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Dappled moonlight filtered through the sparse covering of the canopy, casting silvery pools the elf avoided. She wore a simple pair of breeches and tunic of midnight black, deep red hair scraped back into a bun. Sneaking off when her mother forbade it was probably not the wisest choice she had ever made but the idea of marrying someone she did not love to strengthen their position and political ties was not something she was thrilled with. The courts had been at war for years and now the King of the Unseelie Court had made this offer, which her mother had jumped at.
Aconite should have been at court, preparing to meet with the delegation sent from the Dark Court. In a week hence she would find herself trapped in a loveless marriage to the King of said court. To make matters worse, the nuptials were set to coincide with the Tithe. The Princess was sure the solitary Fea would do all within their power to sabotage the Tithe and win their freedom for another seven years. Truth was, Aconite secretly hoped they would, knowing it would throw a spanner in the works as far as her marriage was concerned.
The elf didn't know where she was heading, only that the overwhelming urge to flee spurred her on. The forest around her grew dense, leaving behind the small glade and grassy knoll that harboured the entrance to the Seelie Court. Her mother would be furious upon realising her disappearance, no doubt sending her best trackers in pursuit of her wayward daughter. Deshanna was a fair and just queen, or at least as far as any Fae were concerned. They were a capricious lot, likely to love with every fibre of their being, only to kill in the very same breath.
The forest grew quieter around her, not even the hoot of an owl dared disturb the hush. Some might have found it a little unsettling; no moonlight to light the way, no rustling of small lifeforms in the undergrowth foresting for food - nothing. Just a muffled blanket of silence that sent chills down the spine. Not Aconite, though, she knew the surrounding forest like the back of her hand. Her thoughts returned to what was expected of her, her duty to the Bright Court. It sickened her, the heavy weight of her heart pulling a dry sob from her lungs. Did her mother think so little of her that she was willing to throw her into the arms of a stranger?
Unshed tears burned her eyes, blurring her vision and making each footfall more treacherous than it should have been. Blindly she pressed on, the urge to flee almost choking her now. She didn't know where she was going, only that she wanted - no, needed - to keep moving. Her foot connected with something hard and unyielding, sprawling her face first across the mulch ridden floor. The elf cried out her surprise into the still night causing an explosion of noise to erupt in the night. small critters startled from their slumber, bursting from the brush to seek shelter elsewhere.
The mass she tripped over shifted and groaned underneath her. Startled, Aconite tried to scramble away as fast as her prone form would allow. She must have been a sight for sore eyes, but that was the least of her concerns. The elf crouched low, turning her body to face the shifting mass that had been her downfall, so to speak. Aconite realised said mass was a man, a man in full armour no less. Aconite sucked in a sharp breath assessing the situation. She may have been royalty in the realm of the Fae but she was by no means a delicate flower. Her mind caught up to the moment, realising this man posed her no threat. For starters his eyes were shut, lips slightly parted while he drew shallow breaths.
Aconite drew closer, curiosity aroused. Sandy blond hair, sweat slicked, fell into his eyes; his countenance twisted in pain. Her eyes raked over his face, noting she couldn't see a prominent tip to his ears; smooth and rounded - he was human. Instantly it made her wary yet her curiosity far outweighed the urge to flee. She was Fae, if need be she could simply pull a glamour around herself. His tongue darted from the warmth of his mouth to wet dry, cracked lips. Her own gaze followed the languid trail that pink muscle made, unaware of the fact the male had cracked his eyes open and peered directly at her.
“Come to finish me off?” He croaked, startling her.
Her eyes widened, snapping up to his own honeyed gaze. She noticed the scar bisecting his lip, now quirked in a sneer of disdain. He thought her to be part of whomever incapacitated him. Blinking rapidly, she glanced askance, noting he favoured his left side, though he remained slumped against the tough bark of a wizened oak. Golden orbs slowly rose to meet his gaze, her decision made.
“You're hurt,” Aconite deadpanned, causing him to laugh bitterly. His laughter turned to a sharp gasp of pain.
“I had noticed that, yes--” He paused as if to consider what to say next and Aconite tilted her head expectantly. “If you do not intend to kill me, then help me.”
Nervously, cautiously, she crawled closer to the soldier’s prone form. She had no idea what he expected of her, he hadn't even told her how or where he was injured.
“There is a stream not far from here, and light enough to see by. Help me to my feet.” It was an order not a request.
Aconite mentally shrugged that off, reminding herself he was injured. Shuffling closer to him, she slipped his arm around her shoulders, the heavy weight of cold metal pressing down on her.
“On three,” the soldier grimaced. “One… two… three!”
Together they hefted his weight upright until he was standing on his feet, albeit leaning heavily on the elf. Closer than she ever thought she would be to a human, she heard his ragged breathing and the small grunts of pain that spilled from his scarred lips.
“This way,” the soldier muttered, motioning straight ahead with a nod of his head.
Aconite bore his weight as best she could, he wasn't exactly light and she wasn't exactly the biggest of elven girls. Still, they pressed on in silence. Life returned to the undergrowth, the threat having apparently passed. Aconite surmised said threat had been whatever had transpired between this soldier and his assailants. She wanted to ask but thought better of it. He had not yet commented on the fact that she was a lone female in the forest, or that her ears happened to be pointed, then again the man was injured and in pain. Aconite had to suppress the small smile that adorned her features.
