Fish and Friends

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Artemis Tuuri

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Art grinned to herself as she leaned forward over the bank to poke at the little swimmers in the reeds. The Lake was the closest she could get to wildlife these days (with the exception of Care of Magical Creatures), as her adventures into the forest had been cut short. Artemis was forbidden to go to the Forbidden Forest. Of course that was a given for any student, but she felt especially barred by her punishment for that escape attempt not two weeks ago. No if’s, and’s or but’s.

She was reminded of Sam when she gazed out over the crystalline waters. It was ripe news through the first, second and third years. One boy had fallen dreadfully ill and was taken to the Hospital Wing over night. She was stricken by the news as she recognised poor Sam as the victim. Of all people, why him?

Art turned her attention back to the little rocky pool that she was hovering over and grinned as a teeny tiny squid raced past her fingers. Had a bit of fun, had you? she thought at the giant squid, somewhere out there in the murky depths. But as her concentration was lost, so too was her balance. With a squeak, Artemis tumbled into the water with a mighty splash for someone so small. Half a minute later she surfaced, spluttering.

“Oh, bugger it!” cried Art, with her little green dress fanning out all around her.
 
Shalamar had attempted time and again to stay clear of the lake, memories of Henric Lee's lips on hers as he had literally breathed life back into her would come flooding to haunt her and her feet would involuntarily move in the opposite direction. Not knowing why today was different then she walked slowly towards it, as if it beckoned her. As she came across the lawn the wild rose bushes were breathtaking and unable to resist she had plucked one and pushing it behind her ear, thorns and all she smiled as she picked another. The deep red hue contrasted with the black raven tresses that fell down her back, some fluttered in the breeze and fell about her shoulders. Today she felt relaxed, almost calm. It had been a long time since she had even knowing that the holidays were soon upon them and she would have to go home.

Coming closer to the lake, swinging the other rose loosely in her hand Shalamar looked out upon the twinkling, shimmering expanse of water. Dazzled by its own calmness until movement closer to shore caught her attention. With a gasp she ran until she was inches from the young girl. Another Ravenclaw who she recognised from her classes and the common room.

"Take my hand" she called to her stretching her hand out as she knelt on the embankment.
 
Somehow the fact that someone had been there to witness her embarrassing fall made things all the worse. This was a Ravenclaw girl that Artemis had never spoken to before. She was even in Art's very year, but it appeared that they just didn't move in the same circles. Maybe that was because Artemis didn't have a circle. She was alone at Hogwarts.

She took Shalamar's hand with her own tiny one and scramble up the slipper bank. "Thank 'ye!" said Art gratefully. "Oh yeah, don't let me splash 'ye at all. The lake's freezing." To her dismay, that brought her total falls in the lake up to three. Artemis seemed to droop. Why did these sorts of things always happen to her? She finally looked up at Shamalar to thank her once more, but cracked a huge smile instead as she realised that the other Ravenclaw girl was short as well. Definitely not as short as Artemis herself ... only Jareth could match her for size and even he was an inch taller than her. But somehow this made her smile on this cold, wet day.

"Sorry, love." she said to Shalamar, trying to make it sound like her usual pet names to make it sound as though she knew her name and was simply deciding not to use it. "That put a bit of a damper on my day." Pun intended, giggled Art inside her head. "I'm Artemis. Thanks for your help!". Art snuffed suddenly as a cold drip hit her nose.
 
Shalamar smiled at the girl as she finally got out of the lake, as petite as Shalamar was this girl was much smaller. Why she had never really noticed this fact before was lost on her now, it certainly didn't bother her at all.
"Oh a little water on this hot day will not matter I think" her smile was kind and gentle but glancing at how sodden the other girl was took out her wand immediately.

"I should probably have levitated you out instead of trying to pull you" again a smile, that transformed her soft features with delicate lines of mirth. Casting the bluebell flame she conjured a few around the girl who had by now introduced herself as Artemis to her.

