A Chance encounter, (Gaiana)

[CYRUS ASHWOOD]

France 1789
City of Bordeaux

Cyrus had been tracking Lupari for 3 months now eventually leading him to France. He had been following them in an attempt to gain information on their future plans when he heard that they were hunting a group of haunts just outside the city of Bordeaux. Cyrus had been on their heels since, patiently following them with little else on his mind other than those haunts. In back alleys, secret meetings, bars, Cyrus was there listening. Finally it paid off, he overheard during a meeting inside a tavern that they had narrowed down their den and were moving in for the extermination at noon the next day. The haunts were apparently taking up residence in one of the old forests just outside of town. They managed to finally locate them after they attacked some hunters on their trapping rout. Cyrus pondered at the age, hunting so close to civilization meant they must be young. There was no hesitation when Cyrus moved to intercept them, he would meet them in the forest and when they launched their attack he would defend his kin.

Cyrus was in the forest long before any of the hunters from Lupari were. The light from the sun was beginning to hurt his head however the canopy gave much needed shade. Cyrus would be vulnerable but not weak. Through the forest line he saw them moving. Cyrus was in his human form and followed them silently through the tree line as the hunters made their way up the forest path before turning from it. He continued until they reached the endurance of a small cave, they lit their torches and Cyrus made his move.

He burst out from behind a tree to grab one by the back of the neck. Clenching his hand he thrust the hunters head down into the rocky ground, a sickening crack was heard before Cyrus moved to the next.

His movement came to a sudden stop against his will. He watched as some of the men back up. Others moved behind him dropping something in their path. Wolfs bane!!!!!! He was at the edge of a pre made circle, they must have made it the night before when we was busy listening to their meeting. They allowed him to enter the entrapment and when he entered to deliver the blow to one hunter they quickly closed him in. They even figured were he would strike from.

He counted five of them, three armed with swords, the other two with muskets. They managed to trap him but they still had to kill him.

“We finally get to see your human face.” A somewhat cocky voice from behind him stated.

Cyrus turned to look at the man who was speaking. They were dressed as officers of the French military. A smart idea if anyone happened upon the scene, but also dangerous one as there was increasing violence brewing within France. Cyrus didn’t bother giving a reply. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down. This was about to get very bloody.

The men with swords rushed in and Cyrus tried his best to dodge out of the way and took a slash across his upper shoulder. But the man overstepped and Cyrus was quickly on him. Slamming his head into the man’s nose and grabbing his sword. He barely managed to block an incoming attack as he pushed the man he just disarmed into the man who first spoke. His strength helped him as he smashed the second opponent’s sword away and carved a deep wound into his chest. A deafening bang was heard as one of the muskets shot off. The shot aimed to high and just missed, blasting a hole in a tree just out of the circle. Cyrus threw his sword into the other musket man. The blunt end struck him square in the face but seemed to do the trick as he collapsed to the ground. Cyrus quickly turned to find the last swordsman charging at him. His sword caught Cyrus just over his hip. Cyrus gave a strong right hook stunning the man and pushing him off. He pulled the sword out and slashed it across the man’s leg. Blood flowed out as he screamed. Cyrus lifted the sword to bring down on his head as the man pulled out a pistol. They both stopped.

Cyrus glared at him “You best make that shot count because if you miss it’ll be your last.”

The man looked over to the remaining musket man who was attempting to reload. “Go to our meeting spot, describe this man. I’ll be fine.” He looked back at Cyrus. “Move and I shoot, and god himself will guide this bullet to your fiendish skull.”

Just then they both noticed a young women standing nearby, they had no idea how much of the fight she had witnessed but the man with the pistol was quick to respond.

“Take that musket on the ground and shoot this man, he has committed a crime against the crown.”

Cyrus was quick to follow suit. “Shoot him, the revolution is near we need not fear them any longer.”

He had no idea whose side she was on but Cyrus hoped she would help him, his wounds were bad and he could die with to much exposure to the sun.

