I know. Its been a while. Back with a new chapter. This one is kinda long, and there's a lot of conversation and stuff so yeah.
Disclaimer: I don not own Cirque Du Freak/Sega of Darren Shan
ENJOY!
My mind was a thousand other places when we arrived at Lady Evanna's. Just a few miles back I'd taken to grabbing Mr. Crepsley's duster end to keep from swaying and falling over. I could tell he was still frustrated with me, from earlier because when I grabbed him he didn't turn around or respond, just continued walking slightly faster this time. Despite my own best wishes I thought about Robert a lot. Where he was right now, whether or not he was following us. It wasn't until something squishy touched my leg did I know we were at our destination.
" Is this it?" Darren asked.
" Yes," I answered. Like before the frogs were climbing on me, pushing me forward towards the entrance of the concealed cave, while making loud croaking noises. One crawled up my pants leg, under my shirt and too my cleavage where it used my breast as leverage and sat, only his head exposed.
The frogs are creepy," Harkat whispered. "I feel like they're... watching us."
"They are," Vancha said. "They guard the pond and cave, protecting Evanna from intruders."
"What could a bunch of frogs do against intruders?" Darren laughed.
Vancha stooped and grabbed a frog. Holding it up to the moonlight, he gently squeezed its sides. Its mouth opened and a long tongue darted out. Vancha caught the tongue careful not to touch the edges. "See the tiny sacs along the sides?" he asked.
"Those yellow-red bulges?" Darren said. "What about them?"
"Filled with poison. If this frog wrapped its tongue around your arm or the calf of your leg, the sacs would pop and the poison would seep in through your flesh." He shook his head grimly. "Death in thirty seconds."
Vancha laid the frog down on the damp grass and let go of its tongue. It hopped towards me. Darren's mouth opened into a " O."
" I'm pretty sure it they wanted to hurt me, they would have done it by now." I said gently stepping out of the group of frogs, to walk ahead. Although some still slung to my legs, arms, and shoulders.
When we reached the mouth of the cave, we stopped. Mr. Crepsley and Vancha sat down and laid aside their packs. Everyone at a distance from me, surrounded by frogs that took advantage of my stationary state to crowd and hop around me. They were borderline annoying, since I did want to go sit beside Mr. Crepsley, feel his heat and presence.
"Aren't we going in?" Darren asked.
"Not without being invited," Mr. Crepsley replied. " Evanna does not take kindly to intruders."
"Isn't there a bell we can ring?" Darren insisted.
"Evanna has no need of bells," he said. "She knows we are here and will come to greet us in her own time."
"Evanna's not a lady to be rushed," Vancha agreed. "A friend of mine thought he'd enter the cave on the quiet once, to surprise her. She gave him huge warts all over. He looked like... like..." Vancha frowned. "It's hard to say, because I've never seen anything quite like it - and I've seen most everything in my time!"
"Should we be here if she's that dangerous?" Darren asked worriedly.
"Evanna will not harm us," Mr. Crepsley assured him. "She has a quick temper, and it's best not to rile her, but she would never kill one with vampire blood, unless provoked."
"Just make sure you don't call her a witch," Vancha warned.
I laid back, the frogs following me, still making noises, still crawling against me. I'd started to doze off when more frogs came hopping from the cave, forming a circle around us. I sat up but didn't stand, my heart beating rapidly at the prospect of meeting Lady Evanna again. Their noises were just as loud as the frogs hanging on to me.
Lady Evanna came out then. Looking the same as the last time I saw her. Still short with unkempt dark hair, rippling muscles, pointed ears, narrow brown and green eyes that switched colors every other second. Hairy, and ugly.
Vampires!" she snorted, stepping through the ranks of frogs, which parted as she advanced. "Always ugly bloody vampires! Why don't handsome humans ever come a-calling?"
"They're probably afraid you'd eat them," Vancha laughed in reply, then stood and hugged her. She hugged back, hard, and lifted the Vampire Prince off his feet. I watched a smile on my face.
"My little Vancha," she cooed. "You've put on some weight, Sire."
"And you're uglier than ever, Lady," he grunted, gasping for breath.
