Shadowed Illusions
 

On the coast of the sea amid swirling mists and the spray of the waves lies a magical kingdom populated with beings of legends. The fae, fair folk, the little people, whatever name they may carry this is where one of their courts dwell. A people of dangerous beauty, too easily angered with wild hearts that most humans have a difficult time understanding.

Not so for Uriel. A white haired changeling taken from his home at a very young age, he remembers not his past with his parents. His first memory was a painful one of his binding to the royal family. Thoughts of that time suddenly crowded his mind as he walked trough the city of elegant buildings with their sweeping curves and delicate structures without a glance. Called by Queen Phryne he had no choice but to make his way to her palace.

No one bothered to speak with the grey eyed man as he walked briskly. Dressed in practical dark clothing he faded in with the grey stone of his surroundings, making even some of the fae wear startled faces as he passed them by. It was the same reaction Phryne's guard's wore as Uriel passed trough the doors of her throne room. Moving forward in the intimidating space, with it's unbelievably high ceiling and enormous pillars, the changeling knelt before the queen to wait for her command.

"Uriel, show my guest to the tower rooms and make certain that he finds them to his tastes. You will also act as his guide trough the city." The request wasn't unusual in itself. Whoever this was had some import, but the queen didn't consider him important enough to have her son be his guide. Or perhaps this person had already visited the city before. Uriel knew not, since his eyes remained upon the marble floors until the queen rose from her throne to leave the room. It was only then that he lifted his eyes to find the person whom he'd been assigned to guide, and protect. That was an unspoken task, something implicit in his summoning.

((Uhg, finally ><' sorry this took so long, I kept getting pulled away from my desk. I wanted to add more but I forgot what all I was going to post... ))

Standing before the throne in elegant silks, Heiro made an imposing figure, his tall form blending in with the stone as the light of day faded beyond the horizon. His dark eyes followed Uriel from between curtains of black hair as the changeling entered the hall, his pale face showing little interest as he was once again placed in the hands of the escort. It was the same each time, even though the dhampir mostly knew how to get to and from the important places of the city by now. However he knew there were plenty of other reasons for the Queen to keep assigning him an escort, few of which could be seen in a good light.

Not bothering to bow as the Fae Queen left the room, he rested his hand on the hilt of the blade that rested easily at his hip with an almost bored expression. He hated the pomp and circumstance of the courts, finding them a waste of time and usually completely unnecessary, but he had held his tongue as usual and was relieved it was all over He now moved towards the white-haired man, going down the low marble steps soundlessly, his movements sure and fluid as always.

"It is good to see you again, Uriel. How has the court life been treating you?" He said as he approached, his deep, accented voice echoing through the stone hall, rolling through the air in an almost tangible way.

((lol It happens. >< Still haven't figured out what to call this.))

A smile tugged up Uriel's lips as he stood to eye this "guest". The queen must have had an eye on one of the nobles who'd been trying to usurp her throne. He didn't pay too much attention to politics, preferring simply to do as he was told without question. Bowing his head slightly out of habit, the young man moved to the dhampir's side. Each movement was followed by the echo of boots upon the floors, filling the otherwise empty hall with sound that barely ever graced it.

"Well enough, though I was raised here so it would be difficult for it not to agree with me." Shrugging, he glanced to the hall they would need to take. It was small, unguarded and would lead towards the tower. The queen usually assigned Heiro to such rooms for many reasons. The view was wonderful, and it was difficult to leave the tower rooms without anyone knowing. It was also where Uriel stayed, another precaution Phryne had taken but it was no hardship.

Beginning to walk into the the hall, he glanced up at the taller man with a fleeting impression of intermingled emotions. "How have you been this past while Heiro? Uriel often wondered what it must be like to live like the dhampir did. Never staying in one place for too long, seeing so many different places in one lifetime! Admittedly, from what Uriel know of the other man he already had lived more then one of the human's lifetimes. Shaking the thoughts away Uriel pressed his step, walking faster then usual.

((Neither have I... perhaps something that relates to both of them or the situation. Or perhaps two things that represent each of them. Like... Shadowed Illusions XD ))

Heiro let out a slight chuckle at Uriel's first comment, but offered no explanation for the sound. He too had been raised in a court, but he hardly found the dark place agreeable. In fact, he hated every square foot of the place and every being with in it, nothing could change his certainty in that fact for it was a place of pain and deceit, nothing more.

