Down the Rabbit Hole [closed]

[Alicia Holmes]

Alicia had been so excited about the cave she was supposed to be seeing with her friends. It was supposed to be a burial chamber that had been cracked open by the passage of an underground river, which had later changed course. So the path was smooth and only gently curved. Quartz glittered in the flashlight beams. The rope for safety was comfortably hooked to a carbine on her spelunking harness, and the path was so easy that they had plenty of slack.

There was a few jokes in the beginning, the boys insisting that the two females be in the middle of the group mostly, but after twenty minutes of descent, the conversation had tapered off. Something felt odd, down there in the dark, but Alicia couldn't decide exactly what it was. Then the lights went out all at once.

She just gasped, though she had expected more of a reaction from the other three. When there was just silence, she started to worry. Hitting her flashlight did not help, and one hand found that the carbine loop on her harness was now empty, the rope was just gone. Which should have been impossible.

Finally she groped along, her flashlight put away, until she found her way to the surface. It was a much shallower cave than she had expected. At least it was shallow in Alanor, where it came out from under the Mound. The independent girl paused in confusion. It was night, where she should have had hours of daylight left.

"Well, that is unexpected." Alicia commented When she realized that the very stars were different. She had to just stare up at the sky for at least ten minutes, searching for anything familiar.

Eventually, she realized something Did seem familiar. It was like a melody that she had never remembered until she hear it, but it sang along her nerves instead of in her ears. It was the feeling of belonging, like she had never felt even in places that she had been told to call home.

She pulled off her spelunking harness and stowed it in her backpack. Her hiking boots and tough jeans would serve her well for the cross country trek towards the mountains. Following that song in her spirit would eventually lead her to the entrance to the Unseelie Court.

Alicia had been smiling in wonder and joy at this world, but the sight of that entrance made her pause.

"Christ. It is like a pitcher plant." She commented, lifting her head to catch the scents that waft from the cave before her.

[Sygon]

The caverns were lit with the artificial moonlight emanating from the magically induced moon of the Unseelie. His body seemed to be metallic in its effulgence; his long silver braid knotted tightly along the black vest he wore. The vest was open, exposing his muscular physique for all to see, his abdominal muscles were hard, seemingly flexed as he sat without any sign of breaking the stillness that washed over his posture.

Sygon enjoyed the snow, but he didn’t particularly like the cold. In the minimal amount of clothing he wore, he wasn’t about to brave the elements. Thus, the behemoth sat at the mouth of the Unseelie kingdom, staring out into snowy night as dainty flakes of powder languidly fell from the sky. He ran his boot over the dead grass that was close enough to the mouth of the cavern that it felt the effects of the cold enough to die. He rocked back and forth slightly on the jade bench upon which he sat, the bench implanted into the ground so it remained unmoved no matter how much his weight shifted upon it.

He looked up, his eyes catching a glimpse of a faint silhouette in the winter darkness. He stood, slowly, so he didn’t startle whatever was making its way towards the entrance. He took a step closer to the outside, silently he watched, waiting for whoever was out there to appear.

[Alicia Holmes]

"And there is the honey." Alicia murmured, adjusting her pack over her shoulders. She scooted the powdery snow off the shoulders of her jacket and brushed her hands through her long raven black hair to make sure she was reasonably well groomed.

Then she walked towards the dark and metallic shadow at the mouth of the cave, trying not to shiver. The long walk through the winter night was enough to rob her of her warmth through the spring weight clothes she was wearing. She rubbed her hands together to try to disguise the faint blueness of her fingernails.

Alicia paused when she got close enough to see that he was not just African black, but something more. Then she nervously advanced the last few feet to look up at Sygon. "Hello? Can you tell me what this place is?"

She had to be nervous about facing someone so tall and so darn big. She did her best to hide her fear though. Alicia lifted her chin and met his gaze as boldly as she could, all the while wishing she could get past this sentry and at least out of the wind, if not completely out of the cold.