"You're only saying that to please me," she giggled, then dropped him and turned to Mr. Crepsley. "Larten," she nodded politely.
"Evanna," he replied, standing and bowing. Then, without warning, he kicked out at her. She grabbed his leg and twisted. He rolled over and collapsed flat on the ground. Before he could react, Evanna jumped on his back, grabbed his chin and pulled his head up sharply.
I couldn't help but be surprised.
"Surrender?" she yelled.
"Yes!" he wheezed, face reddening.
"Wise boy," she laughed, and kissed his forehead quickly. She looked up at me, still smiling. " You came back!" She said.
" Yes ma'am," I said bowing, not sure what else I could do. I didn't really know her, but seeing her all the same excited me. Like a child seeing his mother after months at summer camp. I wanted to hug her and kiss her hairy cheek.
The left side of her eyebrow went up, then she extended her arms. " You may," she said.
I moved forward stooped down and took her into my arms. She felt warm and familiar, I sighed then kissed both of her cheeks. Never wondering at the moment how she knew what I wanted to do.
" Pretty girl," she said pulling me back and holding me by the shoulders. Her smile indicated she knew something I didn't know as she examined me, then looked over at Vancha, chuckled lightly and let me go moving over to Darren and Harkat.
She exchanged words with them, I bent down running my hands over the grass, the frogs, inhaling every familiar scent. More familiar than my home town, more familiar than the wood scented walls of my old home. This place felt like home.
As if beckoned all the frogs turned towards the group. I followed their gazes.
Lady Evanna stood in front of Darren. Her face animal like, mouth wide, fangs perturbing. I stood. " Darren you called her a witch didn't you?" I yelled.
He moved back, obviously frightened.
Evanna's face changed back to normal. She was smiling. "Appearances, Darren," she said. "Never let them fool you." The air around her shimmered. When it cleared, she was tall, lithe and beautiful, with golden hair and a flowing white gown. She reminded me of Claire, the sight tugged at my heart with longing. She glanced at me, her eyes blue. I looked away, not wanting her to see my distress.
I prefer you when you're beautiful," Vancha muttered. I clicked my teeth and rolled my eyes at him. He was such a pig.
"Be careful, Vancha," Evanna chuckled, "or I'll take my hand to you as I did to Larten all those years ago." She cocked an eyebrow at me and Darren. "Did he ever tell you how he got that scar?"
We both shook our heads, then turned to who was scratching the side of his face blushing embarrassingly.
Please, Lady," he pleaded. "Do not speak of it. I was young and foolish."
You most certainly were," Evanna agreed. "I was wearing one of my beautiful faces. Larten got tipsy on wine and tried to kiss me. I gave him a little scratch to teach him some manners."
And here I thought it was a battle scar," I said giggling.
"You are cruel, Evanna," Mr. Crepsley moped, stroking his scar miserably.
Vancha was laughing so hard that snot was streaming from his nose. "Larten!" he howled. "Wait till I tell the others! I always wondered why you were so coy about that scar. Normally vampires boast about their wounds, but you-"
"Shut up!" Mr. Crepsley snapped bluntly.
"I could have healed it," Evanna said. "If it had been stitched immediately, it wouldn't be half as noticeable as it is. But he took off like a kicked dog and didn't return for thirty years."
"I did not feel wanted," Mr. Crepsley said softly.
"Poor Larten," she smirked. "You thought you were a real ladies' man when you were a young vampire, but..." She pulled a face and cursed. "I knew I'd forgotten something. I meant to have them set up when you arrived, but I got distracted." Muttering to herself, she turned to the frogs and made low, croaking noises. The frogs that were on my legs, arms and shoulders jumped off to face her.
"What's she doing?" Darren asked Vancha.
"Talking to the frogs," he said still grinning.
I bent down on all fours. The frogs were assembling an image of Parris Skyle in green and black.
" Weird," both Darren and I muttered at the same time. I reached out to touch it carefully and Darren followed.
"Hey," Darren said, "this isn't paint. I think it's a birthmark"
"It can't be," Harkat said. "No birthmark could look that... much like a person, especially not one we- Hey! There's another!"
I turned and looked where he was pointing. "That's not Paris," I said.
