An Apple A Day Keeps the Shadows Away

[Anadwen]

No appreciation... No praise... Not even a word of complimentary comment at his dashing new outfit? And he even cut his hair for it! How was this just fair? It wasn't fair! He went all this distance, he did so much for her, and she couldn't even-
With a deep sigh, he turned away from the jewels, returning to the closet once more - to retrieve a pair of high rider's boots, even with small leather straps and iron buckles to hook them onto his belt and stop them from falling off. A lord's appearance, and he had a lord's demeanor as well... If he wouldn't be putting on an expression of disappointment and was on the border at pouting at her.

Out of the hat shelf, he took a black three-cornered hat, decorated with a pair of white feathers, and put it on, both to hide the pointed tips of his ears, and to further enhance the visage of a lord. Like this, with his heels clicking against the ground, he crept up to Iyla from the back, and without any warning wrapped his arms around her.
"C'mon," he moaned silently into her ear, "appreciate my efforts a little bit, mmkay? I tried so hard to look good for you. I hoped you'd at least tell me 'that jacket looks good' or 'nice chain', you know? I mean, I did kill that annoying man, after all. And took his jewels. Cheer up for me, could you?" his tone changed into a whisper, and he leaned in, to have his head at the same level as hers, and like that, he turned her to the mirror.
"I'm going to help you get that shadow seed, you know. One more sword is always good. Besides, I know Connlaoth better... Than your ordinary traveler. I want just one thing."

He gave her a grin as charming as he could just muster, his cropped hair brushing against her shoulder.

[visualspice]

Whatever Athran was going on about, Iyla was ignorant of it. But as he drew near, she bristled. She was still not exactly used to affections, let alone his affections, despite the kisses they had shared. But she was in no mood, and unfortunately, it was beyond her control, and as she looked at the pair in the mirror, there was a tired, desperation in her eyes as she looked at the pair of them.

"I don't have a choice," she told him, coldly. "The seed... that stone... it has to be mine."

[Anadwen]

"It will." he purred back, his smile suddenly becoming wicked instead of charming. He'd get her that cursed seed. He'd get her a thousand of them, and he wouldn't even care; this was the best he'd been in ages, and the worst at the same time, but it was a very easing break from the burdening routine.

He still wanted that one, single thing, though.
"I want to hear the Black Sword sing, and I want to see flames lick the corpses of these bastards. I'll get you a thousand of those things, and that's all I ask, and for you to be there. Nothing more."
His hand brushed against her cheek briefly, the silken scarf his fingers were wrapped in only ever so softly stroking it, before he drew away once more, tilting the hat into his face as he slinked off her, standing in front of the mirror. He leaned in, to have his head in the same height as hers, and with one hand still at the tip of the hat, he gave her a wink so mischievous it was dangerous.
"On the road, you're my little brother, okay? Or would you prefer to be my butler?" he whispered, his face mere inches from hers.

[visualspice]

Iyla peered back at Athran. He really was crazy, and before he knew it, she was kicking his shins.
"I'm not being your servant," she growled. "Or your younger brother... how do you know I'm not older than you?" she said in a jabbing voice, evidently not in the mood to be as playful as him. Then again, it was rare when she was- and Athran was one of the few people that had ever seen her in a not to soured or angered state.

But now she was down right agitated, and she wanted nothing more than the stone.
THough the idea of a thousand of them made a greedy hunger inside her grow- as well as one of lust. But she pushed those heated thoughts aside and moved away from the mirror, looking at the hats to see if she couldn't find one for herself. But it seemed Athran had collected the more exquisite items, and she inwardly cursed him for that.

Though she supposed she should not care who was the fanciest of the pair of them-
but part o fher just hated the idea of being any kind of servant- pretend or other wise.

[Anadwen]

The kick at his shins was unexpected, and it hit pretty hard, too. His eyes widened, and he bent over, pressing both of his hands onto his shins. "B*tch. What... Was that for, even?" he uttered through his grit teeth, giving her a look of confusion, and partly, pain.

With a sigh, he straightened his back, still feeling a pang of pain where she kicked him, and crossed his arms on his chest, gazing into the distance in contempt. Fine, if she didn't want him to get that close, fine, he'd keep away, fine, but she didn't have to kick him because of that...
He didn't quite realize how annoying he could be.

[visualspice]

"We can say we're acquaintances. I'm from the south, and travel frequently. It'll explain why I don't look exactly like the other Connlaothians. And you... well..."S he eyed him over. "I guess you could pass. But those ears..." She noticed they were tucked away, and said nothing further on the matter.

