Forbidden from the Trees

Forbidden from the Trees

Prolouge.
         Wind breezes gallop softly through the leaves of lush trees as a shining spot drifts among the bleached clouds. Warmth in the summer air brings birds to soar and bugs to chirp. Children play withing a small stream, clear and cold, outside the reach of a forest, green and relaxed. A small boat of damp paper floats rappidly down the stream. A young girl runs after it, stopping in front of the ancient trees giving up. A choice well made, for those who enter usually can't find their way back home with such an immense size of this wood. Starvation is certain once lost.
         At the least of 15 miles east of this edge of the forest lay a building of stone, quite large and palacial, but none-the-less charming. Within one of it's largest meetings rooms a debate made the air warm with tension. This debate consisted of 3 army officials, 2 head of police, a royal advisor, and a royal himself.
         "Your highness, it has come to my attention that this wood has caused more than just a few deaths." One spoke.
         The king breathed out, "Well I have no doubt in this, people today wander in, find themselves lost, and eventually die."
         "But highness, lately we have been finding anew. The forest has become strick with us."
         "I'm listening.." the king tilted back in his bright willow chair tucking his head to his chest as he listened..
         "Just a week ago we found a dead family sir, they were scattered throughout parts of the forest closest to the edge. And it was quite clear they had not died from starvation." Another man spoke nervously.
         "Family name? Occupation?" the king asked raising a curious eyebrow.
         " Well, they seemed to be from the city of Chie, on the complete other side of the forest. The man of the house seemed to be a butcher. Family name is still unsure, investigation is being pursued."
         The king nearly jumped off of his seat, "Chie? By god! That's almost 68 miles from here!"
         "Yes highness. We have also found Kail," his voice saddened, "dead as well."
The king's expression softened, "Ah, good man, at least we now what happened to him now... may he rest peacefully." silence filled a gap of sorrow as the king thought for a moment, "Maybe the forest has changed it's ways."
      ~.~.~.~
Chapter One
         A decade, almost completing it's cycle, had past. The weary old king sat in his red leather chair, dozing off. Awoken by an advisor, the words entered his brain, "highness your son is missing.."
The king sighed, "Damned boy will never learn." The king closed his eyes again.
         "But highness, it isn't this simple this time... we have searched the city, and cummonicated with other cities around Artimis, he is no where to be found... leaving one last place."
         The king's eyes flashed open and his grip tightened on the knobs of his chair and his eyes diolated violently. his stood from his chair looking down at the ground, and then looking up at his advisor, pounding his fist upon the stained old table, "No!!"
~.~.~.~
         Mid afternoon starts to escape the grips of te burning noon sun and cool. Twittering came from jays as blue as dreams and and endless chatter sounded from energetic squirrels. A teenaged soul rested beneath a great willow's shadow, with every leaf to fall a story to follow. Eyes filled with relxation he slowly closed them. Clicking the top of a silver pen, making the silver blade of ink retract, he lay it down on the worn old pages of a leather book filled with his writing. Grinning as the breeze kissed his pale skin and told him secrets he would already know. His eyes slowly drifting open, they adjusted and he watched the shining ball of light make shapes through the leaves of the trees on the grassy forest floor. Though this light was caught in differently through another set of eyes high in the branches. The light reflecting off the silver of a pen covered in small fingerprints motioned this being closer. Concealed within a mix of weathered and strong leaves, some were pulled aside for a set of vibrant green eyes, glowing into the shadows, to peer down upon this strange boy. The boy put his watcher in a trance,  his eyes dark with the tinted red of undeveloped film and short shaggy midnight hair that would make a raven's coat go to shame. His glistening paler skin and red lips, clean and calm. He, feeling superstition, looked around and no effort was made to mantain staying hidden.
         Blinking several times the boy jumped up suddenly gripping the end of his sword pulling it out of it's sheath. The sight of a spying girl had startled him, it was quite clear to him that she had been herre for some time, because she, though crouched down on small branches, had no look of discomfort on her face. She slowly cocked her head, staring at him. Gazing at the small rings in thier eyes, it was quite clear for them that they were two years a part, him being the eldest of 17. His cheeks warming, he slide his sword back into it's hiding place. Not a word escaped her as she jumped from the branches of the tree, landing lightly on her feet, supporting herself by bending her knees on landing. She tilted her head upward at him as he looked down at her, getting a better look, and she stood. He was a bit taller than her, even though they were both a bit short, and they were about the same skinny size. Looking at her she had a glow to her pale skin even though the shade fell upon it. The long brunette hair that fell down her back glistened in the spots of sun that shone through the weary trees. Her soft pink lips slightly parted with wonder showing white front teeth, and her eyes glowing green held shimmering pupils.
