Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Na The Past. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
April 2008
Topic Started: Nov 5 2009, 10:37 PM (3,966 Views)
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: sabor ice
Date: Tue Apr 22, 2008 4:12 pm
Milan


Mari
 
"hmmm - you have a very nice voice, Milan. It is very
deep...I can feel it vibrating right here..."


Milan had never really been a self-conscious person up until
recently. He had never questioned the way he thought nor did
things nor looked. And he certainly had never had an occasion
to question his voice. That, too, had been discovered only
recently. If anyone but Mari had told him he 'had a nice
voice,' he might've thought they were mocking him. He might've
thought there was something wrong with the way it sounded. But
he knew Mari would never poke fun at him in such a manner. In
fact, hearing her approval only made him proud to own it, even
if in his opinion he did sound a bit strange. For such a
boyishly handsome young man, his voice seemed to have been
taken from someone with many more years under his belt.

Mari
 
"Chest... neck..."


The glow of the warm firelight complimented Mari's features,
making them appear even softer than usual somehow. There was a
spark ignited behind her brown eyes, making it appear as if
they danced while she looked down at him so affectionately. As
he watched her in silent adoration, he was mesmerized by her
natural beauty. His face gave everything away. He was
undeniably smitten with her.

"Neck..." Milan murmured against her soft hair, the word
coming out more smoothly as he let it come naturally,
unconsciously, and he cupped a hand at the side of her neck.
She lifted her head then and he held her gaze. His hand
dropped way from her neck, fingers then curling outward in
gesture just at the laces of her bodice. "...Chest."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: golden_trillium
Date: Tue Apr 22, 2008 4:54 pm


SUNRISE (MORNING)


Linnette and Tristan


It had been a bad night.

Linnette was absolutely exhausted, but she had managed only
scraps of fitful sleep. Some time before dawn, when the world
was still dark, but when the sky in the east was edging
towards gray, she gave up any more thought of rest and rose
from her bed, her eyes swollen and droopy-feeling from both
tears and lack of sleep. Gedeon had not come back to her in
the night, as she had prayed and half-hoped he would. She had
fantasized desperately that perhaps it was all a horrible
mistake, that he was merely delayed, somehow, and would come
slip into bed with her late, weary from the road and perhaps
even wounded, but ready to wipe her tears away. But so far, at
least, her hopes had been for nothing- he had not come. And
there was no more point in lying here and pretending to rest,
when no real rest was possible for her.

She stood up stiffly, leaving Gedeon's saddlebags in the bed
where she had been curled around them, and tried
half-heartedly to pat her hair into place. It was still in its
braids from yesterday, made messy by sleeping on them, but she
had no desire to brush and redo the whole thing. She merely
tucked some of the stray front strands behind her ears, then
put on her cloak and went out. The ring was still on its
string around her neck, of course- she closed her hand around
it and gave it a protective squeeze as she left the room.

The first thing in her mind now was to go and see Linnesse.
However, at this early hour, there was no way she or Derfel
would be awake yet. A brief listen at their closed door-
without knocking- confirmed it. No sound came from within.

Maybe she should try to eat. She left the knights' quarters,
drawing her cloak around her in the cold, and crossed tot he
back entrance of the kitchen, where the scullery boys still
slept on thier pallets before the hearth. She was too early
even for them.

And though there was bread and cheese sitting out ready for
breakfast, Linnette found she had no appetite to speak of. The
thought of food made her mouth go dry as ash- why should she
eat when Gedeon never could again? She took a small drink of
water, but that was all. She could not stomach real food, now
that she was confronted with it.

Linnesse would be hungry, though, and needed to keep up her
strength. Moving as quietly as she could, skirting the
sleepers, Linnette assembled food on a tray, enough for two,
along with two mugs of the juice that was in relatively short
supply. Neeve had said Linnesse needed to drink- and what
better to entice her to do so than a small luxury like this?

Back at Linnesse and Derfel's room with the tray, Linnette
once again listened at the door. No sound, of course- they
were asleep, and they should be. Reaching for the door handle,
she pushed the door open, as softly as she could, and set the
tray down on the floor just inside the door. On the bed across
the small room, Linnesse's fine, blonde hair spread out over
the pillow; her face was turned towards Derfel's shoulder in
sleep and their bodies made just one lump, not two, under the
blankets. Linnette felt tears mist her eyes again and quickly
turned her head away. She needed to get outside again- needed
some air.

And once she got outside again, she found herself climbing in
search of it. The nearest stairs up to the ramparts beckoned
to her, perhaps as a sort-of escape from the more mundane
thigns below, perhaps because up there she would have a good
view of the road, and of Gedeon returning, should he come.
Perhaps because right over the main gate ha been the place
where she and Gedeon had met. Perhaps. But in any case, she
climbed up there, found a spot relatively far from any of the
silent guards, and leaned her elbows on the parapet, gazing
pensively down and outward, occasional tears dripping down,
and drying on, her cheeks as she imagined and remembered.

It was when she had been up there a while, long enough for her
feet to be tired, her hands and face to be very cold, and for
the sun to start peeking orange above the horizon that
someone, very unexpectedly, tapped her on the shoulder from
behind. She had heard no sound, no hint of anyone approaching.
She jumped and turned around, her heart leaping with the
sudden irrational thought that it might be Gedeon- but it
wasn't. It was Tristan, the scout, standing there with is
curiously blank eyes, a partially-sliced apple in one hand, a
small eating knife in the other. Linnette could smell a hint
of its juice, as well as the generally horsey, leathery smell
that seemed to follow most of the knights.

