Fox Hunt
Part 2
Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever (or most likely will ever) own the Sorcerer Hunters. Sadly, like every other fanfiction writer out there, I can only borrow them from Akahori and Omishi for a few pages, and then I have to give them back. However, Vanilla, Celery, Ramen, Sauerkraut, Bagel, Lox, Split Pea, and the Ipecac Forest are all creations of my imagination.
Warnings: Awkward moments and lots of confusion for a certain mage ^_^ Marron also might be a little OOC in this chapter, but maybe not.
Stuff in * * are thoughts.
Marron woke slowly, moaning in protest to the cool cloth stroking his overheated forehead.
"Shh," said an unfamiliar silvery voice. "It's all right now."
He opened his golden eyes carefully, but shut them again quickly. The light in the room was far too bright, and it burned his suddenly sensitive eyes.
"Tira?" he asked, confused. *How can she be here? Are they back already?*
"No," said the voice. "My name is Vanilla."
Marron turned his head, looking for the owner of the voice, but saw only a blur of silver, white and brown in a human-like shape. The only color in her face came from the two large deep purple blurs of her eyes.
He did not recognize her at all, either by voice or the blurry vision of her seated next to his bed. He shifted uncomfortably, and gasped in sudden pain.
*If I could just see I wouldn't be so helpless,* he thought desperately.
"Don't try to move," the sweet voice continued. A soft hand pressed gently against his shoulder. "You just came out of a bad fit."
"What do you mean?" he asked, trying to focus on her face. "Where . . . where am I?" *Why can't I see? What's wrong with me?*
"You are in my house," she replied gently. "Can you tell me your name?"
"My brother . . . where is my brother?" he demanded, sudden panic making his voice shrill.
"Shh," she said softly, soothingly. "It's all right. Just calm down." Her hand stroked his cheek, and suddenly his vision cleared. His golden eyes widened in surprise, and his heart skipped a beat.
The woman bending over him had long silver hair, and dazzling purple, almond shaped eyes. Her complexion was pale, her slim face oval. Her thin, feathery eyebrows were as silver as her hair, and furrowed slightly in her concern. Her full, pale red lips curved in a faint, reassuring smile that smoothed her forehead and warmed his blood.
*She's . . . she's beautiful . . .*
"What is your name?" she asked softly.
*Even her voice is lovely,* he thought dazedly.
"Marron Glace," he replied mechanically, still mesmerized by her eyes.
Her mouth curved into another smile, and he found his eyes strangely drawn to her pale red lips, tracing the delicate curves with his gaze.
"Have you ever had a fit like this before?" she asked, her tone still soft and soothing, but somehow business-like.
He looked at her blankly. "What do you mean?"
"Do you remember what happened at the inn?"
Marron frowned, looking away from those deep, mysterious eyes that clouded his mind. *What is this?* he wondered. *I would know if she was using magic to charm me into revealing something, but this doesn't feel like that . . . so what's going on?*
"I was . . . waiting for someone," he replied guardedly, looking up at her warily. Instantly, he realized his mistake when he met her eyes again, for they caught and held his gaze. He didn't think that he could resist telling her everything that she wanted to know when she looked at him like that.
*This isn't good . . .* he thought, but it was too late.
"Do you remember anything about the fire?" she asked, her deep purple eyes intent on his.
A slight shiver ran down his spine as he stared back at her. *What's wrong with me?* he wondered. *Why am I feeling this way? Who is this woman?*
"No," he said hesitantly. "What happened? Where am I? Who are you?"
The woman smiled. "Let me start over," she said. "My name is Vanilla Cream. This is the guest bedroom in my home. The healer Ramen in the town of Split Pea brought you here about five days ago, after you became delusional."
*I remember Ramen; he was the one who recommended Vanilla, but . . . five days?* Marron stared at her incredulously; the spell was broken, so to speak. "I've been here for five days?"
Vanilla nodded. "The fit you were having was not natural, was it?"
He looked at her warily, studying her silently for a moment. "No," he said finally.
Vanilla's purple eyes swept over him once, and he fought against the urge to blush as a wave of heat passed through him, following her gaze.
"Was it Bagel or Lox?" she asked quietly, her expression solemn.
"What do you mean?" Marron asked suspiciously, suddenly cold again.
Her lips curved in a charming smile, her mysterious eyes sparkling with amusement, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. One slim, pale hand tucked a stray strand of her long silver hair behind her delicate ear. He watched the movement, fascinated by her gracefulness, and almost jumped in surprise when he saw that the top of her ear was slightly elongated and unmistakably pointed.
"I assure you, my people are not supportive of sorcerers," she said in response to his thoughts, and he flushed, embarrassed. "I merely monitor their activities and report back what I feel my people need to know. You have nothing to fear from me, Sorcerer Hunter."
"Your people?" he asked. Then, with a cold, sick feeling growing in the pit of his stomach, he added, "You know what I am."
"Yes," she replied with a beautiful smile that nearly made his heart stop. "I believe we are called elves in your tongue."
*I didn't know there were elves in the Ipecac Forest . . . how strange. I thought they had left this world.*
"And . . . how do you know that - " He broke off uncomfortably, afraid to ask how she had read him so easily when he could discern so little about her.
"That you are a Sorcerer Hunter?" she supplied. "It wasn't hard. Why else would you carry these around?" She pointed to the table beside the bed where his ofuda lay in a neat pile. "Eastern Magic, right?"
Marron nodded. "I'm sorry," he said. "I thought that you - "
Vanilla shrugged. "You have no reason to trust me," she replied.
"But you cared for me while I was unconscious for five days, and - "
She shrugged again. "I could have lied," she pointed out.
Marron shifted uneasily on the bed, wincing in renewed pain as his muscles protested the movement. At once, Vanilla frowned and leaned over, reaching out to touch his forehead. He felt a light surge, and suddenly the pain was gone.
Her soft fingers trailed down his cheek as her hand withdrew, and he repressed a shiver at the soft caress. It left his skin tingling and him wondering if the caress had been intentional or not.
*I . . . I do not think that she will harm me,* he thought cautiously, studying her face silently. *I think that I can trust her that far . . . for now.*
"Is that better?" Vanilla asked softly, her eyes on his.