"I hope these will warm you. I don't know how to dry someone off quite yet. I am Shalamar" it was refreshing that she felt instantly comfortable with this girl, she certainly hadn't felt that way among many here at the school. Having always kept to herself it was only times like this that she realized just how cut off from her peers she had allowed herself to become.

"We're the same year and house aren't we?"
 
"I should have levitated myself out!" laughed Artemis. She certainly was small enough for her own spell to take her weight. But she'd probably end up doing all sorts of cartwheels in the air. Art remembered back to when she was in Year One, and had tried to levitate herself halfway up a tree. She's ended up clinging upside down to the trunk and flashing her knickers to Sern who had practically cried with laughter. She screwed her nose up at the memory.

Art shuffled closer to the flames and gave Shalamar a big smile that seemed to take up her entire pixie-face. She wriggled her pointed ears and suddenly found the funny side of the whole situation. First there was a giggle, then a chuckle, and soon she was laughing like nothing else. "How silly I must've looked!" said Artemis to Shalamar as she wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. "Forget Wingardium, you should have just taken a picture!"

Soon she was warm and dry, her tiny white sailor romper steaming in the sun. "Here, let's move into the shade," she said as she took Shalamars hand (or finger, which was all it could wrap around) and lead her under a willow. Generally people weren't uncomfortable with her doing this because she looked like a child. "Aye, I think so too. I've seen 'ye in the common room a few times. It's nice to meet 'ye."
 
Shalamar could not help but appear bewildered as Artemis took hold of her fingers and proceeded to bring her over to the shade of one of the trees. The willows umbrella like structure seemed to have been made especially to offer them protection at that very moment. Shalamar stood beneath it unable to contain her own warm smile though it did not quite make a giggle or a laugh as Artemis's own laughter still hung in the air.

Putting her wand away once more as the bluebell flames faded slowly to tiny clumps of floating sparks before fizzling out completely, Shalamar winced at the sight. She was too close to the lake and the memories it evoked, feeling as if she were nothing but that flame. Easily lit and easily quenched. Somehow she knew she must take control of herself better than this. Looking down at the small girl she took in her attire for the first time. She herself was wearing a rich navy silk styled kung fu suit which though she wished it would hide her petite frame, it seemed to flatter her all the more. Knowing full well that others had made fun of her mode of civilian style clothes did not bother her, if they wanted to giggle stupidly that she was still wearing her pyjama's then let them.

Not every person wanted to wear jeans and ti-shirts or skirts so short they might as well not be wearing anything. It was not her style and it most certainly wasn't her. Still looking at Artemis now she could not even begin to fathom what it was she was wearing and sincerely hoped she didn't insult her by staring.

"I thought as much. I don't talk to many people so please do not think I have been rude by not introducing myself before now" she smiled again, sitting down on the shaded grass with her legs crossed neatly in a lotus sitting position. Rolling the stem of the rose between her fingers, she was very careful not to prick her skin with the thorns though the rose tucked behind her ear had pierced her skin, the tiny drops of blood that had fallen to her shoulder had gone unnoticed.

"Do you like this heat? Does it bother you?"
 
Shalamar's an interesting sort of thing, thought Artemis to herself. It was only now that she was truly paying attention to what she was wearing and what she looked like. Art had not seen clothing like that before in her life, and it intrigued her more than it weirded her out. After all, she herself received many strange looks. Artemis wore a lot of what most people would consider to be "doll clothes" because the only patterns she could get that might fit her were those tiny costumes people made for their dolls. Children were built different to Art, and adult clothing stores just didn't stock for such a small frame. Whatever the case, she didn't mind wearing little dresses and tiny white suits, but she absolute refused to add the bows and bonnets that went with them.

The girl opposite her seemed friendly but reserved, which Artemis didn't mind in the slightest because it was much like her eldest sister, Dierdre. However it did (uncharacteristically) induce her to tone down her boisterousness so that she became calm as though in the presence of Dierdre of Gregory.

"It's quite alright," Artemis replied. "I don't talk to many people either, come to think of it." Shalamar asked her whether she liked the heat, and she shook her head vigorously. "I'm from England, so I long for the snow again. What about yerself?"
 
