OOC: This is an open by requests thread. If you're interested in roleplaying with this character in this scene and have an idea, please toss it my way by PMing me. If it works with what I'm sort of looking for, I'll let you know ^_^ Just please don't join unless you get prior approval, since this involves my Grand Duke of Connlaoth character, Calent. This is a civil war related thread, so be sure to read up on that information as well. Thanks!
---------
It started off as fingers skirting across the keys, fingers whispering across the ivories, lightly clinking as the song tinkled across the music room in delicate, cascading sound. The energy, light at first, was quickly growing tenser and more tense as knuckles went white, fingers diving into the keys as the Grand Duke sat before his piano in the dead of night. Each key struck, thrust another clanking set of reprieves, then gentleness... then rage once again, then again, like the fervent waves of the ocean in a storm....
But then....
......
.................
.....
silence.
A breeze swept into the room, making the shadows and curtains come alive. The scones, once lit, threatened to snuff out, bending against the winds, but once they settled, the lights returned more vibrantly and their dance of light remained a hazey glow across the polished wood. Calent stared across it to the opposing side of the room, fingers hesitant over the keys before he rose and approached a glass table int he corner where he picked up his violin.
It was like an itch he could not scratch. The expressions were there, but the words were not- and he found, even with music, he was fumbling in his speech. So with his back to a nearby set of mirrors and crystal chandeliers, which had already been snuffed out of their light that evening, he squared off his shoulders and lifted his chin. And once he had the violin settled against his arm and his chin digging into it, he took the bow, one pinky finger raised, and pulled it across the strings to let the notes carry, frail and wailing as a soft rumble of thunder purred against the arrival of a second set of winds.
When the lightning flickered and the smell of rain reached his nose, his song grew quieter, notes moving in tune with the smells, sights and sounds of the night. So the strokes made the noise airy, mysterious and soothing, with smooth transitions from one verse to the next. With shadows and low lights keeping the place in a whispered glow, the song began to rise, and long strokes becoming short and chopping as the bow cut into the strings and then, fingers plucking in between in short, angered bursts before he bowed his head, hair falling over his eyes and he let the bow slice across the strings and just as it had been with the piano- the notes were rising louder, sharper and fuller-
And just at the moment, a string snapped and the room went silent....
Except for the dark fluttering of the drapes and the fading, contorted disfiguration of sound from the broken violin's chord. That was.. until a heavy gust of wind bubbled out the drapes then cut through them in a rush, which fluttered through the light scraps of hair the Grand Duke had cut across his forehead- and then- into darkness he went. The winds, calming, taking the candle light with into silence.
Carefully, his eyes rose to the window were the lightning flickered. But as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw a form- female and slender, moving against glints of silvered rain. Her form was as amorphic and hypnotic as the veil, and while the curtains moved and rolled against the wild winds, she was approaching-
And he said nothing, for he knew this dark shadowed figure would come.
In the silence the shadowed figure danced closer towards Calent slowly in an enticing fashion, But as the figure touched the window it simply dissappeared into thin air as another flash of lightning lit the room again for just a second. And in that instant a thin feminine arm reached out behind Calent and brushed agains the man's back in a very sensual fashion before another arm slipped out of the darkness and embraced the duke softly, A key were struck on the piano followed by another and another continuing untill it became a calm but romantic piece.
-"Why dost thy hesitate Duke? Is there something troubling thee?"
A soft womanly voice whispered into the Duke's ear with a strong sensual undertone, The figure behind Calent who was speaking was a near naked woman wearing nothing more than a slightly transparent camisole and silk underwear. The woman's skin was ghostly pale and her long wavy hair hung in the air as if under water she looked vaugely like the shadowed figure calent had seen before, the only difference was that she had bright pink coloured eyes that gave her an innocent feel to the woman.
-"Yes what bothers thee o Duke of Connlaoth?"
Said another voice from the piano, the voice was female as well but more bold and seemed to instill some kind of fear to all who heard it. The fingers of the figure by the piano ran over the keys producing the emotional piece in the background. The figure itself could not be discerned however instead all one could see was a shadowy sillouhette resembling a curvy female but there was a very visible Grin upon the face of the shadowy figure that seemed to grow in tact with the music, A big toothy grin.
