Minuet of Forest ~Open~

[Leaf]

The moon was high and the sky was clear. Everything seemed calm. The only sounds that could be heard were the chirping of cicadas in the summer night and the soft rustling of the leaves in the gentle breeze. Shadows of nocturnal animals slid by occasionally and a few bats could be seen flapping their way into the night. Stars glistened upon the dark cloth of sky where they were embedded and even though it wasn't bright, everything could be seen quite well.

A lonely tune floated into the air from the gently plucked strings of a lyre. Sëken sat upon the tallest tree in the wood and played away. He was putting his heart into this music. Ever since he had been driven out of his hometown, he had played his lyre here upon the tallest tree during clear nights. The few people who have heard it called it Heaven's Music. 

Slender fingers pulled and played away at the strings. Tonight his music was sad and even those with a strong heart could not hold up a smile hearing it. Tears gently streamed out of his eyes as he reminsced the happy old days that were long gone behind him into the past.   

[ninon]

The still air was perfect quiet, unbroken by a single sound…

THWAP! THUD!

[/b]

At least, it was. A girl lay staring blankly up at the sky, crimson streaks running across her face – the result from an assaulting tree branch. The silver metal that lay off to her side started to glow a bright white, illuminating the darkness for a moment, before growing, taking an abnormal shape at first and then rising. Now, there stood a second girl, her expression soft and worried. She moved to kneel beside her bleeding companion hurriedly. “L-Letha? A-Are you okay..?” the worried girl managed to stutter out.

The other one blinked before sitting up quickly and answering harshly: “Yeah. I’m fine. Get out of my way, why don’t you, Desdemona?” And with that, Letha gripped the other Desdemona’s shoulder, using her as support as she stood. Desdemona did nothing but whimper quietly from the added weight before standing herself, dusting off her clothes.

“I-I’m sorry, Letha. I was just worried. You’re bleeding.” Desdemona added quietly, dropping her gaze to the ground.

“Am I? Oh well. It’ll heal,” she paused for a moment, her hand frozen in the air to wipe away the blood though it never made contact, “Do you hear that? That music?”

Desdemona didn’t answer for a moment, staring at the ground as she concentrated hard to listen for whatever it was Letha was hearing. Then, suddenly, it hit her. The hauntingly beautiful melody drifting with the gentle breeze that managed to weave its way through the tightly knit trees. “I… I hear it. I-It’s so… beautiful.” Desdemona’s voice hinted at sadness that the broken melody was causing to well up inside her.

“Don’t you dare start crying or whining. You’ll make too much noise. Now, come on, let’s go check it out.” Letha grabbed her wrist and started to lead her deeper into the forest, following the sound that danced with the wind.

“Wh-What about Kegan?” It was the only protest that Desdemona was able to get out before she was stumbling away into the forest with Letha. It wasn’t long before they had found the source of the music. Tilting their heads back Letha and Desdemona gazed up at the musician playing his lyre in one of the tallest trees in the forest. While Desdemona’s gaze was that of great admiration and welling sadness, Letha looked as if she couldn’t care less, her lips turned down into a small frown.[/font][/blockquote]

[Leaf]

Sëken's long ears twitched a bit as he heard voices floating up from the base of the tree. He stopped playing and looked down. He couldn't tell who was there with all the leaves and branches in the way, but he could make out two figures. He jumped down and landed with a soft thud.

Sëken examined the two, his own face hidden behind his mask. One who clearly seemed in charge had somewhat of a scowl upon her face and the other seemed like she was about to burst into tears. Sëken made a subtle gesture with his free hand and asked, "May I be of assistance to you?" It was rare to see people in these woods, especially at night. He looked around and listened. There seemed to be no other sign of people. The two in front of him were probably the only ones there. 

 

[ninon]

Letha didn’t like the look of this creature in front of them. He had abnormally long ears. Probably an elf. But that’s not what she was displeased with. She was displeased with the mask that hid his face. Running an hand through her hair, she made sure that her bangs fell in front of her face, brushing out her eyes. Just as she was about to answer his question about their need of assistance, Desdemona piped up, “Uh.. Y-Yes, please. We-We’re looking for a friend of ours. H-His name is – Ow!” Desdemona stumbled back at the shove that Letha had forced against her shoulder, a low growl rising from her chest.

“Shut up, girl. Did I say you could answer?” Letha snarled before turning her hidden gaze onto the stranger, her lips still set in the uncaring frown. “We don’t need your help. We just heard your ugly music and I wanted to put an end to it. It was hurting my ears.” Desdemona whimpered softly at Letha’s rude comment but didn’t say anything to stop her. Instead she just shrank away from her wicked keeper, her right hand gripping the upper part to her left arm as she stood off to the side. If a fight broke out – which wasn’t unlikely – she didn’t want to be part of it. But she knew she’d be no matter what.

[/blockquote]

[Leaf]

Sëken was a bit taken aback with the answer. He bit his lip and was a bit ticked off with the way the meeker woman was being treated. "Say, I don't think that's the best way to treat her, nay?" He scowled. "You may not take a liking to me and that's fine, but shouldn't you respect your companion more?" Sëken scuffled his shoes and looked at the woman whose face was partly blocked by her hair. An obvious grimace hung there.

