Disclaimer: I own nothing from Hellboy, Comic/Movie or otherwise.
Blaze of Unglory
Chapter 11.) Out of the Ash: Part 1
The next few days were odd for Fharryn, and not just because of the weird tension between her and Nuada either. It seemed he was never there at the apartment anymore . . always away doing . . .things. Had this been what it was like for Nuala? No one ever home with her? She looked down into her cup of black death. Nuala was in the living room giving food to the traitor, it was about 1:00pm, and it was Monday. Christmas would be in a few days and she couldn't help but be nostolgic. She had wanted to get Abe a present this year. . .
Her eyes lit up. Maybe she still could. She peeked in at Nuala and Aine. Was it possible for them to maybe see each other? She thought about it. How would she pull it off? Getting her to him was one thing. Keeping it a secret from Nuada was another. . .
She sighed, it was nearly impossible. Maybe she should just ask Nuada about it next time he was in. Surely if she worded herself right he would allow her to get them a secret meeting. . .
I heard the creaking at the door before I saw it opening, I knew ahead of time that it was Nuada. Only, when the door opened I was a little surprised. It was Nuada . . .and a friend. I gave him a questionable look and he nodded to me. Taking his coat off he gestured to the short older man who took his brown tattered coat off and hung it next to Nuada's hoodie jacket. Nuala came in and saw the old man and light came into her eyes.
"Alroy!" Her mouth smiling kindly to him as her hands clasped together. A friend?
With out saying anything else she went to the cabinets and got out tea.
"Ah, making refreshments for old men is no fitting practice for a princess my dear." Lightbulb hit me. I raised my hand like a little kid looking straight at Nuada.
"Me me! Please? I'm soooo boredddddd." I made it as dramatic as possible, he had forbidden any movement from me since the last batch of renewing my stitches. He looked to Nuala, skimming over this, Alroy's ,surprised expression to me. He gave a sigh and I jumped down, he held his hand up to signal stop.
"You must be careful, swear you will work slowly?" I looked him in his beautiful golden eyes and smiled.
"I solemnly swear I am up to . . .obeying you." I couldn't help but laugh as I almost came out with a Harry Potter reference, would he know? Probably not. I slowly walked to the counter where Nuala was standing with the tea. Nuada and Alroy sat at the stools.
"So . . .who are you?" Good ole not shy me. His wrinkled face turned to me and I saw him study my tail as it flicked back at forth.
"I should be asking the name of ye, lass. I'm Alroy, old friend of their majesties. . . " Another irishman? I nodded, placing the kettle of water on the stove. Before I could answer,
"Knight Fharryn, Demon Heart, Flame Soul." He moved his hand for etc, he looked at me with a playful expression.
"Any of these suit you?" I laughed, leaning against the island, Alroy's surprised expression back.
"Demon Heart sounds nice and cruel. Do you think that would strike fear into the hearts of our opponents?" I grinned at him, he did the same.
"My, change has happened with you Sire." Alroy mumbled, I couldn't help but smile. I flexed my arms,
"I know, I'm pretty amazing like that. " Alroy grinned at me, least someone thought I was funny.
"So just . . how old of a friend are you exactly?" His bushy silvery eyebrows furrowed in mock annoyance.
"Ah, Lass. Older then you at least by six times." I smiled before I looked to a stack of fresh kitchen towels. . . if Alroy was that old then . . .Nuada was really old. . .
"Ah, she is thinking on that one." Alroy laughed.
"Trying to fathom how an old man stole your first kiss?" My face heated up, I looked to him with dangerous eyes, did he seriously just go there?
"Psh . . that was a kiss? " I smirked at him, not very witty but enough to make Alroy's brows go up in wonder. I went to the whistling kettle, turning the stove off. I pulled out four cups, setting earl gray bags in all but one, that one had honey lemon for Nuala.
"Poor Nuala. This lass is a bit of a dragon, I can already tell." I cocked my head at Alroy's response, his blue eyes full of curiousity. I went back to leaning against the island.
"A dragon?" I hoped he didn't mean the modern day slang term . . .
"Aye aye, a woman who is firey tempered, stubborn and greedy for her lovers attention. Most men tend to stay far from those kind, they make us into husbands and keep us from being stupid!" He laughed, a jolly hearty sound and I found my self laughing with him, relived more then entertained. I looked to Nuada, his eyes bright like Nuala's had appeared. I went to the cups, and two by two brought them to the island, I got the tub of sugar and a huge spoon, if Alroy was anything like the twins he was a sugarholic.
