I smiled softly at my little captive; a simple human, for the most part little more than a boy kidnapped to suit my political purposes. Or so it was told. Those close to me knew of my infatuation with humans, and especially the tender likings and affections I felt for this one. By physical years, he was older than me by one and a half. By the age my people considered, I was really the older one. My physical desires and needs often dulled the effect of my technical authority.
He still lived within the heart of my home as a prisoner, but with loose security. It was custom not to honor the humans with more than minimal watch, but I was known for going against the old ways, and for the beginning of the long time this one was to stay here, he was given a guard in and out of his room, and one at the door to his washroom as well, though not one within. Once again going against the meticulously kept old ways, I chose not to have him disrespected and discomforted as such. Though I learned more and more, securing my suspicions of his unique nature, that he almost certainly would have despised such dishonors, but taken them in stride, and maintained his status. He was skilled in taking over-emotional times and using them to his advantage.
The Vulmuto leaders that were as stubborn and rather arrogant as myself were known for getting into quarrels with the humans. The humans rather feared the shapeshifters to begin with, and were always wary to trust them. Myself; I was not trusted at all. I was a woman for one thing, and one known from the beginning who took advantage of femininity when dealing with men. Though this was common practice among my kind, and one of the reasons daughters were valued and selected as rulers, it was something that the humans considered apalling.
The Vulmuto, however, were running out of suitable men. They had had no prince for a long while, and there were rumors beginning to spread that perhaps I myself was barren. However, I did not know, nor did I care to know. To the shock of my council, I was simply not interested in bearing children until I found myself a suitable lover. I had been brought many fine appearing or well balanced suitors, but none were the type of person I felt would sire a suitable ruler for my people when I chose to resign. They were even more shocked when I began to lure in men of different lands. Humans, Elves, Dryads, Fruxeo, and countless other races came to seek me. Some were of particular blood or occupation, others were simply hard-working men hoping to find themselves an honorable position that would be remembered, hopefully as a good thing. My council would not have me take any of them though, they would often try to turn them away at the gates.
It was when the human rulers began to scoff behind my back and tried to give me reputation as lazy, hopeless, desperate, or of a dieing race, and at that I began to become short-tempered. I would hold my nation against war as long as I could, hoping to spare as much blood as possible.
My people were indeed dieing out; the women were being sold away to rich families far away of different race, and the children were never told of their Vulmuto heritage, leaving bloodlines to die out. The men were falling for the shallow beauty of foreign women and when their sons did the blood became too weak. As long as the child could Shift, they were a Vulmuto. But when the blood became too thin and the generation came that could not change form, they went to live with the people they were akin to. It was known that the child of a Vulmuto and another race would be a Vulmuto, for we had strong blood. Sometimes, were the second generation outsider of a magic-gifted people, they could bring Vulmuto children. Were the dillution to carry another generation without the addition of another Vulmuto, then it would be an unshifting child, doomed to rejection. The royal family had been kept almost pure, and the impurity was only a rumor. It was a shock to the land that I was willing to bring in different blood.
The humans persisted in mockery, and eventually I kidnapped one of their men. He was one that I had seen before, though not met, when an ambassador and myself came to try and stop the slander being spoken of my people. He had simply been on the street as I rode through on my mount, who was also my companion, and Miater and taken an instant notice to him as well. The humans avoided my eyes, as the magic which was so very strong in the Vulmuto could pain them, but this one stared boldly. He had not flinched or rubbed his temples as I rode away. I had dared even ceosurro to him, partly for amusement and curiosity, and again for prophesy.
"I will see you again, have no doubt. If you do not come to me by a means of your own, you will come to my courts by means of another. You are special."
His face changed only breifly. My lips did not move and he knew it, yet he knew he had heard me. The only others beside him and me who may have hear were my mount and the Amideo, my council and friends. However, I knew that there were rumors about the Seductress who ruled over the shadowy Shape-Shifters. It was possible he could have heard tales and simply expected such a thing. I knew there was more depth to it than that; I could read it in his eyes, that he had been drawn closer to his own opinions of the Vulmuto than any of the other humans would care to know. He was unusually tall, even by the standards of my people. The women of my land were known to be the height of human men; our men head and shoulders taller than our women. I was inbetween the heights of them, tall for a woman, not quite the height of a man. I was taller than most humans. This particular one was, from his looks, two or three inches taller than myself. His hair was a rich honey-toned brown, a beautiful warm color I had never seen on a human before. His body was lean and well-toned from precise work, but not bulky. His eyes were a vibrant, swimming color, looking almost as if they were ever-changing. I could not quite grasp if they were green or grey or blue, or some other color I couldn't pick out as I rode by. I could tell from his and the feel I got from him that he had a good sense of balance, and that he could have become a fine horseman, had he been given proper schooling when he was small. He was calm and cautious, but he did not dismiss his curiosities. Something in him told him how to meet my gaze. This I liked.
