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Started by Draconian, September 02, 2017, 11:00:33 PM

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Draconian

[ @Lion  ]

It was a gilded cage.

A pretty bauble to be a wife. A pretty woman on the arm. Exotic. A pretend ally. Adalia had been running for what felt like a month now, no doubt she looked it. The time for bathing had been slim. Her clothes were dirty and covered in mud. Her hair was a tangled mess. No doubt she looked tired and sleep deprived. All in all, the Once Duchess of  Highheart  didn't look to be a duchess at all.

She was a runaway mage now. Stealing the child of a Duke. Though, it was technically still inside her and would be for quite a time yet.

Adalia had set off, snuck away as soon as her husband had left to return to the front lines. The pregnancy had set in and things were looking fine. Adalia had never so much as hinted at running away. Seemingly content in the cage. A foreign land. A mage in the belly of a country of mage eaters. It was simple. One day she was there. The next she was not. No valuables were taken. the presents she'd brought were left. The dresses and baubles were left. Hopefully, Adalia sincerely hoped, that his daughter would one day wear the dresses.

They were expensive and it'd be a waste not to out of spite.

With her stomach barely rounded, Adalia snuck what she could away. A simple glamour away from a mordecai and then... Gone. The traveling was consistent for many days. Little rest. Little food. It was selfish of her but she wasn't the most concerned with the state of her child. She wasn't running away for it. She was running away for herself. Sold to Connlaoth under the guise of a hand a friendship. There was none. There was claws and teeth and chains.

Dusk was setting in finally. Adalia pushed her hood from her face and panted to catch her breath, sweat making her opal hair stick to her forehead but... Still not safe. The hood was still up to cover what it could of her features. What little rations she'd managed to steal were gone but her water skin was full. Finding a shady spot by a tree, she drank deeply and rested.

It was dark. She hadn't been followed as far as she knew.

Once her breath was caught she dug her hands into the dirt, grabbing a handful of tried twigs and leaves and held them up. Smoldering. No mordecai. Good. Quickly she rubbed them into the dirt. Just had to get to Serendipity. Or Adela. Somewhere else. Adalia didn't let emotions grip her, though her chest was tight and hunger gnawed at her. A glance at the setting sun and she let her eyes fall closed. Let the warm unwelcome world slip away into foolish dreams.

It didn't take long for sleep to find her. Her fingers dug into the earth for comfort while she dreamt. Her back pressed against the tree as she curled up over the roots. Adalia slept fitfully. Vision wavering. Her magic pulsed into the roots. The forest alive with the vibrations of it. A quiet plea for help that someone in tune with nature would be able to sense. A way to make the area she was in 'creepy' and 'unnerving.' It had worked so far.

Adalia could only hope it would work still.  Just a little farther to go. She could feel it.

Lion

In the grand scheme of things, a dream was but a dream to anyone else. To anyone else, it was the repetition of what vague events took place throughout the day with little to no cohesion. There wasn't always much stock to be had in them either. They were not visions, projections, or divinations. Meaningless butterflies trapped in a jar, clinging to the top, hoping it would open and set them free.

Yet there Hysaeda sat, jerking upward and panting hard after he woke up. Dreaming meant little to others, but he knew better. Hysaeda wiped the beads that dampened his brow and he pushed away the braids and loose strands of hair that had grown to his shoulders. The grizzled edges of his face, the beard scratching along his chin and jawline, he felt far older than he was.

He was tired and although he wanted nothing more than to crawl back onto his bed of furs and blankets, he didn't and the memories came flooding back to him like a tidal wave. He sighed and tried desperately reason with the whispers invaded. Thoughts of spirits past, of his father, and he took in a deep breath. Focused. A slow heavy breath now and he released it.

"Adalia?" he murmured, focusing on the dream. She was running, from somewhere lonely and cold, as far and as fast as she could. Fear, or panic, or desperation, or all three pumping wild primal blood in her veins. "Adalia."  It was her, it had to be.  There was no one else with that opalescent hair.

