The Conspiracy [Quills]

[Anonymous]

Evadne wasn't sure whether to fear him, loathe him, or repel him, so she did all of those things. Though his eyes were still shut, he knew what she was doing, and he obviously wasn't afraid of her. Caged like an animal, she paced up and down the platform, staying as far away from the creature and the ledge as possible.

"Who do you think you are that gives you the right to kidnap me like this?" she asked, though less forceful than she would have hoped.

"And why? What did I do to deserve this? I don't even know you!"

[Anonymous]

He wished she'd stop moving; while she probably wouldn't be any kind of a threat to him, her constant pacing also wasn't going to help him rest. With his heightened senses, her every footfall on the rock was like a drum beat. Even with his plan and the trap he'd set here, he'd expect the two soldiers to give him some trouble, and it would be smart to make sure he was at full strength in case he did have to face them. If she intended to disturb him all night, he'd not be able to focus and against experienced foes, that could very well be the end of him.

Perturbed by her restlessness and irritated by her needless questions, the creature opened one yellow eye and cast his lazy gaze over the girl. "You're right, you didn't do anything. This ain't your fight, girl, so sit quiet and you'll get to stay not involved."

[Anonymous]

Both angry and scared, Evadne paced up and down restlessly, kicking at stones here and there. She was one of those people who just had to know the reason why, and no matter how much she pondered on the subject, she couldn't find the answer by herself. Apparently her father and his squad back in his military days had done something to this ... creature, that made him desperate for revenge.

Positioning herself squarely before the creature, Evadne decided that her need to know overcame her fear. "TELL ME what the reason is behind all this," she demanded. "Tell me what I am here for, what makes you want to torture my father like this. You had no right to take me here, since you yourself said I was not involved, so the least you can do is explain this to me."

[Anonymous]

Now the girl thought she was going to give him orders. How amusing, that she might think he'd have any reason to comply with anything she wanted. As if he couldn't quiet her himself whenever he pleased! At that, the creature opened both of his eyes and stared at her for a long moment, before bursting out with a savage, raucous laugh. "Funny little girl! Think you can demand things of me?"

Standing there like that, though, almost inviting him to topple her from the ledge when he could easily do so, there was something uniquely and respectably Adelan about that. Pitiful though it was that she didn't have the strength to back it up, she did have courage, and that was more than some. "At least you have guts, I suppose." An odd, almost rueful, smile twisted the creature's muzzle and he closed his eyes again. "He killed my brother. Not in a fight, no honourable death, but through cowardice. War hero? Pah!"