Lore: The Seer of Lies

Post by **Emora Deen** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 11:31 pm

Tenele looked at Vlad for a moment and then the darkness around them. "I don't know what to talk about. I just... don't want to sleep," she held his arm tighter to him. "I...." she was clearly too tired to stay awake. She was afraid to sleep. Afraid that she would relive everything. "Want to talk about..."

She laughed softly. "You... naked." She looked up at him quickly. "Kidding.... maybe..."

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:44 pm

Vlad smirked, a bit of his normal personality coming back. "Me naked, eh? Well I'm just about there, for one thing," he grinned shamelessly. His pants couldn't really be called pants anymore, and everything else was gone. "But of course, you can't judge the show without seeing the main event," he snickered, a little more impressed with himself than most men would have dared. He was dead serious, too.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:53 pm

Tenele laughed softly, rolling her head to the side to where her cheek touched his cool bare chest. Her skin was still very hot, but not as hot as it had been. The medicine was obviously working well. "Well... maybe I can see the main event when my leg and arm is better?"

She looked down at them. "It sure would be nice if a healer would come along to take care of them..." She sighed, her finger tips idlying moving from side to side on his arm, going from elbow to wrist ever so lightly. "I absolutely hate being helpless... I wish I could have done more to help you back there with those vampires."

Her hand moved away from his arm and she touched her now shorter hair that went just bellow her shoulders. She picked up a few strands, examining it and then letting it fall ever so slowly back to her chest. "Pfft..."

Several seconds went by and she finally just couldn't stand it anymore. "Being in this bed is going to drive me insane! I already feel the insanity taking hold, before long... I'll be acting just as loony as you." She meant it as a joke. She tilted her head up, grinning beautifully at him. Though the insanity was coming from the fact she was tired and refused to sleep.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:00 pm

"Go to sleep," Vlad said, running his hand through her shorter hair. "The world will still be here when you wake up, as will I." He didn't make it a promise, because he wasn't sure he could do what he thought Tenele had just asked of him. It could be he'd be punished simply for being on this side of the curtain.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:58 pm

Tenele glanced up at him with her gentle green eyes. Her face marred by bruises and cuts. "I..." Tenele glanced down, looking away from him. She fiddled with the blanket that laid in her lap. "I don't want to sleep, Vlad." Her eyes were heavy, and her body wanted so much for her to sleep. "I don't want to relive what happened to me over again in my dreams."

She turned her head to the side, resting her cheek against his cool chest, staring at the chair he had occupied while the doctors finished there work. She felt slightly uncomfortable, wondering what he must be thinking. She wondered if he wanted to know what had happened. She wondered if he would want to hear it. She wondered if she would have the nerve to tell him if he asked.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:28 pm

Vlad sat very still behind her. His body pulled at him like it was made of heavy mud, sore and tired as if it could lose its shape at any moment. The no life king just quietly observed the feeling, though in truth, he couldn't recall ever feeling this roughed-up after drinking so much fresh blood. His body was not going to bounce as easily as usual. He'd really run things close. He grinned slightly and cradled his prize against his chest. "Nothing will happen to you in your sleep," he said to her, misconstruing what she'd said about not wanting to relive the events of the last few days. "They won't touch you again. I'm fully prepared if they return," he said. Honestly, the thought of moving, let alone fighting, made his gut clench, but he was still good enough to defend her if necessary. He took soft, cool breaths against the back of her head, his cheek touching her tousled hair.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:42 pm

Tenele stared at the chair, her eyes closing and reopening more slowly than they had moments before. "No..." she protested faintly. She nuzzled her bruised face against him, wanting to melt closer to him. Her good hand slipped down to the leg that laid against her, rubbing it gently with her finger tips. Her hand stopped moving, resting there on his thigh. Her breath had become even and no matter how much she wanted to fight it, sleep took her.

She wasn't a sleep fifteen minutes when the dreams returned. Morbid warped versions that added to what had happened to her. Her fears taking life in a her dreams. First her breath quickened, her chest moving quickly in her sleeping panic. She whispered things so faintly that only Vlad's ears would have ever been able to hear. Begging for her life, begging for them not to hurt her, or rape her, or kill her. Of course most of what was happening in her dream was fiction, however a good deal of it was also truth.

