The Princess and the Blade
- Emora Deen
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
Laurius shook his head. "We can't go anywhere until I repair you," he said, hating the truth of it. The longer they delayed, the further away Arken would get with the people they cared for. But, Laurius was not a fighter. He was abysmal at it, actually. He would need the sword, he would need Havitharon.
He would need an army, he thought. But, it would take too long to send word to Tenara's parents. He would do it anyway, but couldn't afford to wait.
"The mage with the soul stones was set to arrive today," he said. " I can repair you, we can be on our way by tomorrow night. We'll be a day behind, but... we can find them." He wasn't so sure of that. He had no idea where Elias would take them. It all depended on what he planned. Did he plan to use her as another sacrifice? Did he plan to make Ren read the other heinous and awful spells in that book?" He tried to force out what the Sisters would do, for he knew their tastes well by sight and rumor.
"What... What do you think they will do to them?" he asked, hoping Havitharon's naivety where Arken's darkness was concerned would paint a rosier picture than the one his mind was forming.
This was all his fault. All of it. Down to the beginning.
He would need an army, he thought. But, it would take too long to send word to Tenara's parents. He would do it anyway, but couldn't afford to wait.
"The mage with the soul stones was set to arrive today," he said. " I can repair you, we can be on our way by tomorrow night. We'll be a day behind, but... we can find them." He wasn't so sure of that. He had no idea where Elias would take them. It all depended on what he planned. Did he plan to use her as another sacrifice? Did he plan to make Ren read the other heinous and awful spells in that book?" He tried to force out what the Sisters would do, for he knew their tastes well by sight and rumor.
"What... What do you think they will do to them?" he asked, hoping Havitharon's naivety where Arken's darkness was concerned would paint a rosier picture than the one his mind was forming.
This was all his fault. All of it. Down to the beginning.
- Soran Nightblade
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
Havi wanted to throw up at the images that came to mind, but they were too close to the horror to ignore it. "People like them like to feel powerful by hurting others. And from what I've seen, that kingdom's language of power is sex."
He didn't need to clarify the details. They both knew what they'd try to do. "Tenara will fight. In the end, those games will only make her angrier. They'll probably try to hurt Ren to keep her docile. If he doesn't hurt himself first."
He didn't need to clarify the details. They both knew what they'd try to do. "Tenara will fight. In the end, those games will only make her angrier. They'll probably try to hurt Ren to keep her docile. If he doesn't hurt himself first."
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
Laurius let the blade go, as if breaking contact with Havitharon would keep the words from coming into his mind, but it was too late. He felt bile build in the back of his throat. He had known, and he had hoped for better words.
His shaking hand took the hilt again. “I am going to see if the groundskeeper is alive. I will get us some clothes and send a letter to Hajara.” He left the sword on his desk.
The groundskeeper’s home was several yards from the conservatory, and untouched. The birds were in the coop, but the door to the cabin was wide open. Snow covered the floor, and no fire burned in the hearth.
Laurius took his time gathering supplies, and sobbing as the tears came to him. He should be stronger than this. He was raised stronger than this.
But Laurius had always been more mind than matter, and right now his mind felt broken. His heart even more so. But, even in his wildest dreams he had never expected Arken to turn like this, which meant there was more at play than just a sentient blade.
His shaking hand took the hilt again. “I am going to see if the groundskeeper is alive. I will get us some clothes and send a letter to Hajara.” He left the sword on his desk.
The groundskeeper’s home was several yards from the conservatory, and untouched. The birds were in the coop, but the door to the cabin was wide open. Snow covered the floor, and no fire burned in the hearth.
Laurius took his time gathering supplies, and sobbing as the tears came to him. He should be stronger than this. He was raised stronger than this.
But Laurius had always been more mind than matter, and right now his mind felt broken. His heart even more so. But, even in his wildest dreams he had never expected Arken to turn like this, which meant there was more at play than just a sentient blade.
- Soran Nightblade
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
The moment Laurius set him down, it was like being dropped loose in the sea. Darkness tugged and shoved at him. Confusion bled to fear and then panic. "Laurius," he tried, his vision spinning. He tried to keep track of where he was. It felt like if he so much as blinked, he'd come untethered and be swept into that darkness.
He scrambled to his feet and immediately thought better of it, dropping into Laurius's chair. He looked down at the damaged sword. His incorporeal flesh tickled squeamishly when he tried to touch it. Artisuren had said those stones bound his soul to the sword. Then, what would happen if they broke?
_____________________
"What kind of nonsense are you babbling about now?" Narissa sighed at Artisuren.
"I'm sorry," he repeated again.
