The Curse and the Traveler's

[caela]

"No need to cry, my dear. I'll be fine. I've had worse tumbling with the wrestler's here. You should have seen me one day, casts on my arms, flailing about, whole body in bandages. I couldn't move for a week, they turned me into some sort of mummy. That was worse than this. Just a few bumps and bruises... and a broken nose. I'm afraid I won't be very handsome anymore..."

Skye listened while she sobbed quietly and managed a small giggle at the image of him mummified in bandages. It was an amusing picture, "I wish I could have seen that," she teased as she wiped away her tears and drew deep breaths at last to calm herself.

Examining him quietly she tipped her head slightly as if to get a better look at him, her gaze thoughtful for a long moment before she spoke again, "You've got a very straight nose, as long as the doctor sets it properly it really shouldn't show much that it was broken. If it does then I'm inclined to think that most will find the break dashing and not think it ruins your good looks at all. After all you got it trying to save a friend from harm which is quite heroic even if it was slightly foolish considering how many gaurds are posted all over this place."

She could resist that final tease though her eyes darted to the Queen to see if she would be chastized for it. After all the woman's son was laying there in pain and Skye had just called him a fool...a heroic fool, but a fool all the same. Instead of annoyance or anger Skye was startled to see amusement and a smile on the older woman's face. Returning the smile she rose from where she knelt beside David's bed and moved to the side a bit.

"Forgive me Queen Beatrix, I shouldn't have gotten in the way of you reaching your sons bedside."

"Call me Bea in private dear and I won't censure you for rushing to the side of your betrothed when I can see quite clearly that he isn't in mortal danger."

Skye smiled warmly but felt a blush color her cheeks when the Queen mentioned the betrothal. She really hadn't given it much thought but the fact was she didn't know if she would marry David. He was kind and handsome but she simply didn't know him....she certainly didn't love him. He'd said he'd loved her all her life but she couldn't say the same to him when she'd only just met him. She wouldn't say that she absolutly wouldn't marry him but she wouldn't say that she would either.

Excusing herself she left the Queen and her son to talk and as she stepped into the hall was brought up short by a strange man in the hallway moving toward the bedchamber. Standing in front of the door she blocked his path demanding to know who he was.

"I'm one of the palace doctors you silly chit now get out of my way before I have the gaurds move you!" he snapped at her which startled Skye. No one had been blatantly rude to her here so this was a first.

"All you had to say was that you were the doctor. There's no need to be rude. Be careful when you set his nose, it's the worst of the wounds the rest need cleaning but none will require stitching," turning on her heel she headed toward her own room to change. It was going to be a long night and she wanted her own clothes for it.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena went back to Maximillion his body still hot to the touch. She retrieved more water and began to once more administer to his heated flesh. A tear escaped her eyes, “I'm sorry, my friend. I didn't mean for him to take me there. I didn't know what was happening. Now you and David are hurt, no one has told me about him, I know not of his safety.” The darkness outside threatened to come in and steal his life from her, and she refused its entrance. The morning would arrive soon, and she needed to ease his fever once more before she attempted to break the rules of the kingdom.

She lifted the blanket from his body, and once more washed his chest, and arms. Sighing she bit her bottom lip, took a silver knife from inside the drawer near her bed. If only she had thought of that weapon, the little jeweled dagger her father had given her, she would not have brought this harm upon her kingdom. She shuddered as she thought of what she would have to do come morning.

Slicing way the leggings of his breeches, Serena soon exposed his thighs and calf muscles. His sex was still covered from her eyes, her decorum, refused her to expose him to her in that way. She knew that she was acting silly, he was injured, but to Serena as he lay on her bed, he was no longer her friend, but he had become a man.

Her eyes covered his body. Admiring the firmness of his muscles, the shape of his torso, and his arms. His chiseled features, ones she had always seen, now made her notice him. She had grown up with both Maximillion and David, now she wondered when they had grown up, and how come they left her behind.

She covered his flesh with cool clothes, then the sheet. Ringing for the maid, she had sent earlier to find Skye, Serena pressed a soft kiss to Max's head. “I'm going to save you, I won't take No from anyone as an answer.”

The maid arrived quickly, and Serena told her to stay with Max, but to let him rest, “If he awakes, call the doctor. Give him only small sips of water. I don't know if I'll be back soon, or after a while, but until I do come back, please care for him, and if I don't, well... then my parents will of course have my belongings.”

