Unfinished fairytale.:Amber.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen wiped some hair out of her face as she pushed Mae on the swing. Back and forth, back and forth. Since the girl's father had gone to jail, oh how she would do everything she could to get him out of jail, hadn't he gotten xavier? Killed him? There were so many rumors flying about these days and it was just...hard to know what was truth and fictional these days. Every rumor about Eryk, she had quickly nipped in the bud. She didn't want to hear things about him, she didn't want ANYTHING said about him, and she had made this quite clear when she had gone out with some friends for the first time, in what seemed years.

Yes. Cerridwen, actually let Minerva babysit, and she had gone out, they had gotten some drinks and just...talked and caught up, which had been quite refreshing for her.

Cerridwen needed to get over Eryk, he was gone. Dead. There was no bringing him back, no matter how much magic there was stored within the earth, unless she went on some quest or journey to find something, which she was NOT planning to do. Why? To bring Eryk back? To a world of unhappiness? He had seemed so...unhappy, and she was unhappy, and maybe it was because she hadn't been with friends in so long, her kind of friends, not his, not the pack but hers. It was a small thought, not that it mattered anymore.

Cerridwen smiled slightly as Mae told her to go higher and laughed. She was wanting to jump and fly...she could see it in the girl's eyes...even IF Minerva had told her to NOT do it...yeahh, Cerridwen hadn't been the best influence on Mae, teaching her how to defy Minerva's rule's...

"okay...jump on Un...deux...trois!" Cerridwn laughed counting off for her and letting hr jump, she flew, she was getting so much better at flying...and Cerridwen was so proud...and even when she heard the crashing of Mae landing in Snow, she was still proud.

Cerridwen hurried over to her and laughed. "Ahh you'll get better, it's harder to stay in flight when it's winter...you'll get better I promise. Fae use to go into something called hibernation come the winter months...but that was centuries ago, over...longer I'm sure, and...so that might be why it's harder, we're not use to it.." Cerridwen mused slightly, though not to brag but she could fly in about any weather condition, came from living with Minerva, and have Fae knight run the course of your veins, but she wouldn't tell Mae this.

Falling to the earth and landing on her but, Cerridwen spread out her arms and smiled. "A snow angel yeah?" She called spreading her legs and arms and moving them in a side to side manner, and for her arms up and down. "You know...it's always so hard to make a perfect snow angel...once you get up, you'll have the hand prints on her somewhere...showing you got up." Cerridwen murmured. She remained in the snow laying, just looking up, her body had become permanently numb. To feelings, emotions, for various reasons though we were all pretty sure as to WHY she had.

[eryk]

Watching from the shadows of the surrounding snow, and frost covered trees a form stood still. A thick cloak hid all features from head, to worn out boots. The child laughed and also formed a snow angel with the dark haired living angel beside her. But instead of trying to get up from the snow she rolled over grabbed a handful of the cold, white frozen water and threw it at her "adopted" sister. The child then jumped to her feet and ran giggling.

The cloaked figure clutched at its chest watching the playful scene wanting nothing more than to join it. The girl scooped up more snow to throw at the older girl, the lovely woman. She laughed and taunted but when she turned enough the form caught sight of her eyes. Those eyes tore at the figure's cold, and lonely heart. Eyes of innocence lost, of abandonment; eyes that belonged to a person three times her age. Of course she still acted like a child for that is what all expected, and that is what she was. But in the course of her life she had grown faster than most.

As she ran and laughed the cloaked figure felt the distance grow. That world didn't welcome its tattered body, nor did that figure fit into that child's life any more. Then its eyes went to the most beautiful thing, being, person, woman ever to lay upon. Cerridwen was taking care of Mae. Just as it knew she would. But never again would the figure enter her world. But watch from afar. To protect the ones it loved most.

The girl froze in her playing staring into the forest. Right where the figure stood, but the cloaked figure knew she couldn't see the form. She might sense it, feel it, for she always was good at those sorts of things. Or maybe she had more of her mother's blood in her, and could smell the stench of an unwashed body. After a few moments she turned walking toward the house. The figure heard her heavy words, even from the distance.