"Ugh. Is he crying? I'm already getting bored of him."
"More for me," Milandra quipped. "Come along, puppy. Apparently I only get you until sundown."
Ren followed her. "Someone should bind her wrist."
"I don't like pets who can't mind their own business," she warned him.
"It will heal wrong, and be of no use," he said.
She had to hand it to him. The phage spoke as though fearless. "If I let you set her arm, what will you do for me."
He looked her in the eyes. "I will do anything for you," he said. Somehow, he managed to say the words without making them feel even marginally emotional. He was stating a fact. No more and no less.
She waved her hand in a bored motion. "No, you already have to do anything I say. There's no investment in it. That's not an offer at all, pet." She tapped her chin with the tip of his dagger, considering her options. "This ice show won't do at all. I know! Show me how Laurius Marr liked to kiss you. I want to see what kind of kisser he was."
Sure enough, that got a reaction from him. Ren's expression sharpened, as if noticing her there for the first time. "Angry?" she asked. "Guess you don't want to heal your little princess.
"I needed a moment to remember," he clarified, stepping closer to her. "Excuse me," he warned, and then pressed forward into her space, towering over her as he covered her lips with his. His hand framed her cheek, and his breath poured hot over her skin. He slid his tongue into her mouth, slow and languorous, as if he meant to drink her alive. He traced fingers town her sides, soft points of heat all tracing down her flanks, beneath the lip of her pants, over her rear. The front of his body pressed against hers, demanding her.
His mind went through each movement like a reenactment, his own skin remembering what it was like to be touched this way. The only real difference, other than height, was that he wasn't excited.
He scrambled to his feet and immediately thought better of it, dropping into Laurius's chair. He looked down at the damaged sword. His incorporeal flesh tickled squeamishly when he tried to touch it. Artisuren had said those stones bound his soul to the sword. Then, what would happen if they broke?
_____________________
"What kind of nonsense are you babbling about now?" Narissa sighed at Artisuren.
"I'm sorry," he repeated again.
"Ugh. Is he crying? I'm already getting bored of him."
"More for me," Milandra quipped. "Come along, puppy. Apparently I only get you until sundown."
Ren followed her. "Someone should bind her wrist."
"I don't like pets who can't mind their own business," she warned him.
"It will heal wrong, and be of no use," he said.
She had to hand it to him. The phage spoke as though fearless. "If I let you set her arm, what will you do for me."
He looked her in the eyes. "I will do anything for you," he said. Somehow, he managed to say the words without making them feel even marginally emotional. He was stating a fact. No more and no less.
She waved her hand in a bored motion. "No, you already have to do anything I say. There's no investment in it. That's not an offer at all, pet." She tapped her chin with the tip of his dagger, considering her options. "This ice show won't do at all. I know! Show me how Laurius Marr liked to kiss you. I want to see what kind of kisser he was."
Sure enough, that got a reaction from him. Ren's expression sharpened, as if noticing her there for the first time. "Angry?" she asked. "Guess you don't want to heal your little princess.
"I needed a moment to remember," he clarified, stepping closer to her. "Excuse me," he warned, and then pressed forward into her space, towering over her as he covered her lips with his. His hand framed her cheek, and his breath poured hot over her skin. He slid his tongue into her mouth, slow and languorous, as if he meant to drink her alive. He traced fingers town her sides, soft points of heat all tracing down her flanks, beneath the lip of her pants, over her rear. The front of his body pressed against hers, demanding her.
His mind went through each movement like a reenactment, his own skin remembering what it was like to be touched this way. The only real difference, other than height, was that he wasn't excited.
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
“Damn,” Narissa sighed as she watched. “I take it back… I want to play too.”
—
A long time later, Laurius stumbled into the conservatory wearing the groundskeeper’s clothes—which were twice too broad for him—and carrying a large duffle of supplies. He threw them onto the floor and frantically went to his table, searching for the original copy of the book that he had given to Arken.
He looked feverish. Mad. A man with an idea and a compulsion to understand it. He tore through the book. “No. No. No.” Each page wasn’t the one he was looking for.
He grabbed a handful of his own hair. “I’m missing something. What? What am I missing? Think…” But all he could think about was the Black Sisters coiling around Ren like snakes. He shook his head, and curled his hand around the sword.
“Three fathers. She said she has three fathers. I thought she was high on mushrooms. But what if she wasn’t? There… there’s a spell in here for merging souls. I think, I think that’s what it does, anyway. But you need a conduit. A trigger…” He needed something to fixate on. The snakes were tightening around Ren. He was moaning. Was he enjoying it? Would he enjoy them? No. Stop. Think.
