The Lion and The Dragon

[epicchibi]

It was a humid foggy evening, the sun was about to go down and it was an off night for the carnies at D’Obscure. The fog so thick, Hope had to set up little magic flairs for everyone to direct them to their tents or caravans. It was a reason why there was no work tonight. Better to be safe than sorry really. Hope stayed in her tent. The magic shop tent really. A good 50% of it was work and the rest of it was her place of resting. It was easier to keep an eye on the fairgrounds when it was off hours and for to keep her secrets safe, along with the many oddities she had in tent alone. And

She liked to keep herself away from everyone in the caravans. An old habit that just won't die with her after so many years. But tonight, tonight was just a little off somehow. There was not supoes to be fog or humidity. It was spring and yet she couldn't shake the feeling. The Dragon laid on her fainting couch in the back part of her tent. Lavished with fine furnishings that she had collected and traded over the years. the couch itself was from the 1860’s Fine silks and tapestries hanged from the rods in their rich vibrant colors. pillows and blankets to one corner in a nest like formation, never neatened and always messy. And books all over the place. Colorful boxes stacked up in one corner, a boo cases filled with odd shaped bottles filled with things like the ones in her shop and just much much more. it was clutter, interesting old rear clutter that was neatly placed here and there. Hope just sat there books and maps flouting about. Something was just bothering her about this odd weather.

Getting mad she pushed everything away and sighed “Auug this is just making my head hurt!” she should stop for the night. Her mind drifted in the comfort of her room she could finally here Frank Sinatra playing on the record again.
A Smile formed on her lips of a rather fone event that happened a month ago. Confronting Lev and telling him how she felt and understood. And how they were now a pair as mortals put it nowadays. and yet she wondered. Was it really okay to fall in love again? Even after what happened last time?

[Lev]

A little orb of light traveled slowly before Lev, keeping his leisured pace. The brilliant blue glow granted bright golden eyes a greener hue as thin pupils surveyed the fog-ridden fairgrounds. It was an uneasy obscurity, a veil of the unknown lurking in every shadow that was cast. Lev didn't much care for it, and there was nothing left for him in his bed than the chill of the night and terror upon the loss of mental control through sleep. He halted in his stride, and for a moment, was unsure of what exactly he thought he was going to do. There was definitely something on his mind, but would he be pressing his luck to pursue it?

The humidity of the night weighted down near white, blonde strands and long bangs hung to the left of his face. He looked to the ground for a moment, the shine from the orb casing a cadaverous shadow in the height of his features. He was still extremely thin for his structure, not having the calm of mind to sit and enjoy a meal, but he was far more healthy now than he had been upon his reuniting with the Cirque. He thought for only a moment longer, then the depths of his vision rested on the magical orb," Will you take me to Hope's shop?"

The little sprite lingered for a moment, it's trail ebbing and flowing in the reflective motion of the fog, before finally changing it's path. It trailed back toward the shops, away from the tents and further away from Lev's caravan. It took him to the whispering of a crackling record that grew with every pace closer, and finally at the door the wisp shivered into nothingness. Silently, he stood idle by the entrance, biting his tongue as to whether this idea of his was for better or worse. He closed his eyes. Took a deep breath. As long as he remained calm and stayed who he was, he was certain that Hope wouldn't find him irritating. He ventured forward, but a step, with his hand cupping his mouth to shield the silence from his voice," Hoep? Maey I coem ihn?" He called to her, hoping that his voice was heard above the strange, seemingly classical music that played within.

[epicchibi]

She was sitting there in her home without her grab, why did she need to wear things to cover non existing things? Out of her boredom she did examine her Glammed self in a mirror. Again boredom but she looked “What do humans find these things so amusing?” The rumps and the busoms she had that made her look female. If she was her normal self the only way to make her look female was on the size and the color or shape. Female dragons were bigger, slender and yet had duller colors. Well unlike how where she was just colored wrong, but she was female. Hut Fuman females or fair, elf or whatever had asses and fleshy fatty sacks on their chest, that would hold milk when it was time to breastfeed. Now If she went one step further with her Human Glammer she would have the nipples for that, but it would be just for show.

