This is my first fanfiction so please go easy on me.
It's a dustfinger/OC. I'll try not to make it go too fast but I thought it was important that this information came out when it did.
Thanks and please read and review to let me know how i'm doing.
ExcuseMeWhileILaughMyAssOff :).
For The Love Of A Firefly
Ebony brushed her long dark hair out of her eyes as she heard her father leave her sisters room. She laid her head on the soft white pillow longing for the contented feeling she'd had beforehand. It was very unlikely that she would sleep now tonight. Sitting up her sparkling sapphire eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. She glanced over at the photograph of her mother on her bedside table. It had been a night many years ago her mother was lost to her but she remembered her well. Ebony remembered the apple pie her mother had made that afternoon before Ebony had gone to stop at her friend's house. She remembered the sweet taste of her mother's glorious cooking and she remembered her drawings well. Many Mo still kept. Or so she supposed. Neither Ebony nor her sister could get Mo to talk much about what happened that night. Not truthfully anyway. Up until her tenth birthday the fanciful tales Mo told Ebony and Meggie had been what Meggie took for truth. But then Meggie had been too young to know much of her mother. And while Ebony did not know much, she knew Mo's stories were not the truth. Not only because they were too fanciful, but also because her mother was not like that. She wouldn't just leave in search of adventure. She much preferred the adventure in books. It was on that thought that Ebony finally drifted off to sleep, remembering happier times when Mo and Resa were still together in bringing up their daughters. Long before Ebony had such long hair, long before she was tall and had a nice figure. Back when she was just a little girl, who could happily dart about the house in small dress's look for suspicious villains. Back when Ebony believed they only existed in story books.
The next morning Ebony was woken up by a sharp tap on her door. Her father's voice was unusually gruff.
"We're leaving Emmy. Move quickly."
A puzzled look crossed her face but Ebony had learned not to question her father's strange habits over the years. In fact, she didn't say much of anything at all. Not even to Meggie. It had become common knowledge in the Folchart household that if you were to hear Ebony's voice you were either extremely lucky or extremely unlucky. Ebony thought the spoken word held too much power and therefore preferred to say nothing. This, Meggie thought, was a great shame because when she did hear her sister speak she had the most melodious voice you could ever pray would touch your ears and when she sang all the troubles in your heart seemed to melt away. Yes, Meggie really wished her sister more forthcoming with words.
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes Ebony pulled on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a jumper not much paying attention to anything else. She brushed her teeth and put some shoes on, grabbed her photos and an mp3 before going outside into the frosty morning breeze and sliding the camper van door open. Getting inside she slammed the door shut and curled up to listen to her music and let the songs take her into a new world. One of her favorite pastimes was listening to music and making up stories in her head because not only did she have a wonderful imagination but she didn't get to delve into stories like her father and sister. She lacked a vital skill for it.
"But where are we going Mo?"
"South. Italy. You have a great Aunt there."
The conversation of her family pulled Ebony out of her music. All the sights and sounds and smells of the real world came rushing back to her. Her father and sister left the van and Ebony took the spare moment to shift positions frowning. When they got back in a strange man followed. The man was tall and broad with pale skin and flame coloured hair in half curls that brushed his shoulders. He was dressed in jeans and a big green coat with a large rucksack. Ebony merely raised her eyebrows at the new arrival. He made no effort to appear welcoming in anyway and that suited Ebony just fine. She didn't like chatty people. Three long pale scars stretched down his face and she wondered, if only for a second, how they got there. However the man's piercing glare from his dark green eyes stopped her curiosity mid flow. And she leant back relaxing during the long journey. As her eyes closed she felt a marten wrap itself around her neck and she absentmindedly scratched it behind the ear wondering about two things, why the man had looked so surprised and why the marten had horns.
"Mo did you know that martens have horns?" Asked Meggie.
Ebony slowly opened her eyes to see how the strange man would respond to the questioning glance of her little sister.
"Don't give me away Silvertounge," he said before he closed his eyes, "I have my own secrets, you know. And for those I need darkness."
With those words said Ebony drifted off to sleep listening as her sister and father discussed a man called Capricorn and a book.
Ebony thought that her aunt's house looked quite alarming. She followed her sister out of the van and stood on the road with the man she now knew to be called Dustfinger, thanks to Meggie, her father and her sister. The marten that Dustfinger referred to as Gwin was still curled around her neck.
"A lovely place isn't it?" Mo asked her sister.
Ebony surveyed the wide lake and its dark water along with the large gate and the unwelcoming message, the ruins in the middle of the lake and the dark colour of the huge house. She didn't know if lovely would be the word she would use.
"I know you like stories about robber's girls, see that dark castle? A notorious robber band once lived there. I must ask Elinor about them she knows everything about this lake." Mo finished.
Meggie nodded but Ebony just looked a little dazed.
"Where does she live then? Not behind that spiky gate." Meggie asked stiffiling a yawn.
"Actually, yes. This is the entrance to her property... not very inviting is it?" Mo laughed and began leading Meggie across the road. "Elinor is very proud of that gate. She had it specially made. It's copied from a picture in a book."
"A picture of the Selfish Giants garden?" Murmured Meggie.
Ebony tried to stifle a giggle as she remembered her aunt. That would suit the purpose she thought.
As they made their way onto Elinors property Dustfingers husky voice whispered in Ebony's ear, "Looks like you have rich relations."
For some reason it was a voice Ebony could see herself answering and it took quite a large amount of willpower to keep up her silence. Which she found strange. She never had problems with silence it soothed her. However she managed to maintain her silence and meerly glanced at the man who loooked rather puzzled she didn't answer yet, didn't seem to care much anyway.
