London England, 1504
My name is Constance white fall I am a shape shifter I have lived many century's in the dark abyss of time. I deal with this however protecting the line of the king whom I owe my life to and I swore my elegance to see his line safely until the day I die. The king was my guardian until I grew up and he was like a father to me. The king had a son and his name was Lucian O'Neal and he was my only friend that I had and grew up with.When I was ten and six my hair was a rich black and my eyes were an unnatural bright blue and I was a pale as the snow my figure was an hourglass and I always wore greens or purples. I started to have feelings for the king's son and he was my best friend. I thought I would confront Lucian about my feelings when he turned unnaturally cold to me that same day. I timidly walked up to him and his green eyes were ice cold and his flame red hair hung over his eyes, I said "Lucian can I speak to you for a little while if it doesn't take you away from your royal duties". His voice which had always been honey to anyone's ear but now cut like straight razors "I have no time to play in a Childs game much less speak with one" just at that moment I felt my hopes and dreams just shatter with that simple sentence. I felt my eyes grow blurry with the tears that were blinding me and I turned and fled down the hall so no one could see the tears or hear the shoulder wracking sobs of sorrow shaking my small frame. As soon as I got to my chamber I locked myself in my room and threw myself down onto the bed and wept. I fell asleep a while later than and as soon as I heard a loud trumpet announce the guest for the royal ball. I sat huddled in my bed staring at the ball gown my servant had lain out for me it was a beautiful white that had a low cut bodice and it was floor length and it had a slight train to it. My hopes for tonight were gone, I jumped at the knock at my door and I stood and pulled the heavy wooden door out of the way. The king stood there and he had a kind smile on his face as if he knew what had happened. He said "the prince will be announcing his intended bride tonight I think you should attend" and with that he bent and kissed my cheek and left. My hopes restored I called up charlotte, my servant to help my get dressed for the ball and help my pin up my hair. Once I was ready I could hardly recognize my self I looked glowing and happy. As I slowly descended the steps I heard murmurs as I came into view my diamond earrings and necklace gleaming in the light. I was just in time to hear the announcement of the royal engagement. Lucian's voice rang through the hall "I will engage….miss Elizabeth Crowley" my heart shattered all over again. I turned from the room and walked back up to my room numbly I closed and locked the door again. I decided I would move out to the country estate and stay there so I started packing and told charlotte to tell the king and not to tell Lucian's put the cross around my neck that Lucian carved me when we where ten There was a loud banging on my door and I said "who is it" and an answer came back "Lucian" I hid the bags and unlocked the door and I said "you may enter" he did and I had to say he looked pretty pleased with himself. "Are you happy with Miss Elizabeth Crowley?" I heard his voice a little warmer that before "yes in fact I love her" I closed my eyes and bowed and said "hope you every happiness sire." I stood and said "if you weren't so blind you would have know sooner that I loved you and not like a brother." I left the room silently and hid in the hall until he left and I got my bags and had the carriage be brought around. I said goodbye to the servants and to the king. I watched the castle of stone burg shrink into the distance. The road to the county house was long and dangerous and our carriage was attacked by highway men. I was sleeping and I felt the carriage jerk to a stop I pulled the shutters up a little to see what was happening. I saw men on horses holding the driver to the right side; they were not on the left side closest to the woods. I crept to the other side of the carriage and leapt out of the carriage doorway my slippers were a dark color dark purple like the sky at twilight. The color would be as dark as the night and would help me to hide from them as soon as I hit the edge of the woods I heard a loud shout "where is the lady old man" I heard Edwin shout "run my lady run" and then I heard nothing at all except the pounding of my heart and the soft footsteps of mine and my pursuers. I found a small cave to hide behind. I tried to slow my breathing so the highway men would not hear me I heard them run past and I peeked around the corner I heard nothing so I started the opposite direction but I was grabbed from behind by a strong highway man. I spun around twisting my wrist in his grasp, hazel eyes met mine he was a handsome man for someone who is a criminal. He is fairly tall and he has rich chestnut hair. He said in a almost soothing voice "please come with us we will help you get home little girl" my eyes narrowed at him and I said in the most calm voice I could muster "you will release me and you will not touch me again and I am not a little girl you childish man" his grip hardened and he pulled me to him we were face to face. My other hand was free and my hand whipped across his cheek hard enough for him to let me go. I ran harder and faster than I have seen any one run. I got about five feet before I heard him fallow me. I kept running until I was tackled by him I lay there pinned under him he flipped me over so he could see me a bright red hand print on his face and fury in his eyes he lifted me off the ground and onto his shoulder I kicked and hit