy about one of your rocket ships as a shiny bird in the sky over the furthest mountain.

My language is very rich in words and concepts. The more words the greater the accuracy of the translation. The 'English' that you speak has more words than almost any language we have encountered, so everything should be clear when you read."

Max knew he was off-topic. He was supposed to be teaching her how to read Fairy and not how the magic of the language works. It was just so hard to concentrate. He moved the book closer to Skye so that she could see what he was pointing to on the page. He risked a glance over, to be sure she was following what he said. Instead he found that he was lost in the violet pools of her eyes. The book was almost completely forgotten and the entire room seemed to be fading from sight as her face filled more and more of his vision.

Suddenly there was a banging noise that snapped him out of it. Claire had returned with a small cart and was busily loading dishes. It was only when he realized Claire was in the room that he realized how close his face had managed to get to Skye. He could feel an electrical tension building in the space between them, like standing outside before a lightning storm begins.

He quickly sent his eyes back to the page and said, "So to read Fairy, you just concentrate on believing it is written in your own language. The more languages you can read the harder it becomes, because you don't expect it to be written in your own language anymore. And when I say your language, I mean the language you most fundamentally understand is your own."

"Is any of that clear?"

 

[poohlive]

"I'd like to cash out, if you don't mind," David said, light gleeming in his eyes now. He felt more relaxed, more at ease that they had a nice buffer zone of cash between them right now. 90,000 dollars, all theirs. Whatever they needed would easily be at hand.

A rather large man came to grab their winnings, escorting them to one of the banking exchangers.

"We just won, Serena, we just won!" He screamed, happy, kissing her full on the mouth, and holding her close, "We just won 90 thousand dollars. Everything you have ever wanted will now be yours."

As if on cue, one of the sharp dressed elderly gentleman came up to him, offering a hand of congratulations. They said that him and his girlfriend now had a penthouse at the hotel, comped of course, and room service would be on the house. David thanked him gratefully, and grabbed Serena so they could collect their money.

It was a small stack of bills when it all came out, fitting easily into a duffel bag. He grabbed at it, and once gotten their keycard for the room, stepped into an elevator.

"Oh, Serena. Here we go, finally. We have money, we can relax a little. You want to work on getting a mate now? All right, I will help you. I will help you with whatever you need. Let me show you something."

They stepped out into the large floor, going to the appointed room. 1938. Inside it looked nothing short of a King's ready room. Fit for royalty, or travelling otherworldlings. Huge skyline outside, an even complimentary mints on the pillows.

"It's all yours. You will be treated like a princess for the rest of this trip, I can promis you that," He sweeped her into his arms, and smiled down at her lavish form under him.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena's head was reeling as was her stomach. David had suddenly grabbed her, kissed her lips, hugged her, and was as happy as a fairy with her first wand. Her whole body was aflame now and she couldn't explain why. She didn't understand any of it. The man came up to them, a man who looked as old as the baker's husband and told them they were staying in this building. She looked around. They were staying here? She didn't know why David would want to be in this place. These people were noisy, their manner of dress shocking, and the odor of the room was nauseating to say the least. Now they were going to stay here.

She once again clung to him as he collected the black bag full of green strips of paper. He had her in a box suddenly and it played music that one could dance to, but she didn't feel like dancing. She had to tell David she was dying and she didn't know how. As they traveled up in the box she wondered what would be behind the doors when they opened. She was shocked that the entire scene was no longer that of the room with all the loud people, but was in fact a quiet hallway. She relaxed somewhat. “There is magic here also,” she sighed. “Skye was wrong,” she told herself.

Skye had told her that magic doesn't exist in her world. But obviously Skye had not been to the place called Vegas, since Serena had stepped into a box and came out somewhere else completely different. She continued to walk beside David and he opened a door to a room. Once they stepped inside Serena smiled. “Yes... this was perfect for David,” she told herself. She wondered if perhaps this palace would allow her to work as a maid. That thought was halted as soon as she heard David tell her she could look for her mate and stay in this room.

