human
Gargoyles: Whitestone Chronicles
Gargoyles: Whitestone Chronicles
Whitestone Keep had kept its vigil over the English Channel for centuries, perched atop the White Cliffs of Dover as a silent guardian for as long as anyone could remember. Once used as a lookout against invading forces, it had long ago been abandoned and left to crumble away into the sea. But the castle had stubbornly refused to surrender, even as its defensive walls crumbled and the keep was overgrown by moss and ivy, it stood proudly, a battered warrior of a time gone by. Perched on the roof of the keep, strangely untouched by the elements that had ravaged its surroundings, was a single statue, the lone defender of the crumbling castle. The stone figure watched the sunset with sightless eyes, the pale stone bathed in an orange light.
The sun sank steadily towards the horizon, painting the sky with a palette of golds, reds, and violets. The air began to still, the only sounds were the faint crashing of the waves at the base of the cliffs and the chirping of crickets in the grass. Finally, the glowing orb disappeared below the edge of the sky, the last rays clinging desperately to life for a few moments before fading away. Once the darkness fell, a new life stirred within the castle grounds.
The statue ?? a Gargoyle sitting in a thoughtful pose ?? seemed to tremble, cracks forming in the light gray stone. They spread, snaking from its taloned feet all the way to the wild-looking mane upon its head. The stone began to chip and fall away, as something tried to escape from the confines of the statue. Finally, with a crash of falling stone, the Gargoyle burst forth, spreading her wings widely as she stretched and yawned. Her ivory skin seemed to glow in the pale light of the rising moon as she stood over her ??kingdom??. Shrugging off the last chips of stone, she flapped her wings briefly and vaulted from the roof, gliding over the defensive walls and out past the cliffs. The ocean below her was a sheet of inky water and foam, the crashing surface laced with slivers of the moon.
The Gargoyle smiled softly to herself, using the updraft from the sea below to give her lift, letting her swoop with grace up and into the sky. Her name was Ellice. She??d been living at Whitestone Keep for?as long as she could remember. The Keep had been her life, given her shelter. Kept her safe. She might have lacked a Clan, but she knew that it was for the best. Her white skin stood out too much at night, and having not wanted to be a burden and danger to her Clan, she had run off when she was but a hatchling. Having lived most of her life here, she hadn??t seen another Gargoyle since she had ran away ?? but even the memories of her parents and siblings were growing distant and hard to recall.
She flared her wings and turned back to the castle, clearing the sheer edge of the cliff with ease, swooping up over the wall and landing with a soft noise in the grass. She walked around the courtyard, the grounds overrun with weeds and ivy. It was a quiet retreat for her, a place where she would relax and meditate each night before setting about repairing the castle as best as she could. She was part of the reason that Whitestone was as in good of a condition as it was in. She had spent decades replacing and maintaining the bricks and stones that made up the castle walls.
Still, her youthful appearance and nature showed that she was still ?? in the terms of her species ?? barely into her 20s. Quietly, she sat down cross-legged in the grass, closing her eyes and smiling. ??Good evening, my friends?? She spoke softly, her voice mature, but her tone innocent, almost childish. Across from her was a collection of nests, where a group of hawks had taken claim as their home. They had been her family, teaching her the ways of how to survive. ??It??s going to be a busy night tonight?? She looked up at the castle walls that she was constantly repairing, and the pile of collected stones that she had piled up to use. ??But first?? Her stomach growled??Breakfast?? She giggled to herself, standing to her feet.
Ellice dug her claws into the rock wall, climbing up to one of the still-standing towers, looking quietly out at the inky sheet of water below. In the light of the moon, she could see the land on the other side of the Big River. Often, she had wondered what was over there, but it was simply too far for her to glide to. She smiled again, licking her lips as she spread her wings wide, leaping out towards the edge of the cliffs once more. She dove down towards the water, much like her friends would do, building up speed to catch the fish by surprise. As she neared the surface of the water, she quickly angled her wings and almost snapped horizontal, raking her clawed hands into the water, sending a spray of cool water flying. She felt something hit her talons, and clutched her hands tight, swooping back into the sky.
