|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:09 pm
Alle held out a peice of paper. "Here are the coordinates. About a days walk from Lostagrace. Quaint little place. Hedge maze. Spoooky." She cleared her thoat. "Technically, a few wizards, a minotaur, the dragon...but they all know your comming. Tarathiel asked kme here to pass on this information." She axcepted the invitation and came in, noticing that the slaves were just about as scantly dressed as she was. Then she looked at Onyx. She nodded to Piper, but didn't care to remeber the woman. Their last encounter had ended with whips.
"I have asked about the lizard....but I'm afraid my last visit with Tarathiel ended up in our relocation, He was much toi busy to answer me." She shrugged. "Something was happening, we only had a few minutes to leave." She said this in way of letting him know tht she was still on the job, would enquire about the lizard afterwards.
She cleared her throat, blushed. "D-did you get my letter?"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:20 pm
The sea was quiet, mostly. The two ships were now side by side, each having expended much of its wizarding power, rocked sided by side, each a blaze with many seperate fires. The ships contrasted in colour, but in shape they were very similar. The ship to the north bore white sails and the ship was likewise painted with ivory and silver colours. The southern ship bore one black sail, and was painted with black sails. The two were both battling hard, each sustain serious damage.
The White ship seemed to be faring much better though, as the support of one archer in perticular seemed to be invaluable, as he slaughtered all the drow he could see, realising quickly the crew used a defensive spell to increase the visual number of crew. "Basterds."
The Black ship seemed to be hard pressd, as it did not equip itself for sea battles. It was designed to be a mode of transport for stealth and candesent missions. This type of battle was foreign to it. Tarathiel barked orders to his crew, forcing his soldiers to peer over the boards set to shoot their arrows. Many of them never got their shots off, as the elves seemed to be shooting a grand number of arrows at the little ship. It was as though the crew of the ship forsake food for arrows. It was never ending, at one brief moment, a hail of arrows ravaged the ship, the bolts slicing through the drift wood, taking out one of the masts, and many of the crew men. The drow ship seemed in great parel. "Come men, let those swavey surface elves suffer the Spider Queen!"
An arrow tudded into Tarathiel's shoulder, he looked down to see that it had pierced right through his armour and sank deeply into the wizard standing behind him as well. "Oh..." he stumbled towards the enemy ship and drew out his weapons, "Yar you scurveyous lot!" He challenged the entire elfish ship, and recieved his answer. His ship, vanished. Simply, an explosion of fire raining down upon it washed over everyone, igniting the wood and hiting many of the valuable magics below deck. The result was a supernova of a fireball.
The White ship, being so close to the blast, suffered some grevious losses to that explosion. Something seemed off though... How did that basterd go down so easily? "Men, watch the waters, I do not trust that spectral image."
"Sir, we dispelled all the magic for several leagues, that ship had to be them." A cleric informed Elric, the Archer.
"I don't believe it... Find his body." Elric ordered the crew. "He could not be that easy to kill?"
"He did battle General Tarathiel, and lived." Celeste said from behind Elric. "It could be, that he underestimated us this time?"
"No, not after the last eighty encounters. How many died on this ship? How many times did we only live because we were forced to leave? How many times did we battle that crew and lose?"
"Many on all accounts, Elric." Celeste answered.
"Then, how could we bring him down with such little effort?"
"Luck?"
"HE IS LUCK!" Elric was furious. Would that basterd really allow that ship to be destoryed now?
"Sir, the wreakage is conclusive with Salmander's construction patern, though we cannot find much of the upper ship, it seems that the dimensional portals caused some vacuums, which is why we did not suffer so much fire damage from the explosion."
"SO, he could have be sucked into the abyss, and we wouldn't know?"
"Indeed sir."
"What about the dragon?"
"We.. cannot find it."
"How many bodies did we find."
"Eight of ours, 12 of his."
"How many are missing?"
"18 of his, and... seven of ours."
"What were our losses." Elric added, concerned for the well being of the crew, though his madness brought them to this death.
"We are down ten archers, and one wizard." The cleric informed him, "plus several bodies we cannot distinguish, and the fifteen that fell into the water or went missing all together."
"What of the halfling?"
"He lives sir... He certianly does live."
"That is..." Elric began...
"News." Celeste finished. They had forgotten why they had allowed Gil onto the ship in the first place, but he did do all he could to help the crew. Currently, he was helping to tend to the wounded.
"Shout heart, short arm, but great courage." Elric said softly.
"We had to stop him from boarding the ship several times." The cleric said, "He was quite insistant that Helm would protect him."
"Helm..."
"A god... of protectors."
"Like Torm?"
"Torm was his follower, until he took his own following."
