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 Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 8:15 am
Having dropped their pack and things next to the door, Faroth looked up in time to hear his name being called, touched by notes of panic. He followed Celestia's gaze towards the fire burning at the edge of the hallway and he started making possible connections. She had seemed a bit out of it during her search...had she not noticed his safe retreat? She stumbled as she rose in a panic and Faroth dropped their basket by the door, rushing to her side.
He came to her from her side, reaching out to catch her upper arms gently, but firmly. "Hey, hey...it's alright. It's alright, Celestia. I'm fine," he repeated in what he hoped was a calming, reassuring tone, offering support in case she stumbled again. It'd be worse if it was his fault if she fell. He'd just have to risk startling her in his attempts to calm her. "It's alright, we're fine. You got the key, we're safe now." Or, they would be, he hoped, once they got through the door. He'd bought them some time in the meantime at least.
His eyes glanced up towards the fire again, noting now the glass windows on either side...and the creatures that waited on the other sides. Snakes, lovely, that could have just made things even better. Already, he could swear that the spider queen was giving him a death glare from her vantage point. Likely not too happy about their escape, nor his burning of countless numbers of her children. I really hope that glass holds.
Turning his attention back to Celestia, he resumed making calming murmurs. "We've got this. Hey, we've still got some time. How about you try that key in the door, and I'll take another look around to see if there's anything useful to take with us when we go. Then, we'll leave here, close the door behind us, and get out of this place, alright? Sound good?"
Faroth really wasn't sure how to cope with this; he wanted to offer comfort, but when even physical contact could be a trigger... And that was sorta' all he could think of at the moment to reassure her that he was there and okay when he knew she couldn't look at him either. Only now, he noticed the reflections of the firelight highlighting trails of wetness on her cheeks. She had been...crying?
He gently tried to turn her away from staring at the flames, turning with her to stay at her side. "Shh...it's alright," he stroked her shoulders with his thumbs, again, unable to think of anyway to reassure her without using contact. Perhaps it would be alright this time...she'd seemed to be okay earlier when she'd fallen asleep on him, if embarrassed upon waking...
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Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 5:22 pm
Again, her eyes widened and her body stopping in resistance to his touch, the princess turned to look at him. Straight at him. It was as if she could not believe he was actually there, alive, unharmed. Her grip on the key released, not entirely, but enough to send it falling to the ground, hitting it with a metallic tone that split through the sound of cracking wood. Relief swept through her as a smile spread on her lips, small droplets formed on the corners of her eyes, and she went to nod.
Then the vision came, the damned vision. Always, ever there, even now. This time it played it's tales in the way of fiery inspiration, with burnt flesh peeling from his back and scarred bones showing through. Hair was burnt to embery crisps and smoking from still-burning ends. There were oozing blisters where half of a pair of lips should have been, and what skin remained was scarred.
A dry, course, bittery laugh came from her as the droplets became real tears, streaming to her chin. The smile remained, but it looked almost cynical in nature. "Fine...?" She reached a stained hand to attempt to wipe her cheek, leaving instead a fresh stream of soot against it. "You are fine, perhaps. But we are fine? No." This time she brushed her face with a forearm, smearing the grey against both. "Were we fine," each time she spoke, her tone seemed to randomly strain itself, "You would be unharmed, I would have use, and we would be rid of this place already. Yet, rather than this you mock me with peeling skin, burnt and oozing, discolored and blistered,"
By now, one hand was not enough, so both were at her face, rubbing the water from her eyes. Occasional hics stopped her train of thoughts. As she felt his touch, she pulled away from him, her wings flaring behind her. "Do not speak to me as if I were a child! I am aware that it is not alright, that I am not alright, that all I remain is but a hindrance forced upon you."
Realizing her outburst, the princess bit her lip and lowered her wings in a defeated manner as her eyes again averted. "I... am sorry for my behavior... Please forgive me for acting in such an unwarranted manor."
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Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:34 pm
Faroth's heart seemed to fall into his stomach as she pushed him away, throwing harsh accusations in his direction. He'd worried about triggering an episode...he'd worried about her worrying over him, completely separate from her issue...and now he was being accused of things he couldn't possibly understand. He just wanted to help, even if he didn't know how. It was in his nature. A man took care of a woman, respected her always, and this wasn't exclusive to those in relationships. It was a rule for all men. Good men.
He tried to be a good man.
Yet, he couldn't help but also grow frustrated at the same time. No small wonder with all the additional stresses weighing on his shoulders right now.