She smiled, lifting the stunned fish to look at it. It was a big one, a very good meal. She banked back towards the cliffs, using the updrafts to lift her once more. She landed carefully, folding her wings back against her. "I am sorry, friend. But I must eat..." She said softly, almost mournfully, to the fish that was now flopping around in her hands. She pinched quickly behind the fish's head and it went still. She quietly walked over to the fire pit she had made, pushing the fish onto a stick. Using two stones and a pile of dry grass, she quickly started a fire, propping the fish up over it and waiting.
gpt
Whitestone Keep...
It was much farther out of the way than he had expected.
Mathias Zane, heir to the Zane estate, was arriving at the broken castle which he had just purchased with much of his grand inheritance, much to the rest of his family's chagrin. Instead of settling down in a rich mansion with a rich wife popping out rich heirs for the rich family, he finally achieved his youthful dream of buying the keep that had once belonged to his family in the days gone by.
Days in which this keep was in much better repair.
Popping the door of his black sedan open, he stepped out and took a good look at how his new project looked in the moonlight. He had been hoping to get here at least a few hours before sunset, so he could have a clearer look around. He'd seen it before, but was never allowed closer for safety reasons. The place was in horribly poor repair, and even with only the moonlight to shine over the stones, he could see that a rock could fall out of place if a bird so much as crapped on it.
Luckily, that is why he brought his hat!
It was a helmet, to be precise, one of those mining safety helmets with a light on the top. Pulling it out of his car, he strapped it under his chin, his dark, shoulder-length hair curling just before his neck as it was forced against his scalp by the safety apparatus. He unbuttoned his 'good shirt', leaving only the white undershirt to complement the black jeans he wore. Sure, they weren't 800 dollar clothes, but he was the black sheep of the family. Might as well wear the wool.
Flicking the headlight on, he closed his car door and locked it with a touch of his remote. The two quick cheeps was all he needed to get moving, placing the keys back in his pocket. Before he pulled them out, though, he felt the pictures of the castle the previous owner had taken. He withdrew them as he started walking towards the outer gate, flipping through them as he compared them to the real deal. It all looked the same, and even though the pictures were taken during the day, the moon and stars were so perfect and bright out here, away from the city lights, that it might as well have been a cloudless, sunny day to his eyes.
God he loved the night.
As he grew closer to the main gate, he continued looking at the pictures, his brow furrowing for a second after seeing one in particular. He looked to the keep, then back to the picture, the keep again, and gave a sigh.
That pretty gargoyle statue he liked must have fallen. Now that was a shame... it was such a unique piece. It seemed to be made out of solid stone, though, so maybe it didn't shatter too badly where it hit the ground. If he was lucky, maybe he'd find enough pieces to put it back together, or at least use it as a reference to have another made.
With a smile, he stood at the main gate. A sane person would have waited until daytime, or at least taken a friend along for safety. But a sane person did not just buy a castle with the hopes of restoring it to its former glory and creating a legacy that only his oldest of ancestors could claim to. So in he strolled, using the pictures as a guideline to find where the beautiful stone gargoyle had fallen.
human
The fish had just started to cook, steam rising up from the scaled flesh when she first picked up the sounds of something new, something she had not heard before. Ellice looked up from the glow of the fire, cocking her head slightly as she listened to it grow closer, a loud, unnatural sound. Bright, unknown lights shone through some of the holes in the walls, playing across her ivory flesh. She looked quickly to her sleeping friends, raising a finger to her lips. "Be quiet, my friends. I will be back..." she whispered to them, quickly climbing the wall to give herself a better vantage point. Was this new thing something dangerous? Or was it a new friend?