Shalamar moved her gaze from the rose in her hands to the girl beside her. Her bubbly persona seemed to have wilted somewhat and Shalamar wondered if it were the heat or perhaps herself that was the root cause. She smiled as Artemis admitted to not speaking to too many people either.

"We are a right pair then you and I" she told her, hoping that perhaps they might become friends. Stranger things had happened.

"From England? I have been a few times but I am originally from China. My family have many businesses so we travelled alot. My mother does not like the family being a part" as Shalamar spoke a thought came to her, if Artemis and she were to be friends would it be acceptable to speak openly and candidly with her about boys? More imparticular the one that would bother her as soon as she got home which was not far enough away anymore. Lee Shang would be coming to their home for them to formally meet, the courtship would begin. The first year they would be allowed to speak from across a crowded table or with a chaperon sitting between them. The second year they would be permitted to refer to one another by their first name while speaking and would also be allowed to walk together. By her 15th year she would actually be allowed to hold his hand. Of course she didn't actually want to hold his hand but that was a long time away. She could focus on other things before then.

"Are you from a large family Artemis?" she asked, curious about the girl no end, "Your name is strange but very beautiful. Is it very English?"
 
"Aye, we are indeed." replied Artemis with a smile. It was strange that when she actually managed to temper her hyperactivity Art showed her true colours. Her deeper nature was much like her brother's, Gregory. She was sweet-tempered, kind and if she was close enough to a person even clever and quick. Art was a part-goblin after all, and she wasn't in Ravenclaw for nothing. To anyone else's eyes she may have been a Gryffindor, but it was saying something that Shalamar had gotten her to calm down within the first five minutes of their meeting. For most people it took many years to reach that point.

She nodded when Shalamar said that she was from China. It was quite present in her exotic and beautiful looks and also her clothing style. Artemis was fascinated already, for she was a culture-holic whose secret inner interest was learning more about people and their homeland.
When hearing about Shalamar's mother, she sighed. Art wished that the same could be said of her own mother. It seemed that Beatrice Blackmoore had been all too eager to keep the large family apart.

"Aye, I am from a large family." Artemis replied, surprised that she had gotten it right so quickly. "There are eight of us altogether. I have six siblings - Dierdre, Gregory, Simon, Bess and Connie." It made her blush as she was told her name was strange and beautiful. "Nay, not English though. It is Greek. My middle name is Beatrice after my mother," not that Shalamar probably cared, but it was her way of introducing her own question. "But I wouldn't have thought Shalamar a Chinese name. What is your name's origins?"
 
Shalamar had been instantly on the alert in case her new found friend would think she was being made fun of by her use of the term 'large' family but she was glad that it was taken in its context.
"I thought you might be, I am too. Sometimes I think those from large families have a worldly air about them. They either need too much mischief to attest for the enforcement of duty and rules or they need to establish themselves in a system where rules are necessary having had much too much freedom. I think I have had a good helping of both though" she smiled, knowing this to be true, " I have 4 older brothers and two younger brothers and one younger sister. Daniel and Isamu are twins, as are Maggie and Chiaki. Mareva and Ken are the older brothers and Takeshi is three years younger than I am. We all get along fine enough. Though my older brothers are very protective of me. Too much so I fear".
She listened as Artemis told her about her name and Shalamar smiled.
"That is beautiful, Greek. I like Beatrice too. For me those names are very exotic. My own is Shalamar Jeon, Shalamar was given to me by my grandmother who insisted that it was what I had to be named. I have yet to be told why and when I had my brother Mareva look it up for me once, it only said Indian princess and a famous river. Which made no sense to me at all. Jeon is what my parents wanted me to be named but I do not know the meaning behind this either" she suddenly felt very foolish and looked off across the lake.

"I am not at as clever as I should be"
 
Artemis listened with interest as Shalamar described her family. It was nice to find someone similar to herself. Very few people that she knew had a family as big as she did. Somehow she felt the connection of similarity in circumstance between them. "Your name seems exotic to me as well. I've never heard anything like it before, and it's all very mysterious and beautiful."

