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So You Can Fly Right? (Marakai)(P)(M)

Started by Blink, June 24, 2017, 02:24:48 PM

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Blink

A week of travels... a week of walking all day and then setting up camp only to tear it down the next morning to start again. All of this may sound boring to most, but Jaela had actually been having the time of her life. She didn't have to worry about Kaida anymore and Itachi was coming with her to the Citadel... things couldn't get much better as far as she was concerned.

And then there were the constant games always going on between Jaela and Itachi. The two of them always going at one another trying to outsmart and outplay the other. Every day both of them entertaining themselves and every night the two hitting some form of 'normalcy'. Needless to say.. it had been a fun week.

When they all finally arrived at the base of the mountain Jaela just stopped, looking up to the peaks before they disappeared in the clouds. "Okay so who can fly?" Her question directed towards the members of Craol who had decided to stay with them instead of travel home for their deserved vacation.

"Anyone? Anyone at all?"

And so the next game had begun...

Marakai Trin

During that week of constant travel, Itachi would have honestly told someone that it was one of the best of his life. The stress was minimized, the men were all in good spirits, and they were filthy rich - still - from the Adelan heist.

And then there was Jaela, having walked (stumbled) into his life with a life threatening scorpion sting on her thigh. And from that day forward, he'd found himself completely enamored by her and the mystery that her mind presented to him.

And then there was the heist, where, afterwards, they'd both discovered their blossoming feelings for one another. And now, after a strange appearance by Jaela's employer, they found themselves far to the north, into the  Kilanthro Mountains.

Itachi stared upward, observing the sheer rock wall before them and the challenge it presented. He had figured this citadel of hers was up a mountain.

Not a fucking plateau.

"Yeah, bird, jes' lemme pull me wings outta me back pocket, an' I'll fly us all up there."

He continued to stare upward for a moment, and eventually lowered his gaze to look at her.

"Look, yer th' bird. You fly us up there." He grinned, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"So, wha's th' trick?"

Blink

For a second Jaela acted as if she took Itachi seriously on having wings. She even sidestepped so that she could see his back as if she were waiting for them to sprout at any moment. Except they never came and so Jaela was very clearly disappointed by his lack of feathers.

When Itachi turned to her and asked the trick Jaela just giggled for a minute before placing a hand on each hip as she herself looked upwards.

"That always seems to be the question from down here..." Peridot eyes then shifted downwards and onto the large rock wall in front of them. "It's a very simple question though. You just have to think on it for a few." In a way she was poking fun at Itachi, pointing out that not even he had figured out this puzzle.

Jaela with eyes still locked on the stone before her reached up to the metal band on her right arm and slid it off, exposing the skeletal tattoo of a dragon beneath it. Then to answer the question all of them probably had lingering Jaela turned around with bright eyes.

"Magic of course!"

With that Jaela turned back around and placed her palm on the stone basin of the mountain and closed her eyes to concentrate. From beneath her palm, a small spiral began to emerge and grow larger, glowing a light shade of purple as did the mark on her arm. When it finished, the circle held a diameter of about 12 feet. Plenty big enough for the whole group to step through at once, along with any carts.

"And up we go..." her last words before stepping forwards, her body disappearing into the rock as if it had just sucked her in. She could only hope they would all follow.

When stepping through it would seem as though you simply walked through a curtain, and on the other side was the main landing of the citadel thousands of feet up in the mountain. Since Jaela had gone ahead of all of them she was already standing there with her hands in the air as she celebrated.

"Welcome home Jaela!" she shouted and oddly enough her voice echoed back, essentially saying 'welcome home Jaela' over and over again as it bounced off the empty walls and faces of stone.

"Awe thanks!"

Marakai Trin

Itachi blinked when she said to 'think on it,' and turned his gaze back toward the wall. He'd seen some pretty ingenious contraptions in his days, but this seemed to be pretty much just....a rock wall.