Ellice kept low as she peeked over the edge of the wall at the strange...thing...below her. Two bright lights, brighter than any torch or fire, shone upon the stone walls of the castle. A loud, feral growling came from the beast, making her claws grip a little tighter into the stone, if she had to defend her home, she would. But something within the beast moved, part of it opening to step out. She blinked in confusion and surprise, looking upon the unknown figure. He ?? it was certainly a male by the looks - looked much different than herself. No wings, no tail...he was not a Gargoyle...what was he? Was it a human? She knew that she had hidden from the humans to keep her Clan safe. And now one was here!
Ellice kept herself hidden as he approached the castle, a strange torch resting upon his head. She quickly ducked down when his gaze turned upward, pressing herself to the floor until the beam of light fell away from her. She crept along the top of the castle wall, looking over the other side of the wall as he entered, following him as he explored the castle grounds. It started to make her feel a little nervous.
She saw her small garden, the piles of rocks she had made to fix the walls, and knew that he could see them too. She could also smell the fish; it was getting close to being done. If she waited too long to retrieve it, it would be ruined, and she would not be able to eat tonight. But she didn't want him to see her... As she leaned over the wall to look at him, a piece of loose stone gave way under her weight, the rock dropping to the ground with a dull thump! and she quickly ducked, hoping that he hadn't seen her. Her heart thumped nervously in her chest, and she swallowed the lump in her throat.
gpt
He heard the stone as it was falling, the clicks of the smaller pebbles giving it away and giving him plenty of time to move. As it thumped harmlessly to the ground, his first instinct was to look up at the source. The spotlight beamed against the side of the stone wall, but he didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Just broken stone from a weary keep that just needed some tender loving care.
"Ah, you're just falling apart, aren't you?" He chuckled as he spoke to Whitestone, rubbing his hand along the rock wall as though he was rubbing the back of a tired friend. "Well don't you worry about it, old girl. You're in good hands now."
Chuckling to himself, the young man began continuing his stroll, searching for the gargoyle that he hoped had not shared that stones fate. When he came to the spot where he thought it'd be, he was not only surprised, but disappointed not to find anything. He looked up, then back to the picture, certain that this is the spot where the picture showed she was. Looking down at his feet, though, he didn't see the toppled stones. In fact, he didn't see anything except for a few scraps and chips of stone that looked like they came from the stone above him. They couldn't have belonged to that gargoyle unless she had been hollow. They didn't make hollow statues back then...
Did they?
At any rate, he didn't lose hope. If she didn't fall forwards, maybe she had fallen backwards. Behind this wall was the courtyard, so if she had toppled from her lofty perch, than she may have landed on that side. With a smile, he began walking around the walls, keeping one hand on the walls to balance himself as he steps over the scattered stones.
It wasn't long before he had gone around enough to find the entrance to the courtyard, but as soon as his eyes fell into the darkness, he had to pause. He could see a dull orange glow, flickering against a distant wall. Fire? Fire meant people, and people meant that somebody hadn't told him everything.
"Is someone here?" He called, hearing his own voice echo against the walls. It wasn't safe for him to go into the darkened courtyard, because if he had a violent squatter on his hands, he didn't want to be surprised, or ambushed.
"I'm not the police, and I'm not going to make anyone leave..." He slowly began walking in, making sure to keep his eyes sharp and his hearing sharper for anyone sneaking up on him. If he did find someone, he was probably either going to pay them to relocate or offer them a job. Any homeless person would jump at the chance, and those that wouldn't... well, he knew how to defend himself enough to keep out of such a dangerous situation.
"If there's anyone here... I just want to talk. That's all."
It would seem his search for the gargoyle would have to take a rain check.
human
Ellice quickly ducked down behind the ramparts as the rock fell to the ground with a clatter of loose pebbles bouncing against stone. She peeked over the side to make sure she had not hit the human, but quickly hid herself once again as his torchlight played up over the walls, passing over where she had stood moments before. There were no shouts of alarm, just soft words, and when she crouched to peer over the walls again, he was rubbing his palm along the stone, speaking as though to the Keep itself. She blinked, continuing to follow him with her eyes as he walked around the castle wall.
