Imagine the heroine blind. Imagine her in love with Elazul. These are two important components to this very one-shot fic. I like the idea of a HeroineXElazul pairing, but cut me some slack if this sucks; this is, after all, my first romance fic. Don't kill the seventh-grader! -hides-
Okies. I'm going to make it…(spins bottle toward options) first person pseudo-present-tense(don't ask). That way I might get the point across…I hope…Don't hurt the Elazul Fangirl! And don't say he's OC! I will say it out; Etansel has given him a sense of humor and a better temper. And changed how protective he is. Or, at least, shifted who his protection is centered upon…
Here's a little key for the text…(In Flashback:"Speech" Mindspeech)
(Flashback)
Thin tendrils of smoke rose, unseen by me, towards the ceiling of the monstrous cavern. It was, in fact, a chamber of hyper-spatial area, being that it was created by magic. The heat smoldered against my skin and left me drenched in a warm sweat. I would be glad to be out of here when I was. Sierra said that I could safely see my brother after this.
Before us, the ceiling of the subterranean corridor met with the walls to form a gateway of sorts. Barred by a barricade of tooth-shaped stones, we could not proceed until the gate watcher, a Hitodama Soul, had been defeated. The battle was tedious, but relatively simple, and neither I, nor my silent companion suffered much damage.
"Are you ready?" The dragoon of Vadise inquired, tensing and readying herself with her knives. We both knew that, beyond that opened gateway was our goal Silently, I nodded and lifted my broadsword.We were going to do battle with the lord of the flames. We were going, to defeat Draconis.
Indeed, inside of the next chamber, we found our adversary. The Crimson Dragon towered above us, menacing us with words of how he would use us as him sustenance. This, if anything, is what fuled the fires of rage and hatred that had fueled Sierra thus far.
Bellowing, she charged and began to hack at the Lord of the Flame's skull, crying her bloodlusting as she began to weaken the powerful beast. Not wanting to miss all the fun, I dashed in and began to stab into his fleshy underside. This was my mistake.
Completely disregarding the White Dragoon, who had hoisted herself onto his head to attack his spine and skull, he whirled so fast that his hind leg sent me flying across the chamber. When I stood again, wheezing and coughing for air, his claw latched onto me and I felt his lift me before I was fully oriented.
For a moment, there was a lust for blood that glimmered in his malice-encrusted eyes, but that was soon replaced by an amused expression. The dragon decided that the berserker could wait; he was going to make this feeble woman (who just happened to be me) squirm.
At first, I just kept my eyes closed and ignored the growing sensation of heat around my body, but at last, my eyes forced themselves open. I stared into a pair of nearly dull eyes. Sierra had done her job well; one or two more minutes and her brother would be revived.
Little did I know that these eyes would be the last I was destined to see.
With his last breath, Draconis summoned a whirlwind of flame. Gathered into this flame was the stone of the floor below, torn asunder by the gale force winds. Superheated, these materials swirled around violently, seeking out the flesh of the Crimson Dragon's Foes.
He dropped me, with this done, but timed just so. I fell into the violent eye of the storm and was thrown about more easily than a rag doll.
Vaguely, the sensation of something damp was a thing I awoke to. My eyelids felt heavy, though the rest of me was worse off. I had to have been encased in bandages; I could hardly move.
"Wh-" I began feebly, "Where am I?"
You are safe. The voice of the White dragon, inserted with care into my mind, replied.
"Is Sierra alright?" I asked. My eyelids were still leaden, but I was trying hard to open them…
Sierra is much better off than you. The reply said, slightly grave this time.
With a Herculean effort, I opened one eyelid. Everything was dark. "What time is it in the day, Vadise?"
Mid Afternoon, with the sun just at the Zenith. The reply sounded pitying this time.
"No…" I gasped, forcing my other eye open. I was greeted with blackness. "NOOO!" The first tear slid down my cheek, and I ignored it. "GODDESS NO! I'M BLIND!"
The stem of tears began to pour down my cheeks. Unabated, they were nothing compared to the mental agony I was suffering. I did not care to hear the soft, comforting words, nor the feeling of my brother's hand stroking my hair in an attempt to soothe me.
(End Flashback)
Ever since that fateful day, I have relied upon my brother. He takes care of me as well as any doctor. My scars have all healed, and Brother says that I should ask Flourina for healing, but I have kept my blindness. It is nothing to be ashamed of, the inability to see; it has taught me trust, and I lacked trust before.
How my brother got me to come near Etansel amazes me. I have already dictated, through Brother, a letter to Flourina, telling her that, though I am visiting, that she need not ask if I wish to be healed. I made sure she knew that her life energy was not to be wasted on such a worthless little cuss as me.
My hand is resting on top of a beast's head. A Howler, it is, with his tick plumes of fur lining his back. He guides me, and I trust him to do so well. Two pair of feet approach us, both with strides I know well by sound.
"Pearl!" I exclaim in delight, briefly embracing my friend. My brother likes her; more than likes, in fact, but that is beside the point. I like her; she is invaluable as a friend. After a moment, though, I turn to face my second welcomer. "..Hello Elazul." My voice sounds slightly dull. Why is it that I follow my brother's trend and be in love with someone I cannot have? Why is it so?
