"I normally do the same," he whispers. "Try and make light of things when the world looks it's darkest. But it's been harder lately. I'm not necessarily afraid for myself...I'm afraid for you," Goddard takes her hand and holds onto it.
"You needn't," she tells him softly. "I'm being as careful as I'm able. The others are also, but they're tense. Why don't we go for a walk, get out and away from everyone? Bring your sword, we'll teach each other to fight in the snow."
"We should go to the top again. It's safer. I don't want to be seen sparing with my pleasure slave," he chuckles. "And I don't want to wander so far that we come across nauglir. I've seen the knights who ride them take cover when the animals go wild."
"I have no desire to see the not-moose again as well." She stands, gathering her cloak and gloves again. "Lead on, my Lord Khadath," she says with a smile.
"That would be very gracious of you, my lord," she murmurs, following him closely as they walk. She can't see anyone on the stairs, but she isn't taking any chances.
Goddard finally reaches the top and he pulls up his hood and cowl. "I can't imagine how uncomfortable you must be lecai," he says softly. "But you got to see your snow. Maybe more than you would care to see ever again," he says with a smile.
"It isn't as bad as you think. The clothing is warm and clean." Pulling off a glove, she kneels and scoops up a handful of powdery snow. "And the snow...it's worth the cold," she adds with a smile.
Aara gives him a moment to warm up before drawing her daggers. They ring softly as they slide from the leather. That's why Eglanor sings when he fights. It puts them in the same place I go when I meditate.
Crossing her daggers, she watches him a while longer, as he slowly speeds up and becomes more comfortable wielding the weapon. I wonder...
She swiftly steps into the sphere of space his sword covers.
Aara reacts calmly, sweeping his sword aside with one dagger, looking for holes in his guard. She watches approvingly when he uses the disrupted motion of the sword to turn him, putting in a place to strike her again.
"I was trained to fight in spheres," she explains, turning with him. "You'll have to do better than that." She strikes out, not quite as lazily as she began, catching his rib with the edge of a dagger.
"Good," she answers, feinting. His swing turns a little wild, and catches her thigh as she slides out of the way. "Your first blood," she laughs, as he blocks her next attack. "Congratulations."
"Never better." She slips in and out of his guard, sometimes too close for him to strike her. Her daggers flash as she moves, blocking and attacking, moving him in a wide circle in the snow. "You're letting me lead, push against it, make me go where you want."
He'll have to learn to ignore heckling, it's too easy to distract him. But that comes later. She smiles as he forces her to give up distance. She takes another blow to her shoulder, wincing as the steel bites her. It isn't long before her mind is empty of everything except the moment, and her calm deepens and her movements speed up.
In her mind, they both move as slowly as a snowflake falling.
Goddard keeps singing, but very softly almost a whisper. He wants to hear everything else but he also knows the singing and treating this as a dance is helping him do well.
Aara notices him swing harder. He was holding back.
Aara stops holding back herself, moving faster and faster until her daggers are a blur. She steps directly into the path of his sword, catching the blade between her daggers. Moving forward, Aara forces his arms up and puts her shoulder against his chest. She puts all her weight into the shove, knocking him off balance and into the snow.
Aara looks at it. "I think it's fine. Doesn't look deep. What is that?" she asks, putting a hand on his side and looking around him. "I see snow moving...but- how are you doing that?"
Goddard looks around and finds an undisturbed patch of snow. He leads her over to it and sits down. In an instant, the snow is slapped by some invisible force and Aara can see the indent of something long and snakelike.
It's thicker where it would meet his back, gets thinner and looks somewhat fluffy at the end as the snow settles on it.
"Is that...?" She looks up at him. "When we mucked out the stalls on the ship- that was you!" She frowns. "But I didn't see it in the harem, or when I hit you in the cave. Maybe...maybe because both happened so quickly?"
Goddard laughs embarrassed. "I'm sorry...please don't be mad." He gives her a tight hug. "It's always behind me so you wouldn't have noticed those other times."
She laughs into his shoulder. "I'm not mad, I just wasn't expecting that. I knew it was you with the bucket- there weren't any ghosts on that ship- I just didn't know how you did it."
Aara lets him pull her to her feet. "You don't have to hold back, you know," she says. "I've been doing this ten years, a couple cuts and bruises are routine."
In the corner of the roof, Katarina grinds her teeth together and curls her hands into fists. White hot anger heats her body from head to toe. The laughter is no longer innocent, but mocking to her ears.
From somewhere dark whispers come to her. Kill the elf or better yet, let him die to that which he fears. He mocks you every minute. Insults you and degrades you. You are an Ice Witch of Kislev you are to be respected and feared, he shows neither. You can arrange his death so that his woman will weep and you have no blood on your hands.
A feral smile parts Katarina's lips. The whisper returns You like that. There are ways of removing him that would have you be a hero. And then... you can take the books he carries and do with them as you wish.
Her smile fades and her eyes grow wide in fear. "No!" she yells pushing away and falling backward off the crate.
Goddard nods. "I won't..." He then quickly turns toward Katarina and then turns just as quickly away. He starts to sing the slower elven song and spins the sword around a bit.
Katarina looks up at her with fear in her eyes and nods. "In every corner of my heart. The threats, the mocking, everything. And now in solace dark whispers come on the wind offering vengeance on those who slight me."
She struggles to her feet and her left knee nearly gives out. "I need to leave this place."
"No! It speaks in truths and that is all the more frightening. It told me things I even now just heard. In swearing an oath to that goddess, I fear I have doomed myself and those around around me. Even the slightest joke which I should be able to laugh at, now burns in me with hatred.
"I must at least move from here. I do not want what it seeks for me to claim." she hugs Aara close for a second and whispers in her ear "Protect him, Aarta."
Pulling away and limping toward the stairs. She bypasses Goddard, giving him a pained look and starts down the stairs.
"No," she answers, deflecting him. "But something's wrong with her. Whispers in her mind, talking of vengeance and such. She's frightened of what they'll convince her to do."