And then she said 'magic,' and he promptly put his hand over his eyes. "Magic. O' course. It's always magic."

He smirked a bit, and lowered his hand, watching as she removed that curious bit of jewelry from her arm, revealing yet another tattoo. He raised a brow and wondered briefly if she had more that he hadn't seen yet.

That thought put a grin on his face. He'd have to 'investigate' at some point. So far, he hadn't pushed for anything more than simply holding her, figuring that if she wanted to move forward, she would when she was ready.

In any case, his eyes widened when she somehow opened a portal in the stone, and he quickly discovered that her tattoos all apparently had a use. He thought of that big one curling up her side, and wondered just what it did....

Suddenly she was gone, stepping into the stone as if it were a door. He stared for a moment, just standing there. And then he blinked. Once.

Twice.

And then: "Well, what ya all starin' at? Get in there an' follow 'er!"

He stepped to the side to make sure all the Craol complied, followed shortly after.

When he emerged, he was assaulted with the multitudinous echoes of "Welcome home, Jaela!" and instantly cringed. When the echo died off, he got a glance around at the architecture. His jade eyes widened as he took in his surroundings, and he let out a long whistle.

"Well....color me impressed. No' a bad place ta set up, if'n I do say so myself. Ya've outdone yerself, bird."

He walked up beside her, and gently nudged her with an elbow with a wink.

"All kinda places fer a coupla people to disappear for a few hours, eh?" He grinned and walked past her, still glancing around.

After a moment, he turned around. "Alright, Craol. Unload an' unpack, an' le's make ourselves a' home. Imma 'ave th' bird 'ere show me aroun' fer a minute...or however long it migh'take ta see this place. Gods, it's huge...."

Blink

She had hoped he would be impressed and was practically bursting at the seams when she saw he was. This was the world that Jaela had grown up in, the mortal practically adopted by dragons. After her torture and Jaela was deemed suitable for service she was taught just as any member of the family was. The Black-Hearth's were never the sort of surrounding themselves with uneducated people.

Looking at it now Jaela didn't even see it as a horrible upbringing either. She was well taken care of, educated and taught manners that clearly didn't stick. She was more of Kaida's personal... entertainment if anything. Hand selected by Emelia Black-Hearth herself.

When Itachi winked at her Jaela merely smiled wider, if that was even possible. However, his comment of getting lost threw her off again and caused her to blush. Damn him! Already Jaela was thinking of a way to get him back for that one.

Running up behind him she locked her arm in his and practically began dragging him inside, ready to show him her favorite room in the entire Citadel.

Skipping past all the boring rooms like the extensive library or elaborately decorated thrown room Jaela went straight for the weapons hall. A room filled with the collections of the Black-Hearth family that dated back thousands of years. It was more like a museum really, some of the weapons on pedestals in the center of the room while others adorned the walls.

Jaela had always found this room interesting, even if she didn't know how to use a single item within it. It was more the history behind the items that got her attention, the tales behind one blade enough to fill her dreams for weeks as she imagined them. She hoped that Itachi would think it just as amazing as she did.

In truth, no other room even peaked her interest in the slightest... well except her personal quarters that is.

Marakai Trin

When Jaela grabbed his arm and literally began running with him, he let out a little yelp of surprise. This was partially due to the surprise itself, and partially due to his lack of footing when he was yanked forward.

A small part of it may have been her sudden eagerness to get him inside, especially after what he had just said to her.

As they moved, he did his best to keep note of their path, mentally drawing himself a map to reference later. He thought he saw what looked like a library - a massive thing he'd have to look through later - and a rather posh looking throne room, noting these as landmarks.

And then, she led him to a treasure.

This room, filled with untold and uncounted implements of death, all tools of his trade in one way or another. His eyes widened as he took it all in. And one display took his attention rather quickly.

He stepped toward it, now dragging her behind him, standing before a closed and locked glass case. Inside were the most beautifully crafted small blades he had seen before.