[Anadwen]

"I can't cut them off... That's what I have the hat for." he shrugged, swiping the cape, worn over his shoulder, aside. But his keen ears caught the sound of skittering behind the door; something brushing against the wood.
Someone listening behind the door.
"Give me a moment." he growled, freeing the sword in its sheath, hanging by his side, and with long steps got over to the door. The key in the door turned, slowly, and he let it open to a tight gap.

The gasp of someone from the other side was more than audible. He released a deep sigh, and his hand reached through the gap. A sound almost like the yowl of a cat could he heard as he dragged a young serving girl in, throwing her amid the blood and bedclothes, scattered around, and promptly locked the door behind them.
"You were listening behind the door." It was a plain statement, no doubts to be heard in Athran's voice.
"No, M'lord, I wasn't, I swear... I wasn't... I'd never..." she clasped her hands together, her watery eyes begging him for mercy - mercy that the tall lord in black had none of.
"You were. Don't lie, or I'll cut your tongue out." he growled. She froze, giving desperate glances to their surroundings, and quivering like a hare before a fox. She caught sight of Iyla, but thinking her simply for another man, she averted her eyes moments after.

Athran didn't have the patience to wait. Unsheathing his sword briskly, he pointed its tip at the girl's head, straight between her eyes. "A black stone. About an inch long. Where is it?" he asked her in an icy tone, but for a reply, he got nothing but quivers. She shook, tearing up, and broke down straight before him. "I... M'lord... I don't... I don't know... I never saw no stone... Please, m'lord, please, don't..."
Don't do what? Don't cut your tongue out? I won't. he thought as a frown set on his brow, and for a moment, he brought the sword back.
"May the gods forgive me." a somber whisper left his lips.
And the black blade lashed back, piercing her skull through, and pinning her to the bed. A horrid display of violence, added to the severed head and blood-covered body of the lord, laying beside the bed.

"We can't afford any witnesses, and she didn't know anything useful." he proclaimed coldly, drawing the sword from the dead girl's head, and wiping it against the bed. "To think that I used to be a knight. My accursed father must be writhing in his grave, together with all the worms that ate the flesh off his bones." A sigh forced its way through his grit teeth, and he sheathed the blade, casting a quick glance down, but finding no blood, soiling his clothes.
"We can't leave anyone in this manor alive. Where next, then?" he questioned Iyla.

[visualspice]

Iyla couldn't believe what she witnessed, but she made no attempts to stop him. Though her heart had hardened over the years, she still had a hard time swallowing down the death of innocents.
Hearing his suggestion for more blood, Iyla simply frowned.
"We either burn the place down or run." And she stood there, hands balled into fists as she internally struggled over theidea.

Could she do this? Could she commit herself.to this much murder? But the craving for the stone was strong, and so she moved over towards a lamp lighting the room and held it against a curtain.

"I'll make the place burn. You insure no survivors get out."

[Anadwen]

"Don't you think it should be the other way around?" he jested bleakly, but there was no humor in the following chuckle, or in the way his lips curled upwards. "We burn it, we take anything of any price that doesn't looks suspicious, we question servants, then we burn them, too. I might be able to use magic... Weakly, but I might be. I'll give you a hand with the fire." he wiped his own hands into his thighs absently, the cut at the left one still stinging. It would be better if he wore gloves... It felt so odd not to wear any.

Straightening his back, he swiftly tightened the piece of fabric that had soaked up blood in the meantime, and for a brief moment went to pillage through the closet once more to pull out a pair of black moleskin gloves, which he promptly pulled over his hands, though he grimaced as he threw the bloody cloth away and pushed his cut hand into the glove.
"I've got the jewels. That'll pay for some food. Burn everything, it's been a long time since I had myself a big enough fire. The last one was my own keep that I gave to the flames." his voice was dark as he spoke, and in his eyes wasn't a shred of kindness.

Slaying men in their beds, killing serving wenches, and burning houses. Truly, what had he become?

[visualspice]

Iyla shot him a look.
"I can handle fire. I don't like it, nor this predicament."
But she had little choice, and though it grieved her, she movedto exit the room, setting fire to whatever she could.

It didn't take long before the frantic screams roused most of the manor home. Iyla had only gotten to the end of the staircase before she shot Athran a look.

"Silence them! Cut out their tongues if you must, but don't allow any to escape!"

[Anadwen]

Fire. Everything was burning. No fire could burn him, no, never, but fire drove his mind into an odd state. It wasn't that far from the ordinary, and yet...
Athran's eyes had a wild sheen to them as the bright blue reflected the licking tongues of fire, a dagger in hand. He had taken it from the lord's chest; it was a good blade, though too ornate for his liking. He gave Iyla a short nod, and with a swirl of the short cloak, he disappeared, running after the sounds.

