Hello all!
Well I have officially lost all semblance of sanity:) Presenting the fluff of the century, for which I blame my fellow fans that adore fluff for convincing me to come over to the light side of writing.
I can't say anymore without spoiling so stay tuned for more authors notes at the end!
Enjoy:D
A Dream Come True
The chance of this happening had terrified her since her friends had first coecered her to let them join her quest, innocent, caring Stella and exuberant, loyal Edward. Both marching cheerfully alongside Mel towards the very large chance of death with an extra dose of weevils courtesy of the most hated vampire in all of Aia.
Then when Stella had died during their quest for the Orb of Life Mel was devastated, she had lost her best friend and practically sister. It had been the happiest day of her life when the Orb of Life had brought Stella back. She had vowed that day never to let Stella be put in danger because of her again, leaving her far behind and cutting off all contact with her once she had decided to live in Harkuna despite how painful the decision was.
Now it was happening again, Mel staring at her bound friend in horror and dismay as darklings stood on either side of Stella who's tearfilled eyes met Mel's.
"Don't listen to them Mel! Run! Don't do it!"
Mel shot her friend a pained smile, then stepped forward.
"I'm sorry Stella..." She said quietly before squaring her shoulders. "Fine, I'll go with you. But only if you let her go and leave her alone! She has nothing to do with this anymore."
The self satisfied smile on her enemies face made her want to try her odds at blasting him with magic anyway.
"Wonderful. Darklings, release the moth."
The ropes around Stella were carefully cut and the gentle Naylithen pulled away from their grasp as quickly as possible, looking towards Mel with frightened but determined eyes. It was clear she was willing to take on the darklings and Gyendal if Mel was.
"Stella, it's okay. Go." Mel said, shaking her head warningly when Stella glanced towards Gyendal.
She had lost her friend once to this whole Prophecy mess, she wasn't losing her again.
Stellla's eyes only filled further at Mel's response, overflowing as the lilac haired girl nodded and fled the scene. The sound of the cabin door being slammed behind her felt to Mel like the closing of a cell door.
"Well now, I believe that you and I have a trip to take." Gyendal purred, summoning a portal and beckoning for Mel.
She reluctantly stepped up next to him, the darklings on either side of her matching her step for step. Gyendal smirked at her reaction and Mel twitched at the look in his eyes, a shiver running down her spine against her will when he grabbed her and pulled her flush against him before stepping into the portal.
The moment they passed through Mel pulled away with her face flaming only to find herself facing a row of robed creatures, their faces hidden but the glowing red eyed telling her everything she needed to know about what lay under those hoods.
"Disciples of Darkness, tell the master that I have brought the girl."
"Good. Now that the child is here we will now prepare the portal to the Demon Realm so she may be reborn." They said in unison, the distorted quality of their tone making Mel recoil.
"What portal? I was not made aware of any of this." Gyendal growled.
Mel shot the mage that currently had a death grip on her arm a startled look. He was the source of all her trials at this point, she thought he was the mastermind behind all that was going on. How did he not know, and who was this master?!
"The masters plans have changed. Take her to the back room, in several days time we will be ready for her."
Gyendal gave a sharp nod before yanking Mel along with him and shoving her through the doorway in front of him. She was steered to the middle of the room before her arm was release, Mel back pedalling away from him the moment she had the chance.
"Don't bother trying to leave, you'll never make it a step past the disciples of darkness and trust me when I say that anything I've ever done will look like nothing compared to what they do. You'll be worse then dead."
The look in his eyes made Mel wonder exactly what he had seen them do and she shuddered at the thought.
"Now stay put like a good lamb, I'll be back to check on you eventually."
With that he turned and strode out of the room, leaving Mel alone in the library. She stared blankly at the books for a minute before nearly leaping a foot in the air as the air near the wall sparkled and with a snap a creature appeared into existence.
"Darkling!"
"Welcome to Underfall mistress." The female darkling said cheerfully, red eyes sparkling with excitement.
Mel's eyes narrowed at the term mistress.
"Did Gyendal and those stupid disciples send you?"
"Send me? No, this is darkling business. Underfall is to be the capital of the new empire and the home of you, my queen." The darkling then beamed at her. "I have been elected to be your personal servant here, my name is Yemite I can do anything you need me to do as your servant."
"Seriously?! Well then get me the hell out of this place so I can get back to Veldarah!"
The darklings face fell almost comically at Mel's desperate words.
"I'm sorry, I cannot. This is your home now, in your capital with your chosen subjects. We will take care of you though!"
Mel threw her hands up into the air, hissing out his frustration as she wheeled away.
"Well what can you do?!" She snapped rhetorically, thinking hard for some sort of solution.
Suddenly it hit her.
"Yemite, you might not be able to get me out of here, but can you bring someone to me?" She pressed, turning back to the darklings that brightened.