Treating her with kid gloves seemed to only bring about scorn, so when she pushed away, instead of retreating to let her do as she wished, he held his ground. Some of that frustration was exactly the fuel he needed to do so.
"Alright, fine," he said shortly, crossing his arms over his chest. "We're not fine. We're not alright. We'd be back at the Tree, for starters, if we were and we're not. But, we are alive. We are alive and dealing with a bad situation. When things go wrong, you either give up and give in, or you harden up and struggle on with whatever you have left. I think we've still got plenty left, so no, we're not fine, but we're not out yet either."
"You've been plenty useful already, so don't start in now," he shook his head, losing a little momentum. "Not everyone can do everything in any situation, not even a princess," he added, trying to smile. "Heck...not sure what I've contributed besides being continuously annoying to keep us moving. I couldn't even read those documents I found, thinking they might be important...though, I guess I'm not the only one who can't read them..." He shook his head, losing focus here.
"We've got to work together to get out of here. We've been doing okay; I don't need you to fall apart on me now, Celestia." He paused, noting her defeated posture, his own tone softened. "You don't want to be treated like a child? Fine, we'll stick to blunt honesty. I don't understand what is going on with you or why. I don't know how to help. What I do know is that I am not mocking you in any way, nor do I understand why you would say that I am." His ears drooped, betraying his own hurt from her accusations.
"I want to help you; I really do. But, I need to know how." He deemed it safe to near her again now that her eyes were averted, and he reached up to wipe one of the darkened, wet smudges from her cheek. "I'll admit, in a moment of selfishness? I'd kind of like to get out of this crazy place as well. I think that might come first. At least, until we can get somewhere safe, right?" He tried to smile and add a lighter note to his tone. He wasn't so much angry with her and didn't want her to think so...he was just getting a bit frustrated.
Bending down, he picked up the key and rose again, holding it up. "Step one? We see if we can't get out of here. Think you can cover that while I take a look around? Might shore up our defensive wall over there before we go."
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Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 12:37 pm
The princess couldn't help but shrink away, if only mentally. Why was this so difficult to do, why was she unable to express her own problems with others? Was it that she distrusted them; that she was too proud for their advice; that she feared rejection or their opinions of her troubles? Could it be something so trivial that it was unrecognizable? Each time she tried, Celestia found herself victim to so many horrid emotions that she felt shame in feeling.
There was pettiness, spitefulness, bitterness.
All of these felt so new and foreign to her that she had no idea how to handle them except to try and hide them away. Her expectations of herself were such that she not only had to act a certain way, but that she need think and feel only particular things in order to be correct. Who she was wasn't enough for who she wanted to be.
So much time had been spent in developing the image, rather than the self, that they appeared to be one in the same. Most of the time, the princess earnestly believed this. It was only in moments like this, unknown situations not previously prepared for, that she was unsure.
Who was she, really?
She was Princess Celestia of Equestria, and that was enough for her. Or, it had been in that land. Here, she questioned if that was really the case, if everything really was as fine...
Her mind paused as his figure's shadow came closer to touch her cheek. Reflexively, her eye squinted and pushed out one final tear to run down and against his hand. A light flush of red and warmth spread across her cheeks and his hand as she nodded to his request, remaining even after the contact faded.
Again, she nodded, moving to carefully take the key from his hands. It was such a sharp cold in contrast to him. Her grip tightened as the princess at last spoke again, her tone returning to one reminiscent of that first encounter between them so long ago. "I shall do just that."
A little thing she failed to notice was that, upon seeing his hand, it had appeared as any normal hand might, rather than plagued with the wounds of war.
Back remaining to the fire, she moved away from it, presumably away from Faroth, and towards the door. There it would take several minutes for her to properly wiggle the key and get it to catch in the door's lock, giving way to her advances with a sharp, echoing click. The door seemed to open itself inwards as the stress holding it closed released, the old wood creaking loudly with the modest movements.
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Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:33 pm
Faroth sighed, feeling like...there was something more he should have done, and yet... Perhaps being honest with her would do the trick. She hadn't said much in response to his tirade, but when she had spoken, her voice seemed stronger than it had been as of late. Much as he wanted to be able to talk things through with her, this wasn't the time.
If they could just get somewhere safe first, then maybe...maybe then, he could see if she were willing to talk. First...deal with their pursuers, search the room, then get out of here.