Catching a light sweet scent she stopped. She smiled, Hope had heard him walking about on the grounds but she was too preoccupied listening to music and amusing herself on human things. That she forgot he was up and about “Your always welcome Kitten” allowing him to enter. Holding her arms up, she moved her wings under and over her so called breast to make a somewhat feathered nighty until she could find her trunk that had her rob. Well the front was covered, back not so much “Now where..did I put that trunk this time?” She scratched her head trying to think.

[Lev]

He heard her warm welcoming voice through the barrier that he was hesitant to cross, but after another gulp of the cool night air, he moved inside. The first thing he saw was the amazing collection of things that adorned the walls, shelves and floors. The shop was in a bit of dissarray, but today would be the best time for any spring cleaning, considering they wouldn't be able to preform with the weather. The second thing that Lev noticed, however, was something far more interesting and far less commendable to be so. Blood rushed to the brown skin beneath the blonde strands of his bangs as amber eyes managed to catch her face, or the back of her head, or whatever may be above her shoulders.

He knew she wasn't human by any means, but years of careful precaution as to not insult many any women by a drifting gaze was trained well into him. Not to mention, the fact that he was a man himself could mean many different embarassments if he were to allow his eyes to wander. Yes, he would say that he had come to love Hope more than he could understand himself, but he wasn't about to go to any lengths to make her feel uncomfortable in her own home. He did, however, catch what she had said about her misplaced trunk. Finding that to be a good distraction, he turned his attention else where. There were things riddled every where, but he did manage to find the corner of what seemed to be a large case beneath a stack of books, maps and a silk curtain," Is it heer, Hoep?"

He moved over to the items and removed them from the top of the trunk, setting them gently to the side on the floor. He wasn't about to open a lady's closet though he would help her get to it with her lack of coverage. He stood back and gestured to it with an open palm, a sheepish grin on his face as eyes directed themselves toward the ground. As she might move about, Lev parted his lips in hopes of relieving some of the tension from the night from his chest," Dhe foug outsied... It iz straenge, ahn? I figuer, if ve cannout perfoerm, dhen peurhaeps I caen hielp yeu vith soemthing. I doen't haev mouch teu du foer dhe nieght."

((I hope she can understand him. XD))

[epicchibi]

“Ha ha yes!” She looked around her mess of a home “Clearly I need to put some things away” her lips thinned as she bit her lower lip clearly flustered over the mess that has been going about over the last few months in the winter season. She Pecked Lev on the cheek asa thank you, cores with a little glans he looked flustered, nerves shy? Why? question after a question in her head “Dear...” her index finger and the tip of her claw lifted his chin so there eyes could meet “You are welcome to look” she gave her permission. lso along the lines she really did not give a damn if someone saw her birthday suit as a little girl ounces told her in years back. Was it she had no shame? no she didn't, she lost that back in the late 1700’s. Oh fun times.

“And Help would be lovely, I have seemed to lost the chaotic order in my tent, I get very bored during the winter times...” that and she hated the cold and would refuse to performs unless there was heat. Pushing the trunk lid open with the tip of her tail she pulled out any old robe she had. It was red with a gold trim and gold woven patterns of fireflies and hydrangeas. A Gift from a fox back in her time in Japan. Cores she couldn’t tell what color it was, hence why the business of colors in her room. Tying it at her waist she did think about the fog.

“Yes the fog, it is clearly a wii bit odd I do agree my dear kitten.Reminds me....” she stopped. Her wings poked themselves out of the proper holes in the back of her robe as they stretched and slightly puffined. She looked worried “No , no” she waved her hands over her head walking away from Lev. Pushing the thought out of her mind. “Yes, Right, lets work on putting the books back”

(he is the most adorable man ever >u<)

[Lev]

He chuckled shyly as she mentioned the clutter, and his eyes met that deep sea of blue sight. She lifted his jaw ever so slightly with a graceful touch, and for a moment he was frozen. He couldn't quite say that he was a 'people person' much less did he know what do to with a deeper interaction than that of a friend. As her voice welcomed him to take in the view of her scantily-clad humanoid form, though his eyes hadn't even shivered at the notion. Unwavering gaze held to her own as she continued, his nervous nature had left, but his moral value was concrete. Her words had definitely taken the embarassment out of the atmosphere, and he was gratedful for the breath of relief.

