AN: Hey, so here's a little something I just wrote in my free time, I didn't really have a plan for it, its sort of one of those ideas where I have a beginning, only half a middle and no end in but I just thought Id get some opinions to see if I should finish it or not. Let me know what you think :)
Oh and just to clarify again, this story follows a new character I made up and her journey interacting with mainly Snow and Regina/EQ then eventually Emma..Anyway I'll stop boring you now ;) ..
Its so very different to what shes grown accustomed to. She's used to sand and ocean, sea air and freezing nights, where if you didn't seek warmth from the hearth of a fire, you were as good as dead. As Mozoe's feet crunch through the dirt and leaves, she almost drifts into a trance. She hasn't been on solid ground with real soil and real trees for a while now. Traveling the realms and seeking out a purpose in life is something shes been lacking for a long time.
The sword at Mozoe's hip sways gently with each step, her black cloak bellowing behind sweeps the mossy earth and drags several leaves in its wake. Hair as black as night drapes to the mid of her back, focused blue eyes surrounded by milky complexion lazily inspect the brush. Its been a long time since she saw such natural beauty.
She stops aside a small stream, pulling a weathered goats skin canteen from her belt and filling it with fresh cool water. She takes the moment to wash her brow and neck, a content sigh escaping pink lips but a wary eye on her surroundings. She hasn't heard much about this land, only that the kingdoms are divided. Cruel but also kind rulers reside to watch over towns and villages, enacting taxes and reminding the peasants of where the power lies. Shes never liked royalty, only ever tolerated one from Agribah after she helped save the throne from a tyrant named Jafar. But when she was practically handed a life of luxury for helping the kingdom, she turned it down, for some reason she finds her purpose not yet fulfilled.
The sound of crunching leaves and fast paced movement has her standing, keen eyes darting to the West as she listens through the slight rustle of leaves. A faint cry has the silver at her hip pulled to hand and feet sprinting delicately across dirt.
The commotion draws near, a flash of men clad in black leather armour run after something and she quickly swings to the left into denser brush. The sound of determined boots pause, a mumble of words exchanged as she silently sweeps through the rustling leaves and scoops up a weighty branch.
"There's nowhere left to run!"
Blue eyes quickly scan the group. Two men clad in black leather armour brandishing swords quietly encircle a scared looking girl whose fallen to her knees. Mazoe notes the girls jewel encrusted dagger used to warn off the soldiers, but the fear in the girls eyes says she doesn't know how to use it nor ever has. The incessant feeling to protect stirs inside Mazoe. This girl needs help, but interfering in such affairs is none of her business. The girl could be a thief or a runaway, such things are not something she associates with.
A black knight silently prowls, the girls erratic breaths pulsing through the small clearing and tears rapidly blinked away through frantic wide green eyes.
Mozoe shuffles forward curiously, the girls clothing, unkempt and too misleading to suggest a bandit, but there's a certain coordination to it, its as if the girl is trying too hard not to be seen, trying to hide in the shadows but cant seem to find the darkness.
"Put the knife down or we'll have to take your pretty little hand with it."
Blue eyes narrow, Mazoe's better judgment pushed aside. Something about this girl is speaking to her, something hidden that will hopefully reveal itself in due time. In a flash, Mozoe's smoothly rushing at the nearest knight, throwing the hefty branch at the other and pummeling the hilt of her blade against bone. Before anyone can blink, both black knights hit the floor, limbs thumping against dirt in an unkempt heap.
She glances down at wide green eyes and the girl scampers back. Uncertain, they both stare, Mozoe's sudden appearance most likely setting the girl on edge..friend or foe? Mozoe watches the young woman with green eyes, white skin and raven hair launch to her feet and sprint away into the endless expanse of greenery. This was to be expected, the girl couldn't comprehend whether she would be welcomed with open arms, or be attacked in order to make a measly profit.
Blue eyes slide to the unconscious soldier at her feet and narrow. Mazoe pushes his arm back, pulling shackles from his belt and noting a crest on his chest plate. A tree, almost the tree of life, but she has suspicion these knights didn't come from a place of light and prosperity. This place, this Enchanted Forest holds bigger secrets than she first anticipated, and now shes thinking her planned journey to Arendale will have to wait a little longer..
