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 Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:39 am
Keeta actually let out a little sigh of relief at this. While the time it would take for Natalia to come of age would seem a small amount of time to someone like Ceres who had lived for centuries, to Keeta, it seemed almost a long while yet and she was grateful to know she would not lose her friend right away. She gripped Ceres' hand tightly and started forward.
"I just hope I can be everything for her that she needs me to be. I'll definitely try to come around more and establish that relationship with her."
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:49 am
"I know Keeta. That is why I asked you and no one else." Ceres smiled cheerfully. "I'm honored to be your friend. And, I look forward to all the time we will spend together."
Ceres closed her eyes and raised her hand. Slowly, with a very loud creek, the massive wooden doors opened. "We'd never have gotten them open on their own... Strange thing is that on occasion they are actually open." She giggled. "Guess that could be kinda spooky to the average traveler."
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:00 pm
"I'm looking forward to it as well," Keeta said, squeezing Ceres' hand again and turning to look at the solid wooden doors. Well, if Kael wasn't going to be around, at least she knew Ceres would be there as long as she could be.
Her jaw nearly dropped open as she saw Ceres open the doors, seemingly with the effort of her own will. Keeta knew she was using the magic of the island, but still.
"Really? They're actually open on their own sometimes? That is kinda creepy..." she said, her skin crawling slightly. "Wonder if there are ghosts in there?" Keeta continued in a teasing manner, trying both to lighten the mood and try to hide the fact that she was a little bit nervous. Not nervous enough to turn away, just enough to be wary. She took another step towards the open doorway.
"Well, shall we?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:14 pm
"Probably. Like I said no telling what limits there are when it comes to this island." Ceres chuckled even as the doors slammed shut, and locked. "Well we are here now... No turning back."
"It doesn't startle me because I did play here as a kid. I've played everywhere... Things just remain unexplained to me..." She gave Keeta's hand another firm squeeze. "And, don't worry there are other ways out although they won't be as easy as waltzing out the front door."
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:29 pm
Keeta yelped loudly, her voice echoing off the stone walls as the door slammed shut. She looked at Ceres wide-eyed and shook a little now, despite the reassurance that there were other ways out of here. Briefly she wondered what she had gotten herself into.
"So I guess I can't hope you were the one who closed the doors then?" she asked nervously, as her eyes began to explore the space they were in. It was a large entrance hall with high ceilings and, to Keeta's relief, large windows, which let in enough light to see by, even though many of them appeared to be covered over in ivy. It caused a green tint to the light in the room, and it was quite beautiful.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:34 pm
"If it would make you feel better I'll tell you that I did indeed close and lock the doors." Ceres said as she put on the warmest smile to make the other feel better.
Ceres snapped her fingers and the melted sticks of wax with wicks hardly there lit. "A little something to help us in our exploration." She took in a deep breath. "Very must." She said coughing just a little.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:49 pm
Now Keeta was confused, not knowing if Ceres had actually closed the doors or if she was just saying that to make her feel better. Deciding she'd rather not know, she tried to push the issue away in her mind.
"Well makes sense, seeing as there's probably not much airflow through here with the doors closed most of the time. Seems to have kept most of the animals out as well..." she remarked, noting that aside from the cobwebs, a mousehole here and there and a few bats hiding in the rafters, there didn't appear to be much evidence of animals living in the space.
"Maybe they know better..."
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:08 pm
"The Equines use the stables from time to time to get out of the room." Ceres said as she walked forward slowly letting go of Keeta's hand. "My favorite room is a just a bit this way..." She didn't have a clue if Keeta had heard her. She had a sudden burst of curiosity.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:21 pm
Keeta had in fact only half-heard Ceres, but decided to follow her anyways. She didn't much care for the thought of staying here by herself if there were invisible forces at work here that could close those doors. Stepping quickly to catch up, she stayed a pace or two behind Ceres, looking around the whole time and taking in the ancient and crumbling walls. They passed a tapestry here and there that Keeta might have stopped to examine, if she hadn't wanted to be left alone.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:33 pm
"This is my favorite room." Ceres smiled like a giddy kid with a new candy bar just bought for them. "The ball room." She giggled and picked up her attire as one would a dress. "Can you picture the dances, and all the people." As if she could hear music she began to dance.
The ballroom itself looked untouched. Not a thing out of place. The ceiling and windows were intact. It spanned a very large area. At the end was a long buffet style table. The dishes, candles, goblets, and the like still sat proudly as if today was the day... However, it was apparent that the people had just vanished.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 4:05 pm
Keeta stepped inside and didn't say anything for a long time. She was taking in the place and the images Ceres had suggested to her. Watching Ceres, she also smiled at her friend's mirth. It was good to see her happy after the serious topic they had just been discussing.
She wandered to the banquet table and walked along it, looking at the fine place settings and decorations, her fingers tracing the edge of a glass or plate, here and there.
"It's like it's under a spell or something...." she finally said, in breathless wonder.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 4:33 pm
Ceres' dance came to a stop as the music did that played in her head. She was a bit breathless as she looked to Keeta, and banquet table. "I suppose that is one way of looking at it... Then again you can look under the table and noticed bones." She said as she walked over to where Keeta was. "I guess in a way it is kind of fascinating.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 5:35 pm
Keeta froze and turned towards Ceres, her eyes wide once more.
"There's bones under there?" she asked, afraid to look and discover it for herself.
"I thought you said they had just vanished...."
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 5:44 pm
"They did just vanish... There food didn't just vanish with them." Ceres grinned. "Didn't mean to startle you. I am sure scavengers picked bones clean and left them there when there was nothing left to satisfy them." She picked one up from the ground. "See... Didn't mean to startle you."
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 5:50 pm
"Oh..." Keeta said, clearly relieved. "Those kind of bones." She giggled, embarassed.
"Sorry, I thought I was more hardened for stuff like this with my fighting background and all, but even when I was a mercenary...when I killed someone I didn't have to stick around and see what happened to them." She shuddered and again thought of Kael, wondering if his body was somewhere rotting...all alone....
"No!" she unintentionally said aloud, closing her eyes in frustration, trying to block out the image.
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