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 Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:22 pm
Kyil laughed. It was strained and dry. But it was a laugh all the same. Mikaril's question on how he became a girl was...amuseing to say the least. Lifting his hand, Kyil gently stroked his fingers over the fabric covering his chest. "Much more, but much less. I was given a room. I...suppose the proper way to say it is that I replaced the eldest Comfortess. I was given a whole new set of rules..."
He wanted to shrug, but he dared not upset the calm that seemed to have fallen overhis insides. " Becoming one of her Girls is just a term I suppose. I ceased being her slave and became a Comfortess. Since her terms replied to just females, and I was the first male she'd ever tried this with she kept the terms I suppose. I was given my new duties and exempt from the rest of the mundane chores. I wasn't allowed to do a lot of things anymore, as the Madam did not want me to ruin or rough up my skin. Goddess... I spent a full weak being bathed and having my skin rubbed raw so it could regrow nice and soft and new. Then all the lotions and oils. I thought working in the laundry room had been hard until then."
He paused then. His pink eyes dimming and the nostalgic smile faded from his lips. "After my body was restored and prepared. I was given over into the care of one of the older Girls. I had never...been with a female at that point. In fact I wasn't particularly knowledgeable about certain acts and...well...Madam had no particular interest in scarring me. She wanted me prepared for what may come. I was trained in...a lot of things." His voice quavered, and he felt a great amount of shame in it. He supposed he could just skip over it quickly but...but...
"I...don't want you to think it was horrible or I was mistreated Mikaril. In truth...I liked it. But that was the problem. The girl who trained me... her name was Calli'drei. And she was...so...beautiful. So soft...and gentle...and she was pacient. She carefully explained things to me. We spent a wonderful month together as I was getting settled in. She helped me pick out my personal colors. She helped me refine my clientel list. She also helped me overcome some of my flaws."
By this point his voice had grown strangely flat. Somehow talking about it made the reality so...bleak. He had managed to ignore it for years...he had managed to hide his pain under the act of servitude. To actually speak and admitt that something was wrong. had been wrong. That something had hurt him...
"I told her I loved her. It was the last thing I said to her. I fell asleep beside her and when I woke up she was gone... a new girl was in her room and it was like she ceased to exsist. No one would speak to me about her. You know... I actually hated her...the new girl. I hated her for no reason..then I just...forgot her I suppose. I had twork to do. I had to smile. Comfortesses never have problems. We never have pains and we are always happy to serve. it didn't leave much time for anything else. I definatly did my best to adopt that lifestyle....I took on more clients then any of the other girls did. I tried to work all the time. It was easier to not...think... that way. Alwways acting. Hidden under a smile....then Zariira bought my time and just..well... She liked me enough to bully the Madam into selling me to her permantly."
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:54 pm
Nodding, Mikaril took some time to digest this new scrap of information. It relieved him that this mistress hadn't done anything drastic to his friend in order to make him a girl; he wouldn't put it past some females to do that to mock the male and remind him of what he could never be. Still, Kyil seemed to have come as close as he could get. He felt a fresh pang of guilt; he had been the one to take all of that away from him, all because he had been dumb enough to let himself be caught.
He nodded all too understandingly as Kyil disclosed his own small taste of friendship. It reminded him so much of his own mentor, the one who had taught him everything he needed to survive. He had been rough, but patient, and unlike a female, he saw no point in punishing a wrong move until the student could barely stand, let alone hold his weapon. He remembered those times as being the best of his House; Haellara didn't visit the training area; she had only accosted him when he had been foolish enough to walk the corridors. His mentor had helped him by showing him what he had believed would be the only way he could get away from the painfully constricted rule of the females; to become a shebali and use that as a reason to be out of the house and at times, out of the very city. He still felt a small measure of anger at his brother's seeming abandonement of him, but he couldn't help wondering just how far Triellyn had actually gotten in his complete escape.
Mikaril felt sad for his friend. He himself had never had such a relationship with a female before, Haellara having drilled a fear of that into his head the instant he had become old enough, but it seemed as though when it was obtained, it, like friendship, was something that needed to be kept close and treasured. The way Kyil spoke of it.....for a split second, he found himself trying to imagine what it would be like to be with a female who cared for him like that. Not commanding him to bow or scrape, to sleep beside her and not worry about being taken unawares, to have her touch him and have it be an act of love, instead of a prelude to pain. It must have been quite a feeling, for Kyil to miss it so.
He once again found himself relating. Comfortesses had no problems, ordinary males weren't important enough to have their own problems. The only problems they had were the ones the females had. Ever since he had met Kyil, he had known there was more to that automatic smile, that eagerness to please, that....wanting to take his cloak and serve him drinks and rub his shoulders. He had asked Kyil about it before, how he had felt about being the one always listening and never getting the chance to speak of his own troubles. He remembered Kyil denying it, saying that he had none. Well, here it was at last. Even if his friend wasn't lying there on his back wrought with seasickness and reliving the saddest memories of his life, Mikaril still wouldn't have had it in him to say he told him so.