"He's not there, Maelee. He's never going to be there." She hugged herself started to turn then stopped. "Cerridwen, I want hot cocoa. Can we go inside? I suddenly got very cold."

The figure stepped farther into the shadows its heart hardening with each step the child took toward the cabin. Solitude was certainly a lonely business.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen lay in the snow her arms spread to either side of her as she lay, she thinks about...life. The world. Her flowers. "Maelee!" She laughed as she felt the thud of snow land on her stomach and she shook her head. "Oh Maelee! I'm going to get you for that one!" She laughed sitting up now smiling "Mae! You get your!!" She smiled standing up and throwing a ball of snow back at her laughing and missing and hitting the house instead. When Mae turned and looked into the forest, Cerridwen gave her a peculiar look and hesitantly turned towards the forest. "What...what are you looking at mae-bee" She asked turning and tilting her head. A new nickname she had give her adopted sister.

When she didn't reply Cerridwen shook her, diminishing her own hopes and thoughts. She didn't say anything but she looked to Mae who was suddenly cold. "Alright. Your going to get ill if you come out here again without warmer clothes!" Cerridwen scolded and nodded "I'll make hot coco in a few minutes...you go in and shower and get warmed up, hang the wet clothes, and I'll be in in a few minutes" Cerridwen instructed. "I have to check on a few oh my plants...." Cerridwen filled in. Smiling assuring Mae, Cerridwen fluttered her wings and moved away towards the edge of the forest, eying a few of her plants making sure they're doing alright against the winter.

Cerridwen checked over various plants, lastly coming to her roses and looking over them with a critical eye. Kneeling she let her hand move in, pricking it on a thorn and letting the various drops of blood fall to the earth, staining the pristine white snow, the red deep set against it. "Oh bother..." She murmured as she continued to tend to them.

A thought bothered her...what was in there. She looked up, narrowing her eyes thinking she saw something but shook her head and waved it off with a flourish of a hand. The very hand that could have almost blended into the snow. Cerridwen had porcelain features, very similar to the snow, though her's were soft and the snow was bright, and hard to explain. Sighing she stood and looked at her roses before turning back towards the house.

[eryk]

Still the figure watched in silence as the girl nodded and continued to the house. At the door she stopped, turned and stared into the forest. It was as if their eyes met drawn out in time until she shivered, shook her head and went inside. Losing that piece of memory to watch the cloaked figure's eyes turned to the woman. A woman who's hair shone like a raven's wing and skin that put shame to the moon. Against good reason the form moved forward, closer to that marvelous woman.

The scent of her blood hit almost quicker than the sight of it. She ignored it seeming not at all bothered by the fact that she had been hurt. The thought of her being in pain brought the form closer. How its vocal cords yearned to speak her name, to call out to her. But that would only bring her pain, it pain. The cloak tightened around the body it hid as it shrank behind a tree. Eyes locked on her as she left it figured she wouldn't turn back. There was nothing to turn back for.

So moving carefully through the dead underbrush, snow, and shadows the figure was within feet of the place she used to be. It watched her retreating back with lightning in its veins. A trembling hand reached out and touched the blood stained snow. Her blood. The hand's fingers dug into the cold, whiteness lifting the stains and holding it close. The hooded head lifted shadows hiding the face beneath.

Standing after retrieving this small piece of her the figure started slipping back into the shadows where it belonged.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen shook her head scolding herself. Thinking such thoughts! He's not coming back! He's dead. Why! Why are you torturing yourself this way. Punishing yourself you shouldn't be punishing yourself for. It's not your fault! Her inner ego tried telling her, over and over, her mind screamed this, and yet...her heart refused to listen. For once it was her head talking sense and her heart that wasn't acting right. Cerridwen lifted a hand to tuck a soft stray piece of hair behind her ear, and disappeared into the warm, cozy cottage.

"Mae!" Her voice could be heard calling as she moved through the house into the kitchen and sighed. Her clothes, were wet and cold, and she was sure going to get ill. Oh what a bother this winter was becoming.