But she furrowed her brow when Shalamar spoke her last comment. How smart ought a Ravenclaw to be anyway? What did it matter? "I'm not altogether familiar with your personality yet, but you're well spoken and tactful. What does cleverness matter if you don't have the right virtues to support it? Honor, chivalry, justice and mercy. Things like that are far more important to achieve." Artemis told her seriously. "I always thought I should have been a Gryffindor because I come off uncultured and rough, and have a tendency to barge in with my fists and not my head. But the sorting hat saw through all that bravado and put me where I belonged. I think it did for you, too."

But what do I know, thought Art sadly. Truly she was a better judge of character than most, but it wasn't fair to speak on behalf of Shalamar's character so soon. It just seemed as though her self esteem in that area was lacking - and Artemis had to make it right.
 
Turning to smile at her new found friend as she spoke Shalamar was grateful that her first real friend here, if that indeed was what Artemis was turning out to be, was so insightful.
"And what if you have all those virtues and not a brain in your head to support them?" she smiled, allowing it for the first time to turn into the slightest of laughs. The sound itself was like little chimes echoing softly under the canopy of the willow tree.

"I do not know you very well, yet Artemis and I really would like the opportunity to get to know you but I think you make a wonderful Ravenclaw. I am sure you would have made an equably amazing Gryffindor but I am glad we got you and not they".
She picked off the thorns on the rose then breaking the stem so that it was not too long, Shalamar leaned forward and put it behind Artemis' ear. It looked beautiful there, the redness of the rose off setting Artemis' coloring.

"Perfect. Do you know, I never knew about the houses here before I came. I am the first person in all our family to attend a magic school."
 
Artemis laughed as Shalamar did, their laughs different as as Summer and Winter. To Art's pointed goblin ears, Shalamar's sounded like tiny silver bells ringing in the distance. Art's own was merry and full of sunshine. Somehow she felt different from her new friend, yet at the same time very similar.
"Then you strive for both!" she said with a hint of apology. She hadn't meant to get so serious all of a sudden.

Her little nose twitched as she scented the rose that had been tucked behind her ear. She couldn't help but beam at this, and her cheeks went rosy with shy smiling. How very sweet of her. What a gentle lady, thought Art. They were the same age it seemed, but she couldn't help but think of Shalamar as more refined and genteel than she was herself. But she had to pause for thought about what she had said. "I am not so brave as I might look. I get quite intimidated by people taller than me, which is everyone it seems, and that is why I am act so fierce. I never wanted to be a little mouse scampering about everyone's feet just waiting till the day I get squashed."

Art thought that Shalamar might have made a good Hufflepuff for her sweet temper as well, but she was much too insightful herself to be anything but a Ravenclaw. "Truly? Most of my family went to Hogwarts Scotland. Gregory and I were Ravenclaws like father. Simon was like mother, a Hufflepuff, and the twins and Dierdre were Gryffindors. Not one was a Slytherin though I am hardly surprised. But Jareth is in Slyth-" Artemis stopped in shock, going pinker all the time. What had Jareth to do with her in the slightest? Hopefully Shalamar wouldn't ask about him ... but if she did, they would strike a chord together. For Henric was in Slytherin, too...

"But what do you think about your siblings? Which houses might they have been in?"
 
Enjoying the day now and for once in a long time happy to be by the lake side, Shalamar listened to her new friend.
"There is a story, I know there are many versions but it is of a little mouse and a fierce lion. Large and brave the lion was and found the tiny mouse trapped one day. Feeling very powerful and fierce he decided to show the mouse how brilliant he was. He was after all the king of the jungle and was allowed to be condescending of the little creatures or so he believed."

Shalamar smiled at Artemis as she told the story in her gentle easy manner.
"The mouse was honored, so utterly grateful to the large lion for showing him such mercy that before he ran off he announced that when the lion needed help, he the tiny mouse would be there to give it to him. The lion watched the small creature leave and then roared with laughter."