"Well, you can always count on me to listen. I know what it's like to have things bottled; if you don't let them out, it drives you mad. I'm truly sorry about your friend; perhaps when I've satisfied my curiousity, we might see if we can find out where she went to? There has to be someone in the city who knows something, or maybe we could bribe one of the comfortesses; it doesn't hurt to try, if they don't know who you are."
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:07 pm
Kyil's lips turned into a faint yet oddly bitter smile. It seemed strange to allow such a sardonic expression touch his features. he was always so careful really. Perhaps the sea sickness was having more of an effect on him then he thought possible.
"There is no need master." He responded with the title as he attempts to regather the edges of his formality. It seemed the more time he spent with Mikaril the harder it was to keep calling him that. "We all knew what fate lay in store for us once our years of service came to a end. Madam would take a girl, before her beauty had begun to fade, and she would add her to a collection in the treasury. It's filled with beautiful female statues. I'm sure Calli'drei is down there too. I was actually glad that Mistress Zariira bought me from the Madam and took me to her House. Though I was scared leaving the Black...I thought that at least I would never have to see Calli'drei in her last moments alive. That was just a horrible thought."
Kyil paused again, and he allowed his eyes to close after a breath. "Thank you for listening...my stomach...does feel better."
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:44 pm
Had Mikaril known the effect his spending time with Kyil was having on the latter's tendency to call him master, Mikaril would have purposefully slowed the boat's pace and allowed much more time to be spent in each other's company. Still, he felt that the sooner they reached their destination, the sooner Kyil could turn his mind to happier things. Despite his friend's proclamation that his love was destined to forever remain a statue, he found himself wondering if such an enchantment could be broken somehow. What a surprise that would be for Kyil if he could somehow bring back what he had lost. It would in some way make up for his getting him kicked out of the Black, he was quite certain.
At least the uncomfortable trip down memory lane had seemed to do the trick. Mikaril beamed as Kyil announced that he was feeling better. Hopefully he would in time become more used to the rocking of the boat, and in the meantime, Mikaril could get some much-needed sleep. They would have a ways to go before reaching the far shore, and there was little danger of them being spotted by anything above water. They had but to keep going, and making sure that they would be able to make it on a few scraps of fish. He didn't worry about water; he had a small wooden cup hidden beneath the seat, enchanted so that any water he scooped out of the sea would lose it's saltiness and become safe to drink. It had definitely come in handy in the past.
Time passed by once more, days filled with shimmering lights, gently lapping waves, and raw fish. Sometimes words were spoken, sometimes it seemed like days passed in utter silence. Their world was a vast, empty void of light and splashing, light and splashing. Mikaril used much of it to sleep, and then to row. He was confident in his rowing skills; he had done this several times already; but he couldn't mask the sigh of relief when he looked over his shoulder one day and saw the slightly different hue of the lights that signaled the docks on the other side of the Glimmersea. Their boating trip was over. Reminding Kyil to put his jewels out of sight, Mikaril began rowing as fast as he could and refused to stop until the boat brushed sand.
After hiding his rowboat in his usual hiding spot, Mikaril led Kyil carefully through the docking area, bidding his friend to keep close and watch for pickpockets (he himself had been one of those dreaded pickpockets on many occasions), and after giving their food supply some much-wanted variety, they were once more on the road. Unlike the trip to the Glimmersea, it only took them about the same time it had taken for them to get to the sea from Sshamath. Mikaril even showed Kyil signs of a river that they could follow right up to the city.
Suddenly, there it was just up ahead; the gate leading into Brudag, the part of Undrek'Thoz that his house resided in, or had resided in when he had last left it. There was no telling if his house still stood; perhaps his mother had done something foolish and the house was destroyed, it's remains picked clean of wealth like the bleached bones of a rothe. Or it could be just as he had left it, with his mother demanding to know why he had ignored the order to stay away until summoned, and Haellara hovering in the background like an illithid, eager to feast on brains. As he drew nearer, each step grew heavier, and it became harder to place another foot forward. He felt dread settle on him like a heavy cloth, as though this was the last place in the world he ought to be, especially with Kyil. But they had come so far, and despite the feeling, he couldn't help but feel that no matter what happened, when he next walked through this gate, something will have changed; something big. He probably would succeed in cleaning out his sanctuary, and he could finally leave and take charge of his own destiny, him and Kyil.
But first the steps had to continue. Mikaril paused, took a deep steadying breath, and looked over at Kyil with a smile. "Well, here we go." And with that, Mikaril adjusted his hood, held his head up high, and walked through the gate and into the city.
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:38 pm
As the days passed, Kyil became more accustomed to the sway of the boat and his illness abated to a tolerable level. He was able to sit up and peer out over the dark expanse of water, and he could appreciate the beauty and calm of the Glimmer sea. Most of the time his head was tilted back though. His pink eyes drawn to the beautiful ceiling above. If only he could just fly. He'd soar his way up there so he could touch those glimmering veins. He'd bring back the most pure looking of stones as a gift to Mikaril. Or better even, he'd carry his friend up so he could touch those stones himself.