Four-piece throwing stars, designed to fly apart into four separate tools of distance-dealing death without loss in accuracy. A collection of fine-weighted throwing knives with craftsmanship he could only marvel at.

And two beautifully curved combat daggers, making his own collection of equipment seem sorely lacking in comparison.

He turned to Jaela with eyes akin to dinnerplates. "These are....fucking beautiful."

Blink

Suddenly jerked forwards Jaela saw what had caught Itachi's eyes. Looked to be some pointy star things and some fancy knives.

"Really?" Her face was scrunched as she leaned in trying to see what was so special about them. I mean they were shiny, she would give him that. But they were also small... oh so incredibly small. "Huh" As if she had just accepted the fact that he had peculiar tastes. I mean... he did like Jaela.

"So you like them?" Jaela then reached around him, her arm snaking around his side as she reached for the latch on the case. Again the tattoo on her arm glowed the same as the lock keeping the weapons within. And then it clicked open, falling to the floor as the case flung open.

"Take them then. I'll tell Kaida when she comes back. She probably won't mind." This part was true. Kaida would most likely just give them to Itachi if it meant he owed her something in the future. The weapons room was more for Aeizith than anything, and he wasn't around anymore.

Marakai Trin

His eyes flashed toward her in surprise." ...you're.....serious, aren't you?" He was stunned, that such beautifully crafted weapons would just be...given to him.

But he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Almost reverently, he began to switch out his own arsenal, placing them in almost the exact positions the upgrades had been in.

Except for his father's knife. Nothing could replace that.

When he finished the methodical task of rearming himself, he bent down to pick up the lock, and firmly latched it back onto the case.

"Y'know...I think that's th' firs' time I've ever locked anythin'....ever."

He glanced to Jaela with a small smile. "Thank you, Jaela." He stepped closer to her, delicately placing a hand under her chin and lifting it toward him just slightly. He kissed her, then, softly.

Blink

When Itachi locked the case again Jaela smiled at his joke, thinking it funny how he would see it like that. But then she realized how serious he really was and before she knew it he was holding up her chin to kiss her.

Of course, she kissed him back, something the two seemed to do a lot now that she thought of it. It was like the prize to every game, a kiss at the end to look forward to every single time. Just as he kissed her Jaela brought a hand up and weaved her fingers behind his neck, lacing it between hair and skin.

Grasping a small bit between her fingertips she tugged lightly, pulling his lips more into hers as they continued to exchange their feelings through a kiss. When they finally released Itachi would see Jaela biting her lip, the joking side of her all but wiped away by his lips... or so it seemed. It lasted for only a second, this look of total calmness about her. A look like she had never once in her life been anything other than the clear minded girl she was now.

"Oh, Itachi..."  she whispered, leaning in for what seemed like another kiss probably more full of passion than anyone before. But quickly her somber face turned into a wide smile.

Again Jaela was at it, returning the favor for that little comment he made earlier. All at once she pulled her hands from his neck and shoulder and stepped back, turning her back to him as she began skipping towards the door. "Gotta go unpack my tent now" she joked before turning in the hall, darting back the way they came.

She really was being quite awful. She didn't even need the silly tent.. she did have her own room.

Marakai Trin

Itachi had been prey to the trick far too many times to fall for it again, yet he found his head again clouded when they shared the kiss. It was almost as if she were intoxicating him into stunned slowness, like some sort of euphoric drug that dulled the senses.

Needless to say, he was too slow in catching her when she skipped away from him. Part of him cursed, while the other part grinned like an idiot.

She really did have him wrapped around her finger. But he'd given up on avoiding that. He'd wrap so tight around that finger of hers, it'd be like to fall off.

"Yeah, an' wha' ya need a tent for, bird? Ya gonna try an' hide from me in tha' scrap of canvas? I'll fin' ya, girl." He stalked after her, smiling devilishly.

He could keep up a chase, if that was what she wanted. And he had a feeling she wouldn't make it hard.

