Stop it (Amber)

Artemis was furious with her dearest friend, for running back to Alex, who had his tail between his legs once more but she knew you couldn't help love. Her hands rested upon Baldwin's shoulders, her face hidden within his dark locks and she breathed sharply, knowing that Amber would be returning home soon. "It'll be alright, sister.." Baldwin's smooth voice attempted to reassure his sister and he pulled her into his lap, stroking her curled hair as her tough wall threatened to crumble. Her protective instincts over Amber were so strong she'd create wars to look after it if she needed to, even if she didn't. "How can you say that? You care for her and yet you don't seem to crack at the thought of her with someone who doesn't deserve her. That little shit doesn't deserve someone as pure and perfect as our Amber." She growled out, her eyes turning into an inky black that showed what she was diseased with. With a snap of her head towards the door, she zoomed off of Baldwin's lap when she heard the sounds of Amber's horse drawn carriage ride into the courtyard. Artemis raised two pointed fingers at the door and they were thrown open, allowing her to saunter out to greet her red headed friend. "Amber." Her tone was sharp and clipped to the point that revealed how angry she was, as if her inky eyes were not enough.

It had been late the night before when she had finally left Hogwarts, and since it was so close to time, she figured she would leave back to France early. So, she was still in the same clothes from the party, smelling probably a whole lot like firewhiskey and wine when she reached the place that she had come to call her home. She knew that Artemis would not be happy, but she had not expected to be greeted by the vampire showing exactly how unhappy she was. Trying to focus her attention on anything else, she took her time pulling the few things that she had put together from the carriage and setting it on the ground. Smiling softly to the driver, she took a breath and turned to face her best friend. "Artemis," she said, her tone resigned, knowing that she was going to need to listen to the other girl whether she liked it or not, "it's good to see you." She wore the same smile that she had given the driver as she carried her bag up the stairway toward the front doors that Amber knew Artemis had thrown open in her anger.

Artemis caught sight of Amber properly and her black eyes faded into more of a grey with her hazel eyes showing faintly as the red head was always able to calm her. However, the tone she was given only made her furious and she ran a hand through her curls. "You must stop playing with both of your hearts, Amber! He calls you back constantly which always awakens those feelings you try ever so hard to bite back. He's just a whiny little brat and needs to know you won't always be there to be his...booty call. He doesn't deserve you, Amber. You must know this by now with how shit he's treated you!" Artemis had wanted to keep it contained, until they were inside, even if there was no one around but she couldn't. Her feelings bubbled out. "You left Hogwarts for a reason and yet you go back..for the exact same one? I don't understand...Are you not happy here? Do we not make you happy?!" Artemis' careful and contained resolve shattered and she found her sadness welling up inside along with her rage.

Amber had intended on keeping a cool resolve throughout the conversation that she knew was long overdue, but she knew from the moment words started to fall from Artemis’ lips that she would fail. Because although she was the one person that Amber trusted with all of herself, and although she loved Artemis more than she’d ever loved anybody else, the other girl was also the one person who could truly break her. And she was afraid that she had pushed it too far this time. She couldn’t lose the family that she had never had but had finally gained, and she couldn’t lose Artemis. So, her smile faded and she rushed forward until she was less than a meter from the other girl. “It’s not like that,” Amber insisted, “his sister is dead, and I went back to send her off. Because I cared for her at least somewhat. Then.. no, it doesn’t even matter.” She didn’t dare touch Artemis, knowing that with raging emotions could still come extremely harmful rage that even Amber may not be able to withstand. “I’ve never been happier in my life, than I am when I am here,” she said finally, the fight draining from her voice, “but Alex brings out some kind of instinct to.. help. I always feel like a need to help him.”

Artemis knew of his sister but she also knew that Alex had intentions, latching onto her ray of sunshine for as long as possible until her world was grey and dim, like it was before she met her best friend. "He wants you, no matter what the situation. He'd have you if you even bent slightly and I wish to protect you from that, even if you can handle yourself but I don't think I could handle knowing he tried. My job is to protect you and every time you leave France, my home, I cannot do so personally." She breathed the last words out, rubbing her face with her slender hands before looking properly at Amber as her emotions stayed in between bad and good. "That is because you loved or even love him still. The urge to help will always be there but to truly let him go and to let him let you go, you must let him fend for himself because he can't be dependant on you forever. Especially with the life we lead." Artemis bent down, picking up Amber's bags and turned, her shoulders shaking out knots as she did so and began her ascend into Amber's bedroom. "You won't lose us, Amber but you will lose yourself if you do not stay away from him."

Artemis’ words rung in her mind as she watched her friend walk away with her bags. She was relieved that Artemis was not going to stay angry with her, but she was rattled to realise how right the other girl was. Because even though she was sure that she didn’t want Alex the way she once did, she was also sure that he still did at least somewhat. She found herself feeling like a child again every time she was around him, and she wondered if that was because she did still love him or because she once had. Shaking herself from her thoughts, she moved quickly to catch up to Artemis, following her until they reached her room. She had her own home on the grounds, but she often stayed in the main house when she wanted to spend the night with Artemis or vice versa. “You’re right,” she said, as she leaned against her bedroom door, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone..” Although it may seem like she was submitting to what Artemis said, both girls knew that it was Amber doing the incredibly difficult thing for her of admitting that she had done the wrong thing. Something she only did with Artemis. “I wish that he wouldn’t contact me anymore,” she said, moving to her bed and falling back on it in a rather unladylike way, “then I wouldn’t feel guilty if I didn’t go..”