A butterfly flitted down through the trees and landed on her arm, its delicate wings moving ever so slowly. Seemingly not afraid for its life or thinking it should be. Shalamar barely moved as she looked at it but continued her story.
"It so happened that a few days later the mouse heard a mighty roar, a cry for help. He made his way to a clearing only to find the lion caught up in a robe net swinging from a tree. Hunters were in the jungle and they would surely be on their way. The mouse wasted no time but scampered up the tree and began to gnaw at the ropes. The lion watched patiently, until at last the rope broke free and the lion was able to jump clean to the ground. The sound of hunters made him angry and he gathered up the mouse placed him on his back and fled deeper into the jungle where he could not get caught. Setting the mouse down at last he looked at him with much respect.

'I wronged you my friend. Forever more you have earned my loyalty and my friendship. You have my respect and my thanks' the lion told him, for size it does not matter. It is the heart that beats within that determines a persons character".

Shalamar smiled at Artemis.
"I think ..." she pondered a moment, "I think they would all be in Gryffindor"
and with that she laughed as if at some private joke. For all her siblings including her one sister were all headstrong and stubborn. Learned sure but they preferred adventure and proving themselves. She had always differed from them.

She could not but help the hesitation as Artemis began to say something regarding a Slytherin but as she faltered, Shalamar was curious but would not yet push this.
 
Artemis crossed her legs underneath herself and got comfortable for a good listen. The further Shalamar continued with the story, the more Art realised how talented she was. Not as a story teller by far, though her voice was like the wind chimes by your front step that every now and then you had to stop to listen to. No, as a person, she had such charisma that Artemis felt she could never achieve herself. Engrossed, she waited till the end of the story before sitting in an awed silence with her mouth slightly open. It was quite cute to see her looking so enraptured, but she snapped out of it soon enough so as to not embarrass Shalamar.

Art sighed, feeling suddenly melancholy. "The only thing I do not like about that story is the fact that the mouse had to prove its worth to be seen as anything to the lion. It only needed to be strong once to be seen as a hero in the lion's eyes, but even so ... the first step to prove oneself is very hard." Art looked up at Shalamar with large hazel eyes. "If I were myself, a lion wouldn't take a second look either way."

She smiled as she spoke of her family, though. It was so lovely to see some people being fond of their relations. Even though she didn't see all of her family most of the time, Artemis was terribly proud of them. Somehow it seemed that Shalamar was proud of her own in some ways.

But Art noticed her pick up her falter. She blushed again, but decided to explain. "There is a friend I know called Jareth, who is a Slytherin boy in first year. I just happened to think of him when I told you about my family, but I can't think why." It might have been pretty obvious that Artemis was head over heels for him. "He's a part-goblin like me, so we ... " she meant to say that they understood each other better than most, but the truth was it was just love-at-first-sight. Words were both everything and irrelevant at the same time. "He's nothing like some of the other Slytherins I know. Like Larissa, or Henric..."
 
The butterfly fluttered its gentle wings and flew off, Shalamar watched it for a moment before looking back at Artemis.
"Then it is the lion who loses out. I do not always like having to prove my worth either but it is inevitable" she contained a sigh that would otherwise have shaken her as she gently glided her hand across the tips of the grass beside her.

She listened as Artemis spoke about Jareth, noting the way her voice changed as she spoke of him and knew the girl had great feelings for him.
"He must be a very special person to have secured your affections so" she smiled and then the smile faltered as her new friend spoke the name she could happily listen to every minute of every day.
"You... you know Henric?" of course she would, there were very few at the school who did not know him or of him. Her hands trembled slightly as she looked back down at the grass, "I fear I am the mouse to his lion."
 
"I do know Henric," said Artemis in a sobered voice. "As much as anyone can know him, anyway." She paused as Shalamar described him as a lion, and felt a stab of regret and sympathy. "I don't envy 'ye m'dear." said Art, but that was all she'd say on that particular matter. She wanted to warn Shalamar of Henric, but likely she knew exactly who and what he was. Artemis herself was a little bit taken with him (but so was every other girl). Instead of asking about their relationship, she told her a little of theirs. "So far I have been saved from injury from him twice. After that, I was tired of him giving me condescending looks. I asked him to train me in his own way of fighting, and surprisingly he agreed. I have known him since first year."

