Hi everybody:)!!! Long time no see, don't worry I haven't gone AWOL. I've just been winning the lottery...LOL. Well, my friend FireFanatic emailed me with a Jezebel dream she had. I couldn't resist in turning it into a one shot. Now this is only my second one, so please forgive any errors. It's taken me two days, but I did it. Also there some spoilers in this, so if you don't like don't read. Thanks. Other than that...
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson -
Delilah.
That was the one word she heard over and over again since coming to this forsaken place.
She had heard it spoken in many ways, in many separate contexts, by even more diverse people with even stranger backgrounds. From outright reverence to eloquent-and well hidden-disgust, even before she had learned to speak in their tongue. She knew that they had all migrated for various reasons to this one place for that one solitary reason. In fact it was they who had captured her, made her kith and kin alike suffer in agony, time and again. For oftentimes nothing more than their own amusement.
Humans.
Oh! How she despised that loathsome word more than ever now. In times not so long past they had been nothing more than a passing nuisance. A rare novelty to be seen afar from the safety of the den. And she had often enough, watching and observing in that perpetually wise way her kind was known for. The two-leggers seemed to forever hover perpetually between being in their own little waking dreams or becoming a force of destruction unto themselves. They had been an endless source of amusement for not just her own family, but for the entire countryside as well. And the fools didn't even realize it; a few of the other clans had even made them a supplemental livelihood on occasion.
Even her own brothers had even snatched a few of the noisy birds the two-leggers were so fond of keeping in the artificial caves. True, they were a bit high-strung-you wake up one and suddenly the whole place is squawking up a racket-and smelly. And way, way, way too many feathers. But if you could avoid choking on the sheer mass of them, it was very good eating, if you caught one big enough, the kits could eat for several days off it.
They never could understand why such a fuss was made over it; after all it was a fair trade. The two-leggers came into their territory taking their rightful food stuffs, why shouldn't they be paid back for what was taken. It was the Law, to repay back what has been taken. It had always been and always would be. And had faithfully served her clan well over the generations.
But not these two-leggers...these humans. They were an entirely different breed from what she was used to, in fact she had never even imagined that such levels of cruelties even existed. In Nature, there was the Great Balance, there was purpose to everything, pain and pleasure, cause and consequence. It was all accounted for in the Great Cycles and the result was a lasting harmony.
Not here.
How she had come to be in this place was as brilliant, as it was brief and painful. It started out quiet enough, she was standing sentry face to face with the great, radiant Lady Moon as company enjoying to the songs of the night harmonies. And looking forward to being relieved by one of her Aunts and snuggling into the cozy nest of soft grasses and shed fur for a well deserved rest. One moment all was blissful quiet, as the next...chaos erupted.
There were many flickering lights that looked like moving stars fallen to earth. Only this light brought destruction in its burning wake like the fiery fury of the Sun's very rays. There were many more large moving shadows and the 'thunk-thunk' of heavy leather boots, racing through the thick underbrush. The combined acidic/coppery stench of metal and blood being shed, by two-leggers and her kin alike. The shouts and cursing, yips and barks, weither of fright or anger, it was too jumbled to tell apart so far away.
But deep down, she was horrified as her blood and body alike froze outside and within feeling like ice in the deepest winter. For it only ment one thing...
It was an ambush!!!
They had had to move from the expansion of the two-leggers encroachment, several times in fact. But this time the Elder's had seemed so sure in their vast, hard-won wisdom of the many seasons that they had lived. That they finally, finally would be safe, for no two-legger had ever been seen this far out in the world. And so it had been for several seasons, the clan had been safe and free from fear, and so expanded. Not that she'd even tell her family, after all she was an above all obedient daughter. Sometimes in the most secret parts of her mind, she missed the two-leggers. They were nothing, if not entertaining, but now...all she felt was pure, unadulterated fear...
Unable to answer the clan's cries for help and arms.
Then all was darkness.
A memory surfaced unbidden from the deep stillness in her spirit, of long, long ago. A conversation with her Great-Grandfather, her mother's father and oldest of the clan, he was old and grizzled dusted with silver over his body, like snow. And equally heavy with the fat from the hunts of his many grandchildren, for he could no longer do so himself. But as in Nature, there must be equal trade. So, instead of bringing food, he passed on possibly the greatest treasure of the ages, knowledge. As he had lived to an almost unheard of age until that time, he knew something for everything. And that's what she loved most about him, unlike her sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews, even her parents and extended family. She loved him, and the whimsical stories and hard-won lessons he had to teach, he was a good teacher. Even if he did fall asleep in the middle of speaking from time to time. It was a forgivable sin.
She's done it often enough with her other teachers.
They had been speaking his ancestors, and thus her own...
(Flashback)
The Elder Fox opened one milky eye, the bright gold long since faded into the luminesance of the moon. As he sought to focus upon his one lone granddaughter...no...great-granddaughter he reminded himself. Though the best he was able to do was a big, red blur he could still hear her though, time hadn't stolen that since from him yet.
"Tell me of the Ancient Ones, Great-Grandfather. Is it really true our kind was so revered once?" The little fox kit asked.
"Still is." He stated matter-of-factly, in a voice that sounded more like the wind rustling through the trees, than cracked with age.
"Where?! Is it around here? Can we go?" She asked eagerly. Instead she was brought out of her reverie by a light chuckle. She turned to him in surprise; it wasn't usually like him to belittle her dreams so quickly.
"No, my child. It is far across the sea, it would take you many lifetimes just to cross the lands between here and there. It is where my own many-many-many great's forefather's once lived, in time immemorial even before I lived. Though I do remember my grandmother saying something about the two-leggers calling it, ' The Land of the Rising Sun.'" He stopped a moment to bite down on an annoying itch that had emerged.