-"Tell us thy troubles"
Said both of the women in their respective voice as the curvy shadowy figure opened a pure white eye to look at Calent, while the thin near naked woman circled around Calent pressing herself aginst him so softly that it felt like a silk cloth brushing over one's skin. The Pale woman looked up at Calent with a weak but concerned expression while the Shadowy woman gazed at him possessively while grinning wide both of them waiting for Calent to reply. Both of the figures gave off an dream like feel as if they could dissappear at any moment making it all seem so much more like a dream.
Calent Allarrick had dreamed many things in all his life, though recently the nightmares had become more lucid. Though now, this dream seemed to hold an eerily different tune, and his striking green eyes cut through the shadows as they went from one woman, to the next.
The music on the piano made him shiver, but so did the presence of the women when they began to circle and press around him. He felt himself dizzy, this dream so loose and fluid, like the shadows that danced in the night time winds.
Closing his eyes, he wondered if he could wake up from this, but feeling the soft touch from the women, he opens his lips and released a soft breath- something short of a moan before he opened his eyes again to see nothing but a woman's near naked flesh.
Even in this dream like fantasy, he felt a knot tighten in his throat and elsewhere as his gaze tkes over her form. Itw as too surreal and without answering their questions, he moved out to touch the more innocent, but scantily clad girl, his touch gentle, as if afraid he might break her when he reached out for her cheek.
The thin girl looked at Calent when he reached out to her and when he touched her she leaned into his hand while softly gripping his hand, Meanwhile the curvy shadowy woman sauntered over to Calent while the piano kept playing itself.
-"Let us help thee o grand duke"
They both said in sync as the thin girl looked deeply into Calent's eyes with her innocent eyes, She was cold to the touch as she had near to no clothes at all. The Curvy woman circled around Calent to his side where she leaned against his side reaching out her hand and caressing Calent's neck, Her touch hot and soft as if she was warm from excitement and arousal.
-"We art here to help thee... any way possible"
The shadowy woman whispered into Calent's ear while she ran her hand through his hair still grinning widely, Her soft body pressed against his back as she leaned against him more. The thin girl smiled weakly at Calent as she leaned onto his body as well, Her body not as soft as the other woman but much more delicate and fair.
The dream was just so strange- if that's what it was as he closed his eyes, but was pulled back into reality at the women's touch- and the sudden rumble of thunder.
"I do not think either of you can help.." his words came out in barely a croaked whisper, and the second he spoke, a chilling wind fluttered through his music room and snuffed out any remaining candle light. But the darkness was short lived as a fluttering array of lighning flickered into the room-
But the Grand Duke kept his eyes closed.
Yes, he must be dreaming.
-"But will thou allow us to try?"
The thin woman with a soft almost whisper like voice while gazing deeply into Calent's eyes, The shadowy woman kept brushing her hands along Calent's body in a sensual manner while humming softly on a tune in tact with the still playing piano. Now that the darkness had set into the room the only light came from the moon that peeked out from the clouds outside the window, but it was wrong to say it was the moon as it reflected a harsh red light instead of the calm blue one.
-"Tell us thy thoughts, thine secrets are safe here.."
The curvy woman whispered with a sultry tone into Calent's ear as she ran her fingertops along Calent's collarbone, The thin woman reached out to Calent and ran her hands iver his chest seeming to want to take off his clothes but waited for him to reply to them.
The softer woman drew the worried man's eyes like a moth to a flame, and gently, he let his hands ghost over her form- not daring to touch her lest this dream break from him like glass. Dreams were always lucid for him- more real than not, and this one was no more different than the rest. Though with two women here- to a man who rarely had time to consider and appreciate the loveliness of a woman...
The longing was there, but the desire was not. At their words, he found his lips trembling.
"If this is a dream," Calent told them, his voice soft and subtler than the winds. "Than I fear you can not help me here."
For he was waiting for the darkness- the demons...
and the blood.
-"Art thou afraid? Afraid of the darkness?"