In some ways she hoped that Shalamar would ask more about him, though she didn't know why. Maybe it was because, in some ways, she wanted to tell her of his untrustworthiness. He couldn't make her happy; but such was love. "I suppose..." she said slowly, "I suppose I should wish you luck in your meetings with him." But if he hurts you, I will scoop out his eyes with a spoon in his sleep. To calm her worries, Art thought of Jareth and everything melted away.
 
Shalamar felt utterly foolish as she realized that she was not the only girl he had rescued then on numerous occasions. She closed her eyes, this was good wasn't it? It meant she wasn't the only one out there that he singled out like that but was she the only one he had revealed that sudden burst of vulnerability too? The sadness that had surrounded his gaze for a fleeting moment.

Opening her eyes once more she wondered at this fighting way that Artemis spoke of.
"I have been trained to fight too but I do not use it, it is for my defense only" she told her friend, she found she was a little envious of the girl her relationship with him but swiftly put that out of her mind. It was not her way to begrudge anyone anything, even a relationship with the one person in the world who she would like to have one with.

"Nothing can come of our meetings, it is forbidden. So he can rescue me a dozen times and my heart might be grateful but that is all I can be" Shalamar looked at Artemis, "I am betrothed by my family to another. Another pureblood."

It was the first time a hint of tension had crept into her voice.
"I am too young to know of love and how I am meant to feel. It is our tradition that those who are old enough and responsible for me would guide me in the right direction. Artemis... do you love this Jareth?"
 
Artemis looked at her sorrowfully. Shalamar would probably recognise the look and she may be offended, so Art wiped it off her face quickly. But inwardly she smiled, and the corner of one eye crinkled. "But you are more than just grateful, I know." she sad with a hint of sadness, but the smile in her heart grew to blossom on her face. "For some reason, I do have hope for 'ye though. 'Ye worry me so with talk of an arranged marriage ... but if ever 'ye have the opportunity ... " she didn't quite know how to put this. "Somehow I think that is Henric were to ever like anyone with whatever's in his heart, he would like you." Art prayed that she would not take offense to it, but rather take heart. "Whatever happens, 'ye can be sure that I'll do all I can to help."

She meant to say more, but Shalamar asked about Jareth. It stopped her in her tracks. "I ... I can't say." said Artemis, flustered. A strange melancholy stole over her once more. "It is true that he is the first thing I think of as I wake, and the last thing I think of before I sleep. But..."

But what? They didn't know each other all that well. Who was Jareth inside? Perhaps she only liked him because he was the only boy to take an interest in her. Or maybe because he was the only other part-goblin.

"I don't know if I love him or if I am in love with him. When I first saw him it wasn't terribly magical, but I kissed his cheek and suddenly I couldn't breathe. " Art turned her eyes to Shalamar, looking up at her. "Some people feel that straight away, and others take years to know the truth. But what does it mean for me? He could be anyone inside, but he's already..." she raised her fist in the air and closed it softly. "...snatched my heart. I just hope that he doesn't love me too. I won't be able to let go otherwise... have 'ye ever felt that?"
 
She closed her eyes tightly as Artemis seemed to probe correctly that she was indeed more than grateful but she could never let him know this, it would do her no good.
"It is my peoples tradition to arrange marriages, to keep in tact a pureline. I have no choice.. but if I did..." she had never allowed herself to speak such mutinous thoughts before. With a smile that seemed now to dazzle her features she looked at Artemis, "I would challenge him to deny me. I would attempt to rescue him in return for all the times he had me. I would ..." suddenly she stopped knowing she had said too much and shut the lid tight on the compartment in her heart, soul and mind that were all Henric's.

