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 Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 12:13 pm
Not feeling nearly as brave as he was attempting to portray, he did feel a small boost at the hand squeeze. Taking a deep breath, hopeful that Tessa was on his side, he tried to relax his body. ...Easier said than done.
He listened to the rest of the exchange quietly. Master... Anybody called Master in a place like this couldn't be good. Watching the huge cattaur walk off, he leaned toward Tessa slightly. "So, this Master... You think he'll listen and realize a taunt isn't worth killing over?" He was proud that his voice didn't crack, but he didn't know how long that would last.
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 1:37 pm
Quintessa ran a hand through her loose hair. Something about being 'home' always set her hackles on edge. She leaned in towards Gabriel, hesitating slightly, before whispering, "That depends. He's a greedy b*****d who only works for a reward. But he isn't stupid, so I'm hoping he can point us in the right direction. For now, we wait."
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 2:43 pm
Scratching his head with his free hand, he fought between wanting to keep his eyes down but not wanting to look away from what was ahead. Who knew what this island held. But, if even he could sense the despair and darkness on the land, then it had to be bad.
"Wait... Yeah... I don't have anywhere else to be." He said laxly, though he could feel himself becoming more tense simply standing there. He felt like back in the boat, except much more depressing. And though Quintessa was standing right there, and holding his hand, the view wasn't so great. It was all so... dark.
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 6:31 pm
Shivering from the sea wind, Quintessa crossed her free arm across her waist with a lasting glance out over the island. She could see the smoke from the bellows where the weapons were made, hear the laughter of the brothels, and see the grime that leaked out of every building. It brought a smile to her soul.
"Don't be so tense. You won't die immediatly." She nudged him with her elbow. "Everyone that lives here was either thrown out of their homes or bought from slave traders. They follow a strict code; your my kill and the only one that will take your life is me. If things don't turn out in your favor."
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 7:18 pm
Gabriel snorted a short laugh. "Yeah. 'Not immediately.' Not encouraging." He paused, his jaw working his teeth into powder. "I'm not sure I'm all that encouraged knowing you'll be the one to kill me either." Shrugs, though his shoulders don't give much. "You might kill me right away instead of toturing or letting me bleed out, but I'd much prefer going home to my family. I bet everyone says that though, don't they."
He took a deep breath, realizing he was rambling. "...Sorry. First time is always the hardest, isn't that what they say?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 6:32 pm
Quintessa threw a hand in the air. "Nothing pleases you short of sex, does it?" She rolled her eyes. Her first response was always to attack, and logically she knew he was probably terrified, so tried to tone it down.
The assassin gave a short laugh. "So it seems." Her tiny tail curled up, then flopped uselessly against her backside. "...Your family must be pretty special if you want to get back to them so badly."
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 7:12 pm
Gabriel snorted loudly. "I doubt even sex could please me right now." Taking her idea though, he tried to think of the ladies he had enjoyed pleasant romps with. Right then though, not even the couple females who had lasted more than a night would come to mind. Yet, a couple playful images of Tessa- Stop that!!!
Eyes flicking over to the female, his features softened slightly, a mixture between affection for his family and disbelief that she would consider that question neccessary. "Of course they are." He said, now finding strength from thoughts of his family. "Even though we don't all live together anymore, we still make sure to spend time together." He knew he was about to start rambling again, but at least this brought him comfort instead of making him more nervous. His voice was quiet, but gentle with love. "Got a brother and sister. My brother is the opposite of me, and our sister is the sweetest thing. Dad practices potion making, and mom is tough as nails. Grandparents both live nearby; all four act younger than they really are. A handful of aunts and uncles and a slew of cousins."
His smile faded as his eyes wandered to the city again. "...I hope they never find out about this. Maybe I'll be able to laugh about it later, but right now..." He shook his head.
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 7:42 pm
Unlike Gabriel, Quintessa gave her mind free reighn. She imagined his hands slowly untying the front of her corset as he nibbled on her collarbone. Her foreleg would be wrapped around his waist while-
Mmm. Imagination was delicous.
Quintessa saw the way her mark changed. He seemed to get back the spark that she had found so attractive back in the village, if only for a moment. Her eyes widened with general surprise. "Your family's huge!" The biggest a family got on the island was two; tops. Usually a mother and her b*****d child. Sometimes a threesome or foursome was found, but it was few and far between. "It's a miracle that you have them all, and they sound perfect. I can see why you wouldn't want to leave them."
Her eyes followed his. Ironically, the place that would destroy a family was where hers was.
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 8:18 pm
Gabriel found himself chuckling softly at the female’s exclamation. “Yeah. There’s a bunch of them. Big even for the mainland. One set of grandparents has four children and the other grandparents have three, bound to be a mess.” He smiled. "I wouldn't say perfect, but I wouldn't want anyone else to go home to." Well, perhaps add a spouse and kids to the list one day, like some of his cousins had. One day.
Following Quintessa’s thoughts, he pulled his eyes away from the city before opening his mouth again. It was just so doom and gloom. “I can’t imagine a family can get very big here. …” He glanced at the cattaur, then quickly back the other way. But then, back to her. “You have any family? No harm telling me if you plan to kill me anyway.” He flashed a disarming smile, but only managed half the usual wattage. The feel of the island and the impending appearance of a “master” who held his life by a string were getting to him.
He noticed in the distance down the shore a couple heads looked toward them, but none for more than a few seconds. How many of the taur on this island were assassins? How many just lived here? …Had Tessa possibly ever imagined living anywhere else?
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 8:35 pm
"Damn." Quintessa ran a hand through her hair. What would it have been like growing up in a family like that? Where there were cousins as far as the eye could see and everyone was happy that you were alive? She could only dream.