A shadow started to fly over and Sëken looked up. A couple of dark clouds had wove their way into the sky and the moon was partially covered. The wind had picked up quite a bit and was worsening into a gale. "Well whatever." Sëken growled. "I'm not going to play anymore in this weather. Now hurry on your way." And with that, he turned and started to walk away.

[ninon]

Letha couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up from her lips when the stranger commented on how she treated Desdemona. It was a snarky, sarcastic laugh laced with evil intentions and a snobbish attitude. Her hands moved to her slightly exposed hips, her lips curling up into a wicked smirk. “You don’t like the way I treat my thing?” she jerked her head to the side, in Desdemona’s general direction, as she said ‘thing’ before continuing, “I don’t care what you think. I have every right to do as I please with her. But if you don’t like it, why don’t you do something about it, hm?” She took a small step toward him, her head tilted to the side just a fraction, her hair falling away to reveal a bright blue eye and four, soft pink marks – the remains of the damage that the tree branch had done to her face after her regeneration had taken effect.

Another whimper escaped Desdemona and she took yet another step away from the two. The way Letha was talking, everything in her body language, suggested that she was ready to start a fight. Desdemona didn’t want be dragged into their little tiff. She thought that maybe if she stayed away, Letha would fight him without her assistance. Though this was anything but true. Though, maybe there was a small chance now that the wind was picking up.

The smirk that Letha wore just grew more menacing as the wind began to pick up. This was perfect for the woman who could manipulate it. She barked another short laugh. “What’s the matter? Can’t handle a little storm?” She made no attempt to follow him, just stood where she was, watching him as he turned and started to walk away. “Aw. And here I thought you might be just a little fun. Too bad you're not man enough to stick around.”

[/blockquote]

[Leaf]

A twig snapped under Sëken's foot and he clenched his fist. That woman was so daring to taunt him. She was obviously picking a fight. He spun around and glared at her. "Fine. I don't like it, and I WILL do something about it." He tossed his lyre to one side and stepped forward, moving his hand toward the hilt of one of his sword. 

The woods were really dark now and the wind swept hard. The trees swayed with the gale and dipped their branches. Lightning flashed and for an instant their faces were clear to each other. "So what about a little wind?" Sëken grimaced. "No better time to fight than now." He drew one of his blades while the scabbards rattled on his back with the sweeping air. His slow step quickened into a light pace which was followed with a jump as he brought the blade down.

[ninon]

Desdemona whined as she noticed the stranger turn back around. Slowly she shook her head as her pitiful whine turned into a desperate whimper. She knew what was to come now. There would be a fight. And there would be blood. Quickly, she pressed herself back against a tree, her nails digging into her skin. “L-Letha… P-Pl-Please don’t do this… W-We need to find Kegan.” Desdemona begged quietly but she assumed her voice was lost in the sudden gust of wind, which she guessed Letha had created.

Letha completely ignored the girl that was cowering over by a near-by tree. She couldn’t care less what happened to her. Instead, her gaze was intent on the man before her; her lips were drawn up into a wicked and delicious smirk, hands at her side, her fingers curled slightly resembling claws. The strike of lightning played off the metal talon she had on one thumb. A snicker parted her lips as she said, “Someone has a temper. Come on, then.” Suddenly, the air around her completely stilled before it exploded in a massive gust that traveled in all directions, leaving her as she demonstrated her power. For a moment, both of her eyes were visible as her dark red hair danced with the departing wind: one a peaceful blue, the other crimson as blood. The scratches that were once on her face completely healed.

With an agile step, she parried him, dodging the blade that was brought done. Waiting for him to land, she swiftly swung one foot out, hoping to knock it into the heels of his feet and in an attempt to sweep him up in to the air where her arm was waiting to come down onto his stomach if she had affectively pushed his feet out from under him. “Aww. You’re going to attack me with a weapon when I have none?”

Desdemona stayed where she was at, simply cringing with each motion of her traveling companion. She knew that the simple sweep to his feet was just a test to see how good this stranger was. If she needed her or not. Desdemona also knew that her little comment about his sword was just something to lure him into putting them away. A false security. A trap.

[/blockquote]

[Leaf]

The blade had missed. It seemed almost impossible the speed the woman had moved. Sëken cursed himself silently for challenging so bluntly; he didn't know the extent of his opponent's power at all. The taunting comment about his weapon was just a jeer, he decided. No one else was here anyway to see how gentlemanly he is, anyway. Not that anyone had really cared.

Before he landed, Sëken jabbed the sword into the soil and pushed off of it with his hands, bounding up and grabing a branch. He was now hanging from a tree with one arm and his blade next to the woman, rooted into the ground standing upright. Sëken felt something different, however... His mask! His mask had been removed somehow during the process for he was sure that it was still intact when the blade missed.

Sëken bit his lip nervously. Dangling, he couldn't reach his other blade very well and he might as well get attacked while he fumbled with it. Sëken decided that the fight would have to continue on the ground. He dropped and landed softly, but made no means to draw a weapon. "Fine. I have no weapon in hand. And judging by your speed, I wouldn't be able to draw it if you attacked me." He snarled with a touch of impatience caused by the woman's various comments and mockery. The wind around them drowned the sound until it seemed like a bare whisper. Lightning flashed again and thunder rolled and shook the earth with it's tremendous boom. Sëken winced at the sound because his ears were especially sensitive. Little did he know that he was falling right into a trap. Could he make it out alive? Or even the same way mentally?