Serena shut the door to her bedroom, then hurried to Skye's room. She knocked loudly on it, she knew she had to act quickly, but she also knew Skye would want her own explanations. The door opened and Serena scurried in, shutting it behind her, “Great! Your wearing your own clothes. We are to become travelers and your clothes will work wonderfully!”

 

[caela]

Skye had just finished changing when she heard the knock on her door. Opening it she was surprised to find Serena but the girls words quickly had her simply confused, “Great! Your wearing your own clothes. We are to become travelers and your clothes will work wonderfully!”

Knowing she must look weary and drawn Skye turned quietly and sat down witha resolute look on her face, "Serena, what are travelers, where do you think we're going, and why are we going anywhere? I asume you've been with Max, how is he? I just left the doctor with David and as long as none of his wounds get infected he'll be fine. His worst wound seems to be a broken nose which he's worried will ruin his good looks," the last she laughed at slightly remembering how he'd rambled to try and get her to stop crying earlier.

"Oh and why will my clothes work wonderfully? What scheme have you hatched my friend?"

Skye could tell Serena was planning something she just didn't know what. And she wasn't going to budge until Serena explained...slowly...and in detail.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena sighed, and sat down. Rolling her eyes, “Skye... travelers remember, we travel to other countries.” Serena was frustrated, she didn't have time to launch into hundreds of history lessons she needed to save Maximillion. She was glad that David would be okay.

“David's looks will be fine, it is time he stop acting so perfect anyway.” She winced as a slight pain moved in her jaw, but she shrugged it off. “Maximillion is not well. He came in and fought with the man that was hurting me, and he received a knife wound in the side.”

She felt a tear fall, and wiped her eyes, “It was all my fault and I refuse to let him die because I dressed up and pretended to be important, so I plan on making him better. I won't let him die!”

“We have rules here, we are not allowed to use vast amounts of outside worlds knowledge. Now we are allowed to bring back things, that won't alter are world to much.” She moved further onto the bed, and curled her legs under her. “We are allowed to bring books, some clothing, a few things that make life easier, but not anything that would change our lives dramatically.”

Rising from the bed, she walked over to the bookcase in Skye's room. “These are books of fiction, and nothing else. We are not allowed to bring back books of knowledge, the kind that would advance us as quickly as many of our planets we visit are. This rule was made so we would not gain this knowledge before our time. It is thought that if powerful knowledge fell in the wrong hands, then our world could easily become more chaotic then when it first became covered in the mist.”

Serena hoped she was explaining all of this to Skye and her friend understood it. “Because we have limited ourselves, we have always relied on our own way of learning things, but Skye, we are not ignorant, we know there are better ways, faster ways of doing things then we do, and that includes healing.” She moved back to her friend, and knelt down, her hands rested on Skye's.

“I need to travel to your time, and search out medicines to heal Maximillion. He suffers from a fever. Fever's have killed here, and we have never interfered in the life and death of others. We have always allowed our medicines and our ways to try and heal them, as well as our thoughts, and prayers. But, this wasn't supposed to happen, he wasn't supposed to be hurt.” Serena shuddered and held in her tears, “He can't die, he is my friend, and he loves...” she stopped, she couldn't tell her, that Max had confessed he loved Skye, she was intended to David. “He loves our Kingdom, and they will try to save him, but don't you see, he isn't the heir, they won't interfere enough to travel and get him the proper medicines. I don't think they would do it for David either, but Skye I have to travel, I have to go to your world and get the medicines to save his life.”

She looked up at Skye, “Please, will you take me to your world, and help me find the right things we'll need?”

 

[caela]

Skye listened while Serena explained and for once there were no tangents, no wild flights of fancy just her love for the friend she grew up with and her apparent (undeserved) guilt and need to heal him. Taking Serena's hands and pulling her to her feet she nodded her head gently. There were medicines in her world that could easily help Max and she would only ever think of herself as an evil wretch if she didn't help him.

"Of course I'll help Serena. I don't know your method of travel though so you'll have to show me and we'll have to be careful. There are medicines we can buy at any store that might help but there are others that would require a prescription that would probably work better. If only we could take Max himself to a hospital! There'd be question but then we could disappear once he was well."

She knew her last comment wasn't possible. If Max was badly hurt than moving him could kill him. No they'd have to travel to her world and get what was needed on their own. Skye's only real worry was that they might have to steal it and she didn't know how Serena would respond to that. Better to know if she could do what must be done before they left.

Gripping Serena's hands tightly and staring hard into her eyes she asked in a quiet voice, "If we have to Serena, can you steal for Max?"

