Siren (Discontinued.)

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Please Enjoy.

Part 1-


Chi 


It’s dark.
It’s cold.
It’s lonely.
They died a while ago. My family died a while ago. And now the hut is empty and I am alone. The owls screech outside and it echoes through my ears like a cymbal. The tinny tone like a death call to me who is separated from the rest. I’m not sure. But I can hear it. But is it really what I truly think? That little voice that spins and dances around the back of my mind, calling to me and enticing me.
I wish it did summon my death…
I don’t know if it’s true. But this is barely a life anyway. The cold, grey stones of my hut grind against each other as the wind whips at them and the hay that acts as my roof rattles and is pulled viciously off in the harsh weather. It blows through the slit that are my windows and the huge cavernous hole that is my door, catching my long crimson hair and throwing it around my pale body, just a temporary form to keep me warmer in the cold night. There is no food in the cupboards and a lack of water in the metal bucket. The floor is muddy and wet and my feet are frozen. My stomach growls viciously and I whine lightly to myself.
This is not living. This is just surviving.



Adelaide


I slump on the elaborately carved throne.
I glance at Emeline. She’s trying to catch the eyes of the new lord. He smiles at her slyly, seductively. Emeline squirms in her seat and fiddles with her pendant. I frown. How could she? We were supposed to be poised and innocent young women, and there she was, courting!
Father Stands.
“Rise my subjects!” He calls. His voice echoes around the room like a great drum’s beat. I stand and ignore the stares of the young knights.
“Would Arthur Edward Brinwood please stand before me?” He commands.
The little courter walks up, proud as a lion, to my father. Father grasps his sword and touches the knights shoulder lightly. The room erupts into cascades of applause
“Congratulations, courageous one!” My father smiles approvingly. It suddenly all becomes to much. I whisper in the ear of Mariana, my servant, and grab my violet cloak from her. I wrap it round my shoulders and sprint out of the hall, into the night. I look up at the sky, with it’s velvety darkness. The only place I can be free. I run as though I will never stop.



Chi


My hut is located near the edge of the clan walls. The border that protects the clan village from the shadows of the forest. I can hear them growling and turning in their unsettling slumber. It rings in my ear drums and causes me to whine like a pup. If the shadows were to escape and devour the village, then we who act as the border would be the first to be destroyed. And no one would remember us. We are scum. Just filth under the foot of the ‘Mighty Monarch.’
It’s Dark.
It’s Cold.
It’s Lonely.
It’s Painful.
I hear footsteps.
Someone is coming this way. Fast. I grab an empty steel bucket from underneath my wooden ledge which I sleep upon, and creep towards the door. I rethink to late. I shouldn’t have moved. I haven’t eaten for days and my body has become frail. I fall to the floor, coughing and hacking my lungs out. The bucket clatters to the dirt and rolls out of the hut. I reach for it but am unable to grab it to pull it back. I lay wheezing. Waiting for the owner of the footsteps to come and grab me and pull me away. Maybe it’s a beast from the forest. Maybe they’ll end this for me, put an end to this pitiful existence. I fall into a coughing fit again, then stop and breath hard. I’m tired. Goosebumps have risen on my pale, bare arms and my crimson hair looks brown from the dirt that it is sprawled in. My eyelids flutter, heavy, as though weights are pulling them down. My body urges me to rest and my mind lulls me gently until I close my eyes and a deep slumber takes over my entire being.



Adelaide


I stare at the filthy ground as I walk briskly along the clan trail.
My long, wavy brown lock tumble out of my cloaks hood.
I make no effort to put them back in their place. Only one thing matters now. I stop abruptly. Clatter. Clatter. Bang. My head jerks up and I see a bucket roll around on the ground. I approach wearily and peer around. A young, filthy but beautiful women is lying on the entrance to a crudely built hut. I walk over with concern and kneel beside her.
“Excuse me? Are you alright?” I ask shakily. This brings back painful memories. The crimson haired women breathes shallowly and sighs in her slumber. I pick her up with ease and wrap my cloak around her. I notice her bones jutting out of her skin and my eyes widen. This poor maiden hasn’t eaten for at least 2 days! I run faster, faster into the woods.


Chi


I have a sensation of being lifted into the air and moving forwards in a bumpy manner. What is happening? Where am I going? Am I dreaming or is this really happening? Suddenly I am on a patch of soft dry grass again. It’s almost warm, after the cold and the rain, it’s comforting. I hear whispering, or so it sounds like whispering. It’s distant. I’m too deep to hear the words.
“Wake up. Please, Madam you need to eat.”
A smell catches my nose, so gentle and seemingly far away. But it’s enough to bring me back into myself. 
I wake with another coughing fit and look up at a women’s worried eyes. This girl, I am sure that I recognise her. But I am tired and do not realize just who this pretty maiden is. She offers me some food and I push it away.
“Poison. Not edible.” I mutter, “Do not eat them.”
I hear her drop them and watch drearily as they tap the floor and roll away.
I look up to study her properly. Taking in her brunette, angelic hair, so neat and carefully pruned. Her face is gentle and caring and her eyes sparkle like diamonds in the dark night. While I rethink her appearance in my mind I take in my surroundings. I am not in the hut, but a glittering, dew covered grassy glade amidst the dark fur trees which hide the shadows. The stars glisten like icy flames on a silken midnight background, and the moon shines as though it is the crown jewel. Then it strikes me just who this female is and I’m sure my hair turns white around my shoulders and my eyes a bright, surprised pink. I look at the gentle girl in front of me, who seems to be a little shocked at my sudden change in appearance, even though it is not uncommon in the clan. I attempt to stand, to curtsy to this beautiful monarch who sits before me, but I cannot and so place my head on the floor as though bowing instead.
“Princess Adelaide. Excuse my late reaction. I did not reali-”
“Hush. There is no need to speak to me in such a polite tone.”
“But-”
“Hush, I say. I am running away. If I leave the clan area then I am not a princess and therefore I am not to be spoken to so carefully.”
I smile gently, she seems happy at this reaction.
“But, Princess, You are still within the Clan area. And not all villagers accept the monarchy. And so saying you do not wish to be spoken to carefully does cast a possibility of extreme rudeness to one, highness.”
“I suppose I shall be taking that chance then shall I?”
“I see, Madam. Well, I do not know whether you have such keen hearing as I but I do believe the monarch guards are searching for you. And they are close.”
I press my open fingers against my face and a panicked look rises in my eyes.
“Oh! I shall be struck for this!” I moan, “Struck and accused of stealing The Crown Monarch’s sweet sweet Princess Adelaide. I have no doubt I shall be cast to the dark of the dungeons for this, oh, precious Adelaide! I shall forever rot in the dark of the dungeons, oh sweet  Adelaide!”
“Do not speak in such a disrespectful tone towards yourself, there is a chance. Let us flee!”
“But m’lady! I do believe it might be to late!”
“Do not speak with as though there is no hope! Come, Maiden! We must flee!”

Adelaide


I take the young women’s hand and gentle pull her to her feet. She does not resist and I grab her before she falls to her sorry state once more and carry her onwards. I hear noises, cracks and animals noises, but I do not react. Neither does the women. 
“If you do not mind me asking, Madame, what might be your name?” I ask,
The women whimpers quietly and whispers in reply,
“Chi.”
I smile.
“That’s a beautiful name, Chi.” I reply.
to conciousness. I smile again,We walk forward for about three quarters of an hour, until we come to my cabin. I lower Chi gently to the ground while I unlock the door to the cabin and light the oil lamps. I return outside and bring Chi inside. I lay her gently on the comfy bed of rugs and blankets. I set some more on top of her and she falls into a deep slumber. I walk into the food store and carry out some milk I had taken from the farmer’s barn yesterday. I feel a pang of guilt as I pour it into the cauldron over the crackling fire. But wasn’t this what I wanted? To rebel against my fellows? I swallow and slice some bread and meat. I place the wood on a wooden plate and pour the milk into a goblet and set the meal beside Chi. She catches the food’s scent and is slowly roused to
“Please. Eat and drink. You will need it.” I say in an urgent but quiet tone,
Chi sits up stiffly and leans her skinny back against the wall. She gives me a small dreary smile and picks up a slice of bread with some meat and takes a bite. After that, she practically inhales the food. And asks for two more rounds. If I was in need of a travelling partner, this was her.



Chi


“I thank you, Highness, Adelaide.”
“Your Welcome. But please, I do not think it is smart for you to use my true name so carelessly. We do not know who may be listening.”
I almost laugh.
“Then I thank you, Sweet Tenshi.”
“Tenshi?”
“Yes. It means Angel. You provided me with warmth and food. But, just as you do not think it is smart to use your real name, I do not believe us safe to stay in this hut, as it is yours, and you will be expected to be here. I can almost walk, I feel better. Truly. But I must rest for a small while first. Then we must flee. I shall sleep and then we must leave. If we to are to escape the guards as you want to.”
“Y-yes… How do you know?”
“Why else would you be so urgent to get away and not be called princess, Tenshi?”
“I see.”
I smile weakly but comfortingly at her and then lie back against the wall and settle comfortably into unconciousness.


I am woken to my body shaking gently back and forwards.
“Chi! Wake up, Carmesí!”
I moan and turn to look at her. I smile softly.
“Carmesí?”
“Crimson. Come on! You’ve slept for half an hour! It is time to flee! Before they come!”
She sound incredibly desperate.
“I see.”
I glance around the room,
“Tenshi wouldn’t happen to have some spare clothes around here, Would she?

Adelaide 


I smile. 
“I may be a rebellious young women, but I am still, and always will be of royal blood and a princess! And princesses always have spare clothes, Carmesí!” 
Chi gives a tinkle of laughter and gets shakily to her feet. Her laugh sounds like tiny bells, ringing softly in the wind. Otherworldly. I hide my frown and walk into my small clothes room. There is a stool in the middle of the floor with wooden mannequins all around with fancy dresses and cloaks. 
“You won’t want these, will you, Carmesí?”
Chi hobbles into the room and her eyes widen.
“I will wear whatever you give me, your Hi- Tenshi.” She gives a mischievous grin, “I apologize.”
“That’s alright.” I say, “What about this?”
I hold up a crocheted green dress with white detailing and a matching cloak and shoes. Chi’s eyes light up.
“Oh yes! They are beautiful!” I hand the clothes to her and she goes behind my changing screen to put them on. I go behind the other and change into a white and scarlett dress with a red cloak and black boots. I walk out to see Chi perched on the stool. We grin at each other.
“If we hope to beat the guards, We should leave now, Tenshi.” Chi says,
“We’re alright, my two horses are out in the paddock behind the cabin. You can have my favourite as it is steady, and I will take the more highly spirited one. Their names are Valiente and Sussuro. Brave and Whisper.”
I take her hand and lead her to the black and grey horses. I slide Chi onto Sussuro and I hop onto Valiente. I make sure Chi is safe and secure before setting off. I tighten the saddle bags of food and water before setting off. 
This was it.

Chi

I laugh as she makes sure I am secure, and then as she mutters quietly, sub-consciously, to herself,

“This is it.”

