Gwendolyn (Set during the time of her travels with Richard.)
"Are we there yet?" I have to bite my tongue to keep myself from releasing yet another groan, to resist the urge to turn around and smack Richard.
"It's our third day of travel, of course we're almost there."
"Well, you said we were almost there yesterday."
"Well yesterday we weren't at the Transfer Point. Now we are." I pause, scanning the dark area around us. It's as silent as ever since we're still in Timberleaf Woods, but we've reached the Transfer Point. Set within a clearing in the trees ahead of us is a large, stone compass, engraved with the markings and enchanted with the Stardust that will allow us to travel. I can feel it from here.
"Why did you stop?" Richard finally catches up to me, moving to stand by my side. I raise my eyebrows, nodding towards the canopy above our heads.
"Guardian Richard, I thought I taught you to observe your surroundings." He laughs, a sweet sound that makes the silence in these woods more bearable. These last few days have been... hard, to say the least. Every time I bring up the Elemental Gems or the Gloaming, Richard will change the subject. Every time he talks about us, I have to get him to stop talking. It's a back and forth that's surrounded with a mix of our feelings, which can't be good. I'm not supposed to have any.
Neither of us have moved, and rather than studying the woods or the Transfer Point or any possible threats, I've switched to studying Richard. I've been letting him wear my cloak ever since we started travelling together, but for some reason he still looks worn out. His eyes have a rather tired aura, and his hair is more tangled and free than usual. He's not exactly the same person he was before, not since...
"Are you done observing your 'surroundings'?" I freeze, watching as he smirks and turns so that I have a better view of him. "I'm fine if you look a little longer." I move my eyes up and down but then bring my hands to my face, blocking myself from view as I swivel the other way. Not this again.
"That wasn't my intention-"
"Aw, did I get you flustered? That's the fifth time today, and it's only the third mane quarter." I scowl when he laughs, moving closer and wrapping his arms around me from behind. I can feel heat moving towards my cheeks, but I'm glad he can't see my face when he speaks again, burying his head into my shoulder. "You know we don't have to do this. You don't have to go to this ceremony, you don't have to..." he drifts off so I slowly drop my hands from my face, frowning even though Richard is so close.
He still wants me to quit. Of course he does, as I referred to him earlier, he's a Guardian. I... I was a Guardian too. But not anymore. I have to do what my father wants, that, or be killed. I'd rather take my chances with the Gloaming, but Richard is making everything so much harder. Why, why did I have to grow feelings for him? I can't kill him, I can't push him away. I can't seem to do anything the way I'm supposed to when he's around me. I let him hug me for a while, studying my arms while he holds me.
My burns have gotten a lot better. Ever since Richard, well, made them, I haven't been able to feel the pain as much. Not with the layer of water I've been keeping around them all the time. I admit, it's tiring, but it's better than the alternative. And Richard's bands have been keeping him in check, keeping his powers at bay. Although lately, he hasn't tried fighting against me. He's been acting more like he is right now. Which is... a bit strange.
I squint my eyes at his hands, which are holding each other in front of my stomach. I place my hands on top of his and I can feel him tense up, but I'm not doing this for the reason he thinks I am. His bands. I carefully lift his wrists, straightening up. Richard senses the change and lifts his head from my shoulder, but I keep a firm grip. His bands. How did I not notice before? A cold smile reaches my lips as I study the small sliver in the metal, the scars in his skin from the cut he made. He did this with my Thunder Stone, didn't he?
I don't have to say anything as I turn to face him, pulling away from his embrace but then grabbing his hand again. I hold his arm up to his face, forcing him to stare at the bands. After a moment he seems to realize what I've found, but he only shrugs at me.
"I'm surprised you didn't notice earlier." I clench my teeth, shrugging back. So this is what he's been planning. He's only been trying to distract me. All this time.
"So am I." He wrenches his arm from my grip but not before I can kick out my leg, thwacking his ankle with my foot. He stumbles to the side but catches himself, ripping off his bands and reaching into my cloak. My cloak. My weapons.
I duck, anticipating his move before he can make it. I can sense something sailing over my head but I ignore it, my hair flying as I lunge for Richard, aiming for my cloak. If he escapes now, he'll get to the Gem before I do. He crouches down and strikes the ground with his arm, sending an overwhelming whirl of dirt and leaves flying at me. Even though I'm blinded I still move forward, and I manage to grab cloth in my hands. I've got it. But not him.
