Prompt: # 20 Glare

Summary: There are certain things that you think are mysterious, but they really are not, when you let yourself see through the glare of your perception.

A.N: Inspiration from the movie Ladyhawk starring a very young Michelle Pfieffer, Rudger Hauer and a very, very young Matthew Broderick. This is part 1/3.

Caecus is Latin for "blind, sightless".

Caecus

He would be the first to admit that he had a very active imagination. Okay, maybe more than an active imagination. If he did say so himself, he'd say he had a very shrewd imagination. How else would he have escaped the inescapable dungeons of Nihilsomno? That tyrant of a man, The Overlord, who ruled the country under his thumb in the mysterious absence of the prince. They said mysterious. He said conspiracy. Something had happened and the Prince had disappeared completely. It'd also been a few years since the Prince disappeared. Nobody believed him to come back. Most thought he was dead. There were rumors but those who dared spread such rumors quickly found themselves within the dungeons below the city. Nasty place that was. His cellmate had been a crazy man who had slit people's throats just because he thought it was funny. The man had been harmless otherwise and kinda fun. Especially when he had no knife to slit his throat in his sleep. He himself had been down in that pit for stealing. What else was a guy to do when the people were starving? Why else would he be allowed to hold his rifle so proudly if he wasn't allowed to use it to get some food? Things have been very bleak since the Prince had vanished, but he didn't find he cared too much about the guy since he wasn't one of those kinds of guys to go be heroic. He was a thief and a very good one. Stealthy and quick. Which was where he had gotten his name. It was also how the idea had come to him one day while he was in his cell awaiting execution. A mouse had gone down the drain pipe and being himself a small guy, he followed the mouse. Yeah, they had many executions now and used just about any excuse to do it. These were desperate times and nobody is as desperate as a mouse to escape death.

It was not a pleasant way to exit any establishment, but it had worked and he had escaped. He'd followed the mouse! If he were claustrophobic, he's sure he'd have died but he wasn't. He thought of it in terms of, he's sure he was just as squished coming out of his mom. He'd escaped that unscathed. No reason to believe he couldn't do it within those tiny, tiny drains. No matter how much it had hurt to squeeze, wiggle and slide through, he'd made it! Sure, he'd have bruises and scratches for days but he was free! Free at last!

So, he was wanted now and managed to escape into the dangerous plains of VallisAcerbus. After two days he reached a small wasted town that really just consisted of a tavern for any travelers. Not many of those either from the sparseness of the place. Of course, that is where they had figured he'd be headed once he had escaped. So they were there when he arrived. Cloaked and ready to capture him when he had stopped in to get a drink. In the havoc that soon followed, a mouse did not give up without at least a little fight you know, he had slashed across the face of one of the guards. Not a good idea but hey, it'd been an accident. The guy didn't seem to think it was an accident. Even after he had apologized! Nope, he then took out his long sword and was poised to separate his head from his neck when he stumbled onto him instead of his sword. He didn't get to witness most of the action having been pinned by the now dead guy but he heard lots of shouting. It sounded like the guards were surprised and then the familiar sounds of someone dying a very not so good death. By the time he managed to wiggle out from under the giant of a guard, the fight had been over and he had sprinted to the nearest hiding place. He would have made it too if it weren't that pesky bird that did a swan dive and nearly stabbed that beak into his brain. Just as he'd covered his head with his arms, he realized belatedly that the darn thing hadn't been trying to skewer him. It had been trying to land upon the arm of its master and that is when he saw the reason behind the chaos a moment ago.

The man he looked saw right then was definitely not your typical kinda guy. Even if his eyes hadn't been glowing red, he still wouldn't have pegged him for a guy you ran into every day. He was goth looking with all his black leather and that flamey looking black hair. There was just something not natural about this guy and it was kinda cool if he weren't always so scared the guy'd lose his temper and take his head off. It hadn't crossed his mind that this guy might not have intentionally saved his hide but he was thankful nonetheless. Dark man wasn't exactly a great conversationalist either but he didn't really object to him tagging along behind him on his massive beast of a thing that might have been a horse.

Just from looking at the guy you could tell that things were just not quite right. Not that he looked deranged or anything, but there was just this presence around him that made being around him a little nerve wracking. Since he had no other people to call friends and the guy obviously only had that thing he rode and the bird, which he later discovered was a hawk, he figured the guy could use some company. He doubted the man had, had any real human interaction in a long time. Definitely one of those kinds that brooded. It didn't take a genius to guess that strange things happened around this black clothed stranger too. When Mouse asked what his name was, there'd been a sardonic smirk before he told him to address him as, 'Captain'. It sounded like an inside joke that he wasn't in on so he let it slide. If the mystery guy didn't want to share his name, he'd leave it at that. Like he was one to talk anyway, he'd told everyone to call him 'Mouse'!

