A Heart's Strange Whims

A story set in Windbloom about Utan and Humans

Utan

 * Gram: A young rabbit Utan who caught the heart of Prince Lichty and was married to him. A kind and caring individual, she is unjustly swept along by more dominant forces in her life. She platonically loves the Prince, but romantically loves...
 * War-Leader Wolf of Starlit Forests: An Utan who missed the memo on their species passivity. A Wolf-type Utan, he became known for his ferocity and skill in fighting. He loves Gram. He became Prince Lichty's War-Leader to get closer to Gram.
 * Alpha:The son of Gram and Wolf, he was raised to treat Lichty as his biological father, despite (when he was old enough) realizing that Wolf was his father all along. He doesn't really mind, however, and tries to keep Lichty (who also knows) sane.

Humans

 * Prince Lichty: A Prince of Willowscent who loves Gram. He has a very domineering family but he has other problems. He has a murderous split personality, and pops pills near hourly to keep him down. He, when he is sane, loves Gram more than himself.
 * Lord Armelius: Lichty's father, he hates, yet pities Lichty for killing his own mother while insane. He does not want Lichty to inherit, and attempts to cause an outcry with his marriage to Gram. He misses his wife dearly, and can barely stand Lichty. He is the head of the Amelius Family and rules the local area as a representative of...
 * The Oracle Trevalia Castile: The ruler of Windbloom, she is extremely xenophobic and banished Lichty's wife from ever appearing before her. While she will not outright ban all non-humans from her realm, she still looks for excuses to destroy Lichty's territory.

Chapter 1
"Tears of a Woman tossed around by Fate"

Gram treads the red carpets leading to the altar. Her veil hides any tears that touch her face; they will dry before her husband to be, Prince Lichty, who loves her, lifts the veil. She doesn't want to marry him. She gives a smile, she must seem like she tolerates it! Her family's lives are on the line. Lichty smiles at her, he's so happy. She finally stands at the altar as the traditional music ends and the traditional... whatever he was, minor lord? Intoned something about eternal love and... she couldn't concentrate. She didn't have to say anything for a long time anyway.

The minor lord drones on and on about the duties of a wife... love, service... devotion... that last one... the one where you love your spouse only, nearly made her sob. She loved someone else.

On the day Prince Lichty, a lifelong companion, proposed, another man came by their house once the prince left. He was dressed in black, with darker than dark sunglasses and did not seem to look them in the eyes. He asked them many things, one of them: "Did you say yes?" Gram replied simply: "I told him that I must have a night to think on it." He simply straightened his jacket, it had a weapon inside, a wicked looking dagger, the conversation became darker... evil. "Say yes, if you value everyone you hold dear. But, we won't kill you for refusing him." He left after that.

Wolf, who had been listening outside, howled in anguish to the moon. each howl was a spear into her heart. Wolf and her had not declared love for each other, but the feeling was plain to everyone who knew them, except the Prince Lichty. He spent a while in quiet contemplation, before talking to her. He couldn't do anything now, but he would, and soon. He left after that, leaving her arms for the rooftops, jumping across as fast as he could, he had allies.

Lichty was so happy that she agreed that he twirled them both around until they were dizzy, laughing. He got back up, babbling excitedly about the wedding and preparations. He kissed her on the cheek then ran off. He did not notice her discomfort at this, she smiled too after all. She said YES!

The wedding went on all too slowly for her. There was decorum to be had. Families to be respected. Lichty was impatient too, the minor lord could tell, and sped up. Soon, the fateful words were being said. She agreed. Lichty swore he loved her. As they kissed, the greatest stained glass window in the building shattered as Wolf entered the scene.

"Can't let you do that, Lichty!"

Chapter 2
"A Wolf and a Rabbit Discuss Humans"

Wolf had kidnapped her. The love of her life had romantically swept her off her feet and ran away with her. All she could think of was her family's safety. He was talking. "I'm sorry it took so long, but it took awhile... the airship, the crew, I'm very sorry that you had to wait for me until the last second." He looked down and smiled his most confident smile. He was jumping, as was a habit of his, from roof top to roof top, while holding Gram in his hands. Many roofs nearly gave way, but they held enough to get them to a docked airship.

He set her down on the deck and the ship cast off into the sky. Gram had basically kept her feet on the ground her entire life. The wedding, Wolf snatching her off her feet, the man with the sunglasses, and most of all, that damning kiss, was too much for her. Wolf helped her up and led her to her intended chambers. He set her down nicely on a chair and looked her in the eyes. "Listen... I'm sorry if I was abrupt, but it'll all be better now... We'll head out and have a good time."