Said the shadowy woman with a motherly voice as she reached out to the thin woman with a shadowy clawed hand and placed her hand on the cheek of the thin woman who leaned against it as if she needed to feel the warmth and the softness of the other woman. At the same time the oil lanterns flickered alight again showering them all in a soft caressing light but the shadows that appeared seemed alive like tendrils, The thin woman opened her eyes and placed the palm of her hand against Calent's cheek.
-"Dost the Demons strike fear in thee?"
She asked and the shadows that moved like tendrils around them ceased and solidified becoming normal shadows, but as this happened lightning struck again and in the flash speck of blood appeared on Calent's hands as if to show the blood on his hands. Both of the women grasped a hand each in their own and pressed his hands against the center of their chest, As his hands touched their bodies the blood vaporized as if it was never there to begin with.
-"Is it Blood that makes thee waver?"
They both asked Calent with their respective voice before closing in on him and embracing Calent from each side, the clash of the shadowy womans warm body and the thin womans cold body together made a pleasant warmth.
-"We can help thee, thee just have to ask"
They both said in sync smiling towards Calent in their respective way, Innocently from the thin pale woman and Lustfully from the curvy shadowy woman. On the edge of the bed behind them however sat another figure draped in a red cloak and a thick crimson shawl wrapped around her head covering most of her face save fo her mouth that were curved into a wide toothy grin, next to her were another Calent who was lying upon the bed facing outwards and resting his head on top of Senka's lap sleeping while she softly caressed his hair with one hand and the other resting on his shoulder. Beneath her cloak she was all but naked save for a simple strip of red cloth covering her crotch making it almost decent.
[OOC: The plot thickens!!! XD Hope the post is okay :3 ]
Did these women know? Were they reading his mind? Darkness, blood...
He grimaced and turned away, just in time to catch something cloaked and red on his bed. His gaze narrowed, his heart pounding away inside his chest. But then he saw his second self as his face twisted quizzically. What was this madness? And who were these women? His dreams had never been like this before.
He delicately took the women's hands and plucked them away from himself before he moved over towards the bed.
"You.." his voice came out as almost a growl. "And what is your purpose here?"
-"Dost everything need a Purpose? And if so what is thine own Purpose?"
She answered with a question as she calmly kept on caressing the second Calent in a motherly fashion, The two other figures behind Calent neared him and once again embraced him. The lights flickered and died again and the shadows gained life once again, Senka Chuckled as the shadowy tendrils circled around her body as if they gave praise to her.
-"Have thee found thine own road through life? I say yes... but thou fight thine own road... Why?"
Her words was like poison seeping into the mind and it compelled and answer, The two women stepped foward and looked at Senka as if they did not want her presence here. But senka did not seem to care at all because she needed to know Calent's answer, as time passed the darkness grew more and more vicious as if trying to suffocate them all.
The darkness was a terrifying entity. And he felt the weight of it crushing down on him, threatening to snuff him out- and though he feared it- it's presence was far more familiar than that of the women- so it was the only reason he did not panic as it threatened to cave in around him.
"What do you mean, fight it? Are you accusing me of denying myself my own road? My own destiny?"
-"Well thy art certainly not following it, if thy had been doing so none of thine dark fears would have been here..."
Senka said with a calm tone as she continued to stroke the hair of the sleeping Calent, and slowly the darkness dissipated and kept it's distance but the darkness tendrils still coiled behind Senka giving her a truly omnious aura.
-"The Road thee is on is edged with a bed of thorns and a river of blood running through the middle, but thy insists on walking on the thorns why are thy not walking through the blood? The thorns only serve to wither thee down to nothing..."
Her words were poetic but had a very sinister undertone, As she spoke she looked down on the sleeping Calent who seemed to be able to rest peace. The other women looked around them when the darkness receeded from Calent both of them seemed relived that the cold darkness had backed down.
-"Walk Through the Blood Calent"
Senka whispered softly into the sleeping Calent's ear but the dreaming one could hear it as if she had whispered into his ear.
Calent's eyes shined with impotent rage.
"Walk through blood? But I have no need to walk through it- the streets are practically running with it- and Connlaoth is no where nearer towards it's goals of Ansgar!" he snapped. And it was here, inthis dream like world, he gave to pause- feeling his own heart beat pulsating and beating through the world.