him but it did not do anything I was pulled onto a horse by the highway man honestly I did not fight him I sat there like I was dead and I wished that but that did not happen. Eventually the horse stopped and I was pulled off the horse without any resistance but I kept my eyes closed. I heard foot steps and a deep voice resonated from a close by source. "So what have you got today Nathaniel?" I was being carried like a baby and frankly I cared but I kept on listening to their conversation. Nathaniel answered back "she was in the carriage we were set to rob by our source" and the man answered back "so she is a rich woman huh was there anyone else in there?" "Yes she is and we will take care of her and she will be protected by me and no there was no one else in there" and the deep voice turned strangely frightened "yes sir we will not touch her" my heart was pounding by now but I kept still. I was carried to a tent because I heard the flap open when he walked inside I knew this was a giant tent because he did not have to duck to get inside. I was set down on a soft fur covered bed and I heard him leave. My eyes sprang open and I looked around to see where I was. I was in a giant tent the only thing in here except a desk and chair there was the giant bed. I heard some one start walking towards the tent again so I rolled under the bed to hide not noticing the tears rolling down my cheeks freely. I heard Nathaniel curse and walk out to get someone to help look for me but I stayed under the bed and when I heard somebody walk to the bed and I held my breath. When I saw someone slowly bend down to look under the bed I balled up my fist ready to hit him when my ankle was grabbed and I was dragged out from the only hiding spot I felt some what safe in. I screamed and kicked and flailed and when I was dragged out from under the bed I kicked the man in the stomach but not as hard as needed the man pulled me to my feet and drew me close his hand cracked across my cheek and I fell to the floor, my neatly pinned hair falling in silk tresses around me. And I heard pounding feet racing towards the tent. The man grabbed me by my hair pulling me up making me cry out he backhanded me again making my lip split and making me fall again to the floor. Just then I heard Nathaniel yell "what do you think you are doing to her" the man said "she kicked me so I gave her some discipline" I laid still on the floor hoping that they would both go away the man left and Nathaniel bent down next to me as I was just sitting up. His hand gently brushed my hair away from my face I heard him growl when he saw my cheek and my split lip. He noticed I was still shaking when he picked me up and said "you are a little trouble maker aren't you" I said in a quivering voice " I told you I'm not little and that troublemaker has a name you know by the way it's Constance white fall" "a beautiful name for a beautiful woman". I stood up on shaky feet trying to balance myself on my unsteady feet my posture was a bit wobbly at first but I got myself to stand straight and tall I said in the most defiant tone I could "I could take care of my self but… thank you Nathaniel for all your help I guess" my tone willingly softened at the end and I sat on the bed and I asked him " Could I get some food around here because I'm famished" he said he would ask the cook if he could prepare something and once he got back he asked a lot of questions like where was I going I said "to my summer home" why were you there alone I answered " I wanted to be alone and get away from the castle" he noticed I slowed down on the last questions. Next thing I knew it was 10 months later and I had to ask Nathaniel something so I asked the most unreasonable question in the world "um Nathaniel do you mind if I stay here a while" while I was asking this I was looking down at the soft furs beneath me. Just after he answered "yes" a man in pure black entered the tent he said aloud probably not noticing me sitting on the bed "sir we have the report, the assassin was successful and killed the king" no one could be prepared for the cry of anguish that spilled from my lips not even me. I lay down and curled into a ball and cried my shoulders shook with the effort to keep the sobs from breaking free. I heard soft murmurs from the room and then someone was stroking my hair and I cried even harder, the king did that same thing when I was upset or crying. Nathaniel asked me "why do you greave so?" and I answered "he was like a father to me how could they do that he raised me from birth." I saw Nathaniel's face as cold as stone as I said this but I did not care nothing mattered now my only father and family was dead the man I loved, loved another woman there was nothing for me to live for. I knew I needed out of this place but if I died in the process so be it. This night I would try to escape him but there was a pull on my heart at that thought. Did I love him? Should I leave him I need to find out before I leave my second chance of happiness. I was feed as normal but the man had given me extra rations and I looked up at him confused. He was kind and old his skin was wrinkled and his hair gray but his eyes were young as if a young adventurer was trapped inside the feeble body. His smile was kind and warm and he said nothing to me as he set the hot food down for me to eat. I looked up at him and said "thank you very much" with as much of a smile as I could muster. He patted me on the shoulder and left the tent, after I ate the meal I quickly feel asleep and I slept into the morning hours. While I slept I had wept for my father and what pain Lucien was feeling and honestly that was the first time I thought of him since I was taken from the carriage.
