Hunter and the Hunted

he smiled at her, beaming as she kissed his cheek and nodded. "yes, sleep would be good." he agreed, chuckling. "and if your going to crawl into someone's bed, could you make it mine tonight?" he asked playfully. "i can't stand it when Tristan gets to snuggle up to you like some bog ol kitty cat." he whined before sniffing at Slate, sticking his nose in the air. "i was only in your bed because i couldn't stand the thought of sharing any space with Tristan." he grumbled, stomping past Slate before realizing he had no idea where he was going.

he flinched at the mention of a crime against the courts and grumbled under his breath. "yes... fine i won't tell..." he complained softly, trying to ignore the hope that had flared at her first words. he choked violently at the mention of Lilith, gaping at Lea, his eyes wide with horror. "s...seriously?!" he asked, swallowing thickly. "oh hell..." he swallowed thickly again. "i... i need a drink... i need to be drunk so badly right now... so drunk..." he complained, staggering to his feet only to collapse back onto the bed, clearly so shocked that he couldn't even walk to the liqueur cabinet. "oh my... oh my this is... this is..." he covered both hands on his face now. "so she's a Godling... she will Ascend into the Heavens when her time is right, and take a New Throne of the Gods?" he asked, blinking at Lea. "that's how it works right? my Father was the Roman God of Forging and War... and i took one of his sub thrones, the God of Blades... same as my brother took the throne of Fire and Metal..." that was one way to become a God anyway... "and just who is Falin then!?" he demanded, swallowing thickly. that was something no one knew, Mab, and Titianna knew he was not human of course, and people like Lea knew he was one day to be a Demi God if he ever found out what he was... maybe even a God if he could overcome his humanity... but no one knew Falin's mother, or Father. he had only shown up one day as a baby in the Hunters Academy, and there he had lived for sixteen years before 'graduating' at a record age. there where a few special ones, like Clause who knew Falin's true identity... and a few like Mab who might have her suspicions... but Falin would forever be a mystery to most... even himself.

Spencer blushed at his words"I am sure I will not.But i will come find you if I need to."She said blushing as she left.Slate snickered watching him go, following after him but letting the man get lost. "but you both could have shared space with spencer."He pointed out more to give him a hahrd time then any real interest.

LEa nodded a little tilting her head."She will.She will be your equal,bladesmaster."Lea's eyes were sad though, because lilith had despite having children by hundreds, had had only one in recent years, and young spencer was destined to be the bringer of doom, the halbinger of the end of time.A goddess of fate....and her fate was tied to this blademster. Lea could see that much.She wanted to break the ties between them, maybe if she did, then spencer would never have to face that desinty."We don't know. Demigod, but we do not know who is famiy is, though my lady has her supicions, even if she has not shared it."Lea said leaning over to kiss him gently."You are so adorable when you are upset."

Falin huffed. "never... i will never occupy a space of less than five feet with that bastard unless it is to gouge his eyes out..." he scowled. "i can't KILL him of course as it would upset Spence... but i can BLIND him, and then she won't want him because he will be pathetic, and useless!" he grinned to himself, clearly imagining how good it would feel to pluck the man's eyeballs out before he paused. "..i have no idea where i'm going... you know that right?"

he scowled a little. "why do you seam so upset by that? if she is my equal, then she will be the only one i will ever love... that is the way the Fates have deemed me so..." he had in his long life, only ever loved one... Spencer. and he would love her for all of eternity, even if she did not love him back. "a Demi god..." he muttered softly. "there are so many gods and goddesses... there's no telling who he might turn out to be..." he muttered with a small scowl, jerking away from the kiss with a startled noise, clearly having reacted before he could stop himself. "i'm sorry Lady Lea... but i really should be getting along to bed... i have much to think about and much to come to terms with and i fear that you might be trying to seduce me, despite your promises not to hurt Spencer." he admitted as he stood up. "and i fear i might be getting rabies from the foul mouthed little bastard." he admitted rubbing his perfectly healed neck. it had healed all on it's own. "i must do some research in the morning.." he mused. "i will find out who Falin is.. the thought of knowing who he is... dangling it before him.." he smirked viciously. "knowing something he cannot know... yes... this is pleasing to me..." seams like Falin wasn't the only sadistic one in the group.