She keeps looking at me with a curious look in her diamond eyes whenever I let out my weak laugh. I am in no way proud of the skinniness of this body or the attention that I have been brought by a Monarch. Father fought for his rule but was defeated by the current crown monarch, Adelaide’s father. That was a fair duel. I do not have objections about when the king sliced my fathers bare chest, or as the last breath escaped from his throat. I could not care less when they threw him in the river to make sure he was dead and hung him up as though he was nothing more than a rag left to dry. I watched in amazement and curiosity as they set flames to his dead corpse. But I had no reason to hate him, this man who had raised me, brought back the money from his previous life and his work. He would hug me when I cried, such a warm hug that would wash away all tears, and sing me to sleep every night, a voice that would warm me up as though it possessed a magical device to light a fire within his throat and sent the words out in a lukewarm glow. I had no reason to hate the man. No reason to grin like a devils child as his corpse was burnt to ashes. But I still did. And my mother, well, could a child care less for anyone so happy? So encouraging and strong? I don’t think so. Just like my father she would hum me to sleep with an angel’s voice, she would rap me in her apron on a snowy day and explain to me the names of the beautiful plants and curious animals that surrounded our hut. And she died with a knife in her heart on the bed where she lay, the blood seeped into the draw like an ocean of blood staining a golden beach. I cannot throw away one horrible fact, although it was willed on by the current King, such a devious man is he, and with a child as well. Once the beast had been intimately in love with my mother, before his current wife. He should in no means be willing a young girl to kill her dear mother now, should he? And another fact, I was grinning like a hellcat as the blood splashed against my innocent face. I can’t say I was to young to understand any of this, or too young to not believe whatever the King told me, because it was only last year.

I get stronger as the wind blows gently through my, currently,  long blonde hair, I like to change the colour of my hair and eyes often, it is my speciality as a human shape shifter, as I struggle to change my physical shape. The horses walk along swiftly, and though it is indeed quick, this is not a thrill as I had wanted. My mother owned horses. Many. I once asked her where she found the money to buy the beauties, but she just smiled and said,

‘Sometimes, Tian will grant our wishes.’

Tian was the god of my mother’s foolhardy religion, I often ranted to her about how it was all fake. That religion will cause us nothing but wars and problems. But one again, she would smile patiently and tell me how religion brings hope into our lives. I was infuriated with her, she refused to listen to my ideas! Another memory that returns to my mind every time I think of my mother, I once suggested to her that her might be another world out there somewhere, one other than Tambulai. I suggested there was an underworld, where all the demons had their great cavernous kingdoms, and a parallel universe that is different in many ways to Tambulai but then have so many the same. I didn’t eat that night. Or for the rest of the week. She would slap me as I woke and as I climbed into my bed, and scream at me if I tried to speak to her, 

‘Some water, please, Mama!’

‘Stupid girl! How dare you question the one true lord! In his divine law you shall be punished until you break, or until death! So don’t you dare speak to me with your sinful, putrid voice!’

Father did not help.

I spur Sussuro on and he quickens until he is trotting,

“C-CARMESÍ! SLOW DOWN!”

I laugh loud at her comment. And make him canter, hold on tight and whoop as my hair grows slowly and blows almost vertical behind me.

“SILLY ANGEL!” I shout, “You think I am unacquainted to being an equestrian?!”

I slow once more to a trot and gradually to a walk before holting Sussuro altogether and grinning as Adelaide caught up to me.

“You have ridden a horse before?”

“Many a time! But they are not memories I like to recite as the memories related do not bring me joy. Not at all.”

Adelaide

I smile as she slowly runs her hand down Sussuro’s neck. He whinnies in pleasure and blows through his nose. A sign of content and happiness. But Valiente is eager to go. Sussoro’s sudden burst of speed spurred Valiente on to have one to. Alas, something I will not permit. So, chomping at the bit, we ride onwards.

“Where exactly are we going, Tenshi?” Chi asks. 

I face her. My eyes turn electric green and my hair red.

“We’re going to a land that nothing inhabits. Where we will be the monarch! No one can tell us anything!” I reply,

Chi smiles a little and says,

“I like the sound of that.” 

I give a small laugh and kick on. Suddenly, I hear gun cracks and raised 

voices.

“The guards! They found us! We need to gallop! Now!” I say in a hushed but urgent voice,

We kick Sussuro and Valiente into a gallop and the horses skim the ground as we ride. We gallop for around half an hour before the noises die away. Panting, I slow Valiente down to a walk, Chi does the same with Sussuro. I look at the sky. It’s a beautiful orange colour with hints of yellow and pink, like a tropical sky.

“The light is fading. If we are to reach our destination in less than two days, we must keep riding.” I frown.

Chi nods blankly,

“We could get there in one day if we carry on riding through the night.” She says,

I pause to think about this.

“Ok then, we ride through the night.”

So Carmesí and Tenshi ride on through the night.

Chi

I look down at Sussuro, and stroke his neck. It’s wet. He’s been sweating rapidly. Now the night breeze blows against his wet fur, he must be freezing. I bend down and place my head on his neck and wrap my arms around him gently, he blows through his nose. I feel my eyes begin to drift shut.

“I’m sorry, Carmesí.” I hear Adelaide say softly, “You cannot rest yet.”

I moan weakly and sit up again.

“We are not yet outside the boundary, they can’t claim you back once we escape the boundary over the Jadarian Mountains. And they are a days walk away in themselves. We cannot rest until then.”

We walk a while longer, Adelaide walks quicker than me and is a while in front within no time.

All of a suddenly Sussuro whinnies loudly and I feel his legs buckle, everything seems slow as I jump off quickly as Sussuro falls to the ground with a deadly, heavy thump. I’m on my knees checking him almost immediately. Adelaide has ridden quite a bit ahead and didn’t hear her horse fall. I shout to her but I am weaker than earlier and cannot be heard. Everything’s so cold. The blue sky is like an icy blanket and the wind whips at my skin. Adelaide keeps walking, she thinks I am still just a small while behind her.

“Sussuro… Sussuro?”

Sussuro blows deeply in and out through his nostrils, his auburn eyes flickering back and forth desperately, I rub him with my hands frantically, trying to get his warm. And then a peculiar smells catches my nostrils, sweet and sickly. I lift and turn my hands slowly to see they have turned crimson. I yell and back away from Sussuro momentarily, staring at my hands. My memories of the blood that splattered to my face, on my hands, into my smiling mouth. I crawl back toward him cautiously, tear pricking the corner of my eyes. Adelaide has ridden out of my sight. I lie on Sussuro comfortingly. And I’m not quite sure whether it is comfort to him, or if I’m just trying to comfort myself. I find the bullet wound, buried deep within his neck is an NATO SS109 bullet. It’s too deep for me to pull out. Further down, into his rib cage, is another. One of his ribs broke on impact and there is damage to his internal organs, the most blood is flooding from this single hole. The final bullet I find right next to his tail. It appears as though it was extremely close to missing, but it clearly hit it’s destined target. I can do nothing to help. I’m place my head on the now bloodstained ground and moan loudly. Then I hear loud voices,

“There’s the kidnapper!”

“Get her!”

“GO! GO!”

I look up to see armoured guards running across the field towards me and Sussuro’s bleeding body, soon to be corpse, I try to get up and run but I can’t, I begin to crawl but it gets me nowhere. And then a tiny, but fearsome voice rings through my head.

Take the blood.

I look back, I am enticed and begin licking the blood greedily from the wounds in Sussuro’s side. He stops bleeding as I get up and run. Fear and adrenalin is flooding through my veins, but I find myself running faster, tears fall from my eyes from the though of what I just did to that poor horse. I know I have blood all over my face and hands, just like that time. I attempt to wipe it off but it refuses. I run into a forest, leaves hit me in the dark and I yelp as nettles catch my feet. But I can’t stop running. I will not stop running. For my sake, and Sussuro’s, I will not cease to run until I find safety. A bullet shot rings out behind me and I scream loudly as my left leg is skimmed deeply on the outside, the voices are louder.

And then everything goes black.

The next thing that I know is that I’m sitting in a clearing in a forest, lit with a wondrous glow from the sunrise, my fingers spread apart and cover my face, except my eyes.  The floor beneath me is covered in leaves and blood… it floods the ground and I can feel it on me. I look around the circle and see armoured guards lying face down all around me in a circle. My first reaction is to scream and stand, I step back and my foot lands on another guard, I look back and scream again. Then I notice the blood flooding from their chest. I’m safe, but I can smell it. It fills my nostrils, mocking me and making me feel guilty. I wouldn’t do something like this,

Would I?

I wouldn’t murder so many people, no matter how angry I am,

Am I sure, though? I am sure I wouldn’t?

I panic and begin to run once more. 

I stumble upon Adelaide a mile away from the scene, she has set up a fire. I guess she must have realized I was missing and decided it best to stop and wait. Despite what we agreed. She looks towards the trees from where she sits just beyond them and I guess she must have seen me slumping on a tree, covering blood with a gash in the side of my leg by the way she gasps. And without a horse…

“Tenshi…” I smile weakly, tears in my eyes, then collapse.

Adelaide

“Carmesí!”

I leap over the fire, just like a gazelle, towards the fallen Chi. Weird. I felt so free, jumping over the fire. I shake the feeling off and kneel cautiously beside Chi. For some reason, my instincts tell me to back away, I wonder why? Only animals would back away at the sight of blood, and the smell of slaughter. But I fight back and nudge Chi gently,

“Carmesí? Are you awake?”

Chi moans and turns over, revealing a huge bloody gash in the side of her leg. I gasp and run to Valiente’s saddle bag. I pull out some old pieces of cloth and walk back over to Chi. I carefully wind the fabric around the wound until it is covered. At least that will protect from anything harmful contaminating it. I back away and look at Chi from a distance. She looks so peaceful, lying there, sleeping. But so deadly as well, with blood streaks down her face, and a trickle running out of the corner of her dainty lips. So beautiful, but so deadly, just like a vampyre. My eyes widen and I shudder. No. Not Chi! I put the thought to the back of my mind and stoke the flames. As I sit there, nudging the fire, I think about Sussuro. Had he been shot by the guards? Died in pain? A tear pricks my eyes. That was my mother’s horse.

“Tenshi?” Chi is awake.

Chi

She practically leaps at me, landing on her hands and knees before my face.

“Carmesí! Where’s Sussuro?!”

My eyes grow wide and terrified as the memory of Sussuro’s unfortunate death are dragged to the front of my mind.

“Sussuro…” I mutter, “Su…ssu….ro…”

“Yes! Sussuro!” She cries, “Where is he, Carmesí?”

I pull myself to my knees and lean against a tree, I cover my face with my hands once again with my fingers outspread. A look of terror in my eyes.

“The-the bullet wounds! I couldn’t do anything! He just fell! There was so much blood and noise and screaming and noise! Noise! Noise!”

I begin to scream with my eyes shut tightly. I feel Adelaide’s arms around me suddenly, soothing me and comforting me. Though I can hear the upset in her voice when she speaks.

“Carmesí. Hush. It’s done now. We can’t do anything about it!”

I stop screaming and look up at her, wide-eyed, worried, frightened.

“T-Tenshi…? Tenshi? Don’t cry. Please don’t cry.”

She lets go of me and turns her back and I hear as the tears flood from her eyes.

“Don’t cry. Don’t cry.” I say, over and over, unable to sound very logical because my mind is still recovering from all the death I’ve witnessed.

“C-Carmesí…”

I try to step towards her to hug her but she pushes me away and runs off behind a pine tree on the other side of the fire.

We spend the night like that.

Me unable to think properly and her hiding behind the tree in solemn silence.

Adelaide 

I put my head in my hands and wipe away the tears. I hear a rumbling noise. My stomach. I haven’t eaten since last night’s celebratory feast. Roast suckling pig. Spiced pears. Sea bass on a bed of sea weed. My mouth almost waters. And what food have I brought along? Bread, meat and pastry foods. I sigh and stand up. I look over at Chi who has fallen asleep. I must wake her up for some food. She needs her energy for tomorrow. I walk over to Valiente and open his leather decorated saddle bag. I rummage around and produce some turkey, French bread and a small meat pie. I place them beside the fire and gently shake Chi. She whimpers and slowly opens her eyes. 

“Carmesí. Wake up for some food.” 

She rubs her eyes and gets up. She walks over to the fire and stares at the food.

“I’m not hungry.”

I moan and join her.

“You have to eat! We need energy!”