[GAIANA]

It had been a long night for Gaiana and her sisters. They'd been in the village to heal a little girl and they'd had to take turns with the healing because they'd almost been called upon too late. They'd been allowed to rest in peace all night and had been offered breakfast for the next morning, but Gaiana had opted to head home so as to not strain the family's hospitality. They didn't want her to though, so she'd gotten up as early as she could, before anyone was awake before setting out. It was such a lovely early morning any way that it was easy to forget what century she was in right at that moment. Though this wasn't her forest of her early days, well, it was still a nice morning for a walk in the forest.

A cloak of midnight blue was around her shoulders, covering her green and white striped dress. The cloak kept the cold off her while sturdy boots did the same for her feet. She was just enjoying the night when she heard a struggle right in the middle of her path to home. She could have gone around it, but she didn't want to spend all night trying to go quietly around a potentially dangerous situation. Besides, this was close to home and she had always been a curious sort. So, she'd come upon it and watched as a silent sentinel if you will. She watched solemnly until they seemed to be at a standstill and noticed her presence. Each called for her to choose him. However, she didn't feel that she had all the facts.

The nymph did as she was told and picked up the musket and eyed it curiously, turning it over in her hands as she got a feel for the weight of it. "Hm..so this is a musket..Funny how these things have evolved from canons," she said absently. She'd never handled a musket. She'd never had to, but she was sure that the same principles she'd learned with handling a bow could be applied to this with very little trouble. She pointed the musket at the man dressed as a soldier, bracing the broader end against her shoulder as she'd seen it handled before, "What ever did this man do to earn your wrath without proper trial, hrm? Why has he not been put into irons and taken before the local magistrate? I know him, you know, I can guide you right to his house...Speak plainly please," she stated her questions calmly, exaggerating her knowledge of the magistrate in town a bit, but she wanted answers. There was something not right about this scene. Until she figured it out, she was going to ask the questions and she wasn't going to let either man move until she was satisfied, not even the one hunted. So she turned the musket towards the other man too and said, "Please don't move, sir. I only wish to have answers this night. I'd hate to have to shoot you and bandage you up again should I get startled by a false move.."

Gaiana could smell wolfsbane in the air, but wasn't sure why it was being employed. She shouldn't even be involving herself in this, but her sisters weren't around and she'd often felt a bit chafed at the fact that she had to abide by these silly rules of their's to survive. If a man was being beaten, then as healers, shouldn't they step in to prevent the wounds that they'd eventually be called upon to heal? Too often she'd had to quiet her voice lest it upset Galene. Well, tonight, she was going to save someone even if she had to tip the balance back later.

[CYRUS ASHWOOD]

Cryus hadn’t been shot yet, so that was a good sign. But his wounds were making week and he couldn’t be exposed like this for much longer. Already his arm felt heavy with the weight of the sword, he could feel it tremble. His eyes moved to the hunter, and then back to the women. If he moved she would shoot him, if he let his guard down, the hunter would shoot him. He wasn’t in a good position but neither was he dead.


The man spoke up quickly “We were ordered to take him in to have a trial. He is wanted for multiple counts of murder. When we encountered him in the woods he attacked us. We were forced to take action.” He glanced at Cyrus with a wicked smile “If you could keep the gun on him I’d be happy to take the opportunity to shackle his hands and take him from there.”


Cyrus wouldn’t make it out of the woods, and if he was exposed to the light beyond the safety of the canopy his wounds would quickly kill him. Cyrus had to gain the upper ground, and he had to do it without giving this man a good shot. He thought about his words carefully and then spoke.


“Trial? What trial waits for me back there, if I make it there at all with these wounds. No what awaits me is a slow death by the hands of those that wish to oppress us. You track me to deliver a death sentence because I am willing to fight you, because I am different.” Though he tried to make his words sound as if spoken from a revolutionist he realized they were closer to home than he thought.