"Yes!"
Mel let out a relieved sigh. Alone she might not be able fight her way out, but she knew that Edward was strong enough that they might be able to fight free. She almost asked for Stella or Te'ijal and Galahad to be brought as well but stopped herself as she thought about what they had lost in the quest. She didn't need to pull them in a second time, and Edward owed her after ignoring her when she told him the attack at been because of her.
"Good. I want you to find a boy named Edward."
The shimmer sound that filled the room as the darkling vanished made Mel twitch. She was alone now, she didn't have anyone to distract her mind as she pondered her situation and...who she was trapped near.
A tray had been delivered to her room almost five minutes ago, by a blue darkling who couldn't stop grovelling and stuttering about being honoured. Mel had considered opening the door and throwing it outside on the floor just to make a point but had decided against it since she would need the energy food could provide for when Edward finally arrived.
She leaned back against the wall and glanced to her right at the door as she picked at her food. She wondered if a different darkling would come back, she wanted company but not if they wouldn't shut up about her being the chosen one.
Mel took a bite of the meat only to pause as the flavour flooded her mouth and realized it wasn't the kind of meat they sold in Underfall. Chewing slowly she pulled the fork away and stared at the meat left on it. During the last quest when they had been in and out of Underfall they had eaten there quite a bit and something she distinctly remembered complaining about was the lack of rat anywhere to be found in either Underfall or the tombs, since the didn't sell anything that had to be shipped into the town.
Yet somehow not only did she have a plate of perfectly seasoned roast rat in front of her but it was also cooked exactly how she liked it.
How did they know that?
She pondered that for a moment before shrugging and digging in eagerly, allowing herself to enjoy the meal despite her surroundings and situation. She cleaned her plate completely before setting the tray on the floor in front of her outstretched legs and tipping her head back against the wall with closed eyes.
She was just starting to drift when she heard the door open, the darkling come back to get the now empty tray she figured. She didn't hear any stuttering or grovelling so without opening her eyes she questioned the darkling.
"Before you take the tray, do you know who told whoever did my food to make rat for me and how to cook it?"
"I told them."
As the sound of deep voice that echoed through room Mel's eyes snapped open and she scrambled to her feet, back against the wall as Gyendal stopped a foot into the room. Outside the room there was low chanting and a strange fog curled around the door that seemed to suck the very light out of the room, Gyendal quickly closing the door behind him to block the fog from entering.
"What the hell do you want?!"
Gyendal raised one brow and smirked at her reaction, the expression reminding Mel so much of Spook and those...feelings that she had to look away.
"Coming to check on you like I said I would. Is there a problem?"
"You're here. That is the core of all problems." She hissed, glaring at the wall.
His deep chuckles filled the room as he stepped further in, watching her intently with every small step.
"Your little temper tantrums never cease to entertain me, lamb. You are really just fighting against the inevitable, there is no way out now that the Disciples of Darkness are here."
Mel snorted, crossing her arms irritably.
"Oh and I suppose it would have been so much better if it was just you I was stuck with."
He chuckled at her statement, posture relaxed as he slowly strolled towards her and Mel could have hit herself as she thought about her words. That was probably the stupidest thing to leave her mouth yet.
"I would think so, the Disciples of Darkness can be terribly sadistic. You and I however know each other quite well, I'm sure we could survive without killing each other." He exhaled a laugh at her expression, the sound making Mel jump slightly.
"Not likely, one of us would die within a day."
"You over exaggerate, I'm sure we could reach an agreement. After all, look how well we got along when I was Spook."
"What?!"
Mel couldn't help the outraged exclamation at his statement. After all he had done he had the audacity to bring that up?! How could he even count that!
He tilted his head in mock innocence, clearly enjoying his little game despite Mel's snarl.
"It's true is it not? I personally thought we hit it off quite well. Who knows, you might have even come willingly had it not been for your meddling friend."
"Are you kidding me?!" Mel spat, stabbing an accusing finger in his direction. "You are such an arrogant, self centred, pompous- AH!"
So distracted by her goal to tear a strip off of the infuriating creep in front of her Mel never noticed the tray at her feet. In a fantastic demonstration of her luck as she stepped towards Gyendal, her feet caught on the tray she stumbled forward, losing her balance as she slipped on the dishes that had slid off the tray onto the floor in front.
It happened almost immediately as she began to fall, one moment she was grabbing for something to catch herself with her feet flying every which way and the next Mel found herself being caught by two strong hands grabbing her arms as her grip closed on the front of Gyendal's cloak.
Mel froze, registering the sensation of his cloak beneath her fingers and the warmth of his hands radiating through her leather gloves over her forearms as he steadied her. Her head snapped up, wide eyes meeting his slightly narrowed ones. After a moment of frozen silence a wicked smile began to play on the corners of his lips as Mel let out a small squawk and tried to pull free.