"How beautiful." Her copper red tail flashing in excitement the dim light like new minted coins. She wanted to hear more.
"Indeed, my granddaughter. The two-leggers are capable of great good in their own ways, when they put their minds to something useful that is."
The excited silence was more than enough to get him to continue.
Now scratching thoughtfully the itch which had seemed to migrate just below his right ear. "There my ancestors are called, kami or the kitsune. Supposedly, they can summon the burning light, make plants grow, make the two-leggers dream while awake and at times even become two-leggers themselves."
"Really!"
"Yes. As much like we do now, they watch and play with the two-leggers when the whim strikes them. Though they don't understand it and get angry, so they make little caves for them and fill it with things that they use and we have no practical use for. They think it will appease them. A few have even mated them."
She giggled kicking up the dirt floor in a lively dance. "How silly. Is there anything two-leggers won't do?"
The Elder smiled in his own way as well weither from her antics or the silliness of the two-leggers, she was never sure. But he apparently still had more to say, because he kept talking in a steady pace." I agree. Though Grandmother told me also, that they lived to a great age over one thousand seasons."
The little kit was struck speechless at the thought of living so long among the clan, though it would explain a thing or two about Great-Grandfather.
"I see my words have struck a cord within you, my faithful grandchild." The Elder settled, his voice becoming softer now. "So, I will tell you more. With every one hundred seasons, our ancestors who survived would become lighter in color, and gain another tail in the process. Until the one thousand had passed, and ten tails gained looking as though the snow had washed our souls clean, then ultimate longevity and power was finally theirs. But The Children of the Sun were rarest of all, golden as their namesake. That blood though long diluted is still alive in places, as I'm sure you have thought. It is why I have lived this long, and time is not to blame for this coat, it is the blood of them who came before me. Though I have not been able to reap the full benefits of it, in others there is still time. Like you."
That statement truly surprised her that was something she had indeed hadn't expected. "Great-Grandfather?! Whatever do you mean, 'alive in me'?"
"Magic." He whispered fondly. "What lays all around you, it will guide you, my loving great-granddaughter."
"What does that...?" She was cut off, for the old fox was now asleep. She gazed at him breathing for a few seconds, debating weither she should wake him up or not. But decided against it, nuzzling him fondly. "Goodnight Great-Grandfather, I love you too."
That was the last time she had ever seen the person she had loved most in the world. For death had claimed him a few hours later.
(End Flashback)
It truly was a sad memory, to be sure. And that's what made it doubly precious. For not only had it been the final goodbye of her beloved ancestor, but the seemingly insignificant information of the time had later proven to be nothing short of her salvation.
She had been tossed and pitched into a cart and taken away her family separated by others. As she herself was hurled into confines with many others not of her own kind, but rather denizens of the surrounding woodlands. Though as she would learn later though they were taking separate paths, they were all going to the same place.
The Tower.
At least that's what it was called, this wretched place. Personally she thought it sounded like something some two-legs thought up while acting strange on their strong-smelling drinks. If they could come up with a name like, 'Land of the Rising Sun', which was poetry writhing itself. Surely, they could up with something better than that?
But obviously no, and she wasn't granted the privilege of time to dwell on it long as well. She was taken to a large cavernous room, one that could have encompassed all of her clan's previous dens put together and then some.
Lots of various two-leggers were unloading the portable confines similar to her own. All filled with all sorts of creatures, some she knew, some were foreign to even her eyes. Their cries of rage and fear were clear to her sensitive ears, echoing across the room as they were stacked surprisingly very neatly one on top of the other. As a two-legger who in some strange way reminded her of her late Great-Grandfather. For he was definitely smaller and by far older than the other two-leggers. He had a beard as she had often seen the country farmers wear. And his eyes were almost hidden under the wrinkles that looked like they were just falling off his bald head; his hair was as silver as her late ancestors as well.
He looked kind in his own way as he inspected the cargo to his satisfaction nodding at inquiries, signing this, or making note of that or this. When he finally came round to her own cage, peering in he smiled suddenly at the unexpected prize.
"Well hello there, my little beauty. How in the world did a diamond like you wind up here?"
As she backed deeper into the shadows of her burlap covered cage, her large emerald eyes peered at him from the comforting darkness. The long ears twitched, but she said nothing. And even if she could understand him, it's not like she would indulge him. She was far too furious for that at the moment.
"Hey Doc, we done here? We got a lot more loads to pick-up for people tonight."
"Yes, yes, of course. Go as you please, only I want this little beauty, I have something special I'd like to try." Dr. Zenobia replied.
"We get paid either way, so take your pick." The unnamed workman replied nonchalantly.
"Thank you."
Once more her cage was covered and she was taken away from the squalling masses. Somewhere deep down, she had a sinking feeling that she would never see any of her family again.
When her cage was exposed to light again, the most incredible variety of smells and sounds assaulted her nose. Some good, some bad, all incredibly and inevitably strange. All from all sorts of unusual devices and contraptions littered about the even smaller room. One thing was familiar though; there were other captives in cages of varying sizes. Even more fantastical than the ones she left behind; they seemed to be a mix of both two-legger and all sorts of animals. Half-finished, as if the One Above had started an idea only to abandon it.
A raucous din of squawks, roars, and shrill screams filled the room. She looked across the room on the edge of the overhead light's radiance. She could see a massive creature with a grizzly head atop a two-legged female's body. The bear-two-legger's dark eyes turned on her, she roared loud enough to rattle the cages.