         Silence passed by as they inspected one another without movement or words. He, dressed in thick leather boots, buckled up high, and dark loose cargo pants, held up by a thick black belt with a shining silver buckle. His shirt of ribbed cotton reaching up his neck of a parcial turtle neck, he wore a jacket, a worn dark grey with white fabric running down the front where the button should have been placed, but instead there were three distinct belts of tired maroon gripping eachother from across the opened front, holding it in place. The jacket, with strings of fabric and ripps along the seem of the shoulders that had been parcially sewn, she was easily able to tell that it was a favorite of his. It possesed a lower collar that made it possible to see his double pierced left ear, and flarred cuffs with a rough feel to them that ended halfway past the elbow, creased with lines, and ended with the same white fabric in the front. this would have made it extremely easy to spot his fignernails painted black, but he wore crimson fingerless gloves held in place with tight belts with black buckles that made it that much harder to tell. Around his neck he had several necklaces, a loose chain sparkling into the dim light, a small silver whistle the size of her pinky finger, and a choker necklace that had a thick sense of security, withing the middle of this choker, thread weaved in and out, hanging and touching his small neck, and directly in the middle lay a circled star, the pentigram. She though, was dressed in dark camoflauge cargo pants, that were loosly rolled up to her knees, exposing fit legs. They had dirt on them and a few drawing from pen, stars and dashes and simple little doodles. A belt that looked like it had belong to a bull dog was around her waist and unevenly tilted the the side. her style was more simplistic. She wore a black ratty tank top that went to her mid thigh and wore a dirty gray zippered sweatshirt, it was a thin sweatshirt and zipped down to her stomach. There were sploches of color, most likely paint, and dirt and the ends of the sleeves were a bit ragged. It's sleeves traveled down the to jionts of her fingers, exposing her dark fingernails, almost black but with the shades and tints of a dark mignight lilly pad green creating it's vibe together, creating a whole new meaning to dark green. She wore two chains around her neck, one a choker that left faint inprints on her neck, and one that was wrapped around twice, making it look as if she was wearing three chains total, she also wore a a chain with smaller links, with thread like atributes that wraped around very loosely around 5 or 6 times. Her ears, like him were doubly pierced. Her hair, had small small braids here and there and part of her hair pulled back into a small messy bun with spikes of her out coming out of it, the rest was left down, some falling in her face.
         The first words were spoken, "Who are you?" the boy's voice was not low nor extremly high, but it had one of those qualities in it where you just wanted to hear it over and over again.
         The girl blinked and opened her mouth to speak, his question being forgotten, "You're not lost are you?" Her voice was of course higher than his but at the same time very liad back and mellow.
         The boy paused, looking back at her, "I am most definatly not lost." He looked around, "I remember I came from.." he started looking around again, every tree looking the same.
         She smiled at this, her mind wandering from the thoughts she concealed, "Well, you are from Artimis, are you not?" she pointed towards the sun, "You'll be heading back that way until you find the river, it should lead you back."
         He looked up and her and said crossly, "Who said I wanted to go back?"
         She raised a thin brow, "Runaway, huh?" she looked at the ground and held her hands gently together, "This is no place to run away to, I suggest you  leave, it will be getting dark soon." She turned halfway, glancing back in a way to tell him she was heading back to where she came from herself.
         "Well who are you to be telling me what I can and can't do, especially since I could ask you why you are here too."
          "Does it matter why I am here as so long as I am not causing trouble?"
         He thought for a moment and then smirked back at her, "But may I remind you, I am causing no trouble either, so why may I not stay? Is it you do not like me?" He had snuck up on her with that answer and he smirked as she blushed, her innocent eyes had a very mysterious passion to them.
         "Well..." she blinked a few times shocked by his response. She paused, thinking again until she finally worked the words out, "I suppose you're right.. Just don't die, okay? These woods can be very unforgiving once night falls." She nodded and turned full length and headed to leave, him following closely behind her.
         "You never answered my question, Who are you?" he asked with a friendly smile as she turned to face him.
         She peered at him but then spoke, " Who are you?"
         The air lay still as she said that and he spoke, "If I tell you who I am, will you tell me you you are?" he smiled encouragingly.
         Ryan looked at the ground and then back up again, the tip of her bottom lip was in her mouth as she spoke, " yes, I suppose that would alright."           
