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 Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2007 10:10 pm
As soon as they reached the mountain destination and were secure, Chiros ordered Philippe out to the Capital. It was a mercy, really- he was going insane with not being able to go see for himself. Though the others might not trust Cairo, he had NO doubts that he wasn't needed as long as the mage was there to protect his Prince.
The city wasn't what he loved. It wasn't something to hate yet, either, but it definitely wasn't home- that much was painfully obvious as Phi limped into Reime. He'd taken the guise of someone crippled by the war, hair blacked with soot, covered in false bandages and wearing a cloak over his crutch.
He headed first into the bars, looking for word of what was going on. If he were careful...everything would go well. If he were careful.
---
The bar was full of the Queens guards, some villagers, and a few random mercenaries brought in to get a piece of the action. Phi could sense a few trackers as well, ones on their way to find the Prince and anyone else she was looking for.
The barkeep looked weary as he shifted over to offer Phi a dirty mug and some beer. He didn't' ask him what he wanted, he just gave what he had.
---
"Hey..." he motioned to the man, voice rough like he was in a lot of pain. Weak. He kept his voice quiet, but movements rabbitish. "I'm looking for my sister...she was a handmaid at Court...help me find her, please..."
---
The barkeep blinked, looking at him like he was crazy. "Ain't no ladies in court cept the Black Queen's." He hissed under his breath. "Git out of here if yer gonna be sayin stuff like that! I don't want any trouble."
---
He whined, flinging a few coins at him before skittering away again. He spent the entire night like that- gleaning tiny bits of information from every available source. Sometimes it was is sister, sometimes his daughter or mother, sometimes a handmaid or kitchen servant...always someone unimportant, but still tied distantly to the old court.
It was ******** exhausting, and he wanted to gut every one of these smug guards until they screamed.
---
Toward the end of the night, all he got was that those that weren't executed were in the jails. He knew those cells by heart, since he'd been a guard himself. The court was completely replaced by the Queen's people.
---
It was enough. Enough to give him back the streak of crazy that made him so good at what he did; enough to make him snatch one of the guards, steal his uniform, and scratch himself as he walked lazily into the cells. On his way in, he picked up the name of one of the hardass Captains of the b***h queen's guard; he spat off to the side as he came up to the guard at the door to the cells.
"Cap'n Garret wants t' see you. You better haul your carcass up there before he comes and finds it...he's out for blood."
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"No s**t..." The other guard muttered, sighing. "Y'take over for me til I get back?" He tossed him a set of keys, darting out through the doors.
---
"Good luuuuuuck~" he sang after the poor b*****d, catching the keys and leaning idly against the door for a few minutes. Only after he KNEW there was no one to listen did he go inside, scratching himself again as he tossed a lusty eye at what might be pretty.
---
The cells were wall to wall down either side, all the way down into the darkness. The majority of the cells had at least one 'body' inside. It smelled horrible... it had never been this bad when the King had ruled.
---
He fought the anger. Fought it as much as possible- he didn't have much time, he knew. Maybe half an hour at best. This place was HIS domain, and if the King were ruling he could have come down here and had every guard flayed and thrown in with the prisoners...but Olivier was nowhere to be seen, and he didn't have time to dwell on it.
Instead, he searched. Searched for any Court members that might be useful...and one precious face he needed desperately to find.
---
Some cells held figures draped across the floor- those smelled the worse and had rats. Others had people chained to the walls. A few moved when he passed but nothing more than a cautious glance and then freezing again.
One of the cells held a figure in remnants of a gown. She was laying on the ground, still- lack luster eyes staring blankly out of the cell. She was still alive, if that's what you could call it.
---
Good enough start. He leaned on the bars of that cell for a moment, smirking...then stepped inside, shutting the door behind him with a final-sounding CLANG. Kneeling next to the woman, he yanked her face around where he could see- light glinting cruelly off his eyes.
"Well, hellooooo there, pretty."
---
She didn't say anything, but from what he could see her dress was torn horribly and bruises covered the skin visible. Apparently she was the guards toy.
There was a growl from across the cell and the sounds of chains moving before the vicious snap of them as someone lunged toward the bars.
