redrose102, schpeetris, tsukimoon101, Adrian Amory, Crimson Solitude Of The Moon, maggie230173, marcie, happilyeverhaunted, BookLover223, Carey Jok, Child Of The Ashes and Alamaria I LOVE you for reviewing! I got some really brilliant ones, really, guys, THANKS!
I really wish more people would read the FG series, don't you? So here, my dear minions, is your mission. SPREAD THE WORD! Get your friends to read the book! Its awesomeness must be shared! I send cyber Julian's to anyone who does, and a cyber Julian will HUG you if you review! Pleeeeeeease? I LIVE for those things! Its actually quite sad… Oh well!
Bit of a jump now, this is when Julian poses as the Erlking and tricks Jenny with the rose…
Silver On Gold
Julian swept regally through the underground tunnels, silk tunic and white leather leggings fitted to him perfectly, showing off his lithe physique. He looked every inch the Dark Elf King.
Groups of the disfigured creatures that roamed these tunnels bowed low and shrank back as he passed. They were nothing but lifeless projections from the copper haired girl's nightmares, of course, but Julian felt it was nice to be appreciated.
Up ahead, Julian could see the silver pool of moonlight that shone from the open ceiling cavern. Almost against his will, he quickened his pace. He had guests, after all. An anticipating, predators grin graced his lips, and was still there when he entered the cavern.
Jenny was the first to notice him. She spun, golden locks splaying out, green eyes flashing first in startled recognition then steeled contempt. Julian couldn't stop himself from admiring the way the silver rays of light hit her form, creating a halo of what looked like sunlight and moonlight woven together dancing around her. Her wind chime voice was level when she addressed him. "Julian."
Suppressing the natural shiver that tingled through him at the sound of his name on her lips, Julian spoke with flourish "Welcome to the Erlking's castle."
Jenny was scrutinizing his outfit, and Julian took immense pleasure in the fact that her eyes lingered a little longer than socially acceptable.
Eventually she spoke. "The Erlking, huh? Enjoying the part?"
"Immensely."
She snorted delicately. "At least you're talking to me in this night mare. Not like the UFO one, I mean."
"Jenny." How he loved to speak that name. "I will happily talk to you all night."
"Thank you, but there's a time limit, and I'd rather have my friends back."
"Say the word."
She reeled slightly, shocked, before she caught his meaning. "No, I'll do it the hard way." As always. But he must admit he really was having fun. She continued "We're going to get through all the nightmares, you know. We're going to win the game."
Her confidence was just one of the many, many things he admired about her. He told her so.
"You can admire my success – starting now. I've solved the riddle, and you're a male chauvinist pig. It is not given with pleasure when taken by force."
Julian blinked in mock innocence. "What isn't?"
"A kiss. That's the answer, isn't it? And you told me if I solved the riddle, you'd let one of my friends go."
Clever girl. But still wrong. Julian smirked Devious Smile #6 and said "Wrong. I told you if you gave me the answer, I'd let one of your friends go. But you haven't given it to me yet." Unable to stop them, Julian's eyes rested on her peach velvet lips. "Would you like to now?"
He was ripped from her spell when she yelled "You-!" and wheeled away from him. Julian could not tolerate not seeing her lovely face, nor could he tolerate Jenny upset. A foreign emotion swept over Julian, and it actually took him a moment to place it. Guilt. Repentance. "I've upset you. You're offended." Jenny's sudden movement had made her hair sway slightly, and the ever present light danced on the blonde silk, making it shimmer, and Julian was once more captivated.
Inspiration struck. Julian immediately tapped into the sliver moonlight rays, coaxing them into the form he wanted, weaving them nimbly until they were solid. As an afterthought, Julian sent some of his own shadows to meld in with its almost complete form. He chastised himself for not thinking of some thing so damn simple before. He fine tuned the finishing touches and a perfect silver rose lay in his hand. In the dim cavern it seemed almost luminous, betraying nothing of the sneak purpose it held. It had taken him mere moments to create. "Here, I'll give you something to make it up to you."
Jenny turned and reached for the blossom, spellbound. She examined it with an awed expression, and Julian wondered if that was akin to what his face looked like when he saw Jenny.
Before she could ask uncomfortable questions, Julian, easy as breathing, plucked a lie out of thin air. "Made from silver dug out by black elves in the deepest mines of the earth."
Jenny shook her head slightly. "But that's all folklore. Are you saying you're really the Erlking? Do you want me to believe in Hansel and Gretel. too?"
"I've been more things than you can imagine." He said truthfully. "And what I want you to believe is that children can go into dark places and disappear. After which people might tell stories to explain it- sometimes true stories, sometimes not."
Julian knew his vagueness had unnerved her when she jumped to a subject change. "Anyway- it's a beautiful rose." She brushed the cool petals over her satin cheek, and Julian couldn't suppress the triumphant grin. Perfect.
But wanted needed privacy with his Jenny. "Lets go walking in the courtyard, you can really see the moonlight there."