Aara catches his blade on her crossed daggers and pushes against him, but his strength and height give him the advantage. Gritting her teeth, she gives up a step, but when her foot touches stone, she hits ice. Her foot slides out from under her, and she goes down. Instinctively she turns her daggers so that their blades rest against the outer side of her forearms, seemingly harmless. When she lands, Aara's breath rushes out of her, leaving her choking and staring wide-eyed in front of her. His sword tip rests on the stone above her head, and only her short stature and the ground she lost when she slipped kept his blade from sinking into her skull. She struggles to get a breath into her burning lungs, but her shock refuses to open her lungs. The razor sharp edge rests a hair above her brow. She manages to gasp in a breath, slightly easing the pain in her chest. "G-G-Goddard," she whispers, eyes on the sword. "Y-you could h-have asked for a piece of me. You don't have to cut it off."
Aara closes her eyes, sighing. "You're tall, that gives you an advantage. You're quick, too. It won't be long before Eglanor is your dancing partner," she jokes.
Aara laughs and sits up. Passing a hand over her forehead, she winces and scowls at the cut on her shoulder. "He's not even close to your good looks," she jokes, "you can make a woman forget what she's thinking."
Aara carefully arranges her cloak and scarf to cover her wounds. She grits her teeth and forces herself not to favor the leg with a cut. "I think I'll need more clothes," she mutters, following him down the stairs. "These are torn and bloody."
Aara cleans up her wounds, wrapping them in fabric scraps. He did well. Much better than I would think someone just picking up a sword would do. I'll have to stop holding back on him, she thinks with a smile.
Goddard backs up the stairs, thinking if he turned his back on these druchii, he'd be taken away. The two women slowly following him, telling him of things they wanted to do to him and what he could do to them.
It's difficult for him to keep heading up to the room and not let them drag him away.
"Just let me take this back to the room," he sighs. "And...then..."
"Hurry then, my lord," Drukh says licking her lips.
Goddard turns around and runs up the stairs and into the room.
Aara sighs and goes to change. He'll never change, but Allaya taught us a valuable lesson: love as thou wilt. So I'll let him go and not hold it against him. But sweet Uzzaya, help me temper my envy.
She makes sure Goddard's name is visible on her collarbone and tightens her corset. Returning to the main room, she settles herself and begins to meditate.
Goddard finishes tying up Kuyl, who isn't terribly thrilled about it but she wears her fake smile all the same.
"So...wha...," Goddard turns around to face Drukh, who takes the end of her dagger and hits Goddard in the side of the head with it.
"Kheirsainth!" Kuyl gasps as Goddard falls over. "What are you doing! Are you insane?!" She tries to struggle free. He can tie a knot!
Drukh cackles as she begins to tie up Goddard, who is coming to faster than she had hoped. "You must have been hit pretty hard in the head before," Drukh mumbles.
"When I get out of..." Kuyl starts angrily. Drukh slaps Kuyl across the face and holds the dagger to her throat. "You won't...but don't worry...the end will feel the best..."
"Leave her alone," Goddard grumbles.
Drukh sits next to him and wraps her arms around him. "Oh don't worry my lord...I know what you like...you get to go first.
Drukh puts the dagger to Goddard's shoulder and begins to slowly push down on it.
He looks up, terrified and confused and sees the insane look in Drukh's eyes.
"Khyrkanashaith!" Kuyl yells as she now begins to bite at the bonds.
What is that? Standing, she pokes her head out the door, listening hard. She hears what might be arguing, but she's unsure because it's in druhir. One of the voices is clearly Goddard, and she hears a sharp edge in his voice. Looking around, she sees that no one's paying her any attention, so she slips out into the hall. Following the voices, she hears laughter, but it isn't a happy sound. Aara flattens herself against the wall and sneaks down the hall. She finds a cracked door and listens. More voices, getting more frantic. Aara pushes gently on the door, holding her breath and praying it swings silently. What she sees nearly stops her.
She's going to kill him! Aara doesn't hesitate for a breath. In one swift movement, she draws her daggers and slips in the door. Kicking her hand, the druchii drops the dagger with a curse. Before she can even turn her head, Aara calmly grabs her by the hair and jerks her head back and puts a dagger to her throat.
"Let's play, shall we?" she asks coldly, opening the druchii's throat with a quick cut. Aara lets go of her head, tossing the bitch aside. Pointing a bloody hand at the one tied up, she speaks calmly. "You will not lay another finger on him. He is mine." Her voice is cold as ice and her eyes flat and dead.
Aara takes her time, wiping the blood from her dagger on the dead one's tunic. She does as Goddard asks, her face perfectly still and expressionless. Turning to Goddard, she kneels, life returning to her eyes as she cuts his bonds and pulls him close.
Goddard sits up, wincing. He looks over at Kuyl who is walking toward him. "I'm sorry.."
She slaps him hard across the face. "You idiot! You could have gotten us killed! All because I hoped to get some higher position after all this!"
"I said I'm sorry!" he yells back.
She quickly gathers her things and points angrily at Goddard. "But I'll get it...you remember me, and I'll tell the truth about how insane she was and that she tried to kill us!"
"Deal..." he groans.
"And don't ever call me Kuyl again or even touch me!" she storms out the door, grumbling in druhir.
Goddard rolls his shoulder and hisses. Drukh managed to get him in the shoulder and his side.
The moment rushes back to Aara in a breath, and she gasps, looking at what she's done. "Nuur'eni... how bad is it?" she asks, her hands fluttering from mudra to mudra, not wanting to touch his wounds and hurt him.
She makes a sound that's half laugh, half sob. "I suppose I do. But I'm more grateful to still have you. Stay here," she whispers, "I'll get my kit and get you cleaned up."
"I'm ok," he stands up quickly and scoops up all his things, throwing his cloak around him. "I don't want to be in this room another second...especially alone..."
Aara stands with him, pausing at the door after he's left. Blood pools around the dead elf, her neck cut so deeply it's nearly severed. Whore, she thinks before closing the door behind her.
"Wash your hands," she says softly, pouring him a bowl of clean water. She inspects his shoulder carefully before applying a salve and bandage. When he tells her he has to go down to the others and explain, her eyes go wide and all the blood drains from her face. "I...Is my life forfeit?" she asks, voice trembling. "Is yours?"
He finishes getting dressed and heads down the stairs. At the bottom is a very angry Kuyl. Goddard holds his arms out as if to hug her and she slaps him again.
"Owww...did you work everything out?"
