User:Myntlady/sandbox

My Father; Sir Dodinel

Shining armor gleaming, Sword at hip, Spurs spark on the cobble road, Helmet under arm, Walking tall and looking proud. Here comes my father, Handsome and gallant, He is a Knight of the Round table, He is heroic and kind, He is Sir Dodinel.

Sweat dripped down his face, His breathing heavy, A smile upon his face, Though his neck is sun burned, He looks to have had a fine time on the battle field.

Reenactment or not, My father is a knight, A symbol of bravery and pride, Of honor and loyalty, My dad fights in armor in the 21st century.

I look to him for guidance, I do the best I can, To make him proud and happy, I do what I can, To be as honorable and loyal as my father.

Kyntra

A chilling breeze brushed against my bare skin startling me awake. Sitting up I looked around to find myself in the south side of the cattle field, only a quarter of a mile from the Laro Woods. ‘Odd’ I thought to myself as I stood and dusted myself off. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath to better wake myself, then started off towards the barn, which was closed, keeping the cattle outside, vulnerable to an attack by the Nazira.

The white moon was high set above me, the violet moon just above the tree line to the east as I started walking to the barn. I wandered to the doors and I tried to open them, they would not budge, they seemed to be locked from the inside. “Oh come on!” I whispered to myself, the lightly kicked the door, making a face at it. “Humph!” I walked to the side door, silently swung it open and crept inside. White moonlight fell through the cracks in the sides of the barn, giving me just enough to see a shadowy figure lying in the middle of the barn floor.

I found a cattle prod next to the door, grabbed it and further entered the barn, slowly making my way to the sleeping figure. An arm wrapped around my chest, hand resting on my right shoulder, and the coolness of a blade found its place on the left of my neck, ready to spill my blood. “Don’t move” cooed a light voice in her ear, I was held tight against the perpetrators body.

“Doesn’t look like I have a choice, now do I?” I dropped the cattle prod and leaned into the man, “do you always hold a knife to a ladies throat?”

“Just ladies who are going to hit me with a cattle prod,” he quietly said in my ear. I couldn’t help but smile slightly, the hand on my left shoulder loosened, the knife left my neck, and I was released. I turned around slowly to look at the mans’ face, surprised to find not a man, but a boy, one of whom was my own age.

“Wh-” I was cut short by a screech from outside, one that could only belong to the Nazira. “By the love of the seven kingdoms,” I scoffed under my breath as I ran to the large barn doors, I could feel the rumble of the cattle as they scattered outside, trying to stay alive. I couldn’t move fast enough, the large fortifying log was in place, and the damn thing was heavy.

I breathed in deeply, and began to slide the log to the left to release the doors; the boy was by my side pushing in an instant. A gurgling scream of a cow could be heard just outside the door; air rushed through the slightest cracks and under the doors as the Nazira flapped its mighty wings. I pushed against the door to swing it outward, it wasn’t easy to open with the cattle pressed against it, but with the boys help the doors opened, allowing the fear crazed cattle to stampede in.

As soon as the last cow rampaged in, I my pushed my door closed staying on the outside while the boy pulled his in closed. I heard the log scrap along the door to keep them closed. I sighed in relief, and rested my head on the door, smiling to myself, “Only lost one.”

The inward joy of saving the cattle was short lived, for right behind me was the beast, its warm breath incasing me in the smell of its fresh kill. I froze up, only barely able to turn around to face the beast; I wanted to look into its eyes, like my father had, when it killed me. Curiosity and intrigue danced in the eyes of the beast, its lizard mouth dripped with blood, its feathered wing stained dark red, its claws still held the flesh of a cow.

The beast stood for a few moments, eyeing me, then turned and dashed off, leaping into the air and catching the breeze with its wings, soaring ever higher, ever further above the trees, till it was out of sight. I released a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, slumped against the wooden door, and stared at the sky.

“You coming in?” two knocks on the door awoke her from her stupor; I shook my head in disbelief, and stumbled to the side door. Upon entering, my favorite cow was near the door, she came over and licked my arms and face, “glad you made it Jasmin,” I patted her neck, and smiled at her.

“Jasmin? You named your cow?” The boy had a mocking tone to the question, I ignored his questions.

“Why did you lock my cows out? Why are you in my barn?” I kept looking at Jasmin and not at him. I kept brushing my hand along her neck, I could feel her anxiety, as if it was my own, I also felt happiness from her at seeing me.

“I did not lock the cattle out, and I don’t remember preparing my bed in the middle of the barn floor either, I just woke and the cattle was gone, I was in the middle of the barn, and the doors were locked. I heard you not a moment after I awoke at the large doors, and,” he grunted as he pushed a cow aside to get closer to the side door, “I thought you were here to kill me, so I snuck up on you and grabbed you.”

I looked at him then, examining him, he was tall, brown eyed, dark short hair, light colored skin and it seemed a hint of a smile always danced on his pale lips. He wore a dirty white shirt, very dark colored pants; a leather satchel was slung over his left shoulder, and he looked exhausted, though there was something about his physique that made him kind of handsome.

I sighed, “you look exhausted, come with me, I have a spare room in the house, you can stay there the night.” I shook my head, patted Jasmin, turned and left the barn, closing the door after the boy. “Does the boy have a name?” I asked, nonchalantly, as I started up the path to the house.

“He does, it is Castiel. Does the lady have a name?” Castiel walked beside me, he kept starring up at the moons.

“I do, my name is Kyntra. What brings you to these parts of the country?” I picked up a stick along the way and swung it into the grass.

“I’m on a quest,” he said with a yawn.

“A quest? Way out here? Whatever for?” I looked at him, eyebrow cocked in a question.

“I’d rather not say at this time.” He looked at me for a brief second, before he stopped and looked ahead.

