A/N~ It's been forever since I updated this... And I hate using caps for someone yelling, but the situation called for it...
The next morning, I woke up to a delicious smell wafting from the kitchen. Checking to make sure Adriana was still sleeping, I trotted out of my room and towards the smell, which turned out to be maids making blueberry pancakes. A couple of them nodded to me, others smiled, some glowered, a couple wanted me to introduce them to Adriana (which I did, much to the maids’ fright when they saw her personality) and one had the boldness to ask me if I was Master Taz’s new girlfriend. I told her no but couldn’t help grinning shyly, and she giggled and zoomed off. Speaking of Taz, was he up yet? I turned down the hallway to where I thought his room was, but it didn’t appear so. Instead, there was a smallish golden figure sleeping in front of his door. I crept up on it, curious, to see that it was a golden fox, sleeping with its head on its paws. I didn’t recall Taz saying he had a pet fox, and I was going to step over it to ask him, but then the door flew open, nearly smacking me in the face and sending the fox flying into the wall. I covered my mouth with my hands as Taz stumbled out, his hair messed up and rubbing his eyes. His gaze traveled from my horrified one to the fox that was sprawled on the ground and gave a small sigh. “He’s fine.” Taz heaved a great sigh before bending down to the motionless figure. “Come on, you’re not hurt, get up.” he snapped at the fox.
The fox didn’t take very kindly to that, because it sprang up and chomped down on Taz’s arm, making him yell. He sprang to his feet and the fox was hanging from his arm by his teeth, swinging slightly. “Get it off!” he yelled, shaking the fox back and forth. I nearly cracked up but poked the fox’s stomach. It growled, still hanging on. “Get off! And stay still!” Taz shouted and the fox detached itself from his arm, seemingly with chagrin. It plopped to the floor and sat there, curling its tail around its paws, as if with satisfaction. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought that it was smiling, almost wickedly. Taz’s arm was dripping with blood and he stared at the fox in disgust.
“Are you okay?” I asked Taz, trying to put on a concerned face unsuccessfully.
He glared at me. “This is what I mean about giving specific orders. I told him to get up, and he did, but chomped down on my arm instead,” he grumbled.
Whoa. “You mean this…” I poked the fox and he swatted me with its fluffy tail. “Is Kyran?” I asked in amazement and Taz nodded, frowning.
Kyran contentedly wrapped his tail around his paws again and proceeded to lie back down. “He’s a shapeshifter. He often sleeps in places where he’s more likely to get hurt, just so he’ll have an excuse to bite me.” I glared at the fox, which tilted its head slightly as if to say yeah, I do, so?
I bent down and looked up at Taz. “He looks fluffy. Can I pet him?” I asked Taz and he laughed.
“I guess, but if you lose a finger don’t blame me.”
So reassuring. “Kyran, can I pet you?” I asked the fox tentatively. I didn’t get a response, so I uncertainly placed a hand on the golden fur. A growl rumbled in his throat and I quickly ran my hand down the fur and retracted it. “He is fluffy,” I declared softly and Taz smirked.
“While you try and pet a monster, I’ll go and get some breakfast,” Taz chuckled and walked over to the kitchen, yelling for someone to get him a plate. Eh. Maybe a little snooty.
I stood up and brushed myself off and shot a pointed look at the fox, who was staring at me with one eye open. “If you’re not going to let me pet you, I’m getting breakfast,” I told the fox, frowning, and turned around.
I began to walk away but I felt something sharp on my hand. I slowly looked down to see Kyran had bitten my hand softly and was up on his hind legs like a circus fox, staring at me, my hand still in his jaws. “Yes? Do you need something?” I asked him frostily. He released my hand and curled up in front of me. “What, now you want me to pet you? Not going to happen, buddy,” I snapped, somewhat offended. He opened both of his eyes and looked up at me mournfully. “Don’t give me that look. You had your chance.” The fox’s eyes traveled from mine to the kitchen, at Taz, then back at me. I sighed. “I get it. You didn’t want me to pet you in front of Taz, right?” I got a blink, which I took as a confirmation. I rolled my eyes. As annoying and freakish as Kyran was in human form, he was positively adorable right now. I permitted a small smile and bent down, rubbing his silky back.