Anyway, that first night he'd caught a glimpse at just how strange things could get. Captain had warned him not to go outside their little stable shed (more shed in his opinion. Pathetic structure that it was). The shed which belonged to a very creepy lookin' farmer who had said they could sleep in it for just the one night. Why did everyone and everything look so creepy when he was around Captain? Captain didn't look creepy. So… because mice and massive horse like giants got on so well, Captain had advised him to sleep next to the behemoth. Captain, who then disappeared into the next stall had growled another warning. #1 Don't wake him up as he's liable to cut off his head before realizing who he was. #2 Do not go outside to try and sneak off. All fair enough and very simple for him to understand. He liked that about Captain. The man was direct and authoritative and didn't mince or waste words. He who rambled on endlessly and stuttered when nervous could appreciate that. Besides, Creepy Farmer + Creepy surrounding forest = Downright Frightening in his book. He'd stick with Captain.

So, he was tucked next to a temperamental beast that just might have crushed him if it rolled over too fast. But at least the horsie wasn't creepy! So he'd decided that Captain knew what he was talking about and he really didn't fancy losing his head either. He'd felt a smidge safer next to the horsie anyway and had konked out a few minutes later. He had just escaped an inescapable prison, near avoided getting killed and then found a new friend. That's enough to tire a guy out.

Creepy farm was even creepier at night! Sometime when the night was as black as it could get, a howl woke him. He knew that howl. That was not a howl to be ignored in his experience. Horsie was still knocked out without a care in the world, which seems more than a little weird to him. The behemoth had been all quick to attention when Captain was around and now he's out cold? He'd shakily cocked his rifle with a hiss to Captain and stepped out into the open where the firepit was. He'd just started feeling the warmth of the flames when he heard a growl and something heavy tackle something even heavier and a scream. He'd whirled around just in time to see the biggest wolf he'd ever laid eyes on, biting into Creepy Farmer's neck. Creepy Farmer who had been screeching like a banchee and Mouse noticed the major honkin' axe that he'd had in his hands.

Flight was a Mouse's way of escape and his fright was more than enough motivation to drop his rifle and high tail it back to the stable and scream for Captain. Creepy Farmer's screeches had died, which could only mean one thing and he was sure he and Captain were next! Horsie had yet to even stop snoring and he started screaming for Captain.

"Captain! Wolf! Captain!"

He figured since he screamed so loud on approach that Captain's earlier warning of accidentally killing him wasn't a factor anymore. But when he got to the stall where Captain was sleeping, Captain wasn't there. Before he'd managed to have a panic attack, he saw something that made him stop. Captain may not have been there, but his gun sure was. Well, he hadn't even known Captain had one but he was sure glad it was there! His shaking hands took him awhile to click off the safety and he'd just swung the heavy thing up to aim when a hand stopped him. Not Captain's hand. Not even a man's hand. Her hand. She turned her hooded head to look him in the face and he'd gaped like an idiot. The lady looking at him was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He couldn't see anything but her face since she was wearing a long black hooded cape. Her eyes though, were so strikingly blue and her face so bright and angelic that he'd dropped the gun.

Once she was sure that he wasn't gonna reach for it again, she walked towards the stable entrance.

"Don't go out there, my Lady!" he cried, trying to grab her. "There's a wolf! Huge wolf!"

"I know," she answered softly, indicating to him that he shouldn't be yelping so loud. "Stay here," she ordered, but her voice was still a hushed, relaxed whisper. She walked fearlessly towards the fire pit and he gaped like a fish again when the wolf approached her. Her small hand reached down to pet it lovingly and the wolf and her walked away. They walked together so closely that the edges of her black cape brushed against its body.

"I'm dreaming! Oh dear skies, I'm dreaming!" he cried, losing sight of them in the darkness. "There are just some things that… Egads! I have to be dreaming!" He was hyperventilating.

"You are dreaming," he heard her voice call and he was done. He fainted straight away.

Startled awake didn't quite cut it. He woke up leaping a few feet away to the amused smirk of Captain. Captain who had poked him to wake up too darn early the next morning. Perched upon his shoulder was the Hawk and if he didn't know any better he'd say the Hawk was smirking at him too. The creepy factor that had surrounded everything last night seemed gone and he felt safe now. To look at Captain then, he'd have thought everything had been a dream. It didn't look like he'd left the stable since he got up from his previous crouch in front of him and went to the other stall to return while folding up his blanket. A blanket that he remembered Captain carrying in there the night before.

"Captain?" he asked hesitantly.

"I thought mice slept quietly," mused Captain sarcastically. It sounded like he was talking to the Hawk, who was now on Horsie's saddle watching him.

"I do!"