End of chapter 1
Chapter 2
I woke to the sounds of the birds chirping obviously undisturbed by the solders, which means the soldiers were still sleeping so I opened my eyes to see the familiar sight of the tent fabric. I stood up slowly so I wound not wake anyone the tent door was closed as always, I untied the knots with deft fingers so I could get out once the material parted I was there was no one outside the tent. I crept slowly along the tent wall sliding so I would not make so much noise. As soon as I left the camp I ran as fast and as hard as I could run from myself leaving a shadow of my memories to be left behind. I stayed close to the camp when I scouted, I heard the camp come to life and when I was hiding behind a low bush I saw Nathaniel walk in to the tent and then walk out again with an expression of fury and rage darkening his features. He walked straight to the guard's tent and I saw him come out and shortly after fully armed guards emerged from the tent a little while later. They started looking for me and they did find me, more like Nathaniel did. I started moving slowly through the under brush, further away from the camp when I heard the snap of a twig behind me, I froze and shrunk down so low I could be mistaken for a oddly colored log. But Nathaniel was not easily fooled. I felt hands around my waist pulling me up kicking and flailing around to try to get free, but he held me with such strong hands there was no way I would be getting out of his grip. He yelled " WHAT WERE YOU THINKING RUNNING OFF INTO THE WILD LIKE THAT, WHITH NO ONE TO PROTECT YOU" his fury obvious but still I could not help the retort that came from my mouth " ya well at least it does not kill my family" as soon as those words were out I regretted them. His hand tangled in my hair and his lips crushed mine in an attempt to shut me up. My body and heart reacted different way then my mind. My mind was thinking what the heck he is doing while my heart and body were saying nothing could be better than this, kiss him back the words echoed in my head kiss him back my arms lifted and tangled in his hair my lips moving along with his. His arms slid down my back to my waist and he pulled me tighter against his body. His lips were as soft as velvet and smooth as silk, his hair that was tangled around my fingers were of the softest silk. His skin was hot and smooth, not an imperfection on his face, not one. His mouth still mercilessly kissed mine we were both wild in the passion mostly unsuspecting passion. He pulled gently away his breathing was just as ragged if not more than mine. His hand was still tangled in my hair and my hand was still in his. He suddenly pulled me close his arms were wrapped around my waist and my arms were wrapped around his middle, he held me close to his body heat and close to his heart. Suddenly I was in his arms like a child, he was carrying me back to the tent and back to the bed. He gently set me down and settled down beside me, we curled up behind me and we went to sleep wrapped in each others arms. In the mourning I was awoken by a gunshot, a battle cry and the frightful moans of wounded solders. Nathaniel rushed in and grabbed me by the arm his face a stone mask but in his eyes there was something there something frightening. I could see he was afraid, not for him but for his men and me. He took me to a long bush that was empty in the middle but from the outside it looked like and regular bush. As soon as I was hidden he drew his sword and charged headlong into the battle afraid I would never see him again I looked over the bush to see him in battle with Lucian O'Neal his face stone furry slashing away at Nathaniel his voice finally reached me he was talking about me. I heard Lucians voice as clear as day he said "I need Constance back and I know you have her." And then I heard "you don't need her you want her but she does not want to go with you" and then a quiet "we'll see about that and then louder you sent those assassins to kill the king" and then I heard the small short reply that made everything swim "so?" his answer echoed in my head one of Lucian's soldiers crept up behind him and before I could shout a warning plunged a dagger into his back. As if in slow motion I saw him fall my scream echoed in my head. I jumped out of the bush and I knew Lucian saw me but I did not care I did the most sensible thing I could think of, I ran. My feet making barely any noise, I could hear the wind howling in my ears and running through my hair, tears pouring down my cheeks at lousing Nathaniel to. I heard him peruse me calling out to his men to not let me escape I ran until I reached a river and I fallowed the river downstream (because they were coming from upstream) to the cliffs not shortly after that I was at the cliffs I stopped dead now. I was trapped now between the man I could not face and the thunder cliffs, I turned my back on the cliffs to see Lucian. He was off his horse now slowly advancing towards me I said "why do you want me back you have your precious Elizabeth Crowley and you are far to cold to realize, how much I loved you, you shattered my heart you broke y spirit and there is no going back not now not ever" and with that I stepped over the cliff. But I did not realize while I was talking Lucian was charging me. He went off the cliff with me. He did not live longer than that because something was different with me when I woke up to see Lucian lying there still as a grave my heart dried up no more feelings no more tears the end of his story is another for another time.