In another cage, a young male two-legged creature sat, knees pulled up to his chest, his straight dark hair framing a face with vaguely felinoid features and eyes of an astonishing blue. His pale skin was a sleek pelt of fur; a long white tail sprouted from the base of his spine to twitch restlessly on the ground.
There was several more two-legger/animal mixes, creatures like the bear-mix who made unintelligible noises as the Old Two-Legger passed by: a lion with hands, a tailless wolf with human legs. Then there were others so scrambled, with an assortment of hooves and fur and feathers and paws that she couldn't tell what they were.
A scaled woman with gold eyes stared at her -previously unnoticed-from a cage to her left. Her ears perked up in interest when she realized that the bottom half of the woman's cage was a water tank. Upon seeing she had an observer, the woman grinned showing pointed teeth, then pivoted. A row of blunt ridges along the length of her spine poked through the wet slick of her long black hair. She dove, arching to reveal a thick, tapered tail ending in flared double fins. Resurfacing, she flung her hair back with a hand that had three talon-like fingers and a thumb. Her interlocked scales shimmered in faint rainbow sheens, creating fascinating, swirling patterns.
"Now, now Hali. Don't scare our new little friend, you scamp." The now familiar voice said. The mer-thing instantly backed off, diving into the safety of the silent waters below. As the two-legger approached peered into her cage, slipping some meat and water between the bars.
Though wary, she was close to starving not having eaten since her capture, and the meat smelled good. It was a mistake she come to regret. Within minutes, she was weaving on her feet and barely able to focus her vision.
This was neither the first nor the last perverted and sheer mockery of nature itself, she would see. Or experience.
She awoke for the second time, to find herself in a third room, very dark hat smelled like anger, fear and sadness of a thousand, thousand of the ones who had come here before her. She was surrounded by points of light like stars and. this time numerous voices of other two-leggers.
A tall dark-haired two-legger with double eyes seemed to be the center of the small group, for he held most of the attention. She assumed that this was the pack leader. Despite the fact his stance was relaxed, it was also eager, darkly eager. He blew a thoughtful smoke ring from the pipe he held in his teeth and spoke. "Is it nearly done Zenobia, I can't wait much longer."
"Oh yes," The shorter man clapped his hands together in pure excitement. "I ferverently believe, that this new specimen looks so promising. I have a feeling she'll do better than all the previous ones combined."
"Good. We can't afford anymore delays, this is the last time. If it doesn't succeed I'm scrapping the project permanently." Alexis stopped a moment to casually dump the ashes of his pipe, before looking back up with an even gaze. "That's means all your precious pets are going as well, I won't tolerate failure."
"Oh, do not worry Cardmaster. I'm positive by now the subject has already ingested the required components and is more than ready to begin whenever you are." Dr. Zenobia replied with a confidence he truly didn't feel.
That seemed to perk Alexis right up, for he smiled brilliantly showing all his teeth. "Excellent. Then I order it right now."
"Yes, Cardmaster." The assembly intoned as one, bowing before hurrying off to their designated places.
There was one who hung back though, a fair haired man with double eyes and a small boy-dark to his light- stood at his side. As they observed the comings and goings of the cloaked figures before them as they readied the Major Arcana for yet another ceremony. As his gaze fell onto the cage nearby and the poor creature within, their gazes locked for a moment. A familiar sick feeling returned to his stomach. One he had had so many times before in this situation. Jezebel's heart went out to the little creature for he couldn't bear to even think what sort of unnatural beast she would become.
"I-I'm not feeling too well Cassian. I'm going to lie down." Jezebel told the man/boy in passing.
His shorter companion didn't look convinced, he'd been with the man long enough to know a lame excuse when he heard one. But chose to say nothing, as a non-Arcana Jezebel wasn't required to attend and with his father too preoccupied to care, he wouldn't be missed.
The room was still just long enough for Jezebel to catch his father's parting words to the little fox. "You, my dear. Are going to make history today in this Organization. I can feel it."
However, she backed away from the strange two-legger growling menacingly the whole time. Her tail at attention and copper fur so much on end that it was downright painful. This creature smelled not right, he reeked of desire...for power. And she wanted nothing better than to get away from him, but the drugged food still made her attempt at resistance weak and futile at best.
The two-legger snatched her be the scruff of the neck, her cursing the weakness of her limbs into betraying her. When she was tossed down onto the center the room, below her paws there were markings, strange one that smelled old, ancient and wrong. They looked like they had been made with blood and smelled a little like bone, they seemed to shift and writhe with a life of their own, like snakes. She tried to escape, but something unseen seemed to rise up and hold her in against her will.
"It seems our little guest is getting restless." Alexis who had been observing this little spectacle chuckled. Major Arcana and loyal disciples, begin!"
At once the air was full of strange chants and think with a heavy coat of incense. It seemed to come form everywhere and nowhere at once, she was afraid, more so than she had ever been in her short life. Trying to flee, as an unseen wind swept through the room. Over candles through the thick incense, taking it with it in its wake combing to become a hellish comet, cruel and red. Before snaking its way in a long tendril allowing just a moment to be admired in it's foul glory, as it consumed like a starving man.
Inside the cloud the little fox choked and coughed, frantically trying to find some quick means of escape. But to no avail, it was then something inside of her snapped. The injustice of it all tore at her innards and in her anger and sorrow sparked the flame of rebellion against her so-called destiny.
"They burned my family...poisoned and captured me...laughed at my torture...and all for what not punishment, but only for their own amusement...I am an innocent!!!! To what did I do to deserve this treatment!!!!Nothing!!! I will die like this...Never will I give that satisfaction!!! Great-Grandfather, help me!!!"
