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 Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 9:53 pm
"Well, we have a few options... We could go hunt the undead, hunt surface elves, hunt Malik, hunt Onyx, or tell King Jiscal about the treasure trove of horrors beneth his city." The drow paused for a moment, "I think... It would be better to bring that last one up. Malik is currnetly not a concern of mine, nor is Onyx. They just seem to be a pair of misguided big players. The surface elves want me dead... and the undead smell really bad..."
"So, we are left with two options, Elves or Jiscal..."
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 9:57 pm
"Then you are not going after her why?" That was really one of those, rhetorical get you to see things type questions. Kieran was good at those. But he could see easily enough that Malik was indeed offset by her little volley of words at him. "You seem...a tough man...to get to Malik. I don't think it so much as a God's influence as more of her using what she knew would get to you. Low blow, yes." Funny...he should be wanting to go jot down notes on Malik's behavior...but he didn't feel the drive to. Felt it...wrong, not matter how possibly fascinating. "I'm sure she knows you're just trying to protect her, but sometimes we feel the need to prove ourselves. Piper has always felt the need to prove herself...I thought maybe it had passed by now, but apparently I was wrong." He gave a shake of his head and a thoughtful look, then turned his tricolored eyes, so much like his daughters, on Malik. "She thinks she can handle this...that she can get what she wants from him, bluff herself...or perhaps foolishly believes the slightest hint of truth to his deal." Malik look really disturbed really, and that in turn disturbed Kieran.
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Fractured Moonlight Captain
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 9:57 pm
Eliot was happy that Morelle chose to come with her, she had grown attached to the little fellow.
She allowed her self a smile. "Okay first we will go back to the slave cages, then we go from there." Once again Eliot found herself running to the slave quarters. Her body was no tin shape, and she couldn't control her limping. But in the pressence of Morelle she was not shamed to show weekness and several times she stopped to take a break. it took her a lot longer to get back to the cages but she couldn't help that.
She looked at the door, again feeling short. the vars were still high above her head, but she was able to reach up to the bars. and painfully hoist her self up.
She couldn't help herself, the first word to escape her lips were "Daddy?" SHe peered in. there at the back sat one slave. He was sitting but he was tall for an average man. Hi slimbs were long and his hsoulders where strong, but now ropy and beaton. He looked up and Eliot lept when she saw his forest green eyes.
"Daddy!" She called again, but he did not asnwer her. He tried to get up and eliot heard the distinct rattle of chains. Chains! He would not be able to free himseld by becoming his wolf body, metal was an inhibitor for her father. He was weak in his movements. All she coul hear were grunts.
"Daddy say somthing! are you okay!" She looked in harder with her wolf eyes, she saw stitches! His mouth was sown shut! Eliot dropper her hold on the bars, landing with a thud on the ground. "Oh Daddy!" Such a proud and noble animal, chained and starved! She cried.
"Daddy! I can't get you out now by myself! I'm sorry! I'm hurt and not strong enough! I'll be back! Back with help I promis you!" Reaching up one more time she hoisted herself up. Her father was still looking in. He was still beautiful in her eyes.
"Be strong Daddy!" She Tried to send him comfort in some way through the bars. But she could do nothing.
'Come Morelle, I promised to help you. and when I'm done I need to find others like myself, to help me.' She started running down the hall with her friend on her shoulder. Stopping suddenly she turned and yelled down the hall:
"I love you Daddy!" In tears, she ran.
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:02 pm
She shivered. "I vote Jiscal. I don't want to go enar any High Elves until I'm good and ready.." she had had enough of half-breed hating people. SHe didn't feel like being rejected by her half-kin at the moment. "Plus, I wouldn't mind seeing what Jiscal has done with the place...." She was particularily wondering about a certain bedroom...
Several phase out and ins later, the twin imps managed to find the throne room. Jaun's eyes lit up with a teary pleasure as he saw the walls covered in tapestry's, the throne's themselves, the carptes and the pillars....everything was just so ripe for fun...