I looked in front of me, nearly running into the fence gate. I unlatched it and swung it away from me, stepped into the yard, and closed it behind Castiel. “Fallow me, I’ll show you your room,” I smiled at him briefly, then fallowed the path to the door, entering the house and took Castiel upstairs, second door to the right, stepping into the room.

“There are spare clothes in the chest at the end of the bed, water basin the left, dresser to the right, and extra blankets under the clothes in the chest.” I grabbed the lamp next to the door and lit it with a match. I pointed to the door across from his and said, “That is my room, if you need anything, just knock,” then I turned and pointed at the dresser, “leave your dirty clothes there, I’ll take care of them in the morning.” I handed him the lamp, turned and started to leave the room, “Thank you.” I stopped for a brief moment in the doorway, smiled to myself, and then left the room, entering my own.

I closed my door and leaned against it, my hands behind my back. I closed my eyes, inhaled deeply, and slowly let go of my breath. “What an odd night,” I whispered, then jumped into bed and pulled the covers over me, allowing sleep take me away, and for the first time since my father died, I dreamt.

Castiel

Castiel woke just before the sun rose; he was in a cold sweat, the dreams hovering at the edge of his memory. He needed some water, his mouth was bone dry, but he didn’t want to wake the Kyntra if she was asleep. He sat up and stared at the blanket entangling his feet, he felt sick to his stomach, the nightmarish memories of that night played faded in his mind, he had to recall everything that happened there, he could not forget.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and relaxed his shoulders. He sat with his eyes closed, inhaling deeply and slowly releasing, for a little bit, trying to bring back the past, a past he wishes so badly to change, but he cannot. There is nothing he could do but leave.

He opened his eyes and turned and threw his legs over the side of the bed, kicking the blankets off his feet, the blanket dropped to the floor. Castiel stepped onto the blanket, and stretched. He looked about himself, noticing his dirty clothes were no longer at the foot of his bed, there were some clean day clothes on top of the chest, and there was fresh water in the water basin.

Castiel tiptoed to the water basin, bent over and splashed water on his face, the coolness of it helped push away his nightmare, and waken him more. His grogginess away, he helped himself to the clean day clothes and stepped outside his door. A heavenly smell drifted up stairs, the delicious aromas filled his nose, making his mouth water and his stomach grumble. Smiling to himself, he wandered down stairs, an open den with a large wooden table in the middle is what he stumbled upon. Cooling coals lay in a pit to his right, a door strait a head, and a door way directly to his left, which is the way he went, towards the smells and sounds of something cooking.

“You’re awake, humph. Well, fallow me.” He turned to find Kyntra, smiling, holding a basket of clothing, which she set down in the open doorway leading out the back of the house. Kyntra walked back out the doorway he had just entered; he followed her back into the den.

She led him to the large wooden table and instructed him to sit. She disappeared around the corner into the kitchen, and was back with a large basket of fruits and breads, and a plate of cooked beef and pork. She left again and came back with a mug and a pitcher of warm ale, all the makings of a perfect breakfast.

It had been a while since Castiel had eaten like this, so he took his time, savoring every bite of the delicious home cooked food. Castiel ate all of the beef, the taste was so rich he couldn’t help himself, he tried the bread in the basket, it was still warm, freshly baked, it was the perfect soft inside, but slightly crunchy crust. He dug into the strawberries, it was berry explosion in his mouth. He didn’t much touch the ale, he never quite liked the taste, but he had to at least try it.

He finished up his platter of meats, worked on his third bread bun, then sat back and relaxed. With a sigh he sat back and wiped his mouth with a napkin. He closed his eyes and let the fullness of his stomach settle in, ‘I could have this every day, one day’ pleasant thoughts floated through his mind.

“You look like you could use a good days rest and a bath in the stream boy,” the voice startled him; he looked up to find a shorter, well-aged version of Kyntra. “Allow me to grab that plate from you, unless you’re still eating?” Her sharp blue eyes barred into him, they seemed kind, but there was something else about them he couldn’t quite pin point. “Oh, no, I’m full, ma’am, the food was great, I just can’t seem to get enough of those strawberries though,” he picked another strawberry out of the basket and smiled at Kyntra’s mother before popping it into his mouth.

“Fresh from the garden dear boy, my little Kyntra picked them especially for you this morning. How did you two meet? She never said,” Kyntra’s mother eyed him like any mother should eye a stranger, suspiciously.

Castiel blushed at Kyntra’s thoughtful pickings of strawberries. He had put a knife to her neck the night before, and she gives him a room and breakfast. He looked down slightly embarrassed. “We met in the barn last night, the winged beast terrorized your herd of cattle and I helped open the barn doors to let them in. It was a really odd night, miss.”

“Hmm. Well, she wouldn’t have brought you in, let alone pick berries just for you, if she didn’t have a good feeling about you.” Kyntra’s mother picked up Castiel’s dishes, “my names Madelda, by the way.”

Castiel stood, leaning against the table and stretched a little bit, “Nice to meet you. The name’s Castiel.” He reached over and grabbed his plate and mug and started to clean after himself. “Is there anything I can do to earn my keep for the night?

Madelda stopped for a moment, eyed him once more, then said, “can you feed water and milk a cow?”

Castiel looked up at her, “yes ma’am.”

“If you could do that, I’ll take care of these dishes.” She smiled at Castiel.

“I’m right on it,” he returned the smile, piled his dish on her stack, then headed out the back door of the kitchen.

Castiel inhaled deeply, taking in the early spring morning. The sky bright blue with the suns glorious warmth, birds sung off in the distance, dew lay upon the blades of grass, giving it just a glamorous sparkle. Castiel started down the path, through the gate, and to the cattle barn. The cattle were out grazing, giving him the room in the barn to work. He put hay in the feeder, carried buckets of water from the creek and filled the water trough, and then proceeded to milk the cows that needed to be milked.