         He smiled, "My name is Kyle Maxwell, I am prince of Artimis, but, you can call me Kyle if you'd like."
         Ryan's eyes widdened, green regret in them, "P-prince?" there was a moment of silence as he nodded his head, she gulped and then spoke in a way that you could she was nervous and trying to cover it up, "Well Kyle, it was nice meeting you, but I believe I must leave."
         His brows lowered as she spoke, he grabbed her arm so she would not leave and spoke, "No, you said you'd tell me your name." he eyed her.
         She looked to the ground in distrust, she looked up abruptly, as if she had been having an argument with herself. His hand was warm against the chill of the shadows that was on her arm, making the small goosebumps she had start to calm, "My name's Ryan, okay?" She slide her arm from his hand and jumped into the trees, disappearing from sight immedatly.
~.~.~.~
         Having witnessed this, he hung his head and truged in the other direction, dragging his feet, until he stopped and looked up at the trees which were waving in the wind. He slowly turned around, a determined twinkle in his dark eyes, he grabbed the start of the leather grip on his long twisted silver sword, placing his index finger on the large, bright dimond that was embedded in the metal work at the top. His eyes closed a smidge as he tried to remember and hiss out words, a spell. Looking up the trees waving in the wind, less violently now, wings began to break the skin on his back, he quickly took off his jacket and shirt, to make room, and tied them around his slim waist. Once the skin began to break, small dropletts began to form around the wound, juicy though clean. Feathers grew outward, reaching to a wing spand of 4 feet, stained black and ruffled from thier ordeal they eligantly lay at his side. He groaned as this happened and rubbed his shoulders gingerly. Flapping them with muscles that had alas grown with them, he was in the air in the blink of an eye, surfing through the trees. His eyes running back and forth in thier sockets, searching the vast amount of green for anything that would resemble a girl of about 14. Out of the corner of his pupil he spotted the faint blurr of pale skin and brunette hair, flapping his wings again, his redirected his path towards her.
Stopping on the tinted purple branches of a tree with leaves that glowed with a black shadow, Ryan looked around, imagining that she had lost him. The thump of a landing sat next to her, she turned her head to find a smirking Kyle, he breathed out in a way that hid a slight interest hidden within it, "You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?"
         Again she blushed, "I.." She had no clue what to say to that.
         "Why is it you run?"
         "I.." she looked embarassed, she crawled down the branches, taking hold of a chain that held up a tree swing. She slide down, landing on the seat of the swing,  she  looked at him with an apoligetic look in her eyes. He made his way down to the ground as well and sat on the ground in front of her, crosslegged and looking up, "Please tell me." He eyes became vivid with emotion.
         "It's just....." a long pause danced with the breeze but he was patient for an answer, " I like it here.. I don't want to leave.."
         Not looking he ripped bits of grass from the ground with his knuckles, he looked down and then back up, he thought then spoke, "I'm not going to make you leave. Infact, no one is going to make you leave." He looked at her and then his brows crossed in confusion as he asked, "Why would anyone make you leave?"
         He looked down again, picking at the grass, he heard her sigh, "I don't know... but they will find a reason, i'm sure of it." Silence passed as he nodded. he heard her speak in a tone more comfortable with him, " Well, you're not mundane are you?" she asked gesturing to the wings. He smirked as she reached out and hesitantly stroked one, he smiled and she in return, becoming more comfortable, giggled a bit returning the smile."So if your not mundane then you are?" she asked transfixed by the glowing black feathers, still stroking them.
         He looked up at her, the sun, though setting, still radiating off of her skin. "Well...."
         She took her gaze from her wings to his eyes, "Well?"
         He thought, she had been honest with him, and was not making him leave anymore.. he could spare breaking his father's word once. "Well, I am a human, but when I was born, my father gave me the magic of the family, the one he had recieved from his father, and his father, and so on."
         She smiled, "Well, I see nothing wrong with this, what's so bad about that?"
         He smiled, he had never though of it in that sort, most people who don't have magic feared those who possessed it, and so his father wanted to keep it quiet.
         Those with magic weren't entirely rare, but they weren't estatically commen either, that and Kyle did have a lot more control and power of it then most people. Kyle looked up at the immense tree the swing was suspended from, purple and black, that was odd. Ryan, seeing him looking at it oddly spoke up, "This tree... it's 'special'" He instantly knew what she meant and questioned no futher, they were in the heart of the forest.