The soft bubbling of rushing water greeted her heightened senses before the stream came into view, and a small fire blazed bright against the forest’s backdrop.
“You made camp,” the elf exclaimed, frowning slightly, he only grunted in response.
Carefully she helped him lower himself to the ground near the fire, nimble fingers immediately brushing over his armour, figuring out where the various straps and buckles were. She made quick work after that until he was left clad in only his leathers and a simple cotton shirt. Crimson blood stained the entire right side of his shirt; Aconite inhaled sharply, the small jut of wood protruding from his side, just under his armpit. An arrow then and one he clearly snapped the shaft off of.
“Can you lift your arm?” Aconite inquired.
He made to do so, flesh clearly pulling taut against the offending object. He swore under his breath, arm falling limp in his lap. A long suffering sigh spilled from her lips, golden gaze trained on the male. His eyes were closed again; the tightness around his eyes and set of his mouth told her the amount of pain he was in.
“My pack, there's a knife…” He trailed off not needing to say anything more.
Aconite cast her gaze around until she saw what she was looking for. She rose long enough to retrieve it, returning to his side before rummaging through his belongings. The elf closed her fingers around what she was looking for, dragging the object out thereafter. With care, she pulled the blade from its sheath, brows near disappearing into her hairline.
“Pretty fancy knife,” she stressed. Knife wasn't quite the word, ornately carved dagger seemed more appropriate. The dagger’s blade made of the purest obsidian she had ever seen, gilded in silver. Carved into the hilt was a lion, its stance proud and fierce, sitting on its haunches as ruby red eyes winked at her in the flickering light of the fire.
Aconite slit the bottom of his shirt, using her hands thereafter to tear the soft material. She had to manoeuvre carefully around what was left of the arrow protruding from his side - even then she managed to snag it causing a curse of pain to emanate from him. He fell quiet once she had his bare flesh exposed. Using the ruined shirt, the elf ripped it into strips before hastening toward the small babbling brook whereupon she submerged the material in the cool waters.
Returning to the soldier she began the slow process of cleaning the excess blood, unaware of his eyes on her. Her own golden gaze raked over the bare expanse of his chest. She traced the contours of his well defined body, admiring the ripple of powerful muscle when he shifted ever so slightly. Sun kissed skin so warm under the delicate pads of her fingers, Aconite found herself wanting to rake her nails across his chest, leaving angry red lines that proclaimed him as hers. It was a ridiculous notion; he was not hers, they had not even exchanged names.
“You're an elf,” the soldier deadpanned and she had to bite back the sardonic retort desperate to spill from plush tiers. “I mean no offence, your kind has not been seen for some time.”
His good arm rose, calloused fingers lightly brushing the prominent tip of her ear. Aconite shuddered as his fingers, feather light and barely there, brushed against the shell of her ear.
“I need to get this out,” she murmured, utterly distracted by how close she was to him.
Pressing a palm against his good shoulder, she peered at him, an elegant brow arched in silent expectation. He acquiesced, carefully lowering himself onto his back before rolling slightly onto his left. It wasn't without a low hiss of pain, made worse when she lifted his arm above his head, exposing the jagged end of an arrow shaft buried in his side. That was where she stopped. It wasn't deep but deep enough she couldn't simply pluck the arrow head from his flesh; she supposed she could work it loose with a touch of magic and then see to healing him.
“Cut it loose,” the soldier spoke, startling her.
Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second until she managed to school her expression, hidden behind a mask of stoicism. She waited until she was sure her hands would not shake and give her away before she plucked the dagger from the ground, giving it a wipe before attempting anything. It was with a shaky breath the elf made her first tentative cut into his skin, hypnotised by the swell of sanguine liquid. Aconite blinked, watching a rivulet of blood bead its way across his bronzed skin. The crimson stain it left behind stood out in stark contrast to his skin.
The elf swallowed thickly doing her best to ignore the pained noises the male made. She only needed it large enough to slip the arrow head anchored in the warmth of his skin. It was with relief it slipped from his side, muscles relaxing until she weaved a net of magic, knitting his skin back together as if it had never been torn. She felt his whole posture stiffen under her fingers causing her to frown slightly in confusion.
“It is true then, that most Fae have a touch of magic?” His voice was stiff with an emotion she couldn't immediately identify, though she stored it away for future reference.
“Not all,” Aconite confirmed. “I have to go.”
The elf rose to her feet. She had tarried far too long and with a human no less; a human she found intriguing and handsome and everything the Night Court’s King probably wasn't. She wanted to linger and sate her curiosity about this strange human in her midst but knew better. As curious as she was, humans were dangerous to her kind; already they had hunted the fabled Unicorn to near extinction.
“Wait,” he rasped. “What may I call you? I know the Fae do not offer their name freely.”
Aconite thought for a moment, thankful he hadn't been more specific, if he had, she would have been forced to give him her name for the Fae could tell no lies.
“You may call me Aconite.”
“Will I see you again?”
A half smile touched her lips raising a shoulder and then she was gone, melting back into the surrounding forest