The Diplomacy of Beauty

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As a small child Wren had night terrors from time to time. Dreams of shadowy persons chasing her. As her childhood anxieties were replaced by more mundane life, she finally stopped having such dreams. In fact her life was filled with little fears and only a minor amount of stress and she generally slept blissfully. She couldn't even recall the last time she had a nightmare.

Tonight though the shadows chased her again. This time with fire and smoke. Deep was her sleep and she barely made a whimper, though in her mind she was screaming when she saw the blood. The nightmare kept her trapped though out the night but finally she was released from it.

To a reality that was not much better. Where all her nightmares could not be brushed aside, for they were all true.

Wren did not even realize what woke her was the sound of her own sobbing as imagination and reality found their proper place in her mind. With tear stained cheeks she lifted her head and looked around, to find the light, and ended up seeing the silhouette of something that just did not make sense causing her the cease her outward sorrow in confusion.

With a voice of loss she spoke her inquiry simply. "Wh-what... who?"
 
"Wh-what... who?"

Trevor could have sworn he heard her crying throughout the night and upon awakening, her voice was still shaky. Sympathy swelled up within him; he wished he could comfort her. All the while, he wondered what it was that troubled her. Was she afraid of being here? Were they nightmares? Did something unfortunate happen before, which drove her to run recklessly into the forest? They were all understandable possibilities.

"It's alright, Eartha. It's me... Trevor," spoke a soothing voice. She must not have remembered him just then! Or, she spotted his image and mistook him for something else.

"If you're feeling up to it, I'd like to help you find your way out of this forest so you can continue your journey," he kindly offered, shrugging his shoulders upward to keep them that way. Maybe, he could keep attention off of his horned head. Trevor knew this area like the back of his hand and then some, so assisting her would be no issue at all.
 
"Trevor," she repeated his name, not because it was uncommon nor that she had forgotten him since she'd fallen asleep. In fact she wasn't quite sure why she did so, other then for the barest grasp of normalcy.

Looking around, she found her first instinct was right, there was only one place to look in if she was going to actually see any light. Not that she could see him in detail, but his silhouette was no illusion. It only confirmed those small clues she caught during the night, and yet it still did not add up for her. At least to any solid conclusion.

"You would do that for me?" Wren replied to his offer with surprise and moreso gratitude. "I do need to get going, and on my own it might take longer to find the road. Thank you."

She picked up his cloak, she hoped she hadn't soaked it with her crying, but it seemed only a damp spot was noticeable. Standing up she held the cloak out, still intimidated, but trying to keep a steady hold on her sensible side.
 
Trevor reached behind him to take the cloak back, instantly draping it over himself with the hood up. He did notice the damp spot from her tears, but quickly dismissed it. It caused him no trouble, however he was concerned more for her flooding emotions. He wished he could ask her what bothered her without seeming... Creepy, perhaps?

As he turned around, he noticed the paper wrapped jerky still sitting on the stone floor. It was taken in his hand while he stood, the food being offered to her. "I can always make more and hunt. You must have something while traveling," he kindly insisted.

Once that was over with, he turned to the entrance of his cave and walked forward. The ground was covered with white, only the tallest blades of grass noticeable as well as stems of dead flowers. Like any gentleman, he hooked his arm for her to latch onto if she wished. That way they could avoid any separation. Plus, he was certain he might be able to reassure her safety by letting her hold on.

"We'll get you on the right path in no time. I've passed by the signs that point travelers in the right direction many times," Trever said with a smile.
 
Wren took the meat and muttered her thanks before tearing at the meat. She couldn't really hide her hunger and hoped that Trevor was going to be able to easily find some food for himself once he got her on her way again.

Chewing on a piece of the tough meat she looked out at the larger world. It was all snow covered now. Had she stayed the night outside would she have been buried in the white by now as well? That was a somber thought for such a bright morning.

Pocketing the rest of the meat she walked over to Trevor. Whoever, or whatever he was, he was the soul of kindness. She smiled at him and took his arm, for the first time really taking in how big he was. Not monstrous, but he was a large man. That decided the princess, whatever else he was, he was a gentleman, and that was how she was going to think of him as he led her back to the road.

"Y-you have my Gggratitude," she told him seeming less tense then when she first woke up. Oh how she did not want to go back out into the cold, but there was no helping that. She would just have to keep going until she was safe.
 