The stalemate looked set, Cyrus knew he would bleed out if he stayed much longer. His opponent knew it also. Cyrus was faced with his possible death. If he was to die, then none shall live to know of it. He made a move dropping the sword for the man’s throat. A Gunshot broke the air, and everything went dark around him.

[GAIANA]

The first guy's speech seemed to ring false to her for some reason. There'd been too many men creeping away when she'd first come upon them. Obviously, he didn't think she'd noticed that, but well, she'd passed them on her way to stumbling upon this scene. No way this one person could take on so many..unless..She squinted at the man with the sword and realized something. He wasn't human. Which meant..that she'd stumbled upon the group just as they were about to finish him or vice versa.

Gaiana hadn't noticed at first all the wounds that the man with the sword had sustained. Had she known, she would have had the one with the gun gone faster than you could blink. She only noticed at that moment when she'd looked closer at him. He seemed to have multiple bullet wounds. She lowered her musket a little then and there from the two as the supernatural being began speaking.

She was just about to swing the musket upon the man she'd deemed arrogant hunter when things got out of hand quite fast. A shot rang out as the man with the pistol shot the one with the sword. Gaiana cursed in Greek and shot the man with the pistol in the leg and watched him go down in a detached sort of way as she ran to him while he was distracted by the wound (it only grazed him, really!) and knocked him out cold with the butt of the musket to the head.

The nymph then flung the musket away and knelt beside the severely wounded man, feeling for a pulse. "No, no, no...Apollo's lyre! Why did you go and do that?," she murmured as she laid her hands over his wounds, closing her eyes as she worked on healing the ones that were worst. She'd be out cold after this, but she had to try and save him. It seemed as though luck was with her though as Roxana and Charis came running up to her right then (they'd left shortly after Gaiana, having the same idea, but not before having bread and cheese pushed onto them by the mother who had seen them trying to leave), demanding an explanation. She explained to them what she'd seen and what had happened. Seeing that she was committed to helping the supernatural being, they all three shared the healing when Galene showed up from their cottage.

They'd explained it to her as well, a lot more tired now from doing two healings in two days. Thankfully, he had only the bullet wounds and not an illness that ravaged his body. So, they weren't too tired to clean up this mess. The first thing they did was dress the leg wound of the one that had shot the pistol. They then all four had carried the man as far from their part of the forest as they could go. they were faster than a normal human would be. They started hearing men crashing through the forest and left him where he would be found, but not before they stripped him of his weapons and any ammunition they could find. They then retreated back to the creature they'd healed and carried him back to their cottage, setting him up in a hidden bedroom in the cellar. Why there? Well, they had agreed that they didn't want that group of men after them and they wanted some information about them before they did anything with this supernatural being. Plus, Gaiana had insisted..And since she'd been the one he'd seen, she was to be the one to nurse him..

[CYRUS ASHWOOD]

Cyrus’ eyes slowly opened, his head still ringing from the sound of the shot. His eyes could barely focus be he noticed a change in the light. This made him come to his senses, pulling himself out of his daze even though his head and ears still ached. He pulled himself to his feet and examined were his wounds should be. They were gone. He was happy to find so to was the sun, it was much darker hear. He could feel a bit of his strength return to him, no longer was he fighting simply to stay standing.

As he noticed the darkness it suddenly clicked in that he had been moved. His eyes quickly darted up to take in his surroundings. Was he captured? It didn’t make much sense for Lupari to capture him after trying so long to kill him, but if he wasn’t captured then where was he? It didn’t take long for him to notice the girl. She was the same girl who held picked up the musket and held their fates. Did she shoot him? He wondered to himself but dismissed the thought as she obviously had something to do with bringing him here. His mind was filled with questions, he should be dead, and if he wasn’t dead he should be very injured.

A bit of over confidence in his voice came out as he attempted to keep his calm when he spoke.