Shrugging off the thought and the bitter taste it left in his mouth, he looked down to the tanned man as he fell into step with him, the light tap of his boots nearly drowned out by Uriel's steps as they walked to the tower, for he knew that was where he would be staying. The Queen never trusted him to sleep anywhere else, though he often did, slipping out of the palace with ease. Perhaps one day the woman would learn of the full extent of his powers, until then though, he was quite content with leaving her in the dark, so to speak.

Letting out a small sigh as he contemplated Uriel's question, he let his arm fall to his side, the sound of the silk echoing much like any sound did within the halls. "I would like to say I have been well, but life is not kind enough to let me." he said, letting out a bitter laugh. While it may sound glamorous, the life of an assassin was not an easy one, nor was the life of a dhampir. He was actually happy to be back in the Unseelie city, he knew here he had few enemies and the waves that crashed on the shore near the palace were always welcoming.

A flash of concern slipped trough the changeling's eyes as they continued walking trough the maze-like hallways. Pausing before the tower door as they reached it, he leaned against the doorway to shoot a questioning look at the dhampir. Heiro was one of the very few Uriel considered a friend, a rare enough occurrence in itself. "Would you speak of them, the things that bother you?"It was not easy being the royal's pet human. Chasing those thoughts away, he replaced them with others, mainly concern for the dark haired man his eyes were drawn to.

Something unnameable moved across his face before he spoke again. "You don't visit this place often enough." There were many reasons, but none that Uriel found himself willing to voice aloud. One was too selfish to name, and the others seemed like poor excuses, so poor that thinking of them nearly made the white haired man wince.

It made him all the gladder that no masquerades of the testing kind were taking place that year. They always led to trouble in one way or another. Invariably Ignatius was unable to choose a consort, or another one of the guests created some kind of mess. Just thinking of it nearly gave Uriel a headache.

((I can't think of anything, so Shadowed Illusions it is. It fits nicely anyway. ))

Heiro stopped as Uriel did, a smile curving his lips as the changeling obviously showed his concern. It was hardly an expression of joy or even bitterness, the emotion was a complex one that, like most things that went through the immortal's mind, largely remained a mystery to others. "What is there to say? They have hardly changed since the last time I told you... still the pressures of living on the edge of existence and being followed by the harrowing decent of those who would rather see me dead." he said, giving a one-shouldered shrug and a slightly bitter, but light laugh.

The words had come out with a casual tone that held a tinge of sarcasm despite how truthful and serious they were. He usually did his best to pass off the pains of his life when others were around, as it always seemed to cause them more worry than him and he hated it when others fretted over him, but he knew his words were hardly convincing. In truth, it felt good to see the concern on the other man's face, it had been far to long since he had been in the company of a friend.

Uriel's other comment caused a genuine smile, though slight, to grace his features. "I'd agree with you, but I doubt the Queen would be happy with me being here on any other reason but business." he said. It was bad enough with him duty-bound, he could only assume she'd have the guards on alert for foul play at all times if he was here for pleasure. Though he couldn't blame her, he was known for playing both sides more than once.

(( I didn't think it was that great, but alright ^^' ))

Frowning slightly the pale haired man shook his head with a small sigh. He'd not say a word more to show his worry, this was neither the time nor place. Casually pushing the door open, he motioned for Heiro to begin the ascent to his room with a small bow. It was a habit Uriel would never break, not until the day he was released from the spells that bound him to the queen and her family.

Sometimes he longed to be able to travel like his friend did, but he had to content himself with hearing tales of other lands from him. The thought made him glance at Heiro again with a spark of curiosity and eagerness. "Would you tell me of the places you've visited since we last spoke? I find myself wondering what the world away from the court is like once more." So formal! He had to be though, otherwise Phryne, or more likely one of her people, would overhear the conversation and think he'd become far too friendly with the dhampir.

It was all a horrendous game. Uriel felt like he walked on glass at every moment, and this despite the fact that the queen trusted him well enough. She'd raised him after all, and her son was very much like a brother to him. Sometimes Uriel found himself thinking that he was more loyal to the mother for her son's sake then anything else. Chasing those thoughts away, he waited to see if Heiro would take the lead up the steps. If not he supposed he would march up to unlock his room, and leave him with the key.