[Sygon]

A thin silver strand arched itself into what was a quizzical eyebrow. His dark, silver spun oculars drinking in the female form of the faerie before him, as he silently gathered his thoughts. She was attractive enough, he supposed, and from the looks of it, she was not Sidhe. He would’ve pegged her as a nimbus had it not been for the words she muttered. Ah, the naivety of the mortal, he thought to himself as he stepped closer to examine the specimen before him. She had declared that she was lost; Sygon had heard stories of the King of the Unseelie, and from what he deduced, being lost in Cel’s court would only make you an easy target for his dissolute antics. Not that Unseelie fae besides the King were any kinder, Sygon just knew of what stories he had heard in passing.

He licked his lip, reaching out he gestured for her to come into the cavern. Despite the fact that it was still cold where they were standing, it was a much less harsh environment than outside. Once they traveled further into the caverns, the warmth of the Unseelie court would start to become more apparent.

Sygon searched for something to say that wouldn’t frighten the girl, but wouldn’t be too forward or blunt. She wasn’t familiar with Alanor, and that could prove to be a delicate situation. He didn’t know what she knew and didn’t want to shock her with too much information. Thus, he settled on: ”Hello, and yes, I can. This is the Unseelie Court. Home of the darkling fae.”

[Alicia Holmes]

"Fae?" She said, in surprised recognition. Most people from her era would have been pleased at the idea. She seems alarmed though, and a little more on guard. "Darkling too. That doesn't sound good." She stopped when they are far enough inside that her hands start to thaw a bit, but hopefully before they run into any other Fae.

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she looks up at Sygon. "Are these the sort that are likely to curse a mortal with truth telling and a thousand year sleep, or are they the kind that are more likely to get violent?"

Alicia swallowed hard at the thought of what she might be stepping into, but at least she knew more of the right stories than her counterparts in the mortal world generally did. She gives Sygon a nervous look and murmurs, "I do apologize for demanding information like that. I wasn't thinking."

[Sygon]

Sygon nodded arbitrarily as she repeated the word “fae”. Her next assumption did manage to draw a smile from the brute, a smile that was similar to an adult chuckling over a child saying something naïve or cute. The very human assumption that the Darkling Throng was evil further proved that this girl was lucky she had run into Sygon before one of the more aggressive predators of the court. While Sygon was by no means harmless, he would reserve to take advantage of those who suited him, not this woman who was a pint of blood away from being a human. She’d have a hard time adjusting to faerie life, Sygon thought as he looked over her.

She was beautiful, by human standards she would have been a knock out. Those who knew better would’ve deduced that it was more than good genes that was keeping Alicia youthful and absolutely radiant, but in the mortal realm most would’ve just thought she hit the genetic jackpot. Sygon had never been a lover of humans; sometimes even garlangers were unattractive to him, but had he not had a conscience he could’ve easily seen himself taking advantage of this woman. Alas, the dark skinned male was more concerned that she’d last the night in the realm of King Cel rather than how he would get her into his bed.

”Darkling, Shining, it really doesn’t matter, my dear. Both courts have their skeletons, and personally, I’m inclined to believe that some of the Seelie’s practices are a bit more savage than our own.” He began to walk deeper into the cavern, towards the gardens that would eventually lead them to the throne room. However, he had no intention of going to see the King any time soon.

Once more her question prompted him to chuckle, ”Both, I suppose. Or at least at one time they were. Now they’re just the violent sort.” Sygon ignored her apology; most sidhe didn’t accept apologies or salutations aside from formal ones as they were viewed as insulting. Instead he asked her a question, ”What is your name, girl? Where in the mortal world have you come from?”

[Alicia Holmes]

Alicia's touch was gentle as she laid her hand lightly on Sygon's arm for a mere second. She wanted to be able to look into his eyes to gauge his sincerity as best she could. Not that she had any point of valid reference, but it was good to at least try. She had to hurry to keep up with him, but she did not want to be left behind.

With her long black hair bouncing free and that worried but curious look on her face, she didn't realize that she looked the part of a damsel in distress. All she needed was a poofy gown and a too-tight corset to complete the image. What she has, with her hiking boots clomping along inelegantly, a pack full of things that rattle and her jacket smelling of damp cotton, spoils it somewhat.

"Alicia, and most recently from England. That doesn't really matter here, though, does it? Please, sir, I just want to know your intentions." She tried a smile then, and a quick flick of her hand before adding, "Somehow I doubt that you are the usual doorman here."