(i'm off to bed... so tired. ><)

"I know.besides it amuses me to let you wander, and you're that far off."slate said opening a door and allowing falin into his room."goodnight falin."he smiled as he left

"I have my own reasons for not wanting you with my granddaughter bladesmaster.but we will speak in the morning,I have a blade for you."lea said smiling as she left leaving him to his thoughts.

In the middle of the. Night the screams that shook arctis tor nearly brought the fragile ice down as spencers presence in arctis tor with the bladesmaster and demi god awakened the part of her that none of them wanted her to know. And the mistress of fate was waking, screaming for the fate shesaw the all...and she wouldn't remkember what she saw when she woke, but while asleep..she screame3d for them all as destiny started to close on them

Falin snorted a little, looking rather pleased with himself. "well. maybe i aught to be a Finder, instead huh?" he asked with a small grin as he shook his head. "goodnight Slate." he stated with a grin. "you know... your not such a bad guy." Falin admitted with an impish Grin before he went to bed.

Tristan frowned a little as he studied Lea, looking confused as he watched her leave, wondering what she had meant by that... surely, it was only a good thing for him to be with Spencer? he shook his head, grabbed his favorite sword, and settled in to sleep, happy and content knowing that the Fate had declared him a somewhat of a Winner.

in the middle of the night, both Falin and Tristan raced through the halls, practically colliding into each other right outside of Spencer's rooms, both of them having recognized the screams that tormented the walls of ice. instead of fighting, they both raced into the room, gathered Spencer into four, warm, comforting arms, and tried to sooth her nightmares away, and when that failed they struggled to wake and calm her, stroking her hair and back as they muttered soothing, calming things, trying to ease her terror.

After a bit their solothing words managed to calm the girls screams into soft little whimpers before she stirred, blinking slowly as sbhe looked up at the two men holding her."what are you two doing in my bed?"she muttered blearily the terror that had shaken articus tor but faint whisps as she woke looking very confused and slightly worried to be pinned between the two

they both smiled a little at her. "you where having a nightmare..." "you where screaming..." they both explained softly. "are you alright now?" "do you need us to get you anything?" they both carefully eased away from her, sensing her nervousness about being pinned, both looking ever so worried about her. "what where you dreaming about that was so bad?" Falin finally managed to ask. "i've never heard someone scream like that before... not even from pain..." Tristan shook his head. "neither have i..." he admitted, biting his lip as he considered Lea's words. "Falin... stay here and watch her... i'm going to go and get her some Hot Cocoa." he admitted, Falin looking a little surprised but he nodded. "i won't leave her alone." he promised smiling at Spencer. "would you like me to sing you something?" he offered, blushing hard at the thought of actually singing to someone, but she'd seamed to like it before, he could give up his masculine image if it meant making her feel better.

Spencre frownedat their words, snuggling down into the bed, even as she pillowed her head on tristan's shoulder."No.I'm okay."She saidbefore shaking her head."I don't know. If I was really screaming, probably better I don't."She said shifting as tristan got out of bed, looking up at falin with a small smile."Yes please.That would be nice."She said brightening at the idea.

Lea looked up at tristan as he came in, holding out the glass of steaming hot chocolate, "I thought you would be down for this."She said smiling a little even though her eyes were dark with worry.She couldn't interfer more than she already had, bound by her queen's command to neither interfer or to tell them what was happening.

Tristan smiled at her and nodded as he headed down the stairs, his eyes dark with worry as well as he took the Hot Chocolate from Lea, hesitating. "... she doesn't remember why she was screaming... is someone in her mind?" he asked, worried about the sanity of the woman he loved. "is there anything you can tell me to make this better for her? whatever it is!?" he pleaded softly. "isn't there anything i can do to protect her!?"

Falin smiled at her and slowly, softly sang a Greek Lullaby about the golden tulips and the shining streams of blue, singing softly to her while he waited for Tristan to return, glancing over at the Doorway to make sure that no one was listening in. it was embarrassing enough singing to Spencer, he didn't want anyone else to know just how 'girly' he really was.