He relaxed, twitching one of his ears. I rubbed him behind the ears, and he brushed his tail against my hand. “So fluffy,” I murmured and I thought I saw him smile. “Vivien, you gonna get breakfast or what?” Taz’s voice called from the kitchen and Kyran lashed his tail as if in annoyance.
“Coming!” I yelled back and took my hand away regretfully and the fox sat up indignantly, and it looked as if he was trying to burn a hole in the back of Taz’s head just by staring at it. Before I could even think, I scooped him up in my arms and he seemed to settle down, curling his tail around my wrist like a furry bracelet. As I walked into the kitchen Taz turned and saw me and heaved a dramatic sigh.
He brushed the pancake crumbs onto the floor and smirked at me. “Kyran, you’ve made a new friend.” He reached out a hand and rested it on his furry head. Kyran snapped his jaws and Taz quickly pulled his hand away.
“Be nice,” I admonished the fox and he opened one eye, looked at Taz, then closed it again.
Taz reached out his hand again and Kyran permitted him to pet him for a minute. “He’s known you for all of a day, and me forever, and he lets you pet him?” Taz exclaimed, feigning hurt as I stroked the fox absentmindedly.
Just then, a man in a tuxedo and gigantic shoes, with white hair that was balding, along with wiry arms and a deep frown slipped into the room. He had unnaturally large bushy white eyebrows. “Master Taz, what is all that blood doing on your arm?” The man asked, frowning so deeply it left creases in his forehead. Taz still hadn’t cleaned up the blood on his arm, except that the blood had dried so it looked a lot worse than it really was.
Taz turned to me and mouthed the butler. Ah. The one who was always getting Kyran in trouble. “I accidently hit Kyran with my door and he bit me,” Taz explained hastily and the butler shot daggers at Kyran.
I looked down at the fox and he had his eyes open, wide. The butler held out his hand for me to give him the fox, his face stern and unforgiving. Kyran seemed to deflate in my arms and looked up at me with big eyes, as if to say, don’t do this to me. I hugged him a little closer and the butler raised one white eyebrow. “Give him to me, Miss Vivien. He knows he should stop physically assaulting Master Taz,” the butler said, proving what Taz had said earlier. I said nothing, not letting go. Finally the butler gave me an exasperated sigh and reached out a hand, grabbing Kyran by the scruff of the neck and hauling him out of my arms.
“Hey!” I yelled as the butler turned around, ignoring me, holding Kyran out to the side, facing me. He looked crestfallen.
“Just don’t look at him,” Taz murmured, also under the effect of the heartbroken stare. I glowered at the back of the butler before marching over to him and snatching Kyran back. The butler whirled around, a snarl creeping on his lips.
Seeing Kyran deflated and unhappy, I shot the butler what Raine calls my poison stare. It’s the look of pure hatred that seeps into your brain and makes you guilty for whatever you just did. The butler tensed at my look before turning away. “Don’t do it again,” he hissed to Kyran before stalking off, muttering to himself.
“Oh boy,” Taz mumbled.
“What?” I asked him, petting Kyran again, for his fur was all fluffed up and sitting down in a chair.
Taz laughed. “You protected Kyran from the dreaded butler. He’s never going to leave you alone now,” he told me with a grin.
I gazed down at the fox in my arms. “Is that true?” I asked him softly, and the response was a brush in the face from his fluffy tail. I smiled.
Taz stuffed part of his pancake into his mouth and smirked, one cheek full of food. “By the way, Vivien…”
“Mm?”
“About your little expedition to the rebellion?” Right. I had nearly forgot about that, as embarrassing as that was. I waved one hand in the air, shifting Kyran to my other arm, indicating that he should go on. “We, meaning my mom and my dad, have decided that I should accompany you.”
I was taken aback both by the statement and the sudden fluffing up of Kyran’s fur. I smoothed it down, trying to hide my shock. “Why?” I asked, keeping my voice controlled and level.
Taz smirked, as if he knew I was surprised. “Because you, my friend, have zero fighting skills. And it’s a dangerous world. Demons, as you have found out, shapeshifters, not many as friendly and as tolerant of people as the fox in your arms…” Taz trailed off and I hugged Kyran tighter. He had a point. Captain Adriana was probably the best fighter in the land, but until I could find a way to get her out of the mirror, she was useless.
“And you have… fighting skills?” I asked Taz uncertainly, still trying to smooth down Kyran’s fur unsuccessfully.