He tore his green gaze from hers and stepped back, his face steeling, even now, as the world seemed to shift and tremble. He closed his eyes a moment before speaking again.
"What blood is it you wish me to walk?" he asked, his voice soft and grating.
Senka grinned widely as Calent turned around and the two other figures took place on either side of Calent silently, When Calent asked of what blood she wished her to walk and she gave of a short giggle before looking to the side still grinning widely.
-"The Path thee walk have many rivers connecting eachother, I cannot tell thee which one to tread but as long as thy stride through the blood without hesitation..."
She paused for a while before looking above to the celing as a brilliant light began to shine upon Calent, lifting his burdens as if they were clouds, clearing his mind like spring water, envigorating him with youth.
-"Only then at the end will thy for the rest of thine life be of pure being... But waver and..."
She paused again as the light snuffed out entirely leaving them both in pure darkness, the feeling were gone and immense despair and fear took their place and several gleaming eyes began appearing in the darkness growling beastly at Calent.
-"This will be thine cage..."
She said as the feeling receded quickly as the normal room returned to vision around them, Senka now stood in front of Calent with her hands behind her back and a wide grin upon her face. the two other figures were now no-where to be seen and the other Calent were gone as well.
-"So please do not waver..."
((OOC: Hope the post is okay, just tell me if you want me to change anything))
After such a display, to see himself, to feel it himself, both of freedom and despair, he was thankful when he was returned to the normal room once again, and released a quivering breath as his green eyes rose to Senka's. Her voice sounded quite beautiful, or at least that's how he perceived her as softly, gently, he cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes.
"How is it that you know the way?" he asked upon a breath. "A path of blood and confidence?"
He studied the wraps around her face.
"Might I see your face? To look upon the woman who helps to sheperd me?"
Senka Smiled as she felt the hand upon her cheek and giggled a bit when Calent asked to see her face, But she opened her eyes and as she did so her shawl loosened and fell upon the floor along with her cloak leaving her entirely naked. A breeze from the half open window tugged at her bone white hair and her soft pink eyes gazed into Calent's sharp green eyes and she smiled at Calent with an angelic smile as she leaned into his hand.
-"What do you think Duke? Why would a being such as me know of the road that thy is to tread upon?"
She said with a soft voice as she smiled warmly towards Calent as she brought up her hand to rest upon his cheek mirroring him.
Calent watched as the wrap fell away, and she was there before him, completely and utterly naked. But he did not flinch away from her natural beauty, and instead, let his thumb stroke upon her cheek as he studied her eyes. She looked so sweet, so innocent, so naive.
"Are you truly here to help me?" he questioned, his voice quiet as a breath. "These... dreams I have." If he could call this a dream.. "They always leave me in terror. But this..." And he found his hands touching against her hip, palm down and smoothing over the skin. "This feels... different." And something about it seemed unmistakably un-dreamlike.
-"Let me ask thee, Doth thy want this to just be a dream? Dost thou want all i have said to simply be something thy made up in a dream?..."
She paused as if she dreaded the next question she was going to ask, As if her entire being rested upon what Calent wanted.
-"Dost thy want me to be just a figment of thine dreams?"
She asked looking into his eyes with eyes verging on tears as if she feared so very much that Calent would say that he wanted it all to just be a dream, She put her own hand over Calent's hand that rested against her cheek but Calent would not be able to feel her touch.
-"Dost thou want me to be more than just a dream?"
She asked as a single tear rolled down her cheek while her eyes were fixated on Calent's own, the world around them swayed as if this scene could vanish with but a single word from Calent.
The words echoed inside his mind, like the faded notes of a quieting piano. He pursed his lips, mulling over her statement before studying her face, her body, then raising his green eyes up to meet to her eyes again.
"I do not know what I want. But I crave peace," he told her in earnest, his eyes, though remaining hard, seemed to soften, little by little. "This... whatever this is, it only serves to confuse me. Though I do not fear you, nor this world." And again, he pursed his lips in thought over her question that still echoed around him before he leaned forward, caressing her cheek, his lips nearly meeting to hers.