Looking at her intently, the scout raised the knife, and
Linnette tensed suddenly, unsure what was coming next- but he
paid her no mind, only calmy sliced another bite off the apple
and held the small morsel out to her. Her reaction was
automatic- she held out her hand to take it without even
thinking about what it was.

"Don't forget to eat," he advised her gruffly, dropping the
moist piece of fruit into her open palm, then walking away
without another word. Surprised and still not sure what to
think, she watched his back as he walked away from her, down
the wall past several guards, then around the corner to where
he stopped and leaned on the parapet himself, looking out to
the west, towards Woad territory.

That was puzzling- that whole encounter. The taciturn scout
had never said a word to Linnette before, not even on the
mission to the Villa to rescue Linnesse. In fact, Linnette
could probably count on one hand the number of times she had
heard him speak at all, to anyone. He had always made her a
bit nervous, and he certainly didn't seem the type to do
random kindnesses- yet here was this bite of apple in her
hand.

But she couldn't eat it. Not even just that one bite, juicy as
it was. It hardly looked like food to her- nothing did. With a
restless, despairing sigh, she dropped it to the stone at her
feet, wiped her fingers on a fold of her skirt, and slid down
to a sitting position against the parapet, her knees drawn up
and her cloak wrapped tightly around her. She couldn't eat,
and the cold and the discomfort of hard stones didn't matter
either. Except for Linnesse, nothing much mattered at all- now
that Gedeon was gone.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: Starbelle
Date: Tue Apr 22, 2008 5:35 pm
Tatiana


Brendyn
 
'Yeah...sure if that is what you want...'


"Yes, that's what I want." Tatiana replied watching as he
stepped over to the bed leaving her standing next to the fire.
"I really don't have that many friends here in the fort."

Brendyn
 
'I...I think your...herbs are working.....' . 'Aye....we
can be friends....I would welcome that a lot...'


"Good, I'd like that as well, Brendyn." She replied walking
over to the bed as the herbs did their work putting him into a
restful sleep. Tatiana watched as his eyelids slowly closed
over his dark blue eyes.

After pulling the blanket up over her sleeping friend/patient
tucking it under his chin and running a tiny hand through his
hair on the pretext of checking his forehead, she leaned back
slightly to watch Brendyn sleep then after retying her tunic,
became aware of sleep finally stealing over her as well.

"Sleep well, Brendyn. I'll see you in the morning." Tatiana
said after placing a shy kiss on his cheek.

Seeing the unused furs and after removing her ankle-high
boots, leaned over and snatched one wrapping herself in it
curled up next to him laying her head in the natural craddle
of his neck and shoulder, allowing his soft breathing to lull
her into a peaceful sleep.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: lady ione
Date: Tue Apr 22, 2008 6:28 pm
Adian


He stirred and woke up slowly trying to gain his barrings and
a sense of where he was. Sure as heck he was not in the woad
camp any longer....The infirmary with a guard? Nice.... Adian
felt ten times better after the drought induced sleep he had
been put in. His dark heather grey eyes traveled to the
window....not nearly dawn, but the winter dark greys of the
sky told him the sunrise was close. He pushed with one arm to
sit up....that was better. Adian went back to wondering how he
had gotten into the infirmary...had the guard carried him
here? That was nice of him. Should make it a point of buying
him an ale later... A smile tugged at the young man's mouth,
then the smile vanished. Where was Thorn? Surely someone had
to have gone off and told her that he was found...

Fiona. Perhaps Fiona knew....or Ione....or Javier...

Where were they? No doubt still asleep? It was still early....

Not far off, Adian heard two people talking: one a very
disitinct Hibernian accent and the other lower voice that he
did not know (Dagonet and Saoirse). The one, Adian had heard
before, but the other....

Adian just lie back on the bed, missing Juna and wondering if
she was to the ocean yet, and if she had found her freedom.
But mostly, he missed Thorn! He wanted to tell her so much
that he loved her with every breath he had, and that he wanted
to marry her in the Spring time....
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: Pinkie
Date: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:17 pm
Saoirse


Saoirse would never say she knew Dagonet's pain in losing
Gedeon, but she had a fair idea of how painful it was to lose
someone that you loved. Everytime she thought of Gedeon there
was a wrenching feeling in her heart and an equal tug on her
conscience which made her feel like the worst soul that ever
walked the land of Britain. The wrenching feeling was because
she remembered how indescribably distraught she had been when
she thought it was Dagonet who had been killed - and the tug
on her conscience was because of the relief she felt when she
admitted that it had not been Dagonet that was killed. It felt
wrong to have felt such relief, such overwhelming joy to see
him get out of that cart when that joy and relief was at the
expense of Gedeon's life. That relief and joy was felt in
equal but reverse measure upon Linnette.

The red head shivered, watching Dagonet's head loll to one
side and then the other. He was as weak as a kitten and
Saoirse hadn't the faintest idea of how to fix him or to even
try to make him strong enough to fix himself. His hurt was not
something her anger could snap him out of. His anguish was not
something that could be put on the backburner and forgotten
about while they made love. He was broken. Dagonet's heart and
spirit was broken and she had to fix it. Somehow.