Bringing a good sized bucket of milk to the house, he wandered back towards the house, taking in every moment, every aspect, every smell and sound of this day. He also wondered where Kyntra was now; the sun was higher, the day growing warmer, he wondered if she was in the house, or if she was outside.

After dropping off the milk to Madelda, Castiel wandered to the creek. Dropping to his knees his splashed the cold water on his face, he let out a satisfied sigh. “Good morning!” a happy voice startled him, he looked quickly over his left shoulder to see Kyntra walking towards him, a basket on her hip. He smiled and returned the greeting.

“How was breakfast? Still feel like I’m gonna try and kill ya?” Kyntra giggled slightly, she dropped the basket a few feet from him and crashed onto the green grass, staring at the sky.

“Breakfast was wonderful, thank you. Those strawberries are one of a kind.” He smiled and lay back on the grass, looking at the clouds.

“It was nothing, just a thank you for helping with the cows I guess. So why were you in the barn, with it shut tight and the cows out for the Nazira?” Kyntra’s voice was high and light, like she was talking about the weather with a dear friend.

“Well, I don’t even remember going into the barn last night, I actually fell asleep in the woods, probably not far from here. I just, woke up and was in the middle of the barn floor, felt like my head was struck against stone. Only a few moments after I woke you hit the barn doors, I snuck up on you when you entered, and you know the rest.” Castiel rolled his head to the side to look at her.

“Why in the lands were you in those woods?!” Kyntra’s voice was full of intrigue, she turned her head to look at him, “and how odd you should wake up in the barn the night I wake up in the middle of the cattle field. I didn’t wake till it felt like someone stroked my arms, it was just the breeze though, a really cold one.” She made a thoughtful face and looked back to the sky.

“Hmm,” Castiel thought, the pieces jumbled around in his head, “hey, do you hear that?”

“Hear what? I don’t hear anything,” Kyntra trailed off, not a moment later she sat bolt upright, “the cattle.” Castiel jumped up alongside Kyntra, both turned, and bolted towards the barn. The cattle were on the other side of the field, closest to the woods, and when Castiel rounded the corner to the open barn doors, he stopped dead in his tracks, as still as a tree with no breeze. Kyntra bumped into him ever so slightly, “hey!” just the small yelp from Kyntra was enough to make the beasts head turn towards them; deep black eyes stared at them both.

Kyntra

I raced to the open doors of the barn, barely avoiding running Castiel over when he stopped dead in his tracks, “hey!” I talked before I realized why he stopped, there in the middle of the barn lay the cousin of the royal griffin, and cousin of the feared dragon, a Nazira, it’s large beady eyes stared at us both, the beast made no attempt to stand, in fact, it lay its head back down, a sense of defeat waved over me.

I stepped towards the beast, it didn’t move, as I got closer, I saw that two arrows stuck out from its scaly shoulder. The beasts breathing was ragged, and as I took another step towards it to check out the wound, something grabbed my arm, startling me, I jumped and turned, Castiel stared at me, a hard look on his face. “Let me,” he stepped past me then, seemingly fearless as he stepped right up to the wounded animal. He reached up, not even jumping as the beast moved its hind leg, and touched the base of the arrow.

“It’s not too deeply embedded in him,” Castiel trailed off, I stepped closer, he looked sharply at me, I stared daringly back as I stepped ever closer. Soon I was pretty much on top of the wound, even laying down I had to stand on my tippy toes to look at the beast, and I am a tall girl.

“I can clean the wound, but I’ll have to get these arrow heads out,” at the mention of the arrows, the beasts raised its feathery lizard head and looked at them, understanding filled its eyes, the feeling of relief washed over me, not of my own, but of the beasts. “It’s going to be alright,” I smiled at the beast, though I wasn’t sure why I was going to help it. I could take its head to the market and get a reward that would set me and my mother up for life.

I stepped away and scurried to the front of the barn, opened a cabinet that I keep medicines and tools for the cattle in, grabbed a knife, clippers, and the healing balm, then scurried back. “I’m going to cut the flank of the arrow, I need you to hold them as still as you can, then grab them when their loose. Then I’m going to have to dig out the heads, but you’ll have to help me onto the shoulder of the beast, I’m too short otherwise, unless of course you know how to do it without further hurting the beast?”

Castiel looked to the beast, then back at me, “are you sure you want to do it?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” he nodded at me and we proceeded as planned, cutting off the tails of the arrows, then I was on top of the shoulder, knife in one hand, balm in the other. I looked to the beasts face, and patted him ever so slightly, “this is going to hurt.”

I dug the knife under the scales were the heads were wedged, they weren’t in as deep as I thought, but all the same, the beast kicked its legs, moved its wings showing its distress. “One… Two… Three… There, they’re all out.” I dropped three arrow heads and the knife to the floor, and began to open the balm, “this is going to stink,” I warned Cas, I scraped some of the

The sun was close to setting when the guests started to arrive, there would be a good 10 or 11 people coming tonight, not including ourselves. The wind had picked up, and dark clouds chased across the sky, like it was going after the sun itself. “Alright ma, I’ll be right back.” I dusted my hands off, flour powdered into the air, then I walked to the door, snatching up the clothes basket as I passed, and slipped outside. The wind whipped my hair around my face, I had to put the basket down, put my foot in it, and do up my hair. After that I picked the basket up again, went to the clothes, luckily most of them stayed, there might be a few missing shirts, but nothing serious. I snatched clothes off the lines, I had to hold onto them as I piled the clothes in the basket, they almost flew right out. The last piece of clothing I grabbed was a blanket, I used that as a cover for the basket, and headed inside.

“It is so windy, ma! I can’t remember the last time it was like this!” I set the basket down, my hair was ripped out of its bun, I fixed my hair and huffed. “Ma, are you even listening to me?” I stepped further into the kitchen, ma was standing at one counter, but she didn’t seem to be moving, “ma?” It was almost like she was frozen, but then all I could see was her back.