He was looking for something ?? that much she was certain of. But what? Ellice crept along the upper walls, watching her footing as to avoid another accident that almost got her caught. As he approached the spot where she slept, her eyes widened as he looked up at the spot, before down to the chips of stone that had fallen when she had woken.
He was looking forher.
Terror gripped her ?? she had tried so hard to remain hidden. How could have someone found her? Should she flee? What would happen to her friends? A scent that tickled at her nose told her that the fish had begun to burn and was ruined. She had killed for nothing tonight?but her guilt was quickly pushed aside by her fright again as he moved along the wall, heading for the courtyard entrance. She followed him back around, her mind racing as she watched him stand before the open gateway.
His voice called out, echoing against the courtyard walls. He saw her fire ?? he knew she was there. She stood and actually spread her wings to fly, but where could she go? This was all she had!
??Please, don??t hurt my friends!? She finally spoke, her desire to protect them surpassing her own desire to keep safe. ??I will come out, just don??t hurt them.? Ellice hopped down from the top ledge of the wall, landing several feet away from him. Her wings and tail were drawn protectively around her body, and fear could be seen in her eyes as she looked at him.
gpt
When he had heard the voice, he was thinking that, if she were a woman, then she'd be much easier to speak to. As 'unfair' as it was, he tended to treat female strangers better than males. Some double standards are just hard to break.
However, the echos kept him from knowing where exactly the voice came from, so when he saw a figure plunge from above and thud onto the ground, he thought the worst. He took a step back out of shock, a small gasp leaving his lips as his eyes tried to disbelieve what the saw.
His lamp illuminated a pale, winged figure with a long mane of hair. Her body was huddled against itself, with something resembling wings cloaking her frightened frame. She had a tail that curled around her legs defensively, and instead of a human face, she had this strange beak, and resting above it were two horribly fearful eyes.
Perhaps it was the terror she exuded that kept him feeling it himself. His mind's natural instinct to flee from the creature he did not understand was overshadowed by his natural empathy, giving him time to think about who or what he was seeing.
It wasn't human, that was for sure, not even one in a really good costume. She looked too real, and any outfit of that quality would have more than likely NOT protected the one inside it from the jump she took. There was something else about her, too, something familiar...
In any case, it was obvious that he should be very careful. For all he knew, her friends were a lot less afraid of him, and any sign of hostility could provoke them to come down from the walls and attack.
"It's... okay," he told both her and himself, letting out a sigh as his nerves slightly calmed. "I don't want to hurt anyone."
He slowly took a step forward, both of his hands out to his side to show that they were empty. He wanted to get a better look at her, to solve this nagging puzzle in his mind. "My name is Mathias Zane. I'm... the new master of this keep, Whitestone."
As he approached, his mind started to clear, familiar features slowly bubbling to the surface of his thoughts like an arm waking up from being slept on the wrong way. His mind kept pricking him with signals that there was something he was forgetting, that this creature was more alluring than he realized. His eyes shone with curiosity and a glimmer of compassion, a trait that many of his family members stated was a sign of an improper businessman. To Mathias, it was simply who he was.
"I don't think I've never seen anything like you before. Do you have a name?"
human
The cone of bright light from his torch forced her to shield her eyes as it flashed over them, turning her head away from the beam and looking at the ground. She expected him to attack, to run, anything but just stand there. Her parents?one of the few things she remembered of them?had said that the humans did not understand them, and they feared and attacked what they did not understand?
But as she stood there before him, he did nothing, only staring in stunned silence at her visage. The silence was torturous, she was too afraid to even take a breath for as long as they made eye contact. His eyes, while still fearful, seemed to calm long before hers, and his breath escaped from his mouths. She drew back initially at the sound of his voice, despite how calm it sounded.