"Get away from her! Haven't your hurt her enough you bastards!"
---
His heart ached for her. So much damage...god, the poor creature. The voice caught his attention, however, and he rose with both eyebrows up to face the voice. "Are you putting yourself on my list?"
---
"If it gets you off of her, so be it. Unchain me and I'll show you what a real fight is like you son of a whore!" He shouted back at him. Phi could see a silloutte moving in the darkness across from him, someone pulling against the shackles holding him to the wall.
---
He moved fast- as fast as he would against Cyril in real practice, hand smashing across the shadow-figure's face. He followed it with a quick step forward, slamming the person into the wall- body pressed close enough to almost steal the person's breath.
"I like my easy ******** to have spirit," he growled. He didn't recognize this person...could it be one of the guards, or one of the personal retainers for one of the lords...?
---
"Heh heh heh... that was your mistake." The man murmured, words slurred from the blood from where he'd been struck in the mouth.
His foot shot out, kicking Phi's viciously to the side following it with a crack across his kneecap. His hand appeared- suddenly free from the shackle to slam across his jaw. He used the chain still holding his left wrist as momentum, leaping up to kick him solidly in the chest and send him reeling backwards.
---
"s**t-" Phi growled, hitting the ground hard and rolling back to his knees. that HURT. He evaded the limp form on the ground, figuring she'd been through enough.
That the man was still caught by one hand gave him an advantage, even if only a brief one. He was also, he figured, able to take more damage- hopefully. Again, he threw himself at the figure, not evading blows or causing any...just using the weight of his body as a restraint.
"Be quiet," he growled low, "before I get the other guards in here to cut up your friend while you watch."
---
"She died a long time ago, you can't threaten me anymore!" He hissed back, slamming his forehead against Phi's hard enough to blacken his vision for several seconds. He followed that with a knee to the groin, ripping the keys from Phi's belt. o__<
---
He wasn't ashamed to admit he yelped in pain. IT HURT, dammit, and he had to shake his vision clear as fast as possible in order to retaliate. One hand snapped out, grabbing the wrist that now held the keys and breaking it. He felt bad, but so did his...important anatomy.
Following the motion, his hand went for the prisoner's throat with clawed fingers. Even his soft kidskin gloves- the same gloves he always wore- couldn't disguise the steel in that grip, or the lethal intent. He smelled of cloves, and he shook the man like a rat.
"Enough!"
---
Sol yelped, feeling the bones in his wrist snap painfully. His cry was choked as the guard grabbed his throat, shaking him viciously. Well, this was it... he was finally going to be killed. He felt the tears well up in his eyes and bit down on his lower lip to keep them from showing. He wouldn't give the man the satisfaction of seeing him break.
"You can kill me... but the Prince will come back and kill you all."
---
"Nice to see one of you has some ******** spirit left, now hold still so I can unlock your goddamn chains," was the growled, frustrated response. The words felt good to hear- almost enough to forgive this little escapade. "Is the girl really that far gone- or is there any point in trying to save her?"
---
He blinked, watching him unlock his cuff. "W-what?"
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"I asked you a question. Is there anything left of the girl's mind- or has she been hurt too badly?" Cold eyes snapped to the other man's face, forceful. "Answer me!"
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"Yes. Of course..." As soon as he was free he darted over to her, kneeling beside her to murmur something. He used his good hand to scoop her up as best he could, glancing over his shoulder toward the... guard? "What is going on?"
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"Tch. That makes things much harder." He stepped forward again, bending down to hoist the poor girl onto his shoulder. He grabbed the man by the front of his shirt- roughly- and pulled him very close to whisper in his ear.
"I'm going to drag you out of here by the hair. It's going to hurt, but I can't get both of you out otherwise. You will struggle, but don't make too much noise. Understand?"
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"Yes." He nodded, following him. The man hadn't exactly explained himself, but if he was getting them out... then that was the first step in the right direction.
