Always Waiting for the Night [m]

[Draconian]

"Oh dear." She pressed her finger tips to her lips while she looked at the sky, "That sounds far more complicated." What did he turn into, she wondered. A biggest beast? Were there other things to turn into? She turned to look at him and she simply smiled when he complimented her eyes.

"Yes. I know." It wasn't an unusual thing to hear, Gardenia had always figured it was why she turned into a beast. The race of humans that looked like her didn't have blue eyes. Then she remembered herself.

"I mean, thank you, Varian, you do, too. I mean your eyes. They're striking too."

She bit her lip and looked down at the ground. At her bare toes.  Gardenia made sure all the clasps and buttons were closed, the poor man had already seen too much of her exposed self. Though she was sure he hadn't minded. "What do you become if you don't become like me?" She moved her hand to tap at her lips, grinning widely for a moment, "Is it a bird? With big fangs? And snakes for a tail?" It seemed outlandish and the idea of a bird with snakes for a tail just had her grinning wider.

[DaGlobster]

Varian raised an eyebrow when Gardenia complimented his own eyes, and he smirked. He finished fiddling with his hat, and placed it right back onto his head.

"What I become is significantly less friendly than you, that's for sure. I do not quite remember what it is, but it is something altogether not of this world," Varian explained.

He glanced around the slowly lighting forest, sighing. The brightening light made him slightly uncomfortable, so he took his shaded spectacles from his coat pocket, and slipped them on to cover his eyes.

"A lady shouldn't be out in the forest at a time like this. May I escort you back to your home?"

[Draconian]

"Oh." That was a 'stop askin questions now' if she'd ever heard one. Gardenia snapped her mouth shut and quickly looked back down at the ground. It was rude of her. Gently she bit her lip and looked back at the Varian fellow, a little lost at to what to do.

"I wasn't a lady when I got out here," she gave a small sad smile and then nodded, turning so her back was too her new friend. "Please though, I would like the company." Her hands were figity and she moved them to cross her arms over her chest before moving them quickly to hang at her side.

"Do you know where we are? I'm afraid I'm quite lost." If she'd been running, Gardenia didn't want to think about how far away from the cottage she was.

[DaGlobster]

"We're about half a mile off the road that leads north," Varian said.

"If your home's in the wester highlands, you're still in that region, so you don't need to worry about that, either."

He started to walk alongside her, stretching his arms and neck. Just like the stars, there was something about the deep dark woods that just called to him as well.

"It's been a while since I've had any kind of company..."

[Draconian]

"I live in Jadenshine but... When I have... When the moon..." Gardenia cleared her throat and tried again, "I come out here when I turn, there's more forests." A small smile was presented after she turned to Varian and then she quickly turned away, more aware than ever at how absolutely undressed she was. She was surprised she didn't have a constant blush on her face. This was awful.

"I don't think I've ever met anyone alone before," She admitted, giving a soft chuckle, "Usually It's at a ball or... Or one of Papa's associates, and then Papa or Ara are there." Gardenia moved her hand to tap at her lower lip while she thought, "I don't think I'm ever really alone, now that I think about it."

[DaGlobster]

"How fortunate for you, to have a family that loves and supports you despite your nature. The village I was born in, they... They ran me out and killed my mother. I was just a child by then..."

His voice went somber, but he quickly brought it back up to a friendly tone.

"I know the way to Jadenshine from here."

He was quiet for a few seconds, thinking about what to say next.

"It was pretty fortunate you ran into me."

[Draconian]

Gardenia's heart broke for this man as a little boy. Her mind ran through all the possible outcomes of what could have happened to her. Her fingers twitched and she moved her hands to the top of her coat and she held it simply because there was nothing else to hold onto. Sympathetic, she looked at Varian and she mostly missed his claim to know how to get to Jadenshine.

That was it? 'hey my village killed my family i know how to get you home'? Her hand reached out slowly and she pressed it gently to his upper arm, holding it for a moment because it was far too soon to be hugging the man. Gardenia was proper.

"I'm sorry." Sorry for the little boy, sorry for his mothers death, she squeezed his arm and then brought her hand down to her side again. Nodding when he told her she was fortunate to meet him. Gardenia offered a smile, and  nodded a few times.

"I agree. I would have been very lost and very alone if I hadn't met you." Though if she hadn't met him she'd have probably just wandered aimlessly for a while until the guards found her. "I've never been good with being alone." Gardenia wrinkled her nose, "So thank you." Clearing her throat she looked up at the sky and then offered another friendly smile, "Do you live around here?"

[DaGlobster]

Varian looked at her a bit oddly. He wasn't used to displays of tenderness, so he was almost tempted to shy away from her touch. However, he wasn't opposed to it, either. He smiled, happy to have her so entranced in his story.

It wasn't completely true, but it was true enough. His village had killed his mother, and aimed to kill him too. Circumstances were... different.

"Don't be sorry. It's all in the past, now. As for where I live, I don't really live anywhere. I just wander."