Jell was disappointed in the serios lack of stylish shoes, but just as excited aobut everytihng else as his brother. Oh man, what would the do first?
They began by bouncing off the walls.
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:21 pm
"To the front door we go." Tarathiel shouldered his mount towards the palace. The beast flew there fairly fast, and landed near the front gate. "We have come to visit the king." He waved his hand and watched the guards from defensively around the door on the the other side of the portcalus. "Oh, I don't have the time or the care." Tarathiel patted th dragon, who simply turned around and flew off into the sky, until he was a safe distance away to turn and re-enter the castle space from the front. The dragon used a few maneavers to reach a balcony and let the pair off.
"I don't feel like walking the long way, lets just go through here." Tarathiel threw his portable hole on the wall, and created a perfect corridor where there had once been a wall. "Come now, let us not daly, for each moment we wait is one less the king can use to prepair an army. They are more fun when the armies are almost equal."
"War I mean."
"Captain Tarathiel, what is this war you speak of?" Lord Jiscal asked as he was flanked by an advisor, Diamond and another fellow who Tarathiel did not know.
"The undead will march on your city, an evil lich plots against you... mostly, I think, he just wants everyone dead. Do you recall a tremor not too long ago, that would have been him."
"What are you talking about?" Diamond asked, somewhat sheepishly. He helped to clean up after Tarathiel.
"An army of immortals shall rise form the earth, and kill every last soul in this area." The drow smiled. "He only wants death."
"How do you know this?" Jiscal asked.
"I walked into the bowls of the earth, with a small contingent of course, including this fine warrior." Something about the way he said fine seemed out of place, but not lost on Jiscal who eyed Aella with some interest. Diamond of course, when ever he turned his way towards Aella, always looked lower than a mand should.
"Fine indeed."
"Indeed."
"Are you sure he will attack?" Not doubting the words of the drow, who had never steered him wrong.
"Without out doubt, except, he does seem to hold some power of illusion. A lich."
"A what?" Jiscal asked.
"Bad thing, terrible terrible thing. It is as tall as building and strong as a Tsunami, with the eyes of a bull, and the heart of a killer..." Tarathiel shock his head, "A man, or something similar that surrenders his mortal coils with magic to continue living as an abonimation. Wizards do it to answer their questions."
"What on earth are you talking about?" Diamond asked, thoroughly confused.
"Well, just thought you would like to know." Tarathiel smiled. "How lucky that we come across him as he was talking to these two in the hallway, it made our trip shorter. What were you talking about?"
"Slavery, we need a greater population base, so I suggested freeing them to gain it. Since you so kindly destroyed all of the former tyrant's leagions, we have little left to defend ourselves with."
"Bribe them with freedom?" Tarathiel noted, "Indeed, one way to raise a loyal army. Might I suggest another?"
"What?"
"Make them love you first."
"What?"
"You certianly ask that of me too much." Tarathiel turned. "Do you have anything you wish to add, Miss Special?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:22 pm
"If I go after her, she'll hate me all the more. I'm not a subtle elf when it comes to such. I'm not assassin or tracker. I'm a shadowknight..my experience in tracking people down involved trampling them under Nightmare's hooves."
He got up, and paced a bit.
"I know this is a trap. and it's not just Gale. he knows better than to think to attempt things on his own. which means either he's bringing friends, or he's setting her up for his employer.
"I'm worried, Keiran. we both know that most will see her as a traitor, and the penatly for it. I don't want her to go where I can't follow, or have her taken from me before her time."
