SICKENINGLY BEAUTIFUL! [Prince Zayid]

[Evangelina]

Exhausting day... She sighed as she made her way across the hallway of the Safehouse with a new grace and found the bathroom with a mirror that had been cracked. The previous hours were over with, she thought, knowing that the horrors of what she put herself through would reap rewards. It was a cold, lonely sort of place that she found herself in - on her knees, forcing imperfections out of her with an inconsistent sob managing its way through. But that was done ...for today. And the glorious night promised her a date of sorts with the Prince she'd met at the Hospital. At least, she could say he'd been her closest friend as of late...and often she would feel more than she tried to control, but much like everything else, she could not. She opened her eyes to truly stare herself down in the mirror and flinched, seeing someone three times her size staring back at her. Maybe he wouldn't even come today. God, she wouldn't if she were him. She sighed, thin, frail arms reaching up to let her messy bun fall down in curls of sunset pinks. She ran her hands through it and walked out finding herself unable to do much else. She still had the same sort of outfit but this time she wanted to doll-up for him. He was worth it. This time instead of his darker dress shirt, she'd found a rather gayly light blue dress shirt that also came to her knees, now with white tights instead of black. She washed these frequently, still finding it satisfactory to cover and hide everything she didn't want anyone to see with out all the layers. Often, however, she would shiver from lack of insulation.

Evangelina made her way outside, her translucent skin reflecting beautifully in the moonlight. She took some time to decorate her hair with wildflowers again, although these ones seemed to glow and open as though they were designed for the moonlight...So strange. Her cheeks turned a shade of obvious pink and she shivered once more, taking on the windy, cold night and morphing into the little pig that she was. The pig sniffed along the ground and made its way to the woods to a clearing that he'd promised to come to. She was going to show him her favorite, secret place... She never had much but the hope this place brought to her, and she wanted to share it with him. Everything about him made her heart sing and the sight of him made her undeniably and truly happy. She stayed hidden in the underbrush on the outside of the clearing as to not be embarrassed and in the open, vulnerable, should he decide not to show. Surely enough, with two minutes to spare, an enormous black and white tiger prowled into the opening, looking suspicious and magnifiscent - perfect... Every swivel of his ears, cautious glance of his eyes...every ripple of muscle with movement underneathe his uniquely designed pelt...Perfection. She envied him. She wanted him. She changed into her human form as he did when he saw her approach, still looking a little out-of-his-wits.

Somehow her stride still contained that grace and stature she hadn't had before. "Shhh. Close your eyes." She knew he would question her so she repeated. "Close them. No peeking..." She grinned slightly but inside she screamed, so nervous she wanted to turn around and leave him here...and she was nearly never nervous. She grabbed both of his hands with her's gently and lead him through the woods, her body and hands quivering from both the slight cold that was more detrimental to her and her anxiety, but she steadied them as to not give herself away. She had to be confident, or he, too, would want to run if he did not already. She looked down at the pink curls that teased around her waist, at their feet moving steadily across the earth. Finally, she looked up to see him thankfully with his eyes still shut. "Okay..." She sighed carefully, looking around with her big blues. "Alright...Open." She granted him, turning from him towards the river, gasping at its beauty the way she always did, one hand still holding his as though she needed nothing else. Overwhelmed, she took in the fireflies and the stars that scattered the sky in brilliant, bright designs, a full moon overhead that, somehow, could not compare to the stars in her eyes. They reflected in the river, every speckle of perfect light. "Magic." She whispered, the same wildflowers from her hair decorated the sides of the river, opening up and glowing more beautifully than the fireflies under the moonlight. "So beautiful. So perfect." Still in awe, she looked up anxiously, wondering if he could see what she did, if he found this very special spot as special as she did.

