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 Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 8:37 pm
[[Ooops. I blame my tiredness. XD]]
"It is quite perverse of her, isn't it? I can't imagine thinking about those certain unmentionable things couples do in respect to my own child. I don't know how your mother does it," Haar concluded with a smirk, shaking his head at the teen's continued speech.
"Or maybe she could care less but wants us to think she cares so that we think about certain umentionable things at every given moment...and I suppose you can imagine know what happens when you have lechery on the mind. Your mother is a smart one, she is," the young man commented, almost laughing away the conversation but then stopping himself because that would hurt far too much.
Turning back to a more serious note, the commander turned his eyes from the dirt road towards the trees, "Are there any stops along this path or is it just woods until we reach the Light kingdom?" He was always needing to be aware of his surroundings, not only, for rest but for protection as well. They had been in a marked carriage in the death kingdom and yet they had still been attacked... Now, haar was not wearing anything that would suggest he was a fire native but that didn't mean he could stop being overly careful. "I wouldn't want to force you into sleeping in the woods if we had to stop, it just wouldn't be a very gentleman-like thing to do."
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 8:45 pm
"Mmm... I don't think so. But we'll more likely than not run into others, as this rode isn't what you'd call private. Many people use it, but the traffic is pretty well-controlled," Alti informed him slowly. "There will likely be a steady stream of people once we reach the main road - this is just a small sect connecting to it, after all.... but it will still be foresty. And the road is under treay of peace for the duration of the festival, as it connects all the kingdoms, so... I... do not think there will be any trouble. Besides, any attacks at such a time as this, meant for peace.... I... well, it would be unwise, as it is a time for peace and... merryment......"
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 4:31 pm
"And yet," Haar answered, holding up one finger as he quirked a brow, "It would be a perfect opportunity for rebel groups and the like for there are going to be many royals and nobles in one area if I'm not mistaken, for at least a week... A part of me would love to think that no one would be so disgusting as to attack a peaceful event, but you have to admit it would be very easy to wipe a few important figures in our society," the commander murmured, his expression growing steadily to something close to troubled.
Shaking his head, the young man dismissed the thoughts and added in a weary tone, "Oh well, we'll never know for sure."
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 5:16 pm
"Maybe..." he replied slightly doubtfully, a small frown on his lips. It was evident from his expression that he didn't want to even think that people would be so cruel as to attack during a time for peace. "But the festival also is protected rather well... Lots of magic in one place, though that might make it a bit chaotic, well... it sort of makes it difficult to attack, right? Hazy, anyway.... Or at least, that how it makes me feel sometimes -- like there's so many different types of magic bouncing around and running wild that no matter how silent a room is, it's always buzzing and never actually quiet." He glanced back at Haar then. "It's not really... and unpleasant feeling. Kinda fuzzy, really... but I'd think it'd be unnerving enough to prevent at least a bit from people wishing to attack...."
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 4:47 pm
Haar nodded, fully acknowledging the teen's theory. "That's also true, but given the chance, would a few serious reels let a chance like this pass by?" He asked, mostly to himself, scrutinizing the festival down to it's very traditions. The festival was not always held in the Light kingdom, the location was always different. It was supposed to be a unifying, fun-filled carnival to present the different kingdoms' talents... Although, no doubt, many of the most talented groups of artisans and sorcerers would be at the festival, and it would thus be a prime target for a sudden ice storm, or something of the sort... Alti's comment couldn't go unnoticed. With so many of the nation's elite in one place at one time, surely no one would dare attack.
Gripping the straps of leather meant to guide the borrowed horse, Haar turned a careful eye towards the young weather mage. "True," he murmured before continuing as he shifted his weight off of his 'bad side,' as he had started calling his gashed torso, "Don't mind my chatter then, I suppose it's the perpetual paranoia speaking, if nothing else," he explained with a soft grin as he swept gleaming ruby eyes across the dark forest surrounding them. He hadn't noticed it get so dark... He figured it could've been a weather change if they were still within the storm kingdom's borders, but somehow he doubted it. Haar knew enough of his geography to realize they would either have to pass through the cold kingdom of snow and ice and then reach the light nation, or they would take the shorter route through the kingdom of death.