Artemis placed her bags at the end of the bed and used her magic to put the items where they belonged. The act of doing something calmed her down slightly and she sat onto the edge of the bed, chewing at her bottom lip. "But you also needed to. But when it comes to sending someone off, do it when you're ready to and not when you're called like some servant." She spat out the words, her hatred for Alex clear as day. "Whenever you see the letters, burn them. He will understand or if you'd like, I can send him a letter myself informing him to stay away from you. Baldwin could even deliver it himself." As if on cue, the dark haired Prince appeared at the door and grinned. "Ah, Belle,  I see you have managed to calm my sister. I thank you. I would also like to state I am more than happy to deliver a message to this Alex...I am not comfortable with the idea of some turned mutt trying to mate. At least, if you wanted to be with a werewolf, go for the Born ones. So much more control." The words that left Baldwin had given him so much pain and ache in his heart, that he sped from the room with a quick bow, to which Artemis simply rolled her eyes and laid beside Amber, yanking her into her arms to feel true comfort.

Amber watched as Artemis magicked her things away, knowing that such a thing would be somehow soothing. Amber flinched as she realised that once again Artemis was spot on. "Isabelle was a good girl," Amber said, "I will admit that I mainly went to be there for him.. because he asked me to. I could have mourned her here, I know it would have been easier for me.." Although Amber honestly agreed with Artemis, she nodded as though she was appeasing her, and said, "I will. I promise." When Baldwin showed himself, she blushed furiously at being caught in the position she was in as she lay sprawled on her bed. She offered a smile, but didn't get the chance to say anything to him before he finished what he had to say and left faster than even she could have. "Did I do something to upset him?" Amber asked as Artemis pulled her into her arms. "He says born werewolves like they're so great," she added, slight bitterness in her tone as she thought of the way a certain born wolf had been all over some girl the night before. Nestling herself against Artemis, Amber sighed and said, "so, I've been gone for almost a month. Has anything new happened around here?"

Artemis rubbed her hands against Amber's arms, as if trying to sooth away the flinch. "I just wish for your eternal life to be filled with happiness, Belle." She cooed, pressing a firm kiss against her brow.  Her brother's words echoed in her ears and she stared sadly down at Amber. "It appears you are like a Siren, capturing the hearts of many, Amber. He does not care for them. He...respects them and is jealous of their control when we, De Clermonts, lack in it." She explained, resting Amber's head on her chest where she could listen to her incredibly slow heart. "Lily has left, as you know and my mother is delighted about this. Christmas is in the horizon so we've spent most of the time planning the annual ball. My father is incredibly excited and has taken most of the preparations out of our hands as he does love a good Christmas ball. Along with ball preparations, we've travelled a bit to different places to make sure we have enough human visitors around this time for our hunting season. Jack has gone off again for Merlin knows how long as around this time, when the cold is in the air, he can sense human heat more. It's not good for him."

Amber relaxed against her friend, letting the familiar comfort of the bed sooth her still aching muscles and Artemis’ presence sooth her mind. “So long as you are in it, I know that it will be,” Amber said, smoothing her hands through soft, dark hair as she listened to the slow beating heart that matched her own. She could almost fall asleep like this, but she didn’t want to waste her first night back so quickly. “I hate it, really,” Amber said, no longer feeling the need to look at Artemis when she spoke. They knew each other well enough that they didn’t need things like expressions to understand what the other was feeling. “And I hate that I feel so much in return,” she added, thinking about the images of the night before that sent an ache to her chest despite it ending so quickly. Then she thought about the man who had just slipped from the room, and the way that she wanted to smile whenever he was around. “It’s the same over and over again,” she whispered. Then she listened, glad for the news about her home. “A ball?” she asked, “I’ve been to a lot of those. Something tells me that this one will be the absolute best.” She didn’t say anything about Lily, because Artemis already knew how she felt about the wretch of a girl. “I bet you miss him,” the red head said softly, thinking of how close Artemis was with Jack, “I am looking forward to this Christmas,” she said, “it’ll be my first..” It would be her first real one, where she was somewhere that she wanted to be with people who cared about her. She didn’t need to say that out loud, though, because Artemis, of course, already knew.

Artemis turned Amber so her head was face down into her lap and she began to massage her shoulders, knowing she could be as firm as she pleased with the half vampire. "Jason has done something. He sent me an owl so he knows that you've come to me or not. I do not know what and personally, do not care. All i know is both gentleman care for you greatly. One would rarely show it in front of people and the other would shower you with everything you desired, giving you all the love you need because you deserve it all. However, you do not need to decide like you were forced to last time. Let the wind carry you into the right direction and into the arms of the one you truly love." She cooed, thinking of her sweet Jack and how before she had loved Gallowglass and before that, cared a tiny bit for Tony who she now hates to the core.