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Fractured Moonlight Captain
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:32 pm
He seemed to be stuck on this hate thing. Perhaps there was something between them tat Kieran wasn't seeing. It seemed to him that Malik saw her expressing hate toward him as a travesty of the greatest sort. "You're quick to say she hates you..." But he knew his Piper...hate didn't come eaaily...after all, it took a good eighty years before it got her the first time and she ran from Andal. But he watched him pace now, Kieran still standing there calmly with hands still clasped behind his back. "Be it a trap as we both fear...and if she does find herself snared by it despite how she may believe she can avoid it...I think it is her that will not be able to face you. No one like 'I told you so' thrown at them. Usually I would tell you to let it be, to let her make her mistake and learn from it, but I am not being so foolish this time." But he did go a bit quiet as Malik was when he mentioned his daughter as a traitor. Indeed...he knew what most would do. "For now I put my faith in Serino...but if you don't intend to follow, then either you or I will be finding a way to keep an eye on her." Yeah, itchy to go drag her back and give her a good lecture.
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:36 pm
Diamond did not knwo the meaning of the word "subtlety." So when she had a chnace, she trod on his toe. Fine? Fine? What was that supposed to eman. She cast taratheil a scowl, which he ignored.
Was it just her or did these men talk fast? She felt like a silent escort...just following along...
And then she wasctually adressed with that odd pet name. Didn't upset her the way most men did when they called her "whirlwind" in the stupid leeerish grin, but it usually confused her. She inored the onvious inflection.
"I suggest you get rid of any previous furnishings in your bedcahmbers. Dissolve the harem. And...offer the freed slaves comensation. Plots of land, gold, something that looks like it came right out of your pocket. And then don't forget them."
"Pay your attendants twice what they are worth. Compliments go a long way in getting better service. Never send your plate back to the kitches empty, leftovers are the only things ktichen hands are supposed to eat. Sell the tapistries, they are tacky anyway."
Speaking of tapistries, one was msyteriously plucked from it's hangings and thrown over a gathering of nobles....
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:43 pm
Malik stood still for a moment.
"I've got a better idea. by now tanundra must have gotten the oracle loose, or he'd probably be back here complaining. If you'll get your zephyr to take me to deepwater palace, I'll ask this new ruler if he knows of her whereabouts. I'm sure a dragon flying around would have gotten his attention. The Oracle can help us see piper's situation, and I'll do whatever minor task she offers. She should owe me for letting her dragon know where she was in the first place."
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:54 pm
Kieran nodded, seemed Malik had just got a bright idea. "Ah yes the Oracle...Seerer of the proclaimed future in most cases. Quite the good plan." And he gestured Malik to follow him. "That's something to get on right away then isn't it?" Thus out of the fortress and the the stables trekked the pair, only to be confronted with the jittery antics of poor Nerian who was quite upset for a couple of reasons. One, Piper was crying when she was here and Serino got Reined and they left...second, Nightmare wasn't happy with that fact either...moreso Serino going off than Piper being upset. Territorial thing. But a few pets from Kieran calmed him and he, much like the fashion Piper did, produced a set of reins for the Zephyr, and Nerian too got reigned. After all, Kieran saw Malik ride with reins and Nerian could probably use them to keep his head straight. "Nerian, listen to me and pluck up your courage, friend. Piper may be getting herself in trouble and we need to know she is safe. I ask of you, to take Malik to Deep Water Palace. Now you listen to him, and don't be afraid of him. Serino trusts him and that should say something. Understand me Nerian?" A breeze of wind was his answer then and Nerian shook his head and his reins as any horse would before casting a look to Malik. "I'm sure you need little instruction on how to handle a Zephyr, Malik.
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Fractured Moonlight Captain
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 11:04 pm
"I've ridden on Serino a few times. but first..need to make the right impression on this new ruler, Jiscal."
So back inside, a moment or two, and came back out in armor, the blood red cloak of flames hanging off hsi shoulders, and hopped up on Nerian, which got an angry snort and whinney from Nightmare. a short starign contest between rider and mare and she quieted.
"Now then...lets got to the palace, Nerian. fast as the winds can take us."