[Zayid Shamoun]

[atrb=width,400,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=000000] This wasn’t a good idea. Not a good idea at ALL. The jungle that he’d explored with Amy and had thus gotten his butt handed to him in short order was not far from here – a place he didn’t care to visit again seeing as it was swarming and humming with such ghastly sounding beasties. True enough he matched them in form, for the most part. But he’d been told that they could easily spot the different between a normal shifter and their own kind. And this area was just adjacent to their territory. God knows he was out of his element even amongst his own fellow Carna; hell, he had been out of his element since the Keepers had forcibly dragged him from his room in the palace. How dearly he missed it – the shadowed walls, the study overflowing with books neatly kept, the only sign of use the bookmarks and the odd dog-eared page or two (god forbid Anisa see!) He sighed, picking his way through the undergrowth carefully. At least he’d finally gotten some protection for his paws! After weeks of incessant demands, he’d finally been found (or crafted) a set of stockings of sorts for his animal shift. A decent set of four “booties” as people mockingly labeled them that were snugly fitted on his big, white paws. “Delightful,” he crooned happily, a rough and raspy purr rising from him. As soon as it started, he choked it to a stop as a bird fluttered over head. “Must be quiet as a mouse, Zayid! Remember what Miss Amy taught you,” More like beat into you. Wincing at the mere thought of it he continued to creep along, stepping daintily over twigs and leaves that would rustle, avoiding rather muddy looking paths lest he dirty his boots as quickly as he had gotten them. He finally made it to the place she’d told him about, spotting quite easily the landmarks she’d noted and the few markers she’d left for him. He prowled into the clearing, trying to mimic what he’d seen his mentor do. He thought he looked rather “pro”, but somewhere underneath the guise of predatory skill there was still that terrified little man shouting at the top of his lungs to swing ‘round and high-tail it for the sewers. At least there he had cover, even if it was filled with malodorous men and women who didn’t rightly know how to respect personal boundaries. He waited for a couple of moments and his nerves were just about to get the better of him when he saw a flash of pink. "Thank Allah," he breathed, picking his way carefully toward her. He shifted back and stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do. He found himself wishing to take her in his arms and give her a hug, but Anisa still stood between them. The thought that she could still be alive and that she was even now looking for him and trying to find a way to get him out. But when she took his hands in hers, he could think of nothing but her and what she wanted to show him. "As you wish," He felt a pang of guilt, but pushed it aside. He wouldn’t let himself do anything inappropriate ; he was stronger than that and had control over his emotions. He let his eyes drift shut and followed her, his nerves beginning to unravel. It was unnerving, not knowing where she was taking him. It could very well have been a trap, a plan for the Fussie to kidnap him! He felt his stomach flip, his body beginning to shake from the very inside – everything within him seemed to be alive and writhing with terror. But he kept his eyes glued shut, afraid that if he opened them it would all be true and standing before them would be an army of Fussie men armed to the teeth. But at last she freed him of his terrifying prison, and his eyes slowly but surely peeled open. And what he saw before him was truly beautiful. Awe inspiring, even. He had never seen such a thing – locked away in his room for his entire life he had never truly experienced nature. And thus far in the menagerie he had as of yet only to see the brutality of it – but now, with his hand entwined with that of a new, fascinating friend, he could see what beauty that God had put into the world. Such startling beauty in the shape and flow of the river, the glinting of stars scattered across it’s silvery surface as the fireflies danced. It was as if he was reading a line of poetry; but such an experience could not be summed up in so few words. His fingers itched to write, to feel the paper beneath his fingertips and watch the words flow as freely as the river before them. "Magic. So beautiful. So perfect." He didn’t answer for a while, only tightening his grip on her hand and pulling her ever so slightly closer. He couldn’t meet her eyes, so drawn into the serenity of the moment. He saw the flowers dotted along the riverbank and grinned, stooping to pick one.His voice was a soft whisper as he turned to her and tucked the flower behind her ear as he spoke. “…surely the blossoms of all the springs, must be the souls of beautiful things…” The lines of a poem he'd read long ago; he couldn't help but smile thinking that Angel's soul could give life to a thousand flowers.

