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 Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 8:55 pm
"...Perhaps I misjudged my sense of direction." Adelaide murmured, looking concerned as she surveyed her surroundings. Trees, trees, and more trees - typical of Hriedmar, what with its vast forest. Despite the fact that she had lived there for as long as she could remember - not that she could remember much in the first place - Adelaide had never ventured far from her home.
However, as one of the healers of the clan, she had been quite determined to replenish her stock of herbs. They had run out rather quickly since her last gathering, prompting her for another trip into the denser parts of the forests. While she usually took care to pay attention to where she was going, Adelaide had been distracted when she noticed a herb growing near by - one that was particularly rare for the season. There had been more scattered nearby, and she had taken the time to follow the small trail of herbs and pick them, oblivious to the fact that she was wandering farther in.
She ordinarily wouldn't have minded too much about being lost. After all, she could always find a way to backtrack, and it was still day out. However, she felt that there was something decidedly...eerie. It felt like someone else was out here. Some bushes around her rustled, but she couldn't tell whether it was really someone else, or if it was merely the wind. And - there. Adelaide could have sworn that she had just seen a darting shadow.
Flattening her ears, she peered upwards. Faint streams of sunlight trickled through the tree branches overhead, and she was able to catch glimpses of the blue sky. Perhaps I could fly up and see if I can find my way back? She thought to herself, shuffling anxiously. Deciding that she would rather risk weaving around the tree branches over remaining on the ground, Adelaide spread out her lavender wings.
He watched the white-furred female, his eyes following her as she glanced around nervously. It was clear that she sensed his presence, if only vaguely, but that she was trying to brush it off.
It had been a long time since he had actually encountered anyone in these forests. He wasn't a resident of Hreidmar, no, but he did visit occasionally, especially when he was upset and needed to get away.
That was the current situation: he was angry. Angry at his family, members of his clan and the nobles - especially them. They always looked down on others, and always thought they were so much better. They seemed to think that, merely due to their lineage, they had the right to treat others as they pleased - to look down on him. It made him feel weak.
It made him feel furious.
When he had first caught a glimpse of the other Fafner picking herbs, he felt himself stir. He had tons of emotions bottled up inside him at the moment, particularly rage, and he needed to find a means of releasing his stress. The female Fafner was small, and clearly alone. Her wings were rather large, but he knew they were truly delicate - easy to break, if someone were too rough with them.
He moved swiftly when she turned her head upwards towards the sky, angling himself so that her back was to him. His muscles bunched as he readied himself, and then leapt out with a violent growl, landing on her outstretched wings.
The winged Fafner let out a cry of surprise, and then pain as he weighed her down, crushing her wings beneath his weight. Her wings were not broken yet - bruised, at worst - but her attempts to throw off the stranger were futile.
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 5:12 pm
"Hi."
"Oh come on, there's know way you could have known I was there!"
A light smirk, hidden by the folds of the cloak around his neck, broke onto the stoic Fafner's face. Zarin often tried to sneak up on Vincent, but...rarely, if ever, was it successful. Both were trained well enough to be able to sneak up on an enemy, but Vincent's senses were far too acute for such a tactic to work so easily on him. If nothing else, it was terribly amusing when his feathered comrade failed.
"Southeast?"
"Appears clear from the air, but the reports clearly indicated he would be in this area. He even left pawprints for us to follow."
"And then it rained."
"Exactly," Zarin replied, finally reaching the low branch Vincent was sitting upon. Heh, wings didn't help when the foliage was this thick. "I doubt he's gone much farther, though. He's in here somewhere."
"I can smell him. Go wait at the treeline to the west. I'll flush him out."
Zarin blinked. "...well why didn't you say that to begin with?"
Vincent turned his head to look at Zarin, red eyes looking rather irritated
"Oh, right. You hate verbal communication. Very well, then." he responded, carefully opening his wings and taking to the air again, slowly progressing up through the canopy until he was out of sight again.
Alone again, Vincent lept nimbly from his branch and began following that scent, moving at a comfortable - almost lazy - pace. The Fafner they were tracking had been seen coming and going from Hreidmar lands several times, finally arousing enough suspicion that the Sentinels felt the need to intervene. There was nothing necessarily suspicious about a visitor coming and going....but the number of times and length of visits were growing in number. It was about time he explained who he was, and what he was doing on their land.
