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 Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:19 am
Water - 62 - Trouble
It was a sunny day in the citadel. The birds were out and the buzzing happiness of the elementals that lived on the floating landmass enveloped the land in a haze of dreamy bliss. Aya was scowling as she wore her glasses, trying not to flinch at the light of day. Beside her, Caine was leaning back on the trunk of the tree, trying without much success to get some sleep. Magus was frowning, his mind already checking how much of his tasks had been left undone by this spur of the moment outing. And lastly, the Lord Nathan Belias was entertaining them all by butchering the citadel song with his lack of talent in the musical department. Mercedes looked at Aya, who was staring at her with something akin to desperation in her violet eyes. Mercedes laughed nervously and blurted out the first positive thing that came to her mind:
“It could be worse. You could have been stuck with a room full of lusty men.”
Three weeks later that innocent remark made by the Lady Mercedes Atelier would be remembered by all as the catalyst to a chain of both bizarre and shocking events.
---
A week after the remark had been uttered…
The sitting room was elegantly decorated. Painting of nymphs with gold and silver frames lined the stone walls. Tapestries of ancient stories and the history of the citadel were hung side by side, providing a picturesque retelling of the tales of old. The white sofas that were arranged in a most inviting manner were filled with soft pillows and the red carpet that took up most of the marble floor was a majestic crimson. The fire in the fireplace crackled with each and every minute that passed by. The sound of masculine chatter was the only noise that permeated the air.
There were six guests being received by the Ice Queen and they were all men. All of them looked dashingly handsome in their formal attires and she could tell that many five of them had spent an insurmountable time in doing their hair. They could not ‘flow’ the way they did otherwise. She was feeling mighty ashamed of that fact. She never spent that much time with her own hair and she was of the opposite gender. She nodded absent-mindedly when male number three looked at her, waiting for a confirmation of…something or other. Honestly, she’d stopped paying attention to the conversation thirty minutes ago. All they ever talked about was the gossip of the court and Aya was not interested in such idle chatter.
And as Magus put a comforting hand on her shoulder, she could only sigh dejectedly as she stared at the six males that were lined up, trying to catch her eye with their incessant and useless gibberish, and hope that an attack would happen just so she could get away from this situation. Behind her, both Lords Lacquer and Belias were radiating threatening auras. She was absolutely certain that one wrong move from her suitors was all those two needed to throw them out of the citadel or even attempt to execute them for being so presumptuous. Not that they could move anyway. The tension in the air was so thick that it was hard to even breath. Beside her, Mercedes was doing the best that she could to lighten the atmosphere before she noticed Aya looking at her. The Ice Queen’s face was stuck between bored and exasperated and Mercedes smiled comfortingly at her.
“It could be worse. You could have been caught in a scandalous state of affairs.”
---
One week later…
Now Magus had seen very strange things in his long life but none of them made him stop and stare as he was doing now. He cocked his head to the side as his brows furrowed in confusion. The Ice Queen was the perfect example of a proper lady. She had excellent manners and never once breached the rules of etiquette. She had an air of nobility about her but she never threw it across somebody’s face. Her words were thought over and if need be were carefully veiled threats that everyone knew she would follow upon. She would never be caught dead doing anything unladylike.
Which was why seeing Aya covered in some blue slime and stomping a bush to death with an almost insane expression on her face came as very alarming surprise to him. Did she inject herself with one of her potions and it reacted badly with her brain? Did she hit her head on a low branch while she was out riding (never mind the fact that Aya was an excellent rider)? Beside him, Mercedes lifted her hand and subtly closed Magus’ mouth by pushing his chin upwards. The two shared an uncertain look before they quickly and quietly backed away from the deranged Aya and her leafy victim.
They reached the citadel unharmed…physically anyway. Mentally they’d become distressed that their sweet and lovely Aya could ever be capable of such unladylike behavior because they knew that even when Aya looked and felt her worst, she always came off as noble and distant. Aya acting like a maniac was unheard of in the citadel and she would be slaughtered within the court if it were ever to get out. Magus’ brows furrowed as he looked at Mercedes with an uncertain and slightly disturbed expression. Mercedes simply shrugged.
“It could be worse. She could have had an illegitimate child.”
They both decided to forget all about the strange event. No one in their family would believe them even if they said anything about it anyway.
---
Another week later…
“There seems to be a pattern to this,” Magus stoically murmured as he stared at the back of Caine’s head. The Sidhe Lord simply grunted, continuing to glower darkly at the bark of a tree. With a quick strike of his blade, Magus cut the rope that had bound Caine’s feet and hung him upside down on a tree’s branch. There was a loud thud before Caine stood up, dusting himself, a dark expression plastered across his face.