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena looked at Skye, “I'd kill for him.” Her eyes spoke the truth, and she realized it was true, “I'd kill for David as well, Skye I would even do it for you. I will not allow anyone or anything to hurt my friends or loved ones.” Serena felt different, her innocence had been shattered, and the fun little person inside her was not there, it had ended when the vile filth had tried to take something that she had not offered, and she had in turn almost killed one man, and may have killed another.

“We will have to steal to travel for it is illegal to travel without the permission of the King, and he will not allow us to go. I know this because when his own brother lie in a state between life and death our King forbid his own mother to find the means to save him. He isn't cruel, he just wishes to not interfere in the development of our world, so I know he will not for Maximillion.”

She moved towards the window, and looked out the suns were just starting to rise. “We should hurry.” Taking Skye's hand, she eased open the door and the two women walked out of the room. They moved silently through the hall. Serena followed through a complex series of halls, and secret passages before they excited outside of the castle walls.

“We will move to the fairy ring and we must think of where we need to go,” turning to Skye she looked at her friend. “I know the Princes have not told you everything, but you should know this. In your time, you do not exist, you are no longer known to them. Memories of you are memories of only what you have, no one will know you, not even your parents.”

Taking her hand the two walked to the deepest part of the forest. The fairy ring rested before them, just on the edge of the thick fog. They stepped inside, “You need to think of where we are going. We need to appear, someplace where no one will see us, then you need to help me, for I have never traveled.”

Serena held her friend's hand, and waited. She hoped this work, for if it didn't they would wake up where they were, and then she would have to find another way to save her friend.

 

[only_more_so]

Queen Beatrix swept down the hall from David's room toward Serena's. The doctor had just gotten around to telling her that Max had been stabbed, and the wound was infected.

Max lay on the bed in Serena's room where a maid was applying damp cloths to his forehead and bare chest. "Out girl!" the queen commanded in a very uncharacteristically curt manner.

As the girl scurried out, Bea followed her toward the newly repaired door and shut it tight. She checked the room as if she were afraid of interlopers and then sat on the bed next to Max.

Carefully she lifted the dressing over Max's wound and examined the red striations. In her own land, in her own time the wound would only be fatal with the worst possible luck. Here in this land, it would take the same luck for Max to survive. On impulse she tilted his head to the side and looked behind his ear letting her finger graze the birthmark that hid there.

"Max, you must not die! We are so close to lifting the curse, but we need you alive."

Where am I? What's happening? Who am I?

The burning torment continued, but it seemed to become more localized. The rest of him just ached. It was as if he had a body.

He heard voices calling from far away, like the buzz of a mosquito. The buzz left and was replaced by a new buzzing. A light stabbed at him, called to him, something. It reminded him of something, something important.

What?

 

[caela]

No one would remember her? Not even her parents? Was this some sort of cruel jest? They hadn't just taken her from her land physically that ripped away any evidence of her existence as well. Skye felt a stab of cold anger flood her but she pushed it aside. There would be time enough to take issue with this new fact when both men weren't lying bleeding and injured. Still something would be said.

Right now though the fact that none would know her would make what they were about to do easier. Stepping into the ring with Serena she concentrated wholly on an image of the inside of her local pharmacy. She didn't know if she could control what time they arrived there or not but she clearly pictured the clock on the wall as showing 3:00am and the place covered in shadows and dark. If they could arrive at night when no one was around their job would be both swifter and easier.

Keeping her eyes tightly closed and a firm grip on Serena's hands she simply waited unsure what, if anything, would happen.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

The flow of air surrounded them as a great pressure began to build. Serena felt her body lift, and suddenly become very cold. She squeezed Skye's hand and felt reassured by her presence with her. Her fear was rapidly beating in her heart. She felt is was working, now she only hoped they ended up where Skye had wanted to take them.

Suddenly without any warning the air dropped them. She landed hard and lost the feel of Skye's hand in hers. She pushed on the dirt below her, however the dirt was not that of the forest, but was very cold and hard. “Stone?” she wondered outloud. Squinting her eyes, then rubbing them. she looked up. Only a small hint of light shone around her.

Looking to her left and right she could not see Skye, then she heard a wail of cursing coming from behind her. She spun around, and saw the disheaveled Princess, resting on a pile of what looked like little white rattles.

Serena walked over to her and helped her stand, then picked up one of the rattles. Her eyes widened in disbelief, “You keep your Staints in Bottles!” She gave the rattle to Skye, “Who is this St. John's Wart? Why is he kept in all these bottles?”