"No," Harkat agreed, "but it's a face. And there's a third." He pointed to a different frog.
"And a fourth," Darren noted, standing and gazing around.
"They must be painted on," Harkat said.
"They're not," Vancha said. Bending, he picked up a frog and held it out for us to examine. This close to it, we could see that the marks were actually underneath the frog's uppermost layer of skin.
I told you Evanna bred frogs," Mr. Crepsley reminded us. He took the frog from Vancha and traced the shape of the face, which was burly and bearded. "It is a mix of nature and magic. She finds frogs with strong natural markings, magically enhances them, and breeds them, producing faces. She is the only one in the world who can do it."
"Here we are," Evanna said, pushing us aside, leading nine frogs over to Mr. Crepsley. "I feel guilty for lumbering you with that scar, Larten. I shouldn't have cut so deeply."
"It is forgotten, Lady," he smiled gently. "The scar is part of me now. I am proud of it-" he glared at Vancha "-even if others can only mock."
"Still," she said, "it irks me. I've presented you with gifts over the years - such as the collapsible pots and pans - but they haven't satisfied me."
"There is no need-" Mr. Crepsley began.
"Shut up and let me finish!" she growled. "I think at last I have a gift which will restore amends. It's not something you can take, just a little... token."
Mr. Crepsley looked down at the frogs. "I hope you do not mean to give the frogs to me."
"Not exactly." She croaked an order to the frogs and they rearranged themselves. "I know Arra Sails was recently killed," she said. Her gaze moved to me momently, I pretended not to notice. Mr. Crepsley's face dropped at the mention of Arras name. I closed my eyes. I didn't like looking at him like that. Sad at the death of his mate.
"She died valiantly," he said.
"I don't suppose you kept anything of hers, did you?"
I opened my eyes then.
"Such as?"
"A lock of hair, a knife which was dear to her, a scrap of her clothes?"
"Vampires do not indulge in such foolishness," he said gruffly.
"They should," Evanna sighed. The frogs stopped moving, she looked down at them, nodded and stepped aside.
"What are-" Mr. Crepsley began, then fell silent as his eyes took in the frogs and the huge face spread across their backs.
It was the face of Arra Sails, a section on each frog's back. The face was perfect in every detail. Lady Evanna had made very color perfect. Like a perfect snapshot of Arra Sails. She was beautiful. I couldn't take my eyes off it if, and looking at Mr. Crepsley I knew he felt the same.
And the thought that I was the cause of it, came rushing back to fill my veins with regret. How I couldn't save her, how I was weak, how I caused Mr. Crepsley to suffer.
Mr. Crepsley hadn't moved. His mouth was a tight line across the lower half of his face, but his eyes were filled with warmth, sadness and... love.
"Thank you, Evanna," he whispered.
"No need," she smiled softly, then looked around at the rest of us. "I think we should leave him alone a while. Come into the cave."
Wordlessly they followed her in. I lingered a few moments more than the rest. Vancha March paused only to clasp Mr. Crepsley's left shoulder and squeeze comfortingly.
" Come on Anna," he said.
" Yeah of course," I said running my sleeve across my eyes. The frogs hopped to where I was standing some of them crawling up my legs. Except for the nine that stayed with Mr. Crepsley.
We went into the cave, I set down where I had before when I was with Arra, my feet bare and knees drawn up to my chest. My head between the valley of my crotched up knees. The frog that was nested in my cleavage had moved to the top of my head croaking softly. I made no move to remove him.
Lady Evanna was preparing vegetables for us since no meat was allowed in her home. I ate a little from where I sat, chewing slowly to lessen the amount I actually had to eat.
She offered us wine. I rejected. Vancha grabbed my shoulders shaking me, " It'll loosen you up." He said. I growled at him.
" Yep your Larten's assistant all right," he muttered laying back on the couch like he owned the place.
Mr. Crepsley came in moments later, his gaze was off into space, and when I called him he didn't reply. He sat on the farthest side of the couch away from me.
"Evanna, we've come to discuss-" Vancha started.
She silenced him with a quick wave of a hand. "We'll have none of that tonight," she insisted. "Official business can wait until tomorrow. This is a time for friendship and rest."