It was a nice fantasy, and it was one his mind lingered on during the hours when Mikaril was finally able to sleep himself. Kyil took his own turn at rowing. Though his progress was a bit more slow and unsure in compare to Mikaril's own. He didn't want to make some sort of mistake and slap the oars too hard or steer them in the wrong direction. Kyil marveled at the stamin his friend had as well. The ache and burn he had felt at first when they had begun to travel together he thought he ahd left behind by now. Now his body found some other reason to protest as muscles he had not used in such a way made their angry presence known.
The darkness and the sweet calm of the sea, the feeling that they were utterly alone in a glittering void, caused Kyil to speak more freely. With no walls or bustle or noise surrounding them he just...wanted to talk. Kyil spoke with a wistful fondness when he spoke of Lady Zariira. The comparison of her House and the Black was overwhelming, and he felt no hesitation in admitting his terror at being taken to the second ruling house from a mere brothel. Being told he was going to be a patron had utterly driven him to a state much like the first time Mikaril had begun to talk about him being a thief. He admitted that these blinding anxiety episodes happened far more often since he had been bought from the Black and he worried at times it was a defect. A sign of a weak heart or a weak spirit. Yet...since he had begun to spend more time with Mikaril the attacks had faded and almost seemed to stop.
Kyil had enough sense to stop himself from saying some things. Some things he really wanted to say. he wanted to admitt to Mikaril just how much he had come to care for the other male, but he lacked the words to express them. How did you tell someone you loved them? Kyil supposed his actions alone would have to suffice. As foolish as he had been in the past... this time out on the sea made that all seem so less embaressing really.
Though his stomach had settled, any attempt to eat the blindfish that Mikaril had provided tended to end pooly for Kyil. Just putting the salty flesh in his mouth caused his stomach to twist warningly. he attempted to force himself to keep at least a bite down...and his body said 'NO' to that. Kyil had milder luck with the scraps of dried and hard bread dug out from the corners of his bag. As tasteless and unpleasent as the bread was, he was able to keep it down. And of course the water. Kyil was able to keep that down at least. In fact the cool magically cleaned water soothed the hot feeling in his throat and stomach.
Needless to say, Kyil looked towards the present shore with a eager hunger. As beautiful as the ride had been, and as wonderful as it had been to linger in safety near to Mikaril, he would be grateful to be on solid rock again and be able to put something in his belly that didn't make it ache. There was also the fact that this was his masters home city. The place of his birth. While Sshamath had awed him by it's magical presence, this city held a air of mystery already. And he had yet to see anything beyond the gateway!
Kyil busied himself removing and hiding away his adornments while Mikaril hid away his own boat. He turned to look upon Mikaril at the moment he turned to speak to him. He looked..so strong at that moment. Kyil followed Mikaril's example and drew the purple cloaks hood over his head. He hardly felt the strength he saw in Mikaril as he held his head up and strode towards the gate enterance though. His Master truely was a man to admire...
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:42 pm
 There was a nitch in a building. It was small. A crack really where part of the building had been broken away. Probably done during some sort of fight, or by a really careless lizard that slipped and fell from above. Either way, the crack was wide enough for Nuumia to squueze his body into with some effort. Slim as he was and small, he used his small stature to his advantage in all situations. He was only barely three feet tall after all, only a inch shy of hitting that mark.
In the time that he had parrted from matron haellara, his familarity with the world of the Underdark had re-established itself with him. The bigger and stronger preyed on the weak. And the weak learned how to avoid those dangers. Nuumia was quite careful to remain fully cloaked at all times. The less others could see of him the more certain they were that he hid something. Which he did. Of that there was no doubt. He had hundreds of small tricks in his pockets. he merely did not want to use them on those who were a waste of time.
So...he found the crack, he shoved himself in, and he crawled out only for the neccessary things. the rest of the time he watched the gateway with the pacience of a lizard. Actually by this point he was starting to think he was part lizard personally.
All this time alone and watching had given his mind ample time to recover.
And Nuumia was dissappointed. Aside from the scattering of memories he had gained in that first painful burst he had remembered nothing else. It was honestly dissappointing. A last name. A city. Any other clues that could have drawn him away from his current task and newly appealed to Mistress were unavalible. It seemed he was destined to be here and to do this. Whatever this was. he supposed Thjis was whatever Haellara wanted of him. He hoped...he prayed to the Goddess that Haellara would see fit to honestly reward him with a place in her House. His hesitation over accepting her flesly offer bothered him. What if that was the slight that cost him everything? What if she was holding a grudge right now?
Goddess. If she had been Shila he was certain this wouldn't be a problem.
Or...would it not have mattered? Nuumia shifted uncomfortably in his crack and forced his thoughts elsewhere. It hardly mattered. That was a past that was completely lost to him. What mattered now was gaining Haellara approval. No matter what that approval required. Right now it meant being wedged into a crack in a building like some wet caulk and hoping no shift in the earth caused the crack to close shut on him, turning him into real wet caulk. Blech.