"Corellon's grace." Elric moved towards the cabin, "We should tend to the wounded, and start repairs."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:58 pm
Meilikki ran her fingertips along the fireplace mantle, unconsciously marking its position in the room, noting its texture and size. She had been systematically roaming around, placing her hands on everything, and feeling out the room. Quite literally. Her moving was slow, her footsteps staggered and awkward. Her hands touched everything, the things on the walls, shelves, whatever hung around the room, be it ornament or instrument. She had only covered about half of the room, and hadn't actually tried leaving it yet. She was week from her capture, so the going was shaky, and the potion the hooded man used to keep her alive seemed to have put a dull on her senses, taking longer to feel before she was satisfied enough to move on. She almost tripped over a number of objects, fell to her knees once, but it was all necessary. If she was going to be living her for an extended period of time, she needed to know the place inside out. Well, maybe not so much out.
Tanundra, having gotten the message from Orko where the Oracle had been transferred to, had found his way into the Keep some time ago. He watched his mistress carefully, but knew that she had to do this, and knew that se would not be impressed if he helped her make her way, even when falling down. Once in a while, he inhaled a breath just before she rammed her knee into a chair, or whacked her hip on a table. After his third time doing this, Meilikki turned her head in his direction.
"Tanundra."
Yes, Meilikki? To everyone else but perhaps Warhammer, it would seem as if Meilikki were having a once sided conversation, answering to sounds that didn't seem to be there.
"You know I am safe here."
I am not as trusting as you are, of the drow.
"I have the quick Whirlwind to take care of me, and the steadfast Warhammer to guide me. For now my friend, you can finally have some time for yourself."
He hung his head from his place near the hearth. Are you dismissing me? Dear One?
"No good friend. I would never ask you to leave me. I am simply offering you the chance to...take care of some personal business."
I cannot....
"I have enough protection for the moment. This may be the only chance you get for hundreds of years. Do you really want her to miss you that much?"
I.... His tone was shaky, as indeed he was shivering, despite the warmth of the room. Y-you will be safe? You will be alive when I return?
She smiled at her companion. "I will be all right. I have survived thus far."
Tanundra took a step towards his mistress, drew her into a tender embrace. He sniffled while his face was in her hair, so that they others in the room would not see his tears. Thank you, Meilikki.
She cleared her throat with a smile. "I know you've wanted to leave for some time now. Take your time. I understand." He nodded and pulled away from her, the decision made. He walked calmly out the door, but one could hear him running as soon as the door was shut.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 3:36 pm
Malik looked at teh paper and nodded, before gesturing to Kieran and Piper.
"then lets get those journals and such adn see if we can't find a dress to make for Piper. after all the mistress of the House should have something fancy to wear. and I think the black cat wants a moment."
A smirk at Onyx, who smirked back.
Onyx smiled lightly, and before he knew it, had her off the ground in a big hug.
"I was so glad you wrote..I thought you didn't want to talk to me anymore after you burned the feather...but your letter came, and I was so pleased. I can't really read it...I don't speak elvish, and piper and malik and kieran weren't here."
A feline smile.
"How are you doing? are you staying for a bit?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 3:46 pm
She let out a small squeal, as the hug was quite unnexpected. But Onyx had her back on the ground before she could get too flustered. She cleared her thoart and tucked a lock of hair out of her eyes.
"I uh...no it didn't have anything to do with that. Tarathiel couldn't risk anybody finding the ship. I had to get rid of it. That's basiclly what the ltter said."
I'm...fine." She lied. She wasn't falling to pieces by any means, but things still lingered on her mind. "I can stay for a little while. A few hours I suppose," until she got enough strength back to staff herself out. "I'm not unreachable anymore now. I suppose I've unconciously became one of the Oracle's gaurds." She shrugged. "There are...men I have to protect her from."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 3:52 pm
"You do know I don't do fancy well...right?"
A laugh from Kieran as he came out of his room with yet another journal in hand, sidestepping around imps who were still fascinated with the whole running into the door or the wall thing...next thing you know they'd be throwing themselves down stairs and the like. "Nonsense Pip, you do fancy just fine. You take after me after all." Yes a little bit of self ego stroking there. Hey, being royal didn't mean he wasn't fun. But down the stairs, handing the journal to Piper. "You can browse that."
Reluctantly she let go of Malik's hand to take hold of the journal in both of hers. What was in it? Seemed all sketches, some with a little color, some with none. But they all focused on two things. Her and her mother. A glimpse at a much smaller and younger Piper, and a look at Fianna. Both of course wearing dresses as was per usual then. Piper of course had simplistic things on, but Fianna was the focus to look for on dress design...the elf was wearing some pretty intricate and fancy things on. Of course, a slight smile at the drawings...she did miss her mother sometimes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fractured Moonlight Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:15 pm
"Have somethign to eat...Malik has all sorts of things aroudn here. I might not approve much of slavery...but some of them are damn good cooks. I prefer raw meat, like my father, but the seared stuff ain't bad either."
one ear was always flicked toward her, to listen to her.
