Long Forgotten
Disclaimer: I don't own anything that's not mine in this story.
Prologue: Attack
Jasmine scanned the horizon, looking for any irregularities. Filli chattered at her shoulder.
"What?" She asked the little animal; alarmed at the news he gave her.
Filli gave a series of short and long hoots, then started chattering once more.
"What? You're telling me..." she got up hurriedly, brushed the seat of her brown trousers and grabbed an overhanging branch. She deftly swung her legs up and hoisted her body onto it. She then stood up on the branch to repeat the sequence all the way to Kree.
As she traveled, she asked Filli over and over again, "Are you sure Kree is hurt? Can you feel him calling?"
Every time Filli answered an affirmative. Jasmine grew more and more worried as Filli guided her through the bush to Kree.
She finally found him with one wing dangling, useless at keeping him aloft. He fluttered his other battered wing slightly and cheeped softly. His body looked battered and was bloodied.
"Oh Kree!" she sighed, and sank down into the soft earth, to pick up the little raven as gently as he could. Nevertheless, it hurt the little bird, and he let out another weak cheep. Overhead, a shadow passed over hers, and she looked up to see a half-horse, half horse being glide into the horizon, to mingle with the sunset.
"Look, it's the wild girl with her bird and animals again," she heard the children of the city whisper, in close-knit groups.
"I heard she married the king just because of the riches," a girl her age said in a loud stage whisper. Plainly, this comment was for her to hear. She tried to ignore it, and carried on running to the Palace.
"Look, it's the forest girl again, carrying that annoying black bird of hers. I wish she'd just disappear off with her little pets. If it wasn't for her, I would have been queen," she heard another one say jealously. Jasmine shook her head to block out the unwelcome whispers and carried on, past the snappy group of girls, through the torturous marketplace, around the park she usually avoided because of the boys that made fun of her there.
Jasmine hurried up the palace stairs, cradling the wounded Kree gently in her hands. Filli chattered amazingly quickly for such a small creature.
"Doom!" She called with an air of anxiety. He came limping down the stairs, muttering under his breath.
"What, Jasmine?" He asked. She was clearly trying his patience. Without a word, Jasmine showed him.
"If I was in the forest or had my ointment with me, I would have been able to heal him easily, but it was only me and him. It's a wonder he survived this long. We need to get him some bandages," she said in a hurry.
"Why are you asking me? There are animal doctors all over the palace."
"Your name was the first I could think of. Now, could we please get Kree settled?"
Doom was just about to reply when none other than the king came walking down the stairs.
"I could hear your voice all the way from the library. What were"- he broke off as he noticed the almost-lifeless bundle in Jasmine's arms.
"What happened?" He asked, hurrying over. "No, wait. Don't tell me. I've heard of the creatures that make this kind of gash on their victims. They're called... hurroks?"
Jasmine nodded, and said, "The half-horse, half-hawk beings. I wonder..."
Lief tilted his head slightly, but the young adult plainly shook her head to indicate there would be spies about, listening to them.
So instead, the group of three went up the stairs again to find a healer for Kree.
"Will he live?" Jasmine asked anxiously.
"It's hard to say. The hurrok slashed his wing from the joint to just short of his chest that he might not. I'm very sorry," the doctor said.
Lief studied her face. He had never seen her look so worried for anything else.
"Jasmine?" he said tentatively.
"Yes?" she responded.
Lief sighed. "What's on your mind, Jasmine?"
Jasmine fell silent. "I'll tell you later," she muttered, looking away.
Doom spoke up. "Your Majesty, it's time you went to the meeting you were talking about earlier." Lief got the gist of this and they left, along with the doctor, leaving Jasmine alone with the silent Kree.
She sighed, and buried her face in a silk cushion. How could she have been so stupid? He would never understand the taunts the city was giving her. He was having problems of his own, already.
A silent tear made its way down Jasmine's cheek. So many problems, and no one to explain them to her.
"I think Jasmine's having a few problems of her own at the moment," Doom said gently, to Lief. They were sitting in the Library, which felt a little empty without Josef walking around, checking the books for information and stories. But Marilen was there, in his place. He couldn't see her at that moment, though.
"It's more than a few, it's so many. It's this whole marriage problem that's disturbing her, I think," Lief said, walking over to the giant stained-glass window. (Do they have windows like that?)
…Ebony/Shadowcat.