((It fits, which is all that really matters. It's not like we were naming a book. XD))

((Lol, true. ))

Heiro knew Uriel wanted to push him more, and was thankful the changeling let it drop, instead turning the conversation back to more casual conversation. Heiro was quite fine with this, seeing as they were not yet to one of their rooms. He was confident he could tell when the Queen had her ears and eyes on them, but caution was still the better voice to follow. He started up the steps, pausing only to wait as Uriel closed the door behind them. His movements a tad slower than normal, the wear of travel showing a bit finally, much to his displeasure. Hoping the other man would ignore his slightly stiff movements or assume he was just moving slower for him, he gave a chuckle before responding to his question.

"You make me feel old sometimes, Uriel. Such youthful curiosity... The Queen must be proud of your hunger for knowledge." He commented, though he was fully aware that such a thing was a double-edged blade. While the Queen would be happy with and nurture his sharp mind, if he got too curious about the wrong things, she would not hesitate to punish him. "If you would like, I can, though not before a drink." he said, contemplating adding a bath to that as well. The water would do wonders for his joints and wounds, though perhaps he could convince Uriel to take him down by the sea instead.

The thought of the untainted waters brought a smile back to his face. Yes, it most certainly had been too long since he had been here, and it was a shame the Queen didn't trust him more. Maybe he should do something to earn more of her trust, like route out one of the spies he was sure was in the city. Perhaps it was a selfish reason, but to him it was a good one.

Uriel took a moment to note how the dhampir was moving, and glanced up all the stairs they would have to take. Mumbling to himself, he moved to step beside the other man and wrapped an arm around his shoulders companionably. Really though it was to offer the other man some support, though Uriel knew very well he wanted to such thing. With a glance to the fairy lights floating a bout, and a flick of his fingers, he made them change their glow to something warmer and far more welcoming then the cold blue light from before. It wasn't much effort, compared to many of the other magics he'd been taught.

Offering up a smile he reserved for his few friends, Uriel looked up at Heiro as he nimbly unlocked the door the dhampir's room. It hadn't taken so long as he'd expected to reach it, which was a relief. "It does get me into trouble sometimes, but more often then not it's welcomed." Using his foot to nudge the door open, he moved aside. It was such a lush place, nothing at all compared to the sparse surroundings Uriel lived in just a floor below. "Of course, otherwise I'd not have asked. I'll leave you then. You know where to find me." He'd not be further then a few steps away. Even so Uriel was tempted to stay within hearing distance, though there were certain things he needed to take care of which could only be done from his room.

((Anyway, how's is going? .))

((Not too bad, I was just getting Ky started on her lessons and having breakfast. I was barely able to sleep this morning so forgive me if my posts are off >< How are you?))

Heiro suppressed a sigh as Uriel made him lean down and aid him up the stairs. He would have argued, but he found little point as the room was not too far up the tower. He looked up at the lightly flickering will-o-wisps as they changed color, but paid them little attention. It wasn't that their beauty was lost on him, but he had become familiar with the sight of them, despite the years between his visits.

When they reached his room, Heiro returned the smile and let Uriel open the door for him, once again not bothering to correct or argue his behavior. He did appreciate it, but his stubborn pride insisted he at least do such menial tasks himself. He gave another light chuckle to Uriel first comment, but the smile fell slightly as the younger man turned to leave right away. "I had thought you wanted to hear a story, Uriel. What is your rush?" he said before his mind could think things through. Though honestly there was little to think over, he could still relax with Uriel in the room and he could change his bandages later.

His mind still chided him though, Uriel probably had other duties, and it wasn't as if he would be in want of the man's presence, he was his escort after all. There would be plenty of time for talk later, perhaps even in a place where the Queen's ears had a harder time reaching. Still, if Uriel was simply opting to leave on the account of courtesy, he saw no reason for the changeling to stay instead and keep him company after his stressful journey to the city.

((Heh it's fine. I'm doing pretty good, got a page or so written for a story. ))

Turning at the sound of the other's voice Uriel couldn't help the grin that suddenly found itself on his face. Yes he had other things to take care of but he much preferred spending time with his friend. It didn't happen very often that his duties were also a pleasure to accomplish. Glancing down to his hand, Uriel realized he still held the key to Heiro's room. Quickly handing it over, the white haired man looked to the ground as he thought it over, weighing one duty against the other.