[Sygon]

Sygon glanced down at her touch; he didn’t expect a human raised garlanger to be so comfortable with casual contact. Inwardly he wondered if she had been a bit too touchy-feely for the humans, after all it was in her nature to seek contact with flesh.

She followed him, as he figured she would, her curiosity still peaked by the amazing new world and the mysterious doorman who had greeted her. She was right in her assumption that he was the usual doorman, it was just chance that he had been lingering near the mouth of the cavern when she arrived. However, in Alanor nothing was mere chance, either the magic of Alanor or the Fate, Skylla had seen to it that the pair meet tonight, and how it would affect their lives would be seen in the future.

”You’re right, it does not matter. I was just being polite.”His words were followed by a grin that he flashed as he glanced at her, once again the behemoth noting that she had beauty to her that was not a human’s. He admired her for a moment, his dark eyes drinking her in.”And no, I’m not the usual door man. But I am Sygon and I was watching the snow fall, I like the snow.” He wasn’t about to go off and talk about himself, he found most women preferred that he listen as oppose to speak. He was sure this woman was the same, so he asked, ”What do you know of our people, Alicia? Do you know where the faerie blood in your veins comes from?”

[Alicia Holmes]

Alicia relaxed a little at seeing Sygon's smile. He seemed nice enough. If he had been human, she probably would have asked him out for drinks or some other socially acceptable excuse for spending time together. Different regions had such different customs, and she had learned many unusual things. Such as in many places, the woman did not do the asking, regardless of how she felt about a male being obtuse.

When he didn't seem to mind the brief touch, she would again lay her hand on his arm, just above his elbow, as if he were a formal escort instead of a new met stranger in the strangest land she had yet seen. She gave a little laugh at his explanation for why he had met her first. "Snow is very pretty, but I'm so tired of it after England, and winter just passed there. Being practically trapped indoors for weeks at a time is enough to make one stir crazy."

Then he asked about her heritage and she actually stumbled a step. The casual way he spread implications with a simple question actually had her speechless for few minutes as she turns over the ideas and tries to make them fit with her preconceived notions.

Finally she admits, "I don't think I know much of use. I mean, I had heard of Seelie and Unseelie and why the distinction, but I don't think many of our stories are accurate. As for me being one of you-- I don't think I am. My parents are humans. I think they would have mentioned all this by now if they weren't."

[Sygon]

As far as asking Sygon out for drinks, in faerie society that would have been wholly acceptable, except for the fact that the term “out for drinks” would be taken literally by the nimbus, barring all romantic connotations. Thus, it was best that her words remained her own, for until she managed to acclimate herself to faerie culture she might find there was quite a cultural barrier.

He felt her touch again, but this time didn’t respond to it. He simply allowed her to take his arm, falling in pace with her strides so that he did indeed appear to be her escort. It didn’t take them long to move out of the mouth of the cavern and into the gardens that welcomed them to center court. Pathways ran like spider webs in all different directions, the magically induced moon cast a silver glow onto the place, and forest-like atmosphere might have tricked one into believing they were above ground.

Sygon chuckled, ”You’ll be both indoors and out here, Alicia.”

Her explanation for her blood caused Sygon to raise an eyebrow. Perhaps the woman didn’t realize the magnitude of the situation; only faerie were transported to Alanor, never before had a human survived a trip through the portal at the mounds and he doubted that would change. He turned to her, his frame towering over her but somehow he didn’t seem imposing. ”Alicia, whether you believe it or not, faerie blood courses through you’re veins. If you were not faerie, you would not be here.”

[Alicia Holmes]

Alicia's jaw dropped at the sight. An inner-cave forest was something else she had never expected to see. Unless it had been made of stone, and she had plenty of that sort of forest already in her travels. Her hand slid down Sygon's arm and gave his wrist a brief squeeze of affection before letting go. The mortal girl looked silver in the 'moonlight', her eyes glittering several shades of blue as she stepped away from Sygon and looked around at the wondrous vision.

She chuckled then, "I got stir crazy in the country of Ecuador once when I couldn't leave for a year, so I bet I could find even this constraining when the wanderlust strikes me again."

"I suppose that is why I came through alone. My friends are-- were the most mundane of people. College students with bad skin." She replied to his insistence. Still she did have to retreat a step when he loomed over her, intimidated briefly by the realization of how big he was.