He nodded. “I can almost beat Kyran in a swordfight.” I raised one eyebrow. Almost? “Don’t look at me like that, he’s really good.” I looked down at the freaked out fox and pictured a sword in his jaws. The picture didn’t look right. “I’ll come with you, if you’ll have me,” Taz said, choosing his words carefully.
I sighed. “I suppose that for my safety, you can come with,” I told him, feigning disappointment.
He grinned. “Excellent,” he said satisfactorily. Then his gaze swung to the fluffed up figure. “And of course, where I go, Kyran goes too. I think that’s what he’s all freaked out about.”
“Are you scared, Kyran?” I murmured and he wriggled out of my grip and trotted away, coming back a minute later with a cursing Adriana in his jaws.
“GET THIS STUPID ANIMAL TO PUT ME DOWN, THE FREAKING-” Adriana was screaming and then Kyran jumped back up on my lap and offered me the mirror.
“What, you don’t like her?” I asked Kyran and he snapped his jaws in response.
“I’ve never even met the stupid animal before, how is he supposed to hate me?” Adriana growled from her mirror and Kyran chomped down on the mirror. “Hey! You break that and I’ll kill you and use you as a coat!” Adriana shrieked.
“I don’t know. I just met you and you seem to have anger management issues,” Taz informed her with a shrug. Kyran bobbed his head in earnest agreement.
“Have you tried being stuck in a mirror for three years? Didn’t think so.”
Taz sniffed and turned away. “So you don’t want to come because you hate her?” I asked Kyran and he bobbed his furry head, opening his jaws and dropping the mirror.
Adriana glowered up at me. “If it makes you feel any better, I don’t like you much either.” The fox seemed to shrug.
Taz had taken it upon himself to decide that we should leave after he practiced the sword with Kyran a bit, just to warm up in case any more demons attacked. So Taz was doing a couple practice swings while I hugged Kyran tightly, unwilling to let him go. It looked like Taz was pretty good and I didn’t want Kyran to be sliced and diced. “All right, my furry friend. Detach yourself from Vivien,” Taz finally said, ending it with a little sigh.
Kyran seemed to sigh himself and jumped out of my arms, twisting awkwardly in midair and landing lightly on the ground as a human. I noticed he had sported a pair of white gloves. Taz tossed him a sword and he caught it nimbly, ambling over to Taz, one hand in a hidden pocket. Taz looked more ready, a strong stance and his sword extended. Finally Taz lunged for Kyran, slashing out, but Kyran merely sidestepped and jabbed Taz in the side with the hilt of the sword, knocking the wind out of him. Taz stumbled forward, did a neat roll, and sprang back up.
Taz looked infuriated that Kyran had scored a blow, but Kyran was just smiling amiably. “He’s never this happy,” Taz grumbled, sneaking a sly glance at me. Kyran smashed the side of his head with the flat part of the sword. “Right, right, never take your eyes off your opponent,” he muttered and resumed focusing on the fight at hand.
I didn’t know who to cheer for. Taz slashed out at Kyran again, and he blocked it neatly, knocking Taz’s sword to the side and aiming for his stomach. Taz swung his sword at his head and Kyran drew his sword back, ducking and slashing out at his middle. Taz’s face was scrunched up in concentration, but Kyran’s hand never left his pocket. Finally Taz managed to get in the same hit, the hilt of the sword to the stomach. Kyran stumbled back as Taz slashed out at his head. I covered my eyes. When I opened them again, Kyran was on his back, a surprised look on his face, blood seeping from a cut on his neck and dripping onto his white hair. To my surprise, Kyran grinned broadly and jumped to his feet. With too many flashes of silver, Taz was staggering back and Kyran thrust his sword forward, only to have Taz block it at the last second, chest heaving. Taz slashed out again wildly, and Kyran simply took a step back, avoiding all the blows easily. Taz took a step forward and jabbed his sword forward, stopping the blow about an inch from Kyran’s throat. “Yes! I finally win!” Taz cheered.
Kyran grinned evilly and pointed down. While Taz’s sword was an inch from Kyran’s throat, Kyran’s sword was pressed against Taz’s chest at an upward angle, ready to go under his ribs and kill him. Taz groaned. “How do you do that?” he grumbled, tossing his sword down.
I quietly applauded from the sidelines and both boys grinned. “Both of you are really good. Better than anyone I know!” I exclaimed and Taz grinned broader while Kyran smiled smugly.