With a final glance, Faroth left Celestia to her task and hurried to his own duties. Like, fueling that fire to last long enough for them to make their escape. Hopefully, if it kept up long enough, the spiders would give up their pursuit...hopefully. Already, the dry fabrics were burning low, some no more than embers. Luckily, there seemed to be a better fuel source available. Faroth grabbed hold of an overturned table, missing one leg, and started dragging it towards the flames. When he got it close enough, he paused to take hold of one of the wooden legs, then kicked low, snapping it cleanly from the base. He added the table leg to the fire, then did the same for the other two. As the fire was fed, the wood caught, and the fire began to grow again. A couple pillows, some more bits from the table, soon he had a roaring blaze to cover their exit.
As he grabbed a couple threadbare pillows to finish the pile, he nearly leaped back in alarm as a long, coiled shape slid from the cushions to the floor. No, Faroth, that's not a snake, he berated himself, calming his racing heartbeat. With some irritation, he tossed the pillows into the fire before turning on the coiled rope on the floor. It was definitely a braided rope, though the texture seemed silken and soft, interwoven with strands that even now seemed to shine like gold. He turned the length between his hands, wondering why such a thing might be made in such fine quality. However... Looping a coil about each hand and tugging, his fears were verified as the strands practically disintegrated at the light pull. Completely dry-rotted. Shame. Never knew when a good length of rope might be useful, especially one as fine as this had once been. With a sigh, he shrugged and tossed it to the floor before moving on.
The floor was littered with pieces of broken glass and odd golden ornaments. This had once been some sort of fancy room for luxurious activities, that much was for certain, even if the details were hazy. Like, what had these glass and metal things been? Pausing to inspect one of these piles, Faroth noted something else beneath a nearby cushion. It seemed to be...some sort of dried herb? Curious if this was anything like the herbs gathered earlier in the forest, he pulled the dried leaves from beneath the pillow and lifted them to his nose. Inhaling didn't provide the same sort of scent as the cooking herbs collected in the forest. The smell was...well...he wasn't sure how to describe it, but for a moment he felt a bit light-headed. Blinking heavily, he gave his head a shake and held the dried herbs at arm's length. Okay, not for cooking, he guessed...
The creaking of the door cut through the crackling fire behind him and Faroth glanced up towards Celestia. Thank the Earth, the key had worked!
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Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:01 am
The inertia of the door's release only opened the door to an extent that one might stretch an arm between the wooden frames before grinding to a halt. Dust kicked up from the movement silently settled about them, returning to cover the ground with the ash that was becoming more noticeable. Taking note of this, the princess looked down at her arms and reeled back as she noticed the stained blacks and browns covering her fur. How dirty! Was Faroth also so filthy, or was it from her looking for the key that left her looking like this?
Either way, it was not pleasing to know.
"I cannot see a light from the other side, nor do I hear others," she said as she turned her body back, eyes cast on the ground on his shadow. There was a relief in that there was no immediate danger, but also suspicion at the prospect of another trap akin to the spider's tunnel.
Moving closer, she noticed had to alter her movements to avoid the colourful pieces of glass littering the floor. Had these always been there? Celestia sure had not seen them. Her eyes flicked in his direction, staying long enough that, along with the shape of the shadow, she could tell that he was holding something. "What is that?" she asked, her tone drifting off as her eyes took notice of some more herbs on the ground.
Not waiting for him to answer, she crouched down to pick up a pinch of it and brought it to her nose. What a peculiar smell... It was very, for a lack of a better description, strange, something unlike anything she could recognize. Quite strong as well, not only in scent but in its ability to send a tingling up her spine and to her head. Moving it away from herself, she laughed lightly before shrugging. "I do not suppose it might be tea leaves, do you, Faroth?" This was meant as a joke, as there was no way they could test that out.
Standing up again, she motioned to the door. "Shall we be off..? Spirits help us, there might be some water or... something... to help us be out of here." Celestia, for one, was all too eager to be gone from these spiders and the fire.
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Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 6:45 pm
Faroth nodded, then glanced back at the twin windows, lit by the nearby flames. "Well, here's hoping we already passed the test, or...whatever it's supposed to be, and a safe passage is the reward." Escape would be a nice reward, nevermind lazing about on pillows or whatever was done here once. The fact that she hadn't seen light nor heard others beyond the door didn't dissuade him. Even if a long, dark passage waited instead, escape and the other Pae'il could still lie at the end. What was a little walk after all this?
He glanced back at the sound of light hoof steps, noting Celestia's approach. She seemed to have a similar reaction to the smell of the dried leaves, and he had to smile at her assessment of his find. "I really don't know for sure. Though, I might be wary of any tea that came from these," he admitted with a chuckle. The leaves were sure potent, and he wasn't sure he equated them with something he'd want to eat or drink, to be honest. But, he supposed that went for a lot of things, some that others deemed delicious, he thought, his mind turning to his son and his carnivorous tendencies.