He chuckled.

"I never thought I'd run into a friendly werewolf in all my years."

[Draconian]

Just wander?

Gardenia's eyebrows went up and she blinked at him owlishly. People did that? Just wandered around?  Living where they could? She could admire that. Gardenia loved her creature comforts far too much to just... Wander around forever.

A friendly... She licked her lips and bit down on her lip, sort of shrinking while she looked down at the ground. "I..." Gardenia didn't have anything to say to that. "Is that bad? Am I... Am I werewolfing wrong? I've... I've always been one. I don't know how else to... be."

[DaGlobster]

"Oh, it's hardly a bad thing, Gardenia!" Varian said, stepping closer to her.

"You're a great werewolf, and a kind girl."

[Draconian]

When he told her she was a great werewolf she looked like she'd been struck. Her head dropped down and she wrung her hands together.

"I'm okay with being kind." She let out a shuddering breath and squeezed her eyes shut, one fat tear drop trailed down her cheek, "but I don't want to be a werewolf. I'm a monster." her hands went to her face and she fell to her knees. "I don't want to be a monster. I just... I just want to be normal."

[DaGlobster]

Varian sighed, and placed a hand on Gardenia's shoulder.

"Look, I... I didn't mean it that way. I'm sorry..."

He lowered his hand, glancing around.

"However... I may be able to help you."

[Draconian]

Gardenia leaned into the hand and nodded gently.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm just... I'm a noble woman. Noble's don't turn into monsters. Even nice ones."

His hand left her shoulder and she looked up at him, her eyes wide and owlish. Her lips parted and she just blinked before she licked her lips, curious.

"You can? How?" Her hand moved to grab his, the contact comforting for her.

[DaGlobster]

Varian's eyes widened when Gardenia took his hand. Nobody'd ever taken his hand before...

"The stars are linked with powerful, dark sorceries. They're not the pretties forms of magic, but I am learned in them," He explained.

He placed his other hand over hers, so that he was holding it with both hands.

"I might be able to alleviate your lycanthropy, although I don't know if I can cure it completely."

[Draconian]

With her hand in his she stood up, looking at him with woeful eyes. No teenage girl wanted to become a beast once a month. The sheer amount of time she had to spend thinking about when the next full moon was already stressful enough. Not to mention having to get married and have children. What if her children had what she had? That would be terrible.

"You can?" Sure he said might, but Gardenia wasn't above getting excited. Her other hand went to hold his and she gently squeezed the hand between her own, "Oh please. I'll do anything. Magic doesn't frighten me." Well, not Serenian magic. Of course she had no idea what this man had but... A chance for it to even be alleviated? That would be... Wonderful.

[DaGlobster]

Varian smiled and nodded.

"I'll have to do some research, but I would love to help you. First thing's first, though..."

He let go of one of her hands, but he still held the other. He walked forwards a few steps, guiding her along.

"Let's get you home."

[Draconian]

Gardenia gripped his hand tightly, a wide grin on her face.  She gave their hands a happy swing while they walked and she began to hum a little tune. This could have been worse!

"We can meet again!" She exclaimed, tilting her head as they walked hand in hand towards their destination occasionally wincing slightly. Of course her feet were bothering her, she wasn't exactly made to walk through a forest in bare feet but she didn't want to complain.

"I'm only this far away at this time of the month." Gardenia licked her lips, "I could only come here next month." And then be cured! Well. Alleviated. What did that even mean? Not that she really cared about the details.

[DaGlobster]

"Well, I'd rather not wait a whole other month to see you again, It's been quite the charming night. I'll come visit you, yes? My magic makes me very... mobile."

He held up ther clasped together hands, passing his gloved thumb over the back of her hand quite slowly. He chuckled, and let their hands drop back into the swing.

He took up her other hand, so that he held both of them. He looked into her eyes.

"I'll have to study you if I am to tailor a spell towards you. I'm not sure how long it'll take, as well," Varian said, his voice taking a more serious tone.

"I'll have to research lycanthropes, and ritual-craft is a lengthy, painstaking process."

[Draconian]

Visit her? Gardenia's eyebrows shot up and she looked at him. "I..." What did that mean? Very mobile? She smiled and then gave a nod, allowing him to caress her hand and then they shared some eye contact. His claim of having to study her sent a shiver down her spine, and she wasn't sure if it was good or bad.

"What do you mean study?" Though she smiled, she was curious. She pulled his hands to the side ti bring him closer, "And do you mean to visit me at my home in Jadenshine? That's very bold of you."

[DaGlobster]

Varian's eyes were something alien and human at the same time. His emerald normal eye peered into her just as well as the black, starry void in his other one. He held onto her hand a bit tighter, squeezing tenderly.

"Well, I inted to learn about you while I'm visiting. The more I know, the better I can tailor the spell."

He took the opportunity to get a bit closer. Now they were intimately close, the two of them.

"I trust we'll get to know eachother very well."