Nuada had watched me as I had brought them over, watching like a hawk to a hurt rabbit . . .great way to make me uncomfortable. Nuala walked in,I hadn't even noticed that she had left the kitchen. I looked back to Nuada, wiggling my eyebrows at him. He gave a small tilt of one edge of his mouth before dumping several large spoonfuls of sugar in his tea, having taken out the bag. Alroy was similar, it was like watching an add on clone . . . I smiled. Nuala got the honey from the cupboard, she preferred honey in her tea.
"So, you are really the one with all the pent up magick? You are a dainty lil' thing. I must say I was expecting someone a deal different." My brain went blank, I turned to look at Alroy.
"Uh . .. ?" I smiled nervously. He nodded, looking to Nuada.
"Aye, I already feel it. She has some strange seal preventing access to it fully. You said she was daughter to Anung Un Rama?" My heart skipped a beat.
"Who?" Both men turned to look at me, I heard Nuala take in a sharp breath.
"Anung . . .Un Rama? Dear Goddess, child! You don't even know of your father?" Alroy looked to Nuada.
"She knows him as Hellboy." What the hell was going on?
"Is it our place to tell her?" Alroy said quietly to Nuada, he was acting as if I wasn't there. Nuada looked to me though.
"Ok, I swear, if there are more secrets I'm going to burn half of this block down." I held my fist up for emphasis. Nuada's expression softened.
"A demon Fharryn. Your father's true identity is as Anung Un Rama, the Beast of Apocolypse. Nuala could tell you better, but he has a part in the defeat of the humans." His tone was soft, I didn't know . . .How could I have not found out such an important thing.
"Is that why you accepted my help? Because I was close to him? I was his daughter?" I stood up better, starting to turn around.
"It never crossed my mind, I accepted your help because it was the only thing I could do. It was meant if you brought both Nuala and I back. It was meant." He flicked his gaze to his tea. Had I hurt him? Struck some cord that I didn't know was strikable? He took a slow sip of his tea, it had to still be so hot.
I put a hand on the island.
"Nuada . . .I'm sorry. I threw myself head first into all this. I . . .it's hard to know how to handle things when I'm not familiar with them. Please try to understand and not be so angry or upset with me." My voice was thick with an apologetic tone, I hoped it would sugar him up a little.
"I actually only had just found out that Liz had the same fire power that I had that same year that I brought you and Nuala back. She had hidden it from me my whole life. Made me feel like shit, so terrible that I'd gotten it out of control a few times. . . she's killed people with hers . . ." I looked to the floor, I didn't really want to go into this here. I walked back to my tea, gentle picking it up, my coffee cup in the sink.
"My leg is getting grouchy, I'm going to go lay down if that's ok. . ." He was giving me the silent treatment, it hurt that he was acting so. I walked by, not expecting him to say anything when I suddenly felt his fingers at my shoulder. He had this odd deep look in his eyes. He gentley took my tea and set it back on the island, getting off the stool and herding me to it.
"Uh?"
"We need you here, your important role and all that? You can lay down soon." I couldn't help but let a grin slip out.
It was the hardest thing to do, shaving her leg with out getting the stitches. She had a deep concentrative look, her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth. She was almost done . . .
"There." She grinned, throwing her shaver in the shower, rinsing off and getting out, grabbing a red towel and putting it around her. She dried herself off and towel dried her hair before looking at her pile of night clothes. She suddenly had an idea, grinning she wondered about going into the room with only her towel on. She sighed, wrapping the towel around her, Nuada was napping . . .if she was quiet she wouldn't wake him up. So if she was loud. . . he would wake up. She smirked, she knew the perfect excuse too, pretending to forget her clothes. She looked at the full length mirror, her towel barely covering her cheeks. She looked around for something bigger but couldn't find any, she sighed, growing a pair and ventured out into her room, holding her breath. She about squealed when she saw the Prince himself, lounged out on her bed . . . clearly not asleep. She wouldn't have to wake him up then. . . It was her plan to do this, was she going to back out?
"Uh, don't flip out or anything . . .I'm not seducing anyone, I just forgot clothes." She grinned at how stupid she sounded, he didn't even look up from the map he was studying and she faintly wondered what it was for. That relieved her halfly and she walked out fully, slowly walking to the drawers. She wanted to rush and run to get her stuff (even though she didn't have to do this in the first place) but if she tried that she may tear stitches or worse, gain his attention. Any other time she would relish his attention, but for her stitches being torn out . . .she would pass.
