Lore: Upon The Heels of War

Post by **Emora Deen** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 12:09 am

Tenele jerked suddenly as she gasped, finally taking in a full clean breath of air. She blinked rapidly, and her vision finally cleared. She glanced around wildly, noticing Sinead kneeling beside her. She took in breath after breath, a shocked expression on her face. She couldn't figure out how she had ended up back in the world of the living. Sinead was surely the cause.

Tenele couldn't sit herself up, she was to tired for that. She rolled her head to the side and glanced at Vlad, she smiled at him, though not quite remembering anything she had said before she had faded out the last time.

"I tricked you," she said playfully. Hoping he would understand that it was a joke. "Looks like your not the only one who is immortal."

Tenele glanced back at Sinead. "Thank you, my queen..." Then Tenele looked around at what was left of her house and whimpered. "I'm homeless..."

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 12:15 pm

Vlad was lying half-curled on his side on the mat, watching Tenele intently. Finally, she took a breath and jerked awake. Vlad gave a choked laugh of triumph and looked downward, hiding the emotion on his face. When he glanced back up, Tenele was looking straight at him.

"I tricked you," she said playfully. "Looks like you're not the only one who is immortal."

Vlad chuckled, and wished he hadn't. His back and back ribs were screaming, probably broken, and drawing air was a task he no longer wanted to endure now that Tenele was safe. He started to stretch his arm in her direction, and stopped. He wanted to hold her and touch her to prove she was really alive. He wanted her to talk to him.

"My Queen, Lord Dracul is injured as well," one of the workers finally stuck up for him as he happened to walk behind Vlad and catch a glimpse of his mangled back. A set of knowing fingers began pressing along his back for breaks. Vlad didn't scream, but he clenched his eyes tightly and a tight breath wheezed slowly from his lungs. He wanted to turn around and slug the guy, but moving sounded worse than what was happening now.

Sinead looked down at Tenele, ignoring the others. "You always have a home, my maiden," she said gently, stroking Tenele's forehead. "You are like a daughter to me, and my home is yours forever." She stood up then and looked over at Vlad. It was hard to believe what terrible shape he was in. Of course, he would heal much faster than a human because he was a vampire. "Vladimir, I return to you your most fundamental powers. For disobeying me, you will be responsible for your own health. I permit you leave to hunt, when you feel so moved, and to Tenele's company in its appropriate capacity. If you betray me again, I will not forgive you," she said firmly.

THen she knelt next to him and touched his singed hair gently. In a very different voice, she murmured, "Thank you for saving Tenele." With that, she stood up and several men moved to escort her back to the castle. The others moved to transport Tenele and Vlad to a recovery ward inside the palace.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:51 pm

The medical ward in the palace was a room about the size of Sinead's throne room. It was a branch off the palace with windows on either side. Large tall windows. Beds lined the walls with there own little nightstands. Rails surrounded the meds and curtains hung on either side so if the doctors needed it, they could pull the curtains around the small cubicals and give privacy to the patient.

Tenele was in a bed directly across from Vlad. She had been sleeping for some time, but had finally come awake with a gasp after having yet another nightmare. It was only natural. She had been through more tramatizing things than usual. She sat up wearily, still unable to recapture her strength. She leaned back against the pillow and headboard to the small wooden bed.

She pulled the covers up to her stomach and placed her hands over her belly gently as she glanced up at Vlad.

"Feeling any better?" she asked him softly.

They were the only ones in the hospital ward, which was good and bad at the same time. It meant that the doctors had nothing better to do than to hassel them about their injuries. However, since it was late at night they were fast a sleep in their offices.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:16 pm

Vlad had been lain on his side on the hospital cot, a sheet covering his lower body. His back and torso had been carefully bandaged by the doctors, salve applied to his burns. The lighter burns were already beginning to look more like a rash as Vlad slowly healed his own body, but Sinead's scientists were saying that it would probably take about a week to really bounce back without opening the next level of his powers. A punishment was a punishment.

The doctors had given Vlad a sedative that was intended to put him out completely and keep him comfortable, but it didn't work as well as intended. Vlad just lay still and stared idly at the curtain hanging next to his cot until he heard Tenele's voice.

"Feeling any better?"

Vlad looked down at her and smirked. "Not long now. Though they seem to have placed me in the wrong cot," he said teasingly. His tone was very even and careful, like breathing was a real burden. "Are you fully recovered?"

Post by **Emora Deen** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:28 pm

Tenele looked at him and smiled fora moment. "I'm tired..." she said and glanced aout the window. "And really have no where else to go, so I'll just keep you company? Strangle sore in the face where he hit me..." she rubbed her chin idly for a moment. "When I get my hands on that woman... Oooo.... I'll see how she likes getting thrown through a window and having her house set on fire... and being left to burn to death."

