Tales after Dusk 05

Alecta arches her chest forward and her head falls back, a quiet mewl escaping her lips before her body twitches and tenses against him. Thorne savors the feeling of her ecstasy, pulling her body close to his, letting her head rest against his neck as he continues slide in and out of her with fervor. Her body limp against him, her breath but a whimper as she cannot stand much more he pushes hard into her a final time as he joins her on the waves of bliss that come crashing down upon them both. They remain intertwined, neither wanting to let the other go.

...

It is barely far enough past midnight to call it morning when Jasper returns. Silently the entire group slips their belongings out the door and onto the awaiting carriage, not even eliciting a creak from a floorboard. Thorne, Basil and Alecta ride inside of the carriage with Kane at the lead; Aiken walks his horse behind it while Jasper disappears into the morning fog in front of them. The clopping sound of the horses' hooves seems to echo loudly off of every house; though it is loud enough to wake the dead, no living soul crosses their path. As they begin to cross the bridge, Thorne gets a cold shiver up his spine upon seeing all of the guards asleep at their posts. Basil breaks the eerie silence to offer some calming words to Thorne.

"That was Jasper's doing, with the help of one of Kane's concoctions."

Once they are clear of town they are able to pick up a little speed. The damp earth helps to deaden the noise of their troupe, yet even so Jasper returns to the group to tell Kane to ease up a bit. As the hours pass, Basil lies down on his side of the carriage with his back to them and drifts off into sleep. Thorne wishes he could do the same but the adrenaline pumping through his veins doesn't allow him a moment's rest. Alecta takes the opportunity to scoot a little closer and rest her head on his shoulder. When he opens his mouth to speak, she brings a single finger to her lips to silence him, pointing to Basil's back.

He's asleep Thorne mouths by the light of the moon shining through the small back window.

She shakes her head. No, he isn't, she replies.

Thorne takes a deep breath, wanting to say a lot to her but not having the luxury of privacy to do so. He leans his cheek against her head and breathes in the sweet flowery smell of her hair instead.

It is an hour before dawn when the carriage slows to a halt. Basil rolls over and sits up, stretching a bit before slipping out the small door. Able to take advantage of the brief moment alone, Thorne steals a tender kiss from Alecta before following suit.

"We will have to walk from here," Jasper says, "so tether the horses and only carry what you need."

Thorne is amazed with the ease that the group, including the massive size of Aiken, is able to navigate their way through the forest in almost pure silence. He, on the other hand, starts to fall behind when he is forced to move more carefully after a few harsh glances from Basil. After half an hour's walk, the sky begins to brighten a little. Thorne glances up to see that the group has entirely disappeared. Worry and panic begin to creep in on him and it takes effort to refrain from calling out for help. He pushes forward a few more steps when Alecta appears out of a thicket, her hand out to halt him.

Quiet, she mouths before grabbing his hand and carefully leading him forward. The rest of the group lies low to the ground, peering through the thick foliage to a small, dark cottage on the other side. Alecta lowers herself onto her knees, pulling Thorne down with her. There, they wait in silence, barely breathing, until they finally see movement from within the bubble glass windows.

Jasper carefully turns towards the group, making a few movements with his hands. It is met with a few nods and several other hand movements as the group silently talks to each other, leaving Thorne out of the conversation as he can't understand what they are conveying. After the final decisions are made, Jasper and Basil part from the group, heading towards the left, while Aiken separates to the right, leaving the three alone in the middle. Though Thorne wants to ask questions, he remains silent next to Alecta.

It is a while longer before a hand gesture from Aiken signals the rest of them. Aiken has taken up a vantage point where he can see through a small window on the east side of the cabin. Thorne has been examining the south side for the better part of an hour; the small, almost quaint stone structure sits oblong from east to west. The main entrance appears to be on the south side—a door facing west that opens up to the small path leading in that direction. From what he can see, Jasper and Basil have parted company, each taking up a different position. Basil is the farthest away from the group, just on the fringe of the woods that cup around the cabin. Beyond him the path appears to lead into an open meadow before dividing a large hill in half. Jasper is between Basil and them, having silently shimmied up a tree and tucked himself into the lower branches. If Thorne didn't know he was there, he would have never found him.