“Hello.” The voice startled me, and I turned to where it resonated from, a man, tall, black cloak on, deep voice, such dark eye’s, I think they were brown, black hair, a beard on only his chin, and when I saw him, I froze, goose bumps forming on my arms, I felt like I was being held where I was by a boa strength grip, every breath was fought for. “Don’t fight it Kyntra. You’ll only hurt yourself.”

“Who are you?” I tried to relax, tried to take the tenseness away from my muscles, and slowly I was winning back my own will to move.

“Oh, well, I know who you are, yet you don’t know who I am. What a shame it is for you then, isn’t it?” He smiled, stepped towards me, I saw him holding a black, walking stick that went up just past his hip. “Who I am is unimportant, but who you have in this house, that is important. Castiel is a very, very bad man, or boy, if you want to put it that way. He killed a whole family, and he is praying on you and your lovely mother. Do you want to perish into the flames of Ebony’s lair, like his last prey did?”

With that he was near enough to me, he raised his hand and touched my chin, ever so slightly. “Do you want that to happen?” He asked me, his face so close to mine our noses could have touched at the slightest movement.

“Castiel. Is. Not. Who. You. Say. He. Is.” I had to fight for every word, in between each word I had to fight to breathe. It was getting harder to breathe, let alone speak.

“Oh, but he is! You see, I am dead, and this, this is just a dream. You have fallen asleep in the grass just after you finished washing those clothes. You haven’t even put them up yet.” His voice was deep, smooth, hypnotic, I was starting to believe him, but I came to my senses once more.

“I. Am. Not. Asleep.” I gasp for breath, it seems like I am being crushed. All of a sudden I hear the wind howling, my mother moving, making noise, humming her typical tune, “if your not asleep, then why can’t you grab her? Talk to her, and her hear you?” I can move now, breath, and I take a step toward ma, “Ma? Can you hear me? Ma?!” I go to grab her shoulder, and I slip through her body, catching myself on the counter, ma didn’t even seemed phased.

“What did you do!” I demanded, looking to the man now, he smiled but said nothing, so I stomped my up to him, so I was looking right into his eye’s, “What did you do.” I demanded once more. Suddenly I can breath again, and all was quiet, I was being held in place, constricted.

“Relax, as I said, you are sleeping. This is just a dream.” He circled me slowly, stopping behind me, “just a dream.” He reached out and pulled my ponytail clear of my neck, and came close, inhaling the sent of my hair, he moved to my naked neck, his chin brushing ever so slightly against the nape of my neck, he whispered, “wake up.”

My eye’s blink open, and a slight groan escaped me, I tried to sit up, but my head was pounding so hard I couldn’t even see strait, let alone think strait. “Whoa, stay down, wait a little bit before you sit up.” Castiel’s voice was next to me, soft and soothing.

“Wha… What happened?” I groaned again, reaching up to rub my aching temple. “Here, drink this, it should help with your head.” Something brushed my lips, then a sweet liquid rushed into my watering mouth. “You slipped on the wet grass outside, bumped your head on a rock.” I tried to look at him, but he was doubling up, then coming together, then separating to two again, I close my eye’s.

“Where was I, where am I?” My words are forced, and a little mumbled.

“You were outside, you are inside, in your bedroom. Your mother got me while I was setting up the dining table, I carried you in here as directed. Want me to get your mother.” He dabbed my forehead with a cool wet cloth to calm the raging fire that was over coming me. “No, please don’t leave me. I don’t want to be alone.” He didn’t move from his seat, but wetted the clothe in a bowl by the bed and dabbed my forehead again, “as you wish, my lady.” I smiled slightly, as did he, then I nodded off into a deep, dark, dreamless sleep.

Castiel

Castiel held Kyntra’s hand as she nodded off, he was worried for her, there was something different about her energies, something all too familiar. He took the damp wash cloth and dabbed her hot forehead. Her hands were ice cold, her forehead hotter than the fire that burned in the hearth.

When Kyntra was asleep, Castiel decided to grab a bite to eat. There were guests down stairs, they had been dining for the past hour while Kyntra had been resting, but Castiel had stayed with Kyntra, and hadn’t eaten since mid day, and that was barely anything, because there was going to be a feast of a dinner. He hadn’t seen the guests enter the house, he did not see who they were.

Going down the steps two at a time, there was no sound of conversation as he went. Castiel turned the corner to the dining room to find that the 10 guests that came were sitting at the table, there eye’s blank, jaws open in fear, throats slit. Blood soaked their necks, their shirts were stained, they still held their utensils for eating. Castiel glanced around the room for the 11th diner, Kyntra’s mother, Madilda. She was gone, the seat at the end of the table was empty. Ignoring the startled, frightened faces of the dead gazing diners, Castiel walked to the empty seat at the end of the table. There was an envelope on the seat. Red lip paint imprinted the upper right corner of the envelope, a signature kiss of the leader of the bandits that have been terrorizing these parts, the ones that took his village a few years back. He reached down and tenderly grabbed it, memories coming back to mind of that night his life turned upside down. He placed it just inside his shirt, where the bandages were.

Movement behind him made him turn, a dark cloaked figure with a black mask took aim and let loose an arrow from the well made bow, Castiel moved slightly to the right and dodged the arrow, it whistled past and hit with a thud on the wooden wall behind him. He darted toward the dark person, who turned with a flare of the black cloak, and disappeared out the back door before he could get there. He got to the door, hearing faint whistling, he quickly closed the door just as 7 arrows penetrated the door, the heads stuck out on his side. Something crashed against the side of the house, and then a thud of an arrow, and crackling of a fire fallowed.