The smell grew stronger, and Vincent's red eyes flashed. He was in no danger of going beserk and losing control, but it was still difficult to remember that this mission was not supposed to end in bloodshed. Heh, in hindsight, it prooobably wasn't the best idea to send Vincent and Zarin to investigate this area, simply due to the fact that the very dense forest would mean that Vincent was more likely to be left alone in the ground search. Alone could equal bad things, even if it was the way he preferred to be. Eh. Both Fafners were good at what they did, and Vincent didn't need a babysitter to go on a mission. The Fafner snorted at this thought...then paused, a far-off cry of distress hitting his ears. The sound echoed from the leaves in front of him, bouncing all around until, by the time it faded, it sounded as if it was coming from all around. He didn't need anything more than that initial wave, however, to know exactly what to do.
His body propelled him forward, the rhythmic pounding of his feet hitting the earth increasing in tempo as he picked up speed. The scent was heavy by then, and he felt his eyes narrow as he caught a glimpse of white fur up ahead. Found him.
The red-cloaked Sentinel burst through the bushes and had but a split second to alter his means of attack. Easy enough for Vincent, who was able to shift his body just enough in that moment to aim away from the white figure and up towards the one on top of her. A click of recognition resonated in the back of his mind in that split second - he knew that white figure - but it was ignored as he slammed into the side of the attacker's ribcage, sending both of them flying off of her and rolling into the brush. The armor on Vincent's claws dug into the flesh of his foe as they tumbled, and he slowed the movement enough to end the rolling with him on top, and the other Fafner beneath him, on his back. A quiet fury burned in Vincent's eyes as he towered over the attacker, those metal claws digging into the delicate flesh of his neck. He looked stunned...and as that look was replaced by fear, the Sentinel's eyes burned stronger. Vincent hated that look, the one that often came across the face of one afraid to die. Really, it just made him want to kill them.
"P-please, don'-"
"Shut up." Vincent responded hastily. His voice held very little anger, but the tone still held no room for argument...and, also, the slightest twinge of chaos.
He looked up and over, in the direction of that white figure - her name began with an A, right? - and scanned the leaves, trying to catch a view of her. He had no idea how far they had tumbled, or even if she was still alive or awake. Her condition, believe it or not, was not his primary concern when he attacked. His primary concern was to keep her from being harmed any further, regardless of whatever harm had already come.
"Are you alright?" he called out, pushing down harder on the neck of the Fafner beneath him.
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:16 pm
Adelaide hadn't been expecting the sudden attack. She had had a hunch that someone was out here with her, yes, but she attempted to brush it off as mere paranoia. However, it was impossible to claim that she was imagining the current situation: a stranger pinning her down and pain shooting up her wings as they were flattened down.
"G...get off of me!" She managed to whimper, trying to throw off her assailant. From the corner of her eye, she could see his expression - his eyes were full of malice, danger, and something else - excitement. Her heart pounded in fear and she tried to escape through any means possible. She tried to kick him, but her kicks didn't reach him. Her bites, despite drawing a little blood, didn't seem to phase him, and she was completely incapable of flaring out her wings to buffet him or to use to get away.
Adelaide let out a shaky sigh, suddenly crying out when the Fafner began to apply heavier pressure to the spot where her wings met her shoulder blades.
He stirred in excitement, watching the smaller Fafner's fruitless attempts at escape. It would be fun, he decided, to play with her for a bit, one piece at a time. Whether or not he would actually kill her was debatable, but he did want to harm her - to release his own stress by watching another suffer.
"Bit by bit." He murmured thoughtfully, before the corner of his mouth quirked upwards. What better place to start than the wings? It would certainly take away one of her escape routes on the rare chance that she managed to get away from him. Shifting his weight to the spot where her wings were connected, he smiled in anticipation as the white Fafner beneath him let out another yelp.
He froze suddenly, his head jerking up at the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps.
That's when it happened.
Adelaide had lain there, so sure that she pain was about to strike her in another second. She had closed her eyes, waiting to hear the snap of her delicate wings and then feel the pain that was sure to follow.
It never came. Instead, she heard someone dashing towards them, and suddenly her assailant was thrown off of her. She opened her eyes just in time to see a cloaked figure and her attacker rolling into the brush. Rising on shaky legs, she stared anxiously at the spot where the pair had disappeared. That cloaked Fafner was...?