"Very well, Lady. This is your domain and I bow to your wishes." He went to spit, when Lady Evanna threw a bucket at him.
"I was cleaning up for days the last time he visited," Evanna remarked to us, "Pools of spit everywhere. Hopefully the spittoon will keep him in order. Now if only there was something for him to flick his nose-pickings into..."
"Are you complaining about me?" Vancha asked.
"Of course not, Sire," she replied sarcastically. "What woman could object to a man invading her home and covering the floor with mucus?"
"I don't think of you as a woman, Evanna," he laughed.
"Oh?" There was ice in her tone. "What do you think of me as?"
"A witch," he said innocently, then leapt from the couch and raced out of the cave.
He is such a pig…
Lady Evanna chuckled. " You do not like him?"
" No not really. He's a pig." I turned to Mr. Crepsley who was still staring into space. She chuckled again.
" What?"
She shook her head. As if saying ' if only you knew as I did.'
Vancha returned. He threw himself on the couch next to me, his head inches from my thigh.
"I thought you only slept on the floor," I said pushing his head away from my thigh.
"Ordinarily," he agreed, "but it'd be impolite to refuse another's hospitality, especially when your host is the Lady of the Wilds."
"Why do you call her a Lady? Is she a princess?" Darren asked.
Vancha's laughter echoed through the cave. "Do you hear that, Lady? The boy thinks you're a princess!"
Even I couldn't help laughing.
"What's so strange about that?" she asked, stroking her moustache. "Don't all princesses look like this?"
"Beneath Paradise, perhaps," Vancha chuckled. "No," Vancha said serious now. "Evanna's far more important and regal than any mere princess."
"Why, Vancha," she cooed, "that was almost flattering."
"I can flatter when I want," he said, then broke wind loudly. "And flutter too!"
"Disgusting," Evanna sneered, but she had a hard time hiding a smile.
" Your such a pig," I said pushing his head again.
"Darren was asking about you on the way here," Vancha said to Evanna. "We told him nothing of your past. Would you care to fill him in?"
Evanna shook her head. "You tell it, Vancha. I'm not in the mood for story-telling. But keep it short," she added, as he began.
"I will," he promised.
"And don't be rude."
"Lady Evanna!" he gasped. "Am I ever?" Grinning, he ran a hand through his green hair, thought a while, then began in a soft voice "Heed, children," he said, then cocked an eyebrow and said in his own voice, "That's the way to begin a story. Humans start with 'Once upon a time', but what do humans know about-"
"Vancha," Evanna interrupted. "I said keep it short."
Vancha grimaced, then started over, again in his soft voice. "Heed, children - we creatures of the night were not made to beget heirs. Our women can't give birth and our men can't sire children. This is the way it's been since the first vampire walked by the light of the moon, and the way we thought it would always be. But seventeen hundred years ago, there lived a vampire by the name of Corza Jarn. He was ordinary in all respects, making his way in the world, until he fell in love and mated with a vampiress called Sarfa Grail. They were happy, hunting and fighting side by side, and when the first term of their mating agreement elapsed, they agreed to mate again."
"Midway through their second term," Vancha continued, "Corza grew restless. He wished to have a baby with Sarfa and raise a child of his own. He refused to accept then-natural limitations and went looking for the cure to vampire sterility. For decades he searched in vain, the loyal Sarfa by his side. A hundred years came and went. Two hundred. Sarfa died during the quest but this didn't put Corza off - if anything, it made him search even harder for a solution. Finally, fourteen hundred years ago, his search led him to that meddler with the watch - Desmond Tiny.
"Now," Vancha said gruffly, "it's not known exactly how much power Mr. Tiny wields over vampires. Some say he created us, others that he once was one of us, others still that he's simply an interested observer. Corza Jarn knew no more about Tiny's true self than the rest, but he believed the magician could help, and followed him around the world, begging him to put an end to the barren curse of the vampire clan.
"For two centuries Mr. Tiny laughed at Corza Jarn and waved his pleas away. He told the vampire - now old and feeble, close to death - to stop worrying. He said children weren't meant for vampires. Corza wouldn't accept this. He pestered Tiny and begged him to give the vampires hope. He offered his soul in exchange for a solution, but Mr. Tiny sneered and said if he wanted Corza's soul, he would simply take it."
