Magnificent Maleficent

Celine Dahl, also known by the name Maleficent. Show some respect if you know what's good for you.

[hercules-angelis-blog]

Celine, currently straddled him and stared at the knight as if he were an object, and Hercules loved it. It seemed to displace him from this world, and put him into an ideal of only being on this earth to do one thing. Fuck. There were no battles or death in this ideal world, only the raw sensation of sweaty hot skin on skin. Each touch of hers seemed to set off flames beneath his skin, causing his lightning quick reflexes to react and cause his body to jolt and quiver at the sensations she was giving him. It was nice to be controlled, to be able to let go and not have to take responsibility for each action he took, it was…liberating. 

A deep groan erupted from his throat as her fingers skillfully teased the sensitive tip of his throbbing cock. He grabbed her waist with enough strength to leave bruises, and remind Celine of the strength he was capable of, but not enough to hurt her. Even in this drunken careless haze, Hercules was still haunted with the nagging voice in the back of his head. The nagging voice that kept him in check, that reminded him of the monster he was deep down. As the woman climbed back on top of him, Herc’s body tensed up, and his head pushed back, feeling his member being guided into the warm tightness that was Celine, all he could manage was a breathy release of her name from his lips, and a tighter grip on his skin. The sound that erupted from her caused his hips to automatically jerk up against her, begging for any source of friction to satisfy his raging erection. 

“Celine… please..” he groaned, his hips jerking again, reveling in the feeling of her pussy. As she began to move, his hands moved to grip the sheets, knowing his force on her skin would cause her harm at this point. Another groan came as his head was thrown back with pleasure, and his breath came in shorter intervals. Her nails raked down his chest, causing the perfect amount of pain to drive the knight wild. When he felt her lips, marking his skin, Hercules took a deep breath making sure he was under control when he placed his hands back on her body. He grasped her hips and began moving her at a quicker pace, as he began to thrust his own up to meet her half way causing her plump breasts to bounce in a perfectly intriguing way that he met with kisses on the soft supple skin. 

[celinnedahl-blog]

That fleeting thought passed through Celine's mind again; that there was more to the fine formed knight than he let on. Even as his fingers gripped at her with impressive strength, she could see that a part of him remained restrained by his own will rather than hers. Given his current position, having so easily passed his control over to her whims, she found this peculiar. What could be distracting her plaything so? If she hadn't been distracted at that point, she might have asked.

While her partner held some reservations, Celine didn't, mercilessly keeping her hold over the knight as she nipped at his marked skin. He jerked against her with the slightest touch, shuddering over the last tethers of sense he still kept. Her eyes darkened as Hercules pleaded with her, a jolt of pleasure striking her to the core. "Please what?" She grinned, grinding her hips against his slowly. She liked his loss for words, the way he tried to enunciate his wants through action rather than speech. Being the object of his torment drew out the wickedness in her and was almost, but not quite, as satisfying as topping him in the first place. 

The faerie mewled with delight as he started to move beneath her, matching his pace until she had found a steady rhythm that had her breathing his name into his skin. There was nothing gentle about it, tearing away at one another tooth and nail until their needs were selfishly met. Just like their encounter, everything was in the heat of the moment; a flurry of tangling limbs and shallow breaths. Celine rocked against him in sheer ecstasy, each powerful thrust bringing her closer to the edge. Every part of her was ablaze with feeling,  “Gods, don’t stop!” It wasn’t a request more as a demand, her body convulsing around him with a blinding ferocity. She leaned over him as his lips grazed the tender flesh of her breasts, fingers raking through his unruly hair as she drew him closer to her. Every part of her was ablaze with feeling, as she became drunk over her own pulsing pleasure. 

[elizabethgothel-blog]

“It’s pretty, isn’t it? Like all beautiful things, it is, of course, quite poisonous, but beautiful to look at none the less. Intriguing, too; no one seems to be able to agree on what it smells like. Some people are nauseated by the fragrance, while others find it quite pleasant. I find it thoroughly intoxicating.”

“What do you think? Go on. As long as you don’t lick it, you’ll be fine.”

[celinnedahl-blog]

“A tasteful analogy. I’ve always held an appreciation for things and people who are both dangerous and lovely to look at. They always have something up their sleeves, after all. And in the right hands, they can become something potent.”

“Oh it does have a wonderful scent, but refined under certain conditions, I daresay I can bring out its full power. It would be a waste to let such gifts go unused, don’t you think?”

[hercules-angelis-blog]

Hercules wasn’t used to feeling this sort of adrenaline, the adrenaline of a battle field? Oh yeah, but the adrenaline of a quick unplanned fuck? It had his heart pounding in his ears, and his cock pressing uncomfortably against his pants. The sharp pain of Celine digging her nails into his skin was completely welcome, and he groaned quietly, as if to ask for more. The noises that came from her just egged him on to explore her body more, and press himself closer against her. He knew her for all of half an hour, and yet it was like a drug, the feeling of her skin, her lips on his body… everything about her. It was almost magical. 

Suddenly there was a spin, and Hercules was on his back looking up at her, milky skin glowing in the moonlight that was coming in from the windows. Yet, with all this beauty in front of him, all he could imagine was leaving marks all over that pale skin whether it be red hand marks, or bruises which were gifts from his mouth. The grin that played on her lips was taunting, practically asking Herc to kiss it away, but he resisted, looking deep into devilish eyes practically daring her to make a move. 

Hercules laughed at her comment on the amount of clothing he was wearing. “Well…” he said breath shallow, “I feel like you’re about to fix that.” The tickle of her lips trailing down his chest caused his dick to jump in excitement and anticipation. A sudden breeze hit Hercs skin as his pants were pulled down his legs, causing his breath to hitch. Nodding erratically, he agreed with Celine. As her fingers touched the soft skin of his cock, he groaned deep from his chest, and shut his eyes as he felt himself come to full mast. “I have a few ideas..” he said, his voice gravelly and full of lust, “but I’m sure you have even more..” 

[celinnedahl-blog]

There was a certain sort of satisfaction that came from having a man beneath her; a willing plaything at her disposal. To see him breathless, wanting to take back control but fearing that she would stop if he tried had her quivering with intense need. He was a sensitive one too; she had hardly taken any effort to rouse him before she could feel him responding vigorously to her touch. Celine's lips curled upwards at the sight of his easy submission. Complete vulnerability. This is what power was.