Evidently frightened, Adelaide slowly walked towards the area where the pair had disappeared, letting her aching wings hang limp behind her. They weren't seriously harmed, but she would avoid flying with them for a couple of days at the very least. She was grateful for this fact, and the fact that she was still alive and in one piece.
However, she was worried. That Fafner that had saved her...was he alright? Though she clearly wanted to get out of there and to safety in her home, her conscience and concern held her back. What if the Fafner that had rescued her had gotten hurt? Despite the struggle, she had still managed to preserve some of her herbs, and the forest was abundant with them - she could tend to any wounds that he may have sustained. Furthermore, two against one would have been an advantage. She was small, and wasn't much of a fighter, but if the circumstances called for it...
The white-furred Fafner jumped as a voice suddenly called out to her. She willed herself to relax when she realize that it wasn't her attacker that had spoken, but it was a familiar voice, a voice that she had heard before, even if just scarcely. Vincent Valentine. Zarin's friend, and a Hreidmar sentinel - she had truly been fortunate that he had been close by.
Using his voice as a guide, she made her way down to where the pair was, her ears laying back as soon as she found them. She balked at first, seeing the Fafner who had attacked her glance at her from the corner of his eye, but after exhaling a slightly shaky breath, she offered Vincent a faint nod.
"Yes, I...I'm fine." Her ears were still pinned back as she glanced over her shoulder at her wings, "If you hadn't come when you did..."
Her gaze flickered back to the Fafner pinned beneath Vincent, and she frowned. "W...who...?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 7:33 pm
"Eyes on me." he hissed down at the dark-colored assailant, noticing his eyes shift over to her. Vincent neglected answering her question, though whether that was intentional or unintentional was...difficult to decipher. Really, they had no idea who the Fafner was; but Vincent did know that, whoever he was, he was in a looot of trouble.
"Cover your ears," he murmured to...whoever she was (he was horrible with names). Without making sure she did so - hopefully she did - he turned his maw to the treetops and let out a series of short, very loud and very high-pitched barks, knowing that Zarin would likely be able to hear them from the sky and come to their location. Vincent knew that he couldn't escort the one beneath him and the one he saved out of the forest alone, after all. Especially if one of them wanted to run and the other was probably injured. Speaking of, was she injured? She said she was fine, but...if she was at all stubborn, like him, she wasn't. Glancing over, he wordlessly scanned her form for any visible injury, any favoring of one limb over another due to soreness, etc...
It probably seemed weird that he was staring at her.
Good thing Zarin showed up after a few minutes, and broke the gaze.
Descending through the branches took a little while, but he made it soon enough, landing rather heavily onto the ground as he tried to avoid buffeting leaves everywhere with the beat of his wings. The crested Fafner's blue eyes glanced first to Vincent, and then to the bleeding figure Vincent was standing over (or on)..and then to Adelaide. His eyes lightened when they hit her, surprise overtaking his face. "Miss Adelaide? Well, this is not exactly how I expected to meet you again."
"He stood on her wings."
Zarin's gaze moved to Vincent when he spoke, and then back to Adelaide. Though the statement sounded kinda...out of place, the fellow Sentinel knew what he was trying to say: the one underneath Vincent probably attacked her and tried to break her wings - a common assault on those who possessed them - and, since Zarin also had wings, he probably knew how to help better than Vincent did. Vincent, however, probably didn't bother to ask what profession Adelaide held.
"Do you need help, Miss Adelaide? I realize that if you're a healer you probably know far more than I, but...in any case, it's difficult for one to reach their own wings," he said with concern, rustling his own wings as he moved t'wards her. Hopefully she was ok enough for them to make it out of the forest easily, as both Zarin's and Vincent's attention would be on the assailant.
While Zarin spoke to Adelaide, Vincent turned his attention back to the one underneath him. "Where are you from?"
"Brynhild."
"Why did you attack her?"
Vincent's patience was short, and it showed when he pressed down on the male's throat when an answer was not immediately given. "Answer. Now."
"I was angry."
"What did she do to you?"
"N-nothing."
Vincent pressed down harder, and a choked gasp escaped his throat. "Then why did you attack? And why are you here?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 8:32 pm
His anger had dwindled, leaving only faint traces as fear overtook him. He tried to keep his face impassive and smooth, but he was sure it showed in his eyes - he never was very good at hiding his thoughts and emotions. Despite his attempt to look calm and unafraid, he obediently looked away from the white-furred Fafner he had attacked and onto the Fafner who was currently holding him down. This guy was serious.