"Is that love then, what you have described? the first thought of morning and the last at night?" Shalamar considered her own thoughts regarding Henric and knew without a doubt that he was her constant as much as she tried hard not to let him be.
"You.. you kissed .. him? Did he mind you doing that?" she touched her own lips knowing that it had only been Henric giving her cpr but it was still his lips on hers. Artemis spoke so beautifully about how she felt for Jareth that Shalamar found herself enthralled completely until she was asked if she had ever felt the same.

Examining her conscience she knew she could not lie to Artemis, lowering her head she nodded it slowly.
"I become undone when Henric is near. I feel strong yet vulnerable all in one moment. I want to protect him and be protected by him and from him all at once. He makes me tremble not from fear but ..." she frowned not knowing any words to describe the delicious sensations that would race through her when he was so close to her.
"I apologize. He is not mine to feel these things about. It is wrong for me to speak so openly of emotions that are even in his eyes... foolish".
 
Her heart began to swell as Shalamar spoke more of Henric. Soon after, she stopped abruptly, but while Artemis listened, she could hear the raw passion and determination in her voice. In her own way, Art cared deeply for Henric. She would never see him as more than a friend (and likely he to her) but there was something so terribly wrong with the look in his eyes occasionally. She knew quite what Shalamar was talking about when she spoke of protecting him and wanting to be protected by him, but in a sisterly fashion in her case. It wouldn't matter a jot to him anyway, and these thoughts were locked tightly away in her heart where she treasured so many more people than others would think.

"I did kiss him," smiled Artemis as she turned away from her introspection. "And oh, did he mind. I've never seen a boy turn so red in my entire life - he looked right and ready to faint! I ran to class after that, for if I'd stayed any longer I might have done something silly like kiss him properly. Either way, Jareth was pleased". Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Shalamar's fingers touch her own lips. It was such a sweet gesture that she wanted to coo and sigh, knowing of whom she was thinking of, but it would be terribly embarrassing for them both so she kept silent.

"'Ye know ..." said Art, feeling one of the rose petals behind her ear flutter into her lap. "Your feelings are not wrong about Henric. One controls their actions and words, but even though some feelings are uncontrollable, does that mean that they are any less valid?" This time she removed the rose and tucked it behind Shalamar's ear. On her dark hair and pale skin, the red looked glorious. "Enjoy the boiling blood in your veins (as I'm sure you feel as I do) and continue to act as wisely as I'm know you can."

By the time she was finished, Artemis was so embarrassed with herself. "I don't mean to preach," she said in a small voice. "I don't do this usually. It's just, when you say such thought provoking things it makes me want to help in the only way I know how. 'Ye must think me impertinent."
 
Shalamar adjusted her position on the grass, her posture was perfectly straight as if unbreakable. She listened carefully amazed that Artemis had been so daring as to kiss Jareth even if it was only on his cheek. There was simply no way she could kiss Henric, she would not know how to begin with and she was almost certain that he would be disgusted with her if she tried.

Did her blood boil for him? she found this expression amusing and knew it was one she would take with her and give serious consideration too. She had never thought that possible but with further introspection, Shalamar knew she would come to one conclusion only that he did indeed make her blood boil. Not in any way infuriatingly but with sensations she thought were not even fit enough for her to think about. Another blush suffused her cheeks and she knew she would have to temper that impulse quickly or it would give her away each time. She smiled as Artemis placed her rose behind Shalamar's other ear but thought she must look pretty silly sitting there with a rose behind each ear so removed the one she had placed earlier, only then spotting the tiny drops of blood on the thorns. Placing a finger tip behind her ear she felt the tiny pinprick mark. It was nothing to get excited about, she certainly didn't faint at the sight of blood.

Placing the other rose on her lap she looked out through the willow branches, glad of the shelter that they afforded the two girls from the path.
"You are not impertinent Artemis. I am glad that I have found someone on who I can talk with on these matters. I do not think it is something I could ever really discuss with my mother no matter how much I wish it too. She would be horrified that I feel anything for a boy other than Shang Lee, she would even consider it a grave insult to both her and my father and they would most likely withdraw me from the school. So any thing ... anything I feel for him is forbidden. Is... wrong" she continued to gaze out through the branches allowing the gentlest of sighs to escape her, "do you go home for the holidays?"