         Ryan's hand fell limp as her hair fell across her eyes that were locked on a single tree. Kyle raised an eyebrow curiously and looked in the same direction. There, strapped around a smaller tree, was a bright orange piece of medical tape, with an arrow pointing what seemed to be east. Ryan's green eyes diolated a few times as her breathes angrially slowed. She quickly hopped off the swing, and walked over to the tree silently. She ripped off the tape, and studied it in her small, soft hands. Abruptly she turned to kyle, looking at the trees, "We're not alone.."
                                                                                         ~.~.~.~
         Kyle rose and clenched his jaw as his wings dissappeared back into his skin leaving two small wounds faintly bleeding. he quickly put back on his shirt and jacket, and followed Ryan as she walked around the gaint tree they were resting at. Ryan's hand glided across the tree's skin as she walked around, Kyle smiled, but then made note of something very odd. In that spot the bark seemed more lively then the gentle purple around it, and less cracks lay in that path. He put it in the back of his mind, it was just a coinceidance(sorry don't know how to spell that). Ryan stopped in her tracks and Kyle walked up beside her, looking forward. Both in shock, but somehow Kyle shock was a bit more distressing than Ryan's.
         Standing there before them was a stout muscular man, with a bright sword and armor, he had a red handkerchif that peeked around his neck from underneath his metal clothing. "Theus..." Kyle growled.
         "Prince Maxwell... You've done it now... Your father will be very cross with you, and you know it." he spoke with creamy low tones.
         Ryan looked back at Kyle, he could almost read her mind with the expression that rested on her face, "Theus... why did you come after me??"
         "Don't ask stupid questions, Highness." He spoke, Highness just making up for the rudeness in the words for it.
         "Well... leave... leave right now."
         Theus smirked and looked at Ryan. "Young lady... I will ask what you are doing here accompanying the Prince of Artimis?"
         "You can ask, but I will refuse to answer." She frowned and spit at his feet.
         He looked at kyle frowning, shaking the saliva off of his armored foot, "Charming girl.."
         "Well Theus, it was nice meeting you, but I have things to do.."
         She walked westward, but then felt the harsh hands on his squeezing her arm tightly. She felt his lips come close to her ear as he spoke, "Who says you going anywhere?" Goosebumps ran along her arms, as she breathed, thinking.
         She heard kyle yell. "Theus! What the hell are you doing!? Let her go, she is doing no harm!" Theus didn't move.
         He whispered in her ear, "You currupting our prince, little girl?" The trees began to sway violently with a sudden outburst of wind, he looked up at them, then back at the girl again.
         Kyles voice became rough as he yelled louder, "Theus! Let her go!"
         He spoke as he let her go, "Looks like you win for now, girl." Theus spoke uninterested as he looked at the sky, "well girl, what's your name?"
         Ryan didn't answer, this question struck her with fear. Her eyes went wide. He rose an eyebrow, "Well? Speak."
         She looked at him in a frightened  but strong mannor. "Uh.. Ryan. My name is Ryan."
         "Ryan what?"
         She looked up at him and frowned "Just Ryan."
         "Well.. don't rush yourself girl, we have all trip back to Artimis for you to remember."
         Her eyes went wide and she gulped nervously. As he walked forward, ryan looked at the ground, as he tripped over a tree root. He looked down swearing it hadn't have been there 7 seconds ago and lecturing himself how he was loosing his touch.He got up and dusted himself off. She looked at Kyle, and he could tell she was rememebering his promise.  Kyle spoke, "Theus, leave her be, she is causing no trouble."
         He eyed her, looking her up and down, searching for secrets, " None apparent to the eye, but still... This is no place for a lady."
         Ryan was stood looking at them, frozen and nervous. Kyle defended his promise as he spoke, "Well she seems to have been taking care of herself just fine."
         Theus grunted, "I suppose... But if any trouble is heard of..."
         She held up her hand motioning he needed to continue no further as she nodded in understandment. Theus then turned to Kyle gesturing to follow him. He did as he was told, looking back at Ryan as he left, he waved. She had he hands held together, as she looked up at him with a bit of a disappointment dancing amoung her face. She lifted a hand a waved goodbye and lipped the words "thank you".
                                                                                                   ~.~.~.~
         Approximately 15 minutes after the two males left, she got up from sitting and staring at the sky and headed in the direction they had left. Listening to the hollow sounds of trees she determined which paths they had taken home. It was nightfall now, the sun just barely having set, and she figured if they had an brains, they would have made camp. Not to soon later, her suspision was confirmed, as she saw the glow of an orange fire, licking at the firewoof within. She silently made her way there. She stopped in a tree the was nearby, staying hidden, and listened to the conversation that was taking place. Kyle was being lectured. After a while, when Theus had fallen into a sleep, and she herself was getting drousy, she heard Kyle sneak out of his beddings and walk out to a small clearing to watch the stars.