"And my parents?" Wolf looked at her blankly. "You got my parents?! Right?" He shook his head. It was obvious now that he had not realized the subtext of the man with sunglasses' conversation. She started crying... she hadn't even told him that the wedding was over and she was legally married to Prince Lichty... and he parents were in mortal danger... "WHY DIDN'T YOU GET THEM?!!" She screamed at her supposed hero.

"Don't worry! I'll get them... we'll..." He hung his head down. She wasn't happy, in the least, that he had saved her. In fact... it seems like she was sad that he had done so much for her. Why? "Listen... I don't think I've ever told you this, and I don't know why..." He paused, sucking his lips. "I love you... okay, really LOVE you. Do you understand?" She nodded... he didn't know what to do, she wasn't holding in her tears anymore.

Eventually, she stopped crying long enough to talk. "The marriage ceremony was over... we'd already kissed." Wolf stared at her in amazement... then betrayal... then sorrow. Then he understood why she was crying. He howled one long mournful howl.

"What... do you want me to do... Lady Gram." He said, bowing to her. He truly was at a loss at what to do. He could not be selfish now... with her family in danger and her legally married... He would not cry!

"Just... drop me off. And run. Never come back, Lord Amelius and The Oracle hate our kind, in their own way. They will hunt you down. You are a good fighter, for an Utan, and even among humans you stand out. Go to Arcadia... They'll..." She sniffed. "They love fighters there... and they don't care much about 'human' or 'Utan'."

"Lichty... there are worse..." He murmured, but she heard it. "I will do as you command my lady."

She stiffened. "Don't EVER call me that!" She yelled at him, despite wanting to tell him this calmly. "I'm Gram! Good old Gram who you used to protect from bullies and fight with Lichty over!" She paused and got down beside him. "I'm not different, and I love you." She held him for a few seconds, trying to take some of his strength into her. Then they got up and he helped her down onto the airship dock. The crew shoved off, murmuring a bit at their course, some of them had bounties in Arcadia.

She walked over to a communication booth and called Lichty's personal gem. "Lichty?"

Chapter 3
"When a Man Loves a Woman he Sacrifices for her, when both sacrifice for each other, you have a family."

"Gram! Love! You're alright! I was quite worried Wolf had already gotten away with you..." He was babbling a bit, but the relief was too evident in his voice.

"Listen... I was able to convince him to leave me here with you... I'm sorry for the hassle. He's leaving for the border and I'm fine." She tried to sound fine, but it was very hard.

"I can tell you're torn up by this a little. Don't worry, I kind of expected Wolf to do something. Where are you exactly?" He asked, she could hear him tossing orders to various servants. He was in his family's personal airship dock.

"I'm on what may be the East End dock." She locked around for a deck number. "12. Dock number 12." She heard her husband repeat this to what must have been his pilot. "Listen... Lichty..." He affirmed himself, but said that he was not alone. "I want to talk to you in private, okay?"

"You can tell me anything. Anything. I have some things to tell you too. Somethings that I should have told you before. No, it's not another woman, but something else." He said, as serious as she was. "I've got the port authority on the line. They are going to close the dock you are on and move you to an executive lounge, alright?" He tried to sound confident, comforting, but he didn't really feel that way. He whispered into the mike. "I don't care what Wolf has done. Alright? He'll get out. I know he will be fine. I don't hold it against him" He spoke a little louder into the mike. "Things will be alright!"

"Yeah... I hope they will be." She saw some men and women walking towards her. "Listen, the port authority's here... I'll see you soon." She hung up and went with them. A woman showed her to a bath room stall and handed her proper clothes than her now torn and dirty wedding garments. The executive lounge was comfortable. It had chairs, couches, TVs, and wide-bay windows where you could look out over all the ships that were coming and going. East End's Airship dock was small, but it got a great deal of traffic for its size.

Lichty walked... ran in. "Gram!" He caught himself before running into her and hung back. This lasted a second before he rushed in again and gave her a passionate hug. "Listen... I've called off all the celebrations and whatnot... neither of us have the patience for them anyway. Do you want to see your parents... Or maybe go out to eat? How..." She stopped him from talking.

"I want us to see my... our parents and... then we'll go to your home. Alright?" He smiled and nodded. He kept an arm around her shoulder in what he hoped would be a comforting fashion and walked out. His servants would pay the inconvenienced port authorities.

Chapter 4
"During their first night... their first fight."

Gram's parents were alright. They always knew that their Gram would rise up in the world and so on and so forth. When the four were alone they said many things, embarrassing, wise, historic, and practical. Lichty was blushing quite a bit... After they left, Lichty decided to order a hotel room instead of staying at the suite his father had prepared for him at the family house.

