raith_rogue (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
raith_rogue) wrote2011-09-06 10:24 pm
raith_rogue) wrote2011-09-06 10:24 pm
Entry tags:
To Kill a Puck--Aftermath
Thomas didn’t pay much attention to his surroundings as he crossed into Faerie, beyond searching for somewhere to comfortably set Robin down. He found himself in a field and knelt, setting Robin on the ground and keeping his hand pressed to the puck’s neck where his lifeblood was doing its best to leave him. “Hold on, Robin. Just hold on,” he begged softly, then threw his head back and called out to the only creature he could think of to ask.
“LEANANSIDHE! I CALL YOU!” He waited a moment, looking around, listening for the fae’s approach. When he heard and saw nothing, he tried again. “LEANANSIDHE!” He closed his eyes, counted to three, and took a breath to call once again. “L--”
“You needn’t shout, pet,” Lea remarked from behind him, making Thomas jump. He glanced back at the faerie, absently noting her inhuman beauty and then disregarding it. “Though your daring in summoning one of my caliber must be commended,” she added in a purr that had steel beneath it.
“I need your help,” Thomas said simply, pressing his hand harder to Robin’s throat. “Lesser fae may not be able to provide the service I’m requesting.”
Lea circled around him, looking at the bleeding puck and clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “Clumsy of him to have allowed such a wound. I would have expected better of a trickster.”
Thomas didn’t care what Lea’s opinion was. He cared about one thing. “Can you save him?”
Lea laughed that musical laugh of hers, sending a shiver down Thomas’ spine. “Silly little phage. Of course I can. But what can you do?”
Thomas bowed his head. “I will be in your debt. One favour to be redeemed at your desire.” He looked up and added, “But I will not be your property. I don’t like dogs.”
Lea smirked and shook her head, nudging Robin’s hip with a slippered toe. “I am afraid, child, that the price is steeper than that.”
Thomas narrowed his eyes. “Name your price, then.”
Lea tapped a shimmering red fingernail against her lips, considering. “In exchange for the puck’s life, you will be at my beck and call for a year and a day.”
“I won’t stay in the Nevernever,” Thomas immediately countered. “You can have my services, but I’m not getting an apartment in the nearest toadstool. And I won’t do anything to Harry.”
Lea pouted a little at that, but finally nodded. “Acceptable terms, my sweet. Now promise thy fealty and seal your fate.” She smiled, catlike eyes bright with triumph.
“I will serve you for a year and a day,” Thomas repeated.
Lea knelt on Robin’s other side, smile widening, looking predatory, and gave Thomas an expectant look, one graceful hand hovering above Robin.
Thomas’ shoulders slumped, but a glance at Robin’s graying face made the words easy to speak. “I pledge my fealty for the agreed period.”
“Thrice said and done!” Lea announced, clapping her hands in delight. “Oh, this will be a treat.” She brushed Thomas’ hand away impatiently and covered the wound with her own. It was only a few moments before she lifted her hand away and bent to slide her lips and tongue over the bloody but healed skin. “Ahhh. Puck blood. Long has it been since I’ve tasted its sweetness,” she exhaled, then sat back. “There. Your beloved trickster will live to see the sunrise, though I make no promises beyond, if he is as careless as he seems.”
Thomas rose to his feet and gave a formal bow. “Thank you. Now will you open a Way so we can return?”
Lea’s eyebrow rose. “That was not part of the deal, phageling. Safe passage will require a further price.”
“You already have me for a year!” Thomas protested.
Lea sighed and shook her head. “Those who dwell among mortals seem to absorb their stupidity,” she murmured. Then she smiled and relented. “A small price, then. A single kiss.”
Thomas’ hand went to his neck where he still bore the scar of the last kiss Lea had given him, but Robin was still unconscious, and he didn’t know how to get back without a lot of trekking through the Nevernever to the places he was familiar with. Trekking with Robin’s dead weight in his arms, after the battle and the bullet wound in his leg just starting to make itself known. “...Fine.”
Lea smiled and gracefully rose, stepping over Robin’s body and pressing her mouth to Thomas’. Cold...it was so cold. And dizzying. It stole Thomas’ breath and made his body react in a way probably very similar to how others reacted to his kiss. It seemed to go on forever and yet when the kiss ended he found himself wishing it wouldn’t.
Until the burning started in his mouth. He hissed and stepped back. “The price is paid. Open the gate,” he growled, the pain growing.
Lea waved a dismissive hand at Robin and started to walk away, halting about fifty yards further where a portal appeared. Thomas gathered Robin gently in his arms and followed, looking through and seeing familiar buildings. Just a few blocks from his apartment, that was good.
