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 Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 11:47 pm
Mikaril smiled as he read Kyil's hand movements; a long rest suited him just fine. Now that they didn't have to keep up with the caravan, they could afford to relax a little; he didn't intend to slow his pace down much until they reached the Glimmersea. They would need all the rest they could get while staying in one spot in the wilds. Still, resting in his armor wouldn't be much fun...... Settling for a compromise, he pulled off his arm and leg guards and left the chest guard in place; that was where he was the most worried about anyway. Then he made himself comfortable against the stalagmite before signing again to Kyil. I cannot be certain, but I am certain we are making good time. We shall have plenty of time for a moderately long respite. I'll keep watch while you cast your spell, and then while you rest.
That being said, Mikaril let his eyes wander from Kyil out into the wilds, hoping that any spells that Kyil had to cast didn't involve bright lights or any odd sounds that might bring unwanted guests to their resting place. Perhaps he should have asked Kyil that before they had settled down; he might have been better off finding them a cave. Then again, a place like this offered more means of escape should anything come, so he supposed it was for the best. The trick now was to keep himself from dozing off while his friend completed the spell. He really wanted to watch, but he knew that his focus was better kept on the road and the surrounding area.
As he made his gaze penetrate the darkness, he couldn't help but wonder just how much of his life had been spent out here. He had little use for timekeeping, and he never celebrated a birthday, so he couldn't imagine how many years had gone by that he had been out here, in absolute silence, with enough nervous tension to drive most surface dwellers mad. He supposed the main reasons he had tolerated it so easily was that not only did he prefer it to his own house and family, but he didn't allow himself to be completely isolated from civilization like so many of the wild-dwellers had. He loved his solitude, but he was no recluse by any means. One would be hard-pressed to be totally reclusive and remain a thief. And at least here, he could slay a threat without fear of repercussion; he had no such freedom in any drow city.
He couldn't wait until they reached the Glimmersea. There he could finally indulge in a little deep rest; he knew the way well enough to not worry about getting terribly lost. He had learned to read several of the larger glowing symbols the way a surface dweller read stars, and he was certain Kyil would make a fine rower. If he could manage to keep his eyes off of the ceiling. Mikaril wouldn't berate him if he couldn't; he had the same problem himself more often than not.
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Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 12:04 pm
Casting the enchantment took longer then Kyil realized. Though he had done it before with Mikarils own bag, Kyil was still not skillful enough to fluidly run through the parts of the spell as he remembered them. It really was a pity that the spell would soon be gone from his head. Until such a time that he stole another one. Magical bags of holding were terribly useful. YOu could put so much stuff into a little bag, and you would not feel any weight at all. And best of all they were (normally0 theft proof. Only the person who put the objects in could take them back out. Elsewise the bag looked and felt empty. It was a wonderful deterrant to pick pockets. Or so Kyil thought.
Kyil made himself comfortable, as much as he could on hard rock, and finished emptying out his bag. The components that he needed he set to his side and he took a few moments to close his eyes and center himself. If he had known Mikarils questions, he would have of course answered them. But his friend was busy watching for danger, so Kyil focused on his task. Casting the spell itself took multiple steps. The first of which was a enchantment to improve the durability of the bag, then the actual creation of the pocket space in which the items would be stored. Then there was the binding of that pocket space to the inside of the bag. Ah! And the permanacy spell to ensure that nothing would disrupt or destroy the set of spells involved. It really was a very complex spell! Kyil did not think he'd ever be able to learn this spell on his own!
Mikaril would be fortunate that Kyil's casting would not be too flashy. The words he spoke were in a low murmur, and for the most part the magic was muted and felt more then seen. In the end, Kyil's mind lost the enchanting spell, and it was re-established upon his own bag. AH! As kyil replaced all his items within, he marveled at how light it was now! He would surely have no problems carrying it now! It wasn't even heavy enough to be considered a burden. Kyil turned his attention to Mikaril only long enough to sign to him that he had succeeded in the casting. Then, with a happy and weary smile, he curled himself up to rest. The length of this journey was daunting, but Kyil knew that he would enjoy every moment spent with Mikaril.