The thought of traveling through either kingdoms was unnerving... He, on a regular day, would've been fine taking a horse through the death kingdom but with that ice attack only days before on the dark nation's very own borders...to put it lightly, Commander Shay Haar was almost frightened.
He, by no means, wanted to put either of their lives in danger, and it seemed as it traveling so unprotected was nearly suicide. "Alti?" He said suddenly, a fresh wave of paranoia crashing over him, drowning out anything else he had earlier been feeling, "What nation are we traveling through, death or ice?" He highly doubted the latter, for neither were dressed properly... Even if Haar was from the fire kingdom, and Alti had half fire in him...the ice kingdom was never an easy nation to trudge through what with the perpetual ice and sleet storms ravaging the plains and roads. On the other hand, traveling along it's borders wouldn't be easy either...
[[Haha, ravage.]]
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 6:46 pm
"The Kingdom of Death," he replied. "Mother and I had considered taking a boat across as it would only be a short sailing trip across and then I could control the weather, but.... it would be troublesome to need a crew and to have the horses on board, so we decided that sticking to land would be best, although we will be hugging the coast. The weather is easiest to control near water and... well, you know, it is winter, even if it doesn't feel it here. Personally, I'd say whoever's taken it in their heads to make the weather today has been missing the tropics....." Alti didn't seem to be half as worried about an attack as Haar, which was saying something as the teen tended to be on the paranoid side. However, perhaps his familiarity with the route or simply his current state of absent-mindedness was affecting his judgement and he didn't feel threatened.
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Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 6:35 pm
Perhaps he felt overly-anxious in front of the boy, who was perfectly peachy about their trip along the ice kingdom's borders... or it could have been his own mind reversing his earlier thoughts about a potential attack. No one knew where Haar had been located for the past few days. The commander had never sent out any messages, so nothing could've been intercepted. The fire native had come to trust Alti, to a certain extent, so he highly doubted the boy was rubbing elbows with less trustworthy nations... The only thing that caused him to worry was the teen's mother, or whatever she was to the boy now. He could confide in Alora for the most part, but her gossip worried him. If anyone had overheard her babbling...
Shrugging off those thoughts, Haar sucked in a tense breath as he kept his horse alongside Alti's. He wondered for a moment if they were going to be hugging the coastline, as in the water side the whole time, or the border's of the ice nation. If they were going to be following water they could always travel through the fire kingdom, which would put the young soldier at ease. The trip would take a day or so longer but they could meet up with Ceris, or even travel to the capital if needed... Casting red eyes towards the east, Shay let his hand briefly drift from his sword to his hair, brushing dark bangs from his eyes to clear his vision. "Are we staying along the coast the entire time? If so we can pass through the fire kingdom's borders. It's not exactly the most pleasant weather, but it's a hell of a lot better than what the ice and the death nations have to offer," he murmured with a whisper of a grin.
[[I've had to consult the map often over these past few posts. x3]]
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 2:40 pm
((Haha. Sadly enough, I have, too. I forgot the geography after having been absent from it for so long...))
"No... that would take too long. And Mother doesn't particularly want me there, to tell you the truth. Which was one of the reasons I was so eager to be there... Still, the Death Kingdom shouldn't be too bad. And I did bring an extra cloak for you, should you need it." Alti didn't mention it, but he did have a schedule. It wasn't a very particular one, but... he needed to get there as quickly as he could, else he'd be keeping the rest of the representatives of his Kingdom waiting too long. He glanced back over at Haar for a moment before his eyes resumed their usual path. He could tell his... well, he didn't really know if "friend" was the right word for Haar, but... well, he could tell Haar was anxious. Worried, really. And he knew that the Fire native had reason enough to be concerned, but... Alti didn't think it would be too much trouble. He hoped.
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 4:27 pm
"You've thought this over much more than I assumed," Haar commented in a murmured tone, red eyes barely drifting from the road at this point. "I suppose I should stop worrying and face any problems when and if we find them," he added with a hint of a smile, his expression much more relaxed than it had been for the past few hours of their journey.