Vanilla was still leaning forward, and Marron discovered something interesting. She was wearing a loose off-white tunic with a deep v-neck, and he was getting a very good view of the upper slopes of her pale breasts.
*Oh my god . . . What's wrong with me?!* he wondered desperately. *I shouldn't be looking there . . . I shouldn't be acting like Carrot! She'll think I'm a pervert!*
Even so, he couldn't stop staring.
"Marron?" Vanilla said gently, interrupting his thoughts.
He tore his eyes from her pale skin, trying futilely not to blush.
"Are you all right?" she asked, the deep purple of her eyes faintly troubled as she gazed at him.
"Uh-um, yes," he stammered. "I-I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" she murmured, sliding closer, her hand outstretched.
That just made it worse. Now he was noticing her slender waist, and her shapely hips, especially since her soft brown leather breeches were skin-tight, and the tunic barely covered her to her waist over her breeches.
Marron drew back sharply, trying to keep as much distance between them that he could. She paused, startled.
"I'm fine," he said, a little more sharply than he'd intended to.
Vanilla blinked once, staring at him. Her gaze was puzzled for a moment, but as she studied him, she seemed to come to some sort of conclusion, and sat back in her chair. He could almost hear her disgusted thought: Humans.
"I'm fine, Vanilla," he said more softly a moment later, chagrinned. "I - Thank you," he finished awkwardly.
Vanilla smiled again, but absently, her gaze searching his face intently. It took a considerable effort not to blush under her scrutiny.
"You should get some rest," she said quietly, reaching out to pull the blankets up around him. He allowed her to do so, repressing the urge to take her slender hand in his and press it against his cheek. "You can tell me what happened to you and your party later."
Vanilla's slim hand moved from tucking the blankets around him to caress his cheek gently. He jumped slightly, startled by her forwardness, but then sank back into the softness of the pillows beneath his head, suddenly very weary for some reason.
"Sleep now," she whispered softly, and the last thing he saw before his golden eyes slid shut was her slight, gentle smile.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Vanilla watched the young mage sleep, frowning slightly. He had confirmed her suspicions, and she could now get someone to contact the Stellar Church. They would probably like to know that one of their Sorcerer Hunters was recovering from some sort of magically induced backlash spell that caused violent fits of delirium.
Someone would then come to pick him up in a week or so, if the danger of the fits had passed. Or possibly even sooner, if one of their healers could control the fits he was suffering like she could. He would have more of them before this strange affliction was done with him.
The problem was, she was now strangely reluctant to do so. He was the first visitor outside of Split Pea that she had had in a long time, aside from those of her people that brought her supplies once a month. He was also quite. . . interesting - even more so now that he had awakened.
Marron's breathing was deep and even. The fit had passed for now, obviously, and he would hopefully sleep like this for hours.
It had taken only a gentle push from Vanilla to help him sleep; his reserves had been thoroughly depleted by the violence of the fit he had suffered.
*He'll likely be ravenous with hunger when he wakes up,* she thought. *I should have something ready for him then. I may as well tell Ramen that he should definitely contact the Stellar Church while I'm at it, since that is the right thing to do.*
Vanilla sighed, shaking her head. *I don't know why I am acting this way over a human. His reaction to me was more amusing than most of the reactions I get from his kind. I don't think that he will trust me, though. Not that it matters. He doesn't need to trust me to get better. And now I have something more important to deal with: Lox and Bagel are back again, probably for revenge. Those idiots. I'd better take care of them permanently this time.*
She stood up and moved her chair to the corner of the small room. The mage never stirred, even as she quietly and gracefully walked over to the door. She turned back to look at him briefly, her hand on the doorknob reflectively. Shrugging, she turned away again, and opened the door.
"Vanilla . . ."
Her sharp ears picked up the soft sound of her name from the young mage as he sighed in his sleep. She half-turned back in surprise, wondering if he had somehow managed to break the sleeping charm she had put on him.
He hadn't. He was still asleep, a faint smile curving his lips.
She blinked once, watching him, but he said nothing else. With another shrug, she left the room.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Marron sat up when the door to his room opened and the silver-haired woman entered with a tray. She smiled when she saw him, and his hand clenched on the blankets in his lap.
"Vanilla . . ." he said softly, wondering inanely why his brain stopped working the instant she entered the room. (Answer: the Author decrees it =P)
"So you remember me," she said, her silvery voice pleased. He flushed faintly, looking away from her. "That's a good sign. You must be recovering."
"I . . . I feel better," he said shyly, raising his eyes to look at her.
Her answering smile was radiant, and he wondered how he had ever thought that she could not be trusted. He found himself smiling back at her idiotically.
"You must be hungry, then," she said, and set the tray on his lap.
"You made this?" Marron asked, studying the bowl of soup, two thick slices of warm, freshly baked bread, and the apple warily. *I feel like I've been half-starved for a couple of days, but I don't know if . . .*
His earlier doubts returned to plague him relentlessly. He had known too many sorceresses that had used their beauty to trick their enemies into trusting them, and then had taken full advantage of that trust.
Vanilla did not seem to take offense. "I'm not a bad cook," she said with a faint smile. "And it's not poisoned. I don't waste time and energy healing people just to kill them when they wake up."
Her earlier words came back to him: I could have lied.
*She could be lying now . . . even if she is making sense. It all smells so good, though, and I'm really hungry . . .*
Vanilla watched him calmly as she stood beside his bed, meeting his gaze quite serenely when he looked up at her. Still holding her eyes, he picked up the spoon on the tray, and took a bite of the soup.
*Chicken noodle,* he noted absently. *Wonderfully prepared, too.*
"This is delicious," he said quietly, smiling faintly at her.
She smiled, amused. "Were you expecting it not to be?" she asked.
*I did it again!* Marron thought, ashamed. He flushed in embarrassment.
"Well, no, but - " His flush deepened.
*How does she keep doing that to me?*
Vanilla smiled again. "I understand." She turned to leave, and he flushed again as he watched her slim, willowy body sway toward the door.
"Vanilla, wait," he said, reaching out one slender hand toward her. He didn't want her to go yet, even if he didn't know why.
She half-turned, one silver eyebrow raised expectantly.
