Lore: Behind Stone Walls

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 7:57 pm

Neko cocked her head. That was odd, what was he doing? She knelt before the tray and watched his eyes carefully, not sure of what he wanted.

"What's up?" she said while trying to think of what this horse was implying to her. She thought hard then it occured to her that maybe he wanted her to take something as well? Odd, she thought but...

Neko eased her hand into the tray, watching the horse carefully.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:11 pm

Laya felt a cold burning rage build inside her. She knew what was wrong with Telanis, and why he removed her hands from him. She knew what it was like to feel that way. To not want to be touched by anyone... She knew what it was like, and she hated the thought of Telanis knowing what it was like. He was so good... and so pure. It was unfair! It took everything she had in her to keep from going and killing who ever was left alive in that room, if any.

She clutched at the kimono holding it closed, well... trying to keep herself decent. She had to becareful with her hand. It wasn't completely healed, so something could easily dislocate it again. She moved back slowly, sadly aware that she couldn't help Telanis.

She could barely help herself, much less someone else. She would give anything to rewind and take his place, and get him somewhere safe and away from their filthy touch.

It had been wrong of her to befriend him, to drag him from his home and to this world. He could have been safe, away from the villagers... It was, in all aspects, her fault. She wanted to befriend him so bad, for her own selfishness. Because he made her feel good, she drug him away from his home... She was just like those men, seeking to hurt Telanis for her own selfish desires.

She glanced at him, admiring his cute face, and how kind he looked. She realized she didn't deserve him being with her. He was too good, and too pure to be around her. He deserved... a unicorn, one of his own kind. He deserved to be with his brother, in the middle of some enchanted forest... Happy.

She turned away and went into the room that they had slept in together, taking a seat on the futon. She forgot about her hand being semi-hurt and slammed it onto the floor in rage... She slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming, cursing her stupidiy. She just undid what Telanis had done for her. She really was losing and giving into her humanity. Her flause. She took several shaky breaths and clutched her hand to her, blinking tears away. The world could be cruel, but why did it have to be to him, Telanis, a good, pure... unicorn.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 11:04 pm

Telanis tensed as Laya turned away and left the room, feeling her guilt straying like ribbons behind her. He'd hurt her...he'd tried not to, but he'd done it anyway. He didn't want her to know how frightened he was, but he'd just shown her. Or maybe that was what he actually wanted. If he was seeking comfort by revealing his feelings to her, then he really was becoming human. It was too confusing; he couldn't tell what he wanted at the moment. Then a startling scream of pain came from the next room; a scream that of the three people in the room, only he could hear.

"If you want to act against them, think of a way to make use of that meeting," he said quietly to Kratos, standing up on legs that remembered how to hold him again. "I need a moment." He spoke with calm softness, but his gait was urgent as he excused himself into the room where Laya was. As soon as he was out of the room, he half-ran to Laya's side, spotting her sitting on the floor cushion. He crouched next to her gracefully, his long hair, curling in ivory swirls on the cushions.

He reached out and touched her chin ever so lightly with two fingers, not pulling hard, but gently turning her head to face up at him. "My dear Laya," he said softer than a mist, "Did you think that I could blame you for this?" He looked into her shining eyes seriously, gentle light glowing from his. "I have never regretted a moment of our time together, so please do not wish you'd left me behind." Something in him was shaking; he meant his words, but he wasn't completely able to compose himself completely. Part of him was still terrified, and desperate for some kind of comfort. For the first time, his eyes showed not only comfort and protection, but need. He was in a dangerous place full of fear and hatred, with no idea where his forest was, and he was about to join a war; he could not bear for her to break now. He couldn't believe his selfishness, but he prayed she could somehow be strong for him, and keep him from this incredible dread he felt. "Please," he murmured, not looking at her wrist, or her wounds, but straight into her eyes. For once, he was not seeing her as a patient, but as a companion.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 11:17 pm

Laya looked into his eyes with her gray orbs. The color in her eyes swirled like mist, or clouds, almost as if a storm was brewing behind her gaze. She could only stare at him for a moment, as the pain in her wrist sent shockwave, after shockwave, she slowly didn't notice it anymore. All she noticed was his beautiful eyes.

"I don't regret it," she said softly. "You are the only thing keeping me alive." Silent, yet happy tears trailed down her cheek. She was afraid to tell him what she thought she might feel... She didn't think it was right for her to love him, someone that was beyond her reach. "I only regret you have gotten hurt... when you do not deserve it. You are so good... and so kind..." She closed her eyes. "Perfect."

She opened her eyes and more tears streamed down her cheeks. "I love you..." It didn't even register in her mind that she had said it until she could hear the words come from her lips, as if she weren't the one saying them. She began to panic. What if he didn't know what that meant? What if... he didn't like it? What if he moved away from her? She couldn't bare to loose the one good thing in her life. She couldn't live.

Laya's life, sanity, hung by a thread. That thread was Telanis. She was just starting to heal... an if she lost him she knew she would die.