She paled and left his side. “David, this is all very lovely and I'm sure you are very happy.“ She pushed her hair back and crossed her arms in front of her. Her lips trembled and she wiped a tear from her eyes. How did she tell him she had no need for a mate? How did she tell him she was sick? That her skin burned? That inside all she wanted to do was throw up? How did she tell him that she was dying? She couldn't. She couldn't ruin his happiness and make herself the center of attention again. So she swallowed her sorrow and shivered. “I'm sorry... I guess I'm just homesick, but your right. I will look for a mate and perhaps learn more before I leave this world.“

Turning away she saw a glass door and she stepped to it. There was a simple handle and she pulled it, then saw that it was a door that would slide open. “Ahhh... a balcony just like ours at home.” She stepped out and looked down on the city. “Oh my.... David,” she called. “How ever will I find a mate?” She would continue her ruse of looking for a love and keep the secret of her pending death to herself as long as she could.

 

[caela]

Skye chuckled softly to herself as the King and Queen left. She doubted very much that they would make it to the private library anytime soon but it was good to see a couple who were still obviously in each other's thrall. Granted the tea had probably turned up their own natural desire but the reality of their love and need for each other was all but glowing on their faces not just lust and that love touched Skye. She wanted that for herself one day.

When Max came to her she found her breath catching in her throat. Just his being close to her made her heart race and each time he looked at her she found herself moving just a little closer to him. His eyes seemed fascinating to her and she could feel the stone around her neck pulsing with a warmth that seemed to wrap around them both.

She could hear Max talking as if from a distance. Something about Fairy being easy to read...about seeing it in her own language...about her language being full of words and concepts. It made sense but none of it seemed to matter. She watched his face as he moved closer to her and could almost feel his lips on hers when she too heard the clattering that made his eyes widen and he drew back from her slightly and paid attention to the book. It was Claire cleaning up the dishes and she sighed softly wondering if Max's kisses would be as electric to her as his touch was.

"So to read Fairy, you just concentrate on believing it is written in your own language. The more languages you can read the harder it becomes, because you don't expect it to be written in your own language anymore. And when I say your language, I mean the language you most fundamentally understand is your own."

"Is any of that clear?"

Thinking for a moment on what he'd said she slowly nodded, "Think I see it in english and it will be in english for me right?"

When he nodded she smiled warmly and inched just a little closer until their thighs were touching through the thin blanket. She could almost feel the warmth of his skin even through the clothing and blanket that seperated them. When she saw Claire leave and quietly close the door she reached up gently and turned Max's face to hers as she rose up and gently brushed her lips against his in a soft, intimate kiss. The touched didn't carry that sharp spark of electricity that usually ran through her but instead sent a wave of warmth through her body and made her whimper softly in longing.

"Max," she whispered softly against his lips before closing the gap between them once more.

 

[poohlive]

"Why don't we try a mock date?" He asked, energetic and eager to help her with her cause, whatever it was. Whatever made her think someone here would be better for her than anyone she already knew. He supposed that was right though, better let a stranger worship the ground she walked on, than one of the men arranged for marriage. Who knows, she might even get one of the lucky guys that is nice and warm to her.

A twinge of jealousy rippled through his spine, but he didn't know why.

"Ok, here we go. I'll be over here at the bar, ok?" He moved and leaned against the small bar next to the living room.

"You just see me, and I'm some guy that you like... whatever kind of guy you are looking for, ok? Now, just come up to me, and we'll role play a date."

David winked at her once, and then turned his back to her, trying to fill in the world of her perfect stranger awaiting his true love.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena stared at him as if he were a fairy with two heads. Her jaw just dropped and if he’d been facing her she would have seen the look of confusion on her face. She stood there several minutes and gawked at him. “Here I am dying and he wanted to play! Granted... he doesn’t know I’m dying,” she tells herself.

She takes a deep breath and walks to the bar where David is. Her eyes run over his face, his hair, the cut of his jaw, it is as if she’s looking at him for the first time. She swallows. Blinks and presses her palm to her stomach. It’s there again. The butter-fairies, the nausea, everything was there, the heat, the tingling. She shakes and takes another series of deep breaths.

“I can’t David,” she tells him. “I can’t do this... I can’t pretend you’re not you and you’re someone else. You’re David. I wouldn’t be able to treat you differently. I mean... you’re David for pity sakes. You're like... a brother,” she says that and at the same time wonders why it sounds so odd now.

She shruggs her shoulders and waves off the question in order to continue talking to him, "I need to rest David. I think it is a good idea for you to go out though perhaps you'll find someone I can like."

