#lily what’s your vague incest tag again?^^

[charonaraccoon]

Kissing prompt: Marc/Alex - life or death

This is a little bit inspired by Cassandra Clare’s “The mortal instruments” series and the fairy queen, so it’s a medieval/fantasy AU (What it is with me and AU’s lately?^^), but I hope you like it anyway. Important notion: this is just fiction, but it sure was a hell of a lot fun to write xD -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

They’ve entered the realm by accident.

They’ve lost their hunting party after Marc’s horse tripped over a trunk and he fell off Arcas’ back with a loud yelp.

Alex turns around at the loud noise and watches his brother get up from the ground and instantly check up on his stallion. Alex slides off his horse and lead it back along the narrow path lined by thick and old trees. “You okay?” “Yeah, he’s just half as clumsy as me, he’ll be fine. Let’s walk back to the keep.” Alex narrows his eyes at Marc and picks a leaf from the fine fabric of his dark red cloak. “It might take us two hours!” Marc’s laughter echoes through the covert. “What? You’re too fine to walk now that you’ve married that fine lady of yours?” A shadow creeps over Alex’s face and settles in his eyes. “You know, I did that at father’s command. It saved us from falling out with the lordship for good.” “I know, I just don’t like her.” Alex stares at Marc’s back as he trudged in front of him and shakes his head. His brother is the only person imaginable who would insult his own countess, Alex’s choice and their father’s decision simultaneously – with a shrug and a laugh. It’s true, though, Alex thinks and ducks underneath a low branch, it’s a marriage based on political and financial reasons and nothing else. He keeps staring at Marc and smiles at him carefully rearranging the rains to lead Arcas across the stone-bridge. I’m just glad, I could save you from that fate.

They walk on in silence, until Marc stops and sniffles. “I think, we’ve took a wrong turn, I don’t know where we are anymore.” Alex huffs and turns around. The forest has become thicker and darker by every step. The air I moist and tinged with the smell of moss and ancient woodwork. “I’ve never been here before…” “And you’ll never leave again.” 

Both brothers freeze as a high laughter reverberates through the forest, making leaves dance and shake as it brushes through the crowns like wind. Arcas stratles and Marc can’t hold onto the reins as the stallion bursts off into the woodwork. “Arcas!” “Cario!” Alex shouts, but his own mare tears through the bushes and into the darkness. The laugh drowns out their panicked neighs. “Who are you?!” Marc shouts and nearly drew his sword, if Alex hadn’t put a hand onto the handle. “Don’t! It’s the wood folk. Once you insult them, they’ll kill us.” “Wood folk?” Marc echoes, black eyes filled with terror, although he shakes his head and a disbelieving grin tugs at his lips. “They’re just stories the maids told us to make us listen to them…” Alex swallows, as a low whisper reaches his ears. A look into Marc’s face shows that he can hear it as well. “Noble, but after the war fallen in esteem. Status and pride is what you seek to redeem. But – what’s that?” A figure appears between two old oak trees, a woman surrounded by a green shimmer in a long and silky dress, which seems to be see-through just as her whole body seems to be summoned by the wind and the leaves dancing to her feed. The crown of thorns is decorated with dead butterflies. She’s beautiful, but her childlike face speaks of timeless cruelty. She tilts her head, colourless eyes bore into both of them and seem to turn Alex’s innards around in an icy grip, turning his very soul inside out. Her laugh is a heartless bird’s chirp “Even darker secrets lie behind dark eyes. Different wish the heart desperately sighs. A certain touch the skin and the soul crave It’s the only thing that could see you safe.” “What?!” Marc stares at the fairy with wide eyes. “Take what you want, be brave; Or find in these trees your early grave!” Suddenly the trees around them point their branches at both of them as if they were spears, sharp twigs pointing directly at Marc’s throat. “What is she talking about?!” Alex’s voice is a shaky yell and Marc closes his eyes. “It’s not true.” He mutters and another high-pitched laugh sends shivers down his spine. “Denial will be your downfall, the chance you miss. All I want to set you free, is a simple kiss.” Alex swallows drily and a root clings to his leg, as he tries to take a step in her direction. “Listen, Milady, I have a wife, if we could…” The voice sounds amused now, the glow around her angelic face almost white, as she continues. “A kiss, you yourself want more than anything, With someone you love more than everything” And her long and bony-white finger points at Marc. Alex’s eyes widen. “How-?!” And he remembers all the horror-stories his mother’s maid has told him, when he’s been a child. The wood folk, fairies, djinns, ghosts, they feed of your innermost secrets and the pain you feel by revealing them. They suck them in and fill their nightly cries with mortal’s cravings, while day dance around the forest and steer the wind in the highest branches. It’s old and dangerous magic and it became a threat to humans, after they cleared more and more forests, endangering them. So they turned against humans, using their hidden thought against them and torture them or kill them on the spot. 

Alex bites his lip and stares up at the beautiful woman in terror. Marc’s head sinks to his chest, as he stares to the floor, jaw clenched and eyes watering. Alex can tell, what’s going on and shakes his head.

“Marc… we said…” “I know, what we said!” Utter sadness in black eyes filling with tears. She’s going to kill us both… “She’s going to ki-“ “I know, but we said, we would never ever give in to that…” “I know… but it’s going to save your life.” and kill me… Alex feels himself nodding and as soon as the decision is made, the trees retreat to their former motionless positions and the roots sink back into the soil. Marc turns to him and cups his cheeks, before pulling him down and pressing a desperate kiss to his lips. Alex clings onto him, trying to convince the fairy that she got, what she wanted, digging his fingernails into Marc’s hair and pressing close to him. Marc sighs and pulls him in further. The laughter fainting into the fog of the covert will haunt Alex for months, a terrifying and piercing sound, that sends shivers down his spine. They part and stare into each other’s wide eyes, before Alex turns around and sigh in relief. “She’s gone. We’re safe.” No we’re not, Marc thinks, but nods, a lump in his throat making it difficult to swallow. “Let’s go back. Your wife must be worried.” And Alex stares at Marc’s retreating back, as his brother and so much more to him, trudges through the woodwork to find the path again – a path they’ve both irrevocably lost forever now. *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Okay, this was strange... What do you think? :D