"Mae...the hot coco willl be ready soon...and I need you to help me take down the tree and take the remainder of your gifts upstairs please..." Cerridwen called up the stairs and continued heating the milk as she moved about the kitchen pulling out vegetables, and chicken, chicken soup it will be tonight. In hopes to cure the oncoming illness and keep it an easy-going night. Minerva will be home later...after dinner like always and then she would go to bed and Cerri would leave the house for a bit and wander, perhaps paint tonight...that seemed like a lovely idea.

Cerridwen wasn't afraid anymore. Not to wander by herself in the dark. To be alone. She'd always be alone. She needed to learn to take it, and not let it get to her. That was that.

Sighing, Cerridwen wearily moved through the kitchen starting another pot, and starting the soup, and dicing up the vegetables as she waited for Mae to come down from her shower.

[eryk]

Rushed footsteps came down the stairs as Mae rushed to get to Cerridwen. A box was in her hands. A wooden box with ornate carvings and a silver latch. Eyes wide she almost tripped on her way to Cerridwen tears streaming down her face.

"I found it in my bedroom!" Trembles shook the poor young fae's body. She only knew two people who carved like that her father and..."It can't be from Da. Cerridwen! It can't from Da!"

Maeleeown screamed like she was trapped in some sort of sick twisted game, or a nightmare. Who would plant this in her room? Who would leave such a harsh memory? She hadn't dared to open it but a card had come with it. Shaking she held out a crumpled piece of paper with her name scrawled on it.

"There's one in your room too. Cerridwen...what..what does this mean?" Mae sobbed falling to her knees the box still held tightly in her hands. Finally she opened it the world around her fading away as she did. Inside was a silver necklace with a butterfly pendant of silver and sapphire. She loved butterflies because she always felt like one because of her fairy wings. Another note...For the most beautiful butterfly. She cried, and sobbed dropping the box and covering her face. Only Eryk knew how much she loved butterflies. Who would do this? Leave this? Did it mean? No. It couldn't mean.

Jumping to her feet she ran from the cottage. "Eryk! Rykie!" Eryk!" Screaming into the forest her barefeet crunched the snow but the cold didn't touch her. "Brother!"

The cloaked figure watched and waited then doubled over at the screams. It had been a mistake to leave those gifts after all.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen was about to call her again when she came running down. With something. She was happy. Excited...crying? "Maebee..." She murmured about to go comfort her when....she saw something. Then she grew angry. She grew furious. "No!" She screamed after Mae had stopped talking. "He's gone! Just--" Then Mae was out the door, and in her bare feet running. Oh no. "Mae!" She screamed not out of anger but fear. She wouldn't let the other Davidson child get hurt, she would protect her forever if she had too, she wouldn't let Mae get hurt nor sick. Quicker then a humming bird, Cerridwen was out, flying after the girl, swooping her up in her arms, regardless of how much she struggled, how much she pulled, Cerridwen wouldn't let her get past her rose garden.

Taking her back inside and closing the door Cerridwen sat her down glaring, her nostril's flairing, she was quite angry. Cerridwen wasn't one to yell and get angry, but the entire situation just, it messed with her head. "Eryk!" She said loudly. "Is GONE!" She concluded. "He does not live, he does not breathe! Any longer!" She glared at the girl.

With that, Cerridwen made sure Mae stayed in her sights the rest of the night, All through dinner, Mae was angry at Cerridwen, she could tell, but she didn't care. Eryk was gone. He was dead. He was not among the living. He took his last breath. No more were to be taken. No more words to be spoken, he was gone. Simply gone. So when it came time to go to bed, Cerridwen was denied access into Mae's room, and instead Minerva tucked her in, something that surprised Cerridwen but didn't bother. Once Mae was in bed, Cerridwen passed along the message to keep a vultures eye on Mae and to NOT let her out of the house.

Cerridwen with that left the house. She couldn't stay there. She went to her room and had grabbed the box and had left. She knew exactly where she was going now. Going to their place. Unlocking the shed out back, Cerridwen grabbed...hmm..she would have to make two trips, she grabbed ten cans of paint. Three in each hand, on the first trip, and then four on one hand and a tarp in the other. Setting things up. She knew exactly what she was going to do. She looked at the walls as anger filled her. Anger. Frustration. Depression. She was in their room. She knew which walls exactly. These were the walls she wanted to take. A fiery passion took over her as she popped open the first can, a red one. The tarp strewn about but not really covering all the floor she made a noise of rage and threw paint at the wall, letting it splatter and then roll down, the drops looking like blood as it roll down a wrist. The walls the color of her wrists.