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Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 3:55 pm
Reading Kyil's finger movements, and even noticing the exhaustion in each gesture, Mikaril nodded once at Kyil and refocused his attention on their surroundings. Every once in a while, he spared a glance at his sleeping friend, noting the rise and fall of his side. He wondered how often Kyil had gotten to sleep well at the Black. He bet it was often enough; fatigue was a hazardously easy way to make anyone look years older, and he was sure his mistress wouldn't allow such a thing to happen to her favorite. He on the other hand had learned to make his slumber light and his sleeping spaces secure. At least it was one of the things about Underdark travel that he didn't have to make an effort to adapt to.
He allowed his friend as much sleep as he needed, though when he heard the first stirrings of his friend awakening, he was undeniably relieved. He was used to solitude and the endless quiet, but having someone there to break the silence and having them unable to do so was irritating. In a short time, they were on their way once more, leaving the site behind with no trace of their passing save for a few rapidly cooling warm spots on the ground.
Time passed by, though there was little to show for it save for their brief rests and stops for food. Mikaril ate sparingly; besides him loathing the feeling that came with eating any more than he was used to, he found himself almost too excited to eat. He fancied he could almost smell the salty and fishy tang in the air that hailed the closeness of the Underdark's sea. Finally, only a short while after their last rest, he began to actually smell the salty air, and feel the increasing dampness in the air as he breathed it in. He found himself walking faster and faster, down a path that looked sparsely traveled, encountering no one. Finally, they rounded a corner and faced an impossibly wide cavern, their feet meeting dull gray sand and pebbles.
But before them was a sight that more than made up for the dreary color of the beach. As far as the eye could see was shimmering water, black as ink save for the pinpricks of glowing light that shot through the barely perceptible ripples. Above them was a vast ceiling, and the source of all of the shimmering lights; the entire ceiling was shot through with veins of minerals that gave off a bright, slightly greenish hue, weaving about in intricate patterns that looked like ancient runes; the writing of ancient Gods. In places where the sea was completely still, the intricate designs were mimicked as perfectly as a glass, looking almost impossible to tell where the water ended and the wall began. One might even imagine that they were standing upon the edge of a void, a vast, empty space shot through with the stars of an alien plane.
Mikaril walked over to the right side of the beach and began messing with what looked like a large rock, until he pulled what appeared to be a dull gray cloth to reveal a small boat and a pair of oars. Giving Kyil some time to take a good look at the Glimmersea, Mikaril began to give the boat a thorough once-over, ensuring that after such a long time being hidden there, no ill had befallen it.
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Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:07 pm
He was getting used to this. Well, Kyil thought maybe he detected some kind of improvement in his endurance by this point. He wasn't half as exhausted at the end of the day. He did not have to push himself so hard to keep up with the pace set. Though...there was definatly a new eagerness in Mikarils step as time passed.
Kyil worried a little, at how lightly Mikaril was eating, but he showed no outward signs of illness or depression. If anything he seemed...happier? This subtle change in his mood effected Kyil as well, and he found himself smileing at times for no real reason as they walked.
The reason for such small changes. The reason for the pace picking up, became revealed to him one day. Kyil had noticed that the air had begun to smell odd. He assumed though that since no warning or caution was given that it couldn't be too big a thing.
How....wrong he was.
It was more then big. It was enormouse. It was the largest thing he had ever seen!
Kyil came around the bend and found the sea stretched out before him. Wider then any city he had seen (so far) and taller then any ceiling he could imagin. The Glittersea overwhelmed Kyil's sight. There was no way for him to take it all in with a single glance. His head swept from side to side as Mikaril went to investigate something. He wasn't even aware that Mikaril had moved away! Goddess! Kyil had not even moved a step from the mouth of the tunnel!
And...and the ceiling. What was that? Kyil couldn't stop staring. His neck already ached and..still his eyes remained tilted upwards. What was all of that? It was so...beautiful...
"Master..." He called out in a weak and trembling voice. He was not afraid though. Just...overwhemled in awe.
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Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:40 pm
Hearing the obvious tremble in Kyil's voice, Mikaril paused in his inspection to glance back at Kyil. Seeing his friend's eyes glued to the ceiling, he smiled broadly. He had had pretty much the same reaction when he had seen the Glimmersea for the very first time. It was pretty overwhelming, seeing something of such beauty in a place so wrought with peril and hidden danger. Still, he mused, the beautiful sea had its own brand of danger hiding within its inky depths. On the water at least, the beauty was only as deep as the water's surface.