The weight of that task made Saoirse's shoulders slump and she
felt that hysteria from earlier threaten once more. Ruthlessly
she shoved it down knowing that when she was alone that she
would pay the price for ignoring it. But that was not
something she should worry about. Dagonet was her priority.
Whatever else happened could just go and bloody well happen.

Tears pricked the corners of her lovers eyes when he looked at
her. Saoirse saw the shards of his heart so plainly scattered
inside of him before he looked away, the tears rolling
unchecked down his once proud face. She had to bite hard on
her anger that fate would deal Dagonet such a hard hand in
life, allowing him to speak.

Dagonet
 
"I...I... I am so lost.. Saoirse. How can.. I keep
going... ? Gedeon is... gone"


Oh how she wanted to put her finger to his lips and stop him
from speaking! The words were cutting thruogh her defenses,
leaving raw and untended wounds in their wake but she had to
pretend otherwise. She sniffed back tears, tensing her jaw as
she stroked her hand down Dagonet's cheek, wiping the tears
discreetly. She knew he was a proud man. She knew he would
rather die than have people see him so weak, so destroyed and
so she tried to shelter him. Saoirse crawled onto the bed next
to him, curling her body around his upper body as best she
could, cradling his head in one of her arms and balancing on
one elbow, looking down into his tortured green eyes.

"An' you're not." she told him quietly, her voice shaking as
she was uncertain that she was saying the right thing.
Swallowing hard, Saoirse persevered in the gentlest of tones,
barely above a whisper. She pulled the sleeve of her tunic
down over her hand and dabbed at Dagonet's face, blue eyes
looking all about his face and not just at his eyes.

"Wouldn't Gedeon want ye t'keep goin'? D'ye think he'd let ye
stay lost? He wouldn't, Dagonet. Ye know he wouldn' because if
..." her voice broke and tears sprung to her eyes suddenly.
Saoirse bit her upper lip, squinting her eyes shut to hold
back the tears, trying to compose herself as best she could
before continuing.

"If it was the other way 'round...." her voice broke off, she
couldn't continue on that train of thought whilst holding onto
her sanity and reason right now but she hoped she got the
message across to Dagonet nonetheless.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: lady ione
Date: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:26 pm
Brendyn


"Yes, that's what I want....I really don't have that many
friends here in the fort....Good, I'd like that as well,
Brendyn.

All Brendyn had seen of her was when she walked over to the
bed, tying her tunic back up and looking at him. Whatever she
had given him had been potent and before his eyes closed,
Brendyn hoped that he'd be able to get up in the morning.
Slowly, his eyes shut in a welcomed sleep feeling his muscles
relax...and her vice floating around in his mind...

Tatiana
 
"Sleep well, Brendyn. I'll see you in the morning."


...Somehow he felt himself being tucked in to bed, and the
feeling of fingers running through the hair on his forehead.
Checking for a fever no doubt. Then, the feel of lips on his
cheek...He felt her lie on top of the blankets wrapped in a
heavy fur pelt he suspected. An unconscious smile passed over
his peaceful face as he felt her curel up next to him with her
head cradled between his neck and shoulder...





Brendyn stirred now, and opened his eyes and saw the grey
streaks of light as the hour before dawn approached. Turning
his head so as not at Awaken her, Brendyn watched Tatiana
sleep, her soft breathing telling of the peace she was in.
Antonius had always gotten his crew up at the crack of dawn to
be ready for duty, so it was an instilled habit that he had to
wake this early. Amazingly, he felt so much better than he had
the night before, and with sleep and the care of a lovely
young lady, Brendyn had recovered...sort of. His head still
felt stuffy, but that did not inhibit the use of his arms and
legs...

Quietly, he worked his way out of bed, went over to the basin
of fresh water, and washed himself, before putting on a new
uniform and reminding himself to wash the other. Fixing his
hair, he looked over at Tatiana as she continued to sleep.
Softly, he walked over to the bed and knelt down on one knee
to place a chaste kiss on her lips: soft and sweetly...

Brendyn did not want to wake her, so he moved back, stood up
and went to retrieve his sword and lance...
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: Pinkie
Date: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:53 pm
Galahad


Galahad couldn't remember any of the women he had bedded
before Alina. He wasn't entirely sure why that was but the
fact drifted through his subconscious as he breathed in the
new scent of her. It was different though he could hardly put
his finger on why it was different. He wasn't even sure if it
was the scent of something she had used or if it was something
inherently different in her natural scent. That was probably
what made him think of 'other women'. Alina didn't smell like
Alina, not the way he remembered her at least.

Fascinated with this little revelation, Galahad slowly wrapped
his arm about the woman's waist, his brow furrowed. One dark
curl tripped down over his furrowed brow, stark against his
pale skin as he trailed the tip of his nose from one side of
her collarbones to the other, letting his blue eyes shut as he
memorised the new smell.

Alina
 
"...Badly?"


And again! So oblivious to her hypertension and paranoia!
Galahad gave a small, breathy snort of amusement at the manner
with which she phrased it and he pulled back to smile at her.
His smile was adorably childlike. The beard on his face looked
glued on when he smiled like this because he didn't look old
enough to grow it! His teeth were visible behind his slightly
cracked lips as he peered at Alina's face.

There was something to be seen there - a semblance of that
tension, but Galahad blithely ignored it, thinking it was just
a 'girl' thing.