Adelaide watched Vincent, giving a slight, concerned tilt of her head as she kept her eyes on him and the attacker. I can't tell if he's fine or injured. He looks okay, but -
Her thoughts broke off at Vincent's quiet request and, without pause or hesitation, she flattened her ears, placing her forepaws over them as extra protection. Even with her ears covered, she could still hear the barks, though it was evident from the cringing face that the attacker heard it far clearer than she did. She felt a moment of pity, before a voice in her head firmly reminded her that he had just attacked her for no reason, nearly breaking her wings. With this thought in mind, she set her mouth in a firm, serious line before noticing that Vincent's eyes were on her. Her serious face faded into one that was faintly puzzled as she cocked her head to the side, opening her mouth to ask him if anything was the matter.
Before she had the chance to utter even a word, her ears pricked up, picking up the sound of flapping wings. "...Did you call Zarin?" She asked, glancing upwards in an attempt to find the source of the sound. She had thought that that was what those barks were for, and her theory was confirmed when Zarin landed shortly after. She offered him a weak smile and laugh at his surprise. "Zarin." Adelaide greeted softly, "No, I didn't expect to meet you under these circumstances either."
Her own gaze drifted towards Vincent at his comment, and the lavender winged Fafner looked faintly amused, giving a little shake of her head. He was of few words, wasn't he? Rather calm as well, considering the current situation and what had just taken place. She was almost envious of his disposition - it was nothing like her own at the moment. Shaky, and still nervous despite the fact that two of Hreidmar's sentinels - two that she had complete faith in - were here.
"I'm not sure," Adelaide admitted in response to Zarin's question, casting another glance at her limp wings, "I'm scared to move them. They're not seriously injured, I don't think, but they do hurt a little." She paused, looking thoughtfully from Zarin, to Vincent, and then back. "I'm fine, so please don't be concerned about me. I don't want to be a hindrance." She added, trying to look reassuring.
The attacker was oblivious to everything but the male Fafner that towered over him. He closed his eyes, as if hoping that, when he opened his eyes again, the other Fafner would be gone. It was hard to imagine, considering that he could still feel the pressure on his throat, and then hear the questions that followed. He knew that he had to answer.
"Angry," He managed to gasp out, "I was angry. I...I was stressed. Upset." The Fafner opened his eyes uncertainly. It was hard to breathe, and even harder to talk, but the look the cloaked Fafner was giving him terrified him into continuing anyways.
"I-I just...wanted to get away from Brynhild. Just for a while, until I calmed down. I came here, I saw her, and I..." He trailed off. The rest of the story was obvious, and he didn't think it would do him well to repeat it all.
Having caught scraps of the conversation being held by Vincent and his captive, Adelaide looked disturbed, turning to face them. "So I was your attempt at stress relief?" She asked softly. When she received no reply, her attention flickered to Vincent.
"...Thank you. I thought I was done for when you suddenly appeared and shoved him off of me." She gave him a sincere smile, but it quickly dropped, her facial features becoming worried. "Are you unharmed?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:10 pm
"Vincent, easy."
Vincent snorted in response, but nevertheless eased the pressure on the other Fafner's throat so that he could reply easier. What he heard, however, was not what he wanted to hear. For a moment he paused, internally reminding himself that - as a Sentinel - he had no right to kill this thing as of yet...but oh, how he wanted to. He exercised restraint in proceeding to press down on the Brynhild kin's neck even harder than before, feeling his windpipe unwillingly flex under the weight. His claws dug deep into the outer flesh of the throat they held down, and as he leaned his head down to make his point even more clear, he spoke in a bare whisper.
"When I move, you will do nothing but turn over, get up, and wait for me to tell you what to do next."
An ear flicked in the direction of Adelaide as she spoke to the attacker, and he made no attempt to ease his grip or move his head so that he could respond. Whatever he had to say, she didn't need to hear.
He turned his head to look at her as he moved off of the other Fafner, giving her a light nod once she finished speaking. "...I'm fine." Truthfully, he had one serious headache. Hit that guy pretty hard, he supposed. But it was fine, a headache was the last thing he needed the help of a healer for.