“You, girl. Where am I and how long have I been here?” Perhaps he has been here for a few weeks just unconscious.

“Were have my wounds gone? And what happened to that man?”

He also wondered who she was, but he would ask that in time, or give her the opportunity to introduce herself. He tried his best to keep his questions one sided, not wanting to reveal more than he had to. He touched his hand to his temple as his head was still spinning but quickly pulled away, not wanting to show weakness until he was certain of his surroundings.

[GAIANA]

The hidden room in the cellar was quite dark. They kept this room in case they needed to hide themselves or in case one of their patients were fugitives that needed hiding until they got better. Naturally, this meant it was dark, but they kept lanterns in there. Currently, they were all shielded. The nearest one was on the table by the chair that Gaiana was currently dozing off in.

The thing about healings those days was that they could be small and shared, but they still took a lot out of you. Especially since she'd worked a major healing on that little girl with her sisters then on this man within less than twenty-four hours. Thankfully, Cyrus's wounds hadn't been too terribly hardcore. They'd only needed to knit the muscles and flesh back together, not root out a disease or dissipate a tumor.

His voice woke her. It took her a moment before she realized that A. he was talking to her and B. he was being quite rude. She blinked her eyes in the dim light and unshielded the lantern a little as she peered at him, his questions sinking in as she wiped the sleep from her eyes. A throaty laugh bubbled up from her lips before she answered his questions, "..Girl? I'm flattered, but tsk, tsk, you should work on your manners, m'sieur..Especially to those that healed you..but you've only been here since this morning. Now, as for the other man, he is likely with his own people with a bit of a limp. I knocked him out before we healed you and my sisters and I carried him as close to his men as we dared."

She got up then, her skirts swishing as she leaned towards him, momentarily forgetting all about what qualms he might have about his personal space being violated as she looked at him up close. He wasn't unattractive by any means. She'd decided that when she and her sisters had carried him home. She was curious about him though. She didn't know what he was. He was, essentially, a mystery. The fact that she could be surprised after so many centuries made her all the more curious about him. "..What exactly are you, m'sieur?," she finally blurted out, unable to take the suspense anymore..

[CYRUS ASHWOOD]

Cyrus raised his hand to shield his eyes when she lifted the hood of the lantern. He tried to focus on her through the light as she talked, impatient to get his answers. She seemed very confident in herself, her worse were came out elegant but also strong. He questioned were the strength was coming from. She was alone with him but doubted that she would speak so confidently to an accused murderer so easily without something backing her. When she told him about his wounds being healed and that it has only been a few hours he couldn’t help but frown.

There is no way my wounds could have been healed that fast, even in darkness it would have taken weeks.

He was confused and thinking of possibilities when she mentioned the other man, he couldn’t contain his anger. Cyrus slammed his fist into the wall with surprising force with a silent curse, pulling his hand away revealed no injury to it. He was angry that the man got away with his life, angry that he was able to trick him. But most of all he was angry that he let himself have hope for finding more of his kind. He missed most of what she said next and didn’t notice her come upon him until she spoke.

“What are exactly are you, m’sieur?”

The words rang out, no fear in her voice. He looked at her for awhile, watching the grace in which she moved. There was strength there he could see, but much more than a young girl should have. Either she was very Naive or very capable. He needed more information before he would give.

He backed up a bit, attempting to keep his own space. “I presume you mean who? I am Cyrus, of Bordeaux. You already know I have dealings with the uprising.” He gained more of his composure, slowly becoming used the light from the lantern. “And who may you be?”

[GAIANA]

Gaiana flinched only a little at the male's anger at the mention of the other man's survival. It was a bit of a surprise. Though, in hindsight, his anger shouldn't have surprised her much at all. His punching the wall just seemed to be a bit of an overreaction to her. This should have made her cautious, but well, not much made Gaiana very cautious. Well, except for her need to not be found to be part of the supernatural community by humans. Not that a few humans didn't realize that her sisters and her were something more than the average run-of-the-mill human. I mean, they were called upon more often when nothing else worked. There was so much they could do before then too, but humans were silly.