“I’m serious. Think back. Three weeks ago, Mercedes said something about Aya being in some unavoidable event and a week later, six suitors came to visit and wouldn’t take a no for an answer. During that day, Mercedes said something about our sweet Aya being caught in a…ah…scandalous act.”
“And?” Caine asked as he raised a brow and continued walking. He kept his eyes on the forest floor, wary of any more strategically placed traps. Who on earth would place traps in his forest anyway?
“And a week later, Mercedes and I caught her in a…bizarre mood that lead her to an…ah scandalous act.”
Caine had crouched low on the ground and examined the dead flowers. He was only half-listening to Magus prattle on. Some of his plants were dying and it soured his mood. He was a Sidhe. Nature was very important to him and every dead plant they came across was an insulting slap to his face.
“And just this morning, the Lady Mercedes had talked about you being caught in a trap. Could it be that the good lady has an unknown ability to see the future?”
Caine raised a brow. Never in his life had Mercedes predicted the future but it was not unheard of for Sidhe’s to develop new abilities the older they grew. Magus’ theory had a certain ring of truth to it. If Mercedes could in fact, predict the future, albeit unintentionally, then it would be a great asset in this war they were currently fighting in. They were outnumbered after all but if they knew beforehand of the attack and the manner of the attack, they could easily even out the odds.
“I shall speak to her about it and – what is it?” Caine asked as he watched Magus’ face scrounge up in horror. It would have been comical had the Lord Lacquer not known that Magus’ face only resembled distorted woman screaming her lungs out when something really was wrong.
When Magus finally explained himself, Caine’s roar of untamed fury was loud enough to be heard throughout the whole forest.
---
Back at the citadel, Aya blinked as she looked outside the window. Did she just hear someone yell? Face perplexed, the Ice Queen shook her head and continued with her reading. She got past two pages of extensive equations before the citadel ‘told’ her that someone was at the door. She waved away the servant that was about to answer the double doors. The servant squeaked in protest but Aya was having none of it.
“Do not worry,” Aya said as she opened the door, “it is no…trouble...”
The Ice Queen trailed off as she stared at a miniature of herself.
“Mommy!”
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silver_halcyon generated a random number between
1 and 100 ...
63!
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:22 am
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The Lady Shinigami Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:48 am
Earth 43 - A Single Night
The peace and calm of darkness had befallen that muggy midsummer night. The only sounds in the neighbourhood were the occasional clicking of a bat’s echolocation, crickets softly chirping and the soft whir of window air conditioners from nearby houses. The moonlight cast a silvery hue upon everything it touched and even longer pitch shadows where the light couldn’t reach, at such a late hour there is no color in the world, everything is in its deepest shades of grey.
As peaceful as the scene was, not everyone was sound asleep; a stranger lurked, completely out of place on that cozy little street. From top to toe he was clad in black and moved while crouched low and too quickly, giving away being well trained in the dark arts as he slipped from one shadow to the next for cover.
To the side of the house the figure finally found pause having avoided the auto sensors range for the floodlights, keeping them turned off. Anyone that could have witnessed this intruder would guess he had been preparing for this night for a long time. In his wake he left behind a disabled power box, he’d now only have minutes to complete his mission.
The vile trespasser let himself in through the front door, having somehow obtained a key, leaving it in the lock he let himself in and closed the door, but there was no hesitation in his step, no lingering as the stairs across the foyer were quickly and silently ascended. The landing spread left and right with the washroom door open in front of him, he veered right and into the largest of the house’s bedrooms. There his target lay still sleeping and in his hand a dampened cloth, by the time she felt his hand upon her mouth and startled awake she was unable to let out a single cry for help as she slumped against the pillows. Even a light sleeper as she was, he had been ready for her.
The kill was a single deep slice across her throat, crimson spilling onto the sheets and getting soaked into the mattress beneath her.
“Mom..?”
The intruder spun on his heel surprised and attacked instantly bringing the short blade of the weapon down on the young male’s voice without mercy, yet even though he found purchase, he couldn’t stop the boy from screaming in agony. For this he was not prepared.
The mission was messed up now and only half complete he had to abandon quickly. Luckily the boy slumped, quieted and the weapon was ripped from his flesh. Even though one child was quieted the other now cried having been woken in the middle of the night. It was a younger voice still, but this one was carefully muffled and out into the night did the murderer escape with his trophy, thinking his mission complete.
Feline sapphire orbs followed the retreating figure from the window until it disappeared and still, she lingered a little longer. The moonlight revealed only half of her, that which was in darkness seemed to not exist. Ghostly white long locks shimmered as she moved from the window and stood gazing at the slaughtered victim.
This new entity to arrive in his house was too pale to be human and the long weapon she held was nearly the signature blade of a reaper associated with death. Slowly stretching her hand out over the fresh corpse, her delicate looking fingers with deadly sharp claws were splayed open. A light blue light rose up an inch from the flesh of the deceased and then rose further still, drawing out the soul from its shell.