Alecta slowly crawls backwards down the direction they came from, motioning Thorne to follow her. When they are a safe distance away but still within eyesight of Kane, she removes her cloak and vest, slowly shedding all of her extra weight, dressed in her pants and boots, a long sleeve white blouse and a black waist corset. When she pulls the purple blood stained dagger from her belt, Thorne reaches out and stops her.

What is going on? He mouths, concern furrowing his face.

Alecta leans close to him, resting her chin on his shoulder as she whispers softly into his ear, "We decided the best plan of action would be to scout the inside of the cottage first. If possible, I will find the memories and get them out now, so that she cannot destroy them. Then we will start a diversion—perhaps a fire—to lure her outside later. That is when we will kill her."

Thorne shakes his head, resting his cheek against hers as he whispers back, "I don't like you going in there alone and especially, unarmed."

Alecta takes the dagger and slips it into Thorne's belt at the base of his back, tugging his shirt a little so that it covers the hilt and remains out of sight, "It is just a scouting mission, I will have no need for extra weight. Everything that I take in with me becomes one more thing that I have to worry about bringing back out, not to mention that we have no idea how big or how heavy the memories will be. I need to be as light and agile as possible if I am to succeed."

Thorne allows himself a temporary slip as his hand cups her cheek, worry written all over his face. From the corner of his eye he catches a sudden hand gesture from Kane, calling them back to position.

The door creaks open when Carabosse steps outside. Covered in a black cloak with the hood drawn up and split between her horns, she pulls the door shut behind her. Giving it a quick tap with the top of her staff, a loud metallic clank echoes as a lock falls into place. She turns and slowly begins walking down the path away from them.

Just as she clears the perimeter of the house, Alecta slips away like a cat over to Aiken. Creeping towards the cottage, she presses her back to the walls and slides her way around to the front door. After a few quick glances, a shake of her head lets the group know that it isn't an option for entry. She slips back towards the east, checking the window panes and is met with the same lack of success. When she checks the last one at the bottom of the window that Aiken was watching through, she discovers that it is unlocked and opens easily. The only problem is that it is a single pane, no bigger than a piece of parchment; she cannot fit through it. Thorne nervously peers down the path towards Carabosse; she has just reached the edge of the woods near the tree that Jasper is perched in.

Alecta makes a quick gesture and apparently is responded to by Basil. Though Thorne cannot understand what they are saying, he sees Alecta look up to the top of the house where a small but not too small, glass window reflects the brightness of the rising sun from the room. Without hesitation, she scales the wall with the agility of a spider. A quick jimmy and a push prove that the window is unlocked. After peering inside, she makes a signal to Kane, before her body disappears into the belly of the cottage.

Thorne looks over at Kane; after taking a brief glance towards Carabosse to discover that she is now in the middle of the field, he returns his gaze to cottage for a moment before looking back at Basil.

"She says that from the window it is a twelve foot drop into the house. She will have to find another way out," he whispers over his shoulder to Thorne.

His heart jumps into his throat, terrified at the thought of Alecta trapped in that cottage. The minutes slowly tick by, with no signing from anyone. Finally, Aiken appears from his vantage point in the woods and quietly creeps towards the tiny open window on the east side of the house. A quick gesture updates the rest of the group.

"She found the memories and is going to pass them through the window to Aiken. Then she will find a way out," Kane whispers.

Sudden hand movements from Jasper draw Thorne's attention. He looks at Basil, who turns towards them to pass the information down the line. Kane's brow furrows.

"What is it?" Thorne asks, worriedly.

"I don't know—" he says, turning back towards the cottage in time to see Alecta passing a large orb like bottle through the window, "Jasper says Carabosse turned off of the path and appears to be heading towards some sort of cellar."

"Cellar?" Thorne questions, as he watches Aiken carefully take the bottle through the window, "How does he know it is a cellar?"

Kane shakes his head, "He says the way the wooden door is latched reminds him of a cellar."

Thorne gasps, choking on the air, "NO! We have to get her out of there—tell Aiken to get Alecta out NOW!" Thorne stands up, frantically waving his arms above his head to get Aiken's attention as he retreats to the edge of the tree line.