Hysaeda carefully rose to his feet, dressed himself and didn't wait to alert anyone of where he'd gone. The quiet of the camp remained that way and years of hunting out in the wilds on his own had left him more than capable of sneaking out unheard. Something told him she was close, much closer than the cold place she had left and so he ran as quietly and as swiftly as his feet could take him.

How soon he would get there he didn't know, and could only rely on the direction of where those whispers would take him. The ghosts of those that walked before him left embedded prints untraceable by others, but he could see them. Go, one of those whispers told him. His heart beat faster and Hysaeda darted onward, until every muscle burned in his body and daylight began to rise.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

Draconian

The dream was cruel.

She'd dreamed about being home. Or at least feeling like she was at home. It wasn't familiar. It didn't look like her house. Adalia felt like she was at home though and when she woke up she wanted to cry. There was no home here. There was nothing. Trees. Grass. Moss. She pulled her fingers from the earth before shuddering a sigh, moving to sit up and push her greasy hair from her face.

A fresh cut at her cheek that she hadn't noticed the night before had scabbed over, her opal hair caught in it while it tried to heal.

Tears of distress welled in her eyes before she closed them and did his best to breath evenly and deep. Calming. She'd be free. She'd find home - wherever that was - and she'd be fine. Her and her... Adalia rose up onto her knees after she finished off the water in her water skin, her meal for the morning. Her drink until she found a river or a creek. A gentle hand was placed over the swell at her abdomen and she closed her eyes, turning her powers inward to check on the state of the...

Strong. Strong and well despite everything she was going through.

Sure it was part him. It was also part her. Which meant she was obligated. Some part of her needed to care for it and she did. Adalia cared deeply. Which was why she had to run. She knew that her child would be a mage. Could already feel magic pulse through it. There was no way in any sort of hell she'd give birth in Connlaoth and raise a child there.

So. Weary. Bone tired. Weak. Adalia fixed her hood, looked to the dark and began to move again. Her knees trembled and she felt sick as she walked, but she knew it was for the better. Knew that this was the best choice. Knew that above all else, this would lead to safety and salvation.

It didn't seem that way now but slowly, she could feel safety and home getting closer. By mid-afternoon she'd found a small stream,  the bubbling of the water passing over rocks music to her ears. It was with weak hands she cupped the water and splashed the dirt off her face. Scrubbed at her hands before she finally drank. There had been no time to hunt or forage. No time for much of anything. Here though, she felt safe. A quick nap.

Her fingers dipped into the stream while she curled up on her side and again she pushed her magic into the earth. Into the water. Felt it curl around rocks and nourish trees. Through those tree's she saw outwards and she was, for the moment, safe. It was easy to fall asleep again, curled up in the shade. Her hood fell off and her opal hair spread out above her head like a fan. One arm curled protectively around her middle.

The dreams were cruel again, though it felt like home was closer than before. Adalia missed feeling safe and at home. Missed everything. Maybe she'd run all the way down to Adela. Down to Essryn. Anywhere but here.

Lion

Hysaeda didn't stop. He couldn't stop. He was an Umbraeon, a dark elf, and he could run until he near collapsed from exhaustion. He was a fool for leaving so abruptly following a dream. A vision.  That's what it was.

Hysaeda focused on that sensation, and followed it, fosteres it as fhe ground passed underneath him. Adalia was not well... Something was wrong but he couldn't decipher it without being there physically. He had no conscious perception of time, didn't think on how long it took. He just followed where she would be.

When the road deviated from that path, he got off, and walked the rest of the way. And just like a heart beat, that throbbing thu-thumped loudly in his ears and he felt its reverberation through him. Parting through the trees, finding his way and worrying little about the gnawing sensation of hunger in the pit of his gut.

And like a ghost, small, curled up under a tree, she was there. "Adalia..." he breathed and carefully stepped around her. "Adalia are you okay?"




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

Draconian

It was a cruel dream.

Every night she dreamed. Dig her fingers into the earth and push her powers through it. Wake up and keep walking. Finally the dream caught up and she heard a voice. Was she dying? Adalia whimpered and breathed heavily under her cloak flushed and feverish. Her hair clung to her face like rainbow strands of spider silk.