"The hell?! Let go of me!"
"Such ungratefulness, even after I tried to help you." He singsonged, grip not loosening despite Mel's attempts to yank free.
"I don't want your help! You hate me almost as much as I hate you, why would you even bother?!"
His eyes glittered strangely and Mel tried to ignore the shiver that went up her spine.
"My dear mother always raised me to be a gentleman."
"Well stop then! I don't need you being a gentleman, what I need is for you to let me go!"
Gyendal blinked before his entire face went blank. He studied her face wordlessly, Mel squirming uncomfortably at his scrutiny.
"What?!" She finally snapped, eyes widening slightly when he leaned over her slightly.
"Are you sure that's what you want?" He murmured, the look in his eyes unnerving and exciting all at once.
Mel tried to yank back again despite knowing that his grip would remain unyielding. What was his deal?! Why couldn't he act like he had during that first year she had been running from him where he had just been the aloof and terrifying psycho vampire?! She hated this! Everything had changed now, how could she stand here face to face with her enemy and have it feel like...
"It's not like you ever wasted time acting like a gentleman before, stop faking it and LET GO ALREADY!"
The dark grin that spread over his lips was promising and threatening all at once, goosebumps rising on Mel's skin as he slowly stepped forward, close enough that they were mere centimetres from being pressed against each other.
"Thank you Mel, for your permission."
His hands slowly skated up her arms, moving from where he had caught her mid forearms to her biceps. Mel was not proud of the startled squeak that escaped her at the electric sensation of his hands brushing over the bare skin of her upper arm.
"...w-what?" She whispered, watching frozen as his eyes flicked below her eyes and then back up again.
There was a moment of tension filled silence, the look in his eyes as he met hers making her breath hitch.
Then he began to lean down, Mel's eyes fluttering shut despite her internal freak out. This was insane, she should be trying to attack and get free, not let him do this without a word of protest!
Soon she could feel his breath on her face, the heat of his skin radiating off. His nose just touched hers then finally-
"AAAAAHHHHHHHH"
Mel bolted upright in her bed, breathing hard as she tried to recover. Her mind spun out of control, trying to break out of the sleep induced haze to figure out where she was and what she had eaten before going to sleep to bring a dream as crazy as that on.
The last moments of her dream played on a repeat loop in her mind and she let loose a long and loud impressive list of expletives. So focused on what had just happened in her dream Mel never noticed as in the large bed next to her a figure startled awake at her shouting.
What did catch her attention quite successfully however, was the sensation of an arm being pulled back from around her waist as a darkened figure sat up next to her. The moment she felt the movement of the figures arm she froze, eyes widening slightly.
In the darkness it was impossible to see who it was, but her memories crowded out the dream quite quickly as glowing red eyes opened to shoot her a sleep softened glare.
"What is your problem this time?!" Gyendal snapped, a soft sound of wind echoing through the master room causing the lamps in the extravagant illuminating both her bed and her worst enemy sitting up shirtless next to her.
Mel stared at him, wide eyed and frozen.
One second passed.
Two seconds passed.
Then-
"Noooooooooooo!"
Mel's wail was accompanied by her flopping backwards onto the bed, alarm lighting in Gyendal's eyes momentarily as he leaned over her with furrowed brows.
"Mel? What on earth were you dreaming about to cause this reaction?!"
Mel just groaned, staring at a puzzled Gyendal in comical horror.
"Forget my dream, I'm living my nightmare!"
*ducks behind shield stolen from Rhen*
PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!
...yes I am evil and no I am totally not sorry:D This idea was kind of a random one, I was talking to my mom about another fanfic series I'm writing with major cliffhangers and how I enjoy reviews that spazz over cliffhangers or when I pull the bait and switch and she thought that was funny. She then suggested the idea of doing one fluffy plot, and then having the character was up and it was only a dream. I thought it was brilliant and ran with it, and this was then born. ...please don't hate me...
Aaannywaaay so I thought this would be a totally MelxGyendal kind of situation, and to be honest I really loved writing this. I have to admit that I was giggling like a little maniac at the thought of what someone would think was coming before I pulled the bait-and-switch XD
After the story ends I totally picture Gyendal nagging her into explaining the dream and then going into fits of laughter when she reluctantly admits what happened, then teasing her about making it a reality only for her to get really irritated and roll over to pointedly ignore him, then for Gyendal to attach himself to her like an octopus because I totally accept the Headcannon that he's a cuddler when tired and have on an off little chuckles at the dream and her reaction until he falls asleep again lol.
This could totally be standalone but I personally picture this taking place in the Shattered Truths Dark!Mel AU, hence Gyendal being a vampire when she wakes up. I picture this happening between chapter Three and Four, so after they're a official pairing but before they coexist relatively peacefully and friendly.
Lol so yes, my rant and your suffering. You're welcome:)