The eerie white haired lady then closed her hand into a fist and the soft blue light condensed into a single sphere, her hand turned so her fingers faced upwards and her hand was reopened revealing her palm. The spirit came to her hovering over her outstretched digits and shuddering in place; it looked as if she were even silently communicating with it. Turning to the window, it was opened and the soul released, it shot skyward. The light of it faded in those deep sapphires of hers before she turned to the boy who still lay dying, but his eyes... they were opened to her.
If he could see her, he’d see any of them and that was just not a normal human trait. Their gazes locked. He was not more than 12 years, she should let him die and finish bleeding out or kill him quickly and move on but instead she came within inches of him and knelt upon one knee. Eying the deep wound his hand gripped for the pain it caused, she could see that it stretched deep, behind his collar bone and angled to puncture main arteries down through the top of his shoulder. His blood was pooling quickly under him as it gushed out, at least one main artery had been hit.
Tears streamed down his face as he trembled in agony and shut his eyes tightly, more soft sobs came from him as he grew weaker.
He was terrified that she would do to him what she had done to his mother. That was normal and nothing new to her, but the fact he knew she was there, that was new. And as such, she wasn't about to waste talent she could possibly use in future.
The reaper reached out but this time a soft emerald light surrounded her hand and drifted, like how clouds float across the sky, to his wounded flesh. From the deepest point of the deadly wound did the child’s flesh mend and move outwards towards the surface, it wasn't instant but it knit together at an incredible rate leaving behind a scar to mar his skin and leaving the ghostly lady chiding herself silently for growing soft.
When the child next opened his eyes, the pain was gone and she was leaving, descending the staircase at a slow walk. It was as though time stood still, by now the authorities should have been to the house; the security alarm service would have picked up on the power outage long ago. The boy scrambled to his mother’s side only to be horrified at the sight of her. He sobbed for having been unable to do anything to stop this from happening and in the next moment fear gripped his heart as he realized he had no one, his sister was stolen, his father… both of them, they hated him and had made that clear in the past. He had no where to go and orphaned children… yeah he knew what happened to them and that was worse than being dead. There was only one chance he had to escape his fate and only seconds to make his choice.
“Wait! Please!” he called from the room and ran to the top of the staircase. The ghostly lady stood at the front door and paused there. She looked at him from the corner of her sharp eye and then she softly closed it as if resigning to her decision and now having to live with the consequences. He took that as a cue and raced to change into his regular clothes, picking up his back pack and tearing off downstairs and out of the house, catching up to her not long off down the street. Matching her easy going pace, he looked up at her with an expression of pain, agony, fear and insecurity written all over his features. Thousands of questions ready to spill out but not one escaped his lips, instead he clenched his jaw shut and steeled himself against the angry sobs that threatened to consume him.
Mists surrounded the pair and they disappeared into the night as the sirens finally pulled up to the front of the house and officers scrambled within.
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 12:38 pm
This is from the Halloween prompts, but I didn't get it done in time.
Seeing Red
It was his hair that caught her attention the first time she saw him.
Her roommate had decided that the shy young woman needed a girl’s night out, and coerced her into going with promises that if Annoura didn’t go she would play loud music into the wee hours of the morning every time Annoura needed to study for an exam. They had ended up at some new club at the outskirts of town. It was loud, and noisy, and in all ways the kind of place Annoura hated. Within seconds of arriving, her roommate had found a dance partner and deserted her, leaving her alone in the crowd.
Annoyed that she had promised to spend the whole night out, Annoura made her way to the bar and ordered a drink at random, hoping the alcohol would make the place more tolerable. She found a corner table and was well on her way to being drunk when she saw a flash of color across the room. She had red hair herself, but hers was a strawberry blond, this was a deep, dark red, almost the color of blood. She continued to look, and when the person attached to the hair turned, she found herself starring into a strange pair of emerald green eyes with cat pupils. She knew she should look away, but the face they were attached to was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
She knew that she was looking at a sidhe, for she remembered her grandmother’s tales of magical creatures that could cloak themselves to appear human, or simply as though they weren’t there at all. Her grandmother had insisted that she and Annoura were special and would be able to see through the illusion, but she had told Annoura that if she were ever to see one, to pretend otherwise. The sidhe did not look favorably on those who could see them as they were, and depending on the court of the one she revealed herself to, she would either find herself whisked away underhill, or dead.
In spite of the danger of the situation, Annoura couldn’t make herself look away, and as the owner of the hair and eyes began to move towards her she could only hope that he was of the Bright Court, not the Dark. As he reached her table, he offered her his hand. Annoura placed her own in his, expecting him to shake hands. She was surprised when he instead brought her and to his lips for a gentle kiss. “Fair Lady, may I know your name?”