He knew he only had a few moments, he had to get the girl and get out, or they would be consumed in a fiery fate. He takes the steps two at a time, black suffocating smoke building up just above his head as he raced to Kyntra’s room. The door was cracked open, and there seamed to be someone else in the room. He threw the door open, freezing in the door way, it couldn’t be Him, he was gone, Castiel had rid Him of this world years ago, but here he was, a dark cloaked man brushing the hair off of Kyntra’s face. He couldn’t move, his breathing was becoming more labored. “Get out of here!” He whispered, putting all his effort in just making out the words.

“Ssshhh, you’ll wake her,” the man looked at him, his eye’s glowing slightly red through the darkness of his hood, he raised his arm up like he was reaching for Castiel, then flicked his wrist, and Castiel was thrown against the wooden wall outside the door. “You have been a bad boy, killing all her little friends, and where’s her mother, Cas, where’s her mother?” He stood slowly as he talked, his arm stretched out, palm toward Castiel, holding him to the wall.

Castiel didn’t say anything, it would take too much energy, energy he needed to fight back against the mans’ power. Castiel pushed back against the mans dark energy that held him to the wall, managing only to move his hand slightly out from under him before the man stood up and started to slowly step toward Castiel, the pressure was building on him. The man stood in the doorway now, hand up, palm showing to Castiel, the pressure held Castiel firmly to the wall, he couldn’t breathe, blood started to drip from his nose.

Cas felt around with his own power, there was no way he could push his way out, so he searched for a crack in the darkness that held him. There was just the slightest crack, all he would need, in the darkness, and Cas flooded it with his power, shattering the mans’ grip on him, he fell to the floor, coughing and trying to regain his breath. The man snickered at him, threw a small pouch at the ground and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Castiel pushed past the dizziness, he needed to get the girl out, and fast. He shakily got to his feet and stumbled into the bedroom, black smoke burning his eyes. Castiel covered his mouth with his elbow as he found his way around the bed to the window, breaking it open, smoke billowed out, no fresh air came to him, he needed to hurry before he suffocated. He felt his way back to the other side of the bed, picked up Kyntra bridle style and stumbled into the hallway, leaning against the wall to gain his bearings. Flames licked up the walls of the stairway; he would have to risk falling through.

Carefully hurrying down the inflamed stairs Castiel

The sun was still setting as he waded up to his knees through the creek that ran past the burning house, and briskly walked through the field toward the unknown wooded land ahead. He didn’t look back, but willed the creek to become a raging river that would douse the flames. Rushing water sounded behind him as he made his way across the field to the Laro Woods.

By the time he reached the wooded area, about a mile from the house, the fire was out, the smoke dispersing in a wind, and the creek was back to its normal flow. The first moon was just rising, the suns light barely lighting the sky to the west. The trees blocked out most of the white glow of the first moon, Castiel could barely see, but he kept moving, slowly, but surly further into the woods. He stopped when he came to a small clear space between three large trees. The area was enough space for him to build a fire in the middle, and for two or three people to sleep near the fire, and not get burned. He laid Kyntra near one of the trees, the way the roots came up made for very nice cover from any wind, though he doubted there would be wind this deep in the forest. He turned after a moment of looking at her shadowy sleeping figure; entering into the forest again he searched for flat rocks and some fallen branches for the fire and the pit. Making marks on a few trees as he went to make sure he didn’t lose his spot, and lose the girl. He still didn’t wander far, always checking to make sure he didn’t lose sight of his area.

He didn’t spend too much time gathering wood and smooth stones; he didn’t want Kyntra to get top cold in her sleep stupor. He made a small fire, cracking flint rocks he had on his person to get the flames going, cooing it on with his breath. Once the fire was set, he wandered off a little ways and found himself a rabbit, which he proceeded to conk over the head for dinner.

Castiel broke apart a rock and got a nice sharp one he could use to cut and skin the rabbit, then headed back with rabbit in one hand, rock knife in the other. He cooked the rabbit and laid out its pelt to dry, it would have been better if he had salt with him, but they were nowhere near the ocean, and all of his stuff burned in the house. He proceeded to make jerky out of the rabbit setting it aside for later. Sleep was slowly over taking him, and the warmed air and lullaby of rustling leaves way over head didn’t help. He fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

“Castiel. Castiel, wake up! Where are we? Castiel open your eye’s!” urgency in the whisper awoke him, and something poking his cheek added to it. He rubbed his eyes and proceeded to sit up, stifling a yawn. “Castiel, where are we?” he looked around, they were in between three trees, there was a fire pit in the middle, with a rabbit pelt laid out to dry, jerky in the making next to it. The night came rushing back to him, the dead eye’s, blood, fire, woods, and then blackness.

He didn’t say anything, just sat up more and reached for the strips of rabbit he had laid out to dry, handed one to Kyntra, who stared confusingly at him, and started to nibble on it.

Kyntra sighed, then started on chewing a bit of rabbit. “Why are we in the woods, why do I smell like smoke, where is my mother, and why are you black?” Castiel stopped chewing and examined what he could of himself, soot encased his arms, and he was guessing it was all over his neck and face.

He grunted and slowly stood up, brushing dirt off his bum, “we are in the Laro Forest, your house burnt down, your mother is gone,” He said this in a flat, monotone voice. He stretched some and started to walk to the forest to get some wood, and possibly find a creek nearby.

“What do you mean, my house burned down, and my mother is gone!? What in the name of the five kingdoms is going on!?”

“My house is dust, my mother is missing, I’m in the middle of the wood with someone I hardly know. My life is in shambles, and to think that I liked you!” Kyntra closed in on herself, holding her knees close to her body, Castiel just stared at her, a flash back of her laying in her bed, the man leaning over her.