He swallowed hard, noting the way that her body was poised with her torso turned toward him at her waist, her softly rounded breasts pressing against the cloth of her tunic.
"I-I'm sorry," he said, trying in vain to pretend that he hadn't seen that. "I don't mean to be suspicious, but - "
Vanilla nodded. "I understand. I would feel the same in your situation." She turned around to face him again. "I had Ramen send a letter to the Stellar Church, telling them where you are," she added. "There should be a reply within a few days."
"A few days?"
She nodded. "Pigeons are fast."
"Oh." He looked back down at the tray, slightly disappointed. He had hoped that he would be able to spend a little more time with her, but if Big Mama knew where he was, she would likely send his brother and the rest of the team here as soon as they finished their mission.
Marron secretly began to hope that the pigeon would get lost for a while.
Meanwhile, Vanilla was leaving again.
"I remember Ramen telling me that you could help me, but how did I get here?" he asked, more out of a desire to keep her there rather than curiosity about the transportation methods.
She smiled, amused, and turned back to him. "Ramen and Sauerkraut brought you here," she replied. "The innkeeper saw that you were delusional. He called Ramen, and then you were brought to me."
"Oh," he said, and looked at the spoon in his hand, then up at her. "What happened?"
"All right," Vanilla said, smiling. "You eat your supper, and I'll tell you."
Marron let out a breath he hadn't known that he was holding until she gracefully retrieved the small wooden chair from the corner of the room and sat next to his bed.
"What exactly do you remember?" she asked.
"I was staying at the Bratwurst Inn while my brother and the others in my team went ahead to finish the mission we were sent on. I remember saying goodbye when they left, and then going to sleep," he replied, and took another bite of the soup.
"So you knew that you were going to be affected by the spell that turned your magic back on you?" she asked shrewdly.
Marron nodded solemnly. "I knew. I did not want to endanger the team, so I stayed behind to recover while they went on ahead."
Vanilla nodded. "Admirable," she remarked cryptically. "How many times did you use your magic after the spell was turned back on you?"
"Twice," he replied reluctantly. "Once to see if my magic was sealed, and again to seal off Bagel's castle."
Vanilla sighed. "That was probably a bad idea."
"It had to be done," Marron replied with a shrug.
She nodded again. "I know. Do you remember anything else?"
"Nothing," he said after a moment of consideration.
"Sauerkraut told me that around midnight he was awakened by his wife Celery when she smelled smoke. It was coming from your room, so he went in to check." Vanilla nodded in response to his widened eyes. "You were delirious with fever, and you had set the floor and the bed on fire."
*Oh, no . . .* His hand clenched on the handle of the spoon. *Because of me, everyone in Split Pea could have lost their homes or worse . . .*
"Sauerkraut managed to get it put out quickly, but then you attacked him," she went on, her purple eyes sympathetic in response to his growing horror. "He managed to restrain you, while Celery went to get Ramen, the healer in Split Pea. Ramen recognized the fit as a magically induced backlash, and brought you to me immediately."
"Was anyone hurt?" he asked softly, his eyes averted from her.
"No, no one was hurt, and the damage was minimal, considering the spell you used," she said, and he sighed in relief. Her words were not very comforting, but he was glad that no one had been injured because of him. "Sauerkraut has already fixed that room, so you don't need to worry about it," she added. "He won't charge you for it, either."
"Why not?" Marron asked, startled. "I would be willing to - "
"He knows that it is not your fault," Vanilla interrupted. "His daughter Lettuce is also a mage, and this sort of thing has happened to her before."
"I still don't feel right about it," he argued.
Vanilla shook her head. "Just concentrate on recovering for now," she told him, and eyed the tray that she had brought him critically. "While you're at it, you could finish eating too."
Marron flushed. "Sorry," he said, and quickly finished the soup.
"That's better," she said with a smile.
"Are you a healer?" he asked as he picked up a slice of bread.
"Yes," she replied, shifting on her chair. "I have a lot of experience with magic backlash, which is why Ramen contacted me. I'm usually the one that takes care of everything that he can't."
"Does that happen often?"
"No," she said. "Ramen is a very competent healer. I only get the really unusual cases."
"How do you know Bagel and Lox?" he asked then. "Not that I think you're in league with them or anything - "
Vanilla just smiled, amused. "I've been watching them for a long time. My people were worried that they might pose a threat to us, but so far they only seem to be interested in their own petty desires."
"Who are your people, exactly?" he asked curiously. "What do you call yourselves?"
"Our name for ourselves is too complicated for humans to pronounce," she replied, and shrugged. "Otherwise I would tell you."
"Do your people all look like you?" he asked then, and blushed furiously as he realized how that had sounded.
Another amused smile curved her lips. "There are many variations, as in humans," she replied, her purple eyes sparkling with humor.
*I should do what she says and just finish eating,* he thought, flushing. *I'm making a fool of myself in front of her. I almost wish that Carrot were here . . . at least he wouldn't be tongue-tied in front of someone that is as beautiful as she is. Although, if he were here, he would be trying to get her to sleep with him, which would probably bother her. I wouldn't really have to talk then, though, especially if the others were here too. I could just watch her . . .*
"Any more questions?" Vanilla asked, interrupting his thoughts.
Marron shook his head, too flustered to speak. *How does she keep doing this to me? I don't understand it at all.*
"All right then," she said, and stood up. He discretely observed her every movement out of the corner of his eye. "I can bring you some books to read, or if you're feeling up to a change of scenery, I could take you down to see my garden."
Marron looked up at her, intrigued. "I would like to see your garden."
*I wouldn't mind learning more about you in the process too,* he thought.
Vanilla smiled and nodded. "I'll take you once you finish that slice of bread," she said, eyeing the piece in his hand.
Marron smiled back sheepishly. "All right," he said.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
*He's trying not to blush. How interesting,* she thought, repressing a smile as she supported Marron's lean frame with her body. *Butterscotch doesn't call me the Ice Maiden for nothing, though. He's intriguing, but I don't want to get involved, especially with a Sorcerer Hunter from the Stellar Church.*
"It's not much further," Vanilla said as she helped him off the last step. "Just through this hallway and out the door. There's a bench you can sit on."
Marron nodded, wincing slightly as his sore and strained muscles protested the exercise. It was good for him to get out of bed, though, as it would help him to recover faster from the damage done by the spell.