There is a long, deathly silence. 

“I’m sorry about Sussuro.” Chi says in a quiet voice. My eyes prick with tears again but I brush them away.

“It wasn’t y-your fault.”

Chi looks up at me with an apologetic expression, and I know she’s really sorry. And we both sit down to eat in the night silence.

Chi

After a long period of silence, Adelaide finally talks.

“We should move soon, the guards-” 

“They’re dead.” I rudely cut her off. “It will take a while for news to get back to your putrid father and even then he will have to gather more troops. And after that they would have to catch up to us and as long as we keep moving that shouldn’t happen. We have plenty of time.”

“I see. What do you mean putrid?! He’s my father!”

“And he has only every been intimate with your mother, correct?”

“Wh-what?! Y-yes!”

I stand up and point at her, a fierce look in my eyes, of course she doesn’t realise that this is the aftershock.

“WRONG!” I yell, “Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.”

“Wh-wha… Carmesí!”

“For you see, he was once intimately in love with my mother. She told me, and believe me, my mother was not the one to lie. She believed if you lied Tian would punish you.”

“CARMESÍ!”

“And he killed my father. Slashed him. Drowned him. Hung him up to dry. Burnt him to a crisp.”

“I-I’m sorry about that. But-”

“Oh. Don’t be.” I smile at her, not realising that I’m releasing my true self in this period of aftershock, “I could care less.” I grin devilishly.

Then I stop telling my story and just sit staring into the dancing flames of the blazing fire looking emotionless. She doesn’t know what happened. She doesn’t know what’s messing up my head. I do. I know. I understand.

And I think I’m enjoying it.

Adelaide 

I feel vicious, like a wolf. My anger swallows me whole and I take off, running into the darkened woods. How dare she insult my family like that? Who was she to talk? A mere pauper. I feel myself getting angrier and angrier until I fall to the ground, panting. I put my head in my hands and feel something. Fur. I felt fur. I stood up, and found I was around 3 feet shorter than before. I panicked and went to scream but the only sound that came out was a howl. Then it hit me. I had shape shifted into a wolf. I caught the scent of something. Deer. And I was pretty hungry. I crept up slowly, slowly, and hid in a bush. The deer sipped from the drinking pool and I pounced. In for the kill.

Chi

It’s an hour before my cover-up senses kick back in. Another torturous 30 minutes before everything hits me like a frozen ice pack in the face at full speed. I leap to my feet and lope to Valiente,  but he just whinnies loudly and desperately and tries avoid my contact. So I run into the forest by myself, abandoning the camp, the food, the water, Valiente, everything. I need to find her. Apologize. Something. 

“TENSHI!” I yell, “TENSHI! PLEASE! I’M SORRY!”

I don’t know where to go, there’s the smell of blood everywhere and my wits were going feral, I feel as though I could lacerate anything that came into my sight.

“TENSHI! PLEASE!”

I look down and see how skinny I am, then blink and blood appears, trailing down my body slowly, I scream and try to back away from the sight. I shut my eyes tightly, when I open them the blood is gone. A hallucination created from the rancid stench. A particular blood mingles in with the smell of human blood that I woke up in a few hours ago. Deer blood. I stumble around towards the smell and find a wolf tearing a struggling dear to shreds by a watering hole. I fall to my knees, weak, the strength of the smell driving me down, I stare the wolf, the deer, the blood and guts and gore, drowsily, admiring the gleaming vermillion of them. I feel my own blood dribble from the corner of my mouth sluggishly. The wolf turns to me after a while, when I cough and my own blood splashes against it’s flopping ear. I reach out lazily and brush my fingers against its soft fur. I smile weakly, and my hand falls as I lay, barely conscious, just staring at the deer. 

Adelaide

I lick my blood-drenched lips and pad over to the drowsy Chi. I gently nudge her and she says quietly,

“Hello, Tenshi…” 

I yawn quietly and make a small whining noise. Then I lope over to a nearby oak tree and turn back to human behind it.

“Carmesí?" I make my way back over to Chi and sit and cross my legs in front of her. She sits up a little straighter and looks me in the eyes,

“Tenshi… I’m really sorry. About… Sussuro.” She swallows and I look away but then I make eye contact and I know that she really didn’t mean it. 

“Well, I guess we better get some rest before we travel tomorrow. I know a nearby village and you can ride Valiente with me until we sort a horse for you in town.”

I help her up and we walk back to the bed of rugs I have arranged on the ground. We settle down for the night by the crackling, merry fire.

Chi

I look over at Adelaide in a daze, the smell of blood still heavy in my nostrils. I can still smell it, though weak, and I think I’ve found the source of the smell. I was studying Adelaide’s pretty face. She hasn’t changed it since I met her. Not one bit. Even though it would be easier to escape the guards because they wouldn’t recognise us. But, while Valiente is here I guess it won’t matter much, even if she does change. I haven’t changed either since Sussuro fell and I… I did do that, right?

I’m not dreaming, I drank the horses blood, didn’t I?

I’m not sure but I can’t deny it more than I can accept it.

All I know is that I was weak and I did something to that poor horse, it was hurting and I’m sure I pained it even more. Oh, if Adelaide knew she’d never forgive me. Ever. 

Back to the point,

“Tenshi, you have blood on your lip.” I mutter quietly.

She jumps at my voice, I am not surprised, I haven’t spoken for an hour or two, through that time I was staring at her so I hope I didn't scare her. I’m not that kind of person.

“Oh… oh! Do I?” She laughs a little, “Oh, where did that come from?” (That’s what I’m wondering to.) She appears as though she’s covering up a secret.

“It was you, wasn’t it?”

She freezes,

“What do you mean?” She says, cautiously,

“The wolf. I could feel you.”

“No.” She shakes her head, “No. It wasn’t.”

“Oh. You were nearby then.”

“Yes.” She replies simply, then turns away from me.

We sit in silence for a little while longer. Before I speak again.

“Tenshi. Why don’t you change your appearance?”

She’s clearly gotten herself worked up. She yells at me to be quiet.

“Oh. You’re still upset.” I whisper quietly.

I stare into the oscillating titian flames. I can smell it. I don’t feel like I have the right to ride Valiente after what I did to Sussuro.

“I will walk tomorrow, Tenshi. Do not be discordant of my suggestion. It is my choice. If I fall, I fall. I see myself as someone to protect you. Nothing more. It is only important that you escape unscathed.”

Adelaide

I frown.

“Your life is just as important as mine. Even though I’m royal and the future monarch, doesn’t mean your life is any less worth than mine, Carmesí!”

She sighs and leans her head on her knees.

“I’m walking tomorrow, Tenshi; and that’s all you need to know.”

I swallow and chew my lip angrily but hold in the words of anger that yearn to burst inside me.

“I might as well tell you, seeing as you already worked it out for yourself.” I say crossly,

Chi looks up with a puzzled expression.

“Tell me what?”

I sigh in frustration.

“You were right. I am the wolf.” 

Chi’s eyes widen slightly.

“Wow… Can you transform into other creatures?”

I think about this and shrug.

“I don’t know. I’ve never tried or really thought about it.” I say, not really caring.

“Why don’t you try now then? Turn into a horse!”

I get to my feet.

“Ok. I’ll give it a try.”

I close my eyes and concentrate on all memories and knowledge I have on horses.

My first horse, Braveheart, Sussuro, My mother’s foal. And suddenly I look down, and I have hooves.

Chi

I mutter a swear under my breath and attempt to stand, but wince and fall back to my knees. I smile at Adelaide anyway.

“That’s amazing.” I laugh, “I’d try but, you wouldn’t be original if I succeeded. Further more, I do not wish to embarrass myself by scrunching my face together as I concentrate.”

She looks at me with her horses face in disbelieving curiosity, which I take as,

‘Do I really do that?’

I find myself unable to take her seriously with her horses face and burst out in a fit of laughter that turns into coughing and Adelaide steps towards me in concern, I look up at her and grin in congrats.

“I want to try something.”

Her head tilts in wonder and her ears flick down and back up again, I watch them revolve slightly as she tries to hear me talk, I struggle to not laugh once more. I’m not planning on speaking, but I try thinking.

Tenshi, can you hear me?

I think, focusing on my words making it to her mind. Nothing. I think louder and she appears to jump backwards in shock and look at me with a look that, in human form, would appear to me as her raising an eyebrow at me, like I’m crazy. I watch her turn back.

“What the hell was that?” She says loudly, though obviously humoured,

“I don’t know it’s name but it’s something physic. I thought, with you getting new powers, maybe we should try something new.”

“Hm?”

“Well, it might be easier for us to escape talking through our minds to each other.”

“And you got it right first time?”

“Oh! No! My mother taught me how when I was young. Anyone can do it. I’ll teach you.”

For the rest of the night I’m sat by her side near the fire trying to teach her how to speak to me through her mind. She’s not very good at the moment. But I am patient and persistent and I shall continue to try.

She laughs and reaches out to hit my hand as I make shapes with it but catches her skin on my sharp nails. It slices. I wipe the blood swiftly away before she realizes what’s happened and pop my finger in my mouth, as though thinking.

“Oh my, have you cut yourself?” I ask curiously, as though I didn’t realize by the finger that I had in my mouth,

“Hm… Oh, it appears I have.”

“My. Sorry. My nails are a bit sharp.” I smile at her.

My tongue is tingling as though it is up in flames, her blood is so sweet… I’ve never tasted something that has delighted my taste buds so much, even the blood that I lapped up earlier, I was disgusted by the taste, but this, Adelaide’s blood, the blood of a monarch, is irresistible. I find my mouth watering. I wipe it nonchalantly and continue explaining how to communicate through her mind to Adelaide. 

Adelaide

I stare blankly at the flames of the fire, trying to absorb the information.

“Right. Ok. I understand.” I stand up and stretch, “Now I understand what horses go through! I am so stiff!”

Chi laughs and leans back against the tree behind her. I look at the sky, it’s a warm pink colour. 

“First light. We need to get moving.” 

Chi then stands up too.

“I guess so.”

I mount Valiente and look down at the walking Chi.

“Are you sure you don’t want to ride?”

Chi shakes her head and puts the remaining food in my saddle bag.

“No. I’m not risking another life.” 

I shrug and walk on. We travel for around 3 hours without talking. Then we reach the village. No one is awake yet. Chi sits down and winces.

“Ow…”

I gasp.

“Are you alright? You should have ridden on Valiente if your leg was still sore, Carmesí!” I tut under my breath and dismount.

“I’m ok! Don’t worry.” She exclaims.

“Well, if you’re sure.” I reply,

I tie Valiente up and wander around the area. The houses are just simple log cabins with animal pens for creatures like pigs, goats and maybe cows. A bit further back in the village is a huge barn. I walk over and peer through a crack in the door. The barn was full of horses. They neigh and whinny at me to come in. I don’t want the owner to wake up at all the racket so I went back to Chi again. 

“That barn over there is full of horses! We can take at least two.” 

Chi pondered over this, not sure what to say.

Chi

“Hm. I’m not sure. You realise we are leaving traces of ourselves everywhere we go. It wouldn’t be hard for dogs to find us either way, but if we continue to leave a trail then just the humans that our clan supply will find us in no time. Some might even be able to judge where we are headed and beat us to that point. If I’m absolutely honest, I think our traces are too much already. If we leave another with stolen horses, it will be clear we were here, as the guards saw Sussuro fall and know that someone as weak as myself will be in need of a horse. So I suggest we leave the horses and move on as soon as we can. Best before even this village wakes up. We’ll take some food and leave.”

“But Carmesí!” She complains, “You’re too weak! I don’t care if you think it’s a bad idea you need a-”

“Oh, do be quiet.” I say, glaring at her angrily and standing up. If she had looked closely she would have found a tiny incision on Valiente’s thigh, she would see that it was red and had clearly been bleeding. 

