Found In The Woods (Whispered Secret/AnnaBeth/BennyQ)

[BennyQ]

He did not know of this village she spoke of. It must be some remote and isolated it didn’t appear on the maps he had long studied in his youth. But what use it might be to him, he had yet to gleam. Ruled by a tyrant, who possessed a gang of thugs to keep the others downtrodden. Like the rest of Ostavia. But when Elisandra mentioned those who might oppose, Aica quirked an eyebrow. A resistance, an army, started with a few to spark a flame and eventually it grew into a great congregation of fire and heat. But was it possible? He eyed the sprite intently as she hovered before him. He couldn’t deny everything she said had some modicum of wisdom and logic.

Aica glanced to the side, then back to the sprite, taking a step back but only so he could bow his head without headbutting the creature. He knew good counsel when he heard it. “I kiss your hand, sprite.” Aica said, a phrase of respect and deference. “I am not so foolish as to think me and this blade can stand against a larger group and prevail on identity alone. Twelve rabid dogs can kill a lion they say. But I will consider what you’ve told me. It is news, more than I could have hoped for.” Indeed, this may be the sign he was hoping for all these weeks. His identity would play a part, perhaps earning loyalty through the power of his name, Larenzac. But the large part, the hard part, would be through strength of arms and skill. He did not know what part Vesta would have to play though.

“Farewell and should I return to my own, your forest shall have the sanctity of a holy place.” Aica bid to Elisa and thinking their business was done, turned on his heel and marched off to where he assumed Vesta would be. They never ventured far from the river, a source of water for drinking and bathing, with the occasional fish to be found. Or bodies. Bodies of the slain, of allies and friends who fought for him, or simply had the displeasure of being someone his Uncle disliked.

If the sprite followed, he would be entirely unaware. His mind was elsewhere, the wheels churning. It must be the sign he needed. What else could it be? A creature he thought only existed in legends comes and unveils herself with this specific news to him. He had to act on it. At once.

He found Vesta on her belly, overlooking a flowing stream. She had her hand dipped in, furiously concentrated on her task. And despite the sprite’s words, he couldn’t help but feel some fury as he approached. Stupid girl, with her eye on the stream, not even watching about her. Blabbering hillmen could sneak up and carry her off and she probably wouldn’t realize it until she was in the air. “Wife.” He snapped, announcing himself, as he was sure he could probably cause a heart attack if he appeared right beside her. Head always in the clouds with this one. Aica came and crouched beside her, his hand resting on the small of his back, one knee bent to the ground with his other arm across his second knee.

“You missed a most interesting conversation. Forget the fish. We do not have the time to catch and prepare it. Berries and roots must sustain us. We are going westward.” Aica told her, though he didn’t quite rise either, his hand subconsciously caressing the small of her back, drifting a little onto her rear, as he watched the flowing water. Like time itself, it was ceaseless. How much time had they wasted here? It was time to make up for it.

“There is a village. Like my home, it is oppressed. I think…we might be able to do some good there, if we are smart. And the sprite, which you are so fond of…” Aica scoffed then, sighing as he forced himself to repeat it, “thinks you will be able to help me. But I see you are quite preoccupied with your mud pie. Get up.” Aica commanded, smacking her rear, ending with a tight grope, before he rose to his feet. And to end her efforts, stepped into the stream near her finger, scaring off any catch she might have had a chance of grabbing.

 

[AnnaBeth]

"You forbade me the use of the word opposite that which is wife," she said, voice tight and colder than the morning's hint of frost. "You questioned my oath, my devotion to it and you. You refuse my counsel at every turn. You fail to provide enough that we hover on the brink of starvation and have no roof but the stars, no bedchamber but this forest, no blankets and bedding but each other, and yet you dare call me wife? You disturb and belittle my patient, my dedication to getting us a fish and arrogantly stomp about so that even where I to try again the streambed is so disturbed that no fish will come to it?"

Vesta pulled her legs up and braced on one hand then rose. Her other hand dangled by her side. No, not exactly at her side - it dangled slightly behind her, not visible to his eyes.

"Do not dare, dare to call me wife when you deny me the use of the matching term," she warned, anger rising in her voice, head held up high so that the collar around her neck was plainly visible. It seemed to have shrunk a little bit, keeping in close contact with her neck even though she'd lost flesh there and, never thick to begin with, it now appeared too delicate to support her head. "Do not," she said again and took a step back from him.

"You scared off the fish, Prince," venom, mocking derision, dripped off the title she gave him. "Fortunately I was still able to make you something to eat." Watching his face, she saw the lack of understanding in his face and at that moment her half-hidden hand slung the mud in it, the mud he'd accused her of playing in, in an arc that saw it splatter into him from his left hip up and across her neck and face. It was cold and the pebbles embedded in it hit like tiny rocky fists. Vesta crossed her arms, standing straight, daring him to do something about it.