Suddenly, the mage paused, staring at something with those fascinating golden eyes. Vanilla had never seen anyone with eyes like his. She couldn't help staring at them, especially when he wasn't paying attention.
"What is that?" Marron asked, his beautiful eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Vanilla glanced over in the direction he was looking in, and realized that he was looking at the only locked and magically warded door in her entire house. "That would be the room that my scrying crystal is in," she replied.
"Why is the room so heavily warded? It hardly seems necessary."
"That crystal is very powerful and very dangerous. It's not a good idea to leave it unattended so that just anyone can use it. I can scry outward, but things can also come back through the crystal if the person I happen to be watching notices me."
"Do you ever spy on the Stellar Church?" he asked quietly, tensing.
Vanilla rolled her eyes. "They're so heavily shielded against my crystal's magic that I couldn't even if I wanted to," she replied, and he relaxed.
*Interesting. He will take my word on this. I had not expected that so soon.*
"I'm sorry - " he started.
"You say that too much," she chided before he could continue, and softened the words with a smile. Marron blushed, and looked away from her. To end the slightly awkward moment for him, Vanilla took another step, and he moved with her. In another few feet, she had helped him over the threshold and into her garden.
"Is it evening already?" he asked, looking at the purple and orange streaked sky in surprise. "How long was I asleep?"
"Several hours," Vanilla replied. "You must have needed it."
Marron frowned, but did not comment. He simply allowed her to help him over to the nearest bench, and sat down with her.
"Are you comfortable?" she asked from where she sat very close to him with his arm still around her shoulders.
Marron looked at her, and his blush deepened as he realized just how close she was to him. "Y-yes," he stammered, his golden eyes confused and embarrassed all at once.
Vanilla smiled at him. "Good," she said, and slid out from under his arm. He blushed again as she stood up. She pretended not to notice how deeply red his face was becoming. *I feel kind of bad, teasing him like this,* she thought. *It's really fun to make his face turn red like that, but I should stop doing it.*
"What do you think?" Vanilla asked, gesturing around the pleasant little walled-off garden with its clumps of oak and aspen trees, vines covering the walls, and the flowerbeds sprawled everywhere there wasn't a marble path.
*I hope he likes it,* she thought anxiously. *Wait a minute - since when do I care what anyone thinks of my garden? I love it in here, and it shouldn't matter to me if someone who will only ever see it a few times before he leaves likes it or not.*
She shook off her uncomfortable thoughts and watched Marron look around him.
"It's beautiful," he said, amazed. "I've never seen anything like this."
Vanilla smiled, pleased. "I'd be surprised if you had."
He slid forward on the bench, looking around eagerly. "Those are aspen trees, aren't they?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied. "I planted them because their leaves turn gold in the fall. I've always been fascinated with the color gold."
Marron started in surprise, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, but her calm expression gave him no indication that she had noticed.
*There I go, teasing him again. Poor Marron,* she thought guiltily.
"There are so many colors," he went on after a moment. "It's wonderful."
"I like a lot of colors too," she replied with a smile.
"Did you do all of this by yourself?" he asked.
"Mostly, yes," she replied. "My brother Orange helped a little with the trees and some of the flowering vines. My sisters Lemon and Ravensara brought me most of the seeds for the plants that you see here from our homeland."
"Where is your homeland?" Marron asked.
"Deep within the Ipecac Forest," Vanilla said. "No human has ever been there, to my knowledge."
"Not even from the Stellar Church?" he asked.
"No," she said, shaking her head. "I have never heard anything about that."
"Interesting. I would have thought that the Church would have enlisted your people's help in controlling the sorcerers of Spooner."
Vanilla shook her head. "We only watch; we do not interfere."
He looked at her, frowning. "What about the people of Split Pea?" he demanded. "What would you do if a sorcerer decided to take over the village and kill your neighbors?"
She looked at him coolly. "That has already happened," she replied. "Not too long ago, Bagel and Lox decided to try to drain the life forces of the people of Split Pea to fuel their magic, as I would imagine they have done elsewhere. If they were threatened again, I would do exactly what I did that time: take care of the sorcerers myself. Why do you think that Ramen and Sauerkraut think so highly of me?"
"I-I'm sorry," he said, flustered. "I thought that you only cared about your own people."
Vanilla sighed. "You should stop thinking so much," she said without thought, and almost bit her tongue after the words were out.
Marron lowered his eyes, his unhappiness plain in the set of his shoulders. "I'm sorry," he said again.
"No, I'm sorry," she demurred. "I do not get very many visitors, and I think my skills as a hostess are slipping."
"I'm the one who has suspected you of working with sorcerers, spying on the Stellar Church, and trying to poison me all in the same day," he pointed out. "I don't blame you for being angry."
"I'll forgive you if you forgive me," Vanilla said gently, and smiled warmly when he looked up at her shyly.
He smiled back hesitantly. "Deal," he agreed.
*~~~~~~~~~~ To be continued ~~~~~~~~~~*
Author's Notes: Yay! Three more reviews! And one of them is a repeat reviewer! So again I must give out thank you's:
JRM: Yippee, I still have your attention! You're welcome, and thank you for reading and reviewing a second time. Of course I read your review. The whole point of fanfiction writing revolves around the reader's responses, at least for me. ^_^ I really do care what you think about my stuff. And you should *definitely* let me know when you post your fanfic. I'm going to make it a point to read the stories of the people who review mine. Let me know if you need anything, should you decide you want my help. ^_^
Quatre's girl: Thank you! I've actually been writing for years, and this is just the first fanfic that I've ever had the courage to post. As for the um, closeness, of the pairing . . . well . . . I don't want to give anything away. Let's just say that it's unexpected for the rest of the Hunters. I only ask that you give it a fair chance, and if you don't like what I've done to poor Marron, I will understand if you don't read any further. Oh, and I'll probably change the rating. On further reflection, I think you might be right about that. ^_^
Aelis: Thank you! I'm glad you like what I had so far, and I hope you liked this chapter too. ^_^
Wow, I talk way too much in these author's notes.