She moved to open the portable closet with her extra appendage, he couldn't help but be facinated by it. Unlike the mighty lion, or tiger, or even canine, their tails weren't as another limb. Golden eyes traced the fabric, taking in it's decorative embellishment, and finally managed to move back to Hope's eyes after her wings had shuffled through and stretched. Brows raised as she trailed off and stopped herself in mid speech, and he couldn't help but figure it was a bad bit of past that wasn't appropriate at the time. Just because he had told her his darkest secrets, didn't mean he was going to fish for her's.

As she dedicated her attention to the books placement, so had he. He crouched beside a stack of tomes, glancing at it for a moment before realizing he didn't understand anything that was written upon the spines or covers, he looked up," Vh-.... Vhere shoeuld dhese gou?" It was obvious that he was taken back a bit by something, but after quickly rising to his feet again, he decided upon a different approach," Ohr, peurhaeps, I shoeuld foeld sheets?"

[[lD D'aw~ I'm excited for him. He's got a girlfriend and he doesn't know what the hell he's doing. XDDD]]

[epicchibi]

She looked up “Oh you can place them on the shelf for now,it doesn't matter kitten” She dusted off a few bookshelves and pointed. Seeing he was having trouble, She leaned over him taking the book “Its okay I don’t mind “ Kissing his cheek she pushed her self. Her mind still could not shake the fog really. Working putting the books away, She just couldn't shake it, “Oh bother” snapping her fingers the books snapped up and she ordered “Alright alright, go back to the shelves. One by one they marched to the bookshelf, one by one they flouted up to their spot on the bookcase. The dragon smile “There is a basket over there with scarves and sheets that need to be folded” she pointed out to the two baskets to the side of her living space.

Hope Went to were her nest was, “Now..I know..I...” she pushed the pillows and blankets to the side revealing a couple of odd things you thought you would never see. A Wakizashi
and a fan that was from the edo period. Hope sat there for a moment. She opened up the fan gently, her claws raising over the old paintings of dragons and myths from that time. The Wakizashi and fan were kept in good shape despite being in Hopes bed. In fact a lot of old things Hope had were in good shape as if they were new. All spells or incantations that kept them that way really. All memories hope did not want to part with really.

It was a foggy day like this one, she remembered that silly foolish man could not take a no, no matter how much she wanted to say yes. He demanded if she could not return his love he would cut out his heart and give it to her literally. She forgot how many times that man tried to uses that blade to do so. A sudden smile creeped on her lips as she remembered that faun memory “And all for what you silly fool... to be emperor?” She placed the fan at her lips. This fog was all too familiar to her, she remembered it from somewhere “Find anything good Lev ?” Lev? now that she remembered, she honestly didn't know his full name. “lev...” she called lightly. She looked up from where she was sitting, “What’s your full name?”

(I take it the man has never ever ever been with a lady at all? lD Oh this is going to be so much fun watching him be all shy xD)

[Lev]

[[The answer is nope. XD I am so terrible to him, I kept him from being human altogether. XD]]

As she commanded the tomes to the shelves, he watched with the wonder of a child's eyes. He'd never seen anything like it before, and though he knew many of the carnies used 'magic' he had never been one to come face to face with the tricks. Of course, Voltaire had used quite the trick to mend his wounds, and had he been awake, then he wouldn't have been able to understand it. It also seemed that Hope, herself, was a bit frustrated. It may have been that she didn't like to clean, but it also could have been the strange aura that lingered in the night.