"I haven't heard that part of the story before," Evanna cut in.
Vancha shrugged. "Legends are flexible. I think it's good to remind people of Tiny's cruel nature, so I do, every chance I get."
Vancha paused and looked at Evanna. The witch grimaced, then stood and took a bow. "Yes," she said, "I was that hairy little she-cub."
"The children grew quickly," Vancha went on. "Within a year they were adults and left their mother and Corza, to seek out their destiny in the wilds. The boy went first, without saying anything, and nobody knows what became of him.
"Before the girl left, she gave Corza a message to take to the clan. He was to tell them what had happened, and say that she took her duties very seriously. He was also to tell them that she was not ready for motherhood, and that no vampire should seek her out as a mate. She said there was much she had to consider, and it would be centuries - perhaps longer - before she made her choice.
"That was the last any vampire saw of her for four hundred years."
He stopped, looked thoughtful for a moment, then picked up a banana and began to eat it, skin and all. "The end," he mumbled.
"The end?" Darren shouted. "It can't end there! What happened next? What did she do for those four centuries? Did she choose a mate when she came back?"
"She chose no mate," Vancha said. "Still hasn't. As for what she got up to..." He smiled. "Maybe you should ask her yourselves."
We all turned to Evanna. "Well?" we asked together.
Evanna pursed her lips. "I chose a name," she said.
" And it took you four hundred years?" I exclaimed.
"That wasn't all I got up to," she agreed, "but I devoted much of that time to the choice. Names are vital to beings of destiny. I have a role to play in the future, not just of the vampire clan, but of every creature in the world. The name I chose would have a bearing on that role. I settled in the end for Evanna." She paused. "I think it was a good choice."
Rising, Evanna croaked something at her frogs, who set off for the mouth of the cave. "I must go," she said. "We have spoken enough of the past. I will be absent most of the day. When I return, we shall discuss your quest and the part I am to take in it." She departed after the frogs, and moments later had disappeared.
We stared after her. Then Harkat asked Vancha if the legend he'd told was true. "As true as any legend can be," Vancha replied cheerfully.
"What does that mean?" Harkat asked.
"Legends change in the telling," Vancha said. "Seventeen hundred years is a long time, even by vampire standards. Did Corza Jam really drag around the world after Desmond Tiny? Did that agent of chaos agree to help? Could Evanna and the boy have been born of a she-wolf?" He scratched an armpit, sniffed his fingers and sighed. "Only three people in the world know the truth - Desmond Tiny, the boy - if he still lives - and Lady Evanna."
"Have you ever asked Evanna if it's true?" Harkat enquired.
Vancha shook his head. "I've always preferred a stirring good legend to boring old facts." With that, the Prince rolled over and dropped off to sleep. Darren and Harkat prattled endlessly on what they were just told. Asking me finally what I thought.
" It was a good story I guess," I said. " Lady Evanna is unlike any person I've ever met, human or vampire-"
" Or little person," Harkat said.
" Right."
" Maybe she can help you," Darren said.
" Been there done that," I said.
" Giving up already?" Harkat asked.
" No, I'm giving in." I said half joking.
Mr. Crepsley stood up then and dismissed himself to the outside. I glanced at Harkat and Darren, I stood up and followed him.
So not really sure what I'm going to do with the next chapter. I have several outlines and paragraph sketches lined up. I dunno.( Option 1) I kinda want Larten and Anna to stop this cat and mouse thing they do, dodging in between unsure feelings ( on his part), but I kinda enjoy making the romance part a conflict, it makes it more realistic, because as we all know with two stubborn people things don't get accomplished as quickly as one would like.
Then again (option 2) mixed fillings can be good, because things the characters didn't expect to happen, happen. So I come to the conflict of whether I should take the realization to the next level, make it more personal, make something happen between the two that make even them hold their heads in confusion..like did that really happen? I didn't know you felt that way.
Decisions, decisions.
Need some help guys...
Anyways hope you enjoyed this really long chapter. I'll be back with more, soon I hope.
REVIEW!THEY MAKE ME WORK FASTER AND I NEED YOUR INPUT :) 3