I had an odd Charlie Bone spout recently and had to go back and read the entire series, and as sweet as Emma/Tancred is, I'm not about to write a fic for it. :/ I always felt like if Asa was attracted to shape shifters (that whole Belle/YolandaXAsa, don't tell me he liked her for her personality :l ) then wouldn't he go nuts over Emma? I don't know, maybe it's just me but here ya go!~
Takes place during the first book, when Emilia/Emma was crying after Manfred had been a jerk. *nod*
Hopefully I'll convert you over to EmXAsa BWHAHAHA.
It's late I don't even know what I'm saying anymore.
Children of the Red King & characters Jenny Nimmo
~O~
Manfred leaned over the desk, his hand whipping forward across the girls face. The sound echoed in the room, and the girl remained frozen, head turned and eyes wide as realization set in. I shuddered. I had been on the receiving end of that hand many times, and felt a pang of pity ripple through my chest for the little thing. She let out a whimper, her hand going to the side of her face, feeling the burning skin. Manfred sat back, a smirk on his face as he waited, waiting for the tears to fall. The grey eyes widened, until they were as wide as an owl's; and then they filled, until the tears flowed over the edge like a waterfall. A sob rocked through her, and then another until she was shaking and bawling like a baby. Manfred gave a satisfied smile and stood, and cockily walking around the desk until he stood in front of her chair. He lowered himself to her level, watching the tears fall with a predatory grin that would rival my own. I grimaced and sank further into the corner. She continued to yowl, her shaking growing more perturbed until her cries echoed in the room, drowning us in screams. Having had his fill he grabbed her chin roughly, jerking her face up to his.
"Look at me!" he growled, and for effect he yanked her chin again, digging his nails into the pale flesh. Through blurry tears her eyes turned up to his. His face became grim, a frown of concentration on his lips and his eyes taking on a bottomless, almost burning glow. I didn't dare look directly into their depths. Her crying ceased and her whimpering grew silent. Grey eyes grew wide and trance-like, and her hands dropped from her face and into her lap. Her shaking grew slower, then stilled entirely, her pale eyes remaining focused on his.
"Good girl." He sighed tiredly. Releasing her chin and grabbing her thin arm he wrenched her from the chair, throwing her like a rag-doll into my chest. I wrapped my arms around her possessively, protectively, gently patting her back. He thought nothing of my seemingly affectionate embrace, and the black coals only flickered to the small figure in my arms for a moment before carelessly returning to my yellow orbs. "Watch her." He barked, marching through the door without another word. I relaxed, and peering out the window into the pink sky noted the time.
"You wanna take a walk with me?" I asked softly, holding her out from me. She stared at my chest, seeing through it before what I had asked registered. Walk was one of the few words she understood when she was in this state, and only because I had used it so many times before. Her eyes remained trance-like but a small smile turned up the corners of her lips. I'll take that as a yes. Her hand reached out expectantly, and I took it, leading her out of the office and towards the Academy's entrance.
~O~
The sun was setting on the forest by the time we made it to the open field in the back of Bloor's. I increased my pace, giving her hand a subtle tug. She walked faster. We reached the ruin, and I led her to a stone fountain, sitting her down on the edge before retreating. She turned to look at the water and skimmed her fingers across it gently, her eyes unfocused and happy. When she did not turn back I began to pull off my clothes as quickly as possible, discreetly piling them under a bush. As the sun dropped over the horizon, I felt the change come, and I bit my tongue as my body stretched, holding back a scream and dropping to all fours.
I knew how to handle the pain by now.
I waiting, feeling my body change, morphing and molding itself until I knew I resembled a crooked-back, yellow eyed, grey wolf-beast. I shook myself, my bones popping into place before approaching her, nuzzling her side lightly. Her head turned, her eyes settling on mine before smiling happily, her tiny hands stroking the fur on top of my head. It felt nice. She stood, and keeping her hands clenched, though not painfully, in my fur we went about our normal walk. She was one of the few who had seen me like this, and the only one besides my parents who didn't look upon me with fear. Even Manfred looked disgusted whenever I was forced into my less-than human form. We walked pass a second stone fountain, this one far grander than the last and topped with a fish. I stopped and let her sit on the edge, her dainty fingers drawing designs on the surface only she could see. Enjoying the calm I let my mind wonder to a conversation that had occurred earlier in the day.