She grew very still for a moment and it seemed that the nightmare had passed. The only clue that it hadn't was the single tear that streamed down her battered face and landed on Vlad's cool skin. Then, suddenly with reflexes that could only be performed from a perfectly healthy person, or one that was totally unaware of pain, her hand flew around behind her head. The back of her hand collided rather hard with Vlad's cheek. "No... No.... NO! NO!" She jerked, kicking her good leg out in her sleep, moving as if someone were trying to hold her down. She elbowed Vlad repeatedly in the process, sliding further down into the bed until her head rested against his abdomen. In the process her elbow had collided with his most prized bodily possession... at least twice.

Her eyes were closed tightly, her face panic stricken and she grew very still again. Her breath still came in shallow fearful gasps and it seemed that whoever had attacked her in her dreams had won out in the struggle. For the moment.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:00 pm

Vlad sat quietly behind her as her frantic breath filled the otherwise silent room. Her whispered pleas were like shrieks in his ears, building against a dull ache in his chest. He didn't know how to help. His muscles tightened until he felt tension running through him like a building storm. When her hand struck the tender scar on his cheek, it jerked a small cry out of his throat. He stared down at her, drawing deep breaths to focus.

Then she began pounding on him, which he could handle painwise, but it was more disturbing than painful. It was a different and more tolerable pain than the one in his cheek. The holy magic was more like a wasp sting; it didn't leave much to show for it, but it invaded like an unnatural terror through the body. Her sudden violence against his lower body made him shift carefully to the side, breath cautiously held as he protected himself from any further abuse.

"Tenele," he called to her tensely, touching her good shoulder lightly. He wanted her awake.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:14 pm

Tenele was very still now, very quiet. Still breathing from pure terror. Her eyes closed tightly. She gasped out a few inaudible words and then she screamed in full out terror, which quickly faded into frightened sobs. She rolled over, hugging herself to Vlad. Though, it seemed she wasn't completely aware that she was doing so.

She had kicked to the point her gown had come loose and slipped off her shoulder, revealing the finger print bruises that littered her shoulder and traveled down her chest, hidden by the cotton gown.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:20 pm

Vlad took one look at her shoulder and chest, and pulled her gown up again protectively, like hiding the marks would make them go away. It brought back a feeling he'd managed to forget out of necessity until now; rage. He wanted to kill those who had done this to her.

"Tenele," he said firmly, grasping her trembling chin between his thumb and forefinger and pulling it up so she had to face him. "Tenele!"

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:32 pm

Tenele's eyes roamed around until they finally met him. Tears had streamed down her cheeks, her bruised face she looked at him with fearful eyes and finally they relaxed. Slowly she realized she was safe. No one was around. Not the guards, not Lothos, not the Queen and her henchmen. Just Vlad.

"I... I'm sorry," she said, turning her face away for a moment. "I... Did I... say anything?" she asked, wiping her eyes with her good hand, trying to get rid of the evidence quickly. "Did I... do anything?" He looked startled... and angry.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:42 pm

Vlad studied her with a frown. "You're crying," he said. It wasn't something he saw Tenele do often. He wanted to ask, BURNED to ask, but he didn't. The answer could only make him angry, and wouldn't help her. But there was one thing he needed to clarify, for medical reasons at the very least. "Did the men take advantage of you?" he asked her in a low, velvety voice.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:58 pm

Tenele's eyes stared directly into Vlad's until he asked the question. She quickly averted them and her whole body trembled. Her lip quivered and she shut her eyes quickly, glancing away from Vlad, turning her face away as if to hide an ugliness that wasn't there.

She shut her eyes tighter and tears trailed down her cheeks. She took several breaths, opening her mouth to speak. She couldn't find the words. Then she looked back at Vlad, her face contorting with the effort of holding back sobs. "I... I don't know.... I... don't... know..."

She she glanced around as if she couldn't focus on anything, still forcing herself not to cry. No matter how much she wanted to, that wasn't who she was. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't cry again. She would be strong.