The speed of his footsteps was relatively slow, so she'd not have to keep up with his large, quick moving feet in this frigid weather. More than that, he found himself just wanting to extend his time with her. There was no proof of him stalling their time. After all, the main priority was to get her on track! Seeing her have to leave made him sad, he figured out. Company was painfully rare, especially to someone unaccepted by society.

"It's no problem," he assured. Trevor was actually very warmed by her words of thanks. For once, he could be appreciated for something. What made him more jubilant though, was seeing her eat, as well as relax. There was nothing to fear; he was glad she realized that.

A tall, wooden sign showed in the distance, words carved into the signs attached to the stand. One pointed into the direction of his hometown while the other pointed to another village that many travelers found helpful during their journeys. Trevor decided to keep walking with her until they reached that sign, to be certain she'd walk in the right direction safely.

Along the way, his ears picked up the rustling of plants. Bushes, perhaps? Possibly even tree branches. Whatever it was, it sent a shiver up his spine while all his senses went alarmed. A pair of bandits were hiding out in the forest, watching their targets' every move. Trevor and Wren had nothing worth stealing, but kidnapping a pretty girl was definitely a low they'd try to reach. They might have even suspected valuables hidden in Trevor's cloak. Just about every type of thief passed through here during Trevor's lifetime.

"There's danger, Eartha," he quietly warned her, hoping she wouldn't panic. Just then, he stopped walking, keeping her close by with his arm still hooked for her to stay latched onto. For all he knew, there could be a whole band of those thieves waiting for their two comrades to bring them goods. Trevor wasn't going to have that. Just those two; he'd deliver them the beating of their life.
 
Wren tensed when Trevor said there was danger. It was something she most dearly wanted to avoid and despite his size, she did not want to pit him against those that might come after her. She was torn though. Could she have prevented this if she had said more, but how could she have, she wasn't very sure who he was still.

When the men came into view, the princess wasn't sure what to think. She had not gotten a good look at those that were causing so much misery until now, assuming these were not just some random robbers. They were much scrubbier looking then she would have expected and if she thought them less intelligent then someone that could have tracker her should be, they did not seem any less dangerous.

Subconsciously she found herself tightening her grip on Trevor's arm. She was afraid, and rightfully so, for she did not know what to do. Dare she try to run? She wasn't sure she could out pace these men and even still, what would happen to her guide?
 
Trevor looked to the girl as she clung to his arm, her fear noted in how tightly she was squeezing it. With his free hand, he set it over hers, gently prying her fingers from it. The hand was given an assuring grasp as he spoke, "You'll stay here, won't you? I'll try not to take too long. I promise I won't separate too far from you."

Although she couldn't see it, he was smiling, his bright eyes staring boldly into her own. With a swift turn, he faced the pair of men charging towards him with their blades drawn, making vicious yells. They were probably starving. Hunting in the wintertime was difficult because everything journeyed to the south or hid someplace to hibernate. Trevor knew that would be to his advantage, though. Fighting whilst famished had bad results sometimes.

The beastly man ran right towards them at a surprisingly fast pace, launching a fist into each of their stomachs so they'd be knocked backwards. Both managed to catch themselves from falling, though were clumsy in turning around to see where Trevor went. The moment they were facing each other again, Trevor kicked soil in their direction, which was mixed with grass and frost. He watched as the bandits flinched, one of them raising his sword to make a strike.

Trevor avoided the attack, ducking and then speeding forward. His hood zoomed right off his head, revealing the malicious curved horns protruding from his head. Those horns made the impact of his tackle much more harmful; he could hear the man's ribs crack. A knee went to the fellow's groin for good measure, causing him to collapse onto the ground, in too much pain to do much more.

The fallen bandit's comrade launched a kick into Trevor's kick, causing him to sway and nearly stumble on his own feet. Enraged about the damage his friend took, the thief dropped his blade and went forward, running into Trevor with all his might. The two of them went tumbling to the ground, rolling in an effort to make one suffer more than the other. Trevor became the victor whilst on the bottom, kicking his foe right off of him to send him flying.

"Leave!" he hissed, giving the trespasser one last chance to flee with his life. Clearly intimidated, the robber crawled towards his injured friend to help him up, limping back to his brothers as quickly as he could.
 
The princess watched the fight in horror, fearful that the two men would overpower Trevor. It took her a while to realize that he was much better then both the men put together. Wren allowed herself to be hopeful for a moment. Then the other surprise unfolded.