His voice so enchanting that she found herself answering “Annoura.” Before she thought of the consequences of having a creature of magic know her true name.
He smiled and Annoura felt her heart skip a beat. “And you may call me Rhys. May I have this dance?” Annoura felt herself nod, and soon found herself on the crowded dance floor. A space seemed to clear specifically for them, and Annoura knew she should be worried that he did not seem to be making an effort to hide his magic from her, but the nearness of his body to her own distracted her.
The dance itself was wonderful. Annoura had never felt so graceful, and Rhys made no effort to hide that he found her attractive. Annoura began to hope that he was pretending to be human, and did not realize that she saw him as he was. As the dance finished, however, he leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “A choice, fair maid. You may come with me, and I will keep you safe in return for the pleasure of your company, or you may run. However, should you chose the second option, I will be forced to share the news of your existence with my queen, who has no love of mortals, and she will most likely call for your death.”
***********************
Annoura watched from her hiding place in the trees as Rhys fought the guards sent after them. Magic flew as well as blades, but it was difficult to keep herself quiet. Her water had yet to break, but the contractions were starting. She knew if Rhys was defeated it would not be long before they found her. She didn’t understand why Rhys had decided to stay and fight this particular group when they were only minutes from safety. Rhys had claimed that Durem had been used as neutral territory for meetings between his court and the seelie court for centuries, and that once they were there, they would be safe as long as they didn’t leave.
Rhys defeated the last of the guard, and started to move in her direction, only to stop and put a hand to his side. When he drew it away it was red. Annoura could not stop herself from running to him, but he was already going to his knees when she reached him. She tried to catch him, but he pushed her away, telling her “Run, Annoura!”
When she hesitated, then went to look at his wound, Rhys growled in frustration. He reached out and touched her forehead. His voice filled her mind. I’m sorry, my love, but this is the only way. Annoura found herself filled with the need to run, and when she came to herself, she was in Durem, at the entrance to an emergency room. She struggled to remember how she had gotten there so that she could retrace her steps, her rage at Rhys’ actions almost outweighing her fear for him. A contraction hit, and she whimpered in pain, attracting the attention of a bystander. Before she could get her bearings she had been brought into the hospital.
*****************************
It had been three days. Rhys would have found them if he were alive to do so.
Looking down at her nursing daughter, Annoura knew she needed to start planning, for her daughter’s sake if not her own. A nurse entered the hospital room to take her vital signs, and after the formulaic greetings had been exchanged, asked her if she had decided on a name yet. Annoura paused, then said decisively “Carys.”
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Numerica generated a random number between
1 and 100 ...
33!
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Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 6:35 am
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Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 7:41 pm
Air - 63 - Beautiful
Caine glanced to the left and saw a few ladies looking at him with what was akin to hunger. They were dressed in royal shades of green to pink and wore several gold accessories that he wondered how on earth he wasn’t blinded yet by the sparkle they made once the chandelier’s crystal light touched them. He quickly but subtly swerved his gaze elsewhere, pretending to not have noticed the pack of wolves that wanted the privilege of being his bed partner for the night. It wasn’t as if he didn’t think they were beautiful. Heavens, those women were flawless. He knew for a fact that their skin would be faultlessly smooth and their hair, so heavily bound by their pins and needles, were like silk to the touch and tumbled in gorgeous lengths. He also knew that they weren’t inexperienced. He had his pick from wild to subtle to intoxicating. Indeed, they were perfect.
Perfectly boring that is.
The Sidhe women strived to imitate perfection. They withheld their emotions, hiding behind their stoic faces and cold eyes. They moved with grace, seemingly gliding through the rowdy crowd. They did their best to look bored, pretending that something that caught their eyes never did and acted as if getting their attention was a privilege. The men were the same although they were more aggressive. If something grabbed their interest, they never gave it a second thought and simply lured the person that quenched their thirst for excitement.
And he was the exact copy of his brethren. He moved with power and grace. He was arrogant and he never took no for an answer. He did everything in his power to get what he wanted. He was stubborn, irresistibly charming, and undeniably attractive. He was beautiful. He was absolutely perfect.
And incredibly bored.
Caine refrained from scowling, knowing that such a show of emotion would attract the attention of his guests. It was something he did not care to be troubled with because no matter how much they tried, they would never be able to provide him with what he desperately needed. They did not know how to feed his hunger for life. None of them, even with their expertise in combat and in bed could bring a spark to his soul the same way that a stubborn little girl a few years ago had.
“Lord Lacquer?”
The said lord took the time to taste his wine, making it look like his drink was far more important than anything around him, before looking at the person that had called his attention. He raised one brow, asking silently as to what was required of him that the other lord had to pull him away from his thoughts.