When the green cloak appeared, Nuumia noted it, but at the same disreguarded it. There were a pair, not singular. Haellara had told him just Mikaril. But... As his black eyes followed the two...the green cloaked male fit the description perfectly. But...who was with him? This...this was not something he had been prepared for. He could go and tell Haellara he -thought- he had seen Mikaril. With another person...No. That would not be profiecient.
Nuumia wriggled himself out of his hiding place. The armor was unmistakable. It could be Mikaril. But the presence of the second figure worried him. Purple robe and flash's of pink were visable. Goddess, had Mikaril found himself a female ally? Haellara would not be pleased if her missing sibling had managed to gain aid and protection from another house.
He had to be sure. Of course, he had no clear clue how he was going to manage this. As far as he had been planning, he'd watch for the male, follow him for a few minutes to get a clear idea where he was heading, then be off like a bat to chitter in Haellaras ear and hope for a reward of some sort.
Now he had to improvise. Now he had to come up with something quickly...
Nuumia's mind snapped and flicked through thoughts the way a mage might carelessly flip through the pages of a familar book. As he did so he crawled along the walls of the buildings and leapt like a jumping spider up high. How? Well, since he had regained the ability to think clearly again he had begun to..well...recall skills? Memories may not have come back to him, but damn did those skills reveal themselves! It was as if he had finally had a true nights rest. Like a sorcerer and BAM! the spells had refreshed within him. And this one? Ah, well he made -good- use of the Spider Crawl spell.
Mikaril and his companion were making their way through the streets, and Nuumia's mental progress was quickly clicking pieces together. Like the setting of a Sava board.
He easily got ahead of the duo. It was now all timeing that he needed to manage....
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:48 pm
The sights and sounds of the city fell upon Mikaril like a shroud of familiarity. Little seemed to have change since he had last left, slinking out the southern gate and praying that no one would take notice of his green cloak and remember the incident at the local bath house. The same sounds assaulted his ears, mixtures of shopkeepers hawking their wares, the underlaying murmer of thousands of conversations going on at the same time, and the occasional stifled cry as an unfortunate was dragged into an alley and put to death. The last came less frequently; despite it being part of a drow city, Brudag was considered the mildest part, due largely to the monastary that dominated it, and the Blackened Fist monks that resided there. An almost palpable air of calm was thick in the air, but unfortunately, it didn't seem to reach as far as the inside of houses.
The air was also thick with smells; harlots' perfumes, at least five kinds of incense, the reek of garbage that littered the alleys, the sweat that poured off of the skin of the various slaves and others who couldn't afford to wash on a daily basis, and several other smells too small on their own to be identified but made an interesting scent all together. All of it seemed both comforting and nerve-wracking, after being in the wilds and surrounded by absolute quiet. Mikaril kept his gaze ahead, glancing at the faces he and Kyil passed for any sign of hostility or even puzzlement; anything that might hint of remembrance of the incident that had driven him away in the first place. He didn't expect a confrontation right then and there; drow were too clever for that, but it never stopped them from taking their revenge out in a remote area, away from possible witnesses.
Several times, Mikaril wrinkled his forehead and looked behind him as they walked down through the marketplace. Turning to Kyil, he whispered "Maybe it's just my knowing what lies within this part of the city, but I would swear that the walls here have eyes. I can'r help but get the feeling that someone's looking at us." He wondered for an instant if his family knew he was in the city again; he knew that there were ways his mother could scry on him and learn his general location, and he really couldn't think of anyone else who had cause to spy on him. Still, it didn't seem quite like the sort of tabs his family usually kept on him. That and he was sure they wouldn't be quite so.....inconspicuous.
Shrugging the thought away, he turned to Kyil with a smile. "I think it's high time we washed the dust of travel from our bodies and clothes. Come; I know a bath house not too far from here where we can get a private room, so we don't have a repeat of the last time." He walked alongside Kyil, feeling better at being able to keep an eye on his friend from out of the corner of his eye. Trying his best to ignore the irritating feeling of eyes boring right through his hood, he sighted the bath house up ahead, a different one from the one that had been the site of his mishap, and trotted up to it and through the door, glad to be off of the street. A proprieter approached them, and Mikaril casually pulled out a small pouch of gemstones and placed it in the male's hands. "We'd like a private section, please." The male took a quick glance into the pouch, eyes widening, and quickly gestured for them to follow him.
They were led to a small room whose features were obscured by steam. A large pool dominated the floor, fresh towels were neatly stacked by the pool's side, and on the wall were shelves of oils, lotions, bath salts, washrags, scrub brushes, and enough different bars of soap to clean a goblin horde. The male gestured and backed respectfully out of the room, leaving the two to themselves. Feeling much more at ease, Mikaril walked over to a corner and began removing his armor, glad to be free of it for a little while. He wondered if he should try washing his clothes off as well; his inner garments reeked of sweat and were streaked with dust from where it had gotten past his armor. He figured once the servant came back, he would ask about possibly getting their clothes washed as well. Kyil's would definitely have to be attended to if it was to stay soft and supple.
