Garrum's Beginning

[Closetmonster]

Her questions were one upon the other and he felt his frustration rise. He stared at her and then at his leg. She wanted the mark on his leg. A scar then? But was there a -

And yes, there was. He knew there was, though he often ignored it. Along one side of his left calf, a scratch. It had been but a scratch, even years later, he told himself this. He'd went to his father's tower, had gone to the top room where it was kept, the figure which remained formless and yet kept horrifying form all the while. It remained bound even now, behind a wealth of Knots, each one binding it to the niche it crammed itself into, if legend were to be believed, in order to escape the magics flying all about it. They'd long since forgotten its name, the figure, yet each king had been given, one after the other, the edict to keep the knots upon it, keeping it under lock and key.

A key he'd stolen when he was only fourteen. He'd gone to see it, had looked upon it, had seen into its rocky face, into its sightless eyes, and he'd fallen in his fourteen year old imaginative fear. He'd leapt back, felt as if it somehow had reached out and grasped his leg, somehow. It had been only a chair though, he reassured himself, the touch on his leg. He'd gained a small scratch, and that the scratch had yet to have disappeared, it reminded him of what his father kept watch on and he had not once again gone to the room.

She remained like a like statue at his side, her hands in her lap. He ran his hands into his hair and gazed at her, her sightless eyes glittering in the firelight. "I only wish for a kingdom if it is my fate," he struggled to say. "I do not want my father's or my brother's kingdom if it is in their hands, not at ... Lady, you confuse me. You seem to know a great deal, yet you ask me questions I feel that I cannot answer for I do not know the answer you wish to hear." He tugged hard at a lock of his hair and gave a frustrated grin. "You're a lovely woman, Lady Arina, and as mysterious as your name."

[Bekah Boo]

"The answer I wish to hear is merely the one you have found within yourself. I can not simply tell you such things Garrum, it is you that must decide for yourself which answers are truly the correct notions."She started off quietly, the questioning of the obvious scar coming to an end it seemed though it may be for the better. In all it was yet another wavering hint, for it's fateful encounter could perhaps shed light to the answers he so desperately sought. " I am merely one to help guide you in the direction you so seek, though the answers you do search for are not within me but yourself. If you so wish for a kingdom to rule you must first look deep inside and find what it would truly mean to be a ruler...do you understand?"She mused softly as ever, the somewhat frustrated and nervous rustling of his figure before her causing the dewy lips of her own to curl into a unwavering smile.

Placing a cool hand gently against his knee, the once bitter flesh of her form had indeed warmed to some degree as the once untouchable angel all but seemed approachable within her state of mortality on the rise. It did not burn nor sting his person at the contact, the woman becoming almost human like before his very eyes."I thank you Garrum, such sweet words I have not heard in some time."the small laughter echoed within her throat, pallid eyes shifting to the cave floor as she rest her small chin against her bare collar bone. "Yes...mysterious..."She repeated quietly, the idea seeming quite truthful in thought now as she let an easy sigh pass by half parted lips.

"You could say I represent the winter air, the fresh fallen snow upon the earth, the mother of the bitter winds that burst forth to sting the faces of those who travel...I am both beautiful and dangerous Garrum...never forget that..."She cooed quietly, withdrawing her small hand to retreat back into her lap as she came to rest fully back to instead draw her legs under herself.

[Closetmonster]

Garrum heard the crypticism and he laughed softly, shaking his head. Winter air, fallen snow, true, she was like ice and he almost believed she was something other than a vessel for some innate magic. Still, she was human enough.

He leaned closer to the fire, warming himself and eyeing her. "So you are a helpmate to me," he said finally. "By whose authority are you suddenly here to aid? Not that I wish for your aid to go away. Even if you were no aid, I would not wish for you to leave. You are easy on the eyes," he teased and then wondered that he wasn't being too forward. She was beautiful and the longer the fire was in the cavern, the more beautiful she became. She looked less like a statue of snow and more like a woman. It had been a very long time now that he'd been in the company of anyone so delicate and handsome to look at.