To his mild relief, she managed a grin and directed him as to where the silks should go. He nodded and gathered what silken cloth he could from the area, all the while watching from the corner of his eye as she moved over to what he could only assume was where she slept. Distracted from his gatherings, his eyes trailed to where her own gaze had lingered. A blade, and a fan, from a distant land that Lev had only heard of. What they were distinctly, he wouldn't have been able to say, but they were of Asian origin, that he was for certain. Curiously, he watched her lift the fan, murmur, and press it to her lips. Countenance shifted apologetically as he lifted his chin and tapered his eyes. By the way she treated such a trinket, there must be a value to it that Lev might never be able to understand.

When she inquired as to his findings, he looked around him for a moment, noticing the blankets that were balled up in loosely closed fists. He lifted his hands slightly to gesture that all he had come across was blankets, and a warmer expression laced his features. That was, until a curiosity had slipped from the dragon's mouth. He hesitated. His old life. As if a brick wall had slapped him from behind, he jolted. He could never have forgotten it. The chill in the air suddenly gripped him, the blankets floating to the ground as startled hands dropped them from their grasp. For a moment, he could saw the room, he saw Hope, through the magnification of a scope. His name? The chances of her knowing what he had done and who he had been were so little, and he had never been a liar, just a simple avoider of the truths. Yet, what was there to avoid now? He hadn't spoken a single whisper of his old life, at least not to his friends here at the cirque. What harm could come to them now if he had?

He wouldn't weigh his options in. No. Not with Hope. He would be different, he would be a different man than he was, no matter the name he would be called in the future," My naem...?" He uttered as lightly as his rough voice could muster. He paused for a moment, milling it over in his head one last time before finally concluding that Hope, of all things, would definitely deserve to know," Boleslav.... Boleslav Ozier Volkov."

[epicchibi]

(Im not nice to Hope ether xD)

“Boleslav Ozier Volkov....” She said the name again, over and over, it sounding sweeter and stronger each time she said it. She loved it really “You know Russia was on my places to go one time, so many strapping young men like you, and so much history and magic: she scrunched her nose at the very thought in delight. “But sadly its so very cold and I am not fan of it dispite my lineage and all that fun stuff..” Oh her ancestors would have screched of the chances to go to the colder climates. “Its a good name, “Great glory” or with the slovic elements bole ‘large’ and slav ‘glory...It belonged to the King of Poland. I met him once he wanted one of my scails ... he was such a charming boy...” she smiled.

Feeling the cold air come in She hissed. Snapping her fingers the straps tied themselves shut “Come” she patted a pillow next to her “Ill tell you about the blade and the fan” she knew he was looking. It might as well be a nice story from her past to tell him, might be a key to to the mystory fog too, maybe.

[Lev]

The sound of his name on her voice was a needle that pricked at his heart over, and over, again. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something that she misunderstood about him, something that she didn't see. There were still so many things he didn't want her to know. Yet, she continued on, speaking of his homeland. A false grin happened upon his features, thin and shaken. As wonderful as she might have thought Russia to be, it wasn't only the cold that could eat you up inside. Everything he had known of that place, every last detail down to the fine print and the spaces between the lines, was a horror story. To him, those tserkov that towered high into the heavens were a reminder. He was thankful that the structures weren't everywhere, and that Russian influence wasn't thick here. Probably a good reason why he decided to nestle down here, compared to any other place that he might have provided his brawn for some sort of compensation.

When she spoke of the meaning of his name, he turned his gaze upward from the ground. It surprised him that she knew so much about his language, much less the differentiation between root word and the actual meaning. Not even Lev cared much to know exactly where his name had come. To say it was a good name wasn't off, but to say he would live up to the King of Poland's 'charm' was definitely out of the question. As she mentioned the King who sought her scales, he tilted his head only slightly to the right. His first thought now, with the idea of immortality, was that it must be fascinating and on the contrary, miserable.

As she beckoned him, he made his way over to her, scooping up the blankets he had dropped after scratching the back of his head. There certainly was a great deal of knowledge Hope had, and it almost frightened him. All these people she had met, all of the people she had known. If she had never been to Russia, however, then she could never have known about him. He wasn't more than a grim fairy-tale that loan sharks spat at their quarry.