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 11:14 pm
Kieran nodded again and waited for Malik to come back, in the meantime soothing a slightly worried babbling Nerian. But he looked almost amused at whne Malik came back and moutned up how his Nightmare didn't take well to him on another steed at all. Nerian seemed possibly terrified at being the one who brought the mare's anger. A little breeze from a stamped hoof brough back his attention and he scratched between his the creatures ears. "You heard him Nerian. Vee' i' sul." A tug at his reins to get Nerian going who seemingly wanted to be light in his steps a moment from Malik's prescense before a few more steps lead into a trot then a gallop away from the fortress, the pair blinking from sight just as the ground started it natural decline downward. Deep Water, only a breeze away. Kieran sighed heavily and shook his head..."You would do anything for her, wouldn't you Malik?" Another shake of his head before he made his way back inside to perhaps find a way to do his own part. Not much he could do really...he was down a horse and he didn't even have to trial and error the Nightmare. He knew she wasn't a shared mount.
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Fractured Moonlight Captain
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 11:27 pm
That was the only advantage he saw toa Zephyr over a Nightmare. that neat little trick. a trot over to the palace..or castle..whatever the humans called it. Dismounting off of Nerian, he headed to the main door, which was blocked. No piper ment no one holding his chain, so to speak. that got a narrowing of eyes, a flare of necromantic neergy aroudn his hand, which lifted up in a gesture of 'this green energy is going to hurt you'.
"Let me past, or so help me I will wrack both your bodies with poisons so painful it will make rock spider venom feel like the best damned amphrodisiac your species has ever created."
The voice was cold, icy, and the eyes steel hard. he wasn't bluffing. and of course his reputation for brutality in teh Arena proceeded him, he was allowed past, looking at Nerian.
"Enjoy yourself, and come when I call."
Once inside, hand still flaring with necromanitc power, he got through relatively quickly. he only had to backhand one gaurd, teh green energy searing his face for the others to understand he wasn't playing around...and found himself in teh main chambers just in time to see a tapestry getting thrown over several people, the Captian included.
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 11:42 pm
Nerian...was not a happy Zephyr. All that armor made Malik heavier than Kieran...and after all he was still skittish of Malik. Though a little nicker to his retreating back when he left him. Enjoy himself? A shake of his head to shake reins a little. He wouldn't do so...he wanted to go back home. But loyal as ever he stayed in his place...just cloaked himself.
Piper yanked back on the Zephyr's reins, making him skid on his own little air tracks to an abrupt stop with a snort and shake of his head in protest. Serino was not enjoying this at all. She may be upset but that was no reason to be harsh on him.
He pushed himself up from where he sat, patting at his own steed before walking a little ways over with an all too happy smirk. "Miss Silverfeather...I'm surprised to see you so soon. What's the matter? Fight with your...Knight...?"
"Hold your tongue Gale or I'll cut it out." A pull back on reins again to get Serino to back step a ways from Terran. Then a look to his own mount. "I hope you do something about those wings..." Then a quick catch of another map that was thrown to her, this one marked the course. Seemed Terran did intend on this 'race'.
"Oh I will, they'll be bound. As to how I plan on crossing water...special horseshoes she's wearing. Let's her traverse land and water much like the acclaimed Zephyrs." Intend on the race indeed. After all, he would love to show her up, even if there was no audience. "Terms are clear then? You beat me, I give you whatever your little elvish heart desires."
"Somehow...I don't think you true to your word. But we'll see, won't we? Get on your damn horse." Being foolish? Partly...but she wasn't looking to win this thing at all. After all...she brought her bow for a reason and to win a race one person had to be in front of the other. Mr. Gale wouldn't be on his horse long and he would be giving answers in no time, if she had her way.
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Fractured Moonlight Captain
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Picking Up Stars Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 7:22 am
And Kaden was still waiting. He brooded, he pondered, he tried to answer the universe's most complex questions and he still had time to kill. He kicked at the tree he had been leaning against and sighed. He knew it could take days for her to finally come, but dammit, he didn't want it to. He wanted to do this and get to the end. Then he would get what he wanted most, her. That comforting thought mixed with the feel of the item in his pocket, made him smile and contentedly sit back down even though his back was sore and nature was calling. For her he'd sit there for days. His aches and pains no longer mattered. The time was near and he was ready.
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