Fairyland Chronicles - Character Side Stories

[Summerstream]

(>:D)

“You carried me here when I was unconscious!”

“I state the point further.”

“Nnn.... P-please -”

“I will hear no more, if all you are to do is beg. Leave me. I have to ensure your tracks are burnt.”

Summerstream stared quietly at the man sitting behind his desk rifling through papers before she turned on her heel and exited the room, sliding the door shut a little too quickly, causing a slam to be heard through the majority of the building. To think that man that was sitting there was the same she married two years ago. She gritted her teeth as she walked down the hallway with a hand on her stomach, her heavy footfalls echoing. Various servants ducked out of her way, lest be shoved roughly to the side.

Her thoughts drifted to Ezekiel being cramped inside yet another building, and sighed irritably. Mind you, this time she was in the same situation, as her wonderful husband forbade both of them from leaving the building. She had a little more freedom to roam, but even she wasn't allowed to go out into the forests surrounding the village they had moved their hiding spot to. She irritably slid open the door to her room and looked inside. There wasn't even a spec of dust in it, still the same as it was when she left once she was well. On the desk was a small black box, and she opened it to have two rings staring back at her. She snapped the box shut and dropped it on the desk in disgust before throwing herself onto her bed to stare at the ceiling.

“I'll die before I wear those willingly. I can't believe I married such an insensitive prick of a human!” She took one of the pillows near her and threw it at the wall, before slamming her fist into the mattress, and left it there for a few minutes, letting her anger pass. Once her mind cleared, she looked down at her clenched hand, which had grown sticky. She opened it, and looked at her palm to see that her nails had dug in, and left cuts. With a quiet 'tsk', she got up and pulled from her bag the medicine supplies she had gotten the day before. The wounds weren't deep, so she just bound it with a cloth strip. Easy enough. She put the small bag away, then looked around the room. Emotional talons grasped at her heart as she paced the small room. Underneath it all, she felt a painful sorrow. Summerstream removed gingerly from her bag the portrait of her family and stared at it as she walked. “At least it is me and not my kids,” she murmured as she passed her own desk, and set the frame down onto it, and took the box with her wedding rings into her hand. She continued pacing.

Her pacing feet lead her from her room to where Ezekiel was brought to. She paused, hearing his own feet brush floor in his own pacing. After biting her lip, she knocked and slid open the door.

“Eze-” She didn't even get his name out.

"You know, perhaps I should watch my words, but you must know there is a boiling anger I'm doing my best at this moment to suppress!” The master rogue had rounded on her in an instant. Summerstream took a startled half step back, before entering fully, and sliding the door shut behind her. He looked damn annoyed.

"I should kick your ass for sending us both to this beautiful forest prison!" Summerstream felt something in her snap, and she straightened up, before she told herself to calm down. She breathed her emotions out in a sigh before she replied.

“Go ahead and scream and yell at me! Its not like I'm unused to being beaten up by humans!” Barely quelled in her rage, Summerstream somehow managed to not yell at Ezekiel. She bit her tongue, hard. No point in snapping.

“Gods, you sound as if I'm going to never talk to you again. I am not so stupid as to turn away our alliance over nothing.” It was Ezekiel's turn to sigh, and Summerstream ground her teeth again before grumbling.

“Yeah, I made a mistake.” She leaned against the wall, still fuming, “I'm not good at dealing with these... situations.”Summerstream looked at the black box she was clutching in her injured hand. Meanwhile, Ezekiel had sat down on his bed to stop his own pacing, and crossed his arms.

“Fair enough, and I've dealt with them, so let me explain how running from the law works.” He paused for effect. “You don't get to live like you used to, in comfort. You keep your eyes open at all times. The land becomes your master.” He nodded his head in the direction of her husband's office. “However, if I did not settle a deal with that man fast, he would have killed me.”

Believe me, I know.

Summerstream had wanted to say that. She had been sitting there behind her husband the entire time. She had seen his hand twitch towards his daggers. Her eyes closed, and she threw the black box with her wedding rings inside at him. Instead, she simply spoke six words.

“Open it, and figure out why.”

“Sorry, I get what these are, but I don't understand the meaning.” Ezekiel had replied after opening the box and examining the contents. He tossed the box back at her after examining the box itself.

“That man you spoke with was my husband.”

“And he seems like the type of guy to make cut and dry deals. I had to make one fast with him because, unfortunately, I do not stand on equal footing. That much he also knew. The man is scrupulous, but I do not understand your own feelings. I guess you can't explain them here.”

She simply shook her head in response. “I had asked him after you left to give you permission to go outside. He told me no.” She crossed her arms, and looked at the ceiling. She could hear movement over her head, and she stared right at the spot if was coming from. The sound moved away.

“I don't blame him, he's a careful man to lead a bunch like this,” Ezekiel sighed as if to gather his thoughts, “You sit at a precarious position. I don't know your feelings, and cannot get them from you. But I think I stress heavily now if you continue this path with me then you cannot be guaranteed safety.” Summerstream looked back at him as he stared straight at her before continuing, “In other words this man can protect you, and perhaps even integrate you into normal human society-”

Summerstream stopped listening, Ezekiel's voice fading as she felt her blood turn to ice. She gripped her arms, trying to tone down her body language. He mentioned Lucretia somewhere in there, but she met his response with a cold chuckle. Her gaze was hard, and cold.

“Integrate with the people who left me half-dead in an alley?” Summerstream spat, “Integrate with the people who sealed my other side so I wouldn't scare people? You do realize what you were asking, right?” She paused to smile coldly at Ezekiel. She let a few seconds pass before she continued with a simple sentence. Her hatred for what had been done to her overshadowed her tone. Summerstream realized for a moment that she was feeling the same way that Lucretia had been before.

“I do not trust humans easily.”

“In other words, you don't care about the potential costs.” Summerstream heard Ezekiel chuckle, “Very well, but I just figured you needed to know the choices in front of you. Coming with me any further now means no easy turn backs. You better be ready that things will turn upside down for you more than they have already.”

Summerstream closed her eyes, and pictured the sons she had been forced to tell their father to take. She pictured their faces, and their reactions once she returned home. Would they still readily accept her? Her head shook a little, and she opened her eyes to stare into Ezekiel's eyes. There was no hesitation in her gaze.

“Considering everything my life has been? I don't trust these people, even if I have them to thank for my standing here today.” Summerstream declared, her voice that had grown cold before was full of conviction. She straightened up, and raised her head. “I will go with you. We are the best hope that Lucretia has for getting through this alive. We have to protect her from Amdusias.”

Ezekiel started to stare at her. She watched his gaze search her face, and judge her body language. It was several minutes before he spoke again.

“Freedom doesn't mean happiness, but it does mean a way forward. Fine, we'll make sure Lucretia isn't harmed by Amdusias. The plans haven't changed there.”

Summerstream smiled, and put her head against the wood support behind her. “I would much rather fight for my happiness, than have it given to me in a silver platter.” She looked at Ezekiel with a motherly gaze. “You can take the reins. Just tell me what needs doing.”