---
Getting out DID hurt like a b***h. The guard wasn't kind, in order to make it more convincing...he managed to add a little payback for his soreness along the way, laughing darkly at Sol's protests. He left the keys hanging on the door...then hauled them to an empty, forgotten guest room in one of the poorer wings and laid the girl gently on the bed. The dust was so thick he could barely breathe.
"Lock the door- use something to seal it like a dresser," he ordered, attentions still on the girl. "Make them think it's old and stuck."
---
Sol was gingerly touching his hair, fingertips returning covered in red. He glared toward him before moving to shove the dresser and several large pieces against the door. Once he'd finished he slumped against the wall, catching his breath.
---
A shadow fell over him- the strange guard, forcing his head aside, though his hands were much more gentle as he examined the damage he'd done. "Tch...that will hurt for a while, but not as much as being locked up down there. What's your name, boy."
His tone was impatient, abrupt- not the warmth he'd use with Sol, hardly Phi at all.
---
"Who are you?" He shoved his hand away, glaring toward him.
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"Philippe, Captain of the Prince's Guard," he said emotionlessly, stepping away to return to the girl's side. "If you're done being defiant, perhaps you can tell me about this poor thing...I have no idea what I'm going to do with her."
---
"Phi..?" He whispered, almost too low to be heard. He shook his expression away, shoving himself to his feet. "I can take care of her. Leave her to me-"
Sol walked over, taking her hand. "She's all that is left of the ladies of court. The rest were sold, executed, or disappeared. I tried to protect as many as I could..."
---
He heard his name. His head snapped around, and he really looked at the person he'd kidnapped- stepping close again, lifting Sol's chin with cautious fingers.
...No way.
"Sol?" He whispered, extremely confused. He had his lady's dark skin and pretty coloring, but...
---
"I think you've got me mistaken for someone else?" He pushed his hand away, turning back to the lady. "We need water... are you here looking for someone?"
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"I couldn't mistake that voice- not calm," was the unsteady reply, and one hand came up to clasp the locket at his throat tightly. "Someone? Yeah, but...who exactly have I found?"
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"I'm sorry, what are you talking about?" He turned to look at him, eyes narrowed. "Do I look like someone you know?"
---
That made everything click. That direct gaze, the voice...okay, so it didn't make SENSE, but Phi had dreamed of it FAR too often to be fooled now.
"Sol," he whispered, the name as sacred as 'God' on his lips, "tell me you aren't some dream I'll loose if I wake up."
---
The stoic facade began to crack as he glanced away, taking a shaking breath to try and control his emotions. Philippe wouldn't feel the same now that he knew, and it was such a bad opportunity for it to come into the open.
"I wanted to tell you. I tried a few times...I just, didn't want to lose you. I'm sorry for deceiving you, Philippe." He glanced back at him, eyes glossed with tears. "I knew you would come back."
---
His beautiful sun-touched lady...was a man.
Cyril was going to be SO amused.
Taking a slow, deep breath, Phi reached out and pulled the other man close...hesitant, but desperately needing to KNOW that Sol was safe. "Did they hurt you?" He managed to whisper, so warm after the cells. "If they breathed on you or even glanced at you, I swear I'll let you decide how they die."
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"I was okay until some guard snapped my wrist." Sol murmured, offering him a tiny smile. He stepped back, not wanting to make things more awkward than they already were. "Thank you... I'm- fine. She needs more help than I do."
---
"Let me see it." Carefully, he tugged Sol over to sit on the bed, tearing off a piece of one of the sheets to set the injured wrist and wrap it. It was fast but crazy-painful; he tried to be as efficient as he could. "Sorry, but you put me in a fairly bad position," he mumbled, looking up with those same warm blue eyes that he'd worn that day in the garden. "I'll get you out of here. I don't know if she'll survive the trip; she's in very bad shape. I'll do what I can."
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:28 am
"She'll be alright. There's hope now- she's fighting." Sol winced as he took his hand back, pulling it up against his body protectively. It ached like a b***h, but he moved on.
"How are we going to get out of here?"
-----
"Same way I got in- very carefully. I need to stop where I hid my things and get out of this...wait." He stopped to think for a minute, sharp eyes focused in the distance. "No. I'll get my things, and keep the uniform. If we move NOW, we can get out before they start searching for us. there's a servant's entrance to the stables from the back kitchens, and that will help us get out without being stopped by other guards."