As if in response to her desperate prayer, her vision filled, as the Change tugged at her body reshaping and remaking the most miraculous transformation. Her form shifted and expanded, some things gained, while others were lost. The muscles and bones popping, reforming into longer limbs, her paws became hands and feet. And so much more...
The floor danced wildly beneath her, dizziness buzzing in her ears. Liquid black swept her mind into a deep, empty abyss.
She woke, lashing out in a blind panic. Joy flooded through her in estatic rush that just as suddenly turned cold. Despite the preservation of her existence, realization that her body had been altered pierced the confusion like a ray of light.
Fingers?
And she looked down, discovering in dawning horror the full extent of what had truly been done to her.
Her torso, from head to just below her navel was covered in long, pale golden hair that looked like the sun. Her hips however blossomed into sleek long dancer's legs. 'No, no, no,' she cried softly. 'Anything but this.' She was now trapped in human flesh.
Her attention expanded slightly as she heard the wild cheers and whooping of the Major Arcana's disciple's first complete success. Suddenly, the Great-Grandfather-Two-legger approached her carrying something long and white, tensing up as she no longer had her claws and teeth to defend herself with. A thin blanket was draped about her shoulders, the simple cloth looking upon her as a queen's own mantle. Then her spoke...
And she heard and for the very first time, understood.
"Don't worry, Little Beauty you are safe. But anyhow, I am Doctor Zenobia and Welcome to the Collection."
After a few separate tantrums and rebellions on her part, she had settled into life in the, 'Collection' as he called it. With the Doctor Zenobia, she knew she neither liked, nor hated the little man. For he was like the faucets in the sink he had taught her to use, hot and cold at different times. Still, he was somewhat good to her so in spite of her better judgment, she tolerated him and his lessons.
A sliver of ice went through her veins. As a fox, she had taken great pride in her beauty. Even in human form she knew she was at least a fair representative of the species. Even now, the very notion of being less than even that, of being physically broken, repulsed her to her core.
The Speech of Men came surprisingly easy for her, as she had often observed his species long before she had come here. As did walking-though she did fall a few times when starting, two legs weren't as easy as four-as well as other basic human necessities. Like clothes, she still didn't understand why humans deemed so much necessary to live in the world. But most of all she disliked 'examinations' as he called them, when he came and poked and prodded her with different ice, cold metal objects in different places. And often tried to stick her with those awful sharp little glass thorns, although taking the pictures of her insides was kind of interesting. The whole experience was one she rather would live without.
Much to her surprise, though she was now trapped in human flesh. Apparently, some of the abilities she had as a fox had crossed forms with her, she was still quite agile-if dodging Zenobia's needles were any indication-and quick. Her good hearing and eyesight remained, as did her understanding with her fellow creatures. As she had found herself often conversing with the other members of The Collection. Hali, especially though she was slightly wary of her as she had found the mer-girl had been spawned in the same ceremony she had. From the likes of an Amazonian Piranha, no less. She was the closest success that Delilah had had next to her complete transformation.
And sometimes, there would be people to come into visit the Doctor for various things. Mostly, out of curiosity to see the Doctor's newest edition, or usually the little dark-haired little boy. Who more often than not shouted at the Doctor to do something about his body, she didn't understand why, but didn't question it either.
One day, however the tolerable life she had changed dramatically. When Dr. Zenobia had told her she was being given to someone named Cassandra. As he prepared to hand her off to the guards outside the door, she heard him muttering half-apologetically. Weither to her or more to himself she never knew.
"I'm sorry, little beauty. It's not my decision, if it were up to me I would keep you here forever safe. But the Cardmaster has ordered this exchange and I can do nothing but obey. And I suggest you do the same..."
It turned to be what she found out was called, 'a double-edged sword that cuts both ways'. For while she was out of that hellish place, that was all well and good within itself. She had been taken to a place that was another level of nightmare altogether, at first it didn't seem like that at all.
The room was quite beautiful, magnificent actually, all sorts of vivid colors, an assorted jumble of the curious knick-knacks that humans deemed necessary for comfort and luxurious fabrics. Some that were quite familiar to her as one might actually find them out in Nature, the sight of a couch upholstered in simple green leaf patterned velvet comforted her greatly. She jumped on it and had just laid down to rest, when a loud 'CRACK' reverberated through the air over her head. The resulting fright was so great; she landed on the floor in a heap. As pain shot through her bruises and clouded her vision. He managed to see her lower leg exposed from its confining cloth in the fall, was now sporting a long, red gash.
Upon looking up, there was the first time she got a full view of Delilah's High Priest, Cassandra. He was a tall man that was for sure, lean and almost as tall as the Cardmaster himself. And dressed in the latest London fashion -not that she knew that- with long flowing hair as brown as freshly turned earth, long classic nose, heart-shaped face, and intense black eyes that seemed to bore into her soul. But unlike the Cardmaster what he lacked in quiet confidence, he more than made up for in sheer ruthlessness as she would soon find out firsthand.
He trained those cold, dead eyes upon her and smiled in a way she couldn't really understand. All she knew was it chilled her down to her very soul, his hand suddenly shifted emerging from under the half closed cloak he wore. To reveal a carefully crafted whip clutched within, and it was slightly dripping at the long, slender end.
'My own blood', she thought in alarm.