"Good answer, love." The witch hummed, her thumb circling the sensitive tip. She toyed with him, watching with sadistic pleasure while she caressed his growing erection. He already wanted her; that much was plainly and rather impressively visible. However, it would hardly do unless he was obsessed, begging for her generous attentions as she saw fit. Luckily for the mortal, Celine was hardly a patient person. As much as she enjoyed making him squirm, the building heat between her legs was neigh unbearable. Straddling Hercules once again, she guided him into her needy cunt inch by glorious inch until he filled her completely. She cried out, back arching wantonly as a brief bout of pleasure rippled through her. For a sweet moment, her mind went blank as the sensation of feeling overwhelmed her thought processes.

Soon enough, she wanted more. As she regained part of her senses, the witch started moving, thrusting her hips against him. Her hands splayed themselves across Hercules' chest while her nails raked over the firm muscles beneath her palms. Celine’s lips were on him again, branding the man beneath her with a possessive, bruising force. 

[celinnedahl-blog]

Crashing Kingdoms Task #4: Celine Dahl Aesthetics

[celinnedahl-blog]

In The Devil’s Den || Celine & Taran

[taranxbardsley-blog]

“It’s not the only thing I rely on!” the warrior wanna-be immediately clarified even if, truthfully, that was often one of his main problems when dealing with other people. In fact, because of his extreme confidence in himself, Taran certainly had a hard time keeping friends after a while, but for some reason he wasn’t worried about such things with individuals like Celinne. After all, she seemed rather proud of herself, as well!

“Having a conversation about your human hatred would really have been a much better clue to finding out who you actually were, and would’ve saved me the time looking for a Celinne that was an entity separate from Maleficent. It’s sort of… Well, let’s just say I didn’t cause a great impression in Mirindra when I asked around for you. But still, that doesn’t mean you’re evil, either. Well, maybe, because it’s lie you said: Subjective! But I don’t think so, not completely. We all take choices, and can change, can’t we? I’m not here to make you change, though. I’m not interested in that either.”

Hen Wen finally decided to squeal at the flying creature that accompanied Maleficent, having reached her wits’ end, and walked around as if on a prowl, observing the creature with scheming eyes. Taran realized she was thinking of jumping at it, but figured the creature would easily escape the pig and therefore ignored them for the time being. “If you want a new kingdom… Well, the message’s not going through, actually! They all talk about how you’re going to want to take over and steal their own kingdoms, and not what you actually want. That’s what happens when your message is sending ghosts to kill people without so much as a letter to anyone, I guess.”

[celinnedahl-blog]

“...You were looking for Celine too?” The faerie blinked, unsure of how to process his admission. The human had gone through quite the unnecessary amount of trouble just to track her down. Celine knew precisely how the folk of Mirindra treated those who searched for her openly, and felt something that she believed was related to pity. “I would apologize, perhaps, but what did you really expect when asking about for me? The only ones who do that are those who wish to deal with the devil or those who have an early death wish. I’m not what you call good company for most.” Yet in spite of that, he was there now, almost convinced that she wasn’t an evil, sadistic monster who got off on scaring humans. The most baffling part of it all was that he firmly refused to give her some speech on changing who she was. Admittedly, he had lost her at that point. “I...you’re not? I’m afraid I don’t quite understand.”

Celine furrowed her brows, considering Taran’s words. Perhaps the ghost had been a little extreme, but they had done what she wanted, hadn’t they? “I suppose such an impression is to be expected, but it happens to be the first letter they’ve answered, Taran.” She smiled grimly, speaking quite calmly considering she was talking about the murders of dozens. “I did give them fair warning as to what would happen, technically. Just a month prior I made an announcement at Corona’s biggest festival. None of those humans could say they weren’t warned.” She let a sigh out then, stirring her tea as she spoke. The bitterness was starting to bother her, so she added a few sugar cubes instead. “Rather than heed my words, they went off to another kingdom for a different party. I, in turn, had my bounty raised. It was somewhat disrespectful if you ask me.”

An irritated caw interrupted her thoughts. Diablo had flown up to a higher perch in reaction to the pig’s hostility, glaring daggers as though sensing her intentions. Celine chuckled at the pair, raising the cup to her lips with a new question on her mind. “What would you do, human? If you were in my shoes?” She gave him an unreadable look, evaluating him tentatively. 

[hercules-angelis-blog]

Hercules followed Celine down the road, people giving them both knowing looks. He could care less as he stumbled slightly behind the gorgeous woman, watching her ass as she led the way. This was not how Hercules had expected this night to go by any means, he thought he would get drunk and wallow in his own self pity, but here he was walking into this woman’s house about to fuck her. As soon as he stepped through the door frame, her lips were on his and her hands were running up and down his chest. As if it was second nature, he lifted her up as if she were a blade of grass and pressed her against a wall kissing her with an equal ferocity. 

His breath began to become ragged as his blood redirected course more south, and moved his lips onto her neck gently sucking and biting at the soft skin, yet in his drunken state being careful not to injure her. But he also wasn’t afraid to use his strength to assert himself. To show this to Celine, he began holding her in one arm, and slapped her ass with a harder force than the normal mortal, a loud sound ringing out in the house. 

Pulling his lips away from hers, he looked around the room, his eyes falling on a bed across the room. “How much do you care about this dress?” he asked a devilish grin on his face. Without waiting for an answer he ripped it off of her and lightly tossed her onto the bed. Before he went back to exploring the glorious body now laid in front of him, he peeled his shirt off of his already glistening chest. And hovered over her kissing down her neck onto her chest, groaning at the feeling of rubbing his hands down her soft skin.

[celinnedahl-blog]

This was by far the most intense shagging session Celine had in some time. He had lifted her up without so much as breaking a sweat, her legs wrapping around his waist as he claimed her mouth. The pair fought for dominance with one another, the witch giving as good as she got. She clung to him, mewling with pleasure as his lips roamed her sensitive flesh. Her nails dug into the thin fabric of his shirt with urgency, tacitly demanding more, needing more from the delectable morsel before her. Much to her immense delight, he delivered with a firm hand to her rear that had her aching in wonderful ways.

Celine could hardly think straight when he spoke to her, too preoccupied with the all-consuming need to satisfy her lust. “Bugger the dress.” She swore, feeling the fabric tearing away as easily as paper. It would take half a second to repair it later, but gods above she liked this man’s way of thinking. Soon enough familiar sheets were beneath her, with a fine male specimen touching every inch of her that he could get a hold of. Celine trembled in his wake, letting out a needy whimper as his lips made their way to her pert breasts.

But Hercules wasn’t the only one eager to touch, and Celine felt that she had held herself back for long enough. In a sudden, smooth movement, she reversed their positions, pinning the larger man to the bed beneath them with a devious grin. “I hardly think it’s fair that you’re still half-dressed.” She managed to say, voice husky in her arousal. The faerie trailed kisses across his taut abdomen, her hands deftly undoing the ties to his trousers and dragging them down tauntingly. “That’s better, don’t you think?” Celine’s grin widened at the sight of his half-raised cock, finger’s gliding across the thick shaft slowly. “And what should I do with this, I wonder? Any ideas?”