"This one is bigger and better every year. There's always something to look forward to." Artemis explained and bit back a laugh at Amber ignoring her comment about Lily. Truth be told, even she didn't know why she invited her along. She didn't like her that very much and would have gladly killed her if given the chance. "I miss him greatly, Amber. I do believe he has a proposition for me..and christmas will be the unveiling of which. He is just preparing for it with my Father and my other brother, who you have not had the pleasure of meeting yet, Matthew. Along with sisters and all that. Everyone will be here for it and I cannot wait to accept.." Artemis' eyes were bright with joy, almost tearing at how her family were complete and happy.

Amber didn't mind at all when Artemis moved her so that her face was in the other girl's lap. Especially when firm hands began to kneed her shoulders, and she let herself relax. She knew that when she finally returned home her tension and worries would slowly give way to the content feeling that was still so new to her. Her friend's words were oddly comforting, knowing that there was no pressure for her to decide anything straight away. Not do long ago, she was being pulled in all different directions, and she never wanted to.experience that again. "It hurt more than I should have let it," she said, "Jason and I aren't together, and he is welcome to do as he pleases. I think it's because last time he was so sweet to me.." She didn't go into detail, because she knew Artemis didn't want it. But she wanted to speak about what was on her mind. "When you put it that way, it should be so easy," Amber said, her voice muffled a little by Artemis' thighs, "but it's not."

Artemis' theory about Jack made a girlish excitement well in her and she quickly sat up so that she could look at her friend's face. "I hope he does!" she said happily, "oh, it will be so sweet!" Amber had a lot of time for Jack, although she had hardly spent any time with him. She knew that he and Artemis cared very much for one another, and that was what was important. "I hear all of your brothers and incredibly good looking," she teased, before mock groaning, "hopefully Matthew won't be another in the mix of my messed up love life."

Artemis was glad when she felt the tension leave her best friend's body and she sighed softly, in content at having her friend beside her. "Aye. I know. He is sweet when he wishes to be. I may love him dearly, as a friend of course, but he can turn nasty when he desires." She explained, knowing her dear brother was listening. "Whilst the other...Will always be sweet and gentle and carrying, only turning nasty when someone has offended you. He is a Prince and a Knight and acts just like it." She explained, massaging Amber's scalp.

Artemis laughed at Amber's reaction to her theory and her eyes were shining with happiness. "Of course, Jack has to ask approval from my entire family." She laughed lightly, shaking her head knowing her family was tough to please when it came to her heart that they had believed to be long frozen, apart from when it comes to family. "They are. Wait until you see my other sisters and cousins. You'd think you were in a room amongst Gods and Goddesses. But I assure you, Matthew would not display affection towards you as his heart is stalking another. By that, He's entranced by a human he's never spoken to and his vampire instincts cause him to almost 'hunt' her. It happens but he will get over it. We do not like to introduce humans into our family because of our lack of control. Matthew is the second worst in our family when it comes to Blood Rage." Artemis' speech faltered at the end, glancing down at the soft bedsheets, her happiness fading for a moment before she began to tickle Amber, grinning widely.

Amber knew that she had over reacted the night before, and had again now. But with all of the constant conflicting feelings and pressure, she had hoped to have something be easy for once. Jason was her friend first, though, so she couldn't actually be angry with him for long. "I think you have a bias, ma sœur," she said, smiling cheekily, "and it lies with the person who I know is listening in right now." She raised her voice slightly as she said the last part, to make it clear that she knew that Artemis was not the only person who could hear their conversation. "No matter what happens, I loved you first," she added, taking Artemis' hand and squeezing it gently.

"Are you happy?" she asked her friend, knowing that while Artemis liked to put the concern and attention on Amber, it often meant she forgot about herself. "I'm sure I'll meet them all some day," she said, smiling brightly at the thought. Mostly, though, she wanted to see Artemis' mother again, and she thought she would go the following day. "Hey!" she said as she tried to evade Artemis' fingers, laughing loudly almost immediately.

Artemis grinned widely and kissed her forehead. "Why of course, Belle. I must side with my brother, no? Otherwise, he'd be greatly upset with me." She teased, knowing Baldwin was struggling to cover up his laugh and by the sound of a vase hitting the floor and a loud curse in french, revealed that he had tried to get away but failed due to laughter. She covered her mouth to hold back the laugh, her eyes closed with the corners crinkled with happiness.

"Of course I am happy. I struggle to control myself most times but we have an unlimited supply of blood so it helps." Artemis explained lightly, her angry episode downside still showing in her eyes as she now craved blood but other than that, she was happy. "Oh you shall at Christmas. They are excited to meet you as I have spoken so highly of you. My father is quite fond of you too and is still holding the offer open for you." Phillip had offered to turn Amber into a full vampire and as much as Artemis would love that, the choice would always be Amber's. Artemis immediately ceased tickling her, beaming down at her before poking her sides. "When was the last time you ate, belle?"