Shaking his head, he stood, dusting off his hands and knees briefly, for all the good it did. "Water sounds wonderful," he nodded. "Let's hope for that." They hadn't had anything to drink since waking, nevermind crawling and running about in countless cobwebs and dust and dirt and grime. Now adding fire and soot to that list. Drinking water would take first priority, however...a bath would be a welcome luxury. At least the relief of being able to rinse their faces and hands clean.
Bostered by the thought, Faroth stood and moved towards the door. It was still only open a crack, as if it had opened and jammed against something. Perhaps it was just old and a little stuck. He tugged experimentally at the door, noting that it firmly refused to move further. Cracking his knuckles and rolling his shoulders, he supposed he'd just have to help it along a bit.
Taking a firm grip on the door with his hands, hooves braced solidly on the floor, he threw his weight against the door with a grunt. At first, it seemed to be a stalemate, then the door moved a couple inches with a groan of protest. The grey dappled Faun grinned, throwing another shove against the door before standing straight. "Not open quite wide enough, but...far enough for this..." As a second thought, he glanced over to make sure Celestia had kept her distance. "Not too close, okay? Don't want you getting hurt, Celestia."
With that, he positioned himself facing the wall at an angle, one hand on the door frame, the other on the wall beside the opening. He lifted one leg behind him, tapping his hoof against the door, gauging the angle and how much force he could use in such a small area. Might take a few hits, but... THUD! The door shuddered and shook from the impact, but moved a couple more inches despite its stubbornness. Faroth grinned a bit. He could be stubborn too.
THUD! Another couple of inches. "Don't worry, Celestia, I'll have us out of here in just a few minutes," he crowed, for the first time since waking, starting to feel capable and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel...so to speak. He drew back and tensed for another kick.
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Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 7:31 pm
As Faroth reared up for another kick to open the door, it flung open with powerful force, slamming on the wall. A ball of light rushed into the room, bathing the entire room in a warm, golden light, the room growing brighter as the ball of light faded.
The light brought with it visions of the past. Echoes from when the palace was alive and full of life. Everything in the room was righted; the pillows were clean and looked fresh, soft and welcoming. Candles lined the room on the tables, as did little bottles and flasks full of various colored liquids. Even the scent in the room changed to that of a very potent and spicy potpourri. The silken fabrics draped from the ceiling gave the room a very luxurious look and feel.
The two wall-height windows on either side of the opposite door in the room were dimly lit, and absent the spiders and snakes. Instead, there is a male faerie pae'il behind one, and a female behind the other. They appeared to be dancing rather provocatively. The doorway between them had a beaded curtain separating the two rooms.
The scene in the center of the room would have surprised anypae. There were maybe a dozen faerie pae'il all in different states of ecstasy; massaging oil on each other, fae entwined with each other, each enjoying the intimacy of sharing flesh. A few fae were spotted retrieving items from the tables, and some poured liquid from an ornate jug into fluted glasses. It was definitely an indulgent party the pair of fauns were witnessing.
The light also spilled through the doorway, illuminating a small landing for a stairway that led up. The landing contained two broken chairs. The stairway was very non-descript, but led up to a circular hallway with doors lining the inside of the circle, and windows lining the outside. Nothing could be seen through the windows except dirt. A few windows had broken, letting the dirt spill in, but the hallway was not blocked. Next to each doorway was a fancy sconce with a decorated globe of glass. Many were broken, but a few were not.
On the other side of the giant circular hallway (180 degrees) was an archway leading to a grand courtyard. Unfortunately, Faroth and Princess Celestia would only be able to go a few feet in before hitting a wall of dirt. It appears someone tried digging out of this area once before.
The light in the room faded, as did the visions of the hedonistic faerie pae'il. That also meant the light was gone, and the stairway and hall above it were pitch dark as well.
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Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 10:49 am
As Faroth moved away and again towards the door, she princess reached over and put her leaves in the bag on his back. Perhaps they had some sort of medical purpose, and Vanya would be interested to see them. Or, if nothing else, they could try and figure out exactly what they came from in a non-life-threatening situation. Yeah, that would be a much more appropriate time to think about that. With any luck, he was right and they had passed the most difficult part of their journey; Celestia didn't even want to consider what could be worse than being chased by thousands of little ants.