[Bekah Boo]

Raising a slender brow in the man's direction, she gave a small tilt of her head in question the rather awe struck expression twisting her features briefly."I am in my own authority, I am simply a guiding spirit one could say of the swamp lands...this is my home after all, and in doing so I hear all troubling tales from across the land and in turn try to ease travelers minds when they are in need of such."She mused off handily, pale fingers drawing against the intricate snowflake drops of her skirt that seemed to melt away within his presence."Though I must say, of all the travelers I had aided you are by far the most confusing...such words you speak are quite a riddle within themselves.."lips pouted if only for a moment, milky eyes flickering in his direction as she felt the fire give way in a puff of new found strength,making her recoil in her spot from it's power.

[Closetmonster]

Garrum paused and then smiled. "A spirit? So not for me, then. I won't admit I am disappointed, Lady Arina. Though I am." He leaned back somewhat, then took a breath.

"The fire, is it fire you fear or the warmth?" He hadn't at first felt safe to ask things of her, but the time had done a great deal to soften his wariness around her. She looking more and more human helped a great deal as well. It intrigued him, her changes. She was just as beautiful and obviously she did not want to be near to her magical fires, though it was warmer than the rest of the cavern.

Why was it that felt in so many ways as if he would never leave that cavern? It felt like a tomb to him, but in so many ways, it was a pleasant place of entrapment, so long as she was there with him.

[Bekah Boo]

The almost nervous demeanor had taken over the woman, her adjusted shift further upon herself made certain another flare up from the fire could not in turn spook her once more. Quietly swallowing, she gave a small shake of her head what senses that had been of use seeming to dull in the midst of her hazy thoughts. The question was clear enough however, as it would seem better suited for the woman to demonstrate rather than hastily explain the concept that loomed over herself. With a faint sigh at her lips, she brought her hands forward if only to offer them to Garrum as she dared only a fraction closer to the fire. It was enough to stand, the warmth licking at her elbow as she gazed forward.

"It's the warmth...the fire too you could say. Every passing season I grow weak...and must travel far from this place as the warming sun draws ever closer to the land to bring forth spring and summer.Thin fingers curling around his palms, the cool touch was easily placed against his palm further from the fire. The one hand that had been ghosting ever closer to the warmth in turn had began to heat itself, the human like quality indisputable as it resembled his own."If I were to remain so close..my life would indeed turn mortal...as I would no longer exist as the winter spirit but rather a woman in turn... winter would find a new life to be breathed through, as I would alas fade away into the mortal world..."

[Closetmonster]

Garrum gasped not at the almost warmth of her fingers, but the soft statement of her mortality.

"Then please, Lady," he stood and went to arrange things at a further spot for her to sit in. "Do not risk such things for my sake. I did not understand." In many ways, she was getting less and less cryptic and he feared for her. If she was indeed a vessel for Winter, then it was only fitting she'd have hidden a great deal from him. The winter did the same, did it not?

"Come sit, I shall not build up the fire quite so high," he assured her and returning to the fire, he began to push wood from the center of the fire to the side, attempting to make the fire die down. He certainly did not need quite so much heat or light.

When he was sure of things once again, he turned to look at her. She still seemed cool, but he knew that could change almost immediately. "How long have you been this?" he asked softly. He had always scoffed at his father's tales, had thought the Dragon Mount Seer was to be an old charlatan and the prophetess to be nothing more than a glory hound. Now, with this woman changing to life before him, he began to truly wonder.

[Bekah Boo]

Giving a small tilt of her head in question, the very notion behind his rather hurried actions seemed rather odd to say the least. It seemed almost tender really, his tending to the fire to put herself at ease for her sake while further putting himself out was noble at best, finding it hard to keep the sweet smile from her pout. The warmth that had once radiated out from the fire's powerful source slowly dimmed, the air cooling significantly as she gave a small inhale of approval.True she had willingly chose to sit by his side and therefore endure the licking flames, yet now the small guilt had begun to bubble up to settle in her mind.