[hercules-angelis-blog]

Hercules laughed at her comment on his physique and felt his cheeks get warm, and it wasn’t from the alcohol. People must drool over her day in and day out, and by the looks of her, she knew they did. That was something Hercules could appreciate. His bulging muscles were no stranger to the wandering eye of women, he was just always afraid to hurt someone, so he tended to stay away from the opposite sex. Realizing he was still thinking a lot he put the bottle vertical and completely finished it off. Half of the bottle of whiskey flowed down his throat. 

His ears perked at the word spell, “Oh are you?” he said smiling at her in a way that Hercules had never smiled before. He had always been awkward and naive. But right now, feeling the alcohol flowing through his veins, and his confidence growing, he finally felt like he fit in his own body. When the bottle was taken from his hand, he turned his body towards hers and he leaned in closer a seductive smile playing on his lips. Slipping a piece of her hair behind her ear, allowing his fingers to softly trail down her neck. “Well when you go after a knight, you get a gentleman along with it.” One corner of his mouth turned up, “Nice to meet you.. Celine.” 

Hercules felt his hand slide down to the woman in front of hims waist. He bit his lip, his mind wondering how her skin would feel in his hand instead of the fabric of her clothes. When Celine pressed herself against him, his heart began to pound, with excitement and a hint of nervousness. He knew what things like this led to, and he had never done those things. And Celine, she had done those things before, it was obvious by the way she carried herself and so easily pressed her body against his. He had to laugh at her comment, “Oh, I can tell,” he leaned in closer to her, the sweet smell of her breath and skin engulfing him. As his hand slid down her body onto her ass, his breath hitched. He grabbed it tightly, tighter than he knew he should given his strength, and whispered in her ear “I’m not from here so yours?”

[celinnedahl-blog]

It seemed as though the man’s liquid courage had taken full effect. He was bolder now, and Celine was purring with approval as his calloused hand trailed along her smooth skin. Looking at him now, it was hard to tell which one of them was the predator and which one was the prey. The feeling was far more intoxicating that the wine had been. “So I have, but I’ll be the judge how ‘gentle’ you really are.” She teased, feeling the delightful thrill of anticipation and lust growing at the thought of corrupting the mortal before her. “It is undoubtedly my pleasure, Hercules.” Or it soon would be, once she had her way with him.

The knight reacted to her as though he had never touched a woman before, surprisingly obedient as she made her moves on him. Her hands ran along the vast expanse of his chest, his thrumming heartbeat clear beneath her fingertips. “You haven’t seen anything yet, love.” Celine chuckled, hearing his slight change in breathing while she brought his hands lower. A shiver of pleasure passed through her as he grabbed her roughly with a strength that intrigued and delighted her. Her skin heated, a wicked gleam entering her eye at the thought of the new toy she had discovered. 

“I like the sound of that.” She replied to him, resisting the temptation to jump him on that very bar. Celine moved away, taking his hand as she led him out of the bar and to her temporary residence further down the street. It wouldn’t have done to bring him back to her true home, after all, when she was looking for fun rather than a fight. As soon as the door shut behind them, she turned around with a coy grin. “Now let’s pick up where we left off, shall we?” She reached up, pulling him down as she kissed him hungrily. Her greedy hands snaked their way beneath his shirt, eager to familiarize themselves with the knight’s well-sculpted body as quickly as possible.

[hercules-angelis-blog]

Hercules kept pounding down the shots, planning on going until he couldn’t even see straight. He could feel eyes of the people through out the bar eyeballing how much he had been drinking, and even the bartender was wary to give him another. “You may as well just give me the bottle.” he said looking at the bartender with a look he couldn’t refuse. A full bottle of whiskey was handed to him and he started chugging. When he started, he definitely wouldn’t stop until he couldn’t walk. 

Suddenly a hand was pushing the bottle away from his mouth, and his eyes were meeting those of a woman he had never seen before. She had a look in her eyes that were obviously sinister, but right now, it was just what he needed to see. Nothing light, nothing that was rainbows and butterflies. “Maybe drowning is just what I need right now.” he said slurring a little, his breath smelling like straight whiskey he’s sure. He leaned back and did something he rarely did, he let his eyes run over the woman standing in front of him. She had curves in all the right places, cheekbones sharp as knives, and eyes that were even sharper. Her breath smelt like sweet wine, and reminded him of Larean. 

“A distraction better than drinking?” Hercules let out a laugh and took a long swig from the bottle. “I’ll have to see that to believe it.” The alcohol was settling in his blood stream, and the more he drank the more free from remorse, guilt, and the post trauma he always seemed to feel when he closed his eyes. With another swig he let his eyes run over her body again, then looked towards the bar, a smirk spreading across his face. “Hercules.” he introduced himself, outstretching his hand. 

[celinnedahl-blog]

It was almost too easy getting the stranger’s attention. The stench of alcohol was strong on him, which was to be expected given that he had forsaken glasses in favor of bottles. Celine had been handed a gift in the form of this intoxicated soldier and she had no intentions of letting it slip from her grasp. “But what a dreadful waste that would be; having such a strong, handsome man leave this world so soon.” She pouted, allowing him to take a long appreciative look at her. The witch knew precisely who she was; pure sin incarnate, a forbidden fruit that she had mortals dying to taste. It did wonders for her ego to string them along so.

She listened to him carefully, noting his cynicism. This was not the sort of person who went drinking out often. Those sorts were easy to pick out of the lot. “Is that your wish, love? To forget for a spell or two? I think that can be arranged. I’m very good at making people forget their problems.” Her smile was flirtatious as she plucked the bottle from his hand. She giggled at his polite introduction, finding it humorous that a man as drunk as he was still found it in himself to shake hands. “Such formality. I wasn’t expecting a gentleman.” She didn’t return the gesture, instead taking his outstretched hand and settling it to the gentle curve of her waist. “I’m Celine.” 

The witch pressed closer, practically straddling him to his seat. It was bold of her, perhaps, but he was at least twice her size and could easily remove her if he wanted. She was sure that wouldn’t happen however, if she had read him right. “You can do more than just look, dear. I’m not shy. Far from it, actually.” Celine’s voice was low and husky as she guided his hand lower until they rested on the curve of her ass. She leaned in, placing a teasing kiss along his chiseled jaw. “Your place or mine?”