To his ecstatic surprise, Jenny obliged without fuss. A thought flitted through his mind. Jenny wouldn't agree to being moderately alone with him unless she had a small inkling of trust he wouldn't hurt her. Suddenly, Julian was amazed to find that he actually liked the idea of her trusting him, and wanted to reinforce it. "Have you ever wondered," He began "why you can go into dangerous places without getting hurt? Why the stray animals you pick up never bite you, why you don't get mugged - or worse – when you wander around the bad parts of town at night?"
Jenny was visibly taken aback by his seemingly random questioning. "I… No. No, I haven't."
He looked directly into those emerald eyes, trying to convey his honesty. "I've been looking after you, Jenny. Watching over you. No one can touch you." He told her, before tacking on softly "No one but me."
Jenny replied in a whisper. "That's impossible. You… I've done those things all my life…"
"And I couldn't have been watching you that long?" He contradicted her. "But I have. I've always loved you, Jenny."
Julian didn't need to read her mind to see her internal battle with the confusion she was feeling. He assumed she wanted space between them when she turned on her heel and headed away from him.
He called after her gently. "I've never been in love before. You're my first – and you'll be my only." Good God, he hoped so. Julian hated these feeling, Julian hated feeling full stop, but here he was, completely, entirely, impossibly, irrevocably head over heels in love. For the first time in his life, Julian felt powerless, unable to escape (but, he knew, if he was being honest with himself, he didn't really want to).
Julian found that his feet had carried him silently closer to Jenny without his consent. When she turned to face him, Julian tested to see if his theory had been successful. He touched her face.
Julian openly marvelled at how soft the sun kissed skin felt. It felt warm and inviting under his icy fingertips. As he gently caressed the bare cheek thousands of sparks seemed to jolt up his arm and fizz through him, warming as they went. His other hand reached down almost hesitantly to take her hand. More electricity flowed through him. Her hand was warm, delicate fingered and soft. And it fit his own perfectly.
Jenny looked down at their joined hands, appearing slightly dazed. Julian traced small circled on her palm and she looked back up, forest green eyes heavy lidded. She leaned partly into his open hand, whispering a feeble "Don't."
Julian didn't want the moment to end, but his almost euphoric peace was short lived as Jenny's eyes seemed to snap back to alertness and she stepped back. "You… tricked me."
Though jenny had pulled her face away, Julian kept her hand firmly in his. "Does it matter?"
"Yes it matters." She tried to wrench her hand free, but Julian held it in a painless, yet unbreakable grasp, trying to get the feel of her porcelain skin against his permanently embedded into his mind. "I understand now-" She said vehemently "I'll never touch you or anything you give me. That trick won't work again." She promised.
Julian placed a grinning mask onto his face while he wrestled with the real turmoil of emotion he was feeling. "Maybe not – but another one will. Believe me Jenny: I'm going to make you mine – entirely – before you finish the Game." He made a promise of his own.
"In your dreams!" She spat.
"No, in yours. And remember, you're not alone here." Julian was regaining control of himself, cold determination seeping in. He reprimanded himself for appearing weak and lovesick in front of Jenny. One way to remedy that… he sent a telepathic command to his dark elf puppets, and they started towards Deirdre and Audrey. Playing right into his hands, the read head screamed.
Jenny's head whipped to its source. "That's Audrey, that's Audrey! Something's happening to her!" Jenny gave a rough jerk and Julian regretfully let her hand free. When Jenny looked back to Julian, harsh realization dawned on her features. "You know," She whispered. "You're doing it - to get back at me."
"I warned you." Julian whipped new demons from Audrey's deepest fears and placed them in front of her. The scream reached a satisfying new octave. "Do you want it to stop?"
She sent him a glare so cold it almost rivalled one of his own. When she spoke, her voice was barely disguising her fury. "I'll make it stop myself, I told you I was going to win this Game. And I am. I will never give into you." She threw the rose at his feet and sprinted towards the humans.
We'll see about that.
Julian let his creations do the work for him as he knelt to pick up the discarded silver flower. He touched one of the petals lightly. It was soft as satin, but to him it felt inferior and rough after touching Jenny's perfect skin. Julian twirled it in nimble fingers as the screams and shouts continued. He had no need for the rose.
So, Julian threw the plant up inhumanly high in the air, releasing the meagre magik it took to hold it together, and watched at it dissipated once more into silver moonlight, whisking away on an invisible breeze. As the glowing silver beams scattered and their unearthly glow faded, Julian couldn't help but compare its imperfect luminosity with the almost blinding golden light that was Jenny. Which reminded him…
Julian himself dissipated, but not into any kind of pretty light. Into darkness and shadows.
He had places to be, people to torment.
Thoughts? Requests? Ramblings? REVIEWS!
I love those things, (and so BTW does Julian… *hint hint*) I'm sorry it was so short. Was he too soft in THAT one? Seriously guys you need to tell me when I screw up. Just go:
Emily,
You fucked up. What the hell possessed you to write Julian like that? Are you just being cruel, screwing up the series for us 'sane' people? You're a sick, SICK little girl.
Seriously, though. Get help.
That is all.
~Random Reviewer Person
If he WAS too mushy for you, I think the next chapter will make up for it, its was a request but I could KICK myself for not thinking of it! In fact *SMACK!* Oomf!…oh, OW! Anyway, before my concussion gets the better of me, Child Of The Ashes, I think you know what's coming… (;