 

[caela]

Skye felt the cold pressure and the sudden sensation of flying somewhere and kept her eyes tightly closed and her grip on Serena's hands tight. When she felt the air drop her however she lost her grip on Serena and gave a startled cry as she fell into a rack of herbal supplements and landed on her butt. Pushing the bottles away from her as she stood she let out a string of curses until Serena's voice caught her attention.

“You keep your Staints in Bottles!” She gave the rattle to Skye, “Who is this St. John's Wart? Why is he kept in all these bottles?”

Skye's lips twitched slightly at the corners as she tried not to laugh at Serena's question. She knew the girl meant it honestly because she'd never seen pill bottles before. Taking one from her she turned it over to show Serena the picture of the plant on the back of the label.

"St. John's Wart is a type of plant not a Saint," she explained gently. "These are pills, medications, made from plants. We call them herbal supplements and how well they work is up to debate. We want the read pills."

Leaving the scattered bottles on the floor she motioned for Serena to follow her and moved up the ailes until she found what she wanted. Quickly she grabbed a large bottle of tylenol and motrin before heading toward the front of the pharmacy. Deftly she hopped the desk and started searching through the dispencers with their labels and names. She knew what she was looking for and gave a small cry when she found it.

She filled a large bottle with the penecillin tablets and prayed to any god that would listen that Max wouldn't be allergic.

Turning back to Serena she smiled softly, "How do we get back?"

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena had grown curious as Skye had suddenly leapt over the large table in the room. Her eyes looked at the rows of things, "OH! We must take these things with us. Max loves this thing called Chocolate!" She did not know if Skye had heard her or not, but soon she walked over to where her true love was found. She clasped her hands together, "Books!"

Her fingers ran over the array of books. As Skye continued to rummage through things. Serena picked up the books, her face blushed as she looked at the one with a man that was holding a woman. Her skirt was pulled up high on her thigh, and her dress, was very similar to the ones of Serena's land, but in this case the woman's ample bosom was practically spilling out.

She quickly grabbed the book, "Stealing is what we are doing and we are doing it to help Max, so if I take this book and I read it to him, while he is sleeping, then I will not be stealing for myself I will be stealing to heal him. He can hear my voice." Serena held the book in her hand, then scanned the papery things, that David had only brought her once or twice.

"Magazines," she mumbled, remembering the glossy pages. She stopped as she stared at a beautiful woman in a swim suit, she had not seen a swim suit before, and she saw how it was almost as if she would be swimming naked. "Sports Illustrated," she read the title. "They draw pictures of sports? Are these the uniforms? How can one play a sport wearing that?" Shaking her head she looked to Skye who was piling things into her hands.

"I think we will need a bag." Serena found one and began to put the Chocolate and the rattles full of pills, inside. She kept the book hidden deep within the folds of her gown. Skye stared at her as if waiting for an answer to a question.

Serena put in something called, Hershey Kisses, thinking that if she kissed someone named Hershey perhaps she would learn about flirting. She picked up something called Double Mint, thinking that mint is a lovely scent and to have double of it would be good, beside she would give it to David, he sometimes needed mint.

She then moved around to the place that Skye had been earlier. She saw a bottle of something called Viagra. "What is this? Perhaps something to do with a Vagrant? Does it keep Vagrants away?" She wondered if it would help Maximillion's condition. "Do think we should take it with us, just in case what you have chosen will not help him to become better and speed up his recovery process?"

She looked at Skye, questions in her eyes, then realized she had yet to tell Skye how they got back home. "Oh, how do we leave, simple. Take me to the fairy ring in your world and we'll go." She smiled brightly at her,

 

[caela]

Skye watched as Serena grabbed things to take back to Max but when Serena held up a bottle of viagra Skye burst out laughing and put the bottle back on the shelf. It took her some minutes before she could explain, "Those don't keep vagrants away Serena. It's a pill for old men who are no longer able to get an erection. If Max needs them I'd rather not know about it." Still giggling she tossed the penecillin, tylenol, and motrin into the bag as well. She didn't want to take anything stronger than that. Max wasn't used to the drugs from her world so small doses of them should go a long way on him.

"Don't worry about our drugs not helping him Serena. These are drugs that every person in my world takes at some point or other and they almost always are helpful. Still I should grab a couple more things." It had suddenly occured to her that she didn't know what they were using to clean Max's wounds with and she quickly found a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and iodine. The iodine would sting like hell but it usually killed anything. She also grabbed gauze pads and surgical tape and tossed them into the bag.