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[Evangelina]

“…surely the blossoms of all the springs, must be the souls of beautiful things…” She blushed as he stuck the flower behind her ear and gazed at him with all her attention, somewhat rare for someone like her, and her admiration grew stronger. Her eyes seemed to sparkle spectacularily under the moonlight - as though the moonlight itself was made for her. She seemed to relax, seeing that he liked it, and learning that he had a poetic tongue aswell. "The souls of beautiful things... are as much of a fluke as their exterior." She whispered, her gaze focused on the waters, half-hoping he didn't hear it. She looked up again, smiling almost sadely, such true odd sadness that she pulled him into a tight hug...as tight a hug that she could muster. "Thank you." For what? For liking it? Certainly....It was enough for her to be grateful.

However, before she could say more, he was gone. Her worst fears were confirmed and she opened her eyes to see if he had really run off. Instead she saw a bared cage seperating them, and trapping only him. "Prince Zayid!" She screamed, running and reaching for him, yelping when the bars zapped and burned her hand. She recoiled, holding her hands, eyes wide and confused.
"Say good-bye to this beautiful place." A voice sounded from behind her and she spun around with a gasp, a strong hand grabbing her upper-arm and yanking her tight and close. She looked up to see a tall, muscular man with scars on his face and a coat as white as milk. "Who are you?" She hissed. "Anderson." He grinned and she frowned quietly. Everyone had heard stories of him, this Assistant Keeper that didn't abide by all the rules, making the other Keepers look nice. "Don't you touch this place." She struggled against him as other assistant keepers seemed to prowl out of no where, setting fire to all grass and flowers. The beautiful glowing and reflection was replaced with smoke and fire. "No! Don't! Stop it!" She screamed and struggling, kicking against him. He seemed to be laughing as nothing she did phased him, and she hung limp in his grip after several minutes of constant fighting, crying at what she saw.

But not even this beautiful place was as beautiful as her new friend, and she looked up, defeated, watching him carefully. I'm Sorry. She mouthed at him, eyes momentarily dead of spirit. "You know, 'Prince' Zayid, if that is your name...Raunchy immigrants... I found something interesting about your new friend here in her files. Yes, it was quite interesting...Oh, but don't let me ramble on. Maybe she should tell you." "There's nothing." She snapped, pushing back the tears in her eyes. "No, I'm pretty sure there was something. Oh, but I suppose you wouldn't say it. Poor, old, obese people these days certainly seem to have a knot in their tongues." "SHUT UP!" She shouted, spinning around and punching him square in the face. He fell to the earth, holding a bleeding nose. "You little B****!" He screamed back and she grinned a little, scrambling away like a mouse and hopping on top of the cage that kept him in. The other assistant keepers had long since left, only there to destroy the nature around them.

"Let him out." She demanded. "Or what?" She pounced off of the cage and tackled him to the earth, pulling his tazer out of his pocket and tazering him until he passed out. She then found some sort of remote control and pressed all of the buttons. Eventually the cage around Zayid fell to pieces around him. "Hurry- let's go!" She shouted as the other assistant keepers swarmed back into the area. The smoke was starting to get to her lungs and she coughed several times before making her way over to him, coughing roughly again. She turned to see they were already nearly half-surrounded.

[Zayid Shamoun]