“There is more to it. This was too harsh, even for them. Why do they want people to think she’s dead, if they plan to sacrifice her? Because they don’t, right? Arken doesn’t give three shits about starting a war. They live for war. Covering their tracks isn’t their usual prerogative. So what do they want?”
Laurius stiffened. Unless this wasn’t Arken—not wholly. The only reason to keep a secret from the world would be to keep it secret from Arken too. “What does Elias want?”
—
A long time later, Laurius stumbled into the conservatory wearing the groundskeeper’s clothes—which were twice too broad for him—and carrying a large duffle of supplies. He threw them onto the floor and frantically went to his table, searching for the original copy of the book that he had given to Arken.
He looked feverish. Mad. A man with an idea and a compulsion to understand it. He tore through the book. “No. No. No.” Each page wasn’t the one he was looking for.
He grabbed a handful of his own hair. “I’m missing something. What? What am I missing? Think…” But all he could think about was the Black Sisters coiling around Ren like snakes. He shook his head, and curled his hand around the sword.
“Three fathers. She said she has three fathers. I thought she was high on mushrooms. But what if she wasn’t? There… there’s a spell in here for merging souls. I think, I think that’s what it does, anyway. But you need a conduit. A trigger…” He needed something to fixate on. The snakes were tightening around Ren. He was moaning. Was he enjoying it? Would he enjoy them? No. Stop. Think.
“There is more to it. This was too harsh, even for them. Why do they want people to think she’s dead, if they plan to sacrifice her? Because they don’t, right? Arken doesn’t give three shits about starting a war. They live for war. Covering their tracks isn’t their usual prerogative. So what do they want?”
Laurius stiffened. Unless this wasn’t Arken—not wholly. The only reason to keep a secret from the world would be to keep it secret from Arken too. “What does Elias want?”
- Soran Nightblade
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
Havi could barely follow what the man was saying, but he clung to his touch and voice like buoys in a storm. Over the past few minutes, he'd lost the ability to hold his form, and then gradually lost his senses one by one. He'd thought he was done for until the man suddenly returned and grabbed him, but his manic behavior made it seem like he might throw the sword aside again at any moment. "W-wait. Laurius, d-don't let me g-go," he strained, hoping his words came out as words.
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
Laurius stiffened at the faint voice. Before, Havitharon had been ghost in visual alone but now his voice sounded far away. Fading.
“Don’t you disappear,” he said. “You have to kill me, remember?”
He carried the sword with him through the room and to a drawer where he had one soul stone left. It wouldn’t be enough to stabilize him, but maybe enough to tether him until the others arrived. “You have to help me get him back. You have to be my hands and feet if I fight them because I will lose without you, and then they will be gone forever…”
Laurius carried the stone and the sword back to his table and when to work. He found a slot and pried the prongs loose. The cracked and damaged stone popped away, and Laurius hurried to add the spare. He smoothed the prongs down. “Don’t get too excited. I think yours are all human souls and that’s the soul of a chicken I found out back one day…” He kept his hand on the weapon, looking out the windows. Searching. “We should wait out front. He might leave if he sees the house is gone…”
—-
The one called Vardner tied her bound hands above her head to a post at the center of the tent. Her front was pressed to the wood so that her back was to the door and she could not see who entered. She rested her forehead to the wood, and tried to move the post, tried to collapse the tent, but it was tied down good, and the post had been buried in the dirt so that it did not slip free easily. It was made to withstand the storms that raged on the mountains and she wasn't going to be moving it any time soon.
Her wrist screamed with pain, and it was hard to think about escape when it was so loud in her head.
The flap rustled. A rush of cold air blew the warmth away. Her heart raced louder than the scream of pain, and she tried to peer over her shoulder to see who it was.
Elias appeared, a bundle of leather in his hand.
"Going to whip me?" she asked.
"Fix you, if you're good," he said. He reached to his hip for a dagger and cut the binds loose. She swayed on her feet and he caught her. She attempted to escape only once, but he grabbed her by the broken wrist and she was putty, easily led to the pallet on the floor. She sat, and trembled, telling herself it was from the pain and not from fear.
"Is this punishment for leaving that room?" she asked him.
He sank down next to her, dark eyes appraising her. "No," he said. "And yes, I suppose. I never planned to let you leave..."
"It was all a lie? Wanting my help? Our bargain? Wanting your mother dead?"
"The last part is true. I want her dead still," he said, nodding. "But the rest of it was for science, maybe? I was supposed to kill you when I found you, but I wanted to know the make of a woman who had lived through that and killed Shea's favorite son."