She glanced away, trying to get control of herself. "I'm sorry, I'm foolish sometimes," she said and wiped her eyes with her hands. Moving her good hand back to secure the kimono closed.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 11:38 pm

Telanis's need pressed flat under a thick wave of protectiveness. Old habits died hard. Once again, he could think of nothing else but preventing the fear and pain of the being in front of him. She loved him? What did it mean? He knew what he thought it meant, but that shouldn't cause her so much concern. He sought an answer in her psyche, but the feelings were all blurred together, panic and worry coming out strongest. There was also what was close to the kind of love he thought of, and also a tiny bit of something vaguely similar to what he'd felt in the guards minutes ago. He didn't understand. He tried to pull it together, but just couldn't handle everything right now. But that didn't give him a right to expect her to. What had registered a moment ago as need now collapsed into something closer to emotional exhaustion.

"Give me a little bit of time," he said gently, careful not to look as scared as he felt, "To understand." He lifted her wounded hand lightly, feeling the moisture of her tears on her skin. "It will be okay," he said, and bowed his head to her wrist. But instead of a full spell, only a soft glow pulsed from his hand. The unicorn's consciousness fuzzed out and his body went slack, sinking gently forward against her.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 11:44 pm

Laya wasn't ready for his body falling towards her, and even though he wasn't incredibly heavy she was unprepared. She fell back with his wheight pressing down on her until she lady flat on her back, her hand pinned between them. She pulled her partially healed hand out of his slack grasp and laid it beside her.

For a moment she just laid there, with him half lying on top of her. It didn't bother her, in fact, it was rather nice. She didn't think about it sexually, she just thought it was nice.

She needed to be close to him, so she could protect him from those who would try and corrupt his goodness.

"Don't worry, Telanis," she whispered to his sleeping form. "I'll die before I let anyone hurt you again... I'll always be here for you." She sighed, leaning her face against his. "I'll always be here."

Her arm wrapped around his shoulders, hugging him comfortingly. She was emotionally tired herself, and soon found she was drifting off as she stared at the ceiling in thought.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 11:57 pm

Telanis's racing heartbeat slowly died down to a calm murmur as he lay against her. After a few minutes, his mind returned his consciousness to him and he woke enough to sense Laya's warmth against him. After a moment's hesitation, he submitted to it and let himself feel comfort, soaking in the touch her her arms curled around him, her face on his. He touched his forehead to hers, and they glowed together on the tatami as he submitted to sleep for just a little longer. He knew Kratos would want to act soon, but for now they lay and healed each other in glowing silence for what time they had.

Adonis nickered quietly, bit the tip of an apple slice and flung it at her. It bounced off her forehead; he cocked his head almost triumphantly.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 5:53 pm

"Gah!" Neko gasped softly and caught the apple slice before it feel into the dirt of the stable. She pursed her lips in mock anger. "Silly horse." she said then nibbled the slice without hesitation. She eyed him for a moment. It was odd, horse's didn't exactly act like this, at least the ones she had known. It hit her then, where exactly had this horse come from? Before she had just assumed it wild, but remembering her homeland it was rare to see a wild horse now. Maybe he belonged to someone, and had gotten out of his corral? No, he had a wild look to him, wild, but somehow still tame. Like a beast that knew better than to get close, but still desperately wanting to be closer.

She hummed a moment, rocking on her heels. Animals had the oddest ways...

Kratos held his head in his hands. It had been a long while since Telanis dissapeared after Laya into the next room. His mother had made food and set it before him, but he hadn't touched it. He had a choice to make; either fight against this Warlord with his companions, or flee. But what did it really come down to? Was he out for revenge or for the good of his people? He had no right to drag his friends, his sister, into this fray. They had already lost one of their companions because of this trip, he refused to lose more.

He sat long in contemplation, trying hard to figure out his path. Fight, and he'd risk lives; flee, and they lived. But... his father... his people... he couldn't leave them. Not again. 'Neko...' he thought. His little sister had followed after him, meaning she'd follow him into battle. That was a scary thought. She was still so young, she had her own life to make. A warriors path was for the men, not women. Laya suffered enough, Telanis couldn't even begin to understand any of this...

Alright...

He stood up silently, not looking around for anyone, and left the house.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 6:42 pm

Laya felt more content and safe at the moment than she had in a very long time, even if someone was laying on top of her. It didn't bother her, she found it quite nice. She was sleeping peacefully against him, warm, cozy... His hair was so soft.

Her eyes fluttered slightly as she became more and more aware. She realized that she must have fallen a sleep, and she looked up at Telanis with a kind smile on her face.

She hoped he was feeling better, and hoped he wasn't as scared. She didn't know a way she could make the fear go away... but, it would with time.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 12:10 pm

Adonis's right ear twitched independently toward the mouth of the stable as his keen ears heard someone leave the house, his other ear and most of his attention still trained on Neko. He chose not to say anything, though he soon knew from the weight of the footsteps that the person was Kratos. What was the human up to?