"Why would I want to go there? Half the people hate me, the other half are scared. I'm not spending our first night together in a dreary place like that!" He said with a smile, that seemed a little sad. They were both very tired. He told her what he had to go through, just to ensure that his father wouldn't put a huge bounty on the arrogant Wolf. How he was able to prevent his father sending the crack commando teams. "But the weirdest bit, is that he doesn't even TOLERATE you. Kind of suspicious. Which is another reason I'm taking us to a hotel room."

Gram couldn't really pay attention, she felt tired than he was. Then again, she didn't have to deal with his relatives. What he had accomplished no mean feat, even for someone as used to the familial systems as he was. There were people to give respect to. If even one person was dissatisfied, there could be an argument, and in the realm of the nobles, an argument was rarely resolved in a generation. He had changed the subject.

"I always thought Wolf would grab you before it all started... but I suppose the entrance was very like him, you know?" Babbling again. She sat down on a chair and heaved a great sigh. Finally, alone. No! Someone at the door. "Thank you! I had forgotten these." He was taking pill bottles from a servant. "Thanks, have the chef send us a good, light dish." The servant bowed. The door closed as Lichty turned around to talk to his wife. "I know this might seem sudden, but I take medicine for a few things. I was wondering if you could help me remember..."

"Of course! This isn't something to be embarrassed about." She said to him. Is that the only real expectation he had of her? His father had more she bet...

"Thanks! Oh, I know... but still." He popped a pill from a blue bottle and a teaspoon of liquid from a purple. "The blue is the important one. The purple is just something to make it go down easy, I don't need it." He shook it. "Grape syrup."

"Just a big kid." She smiled. Lichty had matured a great deal. He had begun their relationship as a bully, but, suddenly, he was a nice guy. He atoned for his actions and gave Wolf a hunk of 'apology steak'. He became a sort of protection from the officials they annoyed. Wolf respected him enough and she liked him just fine. But he wasn't Wolf. She didn't say anything she was thinking. Lichty was preparing something from a green, nameless bottle, and downed that as well. "Well. What do you expect to do?"

"Huh? Haven't really given it that much thought..." He scratched his head. "T'would be gauche to make my move after Wolf and all." He laughed a little at Gram's blush.

"You don't have to be forward!" She semi-yelled at him. That was still a touchy subject for her. "He didn't do anything!"

"I didn't mean it like that!"

The servant outside heard their shouting and waited until it died down. He knocked on the door. "Food Service, young master!" The door open, the cart was swept in and a fiver was on the floor. He picked it up and walked away. He'd heard of the scandal, and thought it best not to get involved.

Chapter 5
"A lone Wolf is Howling at the Moon having Lost his Mate."

Wolf worked awhile as a mercenary for Arcadia. It was his job to observe the borders, especially in the mountains, for pirates, especially.

"Oi! It's an Utan! What do you think about that?"

"Dunno man... Aren't they... like... half animal?"

"Does that mean we can eat them?" Said a third.

"No! They have sentience... wouldn't that be cannibalism?"

"Guys! We have bigger issues right now! He's coming right for us!"

The trio was in a Sky Pirate scout ship. They left it and stood on a small plateau. Wolf had no times for games. "Who are you?"

"We are from the Blinky the Mime's pirate crew!" They said, as they struck poses. They all dressed in mime. Pity they talked. "Prepare for trouble!"

Wolf just stared at them a little more. Sighing, he got out his weapons. Sky Pirates were considered universally dangerous, no matter how ridiculous they looked and acted. They were to be killed. He also decided that a little bit of aggression would do well for him. The pirates drew their own weapons and charged. They were nothing special, and their corpses littered the rock before long. "Wolf to cleanup crew. Three Sky Pirates dead, claimed to be part of the Blinky the Mime pirate crew. Advise?"

"Wolf, communication received. Advise retreat for now. Rear Admiral Octoran Jacqueline will arrive soon. Do not engage Blinky the Mime if he shows. Cleanup crew out." The communication gem stopped making noises. He sighed and looted the corpses, the bounty of someone like him. Their ship could be his too, if he cared for it. But he didn't care. He stood there and let the wind blow through his hair, it was good to feel something again. But it was not fulfilling, nothing was since that fateful day.

He took a deep breath of the air. It calmed him down. Soon, he heard the whine of a powerful Airship engine. It was the Rear Admiral. She was much more powerful than anything he had yet met. She wielded a gigantic saw toothed sword that intimidated him. "Well, if it ain't the Lone Wolf." She said. Her ship was disgorging an Air Marine contingent to investigate the remains.

"Three dead Sky Pirates. Due to the nature of the Blinky the Mime... that's three hundred thousand for the three? Sounds right." She was looking at a report. "You've been out for nearly five days." She sniffs. "Smell like it too." She laughs. "Come on. You're due for a break. Come drink with me... After you clean up." She was a friendly person, as long as you didn't act weak. She also loved alcohol, but had a surprisingly high alcohol tolerance. He could nearly match her, which was she liked him better than most. They could talk to one another. She was married (her husband was an Rear Admiral on another ship), and they could talk.

