Wood beyond the walls

Genevieve's strength at last failed her and she along with Cara gently glided to fall into Alrania's thick forest. She had no idea how far they were from the palace, but at that moment she found she hardly cared.

Collapsing as soon as her feet touched the soft earth, Genevieve began to cough hoarsely. Her tight hold on Cara weakened and she laid flat on her back blinking in the waning light. She felt something wet on her lips and tasted the metallic blood. Despite her pain, she managed to sit up, her staff now morphing back into its long solid state.
"Cara?" she asked, wanting to be sure the girl was well.

Cara was confused at first as to why her Grandmother set down suddenly with still a bit for them to get for home. But her confusion soon turned to worry and fear when her grandmother collapesd and started coughing and soon blood came to her lips.

"Grandmother! I am right here" knealing beside her grandmother looking a little worse for wear. But concidering what they had just been through she was more or less fine.

"Here we can rest for a bit, I can help you get to the shade?" she offered.

((Elchanan will come in the next post ^_^ ))

"Yes..." Genevieve murmured, glad to hear Cara's sweet voice, even if she sounded worried. "We are in Alrania, no doubt it shall be but moments before I regain my strength and we can continue forth." She managed a weak smile and patted Cara's arm. The wings still remained on her back, making it difficult for her to stand due to their solid weight and awkward placement.

Cara nodded lightly holding on to her Grandmother in and trying to asist her in moiving to the shade.

__

(little further away)

Elchanan was on horse back, as his revenge seeking nephew prepared for war he sought proof for him self the Genevieve was indeed gone from this world.

He could not accept it so easily.

He road at a steady gallop dispite the ache in his right leg.

Then he looked in shock as he Road by a clearing, and right there was Geneiveve looking like she had been through hell it self and princess Cara, who looked no better.

Without a moment hesitation he rode towards them.

"Genevieve, Princess Cara.... it is a blessed sight to see the two of you alive" he said hopping off his horse and limping quickly over the weakened Genevieve and wrapping a arm around her, relief in his eyes for Genevieve to see.

"It is believed you are both dead" he stated.

For a moment, Genevieve attempted to assist Cara as she half crawled and was halfly dragged into the shade of a nearby tree, but then what strength she had faded and she collapsed again.

"Genevieve..."

She blinked at the sound of Elchanan's voice, slightly worried that she was beginning to lose her sanity and then again daring to hope she had indeed heard it. Perhaps like the words they had "exchanged" within her chambers and his.

But then she felt his strong arm wrap around her and while her lungs laboured to breath, her heart leapt in terror, quickly fading to a comforted joy. A weak hand sought to touch him, and when it met firmness of chest, she smiled softly, relieved it had not been a fantasy.

"A dragon's word is often..." she coughed, hoping though her eyes were closed, that she had not stained his tunic. "Like a serpent's... twisted and vile." There she would have liked to remain, for all eternity, nestled in his arms with nothing to worry her. But no doubt Oberon and Cassandra were beside themselves with fear and agony of losing their daughter, and Cara had to be returned posthaste.

"How is the king?" she asked, opening her eyes.

Elchanan held her lightly, he was slightly alarmed when she coughed up blood on his black tunic. She needed medicen and rest, that much he knew.

He stroked her cheek hoping to comfort her before telling her the grave news, to her question.

"King Oberon has been better Geneiveve, news of your and Princess Cara death on road to Mystenia have it he and Cassandra hard... he is going to war as we speak" he said.

Cara blinked and bit her lip, to took note of the interaction between her Grandmother and great Uncle, but at the moment that was of little concern.

"Well we need to get back before Father does something rash" she said.

Elchanan shook his head... " It is late for that Princess Cara, Alrania is at war" he said simply not willing to hide or sheild the 8 year old from the ugly truth.

"But you are right you both should be returned posthaste" he said as he lifted Geneiveve into his arms.

"Princess Cara, bring my horse" he simply told her not taking his eyes off Genevieve.

Cara nodded and went to the large black stalion.

Genevieve nodded, her visions starting to swim as light tears escaped her eyes. The pain in her chest sent shivers of undesired fear up her body and the response of her eyes was to cry.

"War with Jahan..." she whispered. "History repeats itself." Oddly she felt relieved at the idea of war with her nephew. Oberon would defeat him with ease; just as his father had. Her mind wandered due to exhaustion and she leaned her head against Elchanan's chest... or was he Wodon? Her eyes had a hard time seeing his face and she wasn't sure why Elchanan would be there... but then again she had the same trouble explaining Wodon...