Later That Night:
The clear sky rains a heavenly shower of twinkling stars, the steady rise of smoke ascending toward the tree tops as her cloak is removed and laid neatly on the bark beside her. The nights are surprisingly warm and she thinks back to her time spent in the land of dragons. Blue eyes slide to the silver sword propped against the tree stump by her hand. The day she earned the blade was the only time in her life that meant anything.
A crackling from the fire has Mozoe standing and turning the impaled rabbit, flames charring the undercooked side as she retrieves a small glass jar from her satchel. The lid pops, the smell of spice lingering in the air before the meat is peppered with red dust. Her mind recedes as the jar is returned to its place and she sits back on the fallen log. So much could be seen weighed on the girls shoulders, was she a runaway? But why would knights be after a simple girl? She didn't seem like a bandit, just a scared peasant fending for her life. They intended to capture her alive but for what? Mazoe stomps the questions back down, it no longer concerns her, shes been here not even a day but already she can tell things are not as they seem.
Blue eyes refocus on the flames, the poorly concealed footsteps of an intruder amongst the darkness has Mozoe standing calmly. There's a quick shuffle as if a body darts to the floor and she grins. Checking the wood pile she sighs, heading into the darkness of the brush and bluffs her need for firewood. Stealthily her feet slip into the shadows, wandering the perimeter around the fire, footsteps making low pads on the dirt until after a good five minutes, a shrouded figure warily shuffles toward the tantalizing meat above the flames. Mozoe watches the hooded figure repeatedly glance at the place she disappeared into and she shakes her head weakly. The thief is either stupid or desperate, but Mozoe has a nagging feeling its both because the girl from earlier is back.
Positioning herself behind the thief, Mozoe cuts off the girls obvious means of escape and watches timid hands apprehensively reach for her evening meal. Clearly the girl is new to living in the shadows, her judgment is yet again pushed aside and she sighs weakly. In a flash Mozoe's behind the girl, smirking when her presence still isn't noticed, but enough toying..Quickly her arm hooks around the thief's throat, the curved dagger at her belt sudden pressed against fair white skin as the yelping body is roughly pulled against her chest.
"Where I come from, if someones caught stealing, a limb is removed." Her thick English accent is smothered by the girls panicked breaths.
"I-I I'm sorry, I promise I'll just leave and you'll never see me again."
"What if I decide to turn you over to the authorities?" The body in her arms stiffens.
"No please! I'm sorry I'll just go, you don't have to turn me in. Here, you can have my dagger, anything just please.."
The girls desperation and slight tremble has Mazoe frowning. For someone on the run, shes never experienced such cowardice for the authorities before, there's defiantly something else going on here. Her silver dagger is removed from white skin, her arm retracted as she watches the young woman whirl to face her. Blue eyes dart to fumbling hands before a metal dagger is shakily presented.
"Here, its all Ive got."
Mozoe stares, her lips twitching but she simply slides passed the frightened child and resumes her place at the fire.."Keep it, although I don't know what good it does you."
The girls unnerved green eyes stare, flickering from Mazoe to the darkness of the brush. She knows its a flight instinct, the girls weighing her options, so instead Mozoe simply sits by the warm heath and waits.
"I-I..I'm kinda new to this."
"I can tell, and so could those soldiers."
Green eyes widen.."That..That was was you?"
"I shouldn't have interfered, I don't know your crimes or the law of this land well enough to pass any judgment."
"My crimes are false."
"I've heard many say those words."
"And how many were telling you the truth?"
Mozoe looks at the girl, determination replacing fear..Perhaps she is telling some form of the truth. A crack from the flames refocuses her attention and she carefully removes her supper from the fire. A painful growl echos from behind and she cant help a small smile and roll of blue eyes. She remembers her first year of traveling, when she ran out of provisions, had to live off the worlds around her to survive.