"You and your slave are fine. Some of the other Autarii were thinking she was insane anyway and applauded her death."
The two talk a bit more and Goddard gets Drukh's name for Aara.
"And I'll keep my word...Ashath."
She raises an eye brow. "That's...better I guess. Now get out of my sight..."
Katarina marches into the room proudly, though still favoring her left knee. She carries 3 bottles of wine and judging by her face she has consumed a great bit already.
She puts the bottles down near her bed roll and stumbles a little as she drops her gear and starts to pull off the outerwear. She flops down on the bedroll and picks up one of the bottles. She smiles at Tannin and raises the bottle in salute. Turning back to the wine, she smiles broader and salutes with he other hand. "Your brothers and sisters emptied themselves to drown out the whispers. YOU have been charged with keeping them at bay. I leave you to your duty, Ser Wine."
Pulling the cork out with her teeth, she takes a long swig from the bottle. "A fine soldier you are, Ser Wine. A credit to the Queen!" she laughs.
Goddard looks shocked at Katarina. "You are a bigger idiot than I thought! What are you doing!? Where did you get that!?" he rips the bottle out of her hand and throws it onto the stone floor.
As soon as he leaves, Aara realizes she can't just wait in the room. Wrapping her cloak around her tightly, she makes her way to the fourth story. The sun is beginning to set, the orange and red deepening into pinks and purples. She pulls off a glove and bites her knuckle.
What have I done? Goddard told us not to do anything rash- and what do I do? I kill the whore. Oh, sweet Uzzaya, I have served you as best as I could, don't let this be the day we meet face to face...
"Noooo! Ser Wine... He had a family! I drank most of them, so I should know."
She looks up at Goddard. "If you want your own its deep in the dusty foundations in a bunch of smashed crates. I rescued them. I had to crawl in a hole in the basement to even get there."
She squints at Goddard. "Why am I talking to you? You told me not to talk to you."
Katarina blinks a few times and sighs, sagging limply in his grip. "Peaceful... I can't hear it anymore! And oh the things it was saying! That if I wouldn't, there were others in the tower who were easier to convince."
She giggles and then hugs Goddard quickly. "But I can't hear it right now!" she lets go and skips over to the corner happily whistling.
Goddard growls angrily at Katarina. It took a lot to not shove her onto the floor and drag her to the corner.
"She's insane," he mumbles and flops down by the chest, taking a book from his hip.
"Arha...where is lecai?"
At the top, Master.
"Tell her everything is fine with the Autarii. I think she should know as soon as possible and I need to watch kyndul over here or else she'll get herself killed..."
Yes Master!
----------
Lady Aara! The Master would like me to tell you that all is well! Do not worry!
"I thought the attempted stabbing was behind us. I can apologize again for calling you a coward on the boat, but you an Aara are really happy now. My scheme worked there, you got the girl and are in l-o-v-e.
"You scared me on the boat with the fake ghost. I made friends with a real one. I scared you in the water, you made friends with a skull.
"We trade insults, Aara yells at me. We trade threats Aara yells at me. I stop, you keep insulting me; Aara yells at me.
"Then... we shared we got close... and right as I think we can make it aaaaallll work out. You threaten me and but Aara hasn't yelled at me this time."
"Thank you." Looking back up at the stars starting to appear, she takes a deep breath. "I needed the air. Though I daresay I've had enough of it today. Eglanor and Goddard have put me through my paces." She smiles. "But I think I have it."
"I wouldnt mind testing my blade against his. Eglanor that is. His people are a myth amongst mine, and even travailing with an outcast amongst then is an honor."
"Didn't want the Tannin-thing to do what he did or worse. He's not very pleasant anymore. I just wanted you to be able to yell and scream and get it out, so you can be Goddard again and not all those extras names.
"I think I could be friends with Goddard again... I don't like the lots of names guy. The dark whisper voice doesn't. That elf girl downstairs didn't."
"It's...it both, and something more. I meditate so that when the time comes, I can easily find my calm and balance. It's similar for them. At least, I that's what I think."
"Tannin's not a thing. He's...he's Tannin," Goddard shrugs.
"I take it you don't know my full name," he smirks. "Even though I said it to the Autarii. Maybe you just forget when you drowned half your brain in booze."
"Something something something Kaggath! She kept saying that last one. I remember that before I found the cellar and had to crawl under the collapsed part through the hole. Angry elf woman. Still angry when I came up later. Kaggath blah blah. Kaggath!
Aara looks down at him. I'm always looking up at everyone, it's nice to look down for once. "No, I don't suppose there would be dragons and unicorns and other mystical creatures. Not here." She sits on a crate, not willing to sit in the snow any more today. "I should probably let you know you'll need to feed from me tonight. Goddard's lost a good bit of blood today."
"You need blood, and I kept more of mine today than Goddard did. Just don't let him leave me this time," she laughs. "We had quite the argument this morning."
"That's the one! She didn't like saying it, but she said it a lot. Weird."
She curls up a little and yawns. "I didn't mean to make you angry with drinking. But it helped me cuz I didn't want to listen and it went away. Cause your elves are scary, but I scared myself more. I think I scared Aara too and I can't do that to her or you."
"That was to spar with me and Eglanor. Also...there was an incident earlier, and he came away with a few wounds. All the same, I'd feel better if he had a day to recover." She doesn't mention her own injuries from Goddard.
"I suppose that makes sense." She stands, unwrapping his cloak and giving it back to him. "I suppose I should go have dinner so I can be dinner," she says with a smile.
"Why not? It is funny," she laughs. When they enter the room, Goddard is absorbed in a book and Katarina yawning sleepily. Aara eats quickly, exhausted from the days events and ready to simply sleep.
Tannin shakes the snow off his clothes, and enters the room. Grabbing a fresh set of clothes, he changes into them near his bed roll, and then sits down to get comfortable
"Then I suppose the best course of action is to stay put," Aara says. Putting her plate away, she sits next to Tannin. "Same vintage as yesterday, I fear," she jokes. "Please make sure I make it to my bedroll."
Aara nods. After unlacing her corset and setting it aside, she wraps herself in her cloak and lies down. She's half asleep when she offers him her arm.