"Still, I never noticed anything strange about my parents. I look very much like my mother, so I don't think I was adopted. Father--" Here she hesitated, frowning at the ghost of a memory and trying to recall the nature of it. Then she shook her head, unable to dredge it up, and gave Sygon a smile. "All things are revealed and hidden by time. One just must have patience."

[Sygon]

Sygon remained behind her as if some type of bodyguard. He stood, his hands folded across his chest as she studied the wondrous forests of the Unseelie. Sygon had never seen a look of such awe pass over one’s face before, well, at least not since he last saw a human. He smiled, walking ahead to stand alongside of her. It was strange how human she was, yet he delighted to watch her mannerisms.

She spoke of things he knew nothing about: college, bad skin, and the countries that she spoke of, and some of the terms she used. It was as if Alicia Holmes spoke a different tongue, one all her owe. So in response to her words he simply nodded his head, listening intently as if he would learn something without any formal teaching or explanation. He didn’t want to ask, he didn’t want to make her feel alienated.

When she spoke of her family, though, he felt obligated to speak. ”I suppose they will. But you shouldn’t worry of those things now. You’re an Unseelie faerie.” He slid his arm around her shoulder, he held is hand gesturing to all that lay before them. ”This world is your oyster. Magic flows through this place like no other, and your faerie blood is kin with it. Anything you could discover in the human world pales in comparison to what treasures this place holds. Delight in it, Alicia.”

[Alicia Holmes]

Alicia gives a pleased, though surprised, smile up at Sygon when his arm settled around her slender shoulders. This was the sort of contact she always craved and never could get enough of in the human realm. She held his hand where it draped over her shoulder and leaned against Sygon's side, listening not only to his words but the rhythms of his strange, dark flesh.

It was such a comfort to feel like she belonged, even if it was just a temporary illusion.

"Mmm, that sounds nice. I find it hard to believe that it could be safe though. Even if I am a faerie somehow, what is life without adventure? Adventure without danger is pointless." Alicia murmured, though she was content to trust Sygon for the moment. After all, he was the one that let her feel like she was welcome, even though she could tell that some of her phrases were unfamiliar to him.

She tilted her head back to look up at him, comfortable in the arc of his arm, "Perhaps you should tell me of those dangers before I manage to upset someone?"

[Sygon]

Sygon’s cavernous chest rose and fell in a rhythmic pattern, heaving upward with each breath. The beast of a man dwarfed the girl he held by comparison. He looked down at her, his black eyes studying the woman who could only be described as a truly beautiful human. Once more Sygon marveled at how this woman’s appearance gave nothing away to hint that her blood was of faerie roots. Perhaps all human garlangers were like this, but he had never seen one aside from her.

When she spoke of a life without danger, he looked to her with a surprised expression, ”There is enough danger in faerie to keep us all busy for decades. You, however, are mortal, so therefore face a different threat altogether.”

It saddened him to think of her mortality, her life fading away while his would not. ”The King…He has his critics but he is powerful, and that is dangerous. He knows all that is said in the cover of darkness and thus his torture chambers are always full.” The thought of the king reminded Sygon that he had not introduced himself, something they both needed to do.

[Alicia Holmes]

"Torture chambers? Alicia asked in surprise and curiosity. She shook back her long black hair as she looked up at Sygon, unaware of his fascination with her mortal looks. This close he could see the three shades of dark blue that made up the color of her eyes, as well as the sooty rim that hinted at an avian nature.

"I never got into the bondage culture, but it is a fascinating concept. To enjoy hurting another-- I just can't fathom it." She tilted her head to consider the depth of her certainity, then added, "Unless I was really very angry, then I suppose I could do it. But to enjoy causing pain enough to have a torture chamber? Astounding. And I suppose there are no rules for him, so he can truly do as he pleases without any safe words or limits."

The delicate blush of health in her cheeks deepened as she realized she was prattling on. She finished softly, "He must be a very strong willed man."

One of her hands brushed against Sygon's stomach as she reluctantly pulled back so she could look at his expression, wondering if her babbling was too much for the rather quiet faerie. "Um. Perhaps you could tell me what he looks like, and how I'm supposed to show respect if I happen to run into him?"