[hercules-angelis-blog]

Hercules threw back another shot, welcoming the burn that flowed down his throat. He should be used to this by now, but he doesn’t think he’ll ever be used to it. “He’s gone kid…” he can hear Phils melancholy voice echoing through his head. “Died…battle…He’s gone kid.” they boomed against the side of his skull, a dark reminder of how his own life would end. On the field, in battle, protecting Larean. This is what he signed up for, this is his life. But that doesn’t make it any easier. He motioned to the bar tender for another, which was immediately delivered. He threw it back, easily his twentieth shot. A normal person would be stumbling about to pass out by now, yet Hercules only had a slight buzz. 

The kid who had died in battle had been an apprentice of Hercs, he came into the army, and was immediately under Hercules’ wing. They trained together daily, the kid always wanted to be the best he could be. Another shot. Deeper into the buzz. But it wasn’t good enough, Hercules’ hadn’t taught him enough. Another shot. This was Hercules’ fault. Another shot. Another shot. Another shot. Finally, he was starting to feel the happy warmth that he got from alcohol when he rarely did drink it, but it wasn’t enough to make him forget. 

[celinnedahl-blog]

Celine appreciated the occasional anonymity of a good dive bar. Intoxicated humans were some of her easiest marks, as she had found over the years of wandering through Verden. They were quick to make poor decisions, to sell their souls to whatever wicked creature could grant their impulsive wish. In other words, it was perfect for the line of work that she was in. It had been for that very reason that she had ventured there tonight, as well as to test out a glamour that a dear friend of hers had shared. So it was that she lounged about the bar in the far corner, slowly sipping a glass of fine autumn wine and keeping a watchful eye for any persons of interest.

There was one in particular that had her attention for quite some time. A strapping young soldier who looked to be something out of a general’s wet dream. Broad-shouldered, tanned, distressed and drinking as though it was the end of the world, he was the most attractive mark she had come across in a while. The bartender must have been making a fortune on him. However, there was something more unsettling about the knight, though she couldn’t put her finger on it. Celine silently counted the shotglasses that were left in his wake and could not recall the last time she had seen anyone hold his liquor half as well. 

After a few more moments, she made up her mind. She stood from her table and crossed the room, proud of the eyes that followed her longingly. Celine placed a hand over his as his glass was refilled, interrupting him. “Easy there soldier, you’ll be drowning in that whiskey if you drink that fast.” She said with a sultry purr, her fingers trailing up his firm biceps before resting at his shoulder. Celine leaned in, sweetened breath close to his ear. ”Was it a rough day, love? If you’re in need of a distraction, I know something far better than this.”

[celinnedahl-blog]

Adam, Aurora, and Hercules

Fuck: “Hercules. I mean, have you seen that man? Gorgeous, quick-thinking and completely naive. I’m certain he could learn a thing or two under the right teacher, if you catch my drift.” 

Marry: “Adam. The irony would be absolutely delectable.”

Get Drunk With: “Aurora I suppose. I couldn’t stand to be with her in any other way. Besides, I would hardly let a chance to share a killer drink with my beloved princess.”

Fuck, Marry, Get Drunk With. Send me 3 names

[celinnedahl-blog]

House Call || Celine & Adam

[adamsbeast-blog]

Adam thought fondly of his Christine Daae; her  beautiful smile, gorgeous chestnut curls, and the way her nose crinkled when she smiled and laughed at anything he had to say. Adam had never experienced such affection and undivided attention from a young woman before–from a stranger, nonetheless–and it had left him feeling breathless, dazed, and–strangely enough–craving more of her presence. But then the wraiths had attacked, hellbent on wrecking the lives of everyone attending Prince Naveen’s lavish costume ball, and he lost sight of her in the crowd. Though he barely knew the young woman, Adam felt himself overflowing with grief and anger at the thought of the bright and vivacious girl dying at the hands of Celine. Celine, who had already destroyed and dictated so much of his life, had no right to ruin others’ chances at a prosperous, long life, as well. And yet…that was exactly what the dark faerie was doing.

And there was absolutely nothing that Adam or anyone else could do to properly stop her. She was too far gone.

Rather than growing frustrated or angry with Adam’s little comment about her lack of a heart (or the very small, charred one she most likely had been stuck with), Celine merely tilted her head back and laughed. Laughed, like any sort of insult he could manage to throw at her was nothing more than a teasing jest from a petulant child. Her reaction only made Adam angrier than he’d been before (if that was even possible), and the werewolf barely refrained from using his hands to claw a new series of scars into the blonde’s fair skin. How dare she continue to play with him like this; after all the years–after all the useless torture–how fucking dare she. Adam thought of himself as a child, weak and terrified and confused about his strange and uncontrollable new powers, and he wondered what he could have possibly done to deserve such wrath and hatred from someone like Maleficent. In town, he’d hear the few neutral party members whisper in hushed voices to one another about how humanity had this coming; how they’d created a monster out of Maleficent by treating her as some sort of sub-human beast. But when Adam thought of Celine Dahl and their intimate history with one another, he found it difficult to find that she’d ever been capable of kindness or understanding.

He felt that Maleficent was purely rotten and evil…right down to her core.

“Whatever you’re planning on doing…is it even really worth it?” Adam asked, forcing himself to snap out of his own thoughts. Perhaps if he could derail this conversation enough, he’d be able to sway Maleficent away from tempting him with offers he knew damn well she didn’t intend on keeping (certainly not as pure and simple as she made it sound, at the very least). He knew it was a bit of stretch–she was ridiculously clever and manipulative, after all–but it was the only hope Adam had to go on at present.

He listened as the witch spoke about his life, about fate, and about everything in-between. Choices…seemed that life was full of difficult ones to decide upon, but with Celine’s involvement, any choice in Adam’s life was a million times more difficult, more brutal, more vicious. He bit back the sigh that itched to tumble freely from his lips and forced himself to, once again, swallow the anger that was mounting and building at the base of his throat. One of these days, he’d get Celine back for the hell she’d forced him to endure…one of these days…

“No one said that you had to force yourself into my life,” Adam said angrily, his brows drawn together as Celine spoke of his mother. “You broke my mother’s heart with talk of hopes and promises; you made her believe magic was good…I am not my mother. I don’t believe in your illusions, your tricks and treats and everything in-between. The cards we’re dealt in life have all been tampered with by you, Celine, so don’t you dare act like this was the only path in life for me to venture down. My mother is dead and my servants are lifeless…you have nothing else you can possibly take from us.”

Adam turned away from Celine when she made it clear that this sort of offer wouldn’t come to her again, He folded his arms across his chest and gazed out one of the many windows in the parlor. Glancing down over the property that surrounded Dubois Estate, the wolf was very tempted to run into the vegetation and hide himself away until the war and famine and pain had all finished. He’d lived through hell for the vast majority of his life…he wasn’t quite sure he could handle much more. Celine had brought him to his breaking point.

“I am not a killer, Celine. Surely you must know that by now.”