-----
"Do you need to pull my hair again?" Sol asked, eyes wincing a little. "I think we can figure out another way to do that...."
He glanced at the sleeping Lady, placing a hand over hers.
-----
"No." His voice softened, and he ran a gentle hand over Sol's hair- careful, protective. "Give me your other wrist, though. The better your acting, the less work it has to be- just don't make too much noise."
He lifted the other lady over his shoulder as carefully as he could, and offered a hand. His eyes met Sol's for the first time, shaken but determined. "It will be alright, Sol."
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"I know," Sol smiled before slipping into his old prisoner guise, offering his hand out to him. "Let's hurry."
The Lady weighed nothing and was like carrying a rug. o_o;;
-----
Philippe was not as gentle as he would have liked. Despite the weirdness, somewhere deep down he knew Sol was still the Lady who'd taken his breath away; he wanted to protect 'her.' Still, the faster they got out, the better.
He made a brief stop to retrieve his things, secure in a pack that he slung over his other shoulder. His own room was occupied now, but he took the time since no one was in it or Cyril's rooms to grab a few personal items they both cared about. No time to hit the Prince's rooms...or the King's.
It took five agonizing hours to get them out of the palace, onto horses, and on the road. He had to work so slow it almost killed him, but it was worth it- when night finally fell, he was able to wrap both 'ladies' in blankets and set up a small campfire to keep them warm. His limited supplies would feed them, for the moment, and he brought some bread and cheese over to Sol. It was toasty warm, somehow. "Eat...you need your strength."
-----
Sol accepted with a thanks, eating only half and taking the rest of the bread to mix with water and feed to the Lady. She was curled up sleeping easily beside the fire.
"I think she's going to be okay. She has some family in the village a few miles outside of the castle. If we could take her there, someone could take care of her." Sol sighed, weariness finally slamming into him.
-----
"Good plan. We can pick up supplies there, as well- I need to get rid of this uniform before it makes us a target." He paused, uncomfortable, busying himself with something in his pack. "When I look for other clothes for you...what am I looking for?" >.>;;
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"A dress, please." Sol said quietly, curling up beside the fire. "Thank you, Philippe."
-----
That would help HIM a little. All of this was still making his brain hurt. Given the cold, however, he tugged his cloak and his own blanket out of his pack...covering the lady with the blanket and draping the wolf-trimmed cloak around Sol's shoulders. His normal uniform coat went around his own shoulders. He could keep himself warm.
"Rest as much as you can," he said softly, head bowed, sword leaned against his shoulder. "Once we get her settled safely, we'll be riding hard until we reach the Prince."
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"Alright." Sol closed his eyes, huddling beneath the cloak that smelled like Phi. It helped to let him sleep after being awake countless days at the prison.
-----
Philippe woke them early, getting them on the road. Once they reached the village, he tracked down the girls family and made his arrangements with them. While he was gone, a slender form poked his head into the warm stable where he'd left Sol and the horses- bright blue eyes curious under a fall of chestnut hair.
".....Miss Sol? Your husband sent me with some clothes..."
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Sol's head snapped up, eyes wide. "My what?" His cheeks were painted red, and he was still wearing the cloak- so it help to hide the fact he was dressed mostly like a man and not a 'lady'.
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The boy, since he was definitely young despite his height, blinked at her in confusion. He carried a bundle in his arms, and paused at the door uncertainly. "Captain Philippe. He didn't give his name, but I recognized him from somewhere...was he taking liberties, Miss?!?!"
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"He said we were married?" Sol arched an eyebrow, holding the cloak around himself as he walked over. "How interesting." One hand snaked out to take the clothing, before he darted off to change. >_>
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"Well...ah...yes." Riley blinked at the Lady's rush, going over to pet the horses. There was an odd look about him- he had the same sharpness in his eyes that Philippe had, the same shape to his face, but he also seemed a bit...flighty. "Is there anything else you need, Miss? I'm sorry it won't fit quite right, but he said you wouldn't be staying long enough for me to tailor it."
