Hello lovlies! because of my extended absence, TWO UPLOADS TODAY! Love you guys and thanks for your support! Plan to be working on an Attack on Titan Annie x Armin story soon :3 SUPER STOKED! If you would like to help me with said story, my kik is xmikasaackermanx. I would be grateful for any inspiration! THANK YOU!
*DISCLAIMER: I am not a famous author nor is this from any series or book. I owe this story to Rai and my precious little mangosteen! Thanks guys!
Gerühe stumbled into the outskirts of his forest. He was rather curious on how other creatures lived. He blinked a few times to adjust to s
The smog filled air the reeked the city.
Serena was walking home from the factory she worked at. She was malnourished and thin with sunken emerald green eyes. Her light blonde, almost white hair blew in the wind. It was long and layered. Her simple dress was stained and grubby. She then began to wobble, and fell to the ground, blacking out.
Gerühe watched the girl with his slit pupils. He slunk out from his line of trees and to the limp female. His breath soft, as smoke from his herbal cigarette lingered around from the tip to his lips. He examined the girl and sighed at her state. The creature picked up the body, returning to his tree cottage.
She woke up in a weird place, looking around curiously then screaming when she saw him.
"Don't eat me or anything weird! I've heard about people like that! Oh no... Did the empire find out that I was stealing food so I could live and you're the executioner? S-some say he does things to girls..." She began to cry, both confused and scared.
He sighed blowing dust into her face in which made her drowsy. "Damn annoying human.." he grumbled as he prepared a small meal.
She now just made small whimpers as she sleepily looked around the room, falling back to sleep. Her dreams were riddled with nightmares, causing her to writhe and murmur in her sleep.
Once he finished the meal he inhaled on his pipe. Gerühe sighed as he pulled out one needle from the girls neck. The needle was place in acupuncture which kept her sleeping until removed. He waited for her to wake.
She blinked a few times before getting a scared expression on her face. "Wh-what are you? You aren't... You aren't human..." She whispered with wide eyes as she inspected him.
He was sitting in his woven basket chair, a blank expression on his face. He only gestured to the plate, "Nice deduction, eat. You're half dead with starvation."
She looks at the plate and her expression goes to pure pleasure as she quickly scarfs it all down, licking the container the delicious food had been in.
He observed his pipe as she ate. Gerühe only blew out rings of smoke silently as the girl finished. The creature stood, standing under a skylight, his features now noticeable. His smooth horn protruding from his forehead. His black hair tied on a low, loose pontytail. His eyes normal but the pupils like a cat. His long thing fingers holding his long pipe.
"Wh-what are you?" Her long hair hung in her grimy face. Everything was grimy, from those damned factories.
He blinked and sneered at the nasty smell of smog reeking off her. "I'm a fae. Mostly known as a fairy. But also a germ." He spoke in a deep town, puffing on his pipe.
"Th-the council... Thinks of your kind as a plague? But... You've been only kind-though a bit sassy-to me... Speaking of which, why did you bring me here?
He burned out his pipe, clearing his throat, "Well, you were pretty much dead on the side of the hard black trail. Any fae is sworn to help any creature in need?"
"You might as well kill anyone who's a someone... That's what would help everyone..." She says with a sigh. "I can't go back. They'll kill me..." She hugged herself.
"May I please bathe somehow?" She claws at her filthy skin.
He sighed and stood by the window. "You can gather water at the river and bathe in the back. There should be a spring next to the trunk of this tree."
"Thank you sir!" She curtsied graciously before going outside and seeing the beautiful river. She took in the gorgeous view. She found a rather large and dead pitcher plant and took it, snapping off it's "lid". Then she found some flowers with a sweet scent and plucked a few, putting them in the pitcher. She then filled it with water and went to the spring, stripping and throwing her tattered dress on the shore. She found a relatively porous rock, probably pumice, she assumed, and used it to scrub the grease and coal off of her body with the help of the sweet-smelling water. She proceeded to wash her long hair, too, giving it a sweet scent and extremely clean feeling.
The creature went to a small chest and pulled out a few silkworms. He coaxed them to spindle their silk, fashioning a slim kimono. Etching flowers into the soft fabric. His eyes dilated and relaxed.
She feels her clean skin. "It's been so long..." She murmurs as she lays on a large rock to dry. A beautifully feathered bird lands next to her and she giggles. "Hello." She strokes the dark purple bird's head. "You're quite a beautiful color." It squawks in response as if saying thank you and she giggles again before stretching out to dry more. She notices a Rose bush nearby and plucks one of the flowers, using it as one might use deodorant and perfume. She sat back on the rock, patiently waiting for her hair to dry.