"Good heavens Mortimer! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Ebony heard her Aunt ask in her dramatic voice and she rolled her eyes at Dustfinger smiling lightly before making her way up the steep steps to the front of Elinor's house.
"Hello Elinor, you remember Meggie I take it? And Ebony?" Her father asked glancing around in search of his older daughter.
"Well it has been many years since I last laid eyes on you and your two daughters. Have you finally decided to take pity on my poor books?"
Mo nodded and Elinor invited all of them in gazing scornfully at Dustfinger as he stepped over her threshold.
"Who is he?"
"His name is Dustfinger he's an old friend of mine." Mo answered.
"As long as he treats books well and puts up with the attic bedroom he can stay." Elinor said disapprovingly.
Ebony thought that was rather rude of her aunt for all her airs and graces and from the look on Meggie's face she agreed with Ebony. However when Ebony looked at Mo she saw he briefly glanced at Dustfinger who shrugged and nodded slightly at Elinor. On that note, which seemed to be enough of an agreement for Elinor, she started showing them further into the house questioning Mo on the sudden appearance.
Meggie gazed with adoration at all the high bookshelves filled to the brim. Dustfinger didn't seem to have noticed them. He was watching Ebony and the look of distain that masked her pretty face when she looked at all the books.
Elinor caught the look Ebony was giving her precious books and snapped "What child?"
Ebony didn't answer she just looked over at Elinor questioningly.
"Emmy does not care much for books." Mo informed Elinor.
"Well if that isn't the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Elinor replied. "Why on earth not?"
Meggie opened her mouth to answer but Dustfinger soon intervened. "Some things are better left unsaid Meggie. Some stories are not yours to tell."
"Well I demand to be told right this instant!" Elinor snapped again.
A harsh cold look coloured Ebonys features and Mo and Meggie exchanged a glance. It was going to be one of those times you didn't want to hear Ebony speak.
"Isn't it about time you learned you don't always get what you want?" Ebony replied.
Her voice was by no shadow of a doubt the most beautiful thing that had ever graced Elinor's and Dustfinger's ears with its presence however there was a cold hard edge to it that reminded Dustfinger of a knife being pressed into his skin as if it were ice cold and all the flesh it cut through was fiery hot. He didn't much think he'd ever like to be on the receiving end of that tone.
Ebony cocked her head as Elinor gaped at her impertinence before turning swiftly and leaving the house. Dustfinger did not know what possessed him to do it but he followed the girl out into the garden and searched for her until Gwin found her sitting under a large oak tree.
He sat down next to her. He asked no questions. He just sat as company leaning against the tree with the girl.
"I can't read." Her voice was soft as silk this time and it caressed his ears in a loving way. "My mother was teaching me. I didn't want to learn after."
Dustfinger wasn't quite sure what to say but he let his words flow.
"I can't read either. Where I come from only the rich can read."
"I think I would like it there." Ebony replied, "Then I would not be thought stupid and looked down upon every day of my life."
Dustfinger looked down on the young girl and wrapped his arms around her in a comforting way.
"Let me tell you of the place where I come from... where I once thought I could be loved only to find that the girl I acquired these scars for did not want me after they were placed there... it's a magical land...with fairies and giants..."
His voice wrapped around Ebony and made her feel safe. She knew he was leaving the bad things out of his story purposely but she didn't care. She liked the sound of the nice world at the moment and the pretence that no evil belonged there. Even if she knew most of what he was saying must come from imagination as no such things existed.
The next morning Ebony awoke in her bedroom tucked in to her bed the soft sheets pulled up to her chin. She smiled as she changed from yesterday's clothes into some clean ones. Dustfinger had filled her dreams with magic and she smiled at the thought of the nice world although she knew as well as he that he was hiding the evil that lay just beneath the surface of the story and that what he told her was untruthful as magical beings such as fairys and water nymphs didn't exist.
She walked into breakfast to see Meggie smiling broadly. She chatted away about a show that Dustfinger was putting on later that night for them not even noticing that Ebony was paying no attention to her younger sister's story but was sneakily feeding Gwin under the table.
Later that night Ebony sat in Elinors garden watching Dustfinger's show with wide eyes. He was very good at what he did. She admired the way the flames licked up and down his body without harming him and the way his muscles rippled as he span flames around himself. She thought it must be one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen and she imagined how powerful and warm Dustfinger must feel putting on the show. She would not believe such feats with fire could be acomplished if it wasn't for the man standing in front of her as proof.
Suddenly the silence of the night was broken and the sound of a crash in the house. There was a commotion and many men in black coats struggled to pull Mo out of the house carrying a book wrapped in brown paper and forced him into a car. Meggie tried to follow Mo. She ran down the drive after him and Elinor held her back. There seemed to be one problem with this to Ebony. Elinor had one set of arms. Mo had two daughters. She ran as if she was flying, faster than she ever had before to reach the car before it drove off. But strong arms encased her and held her back. The white skin was still hot from the flames that had been licking around it and the smell was intoxicating but Ebony still fought to get out of the man's grasp.
"Trust me, where they're going you do not want to go." The deep rustic voice rumbled out of Dustfinger's chest and Ebony tried harder still to move but it seemed Dustfinger was a lot stronger than Ebony anticipated.
Slowly she gave up. Little by little her strength deserted her and she eventually went limp in Dustfingers arms but he did not let go as she expected. He swung her round so he was carrying her and walked over into the bushes. Silent silver tears were running down Ebony's face glinting in the moonlight. Dustfinger sat down once in the cover of the trees and pulled Ebony close to him while she cried her sorrows onto his chest. Eventually she drifted into a fitful sleep and Dustfinger managed to move her back into the comfortable bedroom she had been given at Elinors house before making his way towards Capricorns village.
Review :).