Lea shook her head, gesturing to a chair even as she sipped her own glass of coco."No.It's just her own powers coming on line. Her ablity to find things, comes from her goddess destiny of being a goddess of fate."she said sighing softly."Do you know of the oracle of delphi?"She asked because she was the most famous oracle, a mortal woman driven insane by her glimpses of the future.A goddess would be so much worse.

Spencer smiled softly closing her eyes, starting to doze off again on the good sound, even as slate stuck his head in the door, looking bemused at the singing."How is she?"He muttered crossing the room quietly, looking worried about his friend.

he groaned a little and he shook his head. "she can't go through this not knowing what's happening! can't i tell her what's happening!?" he asked, frowning a little. "... the.. Oracle of..." his eyes widened a little. "i don't know much about her... only that she was driven mad by her powers... you can't... mean that the same will happen to Spencer!?" he demanded, leaping to his feet. "no!... that can't happen! surely she could handle her own powers?!.... i... i have to go..." he grabbed the Hot Cocoa, driven by terror to check on Spencer as he raced back to the room.

Falin flushed hard as he spotted Slate and coughed into his hand as he shook his head. "i think she's fine..." he admitted. "she doesn't remember anything, i guess it was just a nightmare..." he muttered, stroking the other woman's hair, trying to keep her calm. "Tristan went to get her some Cocoa... Tristan?... are you alright..?" he asked, looking shocked at how pale and terrified Tristan looked, his hands trembling as he handed Slate the Hot Cocoa, since the Blade God had already spilled a large portion of it onto his own hands.

Lea tilted her head."I have been forbidden to tell her bladesmaster, much like yourself, I am bound by the rules that rule even the gods."Lea said shaking her hed a little, having given him as much warning as she dared, watching him leave.

Slate nodded looking a little relieved to hear that, before yelpnig as tristan shove past him, taking the cocoa from tristan with a frown."Tristan, what is it?"He said growing serious, the deadly winter knight starting to shift into a fighting mood.Despite being a mortal champion to the fae, he would shake up their world if they thought to mess with tristan for the man was one of the few friends slalte still had.

Tristan shook his head a little. "i can't say..." he whispered shaking his head, swallowing thickly. "the Gods are involved..." he admitted glancing at Lea. "is she alright? nothings happened?!" he asked softly so only Slate could hear him, a panicked note to his voice as Falin muttered softly to Spencer that he would be right back. he didn't like Tristan, but Spencer did, and he'd never seen a God look so panicked before. "hey, what's going on?" Falin demanded, studying Tristan. "what, did someone rape you or something?" "no... i..." he hesitated and then. "i don't know what i can tell you... i... i think Spencer might..." he swallowed thickly. "i don't think her sanity will last through the next year..." he whispered softly, Falin's eyes widening in horror as he turned back to look at Spencer. "... this has to do with the screaming?... is the Mad God punishing her or something? isn't there anything we can do?!" "...i don't know.." Tristan whispered. "i just... i don't know..."

(so I totally zoned out and thought it was your post....XDD)

Slate shook his head,"She's fine. She's falling asleep again."Slate muttered looking at the man worried, because he did not enjoy the sight of a god so panicked. Swallowing hard as his words, the winter knight glanced at spencer, confusion and pain in his eyes."No. We wont let it happen. We'll keep her sane."He growled, determined to keep his friend, and to save tristan, because he knew the bladesmaster would not survive if spencer didn't.

Falin didn't know what to do... in one evening, he felt like he was loosing everything good in his life. Spencer was in love with Tristan, even a blind man could see that... and if he lost Spencer, he would loose the only man he could fight with. he didn't like Tristan, but he did enjoy interacting with the man... frenemies, he thought the term was... and if he lost Spencer and Tristan than he would lose Slate... he didn't know Slate all that much but he felt that the other was a friend... these three people where closer to him than anyone he had ever known, including Azra... he was freinds with Azra, but she kept her distance, and he didn't want her too close... he should have known better than to let these people get close to his heart... he was going to lose everything, all over again, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. while Tristan and Slate where busy worrying over Spencer, he pulled away and moved deeper into the castle, seeking to freeze his heart, like the castle itself.