"I'm okay," She panted, lifting herself weakly. Looking up impulsively. Adalia didn't really know what was going on, she couldn't remember the last time she ate or drank. Some small part of her knew she was dying, but she saw Hysaeda and she felt tears burn her eyes. "I missed you," She whimpered, reaching a hand out, "Will you hold me while I die?" Adalia's voice was soft and she pressed hand hand to his leg, trying to coax him down into her arms, "That's why you're here right? You're going take me away?"

Lion

"I'm okay," she said, yet Hysaeda found no confidence on those words. Outwardly she couldn't have been more flushed, and her opalescent hair clung to her face, and he leaned down to reach out, brush it back, tickle the sides of her face, unsure if she were real or a dream. She spoke again and asked if he were here to take her back with him, away from death. Or through death.

Knitting his brow in confusion, Hysaeda forced a small wry grin. A soft laugh and he carefully reached down to lift her head up and cup her head in the crook of his arm, cradling her against his chest. "I will hold you, but not while you die. There will be no dying today, Adalia. You are very warm, my friend. Sickly?  You're scared, and this place. This is no place to die," he explained his voice barely above a whisper.

"I love you." Those words came easily. More than most. Hysaeda kept every motion gentle and scooped her up into his arms, hugging her to him and feeling a knot tighten in his chest. "Adalia...I'm so sorry I let you get away from me."




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

Draconian

No dying?

Adalia wanted to sob. That's all she really wanted to do right now. Just close her eyes and disappear forever. Melt into the cosmos. Become one with the earth. But the Hysaeda dream said she couldn't and she turned her face against his warm chest and cried softly. Still, even after she opened her eyes again and he was real she just blinked up at him, green eyes hazy and tired.

"You love me?" she breathed, giving a little smile and clutching at his side. Adalia always liked hearing that from him. Always enjoyed that whatever it was they'd had in the past had grown into a sturdy foundation of love and trust. What had been a rocky start had made a strong emotional structure. Which was why she couldn't quite believe he was here now. For her. With her.

"I love you too," She sighed, nuzzling into his arms, "Are you going to let me get away again?" She sighed, eyes falling closed. Tired. Starving. Parched. Adalia forced her eyes open and took a shallow breath, "I really want to go," She nodded softly, doing her best to crawl further into his arms and his warmth. "I just want to sleep," She whispered, "You should sleep with me. Please?"

Lion

"I do love you. More than you will ever know," Hysaeda admitted. His voice was low and steady and even though he trembled, clutching her to his chest, as if she couldn't possibly get any closer to him. "I had a dream about you. I followed the vision I saw, followed them to you, and I was scared that I was too late. I'm not too late though, you're still awake, you're still alive. Please tell me I wasn't too late."

She looked closer to death than he would have liked and exhaustion was painted in the lines of her face. He frowned and pressed his chin to her forehead, his own eyes growing hotter and the chill in the air ever present.  "Adalia, dearest, Adalia. We'll find a real place to sleep, a forest is no place for that."

He grumbled lowly and ducked his other arm down to hook beneath her knees, hoisting her up underneath to pluck her from the ground. If she wanted she could sleep in his arms, he wouldn't stop her, but he wasn't going to let the ground chill her anymore. Hysaeda lifted her, and when she was comfortable in his grip, only then did he move away from where he found her.

"We'll find a place to camp properly and I will let you rest in the mean time. I won't let you go. Not ever again."




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

Draconian

Adalia decided that when she couldn't feel the cold ground anymore that she was probably dead. Lifted by some angelic creature into the warm arms of a gods embrace. Held close. Safe. protected. The timber of the voice of her angel soothed her and she curled her arm against her front and pressed her palm against the heartbeat. Adalia quickly fell asleep, lulled by the warm arms and the movement of the walking.

Bright green eyes opened and it took her a few moments to remember where she was going. What she was doing. Who she was with. Adalia gasped and pressed her fingers against Hysaeda's chest, breath coming out in a short puff before she finally opened her eyes. It hadn't been long that she fell asleep. Long enough to forget where she was.