I don’t know why I accepted in my head it was the right thing to do, actually I still don’t agree with it, but what I do know is that currently, and strangely, blood gives me strength, and the incision is too small to become infected. So I cut Valiente slightly with my sharp nails while Adelaide was away and took whatever blood came out until it stopped.

“Come. I saw a fruit tree by the other side. That would be our best source.”

Adelaide

I sigh in frustration again. Why is Chi being so difficult? Every time I try to help her, she just shuts me out. Some friend. I swallow my doubts and follow Chi to the tree, leading Valiente, for fear of him being stolen. Chi takes some food and puts it in the saddle bag. I reach in to take something out but my hand brushes something. Something wet. In horror, I lift the saddle bag slightly to see a gash in Valiente’s leg, bleeding. My mouth opens and I lift my hand to it.

“C-Carmesí. What is this?”

Chi’s eyes widen for a second and then she regains her composure.

“I-I don’t know, Tenshi. Maybe he cut himself on the fence.” She swallows.

Then it hits me.

Chi has been drinking blood.

“You did this, didn’t you? That’s why you were all covered in blood last night. You drank Sussuro’s blood when he fell!” I feel no emotion. Just numbness. “How could you?”

Chi

I blink. Surprised that she’d come to that conclusion. 

“What?! Just because I was there when your other horse died you come to the conclusion it was my fault when this horse gets hurt?!”

I’m quite the actress. It was hard not to be, the lifestyle I was with. I had no money, I had to get food somehow and my crops refused to grow.

“Do you want to know why I was covered in blood last night?! Huh?!” I yell at her, enraged. “Do you want to know the reason I had a momentary meltdown?!”

She steps back slightly, the fierceness in my voice. But she’s looking at the fierceness in my eyes.

“Everything went black after I ran from Sussuro! I don’t know what happened! But when I woke I was in a ring of dead bodies and a pool of blood! I don’t know what happened! That’s why I was covered in blood!”

She doesn’t seem to get my point, maybe she sees through the lie, but with the look in her eyes I know she doesn’t, she’s just blinded by her own deduction.

“YOU KILLED THOSE PEOPLE! DIDN’T  YOU?!”

Now I step back, I gasp. 

“What makes you think that? Do I look like someone who kills?”

Of course, I am someone who kills, I found pleasure in killing my own dear mother, but I know my posture won’t betray me.

I see tears build in her eyes and her hand lifts into the air, she bring it down swiftly and her hand collides hard with my cheek, leaving a red mark, like a shadow. Her nail caught me. I can feel it, it stings. I put my hand to the cut and then look at it. It’s bleeding. I look at Adelaide hard on in the eyes, I can feel tears settle in them from the pain as I wince. But then my look hardens.

“Bye, sweet Adelaide.” I say, and walk off into the early morning light.

I don’t know where I aim to go. But the first thing I want to do is change my appearance so she doesn’t recognise me. I wait for the village to come to life and I sit in a small café with a cup of lemon tea. Leaving while no one is looking so I don’t have to pay. I step round the corner and make sure no one is watching. When I’m certain, I change my appearance. I turn my hair pure white and it reaches my waist. My eyes I turn cerise and my lips also. I also manage, only just, to make myself tall, rather than the small person I used to be.  I steal some clothes from a shop and run for it before anyone can catch me. I change and leave my dress given to me by Adelaide lying in the street.

After wandering for a few hours in a short white dress reaching just above my knees, rimmed with frills and a large bow settled just beneath the centre of the v-neck, I figure out what I will do. 

I’m going to follow her. I’ll follow her adventure. Watching from the shadows. I’ll see who she travels with, see how her story goes. And maybe after a while I’ll use my new form to become her friend once more. But until I recover and figure out this madness that is happening to me suddenly, I won’t speak to her. I’ll just observe.

It was a short run, Tenshi. I hope we’ll be together again in the future. But for now, I beg you, ignore me.

Adelaide

I stand. My mouth gaping open. She just left me standing.

Well, I can’t stand here catching flies forever. I think to myself. 

So I pack up my possessions and mount Valiente. I walk on for 15 minutes and come to the edge of the village. It looks as though it is soft ground from then on, so I will let Valiente stretch his legs and have a canter. No Chi to worry about now. I’m just about to spur Valiente on when I hear a deep voice beside me. 

“I’d be careful.” It said, “there’s a river just beyond that and you’ll have to jump.”

I look to my side and see a boy about a year older than me, dressed like a poor man’s son. But he is devilishly handsome. I smile.

“Thank you.” I say, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

The boy nods and smiles.

“Does your horse want a drink before you leave? You can have one too.”

I dismount and smile in thanks. 

“That would be lovely.”

We wander into his house together, not knowing what would ever come of this meeting moment.

Chi

I watch her enter the house. The pink that flushes in her cheeks as he takes her hand and leads her through his cottage door. The enthusiastic glow in her eyes at his striking appearance. I keep my eye on Valiente in the stables as he whinnies and grunts impatiently for his master’s return, but walk off into the town to try to earn some money. 

I found when I was younger that my voice was rhythmical and beautifully tuned. A voice of such that many, in my subdivision of the clan, commented to ‘create it’s own background music, as though the flute or the guitar were playing along with the voice although they were stowed away in the palace.’ I was the provider of entertainment for many poor, unfortunate folk, such as myself, and though it did not supply me or my family with money it was a joy to me to sing to my friends and neighbours. Through pure enjoyment I found a certain skill of which I was spectacular, and so continued. Until one day, many guards came to my subdivision, they knocked down walls, small roofs so they fell in on the heads of trustworthy, kind neighbours and their innocent children, clouding their vision with straw dust and clogging their lungs. They died. All of them. I was distraught. No longer was anyone here to care for me such as parents, because of the royal guards, and now my friends and their noble families were obliterated by them also. I was the only survivor, wrongly living when the truthful and the innocent died. They searched for the girl who sang like a siren. Luring many to watch and listen and enjoy themselves for once in their miserable lives! Searched as an order from the crown monarch, the wretch of whom I have previously spoken and shall continue to possibly speak of in future tales, for stealing the attraction from his dear child daughters. On their christening and welcoming into the monarchy, at the subtle age of 3, I did sing, and distracted many. On their birthdays, ceremonies, I did sing. On their confirmation as true blood monarchs, I sang. And on the crowning of dear Adelaide’s whore sister, as her father had fallen from the warrior who had been knighted on the night of Adelaide’s departure, hung drawn and quartered in the secret of his bedroom by the malice of the queen Emeline and the so-called-love, not greed, of the knight, I fell ill at the feet of a princess.

But now I sing once more, and a small flickering light of doubt in myself reaches out for Adelaide to see me, while the rest of my true nature pushes against it and so I wish not for her recognise this changed face of mine.

You ask me what I should dream to say,

To a knight such as yourself,

Well, on any other day,

I would reach for your hand and lay down my love on your dear heart.

For the love of a poor maiden,

To reach for a man of monarchy permissions,

Is nothing but natural, 

But without love,

‘tis without love,

‘tis with only greed.

But today, my dear lord, my dear monarchy guard,

I turn my back in anger and flee from your heart,

But today, my dear lord, my putrid slayer of the innocent,

I grab my bow and arrow and fire through your heart.

On any other day my eyes would warm and flicker,

With a flash of blue and dearly with an almost star-like glitter,

Let the birds high in the trees tweet and sing and titter,

But not today, I though of something that would fit her better,

Than you.

Today.

I turn and run away.

A poor maiden such as me who is not rich in food or clothing,

Or finery or jewellery but rich in sadness and loathing,

Would ,for normal days, reach out to one as you.

But not for me,

You’re riches aren’t for me.

Find another madam who is selfish, who is greedy,

Hold her careful hold her sweetly hold her tightly hold her steady,

But hold me not, dear knight,

For I will only kick and squirm,

I do not desire the arms of a slayer.

I do not desire the arms of the selfish.

I do not desire the arms of the wretched.

Such as you.

Adelaide

I sit at the pauper’s shabby table. There is a cosy, crackling fire in the grate. I smile at the homeliness and love enclosed in the home. He brings me some warm milk, which I sip gratefully. 

“So… What’s your story ma’am?” He smiles,

I swallow my milk and think with wide eyes.

Should I tell him?

He seems trustworthy enough. I decide to take a chance.

“Look… I’m the missing princess Adelaide, from the clan that can shift shape. That’s why I look different from my missing posters. I have changed my looks from when I was last seen.”

He stares at my ceramic mug, taking the information in.

“You’re… Princess Adelaide?” He points at me in disbelief. 

The shock looks as though it has swallowed him whole.

“Your highness, a young woman like you should not be living the life of a traveller. I advise you to go home.”

I shake my head.

“No. Not back to that tyranny and torture. I despise it thoroughly! They torture my poor subjects, ignore the poor and love the wealthy, an attitude I hate.” I stand to leave. “Goodbye.”

Chi

I step from the podium having earned sufficient money to get somewhere. It was to my surprise indeed the amount of people who desired to pay money to see a pauper sing. I sneak to the male peasants house of which I saw Adelaide enter. It is nothing much more than the hut I lived in, in size and outward appearance, but it portrays a proper entrance with a door to keep the heat in as well as shining windows. I can see the comfort inside, the blanketed flooring and real furniture and equipment. 

Adelaide leaves the house. The look on her face cannot be much less than despair and worry. If the boy within the house has hurt her…

I sneak in through the stables as the boy sits at the table which I suppose Adelaide just left, I stand behind it, in the shadows of the corner. He looks ashamed with himself. He rests his head on his hands and shakes slowly. He breaths deeply and cups his hands around his mouth.

“Go after her.” I say clearly and stubbornly.

He turns and sees my eyes glittering in the shadows,

“W-who are you?” 

“That does not matter. But Adelaide will not cope alone. You must go with her. Accompany the princess. If you ever betray her I will have your head. She is currently in the stables tacking up Valiente. Go to her and tell her how beautiful you think she is. I can see it in your eyes.” 

“B-but! I might be killed for kidnapping the princess.” He stutters,

“Do you want a boring life?!” I say firmly, “Go after her, you fool.”

He looks worried a moment more but then nods at me determinedly.

“I will.”

“And do not, I repeat, do not! Tell Adelaide of this conversation. I shall meet with you while she is not conscious of it and help you. Guide you in a way. Do you understand?” I say harshly.

He nods again and turn to walk off. As his foot rises to step forward I step from the shadows and grab his wrist. Smiling gently at him as he turns round and his mouth gapes open at my fair and humanely-albino appearance.

“And…” I add, softly, “Please call her Tenshi.”

“Yes.”

Adelaide 

I tug Valiente’s saddle in frustration. He peers round at me with his big brown eyes, as if to say, ‘What’s wrong?’ I sigh and stroke his muscular neck slowly.

“Sorry, Val. I’m just… frustrated.”

I hear footsteps and the rustling of loose hay under foot. I flip round and frown. The pauper.

“What are you doing here?” 

He retreats, slightly taken aback by my unwelcoming manner. I sigh again, this time because I feel rude and guilty.

“I apologize. I’ve just had a hard day.”

He gives an understanding smile and leans on Valiente’s stall door. 

“I think I should travel with you. It is not safe for a young maiden, especially a princess, to be going out in the world alone. Especially in the super-natural circumstances of this area, ma’am.”

I frown and open my mouth to argue, but I can see where this is going.

“Fine. But do you have your own horse?”

His smile slightly fades into a grimace.

“I do… But it’s not the best quality horse, Tenshi.”

I flinch. Tenshi? That’s what only Chi called me. I brush it off to save anymore arguments.

“Look, my mother could breed mere mules to knight’s mount’s in just a month or two. Your horse may start out as a pauper’s ride, but emerge as a hero’s stallion.”

