[The Never-Ending Story] - [Act 3]

[badbulletshield.livejournal.com]

[ooc: Because I'm indecisive, two separate dreams to choose from! He's skipped back about ten years for both.]



[ The moon is full and bright in the starry night sky above - and the smaller, ill-shapen vampires' moon beside it for once does not dominate the atmosphere with its eerie red glow. All is calm and quiet, away from the expansive manor in the distance (no lights shining in the windows), away from the ruins of pre-Armageddon civilization that dot the countryside, here, still. All except for the slow, steady swish and crunch of footsteps through the tall grass as Abel approaches the thin grove of trees where he's certain he last saw someone moving. Apart from the strange, white uniform he wears, he looks much the same as ever - though his hair is loose about his shoulders, and his glasses and rosaries are nowhere to be seen.

He is also spattered with blood from head to toe, dark red staining his tattered outfit and torn gloves. Underneath, however, he looks dirty and unkempt, but wholly unharmed. ]

Please. Don't be afraid. [ --he says, his voice flat and serious but oddly gentle just the same, as his sharp, blue eyes catch another flicker of movement in the darkness. ]

I'm not here to harm you.





[ It's a beautiful Spring afternoon in the garden. There are bright green leaves stuck in his hair and great big muddy pawprints on his clean, white coat as Abel wanders the statuary-punctuated paths that wind through this lush, flowering land. Tiny petals and white wisps of cotton scatter on a pleasant breeze that follows him into the narrow corridor of a well kept hedge maze, just before he breaks the unbearably pleasant spell of the day by raising his voice in a shout-- ]

Here, boy! Come out, come out, wherever you are-- Oh!

[ He turns back from peering curiously (hopefully) into the maze to see someone else has entered the courtyard - and from where he stands, they appear to be wearing the newly familiar uniform of fellow clergy. As a new inductee to the priesthood, he makes his best effort to look friendly as he flags them down with a wildly waving arm. ]

E-Excuse me! I seem to have lost Miss Caterina's shepherd. Have you seen him? He's about this big - and, uh, all white, though he may have gotten into the mud, today, too.

Comments

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[Mercury's eyes widen, but she does not demean herself with a similar shriek, even when the dog crashes right into her. Although she doesn't mind the affectionate greeting, she can't help but be conscious of the mud.

Sigh.]

This will be hard to wash out.

[But once it's too late, there's nothing to do but make the best of it, and she gingerly pets the animal anyway.]

There. You were only excited.

[badbulletshield.livejournal.com]

[ Belated in his shock, Abel rushes forward to take hold of the dog's collar, lest it should worsen the damage in further enthusiasm. ]

I-I'm so sorry! That will come right out, I'm sure! He's never attacked anyone else like that, before! I can't imagine what came over him.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

No, please; you were not at fault. [She refrains from making it worse by rubbing the stain into the fabric, but she finds herself longing for soap or water, or to be home where at least she could change her clothes. It's embarrassing to be seen like this. Hardly a fitting representative of her princess.]

[badbulletshield.livejournal.com]

That's kind of you to say, Your Grace, though it must be a little bit my fault! I should have been on guard around such a dangerous animal... [ How embarrassing. He'll never hear the end of this. Unless he can convince her to swear to secrecy, of course! (Okay, that's unlikely...) ]

Eh, but I'm sure we can have that cleaned for you, right away!

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[He only has to ask, really; she doesn't want to cause trouble for such a nice-seeming gentleman.]

Please. Do not distress yourself. However, I would like to change. [She cannot present herself in a foreign court looking like this.]

Ah... can we go inside quietly?

[badbulletshield.livejournal.com]

Of course, of course! The way in through the dorms is incredibly discreet! [ He waves her on ahead into the maze with his free hand, the other still latched on to the shepherd's bright red collar. ]

In fact, if we go through here, no one should see us at all.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

Thank you. It would be somewhat embarrassing to be seen. [She gives a small, awkward smile at the admission.]

[badbulletshield.livejournal.com]

B-Believe me, I... Know the feeling. [ In fact, he's actually memorized the way through this particular hedge maze, for precisely that reason... Or maybe it was just out of necessity. He had gotten lost in here quite a few times, to his recollection. ]

But it won't be any trouble to find you some clean vestments to borrow. Then you'll be perfectly presentable, again.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

Is that really alright? If wear the clothes of a priestess?

[It seems a bit disrespectful, somehow, to the people who serve- whatever god the temple here may honor, she does not know yet.]

[badbulletshield.livejournal.com]

Huh? Uh, you mean-- You're not a servant of the Church?

[ This realization gives him pause (and further reason to be so embarrassed). No, on second thought, she looks a lot more like a visiting dignitary -- and here he's been making an ass of himself this whole time. ]

Oh goodness, oh, I'm so sorry if I've offended you! You should have said something-- But I'd just assumed... No, no, it's perfectly all right! Why wouldn't it be?

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[Oh, they're definitely having a misunderstanding, aren't they? Mercury glances aside, but there no distraction or help on the horizon. She looks uncomfortably back to Abel, then squares her shoulders and musters her dignity to answer.]

Please allow me to introduce myself. From the Silver Millenium, I am Princess Mercury.

[badbulletshield.livejournal.com]

Oh, um-- [ He sketches a shoddy bow, one self-conscious hand at the back of his head as he tries not to laugh too anxiously. ]

My sincerest apologies. I wasn't aware there was royalty with us, today.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

It was unexpected for me, too. The truth is, I came here by accident.

[badbulletshield.livejournal.com]

Ah? You're not in trouble, I hope?

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

No. A little lost, perhaps. But with some maps and assistance, I should be able to find the way.

[She doubts it, privately; if she has no means of returning, Earth surely doesn't, either.]

[badbulletshield.livejournal.com]

I see, I see. But rest assured, we'll see that you're safely back on your way in no time at all!

[ To him, the issue seems rather cut and dry, a simple enough fix. Royalty getting a bit out of the way on tour was hardly unheard of, after all. ]

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your assistance. [Unfailingly polite, even in this strange situation.]

Shall we continue, then?

[badbulletshield.livejournal.com]

Oh- Yes! Right this way. [ He's just about to start leading the way, once more, when he realizes he's completely lost track of the dog -- the dog that has been sitting patiently by his side since he forgot it in his momentary startle. ]

...Ah, now you choose to behave?

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[She can only shake her head. Of course the dog behaves now. But it's humorous in its way; she'd probably be laughing if she were simply at home and not among strangers whose first impression would now be this dirty gown, if they didn't find a way to get it cleaned without seeing anyone.]

Shall we go inside?