She took another when he took a step closer to her, her wings drawing a little tighter. She almost seemed to be hiding inside her wings, like a child hiding underneath a blanket to keep the monsters away. Much about her personality seemed childish. She didn't know what to say, or even if she did, how to say it.
He didn't seem...mean...and he said he didn't want to hurt anyone...
She flinched when he raised his hands to the side, but slowly started to lower her wings a little, starting to reveal more of her body to him. Since privacy was something she had had an abundance of before tonight, and her body had long outgrown any fabric she had once owned, she stood more or less naked, only a scrap of old, brown cloth ?? torn from one of the drapes ?? hung around her waist as a crude loincloth. She was most definitely an adult in body. Her ghostly white skin reflected the bright light of his torch as she stood still, her eyes panning nervously along the ground at his feet, unable to make eye contact with him, only fleeting glances.
"My name?" She said softly, almost a whisper. ??I am called Ellice??
Her eyes lifted a little bit, still only making eye contact with him for the shortest of moments before looking back to the ground. ??You are the new Master?? She said softly, lowering her head in a gesture of respect.
gpt
"Ellice," he said quietly, not wanting his voice to be much higher than hers to avoid scaring her. He saw her as a wild animal, but one that he could eventually walk up to and touch, like a deer. He didn't want to frighten her, especially not knowing what she could be capable of. For all he knew, this childish disposition could just be an act; she seemed like she could be terribly powerful if provoked.
"Yes... I'm the owner of Whitestone," he smiled a little, noticing her little bow. She was so nervous, yet she still went out of her way to show a little respect to him. He didn't ask for it, so perhaps she was genuinely frightened of him. Of course, her demeanor seemed to be softening with time, showing the human that this creature was starting to get used to him.
He, on the other hand, only became more and more surprised. She had an amazing body, young and natural. It was rare for him to see such pure beauty considering his wealthy lifestyle and the 'prosthetic perks' it grants to the women. If her voice had been a hint to her femininity, this was the conclusion. Despite her young attitude, most women would kill to have her curves.
His hand rose to his helmet and dimmed the torch, not wanting to blind her and hoping to get more eye contact. As he put his hands back down by his side, he felt the stiff photo of Whitestone in his pocket, making his thoughts flash as a sudden connection was made in his memories.
It was an impossible connection... but then again, she was impossible herself. Perhaps it fit.
"The last time I saw this place..." he began, referring to his photograph as he took another slow step closer. "...I saw this amazing gargoyle statue perched on top of the wall. I came tonight and it was gone... but now you are here, and you look just like the statue."
"Ellice... was that a statue of you?"
It was the only thing he could think of. After all, it was so well crafted that maybe she was considered a guardian of the keep. Obviously, they would have built a statue to honor her. She didn't seem like the kind to ask for anything like that, but honestly, it was the sole conclusion that came to his mind, the thought of simply mistaking her for a statue in the photo gone out the window the second he saw the silken light of her flesh.
No stone was that alluring.
human
Ellice continued to stand there before him, slowly beginning to calm down. The human named Mathias had not threatened her, not made any aggressive movements, had not even raised his voice towards her? Her wings flared out fully, completely revealing her form to him for a few seconds before she drew them around herself like a loose-fitting cloak. The tip of her tail curled nervously around her ankle and she chewed slightly on her bottom ??lip?? for a moment. He was the owner of the Keep?did that mean?? She lowered her head shyly, staring at the ground for a moment, but finally, she raised her head to look at him, the first time their eyes had met. Thankfully, he had dimmed the torch. Her eyes met his for the first time that night. Her eyes were a curious slate gray, still holding their naivety.
??Does?does this mean you own me too?? She asked him softly, her voice almost inaudible too. This wasn??t what her parents had been discussing all those years ago?
She took a startled step backwards when he moved closer to her, her eyes widening in surprise. ??Don??t?? She began, her eyes fleeting over to the fire pit and the nests. But he did not come closer, instead beginning to speak.
His voice was nice.