Tannin bites down, letting his fangs sink in and draw the blood for him. He drinks just as much as he needs to survive, cuts his tongue on his fang and seals the wound.
When he finishes he flops on his back, the experience making him light headed
"You needn't," she tells him softly. "I'm being as careful as I'm able. The others are also, but they're tense. Why don't we go for a walk, get out and away from everyone? Bring your sword, we'll teach each other to fight in the snow."
ReplyDelete"We should go to the top again. It's safer. I don't want to be seen sparing with my pleasure slave," he chuckles. "And I don't want to wander so far that we come across nauglir. I've seen the knights who ride them take cover when the animals go wild."
ReplyDelete"I have no desire to see the not-moose again as well." She stands, gathering her cloak and gloves again. "Lead on, my Lord Khadath," she says with a smile.
ReplyDeleteHe slowly gets to his feet and retrieves the large sword. "Maybe we can find you a real moose. And not one sliced up on a dinner plate."
ReplyDeleteAara's smile widens. "Really? I've heard it said they're monstrously big, with horns sprouting from their heads like the bones of of a bird's wing."
ReplyDelete"That's a pretty accurate description," Goddard laughs, heading up the stairs. The air gets colder as they get closer to the fourth story.
ReplyDelete"Maybe Eglanor can help us find one one day. He can ask the trees to help," he chuckles.
"That would be very gracious of you, my lord," she murmurs, following him closely as they walk. She can't see anyone on the stairs, but she isn't taking any chances.
ReplyDeleteGoddard finally reaches the top and he pulls up his hood and cowl. "I can't imagine how uncomfortable you must be lecai," he says softly. "But you got to see your snow. Maybe more than you would care to see ever again," he says with a smile.
ReplyDelete"It isn't as bad as you think. The clothing is warm and clean." Pulling off a glove, she kneels and scoops up a handful of powdery snow. "And the snow...it's worth the cold," she adds with a smile.
ReplyDeleteGoddard unsheathes the sword and stands for a moment, quietly thinking. He begins to sing a slow song in elven and works to make every swing perfect.
ReplyDeleteAara gives him a moment to warm up before drawing her daggers. They ring softly as they slide from the leather. That's why Eglanor sings when he fights. It puts them in the same place I go when I meditate.
ReplyDeleteCrossing her daggers, she watches him a while longer, as he slowly speeds up and becomes more comfortable wielding the weapon. I wonder...
She swiftly steps into the sphere of space his sword covers.
She'll be fine...
ReplyDeleteGoddard pushes away the split second of hesitation and continues his swing.
She's tough...she's a warrior...My dance partner.
Aara reacts calmly, sweeping his sword aside with one dagger, looking for holes in his guard. She watches approvingly when he uses the disrupted motion of the sword to turn him, putting in a place to strike her again.
ReplyDelete"I was trained to fight in spheres," she explains, turning with him. "You'll have to do better than that." She strikes out, not quite as lazily as she began, catching his rib with the edge of a dagger.
All she can see are his eyes but she can still see him grin and wince a bit from the cut but he keeps moving.
ReplyDelete"I will be," he says with certainty and switches the song to something faster in druhir.
It takes a few swings for him to get used to the faster song but soon he's having no difficulty.
"Good," she answers, feinting. His swing turns a little wild, and catches her thigh as she slides out of the way. "Your first blood," she laughs, as he blocks her next attack. "Congratulations."
ReplyDeleteGoddard stops singing a moment to laugh and ask, "Are you ok?" He doesn't stop attacking or moving with the sword.
ReplyDelete"Never better." She slips in and out of his guard, sometimes too close for him to strike her. Her daggers flash as she moves, blocking and attacking, moving him in a wide circle in the snow. "You're letting me lead, push against it, make me go where you want."
ReplyDelete"Be careful what you say," he grins. "You may not want to go where I want to take you."
ReplyDeleteFeeling like he's slacking, he goes back to singing the druhir song and 'leads the dance'.
He'll have to learn to ignore heckling, it's too easy to distract him. But that comes later. She smiles as he forces her to give up distance. She takes another blow to her shoulder, wincing as the steel bites her. It isn't long before her mind is empty of everything except the moment, and her calm deepens and her movements speed up.
ReplyDeleteIn her mind, they both move as slowly as a snowflake falling.
Focus...she's fine.
ReplyDeleteGoddard keeps singing, but very softly almost a whisper. He wants to hear everything else but he also knows the singing and treating this as a dance is helping him do well.
Aara notices him swing harder. He was holding back.
Good.
ReplyDeleteAara stops holding back herself, moving faster and faster until her daggers are a blur. She steps directly into the path of his sword, catching the blade between her daggers. Moving forward, Aara forces his arms up and puts her shoulder against his chest. She puts all her weight into the shove, knocking him off balance and into the snow.
Goddard yelps when he falls back and hits the ground, grabbing at something on the ground beside him that Aara cannot see.
ReplyDeleteHe pulls at this invisible something and when he seems satisfied, Goddard stands back up with the sword.
"You're fast," he says with a smile.
Aara wipes sweat from her brow. "So are you. Are you alright?" she asks, gesturing to his rib.
ReplyDelete"Yes. That's fine," he touches his rib softly. "This hurt more," he gestures behind him and something swishes the snow on the ground.
ReplyDelete"And you? Are you alright?" Goddard points to her shoulder. "That one looked like it hurt."
Aara looks at it. "I think it's fine. Doesn't look deep. What is that?" she asks, putting a hand on his side and looking around him. "I see snow moving...but- how are you doing that?"
ReplyDeleteGoddard looks around and finds an undisturbed patch of snow. He leads her over to it and sits down. In an instant, the snow is slapped by some invisible force and Aara can see the indent of something long and snakelike.
ReplyDeleteIt's thicker where it would meet his back, gets thinner and looks somewhat fluffy at the end as the snow settles on it.
"Is that...?" She looks up at him. "When we mucked out the stalls on the ship- that was you!" She frowns. "But I didn't see it in the harem, or when I hit you in the cave. Maybe...maybe because both happened so quickly?"
ReplyDeleteGoddard laughs embarrassed. "I'm sorry...please don't be mad." He gives her a tight hug. "It's always behind me so you wouldn't have noticed those other times."