Well, everyone, thank you for reading, and don't forget to tell me what you think so far. Reviews make my days go so much better. ^_^
~ Lady Cianyin ~
Part 2
Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever (or most likely will ever) own the Sorcerer Hunters. Sadly, like every other fanfiction writer out there, I can only borrow them from Akahori and Omishi for a few pages, and then I have to give them back. However, Vanilla, Celery, Ramen, Sauerkraut, Bagel, Lox, Split Pea, and the Ipecac Forest are all creations of my imagination.
Warnings: Awkward moments and lots of confusion for a certain mage ^_^ Marron also might be a little OOC in this chapter, but maybe not.
Stuff in * * are thoughts.
Marron woke slowly, moaning in protest to the cool cloth stroking his overheated forehead.
"Shh," said an unfamiliar silvery voice. "It's all right now."
He opened his golden eyes carefully, but shut them again quickly. The light in the room was far too bright, and it burned his suddenly sensitive eyes.
"Tira?" he asked, confused. *How can she be here? Are they back already?*
"No," said the voice. "My name is Vanilla."
Marron turned his head, looking for the owner of the voice, but saw only a blur of silver, white and brown in a human-like shape. The only color in her face came from the two large deep purple blurs of her eyes.
He did not recognize her at all, either by voice or the blurry vision of her seated next to his bed. He shifted uncomfortably, and gasped in sudden pain.
*If I could just see I wouldn't be so helpless,* he thought desperately.
"Don't try to move," the sweet voice continued. A soft hand pressed gently against his shoulder. "You just came out of a bad fit."
"What do you mean?" he asked, trying to focus on her face. "Where . . . where am I?" *Why can't I see? What's wrong with me?*
"You are in my house," she replied gently. "Can you tell me your name?"
"My brother . . . where is my brother?" he demanded, sudden panic making his voice shrill.
"Shh," she said softly, soothingly. "It's all right. Just calm down." Her hand stroked his cheek, and suddenly his vision cleared. His golden eyes widened in surprise, and his heart skipped a beat.
The woman bending over him had long silver hair, and dazzling purple, almond shaped eyes. Her complexion was pale, her slim face oval. Her thin, feathery eyebrows were as silver as her hair, and furrowed slightly in her concern. Her full, pale red lips curved in a faint, reassuring smile that smoothed her forehead and warmed his blood.
*She's . . . she's beautiful . . .*
"What is your name?" she asked softly.
*Even her voice is lovely,* he thought dazedly.
"Marron Glace," he replied mechanically, still mesmerized by her eyes.
Her mouth curved into another smile, and he found his eyes strangely drawn to her pale red lips, tracing the delicate curves with his gaze.
"Have you ever had a fit like this before?" she asked, her tone still soft and soothing, but somehow business-like.
He looked at her blankly. "What do you mean?"
"Do you remember what happened at the inn?"
Marron frowned, looking away from those deep, mysterious eyes that clouded his mind. *What is this?* he wondered. *I would know if she was using magic to charm me into revealing something, but this doesn't feel like that . . . so what's going on?*
"I was . . . waiting for someone," he replied guardedly, looking up at her warily. Instantly, he realized his mistake when he met her eyes again, for they caught and held his gaze. He didn't think that he could resist telling her everything that she wanted to know when she looked at him like that.
*This isn't good . . .* he thought, but it was too late.
"Do you remember anything about the fire?" she asked, her deep purple eyes intent on his.
A slight shiver ran down his spine as he stared back at her. *What's wrong with me?* he wondered. *Why am I feeling this way? Who is this woman?*
"No," he said hesitantly. "What happened? Where am I? Who are you?"
The woman smiled. "Let me start over," she said. "My name is Vanilla Cream. This is the guest bedroom in my home. The healer Ramen in the town of Split Pea brought you here about five days ago, after you became delusional."
*I remember Ramen; he was the one who recommended Vanilla, but . . . five days?* Marron stared at her incredulously; the spell was broken, so to speak. "I've been here for five days?"
Vanilla nodded. "The fit you were having was not natural, was it?"
He looked at her warily, studying her silently for a moment. "No," he said finally.
Vanilla's purple eyes swept over him once, and he fought against the urge to blush as a wave of heat passed through him, following her gaze.
"Was it Bagel or Lox?" she asked quietly, her expression solemn.
"What do you mean?" Marron asked suspiciously, suddenly cold again.
Her lips curved in a charming smile, her mysterious eyes sparkling with amusement, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. One slim, pale hand tucked a stray strand of her long silver hair behind her delicate ear. He watched the movement, fascinated by her gracefulness, and almost jumped in surprise when he saw that the top of her ear was slightly elongated and unmistakably pointed.
"I assure you, my people are not supportive of sorcerers," she said in response to his thoughts, and he flushed, embarrassed. "I merely monitor their activities and report back what I feel my people need to know. You have nothing to fear from me, Sorcerer Hunter."
"Your people?" he asked. Then, with a cold, sick feeling growing in the pit of his stomach, he added, "You know what I am."
"Yes," she replied with a beautiful smile that nearly made his heart stop. "I believe we are called elves in your tongue."
*I didn't know there were elves in the Ipecac Forest . . . how strange. I thought they had left this world.*
"And . . . how do you know that - " He broke off uncomfortably, afraid to ask how she had read him so easily when he could discern so little about her.
"That you are a Sorcerer Hunter?" she supplied. "It wasn't hard. Why else would you carry these around?" She pointed to the table beside the bed where his ofuda lay in a neat pile. "Eastern Magic, right?"
Marron nodded. "I'm sorry," he said. "I thought that you - "
Vanilla shrugged. "You have no reason to trust me," she replied.
"But you cared for me while I was unconscious for five days, and - "
She shrugged again. "I could have lied," she pointed out.
Marron shifted uneasily on the bed, wincing in renewed pain as his muscles protested the movement. At once, Vanilla frowned and leaned over, reaching out to touch his forehead. He felt a light surge, and suddenly the pain was gone.
Her soft fingers trailed down his cheek as her hand withdrew, and he repressed a shiver at the soft caress. It left his skin tingling and him wondering if the caress had been intentional or not.
*I . . . I do not think that she will harm me,* he thought cautiously, studying her face silently. *I think that I can trust her that far . . . for now.*
"Is that better?" Vanilla asked softly, her eyes on his.