Elchanan sighed and shook his head, "It would appear so Genevieve" he said as he picked her up, despite the long wings on her back making it slightly awkward.

At her tears he sighed and gently lay a small kiss on her forehead as Cara brought the great horse over to them.

He lifted her up to the horse after a few whispered commands to the animal and turned heading to ward the castle.

"Rest dear Genevieve, home is not far" he whispered in her ear.

Cara bit her lip as she held on to the horse, hoping that her family was yet to be unharmed by the raging hords marching into the kingdom.

Genevieve's eyes closed as a soothing gentle voice washed over her.

"Rest dear Genevieve, home is not far" And rest she did, nearly falling unconscious as the horse lurched forward. Her mind finally fell into a peace of sorts, as she ceased attempting to figure out the actions around her.

The trees were far above their heads passing by at a frenzied rate of speed. Were they running? Or had she lost every sense of direction... it was all very difficult and she finally passed out, wondering as she did why her back hurt.

Elchanan mentaly sighed in relief, he didn't know what he would have done had Genevieve really had died.

He tried to support her back, and not hurt her more where her new wings were, he knew they were done by a spell, and he wondered if the spell would her off. In the mean time he did his best time sure they were not injured on there journy home.

"Is Grandmother going to be alright?" Cara asked worriedly.

Elchanan nodded, "with a bit of rest and care, I believe she will recover" he said he reajusting her sleeping form in what he hoped was more comfortable for her.

Genevieve woke as the horse came to a breathy halt. In the darkness about them, she slowly came to the conclusion that they had been forced to halt by nature. No doubt the moon was laughing over head them and the sun had signed a deed with Jahan, in deep dark blood. The idea was of course absurd, but she found no humour in it. Often times, it seemed the man could control nature's whims.

Elchanan helped Genevieve off the tired horse, and lent her next to a tree.

There was a strong night wind coming through the woods, making the air chilli.

Cara hoped off the Horse rubbing her arms for warmth, she decided a fire was in order, would keep the warm and give her a chance to practice her elemantal ability.

Elchanan took off he outer coat and placed it on Genevieve like a blanket, "How do you feel?" he asked.

Cara stopped to hear her grandmother, she hoped she was feeling better, she hated it seeing her grandmother so tired.

Leaning against the tree as Elchanan helped her there, Genevieve kept her eyes closed, trying desperately to at least look stronger than she felt. Every whisper of cold air seemed to shake her very bones and soon she slid to sit on the cold forest floor, her wings fanning out behind her.

Her eyes opened as Elchanan wrapped his coat over her as a cover against the wind and she sighed softly. In the dark she could gather her magic about her and soon regain her strength.
"Better..." she murmured, already summoning the tendrils of shadow all about her. There was a cracking sound as her wings fell from her back and she bit her lip until blood ran down her chin as they separated from her spine and faded away.

Shadow items were unique, each physical to the touch, but yet not at the same time.

Elchanan took out hankerchife and pressed it on her chin to catch the blood, held her hand as he hoped the pain she was in would pass.

"We will be home before the sun sets tomorrow Genevieve..." he said as he brought his hand up to her face, protecting it form the cold wind.

Cara looked wide eyed for a moment before putting on a deterimined face and gathering wood.

Once she had some wood gathered she sat infront of it and started to concentrate on making a fire.

Genevieve sighed softly as he pressed his handkerchief against her chin. The pain faded as her energy slowly returned.

"Will it be soon enough?" she asked, remembering the troops razing the town and the thunder from their marching steps.

Elchanan would have sighed had they been alone, however with Cara near he merely shifted his head.

"That all depends on the question, in time for what? If the king has his way he will march out to battle in come the new day. If the enemy armies are already there or not is another matter" he said seriously.

Cara concentrated on the wood before her, her eyes glazed over and her forehead starting to sweat dispite the cold wind.

The would she had gathered was damp, s before the fire could start she had to dry it first. As a result the wood smoked, but didn't burn yet.

Elchanan looked at the smoke criticly, "Be careful child.. until darkness falls ememy troops may see the smoke and our position will be given away" he said in warning.


However Cara could not hear him in her transe.