He waited until the ending of that little exchange to turn back to Adelaide, watching her wings carefully. "To be honest, miss, you'd be more of a hindrance if we ignored an injury that would slow our progress," he finally responded, the slightest twinge of amusement in his eyes. Her attempt at blowing it off was admirable, but Zarin knew full well how much a wing injury could hurt. "If you can move them without doubling over in pain, then you're likely fine, and we'll be headed off. If you can't, then we need to take care of it now. That being said...if you would try, please?" he asked sweetly, backing up a little so that she could flex them without having to move around him.
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 10:05 pm
The Fafner felt relief flood through him when the pressure on his throat had been eased, but he stiffened when his throat was pressed down again, even harder this time. He sucked in a gasp, his heart beating with panic as pain bloomed where the sentinel dug his claws into his throat. He breathed in shallow, panicked gasps, eyes darting about fearfully. Was he...was he going to kill him? Was he going to die?
He felt a mixture of fear and relief when the other Fafner leaned in to give him instructions. He wouldn't kill him - at least, not now. Not yet? Either way, he felt a little more relieved. Considering that it wasn't possible for him to nod with the pressure on his throat, he let his eyes meet with the sentinel's in an attempt to communicate silently. I understand, His eyes were pleading, Get off, please!
Though her attacker was right in front of her, Adelaide tried to avoid looking at him. He scared her - she still couldn't understand how someone could attack unprovoked like that - but she was starting to calm down. At least, her quivering had stopped, which was definitely a good sign.
She regarded Vincent quietly, giving him a little frown at his response. "Are you sure...?" Adelaide asked, looking a little doubtful, "If anything is wrong, you shouldn't hesitate to ask." While she had lost a couple of her herbs when she had been tackled, she managed to retrieve the majority of them. Not as many as she would have liked, but enough to last for a while. She wasn't sure if she would be able to work up the guts to visit the forest again anytime soon. Or at least, not alone, that was for sure.
Her attention was drawn back to Zarin, and she smiled a little sheepishly at his comment. He had a point there. "I suppose you're right. I'm the last thing you guys should have to worry about." She looked hesitant, her features uncertain as she gave a tiny nod of her head at Zarin's request. Taking a deep breath, she gently shook out her wings, giving a little wince as she did so, and slowly unfolded them.
It hurt, but fortunately, nothing seemed to be broken or sprained. They were bruised, sore, and aching, but the pain wasn't unbearable. Turning her head, she smiled at the pair of sentinels, motioning towards her wings. "See? I'm perfectly fine." As she folded them up again, she let out another wince. "They're just...a little tender, for the lack of a better word. I suppose I shouldn't use them for a few days, but I promise you that I won't be a bother."
Or at least, not a bother regarding her wings. She turned to eye Vincent again, instinctively feeling that something was wrong. While she would usually dismiss this as her imagination, her instincts had been right when she sensed danger early. If only she had paid more attention to it.
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 7:28 am
Zarin chuckled. "I think it would be very difficult for you to make yourself a bother."
Zarin eyed Vincent as he instructed their new prisoner regarding exactly how he was to be escorted out of the forest. He was to walk just to the right side of Vincent, slightly "ahead" of him, but not so ahead that Vincent could see his tail. Heh, Vincent was kinda funny with the way he did things, sometimes...but his quirkiness in this sense was justified. To walk behind him would mean an easy escape or an easier attack, to walk in front would mean an easier escape. Vincent's reflexes would prevent him from being able to escape if at least the back half of his body was in very close proximity. And if he was to the right of Vincent, with Zarin on the other side and Adelaide to the left...well, it'd be pretty difficult to try his little game again.
Honestly, Zarin didn't really see the guy getting away regardless, but...just let Vincent have his way on this one, he supposed. Better safe than sorry.
---
Vincents armor clanked softly as his feet hit the forest floor, and the buckles around the front of his cloak also added to the otherwise quiet soundtrack as they exited the forest. The dim light from what little sun could make it through the trees was growing even dimmer as it began to get later in the day; this prompted the forest sounds to begin increasing in volume, and the pace of the entourage to be a bit quicker than usual. If nothing else, Vincent wanted to get out of the thicker forest as soon as possible, and to some place with some sort of quiet. His head was really pounding by this point. He would shake it gently every once in a while, trying to "shake off" the ache...but his mood was only deteriorating by the minute. Their prisoner would be thinking wisely if he were thinking that he should cooperate down to the very last word, given Vincent's irritation. So far he had done so, but....