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"Oh, it fits well enough- thank you." Sol appeared a few moments later, looking the part again. He felt much more comfortable in a dress. His hair was wild around his face, but it was pretty like that. The cloak was back around his shoulders, clasped around his neck- but he wasn't hiding beneath it anymore.
"We're not married, I suppose he was saying that to protect me." He smiled.
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"That makes sense, I suppose." He offered her a small bag that contained a little mirror, brush, and plain hair ribbons to match the dress. Tall and gangly, he seemed a cheerfully awkward teenager. "You're going to the Prince, aren't you? n.n
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Sol didn't know how to answer that, or if he could trust the messenger. He accepted the bag with another thanks, happy for the items inside.
"Uhm, I'm not sure... " ^__^;;
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"I figure you have to be." He perched on a stall door, feet kicking idly. "He's in an awful hurry. It's good, though! that means the Prince is safe, and he can come back and make everything right again!"
"....Everything alright, Sol?" Phi asked from the doorway, eyebrows up as he peered at Riley. What the hell was with this kid...?
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"Everything's fine, 'Husband Dear'..." Sol drawled, glancing at him with a smirk.
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"Good." He stepped forward, brushing fingertips along Sol's cheek...throat tight with how Sol looked like 'herself.' It made his heart hurt, and he turned away to eye Riley. "Why are you still here, kid?"
"I want to you take me with you." The answer was cheerful, and easily said. "I want to go and help the Prince, and be of some use. This place isn't where I'm supposed to be- I don't know where that is, but I won't find it staying here."
For a long minute, Phi stared at him. The kid was a danger to leave behind, if he knew so much. "....Alright. But only if you have a horse, enough supplies to add to ours, heavy clothing and blankets...and you stay out of my way."
Gleefully, Riley darted out of the stable, and Phi sighed. "Oy."
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"... " Sol glanced at him, before gathering his things together. He didn't have a real use for his old clothes- but he wasn't sure he should leave them in case he needed to change back quickly. He stuffed them in a bag, setting them aside as he sat to fix his hair.
"Thank you again."
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"This is weird," Phi muttered, but shook his head as he got the horses ready to go. "It will take us several days to reach the Prince, but it shouldn't be too bad. Were you warm enough last night...?"
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"What is weird?" He looked up, hair tied up elaborately with the ribbons he'd been given. He tucked the mirror and brush back into the small bag, adding them to his other one.
"I slept fine."
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Phi gave him a double take, then sighed. "You have to ASK?"
He lead the horses out of their stalls as Riley came skidding back in, hauling several canvas-wrapped bolts of fabric as well as a pack and a quilt that didn't quite drag on the ground. "Almost ready!" He panted, and saddled one of the (patient looking) horses before strapping the fabric and quilt to the sides and back. "I won't be any trouble, I promise!"
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Confused, Sol decided to keep his mouth shut. He looked up as Riley appeared, nodding to him.
"You're alright- be careful!" XD;;
-----
For the moment, Philippe let the conversation slide and got them on the road. Riley was surprisingly good company, with a light, joyous outlook on life; his flute helped pass the time, as well. He was grateful for the time to think, and not have to participate in civil conversation.
When they stopped for the night, Riley was out the moment he'd finished eating- so much energy made him sleep like a puppy at the end of the day. Phi was awake, staring at the fire...thoughtful.
-----
Sol made a place for him to sleep, and curled up with his back to the fire. His hair was loose again, since it tended to tangle if left up. He slept fitfully.
He stayed up, pretending to sleep and listened to the night sounds. The background noise of Riley sleeping was an interesting addition.
-----
More interesting was the soft sigh that left Phi's lips after a while- tired, slightly frustrated and confused. He moved, then, and sat down next to Sol...gently lifting his head into his lap, and petting his hair.
"Tch..." his whisper was soft, absent. "What am I going to do with you?"
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"Avoid me." Sol murmured, letting out a sigh of his own. "This is obviously bothering you a lot."