More importantly, what was going on with the human in front of him now? He couldn't decide what he thought about her presence, but it wasn't unpleasant. With her next to him, he could concentrate and escape the roar of emotions around them, even the ones taking place in the house. That wasn't common; one person shouldn't be able to command that much of his attention, but she did. It was proof that the girl interested him, even if he didn't want to acknowledge it. He ate a few more apples and stopped, staring her in the eyes with his nose held just above the tray. She was pretty, for a human. That shouldn't have anything to do with it, though.

Telanis subconsciously noticed the change in Laya's breath and heartbeat as she woke from their nap, and it brought him back to consciousness as well. He didn't remember where he was at first, though his head felt dull, which he recognized as a feeling he got after blacking out. But he was comfortable, lying on something soft.

Pushing himself up on one arm, he shook his head slowly and pushed his hair out of his face, dragging his hand over his head groggily. He opened his eyes and saw Laya lying beneath him, and blinked, the line of his mouth hardening just slightly as everything that had happened came back to him at once. He stared into her eyes for a long, still moment, a soothing, proud, tense, worried, kind look that was impossible to understand except that he meant it all at once. "Did I...?" he said quietly, not really confused, looking down at how her body was trapped under him. After all that happened, this still didn't occur to him, except very very remotely, as a sexual situation, but collapsing on someone was enough to inspire bashfulness in the unicorn. "What time is it?" he asked suddenly, real concern on his face.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:18 pm

Laya was glad that her kimono had stayed closed while he was lying on top of her. She didn't know what he would feel at lying on her with her kimono open. But, when he said, "Did I?" she didn't quite know what he meant by the question. She put her hands to her kimono, holding it closed with both hands.

"I- I... I don't know what time it is," she said drousily.

She looked beautiful, though tired, under the fading sunlight pooring in through the cracked rice paper covered door that led out back. "Feel better?"

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:41 pm

"Yes, I am better," Telanis said, noting that any soreness from his treatment earlier had already faded. He seemed preoccupied as he spoke, glancing out the window at the side of the room. He couldn't see the sun, but one way or another, it wasn't bright enough to be before 3. They were missing the soldiers' meeting, which hardly bothered Telanis except that he knew it would bother Kratos, a lot - and he didn't sense a bothered Kratos in the next room.

A sense of dread pulled him quickly back off Laya's body. "Kratos isn't here," he said thinly.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:35 pm

Laya sat up, pulling the left end of the kimono over the right and wrapping the string around the middle, tying it with her now healed hand. She glanced at Telanis. "He went to that meeting... where the soldiers said they were going," she asserted, knowing he probably didn't want to get confronted by those soldiers.

"Its not a good idea if he went, because more than likely, they will be looking for the ones who escaped them.... and to end the lives of those who helped. Telanis... you should stay here," she told him, sitting up in front of him. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll go find Kratos, and make sure he doesn't get into any trouble. I'll see if I can convince him to come back so we can leave. I have some weapon knowledge..." She smiled. "I used to be a fairly good warrior."

She also knew, that though Telanis would probably not want to see the soldiers again, he might not let her go alone. She knew he was new to human ways, and wouldn't understand why she wanted him to stay behind. He wasn't a fighter. He had no knowledge of how to use a sword, or a bow. He had little to no hand to hand combat skills, well that she knew of. It would be suicidle of him to try and go into battle as ill prepared as he was.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:54 pm

Telanis's face had grown stern, though the look seemed different on his smooth features, like it was a new expression that hadn't been invented before. "No. I am coming. You will not go alone," he commanded. It lacked the implied threat of a human order, but had just as much, if not more, authority.

He stood up and extended a hand to her, pulling her upright in an effortless motion. He wondered if Neko had gone as well, or if she was still here somewhere. No, she would have gone with her brother. A quick search of the house confirmed his theory. At least they were together. "Let us go," he said anxiously, standing near the door and looking at Laya.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 7:36 pm

Kratos was hiding upon the rooftop of a building, hovering just above the meeting that was taking place. The soldier's had closed off the entire square to the townsfolk, not that anyone wanted to be more than 10 feet near a soldier. They were talking about their domination over this one town; they were spreading their influence to all of Ongoreth--that least it's what they plan on. The Ruler of this army was there, but it was hard to make him out. He was always covered by either a body guard or some object lying in the path of Kratos's view.

The Ruler was talking now...

"At the Queen's command, just days from now, we'll take over the southern fortress of the Shogun's Palace. It will be completely unguarded with him absent." he planned to ambush the capital in the Shogun's absence. Kratos hated to admit it, but that was smart. Without the Shogun's guidance, the capital will fall without ever even starting a true resistance. Now he was telling about their route, not saying it's exact details but the general direction they would go. Their voices were now falling hush at this point. Blast it, Kratos could just barley hear them over the pounding of his heart.

But this was enough to at least warn someone...

Neko, despite what logic was telling her, relaxed against the stable wall. How odd it was to be so comfortable in a horse's presence.

"Y'know..." she started speaking, like the horse could even understand her. But somehow, she felt he could. "You act strange for a horse... not that it's a bad thing. It's quite amazing actually, but it's probably why so many of those evil soldier's keep trying to claim you when you're in town. Stop being so unique!" She was joking, of course. A small smile came to her lips, like the world couldn't have bad events happening right now...