Finding nothing amiss with his boat, Mikaril set about preparing to cast off. He decided that he was in too big a bloody rush to take the several days to gather up a food supply. He'd have to dry the fish out, which would cause a smell and attract visitors, and he was certain that they would be able to make it to the docks with careful rationing and a little fishing during the time they spent in the shallow water. It was the deep waters where they would have to be careful; creatures that had teeth as big as his boat lurked in the deep, ones that kept a figurative eye out for anything that looked remotely edible on the water's surface.
He got the boat's front end deep enough into the water for it to bob gently with the lapping waves, and Mikaril turned and smiled at Kyil. "Welcome to the Glimmersea. Didn't I tell you it was amazing?" He walked over and pointed his finger out to where Kyil could see it, towards the vast, shimmering ceiling. "The stuff you see in the ceiling is actually luminescent rock; tiny grains of that very rock is what gives my armor its shimmering designs. I don't think anybody really knows just what sort of rocks they are, but those lucky enough to catch some of it as it falls can make a pretty tidy sum with it." He remembered his last set of armor and how it had cost him a small fortune to put the runes all over it. He still had a few scars on his back from when his mother had found out just how much he had taken from the treasury for this useless luxury, but he still felt that it had been worth every gold coin and every drop of blood.
Walking over to the boat, Mikaril carefully sat inside of it, drawing the oars up and setting his satchel down beneath the seat. "We had best get a move on; I plan to do a little fishing before we get too far out to sea. Not many people travel this sea, so we shouldn't have too much trouble avoiding being seen, so now would be a nice time for you to put your jewelry back on, if you so wished it."
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Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:55 pm
Kyil remained lingering within the tunnels enterance as Mikaril would speak to him. He had such a hard time pulling his eyes away from the ceiling. Rariety and price aside, the mere glimmering rock above seemed magical in ways that Kyil was hard pressed to explain at this moment even to himself.
"I...I can't..." He began to respond. Yes. Mikaril had told him about it. And while hearing the words had been one thing..seeing it was so very different. Mikaril's urging for them to continue moving finally gat him to pull his eyes from above. Now when he looked at Mikaril, he saw a trait in common that his armor had with the glowing rocks. Odd! It had taken seeing the Glimmersea for him to be able to make this connection.
"Oh! Yes of course!" Now that was something Kyil was happy to hear! He dug his hand into his bag, and began to pull out the sparkling necklaces one at a time. Slipping them over his neck, he crossed over to where the boat was. Now is when he paused. Looking into the shallow water, Kyil hesitated just a moment before he began to awkwardly climb inside.
"Master...I think it's important to tell you..I do not know how to swim...
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Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 10:25 pm
Mikaril's eyebrows rose at Kyil's confession, despite the obvious logic. Of course; why should Kyil know how to swim? What use would swimming have been in his pleasure house, save for perhaps muscle toning, and there were so many other ways to do that besides treading water? Mikaril himself only knew how to swim ever since he had purchased his rowboat; self-teaching had been difficult, but once he had learned, he never forgot it. He had also figured that it would come in handy should Haellara ever take it upon herself to 'playfully' toss him in the small river that flowed a reasonable distance from Brudag.
Smiling in what he hoped was a reassuring way, Mikaril motioned for Kyil to join him inside the boat. "Do not worry; I'll show you how to balance while we're still in the shallows, and to row. That itself can help you keep your balance. But if you're still worried, just remember that I myself CAN swim, so if the worst should happen, I can get you out." To accentuate that, he began removing his armor until it was in a neat little pile at the bottom of the boat, the runes shining up at them, looking almost like their boat had a hole to the brightly-speckled water. Mikaril saw little point in keeping it on; he would welcome the absence of it, and with the dangers he knew were present, his armor would have done precious little good.