My word’s seem to have struck confidence into him.

“Alright then.” 

He walks off to a stall hidden behind a slat of wood and leads out a skinny and rugged stallion. Pure black and big brown eyes, he was still a stunning horse. Valiente’s ears prick up. He seems impressed. 

“Well then…I suppose you better tack up…?” 

He smiles and strokes his horse.

“Andrew. My name is Andrew Hawkins, Ma’am.” 

We tack up and load the saddle bags and set off into the woods. 

Another travelling partner for this princess.

Chi

From the house I follow them into the woods. Sneaking through the trees in calm pursuit of them. They talk quietly, so that I can’t quite hear. The Andrew pauper boy seems weary and keeps looking around. Looking for my enchanting eyes, no doubt. I hear them laugh, and that makes me smile.

They walk continuously for several hours, settling only when the sun settled over the hills. I wait for Adelaide to fall asleep, Valiente slumbering also by her side. Andrew also falls into unconsciousness along with his charmer of a horse. I creep over to him. I see both the horse’s ears twitch. I kneel carefully by him and shake him.

“Andrew.” I whisper strictly, “Hey, Pauper Boy.”

I hit him hard. He rolls over but doesn’t wake up. I giggle quietly. Then poke him on the shoulder. He moans but stays asleep.

“Heavy sleeper, aren’t ya?” I mutter.

I continue to poke him. To no avail. Eventually he turns back onto his back. I put my hands on the floor on either side of him. Then stick my tongue out and begin to dribble over his face. A drop falls on him and he jumps to life. He is about to yell when I gag him with my hand and look down into his eyes playfully.

“What were you doing you? You idiot!”

“Harsh.” I mutter, faking a hurt face, then I giggle shortly and grin at him.

“Good work today. You made Tenshi laugh.” I whisper,

“Urm… Thanks.” He whispers in reply. 

I stay silent, smiling playfully.

“Urm… Any advice?” He asks me curiously,

“Hm… Just keep doing what your doing and she’ll be yours in no time!” I pat him on the back and grin. Suddenly I feel the blood pulsating through his veins and freeze. Enticed by the idea of blood, unconsciously I start leaning into him, to his neck, I open my mouth.

Then Valiente stirs.

His ears twitch. His eyes blink open slowly, he sees me. He can smell the last bit of familiar scent on me. He knows who I am. He knows Adelaide does not want me around. He jumps to his hooves and whinnies loudly, protesting against my very presence. I am pulled from the trance of blood, and I hop to my feet urgently, and run of into the safety of the shadowed trees where I can watch from afar.

Adelaide

I sit bolt upright. A horrendous noise. What was that? I look around and all I see is a wide-eyed Andrew, avoiding my enquiring stare. 

“May I ask what the commotion was?” I frown,

He stutters, 

“Urh… I think it was a bear, or something Tenshi.”

I raise my eyebrows. Considering there are no bears in this part, it was hard to believe. Anyway, I was far too tired to start a quarrel. We kick our horses into trot and make our paces for around an hour or two. As the sky darkens, my eyelids grow heavier and my posture limper. 

“Maybe we should settle for the night, Andrew? I know it is not late but I had a long day today and yesterday, so I am exhausted.”

He nods co-operatively and looks me in the eye. All of a sudden, I feel electricity coursing through my body, making me weaker and adrenalin fills every crack and crevice. My eyes widen and I look away before Andrew can notice. I can’t fall in love. I just can’t. I have more important things on my plate right now, affections cannot be included. We dismount in the small clearing we were passing through and I set up a fire and bring some food to the middle, where Andrew’s arm is propping him up lazily. We eat in silence and afterwards, the silence stays. Finally, I break the quiet. 

“What’s your story? Do you have a family?”

Andrew’s eyes fill with times gone by.

“Yes. Once. I still have my sister, Scarlett, but I don’t speak to her. My mother and father were taken prisoners of war and died of starvation at the hands of your father’s army.”

He doesn’t seem bothered I am the daughter of his family’s slaughterer, but I am agitated by this. I never realized how brutal my forces really were. If I wasn’t sure about running away before, I was now. 

“I’m sorry, Andrew. I didn’t realize.”

He nods and shrugs it off. Then he looked at me in the eyes again. The same sensation runs through me, throwing me off balance. I might as well face it. Princess Adelaide Julietta was officially in love with a pauper.

Chi

How truly precious. Adelaide had fallen in love with Andrew. 

The princess and the pauper, who would have guessed? 

I giggle quietly to myself as I watch her, the look in her eyes. 

I continue to walk. When I return, it is dark, they are asleep. I walk to Valiente’s saddle bag, which has been placed on the floor near the fire. As the crackling of the fire covers up the sound and the light helps me see, I rummage through the bag. Pulling out an apple and placing it in my mouth. I hear mumbling from behind me and freeze.

“H-huh? Y-you again?” 

It’s Andrew. I turn around. And smile lightly.

“Don’t worry. I will replace it.” I whisper, softly, then crawl over to him and sit cross-legged, looking cheerful.

“What do you want? You came to see me last night too. Do you enjoy disturbing my sleep or something?”

“Absolutely!” I wink and lick my finger. “I was listening to your earlier conversation and I wanted to talk to you.”

He tilts his head in questioning.

“I would be surprised if Tenshi had not began to find similarities between us. First of all, you call her Tenshi.”

“But that’s because you told me to.” He protests.

“Yes. Yes. But you find the name suiting don’t you? Comfortable to name such a fair princess?”

He hesitates. Thinking.

“Yes.” He admits.

“I thought so. Do you want to know why?”

He nods eagerly.

“Because it means angel. Is she not what we may call an angel who has not yet developed wings? Or maybe she has, and she is flying away to be free.”

He looks down. And I smile at him.

“And?” He says quietly.

“Well, my parents death’s were the cause of her father also. I am surprised, she did not seem to remember. Although, maybe she thought it was mad ranting when I was telling her…” I put a finger to my lips in thought.

“Wait, you travelled with Tenshi?”

I look back at him.

“Hm?” I look at Adelaide, sleeping peacefully. “She is the princess of my kingdom. I travelled with her for but 2 days. But also…”

I look down to myself.

“Also… she doesn’t remember but… We played together often as children. When she turned 5 however, duties took over. But up until then, we were faithful friends. She had duties and worries to focus on. I don’t blame her. But I didn’t forget.”

My smile has faded.

“May I tell you something Andrew?” I whisper, “Something I have told noone?”

He seems shocked at the suggestion.

“The king did not kill my mother.” I look him in the eye, “Last year, she wasn’t killed by him. The murder was driven by him, but he did not commit the crime. I killed my own mother.”

I begin to cry and Andrew offers me a comforting hug, which I willingly accept. I stay there, warm, comfortable for a few minutes.

And then I hear his heart beat.  The blood pulsing through his veins.

And I bite his shoulder.

“Ah!” He gasps, “What are you doing?”

I find myself sucking blood from his body, and it tastes so good. I don’t know what to do.  I can’t stop myself. He tries to push me off but I refuse to let my grip go, I can feel the crimson liquid dribbling down my chin. And, subconsciously, I start flooding my memories into him. Letting him know everything. Letting him know I trust him. I grip his arms with my sharp nails, digging into the skin, drawing more blood. He stops pushing and stares blankly into the distance. After a while I pull my teeth out of his shoulder, and place my forehead on his strong chest. Looking down in guilt.

“I am so sorry.” I whisper. 

He doesn’t appear to hear me. I look up and gasp in horror at the blank stare he has. I grip his face between my hands, feeling unusually attracted to this man who I was supposed to guide. I reach up to him, he is ever-so-slightly taller than me, even though I changed my size to be tall. I hesitate, suddenly not feeling so sure. But confidence suddenly floods back to me and I seal the bond. My dark crimson lips meet his soft pink ones and I kiss him passionately, guiltily. I saw the love in their eyes and I still kiss him with so much unexpected passion. I feel him come back to his senses, to my surprise he doesn’t push away, but kisses me back with equal desire. We kiss for 10 long, beautiful seconds, before breaking contact, but sealing a bond between ourselves that we didn’t realize we had made until that point.

“Did you like it?” He whispers, emotionlessly.

“Which one?” I whisper back, matching his tone.

“Both.”

“Yes.”

“Would you like more?”

“More of what?”

“More blood.”

My eyes widen and I look up at him, he is sincere. I smile.

“Yes.”

He starts to push the blood-stained shoulder of his baggy paupers shirt down, but I put my hand on top of his and look at him warmly.

“Another time. It is getting light, and I still haven’t returned that fruit.”

“But you will drink again?” He asks me, appearing worried that I won’t.

“Yes. But not now.”

Then I get up. And leave. 

They find rabbit meat, Venison, mutton and assorted fruits by the fire in the morning. 

Adelaide

The morning breeze gently caresses my bare arms, and my eyelids flutter open, to a broadly smiling Andrew. 

“Good morning, Tenshi.” He grins.

I smile prettily back and him and sit up, stretching my arms.

“Morning, Andrew.” I say, I feel a little woozy.

His smile is so nice. The way he gets creases at the corner of his eyes, those lovely blue eyes, and his fluffy, blonde hair. So tall and handsome. It was enough to make any girl dizzy. I stand up and walk to the remaining ashes of our fire last night. Scattered around it are some items  of food. I pick up a slice of rabbit meat and light a fire. I leave the food to cook and start to pack up our things into Valiente’s and the other horse’s saddle bags. 

“So… Where to today?” Andrew asks cheerily.

“Oh, I don’t really know. I basically just ride on until I find the perfect place.” I reply.

I see him frown out of the corner of my eye. 

“Perfect place for what?” He asks.

I turn around and give him a slice of perfectly cooked rabbit meat. I take a bite and chew for a minute before I swallow. 

“Perfect place to settle down and start my own community… and family.”

His eyes widen.

“You’re starting your own clan? You’re bound to be caught.”

I smirk.

“Who says? Watch.” I run and hide behind a huge shrub.

When I emerge, I am a magnificent tigress. Andrew drops his meat in shock and backs away quickly. I lope over and eat the rabbit meat. Then I change back to my former brown eyed, brunette self and grin. 

“Well, is that a talent or what?” I laugh.

He gives a small, shaky laugh and takes another piece of meat. 

“It’s definitely a talent, Tenshi.”

Chi.

I see him sitting and eating the meat with her. Smiling and laughing. I feel a jealous flush come over myself.

-Remember who gave you that meat, Andrew.-

I think spitefully, aiming my thoughts at Andrew as I hide behind the bushes. When Adelaide came over I panicked and thought she’d seen me, but evidently, she had not. I see Andrew jump and look to the bushes at me. I wonder if I’d made a sound to distract him.

“What is it, Andrew?” Adelaide asks, sweetly. 

I restrain myself from growling in jealousy as he turns to her smiling. Then suddenly I hear in my head, words in Andrew’s voice.

-When did we get on first name basis? Chi?-

I jump.

-Oops. When did I tell you that?-

-You put your memories into me.-

-I see. You felt the bond right? When I drank from you then kissed you. You felt it to?-

He pauses.

-Yes.-

-It must be what is helping us to communicate in this way to each other. I must admit it is useful. But I can feel your presence so much stronger now. And smell you.-

His face is suddenly uncomfortable and embarrassed.

-Smelly bastard.- I send to him, grinning devilishly.

-SHUT UP!-

“Andrew?” Adelaide asks.

“Huh?!” He jumps at the sound of her voice. “Oh. Sorry.”

I snicker.

-Have a shower. You stink.-

-Yes.- He replies, -’Cause you’re any better. I can smell you as well! You smell like blood! No doubt my blood!-

-Now that is interesting. Dear, I think you need a nickname… Naito?-

-What does that mean?- He asks me.