Vanilla was still leaning forward, and Marron discovered something interesting. She was wearing a loose off-white tunic with a deep v-neck, and he was getting a very good view of the upper slopes of her pale breasts.
*Oh my god . . . What's wrong with me?!* he wondered desperately. *I shouldn't be looking there . . . I shouldn't be acting like Carrot! She'll think I'm a pervert!*
Even so, he couldn't stop staring.
"Marron?" Vanilla said gently, interrupting his thoughts.
He tore his eyes from her pale skin, trying futilely not to blush.
"Are you all right?" she asked, the deep purple of her eyes faintly troubled as she gazed at him.
"Uh-um, yes," he stammered. "I-I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" she murmured, sliding closer, her hand outstretched.
That just made it worse. Now he was noticing her slender waist, and her shapely hips, especially since her soft brown leather breeches were skin-tight, and the tunic barely covered her to her waist over her breeches.
Marron drew back sharply, trying to keep as much distance between them that he could. She paused, startled.
"I'm fine," he said, a little more sharply than he'd intended to.
Vanilla blinked once, staring at him. Her gaze was puzzled for a moment, but as she studied him, she seemed to come to some sort of conclusion, and sat back in her chair. He could almost hear her disgusted thought: Humans.
"I'm fine, Vanilla," he said more softly a moment later, chagrinned. "I - Thank you," he finished awkwardly.
Vanilla smiled again, but absently, her gaze searching his face intently. It took a considerable effort not to blush under her scrutiny.
"You should get some rest," she said quietly, reaching out to pull the blankets up around him. He allowed her to do so, repressing the urge to take her slender hand in his and press it against his cheek. "You can tell me what happened to you and your party later."
Vanilla's slim hand moved from tucking the blankets around him to caress his cheek gently. He jumped slightly, startled by her forwardness, but then sank back into the softness of the pillows beneath his head, suddenly very weary for some reason.
"Sleep now," she whispered softly, and the last thing he saw before his golden eyes slid shut was her slight, gentle smile.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Vanilla watched the young mage sleep, frowning slightly. He had confirmed her suspicions, and she could now get someone to contact the Stellar Church. They would probably like to know that one of their Sorcerer Hunters was recovering from some sort of magically induced backlash spell that caused violent fits of delirium.
Someone would then come to pick him up in a week or so, if the danger of the fits had passed. Or possibly even sooner, if one of their healers could control the fits he was suffering like she could. He would have more of them before this strange affliction was done with him.
The problem was, she was now strangely reluctant to do so. He was the first visitor outside of Split Pea that she had had in a long time, aside from those of her people that brought her supplies once a month. He was also quite. . . interesting - even more so now that he had awakened.
Marron's breathing was deep and even. The fit had passed for now, obviously, and he would hopefully sleep like this for hours.
It had taken only a gentle push from Vanilla to help him sleep; his reserves had been thoroughly depleted by the violence of the fit he had suffered.
*He'll likely be ravenous with hunger when he wakes up,* she thought. *I should have something ready for him then. I may as well tell Ramen that he should definitely contact the Stellar Church while I'm at it, since that is the right thing to do.*
Vanilla sighed, shaking her head. *I don't know why I am acting this way over a human. His reaction to me was more amusing than most of the reactions I get from his kind. I don't think that he will trust me, though. Not that it matters. He doesn't need to trust me to get better. And now I have something more important to deal with: Lox and Bagel are back again, probably for revenge. Those idiots. I'd better take care of them permanently this time.*
She stood up and moved her chair to the corner of the small room. The mage never stirred, even as she quietly and gracefully walked over to the door. She turned back to look at him briefly, her hand on the doorknob reflectively. Shrugging, she turned away again, and opened the door.
"Vanilla . . ."
Her sharp ears picked up the soft sound of her name from the young mage as he sighed in his sleep. She half-turned back in surprise, wondering if he had somehow managed to break the sleeping charm she had put on him.
He hadn't. He was still asleep, a faint smile curving his lips.
She blinked once, watching him, but he said nothing else. With another shrug, she left the room.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Marron sat up when the door to his room opened and the silver-haired woman entered with a tray. She smiled when she saw him, and his hand clenched on the blankets in his lap.
"Vanilla . . ." he said softly, wondering inanely why his brain stopped working the instant she entered the room. (Answer: the Author decrees it =P)
"So you remember me," she said, her silvery voice pleased. He flushed faintly, looking away from her. "That's a good sign. You must be recovering."
"I . . . I feel better," he said shyly, raising his eyes to look at her.
Her answering smile was radiant, and he wondered how he had ever thought that she could not be trusted. He found himself smiling back at her idiotically.
"You must be hungry, then," she said, and set the tray on his lap.
"You made this?" Marron asked, studying the bowl of soup, two thick slices of warm, freshly baked bread, and the apple warily. *I feel like I've been half-starved for a couple of days, but I don't know if . . .*
His earlier doubts returned to plague him relentlessly. He had known too many sorceresses that had used their beauty to trick their enemies into trusting them, and then had taken full advantage of that trust.
Vanilla did not seem to take offense. "I'm not a bad cook," she said with a faint smile. "And it's not poisoned. I don't waste time and energy healing people just to kill them when they wake up."
Her earlier words came back to him: I could have lied.
*She could be lying now . . . even if she is making sense. It all smells so good, though, and I'm really hungry . . .*
Vanilla watched him calmly as she stood beside his bed, meeting his gaze quite serenely when he looked up at her. Still holding her eyes, he picked up the spoon on the tray, and took a bite of the soup.
*Chicken noodle,* he noted absently. *Wonderfully prepared, too.*
"This is delicious," he said quietly, smiling faintly at her.
She smiled, amused. "Were you expecting it not to be?" she asked.
*I did it again!* Marron thought, ashamed. He flushed in embarrassment.
"Well, no, but - " His flush deepened.
*How does she keep doing that to me?*
Vanilla smiled again. "I understand." She turned to leave, and he flushed again as he watched her slim, willowy body sway toward the door.
"Vanilla, wait," he said, reaching out one slender hand toward her. He didn't want her to go yet, even if he didn't know why.
She half-turned, one silver eyebrow raised expectantly.
He swallowed hard, noting the way that her body was poised with her torso turned toward him at her waist, her softly rounded breasts pressing against the cloth of her tunic.
