Cruel Fates

Book II: Chapter 3

By: Kiana Darkk


AN: I know I have taken my leisurely time getting this written, but well, can you blame me? I wanted to make sure that it was good. In response to a certain review, (sorry, can't remember whose) someone was a bit confused about Titian's character. I know that in the Trilogy, Titian is Surreal's mother, and is a Harpy Queen. However at the end she faded to the Darkness. In remembrance of her, as a sort of dedication, Surreal named her first child with Falonar after her. So you see, the Titian in this story is an entirely different person. I hope I have unconfused you now. On to the fic.....


Disclaimer: I do not own characters, settings, or ideas taken from BJT. Those all belong to Anne Bishop.


Last time: Sarai asked Alex out.


This time: ~~~Terreille, the Realm of Light~~~ *Silvara's POV*


"Sarai! Hold still!" Jade cried, holding the mascara brush threateningly. I laughed at the comical expression on Sarai's face. She looked utterly terrified. "Silvara," Jade said with a warning tone in her voice, "You are not helping here." I waved my hand dismissively.


You may be wondering what exactly we were doing. Well we were helping Sarai get ready for her date. Jade- who, unbeknownst to us, was a makeup expert- got stuck with the makeup and hair duty. I got stuck with clothes. I went with a tasteful yet gorgey look. However she still had to get dressed in it. Jade was done with Sarai's hair, which she'd done in little half-cornrows. We were just stuck in a bit of a rut now. The makeup was turning out to be a problem. Sarai kept twitching whenever Jade tried to apply eye makeup.


Suddenly I had one of those rare moments of brilliance. Really rare in my case. "Look, I'll hold Sarai still, and keep her distracted. You do her makeup." I walked over there, held Sarai's face in my hands and kept her trained on me. Half an hour later our masterpiece was done. "It's alive! ALIVE!!" I yelled as Sarai twirled in front of a mirror. Jady, weirdo that she is, threw her head back and put in the oh-so-required maniacal laughter. You know, she's really good at pretending insanity. Should I be worried?


"Guys..." Sarai whined her now rose colored lips pouting. One high heeled foot tapped impatiently. "So what do you think?" She asked with uncharacteristic self-consciousness. Jade answered before I could. "I think Alex is going to have to carry his tongue around on his arm, and wear a lobster bib to catch the drool!" Okay, that was much funnier than what I had been planning to say. So, of course, I burst out laughing. So did Sarai, surprisingly.


"Thanks," Sarai said when we were all finished with our girly giggle-fest. She looked back in the mirror again. She really did look great; I wished she'd stop doing that. Her hair looked great, her makeup matched the outfit. "The outfit" being a lilac off-the-shoulder top with a deeper violet skirt that had little light pink and light purple flowers on it. Matching purple shoes topped off the outfit, as well as the traditional girly handbag. (A totally overdone concept I think, but Sarai insisted.)


"Look," Jade said, matching my thoughts, "If you don't stop looking in that mirror I'm going to kill you. Instead why don't you go downstairs and see if your...honeybunny is there." That last part was said with laughter in it, as apparent as the smile on her face. She thought the two of them getting together was a great plan. Sarai gave Jady a scathing look, but followed up on her advice. And we followed her.


Downstairs Alex was waiting by the door, looking quite good if I say so myself. Which I do. I pointed this out to Jady; she agreed. His black hair was combed, which was a major improvement from its usual rumpled state, the light hit it just right so that you could see the blue highlights in it. Is it just me, or do I have an obsession with hair? Oh god, I'm one of those hair fetish chicks. Christ.... Well anyway, his white shirt was pristine looking and tucked into a pair of black pants. The shoes matched the pants, of course. In short, he looked good.


Alex's perfect chocolate colored eyes were filled with an emotion that I did not wish to analyze. At the bottom of the steps Sarai and Alex hugged, and he took her arm to escort her off. Just before they walked out of the door Jade and I shared a look. Then we burst out with, "Now you kids be good! Be home before dawn." Jade also said, "Don't come home pregnant!" Sarai's face turned beet red, and the two of us fell over each other laughing. We heard the door close with a sharp click, but continued laughing.


Later when Jade and I were snacking in the sitting room by the fire she told me that Alex had asked her to help him prepare for the date. I thought his shirt was looking a little too unwrinkled. It also explained why she'd been late to do Sarai's makeup. Some time during the meal Jade brought out a bottle of wine. Well, we figured one glass would be fine. One glass turned into two, and two into four, and pretty soon we were wallowing at the bottom of a few bottles.


"Jade?" I asked.


"Mmm?" She was lying on the floor, a half-empty bottle of wine in her hand.


"I think I have a hair fetish."