"Different." he answered her with a grin, leaning in with his
eyes open, tenderly brushing his lips against hers. He pushed
his nose in against her temple then, breathing in her scent
heavily before chuckling. "You almost smell like a completely
different woman now - if I couldn't see your face or hear your
voice this might feel like infidelity..." he spoke against her
ear, his eyes sliding shut as he dipped his head, kissing her
slender neck with a growing passion, not really paying
attention to his words at all.









Kolya

Kolya was relieved to see the sun come up. He had thought he
might not actually live through the night so much pain was he
in. He had thought about going back to his own room but he
wasn't ready to face Mari. Plus, if he was going to die he
would rather do it without having her harping on in his ear.
Though thinking of Mari had made the Sarmatian feel that surge
of paternal protectiveness once more. The one that made him
want to rip out that mute boy's fucking tongue and shove his
balls down his throat, ram a red hot poker up his a.. well,
those things and many more other painful things too.
So he had sat on the steps of the infirmary until his chest
stopped bloody hurting and then he had wandered.

The woads had retreated thankfully - Kolya kept an eye out as
he wandered out of the fortress grounds and down the once
familiar streets. There were people lurkign in windows,
looking out terrified of the woads return. There were broken
fences here and there, one house smouldered miserably - but
overall there was little in the way of damage out here. The
main hit had been in the fortress itself.

The once familiar streets led him to a house he knew well. The
door stood open and ... a fire burned in the hearth?

Kolya went into Mari's old home and looked around rather
bemused. It looked like someone had been living in the bloody
place.

This is where he had spent many a happy night with Mari's
mother... the thought made him grin as he flopped down onto
the uncomfortable mattress. It had been more comfortable with
a woman in it with him he recalled. Still, it was a bed for
the night. Even if the sleet was falling through a hole in teh
ceiling.

Sleep came to him eventually but fitfully. When he woke there
was only one person whose face popped into his head.

Alina.

Damn her.

He had done so well not to think about her. Of course thinking
about her gave him a damn hard-on since that had been her
intention on their last encounter. Right before they argued
and he had stormed out. Rolling his blue eyes, Kolya rolled
over on the bed and stared at the wall with his lips pursed.
He wondered if she was canoodling with her lover now. He also
wondered, with the beginnings of a smirk, if her lover was as
skilled between her legs as he so obviously had been.

With a wry chuckle, satisfied with his deviant thoughts, Kolya
rolled back onto his back and looked at the brightening sky.









Eala

It had been a very, very long night.

Eala had been too exhausted to keep up her snarling and biting
the whole night. Her black eyes watched the shadows warily.
She knew someone would come for her. She knew Ash would come
for her. Somehow she knw that he would be there for her and
take her out of the stinking rotten cold cell she was in now.
The shadows shifted as the dawn broke. The little blonde girl
was still laying naked by the cell door, an arm stretched out
underneath it to remind people that she was there. She could
admit it to herself that she was scared that they would forget
about her completely. And what could she do about it? She
couldn't cry out the way others had done so in the night.

Though her hearing was practically non-existant, she had
picked up some things throughout the night. She had heard a
scream. It had rattled through her normally quiet mind and
shocked her, making her sit up. Her whole body ached. Her arm
was bent at an odd angle and she couldn't straighten it. It
had her hand feeling a bit ... strange to say the least. Her
fingers tingled. Shivering, Eala stood up, leaning against the
door, her cheek pressed to the bars as she peered up and down
the bleak corridor, waiting.

A guard had passed in the middle of the night, a bearded man
and she had snarled at him, slamming her naked, small body
against the cell door. But he had barely noticed her as he
continued on down the line. There had been some more noises
but Eala couldn't make sense of them. They might have been
voices but with her muted hearing as bad as it was, it only
sounded like rumbles to her. People passed back the other way
and this time Eala sat back away from the bars, snarling
quietly at them, poisted and ready to spring at them should
they open the cell door.

Which they didn't.

Morning light streamed a little way down the corridor though
not far enough to reach Eala's cell. She was sitting by the
door again. Her bruised face was a mess. A dark swelling had
one eye almost sealed shut, her bottom lip was torn and there
was an egg-sized bump on one side of her forehead - and that
was not making mention of the bruises and scrapes around the
rest of her body. The bruise around her shoulder was quite
hideous too - and there was the obvious imprint of a boot on
her pale stomach which was twitching with pain. Hunger.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: sabor ice
Date: Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:07 pm
Alina


Galahad
 
"Different. You almost smell like a completely different
woman now - if I couldn't see your face or hear your
voice this might feel like infidelity..."


Alina choked on her own saliva and coughed lightly into the
back of her hand. Galahad's arms slid further down about her
waist and his passion grew a bit more persistent as he kissed
her neck. If her hands had been doing anything other than
resting lifelessly between their bodies, or her arms had been
doing anything more than clinging rigidly to her form, she
would've appeared to be pushing away his advances instead of
merely succumbing to them listlessly.

It couldn't have been paranoia. He knew something, oh surely
he did! This was pure and utter torture. She was practically
squirming in his lap, and yet he went on as if everything was
normal. She wanted the Gods to smite her and be done with it.
She wanted someone to come to the door and interrupt - anyone
- even if it was Kolya. She'd then have a good excuse to leave
the room for a short time at least, claiming to Galahad that
Kolya was one of her patients recuperating from the sickness
that had struck the fort. And then once Alina had that man
alone, she would kill him for all of the unnecessary grief he
had deliberately brought into her life.

