Lady of the Desert (M)

[visualspice]

At his words, Zarrah pulled her face away from his hand and found herself flinching, though it was more a flinch of shame than anything else.
"Please... it's difficult enough realizing the consequences of my actions are not my own, and for now, there's no real fear of an end, as neither of us are in danger, and I still have two lives left to live but..." and here she hesitated, gritting her teeth as lightning lit up the tent and she was able to see Radimir's face, even in the palest of lights while it was brief before her own words failed her and she felt her eyes moisten with tears.

"Let us just forget it for tonight," she said softly, her voice barely above the volume of the winds.

[Lion]

Radimir frowned at her sorrow, caused by a sensation he could not help her with, or what aid he could provide might simply not be enough.  When she managed the gumption to look at him, he reached a hand up and gently brushed away the light tears he saw glistening in the dark.  "Okay," he nodded to her.  He put it behind him then and kept his hands on her face, but it was only for a moment before he leaned forward and kissed her softly, sweetly and sat back.  "Perhaps we should sleep then while the night is still young."

[visualspice]

She nodded rigidly, and though the pair attempted to return to slumber, she found herself unable to rest. So it was over an hour later she rose again and left the confines of the tent as she paced about through the pouring rain. It seemed the rains were unrelenting, and about as dogged as her mind was as she could not get herself to think of anything else but her fate, and after a time, she cried out angrily and withdrew her blade and struck at a tree; then did it again and again and again until her arms were swore and her hands, nearly blistering. And it was there she dropped to one knee and let herself sob, the rains masking the tears that were so clearly there as the winds howled all around her.

[Lion]

Sleep did not come easy for Radimir either and he heard her screams all the while he simply stared at the cloth ceiling of their temporary housing.  He didn't know what he could say or do to calm her down and simply watched her from afar as she hacked away at an innocent tree for no reason.  She needed to endure her torrent of emotion; for he couldn't always soothe the wounds that burned so deep inside, to wipe away the scars that marred her mind and heart.  He watched her from the dark, and said nothing.

[visualspice]

It was only then did she return to the tent, exhausted as she lay, panting and in a sweat, ad it was only then sleep finally claimed her, but her dreams were uneasy, and peace only came come morning, when the rains had ceased and the morning birds were calling. She opened her eyes and simply stared at the tent all around them, breathing soft and slow. Well, for now it seemed, she at least survived the night- now it was just a matter of time to see what sort of path destiny would cut befre them today.

[Lion]

Radimir had risen before Zarrah, having fallen asleep some time before she came in and tried to sleep herself, just a few minutes really and stood up before the tent.  He had clothed himself and peered up around them, noting something strange.  "Zarrah...come here," he said softly.  "Tell me what you see in the distance to the south...  That black cloud so low to the ground.  Does that look like...a sand storm, to you?"

[visualspice]

Rising, she joined him at his command and peered at the sky to where he gestured. SHe furrowed her brow.
"I'm not sure, but skies like that don't bode well. The weather here in this place seems unfortunate. All of this rain, now this? I suppose we should move on, or seek shelter somewhere until it passes. Come, let's get the horses."

[Lion]

Radimir nodded to Zarrah's command and immediately began dismantling their camp.  The clouds had a nasty look to them, furious, angry...almost vengeful.  When he was all packed up, Radimir mounted Thorian and saw the storm was much closer than it had been when they got up.  "We'd best get moving.  Maybe we can make it to the next village over before it reaches us."

[visualspice]

Zarrah mounted her horse swiftly and followed Radimir's lead, but even her mare sensed the tension in the air- not just from her mistress, but from the storm roaring towards them from the distance. And through the plains it tore at them, tossing Zarrah's long dark hair wildly about, and that of the mane of their horses.

"I'm not sure we can make it to a town!" she called over at Radimir, fingers gripping the reins. "Do you see any sort of cave or some form of shelter we can take? I'm afraid this storm might be upon us quicker than we think!"

[Lion]

Radimir shook his head.  "I do not see any.  But we must try to look for real shelter," he called out to her.  "I see hills rising in the west!  Perhaps there is an inlet there!"

[visualspice]

Zarrah nodded, the wind wildly tossing her hair.
"Then to the hills we shall go! Come on!" And she pressed her boots sharply into Nieti's side and the mare gave a cry and jerked forward, hooves tearing into the ground.
"The inlet seems so far away!" Zarrah cried over to her snake eyed companion. "I just hope we can make it." And peering over her shoulder, she flinched as a bright bolt of lightning shot down from the clouds and struck the ground, igniting a small fire in it's path.

