Court of Darkness Challege
This was a writing prompt challenge issued by Court of Darkness, a Voltage Inc produced game via Twitter. I do not own the male lead character (Lynt of Akedia) or the other two (Lou, Nix, and Phinny), they belong to Voltage Inc/Court of Darkness, etc., FL does belong to me.
Court of Darkness Fairytail Challenge:
Once upon a time, Kikyo wandered lost in the woods until they came across an exhausted-looking knight. She had escaped the clutches of her evil uncle just hours before she was forced to wed a vile man near three times her age! Now she hoped to hit the edge of the woods before she was found and forced back.
Clapping a hand over her mouth she barely stifled a sob that threatened to break free from her cold lips. Closing her eyes for just a second she took a calming breath before moving forward once again, it wouldn't do to be caught now.
If only she could find a safe place to rest. Her legs felt cold, tired, and were scratched up due to running through the underbrush. Her arms were fine thanks to her heavy cloak, but her face, like her legs, bore scratches from her hasty flight for freedom.
'But I can't stop now,' Kikyo thought as she resumed running. She could very well be caught at any moment! There was no way they hadn't realized yet that her two valets, Jasper and Knight, had helped her deceive everyone by now.
What's more, her heart hurt that they couldn't come with her. They had been her only friends in her horrible uncle's home from the time she arrived as a small child. One day she will go back and rescue them! She just needed someone to help her.
It was about this time, as she was deep in her thoughts that she didn't see a pair of dark boots sticking out from under a tree! With a shriek of surprise, she fell forward and went sprawling on all fours, scuffing her palms and knees in the process.
"Ow, ow, ow, oww!" Kikyo lamented as she rolled to her side and then onto her butt so she could inspect the damage. It was then she was aware of someone else stirring and sitting up as she blew on her poor abused hands and knees.
With a loud yawn a handsome young man, no, he had to be a knight judging by his clothing, sat up while covering his mouth and yawned again.
Oh my.
For a moment she was stunned. He had delicate golden blond fluffy hair that was as disheveled looking as his clothing. Her cold cheeks blazed with warmth as his sleepy gaze locked with her own. He was extremely handsome, she thought before she recalled that this wasn't the time for such thoughts!
Eyes as green as new tree leaves locked with her own red ones. The look in his eyes was of curiosity mixed with a bit of confusion. "Good morning," he said with a kind and gentle smile.
All she could do was stare at him as her heart raced. As such it took a moment for her to realize he spoke and when it clicked with what he said she frowned. "Um, it's, it's night time, Sir Knight."
For a moment he blinked at her before rolling his eyes towards the tree canopy and frowned as well. "Ah," he said softly before directing another smile at her. "Good evening then."
Just as she was about to say something the baying of tracking hounds sounded, they had caught her scent once more! Fear surged through her body and adrenaline once again raced through her veins. Scrambling to her feet she prepared to flee once again.
However it was not to be as the young man had also gotten up and caught her gently by the wrist. "Wait! Are you in trouble," he asked in that same soft voice, but this time worry was woven into it. He hated conflict, but something in him told him to step in and help her. He didn't like that she was afraid.
Kikyo raised frightened eyes to his and it was then that he saw the long thin scratch on one of her cheeks and the fear deep in eyes as red as rubies. Deep in the woods hounds bayed again causing the fair maiden to try and flee again. His grip tightened firmly, but gently around her small wrist.
"I can help you," he said with a strong voice. It made her pause a moment but it was enough for him to lift his free hand to his lips so he could whistle a peculiar tune. A few minutes later a beautiful bridled and saddled unicorn came from somewhere.
"Ah, you've decided to come back," he said in a gentle and chiding voice. "You mustn't wander off again." The unicorn, who matched his master's fluffy golden hair gave a soft whicker and gave a quick nuzzle as if asking forgiveness. The gentle knight chuckled and scratched behind its ears. "OK, I forgive you."
He turned to the young woman who was now looking more exhausted than before. "Come." He said before mounting his steed and holding out a hand to her. He wasn't going to force her to come if she didn't wish, but he hoped she'd take his hand.
Kikyo looked up at him and then looked behind her where she knew her uncle's magical hounds were. They were close enough to hear which could only mean one thing, they've caught up to her enough that she was able to hear them. Swallowing hard she turned back to the knight and gave his proffered hand a wary look before looking him in the eye.
Both of them looked at the other for a short time before the girl gave him a small, unsure nod of acceptance. Her heart begged this man to be as kind as he seemed to be and took his hand.
The moment the scared woman gave him her hand he let out a soft breath he hadn't known he was holding and helped her mount in front of him. For comfort Lynt made sure she sat across his lap. After rearranging his cloak about the two of them he gentle urged her to lean against him and spoke softly to her, "Sleep. You are safe now."
When she finally relaxed a little, he nudged his steed with his heels while turning them around to swiftly leave the woods. He would bring her home and give her shelter. Lynt didn't know why this made his heart beat faster or made him happy, he just knew it did. How strange is that? But he didn't question it and just accepted it.
After riding at a steady pace he slowed them to a walk. It was then he realized the woman had fallen sound asleep against him. This gave him ample time to look her over again.
From his observations before he meshed it with new information. Her hair was a soft black silk that tickled his jaw. In addition to near snow white skin, her cheeks and lips were a delicate pink, her lashes long and curly. His eyes then took in a delicate nose and, was that a bit of drool at the corner of her lips on one side?
He gave a small quiet laugh and thought how cute that was. Gently he brushed her cheek with the backs of a couple of fingers. 'So lovely.' He couldn't resist giving the crown of her head a soft kiss as she leaned against him, sleeping so trustingly against him. It made his heart swell with unknown emotions, all of which felt warm and pleasant.
Was she the one destined for him then? His mother would always say she knew his father was the one, despite their marriage being an arranged one. Carefully he adjusted his arms around her, unconsciously bringing the sleeping woman closer to him. The thought of letting her go made him feel… uneasy and restless. There were other emotions he felt too, none of them pleasant.
Sitting up straighter, he once again nudged Aurum into a run. He would take her back home and give her shelter and help her get through whatever caused her to flee on foot in a dangerous, magical beast infested wood.
Leaning down he whispered his vow to the sleeping woman. "I, Lynt, crown prince and Knight Commander of the Akedian kingdom, will keep you safe and love you for all time. This, I vow."
With that, he sealed his vow to her in magic and with a sweet kiss to her softly scented hair. Hoping against hope that one day she would love him one day.
As Lynt rode towards home, his precious cargo safely ensconced within his cloak, the weaver of Fate observed him through his magic mirror.
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"Lou, you promised to quit meddling in the affairs of mortals," Nix softly chided his master. His feathers ruffled slightly in annoyance. Lou had a bad habit of doing this from time to time, it was irritating.
"Did I. dear Nix," said Lou as he gave a mysterious smile as the mirror went blank and just reflected the pale blue eyed man back. He gave a small chuckle. "I thought I merely guided them together as they should have been."
Nix gave a long suffering sigh as his twin brother Phinny came into the room to join them. He was muttering something nonsensical again about the magic item shop they ran on the mortal plane as disguised humans.
"Worry not Nix. All is as it should be now. Fate had been twisted, but has now been untangled and set on its proper course."
With those mysterious words fading into the ether, the story of those two mortals unfolded as it should down in the mortal realm.