"I don't allow dogs on my furniture." Cassandra's smooth voice stated. As a nameless Butler emerged as quietly from the shadows as her own sisters on a hunt, to take his Master's cloak and hat. He executed his task as lifelessly as an automaton, taking no notice of the device of torture in his Master's grip. He was a veteran of a hundred such scenes like this, and he'd learned through other's follies. If one did not desire to be one of the 'pets' of the members Delilah Organization, be silent, efficient, obedient and above all, invisible. He only prayed that Lord Cassandra would have his newest pet bleed away from the furnishings this time, it was so hard to get the stains out.
"N-not...d-dog."
"Excuse me."
Cassandra in the middle of taking off his cloak, it was on one shoulder and off another as he turned and seemed to see her in a whole new light. While he was distracted, the Butler gave a little bow effectively making his escape back to the shadows.
Though the pain in her lacerated muscle hurt extremely so, weither it was her imagination or not, numbness tingled down her foreleg, as if it wouldn't support her weight. The feeling passed quickly, but the warning still lingered. As she bravely bore down in a more familiar crouched all-fours position.
She chose her words carefully, "I..am..n-not...a...d-dog. I am a fox." She said the last part praising herself mentally; she wasn't going to let this male dominate her, no matter how much she was secretly afraid.
They studied each other a moment, one through wide defiant green eyes, the other through passive black ones.
Instead of the anger she expected, he smiled in pure delight, like a kid on Christmas Morning."Ah, a rebellious streak. I like that; you'll certainly be more fun than my last 'guest'. We'll break you of that soon enough, but in the meantime..." He rolled up his sleeves casually, as if he had just come home from work, coiled the whip menacingly around one hand, giving a sharp tug with the other. All the while right in plain sight of her. "I do like a challenge."
It was only the beginning. The dream rapidly faded into a nightmare.
Hell.
Yes, that was the word the humans called it.
The great, endless 'Supreme Darkness', Great-Grandfather had told her about.
The place all beings, great or small must come to at the time of their eminent end. This must be where she was; still it couldn't be any more horrible than the one she left behind. Perhaps human's Hell would be Heaven to her.
She could only hope, as she felt herself fade even further.
A boy's voice flooded into her mind. "Hey Jezebel, she's waking up."
"Oh good, I was afraid that Cassandra had gone too far this time." And older voice responded spitting out the 'name' like it left a nasty taste in his belly.
She saw light flood her vision, and the image of the small boy she often seen with Dr. Zenobia haloed in that light. For a moment she wondered if Cassandra had gotten him too. But his face was quickly replaced by another fairer face. For a moment she thought the face had four eyes, before she realized that they were just glasses, not unlike the sleek spectacles that Dr. Zenobia used on occasion.
She squinted at the tall form trying to ignore the waltzing lights that had morphed from the original.
"Will you drink?" He asked, not unkindly.
To her utter horror, she felt the softness under her back and the warmth over her aching body. In a strength that stemmed from hard learned sheer self-preservation, she overpowered the unassuming Jezebel and flung herself to the floor. Cassandra treated her like a common dog, never allowing her to even sit on a simple, rough wooden footstool. Any waverance from that number one rule resulted in the most savage beatings. They had happened often enough, at first. There she rebounded with a loud 'Oof!' upon the hardwood, and was content to remain allowing her body to relax once again.
However, Jezebel still somewhat in a state of shock was utterly horrified at the incident. He tried numerous times to get her back, each time she fought like a demon possessed. Only to come to the conclusion that it was just safer to have her bed down on the floor. At least then he wouldn't have any more bruises. The compromise seemed to soothe the woman only she wouldn't outright accept accepted the cool water he had previously tried to offer. Rather like an animal Jezebel found, if he offered it close to her, then backed off.
Then and only then would she take the ceramic cup, though her eyes never left himself or Cassian across the room as she accepted the offering. And anything else he had tried to offer her in the way of basic creature comforts. He didn't know what Cassandra had done to the fox/woman, but if how many body bags had come out of his rooms in the past was any indication. It wasn't good, at all. She was lucky; she had survived even the trip down the maze of corridors.
Jezebel had only come back a few hours previously himself, more than ready to rest from yet another altercation with Cain. When Ida, The Moon and his father's own personal bodyguard traipsed in silently as usual, and unceremoniously dumped Cassandra's latest pet. Quite literally into his lap in an undignified heap. He fought down the urge to recoil violently against her prone form, but managed to fight it down as he silently quirked the masked face of the woman above him.
"A gift from High Priest Cassandra." That was all she said in her stoic voice.
Looking down at the barely breathing, broken mass of blood and bruises in his bed. He was struck with a thought; it was a pretty well known fact to all the Major Arcana-at least silently-of the on going rivalry between the pair. And they certainly never did any favors for the other, why was Cassandra suddenly being so generous? He had to wonder?
"Why did he really send her to me?" Jezebel asked. "It's only been a week."
Ida never was one to beat around the bush and honest to a fault. If you asked a direct question, you'd get a truthful answer. Most usually what kept people from asking in he first place was simply put, outright fear.
"He was tired of her not being able to 'move or breathe'" Even then she wasn't without some sparing kindness, either. "But do not question it, Jezebel. She is yours to do with as you will."
"I see."
"Good evening then, Doctor." She bowed, spinning upon her heel with military precision retreating back the way she came.
Jezebel didn't know weither to be scared or happy, so he chose a middle route. He would allow himself to feel later, for now he had a patient to attend to. With Cassian's help, he had managed to get her as clean as he was able, bandaged and redressed in one of his own nightshirts. It managed to reach to her knees her own knees; at his own bedside he stood vigil until she finally awoke. Painfully aware the whole time of the numerous abrasions and bruises that he wasn't able to bandage, physically and emotionally. For one whom so claimed to be emotionless to others, he hated to see suffering in all its forms.