"You were tossing all night and I had to keep you down," Captain commented somewhat impatiently. Which brought him to the fact that maybe he had been dreaming since he hadn't fainted next to horsie, which was where he had leapt from just now. "We have to get going now." Captain's command had him snapping to attention.

There wasn't anything else to say so he merely scratched his head and helped Captain pack their stuff and they were one their way again. He'd wanted to ask if Captain had talked to Creepy Farmer before we left but since he had no desire to see Creepy Farmer again, he didn't. When he'd looked at the fire pit before they left, there'd been no blood or body where the wolf had attacked Creepy Farmer. Captain had hefted him onto Horsie to ride behind him and they'd been on their way. His mind had been a whirl of questions and soon he'd caught himself almost drooling on Captain's shoulder from dozing off. Glad he caught that because he's sure that Captain would have knocked him on my fine fanny if he had. He wasn't sure where they were going and he wasn't very familiar with the territory of VallisAcerbus anyway. He'd go where Captain went until he could figure out what he was going to do with himself. They made a few stops during the day but it seemed like Captain had a firm schedule to keep up and they were quickly on their way again.

It wasn't until some point in the afternoon when Captain wanted to stretch his legs and decided to walk beside Horsie. So Mouse joined him. Captain walked while holding the reins of Horsie and his face looked distant but stern. Now that the day had passed and his head had cleared some, Mouse felt the need to tell Captain about the night before.

"What a night!" he cried. "I'm glad to get away from that Creepy Farmer. What happened last night was the most terrifying thing I'd ever seen."

Captain made no reply but he also hadn't told him to shut up so he'd kept going.

"Then there was the Lady," he'd continued and had to think back a little in order to concentrate on her face in his mind. He almost got dreamy recalling her face and her eyes. "She was the most beautiful women I'd ever seen in my life. She had those kinds of Crystal blue eyes that seared a man's heart and then her voice! It was…"

"She spoke?" asked Captain, cutting in.

Mouse turned to blink at the sudden interest in Captain's eyes, which had been fixed on him very intensely just then. He'd gone from thinking Captain had been ignoring him to realizing that Captain had been paying attention during his entire rambling session. For some reason he felt embarrassed at this.

"It was like a melody of breezes," Mouse explained after he'd gotten over the surprise. "I asked if I was dreaming and she said I was."

He watched Captain smile to himself.

"I'm not crazy! This happened!" he cried sounding very indignant. Captain was mocking him.

"No, I believe you," reassured Captain with a small smile on his lips. The kind of smile that said he knew a secret. Which he was sure Captain had many. Not only had his voice sounded far away, he'd moved his arm so that his faithful Hawk could be face to face with him. It looked like he was reenacting something. "Would it not be a wonderful thing if I could touch her and ask her, her name?" Captain smiled at the Hawk as Mouse watched him with a sad feeling growing from the look on the other man's face.

Then, quick as a flash, the dreamy look vanished from Captain's face and a dark look glazed over his eyes as he glared off ahead of them.

"We only have an hour of daylight left," Captain said and it looked like he wanted to grind his teeth in anger. His voice had hardened completely and he was really scary looking. "We must reach that mountain before dark."

Feeling like something just happened, Mouse didn't know what to do after watching the strange emotions on Captain's face. He'd looked like a tragic hero from fairy tales in that moment. The kind that got tortured and had all sorts of bad things happen to them when they were the most noble and brave men in legend. The ones that definitely didn't deserve any of the bad things that had happened to them. Even he'd been wise enough to keep his trap shut the next half hour so that Captain could have a peaceful walk as they made their way to their would be home for the night.

"Captain? Where are we going?" he found himself blurting out as Captain started to settle in for the night. He'd been watching him unsaddle Horsie and soothe the beast.

"Nihilsomno," was the short reply.

"WHAT!" he screeched and almost tripped over his own feet. "I can't go back to Nihilsomno!"

There was no reply so he went on.

"I just escaped from there!" he cried.

"You are going to show me how to get inside the castle," explained Captain.

"What? How did you know I know something like that?"

"Because you are the one they are all looking for," said Captain and he had to stare at his pointy hair in amazement.

"How did you know?" he gaped.

Captain stopped petting Horsie and looked at Mouse. His eyes were not red but blue. A deep kinda blue, like the ocean. Mouse gaped at the eye color change, questioning his sanity after last night and what Captain just said so he hadn't started ranting. There was a stern, resolute and passionate look on Captain's face and in his voice when he spoke.

"I know," was all Captain said by way of explanation and that searching look told Mouse that Captain really did. "You will get me in to find the Overlord, Mouse."

"Why do you want to see him?" Nobody wanted to see the Overlord.

"I am going to kill him," Captain answered frankly. He almost looked smug about it. He's sure he would have been too if he were half as skilled as Captain was with the just about every weapon imaginable.