Trying to think of what else might be needed Serena's voice broke into her thoughts and shattered them, "Oh, how do we leave, simple. Take me to the fairy ring in your world and we'll go." She smiled brightly at her.

Skye stopped and turned to look at Serena with a look of horror etched on her face. Her skin went pale as she spoke in a voice that she couldn't bring above a whisper, "I've never heard of a fairy ring in my world Serena. We don't believe in such things, if there ever was one here there's a good chance that a building sits on top of it now."

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena cocked a brow at the bottle that Skye had taken from her and then put away. "Well I would think if we wanted him better, we'd want something to make him erect, but you know about these things more then I."

She watched Skye gather a few more things, so she too continued to look around. Serena almost shouted in amazement as she found just the thing Maximillion needed. She thought of sharing her find with Skye, but after the thing with the pills of erection, Serena decided to tuck the package in her bag, without showing them to Skye. Surely anything with the name Maxi was good for a man named Maximillion. She was very pleased with herself, and wanted to quickly get home, so she could share the book with the woman and man on the cover and these wonderful things with his name on them.

Then she heard Skye's words and froze. "Under this building?" She felt a whirl of nausea assail her and she sat down. "Goodness, I had not thought of that."

Thinking a moment, she pressed her hand to her temple, "Oh, that is ok. Get me one of the maps of your home, and I'll find one. They are easily marked so one does not step into them unwillingly."

Skye just stared at her, then Serena remembered what she had only half heard. "You don't believe in them!"

"You don't believe in the rings or fairies in general?"

 

[caela]

"You don't believe in the rings or fairies in general?"

"Neither Serena. In this world fairies are considered nothing more than myths and legends. Bedtime stories that mothers tell to sooth their children - or perhaps to frighten them depending on the culture. Our maps won't show you fairy rings." Going silent for a moment she suddenly growled softly and stamped her foot before exclaiming, "Fuck!"

Trying to think quickly she suddenly grabbed Serena's hand and pulled her toward the door of the pharmacy, "We have to get out of here. This place has security cameras so come morning they'll be looking for us. We need to go somewhere where I can think and we can figure out what to do."

Not waiting for a response she pulled her friend along behind her and sent up a silent prayer of thanks when she tried the old security code on the door (she'd worked here one summer and had closed more than once) and sent up a silent prayer of thanks that the old man who owned the place hadn't changed it. It meant they left without alerting anyone to the fact that they'd been there. If Serena was right and no one remembered her then the old man wouldn't recognize either of them when he reviewed the tapes in the morning.

"We don't have a car so we're going to have to walk as far as we can tonight. There's a town about 15 miles from here with a jewler. Hopefully he'll give me a good price for the jewlery I hadn't take off before you knocked on my door."

Skye didn't expect an answer. She was talking more to herself than to Serena really anyway. When she'd changed her clothes she hadn't taken off the necklace, earings and ring she wore before Serena had knocked on her door. The pieces weren't huge so she hadn't worried about them when they'd left. Now they might save their lives...and Max's. An idea was forming in her mind but it would cost money.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena followed Skye from the building, and noticed the faint glow of the street lights, looking up at them, she gasped, muttering, "Your would has many, tiny suns." She was in awe as she walked past shops, that Serena could only gap at for a short time.

She stopped at one and cocked her brow. There in the window was a white body with no head. Her eyes looked at the cloth on the body, it reminded her of the magazine with the Sport girl on it. Serena could not believe one would want to wear something like that to play sports in, but there were many odd things of this world.

"A car?" she said the word. It sounded very foreign to her, and she began to wonder how Maximillion and David traveled and learned so much of where they went.

"Look Skye!" Serena pointed over to a building that was brightly lit, and full of noise, she started walking towards it.

"Skye, come here!" She pressed her nose to the glass. "Look at all these people, they seem so happy and they seem to like to dance."

She looked at her friend, "Perhaps, they will know of a fairy ring. They do exist, or we would not have traveled here. Please don't say you don't believe or.... well.. you know what will happen!"

Serena turned back, then noticed Skye was fingering her jewelry. "I think we should ask these people in this building." Without another word, she pushed through the door, and walked to the man behind the long counter.

"Good day kind Sir, I need to know where the nearest fairy ring is." She bated her eyelashes lovingly, and saw the row of beautiful bottles perched on the shelves behind him. "Oh... might I have a drink please?"