She spun around and walked away. She walked toward one of the rooms that looked promising for a place to rest and she found a beautiful bed. “David your room is here,” she yelled. She then walked out and opened another room. She stared at the tub and the interesting seat, remembered some of the books that the Princes had brought her and knew relatively how everything worked.

When she returned to David, she touched his shoulder. “I can’t find my room David,” she told him. “I found yours though. But this room doesn’t have two beds like the last. Perhaps I am supposed to be somewhere else.” Serena squeezed his arm, felt the heat of it, and jerked her hand back. She looked up at him, licked her lips, and asked him, “David... where do I sleep?”

 

[only_more_so]

Max could feel Skye moving steadily closer to him as Claire was finishing with the dishes. Her thigh was pressing against his through the blanket, but he could have sworn he could feel her skin directly against his.

Watching Claire leave, Max turned back toward Skye and felt her lips against his. He felt a throbbing sensation throughout his entire body. He thought of protesting, but the sweetness of her lips lingered on his and the protest died unspoken.

After they parted her lips seemed to form his name, but he could hardly hear it over the throbbing of his blood. When she leaned forward to kiss him again, he gave in and kissed her back. His arms wrapped around her and he hugged her to him as he kissed her.

He turned his body to face her directly and was moving above her when he heard his name being called. Her lips were busy, so it couldn't be Skye. He then heard rapid footfalls outside the room and knocking on the door. "Prince Max! Prince Max!"

Max moved back to the position he was sitting in before, while his lips lingered on Skye's. Finally he pulled his lips away while staring into her eyes, and it felt like a piece of his soul was being pulled loose. He was still gazing into her eyes when he said, "Come in Quint!"

He quickly opened the book and said, "And that's how you read Fairy." Max felt incredibly silly, and knew that even someone as naive as Quint wouldn't be fooled for a minute. But the boy came sprinting into the room and jumped on the bed, bouncing up and down at the foot of the bed.

"Prince Max! I found it! I found it!" Quint kept saying.

"Quint! What's gotten into you!"

"I'm sorry, Prince Maximillian." The boy's face totally drained. He was so crestfallen Max could hardly stand it.

"Quint, I'm not mad. You have just never been this giddy before. You didn't even say hello to Skye before bouncing on her bed."

"I'm sorry Princess Skye. I was just so excited that I found your necklace! I looked everywhere, in the main gallery, in the side gallery, I checked all the tapestries, and the statues. I even looked in a couple of books!" He said the last as if Max and Skye should be dutifully impressed. Max and Skye made sounds to indicate such and then the boy continued. "Then Mistress Camille came into the library and when she bent over to pick up a book I dropped, I saw the locket she has with pictures of her children."

Quint was blushing as he said that last part. Camille was known for being generously endowed and for her habit of bending over at the drop of a hat, or a fork, or a book.

"So, I saw the locket and then I remembered the jewelry gallery up in the Princess tower. Not your tower princess, the tower that was built for the princess. Anyway, there are jewels, and gems and stones, rings and bracelets and necklaces and lockets! One of the women in one of the lockets was wearing the same necklace!"

 

[caela]

Skye felt his arms wrapping around her body and she relaxed against him, her body molding against his as he started to shift over her. At that moment she'd have gladly stayed just like that for eternity. The touch of his lips on hers made warmth slide under her skin and she could feel the pulse of desire low in her belly. Just as she was reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck and hold him closer to her she heard the pounding on the door and someone calling Max's name.

She whimpered softly when he parted from her and held his gaze for a moment, her eyes dark with desire and promise before she turned her face back to the book and Max told Quint to come in. She had to smile as the boy bounced on the bed with enthusiasm. When Max gently chastise the boy for not even saying hello to her Skye looked up him and lightly pinched his arm and playfully stuck her tongue out at him.

"I'm sorry Princess Skye. I was just so excited that I found your necklace! I looked everywhere, in the main gallery, in the side gallery, I checked all the tapestries, and the statues. I even looked in a couple of books!"

"Don't apologize Quint, it sounds like you did well and I'm not as stuffy as Max here," she said with a teasing grin and mischief in her eyes.

She listened as Quint explained where he'd found the necklace, in a picture in a locket and so she asked the only question she could think of, "Quint do you know who the lady in the picture was that was wearing this necklace?"