He was being childish. Nothing but a babe whinnying against the world. What was this but a selfish display of egotism, and fantasies gone wrong? This was nothing more than a herd meeting gone wrong. A momentary set back, everyone would calm and he would work his magic hand again tomorrow. It would be all as it should be. That was all it was. Not worth this dramatic display of anger. That was it. Right? That is all that he fought him here, right?

The golden, head low in the dark cavern circled like a beast. His thoughts still tumbled. He was moving back, moving out, thinking of larger things. He was the golden. He was the Laurelin. He could not falter. It was getting harder to say it. They were wrong. They were all wrong. He was manipulator. Heart raced, but it was off beat. They were not working. All these tales he spun he found a tainted thread in, and the tapestry was ruined. There was something there, a same feeling. A moment of time where the spotlight had shown on him before. And once more the light burned him.

Get this out. Fester. Distract you. Falter. You will fail. Fail. Failure. FailThe single tainted thread cut. A monster spun on her, “You know nothing of failure!” The cave echoed with the near yell. But it wasn’t bitter and cold. No, it came hot, sizzling with the burning truth of pain. Earth eyes found the calm tempest again. They hardened away though, snatching off. The golden stands still though. What was that? Even he didn’t have answer. Or, did he just not want to remember it…

If she had never come. If she had never bothered to block his cave it would have worked normally. He would stomp and rage over the minuscule moment of error. Then he would stop, and breath. The lies would thread together well. He would journey out alone, seeking no one, to think. Then he would be as he always was, ready again. But no. That voice had come. No, Hotaru. Her voice comes across again, and though he still looks at her not, one hark turns to her.

What was she saying? God he didn’t want to hear her anymore. Body trembles, was getting worse, or breaking down? No more of her voice telling him what is and what must be. It was worse than a terrorist giving commands. So he tunes her out for a moment. A moment to think, actually think. To remember what was then. And what was now. To brush off his shout earlier like dust on the floor. It was nothing. Get rid of it? No, she was foolish innocent child. You could never get rid of this. Sweep it under some magnificent golden rug, but it will always be there.

They. They, who? There are shadows there under that rug, more than she thinks there are. They, they who are watching from under the rug. He knows. He feels their eyes. He doesn’t need reminding. He doesn’t need a counselor. It was nothing. They were hidden. They were shadows. He was the golden. They lie stuck. It eased it. Quick as ever he repairs the torn piece. Once more his breath came easier. There, now-

Hooves clack and thump of the rock and clothe covered floor. Who was there? Crowned head turns. Hotaru. Right. Earth eyes openly guarded, look to her questioning. He might be returning, but he was not all there. And here she was again, invading. Cloven hooves step back as she comes. What was she doing? Why did they always come close. Why must they be close? Suddenly his breath isn’t so easy….Harks flip back until she finally stops, and hisses her words at him.

Show me your darkness. Darkness. Oh……the connection makes. The dust on the floor rallies with a threat. He had-No. She was still talking. Always the voice! He would not make that mistake again. He would not show her…again. He never showed anyone. For you see dear reader was the dark, it wounded, and it destroyed anything it touched. To show it would be to rip the illusion of the Laurelin from their eyes. He would be revealed at last as the ugly, pathetic, incapable, monster. He wouldn’t couldn’t allow that. So you see reader, he lies all the more, especially to himself. Darkness? There wasn’t any darkness here. It didn’t matter anyway. It was like all the rest of the dark shadows. Pointless, worthless, and hallow. Nothing of it mattered. Nothing of it meant anything in this world. His gold flecked eyes looked back at hers, clear.

She was so very close, so close. What did she want? Crowned head tilts slightly, like taking in a new sight. Her teeth bare, and her force gathers so strong behind her. She speaks one last time. Needs him. Well of course the damn girl needed him. Everyone needed him. He was the mountain that held this all together. The golden was the peaks which bore the snow proudly. Her small life, and their dull herd would nothing if he hadn’t let it. He the golden son, the master thief. Wait….what if this was…What did she think she was playing up against a pathetic idiot? She was a manipulator same as he, trying to wrap him around her. She needed him. It was a hallow phrase, pointless to call him to her aid. She needed no one. Hadn’t she proved that? She needed him only to make her a success. He was nothing but a pawn on her board. He didn’t deserve that. Oh no, he was the golden. He deserved more. And just like that it was gone. The lies working as the always had once more. Done. An end of his lip curls slightly and its over.

The golden backs up a step, giving more space, and his crowned head rises. “You are a most silly creature.” It teases and taunts. His voice was calmer, lower, and slipped from his tongue as smooth as before. “Don’t tell me you’re showing a weakness now too?” His hide flinches at the last part. His phrases were still tainted in the emotion of before, as it spoke of his display of weakness in the same line as hers. They were not equivalent. He had his under control (yeah right), but hers was in his power to manipulate. “You doubt I deserve it?” He snorts softly, the breathe fogging. “Don’t be foolish.” It was a cold tease. Snide and bold. Full of pride and vanity. It was the golden back to his old self.

He moves forward, shoving his shoulder into to move her out of the way. “Oh and one more thing m’Lady…” His crowned head turns back to her, but it has a strange gaze in it. What was he doing? Though his tone was the same, everything else was different. “The darkness would swallow the strongest of souls whole.” What was that in his eyes? Was he being serious? Or was this just more dramatics and tease? No…it seems a bit too serious to be another tease… “It is unwise to call upon it, or enter its tomb. It is dead, leave it lie.” But if there was anything clear about this, it was that the darkness was far from dead. It sounded a bit too dramatic, surely he was joking. Just another tease. Especially considering that if he wasn’t it meant there was something to actually be afraid of. He would never reveal that. Never reveal how precious it was to him. What she would lose to get it. Surely a joke ….But as he tried to move on past her, he didn’t laugh.



OOC :: @Hotaru Again, the hardest time with this. Especially the end....but I think it fits. Oh and ugh, just say Haldir stays outside. =]
"Speech"