"Hysaeda," She whispered, giving a content sigh. "Hi," she reached a hand up sleepily, drawing her thumb over his chin. "My head hurts." Adalia sighed again and did her best to snuggle in against him closer. "How's your head," she whispered, "It must hurt. I kicked it right?" Tired, dehydrated, Adalia was remembering the first time they met. When she was asserting her dominance. Being the boss. Kicked him right in the fucking head. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

Lion

Hysaeda kept walking, letting her sleep. Kept walking since the soft sounds of her breathing were all the reassurance he needed that she was still alive, that she would be all right. He let her listen to the rhythm of his heartbeat and kept onward as the terrain evened out eventually and beside them a small hillock rose where the roots of trees along the edge of it protruded and provided a small but decent shelter.

Just in time to feel a hand sprawling across his chest, and touch his chin. He smiled and grinned down at her as he checked out the tiny inlet at first and crawled down onto his knees to shuffle inside of it. "You're sorry for how we met? You certainly tried to show me who was boss then. You were a very good mage knight. Only wanting to do your job," he nodded to her.  "I remember the long and painful headache of a journey it was to drag me out of my homeland and to the capital. I wasn't much of a picnic myself."

He chuckled softly and kept her tucked against him, pushing her into his lap and using his legs to scoot himself backwards until his back hit the dirt wall.  "I looked for you after meeting with your friend Quinlan. I wanted you to stay with me...I wanted to stay with you. I'm sorry for the time we could have had together. But I found you now. Adalia, I missed you," he murmured and leaned down to kiss her forehead, grasping her hand with his own and tucking it into his chest.




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

Draconian

Everything he said just made her want to cry.

Adalia remembered everything then. Remembered her adventure with Quinlan. The necromancer. Going home and being ... Sold... The mordecai and... Adalia let being so close to Hysaeda again wash over her and she snuggled in as much as she could.

"I wanted to give everything up to find you," she whispered, giving a watery sigh. "They wouldn't let me." Her freehand moved to her face and she sighed heavily before. Adalia pushed her hair aside and tried to keep her breathing steady and even. Calm and cool. Everything she wasn't feeling. At least she was safe now.

"Will we be safe now? Can we be together?" She curled her arm around his neck and tucked herself in close, "I don't have anything anymore."

Lion

Hysaeda listened to her carefully, his ears twitching, flicking at the faint disturbance of wind against their tips. The soft sound of her words fell on them, took them in and when she was finished he too curled his arm around her and snuggled her close.
So many years, all that time spent apart and what did he have to show for it?

And yet there she'd been. She'd had her adventures and had done more with her life than most men could hope to achieve. Saved them when her accomplishments might as well go unheard. Hysaeda had been right there by her side, had loved her and loved her still when she felt she couldn't be. Even now when she was breaking, all he wished was to keep her still in his arms, enough so that she could rest.

"We're safe now," he promised, not even sure if it could be true. If he could keep that promise. Something in his gut twisted at the thought of having to lose her again.  And he forced himself to believe it, because it was the only truth he wanted to have. There was nothing that his old life could have given him. Nothing that his tribe could have provided that he could find elsewhere other than with Adalia.

"We finally have each other. And we'll be together," he promised. Hysaeda felt tears rolling down his cheeks as she tucked herself in close. "Are you well enough to eat? I will take care of you until you are strong again," he murmured to her, kissing her temple.

Hysaeda only pulled away when he was certain she could remain alone and went about doing just that. There were some edible plants nearby. Berries. It'd have to do for now in the absence of meat or bread. He started a small fire and warmed them up before bringing them to her, a small meal if it could be called that. "I know you're not a rabbit, but since we can't eat dirt, these roasted carrots will have to do."




Like to kill mages?  Join the Order!
The Order of St. Agratha

Help Rebuild Connlaoth from the ashes of war!
The Red Legion

Jump in the water's fine!
Desert Valley Nights
Wrong Turn

"Go into battle determined to die and you will survive.  Go into battle hoping to live and surely you shall not." -Bushido proverb
"Life is a series of dogs." -George Carlin
"We must view with profound respect the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge." -Thomas R. Lounsbury
"If a cosmic tree falls in the universal forest and nobody is evolved enough to hear it, does it make a sound?" -Unknown

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