Gerühe placed the worms back in the chest. Crushing a few red and blue flower petals in a bowl. Once in the purest form, he smeared them on the silk, staining them the color. The creature lifted the robes of fabric out on the terrace, to absorb the sun. He sat back in his chair, watching the outside world.
Her hair had finally dried and so she French braided it into a soft, delicate bun. The softness of it increased when she put some plain white flowers with yellow little centers in it. The bird flew next to her and nuzzled her bare side. "Oh, it's you. Have you a name?" She asked, petting his smooth feathers as he sang happily.
He was at the end of the walkway that lead to the spring. "That is Xeneith. Don't mind him, he's rather observing you. He's a shapeshipter." Gerühe stood there, with newly colored kimono in hand.
She jumped a bit, covering herself with her hands. A huge blush covers her face and she doesn't turn around at his sound, out of embarrassment.
He was still expressionless when he handed the robe. "Here. You're other fabric was unbearable to breathe. He clucked his tongue at the bird. The feathered creature flew away, chattering in anger. The male beast pulled out his flowers and made a simple flower crown as he made his way back to the cottage.
"Thank you!" She shouted towards him, putting the robe on. "Oh... It's beautiful..." The dark dye played off her light hair and skin. She enjoyed the feeling of the soft dirt beneath her feet as she walked back to his cottage and sat on the porch, enjoying the warm sun on her skin and the beauty of nature.
He made the wreath tighy and blew certain spores on it. He sighed as the flowers were set aside.
She then walked inside. "Thank you sir... This is... It's absolutely breathtaking..." The scent of something sweet and feminine came off of her body. "... You don't even know my name yet. I'm Serena. I'm 16... And if you hadn't saved me, I would be getting married to a tyrant today..." A small sigh escapes her lips.
He only half lidded stared at her blankly. He flicked his hand tapping off the ash from his herbs, "I'm Gerühe, and I'm not one to care about your problems. I only came to heal and return. The rules of faes are simple."
"R-return?" She gets a terrified look and starts to sob. "Please! I'm begging you! Do anything but return me!" She falls to her knees and looks up at him. "Your healing me would be in vain and I'll only be worse!" Her voice is cracking in fear. "They'll just kill me!... Actually, that would probably be the best thing that they would do..." She sobs, thinking of worse things that could be done to her.
He groaned in annoyance. "Loud brat. There's more to the forest than my territory. Though most faes do not accept humans in all. With your choking unnatural smoke, and cutting down of our land."
"Do you think that's what I want?" She whispers quietly. "I love nature... I would sneak to the woods, past the electric line that shocks us humans just so I could get away from hell. I would climb the trees and catch fish in a nearby stream..." She begins to shake. "I would make flower crowns for my little sister... U-until she died... They overworked her and 500 other children to death that year... That doesn't include the adults like my mother and father that died the same year... It's a wonder that I'm still living..."
He lifted his hand to silence her, "it's not a faes problem to listen or be involved with humans. So, either live in the nearby territories and deal with judgemental glares, or return to where you came from."
She stands up and wipes her tears, leaving. She walks in the direction of the setting sun. She has no idea where she's going, other than the opposite direction of the city and it's disease.
He pulled out the tip of the pipe from his lips, blowing out a line of smoke.
The bird joins her again, landing on her shoulder. "Hello Xeneith..." She says with a sad smile, stroking his soft feathers.
Gerühe sighed and took his flowers and began to weave more together. The creature's ears twitched at the sounds around him.
Xeneith shape shifted into what looked similar to a human, but with pointed ears. He was wearing a lavish robe with the purple feathers.
"Aw, beautiful girl, what's wrong?" He pulls her chin to look at him. She opens her mouth to say something, but he puts a finger to her lips and shushes her. "Hush now, lovely Serena." He wraps his arms around her. "Little have you known that I've watched you since you were just a girl."
Gerühe's eyes slit and he heard the two speaking. His horn trembling lightly as did his whole body.
"Y-you have?" She says in a hushed tone.
"Yes. I'm so glad that you found my bird form flattering. But how about now?" He kisses her forehead gently.
"I..." She observes his blue-black hair and gentle lavender eyes... His plump rosy lips entice her. "Y-yes... You're very handsome."
He gets a smirk. "I've always wanted to hear that from you. I've loved you Serena."
She looks at him, stunned. She almost feints from surprise.
The creature stood and was behind Xeneith in a mere second, his eyes fierce. "And I suppose you meant that to the other women you lured to your lair." His hand clenched on his shoulder.