-What? You don’t trust the girl you’re bonded with to give you a good nickname, Naito?-

“SHUT UP!” He yells, outloud.

I laugh loudly from the bushes then shut up when I realize how loud we both are and run to a different position.

“Andrew! What was that?”

“I-I’m so sorry! I just heard something in the bushes.” He glares in the exact direction I’m in.

-Don’t look so harsh at me like that, Naito!- I say, faking fright. 

He looks irritated but doesn’t send back. 

Adelaide

I roll my eyes and put the incident down to messing around. Andrew stands, panting and staring into space. I get to my feet and walk over beside him.

“We better get-” I stop midway through my sentence as Andrew has grabbed me and is kissing me passionately. I struggle feebly against his strong hold but then I sink happily into the magic of the kiss and happily return the favour. When the kiss ends, there is an awkward silence. 

“That was…nice.” I giggle.

He laughs to and says,

“Well, we better get going.”

He mounts his horse and I mount Valiente. 

“By the way, what’s your horses name?”

He smiles and strokes his mount. I grin.

“I have a good one. What about Cazador? It’s Spanish, which is my first language, for hunter.”

Andrew nods in agreement. 

“I like that name, Tenshi. If I call you Tenshi, you should call me by my codename.”

I smile at him and say,

“That is?”

“Naito.” He replies.

We laugh and kick our horses into canter. We are just leaping over a bridge when Andrew stops suddenly. I pull up and call back,

“What’s wrong?!”

He looks up and all around him.

“We’re on open space, Tenshi. We need to get out of here as fast a possible, because I think the palace army is close by.”

My eyes widen in fear and I shout,

“Well, lets gallop then!”

We both kick on into a gallop and speed out of the wide clearing into the sinister forest ahead.

Chi

I told him that they were coming. A shrill shriek in my head yelled at him that they were coming, I could feel them and I sent that sense to him automatically. I rush through the trees of the forest, avoiding trees and gaining bloody scratches on my legs and hands from brambles and bark. I can hear howling. Howling and barking. My eyes widen in realization.

-THEY HAVE DOGS!-

-WHAT?!- I hear thrown into my mind, Andrew seems able to hear my every though and emotion as I can his.

-YOU NEED TO GO FASTER!- I send howling at him.

-What about you?- His minds-voice sounds so worried, tears almost build in my eyes.

-I’ll be fine. I can run as fast as any horse.-

-Please. Stay safe.-

-I should be saying that to you.-

He goes quiet, as do I. All we need to focus on now is escaping. 

A howl.

Closer now.

My running slows from the scratches, my energy flowing out of me along with the blood. Blood seems to be the only thing keeping me alive. I slow down more. Slowing down until I am on the brink of collapsing. 

I fall.

I scream out in pain. I feel every shift in Andrews emotions as he feels the pain emanating from me.

-CHI!-

-Keep going.- I send, sternly, -I’ll be fine! Many a feast will find me.-

-What do you…- He pauses, -NO! You can’t! You’re fine drinking mine but another human being…? THEY’RE JUST DOING THEIR JOB!-

-AND I AM JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE! KEEP GOING, IDIOT! KEEP FLEEING!-

He goes quiet once more and I lean against the tree moaning in pain and hunger. Then go quiet and freeze as 2 armoured men step towards me with Alsatians. 

“Young maiden? Have you seen Princess Adelaide.”

“I have not.”

“Have you seen her female companion?”

The other man hit’s the speaker.

“You idiot!” He remarks, “No mere woman would leave their home to travel miles out here. This one has to be the companion!”

My eyebrow twitches and I flick my eyes towards them. As the stern guards shouts at the kindly one, the kindly one taps him and they look at me, and step back.

“Her eyes…” One mutters,

“They… they’re…glowing…”

The kindly one looks right in my eyes and suddenly appears in a trance.

-What’s happening?! CHI! TELL ME!- Andrew demands,

I do not reply. I stare back at the man.

-CHI! TELL ME! MY EYES ARE GLOWING RED!-

“-Patience.-” I hiss, out-loud as well as mentally, “-The feast has come.-”

The kindly man steps closer.

“Such beautiful eyes…” He mutters, and comes ever closer, despite his co-workers demands.

Closer.

Come closer.

He kneels before me. Puts his head on the floor slowly, as though praying to me. I stare at him.

“Pathetic.” I say, clearly. 

Just as he is about to break from the trance I bend down and bite into him. 

I grab the neck of his dog and cast in against the wall as I continue to drink. I discard the first man, empty, then glare at the second man, who is frozen in terror. I grin, blood lining my already crimson lips. And turn to the dog. I lick from the floor the blood that has dribbled from the creature. Then turn to the man. And bark at him, as though, I too, was a dog. 

“FOOL!” I grin, “Get to close to the beast and it will devour you. There is no escape now.”

I laugh. And leap.

Adelaide

I flinch as I hear a cry of pure terror and pain. 

“What was that?” 

I look around at Andrew, who is frozen with pain in his eyes. Not physical pain, mental pain. What has happened that has made him so distraught? Nothing that I am aware of at least. 

“Andrew? Are you alright?” 

He nods his head shakily and blinks a few times. 

“Y-yes. Let’s k-keep moving, T-Tenshi.”

I give a doubtful nod and make Valiente walk on slowly. The silence we always have after an eventful conversation sets in. After about two hours, I finally break the silence. I feel as though I could burst from the quiet!

“ANDREW!” I rage.

He jerks, startled by my outrage. 

“What’s wrong, Tenshi?” He says, a wary tone in his voice.

I look at him, outraged.

“How could you not know? You never talk or break the silence or anything! You just sit there! I thought you were falling in love with me Andrew!” Tears spring to my eyes and I wipe them away.

Chi

I don’t leave the spot where the men died. I sit on my knees, forehead on the bloodstained ground, hands palm down by my shoulders. I pray for the men. When I saw them lying dead on the ground along with their unfortunate hunters, my heart wrenched, I had killed these men. With my clawed fingers and my sharp teeth, I lacerated them. My heart wrenched with guilt, I yelled out. I knew what I’d done and if there is any way to let them go to Tian’s kingdom…I didn’t believe in religion before now. I thought it was foolery. But seeing this mess, one that I caused, I sought them to be spared. They were doing their job, that was all. They had no choice in the matter. If they had helped us they would have been killed by their putrid show of a king anyway. Either way they would have died. I only apologize to them. And comment on how delicious they were.

I grin and bring my head up.

“I don’t expect to be doing this often. Go, oh body-less spirits, and warn your brethren.”

I laugh and get to my feet. And carry on walking.

After a while, I hear Andrew,

-I HATE  YOU!-

I sigh,

-What’s happened?-

I can feel his rage bubbling.

-YOU KILLED THOSE MEN!-

-They got in my way. And I believe I ate them.-

-THAT’S WORSE!-

-Calm down, Naito. Calm down.-

-I don’t even think you have the right to call me a nickname.-

-You won’t stay mad for long.-

-HOW CAN I NOT?! YOU JUST KILLED THOSE PEOPLE!-

-It’s who I am! I couldn’t help myself! It just came over me I didn’t mean to! Is that what you want to hear? Well, tough luck. I knew exactly what I was doing and I found pleasure in it. OK?-

He is silent. I can feel him calming down.

-Yes. Okay.- He sends eventually, I smile, and I know he smiles to, I can feel his happiness at my happiness.

-If you accept me, you’ll make me happy. I’ll try my best not to kill anymore. As long as you accept me, Naito. Do you?-

-… I do.- 

He is sincere. I smile.

-I will be close soon. Keep on walking. I will catch up to you. Make amends with Adelaide.-

-How did you…-

-I can feel your tension. I can see what you are thinking about too. It’s not only you.-

I feel the warmth in him. Though I realize he may be shouted at by Adelaide for smiling so sincerely and happily during a serious conversation. It makes me feel comfortable in the air around me, like everything is at peace.

Adelaide

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Andrew staring into space with an unconscious smile, like he doesn’t even know he’s grinning to himself. I ignore his expression. I’ve noticed him do this a lot, so I don’t comment. Not after that argument. I sigh and say,

“Look, I’m sorry. I’m tired and bored of running, I just snapped.”

He suddenly comes back to life and replies.

“That’s fine, Tenshi. I understand. I sometimes feel the same way.”

I nod and take a piece of rabbit meat from the saddle bag, and we pick away at it, nibbling on the meat. I find my thoughts wandering, thinking of Chi. Where is she? How is she faring? Did she return to our original home? Does she think of me much? I swallow my last piece of meat and lie down to sleep, my eyelids heavy. Andrew soon follows and I am plunge into a turbulent night full of dreams. 

I wake early in the morning, way before Andrew. I rub my eyes and stretch before eating some roots and berries for breakfast. Then I ready Cazador and Valiente for the day’s journey. I am just tightening the saddles when Andrew awakens. 

“Good morning.” I smile, without turning around to greet him. When I do though, I am taken aback. Andrew’s lips latch onto mine and I find myself kissing him passionately. When the kiss end, I feel his sweet breath on my forehead and I smile hazily. 

“What was that for?” I whisper, with a small laugh. 

“You know it was going to happen sometime, Tenshi.” He grins playfully.

Chi

I didn’t sleep last night. I couldn’t get the turmoil from my head. The blood now travelling around me, was it mine? This can’t be human… This body… this life I have found myself in… this isn’t human, it was never human, not even that of a shape shifter… it’s that of a blood sucker…always has been. It’s just been sleeping… deep, deep inside. 

I sigh and sit on a rock. 

“It’s so…” I groan,

I suddenly feel Andrew’s pleasure of the kiss he places on Adelaide, over and over, so passionate, wash over me. I shiver delightfully then shake my head frantically.

-ANDREW! You’re making me feel like a bisexual!-

He swears at me. I swear back at him. Eager to get the opposing pleasure and annoyance out of my system. He refuses to stop. I end up just lying on the ground smiling with my eyes closed. I don’t know what else to do… I feel really good…

I didn’t know a bond would be this irritating…

He stops suddenly. I feel myself wrenched of the pleasure and sit up abruptly, grass in my wholesome white hair. I begin slowly pulling each blade of sod out.

-Naito? What happened? That almost hurt…-

No reply. I get to my feet.

-Andrew?-

I feel his slight shock.

-Urm…- Finally, a reply, -She shifted during the kiss…-

-Ooh. Embarrassing. I know I would be.-

-She’s kind of cute.-

-Hmm? You think that anyway.-

-I’m serious. She turned into a lamb.-

I pause. Thinking it over.

-That might not be good… Sometimes during shifting, if we are going younger, we will accidentally erase our memories of the times after that age… Is she a small lamb?-

-Very small. Maybe the size of one a few weeks old…-

-Oh dear… you need to get her to turn back before she starts to think she is naturally a sheep! Hurry! Or she’ll never turn back!-

I feel his panic and start to run to him.

“NAITO!”

Adelaide

I look down at the ground and see two miniscule hooves and fluffy legs. 

Hmm… I think,

“Baa-aaa!” I bleat, as I attempt to say ‘What’s going on?’

Andrew stifles a laugh and grins instead.

“When we were kissing, you kinda turned into a lamb.”

I bleat again, only with laughter at myself. I skip off behind a tree and transform into myself again. I change my hair to brown hair, in a side plait that goes down to the bottom of my ribs, and electric green eyes, framed by long, thick lashes.

Andrew smiles.

“You look stunning,” He says.

I smile back in appreciation.

“Thank you. This is my true self. I didn’t create this look. Because I am a shape-shifter. Watch.”

I change my hair into a short, spiky blonde style with blue eyes, then black hair down to my feet with huge brown eyes, then back to myself.

I grin at his shocked expression,

“Wow.” He breathes, “That’s amazing. Did shape shifting to animals come with birth?”