The nymph studied the male with evident curiosity. It wasn't often that she ran into something her or her sisters didn't recognize right off the bat. She already knew that he seemed to be a bit unpredictable. She wondered if that was because of his personality or that was a characteristic of his species. It was something to ask him about...that is, if he'd admit to being something more than human.

It seemed he didn't wish to admit that he wasn't a human at all as he sidestepped her question neatly, by introducing himself. The blonde nymph tilted her head as he asked her who she was. "I'm...Gaiana..Gaiana des Forets and my sisters and I healed you in the forest. You're resting in our cellar," she said as she leaned her head against her hand as she propped her elbow onto his side table from her kneeling position, "You're welcome to stay here as long as you like. This place is hidden. We only ask that you not bring undue attention to our...nature."

[CYRUS ASHWOOD]

He took a moment to calm himself and listened to her introduction carefully. He didn’t like not knowing where he was or who he was dealing with, and his desire for information only increased with his recent dance with death. The man had lived and that was a large problem in and of its self, they would come back for him and they wouldn’t waste any time in doing so else they would risk the trail going cold.

He began to pace feeling a bit trapped and restless to be on the move again, though the darkness of the caller did help to settle him somewhat. Though he bet that if he was found here that Lupari would simply Torch the place and Cyrus had no wish to burn to death. He caught her gaze lingering on him and couldn’t help but let his own stray over her once more. Something about her seemed off, there was an unnatural grace and beauty to her. He lost himself for a bit as if her movements themselves carried him away from the worry he should be feeling. He shook his head and set his mind back to purpose.

He focused on her words again, still a bit confused towards the healing. When she made a point and pressed the matter again by mentioning their nature it seemed to click. Was she also unique creature? It seemed to add up and even if she wasn’t there was no fear in the question if there was he would be able to smell it, instead the just seemed honest curiosity. He gave out a bit of a laugh at her words. He stepped away from her and the lamp light letting the shadows of the dark caller fall over his eyes revealing their red glow. There was no sense in dodging the questions further it seemed she would only continue to press them. In the worse case she would fear him and he could get out and be on the move again, and if not perhaps he would learn more about were he was and how to catch that man.

” I am a Haunt, shadow creature we have been hunted close to extinction by the hands of Lupari and mankind for centuries. That man you let go will be back for my head soon enough.”b He gave a bit of a smile. ” May I ask who I am in the company of? Since I am at a great disadvantage in regards to information right now.” He came off as a bit cocky but he didn’t want to show weakness. In honesty however he suffered a pretty large blow when he found out that survival of his kin had been a ruse. He desperately missed his own kind and it felt as if they were yanked away all over again. Focusing on his anger and keeping his composure kept his mind off of it.

[GAIANA]

The nymph watched the creature called Cyrus as he moved around as if he were a caged animal. She felt sorry for him. He obviously wasn't quite used to being indoors for too long. And he seemed to have a large amount of anger within him, just looking for an outlet. Had she been smart, she would have let him leave then and fight his own battles. While she was actually quite smart, she also was quite curious about him. A little longer here wouldn't hurt. In fact, a little more rest may help him, she felt.

That is, if he'd stay still long enough to rest. She didn't voice her concerns though as she watched him. When he answered her question, she tilted her head and couldn't help but beam a little at him, excited to meet something new. "Stars above! I've never met a haunt!," she said as she settled onto her knees on the bed, looking at him in the flickering light of the single lantern. The skirt of her dress fanned around her a bit. She wasn't worried about the man, waving away the threat of the Lupari. "And do not worry about that man..This room is hidden and well, my sisters and I are used to evading angry mobs. We brought the man closer to his camp than he was and left him before he could wake up and before his friends could see us," she said with a small smile.