"Slate... i don't know if we can save her..." Tristan whispered, tears spilling over his cheeks now. "i can't.. i can't go on if she doesn't know me Slate... i'm Fated to her... i love her... i can't lose her..." he moved into the other man, pressing his face into the others chest and letting off a small sob... Tristan had only been this emotional once in his life... after his twin brother had been slain. that had been over a thousand years ago...

Slate frowned focusing on the man in his arms, even though he turned his head to watch falin walk out. More worried about tristan's state of mind at the moment then falin getting in trouble in the castle."We will.And she'll know you.Even if you have to tell her everyday, she will remember that she was loved."Slate sighed softly, "Come on bladesmaster, go get in bed, hold her and sleep."He soothed putting enough power into his voice to act as a sleep spell.

"You are up late little hunter. You look lost."Lea said having realized that the man was wandering within moments of him leaving the room,and doing what she knew her granddaughter would want her to do. Keeping a eye on the man to make sure that he didn't get into trouble.

Tristan shuddered at the power in the words, groaning a little as he suddenly felt sluggish and helpless. "i.. hate it when you... do that..." he complained, too tired to be furious... which was usually the only reason why Slate got away with it. he slid into bed with her, wrapping his arms around her, holding her close and trembling against her, still too freaked out to not have SOME reaction... but holding her close was certainly helping.

Falin jumped, his breath catching in his throat as he spun and faced Lea, letting out all of his breath in one rush. "Lady... you scared me.." he admitted, clutching at his heart, hesitating a moment before shaking his head. "...you know... i've never had freinds before." he admitted suddenly, his voice soft and broken. "i never had freinds, and no one ever loved me.... my father abandoned me, my mother never wanted me, my teachers where glad to be rid of me..." he shook his head. "it didn't hurt... it was truth then... no one wanted me, so i wanted no one..." he turned to stare out a window. "now i have freinds... i think of them as freinds... and now it... it hurts... like when my father left me all alone... it hurts and i... i don't know why..." he admitted softly, turning to look at Lea, looking so very lost and confused. "am i.. not meant to be normal?... am i not meant to have freinds? or loved ones?... is Death my only path?" poor confused, and hurt Falin.

Lea frowned looking at him confused,but amused that she had scared him."Ah alin, you are so quick to judge them, and not think they'll still want you."She said shaking her head a little as she moved to stand at the window with them."Spencer loves you. Not in the way you want her to but she does, and she will not allow you to push her out of your life.She'll just find you again.And tristan,tristan needs someone to fight with. Slate just tells him to sit down and shut up. and slate....maybe the winter knight most of all, needs your help, little hunter."

he shook his head a little. "it's not that i don't want them..." he admitted softly. 'i do want them.. i want them so badly... but it hurts, so very much..." he admitted softly, his eyes pained. "it hurts to think i might lose them in any form.." he admitted softly. "i don't like this pain..." he admitted softly. "humans weren't meant to feel this kind of pain..." he whispered, setting a hand on his chest as if that might ease the Heartache. "you know what's wrong with Spencer, don't you?" he asked, looking at her. "is there any way she can be saved? i don't know whats wrong... but everyone can be saved.. right?... even i was saved, many times... even though i didn't deserve it... Spencer has to have a way to be saved... she deserves it more than anyone i know.." he wiped his eyes, clearing away the tears. "i need her... i love her..." he admitted softly before looking confused. "why would Slate ever need my help?" he asked, confused as he studied her. "...i mean... he's Slate for Gods Sakes!... he doesn't need anything or anyone..." Falin actually sounded a little jealous of that.