??Statue?? She asked, blinking as she looked to the spot on the wall where she slept, overlooking the Big River. Her ivory skin reflected the moonlight, making her appear almost to glow a little. ??That?that was me?? She said, turning back to him with a sheepish smile. "When I sleep, I am encased in stone..."
gpt
Well, that just made a world of sense. "You sleep in stone?" He asked with a lightly puzzled expression curling his lips and face. "So... if you were the statue..."
He thought about this for a moment, her barely heard question actually managing to reach his ears. He did not advance on her, because she seemed to be very protective of something just beyond the fire. Perhaps her 'friends'? At any rate, she did pose an interesting point.
"...Then I suppose yes... that would make you mine."
Mathias wasn't a fan of slavery, nor was he a fan of taking advantage of someone's naivete. In this situation, though, he sees a lot of opportunities opening up for him. As long as he doesn't try making her do something she'd regret, then there wouldn't be any harm in 'owning' her, would there? And yes, the concept of her being his 'pet' of sorts was an... appealing one. He couldn't understand the appeal, but he definitely felt it.
"But that's a good thing," he told her softly, letting his hands rest by his sides as he watched her stand protectively over her secret space, where the fire flickered just out of sight. "If you're mine, like this keep, then that means I get to take care of you, and perhaps your friends too, if you'll let me."
He took another step forward, a gentle smile playing across his lips. "If you don't trust me, I understand... but do know that I'll do everything I can to keep you and your friends safe. I promise."
human
"Not...in the stone..." She spoke softly, still keeping her body hidden behind the 'cloak' of her wings. "It is...a natural process for us. We call it 'Stone Sleep'..." Ellice watched him meekly, always ready to flee if she needed, but he seemed to understand her fear, and thankfully did not move towards her. However, she blushed deeply as he said that she was, indeed, his property since he owned the castle. She nodded softly and bowed her head in respect.
"I understand, my Master."
Her words were whisper soft, but obedient. This was obviously new to her as well, not only his presence, but that he owned her. She slowly let her wings draw back behind her, revealing her bare and supple form. Her pale skin seemed to glow softly in the moonlight. "What is it that you wish from me?" She said innocently, cocking her head as she looked at the worn castle wall. Thankfully, her innocence prevented her from thinking of all the bad things that he could ask of her.
She still cautiously stepped back when he approached, her eyes darting over to the nook that held her friends. He said he would protect them, but she...
He was her Master. She should trust him...
"Oh...okay." She nodded, slowly stepping aside for him.
gpt
The word Master... it had a very endearing quality to it. Pride welled up in his heart, because though she was naive, she was still technically his first true subordinate. His corporate employees didn't matter, as he wasn't really part of the company anymore, and they were always out for themselves anyway. He was determined to build a rapport of some sort with this beautiful creature, who was growing all the more beautiful the more she opened up to him.
Though, aside from all the kinky things he was surprised came to his head, he couldn't think of anything he could have her do for him. She did step aside, though, and he decided to take advantage of the situation. He moved closer to the fire, slowly, and noticed the lump of charcoal skewered by the stick. It took a moment to discover that the lump was actually a fish, and he took the wooden shaft carefully out of the fire, turning it over and looking at the charred ocean fish.
"I see you cook just about as well as I do," he chuckled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his unique knife. It looked like a claw that you hold in your fist, with the blade sticking out of the side like a bladed talon. Slowly, he dug the knife into the fish, watching it steam, nearly smoke the room.
"Hah, well, most of it's burned," he said, opening it up for her to see as he continues shaving the side carefully. "But there are more than a few scraps that you can salvage. All I need to do is cut off the burned bits here..."
When he was done, he had a small pile of ruined fish at his feet, with a small fillet sitting on a flat stone beside him. Wiping his knife on his pants, he placed it back in his pocket and offered the meager feast to her. "I don't know how much you need to eat... and now that I think about it, you were probably too busy focusing on me to worry about your fish. If you don't mind, I'm going to go get a snack from my car for us to enjoy to make up for it."