He couldn't help but keep glancing in the direction of Adelaide, stealing short, fleeting looks as he walked. He wasn't about to just stare at her, like he wanted....Vincent would likely rip his head off if he did that. A shaky gulp from his sore, bleeding throat confirmed that in his mind. But there was just something so familiar about her. Where had he met her before? Or was it just that he knew someone who looked like her? Hmm....it was so odd. He was sure he had never heard her voice before this day, but her pelt looked like something he had seen previously. Maybe she had a relative that he knew? Oh, if it was a friend of his, he would feel so very guilty...
He felt Vincent's eyes on him again, burning into the back of his head, and immediately looked forward again. Maybe he should just let it go, and save his own neck.
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 1:44 pm
Adelaide smiled wryly at Zarin's comment. "I'm glad you think so. I'll be sure to take care and make sure I don't slow the trip back."
As she spoke, her eyes were rested firmly on the captive. Her ears were pricked and alert as she watched him obediently follow Vincent's instructions. Now that he was captured, the Fafner that had attacked her almost seemed...meek. Perhaps he was the type that only felt confident when he was up against someone much weaker, and not a pair of sentinels. Or maybe he was just feeling remorse now. A lapse of bad judgment?
Regardless of the reason, Adelaide was certain the stranger would be questioned in further detail when they were out of the denser parts of the forest. Until then, she would keep herself alert - she may not be a very good fighter, but three pairs of eyes and ears were definitely better than just two.
As she turned her head, a small movement caught her attention, and she turned to look at Vincent with a frown, watching him shake his head. She slowed her pace, moving so that she stood close to him. "Something's bothering you." Adelaide murmured, hoping her voice was low enough so that their captive couldn't hear. The last thing she needed to do was give him a distraction to escape. "Tell me what's wrong." Her voice was pleading, but there was a hint of firmness there: he was welcome to argue all he wanted to, but she wouldn't back down. Her instincts were telling her something was off, and she would get him to cooperate.
As she spoke to Vincent, the female Fafner was unaware of the glances that were being thrown at her. She only realized it when she noticed Vincent directing his eyes back onto the prisoner, but by then, he had turned away again. She frowned uneasily, but said nothing.
Despite turning away, the feeling was still nagging at him. He was almost positive that he had never met her before, but something...something was so familiar. Unable to help himself, he stole another, quick glance.
White fur. Black fur. Lavender wings. Gold wings. The more he thought on it, the more that he realized that this Fafner looked just like him. Not entirely a friend - more like a close acquaintance. It could have just been a coincidence, but it would have been quite the coincidence. They had same markings on their fur, and both of them had a pair of wings. The only real differences were the coloration and the fact they were of opposite gender, but...
"A-A brother." He piped up suddenly, unable to help himself, "Does the lady have a brother?" He didn't stop to look at Adelaide, but kept his eyes forward as he had been commanded to do. He was already afraid that he had spoken up.
Adelaide froze upon hearing the sudden question. She laid her ears back, her eyes wide in surprise. There wasn't much that she remembered of her childhood - it had all been taken from her when she woke up in Hreidmar, having been saved from the flowing river that cut through - but there was one thing she could recall: that she had a brother. She didn't remember what he looked like, or even what his name was, but she had heard his voice in little scraps of her dreams.
"...Why would you ask such a thing?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 3:13 pm
He heard her loud and clear, but decided not to respond. Typical. Vincent didn't need help for a headache, for goodness' sake. Zarin would probably argue that point, but despite what the winged Fafner would think he was perfectly capable of performing normally regardless. Besides, this wasn't exactly the place to be pointing out a flaw. Wait until their captive was delivered without incident, then hash it out.
Thankfully he didn't have to ignore her quite so directly, as the one who attacked her spoke up pretty quickly after her plea. He growled softly, but otherwise did nothing about it...his head was rather distracting
"You remind me of someone, that's all," he responded shakily, stealing another glance at her. "He looks like you."
Zarin remained silent through the exchange, though he definitely had to fight off a light smirk every time Vincent shook his head. He wouldn't say anything yet, but...heh, that one was so stubborn. Thankfully they were nearing the treeline and the camp wasn't far from there, so their journey was nearing an end. Perhaps he would let Adelaide help him when they got back.....probably not, but hey
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:50 pm
Fortunately for Vincent, he was off the hook for now. Adelaide shot him a look - I'm not letting you off that easily! - before turning to their captive. His words had clearly bothered her immensely. She knew that she had a brother, but she never spoke of him. After all, what could she have said? 'Yes, I have a brother, but I don't know what he looks like or what his name is'? That sounded just a little bit awkward to her. But then, how...?