Blood, blood on hands. He had to slay some of the servants, take of their heads, some he stabbed through, some he only knocked out. He had no time. They screamed, and he had to make them quiet... Even if that meant getting blood on his hands.
Hell, he'd had more blood on those hands before. To think about it was a waste of time. He did his job. This was what needed to be done. A few more dead cooks, guards, and serving girls wouldn't make any difference to a soul already black.

Some of them screamed for one last time as the sword swung down at their heads. Some of them begged. Some of them tried to escape the fire. He looked them all in the eye. And then, they died by those black-gloved hands of his. By the dark metal of the sword. The fire couldn't harm him, the fire could never do him harm, he was born with fire in his blood... Fire... Fire was his... Bride...

Searching for Iyla in the burning house, he finally leaped out of one of the windows, wreathed in quickly dying fire about his head. His clothes were slightly dirty from all the ash, but in all that blackness, it would be hard to notice, and he landed gracefully on his feet in the garden, his eyes darting in every direction in an attempt to find her. He wouldn't dare call out her name, but...
A flash of movement in the distance was all it took. He burst forth, and ran till he got to her. He did not need to proclaim that the deed was done; the look on his face would be enough for that. It was stone-cold.

[visualspice]

Once they were well on their way, the burning manor was all but a spec on the horizon. Though Athran seemed to have enjoyed himself, she felt about as cold as river water, and as numb as ice. And she was silent for the longest of times. Her mind was reflecting over all that occurred, struggling with the very real idea of their sins...

But lace that with her blind desires for the stone- and she was a mish mash of mixed emotions. But she never once left the trail. Her shackles were well sealed to it, and no matter how her legs ached, she pressed onward.

The stone..
The stone would be hers.

[Anadwen]

Already was it growing dark, and they haven't stopped going further by then. Having left Reajh without too many issues - except for getting some odd sideways glances - the road led them north, up and far north till they were in fields and forests again.
To be frank, he was tired of walking. He had walked many miles in his life, though he had gone over more on the winged, serpent body of a dragon, or carried by an unsaddled horse. That was what they needed, a gods-be-damned horse. He had wished one would fall from the sky and land before them all day, since the demolition of the manor, but so far, his prayers haven't been answered.

Iyla apparently knew where she was going, but he didn't. His first thoughts went towards some of the northern duchies - he couldn't remember how those were named for the love of his life - or the mountains themselves. Perhaps the stone was going even further north, towards the tundra? Those were cold and hostile places.

"Y'know," he spoke up, after long hours of silence, stretching his arms above his head, "I don't need to eat all day, but I'm getting hungry, and we're in a sore need of a horse if we want to go far fast." Letting the words ring in the evening air, he thought for a while, clasping his hands behind his back then. "I say that in the closest town, we buy a horse and some food, but we can go on during the night as well. I'm not too fond of the idea of an inn, to be honest."

[visualspice]

OOC: Sorry this reply took so long! I've been busy doing some home remodeling!

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When the silence was broken, Iyla lifted her gaze to Athran. A place to stay.... food and a horse. Were she still human, those were clearly needs she'd wanted, but as she contemplated on it, she looked towards the sky.

"I can get us quicker means to travel.. but in these lands, it would not be welcome." Dragons were one thing, but large birds were even rarer, and with Connlaoth in chaos, who knew what the people would think. But stopping to rest... she cringed inwardly at the idea but nodded. She could feel herself getting tired, but her brain was wide awake- wired to only desire and want one thing that she could feel was growing further away. The men must be on horse back...

So perhaps gaining one would not be a bad idea.

"Yes.. let's see what can be one about getting a horse," she said after a time, her eyes seeking towards the woods and sky, to see if there was any signs of a nearby town or camp.

[Anadwen]

"We can go along the track of murderers and thieves again and steal one off someone. Or frighten them enough to give us one..." he suggested, shrugging slightly. In all honesty, he was tired. "Or we can use some of that damned gold that we took and just buy one like the good honest people that we aren't." The thought made him chuckle.

"If you're asking me, I don't care, my morals are rotting somewhere among the rats for a nice few centuries already, it's your choice." He took off his hat, scratching his head, and sighing. "I'd fancy some wine, too, but I guess that's a bad idea if we want to travel. Good gods, days like this I really miss being a dragon-rider." For a moment, his voice became sad, but then, all the melancholy disappeared, and he put a hand on Iyla's shoulder gently for an instant. "We're going to get that thing, don't think we're not. Even if they're taking it to the cold north."