Dropping his eyes, the brown haired soldier closed his red eyes briefly, "Wake me up when we get there."
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 4:58 pm
A small pout formed on the dark-haired teen's lips. He was about to ask, slightly deffinsively, if Haar thought he had no mind for planning when the comander continued.
"What, you're going to sleep on horseback?" he asked slightly incredulously. Sure, it was doable with a familiar steed, but... Haar had only just met this one and... well, it wasn't too safe, was it? And wasn't it hard to sleep with the continual clop-clopping motion? All those jarring footfalls....
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 5:05 pm
"Yes, I'm going to sleep while trying to keep upright. You forget how very tired I am; I have, after all, been sleeping on you floor for the past few days," he answered in a bland tone, his eyes still closed as he leaned more heavily on the horse, fingers brushing casually through the dark horse's mane. "I assume you'll wake me if someone attempts to ravage you besides myself, of course, or if you feel I'm about to ride off of a cliff or something of that sort," he added with something close to a smirk as he glanced at the teen.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 7:02 pm
TableTopWatch Blue eyes darted upwards at the noise, fluttering around the room until they fell upon the two royals- well, almost royals. The one wasn't exactly related to the royal family, or so he'd heard from Haar and Ceris at one point. Peyton had also been told that the bright-haired young man had been in the palace even longer than the blond orphan- and Peyton had lived with Shay in the Fire Kingdom for a long time, since a little after his ninth birthday. Nevertheless, just like many of the royals, Peyton had never been exposed to so much of the Prince or his friend before... and the teen found it a little weird to say the least. He figured Ruehl needed to talk to Shay more concerning the tense conditions of their nation, but checking up on him was stepping over an invisible line he had never wanted crossed by any royal.
Shrinking back, the blond frowned until the brown-eyed knight rustled his knuckles against the teen's head in a teasing manner, "That's no way to greet a prince, 'specially one who is so concerned about you, kiddo," Xel muttered, lifting his hand at the blond made an attempt to swat at it. Scratching at perpetual stubble, the knight laughed a bit before turning towards the two. "Eh, the curse in his leg seemed to be lingering a bit, and was powered up when he ran off to the death kingdom. Curses and their origins are not a good mix for the victims," Xel explained before quirking a brow at the sulking boy. "And I thought a ranger, of all soldiers, would know that," he joked, ruffling the teen's already tousled hair.
Peyton shook off the knight's hand before looking up at Ruehl from his seat with a weak grin, which simply came out as a blank expression, "Yeah, I'm better," he mumbled, shifting his eyes downward. He was by no means an unintelligent boy, a boy who for most of his years at the castle had a crush on his teacher. And because of this crush, he tended to notice everything concerning Haar and it had become obvious that Ruehl was a little too fond of the red-eyed soldier.
Ceris grinned for the boy, "I'm surprised the both of you are still here, weren't you supposed to be visiting the Festival today?" He asked (disregarding the little soldier's grumble, 'And so were we').
--------
Malachai broke into his friend's thoughts with a nudge and a grin. "Don't look so serious, the kid said he's better!"
Ruehl broke his concerned gaze with a genial smile, "Oh, right.. right."
Bending over to inspect the dressing on Peyton's leg, Malachai's bright blue eyes glanced up at Ceris before he flashed a smile at the blonde. "Well, Ceris, you certainly know what you're doing...." At the healer's inquiry, the fiery-haired teen looked expectantly to Ruehl.
"Oh! Well, yes, we are still going... but I--"
"Overslept," Malachai finished for him with a snicker.
Clearing his throat, Ruehl shot an ungrateful glance at his friend before he simply nodded. He was saved from further explanation by the knock and entry of a servant.
"Your party is ready, your majesty," he informed the prince before exiting.