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"I can't do that." The words hurt him to say, and his other hand came up to press against his chest- as if to relieve the pain. "That would be...asking me to forget everything."
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"It was mostly a lie, you didn't fall in love with me- you fell in love with her." He shifted, sitting up to look at him. ;~;
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Warm hands cupped his face- forcing him to look into those deep black eyes. "Who are you?" He whispered, intense. "Look at me and tell me you are a different person from Lady Sol- because I don't believe it."
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"I'm not- but that doesn't mean anything if you don't believe it either." Sol leaned into his hand, closing his eyes.
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It was more than he could take. Being so close after so many weeks of not knowing if Sol was alright...he shifted Sol slightly so he could draw his head to Phi's shoulder, wrapping arms around him.
"It's so rare...that I don't know what to do."
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"I think you're doing the right thing," Sol murmured, arms tightly around him. "What will happen when we return to the Prince? Where is he?"
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"My uncle is helping us- he's found us a safe place, deep in the mountains. You will tell us everything that happened, and we will plan as much as possible." He sighed, and rested his chin on her hair. "I don't know what you've done to me. It's so hard to think."
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"Oh? So I've done something to you, hmmm?" Sol snorted, shaking his head. "What would I tell the Prince? All I know is that most of the ladies were taken to the prison- the lucky ones died."
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"....I'm sorry." The words were whispered, and he shifted to bury his face in Sol's hair. "I wanted to come sooner, but I couldn't leave until the Prince was safe...I was so worried."
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Sol shrugged. "You did what you had to, I know that. How is the Prince doing, anyway?"
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"Well enough." It was so easy to relax into the way things had been, forgetting for a moment what he'd found out. That would probably be bad later, but oh well. "He mourns for his father, knowing the chances are good the King is dead...do you know if Olivier lives?"
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"No, the ladies of the court were all taken downstairs... then they were separated into groups. I managed to disguise myself earlier and pretended to be a servant. I was thrown into the prison for trying to break in." Sol shook his head. "I'm glad you got away when you did."
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"It has been very difficult. The King sent Cyril to us, but we are currently so few...I'm afraid conditions will not be very comfortable. At least I can keep you safe."
He sighed, hugging her again and nudging her away. "You need to sleep. It only gets more difficult from here."
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Sol blinked, darting toward him again. "Please don't go. Can I just lean here until I sleep?" ;~; /cling
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Phi blinked- but gave her a lopsided smile and slipped an arm back around her waist. "Alright," he told her softly, settling back against the tree. "If it helps you sleep."
/omgyay >.> XD
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Sol shifted, sitting in front of Phi between his feet. He got comfortable, pulling the fur cloak around them before laying his head against Phi's chest and closing his eyes.
"Good night, Phi. <3"
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"Sleep well...my Lady," he whispered, and let that be for the night. He could worry more about it later.
It took them four more days to reach the mountain fortress that housed the Wolf Court. The winds were bitterly cold by the time they arrived, and even Philippe was feeling the cold in his bones. Riley had made felt gloves for himself and Sol, but the wind made them almost useless...Phi was all too glad to hail the guards at the cave and stumble in with his weary companions.
"Where is Cyril...? Somebody tell that b*****d to get out here and make me some damn hot soup." crying
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Cyril walked out, eyebrows raised. "s**t, I could hear your whining all the way at the other end of the cave. I just KNEW that you had come back." He snorted, walking over to tug him into a 'man-hug'.
"You're lucky, we were just getting ready for dinner type things." He looked up at the other two. "Who're these people?"
-----
For a second, Phi leaned hard on Cyril- dead exhausted, and so glad to be 'home.' "Sol, and a kid I picked up on the way. He's a tailor. The dungeons are so bad, Cy, so bad they'd make you sick...but I made it in and out okay."
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:00 pm
"... Tch-" He waited a moment before shoving his friend off him, eying him. "I'm glad. You should rest a bit, have some warm food.. then report to the Prince." Cy tilted his head, offering him a smile. "It's good to see you back, we were getting worried you'd done something stupid."
Sol glanced at Riley, then back at the cave. It was a little bit warmer than outside, the caves took the bite out of the wind that cut through everything outside. He fidgetted a little, eager to find some where to curl up and hide for a bit.