Once he had removed his armor and garments, he wrapped himself in a towel and walked over to the pool, where he lowered himself up to his neck, looking at Kyil as best he could through the steam. "We should have done this the last time; it's a whole lot better without all the noise and sharing of the water."
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 5:41 pm
Kyil stayed close, as he had in Sshamath, to Mikaril's trailing cloak hem. This city had all the normal qualities to it that he had come to expect. After his brief visit to the second city, Kyil could now honestly say there were not many differences between places. At least in some aspects. This area seemed less threatening then the ally ways of his home city.
Still. The random muffled cry that was generally ignored grated on Kyil's nerves. His hand reached out and caught at one of the back folds of Mikaril's cloak. He rather hoped that his master would not notice the small catch. It was...embaressing really. This desire to hide within the shadow of the man he was supposed to be serving. Still... Mikaril had done nothing but prove to be a source of strength in his eyes. Even when he had lain poisoned, he had recovered rather quickly. And the few encounters when they had been in trouble...the guards and then the ruffians in the street.
Mikaril always seemed to know how to work things out. So...he felt assured when he was so near that Mikaril's presence would keep him safe.
The bath that was suggested brought Kyil out of his small haze of thoughts. Even though it was more water, he could honestly say that he had not had his fill of the liquid. Kyil's eyes brightened and he nodded his head a little eagerly. "A bath would be utterly wonderful right now." He replied with his light eagerness.
And OH! How he appreciated the privacy they were to be granted. As Kyil entered the small private room he gave a small moan of appreciation. His pink eyes roamed over the many soaps. By now his fingers had slipped free of Mikarils cloak so he could eagerly remove his own.
"Ah! This reminds me of my old bathroom in the Black!" He eagerly began to chatter as he folded his cloak and placed it on a bench next to his traveling bag. He sat down and easily slipped his slippers off his feet and set them down next. While he sat there, he took to inspecting his feet, and began to scowl in a dismayed manner. "Oh...oh how horrid. I am getting callouses. I suppose the slippers don't have enough proper padding for traveling do they?" His head lifted and he started to glance about the bath area. "Do you suppose they provide pedicure tools in a room like this? I rather hope so...my toes could use a trimming and...guh. I've dirt between my toes. I really could use a soft stone to scrub this hardened skin away...or...would that just be a moot point since we still have so far to go to get home?"
Kyil dropped his foot back to the bathroom floor and resumed disrobeing while Mikaril was settling himself into the waters of the bath. His clothing had been magically saved from normal wear and tear. The material showed no evidence of being torn. However it was undeniably filthy. Traveling in the thin material with naught but a cloak to cover it had led the pink material to lose it's lovely shine and it appeared more dull. Kyil laid the thin fluttery pants and the sheer low cut top out over his cloak . Even the golden sash seemed to be dull when he looked it over. But Kyil's eyes did not linger long on the cloths.
Unlike Mikaril, Kyil felt no bashful need to cover himself in his friends presence. He already understood their particular relationship at this point. Mikaril was his master. A man he lacked the proper words to express how much he loved. But his love and interest in Mikaril was different from the usual type to be found amoung the drow. His gaze upon Mikaril not once hinted at lust or curiosity, and in turn he felt safe enough to be utterly himself in private with his master. Indeed, he felt much like a little brother in the presence of a elder brother. Kyil entered the water with no hesitation, and sank up to his shoulders in the comforting hot water. His pink eyes rolled back in his head and he issued a deep sigh of appreciation. "Oh now...now this is just lovely... I have so missed this." he murmured and slunk down all the way to his chin. "I think I could just stay here for days."
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 5:44 pm
The...bath house? Nuumia paused on a ledge and sat himself down on the thin stone edging. His black eyes watched as the male in glowying decorated armor and his female companion entered the bath house. Well...if they were going to get cleaned then Nuumia could assume that they would be in there for at least a hours time. This would give him time to make what plans he wished.
The option to go and let Haellara know he had seen someone matching his targets description was still avalible to him. But he worried about how angry she might become if he had roused her attention just for it to be some other male with questionable taste in armor. Plus... there was that female. If He was going to tell Haellara there was a female with her brother he wanted more then just a gender to inform her of. Who she might be and what sort of threat she could be to Haellara's claim on Mikaril were things he knew he needed to know.
And they weren't going anywhere right now. Still... Nuumia jabbed a thumb into his mouth and began to nibble on the tip as he narrowed his eyes. The best way to learn anything, he had already decided, was to talk to them. The problem was that some strange drow wandering up to you and asking questions would be suspicious. Nuumia had been attempting to find a way to manipulate the green cloaked male into aa situation where he'd feel in control of the events. it wasn't easy! Particularly since he was now in the bath house. Any possibly random seeming crossing of paths would appear too questionable. The bath house was well guarded and rarely could you pull off anything there, including spying. Nuumia wasn't ready to test his skills yet.