Naturally, when my irritation was roused to the point of a calm anger, as I was often calm, or tried to be, in what I did, I decided to give them a warning that I was not a ruler to be taunted. I slipped in silently one night and, with a twinge of guilt that I forced out of my mind, for they were disrespecting my people, and this I could not stand for, I kidnapped him by my own means. I came in silently through the wall closest to his sleeping form, I trick I had learned could be done by beginning to shift and staying formless. Once I was inside I reformed as a centaur, and, with some difficulty, put his sleeping form into a deeper sleep, and guided him carefully off the bed and onto my back. I accomplished keeping him up by awkwardly sliding my hands behind my back and crossing my arms around him, holding his upper body against my back. I went out the same way I came in, lending my magic to him as to pull him fully through. I arrived at a town a ways from the border between the human lands and my own, and entered the first inn I came too. I carefully let the human slide to the floor once I entered the door. Despite the veil I wore over my upper half, most knew immediately that I was their queen, and they made space for me. A maid quickly came in and bowed to me, as did a tall, well-set woman who was near my own age, whom I knew to be the owner of the bar. She grinned at me and shook her head slowly.
"A human captive, my queen? This will be an interesting tale for the keeper of the books, will it not? You'd best make sure not to mate with this one, or the poor old man may never be able to rid the finger-cramps writing this newest story would give him."
I laughed and shook the veil back, my pale gold hair coming loose about my face. "You know have no likings for the humans, Exuveo. Though this one is indeed the finest specimen of one, if inaccurate at portraying the rest of his kind, isn't it?"
She laughed as well and grinned at me. "Yes, mi'dear Chritullax, he is indeed a fine one. I take it you will wish a room for the night, for you and your captive?"
I nodded and exchanged, willingly, deeper glances with my old friend. She was reading my eyes, as I let her, for we both knew she could indeed read me, but only if I permitted her to do so.
She saw what I felt somehow, as she stared at the flecks of gold and black I knew were swimming there, in my eyes. All of us were close to magic and sensing those strong it, but especially those who were close to the royal lines. This one was different, there was something in him that was not seen by us in the humans before. There was more than insult that had spurred this taking; the magic in me had encouraged it too. She and I sensed together that great things were soon to come upon us, and that they were not times to be forgotten.
She led me to a small but comfortable room, with its own cozy little fire burning in a small but dutiful fireplace. With her help we got the human into the room with me, and laid him down on a pile of spare pillows and cusions. Then she barred the door from the outside, knowing I had everything I needed in there, and that if I did need out I could always pass through the door. Walking through solid objects wasn't really a safe thing, we both knew how easy it was to accidently take form halfway through, and then you would die, having a door or wall down your middle. She also knew this wouldn't stop me.
I laid on my side on the somret, which was a square frame perhaps a foot high, with a strong net nailed onto it, and then with a thick sort of featherbed laid on top, and then filled with pillows and blankets. I stared at my hostage, wondering to myself what it was about him that caught my eye so. I fell asleep wondering.
He still lived within the heart of my home as a prisoner, but with loose security. It was custom not to honor the humans with more than minimal watch, but I was known for going against the old ways, and for the beginning of the long time this one was to stay here, he was given a guard in and out of his room, and one at the door to his washroom as well, though not one within. Once again going against the meticulously kept old ways, I chose not to have him disrespected and discomforted as such. Though I learned more and more, securing my suspicions of his unique nature, that he almost certainly would have despised such dishonors, but taken them in stride, and maintained his status. He was skilled in taking over-emotional times and using them to his advantage.
The Vulmuto leaders that were as stubborn and rather arrogant as myself were known for getting into quarrels with the humans. The humans rather feared the shapeshifters to begin with, and were always wary to trust them. Myself; I was not trusted at all. I was a woman for one thing, and one known from the beginning who took advantage of femininity when dealing with men. Though this was common practice among my kind, and one of the reasons daughters were valued and selected as rulers, it was something that the humans considered apalling.
The Vulmuto, however, were running out of suitable men. They had had no prince for a long while, and there were rumors beginning to spread that perhaps I myself was barren. However, I did not know, nor did I care to know. To the shock of my council, I was simply not interested in bearing children until I found myself a suitable lover. I had been brought many fine appearing or well balanced suitors, but none were the type of person I felt would sire a suitable ruler for my people when I chose to resign. They were even more shocked when I began to lure in men of different lands. Humans, Elves, Dryads, Fruxeo, and countless other races came to seek me. Some were of particular blood or occupation, others were simply hard-working men hoping to find themselves an honorable position that would be remembered, hopefully as a good thing. My council would not have me take any of them though, they would often try to turn them away at the gates.
It was when the human rulers began to scoff behind my back and tried to give me reputation as lazy, hopeless, desperate, or of a dieing race, and at that I began to become short-tempered. I would hold my nation against war as long as I could, hoping to spare as much blood as possible.
My people were indeed dieing out; the women were being sold away to rich families far away of different race, and the children were never told of their Vulmuto heritage, leaving bloodlines to die out. The men were falling for the shallow beauty of foreign women and when their sons did the blood became too weak. As long as the child could Shift, they were a Vulmuto. But when the blood became too thin and the generation came that could not change form, they went to live with the people they were akin to. It was known that the child of a Vulmuto and another race would be a Vulmuto, for we had strong blood. Sometimes, were the second generation outsider of a magic-gifted people, they could bring Vulmuto children. Were the dillution to carry another generation without the addition of another Vulmuto, then it would be an unshifting child, doomed to rejection. The royal family had been kept almost pure, and the impurity was only a rumor. It was a shock to the land that I was willing to bring in different blood.