If she couldn't, no wouldn't cut herself, she would do it to the walls and once more she threw the paint until there was no more left in the can, and continued on, doing this over and over trying to take out her frustration, the box untouched, sitting by her ankle.

[eryk]

Of course Mae fought and screamed and cried. She barely ate, and refuse to speak to Cerridwen for the rest of the night. As soon as she had been brought inside she grabbed up her box and the necklace. She retreated to her room before dinner put the box on her bedside table next to her picture of her mother. Then she put on the necklace. This had to prove he was alive. Nothing else could explain it. Mae went through dinner in silence, then slipped into bed not even looking at Minerva. Her brother was alive and she was going to prove it.

The figure sat in a tree eyes watching the house, gazing into the windows. The poor child was in so much pain because of the gift. But at least she had something to remember her brother by now. It stared as Cerridwen came out to grab the paint, and it dropped to the snow to follow. Boot prints faded to paws prints then faded to bare human feet and back to boot prints. At the unfinished cottage edge they stopped as the figure climbed a tree. It waited for her to return hoping she would, and she did.

Moving from tree to tree the cloak form finally found a tree that could see her in the window. Again pain had been brought to her and the fault lay upon its selfish heart. Leaning forward to try to see better the weight was too much for the frozen wood. With a loud crack the branch broke and though hands grasped for something to grab onto they missed. With a short yell the cloaked figure fell to the snowy earth not even a hundred feet away from the cottage.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Taking another can of paint, tossing it, she could feel the tears, the anguish, everything building up in her and she just wanted it to go away. Disappear. Who was doing this to them. Who was torturing them like this. Leaving these....these gifts from hell for them to find! It wasn't Eryk. Eryk was dead! Sinking to her knees and crying Cerridwen buried her face in her hands, unable to lift another can. Two of the four walls were splattered with red and black, the two color's she coincidentally grabbed. Not on purpose but sheer luck, fate. To describe her fate. Her future. More heart-ache and the finally death.

Hearing the loud snap outside she froze, and then moved slowly to the window. Looking out, there was a figure. In the snow.

The culprit! Cerridwen, filled with anger and rage, moved swiftly through the house grabbing the box with her hurrying and once the cool air hit her face, she was already plotting to kill the one who was playing these sick games. "What is wrong with you!" She called to the figure. She could not see a face, it wouldn't help even if she did, fae could glamor, and she was sure it was a fae. Only a fae was cunning enough, and low enough to do this.

"Why are you doing this! To me! To Mae" She accused angry. She wiped her tears from her eyes and glared daggers at the cloaked figure. "I-Is This you-your i-idea of a sick joke!" She screamed at them. "To torture me! To make me believe Eryk is back! I saw him! He was dead! Dead in the forest! Stop! Pretending." She hissed. "If your asking for a death wish then your certainly doing a good job! I can help you easily" She gritted her teeth. Cerridwen didn't let him speak. She didn't want him to speak. "Leave us alone..." She paused "Or you will face my wrath." Cerridwen grew silent. She glared at the figure. The hood was over their face but she could tell there was a body under there, they weren't dead. She could see the rise and fall of the air that was passing through their lungs.

"You lay there! You breathe! You live! While everyday I sit and suffer! I loved him! He was taken from me! Every day you live, you breathe, that's one less day he doesn't get too! Consider yourself blessed" She sneered and with that turned to leave. To go back, put up the paint, watch the figure from a window, make sure they go awy.

[eryk]

The fall had knocked the sense out of the figure and it lay trying to regain normal breathing. It groaned and started to sit up partway through the angel's rant. She always did have a fast temper. It had regained it's feet as she stormed away but the box. She hadn't opened the box.