Moving behind him, but standing away, her eyes drifted around the scene as she heard him working with the door. She'd offer to help, but there wasn't really anything she felt she could do to contribute to the effort. "Do not strain yourself," she commented to him as he spoke to her. It would not matter if they could leave the room if he was injured, but it really was best to let him works as he felt. She certainly was in no position to know what his limits were; honestly, at the end of it, she really didn't know the guy very well. His history, his habits. Here they were, stuck together in an intimately dangerous situation, and they remained strangers. It was a little sad to think about.
Instead, she let her thoughts drift as the occasional stomps faded into the background; just how had this all looked in its prime? How different were the colors, the glass, the windows that now only gave view to dangers? Was this a room for royalty, banquets, guests?
The spirits really must have enjoyed poking fun at the princess, for soon lights flooded into the room, illuminating everything in such a vibrancy of light and smell that it was nearly overwhelming. It was all so beautiful, almost breathtaking in a glance...
But, looking closer, there was something much different to be told of it all.
The air itself was quite heavy with the combined scent of oils and smoke, and the princesses eyes focused first to the side of her, at the windows she had been looking at. Never before had she seen such movements. Her mouth seemed to drop as the female twisted.
How could she even... what was she even...?
And the male, there was something about his dancing as the shadows moved over toned features that sent blood rushing to the princess's cheeks with a feeling unlike that she had ever experienced. There was something in her rationality that told her to look away, but those movements, those muscles... They were so...
Enticing and exotic...
What...?
No what was she even thinking?!
Averting her eyes, Celestia instead found herself witnessing a very different sort of party that she could have even imagined. What were these fey even doing? Without realizing it, her face (and body) warmed, her pulse and breathing quickening in unison as eyes moved over different bodies. Oil glistened on the curves of some with a captivating sheen, handing working it into the body with very sensuous rubbing motions. Others were busied with something else, something...
Indescribable, at best.
Yet, it seemed to bring this unknown sort of primal feeling forward, a need to understand and join in this intimacy. To be embraced by someone else and to feel her skin brushed by the rough fingers of a male, or perhaps gently caressed by the satin smoothness of the curtains. To experience the taste of lips upon her own... At this very instant...
How could she even begin to describe this feeling? It was like a yearning from her heart, but different than that which she had to leave. Different that she had felt to see her family or her friends in safety.
Such a want, a need. So strong that it seemed to be overwhelming.
Trying to avert her eyes from one only let them rest upon another, these feelings only growing stronger and stronger with each failed attempt to calm herself. No... No no no... What was even going on, what were they even doing, what was she even feeling? It was all so very confusing.
Taking a few steps back, the princess tried to look anywhere that might release her of this. Instead, she felt her back bump against Faroth, the contact of his skin on hers sending an immense rush of chills up her spine.
It wasn't necessarily a bad feeling, however, this cold. "S-Sorry!" she immediately snapped, voice cracking, but unable to force herself to move.
For it was actually rather pleasing to feel him...
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Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 3:36 pm
"Woah!" The door burst open, slamming into the other wall and leaving a very startled grey Faun standing awkwardly with one hoof in the air. He hadn't done that. A blur of light and warmth passed by him in a rush, swifter than he had time to react or be startled by its presence. Aside from the light, the first thing he noticed was the heavy scent on the air. Heavy, yet sharp...it seemed to dull his senses...and yet, enhance them all at once. What was this strange feeling? As if some sort of haze had fallen over his mind, and yet...he didn't seem too worried about it. Everything was fine. Better than fine...
Shaking his head slightly, he turned away from the wall towards the now brightly-lit room. He definitely hadn't been expecting the sight that met his eyes. What...what was all this? The room had been empty and dark, left abandoned long ago...and yet now, it was filled with light and life.
Yes, life...and apparently the determination of make the most of it.
His eyes were immediately drawn towards the activity in the center of the room...until he realized what he was looking at. His cheeks blazed crimson as he fought to tear his eyes away and look somewhere, anywhere else. It wasn't...it wasn't like they were doing anything...bad...right? Just...should they be doing that where anyone could watch? Should he be watching?
Oh,GreatSpiritsoftheEarth,helphim...
The fire wall was gone from the entrance, replaced by hanging beads, with dancers in the windows on either side. Their movements seemed to speak of some music he could not hear, and yet, perhaps, almost if he just watched them long enough. They weren't Faun, but Faroth had to admit, they were both fairly attractive, even if they hadn't been moving so. His eyes traced the female Fae's form, noting she was quite pretty...
...woah. And apparently quite limber.