[atrb=width,400,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=000000] Zayid looked back at her, seeming to see the whole world reflected in her big blue eyes. It was some kind of experience - he just didn't quite know what to file it under. Amazing. Entrancing. Enthralling. Beautiful. Perhaps all of the above. He wasn't too concerned with classification for once, preferring to live in the moment than to worry about storing it away for looking back later on. He was sure that he would remember this night, this place, this uniuquely beautiful woman, when he was old and gray. If he got to be such an age. He was musing quietly to himself, drawn into a silenced stupor by her gaze, grinning despite himself at her gentle blush. However, he was confused by her reply, his brows furrowing as he tried to make sense of her words. He didn't have much time to think it over before she drew him into a tight hug, and he felt his arms instinctively wrap around her, pulling her close to him. Closer to his heart than he dared let her be, he felt. But her thin arms wrapped around him felt somehow justified and he found himself grinning like a schoolboy again. A hand gripped his shoulder, feeling like iron. Zayid gasped as he was yanked backward by the vice-grip and violently torn from Evangelina's embrace. The cage seemed to spring from nowhere, the lightweight yet incredibly strong bars sliding into place with heavy clinks as the bolts secured themselves, signifying completion with a low expulsion of air that seemed like the devil's hissing tongue. He hadn't uttered a word and found he couldn't; not even when Evangelina rushed to the bars and was brought to a halt when the electricity sparked and shocked her. He stepped forward, hands reaching out for her through the bars as carefully as he could. His eyes were filled with the shadow of a man who had come up behind Evangelina and he tried to grab for her wrist, urging her to get out of the way. "Run!" he hissed, but it was too late. The Keeper had grabbed her, his meaty hands wrapping around her tiny arms and held her against him. Zayid watched in terror as the other Keepers began to set Evangelina's paradise ablaze. The smoke drifted through the air and stung at his eyes and nose, the wind blowing it directly into his makeshift cage so that he could hardly breathe. The thick black coils of smoke blinded him, his eyes tearing as he tried to make out Evangelina. But he was submerged in a nightmare, the nightmare that had plagued him since that fateful day where he'd lost Anisa. He could hear her screaming, Anisa, and he was groping blindly for her in the dark smoke. Zayid felt himself screaming as in his nightmare another explosion erupted and he was pushed forward by the blast, his hands and arms burning with pain as the fire licked it's way up his arms. Screams tore from his throat, screaming for Anisa until his voice was hoarse and he could scream no more. In reality he had flung himself against the bars of the cage, his hands gripping the metal bars till his knuckles were white, unaware that the electricity was coursing through him and singing his skin. The nightmare continued as he was choked by the thick smoke and surrounded by bombs and death and the scream of his fiance who he scrambled desperately to find. But she wasn't anywhere. When the smoke finally cleared he had fallen to his knees, panting and sweating profusely. His hands and arms burned, blisters formed on his palms. Zayid stared at the ground, trying to get over the shock. He trembled as he listened to the Keeper taunting and torturing Evangelina. “Leave her be!” he shouted, his voice coming out a throaty cry. He didn't understand what the Keeper meant with his taunts, confused with what any of it had to do with Angel. But he couldn't look up at them, terrified that he would see her slaughtered and have to live through the pain and guilt of losing someone else. The cage bars collapsed around him and he looked up, shocked to see Evangelina standing over him in all her strength and glory. Coughs racked her thin frame and Zayid scrambled to his feet, grabbing her arm and pulling her roughly to him. He stared into her eyes for half-a-second, the fire and smoke swirling around them in an inferno they weren't likely to escape. He swallowed hard, his fear overwhelming him. But as he looked into her eyes he found a thread of courage, and nodded to her that he would follow wherever she lead. But the sight that met him wasn't a hopeful one - the other Keepers had rallied around their felled companion and were now closing in on them. Amy's lessons started to flutter through his mind, though he pushed them to the side and thought instead about all that his father had taught him about fighting strategically and using your enemies strengths against them. He gripped Evangelina's hand tightly before letting it go, bringing his burned fists upward and letting his muscles loosen. He stepped in front of her defensively, pale grey eyes narrowed and focused. His guts had turned to liquid and his heart was hammering in his chest, terror driving the force behind his will. He would fight his way out if he had to, if only to bring he and Evangelina out of it safely. The first Keeper lunged forward and Zayid let out a shuddering gasp but with a determined glint in his eye rushed to meet him. ooc; LOL. Zay, you can't fiiight XD Let Angel handle dem!