ReplyDeleteShe laughs into his shoulder. "I'm not mad, I just wasn't expecting that. I knew it was you with the bucket- there weren't any ghosts on that ship- I just didn't know how you did it."
ReplyDelete"I'd always do 'tricks' for the drunks at the taverns and scare them with stories of ghosts and such," he laughs, going back to his sword.
ReplyDelete"Of course it's easy to scare drunks with just about anything."
"Again? Maybe I'll knock you off your feet?" he grins.
Aara lets him pull her to her feet. "You don't have to hold back, you know," she says. "I've been doing this ten years, a couple cuts and bruises are routine."
ReplyDeleteIn the corner of the roof, Katarina grinds her teeth together and curls her hands into fists. White hot anger heats her body from head to toe. The laughter is no longer innocent, but mocking to her ears.
ReplyDeleteFrom somewhere dark whispers come to her. Kill the elf or better yet, let him die to that which he fears. He mocks you every minute. Insults you and degrades you. You are an Ice Witch of Kislev you are to be respected and feared, he shows neither. You can arrange his death so that his woman will weep and you have no blood on your hands.
A feral smile parts Katarina's lips. The whisper returns You like that. There are ways of removing him that would have you be a hero. And then... you can take the books he carries and do with them as you wish.
Her smile fades and her eyes grow wide in fear. "No!" she yells pushing away and falling backward off the crate.
Goddard nods. "I won't..." He then quickly turns toward Katarina and then turns just as quickly away. He starts to sing the slower elven song and spins the sword around a bit.
ReplyDeleteAara holds up a hand. "A moment, nuur'eni," she says absently, walking toward the crates Katarina fell off of. "Kasha, are you hurt?"
ReplyDeleteHe continues to sing softly and practice but watches Aara.
ReplyDeleteKatarina looks up at her with fear in her eyes and nods. "In every corner of my heart. The threats, the mocking, everything. And now in solace dark whispers come on the wind offering vengeance on those who slight me."
ReplyDeleteShe struggles to her feet and her left knee nearly gives out. "I need to leave this place."
Aara helps her up. "You can't let this affect you so much. And we can't leave, not yet. These...whispers of vengeance, they lie, Kasha."
ReplyDeleteShe's crazy...
ReplyDeleteDespite the distraction, Goddard remains focused and continues to slice through the air.
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ReplyDelete"No! It speaks in truths and that is all the more frightening. It told me things I even now just heard. In swearing an oath to that goddess, I fear I have doomed myself and those around around me. Even the slightest joke which I should be able to laugh at, now burns in me with hatred.
ReplyDelete"I must at least move from here. I do not want what it seeks for me to claim." she hugs Aara close for a second and whispers in her ear "Protect him, Aarta."
Pulling away and limping toward the stairs. She bypasses Goddard, giving him a pained look and starts down the stairs.
Stunned, Aara watches her go. That was true panic, she's afraid of what she'll do. She's afraid she'll kill Goddard. Uzzaya, help me.
ReplyDeleteWalking over to Goddard, she draws her daggers and tries to summon a smile for him. "Ready?"
Goddard nods. "Ready. What's wrong with her now? Or do I not want to know?"
ReplyDeleteAara glances at the stairs, worry in her eyes. "Just stay close, nuur'eni." Smiling through her veil, she crosses her daggers. "Come at me, then."
ReplyDelete"Did she threaten me?" he asks, swinging at Aara.
ReplyDelete"No," she answers, deflecting him. "But something's wrong with her. Whispers in her mind, talking of vengeance and such. She's frightened of what they'll convince her to do."
ReplyDelete"So she's insane?"
ReplyDeleteHe growls a bit as he swings down with all he's got.
No holding back...
Aara catches his blade on her crossed daggers and pushes against him, but his strength and height give him the advantage. Gritting her teeth, she gives up a step, but when her foot touches stone, she hits ice. Her foot slides out from under her, and she goes down. Instinctively she turns her daggers so that their blades rest against the outer side of her forearms, seemingly harmless. When she lands, Aara's breath rushes out of her, leaving her choking and staring wide-eyed in front of her. His sword tip rests on the stone above her head, and only her short stature and the ground she lost when she slipped kept his blade from sinking into her skull. She struggles to get a breath into her burning lungs, but her shock refuses to open her lungs. The razor sharp edge rests a hair above her brow. She manages to gasp in a breath, slightly easing the pain in her chest. "G-G-Goddard," she whispers, eyes on the sword. "Y-you could h-have asked for a piece of me. You don't have to cut it off."
ReplyDeleteGoddard's eyes widen and he goes pale.
ReplyDelete"Lecai!" he lifts the sword up and away from her and kneels by her side. "I'm sorry! Are you ok?" Goddard lift's Aara's head into his lap.
"I'm fine," she says, concentrating on breathing. "Just winded." She looks up at him and offers him a weak smile. "You really swept me off my feet."
ReplyDelete"That's not how I wanted to do it," he manages a chuckle and leans down, kissing her on her forehead.
ReplyDeleteAara closes her eyes, sighing. "You're tall, that gives you an advantage. You're quick, too. It won't be long before Eglanor is your dancing partner," she jokes.
ReplyDelete"He's not as beautiful as you are," he laughs. "And he's almost as good looking as I am but not quite."
ReplyDeleteAara laughs and sits up. Passing a hand over her forehead, she winces and scowls at the cut on her shoulder. "He's not even close to your good looks," she jokes, "you can make a woman forget what she's thinking."
ReplyDelete"Is that a good thing?" he chuckles. "Let's go back inside and get you warmed up and taken care of."
ReplyDeleteAara carefully arranges her cloak and scarf to cover her wounds. She grits her teeth and forces herself not to favor the leg with a cut. "I think I'll need more clothes," she mutters, following him down the stairs. "These are torn and bloody."
ReplyDelete"I'll get you some more," he whispers, helping her down the stone stairs. "You just make sure your wounds are ok."
ReplyDeleteShe nods and enters their room. Sitting on her bedroll, she tears at the tunic's shoulder, exposing her wound. Not so bad, just painful.
ReplyDelete((druhir))
ReplyDeleteGoddard heads down to the ground floor of the tower.
"I need more clothes for for my uhhh," he nudges one of the druchii with his elbow, a toothy grin on his face, "my slave..."
