Here I [am] {Lilian and Bryce}

[whisp.]

There were many thoughts running through Lillian’s head as she made the familiar journey into the woods. The first thought was to make sure that she picked a slightly different path and to make sure that no one had seen her slip into the forbidden area. The second thought was that she was going to see Bryce, a thought that by itself, made her giddy with excitement. The last thought, however, was enough to sober her up. Despite having made this journey several times before, she was aware how alone she was in the woods. Of course, the girls knew she was going to talk to Bryce. But Bryce wasn’t aware she was coming. If something were to happen between now and then….it could be hours before anyone became aware of it. Lillian tied the red scarf around her arm a little tighter, using that feeling to try and secure herself.

It seemed much cooler out lately, cooler than it should have been for this time of year. Most students were blaming it on weird weather conditions, but most of the Unloved speculated it was due to something else. Some of the younger girls were getting ill when they went to certain places of the school, some were getting moodier. Ara, even the calmest one, was growing more and more concerned. That is why Lillian was on her way though the woods alone to visit her old friend. Well, that and some other reasons of her own.

Ara thought that if they gathered as much information as they could about what was going on, they could draw some conclusions on how to begin preparing for this…invasion. Honestly, Lillian didn’t know what else they could do. She’d already faced a small sample of the evil when she encountered Toni Wilkes. For all she knew, half of the new students could be less human than she could ever imagine. How were they supposed to fight something that they couldn’t see or detect?

As Lillian approached the clearing that would led to Bryce, she took in a deep breath. Her senses were heightened that this area could be the most dangerous. False pretense of safety. She thought to herself. Get you thinking, “I’m almost there! I’m safe!” and then they suck you right in. Her small hands were shaking lightly and her heart beat was loud in her ears. Despite all that, she refused to quicken her pace. She refused to let anything out there believe that it was more powerful than she was. Lillian would show them whose boss.

When the clearing came into view, she took the first few cautious steps out. “Bryce!” she called, hoping that she hadn’t already scared him. “Bryce, it’s me!” and as soon as she same him, she went running towards him. Once again, she forgot what she was going to say.

[Poe]

Bryce had been, until he heard Lillian's voice, leaning quietly against the cold, stone wall of the portal that he stood before, and attempted to keep more of whatever had gotten out... in. That was awhile ago, though, it seemed like. And since then, nothing had slithered itself out into their world. Still, you never knew, and the fact that he didn't know terrified him. But he was pretty relaxed, now, sitting on the soft forest floor, leaning back against the cave, a small dagger he'd recently traded for a bag of polished stones was in one hand, and in another was a branch, now carved with different designs- swirls and stars, patterns and other odds n' ends. Maybe he should have been more watchful, it was part of the job, anyway, but whatever the reason for his slightly distracted state of mind, he wasn't exactly ready for Lillian's voice to reach him through the woods.

After the last visit she had with him, he figured she'd never venture into the forest herself again. And, instead of jumping as he had last time, he rose fluidly to his feet, the dagger that had been in his hand sinking down into the leg of his left boot, his hand resting on the golden hilt of his magic blade. His cheeks were slightly flushed from the cooler air of the night as he made his way away, slowly, from the cave wall toward the beautiful girl standing there, calling out to him.
In a normal circumstance, he would have run toward her, but fear of Toni Wilkes hiding under her skin made him walk warily. After a moment though, he was sure that it was her and hurried toward her, now, meeting her in the middle of the clearing, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off the ground as he straightened to his full height, holding her close. "Jesus, Lillian," he sighed against her hair, setting her down on the ground, looking her over to make sure she was okay. "What... What are you doing here?"
He hoped she didn't take it the wrong way, he loved her being here, and the look in his blue eyes probably said so, but it concerned him. It was dangerous- she knew that- to be wandering around by herself in the middle of the night like this. Who knew what was creeping through the trees. Despite his words, which he hoped didn't hurt her feelings, he bent down to press his lips up against hers. When he was around her, he couldn't help himself, really.

With a sigh, he wrapped an arm around her waist, guiding her away from the trees, walking her toward the cave where there was more privacy. "Came without your possee, again, Lillian? Not a smart thing to do, you know that," he chided quietly, glancing around them. He knew that the girls weren't all crazy about him- some liked him, Ara could tolerate him, Lillian he thought (as far as he knew) that he was the sun (haha! Right!) but the rest of them were all wary. He was, after all, a no good gyp.

[whisp.]

Lillian let her hand slide across a tree trunk as she went, listening closely to all the sounds around her. She heard birds and bugs and possibly some animals. It all sounded familiar and it all sounded safe. But with these dark things…they could be anything. If they could take the shape of humans…who was to say they couldn’t be the mosquito that landed on her arm? Or the snake slithering through the grass? Lillian couldn’t believe how…out of the loop all the other students were. They were just going about their daily lives, unaware that of the danger around every corner. How would any of them explain the magic to the rest of the school? To England? To anyone?

But as Bryce came into view, for the moment, all of her worries slipped away. With his arms securely around her, she wrapped her legs around his waist and held on, laughing as he twirled her around. She took in the complete feel of him and buried her face into the crook of his neck. He smelled familiar, felt familiar. Everything about him put her nerves at ease. She felt safe.

As he set her down again, Lillian looked up at him with a huge smile. Reaching up, she stroked the side of his face. God, she had missed him. ”Ara wanted me to come and talk business with you. I…I wanted to talk to you too. I haven’t been able to get out here in a while. Ara…didn’t think it was wise to come out alone so soon after…... But we need to talk.” She said softly, letting her eyes drift to the forest and then back to him.