"I-I'm sorry," he said, trying in vain to pretend that he hadn't seen that. "I don't mean to be suspicious, but - "
Vanilla nodded. "I understand. I would feel the same in your situation." She turned around to face him again. "I had Ramen send a letter to the Stellar Church, telling them where you are," she added. "There should be a reply within a few days."
"A few days?"
She nodded. "Pigeons are fast."
"Oh." He looked back down at the tray, slightly disappointed. He had hoped that he would be able to spend a little more time with her, but if Big Mama knew where he was, she would likely send his brother and the rest of the team here as soon as they finished their mission.
Marron secretly began to hope that the pigeon would get lost for a while.
Meanwhile, Vanilla was leaving again.
"I remember Ramen telling me that you could help me, but how did I get here?" he asked, more out of a desire to keep her there rather than curiosity about the transportation methods.
She smiled, amused, and turned back to him. "Ramen and Sauerkraut brought you here," she replied. "The innkeeper saw that you were delusional. He called Ramen, and then you were brought to me."
"Oh," he said, and looked at the spoon in his hand, then up at her. "What happened?"
"All right," Vanilla said, smiling. "You eat your supper, and I'll tell you."
Marron let out a breath he hadn't known that he was holding until she gracefully retrieved the small wooden chair from the corner of the room and sat next to his bed.
"What exactly do you remember?" she asked.
"I was staying at the Bratwurst Inn while my brother and the others in my team went ahead to finish the mission we were sent on. I remember saying goodbye when they left, and then going to sleep," he replied, and took another bite of the soup.
"So you knew that you were going to be affected by the spell that turned your magic back on you?" she asked shrewdly.
Marron nodded solemnly. "I knew. I did not want to endanger the team, so I stayed behind to recover while they went on ahead."
Vanilla nodded. "Admirable," she remarked cryptically. "How many times did you use your magic after the spell was turned back on you?"
"Twice," he replied reluctantly. "Once to see if my magic was sealed, and again to seal off Bagel's castle."
Vanilla sighed. "That was probably a bad idea."
"It had to be done," Marron replied with a shrug.
She nodded again. "I know. Do you remember anything else?"
"Nothing," he said after a moment of consideration.
"Sauerkraut told me that around midnight he was awakened by his wife Celery when she smelled smoke. It was coming from your room, so he went in to check." Vanilla nodded in response to his widened eyes. "You were delirious with fever, and you had set the floor and the bed on fire."
*Oh, no . . .* His hand clenched on the handle of the spoon. *Because of me, everyone in Split Pea could have lost their homes or worse . . .*
"Sauerkraut managed to get it put out quickly, but then you attacked him," she went on, her purple eyes sympathetic in response to his growing horror. "He managed to restrain you, while Celery went to get Ramen, the healer in Split Pea. Ramen recognized the fit as a magically induced backlash, and brought you to me immediately."
"Was anyone hurt?" he asked softly, his eyes averted from her.
"No, no one was hurt, and the damage was minimal, considering the spell you used," she said, and he sighed in relief. Her words were not very comforting, but he was glad that no one had been injured because of him. "Sauerkraut has already fixed that room, so you don't need to worry about it," she added. "He won't charge you for it, either."
"Why not?" Marron asked, startled. "I would be willing to - "
"He knows that it is not your fault," Vanilla interrupted. "His daughter Lettuce is also a mage, and this sort of thing has happened to her before."
"I still don't feel right about it," he argued.
Vanilla shook her head. "Just concentrate on recovering for now," she told him, and eyed the tray that she had brought him critically. "While you're at it, you could finish eating too."
Marron flushed. "Sorry," he said, and quickly finished the soup.
"That's better," she said with a smile.
"Are you a healer?" he asked as he picked up a slice of bread.
"Yes," she replied, shifting on her chair. "I have a lot of experience with magic backlash, which is why Ramen contacted me. I'm usually the one that takes care of everything that he can't."
"Does that happen often?"
"No," she said. "Ramen is a very competent healer. I only get the really unusual cases."
"How do you know Bagel and Lox?" he asked then. "Not that I think you're in league with them or anything - "
Vanilla just smiled, amused. "I've been watching them for a long time. My people were worried that they might pose a threat to us, but so far they only seem to be interested in their own petty desires."
"Who are your people, exactly?" he asked curiously. "What do you call yourselves?"
"Our name for ourselves is too complicated for humans to pronounce," she replied, and shrugged. "Otherwise I would tell you."
"Do your people all look like you?" he asked then, and blushed furiously as he realized how that had sounded.
Another amused smile curved her lips. "There are many variations, as in humans," she replied, her purple eyes sparkling with humor.
*I should do what she says and just finish eating,* he thought, flushing. *I'm making a fool of myself in front of her. I almost wish that Carrot were here . . . at least he wouldn't be tongue-tied in front of someone that is as beautiful as she is. Although, if he were here, he would be trying to get her to sleep with him, which would probably bother her. I wouldn't really have to talk then, though, especially if the others were here too. I could just watch her . . .*
"Any more questions?" Vanilla asked, interrupting his thoughts.
Marron shook his head, too flustered to speak. *How does she keep doing this to me? I don't understand it at all.*
"All right then," she said, and stood up. He discretely observed her every movement out of the corner of his eye. "I can bring you some books to read, or if you're feeling up to a change of scenery, I could take you down to see my garden."
Marron looked up at her, intrigued. "I would like to see your garden."
*I wouldn't mind learning more about you in the process too,* he thought.
Vanilla smiled and nodded. "I'll take you once you finish that slice of bread," she said, eyeing the piece in his hand.
Marron smiled back sheepishly. "All right," he said.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
*He's trying not to blush. How interesting,* she thought, repressing a smile as she supported Marron's lean frame with her body. *Butterscotch doesn't call me the Ice Maiden for nothing, though. He's intriguing, but I don't want to get involved, especially with a Sorcerer Hunter from the Stellar Church.*
"It's not much further," Vanilla said as she helped him off the last step. "Just through this hallway and out the door. There's a bench you can sit on."
Marron nodded, wincing slightly as his sore and strained muscles protested the exercise. It was good for him to get out of bed, though, as it would help him to recover faster from the damage done by the spell.