I shake my head.

“I actually have no explanation for that, Andrew. I have no idea when or why it started.”

He frowns and shakes his head.

“My dad was a healer, so he got lots of weird cases, and I liked helping him, so I listened to him advising his patients a lot. My only thoughts on you would be that, all the time you have spent travelling, meeting different animals and spending time with them, have resulted in you having the ability to change into them”

I nod,

“I agree. That seems like the only logical theory at least.”

We talk about this for about half an hour, then we pack up and move onwards. While we are sticking to the forest path, I catch sight of something out of the corner of my eye. A flash of white hair,

Chi

I relaxed once Andrew had confirmed to me that Adelaide was safe. I laugh at myself for the panic that ran through me. The incredible worry that Adelaide would forget everything…forget me…again…

I only travelled with her for a few days, but before that she was my best friend until we were 5. She won’t feel as deep a worry for me as I do for her, it’s natural. She doesn’t know anything about me anymore. Nothing. But I know many things about her… or her young self… I used to know.

-Andrew… You’re sure she’s okay? Test her.-

-Fine.  I noticed that it seems my emotions are dominant in this bond, hm?-

-OH  YEAH? You want me to try getting angry?-

He doesn’t reply but I know he laughs, because I laugh, and I can feel his amusement. 

-She’s fine.- He replies after a few minutes of boredom.

-Good. What did you ask her?-

He pauses.

-I asked her if she remembered Chi.-

My eyes widen. And I stare off into the distance.

-How did she reply?- I send eventually,

-She said ‘She was a girl I travelled with for a few days who came from the same clan as me, although she was from the rougher section on the border. She barely had any food and she was very skinny. She’s disappeared now, though. I don’t know where she is now.’-

I look at the floor emotionlessly, not sure whether I was sad or happy that she didn’t remember the past. I sit on a tree stump amidst the tall trees and pull my knees to my chest. Then smile weakly and hide behind my fringe.

-I see.- I reply, shaky despite the fact I’m speaking through my thoughts.

I cry that night, I have no reason to. I don’t know why. Maybe I was just thinking too hard. I might be worried that I am too close to their camp, if I was concentrating on evading. And if my ears didn’t just catch the sound of gunfire…

Adelaide

I close my eyes and try to drift into sleep. But I just can’t and it seems Andrew can’t either.

“Why did you ask me who Chi was? How do you know her?”

Andrew sits up and leans against a tree.

“I met her. Back in my village. When the horse I had loaned her, Sussuro, was shot down by guards, Chi went down too and she… she… drank his blood. I was so angry that we split up as travelling partners. I…I miss her. She was kind and funny, and she really cared about me. And I cared about her. I don’t know what she thought of me, but her nickname for me was Tenshi, which means Angel. When I met Chi she had crimson hair, and I named her Carmesí, which means crimson in my language, Spanish.”

Andrew frowns and takes in this sudden information. 

“Why haven’t I got a nickname then?” 

I smile and brush away the sudden and unknown tears trickling down my cheek.

“I’ll call you Fuerte, which means mighty.”

Andrew grins in appreciation of the name. Then he leans in and we kiss.

Chi

-Run. Run, Naito. Run.-

I feel his shock and I know he pulls away from Adelaide, leaving her sitting confused with her lips pursed for a moment. 

-What? Why?- He replies, worried.

-The guards. They’re close. I just heard them.  They want Adelaide. I would say I will hold them off but maybe you would not approve?-

-… Whatever it takes to save Adelaide.-

I look down at the ground again, clenching my fists in jealously but smiling softly at how much he cares about the person I care about most.

-She is the one we both care about the most. I will do anything you think will protect her.- I say back, sincerely.

-And I to, shall do whatever you suggest.-

I nod determinedly, though he can’t see I know he feels what I feel.

-You have about half an hour to get out of there. I will follow until they are to close. And do whatever I can.-

-I see.-

-Take this gun.-

-What gun?-

I can feel his surprise again as I send a gun clattering into their space. 

-You’re that close?- He asks, shocked.

-Yes.-

“What was that? Where did that come from?” I hear Adelaide say, 

I close my eyes in pain of ignoring her.

“HELLO? WHO’S THERE?” She shouts, cautiously.

She is about to shout again when I hear Andrew.

“No. Come on! We have to go from this area! I heard gunfire!”

“Th-the guards?” She asks, unexpectedly.

“Maybe.”

I scream to warn them off.

“RUN! RUN!” I yell, then begin running myself.

It was a close escape from Adelaide seeing me, but I got away from her eyes without her catching a single glance. If there wasn’t a dog practically biting at my heels, I might feel grateful. I try to throw sticks at it in an amusing attempt to get it away from me. I hear horses galloping close by me in a field next to the edge of the forest.

“RUN! FASTER!” I yell, “THEY’RE RIGHT HERE!”

“We need to help her…” I hear Adelaide say,

“NO! RUN!”

-Why are you talking to us? You could have just told me through our mind.-

-Our mind…? NEVER MIND! I… I COULDN’T HELP MYSELF! I can’t keep myself from making contact with her completely. It’s been so long.-

They keep going, and I am pleased. The guards are gaining on me. I feel starved. Fatigue consuming me from using so much energy. I have to do something. I turn and grab the dog, throwing it thirstily against a tree, I bite into it and begin to suck, but I can’t get enough, the gunfire is right behind me…

Bullets hit the tree, cartilage flies everywhere and I freeze. Eyes wide open.

-They’ve got me… They’re right there…-

I hear him start to shout ‘Chi’ but I stop him.

-No… don’t shout me… if you need to… CALL ME KETSUEKI!-

-K-Ketsueki…-

A pain tears through my chest suddenly. I look behind me and 4 men, armed with guns, stand behind me. Breathing heavily I try to growl or hiss or scream at them. I have no energy to attack. I see it’s a lost cause to try and do anything…

Many bullets fly at me, and rip through my chest at a fierce speed. 

 -CHI!- Andrew’s call rings through my head.

I fall to my knees and hand, spluttering and coughing crimson blood onto the floor, the men have their guns poised at my head. I smile weakly as the blood dribbles down my chin.

-Andrew, fire four bullets into the trees in my direction.-

-What? No. I will not.-

-Then let me into your body.-

-What?!-

-I know it sounds wrong but trust me, this way it will be me shooting and not you, you fool.-

I tremble and then my body collapses onto the floor, my soul is temporarily transported into Andrew’s body, and his is transferred into mine. I hold the gun up to Andrew’s eyes, resting my cheek on the shoulder and pulling the trigger four times. Then I allow myself to fall back into my body. I hear Andrew yell out as he returns to his.

The men fall around me, blood pouring from them, I pull myself forward, ever so slightly and lap it up like a dog which has been starved for a week. Then I stand up, and begin to stumble along. I fall into the field where Andrew and Adelaide were just a moment ago, on my hands and knees again, the tips of my hair stained vermillion as blood pours from my mouth again.

“Geez… they must have hit my heart.” I mutter, then freeze as I feel soft hands on my back.

“C-K-Ketsueki?” I hear Andrew say,

“You know her?” Adelaide replies, gently, though surprised.

Adelaide helps me up and takes me to their temporary camp, it feels nice in her gentle arms, I almost fall over because I’m so worn out, and her warmth is so comforting. 

“Keep walking. Just a little further.” She whispers to me kindly.

I fall asleep by a small, flickering fire, just like before.

I wake up with a start. And look around, it is morning again, and I see Andrew asleep across the fire.

“Oh. You are awake. I am surprised… your wounds have already healed…” Adelaide is at Valiente’s saddle bag, he is snorting a lot and glaring at me.

“Have I done something to anger him?” I ask, innocently.

Of course, I know I have. But Adelaide doesn’t.

“No. It is unusual though, he isn’t normally like this towards people.”

I smile at her, my mind whirring with worry that she’ll figure out who I am. But she doesn’t appear to realize. I look at Andrew. And get up and walk to stand over him.

“Andrew’s still asleep?” I ask, amused.

 I nudge him with my foot and he turns onto his face.

“Ooow.” He mumbles and I fall backwards with laughter.

He gets up and his eyes widen in surprise.

“Ketsueki?” He says,

“Yes. It’s me.”

“Hm?” Adelaide turns curiously, “You know each other?”

Andrew freezes, but I have already thought of a cover, and smile sweetly at her.

“Yes. We are cousins, though I don’t know if he remembers me. It’s been a long time. I went to his town to visit him but he was on the move, I saw you and I’ve followed you all this way. I was shocked when those guard-like men came chasing you, I know this as they were saying you’re name… OH!” I put a finger in the air and curtsy in my bloodstained, white dress, then walk over to Adelaide. “You must be one, Princess Adelaide? Am I correct?”

She hesitates. I laugh.

“Do not worry, my lady. I will not betray your identity, infact I do wish to travel with you from here on, I have money, so I can pay for myself. Is it alright with you?”

She stands, frozen to the spot, her face a picture of surprise. I pat her on the back and grin.

“So, my fine women, what do you say?” I lean in close,

“U-h…uh…. I-I guess so…”

“Ketsueki.” Andrew inputs, playing along now, “Don’t get so close. She looks uncomfortable, seriously, your practically touching cheeks.”

I step back.

“Oh! I see! That was so!”

I walk off to see Valiente, I lift the saddle and see a scar from where I cut him. I hear them talking.

“She’s a little… friendly…” I hear Adelaide say, politely,

“I’m sorry about that… She’s always been… bi-sexual.”

I laugh out loud.

“Excuse me!” I decide to play along and pretend I’m bi-sexual, though not all together sure I’m pretending, “I do wish you wouldn’t announce that to every pretty girl I happen to meet!”

“Oh! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to make him tell me…”

“Now, Now, my fine friend, that is in the past, if you know there is nothing wrong. But, I do believe that your horse has a wound under his saddle bag!”

She freezes. 

“Oh my! Do not be surprised! I have a gift for these things! Well, that’s a joke… I’m just curious. Now, I was wondering whether you would mind if I open it and lick it?”

“Excuse me?!” Andrew and Adelaide yelp together, I laugh brightly again.

“Don’t worry. If I lick it while it’s open it will heal completely rather than leaving a scar. I was born with special, unusual powers, I just thought it would be useful for you. He has a limp, no?”

“Uh… y-yes.” 

I’m clearly spooking her.

“I can fix that. Just let me lick it and it’ll be right as rain… I never quite got that saying. Rain is wet. Not right.”

She laughs and I smile softly.

“I guess… if Valiente will get better.”

I turn to Valiente.

“So you, my handsome friend, are Valiente? What a marvellous name!”

With that I run the edge of my finger nail along the scab and lick it before the blood begins to properly pour out, it immediately seals.

“Now. A bandage, if you have one?”

She hands me a bandage and I place it securely on his wound.

“Check it in an hour or so and I promise you his health.”

“You are marvellous, Ketsueki!” She exclaims.

I smile at her, and curtsy once more.

“My name is Ketsueki Shinko, fellow traveller and cousin of your… boyfriend?”

I stand up straight and raise my eyebrows with a mischievous smile on my face, they both have a sharp intake of breath and blush madly.

“Ketsueki!” Andrew scowls at me, still blushing. “Stop messing about!”

He grab at stick and starts batting it at me as I run away from him around the camp, he chases me.

“Oh! Don’t act like I didn’t see you kissing passionately! It made me so jealous! Andrew is getting kisses off a pretty girl and Ketsueki isn’t!”

His anger flares.

“YOU  VOYEUR!” He shouts at me, and hits me with the stick on the butt. 

I run and hide behind Adelaide’s back.

“Adelaide! He’s hurting me!” I say, playfully, faking upset.