"Danatoth…" I can tell that Pearl is blushing. Obviously there is some attraction there, too, judging by the slight sound of lips brushing flesh. And, by the odd sputter from my brother, that would be her lips on his cheek. If anything, that makes me jealous. I wish I could be so carefree like that with him…but he's him, so I guess that doesn't work.
"Ah, come on then; the evening meal is just being settled. I swear, Danatoth, you just come for the food!" That is yet another voice. This one I know, also. Esmeralda the bouncy ex-student of the Academy of Magic in Geo. I can feel a hand grasp mine, and I can tell instantly that it is Esmeralda's. She always guides me around here.
And, indeed, the murmur of voices greets me as I enter the Dinning Chamber. Esmeralda leads me to a seat near the head of the table, though Danatoth is closer. By his own choice, in fact, since that's right next to where Pearl is sitting.
I take the seat I am offered, and startled slightly when I hear Elazul's stride bring him to the seat next to mine and hear him settle there. I did not know what this meant, and what I hope is feeble…
The meal is delicious, with the second round delightfully filling. When the drudges come to me, I let it be known that I want some of the wine I am sure they stockpile here. After a moment, I add that a Shimmering Wine is my preference. The newest concoction from the Vineyards is delightfully dry and rather fizzy. Adequately named "Shimmering Wine", I used to enjoy watching the miniscule bubbles rise to the top of the glass and pop, releasing a tiny amount of liquid up for an eighth of an inch.
When, at last, most of the company has departed, including my brother and Pearl, to only the Goddess-Knows-Where, I feel my way towards one of the many secluded balconies on the third tier of the Bejeweled City. Facing the ocean, the sun's light catches on the nearly emerald waves, the rich, flamboyant disc of flame turning the waves into fire. "I bet it's beautiful…" I murmur to myself, unaware that I am not alone on the balcony.
"Indeed." A familiar, masculine voice says from behind me, causing me to jump slightly. I hear the stifled chortle of the familiar voice and cannot help but resist a smile myself.
"Since when did you have a sense of humor that didn't require making someone jump?" I ask rhetorically, aware that now I am standing remarkably near him. The Him I am referring to, is, of course, Elazul.
"And since when did you even not jump?" This time the chortle was unsuccessfully held. Ever since Etansel had been recreated from the Jumi's Staff, Elazul has become a different person. Not entirely, but now it is not as difficult to make him smile or laugh, not that I ever got to see it.
"Good question…" I admit, walking backwards until I find a bench to sit on. The balcony, if I recall properly, has a large bench. "So, why did you follow me?"
I knew that he was going to sit next to me but did not expect him to sit nearly so close. I can feel the heat his body generates. I wonder exactly how close he is, and why. I still do not want to jinx my luck by believing that my hopes are true.
"Okay…this leaves me feeling out on a ledge…it's a thing I've wanted to say, but I haven't had the courage to say it…" He sounds almost intimidated, but mostly overwhelmed, by emotion. My hope begins to surface in my mind…
"Kieru…I…Oh hell!" Suddenly abandoning all sane thought, he bends over and captures my mouth with his. This is a new sensation to me; I have beaten many men off with anything from fists to my sword before, but I am not going to do so to Elazul.
When he releases me, both of us are breathless for a few moments. However, I recover first and cover the brief space between us by sliding closer. "That was incredible…" I breathed, resting my head on his shoulder. "Bloody amazing about how we can think the same thing…"
"You mean-?" He sounds hopeful.
"I love you, you handsome oaf." I say, laughingly, before capturing him in a kiss once more…
"The…feeling…is…mutual…" He eventually manages beneath my furious liplock…
Okay, tell me how much I suck! Just tell me, FO! I hate Present tense, and I hate First Person; I did this for practice…But, just remember that I won't call my boyfriend my boyfriend until I'm in highschool. Right now he and I are content with him holding the titles of being my 'dude' and my 'idiot'. R'n'R!
Here are responses to my first reviews.
The White Tempest: Thanks. Elazul/Heroine and Lark/Heroine are my favorites, as well as Hero/Pearl…But I'm just a little strange. My eloquence is courtesy of all of the little people older than me who think of me as "She Who Uses Big Words". I read as much as I write, and Roleplaying is my favorite pastime. Letters is much the same.
Feral Claw: Why! WHY? Why does everyone think it's cute when I write? Not really, just this little piece, but hey, who care if I complain? I wrote it, after all. I'm turning thirteen on the Twenty-Seventh Day of the Seventh month of 2005. Nyeh. The Present tense was a trial of my endurance, coupled with stolid editing over the course of the Duration of Van Helsing. I sat down with popcorn and went to work. –Pokes Jhoo in the forehead-
Sariel V: Thanks. I will watch my commas.
eating doughnuts(the ass): Whoever the hell you think you are, screw off. Didn't it say that the Character thought herself a little cuss unworthy of healing? Didn't is say that she handled her Blindness with Pride? Read more carefully if you didn't understand. If you were just putting that to bitch, then fine. I hate it when people who don't understand think that they can take my interpretation of a completely flexible character and say that I'm Stupid or Wrong.