Or manipulation. Especially like this, he was always a lover of nature. When his father had suggested that they use animals in their experiments, secretly he was sickened. This little girl was Zenobia's sole true success, which was what had made her so valuable previously. Now that Cassandra had what he wanted from her she was nothing more than a tool to be discarded on a whim. It must have reached the sociopath's ears at some point-probably by Alexis' own word-of-mouth-that in a display of perverse loyalty he was once forced to eat his pet own sheep. He shuddered at the mere memory that was most likely why he had thought it funny to discard his trash onto Jezebel's door step.
Well as the saying goes, 'Ones trash is another's treasure.'
And so it would turn out to be, more so than he knew.
Her name was Laila; Night Beauty.
A twisted gift given to her by Cassandra in homage to his dark religion.
At least that's what he could catch in her first low whispers. The days and weeks turned rather quickly into passing seasons, as the little fox girl recovered. Jezebel marveled at her resilience both to heal and to trust her -now fellow- humans. He was very surprised to learn she could not only talk but read as well, having taught herself bit by bit, during brief periods with her various captors. When he walked in and found her reading one of his medical journals, the explicit illustrated ones with a blank face.
It was exciting, if slightly creepy.
He watched her out of the corner of his eye, she seemed to trust him. For she never left his rooms, even though they were almost always unlocked or should have called one of the servants to grant her liberty. Still, she stayed.
In return, Jezebel found himself lavishing her company with gifts and trinkets as one might a beloved pet. Pretty dresses, shiny objects and seemed to like it most when he granted her books of her own. Laila piled them away in the secret little lair she had made under his tall bed. He didn't mind, it seemed though she looked like a woman, deep down parts of her remained the fox she was born as. Usually her time was spent looking out over the city from his window, if silently lamenting her lost freedom he didn't know. Nor wished to, the pain in his heart reminded him.
Laila was forever surprising him by how clever she was. And one summer day, even more so when she asked him a question.
"Jezebel, have you ever heard of the Kitsune Clan of 'The Land of the Rising Sun'?"
"Not particularly. But I'm sure I could find out for you. Why do you want to know?" He asked looking up from his paperwork.
Laila saw no reason to lie the human was always kind to her. In a bold move, she leaped onto the sofa next to his desk, distracted for a playful moment as she allowed herself to bounce upon the springs. "I was curious, if it was actually word in the Tongue of Men?" She replied in a voice as melodious as a crystal stream.
Which was what she called English.
"Yes it is. However, I do know that 'Land' you speak of, it's the formal name of a small country across the world. Here, let me show you." Jezebel got up and walked over to a small globe he kept in the corner of his study. Which usually every properly cultured British citizen deemed necessary. Spinning the globe till he found what he was looking for, "It's called Japan today. Ships from here landed there not too many years ago in fact."
"Where is here?" Laila asked.
"England?"
The inquisitive attitude amused him immensely, noting as she followed his finger to the even smaller dot on the rounded map. The fox's green eyes getting bigger at the knowledge. "How do you fit so many people in such a tiny little dot?"
She never did understand why he suddenly burst out laughing.
Sometime later, he presented her with an even bigger stack of books all with anything and everything he could lay his hands on about the object of her quest. Even with Delilah's extensive resources, it had still been a miracle to find as much as he had. But it had been a labor of love, so to speak.
And the result had been more than worth it, Laila had been so happy. She had actually tackled the Doctor in a huge hug that sent him tumbling over onto the soft carpeted floor. That was just one of many moments that made his life in Delilah all the more bearable. He found he wasn't so resistant to having the fox woman as he had originally thought anymore.
Laila on the other hand, couldn't get enough of the books and the fantastic illustrations that came with them, what she couldn't read in the symbolized brush ink. Instead she found her answers in the pictures of the pages, they told her stories and lessons of long ago. Filling in the things that her Great-Grandfather had not known though had been right, the people who lived in that land were much different than those her lived here. Thinking back to Jezebel, she made a mental note 'not all men here were so useless,' they were capable of good and bad. And in so doing she learned more about her illustrious ancestors, and she even found some of these books were quite recent as well. So it could still be possible that some still lived, and she still had family somewhere in this wide world.
The thought gave her a warm feeling deep inside.
There was also another ability that the blood of her ancestors decided to bestow upon her, one she found quite by accident actually.
Off the corridor, where Jezebel's rooms were located he had a small clinic and laboratory of his own. Laila knew this because sometimes she did leave the room just to check and see if he was still nearby. And it was oftentimes that was where she found him at work; she never cared to go any further. It satisfied her, and then she would go back into their shared rooms to await his return. Her life consisted of those two places, and she was content never to leave it.
Until, she found his both his greatest secret and secret shame. All in one room.
She had never desired to go into the workroom Zenobia's own had left her with distaste for such things. Plus, it smelled strange with all the beakers and vats of chemicals and potions. Cassian was really the only one besides the Cardmaster-or so she heard-who dared to go in.
Besides, Jezebel usually brought her anything and everything to make her happy. He even took her outside to the park on occasion, true she hated being near the disgusting real, dogs humans seemed so fond of making companions. As despite her concealed nature, they still like to try to go after her. Jezebel could make them go away with just a look, and she was ever grateful to him.
That day started out like other, lazy and content. Only one thing was missing, Jezebel. Even Cassian who she sought out on rare occasions and seemed to know everything about his master, whom also grudgingly accepted her, was gone. Laila searched the rooms, but there was no smell of them at all. Until she ventured into the workroom that is, she followed Jezebel's scent to a corner. It was strange because unlike the rest of the bare room the wall was covered in a thick tapestry. She didn't understand at first, Jezebel's scent ended here. And from her experience humans didn't walk through walls, a bump near her hand provided the answer.