 

[caela]

Skye barely had time to blink before Serena entered the bar. Following behind her she watched as Serena batted her eyelashes at the bartender and asked where a fairy ring was and if she could have a drink. Rolling her eyes she stalked forward giving the bartender a sharp glare that sent him scurrying away and grabbed Serena's wrist in a grip that made it clear that Skye would hear no arguments. Serena was coming with her...now.

Back outside Skye pulled Serena into a small alley and fought down the urge to glare at the other girl as she had the bartender. Drawing a slow deep breath she tried to keep her voice calm despite the rising panic in her chest.

"Serena, listen to me. No one here, no one, believes in fairies and fairy rings. They don't believe in other worlds except for the ones seen up in the sky through a device called a telescope and they don't believe they can travel to them. If they can't see it or touch then in general they don't believe in it.

They do however believe in insanity. If you run around asking strangers about fairy rings and how to travel to other worlds they will think you are insane, will throw you into a little white room with padded walls, and give you lots of drugs to keep you calm and docile. Anything you told them about your home, Max, David, would all be thought of as part of a grand delusion on your part. They would think you someone to be pitied and treated carefully like a sick a pet.

Just as I looked to your for guidance in your world - and tried to listen to your advice - you have to listen to me about this world. It's harsh, and it's dangerous and it will have no problem with hurting you just to amuse itself."

God but the girl was just too innocent for her own good! Skye wasn't trying to be cruel but she did feel she had to make Serena fully aware of what could face her if they didn't get moving and fast.

"Now we were caught on a machine called a video camera while we were in the store. I didn't worry about it at first because I thought going back to your world would be simple and we'd be gone before anyone could start looking for us. I was wrong Serena. Come morning when the store owner comes in and finds things missing he is going to send men out looking for us and he'll have our pictures thanks to the camera. We have to get as far from here as we can. So, no more side trips into bars, no more stopping period unless it's absolutly necessary.

Be my friend and please listen Serena, don't make me pull rank o.k.?"

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena stood there, her lip trembling. "I just wanted to get home. I don't know how David and Maximillion do this, I mean they talk as if it were so simple and easy. They never spoke of being stuck or not knowing where the fairy rings were."

She sighed and looked out over the dark roads and the bright lights, "I'm sorry, I seem to be nothing but trouble. Skye, I'm not a child, but I have never had to do anything but be me. The Princes treated me as if I were a sister. I wasn't allowed to get hurt, or do anything real adventurous, and all this is new."

Hugging her arms around her waist, Serena shifted from one foot then the next. She looked up to Skye, "This is all my fault, I tried to be something I wasn't. David called me something earlier this week, I wish I could remember. Something about me being silly or a twit or something like that."

Shrugging her shoulders she agreed to what Skye had asked, "I am learning so many things now, and I want to discover it all. They need to see I'm not a child, but all of this," her hand swept out in front of her, "all of it. Is new to me."

She followed Skye back into the streets, "Oh Skye, please look.. oh please may we for only a moment stop there."

Serena stared with eyes full of great joy, for in front of her stood a building. A building that offered Serena everything she ever wanted. "Skye, it says, The Fairy Queen bookstore." Her eyes glazed over, "There Skye, a book will have the information we need, wouldn't it?"

 

[poohlive]

Max did not look well at all. Their mother sat long the bed, crying softly and threatening him not to leave them. David just stood silently at the doorway. The doctor had told him to get some rest, but he could not simply lay down while his brother took the brunt of an attack.

"Should have gotten the other one," David shook his head, as he did so stars reappeared in his eyes. He had to hold onto the wall to keep from falling. After a moment the stars went away, and he could see the room once more.

Just take it easy, David. No reason to be the hero now.

Except, he knew he had to. Someone did. His brother needed medicine, stuff that could not be found on this world. Antibiotics and penecillian, and all that stuff modern scientists had found long time ago in their own worlds. Here, none of that existed, not even on short supply for emergencies. The air of this world never held that stuff together for very long. When penecillian came to their castle and was left for a few days, it turned into sulfur.

He would have to go find the medicine. He made his way back to his own room, but stopped in the hallway. Maybe it would be good to bring Skye with him. She had wanted to be alone with him, and this would give them a great chance to talk, on neutral ground even. She could help with the medicine of her world.

When he stepped into her room, though, it was empty. He called for Serena, but she was nowhere to be found. Her room was also empty.

"What is..."

After a few questions he realized just what had happened.

"Oh, yes prince. I saw them, wearing her strange clothes. They left."