“I believe it is your turn to reveal your thoughts on the proposition,” was the dispassionate reply although Caine could see the underlying displeased light shining within the speaker’s soul. It brought a small amount of pleasure to him and he wondered for a brief moment if the rumor about his sadistic streak was true before he concentrated on the matter at hand. He had wandered into his own mind a few minutes ago and had absolutely no idea as to what they were talking about.
“I’d like to hear more about this particular proposition,” Caine said before he took another gulp of his wine. Perhaps getting a little drunk wouldn’t be so bad. He could quickly leave his guests with Magus while he nursed himself back to health. The lord quickly discarded that wayward thought. He never avoided responsibility and right now, entertaining these perfect but boring guests was his primary task.
“Lord Lacquer, it is your proposition,” the other lord answered with a knowing look.
“Then naturally I am in favor of it,” Caine quickly countered, drawing a twitch from the left eye of the lord he was currently playing word war with. Getting these ‘perfect’ beings to show a fault brought Caine with much satisfaction.
Without warning, the double doors to the ballroom were forcefully opened and revealed the Ice Queen in all her glory. And by that, he meant that the Lady Aya looked anything but a proper lady of the court. Her dark hair was messily tied into a bun with a few strands sticking out and her reading glasses was hanging on the color of her clothing like a mangled pendant. The dress she wore, if it could be considered that, was yellow in color and far too short for his liking. It was a good thing she was wearing a lab coat and some dark leggings or else Caine would not have hesitated in dragging her away from the malicious eyes of his guests regardless of her thoughts on the matter.
He felt the immediate chill in the air as her powers worked their way into the room and his shoulders relaxed as her magic touched every part of him. He could tell from the temperature that Aya was very much irritated and was on the very edge of snapping. Those that knew of her legendary temper immediately stepped back, carefully preserving their dignities, while those that hadn’t heard of her simply snuffed at the poorly dressed lady and turned their backs on her.
No one approached her and that was probably for the best.
Briskly, the haggard looking lady walked towards him and he had to smile at her. That small quirking of his lips had her staggering a little before she turned accusing eyes on him and continued. In a room full of flawless and perfect beings, only Aya with her faults was the one he deemed worthy enough to be called breathtaking. As soon as she reached him, Caine decided to let her hear his thoughts.
“You are magnificently beautiful.”
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silver_halcyon generated a random number between
1 and 100 ...
51!
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Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 7:48 pm
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Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 11:26 pm
Aether - 32 Night
The night, with its darkness and shadows, had always belonged to the ones like her.
Assassins, spies, thieves, all those who did their work under the cover of the darkness. She'd always felt the night belonged to her especially, the absence of the sun's powerful light making it so much easier to command the shadows surrounding her.
The night used to belong to the both of them. To her. To Jeroth.
On nights like these, so clear and beautiful, the stars shone brightly without Durem's bright lights drowning them out. They used to test each other on nights like these. It was so easy to hide Jer alongside her, cloaking him in the shadows she was so familiar with. It had started as just a pair of kids, reveling in their own abilities and in each others presence. The years had passed, and they grew and learned, until they became a pair of young assassins, older and wiser, and even more in love.
She'd stopped aging then, and the looks and the disapproval started. The night had become even more of a refuge then, shielding them from those who didn't understand. Because even some amongst their clan didn't like it, a man with a girl who barely looked in her teens.
It was the one thing Caira hated about her immortality. After all, not aging meant her reflexes would never slow, her senses would never dull. But it also meant Jeroth would grow old without her, and one day, he'd no longer be able to enjoy the night with her.
That day came far too soon, and in the worst way. Jeroth was killed, and the clan turned on her. She wouldn't have cared about the clan, if only Jeroth was still around.
Because the nights were so lonely without him.
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:00 am
Water 33- Heartbeat
Ba-bump
He is awakened by a light. Although neither of them needs light to see, his former queen always has his… cell… lit when she enters. Not a strong light, but enough that she can see the red of his blood, not merely that he his bleeding. He believes, no, he knows, that his former queen is trying to manipulate his psyche into dependence on her by keeping him in the dark when she is away. All that it has taught him so far is to fear the light.
Ba-bump
He is chained to the ceiling this time, and he forces himself not to cringe. This will not be a social visit then, where she attempts to cajole him into surrender. She thinks that she can torture him into submission. She forgets that he is as much a Sidhe as she, and just as vulnerable to the sin of pride.
Ba-bump
Ba-bump
Ba-bump
Ba-bump
He feels her lick the blood from his wounds. There was a time when he would have found that… stimulating… and on some level, he still does. But it is nothing compared to the memories of Annoura. He can feel her frustration at his lack of response. She steps back.
Ba-bump
“Rhys, Rhys, Rhys. Aren’t you tired of these games by now? If you would cease your protection of the seer, we could put an end to them, and you could return to court.”