"Wait." The voice was raspy, as if gravel was the figure's main diet. "The box. Open it." The voice was low, deep, and dry matching the old appearance of the attire. A gloved hand rose to point at the box. Fear didn't enter the figure's heart for speaking. It's voice was so different now since last she heard it that it was certain she wouldn't recognize it.

"Please. A present should be opened should it not?" Disguised from appearance and sound the figure found some confidence. Besides it was a blessing to be able to speak to her. "Gifts are given to be opened an appreciate. Twould be a shame for a gift to never be appreciated." The figure took a few steps forward not even knowing if she was going to stop or not. Or if she was going to do as it asked. If she did she would find a ring, a simple silver band with her ancient tongue inscribed into it. Amin mela lle a'maelamin A note beside it in english. I love you, my beloved.

Not an engagement ring but a wedding band.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen moved through the snow, though it spoke, and she did listen, she didn't want to open the box. She was afraid of what was in the box. It could be anything. It could be everything. The box...Oh how it scared her. A wooden box. Something that could only harm her in the sense of giving her a splinter. He had a point. Then again, he was always leaving her sick twisted gifts, she would open it, in front of him, it wouldn't bother her. She would let him know it wouldn't bother her. Stopping and turning around and she promptly opened the box. "See nothi--" She stopped. Oh my. Oh my, my, my. Cerridwen shook her head. Looking at the note and the ring, she took both out and simply let the box fall. That wasn't where her attention was drawn to.

The ring. Why? Why was he doing this. By the sound of the voice, it was male. Older. He seemed like an older man.

Looking up sharply she shook her head. Her voice. She couldn't raise it. She couldn't do anything. "Why...why are you doing this to me" She finally whispered. Her voice came out soft...calm but wanting to know. She wanted answers.

"How long have you been watching my family...and why. Why are you following us" She whispered. Her voice, she would be surprised if he could even hear her, though in the silent night when not even a cricket could be heard chirping, it was doubtful that he didn't hear her. Her words were crystal in the night air.

[eryk]

The figure was a statue as she opened the box its eyes riveted on her. The reaction was much as to what was expected and it pleased the cloaked person greatly. To see her confidence melt as her eyes lay upon the ring. To know that her thoughts were most likely on a certain man who'd asked her more than once to marry her.

"A ring. How lovely. The person who had that engraved loves you very much." The figure cough and wheezed as it laughed. "Or I can only guess. Looks like a wedding band too. Congratulations, M'Lady."

Yes, confuse her. Make her believe that the being she spoke to wasn't the being who it was. "I've been watching you for so long. That I know you love flowers, painting, and have an older sister." Pacing the form hunched over as it spoke. "I know that these gifts hurt you, hurt the child. I know you pricked yourself on your flowers. I know you once thought yourself pregnant."

The figure froze the memory of that night flying through the mind like a wounded bird. Shaking its hooded head it turned to pace once more. "I do this because I am alone. I do this because one tires of shadows. I do this because I knew, and know the man who bought that ring. That carved that box. I knew and know the man, the boy, the wolf who's sister you care for like she was your own."

Once again the cloaked being stopped and faced her. "Death lies. Shadows hold secrets. And not all that is seen by the eyes can be held as truth. Did you see your beloved dead? Or was it a trick of the eyes? Did you check the wolf's ears? Dead lycans shift back to human form once dead, M'lady. Or did you not know that tid bit?"

The figure cough and laughed again its raspy voice not used to all of the talking. "Were you truly with child? Or was that another falsehood? Secrets, lies, betrayals cloak you, M'Lady. So much so you attract those who are banned to the shadows where those attributes breed." Stepping forward until the form was close enough to touch it bent slowly to pick up the box.

"This box took exactly a month to make. Passion, love, and lust went into its making. One shouldn't toss it aside so casually. For the box is as much the gift as the ring." Gloved hands shut the box and close the clasp then turn it over. On the underside was carved more words. Princess, I love you. Forgive me, but please remember I always loved you. Always will. You're my soul mate. My beautiful, lovely, angelic soul mate. I will be watching over you always. ~E The hands held out the box to Cerridwen.