"Then there is not time..." she murmured. The villages and towns would continue to burn. Haste would not assist them, their king would be unable to stop the dreaded fire-beasts and rain refused to douse Alrania's scorched earth. "They already march." she whispered. "They were on the border when Cara and I passed over. Burning and slaying... but marching on." She moved to sit up, in vain desiring to continue on. To warn her son of Jahan's bloodthirsty troops and red-eyed dragons.

Sinking back down, tired from the effort, Genevieve sighed. "Do I even speak sense, my love?" she asked, eyes slightly cloudy with her weary thoughts.

Elchanan sighed, "Genevieve, Oberon prepares for war as we speak, your and Princess Cara's return wil not change the swiftness of his preperation, right now weather he is aware of the coming enemy troops doesn't matter for he still intends to ride out and meet them, wherever that maybe" he said as he wrapped a arm around her shoulders encouraging her to rest.

Cara breathed out and a stream of fire came from her hands ad the pile of wood went in a blaze.

"Yes, we got fire" Cara said with a smile, oblivous to the converstion about her father going to fight the hordes advancing on the kingdom.

Blinking back weary tears, Genevieve felt soothed with his arm around her. Perhaps she could continue to be comforted by him, she mused, eyes closed. The court would find it scandalous; but they had no doubt been overly prying in her deep depression over Wodon. People, she had long ago deemed, were impossible to please, and thus she had never attempted to explain or make herself clear to those about her. Of course her childhood had not helped her image of people in general, but that was many years ago. She did not cling to the fading past, the raw last few years were painful enough without dragging forth her earlier pain.

And she knew her son, perhaps better than most assumed. Her arrival back with Cara would not stop the troops, nor would it cool the anger. For a moment she wondered if perhaps he would be angry at her. After all she had taken Cara straight into Jahan's arms. The fire-beast would perhaps done better to have slain her with its deadly fumes than allow its carcass to stay rotting in the forest. She would not be able to bear her son's anger. She already despised herself for not pursuing Jahan when he had escaped death. Every dead soldier's noble face haunted her as did the neighing of their trusting mounts and the screams of her ladies maids.

Slowly the tears she had kept at bay, slipped down her pale cheeks. Were it not for Elchanan...Genevieve had at that moment strength to take her life.

Elchanan blinked at the tears that driped down her face, he said nothing, he held her closer to him and rubbed his hand up and down her shoulder and arm.

He placed a kiss on her forehead and whispered "It is alright" meaning is was alright for her to cry and lean on him.

Cara bit her lip and kept quiet by the fire, the situation was dire that much she knew. She wondered what she would find, what home would be like when they got back.

It was well simply because he stated it. She would believe anything he said at that moment, despite knowing otherwise. The tears stopped as if frozen and no more followed them. Her emotions were her own, to control at her full whim. Were they alone, she would have taken the full meaning of his statement and whispered condolence, but not in front of Cara. She had to hold a small shred of dignity for the girl.

Gently wrapping her hand around his larger one, she sighed softly. But with the closing of her eyes she could only see Oberon's angry face.

Elchanan kissed her forehead agian knowing she was staying strong for Cara, he sighed and picked her up slightly and moved her closer to the fire Princess Cara had made, Again he let her lean on him.

Cara grew bored and soon tired with the long day and shockingly she feel asleep, the gods giving her tired mind mercy and sent her off to dream land, lieng beside the fire.

Elchanan sighed, he knew there was something extra bothering his queen, other then the impending war.

"There is something more haunting you my queen.. What is it?" he asked quietly.

Genevieve watched Cara fall asleep, delighted the child had finally found enough peace to do so. Sleep had yet to find its way to Genevieve... Resting her head against Elchanan's chest, she sighed softly, enjoying the warmth of the fire and yet also wishing it were not present.

Why, she asked, did he have to be so preceptive? Wodon had never asked her questions save ones she could never answer...
"Oberon..." she murmured softly.

Elchanan sighed, there were so many things she could be worry about for Oberon, her was her son after all. It was to early to tell how the war would go, the king might parish in the next battle for all he new.

"If you worry for him, the king is a competent commander" he offered her, kind words about his impatiecnt nephew only Genevieve would hear.

Now she hated the very idea of thinking Oberon may be furious at her. In a way, she had nearly killed Cara, started a war and had men and women butchered. It did not soothe her to think that Jahan's plans would have continued even had she not gone to Mystenia... another would have been targeted. But then again, that was only a thought and not facts.

"I worry I may have lost his love." she murmured. "Truly I am cursed."