Ba-bump
Rhys wonders if she thinks the years of captivity have addled his brain. He knows that she could never allow him to return to the court that thinks him dead. His death served as a warning to the other lords that even they could not defy their queen, and to have it reversed would weaken her power over them, something she would never allow. No, the only end to this is death.
Ba-bump
She continues to talk, but he has ceased to listen. Eventually, she gives up and leaves him in the dark. A few minutes later, the chains disappear dropping him to the floor. He curls up in a ball, and listens to his heartbeat.
Ba-bump
Ba-bump
Ba-bump
He does not fear death. He fears that in a moment of weakness, his protections will waver, and his loved ones will be once again hunted. Annoura would join him in death, but Carys, the beautiful daughter he has only known through the visions his far sight has given him, they would twist to serve them. If she were lucky, they would recognize her as his heir, and she would be forced into an arranged marriage with whoever the queen thought would best control her. If not, she would be kept as a plaything for the same. Either way, the sparkle he has seen in her eyes would soon die.
Ba-bump
He has come to hate that sound, for it means he may yet break.
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Numerica generated a random number between
1 and 100 ...
39!
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:02 am
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:31 pm
Earth – 51- At the Center
You are not ready.
His words repeated themselves in her head like a broken record. Over and over and over again. She wasn’t ready. Aya let out a bitter laugh as she buried her face in her palms and silenced the wrenching sobs that were desperately trying to let themselves be known to the world. Her harsh breathing was the only sound in the dark room and yet Aya felt as if her ears were being tortured by the loud noise of screeching wails. She couldn’t decide as to whether she wanted to scream or to blow something up. Perhaps both would suit her needs.
You are not ready.
Why? Why had it come to this? This wasn’t what she wanted. Those brief glances, the accidental brushes of their hands, the random encounters in the hallways…none of those even hinted as to what would happen in the future. All she had seen was a friendly face, a man who deserved her loyalty and respect, the person who had been with her through the good times and the bad, and the lord who had taken in an peasant orphan. Once more Aya let out a harsh laugh of self-loathing. They called her the brilliant human of Penthesilea’s Citadel. Wasn’t that ironic? She’d made such a horrible and a stupid mistake that she feared that it could never be undone. The signs had been right there, staring her in the face and she hadn’t seen it coming…until tonight.
You are not ready.
Of course she wasn’t! She wasn’t like other women who readily jumped into bed with people! And yet…the moment that he’d caught her when she’d tripped on the rug, when she’d been enveloped in his arms, she’d thought exactly like those women. She’d wondered how it would be like if they shared a night of sensual passion. How it would feel like to wake up beside him with nothing on except for the satin sheets of his bed. How he would look soundly sleeping beside her, and how it would be like for her to watch him sleeping. Foolish! Foolish Aya!
You are not ready.
Aya let out a heart twisting sob. It hadn’t taken her long to figure out that his mind had run in a similar manner. When she’d recovered from her unusual thoughts, she’d pushed away from him gently and apologetically smiled as she looked at him. When she caught sight of his green eyes, she’d frozen on the spot. She had seen the hunger in them, the need to touch her, the want to have her moaning in his arms. She didn’t know how it happened but one moment, they were staring at each other like two predators eyeing their prey and the next their lips had touched like they’d been lost lovers who just found each other.
You are not ready.
And oh goddess! It felt like she’d been given everything she could ever dream of having. The kiss had tuned from soft to wanting to desperate in a matter of seconds. She hadn’t been able to think. All she’d been able to do was to feel his lips on hers, the way his strong hands had caressed her side and buried itself in her hair. Aya closed her eyes to block out the memory of such a…such a what? A grotesque event? No. She could never call it that. A mistake it may very well be but it was far from warped. She still had enough pride left to not lie to herself. She had enjoyed every minute of it and if she were to be truly honest with herself, she wanted to repeat such an act. And that was why she was crying.
You are not ready.
Crying? Aya took the time to concentrate on the sounds in her bedroom and for the first time, she noticed that she was actually sobbing now. It was a strange sound for Aya could only remember one time in her life that she had cried this much. And it had been caused by Caine then, by his callous words, by his never ending insistence to break down her walls. It truly was ironic that her tears this time around had been caused by him as well. Was it a coincidence? Was it by pure chance that only he had been able to make her cry like this? Or was there something more underneath it all? Something that she had once again failed to grasp, to understand, and to foresee? She didn’t know and to be honest, she really didn’t want to know.
You are not ready.