David furrowed his brow, looking at the young chambermaid who bowed quickly and left his piercing gaze as fast as her little feet could carry her. Why would they go when they had no way to return home? Serena did not know that much about the fairy rings, did she? He had never told her, and he doubted Max would share such a secret. No one ever expected her to be caught alone on the other side.

"Son of a bitch," He sighed, going back to his chamber. He would have to change, apparently, his job of being a hero was not done for the night.

 

[caela]

"Skye, it says, The Fairy Queen bookstore." Her eyes glazed over, "There Skye, a book will have the information we need, wouldn't it?"

Skye wondered how long it was going to take to get through to Serena that they needed to keep moving. She didn't like it but one of the fact of her world was that jail was NOT a fun place to go. Still she had to make allowances because while everything around them was simple and commonplace to Skye it was all something grand and new to Serena.

That didn't make it any less frustrating however.

"Serena, it's a children's bookstore is all. Listen to me, people here don't believe in fairy's. The information in those books won't be useful. They're just stories that people have made up for kids and had published. They're lovely in their way but no they won't help us. Now please, we need to keep moving unless you want to find out what a jail in my world is like Serena."

She had tried to keep her voice calm but she knew the edges of her annoyance were showing and she felt bad that she probably was hurting Serena's feelings.

"We can come back another time Serena but for now if you want to get those things to Max we have to keep going. Both the boys are wrong if they call you things like a silly twit. You're smart, Serena, just easily distracted sometimes, but right now I need you to focus. Another time we'll come back and I'll show and explain everything to you."

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena looked at Skye, "A fairy lies dead now, you said that sentence, oh Skye..." she hung her head and sighed. "I'll follow you, if jail is like a dungeon then no I don't want to be there."

She followed Skye through the village, her eyes on the ground. Serena did not want to be distracted again, so she kept silent and refused to look at any more things that may cause her mind to wonder. Instead she thought of the book in the pocket of her dress and the special gift that had Maximillion's name on it, well part of his name.

Once they were outside of town, Serena felt it was safe once more. "Skye, I am sorry I was not at the ball, I was there, but then I wasn't able to stay beside you and I am sorry, this really is all my fault and I hope you know I would have been by your side if I could have, I just..." she bit her lip, then took a deep breath. "I just couldn't ruin your party, I had all ready ruined it for Maximillion I didn't want to cause more trouble."

 

[caela]

Skye felt horrible when Serena kept her head down and her eyes practically glued to the ground but she kept her mouth shut. She'd asked her friend to focus and if this is how she did it than so be it. Outside of town however she was glad to see Serena's head lift once more though her words sent cold fury running through her blood.

"Skye, I am sorry I was not at the ball, I was there, but then I wasn't able to stay beside you and I am sorry, this really is all my fault and I hope you know I would have been by your side if I could have, I just..." she bit her lip, then took a deep breath. "I just couldn't ruin your party, I had all ready ruined it for Maximillion I didn't want to cause more trouble."

Spinning sharply she stopped dead in front of Serena and reached out to lift the other woman's chin so she had to look her in the eyes as she spoke, her voice was fully of the fury she'd felt when she had first heard about what had happened that night, "Listen to me and listen well Serena because I am only going to say this once...what happened tonight WAS NOT your fault! Nothing you did tonight in any way shape or form excuses a man for acting like a beast. The blame lays squarly on the scumbag that attacked you and then attacked Max and David. He's a coward, and a fool and doesn't deserve the clothes on his back or the food he eats. He's a waste and I pray your world has harsher punishments for such beasts than mine does. NEVER again let me hear you say that what happened tonight was your fault. Got it?"

Before Serena could answer she pulled the other girl close and hugged her tightly so that she'd know that her banked fury wasn't aimed at Serena but at the man who had caused them all so much trouble tonight.

"Now come on, we'll make it to the next town by morning. I'll sell the necklace and we'll get some food, sit down and try to figure out how the heck we get back to your world."

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena nodded her head, "All right Skye, I'll not mention it again." The walk was quiet and she soon found her mind wandering again. This time however there were no buildings or people to distract her. Just sounds of creatures in the night.

She noticed that Skye did not seem to fear the noise, so she to decided all was well. So together to two women moved further down the road. Serena took each step with patience, though she was getting tired, she said nothing.

"Skye... do you remember me talking to you about flirting?"

They continued to walk and she continued to talk, trying to feed the silence. "I wasn't flirting with that man. I had just accepted a dance with him. I think he did what he did because I was a servent, and not of royal blood or even the same class as him."