"I'll fin' ya, an' I'll show ya jus' wha' I can do wit' a li'l bird, flyin' away, like."

Blink

So the chase was on and Jaela couldn't stop herself from laughing while she ran through the halls. It would be hard for her to lose him unless she could somehow manage to keep quiet. Jaela didn't run back the way they had come but instead thought this the perfect opportunity to show Itachi the Citadel from the inside.

Down the hall and up an elegant flight of stairs Jaela ran past the rooms that belonged to the Black-Hearth siblings, each of them with a large double door locked so tightly that not even Jaela could get in. The only way you could even tell who the room belonged to being by the large paintings hanging across from each of them. Five rooms total, taking up one whole floor.

Going up yet another flight of stairs Jaela than ran past the dozens of guest rooms, much smaller in comparison to the ones below. Her laughter echoed through the hall as she turned yet again, taking a back stairwell that went both upwards and down. She contemplated going up the tower, which is where her room was along with a few others, but instead went down back towards the main floor.

Possibly the largest of all the floors she opted to skip going past the library and throne room again, but instead simply skipped by a study which could easily classify as another library. Further down the hallway, there was also the bath hall, the large doors wide open exposing a gigantic pool. And beyond that was a dining hall and so on... pretty much everything you would expect to find in a home this large.

Down yet another flight of stairs much smaller Jaela then skipped past the servant's quarters and kitchen. This was also where the storage rooms were along with the Black-Hearth families expansive wine collection. There was again another set of stairs but Jaela didn't dare go down those... too many memories down there.

Below that floor was Kaida's torture rooms and the prison cells for the families captives. It was where Jaela spent the majority of her time as a child and honestly didn't feel like sharing that part of her life just yet. Itachi knew about it, but details weren't important anymore.

Taking a looping hallway Jaela found herself at yet ANOTHER flight of stairs leading back up to the main floor. From there she would run back down the main hall and outside to the landing where they had all first arrived. That was pretty much it, all the important rooms passed in Jaela's own special tour.

The game wasn't over though... she wasn't ready to be caught just yet.

Marakai Trin

Itachi was young, fit, and generally a pretty agile guy. And yet he still found himself worn out and out of breath by the time they went up the last flight of stairs.

Gods, just how much energy did this girl have, anyway?

But he still managed to make note of the rooms they passed, as well as the rather roundabout way they'd travelled to get around. His mental map was very nearly complete.

When he finally burst out the doors to the landing outside, he was red in the face, with his hair plastered to his skin. His jade eyes scanned around for a moment until he caught her running again.

"She's....havin'....too much...fun wit' this...." he gasped, straightening and trying to catch his breath. Flat out running was one thing, but that coupled with going up and down stairs constantly was something completely different.

With a grimace, he started running again. Out here, outside, he was confident that he could gain ground, watch her path and intercept her. It was only a matter of time.

So, he took off again in a dead sprint, eyes narrowed and breath as even as he could keep it, silvery hair and longcoat fluttering behind him, dodging the Craol still milling about and parkouring over and around the various carts of supplies.

And then he had her, gripping the back of her top in one fist and forcing her to slow.

"Gotcha....now, bird. Jes'...gotta learn how ta breathe again..."

He eyed her while he panted, grinning widely.

Blink

Just when she stopped to catch a breath Jaela saw Itachi do the same making her think that perhaps she had won. However, very quickly he started sprinting at her and before she could take off at full speed Itachi had grabbed the back of her shirt.

One may think the game was over... that the bird had been caught. But as it was said before, Jaela wasn't ready to be caught just yet.

"You think?" she giggled.

In a very quick motion, Jaela reached up and unclasped her shirt, letting it slide back off her shoulders and into a jumbled mess within his grip. It was nothing to her, at least that was what she wanted all of them to think as she started skipping away, acting like there was nothing wrong at all.

