A Gift of Life and a Curse of Death

Gabriel had made the circuit around the upper floors of the castle twice by the time he came around the grand staircase again. In the time he had spent wandering he had seen neither hide nor hair of Sonnet, though as he was going through the guest rooms he had been quick to locate her things. It had been far more set up than he had been expecting, it would seem that she had gotten up earlier than he would have given her credit for. Not wanting to be caught prying, he had been quick to let it alone, content with the knowledge that he now knew which room she had chosen for herself in the very least.

He was half way down the staircase when he spotted Sonnet sitting in front of the same fireplace he had been when he was waiting for her hours earlier. By some coincidence or other she had even chosen the same seat.

“I suppose you gave yourself the tour then?” Gabriel commented, as much to announce his presence as to acknowledge hers, as he made his way over to where Sonnet was sitting. His gaze fell onto the bow and quiver and the faint crease that appeared between his eyebrows betrayed his confusion at their presence. “Or were you out hunting? I could have told you that you wouldn’t find anything living within the radius of the castle.”
 
She ate hungrily, her head swiveling at the sound of his voice. For a moment she was panicked, but then she forced back down her anxiety. She turned before looking back at the fire. "Wouldn't dream of hunting. I don't have the stomach to kill an animal. I just went out shooting." She responded simply, taking another bite of her apple.

She finished her food, pushing herself up to her feet. She grabbed her items, sliding her bow over her body. She walked past him, heading back up the stairs. "So... I guess I should ask about the wedding." She sighed, glancing back over her shoulder, indicating she wanted him to follow.

She walked back towards her room, storing her items back where they belonged.
 
Gabriel reflexively stepped back as Sonnet passed by him before moving to follow her up the stairs and through the halls toward her room.

“Ah, right. About that…” He began before falling silent once again, gathering his thoughts as she put her things away. It hadn’t been his intention to explain the severity of the condition of the kingdom so soon but if she had already been exploring all morning she more than likely had picked up on the fact that something was very off about the whole castle. “I believe my request to bring you back here with me has been misunderstood. To a degree. It’s, ah, complicated.”
 
Her eyebrow raised slightly at his words. She froze, turning back to look at him. "T-Then why did you ask for my hand? Why'd you take me from the home that I love and force me into this depressing castle? To just keep me here as a...as a pet?" Her anger started to ring through her words, her eyes narrowing.

She opened her mouth to say something else before pausing. She closed her mouth, biting down on her lip before turning. Stop before you say something you'll regret.
 
“I told you, it’s complicated. I-.” Gabriel cut himself off, having the grace to appear at least momentarily shocked by her accusation. However just as quickly as the show of expression appeared, it was replaced by one of practiced indifference.

He let out a sharp breath and straightened up before speaking again, tone clipped and words intentionally vague. “You are not the one who is trapped in this castle, Princess. However if you have already made up your mind about the sort of monster I am, I suppose that any more politeness is wasted. If you follow me I will show you why I wanted you here, if not I will not stop you from leaving.” With that said he turned back down the hall they had come from walking toward his room and the nearest living thing he was aware of.
 
She sneered, crossing her arms over her chest. She let out a huff, really not wanting to follow him. But curiosity is a fickle temptress. So she followed him, albeit, reluctantly. Her lips were pulled into a thin line, her teeth biting down on her tongue. If the maids of her castle were here, she'd be in a hell of a lot of trouble. She wasn't supposed to raise her voice at anyone. As a princess should be 'poised' and 'quiet'. More of a seen and not heard ideal.

Unfortunately, this princess really didn't like that. And it showed.

Sonnet followed after him, silently praying that it wouldn't be to her doom.
 
It took the rest of what little restraint Gabriel had to not just throw the doors to his room open in his haste. Once he was inside he pulled the gloves he was wearing off, letting them drop to the floor without a care as he crossed the room.

The glossy green leaves of the plant had only grown larger in the time that he had been away, several even spilling over the edges of the pot and onto the surface of the table it was sat on. Without bothering to look over his shoulder to check if Sonnet had followed him or not he plucked a leaf from the plant, watching as the glossy green first dulled to a wilted yellow then to a fragile brown before it eventually crumbled under the pressure of his grip. Once it was gone he picked another, then another, before eventually just digging the tips of his fingers into the exposed soil and watching the rest of the life drain from the plant.