It was true what they said, facing oneself was the most terrifying thing one could ever experience. She could vouch for that now. She was absolutely frightened at the prospect of trying to dig into her actions some more, terrified at finding the truth about herself, afraid of the unknown becoming known. Why is that? Aya turned to her side and curled herself into a small ball. It was simply because of the fact that she knew that if what she caught a glimpse of in her mind and the truth of what she felt were in fact, one and the same, then nothing would ever come out of it except for a tragedy. The court would never allow another a union between a human, no matter how powerful, and a Sidhe lord. Her family would be shunned and most probably hunted down. And she didn’t want that. She didn’t want that for Caine, for the people at the citadel, and for herself.
You are not ready.
Vaguely she realized that she had stopped breathing hard and that the thunderous beating of her heart had slowed to a melodious thumping. The tears, however, still continued to flow freely from her eyes. Those four words…he’d uttered them after they’d tumbled into her bed together, when he had been on top, reinforcing his dominance once again and she had been drowning in the sensations his lips and hands were causing her. It was at the time when he started unbuttoning her shirt that he had stopped and wrenched his mouth away from hers that woke her up. They’d both been breathing hard and they were both staring at each other’s eyes. Then he’d done something that she had never expected. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips and stood up.
You are not ready.
Yes. He had said those words to her right at that moment and then he’d left. He’d left her there, at the center of her bed, shocked at what had just transpired and frightened at the implications of his words. She wasn’t ready but soon enough she would be. It was the silent message he’d sent her and it broke her heart because she was going to try her hardest to not be ready. She was going to play his game because she wanted to protect her family from the possibility of danger. Aya gritted her teeth. She’d thrown her decision at the center of the playing field like he did when he’d said those words. Now they would play the game of wills.
Aya closed her eyes and surrendered to the caress of her bed, exhausted after such an earth shattering event. Yes. She would play his game.
..even though she had a feeling that she was going to lose.
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silver_halcyon generated a random number between
1 and 100 ...
89!
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:37 pm
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 8:35 pm
Air – 86 – Intimacy
Guyy stretched his legs out, his heels resting on the coffee table. He was, as he often was these days, absorbed in a book. The language would have been entirely baffling to most average Gaians. It was an ancient and almost extinct language from the southern continent, these days found only in the libraries of lingual scholars and of course in the Shinigami Library. He read it easily, as if he were reading French or German. His free hand alternated between making small notes in pencil in the margin of the book (it was, after all, merely one of his personal copies and he had no worry about damaging the original – that was carefully locked away in one of the glass cabinets for others to view but never touch unless he granted permission) and occasionally brushing his hair out of his face.
At some point he was vaguely aware of Ilia climbing into the seat next to him and peering over his shoulder curiously. But she recognised his expression of concentration and absorption and didn't pester him to play, instead she just settled down next to him, leaning against his ribs. He gave her hair a fond ruffle, acknowledging her company. She closed her eyes and looked as if she was sleeping, though Guyy knew better. She couldn't sleep, she was terrified by the prospect of it. No, like him she was researching something and had simply set her physical self into low power mode. He was impressed with her learning skills lately as she sought to find answers to the questions that seemed to flow like water from her. Guyy turned back to his book and made another note about the grammar of one paragraph.
At some point he noted the door opening and the warm signature of Kaori entering the room. She paused, no doubt looking over at the sofa and taking in the scene, before she moved on and into the kitchen. He kept a subconscious sense or two on her as his mind worked through the chapter he was studying. She moved about, humming softly as she did whatever it was she did when he was like that. At some point a cup of steaming hot coffee appeared in his hand. It took him a moment to register it, glancing over to it curiously. She had already left the room again. He sipped at it with a smile. Ilia stirred a little, powering up as the gentle scent of freshly baked treats began to fill the apartment. With a little hum of delight she hopped off the sofa and jogged into the kitchen to 'help' her mother. Guyy smiled to himself, the rim of his cup against his lip. At some point a plate of fresh cookies appeared beside him. He nibbled at them as he worked.
He had no idea how long passed when he felt Kaori's lips against his temple. What was left of his coffee was cold anyway. Ilia was nowhere to be seen, probably retired to her room for the evening.
“Put the book down.” She murmured.
“Hn? I just need to...” he began, turning his head a little to look up at her. She caught his lips with hers, drawing the kiss out.
“No you don't. You need to put the book down. You need to come to bed.” she smiled.
“I need to...” he blinked up at her, a little befuddled still from being torn from his book in such a pleasant way. “Oh! Yes, I need to go to bed.” he grinned, tucking a scrap of paper between the pages and shutting the book. He set it down and reached up to catch her around the hips. He pulled her down onto his lap and covered her in playful kisses until she giggled. And then with a smile he let her take his hands and lead him back towards their bedroom. She always seemed to know what he needed and when.
