The Forest's Songs

[Talwyn]

Nodding when she pointed out his name was like the tree, he kept his eyes on her. He was certain the hypnotic effect was coming from her, though he could not determine if she was doing it purposefully. Taking the jar from her, he smiled appreciatively as he took a sip of the juice.

"Well then... what do you wish me to call you? I can't keep calling you 'you' or 'girl'" He kept his voice soft, to make sure he wouldn't scare her. After slowly getting up, he held out his arm to help the girl up.

Seeming a bit unsure, he look away from her eyes. "Look... I'm truly sorry about before. I wasn't mad at you. I'm just... frustrated." He hoped she wouldn't start prying about his past, but something told him things like that mattered little to this strange girl.

[Willowsong]

"Well then... what do you wish me to call you? I can't keep calling you 'you' or 'girl'"

Willowsong tilted her head, looking at her visitor through strands of black hair while thinking.
"The little people call me Dursa, the people of the woods Sha'ira, but the villagers call me Willowsong. You can call me whatever you want."
She tilted her head to the other side, the hypnotic effect of her eyes returning and growing stronger.
"But it will probably not be as nice as Greyoak."

"Look... I'm truly sorry about before. I wasn't mad at you. I'm just... frustrated."

"I don't get a lot of visitors that speak here. I thought you would attack me.", she stated, then looked at Talwyn's hand. She gave it a suspicious, almost scared look and then stood up by herself. The witch didn't bother to brush the dirt off her coat, and instead offered an explanation.
"Why do you want to touch me? Other animals won't allow you to touch them, either..."
The comparison of herself to animals was existant, though Willowsong meant every word of it.

[Talwyn]

Tal merely stared at his hand. Apparently, he had scared her more then he thought. "I was not trying to touch you, I offered a hand to help you up." He responded with a gruff tone to his voice. Taking another sip of the juice he handed the jar back to her.

Turning his attention back to the cave, he focused on his quest in an attempt to ban the hypnotic effect from his mind. Even better, it seemed to work. Looking at Willowsong once more, his eyes turned serious, though certainly not hostile. "So Willowsong, are you willing to aid me or should I go elsewhere to find the help I need?"

[Willowsong]

"I was not trying to touch you, I offered a hand to help you up."

Willowsong shook her head, smiling sadly.
"And how would you do that without touching me?", she said, wandering off to a small stream that ran next to her cave. She began to walk through the icy water, first hesitantly, then more confident as the pain of her aching reddened feet subsided.

"So Willowsong, are you willing to aid me or should I go elsewhere to find the help I need?"

She tilted her head, pushing some black strands of hair out of her face.
"I...don't know the magic that transformed you. But there is a way to give you the temporary ability to read my book, but I deem it too dangerous. I think you would be better off leaving and forgetting about me."
She didn't say all of it at once, in fact the witch spoke extremely slow and cautious. There was also some kind of strain in her voice. Her body didn't want that this visitor left, but she knew full-well what dangers she could pose to Talwyn. Or normal humans, anyway.

[Talwyn]

"Don't you think it is for me to decide whether or not it is a risk I wish to take?" He responded with a sour look on his face as he watched her head towards a small stream. It was obvious he wasn't going to give up easily. Then again, she couldn't possibly know the risks he had already taken in his desperate quest.

"Also... you are leaving me confused. Your words and actions do not add up." He went after her with several determined strides, stopping at the edge of the water. "You say I would be better off leaving this place and forgetting all about you. If this is true, then why do you invade my mind with that hypnotic charm of yours? Is it not aimed at keeping me here?"

[Willowsong]

"Don't you think it is for me to decide whether or not it is a risk I wish to take?"

Willowsong nodded to herself, her bright eyes looking up a tree.

"You say I would be better off leaving this place and forgetting all about you. If this is true, then why do you invade my mind with that hypnotic charm of yours? Is it not aimed at keeping me here?"

The cold of the water crept up her pale legs, and Willowsong pushed her gown closer to her shivering body, looking back at Talwyn.

"Forgive me, it was not in my intention to trick you. But I am not human, and it is in my nature to try and dominate the wills of others."
She broke off eye contact, looking down at her feet as they searched their way through the stream, as she explained on.
"The creature I lay to rest earlier was once a man who fell victim to my spells. The more someone is 'hypnotised', the more power I have over him."
She looked at him, her eyes glowing again.
"And if you want to understand that language... you will have to let me dominate your will and let me command you to understand it."
A sad smile crept over her lips.
"But it is too dangerous. I do not believe I will be able to relinquish control over you if you accepted it. I am not even sure you will want to."