"So it's good I escaped," she said, flicking her gaze back to him. "Havitharon was right to think you wanted to keep me there..."
Havitharon. Her face fell, and tears brimmed her eyes. She thought of fire, and him being trapped there, and she began to sob despite the company.
Elias brushed tears from her cheek on one side, and then traced his wet fingers along her jaw, taking her chin and tilting it up so he could look at her. "You fell in love with a sword," he said, amusement in his eyes and voice. "Was he a good lover?"
"Better than you would be," she said.
"But you don't remember how good I am," he said, smiling. "I could remind you..."
“Don’t you disappear,” he said. “You have to kill me, remember?”
He carried the sword with him through the room and to a drawer where he had one soul stone left. It wouldn’t be enough to stabilize him, but maybe enough to tether him until the others arrived. “You have to help me get him back. You have to be my hands and feet if I fight them because I will lose without you, and then they will be gone forever…”
Laurius carried the stone and the sword back to his table and when to work. He found a slot and pried the prongs loose. The cracked and damaged stone popped away, and Laurius hurried to add the spare. He smoothed the prongs down. “Don’t get too excited. I think yours are all human souls and that’s the soul of a chicken I found out back one day…” He kept his hand on the weapon, looking out the windows. Searching. “We should wait out front. He might leave if he sees the house is gone…”
—-
The one called Vardner tied her bound hands above her head to a post at the center of the tent. Her front was pressed to the wood so that her back was to the door and she could not see who entered. She rested her forehead to the wood, and tried to move the post, tried to collapse the tent, but it was tied down good, and the post had been buried in the dirt so that it did not slip free easily. It was made to withstand the storms that raged on the mountains and she wasn't going to be moving it any time soon.
Her wrist screamed with pain, and it was hard to think about escape when it was so loud in her head.
The flap rustled. A rush of cold air blew the warmth away. Her heart raced louder than the scream of pain, and she tried to peer over her shoulder to see who it was.
Elias appeared, a bundle of leather in his hand.
"Going to whip me?" she asked.
"Fix you, if you're good," he said. He reached to his hip for a dagger and cut the binds loose. She swayed on her feet and he caught her. She attempted to escape only once, but he grabbed her by the broken wrist and she was putty, easily led to the pallet on the floor. She sat, and trembled, telling herself it was from the pain and not from fear.
"Is this punishment for leaving that room?" she asked him.
He sank down next to her, dark eyes appraising her. "No," he said. "And yes, I suppose. I never planned to let you leave..."
"It was all a lie? Wanting my help? Our bargain? Wanting your mother dead?"
"The last part is true. I want her dead still," he said, nodding. "But the rest of it was for science, maybe? I was supposed to kill you when I found you, but I wanted to know the make of a woman who had lived through that and killed Shea's favorite son."
"So it's good I escaped," she said, flicking her gaze back to him. "Havitharon was right to think you wanted to keep me there..."
Havitharon. Her face fell, and tears brimmed her eyes. She thought of fire, and him being trapped there, and she began to sob despite the company.
Elias brushed tears from her cheek on one side, and then traced his wet fingers along her jaw, taking her chin and tilting it up so he could look at her. "You fell in love with a sword," he said, amusement in his eyes and voice. "Was he a good lover?"
"Better than you would be," she said.
"But you don't remember how good I am," he said, smiling. "I could remind you..."
- Soran Nightblade
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
A dangerous chill went through Havi's soul as the stone pried loose, but that one had been so damaged that its function had already nearly ceased. Havi expected the procedure to be agony, but the man was surprisingly skilled with the setting tools as he replaced the stone. "D-damn chicken was an upgrade... I th-think. Didn't h-have you pegged for a jeweler," he strained.
He focused his senses on Laurius's grip around him. He knew the man needed help, that he was trying to plan, but following his words was like prying a piece of shell from a bowl of egg yolks. He was dizzy, and frightened. It was surprisingly comforting to know someone else was holding him, making a plan to fix him, thinking ahead to help the others.. "I should be... f-furious with you."
He focused his senses on Laurius's grip around him. He knew the man needed help, that he was trying to plan, but following his words was like prying a piece of shell from a bowl of egg yolks. He was dizzy, and frightened. It was surprisingly comforting to know someone else was holding him, making a plan to fix him, thinking ahead to help the others.. "I should be... f-furious with you."
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
Laurius smirked as he gathered the sword and headed out the door. “I’m sure you’ll find the rage when you see…” he faded off, thinking of kind, gentle Tenara surrounded by cruelty. At least she and Ren had each other. Maybe she could shield him. Maybe he could shield her. Maybe there would be something left of them when they were found.