"Ahem...um...Galahad..." she murmured.

As she craned her neck to the side to find and meet his gaze,
Alina swore she had briefly hallucinated, seeing Kolya's face
instead of Galahad's. Now she lightly protested Galahad's
embrace, and gently pushed herself away from him. She
inadvertently glanced toward the window and noted that it was
becoming increasingly lighter outside.

"Oh look...it's morning already," she added in a weak attempt
to direct the attention away from her as she awkwardly stepped
away from him.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: Pinkie
Date: Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:21 pm
Galahad


Maybe it was ego that had Galahad so oblivious to the fact
that Alina just sat on his lap without moving, without
embracing him back or without any sign of affection. He was
quite content with his lot right now as he kissed her, felt
her warmth, built things up to the stage where they would both
be writhing around on the bed in acute pleasure. Or so he
thought. He was still rather wounded so he knew he would pay a
price for it, of course, but he didn't, for one minute,
imagine that Alina was an unwilling or uncomfortable partner
to this.

When she started to cough against her hand, Galahad pulled
back quickly, looking at her through narrowed blue eyes. He
took note of the tension about those soulful brown orbs and
cocked his head to the side, bottom lip pouting in wonderment
as he puzzled out her reaction. Which only got worse.

Alina
 
"Ahem...um...Galahad... Oh look...it's morning already,"


She squirmed at first. Galahad's lips parted as he was about
to ask her what was wrong - and then she popped up off his leg
like a scalded cat. The Knight frowned, teeth snapping shut in
surprise as he watched her look to teh window and comment on
.... morning? What the ... ?

The young knight sat there a moment - the only noise being
Alina's rather rapid breathing and the crackling of the fire.
Blue eyes assessed his lover- looking her over for any sign of
injuries that might account for her rather strange behaviour.
But he could only really notice the bruise on her jaw. Perhaps
it had been a harder knock to the head than he had given
credit for earlier?

"Ahm... yeah. That happens all the time you know... ? Night
ends, morning starts. Or hadn't you noticed?" Galahad asked
sarcastically though there was no sting in his tone as he gave
a lopsided smile to the edgy woman standing in front of him.
He reached out his large hands and placed one on her stomach,
the other on her lower back.

"Are you ok love? You seem a bit ... " Galahad's eyes widened
and his hands lifted to either side of his head, fingers
wiggling as if to indicate a slightly maniac ticking of his
brain, wondering if Alina was just a little edgy thorugh lack
of sleep, food or good loving in his absence.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: sabor ice
Date: Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:07 pm
Alina


Galahad
 
"Ahm... yeah. That happens all the time you know... ?
Night ends, morning starts. Or hadn't you noticed?"


Was he making fun of her? Sure she knew she probably looked
like a fool and sounded like an idiot right about now, but
having the mental capacity to string together coherent
thoughts for any extended amount of time had gone out the
window two or three days ago. She needed someone to tell her
that these situations happened, that these things, like with
Kolya, happened. She needed to be reassured that some things
could be forgotten and people could be forgiven for their
mistakes and move on. She needed to believe that she didn't
care about Kolya enough to destroy all that she had built with
Galahad. Life just wasn't working out according to her plan,
though.

Galahad
 
"Are you ok love? You seem a bit ... "


Alina pursed her lips into a tight, unamused line as she
watched his animated hand illustrations.

"I seem a bit what? Tense? Hypertensive? Crazy?" she
unintentionally snapped. She placed a hand at the back of her
hip, the other waving flippantly in the air as she paced away
from him again. "Yeah, maybe I am just a little bit crazy. I
guess I'd have to be, wouldn't I? I am crazy. Thank you for
asking."

Everything had just gotten progressively worse and Alina
internally scolded herself, because now she'd have to explain
herself to him. Under the circumstances, however, Alina felt
she had been handling herself rather well up until this point.
She absentmindedly tugged at her bottom lip with her thumb and
forefinger, as she often did when she was troubled, and idly
she wondered if claiming temporary insanity might've been the
easiest solution out of the tangly, poisonous web she had
woven herself into.

She sighed, having to face the fact that she had nothing.

"Nevermind...I'm fine..." Alina added morosely, brows stitched
in consternation. She turned back toward a slightly stunned
looking Galahad, her features and voice softening then.
"Really. I'm fine. I'm just tired."

There it was again - the sad, pathetic, 'tired excuse.'
Ultimately she was tired, exhausted mind and body, but she
couldn't find rest. At least not as long as the guilt
continued to eat her up inside.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: LadyCastus
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:45 am
Malcus Barbattus


Barbattus stretched his legs and rolled his shoulders,
throwing his cloak on the back of a chair in his office. He'd
just completed his roll call for the morning and held the
daily briefing with his squad commanders. Everyone knew their
assignments for the day including the double watch ordered by
Artorius. Now Malcus sat behind his desk and focused on the
things he needed to get done. First of all, he would handle
the situation with the woad prisoner and make sure that she
that she was seen by the healers. Quintus had informed Malcus
of the wild, crazy child being held in the dungeons as well -
something Malcus knew nothing about. That foul beast Mordred
had captured her himself. Barbattus twirled his dagger,
checking the sharpness of the tip, thinking about those two
buggers Mordred and Amadeus. Bastards. Malcus didn't like
either one of them. The commander didn't trust them - like
they were up to something. Barbattus was a great reader of
human nature and something about those two stank to high
heaven. But he couldn't put his finger on what, exactly.