No Fair

“It’s not fair, you shouldn’t have to go again! You shouldn’t have to go!” Rosie threw a vase at the wall across the room, “why do you have to go?” she clenched and unclenched her fists as she tried to keep control of her temper. “If not me, then who, Rosie? Who will go out there and fight? Some 15 year old boy? That’s not right Rosie, those soldiers are just kids!” James kept his voice low, with an emphasis on ‘kids’. “Oh, and being just turned 18 takes you out of the kid category?!” Rosie’s voice was growing hoarse now, her energy boost was wearing off. “No, not at all. I am a kid, but I’m also older than most of the men in my platoon. Rosie don’t be angry, I’ll come back, in one piece, I promise.” James reached out to Rosie’s shoulder, his right hand lightly brushed her shoulder, she pulled back and looked away. “There are no promises on the battle field,” she whispered, turning further away from him. She leaned against the kitchen sink and starred out of the window, green flowery meadows filled the view, sun poured in, warming her where it rested on her stomach. “I just don’t want to lose you, not again.” “I’m fine babe, look at me, I’m fine, it was just a scratch,” John stepped closer to Rosie, gently grabbing her chin and turned her face toward his. She looked at him, studied him, she didn’t want to miss a single detail, his brown eye’s, short trimmed hair, facial hair just coming in, the scar above his right eye where spray from an acid bomb hit him. She didn’t want to forget. She closed her eyes and leaned into his hand, into his body, breathing in his musky scent, feeling his shirtless body against her, she grabbed his shoulders and leaned into a kiss, she captured every moment, every touch, every scent and stored it into her memory, this might be the last night with him, and she didn’t want to miss a thing.

“Rosie,” some shook her shoulder, “Rosie wake up. Are you in there?” Someone opened her eye to rouse her from her dream. “Get up, waky, waky, staff sergeants on her way, you are gonna wanna be awake when she gets in ‘ere” Rosie shook herself a little bit at the words ‘staff sergeant.’ She didn’t want to sleep in and cause another 5 mile run to her fellow boots. “What time is it?” Rosie groaned, she reached up and touched her burning forehead, a head ache pounding just underneath her hand. She shook herself awake more, trying to rid herself of the memory of James the night before he left, before he disappeared. Someone shook her shoulder again, then started pulling her out of bed, it was a bit of a drop from the top bunk, so she grabbed the edge of the bed and resisted Alicia’s pulling. “I’m up, I’m up.” “You’d better be, if I have to run an extra 5 miles cause of you, I’m gonna punch you for the rest of the week!” Alicia’s whisper held a threatening tone. “Alicia, its 4 am, I just went to sleep an hour ago, why are we up so early?” Rosie had looked at her watch, 0400 it showed in its green glow. “Staff Sergeant won’t be here for at least another hour. Why did you tell me she was on her way?” “I know. Got you up though, didn’t it?” Alicia’s smile was just barely visible in the barracks darkness. “I need to show you something.” “Better not be another one of those damn spiders you found.” Rosie swung her feet over the side of the bed, stretched and yawned, and then fell silently to the floor. “Jeeze, be all graceful about it why don’t you.” Alicia rolled her eyes as she turned around and led the way to the north door of the barracks. As silently as she could, she opened the creaking door, it’s not all bad during the day when you don’t care about how loud it is, but it seems like gun fire when you’re trying to be quiet in the dead of night. Soon the girls were dashing through the compound, their path lit by the moon. When they came to a quick stop as Alicia gaged where they were in the compound, Rosie had the chance to ask her “What are you trying to show me” Alicia clamped her hand over Rosie’s mouth, “shush” she whispered, just after that she pushed Rosie against the side of the building, out of sight from the compounds chain link fence just 20 yards from where they were. Not two seconds after they hid, two men on patrol walked past, parts of their conversation drifted Rosie’s way. One man yawned, the other spoke lowly, “Stop that, you know yawns are contagious,” finishing his sentence with a yawn of his own. “Your mom’s contagious,” the first guy chuckled, fallowed by “Ow, jerk,” both men chuckled and their footsteps disappeared around a corner. “Come on, quick, before they come back this way.” Alicia pulled Rosie along to the fence, threw her sweat shirt of the barbed wire on top and started to climb. “What the hell are you doing?!” Rosie whispered harshly. “Shh! Just be quiet and climb over after I do!” Alicia pulled herself over the fence and dropped down. “Your turn, and hurry, I think I hear them coming back!” Rosie shook her head, then climbed the fence, grabbing the sweat shirt afterwards. She was then tugged backwards into a bush just a few yards from the fence. The boys turned the corner and were making their way back to the front gates. “I wonder if they’ll tell her,” the first guy from before exclaimed to his partner. “Tell who what?” the second patrolman glanced at the first. “You know what I’m talking about.” “Oh, yeah, I don’t think they’ll tell her till they know it’s definitely him.” Rosie had to shift so that the branch poking her in the back wouldn’t be in her back anymore, with doing so the bush rustled ever so slightly. Both men stopped and looked the girls’ way, the first guy stepped closer to the fence to get a better look, Rosie and Alicia held their breaths, looking wide eyed at the man, hoping he wouldn’t see them. The first guy picked up a good sized rock and tossed it over the fence into the bush, a big black owl flew out of the top of the bush, the rock his Alicia on the top of the head. “Just an owl Luis, let’s keep moving.” Luis stepped away from the fence, satisfied and walked away with the second guy, not another word was said as they disappeared around another corner. “Phew, that was close. What are we doing over here anyways Al?” Rosie turned to Alicia, who wasn’t there. “Al?” Rosie called out softly, “Al where’d you go?” She moved slowly out of the back of the bush, finding Al on her knees bending over something. “Al?” Rosie came to her side, and saw that Alicia was digging at the ground with a spoon. “Almost there,” she whispered. The spoon hit something metal, and Alicia finished digging with her hands, “here we go.” She opened it up, and handed Rosie an unopened letter. The name on the front was Rosie’s name, hand written, and reading the hand writing she knew whose it was. “Where did you get this?” “I work in the mailing department here, remember? I saw it in the burn pile, I thought you should have it.” Rosie’s hands began to shake, she lowered herself to her knees, then slowly opened the envelope. She carefully pulled out a tattered piece of paper, unfolded it and read: Dearest Rose, I hope with all I have left that this makes it to you. I cannot tell you where I am, and I was barely able to get this sent, the first of three I will be sending your way. I am sorry I have been gone so long my love. I have been held captive by Al Jedeh Loes army, and have heard of a dastardly plan being whispered about here. Loes plans to send his army overseas to hit us where it will hurt most, our capital. I would have had this sent to my commanding officer, except that no one can be trusted, they have spies within our ranks, and you are the only one I can trust, and I am sorry I have to put this upon your shoulders. Rose, You are our nations last hope before Loes’s army of millions lands on our shores, you need to find the mole in our ranks, and save us. I will be sending two more letters to you, my love, they will be directions of how to find and access the files I have hidden. Best of luck to you my love, the fate of the nation now depends on you. I love you with all my heart, and I am terribly sorry I have to ask so much of you, but you are the only one I can trust. This is your mission, should you choose to accept it. With all my love, James Slack “You didn’t give me a big choice now did you James?” Rosie whispered, trying to keep tears from her eyes. This had been the first contact she has had from James since his disappearance a year and a half ago, she was over joyed to know he was alive, yet burdened with the mission ahead. Rose couldn’t let him go, so she joined in hopes that she could get deployed where he went missing to go looking for him. “What do you mean James didn’t give you a big choice? Whose James?” Alicia had respectfully been keeping to herself as Rosie read the letter, but now she was trying to see what it said that made Rosie tear up and sound lie a dying pup when she whispered. “James is my husband. And the choice he gave me was to save our nation, or to sit around and watch us get taken over.” Rosie let Alicia read the letter. “Just be careful with it, it’s the first thing I have even heard from him since his...” Rosie trailed off. “Disappearance?” Alicia finished Rosie’s sentence. “Sounds like he really misses you, sending you a letter saying ‘Save the nation or choose not to a live with the consequences, a real charmer your man is,” Alicia rose her eye brow at Rosie. “He always was work first, and I liked that about him. I’m just glad I even hear from him, to just know he is alive is enough for me.” Rosie sad down and looked to the stars, tears streaming down her face, ‘how childish of me to cry’ she thought to herself. “Crap, look at the time. 0445, we better go, we can talk about this later, just, act normal, remember, that letter wasn’t supposed to reach you,” Alicia gave Rosie a small shove, then proceeded to rebury the letter in a small metal box. “Lets go now.” They got up, snuck back through the bush, over the fence, then dashed back to their barracks, not a minute after they both got into bed and pretended to sleep, did the staff sergeant burst into the barracks and shouted at everyone to get their asses up. Another day of running and working their asses off had begun.