"And what of you Garrum?You will catch your death if you settle anything more for my sake.."She mused quietly, the effect of the warmth now fleeting from her form helped ease back her once void filled sight. The milky orbs shifted gently, the crisp grey invading to flicker the scene before her at long last."It would take much more than a small fire as this to truly cause the ill effect of mortality.."hands smoothing over one another as she felt the flesh prickle once more in the cooling effect.Blinking up in question to the man, his next musing seemed to catch her somewhat off guard. It was true she had revealed much more to this single man than any that came before him, the very logic behind it seeming to not exist as she struggled to find simply why that was. Why did she feel the need to explain herself, reveal her weaknesses and above all leave herself quite defenseless?Even though the answer could not come to mind, she found herself spilling more truth from her lips.

"I have only known this life...those who are chosen give their mortality to embody the soul of winter, in turn they live out their life as the balance of life and death within the harshest of seasons. "She paused only for a moment, peering up to the man gently as she spoke."Each child that is chosen must give something in return..my sister before me gave up the use of her voice when her mortality grew close..I gave my sight if you could not see..."with a soft sigh, she drew a cool hand across his hand if nothing more as a king gesture for his caring act to appease her."You have heard the old tale have you not?They are true as I sit before you now...life is not always as simple as one would think..."

[Closetmonster]

Garrum smiled and leaned back slightly to get comfortable, simultaneously he pulled his cloak more securely about himself. "No need to concern yourself, Lady," he said in comfort. "It takes little to keep me warm and little enough to keep you from being in danger of losing yourself."

He glanced down at the chill her hand left behind on his. "Lady," he began slowly, realizing that in some manner, he was on the brink of whatever it was she had intimated when they'd first met: here is destiny, a tipping point and he cannot say he knows what it is he wishes from this all. "I have heard the old tales and I wish you were not here. I had hopes that my world made a greater sense than it does with your inclusion. But I will not flee from this. Thank you for opening my eyes. I wish I had known prior, for I may not have taken on this journey." He laughed softly. "Or perhaps I might have done so more carefully. I fear the blood which has been spilled. I've lost all of my followers to the swamp and I do not know or trust this magic which now directs me."

[Bekah Boo]

Her figure drawing out in her relaxed state, the timid sigh passed by cool lips the flutter of eyes taking in his regal form causing the gentlest of smiles to lace on her flesh. "It is a kind gesture Garrum...most would not be so willing after hearing such a story of my life..."She mused quietly, the idea bubbling within her mind at her odd confusion as to exactly why the words spilled so easily. It was a thought she would ponder much later, the invitation of his own thoughts to his journey drawing her attention as she carefully watched the relaxed man.

Tilting her head gently in question, moon lit eyes widened a degree the blossom of a coo on her lips as she felt the airless laugh pass from her throat."Is that so?Do forgive me for troubling your journey further Garrum..my intentions were to aide you any way I was able to..."She softly apologized, the small warmth flickering within her heart as she all but felt herself lose the battle to remain cold to his presence. It would be a grave mistake she presumed later on, but for now she rather enjoyed the small conversation, as light and delicate as it was it further probed into the minds of two strangers brought forth by the unseen force of fate.

Her features calming, she stared aimlessly to the lithe flames across the way, the wonderful embers breathing life with the cool air to create the flicker of climbing flames every so often. It was within the dim light did she spoke just as grimly, the caress of a frown troubling her lips as she cooed."The swamps can be a force to be reckoned with...those who do not have the will to continue on will truly fall through with the thought of failure on their minds..."swallowing quietly, she turned her attention back to the man for a moment as she smoothed over her skirt.

"So what will you do now Garrum?"