He'd spend the night with her, as always, and they'd fall asleep in one another's arms. If he woke first he'd make her a delicious breakfast, if he could tear himself away from just laying beside her and watching her sleep. Perhaps he wouldn't work on his translations tomorrow, perhaps he would just chase Ilia upstairs to play and have a lazy day with his beloved in their apartment. Or maybe he'd take her out on the town. He'd see what she was in the mood for when they woke. He pressed his lips against hers as the door slid shut behind them, a grin in his kiss and her skin beneath his fingers.
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Guyy generated a random number between
1 and 100 ...
73!
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 8:37 pm
And this time I'll take Water.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 10:09 pm
Water – 73 – Suicide
He'd been preparing for this for... hn. He'd forgotten how fluid time could be. At least, time was strangely fluid and malleable for him. It stretched so that a moment could take a lifetime, and a lifetime could take a moment. Perhaps he'd been preparing for days and perhaps he had been preparing for months or years. It wasn't important. It must have been a while, there's no way he could have gathered all that horse in a matter of days. There was enough stored in his locker now to overdose a small army.
It might even be enough to overdose him.
He'd been carefully rationing what the Boss gave him, saving what he could, stealing here and there when he had the opportunity. He'd managed to score an impressive amount of it on one of his missions as a bonus to the hit he'd performed. The Boss, naturally, took it from him as soon as he got back to keep him under control. But he hadn't gotten it all. Guyy smiled wickedly at that memory. He'd outfoxed the old fool easily. He was getting too complacent with his pet snake. Thought he could control his every thought and move now. But he couldn't. And soon he would lose his trump card entirely. Maybe Jack could take the opportunity to get out as well, but in a different way.
Jack. Guyy grimaced at the thought of his young friend. He'd noticed the way he looked at him sometimes, like he knew something was different but didn't know what. Guyy did his best to hide the physical side effects, but he knew that Jack came in and tended to the psychological ones after he finally wore himself out most nights. The room would be tidied, the damage patched up. He'd be in bed most often and there was no way he'd be able to make it there under his own power. This time he'd lock the door. This time he'd stay as quiet as he could. This time he didn't want Jack to clean up the mess.
He took a swig from the vodka bottle in his hand and set it down on the floor next to his equipment. This wasn't going to be easy. He measured out the powder and did a few calculations. It would probably take him a few syringes to get a buzz, a few more for the real kick. And then somehow he'd have to keep going. He planned on using it all. He turned the stereo on and set to work making the liquid.
I don't know just where I'm going
But I'm gonna try for the kingdom, if I can
cause it makes me feel like I'm a man
When I put a spike into my vein
And Ill tell ya, things aren't quite the same
When I'm rushing on my run
And I feel just like Jesus son
And I guess that I just don't know
And I guess that I just don't know
The brown liquid bubbled in an almost merry fashion as the cracked voice of Lou Reed filled the air. He actually liked this bit the best, the preparation. It was like a form of meditation for him, following his set routine and rituals.
They call it Judas, something that almost made him laugh with a sort of dark humour.
Judas, the best friend who betrayed.
I have made the big decision
I'm gonna try to nullify my life
cause when the blood begins to flow
When it shoots up the droppers neck
When I'm closing in on death
And you cant help me, not you guys
And all you sweet girls with all your sweet silly talk
You can all go take a walk
And I guess that I just don't know
And I guess that I just don't know
He took another swig of vodka. Jack was probably sleeping peacefully in his room next door now. At least, Guyy hoped he was. Had he known the truth, that he lay awake every night listening for Guyy's inevitable crash, he might have paused and reconsidered. But he didn't. As far as he was concerned, Jack was asleep and no one could get to him, not this time.
Heroin, be the death of me
Heroin, its my wife and its my life
Because a mainer to my vein
Leads to a center in my head
And then I'm better off and dead
Because when the smack begins to flow
I really don't care anymore
About all the jim-jims in this town
And all the politicians makin' crazy sounds
And everybody puttin' everybody else down
And all the dead bodies piled up in mounds
The liquid filled his syringes and he set them down gently at his feet. He'd already slipped a belt over his arm and now he grabbed it with his teeth and pulled, forcing the blood to pool in his veins. It was hard to find a vein these days, even with his slightly advanced healing skills. His arm was still a mass of scars. But he found what he needed and the first needle sank home.
One after the other until his hand shook and his breath was ragged. He could feel his body breaking it down, but he was pumping it in faster than his exhausted system could work, and it was powerful, experimental stuff. he almost wished he could see the look on the Boss's face when he realised what had happened, that he'd lost his star assassin to the very poison he put on the streets.
One more and it would be all over.
One more and he could finally rest.
One more, just one more...
'Cause when the smack begins to flow
Then I really don't care anymore
Ah, when the heroin is in my blood
And that blood is in my head
Then thank God that I'm as good as dead
Then thank your God that I'm not aware
And thank God that I just don't care
And I guess I just don't know
And I guess I just don't know
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