Of course on the inside, she was slightly mortified that she had just done that, but it was a worthy sacrifice to keep the charade and game alive. Of course, Itachi couldn't really see anything since her back was to him, maybe a side glimpse but that was about it. She took advantage of that and continued to skip right back inside the citadel.

She wasn't necessarily running but more happily strolling along as she went back up the main flight of stairs and then passed the Black-Hearth's personal quarters. She was at that set of stairs again but instead went up instead of down towards her own room.

At the top of the stairs, there was yet another hallway, just not as elaborately decorated as the one before. This was where the Death Guard was stationed before, except Jaela was the only one left. Her room was at the very end of the hallway and to the right and once she was inside the blush she had been fighting finally surfaced. She wasn't sure if Itachi had followed her but figured it would be best for everyone if she quickly replaced the top she had just lost.

Her room was small, yet charming. The walls were not decorated and the bed was fitted with basic tan sheets. However, there were shelves everywhere....  Jaela had a small secret obsession and the hundreds of small figurines on the shelves exposed her for the collector she truly was.

Jaela then reached into her wardrobe and pulled out another top, quickly sliding it over her shoulders as she began to clasp the front again.

Marakai Trin

When Itachi had her in his grasp, he'd stopped for a few congratulatory gasps for air, thinking the chase had been won. And then...it wasn't.

He had been half doubled over, one hand on his knee with the other wrapped in Jaela's shirt, gasping for air. And then, suddenly, his arm dropped as suddenly the figure within the shirt was no longer able there to fill it.

His eyes widened as he saw her running away, half naked and past several incredulous Craol, straight back into the citadel. He'd only seen her back, but that was enough.

He stood there stock still, her shirt loosely hanging from his grip, staring at the open doors. And then, rather rigidly, he started to move, past the cluster of wagons, past the gathered Craol talking amongst themselves about the purple haired topless maniac, and into the citadel.

Listening, he could hear - and therefore track - her footsteps. His boots, crafted specially to make as little noise as possible, afforded no such advantage to anyone. He began following her, as quietly as he could manage.

Having stopped for a moment, Itachi looked at Jaela's shirt, tangled in his fist, and then at the stairs he'd come to. Slowly, he began to ascend, mind racing as he wondered just what was going to happen.

He continued following the echoing sounds of her footsteps, past the Black-Hearth rooms with their elaborate pictures across the doorways, and up another flight of stairs into unfamiliar territory. He slowed, noticing Jaela's footsteps had stopped. He found himself in a long hallway of doors, and noted one on the end was slightly ajar.

Slowly, he stalked toward the room, and stood outside the door. He listened briefly to her movements within, before slipped inside behind her, observing his surroundings as he did.

He stood behind her just as she refastened a new shirt,  and grinned.

"Personally, I liked this 'un better, even if'n it be cuz yer no' wearin' it." To her, if she hasn't been listening very hard, it would sound as if he'd literally been right behind her the entire time.

Blink

His voice made her jump. Jaela had been too distracted with what she had just done to even notice Itachi following her, let alone letting himself into her room. His comment caused her to blush even worse than she was before. Okay so maybe this was her chance to finally take the leap she had been avoiding for weeks now.

Pushing back her embarrassment Jaela placed a smug grin on her face as she reached out for the top he was holding. "Fine then, I will wear that one." She would be damned if he let her get the best out of this situation. She had to win... always had to win.

Jaela then began unclasping the one she had just put on, slowly letting the fabric part as it began to fall off of her shoulders.

"Personally I think they look exactly the same." Her eyes daring Itachi to try and win this one.

Marakai Trin

And so, the game was on. Just as it had been since it had started, it rarely, if ever, stopped.

Itachi wordlessly handed over her other shirt, unsure as of yet just what her plan was. Or, rather, if she even had one - typically, her randomness could throw him off, toss a wrench into his gears, so to speak.

And then the monkey wrench came, and her shirt came off, revealing everything to him above her hips. His eyes widened, and his mind literally just went blank.