Seeing what Trevor looked like in the sunlight was startling, but Wren was not frighten. After all there had already been hints that he was not wholly human before. That bit of foreknowledge was helpful, but not as much as Trevor's own actions towards her. He was a monster to there attackers, but that was nothing but defense.

Still Wren was timid as she walked over to him once the men fled. She wasn't positive what his temperament might be like after a fight. She was also fearful for the future.

"Is th-there any sss... uncommon roads?" Though they had been poor fighters, the princess still couldn't be sure what their goal had been. Simple thievery, which if she had been alone would have been bad enough, or had they been looking for her? She had looked up into Trevor's eyes when she posed her question. She was afraid, as afraid as she was last night, but not of him. "I don't think I should go on the main road."
 
Wren was terrified, that much was certain. Not of him, though. At least, he didn't think so. Anyone genuinely afraid of Trevor would just run away instead of talk to him! For a moment, he looked baffled.

Taking in a deep breath and letting it out his nose, he looked left and right, then back to her, making a nod. "There are other ways, if you want to avoid...obstacles, like those bandits," he answered, then made a crooked frown. "This forest can be very dangerous, though. Worst people hideout here and it's a habitat to predators."

The girl had already seen what he looked like, so he didn't bother putting his hood back on. That quarreling made him warm enough so that the cold didn't really bother him, plus there was no rain to shelter from.

"Both ways are so unsafe... Would you let me go with you?" he pleaded, a hand over his heart and concern sparkling in his eyes. "I couldn't go a single day without wondering if you completed your journey safely. I want to help you."
 
The princess was surprised. She had eaten his food and because of her he had needed to fight, something that despite how he looked seemed to be something he did not revel in, so why was he feeling the need to assist her more? It wasn't because of her money or influence, she was sure that he had not deduced who she was. She wasn't jaded enough to believe those were the only reasons someone would assist her, but she was a stranger.

Wren realized how pitiful she must seem then. It was true, without an escort her chances of making it across the mountains were going to be slim. She had not wanted to think about that fact before, but with Trevor's desire to assist her she realized even if she did not want him to come along, she had no choice but to allow him to do so.

That's when the second realization hit. She did want him to come along. Part of it was pure curiosity. He was so strange, she wanted to know what and who he was. Wren also realized she was desperate for companionship. Thinking about the long road ahead of her, alone, had filled her with a dread that had nothing to do with her personal safety.

She had been silent after Trevor's plead as she looked down at her feet in the frost covered grass. Looking up there was a smile on her face, though perhaps a touch sad. "I would not ask you to leave your home, it is a very long ways I fear, but I also would not be distressed in the least by the company that you would bring."

Wren was very proud of herself, she had spoken a tad slowly, but not too much and her words had come out clearly. It was a nice triumph indeed.
 
She was lost in thought, from what he could tell. That was alright. Traveling with an exile was something to ponder, he supposed, plus there was a long journey ahead of them. Trevor himself had a lot on his mind. He knew his way around, but what the the safest way? The dirt pathways seemed the least wise to take. Strangers catching sight of him would be dangerous; they'd surely alert authorities. In some places, he had no doubt there was a price on his head. People didn't feel safe with him alive.

Then, she gave her answer.

Trevor was a little surprised. That entire statement was clear with not a single stutter! Each word was spoken with a somber smile, too. A beautiful sight, he thought. Even with the added sadness, he found himself adoring the look.

"I promise you'll get there safely," he assured her with a smile of his own. Even with the terrorizing features of his, that smile seemed to make him look more... Gentle. Trevor wasn't dangerous at all. Just, by most standards, ugly.

"We'll continue through the forest. I know this area like the back of my hand," Trevor continued while offering his arm to her, hoping she'd accept. It wasn't often he got to be a gentleman! "We can stop in the next town, too. I'm sure you'll want something to eat that isn't from this place."
 
Wren took the offered arm with little thought, and was more than happy to let Trevor lead the way. "Town?" She sounded a bit surprised when she spoke. "I suppose g-getting a warm meal would be n-nice." So much for smoothness of speech. She hoped by now Trevor realized she wasn't just a twit in fear when she spoke so.

It was due to her anxiety of her speaking though that kept her from starting any conversation with Trevor as they traveled through the woods. That and she was still a bit jumpy after the bandits had tried to attack them. The quiet though was what kept her noticing every little sound though. A paradox, she would be more relaxed if they were talking, yet she was too paranoid to get into a long conversation.