He turned away abruptly, seeming a full-body effort to tear away from the sight, shaking his head as if to rid the image from his mind...but to no avail; it remained. Unfortunately, this meant he'd returned to the group in the center of the room, lounging across pillows, the floor, and each other. Faroth was far from innocent, having two children of his own, and yet...he could honestly say he'd never seen anything like what he was seeing right now. It was nothing like his own experience, and yet...inadvertently, memories were being stirred up, not helped by the sight of the drinks being poured at a table nearby.
Was it getting hot in here?
Faroth could swear that he was burning beneath his fur, though it hadn't been all that warm or cool in the room before...only a little warm near the fire maybe. Yet now, it seemed stifling. He supposed on some level, he knew that some such things might happen elsewhere, and there were Faun who enjoyed the chase for tail. He didn't really consider himself one of these. However, as he seemed unable to resist staring at the group so plainly enjoying themselves, he entertained a passing thought wondering if maybe...he might join in.
He could have sworn he caught the eye of a female who smiled and beckoned him forward. Wait...that was a female, right? It was somewhat hard to tell with some of these Fae, what with the added difficulty of the tangle of limbs...
Faroth had completely forgotten about the princess until she stumbled backwards into him. He reached out automatically to catch her, to keep her from falling and stabilize her against him, then realization seemed to strike. He'd been able to at least somewhat cope with the explicit visions before him when he'd forgotten and believed himself alone. Somehow, everything seemed a hundred times more awkward and startling now that he remembered the princess was here with him...and could apparently see it too.
He felt flushed, heated, only now noticing that his breathing and pulse were racing almost as fast as when they'd been fleeing for their lives from the spiders...only minus the 'fear' response. A touch of that came though with a nervous gulp; for some reason, he suddenly became afraid that somehow the princess would be able to see or hear the inappropriate thoughts pervading his mind.
Spirits, I am so screwed if she can read thoughts...
He seemed as shaken as she was, stammering back a reply. "N-no, no, it's fine!" He was anything but fine at the moment, but the response was automatic. His cheeks were crimson, but fortunately maybe she wouldn't see that...yeah. He tried not to focus on the silken strands of her hair before his face, nor the light brush of her feathered wing against his arm, nor did he rush to push her away...
No, no, no, NO! Bad brain! Stop it!
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Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 4:03 pm
Ba-dump... Ba-dump... Ba-dump...
The quick beating of her heart echoed in the princesses mind, pushing her rational thoughts out with each throb. It worked, with the intoxicating smoke and the sounds of lovemaking, as if it were a draught, dulling her thinking.
Ba-dump... She could feel the coarseness of his fingers on her arms.
Ba-dump... She could feel the heat of his breath against her neck.
Ba-dump... She could feel the cold of her sweat down her back.
Ba-dump... She could feel the sheer tension in the air.
Break away, that's what she should do... What should she do...? What was she doing...? Move away, that's... But that breath was just so... warm... Maybe she could move further back, claim faintness from a lack of water...? No. What was she even thinking?! There was no reasonable explanation for why she might want to do anything like that, why she was even thinking like this!
But, oh, how she simply yearned to do just that... How badly she desired to.
No. No no no. Nonononono.
This was a dangerous situation, a very dangerous one. Not that her life was in danger, per se, or that they were worse off than they had been before, but that her pride and her dignity were now at risk of being compromised.
Was that really such a bad thing...?
SPIRITS HELP HER! Why couldn't she get herself to move, or why did each movement made serve to send a new sensation to her head, dulling it further, making it harder to reason and to resist the temptation? If he tried anything... would she, no, could she even say no? No, he wouldn't try anything, of course not. After all, they barely knew each other, she hadn't even been able to look at him this whole time. Surely this feeling was one-sided. Of course it was.
But what if it wasn't...? Would that make her happy...?
No. No it wouldn't, it couldn't, it shouldn't.
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Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 5:02 pm
His heart was drumming out a staccato rhythm against the inside of his rib cage; Faroth could swear the princess could feel it, as close as they were. Which wasn't helping it slow. What...what was going on? What was this feeling? There was nothing to focus on in the room that didn't stir up even more strange feelings, nothing he could use as a distraction. Everywhere he looked, there were sleek, curved forms indulging in earthly pleasures, temptations of the flesh, open for all to partake.
Dammit, Faroth! What are you thinking?
That was a simple enough question to answer...'horribly inappropriate things'. Faroth gulped, trying to block out the rest of the room, realizing that Celestia had seemed to freeze, not saying anything after her apology. She hadn't tried to pull away yet...but nor had she moved at all. Another episode? Cued by their contact? The thought made his heart plummet to his hooves.