With the jumbled and unclear memories that seemed so cluttered, she didn't know what had happened. She didn't know if anyone had followed Shea's orders and kept her for the General. She didn't think that anyone in that camp was so honest to listen to there Queen over something so trivial as a woman's virginity. Besides, how would they ever know who would have done it. At the thought, she couldn't contain it again and she faded into sobs.

"I don't remember... I don't... Oh, Gods... Vlad, I don't know. I don't rem-" her voice trailed off as her head swam. Panic, her quickening breath. She felt light headed suddenly. Her body was still not prepared for what she was putting it through. It needed food and rest. She wasn't paying attention to the fact that it was hurt far beyond what she had ever experienced and it would take longer to heal than ever before. "Remem...ber..." she muttered, her eyes rolling back slightly as they began to close and with a faint breath she began to fall still against her savior. The man who had rescued her from those beasts.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:49 pm

Vlad was very still as Tenele broke down in front of him. He held her and watched while his mind spun off in other directions. He was lodging into practical mode, a common escape for him. How could they learn what had happened to her? If she had been raped, he needed to call the doctor immediately so they could take all possible steps to avoid a pregnancy. But she didn't remember. He didn't know any way but one to prove a woman's virginity, and that was by taking it. If he took it, he would know for sure, but the option seemed distant and unfathomable, like something to be coveted but not to actually have.

He frowned as he felt her body drifting away in his arms. He could sense her pulse slowing into the uneasy tug of unconsciousness, and drew another deep breath. Where was Sinead at a time like this, anyway? She'd just left them here, knowing they'd be alone together. He shook his head and stroked his fingers along the edge of Tenele's face, their smooth coolness gliding over her warm softness. The vampire found it soothing, and his body finally began to relax as he leaned back against the headboard. "You're safe," he murmured against Tenele's ear. "I don't believe any man in Arken would break an order from Shea. If you decide you can't be sure....we'll prove it together." Vlad doubted he'd have said that last if he hadn't been mostly sure she was already asleep, but it still felt heavy in the air, like he'd thrown something upward and had no idea if he should expect it to fall down again.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:08 pm

Her sleep was peaceful and no nightmares came to her again. Maybe it was because she fell a sleep telling herself Vlad was there and would let no one harm her. She laid still beside him, not waking when the doors opened.

A rather plump woman dressed in a white stepped into the room, behind her another slimmer woman wheeled a cart of food in. The two eyed the Vampire holding the Queen's Maiden for a moment and came closer to the bed.

"How has she slept?" the plump woman asked, walking to a medicine cabnet while waiting on Vladimir's answer.

The other woman pushed the cart close to the bed and reached out to gently wake the sleeping woman, wincing as she saw the bruises and gashes.

"Flora, wait a moment," a man's voice said. The doctor had entered the room so quietly that the young nurse hadn't even noticed. She pulled her hand away before waking the woman, looking at Vlad for a moment before going towards the doctor.

He motioned behind the curtain and e whispered quietly, though Vlad would be able to hear there conversation.

"We all know that she was, more than likely, assualted," the doctor said.

"Could-"

"No, if she was kept safe from that favored torture then Shea would have to have had a good explination. One, if I were Lady Raider, I would fear. Shea never spares anyone any form of torture unless she would surely gain some large benifit from it. I fear any plans that Witch Queen could have," the doctor glanced at the curtain as he said this, wondering what horrors the Witch Queen could possibly have planned if the woman was still a virgin. "Give her this vile."

"What?"

"It will insure that, if she was violated, no child will come from it," he said, his voice low. "With what she has been through, I don't believe the Queen would force motherhood on her as well."

The nurse looked at the glowing blue vile and then back at the doctor. She gave a swift nod and moved around the curtain to go back and wake the young woman.

"If she asks what it is, tell her it will help her sleep. We wouldn't want her to deal with the thought of murdering a child she could possibly be carrying," the doctor said, heading towards the door. As he walked he glanced back at Vlad, wondering if he would break the news to the young Maiden.

Flora reached out to gently shake Tenele awake.