It was a doorknob.
A dark wooden door stood in all its polished glory when she pulled the offensive fabric back. Jezebel was in there, happy to have come to this conclusion. She turned the knob and ventured in further.
It was a small room, about the size of a large closet. And even more dim the only light was from a small skylight that rained light down on the hunched over form of Jezebel. Who was sitting on a low stool in the middle of the room bathed in what appeared to be divine light. Laila was just about to go over to him when she saw he was already surrounded, by several women in fact. Four of them in total. They looked no older than he, but while they just radiated love and family-a feeling she knew well- it was infinitely sadder.
A feeling of intense loss, of life, of everything.
She didn't understand either why they looked a lot like Jezebel, they didn't appear to be solid. Because the closer she got, Laila could see their long skirts didn't reach the floor. They just kind of dissolved into the thin shadow filled air below. Strangely, though she didn't feel as possessive as she usually did when Jezebel was concerned.
He hadn't noticed her yet, and was moaning quietly to himself as if he was in immense pain.
"Jezebel? Who are your lady friends?"
The question seemed to startle him out of his reverie of horror. "Laila, you shouldn't be in here."
She ignored him, for the ladies were now all standing up, and seemed to finally take notice Laila.
"I asked you a question, Jezebel. Haven't you always said it was impolite to not answer a lady?" She replied unfazed.
He seemed confused. "There's nobody else in here but you or I."
Now it was her turn to be confused, she could see his companions quite clearly. Yet, he didn't. "There are four ladies beside you in fact they remind me of you. They have your eyes." She insisted.
"You see my mother and sisters?"
She nodded. He was astonished, groaning down to his stool. Head in hands, deep down part of him was actually relieved that somebody believed him. For he usually didn't so himself.
"They plague me day and night, trying to get revenge on me for what I did to them. What I was order by my father to do…" He sobbed.
Laila noticed what she hadn't before. They were standing directly in front of several sealed glass jars filled with what appeared to be human organs! It was then she noticed that the 'spirits' for she had never seen a disembodied human before. They were shaking their heads and wringing their hands ferverantly trying to convince her otherwise. Looking at them though pictures in her mind they told her the whole story, how they had been trying desperately for years to convince him otherwise. Somehow she understood, more tna she should have as she approached the jars, and began to relate one of her own tragic memories.
"When I was a kit, we lived near a farmer who was careless with his stores. My siblings were warned not to venture there for he had a gun and traps. But my brother disobeyed and was shot, he survived long enough to return home. But he fell very ill within hours, infection set in, we couldn't help him. He was in such pain, so Mother and Father took him to another burrow. We never saw him again, but there were crows in the fields the next day. So we knew. We understood, it was necessary. Sometimes we kill, because we love. It is Nature; we don't want loved ones to suffer. But we can love too much; it can help and hurt others. We must find balance, within ourselves and others."
The youngest of the three sisters, glided silently towards her. She felt no hostility so saw no reason to move as the spirit cupped her hand to her ear and whispered in a voice that sounded like a puff of air.
"No, they do not hate you. They still love you, and only want you to know that they forgive you for what you were forced to do. They understand that and hold no grudge." She repeated.
"T-they do." Jezebel asked eyes wide.
The ghosts nodded, smiling. "Yes." She translated. Suddenly the little girl was back, to relate one more thing. "And Magdalene says, you are a string-bean?"
Again she didn't understand why he suddenly, let out a laugh but tears poured forth from his eyes. How could one be happy and sad at once? Humans truly were strange creatures indeed.
As if in response to her thought, Jezebel led them out of the room and locked it behind them. He quickly rounded and gave Laila a hug, much like she had once done to him. "Thank you." She heard him whisper.
"Aww, isn't that touching? A boy and his dog." A familiar voice suddenly piped up.
Laila tensed, it was the voice that haunted her deepest nightmares and waking dreams. One solitary tone that she wished to never hear all her days on this earth.
"Cassandra." Jezebel growled. "What do you want?"
"Am I not allowed to visit my two favorite people in the world?" He quipped sarcastically.
"No. Because you're usually up to something." He maneuvered the cowering form of Laila back behind himself.
"Maybe I am. What of it? Maybe I came to see if I wanted to retrieve my little pet back." His smug smile was a grim reminder of all that Laila had gone through.
"No!" They were both surprised at the strength in Jezebel's voice. "You gave her to me. She's mine. You know the rules, 'What is given can never be taken back'. Father's own Law."
"Ah, but my dear Jezebel you should know by now that the rules. Don't apply to me." The arrogant Lord reached out to claim his reluctant prize, before another momentarily stronger hand intercepted it. Cassandra frankly was surprised at his sudden audacity. Usually the Doctor was much more timid than this, it what made him so much fun to torment.
He gave a wicked chuckle, "How sweet, you're in love with her. Now this is one, I must remember for later." In a sudden shift, Cassandra's other arm latched itself upon Jezebel's throat pinning him to the wall behind them. He looked down on the prone form of Laila, who was white with terror. Watching the one human who was kind to her in this world suffer at the one she despised most of all.
All the emotions and experiences churning within her, something just snapped. Cassandra had hurt her once, but nobody harmed her beloved Jezebel. Not even the High Priest. In her feral rage, she leaped and with well-honed hunting skills, sank her sharp incisors into the soft flesh of Cassandra's arm.
Yelling and cursing up a colorful storm, she was flung away sliding across the room to the door. The testament of the damage she'd inflicted drawn in crimson across her grinning lips. Cassandra's bloody forearm retracted from Jezebel's neck, as he turned the full extent of his own rage upon her.
