|
|
Post by The Jenn on Apr 12, 2009 19:45:12 GMT -5
"I know!" It came out as a half-sob, half-squeak, and the girl looked undeniably panicked. Aleah's face told her without a shadow of a doubt that he could see the change, which meant that it wasn't just some deranged dream blending into awareness. It was a waking nightmare, and one that wouldn't be vanishing like so many fears in the face of the morning.
She tried to calm her breathing as she stared at him, eyes still huge and obviously scared now that the sleep was wearing off. Shifting from foot to foot, she couldn't stop the anxious movement and hunched a little bit to make herself seem less large. She didn't like it. Oh Hills, she didn't like it at all. Why had it happened? She hadn't wanted to change at all! She hadn't meant to, certainly hadn't encouraged it!
"I don't know how it happened or what brought it on. I just... I woke up like this. I didn't even realized what had happened at first. Aleah, what do I do!?" The words were spoken in a quick, aggrieved voice and with still more shifting.
She knew what she would do. She knew there was no choice.
|
|
|
|
Post by Nako on Apr 12, 2009 19:58:25 GMT -5
"I... I.." Run away with me, Valeny. Run away from it all. You'll be without Want until a Jack has sullied you.. Run away..
But he couldn't say that. He had nothing to offer her, no way to protect her from a Jack if he wished to steal her. If they were caught... By the fuzzy toes of the White Rabbit.. He'd be killed outright. No. There was nowhere to go, and a part of him died inside when he realized it. The Czar would be able to take care of her... as much as he would be so terribly rough with a Doe that so desperately -didn't- want to be a Doe. Aleah couldn't say a strange Jack who just happened upon her in the woods could be as fair as the Czar.
"Oh.. Valeny.. Please.. don't get too upset..." He glanced around anxiously at the sleeping bodies around them. His voice dropped to a whisper. "We can't talk here..."
|
|
|
|
Post by The Jenn on Apr 12, 2009 20:36:33 GMT -5
At that point, Valeny may have been willing to run with him, though she would have regretted it later. How much regret... debatable. She would have been constantly fearing for her life and well-being if she came across any Jacks, though. She would be free game to the first person who found her. At least here, she knew something about the Czar. That knowledge didn't exactly make her more comfortable, but at least she went into the situation with something, and she was a Highland Doe in a Highland warren.
Her breath caught in her throat at his words and yellow eyes flicked back and forth at the sleeping forms, making her hunch even more. No, she didn't want to wake any of them up, not yet...
"Where can we go?" she asked him in the barest whisper. If any of the others were woken, they might go and get the Czar, or take her to him. At least Aleah, maybe he would have a different suggestion, anything to prolong the time until the inevitable moment their Jack found out.
|
|
|
|
Post by Nako on Apr 12, 2009 20:45:15 GMT -5
Oh.. where he could take her... He'd take her anywhere she'd want.. He'd take her to the other side of the world! His breath caught in his throat, and he mentally shook the sense back into him. He wanted to reach out and touch her.. but he couldn't. Not with his weapons for hands.
"Come on.." he whispered, getting up out of his tattered bed to lead her outside of the leveret's sleeping quarters before he'd dare suggest what she do now. With her less than pleasant introduction to his mother, she hadn't been keen to meeting her again. This situation though, called for the help of a female... and his mother, as crazy as she was, is the only one he could trust.
"I want to take you to Ashta. You're going to have to trust me on this, Valeny.. but that's about the best I can do. Frankly, you're going to need a woman's advice. Me, as I am, cannot help you." And that fact hurt him more than she'd ever know.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Jenn on Apr 12, 2009 21:04:49 GMT -5
When he stood, Valeny followed him, blindly trusting in her panic and confusion. She could only imagine how much worse things would have been if someone else had discovered her first, someone like Heike or the Czar himself. She might have a chance to calm down and think things through rationally this way.
"Ashta?!" she asked in a strained voice, still following after him without stopping. What else could she do? It made more sense when he explained it that was, however unwelcome the advice may have been. "I- I suppose you're right. I can't think of anyone else, even though your mother-Doe is kind of terrifying. She's less terrifying than... the Czar right now, though." It would be pointless hoping that the Hisstor Doe could make things better. The only way things could have been better were if this transformation hadn't occurred at all. It didn't matter to her why it had happened. It had happened, period, and there was no escaping the consequences.
|
|
|
|
Post by Nako on Apr 12, 2009 21:21:03 GMT -5
Aleah visibly shuddered at the mention of the Czar. He didn't want to think of what the Czar would do to her. It'd make him sick. He was relieved though, that she hadn't bolted from him at the mention of Ashta. That would make things easier, for sure.
"It'll be okay..." He whispered. Whether he was saying it to her or himself, he really wasn't sure. They were just lucky that it was not Ashta's night to stay with the Czar. he hadn't even considered that until they were nearly to her door. Yes, it may very well be fate that would bring them to his mother's door. Carefully, he gave the most hushed of knocks, a rapid succession that was sure to wake her, but not disturb the whole warren.
"Wait here... I'll talk to her"
---
Oh, bother! Who would be knocking at this time of night? Putting on her lantern with a flick of a match, she hastily combed through her mane of hair with her paws before going to the door. The frantic, gaunt face of Aleah met her. "Aleah, what is-" Her voice was much too loud for his comfort obviously, because he quickly slipped into the room and partially shut the door before she could complain, or catch sight of Valeny.
"Aleah, this is most inappropriate.."