Mikaril took up the oars first, showing Kyil how to move them slowly but deeply, in order to get a good strong stroke and yet make as little noticeable movement as possible. "Not only are there enormous sea creatures down there, but there are also aboleth cities, and those you especially don't want to get the attention of. There are kuo-toa settlements around too, but we don't have to worry too much about those; I struck a bargain with one when I purchased this boat, so they shouldn't bother us. To most of the biggest creatures, we would be too small to bother with, like a bubble in a hot spring. We can talk out here, but we have to whisper, and we can't have any light; that might attract things we don't want."
Once the shoreline was barely visible, Mikaril ceased rowing and pulled out the cloth he had used to shield the boat. Once he had spotted the telltale shimmer beneath the waves, he used part of the cloth the scoop out the contents until he had about 6 small blindfish. Refolding the damp cloth, Mikaril smiled apologetically at Kyil. "We can't use light, as I mentioned, so unless you have a lightless means of cooling these, we may have to eat them raw. And we'd have to gut them here regardless; scattering remains on the Glimmersea around your boat is just asking for a leviathan to swallow you up." Raw fish didn't bother him in the least, but he wondered if this to Kyil would be considered more roughing it than he would have liked.
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Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 10:58 pm
It would have been a terrible lie if Kyil had told Mikaril that he would be fine. Once he had managed to get inside the boat, he felt a wobblyness in his legs that made him grateful that he was sitting down. A boat was like..a box on top of smaller boxes. It swayed and moved with every minor shift of ones weight. The fear of toppling the boat became a quick concern for the pink eyed male. As lovely as the sky was above, the darkness beneath them became a overpowering terror that could not be ignored.
He was afraid. Afraid of the water and the fact he could not see too deeply into it. He was afraid of it's liquid expanse and...and ... he was terribly afraid of falling in. Even Mikaril's assurances that he could pull him out hardly quelled the rapid thumping in his chest.
Sitting in the boat, Kyil sucessfully distracted himself from his fear by focusing on the impormptu lessons in boating he was recieving. He practiced with the paddle, and found it was harder then he thought to have the flat end enter the water without making a splash. Each time it entered wrong he winced and waited for some ugly beast to rise up under them and just gobble them up alive. Did it hurt terribly to be swallowed alive? That would have to be a nasty fate indeed!
What are aboleth's and Kuo-toa master?" Kyil asked in a soft voice. It was good to be able to speak freely. At least that was a perk to all of this! His questions were nearly forgotten when Mikaril reached into the water.
For a moment Kyil's eyes were wide and fearful. Wasn't he afraid some nasty beast would bie at his hands!? Kyil surely would be too afraid to touch the water himself at this point. He simply was not used to it enough. However, Mikaril scooped something from the water, and he found himself stareing at the ugly pale fish.
"Sadly Master I do not have any sort of spell that could help us cook those fish. I am aware of what they are though. I have prepared and cooked them before. Back in the Black, before I was selected to become a Comfortess, I worked in the kitchen with all the other girls. We learned how to clean and prepare blindfish. Though I have never actually eaten it before. THis should be...interesting. I dislike the thought that we can not get rid of the guts though. Aren't you afraid the smell will attract something too?Perhaps we can just...bag the parts up we will not be useing and put them in that bag for your plant until we reach the shore?"
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:56 pm
Knowing fear when he saw it, Mikaril was impressed that Kyil seemed to shove it aside in favor of learning to row. He knew how terrifying such a large body of water could be to someone who didn't know how to swim; like an abyss would be to someone who didn't know how to climb. He hoped that in time, Kyil would become more at ease with the boat and rowing it; then he would be able to catch some more regenerative sleep, rather than the mildly stimulating cat-naps.
He pulled out his knife and began slicing open one of the fish, spilling the innards out into the water as he spoke. "Aboleths are beings that live at the bottom of manydeep bodies of water in the Underdark. They have tentacles and they also are rumored to have amazing psychic abilities. They're pretty ruthless, but I think they tend to congregate in the really deep parts, so we probably won't be bothered by them. And Kou-toa are.....well, I guess I can only describe them as fish-people. They have mots of outposts, cities and temples in the more watery regions of the Underdark, but last I heard they were getting along okay with us drow. I actually made a bargain with one of them to get this rowboat; cost me a really nice piece from the house treasure room, but it's a good, sound boat, and I got the creature's word that so long as I used it, I wouldn't be bothered by his kind. Don't really know how, but it's worked so far."