"You'll pay for that, you little ingrate." He snarled.
The answering smile could only have been described as sadistic, as Laila tapped into the familiar animal instincts. So long buried in the layers of hated human flesh. It was a call of Nature, and answered to no man.
"Catch me if you can."
He gave a howl, as he bolted after her down the corridor and down into the bowels of the structure.
To the room where it all began, the Conjuring Chamber.
There they stood off in the dim torchlight, ducking and dodging in a macabre kind of dance with bare blows. That is, until Cassandra found the antique sword displayed on a centuries-old plaque. Laila found she had to be quicker than her opponent, which was getting tougher to do for her human body was tiring quickly and she had already sustained several shallow wounds. It was pittance compared to what she had gone through. While she had no desire to die, if she didn't do something Cassandra would probably go back and take advantage of Jezebel in his weakened state. As if in answer she was struck with a vision or rather a knot on the wall that led her gaze up to the celeing.
Suddenly she knew what she had to do, thinking of Jezebel gave her strength. As she bravely allowed the sword to pierce through her middle, but had cleanly severed the knot behind her. Just as she had predicted, Cassandra couldn't understand the smile, he didn't even have time to react as the wrought iron light fixture above fell directly on his head.
She felt herself fading fast, from the wound. But she didn't care. Jezebel was safe, and Cassandra would probably be punished by Cardmaster Alexis for causing such a commotion. So it didn't matter, her life had been given in a loving cause. And it was a good death, a warrior's death.
Her family would have been so proud.
As she felt herself fading this time truly into darkness, a strange thing happened. Laila felt herself tingling, all over in fact. She was surprised to still be able to feel her body, all her senses were intact too. Everything felt new, and most incredibly, alive! The darkness was becoming rather stuffy as well, finally there was a small hole of light and air? Crawling towards it, she made the most delightful discovery.
Her fox body had been restored to her, and not just that.
She had done it; she was a Child of the Sun!!!
Admiring her new golden fox body, the ten beautiful and impossible long tails that flowed after her like a queen's train. Of what did she have to fear of Men anymore, she was free!
Free.
Free.
Free.
The word rang in her soul, greater than all the magic and all the treasures throughout the world. To go where she liked, and do as she pleased. For now she had the power to do so. Even the fear of Cassandra was all but a distant memory now. She was just about to ride destiny to parts own, when a familiar voice carried over the din.
"Laila!"
It was Jezebel.
It was then and only then she truly hesitated, her nature called for her to go. To see things she had only ever dreamed of, tempting her with the possibility of finding even her distant and maybe still living ancestors in Japan. But another voice was heard over the din of voices warring for dominance within her, a smaller, quiet voice. It was by far the loudest, with a start she realized, it was her heart. And surprisingly, it wasn't telling her to go or stay, but rather would she truly let herself leave, without regret?
"Where are you? Laila!"
All the voices were stilled with a harsh thought, as she searched her should in the relative quiet of her mind. Thinking back, of all she had gone through, of all she had experienced, true she experienced great sadness and loss. But also great kindness and triumph as well. All at the hands of humans, two in particular.
Cassandra and Jezebel.
Then she gasped when she realized, that much like she once was. Jezebel was still at the mercy of Cassandra! Who would keep him away if she was gone? Who would protect her beloved Jezebel? Certainly not that horrid, Snow Owl, The Fool or the Ida, The Moon. Who though kind in her own way, had no loyalties other than the Cardmaster himself or any of the others in this so-called "Organization". The trivialities of Men for sure, as sure as it would rise so would it fall as well. And she would be there to see it happen; she would make sure of it. After all, she was Kitsune.
Then she made a decision, one that would change the course of her whole life.
One month later…..
Laila allowed Jezebel to stroke her golden tresses in silence, as he silently doted on her. She didn't mind, she would allow him to think he was still protecting her from the cruel world. She would play at being his sweet doll, his beloved little pet, his precious lover. And she would in turn allow him to lean on her, take strength from her divine presence, all the while protecting him from others and himself. It was what she truly wanted. She had all the time in the world, what would one mortal lifetime matter in the long run?
She must have been smiling at herself, for the gentle stroking stopped. "What are you thinking, Laila?"
Her sly green eyes met Jezebel inquisitive blue ones. "Just thinking about how we met."
"Oh, I see." He whispered.
"And how blessed, I am. To have you in my life."
Now it was his turn to smile, he was showing it more and more lately. At least for her benefit, to everyone else he was pretty much that same, stoic individual. After what had come to be known as Cassandra's little temper tantrum, he had been pretty much been made the laughingstock of Delilah for the last few weeks. Not to mention that Alexis was absolutely livid about the injury and almost loss of-no matter who she supposedly belonged to-success case. And the outright disregard of the Law, last she heard Cassandra was expelled from The Tower and suspended from his duties until further notice. He was still walking around with bruises and a prominent limp.
He'd be back, she was sure of it. But it would probably be a long time before he messed with either her of Jezebel. Very long indeed.
Laila glanced at her human, he looked so splendid in his new robes. After his valiant effort, Alexis had awarded him with a higher rank, not that she cared. It was a human thing, not her concern. For now, she was just living in the moment and enjoying every moment of it.
"That can't be the only thing, I know you." He teased lightly. Bringing her back down to the present. "You're smiling too widely."
She didn't miss a beat. Only turned over towards his stroking hand. "It's a fox thing, you wouldn't understand."
He only laughed, he knew when he was beat. "I see. Maybe, you'll tell me later?"
She gave a foxy grin. "Perhaps."