Suddenly, the mage paused, staring at something with those fascinating golden eyes. Vanilla had never seen anyone with eyes like his. She couldn't help staring at them, especially when he wasn't paying attention.
"What is that?" Marron asked, his beautiful eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Vanilla glanced over in the direction he was looking in, and realized that he was looking at the only locked and magically warded door in her entire house. "That would be the room that my scrying crystal is in," she replied.
"Why is the room so heavily warded? It hardly seems necessary."
"That crystal is very powerful and very dangerous. It's not a good idea to leave it unattended so that just anyone can use it. I can scry outward, but things can also come back through the crystal if the person I happen to be watching notices me."
"Do you ever spy on the Stellar Church?" he asked quietly, tensing.
Vanilla rolled her eyes. "They're so heavily shielded against my crystal's magic that I couldn't even if I wanted to," she replied, and he relaxed.
*Interesting. He will take my word on this. I had not expected that so soon.*
"I'm sorry - " he started.
"You say that too much," she chided before he could continue, and softened the words with a smile. Marron blushed, and looked away from her. To end the slightly awkward moment for him, Vanilla took another step, and he moved with her. In another few feet, she had helped him over the threshold and into her garden.
"Is it evening already?" he asked, looking at the purple and orange streaked sky in surprise. "How long was I asleep?"
"Several hours," Vanilla replied. "You must have needed it."
Marron frowned, but did not comment. He simply allowed her to help him over to the nearest bench, and sat down with her.
"Are you comfortable?" she asked from where she sat very close to him with his arm still around her shoulders.
Marron looked at her, and his blush deepened as he realized just how close she was to him. "Y-yes," he stammered, his golden eyes confused and embarrassed all at once.
Vanilla smiled at him. "Good," she said, and slid out from under his arm. He blushed again as she stood up. She pretended not to notice how deeply red his face was becoming. *I feel kind of bad, teasing him like this,* she thought. *It's really fun to make his face turn red like that, but I should stop doing it.*
"What do you think?" Vanilla asked, gesturing around the pleasant little walled-off garden with its clumps of oak and aspen trees, vines covering the walls, and the flowerbeds sprawled everywhere there wasn't a marble path.
*I hope he likes it,* she thought anxiously. *Wait a minute - since when do I care what anyone thinks of my garden? I love it in here, and it shouldn't matter to me if someone who will only ever see it a few times before he leaves likes it or not.*
She shook off her uncomfortable thoughts and watched Marron look around him.
"It's beautiful," he said, amazed. "I've never seen anything like this."
Vanilla smiled, pleased. "I'd be surprised if you had."
He slid forward on the bench, looking around eagerly. "Those are aspen trees, aren't they?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied. "I planted them because their leaves turn gold in the fall. I've always been fascinated with the color gold."
Marron started in surprise, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, but her calm expression gave him no indication that she had noticed.
*There I go, teasing him again. Poor Marron,* she thought guiltily.
"There are so many colors," he went on after a moment. "It's wonderful."
"I like a lot of colors too," she replied with a smile.
"Did you do all of this by yourself?" he asked.
"Mostly, yes," she replied. "My brother Orange helped a little with the trees and some of the flowering vines. My sisters Lemon and Ravensara brought me most of the seeds for the plants that you see here from our homeland."
"Where is your homeland?" Marron asked.
"Deep within the Ipecac Forest," Vanilla said. "No human has ever been there, to my knowledge."
"Not even from the Stellar Church?" he asked.
"No," she said, shaking her head. "I have never heard anything about that."
"Interesting. I would have thought that the Church would have enlisted your people's help in controlling the sorcerers of Spooner."
Vanilla shook her head. "We only watch; we do not interfere."
He looked at her, frowning. "What about the people of Split Pea?" he demanded. "What would you do if a sorcerer decided to take over the village and kill your neighbors?"
She looked at him coolly. "That has already happened," she replied. "Not too long ago, Bagel and Lox decided to try to drain the life forces of the people of Split Pea to fuel their magic, as I would imagine they have done elsewhere. If they were threatened again, I would do exactly what I did that time: take care of the sorcerers myself. Why do you think that Ramen and Sauerkraut think so highly of me?"
"I-I'm sorry," he said, flustered. "I thought that you only cared about your own people."
Vanilla sighed. "You should stop thinking so much," she said without thought, and almost bit her tongue after the words were out.
Marron lowered his eyes, his unhappiness plain in the set of his shoulders. "I'm sorry," he said again.
"No, I'm sorry," she demurred. "I do not get very many visitors, and I think my skills as a hostess are slipping."
"I'm the one who has suspected you of working with sorcerers, spying on the Stellar Church, and trying to poison me all in the same day," he pointed out. "I don't blame you for being angry."
"I'll forgive you if you forgive me," Vanilla said gently, and smiled warmly when he looked up at her shyly.
He smiled back hesitantly. "Deal," he agreed.
*~~~~~~~~~~ To be continued ~~~~~~~~~~*
Author's Notes: Yay! Three more reviews! And one of them is a repeat reviewer! So again I must give out thank you's:
JRM: Yippee, I still have your attention! You're welcome, and thank you for reading and reviewing a second time. Of course I read your review. The whole point of fanfiction writing revolves around the reader's responses, at least for me. ^_^ I really do care what you think about my stuff. And you should *definitely* let me know when you post your fanfic. I'm going to make it a point to read the stories of the people who review mine. Let me know if you need anything, should you decide you want my help. ^_^
Quatre's girl: Thank you! I've actually been writing for years, and this is just the first fanfic that I've ever had the courage to post. As for the um, closeness, of the pairing . . . well . . . I don't want to give anything away. Let's just say that it's unexpected for the rest of the Hunters. I only ask that you give it a fair chance, and if you don't like what I've done to poor Marron, I will understand if you don't read any further. Oh, and I'll probably change the rating. On further reflection, I think you might be right about that. ^_^
Aelis: Thank you! I'm glad you like what I had so far, and I hope you liked this chapter too. ^_^
Wow, I talk way too much in these author's notes.
Well, everyone, thank you for reading, and don't forget to tell me what you think so far. Reviews make my days go so much better. ^_^
~ Lady Cianyin ~