He finished cleaning the last fish and carefully wrapped the gutted and mostly-deboned fish into a cloth, shrugging as he watched the pieces float away in the water, a few of them sinking. "That's alright; they're not bad raw, and it will only have to be for as long as we will be out here. I got rid of the insides now while we were in shallower water; that way we won't have to worry about any big fish being attracted to it and noticing us. Besides, you wouldn't really want to be in the same boat with a bunch of wrapped fish guts, do you?" He admitted, the idea had merit; thosewould have been very nutritious for his roses, but he thought that by the time they got to the house, the smell alone would alert everyone in the house of their presence. He could always find some other food for his roses once they reached the city.
Wiping his hands on the still-damp net/cloth, Mikaril took up the oars and began his slow and deep rowing, looking across the way at Kyil. "I'll start rowing for a while, and then you can take over. I can show you ways of knowing that you're going on a steady course, and if we're lucky, we may pick up a bit of a current and get some help with our time."
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:04 pm
Kyil gained a very unpleasent feeling in his stomach as Mikaril began to clean the fish. At first he thought it was just the fear. But as they continues to glide along the feeling steadily grew worse. There was a hotness that was building up in his throat.
He focused on the rowing, and he tried to focus on what it was Mikaril was saying to him about the creatures that lived in the water. "Perhaps there is a mark on the boat they see when it is in the water?" Kyil tried to distract himself more by thinking of the fish people...but... as Mikaril so carefully cut the fish up before him..it became too much.
Kyils stomach heaved. It was a painful feeling as he fought back the sensation. Like a sharp needle was being jabbed into his gut. he twisted in his seat and gripped the edge of the boat. More then just the fish guts were emptied into the water as another painful heave punched it's way up Kyils throat. His light mean from earlier, along with a very sour acidic bile mingled with the sea water. Was he poisoned somehow!? It certainly felt like it!
"I..I think...poison.." He gasped desperatly before another suge of purging struck his stomach. he never did completely hear the last words Mikaril spoke, which truely was a shame. For he would have had a very nice reply for his friend, if the sickness hadn't struck him so suddenly that is.
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:40 pm
At the moment passing his friend's discomfort off as just more of his general nervousness for being around water, Mikaril lowered his gaze in thought. "Hmm...possibly. I know they can work some magic, so maybe they did put some sort of sign on their boat. I've heard of city gangs doing that to people on their turf that are under their protection; they'll put up a sign or mark that indicates that whoever is there is best left alone." He wondered if he would be able to spot such a sign on his boat as soon as they reached the opposite shore.
Hearing Kyil's sudden retching, Mikaril's head shot up just in time to see Kyil adding to the flotsam in the water. His eyes widened with concern even more so as his friend managed to gasp out something about poison. But he couldn't remember them having been scratched by anything toxic or come in contact with something recently enough to cause illness at that very moment. But as he watched Kyil lean over the side a second time, it suddenly occured to him, and he felt a tinge creep into his cheeks for being so thoughtless. He had heard of many creatures becoming sick when they first travel in ships and boats; something to do with the motion. He recalled a more recent excursion where he had been aboard a slave ship; as cargo, no less. A few of the 'greener' female slavers had come down with it as soon as they had shoved off. He remembered some of the steps they had taken to ease their comrades' discomfort.
First he had to tell Kyil that he was going to be okay. He reached out and put a hand on Kyil's shoulder to get his attention. "You aren't posioned; you're suffering from a form of sickness that's quite common among people who have never ridden on a boat. It completely slipped my mind, or else I would have purchased some anti-seasickness medicine back at Sshamath. Do forgive me." Stopping the oars, Mikaril reached down between them and shifted the cargo aside until there was a space on the floor of the boat. "I remember a few things to help stave it off. First, put one of your fingers into your ear; it doesn't matter which one. It does something to your sense of balance and helps keep the feeling down. Then I want you to lay on your back on the spot I just cleared off and close your eyes; that seems to really help. I also remember that keeping your mind occupied helped too; maybe you could tell me something like how your life was at the Black, or what your mistress was like when you were with her. Though I would steer clear of the topic of food for the time being." As if to emphasize, Mikaril reached down and moved the wrapping containing the fish until it was as far away from Kyil as he could place it.