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[Evangelina]

"Prince... You'll get hurt." Her voice whispered weakly from the smoke and she erupted into shattering coughs, sinking to the ground with a quick witt into her small, piglet form. "EEEEEE!" She squealed and charged at a Keeper, head-butting him. By shifting, she hoped she encouraged Zayid to shift as well. She could not remember his shift animal, nor remember if she knew it to begin with ever. But certainly he fared a better chance as some sort of beast. The keeper she knocked into looked down and reached for her but she was too quick. She dashed through the legs of the entire group, and before she knew it the majority of them were chasing her. "WEEEEEWEEEEE!" She instigated with a squeal, leading them into a patch of feild surrounded by flame. She grabbed a brushy stick with her muzzle and dipped it in the flames, running around very specifically, spreading the flame.

"Stupid pig. Someone grab the d*** thing." A keeper scoffed, but before they could all think, they realized she'd surrounded them in flame, and there wasn't a single way out. The flames grew taller than every man on the assistant keeper team, and they had no choice but to transport back to base.
Evangelina scurried back to where she left the mighty Prince Zayid fighting the evil Anderson. She jumped in to assist, squealing her war-cry and biting down on Anderson's ankle, shaking it viciously.
Anderson had been swinging relentless punches at Zayid, taunting him, and cheating. He'd pull out the tranquilizer now and then to play dirty. He looked down at the pig chewing on his leg and lifted his foot, swinging a simple kick that sent her flying into a rock with a loud crunch as her delicate bones gave way. With a final squeal, she sunk to the ground in her fragile, human form...silent.

"Hmmm, I thought you were a Prince, Zayid." Anderson scoffed, walking around him. "What are you wasting your time with the likes of her, Prince?" He spat at poor Zayid, sneering and taunting.
"You have yourself a flawed peasant for sure." He chuckled, backing up casually. "Certainly someone of your status deserves better."
"But even so, you couldn't protect the last one, hm? Poor, poor ...Anisa? Yes, Anisa." Anderson was a sick file creeper, and what wasn't in the files, he further investigated. He thought he'd conjure a lie.... mess with the kid's head and heart.
"Indeed, Prince. She was just in my lab. We healed her. And here you are with another girl. Unforgivable. Oh, she'll be heartbroken to hear of this new relationship you're conjuring."

He kneeled down swiftly, grabbed a large dead branch with the end on fire and swung it at Prince Zayid. "You'll die for your sins, scum."

[Zayid Shamoun]