She made it to her dark wood dresser, yanking out the panty drawer and digging around. Panties . . . thongs . . . or shorties. She couldn't decide. She faintly thought about holding one of each up and asking Nuada's opinion. Her face went beet red and she let her head fall onto the wood, a silly grin plastered on her face. She peeked to Nuada, he was watching her now which made her face darker. She let the back of her towel slip a little, hoping it would cover her a little better. She picked around between a dark green pair of panties and a dark red lace thong and bit her lip. Her heart hammered as she thought about wearing the thong and letting slip him a view. She wadded it up and put it in her fist, trying not to grin.
"Oh I'm terrible. . ." She said under her breath. She opened up her shorts drawer, picking out a black pair that were ridiculously short. . . .who was she kidding? She was out to seduce. . . She peeked over to him again, answering his intrigued look with an innocent one. She tossed her long damp hair over her shoulder, exposing her pale back. Walking to her closet she shifted through the shirts, nothing seeming quite right. Then she thought about her night gowns and her face rushed red again. She was out for it tonight . . . she picked out a silk black one that would barely make it to her knees. She grinned and turned around. Nuada wasn't on the bed anymore. She looked around, wondering if he went to the kitchen . . .when he came out of the bathroom. The original shirt she picked out in his hand. He waved it and she placed her new stuff behind her back, barely keeping her towel up.
"Ha . . ha . . " She laughed nervously, a goofy smile on her face. He slowly walked to her, almost as if to calculate his moves. He got right up to her, slowly bending down to her level,
"No out to seduce anyone hm?" He breathed into her ear, those words making her gooseflesh return and an odd deep feeling in her lower gut. He smiled slyly at her, moving his parted lips mere hairs breath's lengths from her skin, travelling from her jaw down to her chin and ghosting over her lips to hover there. She made a twitch to move closer so that they may touch and kiss but he pulled back, a playful look on his features. She leaned forward, and he moved to the side, he still faced her. He was teasing her.. .
"Does this have something to do with earlier?" She grinned, remembering her play insult to their kiss from before.
"Does this?" He held out little red strings, her thong. How had he gotten that? She made a reach for it but he was too quick.
"Oh you! Give that here!" She grinned widely at him, she couldn't believe he had that in his hand. . .what was wrong with him?
"Did that old man slip something in your drink?" She laughed as he held his hands up, her red thong gone.
"Cute, where is it?" She circled around him not seeing it anywhere.
"Oh gods, Nuada, you aren't wearing it are you?" He snorted, folding his arms.
"Where did you get it?" She squinted her eyes, going to her panty drawer, sure enough there they were.
"You didn't get anywhere near here . . .how did you do that?" He gave her a msichievous look.
"Dress and I'll tell you." She smiled again, wiggling her hips.
"You dress me." Her eyes went wide and her hand flew to her mouth.
"I didn't mean that!" She backed up into her dresser as he took a step closer.
"For your sake, I hope you didn't." She was giggling, her whole body hot with desire.
"Oh? Is there a . . .punishment for flirting with a future king?" He stepped closer.
"When attractive, yes." She laughed trying to picture an ugly ogress trying to seduce him.
"Oh yeah? What's the punishment? Getting egged or something?" He growled, mere inches from her. When had he gotten so close? She swallowed as she saw his outlined muscles again, he wore only his loose cut off slacks.
"Laying, that is the price for teasing a future king." He grinned. She blinked.
"Laying . . .?" He came in closer,the back of his arm mere centimeters from her towel covered breasts. He leaned in as if to kiss her, her eyes fluttered closed ready for it. Instead of kissing her he allowed a small 'eskimo' kiss. She opened her eyes, his hand moving to twine a piece of ebony hair between his fingers as his chest rose and fell just barely touching hers.
She followed his mouth with her own but he slowly played away, not allowing them to touch. Both of their eyes were bright, lips so close that a small quiver would allow them to touch. She was burning up, wanting him more then anything, his teasing driving her wild. His tongue danced forth slowly, her breathing was ragged from excitment. He wasn't being slow for seducing reasons. . . he was showing, teaching her. She grinned on the inside. Part of her didn't care to learn, only wanted him to ravage her and take her as his. She moaned as they touched, her unsure movements a little jerky, her eyes fluttering closed. He then allowed their lips to touch, kissing her as he explored her mouth, dominating her attempts to try back. She let out another small moan into his mouth as his hand found her hip, gripping it a little before rubbing up her waist, over her dip inward and up her back before running slowly back down, she pushed her hips towards him as his hands found her butt and gave a playful squeeze.