[visualspice]

At his touch, Iyla bristled. Though it was not because of the touch, but the very thought of the stone getting further and further away. She grit her teeth, but then considered the sun.

"At night fall... in the seclusion of darkness, so long as the clouds let us, we could fly some of the way.. maybe even gain on those who have stolen my stone," and her voice nearly shook as she spoke the last few words through her teeth. But then she paused a moment, stopping herself to refind herself, if even for a second as she drew in a deep breath and exhaled.

"Wine does sound good.." she then added, rubbing at her temple as if her head was aching. But in truth, she felt it was her nerves that ached, and itched and begged to move faster, onwards towards the dissipating sensation that drew out her wild need- the stone.

[Anadwen]

Nodding, he considered the idea. It wasn't a bad one; if they flew far from any settlements, there was nothing to lose. If anything, they'd be considered a cloud or such. "That's not a bad idea. I can navigate us, I know Connlaoth fine. It's a damnable country, but not a poor one, so I got to know it." Clicking his fingers, he watched a small flame burst just above the leather gloves, dancing fleetly, to then fade, and reappear in a different color moments later.

"What would I give to have some... But a drunk navigator is a useless one, so I'll  have to pass, even if we get some." he admitted sadly, looking up at the darkening skies. "It'll be dark soon, though." Those keen blue eyes gazed into the distance, narrowing like those of a cat, and they slipped downwards, towards the horizon, just to open up wide.
His lips curled upwards to a slight grin. "I think I see a town." There were distant silhouettes of it, somewhere far away, and he could have sworn he saw a blinking light among them, too.

Cocking his head to the side, he looked down at her. "It's no more than a hour of walking, I'd say. We'll get there before it gets too dark, or at least we should... Or do you want to be carried?"

[visualspice]

Iyla cut him a look. That look alone told him her answer, that of course she didn't need to be carried. He should know better. She was not some useless waif. But at the sight of a town, her anxiety lessened some, but it still ate away at her, itching at the corners of her mind.

"Let's just get to the town. My head is pounding and as much as I hate to admit it, I need rest."
She was, despite her curse, still human, after all.

[Anadwen]

"Yes. And I'm hungry." he added, as if just by the way, eyes locked onto the distant silhouettes of the town. He didn't like this sort of long, tense travels, yet, he would not let that surface in his expression. He wouldn't let that make him seem weak.
He made a promise, didn't he?
Promises were to be fulfilled.
Promises were to be fulfilled, not ripped thread cut short before weaving around their destination, they were supposed to be tied when they come to an end. He left too many cut threads in his wake, like a scarecrow that weaved his way through...

He shook himself out of his thought, only then realizing how close they were. Gently like the fleeting touch of the wind, he took her hand into his, very near the town gates anymore. There was a guard on duty there, but not as if that was troubling to him.
Putting a fake smile that looked convincing enough to fool a stranger onto his lips, he approached him, raising a hand to the rim of his hat, by instinct stepping before Iyla. He could give her as much, to make sure that all the social interaction would be taken care of, at least that much.
"Good evening." he greeted him, his hand coming to rest on the pouch on his belt.
"'Evening. What business do you have here this late?" the guard looked the tall elf over with a cautious eye, not knowing that he isn't talking to an ordinary, if extraordinarily tall lord.
"We're just a couple of travelers that overestimated their road. Looking for an inn." Why should he lie?
"Hmpfh. Come through, then." Propping up his halberd, the guard moved aside, letting them enter. Athran did not hesitate to take that opportunity.

[visualspice]

Iyla just remained cool, casual, and nodded in kind when they were allowed to past. Acting as if they weren't any trouble lent to the illusion that perhaps they weren't. Thankfully it was night, and she could feel her body regenerating. Sleep would aid this, so she would not waste another minute on doing much else. So when she saw the sign for the 'Pink Sheep Inn'-; she didn't even give a rat's ass if the name was too frilly for even her liking. And there was a warmth coming from a glow from the windows, and a pleasant chime as the pair stepped in through the door.

An old lady, fat, but with a pleasant face, greeted the pair of them with a smile.

"Hello there travelers, what can I do for yee this night?"

"We'd like a room, please. We've traveled too far to care what kind of room. Just something clean with enough room for two."

"Aye," the woman said, giving them both a nod. "We got more than a few spare rooms." She moved to the keyboard and lifted one off before turning around to hand it over. "Payment isn't due until morning, we only take ten pence now. The whole price is thirty copper."

And Iyla could only think about how cheap that was, but didn't argue, and turned to Athran.
Men paid for things, after all. They were in Connlaoth.