He jumps a bit, then gives an evil smirk. "Either way, she was better off than any other human was at that point!"
Serena begins to run away again.
"Aw, look what you did. You scared her away."
He snorted at his direction. "Lay a finger on any human again that is not deemed worthy of it. Your head is mine." He walked the path that the female ran to, quiet and tense.
He snorts and returns to being the dark purple bird.
Serena is sitting under a tree, hugging herself and crying softly.
He shooed the bird away, after a few minutes of walking he wound up standing a few feet away from the tree she say under. Gerühe sighed and pulled out his pipe. "I warned you about him."
"It wasn't him that made me run." She says bluntly as she strokes the soft grass.
"It wasn't him that made me run." She says bluntly as she strokes the soft grass.
He eyed her in curiosity. His posture formidable and sincere. "Oh? Then what?"
"You." She sighs. "I don't think of you as mean or brooding, just... Careless." She looks at him sadly. "And no one has ever said - never mind."
He cocked an eyebrow in tempt, waiting for her words to slip out. "I'm waiting."
"No one has ever called me beautiful or said they loved me before. Not even my fiancée." She says with a scoff. "I thought you didn't care though, if I remember correctly."
"In the forest humans abide by the woods law. If deemed innocent, they are viewed as a fae." He spoke in an annoyed tone.
She furrowed her brow and crossed her arms. "What does that have to do with what I just said?"
"It wasn't my problem until you resided in the forest." The creature inhaled on his pipe.
She stares at him silently. After a minute, she speaks up. "I'm starting to think you're the malign one here."
Gerühe shrugged and turned on his heel. The creature started for his tree cottage, silent in his steps.
She sighed and felt her silk kimono. "Do you want it back?"
He waved in a careless manner. "Keep it. I'd hate to have faes complain to me that I set you off with nothing to wear."
She just sits under the tree, a lump in her throat growing before she starts to cry again. Of course, Xeneith lands next to her and shapeshifts. He pulls her to his chest with a malign smile. She wraps her arms around him, sobbing into his chest.
"Sh... Shh... I'm here now." He caresses her back gently. "I won't give up on you no matter how many time he shoos me away."
'I won't give up because I want to see her twisted face as she writhes in pain.' He thinks and almost laughs at the thought.
Gerühe only pulled his arm back to sling out his sword. He turned slowly trying to keep his cool. "Xenieth, this is your last warning." He pointed his long sword to the shapeshifter. "Let go. You know I can read your thoughts."
He only smirks. "Fine. But think of how the girl will feel then." She held on to him tighter in fear and confusion as she cried.
He sneered and gripped his sword, steam slipping out as it broke into two blades. Dual wielding was a master skill of his. "Not writhing in pain from your hands, I know that for sure. Human. Let go of him."
Serena lets go wearily. She presses her back against the tree, as if hoping that it would protect her.
Gerühe dragged his foot in the ground, greating a symbol that made a knothole in the tree, in which the human could hide in.
She crawled in, bringing her knees to her chest and hugging herself.
"Xenieth, I warned you. Now either remove your rank as a fae, or die." He sneered loudly.
"I think I'll remove my rank. I'll go to the human village where my little princess lived and rule over them!" He laughs maniacally and then turned into a bird, flying towards the village.
He sighed in annoyance. "Not my problem."
Serena came out and hugged him. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you! I'm so so sorry! Please forgive me Gerühe!"
He slid her away with his arm. "Yeah yeah, human. I get you." He clicked his swords together. Binding as one, stashing in away in his scabbard.
She sniffed and whipped her eyes. "... I still think you're heartless."
He shrugged, smirking. "I'm an asshole. Not heartless. I saved you, didn't I?"
She giggled. "Fine, fine. You're an asshole. So may I stay near you or would that be too much trouble?" She asks with a smirk.
He waved her off. "Fine. But your respecting my rules, my ways, and my forest."
"Alright... You might as well start telling me."
He sighed heading for his tree cottage. "Later. I'm exhausted."
"Fine." She sat on his porch.
After about three hours, she knocked on the door to his cabin. "Gerühe, are you up?"
The male creature flicked his hand as the door opened, his chair soft as he sat. Content.
She smiled at him sweetly. "How did you sleep sir?"
He eyed her curiously, "Fine?" He crossed his leg, lighting his pipe.
"Why are you questioning what I just asked?... Anyways, I was wondering if you might tell me the rules before I go and break them. And your ways too."
He crossed his arms. "Well, no unnatural items allowed in the forest. You must never allow your human friends in here. You are our only exception." He sighed breathing out the smoke.
"Ha. Friends, that's funny." She crosses her arms.