[celinnedahl-blog]

Watching Adam hold his tongue was like waiting for a volcano to explode. It was going to happen at some point; it was simply a matter of when. In a way, she had trained him remarkably well to behave in such a manner. Celine doubted that the gruff man even realized it; how well he danced to the tune that she played. 

The two of them were birds of a feather regardless of how much the wolf wanted to deny it. Adam was like a brash, lupine version of her younger self before she had learned the harsh ways of the world. The only difference was how they decided to handle their given stations in life. Whereas she had learned to accept her demons, the boy continued to deny his. He even went so far as to suppress his instincts just to keep that one human scrap of himself alive. It was pathetic to see him restraining himself so; a waste of talent that could be of far greater use if he simply learned to let go of himself.

Luckily for him, Celine was an excellent teacher. He would learn soon enough.

The faerie crossed her arms as he questioned her motives, letting out a derisive snort. If he was trying to get some sort of moral argument out of her, he would have to do better than that. "Of course it is. Try not to ask redundant questions, love." Had he thought that she had started a war for fun? Perhaps. It was clear that Adam had developed a rather poor impression of her over the years of their association. It hardly mattered to her, since he couldn’t do anything about it. "This is for the benefit of our kind after all- the freaks of Verden." Celine answered bluntly, daring him to object.

"I didn't force myself into your life. Your family invited me. Isn't that the most delectable detail? They were the ones to seek me out. I would have hardly cared about your limited life otherwise." Celine gave Adam a shrug, brushing off his criticisms as she would a bug that had decided to land on her. He truly had no idea of his own insignificance, wallowing in his self-pity as he always did. Of course he thought her life revolved around making him miserable, though she had far more irons in the fire than just the Dubois estate. "I gave your mother everything that she wanted. It's hardly my fault that the magic I spoke of was of a less savoury nature and she believed otherwise. But it is hers for trying to steal from me what I was rightfully due. It's what you get for trying to cheat the fates." How blind was the pup before her, to think that his mother was the kind and faultless woman who he thought her to be? Celine had seen her for what she was; a coward and a thief, looking to run away with Celine's property rather than pay the hefty price for her dearest wish. Such was the bias of a child to its parent, she supposed.

Her serpentine grin spread further, chuckling as he boldly declared that there was nothing else she could rob him of. It was the gospel of the woefully ignorant, who knew nothing about the liberties that he had at hand, and how easily they could disappear. "I beg to differ, dear. There are plenty of things I have left to take from you, should I be so inclined. You should count your blessings while you still have them." She cautioned, a veiled threat behind her words. If he wanted to try her, she would have been happy to oblige. Perhaps then he would realize how much she had spoiled him as a youth. "It really isn't all that bad. If I hadn't been around to restrain you, the villagers would have sent their finest hunters on you years ago. Do you really think they would have let you near them if they knew your true nature? If they were aware of what you are like without your leash?" Celine shot back, creeping closer to the werewolf who couldn't stand to look at her. "You're quite better off without them, though the grass does seem greener on their side of the fence."

But it was his quiet declaration that had her reeling with laughter, tinged with the sort of madness that only came from being warped several times over. "Oh Adam, who said anything about sending you off to kill people? I know you don't have the stomach for that. Besides, it would be a waste of your one redeemable gift." Again, she didn't clarify what she had meant, letting the wolf figure it out for himself like the clever boy he was.

[celinnedahl-blog]

In The Devil’s Den || Celine & Taran

[taranxbardsley-blog]

“Eh, it’s important to be confident, isn’t it?” the warrior wanna-be said, with a large shrug. He felt fearless now, but not because of any valor, but because the conversation being so casual had all but erased the fact from his mind that he might just be charcoaled alive any moment now. The warrior chuckled at the reminder of that, though, when Celinne spoke of her having other ways of dealing with people. “Of course I know about that. In fact, I’ve seen it! Ghost army, remember? That was sort of awesome, except all the people who died.”

As the surroundings arranged for some sort of hero-villain tea party, the young man couldn’t help but chuckle while his pet pig kept staring at the pet of the mistress of evil, wary of anything it might try. For some reason, the pink creature had decided that the bird was even more worthy of worry than the woman herself.

Taran took a seat, and listened to Celinne’s inquiries. “Well, both. I’m curious about your past, but I take it it’s something like what you told me at the ball. I had more questions, though. Are you evil? What are you actually looking for? I’m sure you know the ways you do things are… Well, generally not very well liked.”

[celinnedahl-blog]

“Confidence is an important factor, but it should not be the only thing you reply on. Strength, intelligence and charisma all have their role to play in that particular act, darling.” It was incredible that the human had lasted so long in the wilderness, truly. He had arrived at Celine’s doorstep with only the vaguest of ideas about her true nature, without an ounce of doubt or worry. It was either courageous or incredibly stupid, and she wasn’t sure which one it was. “Ghost armies, yes. Curses as well. Turning someone inside out, or changing them into something else, it’s merely a matter of how much creativity I have at the end of the day” Given how some of her other victims had ended up, she had a fair imagination to boot. Of course, there was no need to go into detail about them. “But to use your words, wraiths are quite awesome, wretched as they may be.”

She cracked a smile at his questions, the teapot she had been using casually pouring a cup and setting it beside Taran. “I didn’t lie to you at the ball, if that was your concern. Of course, I didn’t tell you everything either. Explaining why I detest most humans is generally a grim topic for a first conversation.” The faerie explained calmly, fiddling with the sleeves of her dress. “Evil is subjective, love. However, in the eyes of most humans, that is precisely what I am. After all, I’m a witch, I’ve killed in the past, I practice black magic and I’m a magical creature. Three strikes is generally what it takes, but I have that and then some. What other proof would you need?” She titled her head, expression impassive in the face of her admission. 

The second half of his question was harder to answer. Celine was quiet for a while, frowning. “…What I want is a kingdom. A new one recognized by the fourteen powers.” She could feel Diablo’s sharp gaze, so she nudged the raven away with her foot. “I’m the last of my kind, but there are others just like me who share an affiliation for the dark arts. I fail to see why they shouldn’t have a place to practice their magic openly and without fear of retribution from a community that doesn’t understand its nature.” 

Celine observed the human, watching how he took all of that in. Did he think she was still a good person now? “However, when the royal families deny you for a decade or two, one becomes quick to resort to other means of persuasion. And as distasteful as they may seem, they are also the most effective.”