He cleared his mind of it, letting the sheets fall into a basket beside what seemed to be her bed. He leaned over the pillow, letting his arm fall to it first, before setting himself down on the cushion to face Hope. With weaved fingers, he cupped his hands and let his forearms rest upon his knees, glancing to the fan and blade for a moment to gather their detail from the closer point of view. They were very elaborate, magnificent things. Very different than what Lev was used to. His eyes reached hers again, tracing the markings on her face before he finally settled in to listen to the length of the tale.

[epicchibi]

“How old do you really think I am? “ she asked him simply, she didn't expect him to answer really so she went on “I have been around the block many times, I mated ones to my kind....I have traveled alot, meet many people and I have grown close to very few people...” she opened and closed the fan as she placed the blade on Levs lap. “At the time I was hiding as a handmaiden for one of the noble daughters..” She moved the fan over her face. Insted of the same white and violet scails you saw a slightly yellow complexion, pretty brown eyes and hair that was long and black. But She had a scar going across her face, to put off in some way. But she looked pretty in a way. “This mirage did not fool the ladies brother” she sighed “Oh no no no no, He saw through it all he had a gift you know, not many men could see things like me, we had a special glamour that hides us....most of the time, or they could see through it.” she chuckled.

He was a brave warrior, he was destined to be king of all Japan, “A war monger that had a kind heart.. but he was very foolish, always saying he would cut out his heart and give it to me since I could not give him mine...” She smiled “That was a lie really, and there was a lady after him already..” She smiled but it faded “He got sick and left me that blade..” It was a sad love really. SHe did love the man from the bottom of her heart. She held the fan closes to her heart “The fan... came from China, a Prince who was destined to be Emperor, but was poisoned by a very wicked man....I tried to look very plain then, did not work at all. They saw right through me and Thank the mighty dragons above the worshiped dragons and magic” She went on and on about her Tails in china how the wicked man was smitten by her dragon self, and how he wasn't really wicked to begin with “He was an odd man that made him look wicked, he had that forever bitter looking face that you had to look past the looks” she told him.
The fan was the wicked mans he used to be the Emperor's page and wizard. At the time. Hope became the apparent “Magic was taught differently all over back then, so many ways of doing it so many spells incantations tools..” she said.

She looked sad again but smiled, She told lev how on a full moon she was called out of the palace. On a tip to the mountain tops. He wanted to marry, Hope said she was willing to for him, he was such a good man and he loved her for what she was, not who she was. “But He never shown that night ..I went back to find out he eloped with someone else...so the story was....I left leaving that place....” She sighed “Years later i found out the prince killed him saying he was trying to kill me the so called lucky dragon” she shook her head. She smiled to lev wondering if the truth of her age scares him a little. From the look in his eye she could see a little fear. “Do you find all this strange? “

[Lev]

His brow raised as she asked him her age, as he had initially expected a story rather than a question. As she moved on, however, he figured it to be the introduction to the tale she had offered. As the blade touched his leg, he looked down to take in more of the ornate detail. It was a brilliant design, and so well taken care of. It didn't look to be a moment over brand new. She moved it toward her face, his eyes meeting hers again as she went on. Her features changed in almost an instant. She was a completely different woman, and he held his breath. Her magic must be so powerful, to simply change her appearance right in front of him. Not that he knew of anything magic, but the sheer idea of changing how you look came as a feat to him. Bright amber gaze reached the scar that graced her expression.

As she went on, his shoulders fell and he leaned in closer, enwrapped in the words she spoke. At last she reached the finally of her story, there was a slight frown placed on the dark man's face. She inquired of him and he turned his face away, eyes tracing the ground for something he knew could not be there," Yaes, iz straenge. My daeys ahre sou loeng now. I coeuld noet imaegine leiving foer sou loeng. Iz noet baed, thoeugh. Iz beiautiful," He met her gaze again, his voice uneasy despite the strong tone," Iz saed, but iz beiautiful."