Adelaide

I pretend to smile and laugh. What Ketsueki said has bothered me greatly. Are me and Andrew… in a relationship? Not that I don’t want us to be. I would be very happy if we were in a happy, loving relationship together. But still… I am confused.

“I think I better go wash. I’ve seen a great river with a waterfall earlier this morning on my walk.” I smile at them both and take a bar of soap and a rough blanket. I walk off towards the north where I saw the river. When I reach it, I strip off to my underclothes and let down my hair. I had it tied up in a bun, but I shake my head so my curls shake out. The cool water running through my hair feels good. I feel fresh and rejuvenated. I start to scrub myself with the soap and a handful of leaves.

Andrew

I lean against a tree and smile. Adelaide looks so beautiful. But if she sees me watching her, then she’ll never trust me again, so I am careful to stay hidden. She runs the soap gently over her slender, tanned body and runs her delicate fingers through her wavy hair. She’s the girl of my dreams, and I can’t even act like it. I scowl. I always thought a coward was a man who didn’t volunteer for war. I snort to myself. Turns out there’s more than one way to be a coward.---On.

Chi

I sneak up behind him.

“Why such sorrow do I see upon thy face, dear Andrew?” I chuckle.

“What’s with the voice?” He asks.

“I would speak like this often if I was not around her.”

“Is there a reason for that?”

“Not one in particular, no.” I sit down beside him, watching Adelaide also.

“This feels really uncomfortable, yet… I’m just going to say that I feel the way you feel because I can feel how you feel.” I say.

“Hm? So are you bisexual?” He asks me cheekily,

“If I am, then it is only because of you and our mischievous bond.”

“I see. But why am I not the same?”

“Well, Andrew is deeply in love, clearly there is no need for him to… extend… his horizons.”

“You make it sound so strange.”

I laugh out loud and then look how he’s staring at Adelaide.

“And now who is the voyeur? Finding pleasure in watching someone else’s body. You disgust me and yet, annoyingly, I understand you.”

“It is annoying that you can now understand the feelings of men?”

“Aye. It is. I am female and would wish to keep to being purely that.”

“Even a bi can be female.”

“I do wish you would shush Andrew. Anyway, I shall return to your steeds now. I have no more torment to bestow upon you.”

I leave, back to the camp in silence.

Adelaide

I sigh and step out of the waterflow. I pick up the rough, towel-like blanket and rub myself dry then put on my simple white and lilac lace-up dress. Then I towel my hair dry so it is tousled and messy. I make my way back to camp and discover it’s empty. I frown. Where are they?

What if the guards found them and their… I don’t even want to think about it. Suddenly, Ketsueki bursts into the clearing with a delusional grin plastered across her face. I roll my eyes.

“I thought the guards had found you. Where were you?” 

She giggles and sits by the fire, munching on an unknown piece of food she must have foraged from the undergrowth. 

“I was… wandering. Finding my bearings.”

I doubt this, but I sense that this isn’t the time to argue.

“Okay. But there really was no point. We’re all leaving in the next hour or two. Which reminds me, where is Andrew?”

Ketsueki giggles again, slightly annoyingly. 

“He’s coming.” She laughs hysterically again and falls off the log.

Andrew strides into the campsite. 

“Oh. Hey Adelaide.” He gives a frustrated sigh. “Ketsueki.”

I march up to him.

“Where exactly, were you two? I thought you had been taken by the guards. Why don’t you tell me when you just decide to… wander off on a little outing without telling me?”

He frowns and holds his hands up. 

“Woah. Calm down, Ad.”

I soften and blush a little when he calls me a nickname. I sigh. 

“Fine. I was just worried.” 

After all, who knows when the guards will come, and then we might not be so lucky.

Chi

I blow out through my nose in a small anger.

“I thought you called her Tenshi?” I say, almost demonically, but laugh when Adelaide turns round to look at me.

But Andrew knows I’m serious about him calling her Tenshi. And maybe he’s afraid. But his emotions are confused, and it’s a terrible feeling within myself also.

“Y-yes. I do call her Tenshi often. I just thought it was time she had a new nickname.” He replies, seriously,

We’re glaring into each others eyes now.

“Urh… Guys?” Adelaide puts in.

“I don’t know.” I continue speaking to Andrew, and smile sweetly. “I rather like the name Tenshi. It mean Angel, no? It’s suiting for such a beauty as Adelaide.”

“O-oh… Thank you…” Adelaide says, although she doesn’t sound sure whether she likes it or is worried by it.

I turn to her and smile, friendly.

“Don’t worry. We were just having an argument in the trees. I tripped Andrew and he fell into some bushes. We’re not exactly in the good books with each other at the moment.”

“Geez. I need to get you back.” Andrew plays along.

I laugh and bat a hand at him playfully.

“Go ahead! Let’s see if you can get me!”

Later at night, I go out to look for some fruit, while Andrew and Adelaide sit around the fire. We decided not to move until morning.

I return with many bright, shining apples half an hour from my departure and hear them speaking. I lean against a tree and listen.

“So… Do you know much about Ketsueki?” Adelaide asks Andrew curiously.

“No. Not really.” He replies, I know he’s poking at the fire with a stick, I can hear it.

“Well… Can you tell me what you do know? I just want to find a way to get along with her better. I-I mean… I know she appears happy with me but… I just… I sense that she is a bit… worried around me.”

“Yes. I sensed that to.”

“So… If you know anything about her. Please tell me.”

“Well,” He begins, “Ketsueki… She’s not like you, or even me. She’s not exactly a normal human being. She was born… different.”

“How different?” Adelaide asks curiously.

“I don’t know if I should say anything…”

I don’t know if he should either…

“PLEASE ANDREW!” She asks.

He sighs, and looks towards where I’m standing.

“H-her parents died… as soon as she was born. Both of them. Not just the mother.”

Ah. So he’s lying. Good Andrew.

He continues,

“So, she raised herself, in the woods, claiming to see ghosts in there, and that they helped her get by. She said she could hear their voices, that every little sound on the wind and she was perfectly suited for living by herself in the wild. But we knew when we met her that she lied, because she was almost dead. We didn’t know what to do. She was lucky to survive. Very lucky. She was adopted by a kind couple who were looking for a child. Though she screamed and ran away. I-I haven’t really seen her since then… Until now… She’s really grown. Last time I saw her she was about 4 years old. Now look at her… She’s grown into a nice young women. Do you agree?”

“I guess…” I sense a bit of jealousy in her voice, she thinks he is thinking about his ‘cousin’ in the same way he thinks of her, I smile.

“But… what we found out about her, was that, she doesn’t need to eat to survive, and when she does eat, it’s either out of boredom or because she doesn’t want to be left out or look abnormal. Also, she has special saliva that can heal wounds. And she appears happy a lot… you’ve noticed that…” He’s speaking seriously now, actually about what he thinks about me rather than lies, “I-I think… underneath the happy external appearance, she’s just lonely… and sad… I think… she misses having a family… “

I drop the apples, which make small thud sounds on the floor as they hit it, and step out from the behind the tree, I have my head tilted to one side, and a demoniacal shadow is cast across my face, my lips shine like blood in the moonlight.

“K-Ketsueki…?” Adelaide asks, trembling.

The air feels heavy, I glare at Andrew, my eyes flash red in anger.

“ANDREW!” I yell, practically growling, angry.

I lunge towards him faster than his eyes can follow and his body can avoid and my fist connects with his face.

“NO!” Adelaide yelps.

I grab the collar of Andrews shirt and stand up with him, holding him up towards the moon.

“NEVER AGAIN! NEVER AGAIN!” I yell, rage and tension making my body shake. I scream shortly and throw him to the ground, then sit on his chest and glare into his eyes, he’s shuddering in fear and pain.

“Fight back.” I say quietly to him.

“KETSUEKI! STOP!” Adelaide screams.

“I won’t fight back.” Andrew whispers to me.

“Fight back, you fool. Or you’ll die.” I say, feeling that I need him to fight, that I don’t want to kill him but in my rage I can’t stop myself.

“No.” He says, hoarsely. 

Tears build in my eyes from frustration, and I grit my teeth and choke a tear, and place my hands around his throat. I close my eyes and wail loudly, but shortly and begin to press, my teeth gritted once again.

“STOP KETSUEKI! STOP RIGHT NOW OR I’LL HATE YOU FOREVER! IF YOU KILL HIM I’LL NEVER TRUST YOU! EVER!”

I freeze, my eyes open and I stare blankly into the distance, my teeth unclench and my lips part slightly. My hands loosen and Andrew scrabbles out from underneath me, causing me to fall sideways onto the floor, my hair spread out around me, I place one hand in the dirt by the side of my face as thunder crackles through the sky and rain begins to pour onto my pale skin, and the ground, making it muddy. I lay in the mud for a while, tears pouring from my eyes from frustration and worry. My white hair gets covered in mud and my hand eventually gets covered.

The truth,

I’d rather die than have Adelaide hate me.

Adelaide

I stand still, watching Ketsueki lie around in the muck. Andrew mirrors me. She still has that chilling look on her face. I look away, the expression scares me.

“K-Ketsueki…”I say, partly to break the uncomfortable silence and partly to get her attention. “We really need to buck up and get a grip on reality, so… so…um, get up! Come on Ketsueki! We need to keep moving!”

I don’t see why I’m trying to divert attention from the current situation. You know, the one where we all try to kill each other? Yeah, that one. Ketsueki pushes herself off the ground.

“Okay, Adelaide.” 

I glance at Andrew’s face out of the corner of my eye. He seems a bit like me. A little shocked. Confused. And a big hunk of miserable. We kind of just drift along after that in a daze… We pack belongings into the now-weathered saddle bags and I get on Valiente. Andrew gives Ketsueki a ride on his horse. Though she’s so hyper I doubt she needs a rest. I don’t keep track of how long we travel. My mind’s on other things. I drift off to a thought about Emeline. Did she get that knight guy? Are they married now? Is she even worried about me? She was never exactly… the most loving sister, if I’m honest. She was always good at choosing gowns for balls and ceremonies but we were never close. Even when Tabitha died.

Chi

I stare down, calmly at the horses scruffy main, twirling a wiry strand around my finger and let it fall, one hair after another. Rethinking the events that took place.

Why was I angry?

What got me so worked up?

It doesn’t even make sense to me.

My eyes widen suddenly and I look up and around me.

“The apples…” I mutter, “ I forgot to pick up the apples…”

Andrew looks up at me, curiously but carefully.

“What is it?” He asks, softly.

“Nothing important. I brought some apples back for us to eat before we left but I dropped them and didn’t pick them back up again. It doesn’t matter. We have enough food to last until the next town, probably.” I whisper in reply, mirroring his softness.

We carry on in silence for a while.

“I’m sorry… for doing that… Naito.” I whisper, Adelaide can’t hear us.

“Don’t worry about it. I must have struck a nerve.”

I just look away.

Then make the horse stop. And jump off.

“It’s your turn to ride, I will be okay walking, Andrew.” I decide.

I walk further in front, up to the side of Valiente, to talk to Adelaide.

“What is it that you are worrying about, Adelaide?”

She jumps and gasps swiftly, looking down at me. I surprised her.

“You were deep in thought, hm? Me to.” I say, my voice soft and lowered once more.

She nods.

“Yes.”

“So, What was it that you were worrying about? Not the apples I dropped?”

She smiles at me, slightly amused, but I notice her slight wonder at me keeping up constant pace with Valiente.

“Good.” I whisper. “I like it when you smile.”

I hang my head, a shadow from my fringe casts itself across my face. But I give of an aura of guilt now, rather than a demoniacal one.

“Adelaide… May I, also, call you Tenshi?”

She seems a little unsure about whether to let me, after what I’ve done.

“You can think upon it awhile, if you wish.” I add abruptly.

She nods.

“You’re very quiet, Adelaide.” I say, finally.

And we continue in silence.