[atrb=width,400,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=000000] Zayid stared in disbelief as Evangelina shifted and darted off to fight the group of Keepers on her own. He was amazed at her courage, as always, scarcely believing that someone so small and seemingly powerless could have such...power. He didn't have long to think about it, though, before Anderson had brought him back to reality, swinging a fist at him. Zayid dodged on instinct, the Keeper's fist landing a glancing blow on his cheek. It stung, but he didn't have time to even think about what to do next, because Anderson started swinging again. He was a big, hulking man and what he had in strength and muscle he lacked in speed. Slim and relatively light-boned, Zayid had the slight advantage of speed on his side. All those months of training in the Carna (aka him running from his mentor and hiding so he didn't have to train) paid off now. He dodged and weaved, eyes wide as he tried to pick out where to strike back, where to hit him that it would hurt the most. His father had taught him this, taught him how to clear his mind, examine his enemy... He found his opening when Anderson was winding up for another swing, Zayid rushed forward and feigned to the side, managing to land a few choice blows to Anderson's solar plexus. The bigger man doubled over, and Zayid was triumphant for about half-a-second before he saw Anderson right himself almost immediately, and began his warpath all over again. Zayid was still cringing from the pain of contact, his burned hands oozing blood. This time he was quicker, managing to slam his fist into Zayid's face once, which sent the Prince stumbling backwards. He managed to catch himself on a tree, skirting behind it so at least something was between him and the hulking creature that was this Keeper. He seemed almost inhuman, mustard colored eyes glinting in the firelight, blood trickling from his face where Evangelina had hit him earlier. He wanted to fight him, but he was hopelessly outmatched. He had yet to master shifting, the process still difficult for him. He could only hold the form for so long, and it was an uncertain thing whether he could even keep to the tiger form for longer than a few moments. If anything it would only make him weaker, more vulnerable as he half-shifted. But he saw Evangelina in the distance, standing up against all the Keepers, by herself. And here we was against one, cowering behind a tree. He was a coward. A pathetic coward who didn't deserve to be called a Prince. He didn't even deserve to have a friend like Evangelina, so pure and brave. He gathered his courage, what little of it there was, and stepped from behind the trunk, fists clenched at his side. The flesh was raw and burned from the electric cage bars, bloodied now from when he'd hit Anderson, and it hurt to even move his hands. His eyes watered at the pain but pulled himself up, trying to look strong in the face of adversity. But his eyes beheld the syringe-gun in the man's hand, the snide grin on his face as his finger squeezed the trigger. He felt the dart sink into his neck--it was small, barely larger than the tip of a pencil, but he could feel it take effect almost instantly. His hands swatted lazily at the dart lodged in his neck, trying to get it free. It fell in the grass at his side, but the world was already swimming in front f him. He saw a blob of color that vaguely resembled Anderson, and swung a loose fist out to meet it, but it met only air. Zayid lurched forward, but was met with a wall of a man and a fist to the gut. Zayid scrabbled uselessly against Anderson, fingers clawing at the man's coat as he tried to fight back, but the blows kept coming, one after the other. He couldn't really feel any pain, he was so numb, but when a blow landed on his face, square between his eyes he saw stars; another blow landed on his jaw and his teeth clacked together and he heard a crunch. He fell back, blood oozing from his mouth as he spat out a tooth. He stared up at Anderson, head bobbing weakly as he tried to focus his eyes. "It should be wearing off in a few moments," the man said. And true to his word, Zayid's vision began to clear, and he nearly blacked out as he regained feeling in his limbs, only to discover the wave of pain coming from his torso and face. He could barely keep up with the blood oozing from his mouth, and he could only assume he'd bit a nice hole in his lip along with that tooth. “Scoundrel,” he spat, still regaining his senses. He tried to get to his feet but Anderson slammed a boot into his side, sending him tumbling back down. He heard Evangelina charge in squealing, attempting to come to his rescue. He nearly retched when he saw Anderson kick her like he was kicking a ball, as if she wasn't a living human being. He struggled to get to his feet as Anderson laughed and circled him, taunting him. Mocking Evangelina. He was about to shout back that Angel was a hero, and he was the one who wasn't worthy of her friendship--but he was cut short when Anisa's name fell from Anderson's lips. Anisa was alive? His Anisa? He felt a smile tearing at his bloodied lips, hope swelling in his chest. She was alive! "Please, sir!" he said, reaching out his burned, bloody hand. "Please you must let me speak to her, you must let me see her, at least!" He said, but as Anderson kept talking, he felt the heavy weight of guilt on his chest. "No, no. You have to let me explain to her, we, we are just friends you see--" he said, frantic. "She'll understand if only you let me speak with her, please sir I'll do anything you want," he said, begging. He'd never begged for anything in his life, had only demanded things of others. But this was Anisa, his love, and at long last he knew that she was alive. Or he hoped. But as Anderson stepped forward, Zayid had a sinking feeling in his chest that even if Anisa was alive and in the labs, he wasn't going to make it back to see her. He was still reeling from the tranq and just barely managed to dodge the flaming branch Anderson swung at his head. He felt something come over him, something that happened only a few times before in his life, and before he realized what was happening he was changing, bones snapping and contorting, reshaping; and as his eyes flashed up to meet Anderson's, they were the eyes of a beast, a hulking tiger. He was smaller than most, but compared to a man he still had about three hundred pounds on him. He could feel something compelling him, some drive, some instinct that drove him forward with a guttural roar, claws outstretched and reaching for Anderson's sickly pale flesh. He felt his claws make contact, felt himself ripping through flesh before he even knew what had happened. Blood welled around his claws, Anderson was screaming, screaming. He was gone in an instant, transporting back to the base, and it was as if he had never been there at all. Only the small drops of blood on the ground and the flames licking at the earth all around them told that he had ever been there. Zayid turned to Evangelina, white paws tipped in blood. He walked slowly over to her form, desperately small and fragile, and felt himself slowly shift back. He sank to his knees beside her, reaching out a hand to gently brush her face. ooc; wow that escalated quickly