"You're insane if you think you can get to the Overlord and that I'm gonna help you do it," cried Mouse, starting to back away from him. "I ain't one of those honorable sorts. I'm a scoundrel, Captain! So if you've a fool's mission, I'll be on my way."

He'd been proud of himself for being honest for once. Being a habitual liar made this a very defining moment for him. That and he managed to tell off a very powerful man too. So he'd had his back straight and was walking away when he felt a whooshing sound by his ear as Captain's broad sword flew past his head to embed itself in the tree in front of him. Turning very slowly, he'd blinked at the still shaking sword stuck solidly into the trunk of the tree with its hilt almost clanging the side of his head. Oookay, so that had been very close and no he was not ever going to walk away from Captain like that again. So he turned around quickly, tried to casually lean against the sword to steady it and offered to get some firewood.

Captain hadn't said a word and his expression hadn't even looked menacing. He'd just been watching him, almost amused as he'd stuttered about the firewood and he'd just been about to hobble away on weak knees when Captain's voice stopped him. As he heard the crunching sounds of Captain approaching him from behind he'd wondered if Captain was going to kill him then. When firm hands took hold of him, he knew he probably should have fought but what was the use? Either Captain's firm but not exactly harsh grip or his sword? He'd rather the grip. Bruises healed. He didn't want to die from being chopped up into little pieces. those didn't heal. Things happened pretty fast after that and he can't say he was really hurt, but Captain hadn't exactly been nice either.

It wasn't until the night was as black as can be and Captain was no where in sight that he realized he was cold. Cold and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. Captain sure was clever because he'd known that Mouse would have made a mad dash once he'd gauged that Captain had fallen asleep. So he'd tied him to a tree for the night to, "think over your decision" as Captain had put it, before walking back to where he'd tied Horsie. Which was where he was probably sleeping. If he squinted hard enough, he could see the outline of Horsie's massive body. He couldn't see Captain but the last he had seen of Captain, he'd settled down on the other side of Horsie.

The sounds of the forests at night were more than a little bit terrifying and he'd be lying if he said it was all right. It was also cold, but not freezing and he'd definitely been in worse before. Captain had also not exactly tied him up where he was easy prey if say another wolf came along. Plus his legs were free and it'd be easy to kick any predator. That still didn't make him completely safe. So when he heard the sounds of rushing footsteps it'd been all he could do to not scream like a school girl. That scream died in his mouth when he watched in stunned disbelief at who was running and what they were doing.

Angels did not run and they certainly didn't chase after bunnies with knives in their hands. He's sure of this. But given the things he'd seen lately, he can't be too sure anymore. He almost believed the angel in question was not really there at all until it lost sight of the bunny and with a whispered curse, had looked up at him.

"Hi," he said and he would have waved if his hands hadn't been tied.

"What are you doing there?" she asked, laughing breathlessly. She was just as stunning as she had been the night before. No hood to hide her blonde hair and completely feminine figure. Her hair was that color where it'll shine so brightly that the glare would blind you to everything else. She had a glow though… an inner glow that he thought looked familiar but then he noticed what she was wearing. No gown, but pants. What a woman!

"I was captured by bandits and they threatened to come back to kill me," he lied quickly.

"Why did they not kill you first and then leave you here?" she asked with an arched brow.

Even though it was quite dark, she seemed to glow in a way that he could see her. Amazing woman!

"You'd have to ask them," he said with a charming grin. "Please help me."

"Did I not see you yesterday?" she asked, coming just a little bit closer to get a better look at his face.

She was closer but not too close and that didn't even matter because her beauty stunned him just as much as it had when he'd first seen her the night before. Hundreds of questions ran through his mind about her otherworldly appearances to him in the middle of the night but he couldn't voice those. Mice did not like to be trapped and Captain was an excellent knot. That was more important to him at that moment.

"Yes, the wolf and the Creepy Farmer?" he asked hesitantly. Her eyes didn't widen but there was recognition in them. Maybe a little wariness too, but since Ladies in general didn't like mice, he wasn't offended. She was a very sharp, intelligent looking woman and he found himself admiring her even more for it. "Please, my Lady? I saw an owl giving me the eye a few minutes ago and I'm quite sure it's going to try something."

She chuckled at him but he could see that she was debating it now. He gave her his most adorable, pathetic begging face and she smiled at him reluctantly. She climbed up to where his ties were and easily cut through the rope. A distant howl of a wolf echoed and the lady turned her head. He used that opportunity to make his escape, like any mouse would if suddenly freed.

"Listen," he heard her say, but her voice was cut off when she must have realized he had left her.

"Thank you, my Lady!" he cried but he did not stop his getaway.

He could have sworn he heard her say something afterwards that sounded like, "He is going to kill me."

TBC