"If only dreams were half as good, I might wish them all real. But as I see it, dreams are simply that, un untouchable essence." Though he found himself feeling quite in a situation unlike his other dreams, for he could actually feel her, touch her- and it made his eye lids lower as he studied her face.
"If you were to become real, what would happen?" he asked, his lips still a mere inch from hers.
-"If i were to become real... First off i would be able to live and interact in thine world, But most of all i could give thee advice when thy are awake"
She explained as she gazed deeply into Calent's green eyes with her pink eyes, it was as if she were looking directly into Calent's soul so deep was her gaze. Her hands found a resting place on Calent's shoulders as she slowly but surely narrowed the distance between them, but she did not actually touch him with her lips instead she was so teasingly close that calent would almost feel her lips brushing over his own.
-"But only you can wish me into reality o Grand Duke."
"Yes, but a dream is just a dream," he spoke, sobering in the moment as he placed his hands upon her shoulders and took a step back. "And I am far too familiar with how hellish the world of dreams can be." As he stared at her, his frown deepened. "Dreams coming true might be something wives gush about, hoping will come true. But I am not like that. And the nights for me are dark. I would never wish for that darkness to follow me into the waking world."
Even if it were in the shape of a beautiful woman before him.
No, he could not fall into temptation.
-"If that is thy wish, I will still stay in thine dreams and help thee any way i can"
Senka said with a beautiful smile upon her lips as she looked up into Calent's eyes with her her soft pink eyes, Her hands searched their way up and finding rest upon Calent's cheeks as her eyes got somewhat of a serious glint in them.
-"But do remember that this dream is true... Reality no but oh so very true, Remember my words..."
Her eyes softened again and a hint of sadness could be seen in them as if she had seen something she did not want to see.
-"I doth not wish to see thee in pain so please heed my words"
She said before taking a step foward and giving Calent as kiss so soft that one would wonder if her lips were made of clouds, Senka then just leaned her head against Calent's chest keeping herself close to him.
-"May i stay like this utill thee wakes?"
She asked with an almost trembling voice not even daring to look up at Calent.
((Sorry for the wait XD))
Emotions ran through him like a tumultuous storm. He could see the tenderness and pain and worry within her gaze. And the light kiss sent a fluttering throughout him, making him feel light as air.
When he felt her press near to him something warmed, and he found his arms wrapping around this strange woman.
"You can stay as long as you like," he murmured, finding himself awkwardly enjoying her company. Though he was already spoken for as a lover, there was always a true emptiness in his heart that had never been filled. And though he often times sought to sate his primal desires with other women, the emotions evoked from this strange girl tickled so many more emotions than just the primal ones he craved.
And though she was lovely, the primal need was still there- and the anxious setting of his dream still purred around them like on coming thunder.
"So are you a dream warden? Or some protectress?" he asked her, a hand smoothing down her back and through her hair and down her back again.
-"I Thank thee.."
Senka's voice was like a whisper as she thanked the grand duke for letting her stay, Just that simple act seemed to calm her more than anything. Her frail body leaned onto Calent looking like she could find peace by being as near to him as she were, when he asked what she were she simply smiled and looked up at him with kind eyes.
-"What a silly question thee ask me, you should know that by now"
She said with a joyfull voice and as the dream began to fade everything turned white except Calent and Senka, Sounds started to die out as reality started to take hold of everything. but as Senka's form began to fade Calent would be able to see large radiant wings stretch out from her back, pure white feathers covering the wings gave her a truly angelic appearance as her form began to dissappear into the white.
-"Till we meet again o grand duke.. no Calent Allarrick my-"
Sound faded as she spoke and she seemed to notice this as well so instead she simply gave him a bright radiant smile before her form faded into the whiteness around them and the dream came to an end.
Calent awoke groggily from his sleep- though normally he was used to awaking in a panicked state- this time he felt...
mildly calmer than usual. But he couldn't help but turn to observe the bed beside him- checking to see if the strange woman from his dream had been in fact- simply a dream.