She perked up attentively when he spoke again, her heartbeat quickening. "Like me? How does he look like me? Do you know his name? Where he's from? Do you know where he is now?" She stopped suddenly, glancing around at the little group before lowering her head apologetically.
"S-sorry. I just..." Adelaide hadn't responded to their captive's previous question with a yes or a no, but she was sure that. just from her questions alone, she had revealed the answer and more information than she had intended on giving.
Sure enough, a look of horror passed over his face.
He had been hoping that it was just a coincidence - that she wasn't who he had thought she was - but the expression she had had on her face and that furious line of questioning? It left little room for doubt.
Guilt flooded him immediately and he looked away, trying to hide his face. How long had it been? Years. He had lost count of just how many years, but he knew that it had been at least three years.
"He just...looks like you." He murmured dismissively, "Similar markings and all. Sorry, I don't know anything else about him." He wasn't entirely sure why he didn't just say it outright, though it was probably because of his self-disgust and shame. He didn't want her to know who he was - who had really just tried to attack her.
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Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:54 am
Zarin sighed as he sat beneath a tree at the edge of the Sentinels' camp, glancing momentarily back at Vincent...who had eyes closed and his head resting on his paws as he lay on the ground, wincing every once in a while. The winged Fafner couldn't help but smirk a little: SO stubborn, that one. Usually he had no idea why Vincent was in a bad mood or for how long he'd be in one, but this time was a bit different: he would venture to say that, based on the way Vincent was wincing, he had hurt himself somehow during the scrap with Adelaide's attacker, and probably wouldn't be in a better mood until the pain went away. Aaaand he probably wouldn't take the logical, easier way out and just ask Adelaide for something to help him.
On that same note, he probably wouldn't want to talk to Adelaide at all, given the way the rest of the trip back had gone...not because of anything she had done, but more due to the fact that he'd assume she was still upset and have no idea how to deal with that. After the exchange between Adelaide and their dark prisoner, their trek became filled with a very thick, very awkward silence. Uugh, just when Vincent's shut-up-and-look-forward policy would have come in handy, he decides not to use it. Figured. Vincent just seemed to get more irritated after it, too. Zarin wanted to break the silence, but...what do you say after that? "Hey, just forget about the obvious emotional stress that guy just put you under, and cheer up"? Right. He did manage to give her a small smile of encouragement whenever she happened to glance in his direction, but that probably didn't help much.
At least they had passed off responsibility of their captive to the other Sentinels of the camp, and were now only waiting to be debriefed on the situation. Zarin had a feeling that if he were still with them, Vincent would have torn into him by now. The captive was lucky that Vincent couldn't have his way, since the Sentinels as a whole would likely only question him and threaten punishment upon return to Hreidmar, should he be tempted to do so. Actual punishment was unlikely, since Vincent intervened before any real damage could be done...but since this probably was the individual they were looking for in the first place, his return would not be looked upon favorably. If he were smart he'd heed that warning, lest Vincent find him and take care of things the old fashioned way.
He looked up when he heard a short whistle, and caught sight of a fellow Sentinel approaching...likely to escort Adelaide to where she would be questioned about the incident. Zarin and Vincent would be questioned later, seperately of course, but right now it was most important to allow Adelaide to speak her part and then be on her way, lest they accidentally detain her for too long. She probably wanted to get back home, wherever in Hreidmar she happened to live. Hmm, she might want an escort. He would inquire about that upon her return.
He turned his head to look at her and motioned t'wards the approaching Sentinel with a light headbob in that direction, smiling a little. "Your turn. Don't worry, it's not an interrogation or anything, they just want to know what happened."
.....he then paused, and lowered his voice. "Oh, and I know we both know something's wrong with Vincent. If you want, have a go at cracking that stubborn shell of his when you get back, and doing your healer thing. He won't act like it, but he'll appreciate it nonetheless," he added with a small smile and a glint in his eye.
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Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 9:42 pm
The trip back had been almost painful. The silence that had fallen over the group had been too heavy to lift off, and she just couldn't bring herself to speak up. She was still certain that something with bothering Vincent, but she hadn't brought it up again - at least, not right now. Her attacker's words had bothered her deeply, and she had spent much of the trip back in deep, troubled thought, appreciating the smiles Zarin shot at her whenever she looked at him. She always tried her best to return them, but they fell from her face rather quickly.