The eternal shifter, part two
America, 2012
My life changed after Lucian died I found out he had annulled the marriage between him an d Miss Elizabeth Crowley he had found out I had loved him and he loved me, miss Crowley had a child named after his father and ever since I have watched over his family my way of coping with eternity. My thoughts wander to that day were he lost his life and I lost my heart, to the shifting to a wolf that is the only reason I survived the 200 foot cliff dive. Since the family has survived through out the centuries of my watchful care nothing this bad has happened since that fateful day. I fell in love all over again. I was walking in to a grocery store and I ran into Miss Elizabeth' Crowley's descendant, Gabriel Crowley. He walked into me as I walked in and he out his stuff scattered all over the sidewalk he caught me before I fell and I landed against his chest almost kissing him, his lips just brushed mine. I straightened right away and dropped to my knees to pick up his stuff not helping noticing the book "she's just not that into you" I smiled as I picked the books up from the hot cement, I heard him bend to help me help him. And when I looked up I lost my breath just by looking at him, strangely he looked like Lucian and Nathaniel he had golden blond hair and supernatural green eyes they almost glowed. His eyes seemed beautiful somehow like that of an entrancing light, I could not take my eyes off him until my mind got focused on my task of protecting him. His eyes wandered about, his eyes skipping to the family crest on my hand. He asked "where is that crest from?" I looked up and told him that it was my friends and I was holding on to it for her". He of course not knowing what my facial expressions for lying was so he said nothing as we stood up and I handed him his groceries. He said "thank you for all your help, what is your name?" I slowly looked him in the eye and said "my name is Constance White fall" his face was unemotional as he stood there his eyes however were as glowing as the sun it's self betraying that he was uninterested in what I was saying but obviously he was really interested. He said maybe I could catch you later sometime see how you are doing I just nodded and continued on my day. Even though I knew he was gone I could still feel his green eye on me the golden flecks in them sparkling as if teasing me. My heart started throbbing at the thought that he had the same vibrant green eyes that Lucian had when he was alive the thought of lousing another that you cared for when you have spent an eternity alone, afraid that you will remain alone for all eternity. When I got to my apartment I knew someone was immediately here by the way the smell was off, that something was not right. I heard a foot step behind me and whirled to see who would try to sneak up on a shifter and was surprised to say the least at who was behind me, Lucian, my heart stopped dead in the middle of the beat and my breath came out in a rush and all I thought was how could he be alive after I barely survived that 200 foot fall. But just then his image flickered like a light bulb winking out. Lucian was a ghost and he wanted me to know something but why now and what did he want to tell me? What did he need and why was he here when he could be at peace in the underworld. Something was not right an unseen enemy was upsetting the balance, I heard a soft footstep behind me and I saw Gabriel standing there like he was the one who saw the ghost. His voice cracked as he spoke a ancient looking paper fell from his hand a sketch of me stared back my eyes sorrowful and lost he asked " its you you're the guardian of my people you're the real Constance white fall. I just nodded and I knew I would have to protect him far better than I had the others. Ten minutes later I was spilling my guts to this guy I did not even know, I was telling him my story and my life and how I spent it. I told him I have spent my whole existence science 1804 which was over 400 years protecting his family. When I told him this his mouth dropped open and he stared at me like I was some kind of ghost.
I picked up the portrait of me off the table and into my hands this portrait was of my happier days of loving Lucian and becoming friends, I was sitting in the middle on a stool and Lucian was on the left and the king was on the right. There faces so hauntingly familiar my heart throbbed inside my chest and tears gathered in my eyes I felt his hand on my chin tilting my head up his thumb brushed the tear off my cheek and his voice was as soft as velvet " I knew there was something familiar about you, your presence was so familiar I could not hoped that you were real that you were my guardian angel and here you are and I feel drawn to you somehow, I already know you." I said "your soul knows me because you are part of Lucian's lineage so his memories are passed on to you through the generations". I told him he can sleep here if he needs to and because it was easier to protect him in my spacious flat. That night I had a nightmare about watching Lucian kill Nathaniel over and over and over again as I sat helpless as I watched them destroy each other. I woke up with a gasp and I fell off my bed and on to a surprised Gabriel. My face was right in front of his and I just stared at him with wide and frightened eyes yet it was not all I felt. His hand was on my waist and then I noticed he was barely in any cloths and all I was wearing was an oversized t-shirt and underwear. I felt my body pressed against his, a blush spread across my face at his expression. I rolled onto the floor and stood up, I smelled something foul in the air there was something off something was watching us. I casually walk to the window slowly scanning the area for something. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a grayish lump sitting on a building that looked like a gargoyle but it was moving. A guardian they had found us but how, guardians only came to feed but why in the city they were solitary and shy creatures but extremely dangerous if tampered with. I mutter in a low voice to Gabriel to slowly stand up and hide somewhere, he looks at me and then does as I say. I open the window and jump into the night off the thirteenth story landing with a thump on the roof with the guardian. I put my hands slowly up showing I had no weapons and I did not intend to harm it. Slowly, but surely I made my way over to where the guardian was sitting its razor like wings ready to slash and fly at a moment's notice. The hissing voice sounded in my head " whatsss do you wantssss"
I calmly say you cannot hunt in the city it is forbidden for your race doing so will mean death" it hisses back a reply "they sssstole ssssomething frommmm meeee".
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