There would be no strange woman besides Calent in his bed when Calent looked to his side, but proof that the strange woman was not just a dream was there. A single pure white feather lay upon the covers next to Calent, It was so white that it would be hard to see it's outlines but if it would be put next to snow or white silk it would still be a purer white. The Feather could not have come from a bird it simply had a divine otherworldly feel to it when looking at it, It looked very similar to the feathers upon the wings that Calent had seen on the Senka before awakening from his sleep.
The Sun had just began to cast its rays into Calent's room and the morning birds had just set about their morning cries, It was a beautiful morning calm and melodious from the birdsong. it was only a short while before a light knock came from the door and the door opened only slightly before a female voice rang out.
-"Pardon me milord are thee awake?"
Her voice was as melodious like the birdsong outside, The woman peeked in with her head and looked into the room with sky blue eyes and saw how Calent stirred upon the bed. The woman who looked in was a maid servant who seemed quite new to this job at the Grand Duke's Palace, She had long white hair tied in a braid and wore the maid servant clothing used by those who worked at the palace. She opened the door in a bit more and took a carefull step inside revealing that she were of average length, she had a modest body that were mostly obscured by the clothing she wore.
((OOC: Hope the post is okay :3))
Calent could't help but stare. Combining his thoughts registered from the feather and by the dreams and the woman's voice...
There was a strange familiarity to it all, and he found himself asking her, "Do I... know you? Are you new?"
-"M-milord?"
The servant woman seemed to become a little flustered when Calent stared at her and she twisted herself nervously in the spot as he stared at her, But when he asked her she tilted her head with a confused expression.
-"N-no i doth not think we have met before, Ah yes i'm new around here..."
She said with her melodious voice as she walked into the room a bit more and looked Calent over a bit worrisome, Now closer she looked around before locating the clothes she were supposed to help Calent with.
-"I-is something wrong milord?"
She asked as she walked over to the other side of Calent's bed where the dresser were located and began to pull out the clothes that were to be used, She seemed skilled in the job itself but seemed unused to the enviroment she were currently in.
Calent took a moment to rake a hand through his hair. It fell back into his face in a mess, but even so, he silently watched the woman work.
"It... it was nothing. I was just confused."
He didn't need to bring up it was a dream. He was tired of all of the rumors spreading about him, and about them.
-"Oh okay.."
She replied and turned back to her work while smiling softly to herself, after a moment or two she began to hum for herself as she prepared the clothes. The tune that the servant was humming on would be very familiar to Calent as it was the same that had been played on the piano in his dream, The servant woman seemed to hum on it like it was something she had heard many many times before.
-"Milord what garment would thee like to wear today?"
She said looking over her shoulder towards Calent with a soft content smile on her face.
But Calent said nothing, his eyes going distant, mind being whisked away to the dream that the song brought about.
The woman kept on working and humming the tune as she took out some clothes, but after a little while she looked back at Calent and adapting a curious expression as she saw the dukes distant expression.
-"... M-milord?"
She said tilting her head slightly to the side while looking at Calent with a slightly worried expression, Her expression changed however when she looked down slightly and laid eyes upon the feather next to Calent. Her face showed genuine suprise as she looked upon the feather, She reached out to the feather and picked it up slowly holding it in front of herself.
-"What in the world is this..."
She said to no one in particular as she examined the pure white feather that had developed a soft glow of light, no brighter than a small candle but the light felt soothing to those who looked upon it.
A breath caught in his throat, and he felt his mind reeling.
The feather, the song, and the very appearance of her....
Raking a hand through his hair, he threw off the covers and got to his feet. Wasting no time, he stormed off to his study, where he was hoping to get some reprieve, but even as he paced through the walk ways between the endless book cases that lined the place, he couldn't stop thinking about her, and of the primal lust it stirred within him, and other primal factors of fear, fear of the unknown, and consequences...
Consequences for wanting something he should not have. But he hadn't bedded his wife in how long? And though he had taken many maids to bed with him, that had more or less stopped when he had taken a wife.
But now? Now he wanted the woman in his dream like a fever. He raised a fist to his lips.
But why? It was just a dream....
And he knew not that woman, nor this new maid in his room.
Perhaps he needed a cold shower, because his body was flushed and his mind, whirling around but one thought.
The woman gasped as Calent threw off the blanket and stormed out of the room, it took some seconds for the woman to react to his absence and she looked back at the clothes she had pulled out for Calent to dress himself with.
