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 Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 11:43 pm
"Our races probably have never met due to the fact that the humans do not know we exist. They hunt us when they find us, and have throughout time. My race is dying out as well. There are very few Carpathians left."
Hadrian found himself huffing indignantly. Of course I can use a sword. Not every Carpathian enjoys using a weapon, but I find that one can be rather handy at times.
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 11:51 pm
her purring stopped and her mouth closed when he mentioned being hunted. If the humans actively kept secret... they were as bad as the stinking Chimerains! Oh, the allied world council would not be pleased with that! Not at all. She had to talk to them, find a safe way for those of his people who wished it to be granted sanctuary, and transportation, on Shola. If there were so few as he said, then even the guild estate should have enough room to house them. The En'shallans and the Carptahians could bolster each other's numbers. Granted, that when they bred together, neither race would breed pure... but they'd become something new, better, gestalt.
And then his mental comment came to her and the jaw dropped open again. Her eyes twinkled and her tail danced happily. "Good!" she said cheerfully. "Then you can train me in Carpathian sword play and I can train you in Sholan. But don't you dare go easy on me because of my age. I'll not have you treat me like a kit. I've had plenty of training, I'll have you know, and have taken down my own brother more than once. I'm tired of being told I am best in my age group. With your training, I'll be best. Period." Her eyes held a fierce determination and pride as she spoke. She would do this, she would learn and train and improve, by Vartra. "The guild master at the warrior's guild thinks I'll run home crying and give up fighting if I break an arm or something. The fact that his tutors train me and I have not once given up should have told the stubborn old chiddoe something, but no. All he sees is my age and my rank and my purple band and he disregards me. Well one day I'll see him on a challenge field, just see that I wont. And it won't be any Telepath or woman's challenge either with a designated second!" Fire in her eyes, in her blood now, a fierce drive in her. "I'll take all the cuts and bruises and scrapes it takes to show him, to show everyone I'm no pampered kit. I work hard, and that hard work WILL pay off, by Vartra!"
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 11:59 pm
Hadrian was fiercely proud of her suddenly. "You will have a benefit no other will have. You will have my blood. No one will be able to best my warrior lifemate. And if they do, and they draw blood, I will usher them into the next life, as is my privilege."
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 10:22 am
She gave a small laugh. "Usually our males don't fuss so until their mate is pregnant. You are certainly odd, my dark one," she gave him an open mouthed grin. "We'll train together, make each other better. In all ways."
She stumbled a step, her mind's eye far from the then and there. A glimpse of herself, a cub nestled in the crook of her arm. "Yes," she heard herself saying with a wince and a laugh, "they are all born with a full set of milk teeth,"
The vision ended, just a glimpse nothing more. He's probably be able to tell her mind had gone for a moment, but there was no pain and fear. After she seemed a bit wistful.
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Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:26 pm
"Your males have become complacent then. My kind is not so fortunate to have plenty of women. Nor do we have plenty of children. We treat our women as treasures. There is only one of them for us, and she holds our soul. Of course we are protective of them."
Hadrian sighed, "And our children...rarely do they live to see their first birthday. They aren't able to stay with their parents during the day. The lethargy and sun do not affect them the way that it does adults. Nor can they be sustained the same way we are. It is a fight to keep them from being born too early and to keep them alive after that. Once a child makes it to the age of two, the risk of their premature death decreases, though they are still at risk. And I will be even more protective of you when you are carrying my child. But you will always be guarded and treasured."
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Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 5:16 pm
She touched his face gently, with her jaw open a small bit. The clan helps take care of the cubs. Ours will be in no danger if we cannot be with them at all times. You will see. But we still need to talk, she sent with a purr. Are we almost to where we are going?
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 8:57 pm
We are. Just over the next small rise. Hadrian reached for her hand with his and held it as they continued to walk. We will talk after I've taken this drug out of your system. I cannot bear to watch you suffer in such a way. It tears my heart that I cannot help you when that happens. In removing the drug is the only way that I know how to help.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 9:53 pm
She sighed a bit, but did not argue. It was going to be enough of an argument when she had to take the next dose, after all. If he'd feel better to hunt down and remove the la'aaquo, she wouldn't fight him over it. And the medics would love to know how he did it if he was successful. The after effects of the drugs still haunted some of her people who had used it decades back. It would certainly be a boon to her people. Of course, it was always possible it was in her blood, passed down from her parents. She hadn't thought of that, that she might have had the drug in her system even before she had gotten someone to smuggle some to her from the black market. She might not have even needed it. Her ears flicked sideways in annoyance at that thought. Getting the poison hadn't been easy. Plus that meant that her sisters were in danger. Yes. she'd let him do this, not just to make him feel better, but to know if he could. He thought her people would be a boon to his... but his might just be what hers needed. She had never doubted Vartra, but had she, this would have dispelled that. She trusted her Gods, she trusted Vartra. She squeezed his hand as her mind wandered through these thoughts. They were almost there. Soon they would talk, and eventually she knew he would come to trust Vartra as she did.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 10:04 pm
Hadrian stopped as the topped the rise, his house looming into view. It was really less of a house and more of a mansion. All red brick and huge, it was three stories that you could see from the outside. There was one basement on the plans, and another beneath that that was kept secret. And beneath that was his sleeping chambers.
There were also secret passages throughout the house. It helped him to feel more protected. Of course, he could move without being seen if he chose, but this gave him another way to move through the house and appear somewhat normal. Not that he had anyone to appear normal to.
Hadrian stopped and started making complicated patterns with his hands, unraveling the safeguards he had set before he left to keep his home safe. The faint glint of light could be seen as he brought the barrier down. He opened the door and held it open for her.
"Do you enter of your own free will?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 10:11 pm
She tilted her head, confused as she blinked. Enter of her own free will? Her tail lashed in confusion. What do you want me to say? She asked. Is there a ritual or a custom involved in asking and answering? What is the proper answer? This is not part of my culture, so I do not know what is expected. her ears flicked sideways as she tried to figure it out.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 10:14 pm
I cannot tell you what to say. You must enter because you want to enter, and not because I made you. It is a yes or no question. Entering of your own free will places a trust in me, and in some ways will give me a power over you.
Hadrian shrugged, But I already have a power over you. And you over me.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 10:18 pm
she shrugged a bit, her head righting itself and her tail and ears stilled. "Of course I am entering of my own free will," she said, letting her jaw drop open somewhat. People generally did not have an easy time getting her to do anything she didn't want to do. The thought of someone coercing her was amusing to her. She had the assurance of the young that her will was paramount in all things that involved her. As to his having power over her, she trusted Vartra, and Vartra would not have paired her with someone who would hurt her. More, they would soon be Leskas, she was sure. Then he would be incapable of harming her without harming himself. And she didn't want to stand on the stoop all night.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 10:23 pm
Hadrian gestured for her to enter before him. The entrance hall was grand. The walls were a creamy color with white marble flooring. It was huge, stairs on either side that led up to the second floor and the balcony that went the length of the room. A huge chandelier hung from the center of the room. Instead of electric lights, it held candles. He waved his hand and the candles lit, putting a nice orange glow across the room.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 10:32 pm
She walked in and she surprise was palpable. With Sholan telepaths, that wasn't an expression. He would feel her surprise as she looked around. She wasn't even aware she was walking as she looked around. She had never seen a place like this before. The chandelier had most of her attention. She had never seen anything like it before. She stopped directly under it, tail swaying lightly as she stared up at it.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 10:33 pm
He smiled, very pleased that she liked his home thus far. "I take it they have nothing like this where you come from?"
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