Lea slipped behind Thomas and slid a hand into his pants pocket, but before he could protest her hand was gone again, leaving a chilly weight behind. “Keep my trinket on your person at all times, my steward. I will call you when I have need.”
Thomas nodded once and stepped back into the heat of a summer night in Kin.
“LEANANSIDHE! I CALL YOU!” He waited a moment, looking around, listening for the fae’s approach. When he heard and saw nothing, he tried again. “LEANANSIDHE!” He closed his eyes, counted to three, and took a breath to call once again. “L--”
“You needn’t shout, pet,” Lea remarked from behind him, making Thomas jump. He glanced back at the faerie, absently noting her inhuman beauty and then disregarding it. “Though your daring in summoning one of my caliber must be commended,” she added in a purr that had steel beneath it.
“I need your help,” Thomas said simply, pressing his hand harder to Robin’s throat. “Lesser fae may not be able to provide the service I’m requesting.”
Lea circled around him, looking at the bleeding puck and clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “Clumsy of him to have allowed such a wound. I would have expected better of a trickster.”
Thomas didn’t care what Lea’s opinion was. He cared about one thing. “Can you save him?”
Lea laughed that musical laugh of hers, sending a shiver down Thomas’ spine. “Silly little phage. Of course I can. But what can you do?”
Thomas bowed his head. “I will be in your debt. One favour to be redeemed at your desire.” He looked up and added, “But I will not be your property. I don’t like dogs.”
Lea smirked and shook her head, nudging Robin’s hip with a slippered toe. “I am afraid, child, that the price is steeper than that.”
Thomas narrowed his eyes. “Name your price, then.”
Lea tapped a shimmering red fingernail against her lips, considering. “In exchange for the puck’s life, you will be at my beck and call for a year and a day.”
“I won’t stay in the Nevernever,” Thomas immediately countered. “You can have my services, but I’m not getting an apartment in the nearest toadstool. And I won’t do anything to Harry.”
Lea pouted a little at that, but finally nodded. “Acceptable terms, my sweet. Now promise thy fealty and seal your fate.” She smiled, catlike eyes bright with triumph.
“I will serve you for a year and a day,” Thomas repeated.
Lea knelt on Robin’s other side, smile widening, looking predatory, and gave Thomas an expectant look, one graceful hand hovering above Robin.
Thomas’ shoulders slumped, but a glance at Robin’s graying face made the words easy to speak. “I pledge my fealty for the agreed period.”
“Thrice said and done!” Lea announced, clapping her hands in delight. “Oh, this will be a treat.” She brushed Thomas’ hand away impatiently and covered the wound with her own. It was only a few moments before she lifted her hand away and bent to slide her lips and tongue over the bloody but healed skin. “Ahhh. Puck blood. Long has it been since I’ve tasted its sweetness,” she exhaled, then sat back. “There. Your beloved trickster will live to see the sunrise, though I make no promises beyond, if he is as careless as he seems.”
Thomas rose to his feet and gave a formal bow. “Thank you. Now will you open a Way so we can return?”
Lea’s eyebrow rose. “That was not part of the deal, phageling. Safe passage will require a further price.”
“You already have me for a year!” Thomas protested.
Lea sighed and shook her head. “Those who dwell among mortals seem to absorb their stupidity,” she murmured. Then she smiled and relented. “A small price, then. A single kiss.”
Thomas’ hand went to his neck where he still bore the scar of the last kiss Lea had given him, but Robin was still unconscious, and he didn’t know how to get back without a lot of trekking through the Nevernever to the places he was familiar with. Trekking with Robin’s dead weight in his arms, after the battle and the bullet wound in his leg just starting to make itself known. “...Fine.”
Lea smiled and gracefully rose, stepping over Robin’s body and pressing her mouth to Thomas’. Cold...it was so cold. And dizzying. It stole Thomas’ breath and made his body react in a way probably very similar to how others reacted to his kiss. It seemed to go on forever and yet when the kiss ended he found himself wishing it wouldn’t.
Until the burning started in his mouth. He hissed and stepped back. “The price is paid. Open the gate,” he growled, the pain growing.
Lea waved a dismissive hand at Robin and started to walk away, halting about fifty yards further where a portal appeared. Thomas gathered Robin gently in his arms and followed, looking through and seeing familiar buildings. Just a few blocks from his apartment, that was good.
Lea slipped behind Thomas and slid a hand into his pants pocket, but before he could protest her hand was gone again, leaving a chilly weight behind. “Keep my trinket on your person at all times, my steward. I will call you when I have need.”
Thomas nodded once and stepped back into the heat of a summer night in Kin.