Kane gestures as frantically as he can, though he doesn't understand why Thorne is so worried. It is a moment before Aiken catches what they are saying. He carefully sets down the bottle and begins motioning to Alecta through the window but it is too late. The front door slams shut, banging like the lid of a coffin.

Thorne freezes, his heart stops. Kane roughly grabs him by the arm and harshly pulls him down to the ground, back under the cover of the foliage. "What the hell is going on?" He tries to mouth but is so freaked out that it comes out as a harsh, quiet whisper.

All Thorne can do is peer through the leaves. When Kane nudges him, he finally speaks, "When Alecta saved me the first time, we ran into a predicament on the bridge—some guards where coming and we had nowhere to go. Mayweather appeared and ushered us through this wooden door that should have led to a small supply closet but instead opened up into her house. She said that for a nymph, all doors lead home."

Kane is silent for a moment before he finally speaks, "Shit. It was a trap, Carabosse knows we are here." He tilts to his right so that he can see Basil and starts to signal to him what happened but there is a loud crash from the house.

The woods are silent after that. So silent, in fact, that Thorne can hear the blood pulsing through his own veins. The group waits in agony, minute after minute, for some indication that Alecta is all right when the latch on the door makes a piercing clank through the silent woods and slowly, it is pulled open. Thorne prays that Alecta's slender figure appears from it but instead a staff, followed by a cloaked body come out.

"Oh Prince Thorin," Carabosse's taunting voice sweetly calls out, "come out, come out, where ever you are..."

Kane tries to stop him but Thorne rises to his feet and steps from the woods. He has to strain to keep panic from his face, to keep himself from running at her and slitting her throat.

Carabosse tilts her head slightly to the side, a smile crossing her dark red, almost black lips, "Prince Thorin. I have to admit, I was shocked to discover that you were awake. I am still not quite sure how this pathetic, orphaned whelp found you," she motions slightly towards the door. Alecta comes stumbling out, a thick snake like root wrapped around her body, keeping her from getting to far. Carabosse waves her hand and the root wraps around her ankles, causing her to trip and fall onto her knees. Unexpectedly, she cries out a little in pain. "You must kneel before royalty, you insolent fool."

Thorne takes a sharp breath in, struggling to stay calm, "Carabosse, please let the woman go. Your quarrel isn't with her."

Carabosse clicks her tongue on her teeth, "Oh, come now Prince—the woman," she mocks, "We all know what this woman means to you. But, regardless, you are right—my quarrel is with you. So, I shall give you a choice," her smile broadens as she enjoys his suffering, "return the memories of your townsfolk and I shall turn this vagabond thief free—you two can attempt to work things out and live your life in poverty until inevitably you drift apart and are left alone, a homeless nothing."

Thorne clenches his jaw, slowly eyeing Alecta—her mouth, covered by a thick stem, yet she pleads with her eyes for him not to choose her. "Or?" He queries.

"Or," the nymph smiles once more, "Keep the memories. Return to your town and disperse them. A few drops in the castle will return the memories of your beloved parents, the King and Queen. Pour the rest into the fountain and the town will rejoice as they can finally recollect who their real Prince is. Live the rest of your life with a silver spoon in your mouth, a roof over your head and safe, secure walls around you, rolling in all the wealth that you have come to know and love."

"What will happen to the woman," he says coolly.

"Since you will have no need of her in your life as the Prince, you will leave her to me," Carabosse is unable to restrain the wicked smile on her face. As she watches Thorne, the branches constrict tighter on Alecta, causing her to let out a whimper. "What shall it be, Prince Thorin?"

He pauses a moment, staring deeply into Alecta's eyes. She manages to shake her head but it does no good, "Her," he says quietly, "I will always choose her. I love her. Take your memories back. Aiken!"

Alecta looks defeated, in more ways than one. Her shoulders slump slightly as all she can do is watch the scene unfold in front of her. She silently curses Thorne for being so foolish as to think that she wouldn't be able to escape the nymph but her heart melts, knowing that he would rather give up everything than to see her harmed. Reluctantly Aiken appears from the tree line, glass ball in hand. He cautiously steps forward but not wanting to get too close to Carabosse, he sets the memories down on the ground a few feet in front of her before backing off.