Camp

“It’s not fair, you shouldn’t have to go again! You shouldn’t have to go!” Rosie threw a vase at the wall across the room, “why do you have to go?” she clenched and unclenched her fists as she tried to keep control of her temper. “If not me, then who, Rosie? Who will go out there and fight? Some 15 year old boy? That’s not right Rosie, those soldiers are just kids!” James kept his voice low, with an emphasis on ‘kids’. “Oh, and being just turned 18 takes you out of the kid category?!” Rosie’s voice was growing hoarse now, her energy boost was wearing off. “No, not at all. I am a kid, but I’m also older than most of the men in my platoon. Rosie don’t be angry, I’ll come back, in one piece, I promise.” James reached out to Rosie’s shoulder, his right hand lightly brushed her shoulder, she pulled back and looked away. “There are no promises on the battle field,” she whispered, turning further away from him. She leaned against the kitchen sink and starred out of the window, green flowery meadows filled the view, sun poured in, warming her where it rested on her stomach. “I just don’t want to lose you, not again.” “I’m fine babe, look at me, I’m fine, it was just a scratch,” John stepped closer to Rosie, gently grabbing her chin and turned her face toward his. She looked at him, studied him, she didn’t want to miss a single detail, his brown eye’s, short trimmed hair, facial hair just coming in, the scar above his right eye where spray from an acid bomb hit him. She didn’t want to forget. She closed her eyes and leaned into his hand, into his body, breathing in his musky scent, feeling his shirtless body against her, she grabbed his shoulders and leaned into a kiss, she captured every moment, every touch, every scent and stored it into her memory, this might be the last night with him, and she didn’t want to miss a thing.