"The boy who made this made sure I got this to you. It was..." Should those words be spoken? It would break her heart all over again. but it had to be done. For her to move on. It had to be done. "It was his dying wish."

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen took a step back as he came closer. He was talking...talking of everything that has happened, everything that was true. Eryk and her, she had...and he had, and well they mad messed up. It hadn't turned into anything, it had been a scare but how did he know about that. She placed a hand to her stomach backing up once more as he took another step closer. Cerridwen narrowed the green eyes, the green eyes that bore into the cloaked figure's soul Trying to read him, figure out who he was. He laughed, and spoke as if this were a game. Maybe he was right...life was just one giant game. She didn't want to look at the cloaked figure. She couldn't see his eyes. If she could just see his eyes...she would be able to see, she could figure it out.

How...how did he know all of this. All about her...them. "He did love me." She murmured. "He still does." She nodded solemly. She knew even if he wasn't among the living(She couldn't bring herself to say the word 'dead' anymore) that he still loved her. Even in death she would love him, she had promised him that, she had said she would love him forever, and she had meant it. Who knew...something as small as meeting in a garden could grow. Like a flower, it could grow from a seed into...a black rose.

When he continued, she shook her head. "Leave. Maelee alone." She muttered gritting her teeth. "You hurt her...and I will make it appoint to hurt you. In every way I can." She glared at him angry he would even bring up Maelee. "Don't...EVER bring her up, don't go near her" She wanted to attack him right then and there but controlled her anger, but if he kept doing this, he was in for a whole lot of pain coming his way.

"Why us though...why can't...why can't you do it someone else...we've suffered...so much pain. This pain, this ring, it's just something I'll never achieve, my wish, to marry him, and be with him, and our dream of children and the house...your just proving to me it's not happening. He's gone." With that she listened closely to everything he said. Lies. Death. Shadow. "He's gone. He's not coming back. " She said bitterly her heart knowing this. Cerridwen refused to believe the lies of a lycan shifting into human form once it's dead. She didn't want too, though now it was time for some trickery of her own. If he was allowed so was she.

"I haven't said anything about a child in the last month. Not to anyone. I have hardly thought it myself. Only I would truly know...it's after all you said...only been a month." She murmured. "How can you be so certain" She asked arching a brow.

Though at the mention of the box, her thoughts of trickery, deceit were gone and replaced with new anguish. She read the box, her arms, and knees quaking until she heard his last few words and dropped to her knees. She wept. Wept, her tears falling the white covered earth as crystals, even her wings drooped and sagged. She cried for a good while before realizing.

"You lie..." she uttered through her tears. She looked up to him. 'You said...earlier. I know the man, I knew and know the man...how can you know him when it was his dying wish. He's alive. You know where he is. Please...tell me." She whispered. "Please..." She looked up to the cloaked figure...if this was one time she would be able to see his eyes, it would be now, so she could see Eryk, bring him home, try too, but...he couldn't be alive. She had...she had seen it. Him. "I'm so confused..." She murmured, the ring still in her hand. It hadn't left her tight grip, and she dearly wanted to place it upon her finger, wear it. Cerridwen continued to weep. She was at the strangers feet, but she couldn't care anymore. She needed to let it all out.

[eryk]

"I mean no harm to the child. She is a precious gift and will not be harmed by me or anyone if my hands can stop it." Under the hood the being watched her and wished that this pain didn't have to be. But it had to be to push her away. "I already told you why I do this. You and your family intrigue me. Draw me from my solitude to gaze upon your sorrow, your grief, and you smiles."

It laughed again at her mentioning of his knowing about the child. "I know the boy, he spoke so much of you I wanted to remove his tongue at times. He spoke of a child. I watched you to see if you went to a doctor, a healer. Watched what you ate. Watched to see if you developed morning sickness. Nothing that I witnessed told of a child, but I could be wrong."

Pacing once more it waved its hand in the air back as straight as any young man. "Yes, the one you loved, love so much is gone. Never to return." The cloaked being stopped then hunched over as she fell to her knees. It did not step any closer now but seemed to cower from her tears. The weeping brought the arms in close to the body and the form leaned away from her as if in pain itself.