Dismissing those two idiots from his conscience and securing
his dagger hipside, Barbattus rose from behind his desk and
summoned his first assistant with a shout.

"Titrus!" he yelled into the outer office, "Come!"

The lieutenant filled the doorway of the office, "Oy, sir!"

"We have a hell of a lot things to do today, Titrus," Malcus
sighed. "First of all, there are two female woad prisoners
that need looking after. I want them to be seen by a healer
immediately, then fed and clothed" Malcus said. "I also have a
punishment to administer." Titrus nodded, understanding what
that meant and held back a shudder. Malcus also wanted to see
Arthur if he could. Barbattus was concerned about his friend's
condition and hoped he would receive visitors. He also wanted
to consult with some of the knights to talk about the attack
on the road in further detail and perhaps increase his patrols
and rotations around the areas of the wall. But first things,
first.

"Titrus, gather Lucius Aquila. I want him to go with you."









Neeria

Neeria opened her eyes slowly and was relieved to see that it
was finally morning. The small window allowed a small bit of
light to light up the dreary cell. The woad's muscles ached
and she was stiff and sore. She was alive though and that was
something. Neeria's stomach threatened to flip on her, a
combination of bad smells and hunger assaulting her senses at
the same time.

Slowly, she stood up, taking her time as her body ached all
over. Neeria wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, covering
her exposed breasts. The guard had ripped her breast straps
right from her body when he'd tried to rape her. The anger
rose in her. She was not her best or she would have fought
harder. When the woad was upright, she stretched long and
hard, trying to stretch out the cramps in her arms and feet.
The action was excrutiating and she nearly screamed out from
the pain. Neeria checked the wound on her side which was now
angry and even more painful. She touched it and smelled her
fingers. Infection had set in. She wiped the pus away and
rubbed her hands on her pants.

Neeria paced about the small room, thinking about all that had
happened. She thought of Merlin, hoping that Mona had
delivered the message. Would they come for her? Had Merlin
survived the attack? What of Guinevere? Ash? Eala and all the
others?

Sinking back to the floor, Neeria said a prayer for her dead
husband, Mikel. Suddenly, thoughts of the scout came to her,
"Tris-tan", she said aloud. She'd been so terrified when he'd
first left her there. Then she thought of the Roman who, the
previous night, promised to send help for her. She could not
recall his name, she didn't want to. He was a Roman - the true
enemy - and couldn't be trusted. Neeria was sure that what
he'd told her was all lies. No one would come for her and the
guard would not be punished as the Roman promised. She was
sure of it.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: Pinkie
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:15 am
Catherine


The sun was rising on the other side of the walls of Badon
Hill. Inside the grounds of the fortress, protected by the
high, crenellated stone, things were still dark. There was the
unforgiveable stench of burning and a general hubbub of
industry as people roused and started to put their homes and
lives to rights once more. Catherine felt pity for those whose
homes had been ruined but she ensured to keep a safe distance
for fear that she would get smoke stains or ash on her
anywhere.

The hood of her cloak was pulled up by way of protection
against the cold and drizzling rain that seemed a permanent
fixture nowadays. Hazy green eyes lifted to the parapets of
Badon Keep, peering along the walkways, her gaze beseeching
the sun to shine upon her and offer some let-up to the misery
but instead of sun she saw shadow. A glint of something in the
shadow. Catherine cocked her head to the side and felt her
stomach tighten with anticipation. She was almost certain she
knew what was in the shadows.

Quickening her step, the young woman came to the steps of one
of the turrets and smiled up at the man lurking there in the
shadow. Tristan.

Catherine lifted her hand, twisting a lock of golden hair
about her finger and trailed the ends of the twisted strands
against her parted, moist lips. Her face was being hit by the
sleet-like rain but with her skin as clean as it was, her
appearance as angelic as it was, the little drops of rain
looked like diamonds.

She had nothing really to say to the scout - and she had
observed him in the tavern often enough to know that he did
not really ... like relationships. Not that that was what she
was looking for! Oh by the gods no! But she did want to bed
him, she wanted to get inside of his head for a little bit, to
worry out a description of the lands of Sarmatia in the East
where they tattooed his face with those black marks.

A gentle, serene smile lifted her still parted lips and
Catherine moved up two steps, narrowing her green eyes at
Tristan.

"Knights are not usually stirring so early after a mission."
she noted in her sing-song, whimsical voice. "Or should I not
comment on such things?" Catherine purred, letting the Knight
know that if she would do as he bid - of course that was just
a show. Catherine would think of them always but she would
just not let Tristan know that she did so. She could be for
him whatever he wanted her to be - so long as he told her
something, anything about his homeland.









Galahad:

Alina
 
"I seem a bit what? Tense? Hypertensive? Crazy? Yeah,
maybe I am just a little bit crazy. I guess I'd have to
be, wouldn't I? I am crazy. Thank you for asking."


It was just a question!