Manfred sat slouched in a lounge chair, massaging his temples with frustration. "She's waking up. I can feel it. Each time it gets harder and harder to put her down, and if we don't find that case soon Charlie Bone is going to figure out how to wake her up for good." He snarled in frustration, running his hand through his greasy hair. I felt a stab of fear, if she woke up there would be no more walks, no more hugs or gentle smiles…only disgust. She would hate me, hate me for going along with Manfred, hate me for keeping her a husk, a doll.
No, I thought resolutely, I felt a swell of anger at stupid, meddling, Charlie Bone, and promised myself to take it out on him later. I would not lose her to him, my sweet little moon. She was mine and I would not let them take her away.
"Asa!" Manfred spat, annoyed. "Did you hear me?!" I jerked back to reality, realizing I had been ignoring him for the last few minutes. I shook my head, playing it off that I had been distracted by the fire burning in the hearth.
"Hopeless idiot…" I heard him mumble. I felt an animalistic growl ripple up from my chest at this, and bit it back before Manfred could turn his soul sucking eyes on me. He looked up annoyed at my behavior but continued.
"I said Eustacia Yewbeam will be at that Brown boy's house this weekend, she needs you to take care of the dog."
I nodded thoughtfully. The case had to be found, and if all there was in the way was a mangy mutt, then my job was easier. Manfred continued speaking, venting his frustration.
"…I still don't see why we're keeping her, that idiot said she could fly but so far we haven't seen a single sign she can…perhaps he was lying…" I grinned wolfishly, The Bloor's had been trying to find out just how exactly Emilia was able to fly for a while now, to no avail. If things kept going the way they were they would probably drop her off a cliff trying to get the girl to show her endowment. But I know very well what she could do, that it was no scam. I could feel the pull in my stomach, that familiar tug whenever I was near someone like me. A shape-shifter. Though faint, I could still smell her first shift on her, a simple robin, tiny and discreet, but beautiful all the same. It was a secret I liked to kept to myself, for whatever reason I enjoyed watching the Bloor's squirm in frustration.
"Asa." The soft call pulled me from my thoughts, Emilia did not speak, and yet I was sure it was her who had spoken. I waited for her to say something else but her eyes looked far-away, and her lips remained shut.
A wolf may howl the whole night through, but the moon will never answer.
Inwardly I wanted to be patient, to remain her saintly guardian angel, but I was far from it. I was a predator, a beast, and she was a delicate little bird just waiting to get snapped up. I had touched her skin many times, as a boy and as a beast, but it did little to sate my hunger. Each time I felt her little hand in mine, or the brush of her hair, or even the soft intake of her breathe, it sent a shiver down my spine. I had made it a personal goal to get her used to me, even in the beginning, and now I could touch her face, brush her cheek with my hand and she would not pull away. I was a parasite, a symbiote that her system had grown accustomed to, welcomed even. She now sought me out now for company, instead of me having to hunt down her soft nectary scent. Even now I could smell my own wolfy pong, lingering in her clothes and hair, mingling with her own natural aroma. It gave me a small feeling of accomplishment, as if I had somehow claimed her as my own. Too bad most people don't share my sense of smell.
I rested my head in her lap, my eyes looking up at hers in a way that I hoped was cute. Whether it was or not, she smiled dreamily anyway, turning her attention away from the fountain and to the fur behind my ears. There was no feeling like having someone rub behind your ear, and I felt a throaty purr work itself from my throat. Maybe, if she wasn't under Manfred's influence she would have giggled. Tiny fingers worked themselves into my fur, until I was sure she was braiding it. It would've bothered me if it was anyone else, but it was her, and I didn't mind in the least. Closing my eyes, I rested my mind, letting the subtle ministrations of her fingers lull me into a sense of calm. It must have been at least an hour when I reopened them, because her fingers had long ceased their movements and her tiny frame and slumped into my shoulder. She was sound asleep.
I gripped her cape in my teeth; the olive green looked to dark compared to the silvery hair, gently pulling her from the fountain wall and to the mossy ground. She shivered and her body contorted into a ball, her breathe rising in the air like a ghost's. I laid beside her, inwardly grinning at the way she curled into me, relishing the heat that poured off me in waves.
Maybe. Maybe If I wasn't so selfish I could be her knight in shining armor, maybe I could rescue her from Manfred and be a hero to someone. To her. I watched as breathe moved past the soft petal pink lips, as pale cheeks took on a gentle softness and her fingers loosened their grip against my side. My resolve sank.
Maybe…maybe not today. Besides, they would come and get her in the morning.
I still had time, and I wasn't going to waste a second.