"The Oracle? we saw her once...Piper went to get Malik an antidote for some kinda of poison. rockspider venom and...mercury? I think it was. those damn human guards tipped thier weapons with it during the joust. I'm glad I didn't get hit. And what do you mean protect her from men?"
Malik looked over the journal with Piper, chuckling some at Kieran's comment.
"I've never seen her in this kind of thing, I wouldn't know. However some of these designs are very similar to the ones we had back in Neriak. although most of them are reserved for certain houses. to not be a member of that house and use thier design is a crime punishable by death. kind of like impersonating royalty."
A small stroke his hand over pipers.
"See anything you like?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:30 pm
She was having a little moment of nostalgia in her head. Ah the gold old days where she didn't care what anyone thought of her and she could cling to mother...who had no problems giving you a what for if you deserved it. "When did you do all of these?" Indeed...when did dear old dad find this time?
"Most of them are merely from memory. Things I see during reverie, others are from times when we all spent time together." Which were actually surprisingly few. Hey when you lived on one side of the plane and your bonded one and daughter on the other, and you both had to rule over your respective lands...the social agenda was quite lean. Then a look to Malik. "Something all us elves have in common, we like our crafts and the like intricate. We're born to be fancy I guess." He gave his own chuckle at that...though of course he logged the little bit of Malik info away. Though of course he had to throw in his too cents. "Impersonating royalty huh?" A touch to the tattooing on his face. "In Andal...we don't have that kind of problem...not even the attempt of it really."
Flipping through pages still as they talked. Hell...she could almost see the little scenes move. Her running around, looking all cute. Mother telling her to be careful...where upon that said she would trip...and burst into tears over a scraped knee or something. But the touch of Malik's hand over her own drew her out of that. Another paged flipped and she pointed to one of the sketches of her mother. "I like that one...what do you think?" The dress? Long, down to Fianna's ankles, two layers of two different colors, the top layer split up the middle to an empire style waistline with the accent of a jewel, little designs going down both sides of the split. Three quarter length sleeves that turned into veils that came to below her hands, all proper places trimmed in a matching color to the second layer. A belt also that rested on her hips, secured with a jeweled clasp. Of course the one Fianna was wearing was done in greens and golds, no doubt colors would be changed and the like.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fractured Moonlight Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:36 pm
"I uh..." well she hadn't eaten a thing in days, had she? And to tell the truth, she still wasn't hungry, but she suppose she aught to get some food in her stomach. She picked up a pear and nibbled on it a bit, before taking a seat. Standing was difficult at the moment. "I suppose I'll have a little."
She smiled fondly. "She's a very nice woman, but I don't tihnk the poor dear has ever had this much excitement in her life. She's somehwat reserved, but I assume that ocmes from being tortured." She knew the feeling, didn't she? Pear only hald eaten, she set it down and picked at some grapes.
"Tarathiel is trustworthy. Some of his wizards are not."
There was a loud yell, as if someone was getting ready to do something...and then a long series of crashing bumps, which ended in what sounded like a cushy bang. Jell ran down the stairs, running after his brother, whom he had just thrown head first down said stairs. "Jaun, Juan, Jaun! Did you see it?"
"No I missed it! Do it again!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 5:22 pm
Malik's head jerked up at the banging sound, then he shook his head lightly..and decided since the hand thing was working to try to take it one more step, and just lightly put his hands on her hips, looking at the dress.
"Intricate and beautiful. I think it woudl look wonderful on you. but I know your going to want it in red, and what else?"
A glance to Kieran.
"Happened all the time, people trying to improve thier standing by pretending to be part of a house they weren't. of course they didn't last long, but never stoped people from trying. My father's House...our dress clothes all have a distinct pattern aroudn the cuff..and of course a much more intricate form on teh dress hem and patterns."
Onyx smiled at Whirlwind, and nodded to her. Not that he trusted Tarathiel at all, but wizards weren't trustworthy in any case most times...and moved a glass of wine toward her as well just in case.
"I've been thinking alot about our last talk. and my brother pointed some things out to me. I'm sorry if I upset you. I cannot imagine what a life you had as a harem girl, or how it would affect you. the times I touched you..I really didn't me for it to offend or scare you if it did. Our parents were very affectionate to eachother, as were most our cousins. hugs and such were common. and liek I said the caress along the cheek used to calm my mother when she was upset. I didn't mean to make you angry or frightened."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 5:32 pm
"Hey, Jell! I have a great idea! You wanna see what the roof looks like?"