“Rosie,” some shook her shoulder, “Rosie wake up. Are you in there?” Someone opened her eye to rouse her from her dream. “Get up, waky, waky, staff sergeants on her way, you are gonna wanna be awake when she gets in ‘ere” Rosie shook herself a little bit at the words ‘staff sergeant.’ She didn’t want to sleep in and cause another 5 mile run to her fellow boots. “What time is it?” Rosie groaned, she reached up and touched her burning forehead, a head ache pounding just underneath her hand. She shook herself awake more, trying to rid herself of the memory of James the night before he left, before he disappeared. Someone shook her shoulder again, then started pulling her out of bed, it was a bit of a drop from the top bunk, so she grabbed the edge of the bed and resisted Alicia’s pulling. “I’m up, I’m up.” “You’d better be, if I have to run an extra 5 miles cause of you, I’m gonna punch you for the rest of the week!” Alicia’s whisper held a threatening tone. “Alicia, its 4 am, I just went to sleep an hour ago, why are we up so early?” Rosie had looked at her watch, 0400 it showed in its green glow. “Staff Sergeant won’t be here for at least another hour. Why did you tell me she was on her way?” “I know. Got you up though, didn’t it?” Alicia’s smile was just barely visible in the barracks darkness. “I need to show you something.” “Better not be another one of those damn spiders you found.” Rosie swung her feet over the side of the bed, stretched and yawned, and then fell silently to the floor. “Jeeze, be all graceful about it why don’t you.” Alicia rolled her eyes as she turned around and led the way to the north door of the barracks. As silently as she could, she opened the creaking door, it’s not all bad during the day when you don’t care about how loud it is, but it seems like gun fire when you’re trying to be quiet in the dead of night. Soon the girls were dashing through the compound, their path lit by the moon. When they came to a quick stop as Alicia gaged where they were in the compound, Rosie had the chance to ask her “What are you trying to show me” Alicia clamped her hand over Rosie’s mouth, “shush” she whispered, just after that she pushed Rosie against the side of the building, out of sight from the compounds chain link fence just 20 yards from where they were. Not two seconds after they hid, two men on patrol walked past, parts of their conversation drifted Rosie’s way. One man yawned, the other spoke lowly, “Stop that, you know yawns are contagious,” finishing his sentence with a yawn of his own. “Your mom’s contagious,” the first guy chuckled, fallowed by “Ow, jerk,” both men chuckled and their footsteps disappeared around a corner. “Come on, quick, before they come back this way.” Alicia pulled Rosie along to the fence, threw her sweat shirt of the barbed wire on top and started to climb. “What the hell are you doing?!” Rosie whispered harshly. “Shh! Just be quiet and climb over after I do!” Alicia pulled herself over the fence and dropped down. “Your turn, and hurry, I think I hear them coming back!” Rosie shook her head, then climbed the fence, grabbing the sweat shirt afterwards. She was then tugged backwards into a bush just a few yards from the fence. The boys turned the corner and were making their way back to the front gates. “I wonder if they’ll tell her,” the first guy from before exclaimed to his partner. “Tell who what?” the second patrolman glanced at the first. “You know what I’m talking about.” “Oh, yeah, I don’t think they’ll tell her till they know it’s definitely him.” Rosie had to shift so that the branch poking her in the back wouldn’t be in her back anymore, with doing so the bush rustled ever so slightly. Both men stopped and looked the girls’ way, the first guy stepped closer to the fence to get a better look, Rosie and Alicia held their breaths, looking wide eyed at the man, hoping he wouldn’t see them. The first guy picked up a good sized rock and tossed it over the fence into the bush, a big black owl flew out of the top of the bush, the rock his Alicia on the top of the head. “Just an owl Luis, let’s keep moving.” Luis stepped away from the fence, satisfied and walked away with the second guy, not another word was said as they disappeared around another corner. “Phew, that was close. What are we doing over here anyways Al?” Rosie turned to Alicia, who wasn’t there. “Al?” Rosie called out softly, “Al where’d you go?” She moved slowly out of the back of the bush, finding Al on her knees bending over something. “Al?” Rosie came to her side, and saw that Alicia was digging at the ground with a spoon. “Almost there,” she whispered. The spoon hit something metal, and Alicia finished digging with her hands, “here we go.” She opened it up, and handed Rosie an unopened letter. The name on the front was Rosie’s name, hand written, and reading the hand writing she knew whose it was. “Where did you get this?” “I work in the mailing department here, remember? I saw it in the burn pile, I thought you should have it.” Rosie’s hands began to shake, she lowered herself to her knees, then slowly opened the envelope. She carefully pulled out a tattered piece of paper, unfolded it and read: Dearest Rose, I hope with all I have left that this makes it to you. I cannot tell you where I am, and I was barely able to get this sent, the first of three I will be sending your way. I am sorry I have been gone so long my love. I have been held captive by Al Jedeh Loes army, and have heard of a dastardly plan being whispered about here. Loes plans to send his army overseas to hit us where it will hurt most, our capital. I would have had this sent to my commanding officer, except that no one can be trusted, they have spies within our ranks, and you are the only one I can trust, and I am sorry I have to put this upon your shoulders. Rose, You are our nations last hope before Loes’s army of millions lands on our shores, you need to find the mole in our ranks, and save us. I will be sending two more letters to you, my love, they will be directions of how to find and access the files I have hidden. Best of luck to you my love, the fate of the nation now depends on you. I love you with all my heart, and I am terribly sorry I have to ask so much of you, but you are the only one I can trust. This is your mission, should you choose to accept it. With all my love, James Slack “You didn’t give me a big choice now did you James?” Rosie whispered, trying to keep tears from her eyes. This had been the first contact she has had from James since his disappearance a year and a half ago, she was over joyed to know he was alive, yet burdened with the mission ahead. Rose couldn’t let him go, so she joined in hopes that she could get deployed where he went missing to go looking for him. “What do you mean James didn’t give you a big choice? Whose James?” Alicia had respectfully been keeping to herself as Rosie read the letter, but now she was trying to see what it said that made Rosie tear up and sound lie a dying pup when she whispered. “James is my husband. And the choice he gave me was to save our nation, or to sit around and watch us get taken over.” Rosie let Alicia read the letter. “Just be careful with it, it’s the first thing I have even heard from him since his...” Rosie trailed off. “Disappearance?” Alicia finished Rosie’s sentence. “Sounds like he really misses you, sending you a letter saying ‘Save the nation or choose not to a live with the consequences, a real charmer your man is,” Alicia rose her eye brow at Rosie. “He always was work first, and I liked that about him. I’m just glad I even hear from him, to just know he is alive is enough for me.” Rosie sad down and looked to the stars, tears streaming down her face, ‘how childish of me to cry’ she thought to herself. “Crap, look at the time. 0445, we better go, we can talk about this later, just, act normal, remember, that letter wasn’t supposed to reach you,” Alicia gave Rosie a small shove, then proceeded to rebury the letter in a small metal box. “Lets go now.” They got up, snuck back through the bush, over the fence, then dashed back to their barracks, not a minute after they both got into bed and pretended to sleep, did the staff sergeant burst into the barracks and shouted at everyone to get their asses up. Another day of running and working their asses off had begun.