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:59 am
It really d feel as if he had been poisoned. Kyil's stomach burned so terribly with a hard pain. Now his throat did as well and there was a awful taste left in his mouth. The tears that had squeezed out of his eyes clung to the corners as he turned and attempted to listen to Mikaril's explanation when he felt the gentle touch on his shoulder.
A sickness? Because of being on the water? Who would want to travel by water then if they felt this ill doing it? Mikaril was not ill though..so...maybe it would end soon?
Or maybe not. each little dip of the boat made his stomach feel even worse. Kyil swallowed down a groan and he closed his eyes until it was Mikaril had finished moving things about.
"My...ear?" It seemed like a utterly insane idea. Perhaps Mikaril was just coming up with things to keep him distracted and trick him into thinking that he was feeling better? Well...there was hardly any reason not to try it. Kyil unclamped a hand from the side of the boat and gently inserted the tip of his finger into his left ear. He wasn't certain how soon this idea was supposed to work, though if it was a real answer he hoped it would be soon.
Under Mikaril's direction, Kyil laid himself down in the bottom of the boat. Somehow coming away from the side did not sit well with him though. The prospect of being sick inside the boat caused his stomach to threaten him with another bout of heaving. However, Kyil attempted to listen to Mikaril. Talk? About things from then?
"I..I don't know what to talk about Mikaril." He started slowly as he laid with his pink eyes closed. "I'm sure it'll bore you. I think I've told you the important stuff already after all." Had he? he had skipped great chunks of years, but...that is what he was used to doing really. Focus was meant to be placed on others and he shouldn't bring up his own personal issues. It was just bad busniess.
"I remember being bought. I was old enough for that. I can't remember who it was that sold me though. I'm not sure if he was even a relative really. The Madam was terrifying. I remember looking up at her masked face and feeling afraid she was going to eat me. She didn't though. It was odd. All she did was look at me. Poked me a few times in my belly and back, then she sent me off to some small room. I didn't really do anything remarkable after that. Just cleaning and such." Kitchen... though Kyil's fonder memories were of the kitchen he did his best to avoid thinking about that area. It was odd but...perhaps this was in fact working?
"I never worked out in the tavern area. I was the only boy in the Black and I figure that was probably why. I was taught how to mend and clean things...it really wasn't so bad. I mean, aside from having to wake up early every day as a child. It wasn't enjoyable in that sense. And I had every eighth day off to rest. The girls were...all right I suppose. They could be catty and mean when it came to their little power games, but it was only amoung us servants. We weren't allowed to leave the Black so our world consisted just of that building really. We had no one else to contend with but ourselves and the Comfortesses automatically held position over us."
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:17 pm
Looking anxiously down at his friend, Mikaril watched for signs that the horrid seasickness was subsiding. The strange instructions he gave seemed to be helping a little; that was enough to encourage him. He leaned back as he spoke, in case Kyil's seeing him up above him might disorient him and be counterproductive to the seasickness remedies. "Everything. Anything. Just talk about what you know. I promise I won't get bored."
True to his word, he hung on attentively as Kyil described parts of his memories of the Black. In all honesty, it wasn't that hard to be interested. He had never seen a slave market, making it a point to avoid areas that had them. Every time he saw a slave in the streets, scurrying around doing its master's bidding, it revolted him and tended to make him wonder if they were better off than he was, despite his noble heritage and his finery. After all, he mused, a golden cage is still a cage.
Hoping that he would continue to keep poor Kyil's mind off of his undoubtedly heaving insides, Mikaril asked a few questions and occasionally commenting. "Why was the Madam masked? Was she afriad of being seen by someone? I'm trying to remember times when I did similar things as a page prince; I did a lot of cleaning, but I don't think I ever mended anything, and we had cooks that prepared all of the meals, so I never really went there." Steering away from that particular place, he continued. "Females are like that though; they seem to be born to scheme. And Lolth help you if they didn't like your face. Still, I don't suppose I can complain, seeing as I could leave pretty much whenever, so long as they knew where I was going." He didn't mention that that rule had pretty much gone out the window when he had purchased his rowboat.