The druchii laughs. "What did you do?" he asks, gathering more clothing.
"Have you ever received a gift that you truly wanted and got annoyed by the packaging it was in?"
"Yes," he chuckles, handing Goddard the clothes.
"Thank you. Don't be surprised if I come back later. I'll try not to ruin anymore clothes though."
Goddard is ambushed on the stairs by Drukh and Kuyl.
"So...you like to unwrap gifts," Drukh presses herself against Goddard. Kuyl drags a long nail across his neck.
Oh...why...I am in a much better mood now...must...get to Aara...
Aara cleans up her wounds, wrapping them in fabric scraps. He did well. Much better than I would think someone just picking up a sword would do. I'll have to stop holding back on him, she thinks with a smile.
ReplyDelete((druhir))
ReplyDeleteGoddard backs up the stairs, thinking if he turned his back on these druchii, he'd be taken away. The two women slowly following him, telling him of things they wanted to do to him and what he could do to them.
It's difficult for him to keep heading up to the room and not let them drag him away.
"Just let me take this back to the room," he sighs. "And...then..."
"Hurry then, my lord," Drukh says licking her lips.
Goddard turns around and runs up the stairs and into the room.
Aara looks up when he enters. "Thank you," she says. She frowns a little when she sees his face. "What has you so nervous?"
ReplyDelete"I...well...remember... how you said to tell you...ohhh merciful Morr," he turns a bright pink, as he hands her the clothes.
ReplyDeleteShe laughs and pulls him down for a long kiss. "Just remember to come back," she whispers. "And for Uzzaya's sake, don't smell like her when you do."
ReplyDeleteHe nods and quickly leaves the room. They must have been waiting right outside his door. Aara can hear them talking in druhir, the women giggling.
ReplyDeleteAara sighs and goes to change. He'll never change, but Allaya taught us a valuable lesson: love as thou wilt. So I'll let him go and not hold it against him. But sweet Uzzaya, help me temper my envy.
ReplyDeleteShe makes sure Goddard's name is visible on her collarbone and tightens her corset. Returning to the main room, she settles herself and begins to meditate.
((druhir))
ReplyDeleteGoddard finishes tying up Kuyl, who isn't terribly thrilled about it but she wears her fake smile all the same.
"So...wha...," Goddard turns around to face Drukh, who takes the end of her dagger and hits Goddard in the side of the head with it.
"Kheirsainth!" Kuyl gasps as Goddard falls over. "What are you doing! Are you insane?!" She tries to struggle free. He can tie a knot!
Drukh cackles as she begins to tie up Goddard, who is coming to faster than she had hoped. "You must have been hit pretty hard in the head before," Drukh mumbles.
"When I get out of..." Kuyl starts angrily. Drukh slaps Kuyl across the face and holds the dagger to her throat. "You won't...but don't worry...the end will feel the best..."
"Leave her alone," Goddard grumbles.
Drukh sits next to him and wraps her arms around him. "Oh don't worry my lord...I know what you like...you get to go first.
Drukh puts the dagger to Goddard's shoulder and begins to slowly push down on it.
He looks up, terrified and confused and sees the insane look in Drukh's eyes.
"Khyrkanashaith!" Kuyl yells as she now begins to bite at the bonds.
What is that? Standing, she pokes her head out the door, listening hard. She hears what might be arguing, but she's unsure because it's in druhir. One of the voices is clearly Goddard, and she hears a sharp edge in his voice. Looking around, she sees that no one's paying her any attention, so she slips out into the hall. Following the voices, she hears laughter, but it isn't a happy sound. Aara flattens herself against the wall and sneaks down the hall. She finds a cracked door and listens. More voices, getting more frantic. Aara pushes gently on the door, holding her breath and praying it swings silently. What she sees nearly stops her.
ReplyDeleteShe's going to kill him! Aara doesn't hesitate for a breath. In one swift movement, she draws her daggers and slips in the door. Kicking her hand, the druchii drops the dagger with a curse. Before she can even turn her head, Aara calmly grabs her by the hair and jerks her head back and puts a dagger to her throat.
"Let's play, shall we?" she asks coldly, opening the druchii's throat with a quick cut. Aara lets go of her head, tossing the bitch aside. Pointing a bloody hand at the one tied up, she speaks calmly. "You will not lay another finger on him. He is mine." Her voice is cold as ice and her eyes flat and dead.
"Aara," Goddard whispers, obviously in pain. "She's ok. Don't hurt her, cut her loose..."
ReplyDeleteAara takes her time, wiping the blood from her dagger on the dead one's tunic. She does as Goddard asks, her face perfectly still and expressionless. Turning to Goddard, she kneels, life returning to her eyes as she cuts his bonds and pulls him close.
ReplyDeleteGoddard sits up, wincing. He looks over at Kuyl who is walking toward him. "I'm sorry.."
ReplyDeleteShe slaps him hard across the face. "You idiot! You could have gotten us killed! All because I hoped to get some higher position after all this!"
"I said I'm sorry!" he yells back.
She quickly gathers her things and points angrily at Goddard. "But I'll get it...you remember me, and I'll tell the truth about how insane she was and that she tried to kill us!"
"Deal..." he groans.
"And don't ever call me Kuyl again or even touch me!" she storms out the door, grumbling in druhir.
Goddard rolls his shoulder and hisses. Drukh managed to get him in the shoulder and his side.
The moment rushes back to Aara in a breath, and she gasps, looking at what she's done. "Nuur'eni... how bad is it?" she asks, her hands fluttering from mudra to mudra, not wanting to touch his wounds and hurt him.
ReplyDelete"Well...it actually hurts." Even after all this, he still manages a chuckle. "Stop...stop doing all that hand stuff," he smiles, "And just hug me..."
ReplyDeleteAara throws her arms around him, cursing at him in Arabyan. "You stupid elf," she whispers.
ReplyDelete"I know...I'm sorry," he whispers and holds her tight with his uninjured arm. "Hey," he smiles. "You got a pretty druchii name for your hands."
ReplyDeleteShe makes a sound that's half laugh, half sob. "I suppose I do. But I'm more grateful to still have you. Stay here," she whispers, "I'll get my kit and get you cleaned up."