Laurius cut through the ruins of his home and out what once had been the front door. He sat on the steps, held the sword to his chest, and waited for the mage with his soul stones.
Laurius cut through the ruins of his home and out what once had been the front door. He sat on the steps, held the sword to his chest, and waited for the mage with his soul stones.
- Soran Nightblade
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
Havi felt out their surroundings through the sword, using his strange 6th sense to appraise the wreckage. Such a large, regal home. "How long... have you l-lived here?"
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
Laurius looked around, the wind tossing his brittle, burned hair. "Almost fifteen years," he said. "It was the house I promised myself when I was a boy, living on the streets. I told myself I'd be rich some day, and that I'd live in a mansion, and be waited on hand and foot. I'd have parties, and drink, and fuck, and never worry or want for anything again. I got most of that, I just had to sell my soul for it."
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
Havi gave an ambiguous huff. "When you s-state such a slimy goal that honestly, it m-makes it sound oddly r-respectable."
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
Laurius chuckled. "It is slimy," he agreed. "Probably shouldn't have made the goals of a ten year old boy a long-game reality." He kicked at the snow, spotting blood on it out in the distance. Some of it was smeared on a statue. Another handprint on a pillar. He shook his head. "My mom was a whore. I lived in a whore house. When I was ten, I was asked to take a test. All the kids in the town did, but I was the only one who passed. I was taken away, sent to a school built on a literal volcano. Its prestigious. Most people where I come from would gloat about it, but here... it's a curse." He looked around again. "They taught me to be a good alchemist, and to make weapons. They taught Elias to be a good potions master, and to be able to create sedatives that could keep you on the brink of death but never offer it. They taught Narissa and Milandra wicked spells to twist the mind and body, and then when their fear of aging grew too much, they made themselves immortal with a vampire's kiss... I ran away when placements came. I was going to be sent to Arroes, and I would be a servant. I wanted to be more... So, I came here. I made a life for myself using the dreams of a damaged child. And it's slimy, but it was mine."
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
Havi struggled to imagine the life the man described, and not just because his world didn't have any volcanoes. He knew they were both thinking about his classmates' skills, and how they currently had the people they cared about at their mercy. There was no point give any more power to the images by saying them out loud.
"Was it hot?" he asked. "Living in the volcano?"
"Was it hot?" he asked. "Living in the volcano?"
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Re: The Princess and the Blade
"Yes," Laurius said. "Lots of loose fitting clothing. Not a lot of sunlight. The smoke blocks most of it."
Laurius lost track of how long he sat there talking to Havitharon. He was rambling. He talked about everything from the type of rocks you could find to what the school served for lunch before the mage he was waiting on ambled up the roads, staring wide-eyed at the ruins. Laurius approached him, and he looked as if he'd seen a ghost. "The stones," Laurius demanded, holding the sword. Perhaps the mage thought he meant to rob him, he looked desperate enough. The mage fumbled for the pouch, and placed the heavy leather sack in Laurius's palm. Laurius turned for the stairs and entered his burned out home.
"Hey! What about my money!"
Laurius waved his arm. "Enter what used to be the door, make a right in what used to be a hallway, find what used to be a door on your left, and you'll notice a rather large pool of melted gold. Have at it," he said, and left the man.
Laurius poured out the bag of soul stones. "I'm going to change them one-by-one," he said, and began going to work on the first. "Let me know if you feel like you're coming undone. I can't stop if it hurts, though. This has to happen or you're effectively done." Laurius spared a glance at the sky, hating how aware of the time he was. The sun would set soon.
Laurius lost track of how long he sat there talking to Havitharon. He was rambling. He talked about everything from the type of rocks you could find to what the school served for lunch before the mage he was waiting on ambled up the roads, staring wide-eyed at the ruins. Laurius approached him, and he looked as if he'd seen a ghost. "The stones," Laurius demanded, holding the sword. Perhaps the mage thought he meant to rob him, he looked desperate enough. The mage fumbled for the pouch, and placed the heavy leather sack in Laurius's palm. Laurius turned for the stairs and entered his burned out home.
"Hey! What about my money!"
Laurius waved his arm. "Enter what used to be the door, make a right in what used to be a hallway, find what used to be a door on your left, and you'll notice a rather large pool of melted gold. Have at it," he said, and left the man.
Laurius poured out the bag of soul stones. "I'm going to change them one-by-one," he said, and began going to work on the first. "Let me know if you feel like you're coming undone. I can't stop if it hurts, though. This has to happen or you're effectively done." Laurius spared a glance at the sky, hating how aware of the time he was. The sun would set soon.