She needed to change the subject quickly before it pained her too much to stay and talk with her new found friend.
 
"No," replied Artemis, and for the first time since they had met she matched the pained expression in Shalamar's eyes with her own. "My home is in England with Father, Gregory and Deirdre. But because I am the youngest I had to go with Mother whilst the older children had a choice." She looked at Shalamar and her eyes were filled with a terrible pain. "We are a broken family. When out parents divorced they took one half of the children each and tore it down the middle. We are everything to each other, and for the first few weeks I thought I would die from my parent's selfishness." There was a pause in which Artemis recognise her mistake of saying too much. "So you see we are not so dissimilar," she said to deviate away from herself again. "But I don't mean to speak for you. My family causes me great pain, and I can see that sometimes yours does too. It isn't uncommon with families these days."

Art felt she had no right to complain about her status in life. What would happen if she lost all of her family at once, or never had any in the first place like poor Samuel? How can I complain about myself? I am still lucky for them to be healthy and well, even if I cannot be with them. Artemis simply had no respect for her own feelings in this regard.

"But there are better things to talk about. For example, do you have any hobbies?"
 
As she spoke Shalamar found her hand reaching across to take Artemis' gently in her own. She gently squeezed it as her friend spoke about her family, feeling ashamed that she even complained about hers and felt as if she had betrayed them for even voicing anything about them in the negative.
"My family do not cause me pain as yours does. I cannot even comprehend what you must go through to be away from your family like that" she patted Artemis' hand as she released it to clasp her hands together and place on her lap.
"My family believe they are doing what is right for me, it does not coincide with what I think is right for me but I am very young and though not altogether foolish, have a long way to go before I am nearly as clever as they."

She wondered at the hobbies, what did she like to do for fun? Shalamar shrugged her shoulders.
"My uncle used to train us in various lessons but also in the use of a bow staff, we had to balance often on precarious things and though I like using the bow well enough I do like finding unusual places to balance myself on. It isn't a hobby of course but you are the only one who knows that I do this. I am limited in what I can balance on though as the most tempting things are high and I do not do well with heights" she thought some more, "I like to read. What do you do?"
 
Please, do not say such things if I cannot save you! cried Artemis internally, though she only nodded and smiled as Shalamar spoke briefly once more of her family. Perhaps being separated from your family was terrible, but far from being less that hers, Shalamar's situation was equally terrible. She wanted to punch the ground, but last time she did that she had buried her fist too far in and had to take several minutes to wrestle it out. The most she could do for Shalamar was listen and advise; Art had no right to speak about either of their families. For now, it was best to say nothing. Even if she thinks she is not clever, it seems that her family is blind to some things themselves. But say no more, Art told herself.

This time her eyes lit up with wonder instead of sadness. She herself could fist fight like the best of them, and she could just barely use a sword as Carlisle had taught her, but a bow staff she deemed paramount out of all weapons. "I'd love to learn those things," she sighed wistfully. Her center of balance was always off whilst fighting because she was so light, so balance wasn't her forte. However strength, fleet-footedness and flexibility she employed well. "Do show me a little some time, I'm very interested in that sort of thing!"

Artemis was thrown by her next question. "Er..." she began awkwardly. Do I even have any hobbies? "Well, I do a lot of tree climbing and a lot of sparring. I had to learn to make my own clothing also because nothing fits me, and I've come to like sewing." she paused to beam with excitement. "I'd like to make you a nice piece some time, so if you ever need a nice dress or a wrap, just tell me. I made this suit, and my gown for the Yule ball, and also a dragon hide pouch for ..." Jareth. "...for a friend." Her cheeks went rosy so she moved on quickly. "I also like to call a few animals down to talk to sometimes, but they like it better when I speak in Gobbledegook." After this, Art didn't know quite what to say. "I guess I don't have a lot of hobbies."
 
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