[Talwyn]

"Dangerous?" Talwyn uttered, looking incredulous. The disbelief quickly got replaced by anger once again, though he held his tongue in cheek to prevent scaring her. Still, what would she know of danger? He had faced danger countless times. Even entering a town or village could be dangerous for him!

And what about the ancient ruins he visited? The ones full of traps. Sometimes he had even been thankful for having that protective skin of stone, for he surely would have died without it many times already. And yes, he was fully aware of the irony.

The very thing he sought to get rid of, was also what allowed him to do what he liked best. He did not care much for treasure it self, but the thrill of finding it was unbelievable. The rush of adrenaline as he searched for traps, amazing. No, there was no doubt about it. This was the life he was meant to live. If only he wasn't cursed it would have been perfect!

Clenching his fists tightly, he fought hard to keep his voice friendly. He had no desire to scare her. "As I told you before Willowsong." He looked at her with a determined look in his eyes. "It is for me to decide when a risk is too great. Not you. Though your concern has been noted."

He shook his head slowly. "I have searched far and wide. And been in many dangerous situations. Ruins filled with traps, the dermûn desert with it's scorching sun. I'm desperate girl. Danger does not scare me, nor does death. Being trapped in this body for the rest of my life does." His eyes narrowed and it was obvious he would not change his mind about this. "Do it."

[Willowsong]

While Talwyn spoke, Willowsong already figured he wouldn't be swayed from the path he had chosen for himself.
Her instincts cheered in triumph as the witch slowly nodded, but she herself got nervous.

"Do it."

Willowsong nodded again, rubbing her hands together.
"I do not know how my magic works exactly, so I will just have to ask you to stop...resisting whatever it is. Focus on my...eyes and voice. Take it in.", she said, slowly speaking slower and slower.

She began approaching the cursed human again, and began to walk from the left to the right and vice versa, her green eyes steadily looking into Talwyn's. She swayed her hips seductively on purpose, trying to pronounce the magic's work. The strange fog from before returned, now creeping over the small stream and Willowsong's reddened feet.

The witch mustered her visitor's eyes, giggling again in that hypnotic way.
"I like you. You are not afraid like the...others.", she said slowly, steadily keeping in eye contact.

[Talwyn]

It suddenly felt like his mind was being bombarded. The subtle and careful prodding had been exchanged for brute force. Even still, he managed to resist. Her melodic voice was like music to his ears, her green eyes seemed like perfect emeralds. He could feel his resistance waver slowly as he let go.

If he had wanted to, he probably could have resisted. Though now that he finally managed to stop his uphill battle, and let his mind be taken by the flow of her magic, he was quickly falling under spell. She swayed her hips in a seductive way, no doubt on purpose. And it captivated him in a way unlike anything else.

Even her scent was alluring... wait he could smell her now? His mind once more tried to fight back, but it had been pulled in too far already. Her swaying hips, the melodic voice, the beautiful eyes followed by the coup de grâce: that sweet and innocent giggle. Having been pulled in as far as he had been, it was impossible to resist.

His shoulders slumped and his eyes were filled with desire. Though not the desire with which he had come. That wish had been forgotten, and replaced with the wish to please her in whatever way she would ask of him. He could not even imagine that at one point something else had occupied his life.

He belonged to her now.

[Willowsong]

Willowsong's scleras turned black, and her green iris turned into an intense green. She also became infinitely more beautiful. All of this, of course, in Talwyn's head.

The witch approached him as he fell under her spell. His shoulders sunk, and his eyes got this familiar shine to them. He had followed her instructions and let her wicked magic enter his mind and enslave his will to her command.

Willowsong wasn't sure, yet though. She remembered one particular man of strong will falling under her charms as well, but he violently freed himself in one last collection of all his wits. The fog now crept up both of their legs as the young witch ran a finger over Talwyn's cheek.

"Do you love me?", she asked, smiling. Of course this was just part of her cooperating with the spell, as she was still unsure about willingly putting this cursed soul under her wicked magic.
"What would you do for me?"

If Talwyn was as far in as she thought him to be, she could go ahead with the task that now lay in front of her.
But her very own magic began to work on her too, and she began to wish not having to free him again. No, she would be strong!

[Talwyn]

Her finger caused Tal's skin to ignite with pleasure, a shiver running down his spine. He closed his eyes to savor the feeling before gently taking her hand in his and kissing it. Taking hold of her hand with both hands now, gently of course, he looked into her eyes and seemed to drown with desire.

