Side Box

It had been a long time since she had been to a carnival of any sort. They used to go often, she remembers. Used to have a lot of fun, too. But all that had stopped after she ran away. Once - or twice, Miren wouldn't have been able to tell you - Brom had tried to convince her to go with them. But he was only faced with the bull-headed stubbornness they had all grown to love and expect. Miren lived on her own terms, and no one else's. And public places ran the risk of being found and bringing the horror to her new family sooner than she planned.

But that was no longer a risk, now.

So it was with a notable spring in her step, and a hop in her skip, the young woman moved over to one of the many concessions stands scattered throughout the area to procure more cotton candy. And maybe even that illustrious funnel cake she had intended on getting while enjoying the festivities of the carnival. - It might not be true of other packs, but hers most certainly had a sweet tooth. - Either way, Miren was in a highly good mood while she swayed patiently in line. And it was just her luck that she didn't have to wait long.

He had seemed nice at first, friendly as he asked the usual questions about her family: Is that yours? How old is the boy and girl? Where's the lucky guy. And she had answered accordingly as she filled the cup with more free water in the cooler that was provided. Until...

"So... Don't you ever worry what would happen if the government found out about you people and tracked you down?"

Stopping in the middle of her task, she turned her head to look up at the stranger. And watched his face shift from friendly to sinister as realization dawned on her. Dropping the cup and food, the young woman straightened up and slowly took a step back in retreat. And as the world sped up once more, she felt his hand reach down and grip hard on her forearm. All the while, her body twisted and jerked around towards her family -

" - Run!"

The next thing she knew, there was a sharp sting in the back of her neck.

Sometimes, when Einin's world became too much, she found herself out in the middle of a meadow near the house. She was always either riding on, or walking beside the big mare - Gia, as she deemed her - lost in her thoughts or reading through passages of the newest (to her, not exactly in print) book to meet her hands. 

On this day, Gia was laying down under the shade of a willow tree with Einin lounging back against her with a book to her nose. Whenever she thought she understood a species, something would happen that made her question things and thus push her into a state of needing more information. Namely scent. The young vampire was searching for any mention in the history about reasoning for the occassional lack of repulsion in scent between species. The biology of it, anything. Why.

Why. Why. Why.

The weather was growing warmer, but at this hour, where the sun begins to slowly set behind the clouds, the wind was cool as it danced the loose curls around her face. The mare puffed softly into the other side, with a sound of protest. It was time to get back. 

"I know, I know. I'm almost done with this chapter, then we'll be on our way and you can have extra carrots. I promise." Einin murmured, and flipped a worn page of her book.  But before she could actually finish the chapter, he mind began to wander. To other things. Other people. Phineas, and Rhys mostly. One she missed so terribly that it made her bones ache beneath her skin. The other she found to be so beautiful that she wanted to care, but found herself bitter instead because the two were so tightly entwined that she no longer felt she had control of either. 

No, not control... she didn't have the...attention she needed. She didn't feel important. Loved. Which she knew was silly. Phineas loved her, she didn't doubt that for a second. But she felt like it was slipping...slowly fading because of his affection towards Rhys, their half brother. Maybe it was her fault. Maybe she chose Rhys wrongly. He was so beautiful, so perfect, so...right. She didn't see him as a threat at the time, just as something that would make her brother light up. Einin always wanted to see Phineas's face bright like that. Happy. Maybe something in her was drawn to his blood, their blood. 

Now, Rhys always slept in Phineas's bed. Phineas always did everything with Rhys. And she was alone a lot of the time with her books, her horse, her father, with duty, and knowledge, darling Milo, but alone... Always alone. She would rather be alone than risk taking the light from her brother. Her brother who had the potential to be so dark. She held the reins, and only she could do that.  She had to keep control of Phineas, keep him happy, for his, her, and everyone elses sake. 

The tree's rustled loudly, natures warning to go. Without thinking, Einin wipes the wetness of tears from her cheeks and stood. The book was tucked inside her bag and soon Gia was on all fours with the girl climbing on her back, "Take us home, Gia. My beautiful, Gia." She straightened and took a breath, but the gloss remained in a sheet over her eyes, forbidding her to forget that her insides were turning to ice.

You can't hide it.
Not forever.

"I can if I have to." She whispered aloud.

The ride home, to the stables was quiet, and slow. But Gia recieved the extra carrots as promised, and Einin was happy to give them to her before she set into a slow brushing. 'Do you ever miss me, Phineas? Do you ever wonder if we're falling apart? Being torn the way Betavia and Neveah were? The way fathers twins are...content to be apart... Do you?'

There was something to say about being an early rise. You got a lot accomplished if you really felt like putting in the effort. While it was growing increasingly hard to pull away from the awkwardly-adorable male who made things inside her turn to mush, she did it anyway, and for good reason.  She had plans, at least if they were agreed upon. 

But first things first. Neela stretched her legs out a little (the sore, rear right one still aching from the strain) and hurried about catching some smaller things for the 'family-unit' to have while she did what she needed to do. A few rabbits and a fish or two. Fat fish at least since it was their season. All the little presents were set neatly nearby while they slept, a rabbit a little closer to Poivre of course, and then padded off to find Miren who would no doubt already be awake and on duty. 

Mirens scent was hard to miss after knowing it so completely for so long, even with the years in between. It made her smile and quicken her pace to catch up to the other female, "Hey, Miren? I kinda wanted to do something later...if it's okay with you."

( Show me your teeth! )