So what remained to be planned had to be done on the outside. Nuumia glanced down the ledge and looked at a crudely carved window space. Well..that could work... Mikaril was supposed to be a thief right? And from what he had heard in his description a oddly weak one too. Though he supposed that was not much to go on. Well...maybe he could at least get a clear look at his face and the female. Perhaps there was a insignia he could see on the female too that would give Haellara a bit more to go on. if he was lucky he could get some names at the least. To verify the identies. Once he had the names then he would know and would not hesitate to tell the matron.
Nuumia looked at the bath house and then up and down the street. He doubted they would head back towards the gate. He could assume they would head towards the House though. Or...maybe not? Okay...he had an idea... He'd pick a place relatively close to the bath house. If the green cloak headed his way, all the better. If he headed away...then he'd merely plan to have some sort of 'accident'. If nothing else the female might take offense enough to want to punish him if he knocked her over.
Nuumia pushed himself back into his crawling position and began to scamper over the walls again. The street carried on past the bath house and deeper into the city. Nuumia choose the side of the street that the bath house was on and climbed to the second story of the building beside it. Once there he began to peek into the windows.
The building was a front for some sort of mini apartment setting from the looks of it. Drow with a bit more extra coin could afford to rent small rooms for a week or so at a time it looked like. Not a bad choice of placeing actually. With the bath house next door it ensured the value of these rooms would be more in compare to other places in the city. Nuumia shifted from window to window peering inside. There were a total of five facing the street on the level he picked. He had no interest in going any higher. That would only hurt himself when he fell!
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:07 pm
Mikaril allowed himself a sigh as he felt the moderately hot water soften his skin and ease the aches in his muscles. He even took a small comfort in the fact that right now, should someone look right at him in the infrared, his body would match his ears. Not having to worry about that one little yet vital detail was a tremendous load off of his mind. That was the key; he needed to relax his mind as well as his body. He was going to have to be as sharp as he possibly could if he was to enter his House and make it out in one piece, especially if he intended to take things out of said house, never mind that they were rightfully his. He knew that in the eyes of his mother and sister, he was as much their property as a candlestick in the chapel.
Mikaril found himself laughing and creating bubbles at Kyil's lament about callouses. He raised his head out of the water so that he could speak. "You sure you want to be rid of them? They come in handy when you're standing for a long time. But I suppose when the servant comes back I can ask him to bring some tools; I was going to ask him about getting out clothes washed. But don't worry; even when we make the return trip home, it's better to get cleaned up in between; less to get off next time." Feeling properly warmed up, he stood up and walked over to the shelf, where he selected his usual almost scentless soap, a small vial of oil, and a bottle of soap made especially for hair (only in the best places) and returned to the water.
As soon as he was back in, the servant reappeared at the doorway. "Do you gentlemen need anything?" Mikaril turned his head, confident as he can be without his ear charm, and gestured to the piles of clothes. "Yes, is there a way we can get our clothes laundered while we're in here? I've no desire to put on filthy clothes after getting clean. Oh, and my friend requires some pedicure tools, if you have any." "Of course," came the smooth reply, and the servant walked casually over to their pile, slowly and deliberately picking up Miky's black garments and Kyil's fluttery pink ones, not giving them a second glance despite the obvious gender of their wearer. He reached for Mikaril's cloak, but Mikaril pulled his hand from the water and waved it at the male. "Not the cloak; that requires a more customized cleaning. Thank you." The thanks was out before he had time to think about it, and he winced visibly. Drow didn't just thank other drow; gratitude wasn't what it was on the surface.
But if the servant found it odd, he didn't show it. Instead, he respectfully backed out with the pair's clothes, promising to return with a pedicure set. Mikaril watched him go, then went back to soaping himself up. He dripped some of the hair soap into his white hair and lathered it up before dunking himself entirely under the steamy water. Bubbles surfaced and soap trailed away in ribbons in the water before Mikaril reemerged, his messy white hair clinging to his head and making his two white ears stand out all the more. He ducked his head down as he heard the servant returning with a pedicure set, which he set down at the edge of the pool and vanished once more.
Mikaril was just starting to truly relax when the feeling of being watched seemed to return. He looked about, but saw no one. Probably just residual thoughts of the last time you were in a room like this, he scolded himself. He closed his eyes and put his arms out until he was resting his back on the wall of the pool, listening to the drips as the water ran off of his hair.
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:52 pm
"I am afraid Master that I would much rather prefer they be gone. I just do not feel right having such flaws." Kyil spoke as he lifted a leg so he could poke his toes out of the water and inspect them. "Even if I would have to do this every week, I would never grow tired of ensureing my body is as soft and pretty as I prefer." Kyil closed his eyes for the next few minutes that followed and he wallowed in the warmth of the bath.
"Master, do you suppose once we become more renowned...we could see about getting a place with a proper bath? Or at the very least we could renovate our cave to incoporate one. I can sense magical enchantements in use here. I'll bet I could study the magic and apply it to a private bath of our own..." Kyil paused in his softly spoken musings as the servant would enter the room. Kyil waited paciently for Mikaril to speak to the servant, and he watched as his clothing was lifted and tucked away with Mikaril's own.