Lillian leaned up to accept his kiss, holding it longer. She missed him and their moments together like this—being free. As their lips parted, she wrapped her own arms around him and rested her head against his chest. She was still for a moment, just enjoying the constant sound of his heart under his flesh. ”They know I know the woods better than all of them. We agreed it wouldn’t be good if we all came together. In case…something big was to happen.” She said softly, turning her head to kiss his chest. ”Ara wanted me to tell you…to be more careful while you’re out here. She thinks that more things have been getting out or are finding other ways too. I can feel it too. These dark things…are all around and growing. We just want you to be more safe and cautious. They could be after you too.” She ran her hand up and down his side, thinking. ”How far do the gypsies grounds go?” Lillian asked.

She would much rather be simply cuddling, instead of having to do business, instead of having to worry. There was so much that she couldn’t tell him, that the Pulchritude needed her to keep silence. It was so tempting to just blurt it all out to him and have him tell her it was going to be all right.

”Have you seen anything else that we should know about?” she asked quietly, looking up into his eyes and gently running a hand through his hair. Yes, she couldn’t wait to get all her business talk out of the way.

[Poe]

He listened. Though he didn't make too many replies. Most of what he was thinking got catalogued into his head, filed away for days when he had a chance to actually think about what was being said. Ara was back in action, it sounded like. Ah, he missed the days when she came to him herself instead of sending little Miss Black here after him. Oh well, he had to thank Ara for picking Lillian, after all, he really was crazy about the blondie that was chattering away business before him. But when was the business gonna be over? This was the part he detested the most, the part he wished they didn't have to deal with this. He wished, really, that time went back to how it was BEFORE all of this nonsense. That they could just be young teenagers, knowing they couldn't love each other but doing it anyway. Now she was in constant danger everytime she crept her way into the woods. With a sigh, Bryce directed his blue eyed stare down at her.

"Nothing else has gotten out, that I've seen," he said, sighing, and running a hand through his hair, looking over her head at the woods behind her before leaning against the rock wall of the cave again, his hands holding her upper arms as he slid down the wall, slowly tugging her with him, smiling kindly her way. "Not after that blasted Toni, anyway," he added quietly, shuddering. "I've been careful, I've got friends on my side, I wouldn't worry too much about me, go ahead and tell Ara that. She'll probably agree," he added with a chuckle, eyes glimmering with amusement. He let go of her arms for a moment, cracking his knuckles as he thought. "I doubt they are after me. I don't hold any magic, just the blade. I'm hardly a threat to them, unless I'm standing here. But, I'm thinking, Lil, what if there's another door, somehwere? What if Ara thinks there are more of them because they've found a different way to get in and out? I mean, it's been really quiet here, lately, I haven't even heard scratching on the door since Toni got out. So, either, they're building up an army or they've got another door..." He stared at her, weary.
To put it simply, if there was another door, they were screwed.

He pondered her question about how far his people's grounds went. A long way, but how to phrase it? "We don't... exactly, have borders, Lil. We walk where we please. But we stop here, at the school for a reason. First off, Mother Sophie loves it here, and she is constantly talking about finding this... entrance to somewhere, about going home." He shook his head, sighing, looking at Lil quietly. "So when we're here, we're confined to what the school owns. We don't leave the forest, mostly, we've got acres upon acres of ground to stalk on here... So long as we don't bother you school girls and don't get too close to the school building itself, then we're allowed to stay here." He paused in his confusing explaination to stare at her.

"Why?"

If his people were in danger they would suddenly become first priority.

[whisp.]

Lillian talked. She let it out, all that Ara had asked her to let out. After all, she was still loyal to her girls. There were plans that Ara was planning that Lillian knew she couldn’t tell Bryce. Plans that he probably wouldn’t like or approve of anyway. Lillian knew how much Ara was worried, despite how much the girl didn’t show it. There was just so much stress and she could feel many of the girls cracking. Yes, danger was just around the corner.

There was an eeriness when she walked alone at night, a feeling of being watched. Lillian knew the other girls felt it too, they were all fidgety. In the darkness of the cave, Lillian studied what she could of Bryce’s face. It was all so different know, they had to grow up and deal with all this. Why did it have to be now? Why couldn’t it wait until later or never happen at all? She had been happy, so happy with Bryce. And now this evil was putting its ugly cloak all around them.

As he slid down the wall, she went with him, settling in his lap and resting her head against the wall by his. She let her lips kiss his jaw lightly and she nodded. ”I’m sure she will. She just still wanted you to know.” There was a pause as she mulled over what he had just said. ”I think anyone that’s in the way of their role in this world is a threat.” She murmured quietly and settled into silence as he talked and thought out loud.

Running a hand through her hair, she was silent. This is the point where there were things she wasn’t allowed to say. Things that if other ears heard, would cause problems. But she wanted Bryce to know, he needed to know. Even Ara would admit that he needed to know. It was just…risky. Exhaling softly, she watched his facial expressions and she reached to stroke the side of his face. ”We don’t think the camp is in danger.” she said softly, and that was an honest opinion.

Leaning towards him, she let her lips trail up the side of his jaw and down his neck, placing kisses along the way. Adjusting herself closer, she wrapped her arms around him. The words came out in hushed whispers, barely breaths. ”There is another portal.” the next few kisses trailed across his lips and across his jaw to his other ear. ”we think it’s somewhere past the limitations of the grounds. Past where someone from the camp wouldn’t find it and know.” and at that point, her lips pressed against his hard, and she sucked up every moment she could of him. She never knew when it might all end.