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 Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 8:36 am
Anabel continued to look at the floor, Unable to meet his eyes. "Well, I guess there's only one thing to do then..." she sat up from the wall and walked over to rest on her bed, "Tomorrow morning, return to your mountain, and if you feel as though you don't want to leave... stay. If you feel as though you're leaving me to die, then continue to help me. It will give you an excuse to leave your home. But if you wish to return to keep me company... The door's always open, and all you have to do is pack a bag and return, Okay?"
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 4:44 pm
Vermillion didn't say a word, but pulled the door closed behind him.
He went downstairs and sat at the table with a glass of water. He just sat there thinking for awhile, before taking his glass of water and heading out into the garden. He searched and found her compost pile, and sifting through the vines and such on top he gathered what he needed and moved to sit along the wall.
When the horizon began to redden with the sunrise, the ground thudded heavily rattling a few small bottles and vases around Anabel's room, and a few short seconds later her curtains went horizontal with a heavy gust of wind. The sound of wings whipping at the air died out.
On the table made from vine and leaves was as scaled down model of Anabel, complete with unfortunately green leaves for wings. It was a standing figure, and it was holding one of the lily's that Vanie had brought last evening. However, their was another figure on the table that was much larger. it was still creaking slightly as the stiff dead vines tried to spring back, but due to the weave were prevented for much movement. It was a scaled down version of Vermillion as a dragon. the soft green leaves making up the wing sail between the vine bone structure.
One forearm was raised holding something. which was a note rolled up and stuck through his left ring. which was hooked onto the raised arm of his likeness of vine and leaf.
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 5:11 pm
Anabel got up and shut the window shivering, "Wow... That kind of wind in summer... We must have a storm coming in." she threw on her thicker night robe, hanging on a hat rack by her door, and walked downstairs to start breakfast.
As she walked down the stairs and turned right into the kitchen she noticed two foreign objects on the table. She quickly took a seat in a chair and timidly reached out to grasp the first object which was tall and had wavy vines toward the top as she followed down the object she made out arms, a dress, and wings. putting everything together she realized it was doll of her.
She smiled and reached out to the other object and found a tall object that had a long neck, large wings, and a wide body that trailed down to a tail. With the help of a sudden flashback of her past she was able to come to the conclusion that the other doll had the same build as a dragon.
After finishing palpating the doll she found it had a note. Grumbling about her inability to read she shuffled over to the bar down the road and handed the doll to Ive, "There's a note... Can you read it to me?"
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 6:56 pm
Ive removed the note from the doll, and pulling the ring off she set it in front of Anabel. She unfolded it and read just loud enough that Anabel would hear. "I'm sorry I hurt you with my senseless babble, and with the impossibility of sleep I put my hands to work so that I can think clearly on how best to help us. The result I'm sure you'll recognize, Truth is always better, but some truths hurt. I am not returning to the mountain, I left this morning to fly to a place I visited a long time ago, a town in which a half breed calls home. She let drop that her family was very powerful, and to secure my return I have entrusted to you one of two rings that must stay with me. So i will return for it, that you cannot question now, but it is with hopes that my return brings with it the chance to return to what I crafted as your image. I did my best based on my old studies, if something was not correct, I do apologize, either way it looked beautiful when i finished, but check the top of your dresser. There is two more there, with a truth I cannot put into words, and a dream i wish to come true."
Ive folded the note; "Anabel, who is this guy? This sort of thing worries me, it sounds like he was in your house, and if he is harassing you...you know we would take care of him for you."
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 7:22 pm
Anabel's heart began pounding as she grabbed the ring and dashed out of the bar, her bare feet thumping against the soft earth blow her. A short sprint later she was at her front door, up the stairs and in her room.
Her hands frantically searched she heard something knock over and paled slightly. trembling, her hands palpated another set of dolls lying down. she picked them up and felt the silk of Vermillions shirt on both dolls; a skirt for one and a shirt for the other. the two figures were embracing and their faces gently pressed together.
She smiled softly and tears streamed down her face. the dolls still held in her hand she walked back down the stairs, and down the dirt path to the Bar to retrieve the doll she had left behind.
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 8:00 pm
Ive finished pouring a cup of coffee, and set the pot down moving back down seeing the tears on her face hadn't dried yet. "Anabel, what is going on, who is this person, and what is with all these dolls"
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 8:14 pm
"He made them for me... I came back over to retrieve the other doll... They need to be set somewhere where no one can ruin them." she offered her hand out and took the dragon doll back from Ive.
"I'll have you know I don't like the idea of a man falling for you... It's dangerous." Ive grumbled as she folded her arms and looked at the love stricken girl.
"I tried to tell him that too, and I don't think he minds." Anabel added.
"You still haven't told me who this Mystery man is."
"You just said it yourself."
"Mystery man?! Hellsfire you haven't even known the man a day!" Ive growled with a low stern tone, "What the hell are you getting yourself into dear... He's just going to hurt you. Sure he may stick around till winter, but you think he's really going to care when you go... That's just what he's waiting for."
Anabel glared at Ive for saying such things, but then thought about what he had said last night, 'I have always been able to turn down a woman's advance or the urge in me to seek their comfort...'
Her glare softened and the tears began to dot the side of her eyes.