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[Evangelina]

Trouble, trouble, trouble. Trouble. Shallow breathing shook her frail, damaged form, but fear for him filled her aura- a white, pure aura in her mind- of her soul. She fought to wake until her eyes batted open, catching a scene of the Prince begging before the Keeper, begging and pleading... to see a girl. She could hear the emotion in his voice, the smug expression on Anderson's face. We are just friends. The pain of her crushed torso hit her and she cried out. I'll do anything you want. Her face twisted in pain, a pain more emotional than physical which, considering her condition, was astonishing. Her brave Prince was a begger, and not only that, he'd cast her aside as some acquaintance, pleading for another female. He must have a mate, she thought. And she the fool for thinking otherwise.

The pain overwhelmed her and she passed out. Silly, Angel. Angel, Angel, Angel... You know a Prince like that would have a Princess, a mate of perfection, yes? Did you assume that perhaps, just maybe, you were worthy of mating with him?

No, no. I would never think that...

You're far too short- too fat, my dear. He'd brush a hand across your waist and be disgusted at the extra form you have. He'd try to hold you and would not reach his arms around you. Oh, please, my love, can't you see? Even his eyes have told him the truth, and he would not even desire to touch you.

I know. I know... I just thought...

Thought what? That he could see past it? Foolish, dear. You must rid your disgusting self of all the extra. Gluttony is a sin that every one can see...written all over your body. And even still... He has a mate.

I think he likes me.

Think again.

A hand touched her face, sweeping a bright-colored hair away. She awoke to stabbing pain, but it still could not compare to how she felt. Immediately, she was sobbing. Her plump, pouty lips made out whimpers and gasps. "I'm sorry; I'm sorry he hurt you. I'm..s-s-" She coughed and cried, turning away from him swifter than her body could handle and bending over to vomit. It was all water. She hadn't eaten anything. The acid-taste lingered in her mouth, but there wasn't much of a smell, considering there wasn't much there.

And yet, she felt better. Cleansed. Smaller. Closer to disappearing and being safe from another's eyes. Closer to being worthy. "You don't like me?" Her cries settled down to struggled breathing and hiccups. But she wasn't focused. She was dehydrated from the vomit, and everything seemed just a bit hazey. "Can you make it stop hurting?" She questioned after slumping down to the earth again painfully. With a frame of 95 pounds, if one looked it would be visible just which ribs had caved and broken. "I'm sorry." She repeated, and then again several more times. She couldn't see him. It was either black or blurry. Her mind wasn't clear and she couldn't really remember what happened, why she was here, and even struggled to contain who she was talking to.

"Prince, a Prince." She mumbled, shivering in spite of herself, focusing her eye-sight to look up at him. You are a brave Prince!" She squealed with a smile, her face dirty upon the earth. And with her squeal her expression contorted in pain again.
We're just friends. "We're just friends." She repeated, but slowly she was able to focus more- the more awake she became. She retained everything more specifically, more in order. But none of it mattered. The one thing her mind wanted to focus on was the incredible pain that shook her to the core. Now, most people in the Menagerie would be able to handle a few broken ribs that would heal in time. They would put on a strong face and carry on. She...was a bit of a cry-baby. And just the thought of her own misery had her pouty-lip going and a few excited sniffles that would surely lead to more crying.