Carabosse eyes the jar carefully; after discovering that it is indeed the correct one, she gets a disappointed look on her face which quickly turns into a sneer. With a pound of her staff on the stone walk way, the vines recede from Alecta's body. Alecta immediately slumps to the ground, gasping for air. Once she is free, Thorne takes a few quick steps forward and gathers her up into his embrace, brushing back her hair. Seemingly relieved, Alecta throws her arms around him.

Carabosse frowns, displeased with how the situation turned out. Though she feels some tiny amount of empathy towards Thorin, having finally learned the value of love, she can't help but be vexed that her mother's death was not completely avenged. She knows that since their love is true, it will last—that is when a smile begins to form on her lips. Perhaps a curse on their children will soothe her pain.

Alecta knows that the nymph will never stop—it isn't in their nature to give up. When she sees the smile cross the nymph's lips, she knows that she must act. Her fingers wrap around the hilt of the dagger, tucked in the back of Thorne's belt. In a flash she is on her feet; two swift steps bring her to the nymph.

The surprise in Carabosse's eyes flash a bright green as the dagger pierces her skin and into her heart; but the shocked expression remains when Alecta catches her falling body and gently lowers her down to the ground. She stares into Alecta's eyes, trying to maintain her anger with the last few short breaths she has but instead she sees a woman truly sorry for being forced to kill.

Thorne stands there in shock as he watches Alecta gently cradle Carabosse's cheek with her hand. Kane, Basil and Jasper appear from the trees, each standing silently around as the nymph tries to fight off the inevitable.

Carabosse feels the warmth of Alecta's skin on hers. She could curse them with her last breath—it would be an unstoppable force. She opens her mouth but is stopped by the sorrow on Alecta's face. The nymph tries to draw up her rage but it seems to have drifted away, as she feels herself doing now. With one last, ragged breath, she speaks her last words, "I forgive you."

Gently, Alecta sets down the shell that Carabosse left behind. As soon as the body touches the ground, it begins to grow moss. The mound of moss slowly sinks into the earth, leaving instead bright red and purple flowers behind. Everyone remains still for a moment, until finally Alecta rises, picking up the glass jar.

"Come on, we have a wedding to catch."

The ride back to Briartown takes half the time at a breakneck speed but it seems like forever to Alecta. The awkwardness that settled over the group after Carabosse's death was so great that Basil opted to ride outside the carriage next to Kane, leaving Alecta and Thorne alone inside. None of the men necessarily think that it would be a good idea for Thorne to join their group of outcasts, nor do they wish to part with Alecta, however one thing is certain—they do not enjoy seeing her forlorn.

Alecta is the one who sits with the jar in her lap, her skilled hands are the only capable of keeping it secured on the rough ride. The glowing purple liquid lights the inside of the carriage, casting an eerie glow over the pair. She finds herself stealing glances at the jar, as the smoke like contents show moving pictures of the memories it contains. It is at least half an hour before she finally speaks.

"When we reach Briartown, I will pour you a small vial. When you interrupt the wedding, you can use it to restore the memories of your parents."

"Where will you be?" He asks quietly.

"For our safety and for the continuance of our livelihood, it will be best for us to leave town before everyone realizes that we are criminals. I do not wish to be hanged for my crimes in Briartown, nor would the men appreciate prison time. I will pour the rest of the jar into the fountain on our way out." She avoids looking at him, her voice steady and matter-of-fact.

"If you leave now, how will I get payment to you?" He asks, though he knows that money is the last thing on her mind right now.

"You can send it to the Seven Dwarves Inn, in Haven. We will be there for one week before we move on."

Thorne stares into the liquid, catching bits and pieces of the townsfolks' memories; what he sees, the old Prince, disgusts him. "I meant what I said."

"I know," she says softly.

"There has to be another way."

"We both know that there isn't. Your law states that a Prince must marry someone of noble birth; I think we both know that I am anything but that. I can't imagine, after all the King and Queen have been through these past few days, that they won't be itching to hold someone accountable. I won't bother counting how many laws I have broken since I set foot in your town, plus, I have blood on my hands."