I change my direction, dashing towards the Transfer Point. Richard's already there.
"Aval-" Before he can finish yelling out his destination I tackle him, dropping my cape to free my hands. I can hear him grunt when we hit the stone of the Transfer Point but I only draw water to my fingertips, shifting my weight now that I'm kneeling over Richard's chest. I keep a hand by his neck, lifting the other so that it's aimed at his face.
He doesn't move. He doesn't say anything, he only breathes heavily, carefully looking back and forth between my hand and my face. I squint at him, trying to remain light so that I'm ready to move.
"Why did you stop?" He smirks in response to my question, sitting up so that his face is right in front of mine. I nearly lose my balance since I'm sitting on him but I hold my ground, glaring at him instead.
"Gwen, I thought you taught me to always make the best of my situation?" He leans closer, scanning my face.
What's he doing...?
I stare into his eyes, lowering my hands as my breathing becomes heavier. But I end up gritting my teeth when he laughs, and I can just barely feel his breath on my lips before he shifts his gaze to the sky and yells.
"Avalon!"
Not a moment after he's yelled I'm surrounded with a bright light, and then darkness as I feel my body, my spirit, drifting away. He did it. We're on our way to Avalon now. We were in contact with each other when he yelled, so we'll appear together again. I float around for quite a bit as we Itinerate, but eventually I can feel warmth weaving through my body, bringing me back together in the darkness. There's light again.
As soon as I can feel myself on solid ground I force myself to move, the sound of chatter and movement reaching my ears. We made it. I'm surrounded by tall and shimmering buildings, and there are bustling people that fill the paved stone paths around us, even though we're in the early mane hours. It's very crowded here in Avalon, with colorful structures practically layered on top of one another, all of them decorated with gems and pretty items that make them stand out. I would enjoy it if it didn't mean so many places to hide.
I let my eyes scan the crowd, backing up so that I can blend in with them. I need to find out where Richard went, but I also need to make sure no one recognizes me. I glance at my Tydor, the diamond bracelet around my wrist. After taking a deep breath I focus on where and how I'm walking, and what my objective is. I need to stay hidden. Blend in. Just long enough to reach my target. After a bit I can feel my surroundings fading, becoming blurry. I've covered myself, and I should be hidden. For how long, I do not know. This usually works better on Earth with humans and their weak eyesight, but this Realm is a different case.
I keep my eyes trained on Valon's Palace, on the sparkling arches and towers that dominate the sky. Lily's ceremony will be held there soon, but the Inferno Gem is hidden right beneath it. Richard knows that, and he knows I'm aware of its location. So why is he letting me tail him, if he wanted to get away so badly in the first place?
My eyes follow the edges of my cloak, which will swish around a corner the moment I get anywhere too close. He must have grabbed it earlier, which I admit surprises me. If his bands have been broken since the beginning of our travels, he's been planning something for quite a while. I was a fool to not have noticed, but it makes me curious as to what he's trying to do.
The next time Richard makes a turn I keep heading straight, weaving between passing people the best I can. I know these streets better than he does. I speed up my pace, eventually jogging and making different turns until I know I'm ahead of him. I smile when I see him walking towards me down the middle of a narrow path, passing empty shops that still have yet to open today. He has the hood of my leather cloak over his head, which flattens his blonde hair and pushes more of it over his eyes.
He's glancing around nervously, focusing on the Palace just as I was earlier. Meanwhile I... I'm focused on the alleyway ahead of us. As soon as Richard is close enough I release the Tydor's powers so that I'm visible, rushing forward and grabbing him, pushing the both of us until we're in the alleyway. I make sure to move quickly, pinning him to the wall with one hand and reaching into my cloak with the other. I smile triumphantly, pulling out my dagger and holding it against his cheek.
"So tell me, was this your plan?" Unlike before he doesn't laugh or come back with a witty reply, he just shrugs again, raising his eyebrows and avoiding my gaze. I press my arm against him with even more force, making sure that he won't move. "Break your bands, then what? Escape me and... contact the Guardians? Get the Gem without my help?" I'm unsure of what to do when he only bites his lip in response, turning his head even more so that he's not looking at me.
I drag my dagger carefully along the side of his jaw, moving his chin with it until he meets my gaze. I tilt my head at him when I finally have his attention, lowering the dagger when he remains silent.