Breathing heavily he slumped against the desk before speaking, voice almost too quiet to be heard. "This is my curse. After saving you I thought I had it figured out. But nothing has changed, I was wrong."
 
She watched in amazement, but also horror. She stood there, her mouth hanging open with surprise as she watched the plant she had healed shrivel up and die. This certainly explained a lot. Sonnet stood silent for a moment before hesitantly approaching. Her breath hitched, gulping down a nervous breath of air.

"Well I guess you figured out mine." She spoke softly, touching the plant once more, re-inviting the life he had taken. "Ever since you saved me... I-I can produce life...I-I don't get sick... I don't really get hurt... But the water..." She paused, staring down at the plant, clearly disturbed by her own words. That's when an idea hit.

"I wonder..." She started, slowly stepping closer to him, still hesitant, but morbidly curious.

She reached out her hand to him, offering him her hand. "If you didn't kill me then... Who's to say you can do it now?"
 
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Gabriel found himself speechless as he watched colour and life return to the leaves, it almost seemed to be more vibrant than it had been before.. He had thought the plant might have been hers, that she had brought it with her and forgotten it in the room but the possibility that it had always been there and she had just brought it back hadn't crossed his mind until he watched her bring it back to life.

Unable to take his eyes off of Sonnet, Gabriel drew in a sharp breath as she stepped closer, instinctively tensing up but remaining in place. He had of course thought about testing the possibility, there had been a hundred chances for him to have done it. He could have offered her a hand up to the carriage when he had gone to get her the previous day, or a hand down when they arrived at the castle. It hadn't felt right though, not when she had no knowledge of the scope of danger he could have been putting her in. Now that she was aware however...

"I couldn't ask you to risk your life on a possibility that slim." He shook his head but after a few seconds offered his own hand, not reaching out enough to bridge the small gap between them but coming close.

When he spoke again his voice was a low whisper as though he were afraid speaking too loudly might shatter the moment. "How confident are you?"
 
Her breath hitched as the distance between them grew smaller, his actions betraying his words. Her eyes slowly traveled up to meet his, a small smile crossed her face at his question. "Once had a cook go off the rails. She tried to poison my food, hoping it'd kill me, clearly, it didn't work. She tried it again, increasing lethality, until she put enough in to kill five men. She was rightly pissed, tried to take a cleaver to my chest. The blade broke against my skin... I'd say I'm pretty confident," She laughed quietly, ensuring to keep the level of serenity between them.

In this moment, she didn't actually feel weird talking about her powers. Hell, someone understood. Well... One way or another. She glanced down at their hands, her heart pounding against her chest. She wasn't sure how this would turn out, but she prayed it would go as planned. If she hadn't died then, she would survive now. Right?
 
"Her dedication sounds almost as impressive as your persistent well-being." Gabriel replied, unable to keep a smile from tugging at the corner of his mouth as her light mood became infectious. While likely horrifying at the time looking back on it with the knowledge now did make the whole situation seem quite humorous.

Even with the lighter tone they had both adopted while speaking, Gabriel felt anxiety constricting his chest once more when he glanced back down at their hands. He flexed his fingers slightly, the lack of gloves causing him to feel exposed with how unused he had become to the sight of his skin. "I suppose we won't figure anything out if we don't try." He said before drawing in a deep breath and gently taking her hand in his own.
 
She let out a slow breath of air, allowing her hand to grasp his own. She squeezed her eyes shut, expecting some form of pain or agony, but not finding it. Sonnet paused, glancing down at their hands. She wasn't dead. Hell, far from it. Silently, her hand trailed over his own, holding it tightly as she looked up at him, a small grin on her face. "Guess that answers our question," She laughed.

His skin was cold and callused. His hesitation to touch was explained within those few minutes that the two shared.
 
Gabriel returned her unexpectedly firm grip with a gentle squeeze, whether it was to reassure himself that she was actually there or that nothing horrible had come from it he wasn't sure. The warmth of her hand in his and the distinctly alive flex of her fingers a sensation that he hadn't experienced in so long he'd almost forgotten what it felt like.