ReplyDelete"I'm ok," he stands up quickly and scoops up all his things, throwing his cloak around him. "I don't want to be in this room another second...especially alone..."
ReplyDeleteAara stands with him, pausing at the door after he's left. Blood pools around the dead elf, her neck cut so deeply it's nearly severed. Whore, she thinks before closing the door behind her.
ReplyDeleteGoddard gets pants on and sits surprisingly still as Aara tends to him. He picks at the dried blood on his hands.
ReplyDelete"When you're done lecai, I have to go down there and make sure everything is ok. I'll get her name for you too," he says still looking at his hands.
"Wash your hands," she says softly, pouring him a bowl of clean water. She inspects his shoulder carefully before applying a salve and bandage. When he tells her he has to go down to the others and explain, her eyes go wide and all the blood drains from her face. "I...Is my life forfeit?" she asks, voice trembling. "Is yours?"
ReplyDeleteGoddard holds onto her hands and gives them a reassuring squeeze. "It'll be ok....as long as the other vouches for us. She will."
ReplyDeleteAara nods and kisses his hands. "Go then, and be careful."
ReplyDelete((druhir))
ReplyDeleteHe finishes getting dressed and heads down the stairs. At the bottom is a very angry Kuyl. Goddard holds his arms out as if to hug her and she slaps him again.
"Owww...did you work everything out?"
"You and your slave are fine. Some of the other Autarii were thinking she was insane anyway and applauded her death."
The two talk a bit more and Goddard gets Drukh's name for Aara.
"And I'll keep my word...Ashath."
She raises an eye brow. "That's...better I guess. Now get out of my sight..."
He heads back up to the room.
Katarina marches into the room proudly, though still favoring her left knee. She carries 3 bottles of wine and judging by her face she has consumed a great bit already.
ReplyDeleteShe puts the bottles down near her bed roll and stumbles a little as she drops her gear and starts to pull off the outerwear. She flops down on the bedroll and picks up one of the bottles. She smiles at Tannin and raises the bottle in salute. Turning back to the wine, she smiles broader and salutes with he other hand. "Your brothers and sisters emptied themselves to drown out the whispers. YOU have been charged with keeping them at bay. I leave you to your duty, Ser Wine."
Pulling the cork out with her teeth, she takes a long swig from the bottle. "A fine soldier you are, Ser Wine. A credit to the Queen!" she laughs.
Goddard looks shocked at Katarina. "You are a bigger idiot than I thought! What are you doing!? Where did you get that!?" he rips the bottle out of her hand and throws it onto the stone floor.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as he leaves, Aara realizes she can't just wait in the room. Wrapping her cloak around her tightly, she makes her way to the fourth story. The sun is beginning to set, the orange and red deepening into pinks and purples. She pulls off a glove and bites her knuckle.
ReplyDeleteWhat have I done? Goddard told us not to do anything rash- and what do I do? I kill the whore. Oh, sweet Uzzaya, I have served you as best as I could, don't let this be the day we meet face to face...
Tannin sits on his bed roll. Hes been meditating for the last few hours, attempted to sort of the flood of blood memories he received.
ReplyDeleteAt the sound of the crashing bottle, he opens his eyes and springs to a crouched position, instinctively grabing his axe and sword
"Noooo! Ser Wine... He had a family! I drank most of them, so I should know."
ReplyDeleteShe looks up at Goddard. "If you want your own its deep in the dusty foundations in a bunch of smashed crates. I rescued them. I had to crawl in a hole in the basement to even get there."
She squints at Goddard. "Why am I talking to you? You told me not to talk to you."
Goddard raises a hand, wanting to knock some sense into her, then lowers it, clenching his fist tight at his side.
ReplyDeleteHe points across the room. "Go...sit in a corner! You aren't allowed to go anywhere!"
The past few days, Tannins moves have been like lightning, but he slowly lowers himself to the ground.
ReplyDelete"I'm surprised the Auturii didnt tear her limb from limb, stumbling around drunk like that" Tannin says, slowly closing his eyes again
Katarina blinks a few times and sighs, sagging limply in his grip. "Peaceful... I can't hear it anymore! And oh the things it was saying! That if I wouldn't, there were others in the tower who were easier to convince."
ReplyDeleteShe giggles and then hugs Goddard quickly. "But I can't hear it right now!" she lets go and skips over to the corner happily whistling.
Goddard growls angrily at Katarina. It took a lot to not shove her onto the floor and drag her to the corner.
ReplyDelete"She's insane," he mumbles and flops down by the chest, taking a book from his hip.
"Arha...where is lecai?"
At the top, Master.
"Tell her everything is fine with the Autarii. I think she should know as soon as possible and I need to watch kyndul over here or else she'll get herself killed..."
Yes Master!
----------
Lady Aara! The Master would like me to tell you that all is well! Do not worry!
"Aara is on the roof? I had just planned to go up there." Tannin says, gathering his things
ReplyDeleteAara flinches when the shadow appears before her. "Ah, thank you, little friend. Please tell him I'll be back soon, I just want to see the stars."
ReplyDelete"Enjoy dealing with drunky" Tannin says
ReplyDeleteHe heads outside and up to the roof, weapons in hand.
Goddard grits his teeth. "No different than Altdorf I guess..."
ReplyDelete"Why do you hate me so much?"
ReplyDelete"Why shouldn't I hate you?" he asks, trying to read and keep an eye on her at the same time.
ReplyDeleteAara looks over her shoulder when she hears footsteps crunching through the snow. "Hello, Tannin," she says quietly.
ReplyDelete"Aara" Tannin says in greeting, bowing his head. "How are you this fine eve?"
ReplyDeleteSore. Injured. Only recently afraid for mine and Goddard's lives. "Well enough." She wraps her arms around her, tucking the edges of her cloak closer.
ReplyDelete"I thought the attempted stabbing was behind us. I can apologize again for calling you a coward on the boat, but you an Aara are really happy now. My scheme worked there, you got the girl and are in l-o-v-e.
ReplyDelete"You scared me on the boat with the fake ghost. I made friends with a real one. I scared you in the water, you made friends with a skull.
"We trade insults, Aara yells at me. We trade threats Aara yells at me. I stop, you keep insulting me; Aara yells at me.