As he kep the conversation going, Mikaril let his eyes wander out to the ceiling and the veins of glimmering mineral rocks that streaked the ceiling. He remembered well the early days when he had taken his boat out into the Glimmersea and just lay in it, nearly the same way as Kyil was now, just staring up at the luminescent ceiling and contemplating. Had his mother known that he was going off someplace to actually think, she surely would have put a stop to it, but since it happenedright after he declared his profession, she had probably assumed that he was out thieveing and hoping that he would be caught and killed; one less male didn't matter much. Breaking away from his train of thought and noticing that they seemed to have caught a slight current, Mikaril pulled up the oars and looked down at Kyil. "Are you feeling any better?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:21 pm
Kyil inhaled and exhaled at a slow pace. Mikaril's contribution to the conversation helped him focus, and as his mind replayed some of the duskier memories, he found himself easily slipping back into that time.
The halls, the purfume. Laughter, sharp and shrill, or the soft tittering giggles. The soft voices that spoke well into the sleeping hour every night as he laid upon his cot and stared at the ceiling vacantly.
Kyil gently parted his eyes so only a sliver of the pink showed. He could see the glittering above. It really was beautiful. He found the sight of it mezmerising actually.
"She was a Medusa." He replied in a calm voice to Mikaril's questions. "Madame Medusa. We were her girls. She was very protective of us you know. You wouldn't think it of a monster, but her Girls were as prescious to her as one of her own serpents. Sometimes I wondered if she really cared in some way for us. Anyone who ried to break one of the rules of the Black she took care of personally. Thats why we never had any guards. She could be viscious... I heard screams just once. It woke me up. I remember going to my door and looking out. The other girls had closed and locked their doors. I guess I should have taken heed...there as a man. He had snuck a dagger in to see Litie... Madame was furious... he kept saying he hadn't done anything. All I remember was her voice..it was ugly...filled with so much hate...she said 'You were thinking it.' and she reached for her veil. Thats when I closed my door."
He tried to laugh, or at least dredge up a chuckle as he continues to stare above. It was odd. His memories filled him with a fond nostalgia. Who else would think back to such a time and smile as sadly as he did right now?
"I think I was only meant to cook and clean...but then the Girls started to..well...fight over me?" he wanted to shift his gaze to look at Mikaril and see how he responded to such a silly notion. "My term as kitchen and laundry boy ended about the time I hit puberty. The Comfortesses wanted me to help them with bathing and dressing. I suppose they liked having a male wait on them rather then the other way around. It was when there was a actual fight that Madame took heed and decided to investigate. That's about the time she decided to make me a Girl."
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:52 pm
"A Medusa? Wow...." Mikaril had vague memories of the term; some sort of monster that could turn people to stone with a look. That would definitely explain the mask. He shivered involuntarily at the thought of serving a Medusa, but then he remembered what manner of monsters lurked in his own house. At least this mistress of Kyil seemed to treat her playthings nice, if they served her well. As to actual compassion, that seemed as foreign to him as matron mothers handing out sweets to beggar children.
He noticed Kyil's stare and nodded, urging him to continue. He smiled as he pictured many girls dressed in fine silks tugging on each end of Kyil, shouting at each other like a bunch of angry bats. He nodded in understanding at the idea of helping the females bathe and dress; his former duties would have surely left him with soft, clean hands, and he could remember (with the slightest of flushes) how expertly Kyil's hands and fingers had felt when Mikaril had fouind himself bedridden for a time and had had to rely on Kyil to regain his health. He felt glad now that he was returning the favor, even if it was for something as non-life-threatening as seasickness.
"How would she make you a girl? Did she just dress you up like one, or was there more to it than that?" He probably wouldn't have asked such a question if it hadn't have left him genuinely puzzled. He knew that it was easy enough to dress a male in female costume, but any fool would be able to look at the body, see the bulges in the wrong places, and deduce what he was really looking at. Wouldn't it lower the level of the house to have such an obvious farce? Or was Kyil's statement more of a metaphor; him just acting like a girl while still being a male. He DID seem to have some form of prominence in his pleasure house when Mikaril had first met him...
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