The seared meat is cut, tender loins and sticky spices coating her fingers as she dishes two servings in metal tins and places one on the floor by her side. She waits, tucking into her own meal and remains still to see if her offer is accepted. Soon enough, a dirty cloak slides onto the bark and slender fingers hesitantly scoop up the metal tin. Blue eyes remain on the flames but Mazoe doesn't miss the sensation of eyes on her nor the whisper of thank you by her side.
They sit in silence, the night still and the howl of beasts beyond echoing above the crickets and steady sound of water near by. Mozoe's empty tin is swirled with water, the bones from her kill wrapped in cloth and placed inside once clean. She glances sideways, the girls concentration fully on her meal as an essence of finesse has Mazoe frowning skeptically. The girl has grace, has restraint even though she's probably been starving for days, many would have ravaged the meat, stripped the bones clean by now but the girl simply takes her time gracefully. It only adds more questions but Mazoe quickly remembers her own business. The girl will be gone soon and she can concentrate on finding her own purpose here.
The last bone is dropped into the metal with a clang, slender fingers licked clean of spices and tender juices.
"Thank You for sharing your meal. First you save me, now you welcome me to supper. I truly thought kindness no longer applied to me."
"Kindness isn't something that's earned, its given freely. Those of us that lack it have only lost what it means to feel affection." Green eyes study her, unanswered questions brewing in the girls mind as the discarded tins are carefully sterilized within the flames.
"You mentioned before that your not from around here. And that sword looks almost ancient."
"Your correct, I'm not from your land."
"Can I ask where?"
"Its difficult to explain, but I suppose I'm a traveler of sorts, I have no permanent home."
"Traveler? Then..Then perhaps you could get me away from this kingdom."
Mozoe glances at the hopeful girl.."I cannot."
"Why? I thought you said.."
"I said I'm a traveler but I didn't say I would be leaving."
"But you cant stay here, not after what you did to the Queens knights."
"Queen?"
"She..Shes known as the Evil Queen to most and she rules these lands. If they saw your face then she could be after you too."
"I don't think those men even knew I was there let alone saw my face." Mozoe pushes the steaming metal from the flames and rests them in the cool leaves by the stones. An Evil Queen? Sounds like Agrabah all over again.
"Please, I need to get out of here or shes going to kill me."
"That's none of my concern, If the Queen of this land has a quarrel with you, then it's not my place to interfere."
"But you've already interfered! You saw what the black knights were going to do to me and you stopped them! Please!"
Mozoe looks into fearful and desperate eyes, the girls life story piquing her interest. If a Queen is after her then what did the girl possibly do to enact such provocation? But it's none of her concern, even if it is an Evil Queen.."I'm sorry, you may stay the night by the warmth but in the morning, I continue my journey alone."
The sadness and collapse of hope in green eyes tugs at her heart but she's crossed many needy peasants and even a few nobles in her time. Eventually she found that everything has its course and she cant interfere in everyone's lives, some need to be left alone. Mozoe watches as the downhearted girl slips around the campfire and curls herself into the dirt. She cant interfere..Not this time, not after her last mistake...
The Next Morning:
She awoke just after sunrise, the birds beginning an incessant chirping that drove her insane and she found herself missing her bow. She'd shoot the blighters down if she had a couple of arrows but alas, its well enough she awoke as its time to continue her journey.
Blue eyes slide to the body on the other side of the smoking pit, the steady rise and fall of the dirty cloak has Mozoe quietly gathering her gear and draping her black cloak across her shoulders. The bones from their supper are thrown in a small hole dug in the soil away from camp. Mazoe doesn't want any animals getting to the girl while she sleeps. Placing the metal tins back in her satchel Mozoe pauses, fingers stroking against something smooth and she gently slides it out for inspection. A small brass bell with string and red tassels rests in her palm. She smiles at the memory, the small village she helped from raiders that one time, children had made it for her. The bell has no clapper and is said to make its own sound clear to her when the time is right.
The winds whistles through the trees, the faint sound of a ring has curious eyes sliding to the body shifting against the cold breeze. Mozoe smiles weakly, sliding next the girl and lays the bell by raven hair. Hopefully this will help guide her to wherever she needs to go. With one final check and glance back at the peculiar child, Mozoe adjusts her satchel and heads into the dense forest..