"Do I?" He flapped his tiny wings happily. "Can we throw stuff of of it?"
"Yes we can."
"Can we tear off shingles and thatching?"
"Yes we can."
"Can we bring eggs and cream all the windows?"
"Yes we can."
"Then my brithday's come early! Let's go!"
She moved her eyes to the table, watching the glass of wine as it stood there. A tad bit inviting...
She wasn't much inclined to talk aobut it, but she supposed that she didn't have much of a choice. "I uh..." She blushed, the one that went form her cheeks to her breast. "I understand...."
She kept her eyes down, "Just please, limit the touching for now. I'm not ready for...for it."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 5:37 pm
"There in lies the problem with that sort of marking for one's house. Can be easily duplicated and the like. Part of the reason why we have the plane crest to mark royalty tattooed. Sure, some may think it an easy thing to produce...but actually it's not. One family does the work and that one family has interesting ways of making sure you can tell an actual mark from a duplicated work...besides, last time I checked...why put yourself through that kind of pain really..." Indeed, a painful thing. He used to worry how Piper would handle it. Then a look to the imps who were throwing each other down the stairs..."INteresinting...in a peculiar way..."
Piper stiffened when he put his hands to her hips and she geld her breath for a second. Her mind told her to push him away or step away but of course her body wasn't listening to her. Whether it was ignoring her or simply couldn't, she didn't know. Frozen in the spot so to speak like a scared rabbit. And she had to swallow as well as clear her throat to keep her voice from cracking. "Red and gold of course, change the pattern to a crescent moon and a leaf alternately, and rubies." Her voice however was a little soft spoken and shaky. So she tried to focus on the conversation between father and fiance' rather than Malik's hands touching somewhere else other than her own hands.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fractured Moonlight Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:19 pm
"Deal. But I have a...question for you."
Lord if moon heard him ask this he'd never hear the end of it.
"Do you think my fur is silky and soft? I try to keep it shiney and clean, despite my rough and tumble kind of lifestyle. it's one of the few things I take pride in. beaside beating the hell out fo someone else."
Malik left his hands where they were, he felt her stiffen, but she needed to get used to it. at least she didn't push or pull away from him.
"That can be done, no problem. It shouldn't be too hard for teh tailros to get a dress like that done in a few days at most."
Then a glance at Kieran.
"Tattoo's are reserved for mystical or religious reasons. I don't have any on me becuase I chose not to. but many shadowknights have three. one on his hand, and one on the back. makes you like a living talisman. and I know many necromancers and wizards that have a great deal of thier bodies done in such tattooing."
Then to the Imps, before they took off.
"No more damaging my home!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:32 pm
The Imps stopped mid stride, Jaun with a foot up in the air, Jell in the drawback of his other foot. They stopped, hovered a momnt, then fell to the floor in a heap. The spoke in a loud whisper. "Should we listen to him?"
"He's not our friend, Piper is."
"But by extension, it's Piper's roof."
"What if Piper just owns everytihng form the doornobs down? That would leave hwatever up, up for grabs."
"Do you think I'll get in trouble if I eat the ball off the banister?"
"Gee, I dunno. Maybe, but I bet it would taste great!"
"I saw an oriental rug near the doorway, it would burn pretty quick..."
"Lets put eggs in the stove and see if the explode..."
Their talk had quickly moved on to other things.
She had braced herself for something a little more deep, soemtihng she would have to hurt his feelings about. Half way to opening her mouth she paused, and gaped.
Was he serious? She cleared her throat. "Yes, Onyx. It's shiny altohugh I don't know about the silky part." To be honest, she hadn't been paying much attention to it. She shrugged. "Sorry.""
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fractured Moonlight Captain
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:41 pm
All she had to do was not flee...her flee response was already kicked in from the touch but it was on that old 'if I don't move nothing will happen to me' response. The hand gripped to her collar, gripped a little tighter before it loosened back up. "You just want to see me in a dress." An attempt to poke at him. After all, he had seen her as as looked now, he had seen her in the guise of a young teenage boy, and to be frank with nohting. But never in a dress. A little look to the imps...they were just little balls of trouble, weren't they? Then focusing again on the conversation at hand.
"Indeed, they do seem more oriented toward a more bodily protection stance in any place really. Though they've taken on that simple decoration aspect in these times. But as I see it, if it means enough to get put in your skin...it's worth it, right?" Another Drow aspect he could compare...most drow had at least one tattoo to thier patron god. Malik didn't even have that and he defied his own God in a way. To Kieran, not only was it admirable, but amusing to an extent as well. But he took turned a look on the imps as they were chattering about havoc. "Maybe we should put bells on them...so we know when they're about to do things."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