"It doesn't. We're workers to the core, and home making isn't in our blood." She said bitterly. His question caught her off guard, leaving her to think over her response. He did have a point, though. And that smile! "I had a mother." She said flippantly, tossing her hand in the air. "She's less than a mile away whoring herself out in some drug induced haze, no doubt. She gave me to my father as soon as I was weened, and being in the slave trade, he sold me for the first bit of coin he could get. Luckily, it was Master."
She looked out at the smokey streets, and wondered which building her mother was staying in. Was she still alive? Even if she was one of the few born here that survived to adult hood, she was far from proud. "Then again..." she sighed. "You asked for family, not personal history."
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Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 9:00 pm
Flicking his ears, Gabriel thought to himself how work rather than raising families was best for an island like this. Quintessa’s story confirmed his thoughts. His ears flipped back against his head; not in pity, but more in a silent awe that he had been able to see tiny pieces of a soul within her after being raised in such a way. Similar to her, he could only dream of such a life.
Cocking his head, he raised his eyes to the thick clouds overhead and shrugged. “Family... Personal history… They usually fall under the same category.” Without thinking, he gave her hand a small squeeze. “Everyone has to be born somewhere. Woulda been nicer if-” His mouth hung half open for a second before closing. That was just too tacky and stupid to finish.
Instead, he coughed lightly. “That master here yet?” He asked, trying to cover the warmth on his cheeks.
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Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 6:27 pm
Quintessa looked down at their joined hands, then her eyes slowly travelled up to his. She grinned. "It's not about the cards we're dealt, but how we play the game."
The assasin blinked and looked behind her, towards the island. Nothing had changed. "He should be, he's usually- Oh! There." She pointed towards a bobbing torch coming their way.
It took a while, for the Master was a very calculated man and hurried for no one. Appearance wise, he looked like an older version of Terrance with a surplus of scars. Where as the cattaur who held the torch had warm eyes, the Master's were like looking into a red moon.
Quintessa lowered her head as soon as he approached. "Master."
"Rise." He held out his hand for her to do so, but never took his eyes off Gabriel. "Someone be so kind as to tell me why a mark was not only allowed to live, but is in our homeland?"
"Sir-"
"Not you." He snapped. "He can talk, can't he? I want the story from him." The Master pointed a clawed hand at Gabriel.
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Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 7:20 pm
Peeking over just long enough to see her grin, he looked back up at the sky, praying to whatever might listen for strength. He felt he would need it to play this game.
Now wishing he hadn't asked about the master, he waited before turning to look at the oncoming duo. They were still a bit away, but the torch lit them fairly well. A father-son team? The master was obviously a veteran with all those marks on his skin. As they got closer, Gabriel could feel a sharp gaze burning through him. That wasn't a good sign either. What kind of magic did that male posess?
Unsure of what to do, he stood like a stump while Quintessa bowed. He swore that cattaur's stare could light a piece of wood on fire! He glanced at Terrance, looking for a hint of what might happen until a finger is suddenly pointed at him. Eyes finally raising up, he met the elder cattaur's gaze. ...He could talk, right? He'd been talking just a minute ago!
He cleared his throat, grasping at the voice that had momentarily left him. "I-I can talk, and be kind as can be." Yes! His voice lived! He cleared his throat again, trying to think what his brother would do. Wyatt was the calm one, not him. He had to dig deep to not stutter or laugh. Nothing would clear the tension from this air. "The short of it is, there's a question of how guilty I am. The charge against me is overstated by a guy who hates losing. My blood deserves to stay right where it is. I'm here because I need the chance to prove I'm innocent, and Qui-your captain wanted to see you about it first." Was that the gist of it? Was that too little? Or too much? Had he talked too fast? He was starving! ...Where'd that thought come from?
Ever since the cattaurs had arrived, the only movement out of Gabriel had been his eyes. Not even his tail would twitch.
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Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 7:27 pm
Terrance looked past his father's shoulder with a sympathetic grin and shrug.
The Master's gaze burned brighter when Gabriel began to reiterate recent events. He waited patiently, seemingly not even moving to breath, all to eager to know why his Captain had failed so massively in her task. The elder cattaur grinned, showing a bit of fang at the foxtaurs nervousness. The sweet smell of fear took the edge off his anger.
He ran his tongue along one fang, then popped out a 'hrm'. "What have you to say, girl?"
Quintessa never faltered. "I believe we've been deceived. I'm on the fence about it myself, sir, but everything so far is pointing towards his innocence." Was this okay? Her Master would surely know she wasn't telling the total truth, but she wasn't going to spill blood when she didn't have to. "
He stood for a moment, pondering what options he had, before a slow, devilish grin spread out on his face. "Fine, then. Since I was the one who reviewed his request, it's my judgement thats in question." The Master walked over to them both slowly. "I will give you one month to find the male who made the contract, and bring him to me. Alive. If at the end of that month, the two of you have disappeared, then it will your heads on my wall. Is that clear?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:44 pm
Jaw now clenched shut, he watched the gears turn in the elder cattaur's head. However, his own mental gears were at half power, focused on what the cattaurs were saying and the pit that continued to grow in his stomach. How could he be hungry at a time like this?!
Not exactly comforted by the Master's grin, he felt something within shift in relief. He remained stiff as a statue though. A whole month? He nodded before words could come out, working his jaw slightly. "That's as clear as the sky is- um-" His eyes flicked up to the low-hanging smokey sky, "...dark. Thank you."
It was good that his mind was too distracted to allow his imagination to follow the idea of his head on a wall, so he gave another small nod, tearing his eyes away to finally glance at Quintessa again. He was starting to hear and see things outside their little gathering again; the few taur who turned to see the Master out, to see who was getting the attention, the smell of the thick air, and the waves lapping the shore behind them, and he yearned to be back on that tiny boring boat as soon as possible.
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