"What? Do I have you speechless or something?" A triumphant feeling fills me when he smirks, closing his eyes. I let go of him, taking a step back. If he was planning to fight me, he would've done something already. There's no one else in this area, so he could've gotten away easily too. With a sigh I tuck away my dagger into the folds of my thin dress, leaning against the damp wall behind me. "What's up with you? First you're desperate to fight me off, but then once you escape me you don't leave-"
"I can't help it." He crouches down, running his hand over his mouth and throwing off his hood. The angry tone of his voice nearly makes me flinch, but he only glares at the ground by my feet. "How long have I known you, Gwendolyn? Almost... almost all my life?" I'm almost scared to look him in the eye when he decides to gaze up at me, tears in his eyes. "How can I miss someone so much when they're right in front of me?" He wipes at his face with his hand again, pulling the hood of my cloak further over his head so that I can't see him.
It's silent for a while. I don't know how I'm supposed to respond. He's still crouching at my feet so I stare ahead of me, at the alleyway wall. The feelings that are flooding my chest right now... they're dangerous. They threaten to bring tears to my eyes, but just like Richard, I can't help it either. I know what he's talking about. How can you ever see someone the same when they've betrayed you, when they choose the side that you're fighting against. I can't even explain to him why I can't, I can't.
I can't...
I let myself drop to the ground beside Richard, leaning my head against his shoulder.
I'm facing the wall opposite him, so he can't see me. He rarely sees me like this, with silent tears streaming down my face. Deathflow. Gwendolyn. Head Guardian. Who am I, really? What am I trying to do anymore? Survive? Please my father, when he barely cares for me anymore as his daughter now that he's known as Ghostclaw? I shut my eyes, taking a deep breath and lifting my head from his shoulders.
"Just between you and I..." I wince when I feel the diamonds in my skin beginning to burn. The symbol of the Gloaming. They were implanted in me as soon as I proved myself loyal to them, but now, I can feel them. I go silent, the diamonds bringing me back to my normal sense of awareness. To my purpose. I shouldn't be doing this. I'm not supposed to be this weak, I'm not supposed to have these emotions. "This didn't happen." I stand up, wiping my face roughly and glancing at the buildings outside of the alleyway. We need to get to the Palace and get to the Gem...
"Gwen." Richard grabs my hand, standing up with me and turning so that we're facing each other. His teal eyes are a bit red and puffy now but it doesn't bother him as he takes off my cloak, lifting it up and twirling it around until he can place it on my shoulders. "I... don't know what's happening to you. I don't get why you changed, or why you did what you did. If I'm being honest, I'd rather not think about it, but I know you haven't completely changed. And I know that the front you're putting up isn't really you." This time I stay quiet as he speaks, looking up and into his eyes.
"I know you still feel the way you did before, so as hurt as I am right now, I didn't realize... I didn't think of how hurt you might be." When he pauses I'm unable to stare at him any longer, and I end up staring at his chest blankly as he continues. "I'd like to think that the Gwendolyn I know still exists, so if she's here, and she really needs to get the Inferno Gem, how could I leave? I can't help it," he laughs, "I can't seem to leave your side."
I'm pulled out of my trance when he backs away, sticking his hands in his pockets and leaving the alleyway. He meant that. He... I smile to myself, surprised at the feelings that come to me this time. Despite what's happened, despite our situation, I can't help but feel... happy. Happy that Richard cares, that he knows I'm still here. And he's going to help me. He'll always be there. It's so strange, I don't think I can ever fully leave his side either. And even with these diamonds burning my skin, with my father's threats hanging over me, it gives me a bit of hope.
Maybe one day I'll be able to leave this all.
I dart out of the alleyway, pulling my hood over my head as I catch up with Richard. Valon's Palace. That's where we're going. We've gotten off track, and so have my thoughts. I'm distracted... and yet I don't know how to fix it. As soon as I reach Richard's side I slip my hand around his arm, keeping it wrapped tightly around him as we move through the people that cross our path. We're getting closer to the Palace, and with Lily's ceremony starting soon, I know something big is going to happen. And Richard and I are going to cause it.
"It's underneath the Palace, right?" When I hear Richard muttering I nod, trying to keep my face hidden as we progress towards the castle.
"Right. Are you ready for this? There's no going back anymore." I glance at him when he nods back, speeding up his pace.
"I've made my choice." I laugh, speeding up with him now that we've reached the main route to Valon's Palace. It's right ahead of us. I'm not sure how much choice he had in the matter, but I'm glad to know he's with me on this, for now. We're going to get the Inferno Gem. We're doing this together. Together.
"Good. Let's do this."