He caught himself staring, and a small part of him could feel the blood rushing from his head to other places. He fought his urge to simply step toward her, and fought to get himself back on track again.

So. Obviously she'd done it on purpose, likely in reaction to what he'd said to her, and what she'd done implied that she was still taking part in their never-ending mind games.

Therefore, his reaction was thus: he arched a brow and grinned, his eyes finally raising from her bared chest back up to her face. Slowly, he began to slide the coat off his shoulders, and let it drop to the floor carelessly with a clang of metal.

And then, he began peeling the shirt off his chest, pulling it over his head. He stood there, his shirt in hand, and continued grinning.

He held his tunic shirt towards her. "Ya sure tha' black isn't more ya color, bird?"

Blink

So this was really happening wasn't it? He was going to play the game just like her. Little did Itachi know that Jaela would not so easily admit defeat. With her game face still on Jaela tilted her head as he began to peel off his own clothing and then offer it to her.

"I don't know is it?"

Jaela then began removing her top all over again, discarding it on the floor before she reached out and grabbed his tunic. And then once again she went through the process of slipping the clothing over her shoulders slowly.

"What do you think?" Jaela turned from side to side as she modeled the tunic for him. "I kinda like it. Thanks for the new top." Jaela then smiled as she insinuated his tunic now belonged to her.

Marakai Trin

Itachi grinned, watching her as she turned to one side and back again, crossing his arms over his chest as he tilted his head to one side.

"Yeah, it looks good on ya, but....here's another choice for ya."

He stepped forward, coming nearly chest to chest with her, one hand coming forward to settle on her shoulder.  Then, slowly, he began circling around her, that hand sliding over her shoulder and collarbone, skirting just barely over her neck.

When his hand reached the opposite shoulder, he found himself standing behind her. His other hand wrapped over her left side, his palm coming to rest just under her breastline.

He leaned in close, more than close enough for her to feel the warmth of his breath on her ear. He pushed his chest against her back while he pulled her against him.

And then he whispered, low and dangerously in her ear.

"It also comes in green."

Blink

When Itachi stepped closer Jaela held her breath, afraid to even breathe in case it ruined the moment. She could feel his body as it moved around her, his hand upon her skin at her neck. It was all almost too much, almost enough to make her break right there.

At this point Jaela was happy he was behind her, or else he would see just how close she was to caving into desire. "Oh does it?" Her voice a whisper to match his own,

"Now that I think about it..." Jaela paused to move her hands around his, pulling at the band around her waist. "...Maybe I should start wearing a dress."

When she had just gotten a finger under the material on her hips Jaela then pushed it down, sending her skirt and the shorts beneath them to the floor. Hopefully, it was enough to declare this round over because Jaela wasn't sure how much longer she would last.

Marakai Trin

Itachi let out a groan that almost sounded feral in her ear, unsure of how to proceed in their game. His hands remained where they were, one now at her hip, and the other firmly on her shoulder.

His gaze remained firmly fixated on the floor at Jaela's feet, his jade eyes only closing when he buried his face in the crook of her neck. His mouth opened just slightly, and he allowed his teeth to very lightly drag over her skin.

Meanwhile, that other hand at her hip, now joined by the one at her shoulder as it suddenly dropped, slowly began to raise, pulling the hem of the shirt with them, his fingers lightly dragging with a feathers touch over her flesh.

Up it rose, baring her to him, if he were to just open his eyes. Higher, over her ribs, his fingers lightly drumming over each one. Higher still, fingertips lightly brushing the sides of her breasts, freeing them from the tight confines of his tunic.

He stepped backward, slowly lifting the fabric over her head, stripping her of it, ridding her completely of clothes.

His hands did not return.

He skirted around her, picking his coat off the floor, and strode toward the door. He cast a glance over his shoulder at her, burning that image of her into his mind forever.

"Well'en, lemme go an' see wha' I got fer ya, beautiful. Be back in a tick." He grinned widely, and started taking slow steps forward, the tunic slung over one shoulder.

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