"Do I love you?" He asked in a whisper. "What would I do for you? Oh my beautiful Willowsong, do you even have to ask?" A look of fright slowly appeared on his face as he feared she doubted him. How could she ever doubt him? "Of course I love you. You are the sun around which my world revolves. The goddess I devoutly worship! The beacon that guides my soul! I am your humble and willing servant and if it were within my power, I would move the very heavens themselves for you."

Still holding her hand, he stood there silently, unmoving like a rock. Which was ironic considering what he was. He felt a pure and intense joy and satisfaction from merely standing with her like this. With a gently tug, he pulled her in close and hugged her. "Why did you feel the need to ask my love? Do you doubt me?"

[Willowsong]

Willowsong trembled as Talwyn kissed her hand, but whether that was out of pleasure or fear, she couldn't tell. He suddenly pulled her close and hugged her, the witch's gown pressing against his clothes.

"Why did you feel the need to ask my love? Do you doubt me?"

Willowsong bit on her lip, trying not to lose control of herself. She had to concentrate to keep her gift or curse, whatever you wanted to call it, of herself.
Keeping the spell intact, Willowsong ran her hands down the cursed human's body, gently whispering into her ear.

"I would like you to...read a book for me.", she said, her green eyes pulsing, her voice droning and echoing in Talwyn's head.

"Would you do that for us? It is over in that cave... You held it before, Talwyn."

Willowsong began to wonder whether Talwyn's curse was holding her magic off for so long. Usually, by this point, people under her spell began to painfully transform into creatures of the forest by now. But this one had been transformed before, maybe that magic was stronger than hers? It must be...

[Talwyn]

"The... book? That I held... before?" He had to dig deep in his clouded memory, but he finally found it. "I... I held several books my love." He looked confused. "Should I... just read them all? Because I'm not sure which one you mean."

He waited for her answer, and then slowly let go, obviously not wanting to part with her. Taking a few steps towards the cave, he stopped and looked at her again. After two more reluctant steps he stopped, and rushed over to her to embrace her once more. "If I read these books? You'll be pleased with me right?" He asked her pleadingly.

[Willowsong]

"The... book? That I held... before?"
"I... I held several books my love. Should I... just read them all?"

Willowsong took his hand, bringing her face close to his, making sure to trap him with her eyes even further.
"I will show you.", she whispered softly, before leading him towards the cave.

"If I read these books? You'll be pleased with me right?"

The witch's heart jumped with joy, but she still had her task in mind.
"Yes, we both will.", she said, smiling again.

They arrived in the cave, and Willowsong sat down in her collection of furs, pulling Talwyn down to her. She briefly parted hands with him, picking up the book Talwyn had read earlier. She slowly handed it over to the cursed man, although reluctantely. Now it seemed that each passing moment with this one was a year of solitude less.
Drawing together all her wits, she handed the book over, and took one of Talwyn's hands to flip over some of the pages. When she reached the according pages, she would let go of Talwyn's hand, and started to stroke over his arm.
Now there was the hardest part to conquer.

Willowsong smiled again, trying to attract Talwyn's attention.
"Will you read this chapter for me? It speaks of the wonderful mysteries of nature and the physical forms we all inherit from nature. And how to change them. It deeply interests me, and I would like you to join me in my passion.", she whispered into his ear.
Of course Talwyn's brain and eyes were still unable to understand these letters, but that was why it was so difficult. She had to...change Talwyn's eyes temporarily to give him this gift.
"If your eyes start to burn, don't worry, I'm here. I will ease your pain."
She pressed her frail body against his, looking down at the book.
"Please read for me.", she said, barely able to conceal her excitement.

[Talwyn]

Now that she guided him to the cave, he could not get there fast enough. As she smiled at him, and said they would both be pleased if he would read the book for her, his heart took a leap. She would be pleased! She had promised him she would. Oh glorious day, he had found a way to please the only one that mattered.

His hand burned under her touch. He was weak as clay and her hands were those of a skilled potter molding it into shape. When she pressed her body against his, he could feel his own excitement growing as well. He looked at the book, but the letters looked weird. How was he supposed to read this? Besides, he did not want to read this.

Who could possibly think about reading when there was a woman as excited and beautiful as her pressing her body against yours? Looking away from the book and into her green eyes, he gently touched her cheek with his hand as he whispered. "Do I have to?"