Only after the servant left did Kyil speak again. Though he did so as he climbed out himself to start picking through the assortment of soaps. Surely there was something with a nice scent here? "Master...what do you imagin being a successful thief anf gang leader will be like? I find myself merely thinking of old luxuries that I miss having. I'm sure you have a more realisitic idea in mind for when we begin to gain recognition."
Kyil plucked, sniffed,a nd discarded a handful of soap bars before he finally settled on a sweet smelling yellow one. Holding it tightly in his hand he started the same selection process with the oils and finally the soft soaps for washing his hair. he wanted all the same scent, and though it took him a little to find it, he was happier by far when he returned to the pools edge and re-entered the water.
"Master, do you want me to wash your hair and back? It'll make getting the grime off easier and we'll be done quicker if I help."
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 11:06 pm
Mikaril had shrugged and resumed his washing at Kyil's words. In a way, he supposed it was for the best; newly developed callouses could be troublesome, especially when one wasn't used to having them there. If they served as a distraction for Kyil, it was probably for the best that they were gone. Perhaps once they were safely away with the spoils of his house, he would see about getting Kyil some shoes that wouldn't leave callouses; something sturdy and comfortable that he could wear everyday without wearing out the pair that he loved so much.
"I wouldn't call them flaws so much as results of a bit of harder labors than you're used to. It happens. Take care though; remaining soft is all well and good, but I'd recommend resistance buildup at some point; perhaps with some enchantments?" He thought that might be more preferable to Kyil, since he was already so adept at magic. If he became powerful enough, he could use magic to ensure his body stayed the way he wanted it, and surround himself with powerful protections. Perhaps, in time, he might become a match for even his sister, Haellara.
He opened one eye as Kyil spoke of acquiring a bathing area in their cave, and he felt a smile creep onto his face. "Actually, something has been occuring to me since I've had time to sleep on the Glimmersea and renew my energy. I've heard of stronger mages creating things like private offices and making them accessible only through portals. Suppose we created a bathing place, a magnificent one with gleaming stone floors, taps with different scented water, and towels softer than new bread. We create it in a pocket of solid stone, with the only way in or out being a magic portal. Of course, we would have to have a contingency plan; teleportation rings or a secret exit in case the magic goes wrong, but it would still be a much safer place than having the cave merely extended. I was also thinking, since I've been feeling a bit remorseful about abandoning my sanctuary, if we could put a similar portal inside of that room, we could use it as our treasure room for the gang, since I'm still confident that Haellara will never find the way in."
He let his thoughts linger on his idea of the perfect hideout, one full of the luxuries that he had seen as a page prince but wasn't allowed to have. Fancy clothes. Beds stuffed with feathers. SWEETS. He smiled at Kyil and shook his head. "When you get to become infamous, one can afford some luxuries. Pretty much every big gang does it. If not, then what's the fun of having the riches?" Granted, there were practical ways of using the treasures they would steal, but he figured there wouldn't be any harm in ensuring that his gang was pampered enough that they would enjoy being a part of the gang and stay on. He was certain that most of the males would think of it as the ultimate sanctuary, after a life of hardship and being under the thumb of females.
As Kyil asked his question, Mikaril's eyes bugged enough for him to get a bit of soapy water in them. Blinking the stinging suds away, he looked over at Kyil, but quite knowing how to answer. In spite of all Kyil had some for him, he still reflexively balked at the thought of being touched. Still, he mused, if they were finished sooner, it wasn't bound to last long, and he could always return the favor in kind. "Well......I guess, but only if you let me help you with your hair. You have such long hair; I bet it's hard to clean by yourself."
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 11:57 pm
Mikaril's suggestions gained him a faint nodding. "I am sure I can learn enough enchantments given enough time to study. I've begun to learn that I can use magical energies to cast my own spells, and from what I've discovered soon I'll be able to access magical energies normally on top of stealing them. I am looking forwards to becoming a very useful asset to you and the gang master." Indeed. Kyil's voice held a hint of excitement. Despite the fear he had felt, well that was all in the past at this point wasn't it? Now he was focused on the future, and it surely seemed a bright cheerful thing for them.
Mikaril's speaking of hidden chambers though had Kyil's pink eyes widening with a extreme light of interest. "Oh oh oh oh! Master! I just had a WONDERFUL idea!" he sat up taller in the water, his pink eyes dancing with faerie light of glee. " Madame Medusa, she had a very special doorway that was connected to another doorway magically. It was in the basement of the Black. And the other door was in a cave high up in the caves near the upper levels. What if....What if we created one of these magically hidden rooms, that had doors all over the Underdark? if we had a door to each of the major cities we could easily get to them when need be! One could open to your special room. One could lead us to Sshamath! And any other city we could wish! So if we stole goods in one city, we could easily take them to another city to sell without being caiught!! And oh! I would dearly love to have such a luxury room..though...wouldn't it be better if we made out private chambers such a room? It would be safer for us right? A magically hidden place...You know I bet that cave could be the main enterance. We could have small pocket caves all in the rock face there...with natural holes in case something did go awry...How odd would that be Master? Creating our own House...it would have no halls or doors. Just magical portals to get from one room to another?"
