It was snowing. Again. Numerous snowflakes formed heavy layers of whiteness on everything and everyone in alarmingly quick pace. Beautiful as it was, it was also starting to finally get on everyone's nerves. Even Lukas seemed not very contented with that kind of weather but perhaps it was just Mathias' interpretation of his blank face and unfriendly glances thrown in each direction every now and then.
Three days already passed since they had left Berwald and Tino's castle. Two days of riding in the snow; at first through dense, sleeping forests, then across plain wastes, crossed only by deep frozen rivers hidden under the snow, and after that - forests yet again.
They'd ride a whole day with one or two stopovers, then find a possibly most protected from the snow area and put up their small but still quite comfortable tent. It was made of some kind of thick, dark brown leather that managed to keep the inside relatively warm and entirely dry, regardless of snow, melting all over it. That useful thing was what they had been given when seting off from Lukas' allies' castle. It was ten times better than having to look for a convenient cave each night, not mention there was a very slight possibility of finding one in here anyway.
Moreover, for Mathias - who was usually sleeping in the middle - it was just another advantage, quite an amusing one. Not that he got to even touch Lukas with one finger but still, only lying beside him was kind of...Mathias couldn't really describe how exactly it made him feel but it surely was a good feeling.
They were currently riding along snow-covered forest path, their horses rising legs higher than usually to make it easier, when Mathias felt they were being watched. A small shiver ran down his back and he turned back but saw nothing suspicious. He frowned, not being familiar with such sensations. Maybe constant hanging around two who-knows-how-magical men made also him more wary of unnatural stuff like inexplicable hunches and so on.
He now realised he was in quite a distance from his companions, Negma had been fooling around in snow before, making them stay behind. And if something really was wrong, Lukas and Vlad were sure to feel it much more intensely than he did.
As if to confirm his theory, Lukas stopped his horse all out of the blue. He looked back at Mathias, his expression slightly annoyed.
,,Having troubles with keeping up already ?" he shouted, his cold voice echoing a bit in the eerie silence around them.
,,Not really." Mathias shouted back, smiling.
,,Then wouldn't you mind not staying behind ?" Lukas' eyes narrowed warningly.
,,Why ?" Mathias lined up with him, his smile growing wider, playful.
,,Don't ask idiotic questions." replied Lukas cooly and Mathias couldn't hold back a laughter.
,,Aww, Luke, you're worried about my safety, aren't you ?" he asked in a sweet, provocative tone.
Considering how close to each other they were riding now, he could have seen this coming but he groaned loudly anyway as Lukas' hand gave him a bash on the head from behind.
Vlad, who was riding first, a little ahead of them, turned around to look at them with an interest.
,,Are you two fighting again ?" he asked, smirking a bit.
,,No way, who fights ?" Mathias grinned, glancing sideways at Lukas. ,,I'm the one being harassed here."
,,Yeah." Vlad chuckled, shaking his head, a cunning glint in his crimson eyes.
It was like this until the early afternoon when they decided to take a short break from riding and have some decent dinner. No one would tell Mathias what was wrong but Lukas just kept on watching his every step since the morning, making him feel as if he was being treated as some muddle-headed child with no self-preservation instinct. In revange, Mathias purposely teased and annoyed him all this time, knowing he'd probably regret it later.
,,We're running out of food, and we only have one more bag of oat for horses." Vlad noticed as they were sitting by a small fire and waiting for their meal to get roasted.
Lukas looked up and nodded. Vlad seemed satisfied with this but Mathias frowned.
,,Aren't we now like in the middle of nowhere ? It won't be any better with no food at all." he said.
,,Well, it's not that far from the nearest town, two more days of riding, I think." Vlad reassured him with a smile. ,,And we can always go hunting so we're not going to starve anyway. I'm only worried about the horses."
,,We won't hunt in here." Lukas said in quiet but firm voice. Vlad just sighed in reluctant acceptance but Mathias couldn't let it pass, he was already bored with keeping him in ignorance of what was going on.
,,Okay, now you tell me what exactly is wrong with that spooky forest, it's not like I'll freak out and run away screaming, no matter what is it."
Vlad turned to him and for a moment he looked as if he was about to start talking but Lukas' warning glance stopped him.
,,Come on, Luk. We can tell him at least that, can't we ?" he asked instead, uncharacteristically serious.