Telling himself that was his motivation, he shifted his hold on her arms, glancing down at her. He leaned around her shoulder, just trying to get a look at her face, perhaps see what she was thinking...trying again to ignore the softness of her hair and fine fur beneath his hands. "Celestia?" he said quietly, pausing to swallow hard and attempt to shove his distracting thoughts aside for a moment. "Are...a-are you alright?" He tried not to focus on the warm hue in her cheeks, nor the tautness of the muscles in her arms where he held her. He should probably let her go, even if she didn't say anything.
He really, probably should.
He couldn't seem to do so. The haze in his mind was scrambling his thoughts, making his motions slow. His expression softened, concern giving way to a different sort of look. He leaned in slowly...
And they were suddenly shrouded in darkness.
...oh for...
Faroth sighed in resignation, straightening up. As the scent of incense faded, so did the haze over his mind. He blinked in the darkness, realizing that the only light at this point came from the low-burning fires from the remains of the fire wall he'd built. In comparison to the bright lights that had just lit the room previously though, it might as well have been pitch black until their eyes adjusted again.
What...what was that? What was I thinking? Why would I...?
It was like waking suddenly from a dream, only to find yourself somewhere you hadn't fallen asleep. Awkwardly, he started to shuffle his hooves, uncomfortably realizing how close they were, the memories of what they'd just seen still playing in his head. He should probably say something. Move away. Something!
"Uhh..."
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Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 5:34 pm
Even such small movements felt like electricity as he made them, reddening the princess's cheeks further, helping her pulse to continue its racing in her chest. As he moved, so did his breath, creating puffs of heat in new places and leaving others lonely and starkly cold in contrast. "I..." Her eyes glanced up at him, then away to the side, then to the other side, "I am... fine..." Again her eyes repeated this motion as she spoke in a hushed, horse tone, ending instead downwards and away.
Moments passed as if they were years, everything seeming to slow as she was acutely aware of Faroth still holding her arms. Why was he still doing this...? What reason had he for it?
Unless... Perhaps...
Turning her body slightly so that she had a better angle on his, her eyes glanced up again. At this, everything seemed to stop, her view unable to break away from his eyes... and his face... and his lips... coming closer...
There were no thoughts to be had; any that existed were silenced by the blood pulsating through her ears and the sounds of his breath. Her own expression took a peaceful one, her eyes half closing, hiding behind her eyelashes, as she paused, looking down and away for only a moment.
Then, looking up at him, her body seemed to move on it's own, her hands reaching up to softly touch his chest and her head, tilting, leaning up...
Her breath escaped her lips as the darkness returned, absolute, shrouding everything in its embrace. It was hard, near impossible, to see anything, with the very strong contrast of moments earlier serving to assentuate the lack of lighting. Blinking slowly, she tried to make sense of what was now going on.
That had been trapped in a cave... And ran from spiders... And escaped to this room... And opened the door... And seen the fay... And... and...
Celestia's eyes widened and her face flushed further as realization ht her, the previous sensitivity to his presence much different than the one she felt now. Rather than feelings of want, all she felt was extreme embarrassment. How could she have almost done something like that with him; she'd never done that with anyone! There was a sense of shame that washed over her, that she might be so easily influenced by such a situation. Taking a small step back, she brought her hands gently, but forcefully enough as to break his grip, off of him and behind her back.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, she couldn't look up even in his general direction, especially as she tried to rid her mind of those bodies, and movements, and oils... "We... We should continue on..." she forced out, an awkwardness and hesitation clear in her tone. "Perhaps there is a place to sleep... or... well..." God, why was it so hard to talk to him now? "...we should go..."
Really, she just needed a nice rest to sort out her feelings, and he surely did too.
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Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 9:45 pm
After the initial shock of sudden darkness, Faroth's next instinct had been to assume they were under attack again, drawing the princess close to shield her with his own body. Then, embarrassment flared with a vengeance and instead, he released her, pulling back as she did the same. They weren't under attack...at least, not by anything like spiders or snakes or the like. Hormones perhaps...
What the hell are you doing, you idiot?!?
Clarity returned, but certain feelings were a bit slower to fade. Just before the lights went out, he could have sworn... He could still see it in his mind, the princess looking up at him with a peaceful expression, still feel the warmth of her hands upon his chest. What had...had she been about to...?
By the great Earth, man. She's a princess and you're both in a life-threatening situation, and THIS is where your brain goes? What are you even thinking?!?
