Stone cold (closed)

Eden had finished her book and was sitting on her balcony with her cat in lap as she cleaned one of her pistols. When she heard him she smiled and turned around. Familiar meowed and jumped off of Eden's lap as she stood up and ran to him. Eden smiled as she approached. "What is it you have there?" She asked curiously.

"A gift, for you" Günther said with a smile. He set the chest on the side table, a loud metallic thud coming from within. Günther ran his fingers through his hair, and sighed before wrapping his arms around himself, embarrassed by what he was about to say. "I realised today that I can't keep you safe forever. You are your own woman, young, wild, and free... I can't take that away from you. I wanted James to keep you here in the Caribbean while we go to war, to keep you safe. Then Damian reminded me of just how strong women are. It would be an honour if you would wear the Steinhauer family armour as you fight alongside me in battle, that is, if you want to." Günther opened the chest to reveal his version of the family armour. The gold wolf-head styled helmet sat proudly upon the breastplate covered with runes. Red scalemail pants with matching shirt were tucked neatly underneath a pair of strange gold coated steel greaves.

Eden smiled running her hand along the scaled armor. "This is beautiful... But will it fit me?" She asked turning to look at him. Smiling she pulled the helmet out and looked at it smiling. "I will be happy to wear it if it fits but love." She paused smiling up at him. "You wouldn't have been able to keep me here anyway even if you tried." She said with a chuckle. "I'll always be there to fight with you whether you want me to or not." She told him before planting a kiss on his lips. Smiling as she pulled back. "I am an assassin after all."

"It was a stupid and selfish idea, I admit. I know you will always fight with me, and I appreciate that love." Günther looked at the armour, then back at Eden. "Last time I wore it, I wasn't as big as I am now, so I think it should fit you. If it doesn't, I can adjust it for you with no problem at all." He was relieved that she hadn't hit him, knowing full well an Irish woman's temper was a very dangerous thing.

Damian smiled, looking at the Armor that Gunther just gave her. "Ah," he said, looking at it, "now, that jus' looks badarse! Shame that ya can't fit it anymore, lad, but eh, at least Eden 'ere might be able tah, as ye said. Honestly, naht many armor's ah'd say this for, but tha' looks 'bout badarse as mine. Maybe more, with tha Wolf 'ead. Can' really beat the flag o' Scotland, but I reckon tha' there can." He looked around, and suddenly realized something. "Ah, drat, if we are gon' be attackin' this 'ere order, ah reckon I should get Jon 'ere. Lemme send some men, yea?" He ran off, returning a few minutes later, and announced, "Well, sent mah men on my ship to go get 'im. Afterall, don' got any Spare Ships, ya know? Eh, should be back in at most a week, since 'e should be in one o' the closer islands."

"Tell your men to meet us at these coordinates" Günther said as he handed Damian a small piece of paper. "We'll be having a lot of men over, and I don't want Eden's people getting involved. Theirs is a different war. Nobody lives on my island, so everything will be perfect. I'll send birds to Germany, and one to Elizabeth. You and Eden will send birds to Ireland and Scotland."

(Sorry i took years, very busy) Upon Gùnther's instruction, Damian nodded, and did what he was told to do. Luckily, his men were waiting to leave as a few men were unaccounted for, so he promptly relayed the coordinates, After sending a bird, Damian stopped at the dock, admiring the day. Seeing no harm, he took a seat at the edge of the dock, letting his legs dangle.

I'll send some as soon as possible." She said smiling. She was ready to help Gunther with the order but she didn't care if he married her or not. Eden was just happy to have him. "I'll go now. I have some things to do in the village once I'm done." She told Gunther after Damian left. Standing on her tip toes she kissed him. Smiling she turned to leave. Speaking to her head maid and ex-assassin the old women nodded before going to send some of the birds off.

Günther headed to his ship, and sent a bird with a message to Germany. He hoped that the winds would be fair, and they wouldn't have to wait too long for the rest of his people. He figured that a good way for everyone to pass time would be to attack various ships for supplies, as well as some practice for Eden in naval warfare.

Eden had made her rounds in the small village making sure everyone was alright and all was well while being followed by the cats on the island. She had always had a great relationship with felines ever since she was born. Making her way down to Gunther's ship she smiled as she walked on board. "Gunther? are you here?" She asked as she walked to his cabin door.

"Yes, love. Come in" Günther called as he poured himself a glass of mead. He turned to the table he had prepared, an wiped his face. All manner of herbs and strange ingredients were scattered on the table around a pestle, mortar, and a bowl over a small flame.

Opening the door her cat was the first to enter the room. Climbing up on his bed and curling up on the pillows as if she owned the place. "I'm done with everything that was needed to do today love. What are you up to?" She asked with a smile as she walked over.