"I do not lie." Whispers all whispers now. From the shadows it saw her looking upwards and it lifted an arm over the hole where a face might be seen. "Do not try to gaze at this face, M'Lady. Horror, pain, and confusion only lies within the shadows of my cloak. The man you loved is gone just as you said. Dead. If you seek him you shall fail."

Stumbling away from her the cloaked figure retreated for the trees, for those welcoming shadows. "Confusion breads in clarity. You know all you need to know to find the truth. The answers to your questions. All lies within the words I've said. The words on the boxes, and the gifts within. You wish to find the man who made them, gave them?"

The booted feet stopped its back to her. Hands lift in front of a shadowed face. Hunched over then straightening again shifting between what appeared to be an old man to a young one. The figure turned strength exhuming from each step. The being bent to grab her arms and lift her its head bowed to keep its face hidden. Though so close she would see a cloth wrapped around the neck disappearing into the hood's shadow.

"The man you love lays scarred, broken, and cloaked in darkness. He cowers at the sight of day, and shies flowers away. The man you knew is dead and gone what is left is lies, secrets, and death. Just like I have said. All he knows is that, and that is all he is given." Dropping strong hands from her arms the figure takes a few steps back. "I feed him. I tell him of you. He twitches but never speaks. One part of his left ear is missing. And he barely see from one eye. But that is what is left. Not the man you love. But what death has left in its path. So leave him to his shadows. Keep him how he was in your heart. And move on."

The cloaked figure turns lifts its head to look at her once again then starts to leave once more. "Move on toward life. Leave death where it belongs. Cloaked in shadows. Truth lies within my words. Can you decipher it?"

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Listening to him, as he held her she looked up into him, fear in her eyes as he held her so close. She moved a hand to reach out and touch the cloth, she wanted to reach for the hood remove it, see who this cloaked figure was. When he left her and started leaving she she flew forward, darting ahead oh him. "I'm not finish" She snapped tears still in her eyes, though not crying anymore, she had them, there. "Are you telling me your death?" She asked finally being blunt. "Because if your death, then take me. If your not then you have just wasted my time." She murmured and looked to the snow. "I'll find him. And when I find him, I will kill you." She nodded looking to the snow and looked up to the figure. "Your familiar. Your...tone. Your words. I've already put Xavier on his death bed, I wouldn't doubt my drive." She murmured and shook her head.

"If you try and stop me, then plans will change, and I will kill you now. Your keeping him from me. From his family. That's isn't okay. Actually, that's just not, no." She said trying to speak calmly.

"How I take Eryk, and how I love him is my business." She snapped. "If he's not the same well I'll learn to love it. I learned to love him, from the quirky smiles, to the tears, to the phases he had, I learned. I did. There isn't a doubt in my mind, that I won't learn to love him know." Cerridwen shook her head pulling her hair back into a low ponytail, tying it back and looking to him.

"Cloaked in darkness..." She murmured to herself closing her eyes for a minute. "Riddles. You talk in riddles. I'm tired of riddles." Cerridwen murmured. She didn't raise her voice anymore. There was no point. No one would hear her, she didn't want anyone to hear her. This was her battle. Not Eryk's, not Minerva's. For once..this was all her's. She needed to be smart. Cerridwen needed to outsmart the other.

"You don't know the man I love. Stop saying you do. Stop acting as if you know who I am. You don't. Eryk barely knew who I was. He knew...facts...trivial things. Secrets, you speak so fondly of secrets. I'll let you in on a secret. I have many secrets of my own..." She narrowed her eyes. "I ask you...where is my hero...in my time of need once more. You say he's...gone. He's dead. He's not. I can only thank you, renewing this fire within, I will find him." She spoke calmly. "And when I do I'll prove you wrong. I promise you that." Cerridwen nodded slipping the ring onto her finger. The ring was real. This was real. "That box, it's words, that's not going to help me find him.

"I think I've deciphered enough for one night..." She muttered looking down and then once more up to his cloaked face. She narrowed her eyes still, she had taken his words in, trying to figure out who he was. He had...split personalities. He was two people. Two people were speaking to her, that much she had pegged.