"One question certainly, though I fear it has left me with several more." He replied, the revelation shocking enough to actually cause him to relax. Enough so that when Sonnet smiled he fully echoed the expression for a few moments. "I'm still not quite sure that this isn't all just a dream."
 
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She chuckled softly at his words. Silently, she guided his hand to her heart, allowing it to rest there for a moment or two, allowing him to feel the beat of life traveling from her body. "Does that feel like a dream?" She asked softly, her eyes finding his own.

She allowed his hand to rest there for a moment or two before she pulled back. "I think it's safe to say you're not dreaming," She offered him a half smile, the honest moment the two had shared honestly surprising her. "So... Why exactly did you chose me?" She asked quietly, glancing back at the flourishing plant.
 
"Quite frankly, it does, yes." Gabriel replied, a hint of awe in his voice that hadn't been there before. He gently smoothed his thumb over the fabric of her dress, soft and warm from laying against her skin he could quite easily feel the beat of her heart under his palm.

When she pulled back he very nearly followed her before catching himself, taking a half step back himself in order to give her some space. He hadn't realised just how close they had gotten until that point. "I think we can agree on that." He replied.

Following her gaze to the plant Gabriel let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping as though an invisible weight had just been laid back onto them. "Why did I choose to save you?" He attempted to clarify but continued on anyway. "I'm not sure I did. I've had many years to think about all of this and even with all that time I'm still not sure of the answers."
 
She glanced back towards him, a small frown poking at the corner of her cheeks. "I-I just want to understand why you took me from my home? Am I indebted to you? Did you know of my skills?" She asked quietly, her eyes searching his own.

Sonnet just wanted answers. Answers that neither seemed to know at the moment. As frustrating as it was, Sone couldn't blame him. There really wasn't any good explanation towards any of this. As much as she wanted answers, she was afraid of what they might actually be. What would her existence consist of here? What purpose did she have? Just a companion to keep him company?
 
"Ah, yes I suppose that would be the more pressing question for you." Gabriel had the grace to look embarrassed at the very least, having completely overlooked how she might view her current situation in a much more negative light than he did even given the circumstances.

"I wasn't thinking clearly when I asked your father for what I did. Really I was just swept up in the realization that I had saved you and that you didn't seem affected by it." He continued, walking across the room to retrieve his gloves and slipping them back on. Even with the revelation that they had just come to he had worn them for so long that it felt wrong to stop so suddenly. "It sounds so foolish now but part of me thought that just having you here might fix things." Gabriel shook his head. "I see now that was nothing but the fanciful wishing of a young man."
 
She nodded slowly, some amount of disappointment pushing through her chest. Was she just a fantasy that didn't live up to expectations? It hurt to say the least. Even if she didn't want to be here, at least she could've been wanted. Sonnet offered him a thin smile. "Well I hope you're happy," She spoke simply, stepping past him and silently leaving the room.

Perhaps she was being too dramatic, but she ignored that.
 
"Happy with what? That I've 'taken you from your home' and you see fit to remind you how miserable it has made you at every opportunity. That even when this curse of mine is not killing everything I touch I am still more than able to do it on my own." Gabriel replied, almost shocking himself with the sharpness of his words. It had been a long time since he'd found himself ruled by such strong emotions, but there was something about Sonnet that brought it out in him and he wasn't sure how to feel about it.

He followed her as far as the doors but didn't go any further as she left the room, the cool emotionless mask back in place on his face, whatever progress they had made in the past minutes shoved down as deep as he was able to push it.
 
She huffed, muttering something beneath her breath, shaking her head at his rude words as she hurried down the long staircase, back to the main floor. In an attempt to relax her mind a bit, she started to explore, looking around the castle that she would have to get used to. For the most part, it was desolate and empty, nothing but dusty and covered furniture. That was until she opened a large brown door at the end of one of the hallways. She let out a soft gasp as she stepped into the room. Books lined the walls, countless shelves running along the room. A library! Just what she needed today.

With her spirits lightened, Sonnet walked down the long walk ways, pausing every once and a while to examine a book, until she found one that caught her fancy. She approached one of the soft benches near the back and sat down. She opened up the book and began to read.
 
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