"I'm making elixirs for some of the men. If we're going to win this fight, they'll have to push themselves harder and further than they ever had before. With this, they'll be able to hold a transformation for at least twelve hours." Günther pulled a snake from a bag, and pressed its fangs into a tube, milking it of its venom. He set the snake back in the bag to milk it further later. Günther set about pounding some herbs, mixing them with a clear alcohol. He poured the herbal mixture into the bowl, along with the snake venom, and gave it a stir before covering it with a lid to let it simmer. "Eden, since your father was an Assassin, you probably know this already. Very few people come back alive after something this big. As king, I must be on the frontlines with my people" Günther said sadly as he turned to face Eden. He cupped her face gently, and kissed her softly, lingering there for a moment before resting his forehead against hers. He took her hands in his, and held them against his chest. "Eden..." he whispered softly, as if there were something more to his words, something he was unsure of.

Eden smiled as she wrapped her arms around him. She loved him with everything she had. Eden listened as she looked down at the elixirs. She looked up at him as he told her that he would be on the front lines. She was about to speak when she heard him speak her name again. "What is it?" She asked as she leaned on him slightly. "You know i'll be here standing right beside you."

Günther smiled at her words, a woman that would fight by your side is a woman worth fighting for. He knew she was strong, and a good fighter, but she still had one undeniable weakness.
"Eden, you are not one of us. A fight like that is simply too dangerous for a human. I, therefore, have an offer for you." Günther was disgusted with himself at what he was about to say to her. "There are three types of creatures among my crew with communicable diseases. Vampires, werewolves, and me... It's your choice. You don't have to change if you don't want to" Günther said ashamedly as he looked down at the floor.

If I'm going to be anything love... I want to be like you." She said as she kissed him tenderly on the lips. She truly loved this man and if she had to be something diffrent to fight beside him than she would rather be like him than not. "How does this work?" She asked looking up at him once she pulled from the kiss.

Günther lifted the necklace he gave Eden from her neck, and opened an old chest. He lifted an ancient bronze bowl from the depths, as well as a silver dagger. Günther shut the chest, and covered it with a fine silk cloth. He set the bowl on the cloth, and the dagger beside it. Günther turned to Eden, his eyes closed as he held out his hand for her.

Smiling she handed him her hand with no hesitation in her eyes. She was ready for whatever she had to do. "I will do anything it takes to be with you." She said smiling as she looked down to watch what he did.

(Sorry it's so long)

Günther took off his shirt and cast it aside, he then took off his pendant, and placed it in the bowl along with Eden's. He held both of Eden's hands over the chest, and cast his eyes to the heavens.

"Gods of old, ancestors, hear me. I bring my woman before you now, cloak her in the curse. Shield her from the false god, make her faith hold true to you. Let her fight with the fury of ten thousand men, and destroy those that stand against or wrong her."

Günther looked at Eden, a feint red glow coming from his eyes. He tipped the contents of a tiny jar into the bowl.
"Ashes of the ancestors to guide and protect you." Günther added some of the elixir to the ash, causing it to bubble slightly. "The poisons of man to grant us strength." Günther took the dagger, and drew it along the length of his forearm, allowing the blood to trickle down into the mixture. "A blood promise to protect you for as long as blood flows through me." Günther gently took Eden's hand in his, and kissed her warmly as he thrust the dagger between their hands, their blood mixing and dripping into the mixture. "And blood of the lovers to share the curse..." He looked at Eden sadly, seeing a glimmer of the curse in her eyes. He dipped his fingers in the mixture, and painted some strange design on her face. The first was a line on each side of her face that went from the bridge of the nose, along the lower lid, up to the temple, then down to the jawline. The second was a simple elongated v that stretched from the corners of her mouth, to a point just above her cleavage. He painted the same markings on himself before placing the necklace around Eden's neck, and his on his own. "You are one of us now, Eden" Günther said before drinking half the contents of the bowl, and handed it to Eden to drink.

Eden smiled and accepted the bowl before drinking her half. She didn't feel different but she felt more connected to him than before. Setting the bowl down she smiled at him. "Well, I feel the same... Mostly." She said with a smile.

"You won't feel much different, love. You'll find yourself more attuned to nature, as well as raw animal instinct. For the first few days, you might experience unexpected transformations." Günther thought of her strong connection to cats, and smiled. "If you ever want to transform, just shake it out. Or just let instinct take over" Günther said as he tossed a small mouse on the floor.

Eden's eyes locked onto the house and before she knew it her body was changing inside his room. Before she knew it she had paws and a muzzle as she looked up at him in the form of a white Jaguar with bearly visible grey spots. She shook her bed out before looking up at him again letting out a small sound.

"Personally, I would've gone with a regular cat" Günther said with a chuckle, "But this is good." Günther shook himself into a regular ginger house cat, looked at Eden, and meowed before going after the mouse.

Eden tilted her head and after a moment trying to figure it out. She changed into a pure white cat. Letting out a soft meow she went after the mouse with Gunther.

Günther watched her happily, and was pleased at how quickly she was getting the hang of it. He returned to his normal self, and watched her with a warm smile as he poured them both a drink. With her by his side, he felt like he could do anything.