Taz shot Kyran a rueful look. “Yeah, he’s still the best,” Taz mumbled, aiming a shove in his direction. Kyran simply shrunk back into his fox form, chomped on Taz’s hand, making him yell, and trotted off. Taz gave me an openmouthed look. “There is something wrong with him,” he declared, examining the holes in his hand.
I smothered my laughter as Taz rummaged through the closet and pulled out a roll of bandages, proceeding to wrap up his hand. “Kyran!” Taz yelled, frowning.
Almost immediately, I felt something furry on my ankles and shrieked. Taz chuckled as Kyran slithered his way out from underneath my feet. I glared at the fox and he seemed to smirk and wrapped his tail around his paws delicately. “Kyran, you are coming with us. And that’s final.” The fox fluffed his fur up and bared his teeth. “Stop that,” Taz muttered and Kyran calmed down, smoothing his fur down and stretched, lying down on the ground, his only sign of annoyance his lashing tail. “You are coming,” Taz growled and Kyran growled back, not even opening his eyes. After a second, Kyran opened his eyes, staring at Taz with a baleful glare. “And that’s his ‘I hate you very much’ stare,” Taz sighed.
“Aw, do you hate us?” I mumbled. Maybe we shouldn’t force him to go. I mean, I know Taz is used to having him around, and he’s a good fighter, but if he’s going to be in a sour mood the entire trip…
But it was clear Kyran was dumping all his hatred on Taz and not me, because he sprang up and curled up in front of my feet. “God, he’s so attached to you,” Taz muttered, glaring at the fox, which was being scooped up. “Kyran, if you come, I’m sure that Vivien will carry you around once in a while,” Taz sang, eyeing me. I don’t care if I have to carry him around the entire time. He’s fluffy, like a giant plush toy. That got Kyran to open one eye. “You know that after we part ways you’re not going to get all this attention.” Both eyes were wide now, as if the idea of not being carried around and scratched behind the ears was too hard for him to believe.
Kyran puffed himself back up, his tail contentedly curling around my wrist. “Well?” I murmured, rubbing him behind the ears just for good measure.
After a minute, the fox nosed my hand and bobbed his head up and down. “You’ll go?” I asked him and he bobbed his head again.
Taz rolled his eyes as I squeezed the fox close to my chest.
About twenty minutes later, Taz was standing on the front doorstep, yelling for Kyran to hurry up. He was dressed in a black t-shirt and simply pants without his fancy shoes. He still managed to look pristine and high-class in peasant clothes, which irritated me, considering I had been wearing them all my life and still went around looking like I wore a smock everywhere. Taz’s parents didn’t come to say bye to us, and Taz had told me as he packed that they were sleeping and he didn’t want to disturb them. It disturbed me that he didn’t seem bothered that his parents didn’t want to say good-bye to him. A white figure skidded out of his room, slammed the door, locked it, shoved the key under the door, and very calmly trotted out and stood next to Taz. “Finally,” Taz grumbled, yelled bye into the house, got several goodbyes from the maids and even the butler who was passing by gave him a curt nod before glaring at me and squinting angrily at Kyran. Taz exhaled and shut the door. “So, you heading to the Wyld Wood?” Taz asked merrily, seemingly happy to be out of his house.
I nodded. “Yeah. It’s pretty far away,” I muttered unhappily. There was only one town between here and the wood, and unless by some miracle we’d be sleeping outside. Taz seemed to realize this fact and his mouth twisted into a frown before smiling again.
“No worries. Besides, we’ll probably stay a day or two here…” Taz pointed at the town on the map. “Before leaving again. We should be at the rebellion in a couple of weeks. Probably two.” I deflated. That long? I hadn’t even thought about the length of the trip when I left with Adriana, who was in my backpack in her mirror, eating more blueberries. Taz turned to Kyran, who was staring at the clouds with a strange sort of interest. “Hey.” Kyran tilted his head absentmindedly, showing he was listening but not taking his gaze off the clouds. “You got a sword, right?”
Kyran slowly nodded, patting the hilt of one that was sticking out of his backpack, not looking at him. “All right. Let’s go,” Taz sang merrily and shuffled down the walk and into the tall grass. Kyran snapped his gaze off the clouds and trotted after his master, while I happened to glance up. There was one storm cloud in the sky. And I scampered after Taz when he yelled for me; I could’ve sworn it was following us.