,,Yeah. You don't have to make everything a secret, do you ?" added Mathias, catching Lukas' gaze and keeping it for long enough to make the other one's eyes go darker and cause one corner of his lips to raise in a bittersweet, ironical smile. Mathias did not turn away, though his heartbeat increased it's pace and for a moment he forgot about his own question and even about Vlad, sitting there and watching them with an obvious smirk. He was just captivated by those dark blue, cold and yet oddly alluring eyes, feeling like he was only drowning deeper and deeper in the mystery they were.
,,Fine. Tell him." said Lukas, turning away and tearing him out of the...what exactly was this thing ? It kind of felt like being under some spell. And as if Lukas could see right through him, howsoever creepy that might seem.
,,So, basically, that forest is full of huldras." Vlad grinned, catching his attention. His red eyes were set on him, apparently awaiting his reaction. But Mathias only bit his lower lip, smiling sheepishly.
,,It's not like it tells me something, you know ?" he said and heard Lukas snorting quietly but ignored it. What he said wasn't entirely true anyway. He had read about those huldras many years ago, he just couldn't remember what exactly they were. Some kind of woods goddesses ? No, it was something else, equally gruesome as the rest of the Northern folklore.
,,Well, let's say that if you happen to encounter the most stunning, beautiful girl you've ever seen in your entire life...don't follow her, no matter what." Vlad's smile had something wicked to it.
,,Okay, if I meet one, I won't." Mathias agreed, smiling. ,,But why ? What would they do to me ?"
Before Vlad managed to say anything, Lukas spoke in calm, emotionless voice but with a slightly frolicsome glance at Mathias as well.
,,They often attract men only to kill them right away but with your looks, I'm sure they'd just fuck you to death."
Mathias almost choked on his food, laughter boiling over him. He swallowed hard and then grinned at Lukas.
,,Right...well, that's one fine way to die, isn't it ?" he joked, provoking Vlad to laugh and Lukas to roll his eyes and show him that unwilling smile of his, which Mathias could not help but take as a small victory on his way to get Lukas to reveal more of his emotions. If he had them, that was.
Mathias got back to eating, unable to hide a smug smile, curling his lips. At least now he had it confirmed that Lukas at least found his appearance attractive. That was something, wasn't it ?
,,Oh, damn, sorry !" Mathias quickly stepped back as the tent fell to his feet and laid flat as if he and Vlad hadn't spent this long to put it up properly. Well, it stood...until Mathias made one false move. But how was he to be blamed for this, that little thing was just sneaky.
,,Oh, gods..." Vlad covered his mouth with one hand to stifle a laughter and turned away quickly, as Lukas looked up from where he was tying the horses loosely to the tree. That look in his eyes now, a mixture of annoyance and a threat...Mathias bit his lower lip, watching the Northerner approach him.
,,Completely useless." he made a biting comment and Mathias shrugged.
,,It just slipped from my hands, for real..." he was cut off by Lukas, whose hand landed over his mouth.
,,Feed the horses if you're not capable of doing more complicated things."
Mathias grasped his wrist and pulled his hand away from his mouth.
,,Yeah, I'll leave that exceptionally difficult and demanding task to you." he replied cheerfully, watching Lukas' face from close enough to feel a tingling need to lean forward and plant a quick kiss on those unsmiling lips. He'd have totally do that, if Vlad hadn't stood few steps away, patiently waiting for them to cut the mutual teasing already and start actually doing something useful.
Mathias raised one hand quickly and playfully ruffled Lukas' hair, knowing perfectly well the other one hated it. And as expected, his eyes narrowed dangerously.
,,Cute." Mathias said, smirking and keeping his voice quiet so only Lukas would hear it. Though apparently not quiet enough.
,,Oh gods, just a little more of that chemistry between you two and you'd make all the Southern alchemists go crazy...but now stop it already, it's getting dark and we haven't set a fire nor even collected the wood for it yet." Vlad interrupted them loudly and grinned as both their heads turned to him, Mathias still holding Lukas' wrist.
Mathias chuckled but, to his surprise, Lukas turned back to him, stood on his toes so he could reach and kissed his cheek gently. His lips were as cold as always but at the same time they made him feel a nice warmth inside. Even though Lukas' eyes were now full of gleeful pixiness and he most likely only toyed with Mathias since the whole thing was just so not like him.
,,Vlad's right. Not the right time." he said softly, though his eyes denied an unspoken promise hidden behind those words and the kiss.