 

[BennyQ]

The mud and grit slapped Aicanassë like a cold wind in the morning. His head jerked to the side and despite the cold, hard bite of it, he felt nothing but red hot fury. He took a sharp inhale, smelling the earthy hues, bringing his finger up to wipe away his lips, before spitting flatly to the side while facing Vesta. He had come with hope at last, with an eagerness to move. The sprite’s words to listen to her, though he had relayed them mockingly, had been with some genuine intent. And this is what he got for his troubles? Now it was gone.

She was defiant, proud of her childish action. Stubborn. Aica took another great breath and released it, never taking his eyes off of her.

Then his right hand flashed, leaping over his left shoulder as fast as a snake, before striking like thunder from a cloudless sky across her face. The hard backhand would resonate in that clearing, silencing the birds and insects, even making the trickle of the water seem distant. He stepped forward in a follow up, left hand grabbing her wrist so she couldn’t fly far or even flee, keeping her still as his right hand came about and caught her by her neck, raising her up and slamming her hard into the ground at his feet, on her back. He stepped over her then came down, hands on her wrists, pinned to either side of her.

He said nothing, merely snarling and fuming as he glared down at her. For a moment he was like that, full of fury and hate, thinking of only utter spite and ruin for this stupid girl he was cursed to have as just that; his wife. “Perhaps,” Aica managed to sneer out, “perhaps you need a remainder who you belong to, what oaths were sworn. Shall I remind you then? You will eat the same as me, I reckon.” Aica hissed, releasing her wrists to grab at the collar of her ragged clothes, hefting her up violently before slamming her onto her side, before rolling her onto her belly. A hand came on the back of her neck and he pressed her hard into the mud and earth below.

Her hands he cared not about, though his other went down to the hem at her ankles, bunching it up and pulling it up, revealing her bare legs, first to the knees, then up along her thighs. He forced it up to the small of her back, before using his knees to prod and push up her own to bring her hips up more. It wasn’t the first time he elicited a bedding in this fashion.

And right when the cool air tickled the naked flesh of her womanhood and rear…Aica suddenly ceased. His hand went weak and pressure was relieved on her head. He rose, standing over her, looking down at her with pursued lips. What was he doing? Images of those…beasts who rutted in her flashed in his mind. Was he the same?

He reached down for her again, hands under her shoulders, hefting her right back up like a child, tossing her up then catching her with an arm around her waist, violently jerking her before wadding into the water. He didn’t stop until it was up to their hips, where he dropped Vesta onto her knees, soaking her right to her chest. One hand clamped on her shoulder, keeping her faced away and towards the water.

The other…cupped water and splashed it to the side of her face, washing off the mud he had been pressing her into moments before.

 

[Whispered Secret]

Elisandra watched the Prince walk off towards the stream, grateful he had decided to acquire council from Vesta before making any decisions. Even though his dismissal of her, as if there were no way whatsoever she would be able to help them, did set her temper ablaze once again. Could he not see all the ways in which she could be of assistance?!

Spying and eavesdropping alone would be a benefit to the couple when they went to check the village. Not to mention how she could get them past the guard dogs. Shaking her head she paced around the dying fire, absently fanning the smoke away when the wind shifted, she once again contemplated leaving the royals to their own devices.

She had pointed them in a direction that gave them at least a small...ok miniscule chance of taking back their rightful thrones. Nodding to herself, thinking it was the best decision, the logical decision. Though, she still needed supplies for the long cold winter months. She could accompany them as far as the town and once the Prince accomplished his goals, she would grab what she needed and go back to the life a normal sprite lived.

Even knowing her arguments for the lies they really were, Eli ignored that small voice in her head telling her she was just as daft as Aica and took off into the air to find them. She was sure Vesta at least would agree that she would be an asset to them.

By that time she heard the familiar sound of them once more yelling at each other. Just as she made it to the side of the stream, she sighted Aica as he pulled Vesta into the cold water. Elisa wondered what had occurred that spurred the sudden desire to bathe in the chilling stream.

The forest around the couple had gone completely silent, most wildlife had run off for a safer refuge, and any that remained were hiding silently, waiting for the humans to leave. The humans were baffling, just when she thought she might understand them, they screamed at each other and than took a fully clothed bath in the stream. No wonder the fae and humans so rarely interacted...humans were half-baked creatures.

The tiny sprite flew up to a nearby tree and quietly observed them, she didn’t have to hide, they weren’t interested in anything besides themselves. She was pretty sure and ogre could come stomping into the clearing, his stench a thick cloud proceeding the clumsy racket, as he bulled his way forward...and neither royal would blink an eye.

Stretching out and resting on her stomach, she propped her chin up in her hands and settled in to find out what they were about this time.