Malachai turned to Xel and Ceris, "You sure you don't want to join us? Or does this ray of sunshine still need you in his jovial presence?" He teasingly referred to Peyton as thus due to his gloomy air.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 7:28 pm
"You could have slept in a bed if you had asked...." he grumbled quietly, almost more to himself than to his firy companion. He glanced back at Haar, a small scowl turnign down his features at the other's words. "Hmmf," was all he said for several moments, his fingers gracing forwards to slip through silky, gray mane. "Maybe if I'm in a good mood," he said after a small pause, a slight grin replacing the scowl.
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 2:09 pm
[[@Sona: Hehe, Malachai is so funny. >w< Poor Ruehl! I love how people just decide to check on Peyton's wound, when Xel stabbed him in the thigh, so it's doubtful the poor kid has pants on. XD I'll pretend they're there, though. <3]]
Ceris smiled a bit at the offer, glancing down at Peyton and then at Xel before turning back to the two royals. "We were planning to visit the light kingdom today before heading out to the festival, but if you wouldn't mind a few more companions, then we'd be honored to join the both of you," he murmured with a gentle smile, brushing dark plum hair from cheery lavender-colored eyes. The mage continued a few moments later, "I already checked Peyton's wounds and they seem to be healing splendidly, and as long as we're in the light kingdom the curse should be easily repressed if it hasn't already waned," he explained, looking at the blond with an almost concerned expression before stealing a glance at Xel.
All the while, Peyton was glaring up at Xel. It was his fault, of course...well, sort of his fault that Peyton was in this condition. Granted, his escape to the death kingdom hadn't helped, but the mixed blood soldier had been the original cause of his pain.
"If you're ready," Ceris added, smoothing out his shirt, "Then we can certainly go, I and the others have already packed."
As the mage finished the final touches on certain scratches and cuts on the young ranger's arms, Peyton leaned in towards Ceris with a frown, "Can I invite someone?" The mage blinked a bit before looking at Peyton with a quirky grin, "Of course you can, Peyton. Is she from around the castle or-?" Ceris eased back a bit as Peyton shook his head vehemently. "He's... he's not originally from the fire nation, but he- but he's in this army now," the boy explained, keeping his eyes set towards the door. Ceris held back a laugh, a wide grin overtaking his usual demure ones. "That's perfectly fine, but you'll have to check with this soldier quickly if we're to leave with the others. You know what? How about you send this soldier a message before we leave and he can meet us there?"
Peyton nodded a bit, still not looking at Ceris. "M'kay, I'll do that and we can go," he mumbled as he busied himself with getting a piece of paper and something to write with.
Dear Cain...
--------
Haar sighed dramatically before straightening up with an alert sort of expression. "Fine, I won't sleep. Knowing you, you'd probably let me ride off of a cliff," he said with a lightly teasing grin as he raked a hand through dark brown hair.
"We have to go!"
Shay shifted his stiff position as he curled an arm around the overly excited teen. "I don't think I'm in any condition to traipsing around a festival with you on my arm begging for me to win you stupid things," he muttered with a smile, resting his forehead against Kaelin's shoulder. "I thought you of all people would forbid me from even thinking about going to the festival, anyway... and here you are...making me go," he said, fingers sliding from the ice native's back to his hair. "You of all people..."
Kae frowned, "I never said it had to be this year. Maybe...maybe next year when you're not so beat up."
"Maybe."
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 2:33 pm
((Mini time skip. :3 ))
They had been riding steadily for some while now, all this time the forest remaining relitively constant. The air was changing, though... It was really getting colder -- which meant they were near the border to the Kingdom of Death. Alti proceeded calmly, though he did spare a glace back at Haar to see how he was doing.
And then it happened all of a sudden -- the trees were different. They were no longer the lush, adaptable (due to constant weather variations) greenery of the Storms Kingdom, but a much harsher path of pine. And the trees seemed rather... gray. It was always odd, crossing into the Death Kingdom -- everything just seemed... darker. Grayer. Alti glanced back at Haar once more, his hands slipping habitually through his steed's soft mane. "It's going to get a lot colder quickly," he directed at the other. "We should probably get the cloaks out soon, before it's too cold...." he added, motioning towards the bags that held the mentioned garments.
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