"I had thought you might want to rest for a while, without the eye of the queen upon you." Sobering suddenly, Uriel found himself regretting what he was as so often happened for many reasons. The fae called him a puppet often, and always had. There was no denying it either when he did all Queen Phryne asked. It wasn't very often that Ignatius ever needed anything from him, and usually the prince's tasks were pleasant affairs. The same couldn't be said about Phryne's.

And then there was the fact that he was human. Grey eyes rising, he shook his head slightly to plaster a small smile upon his face. "What story do you have?" They were always so interesting! It was one of the many reasons why Uriel anticipated Heiro's infrequent visits to the Unseelie court with impatience.

(( Ah, what story, the Beauty and the Beast one? ))

Heiro took the key and turned it over in his hand as he watched Uriel think over his invitation. This told him that he had other things to attend to, and he was contemplating telling the other man they could put off the conversation when he spoke up. "And who says I cannot rest while talking with you? The night is just beginning anyway, it's not as if I could actually sleep." Heiro responded, a slight smirk on his lips, confident that Uriel was going to accept. He watched as Uriel thought it over a bit more, then proved him right, causing him to mimic the smile the pale-haired man wore.

Stepping back from the doorway, he ushered Uriel into the lavishly furnished room. Once Uriel was inside, Heiro closed the door and moved towards the bed, beginning to remove his blades and outer garments, the silk having long since become heavy on his shoulders. "I recently had the pleasure of working in the lovely frozen wasteland of Russia again. You remember Nadinya, yes?" He said, as he slid a dagger from it's hiding place. The woman in question had visited with Heiro some years past to carry out a particularly tricky job, she had found the changeling quite handsome and fun to tease, so Heiro had little doubt the man remembered.

Glancing over to Uriel, it was clear his dark eyes had already brightened with a mischievous gleam, his courtly mask falling away. He liked recounting the more humorous or adventurous of his expeditions, especially to people like Uriel. Their expressions and amazement always fascinated the jaded dhampir, as they reflected youth and innocence, something most immortals covet. That, and they had a habit of falling into the story, becoming wrapped up in the tale, which made the telling of it that much more fun.


((Let me know if I'm assuming too much or get something wrong, alright? I don't want to step on you toes, so to speak. ))

((Yup. The witch is actually the beast's brother. And she turned him into one because of an argument, and she's sitting on the couch filling her nails. >< Don't ask me how it happened, it just did!))

Stepping into the room with all the grace of someone taught to fight for years, Uriel settled down on one of the cushioned chairs. Leaning his elbows upon his legs, the white haired man watched silently as Heiro divested himself of his weapons. Truly he was a little jealous. Many of the blades were obviously well crafted from what he could tell, and came from far off places he would never see.

At the mention of Nadinya a faint blush crept up Uriel's cheeks, which he did his best to dispel. How could he forget? She positively delighted in embarrassing him in some way or other with all her teasing. "It would be hard to forget her." Putting the memories aside, Uriel pulled the chair forward eagerly so he could hear every word of the tale the dhampir would be recounting.

This was truly going to be a rare treat. A spark of interest had risen in his grey eyes as the white haired changeling regarded his friend intently. Smiling, he leaned back in his chair . He knew this was going to be captivating, and the anticipation already had him leaning forward once more.

((It's fine, since it makes sense that he knows Nadinya.))

(( Alright ^^ should I write out the tale or just give a few lines and skip the rest? I actually have the whole thing thought out already so either is fine by me, lol. ))

((It's up to you, I don't mind either way. :D ))

((Hahah, alright, I really want to write it out ^^ I'll keep it shorter for Mene's sake though, and it may take a bit to get it all translated properly so it'll be a bit before I post. ))

((K, sounds good. XD ))

Heiro's smiled widened as Uriel blushed and responded, eliciting a chuckle from the dhampir. He continued laying each of his blades - ten in all- neatly on the bed as the changeling settled in for the tale.

"I had been confronted with a particularly intriguing target, the leader of an underground theiran movement that aimed to take out the human government officials and replace them with their generals. One would assume it would be fairly easy, being a mixed rabble of shifters, but that was hardly the case. Their leader was a Wererat by the name of Andrei Chernobaev, " he began, the Russian name easily rolling off his tongue as he unclasped the double-crescent emblem at his waist, the red silk sash falling away.