She tilted her head and regarded him when he asked who she was, blinking, She then looked a bit confused as she asked, "Do you mean what am I? I already told you who I am..I'm Gaiana...I'm a nymph! Actually, my sisters and I all are nymphs." She giggled then smiled before her hands flew to her mouth, eyes wide. "Sorry..I know that giggles can be frowned upon..," she said..

[CYRUS ASHWOOD]

Cryus was struck with an oddity he had never encountered, not only had she called herself something he had never heard of she had acted in a way he had never seen. The way she seemed to bubble with enthusiasm at his race and dismissively waving of the threat he spoke of as if it should be of no concern. He couldn’t help but frown at her remark to both, he wasn’t used to anything being particularly excited to meet him nor was he used to ever dismissing the people who found it a worthwhile life endeavor to hunt him down. His frown lingered for awhile as is eyes traced over her again, attempting to formulate some sense of the creature than kneeled before him. It was not a game of confidence she played as her body language mimicked her words, she knelt of the bed as if nothing in the world was bad and he was so unique experience to be discovered. There was an eagerness and curiosity in her eyes as he met them and a casual carefree nature in the way she held herself. He didn’t know what a Nymph was but he was seriously beginning to wonder what exactly gave her this unique way of looking at the world.

He opened his mouth about to explain why she should be afraid of them but stopped. If he could not convince her before he wouldn’t be able to convince her now no matter how much breath he spent on the subject. It was clear she didn’t care to worry about the man which meant she could be much stronger than she appeared. When she mentioned that there was more of her he honestly got worried, she was enough of an oddity to deal within herself for him to deal with let alone more. Would they also share the same curiosity he wondered or was it just her that held wonderment for new creatures. Judging to by the fact they she seemed so surprised he was something knew she was probably much older than she looked.

He spent a few minutes with his eyes locked to her as he answered questions in his head. He was so focused on figuring her out he actually stopped pacing and eventually was just standing there with his arms crossed. When he finally noticed his awkwardness he shook his head and gave a defeated sigh. ” There are not many who have met my kind, we are fairly reclusive. I cannot admit however to have ever met a creature such as yourself. A Nymph you say?” His frown eventually became a small smile before he spoke again. ” So tell me are your sisters as kind spirited and light hearted as you are, or is that unique to you. Also apologies for my rudeness I was rather shocked to still be alive, thank you for healing me.” He figured anger would get him no were with her and in all honestly he was glad for her help in saving his life, the least he could do is show some gratitude.

[GAIANA]

”There are not many who have met my kind, we are fairly reclusive. I cannot admit however to have ever met a creature such as yourself. A Nymph you say?...So tell me are your sisters as kind spirited and light hearted as you are, or is that unique to you. Also apologies for my rudeness I was rather shocked to still be alive, thank you for healing me.”

Gaiana grinned and tilted her head at Cyrus. "You're a rarity then...," she said with a smile before trailing off, thinking of his later question. "As for whether or not my sisters are like me, well..One other was like me..Korrina.." She looked down then as she remembered her sister, her sweet sister, Korrina. A frown marred her face as she remembered trying to wake her sister during the time of the black plague. She'd been clutching a dead child that had looked so much like Korrina's son..the one she'd had to give up.

The nymph shook her head, bringing her mind back to the present and away from old memories. "She's..She's gone now though..and apology accepted and you're welcome," she said as she gave him a wan smile, "Though, to answer your question..it may be just unique to me these days. Though Charis and Roxy show shadows of it at times..There's only four of us though." She shook her head then, the shadow of old memories passing. "I'm talking too much though..," she said with a smile, "Do you have any other questions for me?"

She watched him, taking note of what he did and his reactions. The nymph was a curious person. It was part of her personality. It was possible that it was just apart of being a nymph and that it was just stronger within her. That was her theory anyway. Not that she actually thought of it too often. She didn't like to think too much as she'd rather be doing something and not just thinking of doing something.