Mathias smiled anyway, letting go of Lukas' hand and taking a step backwards.
,,Yeah, I get it." he noticed Vlad, pretending not to listen and analyse their every word and just had to smile wider as was walking over to the horses and giving them their portions of oat. When he was done with that, he started watching Lukas and Vlad strugling with the tent. Damn thing just wouldn't stand up normally.
,,I'll go get some wood." he announced. Both men turned to him and gave him that weird look he had used to get as a troublesome kid with a bunch of most insane and risky ideas.
,,What ? I know, huldras and all, it's not like I'm going to follow anyone here now that I know who they are. And I won't get far, just around that clearing." he explained, waving them off with a grin.
,,Mathias, are you sure about that ? I can get the wood later. And it's almost night." Vlad seemed worried while Lukas' face showed nothing but an unhealthy curiosity as if he was wondering in what kind of troubles Mathias would get this time.
,,I'm not afraid of darkness or anything." Mathias laughed, passing his companions by and walking into the woods, surrounding the small glade the decided to camp on.
,,Yeah, but if you get lost, you won't be able to see anything." said Vlad, but Mathias was already on his way. As he was walking away deeper into the woods, he could hear something that motivated him to do that even more.
,,Luk, you just let him go in there ? After a whole day of looking after him ?"
,,Yeah, that's interesting." replied Lukas and factically, there was nothing more to his voice than this cool curiosity. He was clearly expecting something unfortunate to happen and that sounded enough like a challenge to make Mathias join that little game.
It was getting dark rather slowly, even under the treetops, so Mathias quickly collected a decent amount of dry sticks, holding them under one arm. To be honest, he expected finding them in snow-covered, frozen forest harder but here they were, just lying on the ground. It almost looked as if they were placed alongside some straight, non-existing path. Which Mathias unconsciously followed.
Before he knew, he wandered away pretty far from the clearing. But how could he possibly get lost with snow that deep when he could just follow his own tracks back. He turned away, smiling slightly and feeling childlishly proud of himself. He looked up and all the sticks just fell off his hands, landing in the snow at his feet. Because there was someone standing on the path his footprints had created, not further than two steps from him.
,,Luk, it's been at least half an hour already." Vlad noticed, biting his lip and almost cutting it open with one of his sharp canines.
Lukas rubbed his forehead with one hand in irritation. They were both standing by the tree the horses were bound to, contemplating quickly shrinking supplies.
,,I just knew it would end up like this." he said.
,,Este că așa?" Vlad casted him a weird, keen glance. ,,Why did you let him do that then ?" he asked, not really expecting an aswer and being right to do so, since he didn't get any. All Lukas did was sighing in what sounded like annoyance.
,,What if huldras really decided to go after him ?" Vlad tried again.
,,Oh, okay already, I'll go look for him." Lukas grabbed his light, uniquely ornamented sword, the one that Vlad knew that contained a nice amount of magic due to all those spells Lukas had casted at it. So no matter how small the weapon seemed, it was in fact more deadly than all the other ones. He probably took it now just in case or out of habit but it didn't make Vlad feel better at all.
,,Stay here." said Lukas tersely and the next moment he was gone inside the deepening darkness of the forest.
With his perfect night vision, he quickly found Mathias' trail and followed it. He found it oddly straight-lined though, as if Mathias had been really going someplace, instead of just wandering around and looking for some wood. It didn't have to mean anything so he just kept on walking calmly. Until he felt it.
His nonhuman intuition made his senses tingle at the feeling of someone's recent presence. Someone more like him than like Mathias. An unearthly creature.
,,Well, shit." he thought, biting his lower lip and quickening his pace and hoping it wasn't anything worse than a huldra.
,,Uhm, girls..." Mathias gently pushed away another hand reaching in his direction and aiming to touch his face or go through his hair. That was what he had experienced within last...how long was he already sitting there ?
,There' was a shallow, wide ravine, deep inside that insane forest. From what he could see it was like a meeting place for all the huldras living in here. There were not only convenient rocks to sit on them but also a merrily crackling fire and even what looked like a place to dance around it. Was dancing around the fire some kind of magical ritual for them or what ?
,,Girls, I should probably get back..." he said cautiously but new hands appeared, cupping his cheeks and sliding down his arms. All the huldras, who were indeed breathtakingly beautiful girls with long tails poking from under their long skirts, were gathered closely around him, touching him, staring at him and exchanging quite complimenting comments between each other in their melodious, lilt voices. The way they spoke kind of reminded Mathias of Lukas' accent though here it was ten time more intense.