She tried her best to not be noisy, but she found it difficult to really think at all with him in her mouth and him touching her all over. She wanted him that way as well, all over her.
Then he was suddenly receding, his hands to her hips gently pushing her the opposite way as he slowly pulled out of her mouth and let go. Her eyes were foggy and half lidded,
"No . . .don't stop." Her words were a little slurred, as if drunk. His hand came to meet her cheek, caressing there as he leaned forward to peck her forehead.
"That's what I'm worried about." She slowly started to come back.
"Of . .. not stopping?" He nodded, she could faintly see something restricting his own desire. She started to become angry. She shoved him away, which didn't really make him move.
"You can't just tease like that! "
"Or what?" He grabbed her jaw forcing her to look at him.
"You've never been with a man, what would you know of such things?" She growled, not thinking as she blurted out an angry,
"And you so would high and mighty old man." She immediately felt bad, looking to his face to see if he was hurt again. Not hurt, not anger, but something else. As if he were remembing things.
"Indeed I would. I have married, lain with women, watched them bare my children. I've done all these things. You have done none of them." She looked away, shocked but not wanting to show it.
"Children?" He came to rest his head on hers, she was glad that she wasn't over stepping any boundaries.
"Yes, two. My son did not make it past birth and my daughter died before she was half your height." She felt sickened, she was so curious. . .but she didn't want to ask, not wanting to take the risk of ruining something. To her surprise he sighed, taking her hand and leading her to the bed. He sat there at the foot before setting her on his lap.
"My last wife, Ashling. I'd near raised her since she was just a small child having found her on a raid with my father's soldiers. There have never been many solitary Bethmoorans, but there are always some. Her mother had been raped by a passing by human man, and that was how Ashling was born. " She looked him in the face, he stared at her hands.
"I loved her the moment I saw her too yellow hair, her gold eyes that had whites around them like a human's, her lashes pale instead of dark. She had freckles and blushed red." The backs of his fingers gentley touched her own blushed cheeks.
"After her mother had survived the birth of Ashling, and raised her till she could walk and turn knobs, a group of those savage creatures found their bough, slaying her mother. After finding her . . . I took her to Nuala, she never left my father's side. Not after our mother's death, so I knew that as long as Ashling stayed there, she would always be protected." He looked to the floor, she hoped he wouldn't cry but she could see the emotion in his eyes.
"I loved her . . . so much. I didn't know it was possible for it to be so deep. I was away in exile intil I felt that my people needed me and when I came back . . she was a grown woman. I'd missed out on her whole childhood. She had grown up in ridicule, torment and humiliation. The one place I thought was safe for her turned out to be the most dangerous." Seeping anger dripped from his words.
"It took years to heal her, such a hurt heart was a hard thing to mend. Eventually I . . .tricked her into marrying me." He grinned, it was sad though, no joy in it.
"I was there for her then, never leaving her side. She gave birth to our daughter, Eibhleann." It seemed to get harder for him to go on.
"All this time that I had been loving her, all that time that I was happy with her . . . it was making another miserable. Knight to my Father, Diarmuid was in love with Ashling. Apparently had been as long as she had known him. They were good friends. . .she had rejected him for myself. She had made me swear to never harm him with my own hand. She knew that given the chance I'd kill him to make sure she would stay mine. . .it didn't matter. . ." He closed his eyes, she leaned forward, kissing his temple.
"Human's found them all. Slayed most of the courtiers, all of the warriors were gone. I found Ashling lieing dead in our daughter's room, Eibhleann curled up next to her, her skin just as cold." He opened his eyes.
"She is dead, and you will still keep her promise?" He nodded.
"My damned honor. Do you see why I did not want you to fight him? He is nearly as old as I am, a warrior. We are the last warriors." She sighed, she was getting chilled from just wearing a towel. He could have just told her the promise part, but he had chosen to tell her about Ashling too. She felt pride swell in her heart. Her tail wagged, draping over his legs.
"What about when I've learned how to fight ok, then I can just cheat and fry him into traitor bacon?" She was glad to see him smile, a real one.
"We will see. " She lit up, she hadn't expected him to agree or anything. He stood up and scooted her gently towards the bathroom.
"Dress.. .alone. Then go to bed, I think I will take you out tomorrow." She grinned at him. Oh how she loved this strange out of time man. She slowly made herr way to the bathroom, before purposely leaving the door open as she changed. Plans to ask him about Abe long gone.
Two in one day, who is the Beastess? XD Thanks soooo much to my reviewers.