"He and his fortress were heavily guarded at all times and laden with state of the art defense and trapping systems. I had gone over what I knew of the lay out and such dozens of times but could hardly find a seam in the system so I enlisted the help of the Eagles, hoping for Vyuri's talents but only Nadinya was free to assist me. I had no place to be picky, so I agreed despite our... tactical differences. " He said with a chuckle as he slid off the layers of dark silk and tossed them in a pile on the edge of the bed, leaving him in a much more comfortable set of clothing, simple black cotton slacks and a deep red linen shirt. He then opened his bag, which had been brought there earlier by one of the many court servants, fished out a dark glass bottle and carried it with him to the plush chair opposite of Uriel.

"More intel revealed that on top of the near flawless defense, it was said that no one ever met Andrei face to face except his closest advisers and his... favored prisoners. The man had a passion for breaking down powerful or particularly stubborn people, you see, and he always did it himself. A first class sadist, really." He eased himself into the chair with a slight hiss as he exhaled. "So through what should have been hours of careful planning, Nadinya and I agreed the best way to get in would be to get caught." He said, giving a smile as he uncorked the bottle.

(( I figured I should actually post it in parts, so you can get a few posts in with reactions and the like for me to work off of, is that alright? ))

((Sounds good to me, and I find myself as fascinated as Uriel. ))

The tale of intrigue had Uriel enthralled, and it had just begun. He could imagine the situation, the places. It was so easy when Heiro recounted his tales to think that he was someplace else far away from the courts. Not a word escaped the changeling as his eyes widened and he leaned forward just a bit more so as not to miss any detail. A smile flickered across his face at the mention of the differences between Heiro and Nadinya, he remembered that from when he'd met her. For a brief moment Uriel was broken out of the tale with a wince of sympathy. Soon enough he was once again immersed in the tale without a moment's pause.

((Since it's just his reaction, one paragraph isn't too bad right?))

(( Hahah, well it gets better ^^ and yes, I'm not exactly giving many physical prompts for him to react to so a paragraph is more than fine.))

Heiro took a fairly long pull from the bottle, savoring the burning feeling the amber liquid had left on his tongue and throat as he drew in a breath through his teeth. He was feeling better already, Uriel's clear excitement urging him to press on with the tale while the liquor warmed him.

"Unfortunately, for us at least, getting caught was not that easy. We were able to slip past the outer defenses in minutes and the guards hardly knew we were there. So much for the iron defense!" He said, shaking his head, a look of mock disappointment on his face. "We needed to make our presence known, as well as how dangerous we were. The answer seemed fairly obvious... Without a word to each other, we split up, Nadinya heading back out towards the first ring of sentries and I moved deeper into the maze of traps and patrols."

"The traps here were sadly as easy to spot and avoid as the outer ones, and the guards seemed even less aware. Then again, I doubt they expected anyone to make it to them." he gave a shrug and took another small mouthful of rum. "By then I had gotten restless, and more reckless, I suppose, for I stayed hidden in the shadows only long enough to determine where I would be seen by the most guards before I struck. The first two barely knew what had happened, my blade already red with their blood by the time they realized they had been attacked. From there on out it was making a show if it, taking down as many as I could to make sure I caught Andrei's attention. I could hear Nadinya doing the same in the distance, the whole grounds coming alive with alarmed shouts and the bark of orders."

"As soon as I heard one of them say we were to be taken alive, I let them take me down- making it look authentic, of course. The poor boys would have been crushed if they knew their triumph was a ruse, they had seemed so proud as they paraded us though the halls to the holding cell." He gave another chuckle, remembering their faces clearly as he let his mind wander back to the full details of the assignment.

((Well I suppose I should try answering faster then.))

Gaze flicking to the bottle for a moment as Heiro paused, Uriel couldn't help but wonder for a moment what it was. He didn't know many of the drinks common out in the world away from the courts. A well, the thoughts soon fled away as he listened with a look of concentration to the tale. The twitch of a smile followed by hushed laughter were all the signs of amusement Uriel showed. He could just imagine what Heiro might have looked like in battle, and felt a little sorry for the men he'd been facing.

((lol It's fine, real life will interfere with the online one ... Or the other way around. ))

(( >< It's later! lol Kidding. I was just wondering what we'll have them do after the story ends.))