She burst out laughing like this was the funniest thing in the world, and pretty soon I was laughing hysterically too. When we sputtered into silence I began to babble again.


"No, seriously. I, like, have a hair fetish. I love hair. Especially guy's hair. Especially hot guys' hair..." At this I flashed on Damien, his head lying in my lap, as I ran my fingers through the unexpected softness of his baby-fine hair. My fingers started tingling, as though I could feel their texture over an entire realm, but I knew I couldn't. It was just memory. A pang of longing swept through me, and again, I wished I could contact him.


"You thinking about a particular hot guy's hair?" Again it startled me how easily Jady could read me.


"Yeah, I am."


"This guy's from home, right?" She looked up at me with half-lidded eyes, a soft smile on her face.


"Yep. Too bad I'll never see him again, eh?"


"He a friend or more?" Gosh, she went straight for the jugular, didn't she?


"I don't know. He's definitely a friend, but...." I trailed off, trying to think of how to put some very complicated feelings into words.


"But you keep thinking some not-so-friend-like thoughts?"


"Exactly. In fact it's very non-friend-like."


Jade burst out laughing, arching her back and closing her eyes as that musical sound trailed out of her. "Don't worry, Silvie," she said once she stopped. "You'll see him again. If it's right, you'll see him again."


With those words a tiny flame sparked deep inside me, and with all my life I hoped so. I prayed to the Darkness that I would see him again.


"I wish I could feel like that," Jady said softly. The words surprised me. I had to check the room twice to come to the conclusion that Jade had actually said them. It didn't sound like something she'd say.


"I know I act like I hate all men, but I don't. Just the assholes. I actually think quite a few are hot, just not ones I'd like to go out with. Anyway, it must be real nice to feel all soft and mushy about somebody." The words came out in a tumble, barely above a whisper.


I felt the need to say something after that unexpected confession. "Aw, Jady, I never knew you felt that way." Okay, not the intelligent phrase I was hoping for, but it'd do.

"

Yeah.....Well.....I think I've had a little too much to drink, so just ignore it." Of course she had to ÿgo and ruin a perfect moment like that. That's Jady for ya, the ultimate emotionally contained being in all the realms. Anything less than perfect wasn't good enough for her, especially concerning control in the emotional department. Oi vae.


She rolled to her feet suddenly in a motion that she made look easy, and walked out without a backward glance, wine bottle in hand. Sighing, I got up too, and went to my room. I lay on the bed and tried to sleep but couldn't, and finally gave up and let myself ponder. However, I didn't approve of my mind's choice of topic....


Everything kept trailing back to Damien. How we'd hated each other for years, and then finally, when things were getting good, I split. Of course. How like me. I can never be happy with a good thing, I always have to try and find something better. But I knew I'd never find anything better. Not better than that, at least.