Solid hands reached toward the blade, lifting it with a stunningly trained hand, and tracing the length of it with his thumb. It was still sharp, the metal unhindered by the elements. Arm came up as his wrist became a tool, thin pupils looking down the immaculately straight edges. This was a blade made with great care and it was no longer a secret as to why. With the tips of his fingers, he let the blade sit with great care," Sou mouch loev," He spoke as he finally released contact with the weapon. He could almost feel the souls that had touched it, the power of their emotion and the strength of the bond of their memory," It iz sin tou lie liek dhat. Tou lie about loev..." He cupped his hands and entwined his fingers again, resting his forearms on his knees," Dhat kiend ov loev, vhile louking ihn dhere faec, ihn dere eyes."

[epicchibi]

She changed her looks back to normal. And thought about his question. It hurt more now than it did back then “Yes..... It is but sometimes....” she bit her lip thinking about it “Some times you have to do what you have to do to keep hiding or to live. Or to keep someone safe..” She looked pained at what he said “I was a maid at the time and he was to marry a noble woman for potential reason...” She laughed lightly “I told him no and pushed him away..the silly fool” she shook her head “I didn’t really understand love back then, dragons mated when the season came may it be out of love or hormones or wanting clans to merge, I didn't have the leisurely to fall in love with my mate” She gently took the blade back and placed it on the shelf next to her bed along with the fan.

She took Levs hand smiling kindly “I had to learn it the hard way, seeing everyone i knew or cared fore be taken away, or grow old to understand what love meant. May it be by me braking here hearts so they wouldn’t know later on I would stay the same and they would grow older and older..” she didn’t dare look up at him, she couldn't bring her self to do it now he knew the truth at least now. Lev was just going to grow old and pass on into the afterlife, and she was doomed to go on without him.

Hope had trye so very hard to not get attached to people. She did, she tried being mean and nasty, she tried pushing them away, but she just couldn't stop caring about these humans or other beings like her self. She kept thinking this would be fuitles, but some how there was always a little hope, in a way. just a little.

[Lev]

As she explained herself, he listened intently. He hadn't meant for her to assume that she had lied, but as she went on, he couldn't help but keep his mouth shut. He had always been a quiet listener, often realizing that many in the world would often unveild truths in the absence of conversation. He felt, if he was more open to listening, then few would wear him down and finally get to asking him questions. Yet, what he heard Hope say, sent a cold notion through him. The warmth of the tale was gone, and in this brawny man's eyes one could see a shattering of dreams.

She reached for his hand, gripping it as she explained her fate among mortals. It was a hard fact to swallow and there was pain in his eyes that he wouldn't explain to her until he fully understood it himself. He wouldn't want her to suffer, not at all, and he certainly didn't want to be another addition to the bookshelves for her to morn. As she turned away from him, his eyes dropped to her shoulder. Her hair flowing softly from her head and down her back. Sharp canine slipped from under his lip, biting down on his own flesh with enough force to break the skin. Any other man would figure that they were at an impasse. Not Lev. Not after what he had seen today. He may have lived a torchered past, but his was nothing compared to losing love, time after time.

Pulling ivory back under his lip, he lifted his hand and hooked his index finger around her chin. Gently, he pulled at her jaw and attempted to bring her face to his. Intense amber gaze met hers," Ahnd ihf I coeuld liev foerehver?" There was a confidence in his voice that was rarely heard. A strong determination that matched the intensity of his eyes," Voeuld yeu vait fuer me? Coeuld yeu loev me vith ahll ov yeur haert? Coeuld yeu learn teu loev me az I haev learned teu loev you?

[epicchibi]

If he could live forever it would be a dream really. Just like when she was younger. In those glory days were things liked her lived longer 300 to maybe 500 years. Would she wait? She didn’t know but tears filled eyes, she smiled a very fangy toothy smile “Yes” What would he do if he lived forever? what would he see. “But would you want to?” she asked. Then she started thinking, it could really change that sweet disposition he had, an she loved that about him “It can change you over the years....would you still do it....you may not love me any more..” she feared. She always hated that feeling somehow, not being loved, or woes hated.Even more the she hated being hunted. But There were no hunters for years now.

Slowly the fog crept in without the two noticing much of it. It crept to the back corner of Hopes tent slowly shaping and forming into something that still remain hidden.