[celinnedahl-blog]

House Call || Celine & Adam

[adamsbeast-blog]

If life would have permitted him to do so, Adam would have transformed into his wolf form out of pure rage alone and would have been able to pin Maleficent down with one paw thrust against her greedy throat. And as tempting as it sounded, Adam knew that there were far too many consequences to his actions; Celine was the one who had damned his family, his entire household, and himself. She was the one who had flipped his world upside down for the sake of claiming ownership over the werewolf, and Adam bore that albatross every fucking day of his life. Attacking her would only make the Dubois boy even more indebted to the snake-like faerie, and Maleficent knew this as well as he did. He might have been a strong and powerful werewolf, but a part of Adam sorely doubted his strength and power would be anything paired against her cruelty and magic.

And besides, Adam…liked to refrain from transforming if at all possible. It was the part of his life he continued to try and vehemently deny, even now.

The moment that Celine alluded to the costume ball in Maldonia that occurred on Halloween and the chaos that the public had to endure that evening, Adam felt his blood run cold and his muscles stiffen immediately. Much to his displeasure, his mind immediately flitted towards the charming young woman he’d stumbled across at the party–the only one to recognize his costume for what it truly was, he’d spent a great deal of time conversing with the young woman over literature, the Phantom of the Opera, and everything in-between. She’d been the single ray of light that Adam had come across in a long time, and he felt his chest aching at the realization of her being subjected to such terrible phantom menaces.

And he found himself praying desperately that she’d managed to escape. That somehow, some way, she’d managed to slip by the creatures’ notice. God, how he hoped.

Adam narrowed his eyes as Celine changed her approach once more; no longer was she angry and maniacal. Instead, her voice had adopted a cool, suave tone–something that was clearly condescending towards Adam and mocking his barely-restrained anger. He felt his hands tighten into fists as Maleficent threatened to bring her army of wraiths down on the innocent again; this time, to a location much, much closer to Adam’s heart.

“Leave them out of this, Celine,” Adam growled, his lips curling back to bare his teeth–rather like fangs, Adam was prone to animalistic tendencies in fits of rage. Now was certainly no exception. “You’ve already cursed them for merely existing–must you take their souls, too? Or are you hoping that harvesting enough will help you build a heart of your own?”

The wolf grew quiet as Celine began to dangle promises of freedom and hope right in front of him, giving the young man the sort of hope and aspirations that had been absent from his life for decades. She made it sound so easy, working off a debt rather than fulfilling a wish that would never be paid. She spun her tale and commands so artfully–in the same manner she’d done to Adam’s mother so many years ago. He knew Maleficent’s tactics never came as pure and innocent as they seemed; as she went about explaining what his job title and requirements would be, Adam couldn’t help but wonder what she wasn’t telling him. How many people would he have to kill to free himself of her shackles? And once he’d committed such crimes, how could he ever manage to wipe the blood from his hands?

He was fully prepared to tell the faerie off and deny any and all of her tempting offers and claims when she began to speak once more…this time detailing what would happen to Adam’s estate and the people who served under him should he not accept her proposal or fulfill her original contract. He felt the blood drain from his face; felt his heart thrum painfully against his rib cage, aching to rip itself out of his chest and free itself from the bonds of its prison. He staggered a bit, closing his eyes and leaning against the wall for support. She’d trapped him…again. Again, the bitch had trapped him between a rock and a hard place.

“Why me?” he asked slowly, opening his eyes and studying her closely. “Why have you chosen me as your toy thing? For decades, you’ve made me and my household your fucking slaves. Why? Why?”

[celinnedahl-blog]

Her sly mention of the wraiths had gotten the reaction that Celine had wanted to invoke from her rebellious werewolf. That moment of tension, and that flare of fear and apprehension that he tried so desperately to keep from her knowing gaze. The faerie smiled slowly, deliberately. "Oh dear, have I struck a nerve?" She peered at him closer, as though trying to prod his mind. Interestingly enough, it seemed as though he wasn't quite with her in the room when she mentioned the ball. A part of her almost felt worried about that, wondering if perhaps she had been too hasty to judge his ability to break her curse. It was quickly dismissed however, due to how highly unrealistic that would be. An unpleasant brute like him could hardly make a woman love him for /everything/ he was in a single night. It was laughable.

The witch clapped her hands together in delight as her favourite pet began to growl at her. Now this was what she called prime entertainment! Adam's animosity towards her was nothing short of breathtaking. "Now why would I go through all the trouble of building a new heart? While I can bring back the dead for a spell, that part of me will remain six feet under. No, I have other uses for their souls." Celine purred, leaving it up to the wolf to figure out what sort of wicked thing she had planned for his pseudo family. He would fret about it for days- weeks even, if she didn't divulge that particular aspect of her plotting. It was precisely what she wanted him to think about when he thought of turning against her (not that he had the guts to try such a thing).

Naturally, Adam was taking her offer with a grain of salt. At least the decades of isolation had taught the boy something about dealing with faeries and their contracts. But she was a few steps ahead of him, like always. The paling of his face as he weighed the choices she provided him, and the gradual realization that he would still be losing with either one was particularly exquisite. To see this intimidating creature retreating from her, requiring support with the weight of her words, gave her a satisfaction that she could rarely get elsewhere. A woman could get drunk over that sort of power over a man.

A flash of something flickered at her werewolf's question, quickly replaced by exasperation. "Are you still asking that question? I thought I've made it clear, love." Celine picked up one of the ornate figurines along the fireplace's mantle, examining it with mild interest. "I run a business of give and take. Your mother did not pay her dues, so in turn you must take up her debt. As much as I enjoy watching you suffer, your collection date is approaching- fast." Her hands glowed green for a moment, and when she had set the small statue back, it was melted and warped where she had touched it. "Does a lemming choose whether the hawk or the fox devours it? How is a bear's supper decided between a rabbit and a doe? Your family was picked completely by chance, that night the werewolf marked you." A few of the embers left the fire, dancing around Adam as a crude caricature of the very beast that had haunted him all his life. "These are the cards that life has given you, and I can only shuffle the deck so many times before you need to make a choice."

As much as she would have loved gloating over him, Celine was hardly interested in giving him time to weasel his way out of her proposal. The longer he stalled, the more likely her prey would get away. "This is a rare window of opportunity, Adam. I can't tell you if anything of its like will ever come around again. Would you really let your pride interfere with your best shot of breaking your curse? Or are you that willing to keep my company for the rest of your short, miserable days?" 

[celinnedahl-blog]

In The Devil’s Den || Celine & Taran

[taranxbardsley-blog]

“Oh, you’ll see the title will fit more and more as time goes by,” Taran responded, placing his hands at his hips and inflating his chest with pride, before adding a chuckle at the end. Seeing Maleficent wasn’t actually anything other than the kind woman he met was actually very relieving, and he didn’t feel scared any more. He didn’t even wonder if he should feel scared, which was good. I mean, at least for his attitude.