-"... oh Calent.."
She whispered as a wicked smile crept upon her lips and her eyes showed feelings of twisted happiness, it suddenly was as if the woman had become another person entirely. She sat down on the bed and fastened the feather she held in the knot that held her long braid together, She looked back at the door where Calent had left and her wicked smile widened slightly.
-"Thou art too fun to tease..."
She whispered as she rose from the bed and picked the clothes she had prepared up and left the room and went for the study where she knew that Calent would be, as she left the room her expression was back to the cute and naive maid that she was before and there was no trace whatsoever of that wicked smile. It was not long before she stood outside Calent's study and extended her hand and knocked daintily on the door, She did not try to open the door even though she knew it was not locked.
-"Milord i brought thee thine clothes, thou left in such a hurry that thee forgot them"
She said in her melodious voice and waited outside the door for Calent to respond to her.
Calent was quiet for a time before a gruff reply came muffled through the door.
"Leave them." And he paused, before adding, "And you are excused from your duties for the day."
-"Ah..."
She gave quiet whimper as Calent answered her and looked down onto the floor quietly, moisture gathering in the corners of her eyes but she wiped them away and swallowed hard before placing the clothes on a nearby table.
-"A-as thou wish milord.."
She said with a strained voice and made a formal bow towards the door before turning her heel and walking away from the study. though she walked slowly enough so that Calent would be able to catch up to her if he so desired.
"Try all you want Calent, you're not getting away from me"
She thought to herself as she walked her mind going through many scenarios that could happen now, her outward appearance however showed no insight to her thoughts as she walked solemly through the corridors.
It was strange what happened, or was requested next, but the young man demanded a bath-
A cold bath in privacy. Once the water was filled in his bath, he had his servants leave him in peace. He undressed and slowly sat in the waters, green eyes staring out endlessly while his mind still reeled with many thoughts.
It was the dreams that plagued him the most, over the primal desire still simmering in his belly. He was a man, after all, and wanting to have sex was not an uncommon practice or want....
But dreams....
He closed his eyes and bowed his head.
His dreams seemed to be seeded deep within him, and where most dreams in most others were easily forgotten in the world of the waking, his only seemed to thrive as a seering reminder that something was about to, or had already, gone terribly wrong.
When the bathroom was as quiet as it could be the sound of a droplett falling into water reveberated through the room, but no matter where one looked the only place where there were water was in the bathtub.
"So please do not waver..."
The whisper came as a ripple upon the water in the bathtub emenated from just in front of Calent, The whisper did not feel like a voice really but more like a memory of someone telling him with tears in her eyes and genuine concern in her heart.
At the sound, the voice, his hands gripped tightly to the lip of the tub. His heart was racing just a little faster, and his green eyes moved to look around the room. But as it was before, no one was there.
Suddenly as if she had been there all along the woman from his dream stood behind him looking down on him with a calm smile, She was still naked but it did not seem to bother her at all.
-"Thy should not fall asleep in the bath Calent dear"
She chided with a motherly voice and brought down her hand and put it upon his head and stroked his hair softly, her touch was soft and seemed to impart warm feelings as the water in the tub was now pleasantly warm as if it had been that way all the time.
And though the bath grew warm, Calent tensed and felt his skin prickle over with bumps from the chills rising up inside him.
-"Thou really do need to wake up, but i can sense there is something bothering you.."
She said softly as she sat down behind him and pulled out a comb from her hair and ran it gently through Calent's hair, The atmosphere she gave off was open hearted and caring she truly gave the impression of a mother caring for her child.
-"Do speak your mind Calent, i am here for you"
She said as she continued to tend to Calent's hair, the soft ruffling sound of feathers could be heard and if Calent was to look back at Senka he would be able to see two majestic pure white wings upon her back.
Still clutching the tub, his grip slackened only slightly at her words.
Yes, this still had to be a dream.
"Darkness... I keep seeing darkness, beasts, and death," he murmured softly, as if afraid to speak above a whisper. He kept looking at the waters, at first, not seeing or noticing the wings. He was too consumed with his own thoughts in the moment for much else.