Galahad's mouth opened into a small 'o' shape, his blue eyes
as big as frisbees as he looked at Alina going crazy. She
paced and he followed her with his eyes. His initial,
defensive reaction to her snapping was somewhat overshadowed
by her genuine maniac movements, silencing Galahad for the
time being. And what did she mean by that exactly? 'I guess
I'd have to be...' ? What did that mean?

The Knight frowned, the 'o' shape becoming a little puckered
as he reflected on all the meanings behind that.

Did she mean she'd have to be a bit crazy to be with him? Was
he responsible for her being crazy? For the sake of all the
gods! He hadn't even been around her for the past few days -
how was this all of a sudden his fault?! So he had been gone
when she needed him after the death of her cousin -- it wasn't
like he wanted to be anywhere else but with her now was it? He
had to go.

Galahad's youthful face turned surly and petulant as Alina
tugged her bottom lip.

Alina
 
"Nevermind...I'm fine... Really. I'm fine. I'm just
tired."


The young Knight could accept that as an excuse but it didn't
make him feel any better. He looked at Alina, frowning a
little, his eyes still rather wide after her outburst and his
body deathly still, half afraid to move in case it sent her
off again. Sniffing, the knight shrugged, calling himself all
kinds of a fool for being afraid of Alina's rage. It wasn't
like she was the kind of girl who would throw a punch or
anything.

"I was just asking..." he mumbled sourly, looking down at his
abdomen. He was sitting slouched so the muscles in his stomach
were compacted tightly together, straining the edges of the
wound. Galahad made a conscious effort to sit up straighter,
still not looking at Alina while he thought if he should ask
what she had meant earlier. He wasn't really in the mood for a
fight. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to touch her and do
things that they used to do before but she was all.... edgy.
Which made that difficult.

"Hey ... what did you mean when you said you'd have to be
crazy... ?" he asked her with a quick glance up at her pretty
face, the barest hint of suspicion in his eyes though not for
the reasons Alina would think no doubt. He was just suspicious
that he was the reason she was a little bit crazy.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: golden_trillium
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:38 am
Merlin


He had dreamed.

He knew that much, but now, as waking stole over him, the
pictures and images that only moments ago had been so vivid in
his consciousness receded, tantalizlingly out of reach. He
might very well remember them later. Or he might not, but
either way, the images would remain in his subconscious, part
of him, even if he did not fully realize what they were. The
Gods sent the dreams- sent them to educate him and show him
the way, sometimes even to reprimand him.

But this one was gone. Merlin rolled over, back onto his side,
back towards his companion on the pine bough bed. He had moved
a little away from her in the night, but now he returned to
the warmth and the indefinably feminine scent. He slid an arm
over her again, under the furs, and pulled her close, his lips
going automatically to the back of her neck, and his hips
pressing forward subtly against hers. Whatever that dream had
been- it had left him aroused. Or maybe that was just Juna.

The light coming in through the small cracks in the shelter
walls was dim yet- they had a little time, though not much. He
lifted his head, leaning over to kiss her cheek, then her
earlobe.

"Juna," he whispered, very softly, his breath warm on her
skin.











Tristan

Catherine
 
"Knights are not usually stirring so early after a
mission. Or should I not comment on such things?"


"Hmmm?" Tristan raised his eyebrows and regarded the blonde
woman. He had been very surprised- though not displeased- to
see her coming along the wall towards him, and now was even
more surprised that she would approach him. She didn't seem
nervous at all, nor was it the usual time for whores to be
soliciting custom. And what was that question supposed to
mean? No woman asked if she should talk, in Tristan's
experience; they just talked. Talked, whether a man wanted to
hear it or not. She was even lovelier up close, though,
especially with the rain beading her skin. Very beddable.
Extremely- provided she dispensed with the nonsensical
questions.

"Not the usual time for your kind, either," he commented,
shrugging and turning back to the parapet, looking over it out
into the misty, drizzling woods. If she was not prepared to
take a customer, she'd leave, after that; but if she was,
she'd let him know, and then perhaps they could talk business.
He felt his groin stir in anticipation at the thought, but
gave no outward sign- just another questioning glance in her
direction.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: Kay
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:15 am
Guinevere


Guinevere opened her eyes, blinking in the pale morning light.

The encampment was waking, she could hear voices and the
sounds of people moving, outside.

The dark woad sat up and stretched her aching limbs, wincing
as the bruises and scrapes she had acquired during the battle
made their presence felt. A hot bath would be wonderful, but
that would have to wait. Her heart began to race in
anticipation when she thought of their mission; maybe Ash
would signal for help today.

She got to her feet and drew back the canvas of her shelter,
peering outside; a light rain was falling. Swiftly, she donned
her disguise, drawing the hood over her head, and stepped out
into the new day.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: Unicorn
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:26 pm

Dagonet


Her hand went to his cheek slwoly wiping out his tears... but
even if shou would do it whole day and night there was no
force, which could stop him crying. His heart could not stop
beating with that heavy feeling of pain. His mind could not
stop showing him the images of Linnette's broken face and
image of blood that he saw on the battlefield. His body could
not stop aching from pain... His soul could not stop
breaking..

Saoirse slipped to his side and curled against his upper body.
Her arms went to held his head in that protective matter.
Dagonet was greatful for this... He was greatful that she
thought of hiding him behind her, as he could not do it
himself. He wished he would be srtonger... That he would just
go to his room and hide from whole world. But fate wanted it
other way. His wounds were severe and he knew it... He could
do nothing by himself.. and it brought additional pain to his
proud heart.