My feelings for Damien puzzled me because I didn't understand it. We were friends right? Right. But I was physically attracted to him.... (Well, what girl wouldn't be?) Physical attraction is not a friend thing. That is a lover thing. And we were not lovers. Not in the least. WE'D NEVER EVEN KISSED ONCE!! He'd certainly never given any indication that he was attracted to me... Or maybe I'm just dense. This was too confusing. STOP IT!! I yelled at myself. All I knew for sure was I missed Damien, even more than I missed Titian. With thoughts like those flying through my head I fell asleep.


~~~Kaeleer, the Shadow Realm~~~ *Damien's POV*


Dawn was still a distant dream, but already I was up and on my first cup of coffee. (Laced coffee, but don't tell my parents. They'd hurt me if they knew I was drinking this early in the morning.) Everyone else at the court was still asleep, or just tucking into bed, with or without a partner depending.


I know what you're thinking. Why the Hell are you up this early? Well I just don't need that much sleep. Besides, I skipped last night's party in favor of sleep. Khary and Morghann hadn't minded. Ever since Silvara had left they'd been very sympathetic and understanding.


Silvara. Christ, I did not want to think about her. It was too sore a spot, too fresh a wound. Darkness knew all I wanted to do was jump up and search for her. But... I'd promised Titian. I shouldn't have done that. Now I was bound to my own goddamn word. Dammit! This bit the dust.


I was worried. Titian kept telling me that she'd be fine. She was a big girl. Keyword, girl. Young and inexperienced; who knew what could be happening to her at that very moment. Sickos spend all their time hunting for a girl like that.


Of course then I remembered she was a fighter. I had a sudden flashback to when we were little. I'd just insulted her somehow, pissed the Hell out of her. She turned her back on me, her shoulders heaving a little like she was about to cry. When I reached out a hand to comfort her she spun around and jumped on me, sending us both tumbling down a hill. Then she'd proceeded to beat me profusely until Chaosti came and separated us.


Chaosti had looked quite solemn at my injuries, but in his eyes I could see the gleam of pride at his child's handywork. I ended up going home that day with a broken wrist, a black eye, a split lip, and several other bruises. Mother had been appropriately attentive to my wounds, but had gone about it all with the cheerful malicious glee of a Sister supporting another Sister's actions. Father had been amused, to say the least. Grandfather had been surprised, then amused. Uncle Lucivar had laughed his ass off openly in front of me. Daemonar had said nothing more than "serves you right." Falonar, at the Winsol party that year, had told me he wasn't surprised. After all, he'd helped to train Silvara.


I noticed my thoughts often turned to Silvara. I wondered where she was, and sent my silent prayer to the Darkness that she would be safe.


Behind me I heard the kitchen door open, and turned to see a familiar and unwelcome face. Tika Camd'ron, one of the Ladies of the Third Circle, who had been chasing after me for awhile now. It's not that she wasn't attractive- it's that she was a bitch that made me refuse. Repeatedly. Honey colored waves were pulled back in a ponytail to reveal a small oval face with impish features. Her top was too low and showed too much cleavage, and the skirt dwarfed her small frame.


"Hello, Damien. Do you mind if I join you?" She asked in a light, airy voice. I wanted to say yes, I minded very much, but I knew that wouldn't be approved of. So I did the only thing a man in my situation could.


"No, not at all. That's fine." Her eyes lit up with a sort of predatory light as she walked towards me, and she eyed me the way dogs eye meat. Instantly I wanted to vanish into thin air. Why me? I cried silently.


Tika sat next to me, as close as she could. Her arm brushed mine, and her hip rested along the length of mine. Every part of me wanted to get away from her. Daintily she picked through the bowl of nuts on the table, picking them up one at a time with those long nails, and eating them. Really, they were more like lacquered claws.


She raised those pale blue eyes to me, and smiled in what I guessed was supposed to be flirtatious. It looked more like hungry to me. Kaelas has that same look right before he rips into some nice, plump deer. I hoped I was doing an acceptable job of remaining blank-faced. "You want one?" She asked, gesturing to the nut resting between two claws. I shook my head, a few strands falling in front of my face. Impatiently I tucked them back into place. By the time I looked up Tika was pouting at me, her generous lips pursed in obvious disappointment.


"Well, I must be going to bed. Good...day, Lady Tika." I walked out of there quickly before she could corner me again, and didn't stop until I was safe in my room. Only then did I allow myself a sigh of relief and a shudder of disgust. God, I wished Silvara were here.


*Titian's POV*


I woke up, as usual, with a gradual awareness. I was aware of the fact that my body ached wonderfully, and I reveled in it. It was the kind of ache that came with hard, glorious labour, and left only when you started moving again. I stretched, my hands and arms raising up and my back arching. Every muscle burned pleasantly, and only when I finally relaxed did I open my eyes.


I was staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. Definitely not my ceiling. My ceiling had a crack running through it, this one didn't. Other things were wrong about it too. I was on the wrong side of the bed, for one. I always woke up on the right side, this time I was on the left. The walls were a plain white, while mine were a nice taupe color.


It smelled wrong too. My room smelt like something flowery. Like a combination of lavender and lily. This room smelled like something good enough to eat. Like vanilla, and something spicy. Underneath that there was a scent of something raw and tangible. Like sweat, and something unidentifiable.


I had a knot of dread in my stomach, and turned over to face the right side. I was not prepared to see what I did. Daemonar's face looked relaxed and boyish. Absolutely, undoubtedly handsome, as it always was, but instead of annoyance I saw something content almost. My gaze traveled down his body, trying to receive the message that all this was telling me. An endless expanse of golden, muscled skin met my eyes, that is until the sheet tangled around his waist got in the way. However, I had a feeling I knew what was underneath that sheet. Absolutely nothing, but skin.


I looked down at myself and found that I was in the same state. "Mother Night," I mouthed silently. My father was going to kill me. I'd just had sex with Daemonar. Just thinking it made me blush madly. Oh no. How was I ever going to face him again? Well, at least it explained the wonderful ache in my muscles.


A

noise turned me to look at Daemonar, and I met ÿthe eyes belonging to said person. I didn't know what to do. So I did the only thing I could think of at the time.


Next time: We hear about the morning after.


AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was really drama packed, and I had a lot of fun writing it. Lesse, first we had Alex's and Sarai's date. Then we had Damien being tortured by Tika. And last but not least we had Titian waking up next to Daemonar. MWAHAHAHAHA! I'm so evil. Please review and let me know what you think.