The chimney smoke in the sky was the first indication that they were approaching town, and the sight did lighten the princess' heart. Smoke, cook fires, villagers. These were simple things she understood at least a bit more than the unknown woods.
 
Trevor didn't mind the silence much. There were enough noises in the forest to make it less awkward, such as chirping birds who didn't fly south, the stomping hooves of deer and leaves rustling in the gusts. It was always so serene. People didn't like to go to that forest to hunt or explore, because they knew the monster of a man lived there. Trevor found the optimistic side of his banishment; no one entered the forest to corrupt it.

Spotting signs of the town, he pulled on the hood of his cloak so his beastly features would be hidden. They'd have to go through the town to make any traveling progress. He hoped no one would be nosy enough to try and see his face. The nails on his hands were mysterious enough by themselves!

"Do you have money for a meal, Eartha? I'm afraid I can't treat you to one... I'm sorry," he told her quietly, frowning crookedly. Trevor never had a cent in his life, from what he remembered. It wasn't in him to rob corpses of their belongings once they were killed, for one. For two, who would spare change to a exiled man everyone hated? Not that he cared. He never went to civilization!

"I have to say, I'm a little, um... Shy, I guess. It's been years since I've been in a town."
 
"Yes," Wren said when Trevor asked about money. It was one thing she did have to prepare her for her journey.

"Here, take the keys. Go to the treasurery."

"What? Bbbbb..."

"No buts," the voice snapped at her. She'd heard her father's treasurer snap plenty of times about unnessisary expenses. In private her father laught that the man acted like the money was his when talks of expenses came up. He was prudent, practical and above all honest so it was more then worth the occasional argument. Sometimes it was even a good thing.

The keys were pressed into Wren's trembling hands even as she was shaking her head, but the treasurer was firm. "They'll loot the places once they can. Take small coins, hide them where you can under your cloths. Pack them around cloth if you need to so it doesn't jingle." Then they both heard a crash, voices shouting. "Now go!"

Wren was pushed down the hall and she was running before she could think about where she was headed, but she doubted she'd ever get a chance to argue with him about the necessity of a new roof instead of repairing the old now.


"It's alright. I-I can trrreat you."

His next statement knocked her out of her melancholy state enough to look up at him. She frowned realizing he was wearing the hood of his cloak, or rather why he was. "Is th-this going to be a ppprob," she paused and took a deep breath, "a problem for you? We can skip town. Go around?"
 
Trevor was looking around nervously, but also curiously. How long had it been since he saw civilization? Years... That much was certain. He had an aching desire to learn more about this town, and towns beyond it! Structures, people, stores, farms--all of it fascinated him. He was still half-human, so it was only natural that he'd want to have a normal life.

He knew he had talents he could offer the world, and he knew he could be a hard worker. All that needed to happen was some acceptance. Trevor was nothing like his father! Why wouldn't they trust him?

"Oh, ah," Trevor shook his head and looked to Wren, smiling sheepishly within his hood. He was getting lost in his daydreaming. "I'm not... Exactly... Welcome here. Or anywhere. You understand, don't you? I look like a--"

Before he could finish his sentence, a most inconvenient thing happened. A frigid breeze swept over them, pushing back his hood and revealing his beastly features. He stood there with a dumb-founded expression, his free hand reaching up to touch his head. Quite pathetically, his arm draped over his ram-like horns with hopes that anyone looking would not notice. Those damn horns were always the most obvious giveaway of what he was.

"He must have kidnapped that poor woman!" Trevor heard someone say, which he mentally cursed at.

"I did nothing of the sort!" he said with disgust, staring with disbelief at the person who accused him. Gruffly, he pulled his hood back over his head and continued to move, hoping Wren would keep pace.

"Should we separate?" Trevor asked in a whisper. "Get what you need while I, well, run and hide? I'd find you again, of course. Oh dear, I should have thought this through..."

It was obvious he was panicking.
 
"Nnnoo, no we don't need to do that," Wren tried to insist. He was helping her after all, she didn't want to abandon him because it was inconvient for her! That was what she would have done at least had not the villager that had seen Trevor's horns had not called out to the town watch, such as it was.

"There he is!" the first man yelled, pointing at the two of them, holding a sword poorly, but still with menace.

"I'll find yyyyou, run!" Now it was about his safety, not her inconience. There was no telling what those men would do to Trevor should he stay. There was no telling what Trevor might do to stay alive if they caught him either.

She would run with Trevor, but she knew she wouldn't be fast enough. Why was there so much running in her life of late!
 