"Then... we shared we got close... and right as I think we can make it aaaaallll work out. You threaten me and but Aara hasn't yelled at me this time."
Tannin takes his cloak off and wraps it around Aara.
ReplyDelete"I'm surprised your still out here. Its cold. Ever get your off hand technique down?"
"Thank you." Looking back up at the stars starting to appear, she takes a deep breath. "I needed the air. Though I daresay I've had enough of it today. Eglanor and Goddard have put me through my paces." She smiles. "But I think I have it."
ReplyDelete"Druchii don't love," he grumbles turning the page. "And I threatened you because you spew the dumbest things at the worst times."
ReplyDelete"I wouldnt mind testing my blade against his. Eglanor that is. His people are a myth amongst mine, and even travailing with an outcast amongst then is an honor."
ReplyDeleteAara laughs. "Today he had us dancing. Everything from a court dance to a folk. But I understand why he sings in battle now."
ReplyDelete"Oh? I assumed it was to demoralize those that hear it while raising moral amongst the elves. That or to keep tempo for his steps as he swings"
ReplyDelete"Didn't want the Tannin-thing to do what he did or worse. He's not very pleasant anymore. I just wanted you to be able to yell and scream and get it out, so you can be Goddard again and not all those extras names.
ReplyDelete"I think I could be friends with Goddard again... I don't like the lots of names guy. The dark whisper voice doesn't. That elf girl downstairs didn't."
"It's...it both, and something more. I meditate so that when the time comes, I can easily find my calm and balance. It's similar for them. At least, I that's what I think."
ReplyDelete"Tannin's not a thing. He's...he's Tannin," Goddard shrugs.
ReplyDelete"I take it you don't know my full name," he smirks. "Even though I said it to the Autarii. Maybe you just forget when you drowned half your brain in booze."
"I find it easier to flow naturally with combat as it happens. If I get caught up thinking about what Im going to do, I mess up."
ReplyDelete"When we fought against those rats in the tunnels, I was able to do things I never have before. Different muscle memories. It was weird."
"The stars sure are pretty here"
"They're different than home," she says absently. "In the wrong places, making the wrong shapes. But no less beautiful."
ReplyDelete"Something something something Kaggath! She kept saying that last one. I remember that before I found the cellar and had to crawl under the collapsed part through the hole. Angry elf woman. Still angry when I came up later. Kaggath blah blah. Kaggath!
ReplyDelete"Sounded like when you yelled at me earlier."
Tannin flops down on his back, laying in the fresh snow.
ReplyDelete"I cant find any of the shapes from my home" He says after a whille
"Khadath? Oh why am I asking...you have no idea...you're crazy..."
ReplyDeleteHe reads a bit more in silence until he finally says rather quickly, "Khadath Goddard Kheirsainth del Har Ganeth."
Aara looks down at him. I'm always looking up at everyone, it's nice to look down for once. "No, I don't suppose there would be dragons and unicorns and other mystical creatures. Not here." She sits on a crate, not willing to sit in the snow any more today. "I should probably let you know you'll need to feed from me tonight. Goddard's lost a good bit of blood today."
ReplyDelete"Oh? I mean if your up for it again."
ReplyDelete"You need blood, and I kept more of mine today than Goddard did. Just don't let him leave me this time," she laughs. "We had quite the argument this morning."
ReplyDelete"That's the one! She didn't like saying it, but she said it a lot. Weird."
ReplyDeleteShe curls up a little and yawns. "I didn't mean to make you angry with drinking. But it helped me cuz I didn't want to listen and it went away. Cause your elves are scary, but I scared myself more. I think I scared Aara too and I can't do that to her or you."
She yawns again.
"Is that where he keeps going with the sword that weighs more then he does?"
ReplyDelete"That was to spar with me and Eglanor. Also...there was an incident earlier, and he came away with a few wounds. All the same, I'd feel better if he had a day to recover." She doesn't mention her own injuries from Goddard.
ReplyDelete"Thats fine with me. Elf blood tastes...odd"
ReplyDelete"You mean we taste differently? I assumed we all taste the same."
ReplyDelete"In an odd way, you, Goddard, and Katarina all tasted different. Its one of the most interesting parts of being a vampire I think"
ReplyDelete"I suppose that makes sense." She stands, unwrapping his cloak and giving it back to him. "I suppose I should go have dinner so I can be dinner," she says with a smile.
ReplyDeleteTannin begins to laugh, and then looks at Aara
ReplyDelete"Oh...that shouldnt be funny. I guess I'll walk you down."
"Why not? It is funny," she laughs. When they enter the room, Goddard is absorbed in a book and Katarina yawning sleepily. Aara eats quickly, exhausted from the days events and ready to simply sleep.
ReplyDeleteKatarina smiles sleepily at Aara. "I've been bad and Goddard shays I can't leave my corner." she giggles.
ReplyDelete"Tannin saw him pick me up before he left us here alone. Hi Tannin!"
Tannin shakes the snow off his clothes, and enters the room. Grabbing a fresh set of clothes, he changes into them near his bed roll, and then sits down to get comfortable
ReplyDelete"Oh, So Im Tannin now?"
ReplyDelete"Cuz I can't pronounce [throat noises] right now. Plus I was told to get over that."
ReplyDelete"Then I suppose the best course of action is to stay put," Aara says. Putting her plate away, she sits next to Tannin. "Same vintage as yesterday, I fear," she jokes. "Please make sure I make it to my bedroll."
ReplyDelete"Why dont you just go get in bed now, that way you can pass out already warm and comfortable?"
ReplyDelete"Tannin? Do you still drink wine? Cause I have two bottles there and 4 and 1/4th in me. The rest of Ser Wine is in the corner.
ReplyDelete"I bet you'd get drunk if you bit me." she giggles
Aara nods. After unlacing her corset and setting it aside, she wraps herself in her cloak and lies down. She's half asleep when she offers him her arm.
ReplyDeleteTannin bites down, letting his fangs sink in and draw the blood for him. He drinks just as much as he needs to survive, cuts his tongue on his fang and seals the wound.
ReplyDeleteWhen he finishes he flops on his back, the experience making him light headed
Aara murmurs in Arabyan for a moment before settling into sleep.
ReplyDelete