His enthusasim did not dim at that point. it seemed as if all Mikaril was doing was succeeding in making him more and more happy. As Mikaril would agree to allow Kyil to wash his back and hair, the pink eyed drow nearly looked like he was about to sing. "Oh yes Master! I would be honored if you would help me in turn. Here..." He spoke as he reached for the soap that Mikaril had selected. "Turn about and I shall start on you first. I've been told I have wonderful fingers when it comes to washing hair too. It can be very reliving of stress!"
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Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 7:34 pm
It took a considerable amount of willpower for Mikaril to turn himself around and rest his arms on the side of the pool, but he was at least glad that any sort of flinching on his part wouldn't be seen by Kyil. Despite his position as his sister's favorite torture victim, he was surprisingly scar-free; his mother had been adamant in insisting that his sister 'clean up after herself' when she had finished playing. Given the fact that he was a thief, any visible scars would only add to his being recognized and possibly traced back to their house. In a way, it was a favor, but it didn't make him feel any better knowing that he will always look as though he had never had a finger laid upon him. It was as though anything he said about his sister having her way with him had never happened, that it was only a story he had made up out of the petty jealousy that often came with males as a result of their constant lower status. That sort of mental frustration was probably the only reason Haellara had consented to it with nothing more than a short tantrum.
Still, he couldn't deny how enthusiastic it made Kyil. He supposed it was just one of those things that he missed about his old life, sort of the way he missed trying to please his mother as a child, in spite of being in a house that he hated. He forced himself to think upon the idea that Kyil had hit upon, about the cave having many different exits and entrances. "The only problem I forsee with that is that so many portals gathered in one place, it would be sure to attract the attention of anyone coming down the road who can see or sense moderate amounts of magical energy." He stopped and took a breath to steady himself as he felt Kyil's fingers, then he continued. "But there are ways to disguise magics so that they cannot be seen by regular means. Another thing we can do is select a cave that is particularly deep; the rock should be able to disguise some of the energy all of the portals would be emanating."
He moved to rest his chin on his cupped hands; Kyil's rubbing kept making him want to slouch. At least the absence of the long, sharp fingernails that Haellara had, and always used when she had her fun, served to put his mind more at ease. "But it sounds like a really great idea. There would be no bounds with portals; we could have rooms stationed all over the Underdark; not only would our house have no halls or doors, but it would be spread out throughout every city and in parts of the wilds that no one would ever explore. Of course, we probably shouldn't put any rooms in too dangerous a place, like the Boneyard for instance, in case we ever did have to use the non-magical exits."
He started a bit as he felt the slightly cold hair soap on his hair, but as he felt Kyil's fingers working it in, he found himself trying harder to focus. It was an interesting sensation for him; a touch that felt nice instead of hurting. "Once we get enough gold, and a good reputation, it won't be too terribly.....hard to find some......wizards who would fashion....portals for us......" He was actually beginning to nod off, and his eyelids were getting heavier, when the sound of footsteps in the corridor leading to the room caused his eyes to snap open and for him to lower his head slightly. It turned out to be the servant, back with their now clean clothes folded in a neat little stack. He placed them down beside Mikaril's cloak, waited for a second to see if they needed anything else, then departed.
Now more alert, Mikaril allowed Kyil a few more minutes before dunking himself into the water and coming back up once again. "Thank you. Now it's your turn." He put some of the hair soap onto his hands and attempted to rub it into the top of Kyil's head, trying to imitate what Kyil had done with his, eventually working his way down to the bottom of Kyil's hair.
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Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 8:14 pm
This was...enjoyable on a level that Kyil lacked the ability to explain. As Mikaril turned so his back was to him, Kyil selected Mikaril's choice of soap and happily began to work on his back. A happy wordless humming thrummed in his throat as he smiled and rubbed gently at the skin to lather it up nice and slick.
"Ah..I see. Hmm. Well. Perhaps we can consult the wizards later. As magic users with so much knowledge and skill I am sure they can come up with a good idea on how to make this work. I am certain there is a way. "
Kyil paused in his speaking to start rinseing off Mikaril's back. After which he happily began to work the soft soap into a later into mikaril's hair. "Oh master.... your hair could use some nice softening oil you know. If we had more time I'd suggest a light trimming too." His mind kept wandering to the many different places they could have a portal open up to, and a smile curled his lips. "We could become famouse in the whole Underdark. Not a city would not know of your gang. You should think of a good name for us."
The enterance of the servant, and the dunking of Mikaril put the conversation on a temporary hold, and Kyil glanced up at the servant. he watched until the male left, then under Mikaril's guidance he turned himself around as well to allow the other to work on his hair.
"How long do you think we shall stay here master? I was thinking I'm feeling a little thin and maybe a day or two of good food would be nice. Nothing against your fish and the sea but I think it is not taking too well to my stomach. I'm sure the return trip will be easier and I will surely be able to help you with the rowing better. I think I've gotten the hang of it by now."
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