"Honey, I've seen it before. They come, they take, they leave." Ive stepped around the bar and held Anabel in her arms.
"... But I feel so... Different around him..." Anabel whispered as she buried her tear soaked face into Ive's shoulder.
"Love hurts, sweetheart, And you go through enough pain in a day. The last thing you need is to put up with that man's s**t."
Anabel broke the embrace with Ive and with her head hanging low, shuffled out the door, down the dirt path and up to her room where she placed the figures on her dresser.
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Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 4:47 pm
(I'm going to assume Anabel is in her garden)
A tall stranger approached from a blind side so that they would be hidden by the house from direct view of the street. Focused just enough of their magic to make the seal on her wings ache, more or less to get her attention, and then they spoke the voice sounding feminine. "I see their work is still rather untouched, they will be delighted to hear you're not requiring another visit, but they mentioned you might be too comfortable all alone. So they sent me to play with you, but before we play I want that dragon gone for good. I will be watching, if he stays I will not hurt you, I will let him join you in your suffering, and we all could play together. I would find it amusing to see him groping his way around, unable to fight me..." The stranger dissolved into dark toned giggles; "I don't think you could bear that on your conscience, but hopefully you paid attention because you won't like our first game if he sticks around."
The ache died away slowly and the form moved away quickly leaving to go into the cover of the woods.
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Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 5:05 pm
Anabel was aware of the presence, and paid close attention to the message, but noticed it's biggest downfall; Entering the Forest.
Hoe in hand she made her way into the forest, 'My wings may be sealed, but i still have a connection to the earth...' she dashed through the woods without a sound and hid behind a tree just off the main path. she could hear the strangers footsteps nearing the tree she was behind.
Maneuvering to the bush she gripped tight to her hoe, and when the time was right... she launched out of the bush knocking the person to the ground. After a difficult struggle she had mounted the person's chest and had the hoe's blade to their neck, "Who are you... Who sent you.... And why must you persist on making my life even more difficult?" she huffed still out of breath from the scuffle.
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Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 5:32 pm
She merely laughed at this little show of force; "You wish for their return, then by all means cut my throat with your blade, because when they arrive looking for their apprentice and see what I have seen they will be less then pleased. I'm being nice and giving you the chance to spare his life from their cruelty, but I fail to report what I have seen, then one or all will come, and i would hate to see what more they could do to you. Then there is what their going to do to your little dragon pal. Could you live with that, having them tie his life to yours, so that when you die, he dies, that is just one possibility, they could simply kill him and strip him of any useful means for their own practices. Foolish girl, their cruelty expands along with their power, beyond your measure of what the worst could possibly be. It's frightening to the point I feel sorry for the victims, but I want that power for myself. So either get off of me and go home, or kill me and possibly live with the fact you just killed everyone in the town that gave a damn for your miserable life." She waited for Anabel's answer with the look of evil satisfaction on her face.
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Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 5:49 pm
"So..." Anabel sat back rather relaxed like with the blade still to the girl's throat, "If you're a mere Apprentice... Why would they care if you died.... Do you know how expansive Lord Dagon's army is? If he chased down every death in his army... there'd be no point... so Killing you would have no effect on anyone."
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Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 6:46 pm
"His view on women is rather low as well, unless they are substantially skilled to achieve certain goals of his. I already know my fate, when my usefulness to him is up, he will cast me aside for foolish others wishing to be spared more gruesome a fate. I caught the birds eye cause I was shiny, and i doubt he would invest time in training me if he didn't think my offer was a good investment. You're part of it now, whether you want to be or not, because last evening confirmed it when I dug up his victim. Only Vermillion could slice a sword of his making cleanly in two, and that is what I promised Dagon. A weapon maker with strong enchantments to outfit that expansive army so that he could erase any resistance whatsoever. Of course making deals with a man like him means deadlines or death, and running isn't an option you can take once you seal the deal. So you break his heart in the best way you can, i'll pick up the pieces, deliver him, and you live out the rest of your miserable life untouched. Either way i peaked his interest dropping vermilion's name, so it's either me, or someone else in time. So choose your poison."
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Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 6:53 pm
"I don't see what you're so worried about... He doesn't love me that much... i've known him a day." She smiled, "Like Ive said... Come snowfall he'll pack up and head back to his mountain."
She stood up, but held the hoe to her neck, "I'll have my fun, and enjoy the little time I have left. You'll have to do a lot more than chase after me with creepy cloaks and make hollow threats to get me to think otherwise, Got it?"
Anabel removed the hoe from the girls neck and flung the blade over her shoulder, making her way down the path and back home.
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Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 7:16 pm
"We'll see what the setting sun brings." She got up and began her trek to town. Once there she kept pretty much out of sight, seeing as how Anabel wasn't going to willingly cooperate, a little motovation would be needed from the very people who protect her.
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Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 7:19 pm
Anabel returned home and continued her gardening. She pulled weeds, composted, picked vegetables, started canning some tomatoes, cleaned up her house a bit, and watered her indoor plants; being sure to take extra care with the tree Vermillion gave her.
By the time all her tasks had been complete it was dark, and she walked around the house and lit up her candles. 'Hmmm, Maybe i should go to the inn tonight...' she thought as she finished the dishes in the kitchen.
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