There was much shushing before the conversation in the room dropped to a hush whisper, unheard conversation going on as Aleah explained the situation. Finally, the door opened again, a tussled, yet strangely sober looking Ashta looking down carefully on the recently changed Doe. "Aleah.. go fix us some tea. Something like this warrants it, for certain. Come in, dear..." Quite a change. Suddenly, Ashta seemed quite serious... Not angry... but seeming to be in control of her own mind, for once.
Aleah looked befuddled, giving Valeny the smallest of smiles before scampering quietly to the kitchens. Ashta had slipped back into the room, lighting lanterns and candles situated in the room. "Close the door behind you, Valeny."
|
|
|
|
Post by The Jenn on May 7, 2009 17:52:58 GMT -5
Okay. Hah. Funny. No, it wouldn't be okay. It would never be okay again. Valeny just barely kept herself from doing something stupid in her panic, Aleah's presence next to her the only thing holding her to some semblance of calm. He was trying, on her behalf. Calm down. Just... calm down.
When the door to the Doe's room opened, she was a hair's breadth away from just bolting. She had no idea where she'd run, but she just felt like she needed to go, get out of there, be anywhere else! If it had been the Czar's door, she probably would have taken off. Her nerves were shot and her eyes were huge and terrified as she watched Aleah disappear into his mother-Doe's room.
The hushed conversation kept her by the door, ears straining and failing to hear their muffled words. She shrank away when it opened again, staring up at Ashta before averting her gaze to the door frame, the floor, anywhere else. Swallowing convulsively, she nodded her head and stepped into the Doe's room, not noticing Aleah's little smile. She felt as though she was walking into a huntsman's noose and damn well knew it.
Numbly, she nodded and closed the door quietly.
|
|
|
|
Post by Nako on Jun 15, 2009 10:30:11 GMT -5
So she scuffled in under the scrutinizing eye of the senior Doe, horrified and submissive as she ever had been, regardless of her new, altered state. Though she understood, that did not mean Ashta could sympathize; she had been a Doe all her life.
Still, a submissive Doe, particularly submissive to her, pleased the Hisstor to no end. Still, this was not the time or place for such.. indulgences. There was a matter to attend to. Why, she hadn't dealt with something like this since... Well, since Aisha came of age.
"Now now, dear. I know this is... a unique experience, but this iss the first time you have come through that door as a rank equal to my own. Come... sit, and speak with me." Ashta sat down upon her cushioned wicker chair, crossing one leg over the other before sitting her paws delicately on her knees. Many insensitive comments came to mind, things such as questioning why she was so fearful, so hesitant. Surely, coming into ones own potential was a frightening experience, but surely some excitement would be expected as well. still, even the jaded Ashta understood that some leverets wished to stay as they were. What then, could have triggered the transformation? Had Vikenti given her incentive? A concoction from the wise rabbits? Jealousy ran sick and blackly sluggish in the back of her mind, but she held it back. She would not be upset with this Doe.
"It is probably an understatement that something is on your mind." Ashta said with a small, humorless smile. "Please, speak. What is on your mind? How are you feeling?"
|
|
|
|
Post by The Jenn on Jun 26, 2009 21:18:53 GMT -5
Valeny could feel the older Doe's eyes on her as she hopped further into the room and she made a great effort to avoid that watchful gaze. She didn't want to see whatever it was that filled the woman's eyes, be it pity, aggression, scheming, or anything else. "Yes, Lady Ashta." The world didn't seem to care about what she wanted just then, and so she glanced up as she took a seat on the cushioned chair opposite the other.
It took an effort not to sink her head to the table as a small shiver ran down her spine. A rank equal to her own. That put her on par with this frightening woman. That put her in competition. Oh, hells. No...
A bit of her long, wild hair slid in front of her face as her head tilted downward, losing some of the confidence she had mustered at the woman's statement. How was she feeling?! "I am quite unsettled," she finally said in a shaky voice, mentally cursing herself as she took a deep breath before continuing. "I don't know what to think. To feel. I... did not want this. At all. But the Czar..."
By the White Rabbit, that had been a short, terrifying conversation. She hadn't mentioned it to anyone, just stored it away in a numb part of her mind where she kept her fears. He had hinted very strongly that he wanted her to advance herself. He had hinted at unpleasant consequences if she did not succeed. But she hadn't tried to! She wouldn't have even known how to try and become a Doe besides wanting it, and she certainly hadn't done that!
"The Czar told me that I should... try. From the way he said it, I think he's expecting your son to advance soon as well. I think I'm supposed to be a present. I didn't try, though." That last bit slipped out without her really thinking about it. She certainly hadn't planned on mentioning disobedience. That didn't seem a very smart thing at all. But she was upset, and jittery, and having trouble paying attention to half the things leaving her mouth.
|
|
|
|
Post by Nako on Jun 28, 2009 16:42:39 GMT -5
Her brows had furrowed at the mention of the Czar, but they quickly softened as the story unfolded. It seemed the Czar had high hopes for his son. Hopefully Aleah would progress soon now that his intended Doe had done her part.
"You didn't try, you say? Quite odd." As to whether that pertained to her strange transformation, or how she hadn't wanted to change, Ashta would leave that ambiguous. "Perhaps something was slipped into one of your drinks.. Or magic was involved. Have you been in contact with anything magical, lately?"
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Ashta invited them in, and Aleah appeared with a cart with tea, and scones that had hastily been rewarmed in the oven. Ashta dismissed him, stirring milk and honey into her tea. "Aleah will make a good Jack."
|
|