Chapter 6
"A Powerful War leader and a lonely wolf discuss love."

The office of the Rear Admiral was spacious enough. He did not feel too out of place. He was wearing a tailored suit that was made specifically a year ago for him. It was dark grey, and complimented his lighter skin. The Rear Admiral sat behind her desk with her feet up on it. Apparently, her husband was a stickler for rules.

"This here is an Arcadian Ale." She said, holding up a jug. "But not just any... supposedly from the finest illegal still on my ship." She poured them both a tall glass. "Of course I 'don't' know about it, but they suit my tastes so I don't mind." She drank it all down in a gulp. "Heh heh heh..." Wolf drank his down too. It was not the best Arcadian Ale. "So, what's on your mind?"

"Same old..." He drank another pint. "Two years." He sighed a little. "I haven't been able to talk to her at all."

"I haven't talked to my husband in three months..."

"THAT"S NOT THE SAME AT ALL!! You two barely seem to keep from killing each other when you meet!"

"Hey!" She said, getting up. "The hubby and I get along just fine, yah know?"

"Whatever..." He drank half of a glass. He had to be careful, Utan can die if they drink too much. "But I cannot seem to... get over her."

"That's what my husband said until he married me!" She laughed heartily. "He got over THAT pretty quick!"

"Stop making fun of me!" The alcohol was entering his system and he could feel it. Time for another drink. "Did you spend about- I don't know- the majority of you life pining over her?"

"No. And I don't spend any of my life pining over him now." She grumbled. "And I'm sure he doesn't either." She took a pull from the jug itself, and filled Wolf's glass with the remainder.

"Should I go back?" He said. He still has his faculties. "Should I... at least visit?"

"No."

"WHAT? Shouldn't you say something about following your heart's dreams or some such nonsense?!?" Maybe he didn't have his faculties.

"Listen, House Amelius is a lot different than the other houses. They got issues, especially with a thing called 'Revenge'. Now, this Lichty probably knew you good enough not to be too mad that you tried to kidnap his bride. He'd expect that. But what about the leaders of the house? Those who were shamed by your display?"

"Who?" He was curious now. "Why haven't they killed me yet?"

"Because you ran away. Go see her if you think it will do any good." She sighed and drank out of another pitcher. "They have no reason to if they think you a coward." She put the pitcher down and talked to her friend. "You can follow your heart if you wish. But I do not know whether you will be successful."

"She still loves me. I'm sure of that."

"Then, you should do what you will. You can come back if it doesn't turn out well. You'll always have a place here."

"Why, Rear Admiral, you're married!" The Ale had finally reached his brain. This was fast acting stuff, even for the strong ale.

"SHUT UP YOU YOUNG PUP! I didn't mean it that way!" She had thrown a jug at him, knocking him down. "Now get out of hear before I decide I want to mount you on my wall or something!" She fell on her desk and poured herself another glass. "And I thought you had some kind of future. Kids these days..."

Wolf left the room and packed his bags. He ran out, leaving a not of thanks and some money to pay for his suit. He bounded down the corridors of the Airship to where he would collect his last paycheck as well as the former pirate's airship.

Chapter 7
"An Evil Man Taunts a Defenseless Rabbit."

Lord Amelius knew his son was away. That was why he moved on his wife. The poor, poor thing was a push-over... which is just why he allowed his son to marry her. He had almost thought the son suspected something because it was so easy. But the fool didn't, and so he could move about as he willed. "Why, Gram, daughter, how are you?"

She smiled at him, didn't suspect a thing. "Very well... thank you. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Why no." He walked off. The stalking began. Over the course of the day, he interrupted her no less than thirty-two times. Mostly over inconsequential things, but it was disturbing to her. The Rabbit Collectives were the weakest of all Utan, some people said you could actually scare them to death if you weren't careful. Weak hearts... If she should die it wouldn't hurt him at all, and his son would look absolutely terrible.

"What do you want with me!?"

Wow... some actual fire, must be the influence of that Wolf... Wolf. He thought a little on what sort of mother would name her child after their species name? He thought on that while she looked at him, frustrated... a little scared too, good! "Why... nothing."

"You wouldn't be bothering me all day long if you didn't have an agenda!"

She was working herself up, they were alone and he was ready. "You even want to know the very bad parts?"

"..." Determination in her eyes! Good! It will make it sweet!

"I hate my son, and a great deal of my agenda has been to do bad things to him, and, in extension, YOU." He grinned at her, menacingly.