Being a center of such attention from a group of young beauties surely was every man's dream but Mathias, already knowing what they were, didn't let their sweetness fool him. Because their smiles might seem cute and eyes filled with kindness but behind all of it, there was the very same darkness Lukas and Vlad both carried in them. It was the reason he could not just stand up and walk away.
,,Stay with us, we'll take a good care of you." a petite brunette smiled at him, her violet eyes widening innocently.
,,Yes, you'll be the happiest man in the whole world." added a taller blonde in dreamy voice.
,,Oh, I'm pretty sure I would be, but the thing is..." he was cut short by the brunette who leaned down and pecked on his lips before straightening back. Mathias shaked his head, feeling a bit helpless. There was just no way to get out of this. Maybe if he played along and then escaped when they fell asleep...But did they even have to sleep ? They weren't humans after all.
,,Girls, come on, you're all great and stuff, but I really don't think it's..."
,,Shhush..." not only one but at least four hands covered his mouth. ,,You'll be just fine."
Mathias wasn't so sure about the last one. He just pulled their hands away, trying to keep up a smile.
,,Leave him already, he's my prey, you know." a cheerful, girlish voice made all the other huldras go quiet, for a moment. They turned around to see a strawberry blonde girl with big, greenish eyes. Her lips were curved in a proud smile as she walked over to Mathias and carefreely sat on his lap, throwing one slender arm around his neck.
,,Go away." she repeated, waving her another hand towards other huldras who unwillingly obeyed and took a few steps backwards, sitting themselves on the other stones or directly on the ground. There wasn't much snow here, on the ravine's bottom.
,,But you're the youngest one, how come you get him all for yourself ?" a redhead girl asked, pouting a bit.
,,These are the rules." Mathias' captor shrugged, smirking.
She was the one he had met before, while collectong wood for fire. Sneaking after him and catching him off-guards, she had forced him to come here with her. Well, forced, Mathias wasn't even sure why he had followed her, it must have been some kind of spell, it felt like it.
And now here he was, trapped with at least twenty huldras, knowing nothing about their intentions. Or almost nothing.
He couldn't be really worried though. Not when travelling in such special company as he did. Lukas and Vlad knew about huldras and probably were also capable of finding their meeting spot and getting him out of here. Preferably with no blood spill.
,,Oi, cutie, you look so deep in thoughts." he noticed a strawberry blonde staring at him from as close as she was sitting. ,,Were you thinking about someone else ? I can get that person out of your system for good, you know. You'll be happy and fully mine then."
Mathias could not take his gaze away from her cold, hungry eyes. It was just too fascinating.
,,No need for that." he replied, managing to stay calm and she smiled.
,,Whatever." she shrugged, giggling and leaning towards him even more so her head rested lightly on his shoulder. ,,I'm fine just with just your body for now."
,,You just sounded like a typical teenager hitting on random girls in the port." he mumbled and all huldras laughed, exchanging amused looks.
,,Tall, handsome and funny, I was so lucky to find you." the girl on his lap smiled and Mathias just sighed, wishing his friends would already realise he was gone. Though he'd probably have to endure Lukas' spiteful comments and scoffing for the next few eternities.
Lukas had easily found the ravine, following both physical tracks and the trail of huldra's magical energy. He was just slightly suprised seeing Mathias, surrounded by several huldras, staring at him as if he was a young god who accidentally got lost in the human realm. He didn't seem too comfortable though and Lukas just had to smirk, watching it.
He might have not been an ordinary human but it didn't mean he could just walk into a large group of sly, vicious creatures and take what they considered already theirs. From the other side...why not ? Simple solutions were sometimes the best ones.
He made sure his sword was tightly attached to his hips, just in case, and then just confidently walked down the narrow path into the ravine.
Mathias looked up as he heard all the girls go quiet at once. The hostility was literally hanging in the air and he felt the huldra's arm clenching tighter around his neck. It didn't stop him from brightening up in a broad grin at the sight of Lukas approaching him as if he had every right to be there. He didn't even looked around, just passed all the huldras like they didn't matter.
,,You are not welcome here." the strawberry blonde spoke cooly and Lukas scowled a bit.
,,It's not like I came to visit, right ?"
,,Oh, I know why you came and my answer is no."