"Everyone bears this pain, its called caring for others.Even gods."Lea said gently resting a hand on his arm already turning away, before pausing,"I have done what I can, hunter. I may not interfer more than this."lea said sadly because it pained her to not be able to stop this but tristan had already set things into motion, and there was no stopping what was coming."Slate needs things, even if he wont admit to it."She said laughing sotly, delighting in helping this much as she walked away.

he sighed a little and shook his head a little as he looked at Lea. "does the pain ever go away?" he asked softly, grimacing a little as he heard the tone of pain in her voice. how could they not be allowed to interfere!? it wasn't fair! he shook his head a little. "Slate doesn't need anything, he's the Winter Knight for Gods Sakes!" he complained as he shook his head. "have a good night Lady." he muttered in good night. there would be no sleep for him, and he knew it. instead he sought the Kitchen in hopes they might have something with which he could get pleasantly drunk, and forget everything for a while.

"No, but its a part of living."Lea said shaking her head a little.

A few days later slate ran a hand over his face, wincing a little as he did so. He knew he looked haggard, and tired. Older than he had in years."Hey falin."He muttered looking up at the man who was coming into the library, pausing for only a moment as he read through the books. Surely there was something in here that could calm the soft screams and even worse whimpers.

Spencer whined softly rubbing her cheek against tristan's shoulder, sighing tiredly as she shifted."I'm still tired....why do I feel tired?"She muttered wondering why she felt exhausted, even after sleeping so long. The mortal making the slight transition to immortal, her body exhausted as it changed, and her mind tired from what she was seeing.

Falin looked just as haggard as Slate did, dark bags under his eyes. he hadn't slept a wink since that first night, and had somewhat accepted that Spencer didn't love him the way he loved her... or rather, the way he thought he loved her. "hey... no sleep for you either?" he asked, studying the man, hesitating a moment and then. "i'm... i'm going to the Summerlands, to Desiritux Tug." he stated suddenly. "i think... i think that maybe the Summer Queen, Tatiana, Azra's aunt might help us... if she can..." he admitted, fidgeting a little. "i can't stand her screams anymore... i have to DO something..." he admitted breathlessly.

Tristan held her tightly, but gently as he closed his eyes. "i don't know.." he muttered softly. "i'm sure it's just a flu bug, or a cold..." he muttered softly, kissing her forehead. "it will pass, i'm sure." he whispered softly. he didn't look as bad as the other two, considering Slate kept sending the Blademaster into sleep every chance he got. as long as Tristan LOOKED, alright, he could help keep Spencer calm. "just sleep some more Spence... i'll stay right here." he promised, as he always did.

Slate shook his head a little."A few blinks here and there."he said looking tired before tilting his head. Swallowing hard as he considered that before nodding."I will go with you."He sai after moment, because while he was winter's emissary, he was still human, and welcomed in both courts because while they weren't at open war with each other, the courts were in a steady game of one manupship, and it was easier to keep track if you could see all the players."We'll take them with us to.Maybe the summerlands would be easier on her."He said wondering if the underlying cruelty that was in articus tor was killing her faster."Would you pack some clothes for me?I'll go get spencer and tristan."

"Oh. Yes.Probably."Spencer said going quiet as she laid so easily in his arms, reassured that he didn't look sick. So surely she couldn't be that sick. Stirring again she frowned,"I've never been sick before trist. What's wrong with me?"She said that edge of panic starting to strain her voice.

Falin nodded a little, lookign a little relived when Slate offered to go with him. "i think the cold might be getting to her, yeah the Summer Lands would surely be better..." he agreed softly, swallowing thickly. "i'll go pack your things." he agreed. "i'll pack for Tristan too since he won't leave Spencer." but he didn't sound as upset about that as he would have a few days ago, he was coming to terms with things at least... and even he had to admit that Tristan's obsessive need to take care of Spencer was a good thing. Tristan smiled nervously at Spencer and shook his head. "i'm sure it's just a Articus Tor thing." he admitted. "heh, maybe your just coming into your powers?" he teased softly, it was as close to the truth as he could get without getting in trouble with the Powers that Be... and even now, he was pushing it... he anticipated a punishment in the future, but as long as it wasn't death, he didn't care. "just sleep." he ordered, looking up as Slate entered, frowning a little. "find anything?" he asked, hope staining his voice. "where's the red monkey? i haven't seen him yet this morning." it made him nervous when Falin went 'missing' because it upset Spencer when Falin didn't come to check on her.