She noticed Skye's glare, "No... I am not saying he is better then me." She didn't wish to anger Skye once more. "When my father return's he will have my mate, and I will be marrying him. I want him to like me, so I want to know how to treat a man I like. Now, Maximillion is my friend and so is David. I can not try to flirt with with David he is your intended. Therefore I think it would be good to try and flirt with Max."

Serena thought of this for sometime, "I believe I am a decent looking woman, and yes, I admit, I sometimes, go off on a tangent, but I can be quiet serious and docile if the call arises, at least... I think I can?"

They had been walking this whole time, and so they continued. "Also, what do you think of David? Your intended?"

 

[caela]

With the night close around them Skye actually felt at home. The quiet sounds of animals and night insects was soothing to her as it always had been and above them a rich full moon lit their path and bathed them in a pale light. Often on such nights she'd wandered for hours at a time and always felt safe and protected. As if the moon itself looked down on, and cared for her. She was glad that Serena seemed to take her calm as a sign that all wasy well and didn't become afraid of the night sounds as the town children often had.

Skye had to chuckle softly as Serena rambled. Granted she'd just about lost her temper once more when Serena had mentioned the foul animal that had tried to hurt her tonight but she let it go when Serena moved away from that topic.

"If you want my honest opinion Serena, I think you don't need to learn to flirt at all. I don't know how it's done in your world but in mine it's often a game and I've seen flirting be used to hurt people. Why not just be yourself with whomever your parents bring to you. If he doesn't love you exactly as you are than he's not worthy of you anyway.

As for David I don't know what I think. He doesn't understand me and it's causing friction between us. That silly ball tonight for instance, he thought I'd want that because when I yelled at him earlier I told him he'd have to impress me with what sort of man he is. He thought I meant that he had to impress me with things instead of with showing me his heart, mind, and character.

Serena, what would...what would happen if I said I didn't want to marry David?"

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Serena stopped where she stood, as Skye continued on. A few steps and Skye looked back. "Not marry DAVID?" she gasped.

Her eyes blinked slowly then rapidly. She stood there with her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide. "Not marry Prince David, not become the Queen, not answer the call to be the chosen one!" She felt something she hadn't felt even with the man that was hurting her. With her she felt fear, now she felt rage.

"You would not marry him, because he didn't impress you. He is a wonderful man! Kind! Considerate! Respectful!"

She marched up to her, "You would refuse to help our country, my people! You wouldn't allow even the possibility your the chosen one! You would put yourself above everyone else in my country by even asking such a question!!"

She flared with anger, her eyes shooting daggers at Skye, "I never once have heard of such a thing! I would give everything I had to lift the curse from our lands. To once again do what only we have heard about from stories. To visit the fairy kingdom, to trade with the trolls, to ride the backs of the horn horses and to fly through the clouds on the backs of the winged ones. How dare you place yourself above all others!"

 

[caela]

Skye tok a step back as Serena erupted in fury. It really was a sight to behold and Skye wouldn't have thought she had it in her until now. Waiting until she finished she arched onw brow and thought for a moment before she spoke.

"I didn't place myself above anyone. I asked a question, one that considering my circumstance I have every right to ask Serena. You've grown up on stories of the chosen one, fairys, trolls, horned horses and you've been told that all these things are real. We have such stories here as well but here they aren't real, they are imaginary, fantasy.

I was snatched from the world I knew and thrown into yours and still no one has bothered to really sit down and explain to me how it was done, why the hell you need a chosen one in the first place, or what the blasted curse is that I'm somehow supposed to lift. It's just expected that I will even though apparently dozens if not hundreds of others have failed.

Oh yeah and by the way Skye you're also supposed to marry a man you've never met and know nothing about.

And I'm not supposed to question all that?

Things you've grown up with your entire life I've suddenly had thrown at me in the last, what...two days? Of course I question them. I always saw marriage as a matter of love, desire, the need and longing to spend the rest of your life with one other person but now I'm suddenly engaged and no one even bothered to ask me what I wanted.

You say that David is kind, considerate, and repectful...well guess what, those are qualities that WOULD impress me and those were the sorts of things I meant when I told him he did need to impress me. As for being Queen, toss it. I've never wanted to rule a country even when I was a little girl.

And why shouldn't I put myself, my need, my desire, my dreams above everyone elses? Didn't you just put yours above mine when you spoke of your longing to trade with faires and ride horned horses? No one is going to look out for me Serena, except me."

As she finished speaking she tried to hide the sadness in her eyes and turned to begin walking down the rode once more. Silent and lost in her own thoughts she stared up at the moon over head as if communing with the great white orb.