As they walked, she would always steal little peeks at their captive, her ears tightly flattened back as she watched him with cautious curiosity. Did this Fafner know her brother? Was that why he had spoken up? She had this gut feeling that he knew something she didn't - something that she wanted to know - but she couldn't bring herself to speak up and ask him. Maybe later. She told herself, hoping that she would have a moment with him alone where she could prod him for further details.
Then again, she wasn't sure that she entirely wanted to be alone with the Fafner who had just attacked her, and she found it unlikely that they would leave the two of them unattended any time soon. Perhaps she could ask either Vincent or Zarin - the latter was more likely - to ask a few questions for her? Would they be a part of the captive's questioning?
Either way, once they reached the camp, everything seemed to happen so fast. Her attacker was whisked away for questioning, and then she too was told to wait until someone came to request her testimony of the incident. It didn't seem like she would get any time to find out more information from the stranger. Or at least, not until after her questioning.
Despite knowing that there was nothing to be afraid, she shuffled nervously as she waited until she was called upon. She didn't notice the approaching Sentinel until Zarin indicated his arrival. She gave a little nod, but before she could leave, Zarin had spoken up again. Her ears pricked so that she could catch his quiet message, and she cast a small smile at the winged Fafner. "Rest assured that I fully intend on attempting to 'crack that stubborn shell' of his when I'm back." Then, with a look of vague amusement and a tiny dip of her head, she turned to follow the escort.
---
She exhaled in relief when she was let go. As Zarin had said, they had just wanted to know what had happened - there had been nothing to be nervous about. Now that she was done with that, she had another bit of business to attend to. Adelaide peered around the area with alert ears, a tiny frown spreading over her face as she scanned the surrounding area.
"Vincent?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 5:48 pm
Vincent was still lying down, eyes closed, when she apparently returned from questioning. Up until that point he had avoided contact with virtually everyone else in the camp - a rather easy task, considering most of them knew how he was already. All the better, because he was not in the mood to fight for some peace and quiet. Hmph, the Sentinel wasn't really in the mood for debriefing earlier, but that kinda came with the territory, soooo...fine.
Then, he heard his name called.
He was oh-so tempted to just ignore it and continue his light nap, but...knowing his luck it would be something important that actually required his attention. So, reluctantly, he opened an eye. Adelaide was in his immediate line of sight, not too far off, and was watching him with a slight concern in her face. Oh, now what.
"Yes?" he responded quietly, closing his eye again.
"How are you feeling?"
Here we go again. He winced without even thinking about it, but still responded with a slightly-irritated, "Fine."
He heard her tone change to a more persistent one, and opened his eyes as if he were surprised by the change and wanted to make sure he was still speaking to the same person.
"I'm fully aware that something is bothering you, and I am not leaving until you let me help."
A low grunt of annoyance escaped Vincent's mouth as he stood up, eyes locked with Adelaide's "Just what do you plan on doing to stop me from leaving, exactly?"
((OOC: I had permission from Kai to "use" Adelaide in this post))
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 7:31 pm
The winged Fafner felt impatience well up in her at Vincent's dismissive reply, but she reminded herself that Zarin had warned her that he was a stubborn one, and that she had taken up this task with her own free will. He wanted to be stubborn? She would show him just how stubborn she could be too. They couldn't play at this game forever - at some point, one of them would have to give up.
When she dropped her more demanding tone on Vincent, Adelaide was satisfied to see him open his eyes to look at her again. There, proof that she wasn't going to let him go that easily. However, the smile faltered on Adelaide's face at Vincent's reply.
"What do I plan on doing?" She echoed, shrinking back a little, "I would...um. Well..." Adelaide hadn't thought that far yet but, after some quick processing and thinking, she confidently straightened up again. "I may not be able to do anything to stop you from leaving...but I can follow you around. I do have an added advantage too." She emphasized the last part by carefully spreading out her wings - they were still tender - and with a grin. "If you really feel like testing my persistence right now, I mean."
"Besides," She continued, her voice becoming softer and genuinely concerned, "Wouldn't you rather have whatever is bothering you fixed? I'm a healer for a reason. I promise it won't take long."
...Well. She would have to figure out what was wrong first, and find the appropriate herbs. The faster he cooperated, the faster he could lose that headache.
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