“A dragon isn’t… Well, I know it’s technically a thing for knights to kill dragons, but even I am not that crazy. I mean, it’d be completely stupid to go ahead and knock on your door to kill you, on my own, with my pig, wouldn’t it?” he asked, tilting his head. “In any case, you don’t believe I’m here to slay you, because otherwise I’d be burnt to the bone already! So you probably do like to talk.”

Taran walked closer, but stood in place a pair of seconds later, still looking at the woman. Of course, he didn’t want to anger her in any way. So, he decided to detach the sword at his waist and place it on the ground next to him, before offering her a smile. “See? There goes the sword.” He didn’t care much for the sword, of course, because he picked it off that dead man during the attack. 

“Do you believe me? Anyway. No, you’re not some damsel to be saved. At all. If you’re at all like people say, the rest of the damsels need rescuing from you, but I don’t fully believe that either. I think you’re a pretty nice person, just like you said! I mean, besides the whole attacking balls with dead people part, but everyone does things they shouldn’t do sometimes, huh?”

[celinnedahl-blog]

A ghost of a smile appeared, despite herself. Even in the face of death itself the human didn’t so much as flinch, going so far as to assure her his false title would soon be a real one. “So you’ve laid claim on it before your acts of bravery? An interesting way to go about it, I’ll admit.” It really seemed like Taran wasn’t afraid of her, which was such a rare thing that she wasn’t quite sure how to address it. She supposed that she could do something to scare him, but something about that seemed...wrong.

 “You would be surprised how many have done exactly that, minus the pig. That pet of yours is new.” Celine shrugged, wondering what it was that made the human so comfortable around her. She gave him a puzzled look, trying to figure out what game he was trying to play with her. “You do know I have far more effective ways to deal with enemies aside from breathing fire, don’t you?” Her eyes narrowed, suspicious and just a little unnerved. “Er...Well you aren’t wrong, exactly.”

The faerie tensed as he approached, baring her teeth in warning. But rather than go against his word, he set down the only weapon that he had. Confusion raged in her. “I’m not quite sure about that, dear. It’s not the first time I’ve had a human tell me to trust them.” Gradually, her hostility faded, uncertainly flitting across her face. Even if he was trying to deceive her, which seemed increasingly unlikely, she doubted that he would have set down his only weapon like that. “In general, unleashing wraiths hardly counts as a mistake in ethics, but...Oh, very well. You get your wish.” After a moment of silence, Celine sighed, running a hand through her hair. What harm could it do?

The witch made a small motion with her hand. The sword at Taran’s feet moved back, set against the doorway. Various bottles started floating about and two chairs were brought forth. Celine sat down in one, plucking her abandoned tea cup from the air and gesturing for the human to sit. “Care for a drink, human? It will take a while for me to answer whatever questions you have. Might as well make yourself comfortable.” She said wearily, letting Diablo leave his perch on her shoulder to acquaint himself with the human’s familiar. Watching them for a while, she looked back at Taran expectantly. “What’s on your mind, Taran? Did you have any specific questions, or did you want a recount of my tragic backstory?”

[celinnedahl-blog]

House Call || Celine & Adam

[adamsbeast-blog]

Adam Dubois had long ago given up any hope of breaking Maleficent’s wretched curse. How could he free himself from her bonds and the obligations of working as her slave if he didn’t have the slightest inkling of how to make a woman fall in love with him? How was he supposed to woo a woman when none outside of castle servants even visited the Dubois estate to being with? (Maleficent aside, but in Adam’s own opinion, the she devil hardly counted as a female). Worse yet, how could Maleficent reasonably expect Adam to find a woman willing to have a werewolf for a mate? They were taboo, ostracized creatures; feared and loathed by society as a whole. After all, who could ever learn to love a beast?

Maleficent knew all of this; she had to.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Adam replied curtly, shrugging his shoulders stiffly when Celine teasingly commented on how tense he was. It was a lie and they both knew it, but the longer Adam kept up this act, the more difficult it would be for her to break down his walls and slip past his defensive barriers…right? “Yes, well, I can only imagine how carefree your life must be, sitting around and fucking up everyone’s lives in your spare time.”

It took every ounce of energy the werewolf had not to roll his eyes. She was absolutely beyond ridiculous. 

Deep down, Adam knew that attempting to rile Celine up was the worst possible decision imaginable. He knew that she was a powerful faerie–perhaps the darkest and most powerful in all of Verden–and he knew that she had the power to turn someone’s life completely upside down and inside out with the snap of her fingers if she so chose to. Look at Adam: he was a prime example of the sort of massive force and power that the dark witch exuded. But still, despite this knowledge of her seemingly limitless power, Adam could not bite his tongue or refrain from spitting insults and accusations in the blonde’s face. She’d dealt with backlash from him for decades now…what were a few more sour words and scowls to a lifetime of curt and bitter interactions? He grit his teeth as she continued to tease him, narrowing his eyes into vicious, pointed slits when Ceilne went as far as to threaten trapping Adam in this hell of a manor for the rest of his life.

So, that was the way things were going to be, huh?

“Your threats fall on deaf ears, Celine,” Adam replied coolly, trying very hard to hide the tremor in his voice and the quaking in his fingers. Where some people were all bark and no bite, Adam knew very well that Celine fully intended to do everything she claimed she’d do…and more…if she didn’t get exactly what she wanted from the werewolf. And that terrified Adam a whole hell of a lot more than he was willing to admit. Fully prepared to say something just as sarcastic and nasty to the faerie, Adam opened his mouth to speak…only to be shut down as Celine chose to change her tactics. Instead of continuing to dangle the curse before his eyes, she instead gave him the opportunity to free himself (and his manor) from her bonds and to walk as a free man. But with Maleficent, there was a price for everything. And generally, the cost outweighed her “generous” offer. Hesitant to trust the woman who had wreaked such havoc on his life and family, Adam appraised her in silence for a few moments, allowing the glow from the fire to cast his shadow directly over Celine’s face. In the dark, she looked more malicious than usual, and Adam swore he could practically see her face glow with the opportunity of trapping Adam in a fresh, new, exciting way.

But freedom…it tasted so sweet…

“What do you want, Celine?”

[celinnedahl-blog]

Celine looked smug in the face of Adam’s blatant denial of his wound up state, or the grim reality staring directly at him. It had been years since she had cursed his estate, and he was no closer to breaking it without her help. Having her remind him of that at every conceivable moment was one of her more favoured hobbies. “It’s hardly my fault that humans make my job so easy on my behalf. Throw a little black magic at them and they scatter about like chickens without their heads. Send them something a little more bloodthirsty and well...” The faerie giggled wickedly, leaving the werewolf to fill in the blanks. Adam had been to the latest ball, of that she knew for certain. “It’s a full-time occupation to be the bane of Verden. Fortunately it’s something that I happen to enjoy immensely.”