Her comb stopped abruptly and she dropped it to the ground before she reached her arms around Calent and embraced him softly while putting her head next to his, Her wings slightly reached around them both as if she tried to embrace him with them as well.
-"I-i'm sorry... i.. i can only shield thy dreams not thine waking world.."
She spoke as if she truly felt responsible for Calent's suffering grief lacing her every word, Calent would would soon feel the tears she shedded as they ran down her cheeks and dripping onto his shoulder.
-"I'm Sorry"
He bristled at her attentions, and only after a moment did he notice her wings and pushed her away.
"What.. what are you?" he asked, stance defensive.
She was a little suprised when Calent pushed her away but recovered quickly with a small giggle as she stood up and spread out her large white wings giving her a quite majestic look.
-"Thy still hath not figured out what i who shield your dreams are?"
She smiled at him and took a deep breath before her wings lit up in a gentle white light and dissolved into particles of light that flickered out of existance soon after, She looked upon Calent with a gentle expression and sat down on the edge of the tub.
-"I apologize if my wings frightened thou they tend to come out when i get emotional"
She said and drew circles in the water with her finger in a playful manner she seemed to want Calent to guess what she was.
His eyes were still wide and uncertain as he looked her over. Then his gaze narrowed.
"Some magical beast?" And he spat the words out with disgust. Wings were not meant for a man,... nor a woman, in her case. Yet she seemed... happy, calm. What was her aim here?
-"Magical Beast? Now why would something like that go so far as to help you like i have?"
She said as she smiled gently at Calent her eyes showing nothing but genuine concern for him, Her hand still drew simple circles in the water of the tub as if she was simply playing with the water.
-"Thine Vision is too focused on what dwells within the corporeal realm thy live in, Widen thine vision and you may be able to understand what i am, Look not only at the ground but also.."
She paused and brought her hand back from the water and pointed upwards with a warm smile upon her lips, Above them was an open blue sky with white fluffy clouds and far in the distance the sun. The weather was brilliant as if there was no bad to be found in the world and the light of the sun was gentle and caring, She tilted her head slightly and gave Calent a brilliant smile as she resumed her line.
-"Set your gaze upon the heavens.."
She said with a gentle voice and giggled slightly in a very cheerful manner, But all it took was an instant as a booming sound and everything just popped as if it were a bubble and the dream ended. The room was like before the woman had appeared and nothing seemed to have changed at all, the only difference is that there seemed like something were happening in the hallway outside and it seemed to be the source of the sound had woken calent up from the dream.
Calent jerked awake. His heart was hammering, and though his water had turned cold, sweat beaded down his face and chest. He looked around through his study, not knowing what was going on. But the noise from the hall caught his attention.
Stumbling out of the bath, he wrapped a towel around his lowering half and moved towards the door. He opened it just a crack, and looked through that crack, wondering just what the hell was going on.
Was he awake? Was he still dreaming?
Things felt too real now. Like how his skin bumped over from being wet, in the cold stone castle of his home.
-"Oh come on! how did you trip over the carpet?"
-"S-sorry.."
Outside in the hall was two servants of which one seemed to have had a little accident, the accident involved tripping and toppling over an ornamental armor that had been standing against the wall of the hallway.
Both servants were female the one standing curvy with a tan hue to the skin and the one trying to clean up the mess thin and frail looking and fair skinned. The curvy woman had black hair tied up in a popular eastern bun hairstyle and seemed to be of Yoreiqi descent but a lack of the wings usually found on those from Yoreiqi, The frail looking woman had shoulderlenght wavy blonde hair with a simple hairclip keeping her hair from falling in front of her eyes.
-"What am i gonna do with you... here let me help you.."
-"I-i'm sorry..."
The curvy woman got down next to the frail one and started to help her with picking up the pieces of armor, They both seemed to be used working with eachother as they quickly collected the pieces strewn across the hallway and put them all on a table next to the stand where the armor had stood.
-"Ummmm now what? This piece goes here?"
-"Sh-should we get some help?"
He wrinkled his nose at the sound of the women bickering, but when he moved to close the door all the way, it seemed to move away from his fingers as it creaked open loudly.