He ran his hand over his heated face, stifling a groan. What was wrong with him? This was neither appropriate for the time nor place or...even at all! Get it together! Surely...it was some effect of that strange smell. Yes, the oils and smoke, the heady feeling had come from that. It wasn't much different than the effects of the alcohol flooding his system seasons ago, he told himself, still trying to shake off he lingering, disorienting sensations. That had to be it. They'd both been under some effect, part of the illusion, if that's what it had been. Perhaps this had been another trap after all. One intended less to force open harm upon, and more used to entice and welcome, tempting them to take some action themselves that might result in their doom.
Stupid place.
They definitely needed to get out of here and soon.
Perhaps he should apologize? No, perhaps it was best to just gloss it over and pretend it didn't happen. "I...think that's a good idea," he agreed shakily. Needing a bit more time to compose himself, he backed away and moved towards the dying flames at the other side of the room. He searched for a suitable piece of wood...that broken table leg would do...then a length of the dry-rotted cloth from the floor. He looped and knotted the cloth around the thicker end of the table leg, then looked it over. It was rough, but it would work as a torch for now. He crossed to the remains of the fire and shoved the cloth end into the embers to light it.
As he busied himself with his 'crafting project', something occurred to him now that hadn't at the time. During all...that...before, Celestia had been staring straight at him before the lights had gone out. Their eyes had met at least once, and of all the things he thought he'd seen there...fear hadn't been one of them. He returned to the princess' side with his glowing 'torch', careful to keep his distance from her. "Err...so, onward and hopefully upwards and outwards, I suppose?" He attempted to chuckle, but it was weak, so he let it slide. Deciding that it was possibly safer behind in the room they knew rather than the unknown before them, Faroth led the way through the open door.
Calling back hesitantly, he asked, "Celestia? Are you...alright? I mean...no more visions...right?" Obviously, besides the one they'd both just seen. She seemed a bit shaken...but it seemed different than her reactions to the hallucinations before. In a way, it was somewhat of a relief...even if he wasn't sure if it was a sign that something he'd done had helped...or just coincidence, and her problem would return unexpectedly at a future point.
Beyond the door, he paused briefly, crouching to look at the broken chairs. Odd. Why chairs on this side of the door? And why were they broken? Many of the items in the previous room had been decayed or broken, but it seemed more an effect of age than anything else. For some reason, the broken chairs on the other side of the locked door made Faroth uneasy. With just a bit more hesitation, he rose to start the climb up the stairs.
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Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 10:20 am
The princess paced back and forth as Faroth went about moving away and making his lantern, her face flushed and her mind racing with thoughts and feelings at such a speed that she could barely hope to make sense of any of it.
What even had happened...? It all seemed such a blur now, even though it had just happened, that she couldn't be sure of anything. If it wasn't for his own movements, she'd think it was all in her head. She could live with that; that would be preferable to knowing that he had been aware as well. When she was going to...
Going to...
What was she going to do...?
Spirits help her this was not the time for such thoughts! It stemmed from a moment of weakness, of finally having time with another, not of anything practical. Yes. These simply had no meaning, and would pass.
They would be just as those she had felt towards her late husband, perhaps even of her daughter. It had been so long since she thought of them... Surely if her love for them had been true, their separation would have been very painful. Or... remained painful to think about... Yet now the thoughts only brought distant, cold feelings with nostalgia intertwined.
"Yes... Hopefully..." she agreed as he came nearer, moving to follow behind him this time, eyes drifting to his shadow as a reference to follow. There were so many things to think about... Like how his chest had felt against her fingers...
No... Stop... This was exactly why she was having a hard time even speaking with him!
Tilting her head and glancing up at him for a moment, her voice seemed confused, yet curious. "Whatever do you mean by that...?" she asked. As far as she could recall, there was no reason for them to have so simply stopped. What could have happened to change the circumstance.
Not that he even knew the circumstance.
Perhaps she might... No... She should tell him later... After they found a place to rest.
Her eyes moved to look at the dimly-lit chair, broken upon the floor as those of the other room had been. Yet... There was something off about this, like they were broken out of intent rather than of age. Hand moving to brush against the wall as she followed him the winding, turning staircase, she had to wonder just where in this place they were now going.
At least it appeared safe, or, safer in comparison.
Upon reaching the top of the staircase, a feeling of weariness rushed over the princess. The windows... Were they... They were filled with dirt...? She and Faroth were under the ground...? Were they really trapped...?
An audible, weary sigh escaped her lips as a hand lifted to rub her temples, her head shaking with defeat. "We have been buried... Spirits help us, how did this even...?" She had to bite her lip to keep a panic akin to claustrophobia from filling her; that would only worsen things. But... After the spiders, and the fire, and the harem, and now... this...
"Would you oppose to resting ourselves here?"
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