"See those bolts of lighting?" she said, cringing as another one bolted wildly out from the black clouds. "Seems we have more to fear than just the winds." And she gestured towards the trees that were now nearly half bent over from the force. "I'd hate to see what else this storm brings." And she pressed her heels even deeper to her horses side, whispering apologies but pressing the beast onward as the horse huffed and sweated but continued on their course, tearing up more ground as she went.

[Lion]

Thorian pounded the ground in growing anxiety.  Radimir rode him hard and he pounded the ground that both horses left a combined cloud of dust - mediocre in comparison to the dust clouded the swarmed behind them in their wake.  It was rapidly approaching, carried by vicious winds that whipped all around them.  Radimir could feel himself sweating despite the gusts of wind.

They couldn't outrun the storm and he could feel fear crawling within his heart, gripping it in a cold clutch, beyond all hope.

The lightning shook the ground and frightened Thorian.  The horse cried out in fear, but Radimir would not let him quit or slow down.  He couldn't.  Not when there was still so much longer to go.

[visualspice]

Out running a storm was madness, but the cyclone that suddenly struck out from the skies made Zarrah's heart leap into her throat. It looked like a sand cyclone, though it was black as night and moving wild and fast.

"We have to get over there and quick!" And she tried to press her horse even faster, but the alcove seemed only to get further and further away.

[Lion]

As Zarrah and her mount pounded the ground, Radimir suddenly felt himself falling further and further behind as both Thorian tired and the storm crept up on them all that much faster.  There was no escaping their doom and in the midst of their escape, Radimir gave one final glance to Zarrah as she rode on in the distance before he and Thorian vanished in the black cloud.

[visualspice]

OOC: I dunno if you had plans for them you know, probably dying from the storm, but I took some liberties and if the new character tossed into here doesn't wokr, lemme know XD

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The eye of the storm, the fury of a woman- both of them were one of same. She had been exiled for going against her 'leader' and 'lover's' command, and now wore the terrible scar across her face as proof. But the hate simmered inside her, and the powers of the storm, now commanded at her finger tips, proved that she was very much still alive, and alot more dangerous tha before. For she was preparing the world now for her chaos. How she had come to be in the Serha Plains was besides the point, but it was a great place to do her training. So while she revealed in the beauty of the dark cyclone, she noted the horse and rider being drawn in.

With a smirk, she gave a wave of her hand and the cyclone had disappeared. And what Radimir would find was himself, (and now a very spooked horse) were just a few meters away from a pair of lady's boots. And Valeska's smile was wicked, her one eye, milky and white while the other flashed at them dangerously before a sort of purr escaped her lips as she studied Radimir and his own unique eyes.

"Eyes of a serpent," She wrinkled her nose. "How unique." And the tone was patronizing.

[Lion]

Radimir had blacked out as the storm passed and when he awoke, his eyes fluttered open to the sight of a disgustingly haggard woman before him.  He coughed and spat out pieces of sand that had made it into his mouth and his horse was dazed and shaking off what sand had collected on him somewhere off to the side.  He sat up and scurried backwards in the dirt and peered at Valeska.

"Who are you!?  What have you done!?  Where's Zarrah!?" Radimir growled and was tempted to reach for his sword, but his hands were stuck beneath him.  Instead he peered up at the ugly woman with caustic eyes.  "You made that storm.  Why?"

[visualspice]

Valeska rolled her eyes, her expression souring.
"So many questions, yet not thankful your alive. Though you look like a man of the dessert. What do you know of Essryn?" And she, of course, simply ignored all of his senseless questions. Really, she was just playing around, but the desert intrigued her. Perhaps she could find use for this stranger, or in the very least, just use him as a temporary guinea pig for her magics.
"Oh, and if Zarrah is your horse, she's right behidn you." And she wrinkled her nose and gave a forced pitying smile at the man. Perhaps he was just not the brightest?

[Lion]

"A woman, my companion...  Then she has outrun your little storm," Radimir said, finding his strength and dusting himself off. He shook the dirt from his hair and stalked over to his horse, pulling Thorian to his feet and peering all around them.  He mounted his horse and would not give Valeska the satisfaction of an answer before kicking the animal and riding away.

[visualspice]

Valeska's face twisted at the man's rudeness.
"Apparently, no body ever taught Snake Eyes any manners."
And with a wicked grin, she conjured a ball of lightning and struck it in his path, forcing horse and rider to an abrupt halt, lest the blue blaze strike them down. not that she cared either way. As long as she was getting their attention.

"So he's after a woman..." and she formulated a plan as her eye sparkle with dark glee. "This could be interesting.." Perhaps she could find this 'Zarrah' woman, first.

[Lion]

As the lightning spark exploded the ground in front of him, Radimir pulled Thorian to a halt and he skirted around, shooting daggers at the woman.  "What do you want!?" he growled, scowling at the woman.  Not that that would do him much good.