He huffed and waved her away. His eyes darkened with sleep.
"Is that it?" She raised an eyebrow. "And something other then stay away from Xeneith. That one is a bit obvious."
He looked back at her, "Bathing is not to clean, it's to purify the body. Do not take things unless it's needed. Animals shall not be killed unless after thanked to give it's body to you." Gerühe sneered slightly.
She nods. "Okay." She sits on the floor next to him, looking up to him. "I'll do anything you ask of me. Consider me indebted to your gracious act of letting me stay with you." She gives him a bright smile.
He sighed resting his cheek on his fist. "I don't want a kissass servant. Just don't annoy me human."
She laughed. "I'm not kissing your ass. I'm thankful that you got me out of that hellhole and didn't send me back." She smiles up to his handsome features.
He shrugged inhaling on his pipe.
"You're such a male." She laughed as she stood up. "I'll be making dinner if you need me." She walks out and starts a warm fire with dry leaves and fallen, dry branches. She gets a pot and fills it with water, tying it above the fire.
He watched, curious on how the humans lived, and thrived.
She gathered small items, even something similar to cinnamon and even a leaf that produced a sweet sugary taste, throwing them in the pot. She hummed as she went further away and found a place filled with fruits and berries. She gathers many of them, and chops them finely, removing bruised or undesirable parts, throwing them in the boiling water, stirring occasionally. She was now singing a lullaby of sorts.
He rolled his eyes at the singing as he tapped the ashes off his pipe, taking the ashes and putting them in a jar.
After a while she returns to humming as she scoops the warm fruit, putting it in two wooden bowels. She mushes it, making it into a pie filling. She then rips one of the sweet leaves in half, squeezing the juices into it. She stirs them both, a hearty and sweet dinner. She fills two glasses with water and caries it all in, setting it on the table and standing, waiting for him to join her.
Gerühe blinked, slowly heading to the table to receive his meal.
"If you don't like it, I'll make something else." She says, taking a seat.
He sniffed it curiously, sitting down with a thud on the floor. He bowed slightly as he took a bite.
She watched him, biting her lip. "Is it okay?"
He scrunched up his face as he swallowed. "The herbs you used are odd combinations. Plus one is for ritual sacrifices."
She sighed. "Sorry." She takes it outside as whistles loudly. Two wild dogs that she had found back when she was younger came running and gobbled it up. She held back tears. She was trying her hardest, she really was! She wanted to make him happy!
He stood and gathered herbs that were from the purity stone orchard. "Here, try these."
She nods and takes them, turning as she tears up. Why was she so weak?! She was always the one to pass out at work and get sick... Cry, mostly. She remakes the meal but with those herbs and wipes away her tears, taking a deep breath. She brings it in. "Let's try again, shall we?" She says setting it down.
He cleared his throat as he placed lotuses into his drink. The creature took a bite, a smile on his face. "Taste it. You'll understand the compliment flavors."
She took a bite of it. Her palate had a different taste then his, being human and all, but she was so hungry that she choked it down, also guzzling the drink.
He stopped rather confused on why humans ate so disgustingly as he simply nibbled on his food.
She licked it out again. "I-I'm sorry... I... I've never been fed this much food."
He blinked as he chewed. His eyes slits as he drank. She looks at the empty bowel, still ravenous and wanting more. Gerühe, noticing, sighs and hands his bowel over to her.
"No! You eat it!"
"I'm not half dead by starvation." He spoke in a harsh tone.
"Fine..." She this time eats it in a more humane way.
He got up and began cleaning his small cottage.
"Facilities?" She questioned.
He pointed to the entire forest. "But keep it to one spot."
She blushed and nodded, heading out of sight about an eighth of a mile away before reliving herself with a sigh behind a large oak.
She comes back, feeling much better, taking a seat on his floor. Gerühe is now meditating. "Gerühe, are you sure that I'm not any trouble?"
He sat up from his meditation. "No, but right now you are." He gathered his needles.
"Sorry..." She whimpered. "Where do I sleep?"
He sighed as he placed needles into his arm. "There is spare bedding in the greenhouse."
"Thank you..." She said quietly, tearing up again.
He shrugged as he placed some more in his chest. "Sleep well, human."
She sniffed and ran of to the greenhouse, bawling the whole way. As soon as she got there, she buried her head in the pillow and sobbed loudly. She knew she was an annoyance to him, she just knew it!
Meanwhile, Gerühe yawned softly, sighing in relaxation. The acupuncture worked wonders on him.
She cried herself to sleep that night, hugging the pillow tight. She would have a crick in her neck in the morning for sure.