Did she intend to run with him? By the looks of things, she must have. Trevor wanted to just scoop her up and sprint through town, leaving the pursuers behind. Them splitting up and meeting again could make confusion, he thought. As long as they avoided capture, there would be no issues. He assumed those men might try to take Eartha for questioning of different sorts.

“I promise not to let you be alone for too long,” he said quickly, yet earnestly. A panicked expression then plastered on his face as he bolted forward, rushing away from Eartha and a pair of inexperienced guards making chase.

Making haste through town was comical, in a way. Trevor dodged clothes lines, ran into fruit stands, tripped over children and bumped into several adults. His breath was a heavy fog of white from panting, the cold air biting his cheeks and turning them red. One hand was kept over his hood while the other corrected his balance, and at times, swiped items he felt could be useful.

To take a moment to rest, he side stepped to a nearby shop and pressed his back to the wall, his breathing much heavier this time. There were some damp spots on his cloak from splashes of cool water falling onto him; rooftops were covered with snow. Some edibles were hidden within his cloak, which he felt terrible for stealing. As a man, and a monster, with no job or place in society, that was often a crime he had to resort to anyway. This one time, he was thinking less about himself and more about Eartha. That poor girl deserved better than his hunted prey for a meal!

Quietly, he made a peek over the wall to check the status of his chasers. They were left far behind him, from what he could see. Though, he did leave a mess... Some carts were overturned and there were parents trying to calm down their frightened children. Trevor made a crooked frown at the sight before hiding himself again, just walking along the wall with his eyes and ears open for his traveling companion.
 
Wren stood and watched Trevor sprint away, the town guard behind him. She shook her head and sighed, the poor man! She felt much worse for him then the frightened villagers, after all they were jumping to conclusions. If they didn't make such assumptions everyone would be better off.


She had took but one step, intending to go away from the chaos and then around to find Trevor when she heard someone behind her.


"You poor child, are you alright?" an elderly woman asked.


"Yyyes, I-I'm fiiine, ththank you." Being very agitated with how things had just transposed her stuttering was manifesting much worse.


"She's scared out of her wit," a man came from the side. Wren shook her head.


"She must be in shock," another woman came over and touched her shoulder.


"Nnnno, I-I just nnnnneed...." there were now about ten people surrounding her and there blabbering was drowning out her attempt to speak up for herself. They started leading her through town even. She wasn't sure how, but they were now insisting on taking her to their doctor. Apparently he was a good bleeder! Once she heard that she knew she needed to assert herself, and since she couldn't do that with words she tried to run. A heavy hand went upon her shoulder to stop her and Wren screamed in fright, fright from the day before, fright for now, all mixed together.
 
Trevor was hiding behind a well when his ears picked up the sound of commotion. The voices sounded panicked and concerned, but the one that stuck out the most to him was the stuttering Eartha, who made a distressed cry for help afterward. Although he couldn't see what was going on, he could tell that the townsfolk were giving her trouble. Whilst making a snarl, he stood from his kneeling position so he could rush from his hiding place to the crowd he assumed Eartha to be lost in.

This was a troubling situation for Trevor. He didn't want to cause these people any harm... So, using his ram-like horns to charge through the mass wouldn't be a good idea. Perhaps, he could just scare them! With enough aggression, he felt he could at least send some of the people cowering. He could handle a few men at the same time, especially if they were only peasants.

"All right... You can do this..." As he mumbled to himself, Trevor picked up his speed , getting ever closer to the people not allowing Eartha to run away. Snow was kicked up behind and beneath him as he rushed on, and especially when he made an impressive jump forward so he could land in the middle of the crowd. Nobody wanted to be crushed or scratched, so the strangers all moved back, some of them even fleeing in fear. Those who remained formed a circle around the girl, and a small handful of bold males willing to stand in the beastly man's way.

Trevor landed right in front of the men who dared stand their ground after he made his landing. Slowly, with a glare in his eyes, he rose up from his hands and feet. His upper lip rose to reveal his deadly canines and there was a soft growl in his throat. This was uncommon behaviour for him, really. For once in his life, he had something to protect! He was willing to do anything to get her back to him.

"Stand aside," he calmly demanded. "Unless she prefers to stay here, you must let her come back to me. I made a promise..."

While trying to reason with these people, worries fluttered in his mind:

'I hope I won't have to hurt anyone. Oh dear, I hope Eartha isn't afraid of me right now. Is she freezing to death? Gods, why do these people hate me?'
 
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