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:07 pm
"I brought some of the little things from your rooms- I'll bring them to you later," Phi promised, and nodded at Riley. "Take the kid to Johnnie, tell him he's in charge. I'll take Sol to Luc."
Someone had come to take the horses, and Phi offered an arm to Sol. In the cold they'd been through the last few days, he'd just plain stopped caring about any changes in anatomy until he had to deal with them...personally. "Come on- the Prince will be where it's warmest."
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:11 pm
"T-the Prince?" Sol faltered a bit, taking Phi's arm. "You're going to take me to him now?"
Cy wandered off to take the kid to Joh, one hand on Riley's sleeve dragging him along. "This way, kid."
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:41 pm
"Luc likes to hear things as soon as possible...and then we'll be able to collapse uselessly for a while." He gave her a reassuring smile, though there was a faint hesitation on the 'we.'
He lead her through the caves, asking people as he went as to the Prince's location. It was clear he was forcing himself to keep moving, because his reactions weren't as sharp as they should be. They found Luc sitting in the small, open section of cave tht had been taken over as his 'office,' sitting on a blanket with a portable writing desk on his lap. Phi paused a distance away from him and bowed, shaking himself to focus.
"Highness...I've brought Lady Sol from the Palace."
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:45 pm
Sol placed a hand on Phi's shoulder, stepping forward toward the Prince. He dropped into a curtsy before continuing over.
"Sire, Philippe has traveled a long way and he's tired. Everything he can tell you- so can I. Will you let him rest a while? I can tell you everything I've seen from the prisons back at the capitol."
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:51 pm
Luc was clearly startled at their arrival, and their haggard appearance. He set the little desk aside and stood, offering a hand out to Sol as Phi gave her a startled glance.
"I cannot refuse the request of a lady," he murmured, and frlicked sharp sivler eyes at Phi. "Captain Philippe, go and rest...before I bring Cyril in here to make you. I will see to Lady Sol's comfort."
Phi didn't like that at all, but he scowled and did as he was told. Luc watched him go until he was sure Phi was going to behave, then wrapped his own full-fur cloak around Sol's shoulders.
"You are no less tired, Lady," he told her gently. "You should be resting, as well. This journey cannot have been easy."
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:56 pm
"Philippe wanted you to have the information as soon as possible- I will be alright." Sol smiled, pulling the warmth around himself with a sigh.
"I was kept in the prison. Most of the ladies of court were killed or sold. The guards were executed or converted, the majority were killed because of their loyalties. I'm not sure what happened to the King, he wasn't publicly killed as far as I knew before I was brought into the prison." Sol glanced away. "The other army has brought in mercenaries to hunt you down, new groups were filling the city each day. Her army is inside the walls and camped outside."
"That's all I know." Sol murmured. "Oh, and Philippe brought a Tailor with us.. he's with your other guard."
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 2:14 pm
"Any additional hands will be useful," Luc murmured, eyes distant as he considered her words. He was chilled without his cloak, but he knew she'd been through much worse.
"Answer me only this, and I will let you rest. Is Feldspar at the Palace...and do you remember any of the Generals that took the palace? If you can remember even a single face, it may be of great help to us."
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 2:22 pm
"I'm not sure. It's a woman, she calls herself a Queen. She has two men at her side always... they killed most of the officers and took the King. After that, I didn't see much."
Sol slipped out of the cloak, offering it back to Luc. "Thank you."
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 2:48 pm
"Tilorn...and Hyle."
The Prince's voice was harsh, but he forced his shoulders to relax. "She would not travel without them. Thank you, Lady- you have done much for us."
He took the cloak and lead her through the caves to the back areas, where a section had been curtained off for the few women in their company. "Unfortunately, our accommodations are quite barren...but we will keep you safe. Have no fear of that, Lady."
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 2:53 pm
"I appreciate it, Sire. I'm glad you're alright." He smiled, then dissapeared into the ladies area to collapse for a bit.
He hoped Philippe wasn't angry at him for taking over the situation. XD;;
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