,,Are you sure about that ?" Lukas' eyes were never before neither so dark nor as cold as now. Only seeing them made Mathias felt as if he was freezing inside and Lukas wasn't even looking at him. But the huldra didn't even flinch.
,,Go ahead, try me." her voice was somewhat ironic. ,,Besides, you know the rules, don't you ? He followed me here and now he's mine."
Lukas snorted disdainfully.
,,I don't give a damn about rules, it's the North, remember ? And these are your rules only."
Mathias felt he should have add something to this friendly conversation.
,,If I got to choose, I'd go away with him." he grinned. All huldras glared at him and the one who had brought him here even hissed like an angry cat and smacked him with one hand across the back of his head, though less painfully than Lukas used to do. The Northerner smirked at the sight.
,,Oh, I see you already know how to deal with him."
,,Oi, Luke ! That was too mean." Mathias gasped mockingly. ,,Maybe I'll stay here, at least most of them is nicer for me than you are."
,,Shut up now." replied Lukas, looking at him for the first time since he had come here. And there was nothing particularly mean in those eyes. In fact, the way Lukas looked at him actually made his heart skip a beat. He grasped the girl by hips and pulled her out of his lap, standing up himself. To his honest surprise, she did not lift a finger to stop him so he just walked over to Lukas and stood beside him.
,,Why would you need him anyway, he's no more than a human. Cute one, yes, but that rather doesn't matter to you." the huldra narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
,,You can't just take what's mine and expect me to just get over it." Lukas pierced her eyes with that burning yet cold glare of his.
,,Ah, so now I'm yours ?" Mathias mumbled, mostly to himself. ,,Great, yeah, you guys just keep on taking away my human rights, sure, why not ?"
Lukas turned to him, one eyebrow raised.
,,Aren't you ?" he replied with another question, the one to leave Mathias just slightly breathless with how naturally and seriously it sounded. Did Lukas really considered him his ? Not only like helping him under the threats and sly actions but actually his in some way.
Before Mathias could find right words to answer, if there were any, the huldra spoke again.
,,He can go away...if you stay." she said, staring at Lukas with a twisted expression that showed her true nature just perfectly well.
,,Fine." Lukas didn't hesitate even a second.
,,What ? No way !" Mathias protested abruptly. ,,Totally a sick deal, girl."
Huldra winked at him gleefully.
,,It's either you or him, honey." she smiled. ,,I won't stay empty-handed today."
,,Then I'll..." Mathias was once again cut short, this time by Lukas. And this time it wasn't his hand but lips, pressed against his own in a sudden, demanding, giving him those electrical shivers kiss. Which ended way too soon with Lukas shoving him away and giving him a blank look. That was highly confusing.
,,Now go away." ordered Lukas in peremptory tone, ignoring all huldras whispering one to another and the strawberry blonde widening her eyes in astonishment.
,,I see..." she said quietly to herself.
,,No." Mathias shaked his head, stubbornly standing still and staring at Lukas. But then he...felt something, there was no better definition for that outer sensation suddenly creeping into his head. It was like a gentle but firm urge to go away.
,,Damn, Luke, don't use your tricks on me." Mathias groaned.
,,Stop it." Lukas said, glaring at the huldra and Mathias could no longer feel his mind being manipulated. So it was her, he thought.
,,Get away from here, or I'll make you." Lukas turned back to him and something in his eyes made Mathias finally give up. This time not because of mind controll or some low spells.
He sighed heavily, trying to wordlessly let Lukas know that he expected him to get out of here as well, no matter how. And the other one nodded his head, barely noticeably.
As Mathias was walking away, slowly leaving the ravine, he could not help wondering what exactly had just happened. And what was yet to happen now. One thing was sure though. He needed Vlad's advice with this one since he didn't even know if huldras could be fought with or killed like normal humans. Because that was what he was going to do. To get back there and make them regret.
Translations:
Este că așa? - is that so ?
Woah, I didn't think I could make it before going on my winter holidays trip but it seems I underestimated the power of compulsive need to stay up, writing, right before the day I have to set off. Honestly, it's 1 a.m. here with my train leaving before 6 a.m. Today. And I haven't even finished packing my stuff yet. Why does it always happen to me ? Sorry for any eventual mistakes in the chapter but I was trying hard to finish it tonight so I hope you'll like it anyway :)
Also, I'll post Vlad's separate story on my profile, I'm just not sure when exactly but the latest possible is next week.