Dread of a Druid [Keagen]

[Lucy Halacre]

Lucy clutched her cloak around her in the cold that came with the blackness of night. It seemed silly for her to be stealing through the woods she frequented often by day, but Lucy had certain…errands she had to run. Errands she couldn’t possibly undergo in the vulnerability of daylight. And psychologically, most bandits would probably be asleep now, rather than the stereotypical image of someone who hung around in the darkness for those who dared step foot in such a dangerous place late at night.

After all, nobody came in the woods at night, so who would they be waiting for?

It was relatively easy for her to get out of Camelot. It always was. There was a large guard on duty every three days who fell asleep, guaranteed, at ten o’ the clock on the dot. Thus it was simple to sneak past him and out into the open. When he wasn’t on duty, the rest were either easy to bribe or in the case of a particularly stubborn fellow, a sleeping spell did the trick nicely. Lucy would report the awful state of security if it wasn’t inclined to her advantage.

The girl had henceforth moved stealthily outwards across the short flat and on into the woods. She had nothing with her save the clothes on her body; no basket as was per usual whenever Lucy came here. Her errand? The one that was enough of a secret that she had to journey in the dead of night and magically knock guards out?

She had left Camelot to visit her true peoples, the druids.
Lucy had admittedly a somewhat obscure past to the regular person. It was common knowledge that her family had been killed by bandits when she was less than two years old. She had left Camelot when she was ten, a mere child, and had returned five years later as a woman. The five most important years of her life…they were a blank spot. Nobody in Camelot knew where she had gone, and Lucy intended to keep it that way.

In truth, she had been trying to find her missing brother before the druids found her. But when they had offered to take her in, the tired and hungry young girl had said yes without a second thought. Five years along the line, Lucy well and truly was a druid, and always would be a druid. Even if she spent the rest of her life in Camelot, her heart would belong in the camp. That was where she was headed now. It had been a month since her last visit, and Lucy needed to see her friends and her teachers. To go so long in a magic-deprived place was sickening to anyone vaguely magical, from High Priestess to a Hedge Witch’s baby.
The nineteen-year-old made her way along, the familiar turns taken easily, her stomach full of anticipation. She wanted to be herself again, like she could be with nobody else but people like her. The saleswoman had died the minute she had left Camelot’s walls and she almost felt ten years old again, vulnerable without her façade. But all that would change when she entered the camp. Sweet, attentive, real Lucy would emerge.

Her pace sped up and she hurried along now. Her feet beat a steady rhythm against the ground, but something was wrong. There was another beat. Another set of footsteps. Lucy came to a swift halt. A number of spells immediately popped into her head. It was being so close to the druids. It had bought out the magical side of her. But unless she was very much mistaken she was out of the borders of Camelot now…

”Forbærnen,” She whispered, a small flame popping up along the fingertips of her right hand. She swished around the white flames, and the light landed on the face of a startled man. Oh, she had really landed herself in it now.

Tagged: Keagen
Word Count: 659
Notes: I am so sorry! It took me forever to get this up! Hopefully it’s worth it

[Keagan]

Oh how very dreadful it was to be completely alone...in the middle of the woods...all by yourself! Keagan was not man of bravery. He was young, and he got scared! And why shouldn't he?! Who knew what dark creatures of the night dwelt among the trees and bushes at this hour! Had he not been so pumped on adrenaline, he would have found some small little cave and used its shelter for the night. But after having run from a few armed men, he was still not fully recovered from the terrifying excitement. Which, may seem odd as it had happened hours ago! But Keagan's paranoia never seemed to subside.

Even this far out from his home. He didn't even know where he was! But that certainly did not stop him from living every moment in fear of being caught, and dragged back to his home country, only to be executed for all to see! He was not optimistic enough to believe that they were not still looking for him. He had after all "killed" a man! And he uses the word kill loosely for...for...it had been but an accident! Yet the events of that day play in Keagan's head every night. Sometimes even creating nightmares! Yet another reason he probably would not be able to sleep tonight! Oh if only he had the company of someone to help distract his overactive imagination; someone to distract his mind from all thoughts of impending doom and death!!! But fate was not that gracious to him... or so he believed!

His pace and slowed to a steady walk, and he was not perceptive enough to hear that anyone was up head. Actually, the only time he really did notice was when he saw a shadowed figure. He looked at them curiously, about to say somethnig, anything! For he had found someone! He was too trusting at times, of course he was! But admittedly, so long as this person was not dressed in the armor of knights, he felt it was a bit more safe to talk to them. After all, what would a group like bandits or sorcerers, want from him? He had nothign to offer! Besides his slingshot. But really, it was worth very little! So he began to approach this....person....woman! Which he only noticed when she turned around and somehow had a flame in her hand. Somehow? OH! It was magic!! How exciting! Yet....slightly scary at the same time.

Keagan's excitement took over though and he ended up blurting out words to demonstrate this emotion. "WOW!" He exclaimed as his eyes widened with a bit of admiration and interest, almost like a little kid. And that was when the feelings for fear began to settle in. If she could do that, then who knows what else she was capable of!! There was only a second or two between his words, but his fast working mind made it feel like so much longer. "Please don't hurt me!" He added in an almost pitiful, and desperate voice. Two conflicting feelings upon seeing someone with a flame in their hand! Hopefully, she was not one of those cruel sorcerers. Hopefully, she would take pity on his poor soul!! Keagan was not above begging for his life, and if it came to that, he would get down on his knees and beg!

[Lucy Halacre]

Lucy's first impression of the man in front of her was that he wasn't a threat, which was a curious feeling because the man had to be six foot at least. It took her a second or two to figure out why she suddenly felt so confidant, but it came to her when she took a closer look at his face, illuminated by the candle light.

It was a boyish face; soft though stained by dirt. His eyes were pale, and there was fear within them. Her eyes quickly flicked up and down his stature, determining that he was thin; one of the beanpole types. She relaxed slightly, but didn't put the light out. He'd have realized she was magical by now, and she didn't exactly wish to be left in the dark with this stranger.

Her theories about him were only confirmed when he excitedly yelped about her flame. This boy, was no threat at all. On the contrary, he was only going to attract bandits and hungry predators if he kept speaking as loud as this. What was a soft, oblivious boy doing in this wood at this hour?

"I'm not going to hurt you!" She stepped up to him, pressing a non-burning finger on his lips so he could not speak, "But you'll get us killed if you keep on speaking at that volume."

Her eyes flickered round his face while she thought. She just wanted to get to the druid camp, but she couldn't risk just sending him on his way. He might get killed, he might tell someone about her...there were all manner of things that could happen. No, she had to talk to him. Convince him to keep his mouth shut. And she wasn't going to do it in the middle of these woods.

"What is your name," She whispered softly, trying to remember if there was anywhere she could talk to him privately in the vicinity.

Tagged: Keagan
Word Count: 323