Sitting and watching the stars overhead, Kyle thought about what had happened today, he really wished that Theus had not tried to come find him. Sucking him out of his trance he heard a rustling in the trees. He turned to find Ryan behind him, having just jumped out of them. She went and sat next to him, "Ryan?" he asked shocked.
         "Yes?" she asked sarcastically, a smirk on her face. He smiled back as well, and there was a silence as they looked up at the sky.
         Kyle whispered, "What are you doing here?"
         "You didnt think I wouldn't come and see you off did you?" they both smiled. Silence engulfed them again, until Kyle heard Ryan shyly say, "Hey kyle?"
         He looked at her, "Yeah?" then looked back up at the stars as she built up the courage to say what see was going to say,
          "Thanks." Then suddenly felt a hesitant hug, her arms around his neck, he took his arms and embraced her back, smiling. When the hug broke, they continued to watch the stars and talk about what would happen when he returned to his city.
         All Theus could do as he listened to those few words was pretend he was still asleep.
                                                                                                   ~.~.~.~


         Walking past the last set of trees that headed the way safely home kyle adjusted to the light without the shade in the wood. It was then Theus started speaking to him him. "Prince Maxwell, we will walk down a few more miles to a shabby old barn, where i have left two horses in the care of an old farmer, his wife, and his children." Kyle nodded uninterested in his words and continued to walk. "So, that Girl?"
          Kyle immedatly looked up and then hesitated but spoke aloud, "What about her?" he pushed out his words to sound uninterested.
         "Nothing i guess.." his voice trailed off.
         Kyle looked up concerned, "No what?"
         " I'm not sure.. but there's something about her.."
         "like?" Kyle made no motion of it but he was very surprised to hear what he was hearing.
         "Do you think it's safe to leave her there?"
         Kyle slowed and looked back, the woods quite a while a way now, "For her sake, I hope so." Stopping comepletely as he walked ahead, Theus's jaw clenched. He walked further questioning himself what conversations might have excaped between the two. Something in the air tasted wrong about that girl.
         Soon arriving at the ranch, Theus went and knocked on the dirty cream door, it making a hollow noise. The door swang open abrupty as a smiling couple faced them. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Etice, our horses if you will?"
         The woman, with smiling silver hair and fresh golden chesnut eyes spoke, "Of course, one moment." She walked past them with a swing to her walked signalling that old age had not claimed her spirit yet. She returned moments later, as she had promised, with two horses. One Grey and speckled white and hair done in pony tails and bows, the other pure black with one white splotch running down unto it's hoove, it's hair left untouched. Kyle walked over to the black one, nodding respectfully to the old timer and hopped unto his horse, Theus following and doing the same. They started off back home.
         All during the journey, Kyle found his mind wandering, and his ear's ignoring reason and Theus's voice. He watched the clouds roll in and out of thier tides and spied on small children as they ran and laughed, calling eachother's names. His mind would not rest, thoughts and memories ran through his mind suggesting what to do next or in the future. He clentched his fists around the riens and straightened his posture, he couldn't hide from his own mind. Looking up again, Theus's words waking him momentarily from his mental nightmare, he saw buildings hugging eachother with small trolley-trains painted red and gold weeving between them. People chattered and rode bikes, soon to be heading in, it getting closer to the set of the sun. Theus spoke, "welcome home prince."
         After putting his horse, Ferger, in the stalls and brushing his coat, Kyle headed up the spiraled stars and opened a door that was singed with a black coat of age. He walked into the room fasioned in dark red and black, and flipped on the switch to his light. Pausing, his finger still along the switch, he switched it off again and lit a match, running it along cream candles hanging on the walls and standing on his furniture. Removing his shirt, and changing into a pair of plaid pajama bottoms, he flopped onto his bed, not bothering with the covers, turning over and staring out the window panes off his glass swinging door. The moon was brightly lit tinted purple.


         Further east in the same wing, the door to the kings old fashioned bedroom had been knocked on. The king, sat up in his bed, rubbing his old eyes. "come in"
         A ray of light sprang in as a man walked inward, at the edge of his bed, he could feel the pressure of someone sitting. "king, your son is back... but there was something very curious... A girl...."