The flare of anger died into a dull simmer, the witch’s visage returning to its eerily human appearance. Getting salty with Adam would not gain her as much ground, and she was intent on keeping her domineering hold over him. So she went back to mocking him and his cool demeanor instead. “Has the werewolf grown a backbone? It seems his recent stint outside has given him some courage. How wonderful.” In a smooth movement, she left the armchair, closing the distance between the pair with her black cloak swishing behind her. He towered over her, but Celine was unaffected, trailing a burning finger along his stubbled jaw. “Seeing as you enjoyed my sweet wraiths so much, I may have them come around to visit again. Your servants would love to chat with them, I’m sure.” She whispered sweetly, wondering just how much longer the werewolf would last before his temper got the better of him.

Much to her delight, she saw how her offer had struck his interest. Even after all that time she could play the boy like a fiddle. “As luck would have it, you happen to be under my guardianship at an opportune time. I have a few openings in my employ that need to be filled, and being a lycanthrope helps your credentials. It’s not much, really. You just run a few small errands for me and work off your debt, rather than fulfilling a requirement you surely can’t meet.” Celine stepped back, graciously giving Adam some personal space. She knew how to work a proposal, twisting her words around until they sounded too sweet to resist. “Given how successful my organization’s past operations have been, you would be looking at a lucrative career. Benefits would include a traveling life outside of your hovel, opportunities for promotion, and a preemptive warning on all attacks on the kingdoms.” The witch smiled, as though ignoring the clear opportunities she was giving Adam. Freedom with conditions; and seemingly harmless ones at that. “Upon my victory, which is more or less assured at this rate, you will be free to do whatever you wish. I can hardly babysit you when I’ve a kingdom to run after all.”

She knew how tempting her offer sounded, having carefully crafted it personally. Adam of all people knew precisely what she was capable of, after all. But if he was still unwilling to bite that offer, a backup plan was already ready and waiting. “...Or you could leave your estate to me. I think the souls of your servants would be a suitable payment, considering how powerful your curse has become over the years.” Celine shrugged innocently, as if she held no preference for either option. And she didn’t, really. Either she would work the werewolf to the bone for her own interests, or gain enough indentured souls to run a palace. Both offers were clearly stacked in her favour. “So what would it be, Adam? Interested?”

[celinnedahl-blog]

In The Devil’s Den || Celine & Taran

[taranxbardsley-blog]

Taran followed behind the very particular, strangely-speaking child along a hallway that appeared to be taken straight out of someone’s nightmare. Maybe it was an exaggeration, of course, but Hen Wen certainly thought so, judging by the way she leapt into the man’s arms and trembled uncontrollably at the sight of pretty much anything that passed by them in the hall. Meanwhile, the pig-keeper was stumped as to how weird the kid was, and whether or not Maleficent would even have a kid or something similar to that guiding visitors. Was he able to turn into a dragon too? That was… terrifying, admittedly. In fact, it would be even more intimidating than seeing Maleficent herself do it.

He probably thought that, though, because he didn’t even know how the lady looked like! His imagination worked with the few imagery he’d been able to appreciate: The green flames in Hen Wen’s vision and the likeness to a dragon. He pictured an extremely tall woman, with a tail, and perhaps scales covering her face. Maybe she had giant dragon wings, as well, or intimidating, enormous claws. And suddenly, he felt like he wanted to turn back, but it was already too late, for they were already in a larger room, and the figure he so much feared stood before him. Except she was much less intimidating, not quite as tall, and didn’t look like a dragon all that much. He was right about the green flames, though!

Of course, the fact that the voice was so familiar to the man immediately turned him to stone, in a manner of speaking. He didn’t expect such a thing at all: She had danced with Maleficent, and not a simple noblewoman. Soon enough, everything was coming into place, and he wanted to kick himself over not figuring it out sooner. “…The title was just for show. For now,” he explained, somewhat embarrassed at it now. It felt like a great idea at first. “I thought it’d grasp Maleficent’s attention. Though if I had known who it was, I wouldn’t have used it.”

Hen Wen hopped off the man’s arms and stood at his side, looking at the familiar face. Then her attention focused on the raven, whose true identity she was wondering. “You surprised me. But no, I’m not really at a dragon-slayer’s level yet, and I’d have trouble taking down a dragon I actually sort of like talking to. Uh… I just wanted to see you, to be honest. I wanted to see if the impression I got from a person who seemed to like Maleficent was actually closer to the truth than what others said about her.“

[celinnedahl-blog]

This was just great. Some greater deity must have had it out for her, or perhaps fate had a twisted sense of irony. Celine was never fond of admitting when she made a mistake, yet the greatest contender for that title was standing in the middle of her house without a bloody care in the world. Sure, he hadn’t seemed like a threat at the time, and it seemed too pitiful to let him perish at the hands of creatures far more dangerous than himself, but that didn’t mean he was completely harmless. All humans were like that; deceptively well-meaning up until someone offered the right price for her head. They didn’t care for anything but themselves, and would change loyalties in a heartbeat like the treacherous beasts they were. 

No, she was many things, but Celine wasn’t a fool.

“It did what you intended it to. In most cases, humans tend to try to avoid my attentions, but you certainly have mine now.” Uncomfortably so. If she wasn’t so out of it, she might have found his self-made title entertaining. It certainly fitted his persona, from what she had seen of him. “I do hope when the time comes, you’ve grown into that title somewhat. It’s a little preemptive for a knight to be.” Celine crossed her arms, letting the human think about his actions. At least he had the decency to look sheepish about it. Really, did he think that he could bluff with her of all people?

She eyed him like a predator sizing up a meal, taking in his replies with a grain of salt. Diablo, in the meanwhile, stared back at the pig balefully. “Is that so? You could have fooled me. Are dragons not a wicked thing that needs defeating? What sort of knight wouldn’t slay one if he saw one?” A wry grin appeared, mocking Taran. The faerie stepped closer, feeling more assured as she stalked her newest prey. “Humans don’t come to me to talk. They always want something. They come for wealth, power, secrets. My bounty for the particularly daring. It doesn’t end well for them, so I would avoid trying that, love.” There was a challenge to her tone, bitter as it was. 

His request, however, was an odd one. What good was a trip to see her when all of Verden had clearly decided on what she was? It certainly wouldn’t win him any favours with the royals to say he had tea with their greatest enemy. Was he serious? “And you came all this way thinking that she didn’t hold some sort of bias?” Celine laughed humourlessly. “Well here I am, human. You saw what happened at the ball that night. Do you really think I’m some sort of lost damsel to be saved?”