Remembrance and Temptation
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 7793
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Lord Frederigo D'Honaire and Simon the Anchorite set out early in the
morning from the hermit's hut. The wizened eremite knew the lay of the
land well, and the knight trusted Simon's tracking skills. It was odd, for all his unholy might, Frederigo was humbled by Simon. He felt like a small child again. Perhaps it was that the older man knew his father, indeed was a colleague of Duke Charles D'Honaire. Perhaps, though, it was the fact that in his day, Simon D'Chrétien was the greatest hero anyone could name. He was exactly what every boy aspired to be when their manhood was upon them. Of course, the strange...almost holiness...around this man didn't help things any. Frederigo shook off his confusion and focused his attention on the task at hand. Astra and Lady Andrea Croix would be near defenseless in the forest in the aftermath of their night as werewolves, and they were such useful tools. He had to get them back that he might begin his machinations anew... Andrea kept silent as she and Astra walked, letting the warrior woman lead the way so they could find the hermit and the knight. Astra had no doubt learned the wild lands better than she, during the days and nights before Andrea and Frederigo's search party had arrived. Besides, as she was beginning to appreciate, Astra was experienced and seasoned. She was starting to respect that. Andrea felt so vulnerable walking through the forest, wearing not even the rags she had shed in the light of the moon the previous night. The warrior woman was more brazen than she was, and seemed to have no problem with her nudity. Andrea on the other hand, wasn't accustomed exposing her body to the open air. She felt ashamed and weak, out there in the wild lands. These feelings were not helped by the fact that she had felt so free, so powerful that night. She had stopped talking about it because it upset Astra, but her thoughts kept returning to it. She had meant what she had said; she was looking forward to the next full moon when the wolf in her would grant Andrea a bestial form. She longed to run through the forest again and howl a mournful salute to the sky. The fog upon her memory unexpectedly parted, and recollections of the last night flooded to the surface. She felt an almost frenzied excitement as she remembered, and as her breathing quickened and her heart pounded, she didn't even notice the vague twinge of her erratic magic vibrating in her body. Her reverie broke for the briefest of moments, and was raising her hands to her face, shaking her head, when she noticed a startling thing. Her hands were changing again, exactly like the night before. Panting, heart throbbing in her chest, she saw her nails twist into sharp claws, even as brown hairs sprouted on her arms. In fear and a small amount of enjoyment, she emitted a small gasp, and tried to calm down. As if in response as she quieted and calmed herself, the feral urges once again dampened, and her hands returned to normal. Andrea looked up and over to the warrior woman, but Astra evidently had not noticed anything that had happened, keeping her attention on the trail instead. Andrea was relieved to see that. Thoughts raced through her mind, trying to figure out what had just happened. At first, nothing made sense, until she remembered the twinge of magic just a few short moments ago, and a realization spread through her. There had been no mention in the legends of the disease ever infecting a sorceror or witch. Truth told, no one really knew what would happen if it ever did. Andrea had an inkling, though. It had transmuted, changed when it interacted with the magic in her blood. Now, her magic had responded when she had remembered her wild night, bringing back the curse even as she had recalled the frenzied ecstasy. Andrea realized she could change anytime her feelings approached that height, but it was not totally within her control. With the change came her bestial half, and she had almost given in to changing completely just then. Andrea decided to keep this new revelation to herself, though. While it was dangerous, it was giddy to know that should she want it, she didn't have to wait. If she spoke up, they'd only restrict her further, and she certainly didn't want that... The sun was at its zenith when Frederigo and Simon saw movement in the forest. Approaching cautiously, they came into view of the source, and saw the two women. For the first time since the previous night, all four were together again.
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The Traveler
3/1/2000 5:27:19 PM
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