Instead, she tugged at the hem of her over-sized shirt, pulling it off... and then a sweater...and another shirt. She reached out and held his hands, pulling them forward and guiding him to help with the last shirt, a tank top that, although small, was still loose. "Don't laugh." She didn't want to hear about her awfully large form of her perception. "Please."
But already it was 10x more visible just how small she was. Hip bones jutted out and countable ribs. Collar bones and shoulders and elbows... her bones were practically bare. It was a sad and disturbing sight, and still she was embarrased that he would think about how fat she was. Still, she wanted him to fix her.As she reached for the hem of the last shirt, her arm fell limb and her muscles tightened in reaction to the few broken bones, one of which seemed shattered beyond repair.

Her eyes rolled back and shut a couple times, both of which she refocused, breathing heavily, carefully, and admirably silent now for what she was feeling. "Zayid." She found her gaze, looking up with striking eyes and a pained smile, delighted in the taste of his name.

[Zayid Shamoun]

[atrb=width,400,true][atrb=border,0,true][bg=000000] Zayid watched her as she woke up, coughing and sputtering through her obvious pain. Zayid winced with each of her shallow, pained breaths knowing that her pain must exceed his own. It was likely one of her ribs was broken...she was so tiny, so frail he didn't want to picture what that Keeper's boot had done to her. He reached out a hand but hesitated to touch her, not sure of where she'd been hurt. She always wore so many layers, he couldn't see anything of her skin. His hand hovered uselessly over her, and fell back to his knee when she spoke. "I'm sorry; I'm sorry he hurt you. I'm..s-s-" Grey eyes watched her as she retched, thick brows knit together in concern; confusion. A rush of words spilled out from her lips, and he didn't know which to answer first. You don't like me? Can you make it stop hurting? I'm sorry. Brave Prince...we're just friends. His head was swimming, swarmed with pain pulsing from almost every limb. Flooded with memories, Anisa's smiling face suddenly bloodied and covered in ash. Then there was Evangelina. The Angel. The strange little pink haired woman who was braver in a single breath than he had ever been in his life. He wanted to pull her into his arms and cradle her against him, give her aid and comfort as he hadn't been able to do for Anisa. The suffering in her eyes was unbearable. He didn't know how his words had cut her, didn't know some of the agony written on her face was from his own lips. "Of course we are friends," he rasped, hardly trusting his voice to be steady. The weight of the words were lost on him. "But I am no brave Prince. You are the brave one, Angel." I don't know how to help you, how to make it stop hurting. The words were on the tip of his tongue, heavy. Leaden. He reeked of desperation and fear. Head throbbing, heart aching his silver tongue was finally stilled, choked with the weight of his own guilt. He was nothing but a coward, a coward who would beg, trade one life for another. The Prince watched her in silence as she took off one shirt, then another. He was on the verge of speaking again, to stop her, when she grasped his hands in hers. She guided his along as he grasped the hem of her last shirt. His breath caught in his chest at the sight that met him as his eyes trailed along her body. Even through the fabric of the tank top he could see. Her body was frail, thin. She seemed almost skeletal, bones jutting and casting dark shadows on her pale skin. "Don't laugh. Please." "Laugh? Are you mad, woman?" he sputtered, hardly able to believe his own ears. "Laughter has long since died on my lips. And your pain would not be the thing to bring it back," he said. The hand that lingered on his suddenly went limp, and he could see her fading. he reached for her, lifting her frail body gently and cradling it against him. "You are gravely hurt, Evangelina. I must take you home and get you help," he said, staring down at her as she looked up at him, and smiled. "Zayid." The sound of his name on her lips, so soft and sweet... It stilled his heart for a moment, his breath fixed in his throat as he met her eyes, one arm cradling her gently against him. He trailed his free hand along her cheek, brushing away a bit of ash that had settled there. His hand lingered a moment too long, but he found it hard to leave the warmth of her skin."Hold on, my Angel," he whispered, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to her forehead as he slowly lifted her in his arms, and got to his feet. She was so light in his arms, she hardly seemed to weigh a thing. And yet he knew the trek ahead of him would be a long, arduous one. He cast one look down upon her before he set his jaw and banished the ripples of pain and dizziness lapping at his mind, and set his sights towards her home. The Fulsi. "Just please hold on." ooc; herpderp

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