The humans persisted in mockery, and eventually I kidnapped one of their men. He was one that I had seen before, though not met, when an ambassador and myself came to try and stop the slander being spoken of my people. He had simply been on the street as I rode through on my mount, who was also my companion, and Miater and taken an instant notice to him as well. The humans avoided my eyes, as the magic which was so very strong in the Vulmuto could pain them, but this one stared boldly. He had not flinched or rubbed his temples as I rode away. I had dared even ceosurro to him, partly for amusement and curiosity, and again for prophesy.
"I will see you again, have no doubt. If you do not come to me by a means of your own, you will come to my courts by means of another. You are special."
His face changed only breifly. My lips did not move and he knew it, yet he knew he had heard me. The only others beside him and me who may have hear were my mount and the Amideo, my council and friends. However, I knew that there were rumors about the Seductress who ruled over the shadowy Shape-Shifters. It was possible he could have heard tales and simply expected such a thing. I knew there was more depth to it than that; I could read it in his eyes, that he had been drawn closer to his own opinions of the Vulmuto than any of the other humans would care to know. He was unusually tall, even by the standards of my people. The women of my land were known to be the height of human men; our men head and shoulders taller than our women. I was inbetween the heights of them, tall for a woman, not quite the height of a man. I was taller than most humans. This particular one was, from his looks, two or three inches taller than myself. His hair was a rich honey-toned brown, a beautiful warm color I had never seen on a human before. His body was lean and well-toned from precise work, but not bulky. His eyes were a vibrant, swimming color, looking almost as if they were ever-changing. I could not quite grasp if they were green or grey or blue, or some other color I couldn't pick out as I rode by. I could tell from his and the feel I got from him that he had a good sense of balance, and that he could have become a fine horseman, had he been given proper schooling when he was small. He was calm and cautious, but he did not dismiss his curiosities. Something in him told him how to meet my gaze. This I liked.
Naturally, when my irritation was roused to the point of a calm anger, as I was often calm, or tried to be, in what I did, I decided to give them a warning that I was not a ruler to be taunted. I slipped in silently one night and, with a twinge of guilt that I forced out of my mind, for they were disrespecting my people, and this I could not stand for, I kidnapped him by my own means. I came in silently through the wall closest to his sleeping form, I trick I had learned could be done by beginning to shift and staying formless. Once I was inside I reformed as a centaur, and, with some difficulty, put his sleeping form into a deeper sleep, and guided him carefully off the bed and onto my back. I accomplished keeping him up by awkwardly sliding my hands behind my back and crossing my arms around him, holding his upper body against my back. I went out the same way I came in, lending my magic to him as to pull him fully through. I arrived at a town a ways from the border between the human lands and my own, and entered the first inn I came too. I carefully let the human slide to the floor once I entered the door. Despite the veil I wore over my upper half, most knew immediately that I was their queen, and they made space for me. A maid quickly came in and bowed to me, as did a tall, well-set woman who was near my own age, whom I knew to be the owner of the bar. She grinned at me and shook her head slowly.
"A human captive, my queen? This will be an interesting tale for the keeper of the books, will it not? You'd best make sure not to mate with this one, or the poor old man may never be able to rid the finger-cramps writing this newest story would give him."
I laughed and shook the veil back, my pale gold hair coming loose about my face. "You know have no likings for the humans, Exuveo. Though this one is indeed the finest specimen of one, if inaccurate at portraying the rest of his kind, isn't it?"
She laughed as well and grinned at me. "Yes, mi'dear Chritullax, he is indeed a fine one. I take it you will wish a room for the night, for you and your captive?"
I nodded and exchanged, willingly, deeper glances with my old friend. She was reading my eyes, as I let her, for we both knew she could indeed read me, but only if I permitted her to do so.
She saw what I felt somehow, as she stared at the flecks of gold and black I knew were swimming there, in my eyes. All of us were close to magic and sensing those strong it, but especially those who were close to the royal lines. This one was different, there was something in him that was not seen by us in the humans before. There was more than insult that had spurred this taking; the magic in me had encouraged it too. She and I sensed together that great things were soon to come upon us, and that they were not times to be forgotten.
She led me to a small but comfortable room, with its own cozy little fire burning in a small but dutiful fireplace. With her help we got the human into the room with me, and laid him down on a pile of spare pillows and cusions. Then she barred the door from the outside, knowing I had everything I needed in there, and that if I did need out I could always pass through the door. Walking through solid objects wasn't really a safe thing, we both knew how easy it was to accidently take form halfway through, and then you would die, having a door or wall down your middle. She also knew this wouldn't stop me.
I laid on my side on the somret, which was a square frame perhaps a foot high, with a strong net nailed onto it, and then with a thick sort of featherbed laid on top, and then filled with pillows and blankets. I stared at my hostage, wondering to myself what it was about him that caught my eye so. I fell asleep wondering.