He still tried to avoid her eyes.. but in the position they
were in it was impossible to hide from her sight. He locked
his eyes in hers with that pained expression of his broken
soul.

Gods! How he wanted to be with her alone only? Not in this
damned place...

Saoirse
 
"An' you're not."


Worry frown of pain deepened on his face. He was not gone.. He
was here... He was injured but alive. Had not Gawain said the
same thing? That he had to go on. That he won't let him
fall... Dagonet breathed hard at her words and closed his eyes
briefly in pain, tasting the bitterness of truth in Saoirse's
words. He was here... alive... But how was he suppose to live
knowing that it should be he, lost in the battlefield and his
son returning to his wife, rising up his child, having family,
building his future. What Dagonet had?

No freedom...

No family of his own...

No faith...

No hope...

No future...

Only death sneaking up to him.. waiting for his fall, for his
mistake to claim him.

The only thing, which he had was love. Love to Saoirse and her
love. Nothing more... Or nothing less.

He should not let Gawain and Derfel take him back.. He should
stay there... How many times he thought in this way?

Too many...

Saoirse
 
"Wouldn't Gedeon want ye t'keep goin'? D'ye think he'd
let ye stay lost? He wouldn't, Dagonet. Ye know he
wouldn' because if ... If it was the other way
'round...."


This time her voice broke.. it was her face in pain and her
eyes closed shut on the upcoming tears. He listened with that
thight, heavy weight in his chest. He undestood what she was
saying.. He understood what she wanted to let him know... He
understood why this forced her to these emotions. The mere
thought of him not returning was the same hurt Linnette was
enduring right now.

Dagonet knew it and it added to his pain also...

The tall knight breathed hard and slowly, weakly moved his
bandaged hand to rest on Saoirse cheek, gently, yet very
weakly.

"You're... right" he admitted but still it was very hard to
say it. He briefly closed his eyes and let new tears go down
his face.

"I've wanted... to stay... I've wanted to die back there,
Saoirse." he whispered and shook lightly his head. "The only
thing.. that kept me from.. giving up was... Gawain's and
Derfel's voices telling..me that you are here...."

He let out a deep sigh at the rememberence of past days...

"That I need to.. return.. to be there for you... To be there
for others... To go on... To be strong" he added, but his eyes
went down in guilt and regrett. "I am not strong.. not
anymore."

Dagonet felt his heart beating a little harder and harder
against his ribs, like an animal in thight cage. He wanted to
let it out... to let his feelings go and just be free of the
pain he was feeling.

"Where's.." his voice broke for a second before he contiuned.
"Where is the point.. of living now? All I have is pain..." he
looked up at her with those hurted eyes searching for her
answer... searching for sense in his life.

In the back of his mind he hoped she could say that he have
her.. that he had love... Love was a strong argument to live
for. He hoped that she could find a sense for living for him.
He hoped that she will show him his path... Make him strong
again...









Mirtha

Ione also dressed herself, but he noticed that her eyes
weren't leaving him for a longer moment. Did she expected this
to be longer? Did she expected him to throw everything to
please her...? and himself? He would... Heavens above and
Earth beneath that he would... if not for the damned wine and
his duty!

Ione
 
"Mirtha...I could smell the wine on your breath when you
kissed me...."


Her sympathetic smiled made him smile broadly and without
shame. He almost laughed at her words. He was a drinken... He
drunk too much... too often and too hard. He knew that... but
could not help himself. She reached down for her cloak,
covered her slim body and returned to him. His hands went
without hesitation to her waist and held her gently as she
looked up into his eyes.

Ione
 
'I-I have to go to the shop and look at the damage...and
clean up. I would like to help you to stop your
drinking...or at least control it...Mirtha, I care about
you and what happens to you...please let me try to help
in any way I can..."


This time he laughed... He was drunk still and not everything
came to his mind clearly. Help him stop drinking? Control it?
Care for him? Since when? Mirtha shook his head and scratched
his neck, but her hands were already on his face and put her
passionate kiss over his lips. He replied to her with the same
passion.. or even more...

When the kiss broke he once more looked into her eyes with a
sincere frown.

"I care for you too..." he fired away... it just came to his
tongue! "But... I don't think that anybody can help me in
drinking issue." His smile slipped away from his face. "This
is keeping me alive, you know... Even if there is a huge
headache afterwards!"

She moved away to the exit and he found himself staring at the
floor... thinking about what had she said... Help him to stop
or at least control his drinking... Was it possible? His voice
was already wrecked from drinking... his throat sore on the
day he had no drop of wine of ale in him... His body wrecked
beyond repair... his hands trembling sometimes, and he knew it
was because drinking, but refused to admitt it. He needed
help.. but how could she help him? He was beyond help, he
thought...

Ione
 
"Mirtha? Did I please you?"


"Hmmm?"

Her question caught him off guard and he turned a surprise
look at her... Corners of his mouth started to twich in a
smile. If she only knew that she was the first woman after so
long.. not counting Thorn, who died before they could do
anything. He blinked few times and nodded his head slowly.

"You pleased me Ione." he answered. "Hugely..."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
Join the millions that use us for their forum communities. Create your own forum today.
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · Vincit Omnia Veritas · Next Topic »
Add Reply

Christmas Theme made by Pandorasaurus of Zathyus Network Resources and Graphic Force.