Tenele smirked and looked at Vlad for a moment. "So you've been ordered to treat me like a disease? Not allowed to touch or kiss me? Like I'm a child that should not be tainted?" Tenele glanced down at the covers for a moment. "I love my queen, but it aggrivates me that she treats me as if I'm a child that needs protecting when it comes to our personal relationships. Yet, she sends us to war knowing we will probably die a horrible death. Since she loves us as her children, it is only fitting that the enemy would want to kill us more than any soldier. Most Queen's Maiden's that are sent into battle and die have died from horrible deaths at the hand of angry Arken men. I don't understand why she must be so over protective when it comes to a man that I choose to let into my bed... or go into his."

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:39 pm

Vlad's grin widened, though it didn't look genuine. "It's not so much that she doesn't want you around men, it's that she doesn't want you around me. I believe any other being would be preferable to her ultimate science experiment here," he smirked. "On the other hand, I doubt she'll find quarrel with the issue of my taking my share of the action against those fools who did this to you."

He curled his pale hand into a fist and held it up so she could see his point. As he did so, however, his vision doubled. He dropped his hand ungracefully back to the cot and blinked several times as he brought his eyes back together. "What the hell did they shoot me with," he wondered out loud, annoyed that he couldn't get his thoughts clear.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:48 pm

Tenele blinked and then smirked as she thought of a smart answer. "Knowing Sinead at the moment, probably a potion that would make you attracted to men for a while," she said and laughed softly before coughing. "Still have some smoke to get out of my lungs," she told him as she rolled over on her side to face him.

"She says that she wants to kill the ones you love... because you took the one person she had from her... She says that what happened tonight was just a warning of what they could do if they wanted. She said what would happen next would tear you apart. She said, 'almost like how he ripped the heart from my brother's chest.'" Tenele looked down for a moment. "She said, all to save and protect the dignity of a whore. She called me a whore..."

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:00 pm

"You were caught up in my mess," Vlad said, wondering what resources they could possibly have at their disposal beyond a cowardly stunt like this. "I vow I will not forgive them for it, and you will not suffer for it again." For a moment he was thinking about how to say it, but his mind wasn't sharp enough for wit at the moment, so he decided to be direct. "For you to be hurt in a matter so foolish, I am sincerely sorry. I..." Vlad's head sunk into the pillow, suddenly too heavy to raise. He had to stop talking as his mind swept red, trying to stay conscious. No, he had more to say to her... "Maid..." he groaned faintly and felt his body give up on him, dropping him into unconsciousness.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:06 pm

Tenele smiled and looked at Vlad's sleeping form. She tilted her head to the side and moved slowly to climb out of bed. She walked stiffly over to where he was, using the curtain, nightstands, and beds, to hold her weak form up. When she reached him she leaned down and kissed his lips softly. Then she moved back to her bed and blew out the candles that had been the only source of light. The room went completely black.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:25 pm

When the sun began to rise outside, Vlad's eyes drifted open, squinting to make out the room around him. He'd slept all night, and his body still felt like shit. He craned his neck to see around the rest of the room, spying Tenele in her cot across from him. She looked peaceful, sleeping quietly. Memories of last night began piecing in. Fire, the roof collapsing, "I don't care what you think of me...I love...you anyway."

Vlad frowned, then leaned forward onto his stomach. He got his arms under him and tried to push himself up onto his knees. No sooner had he started to make it off the sheets than his spin and ribs screamed out at him and vetoed the movement. He hissed and pushed suddenly toward his other side, then cursed as his hand found the edge of the bed and lost his balance. With a curse, he fell off the side of the cot, snatching at the covers. His sharp nails just shredded the sheets like a cat on a curtain. Off guard, he cried out sharply as he landed flat on the floor and lost all the air in his lungs. Wide-eyed, he struggled onto his side and tried to calm down with several tight breaths. DAMN, that hurt.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:42 pm

Tenele blinked her eyes open at the sound of the sudden thud and sharp cry. She opened her eyes to see that Vlad's bed was empty... However she heard the sound of panting coming from the floor. She looked down at him with a strange expression and smiled beautifully, her green eyes sparkling. She sat up slowly, wincing as she still was a bit sore and stiff.

"Vlad? Did you sleep on the floor?" she asked him with a playful smirk, moving to sit on the edge of the bed.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:53 pm

Vlad winced his eyes open as Tenele spoke. Women were amazing creatures. "Yep," he groaned ungracefully, putting one hand on his hip and raising his head on his palm. The pose looked ridiculous. Vlad forced a grin. "Bed's too soft." Sweat glowed on his pale face.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:01 pm

Tenele smiled at him as she leaned forward, propping her head on her hand. Silver strands of hair cascaded down in front of her beautiful face. The hospital gown slipped off her shoulder slightly, though she didn't notice it at all.

"Men," she said and shook her head. She moved to stand up and give him a hand, but her knees buckled and she fell down next to him, slightly hovering over him. She had fallen in a position where her face was mere inches from his and her hair had fallen more in front of her eyes.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:21 pm

Vlad's breath snagged and held as Tenele landed just over him. "Don't be reckless, stupid," he reprimanded, but couldn't move a muscle from where he was without looking pathetic. Still, he was oddly comforted to have her by him. It saved him the trouble of finishing his attempt to get over to her cot. He reached up and touched the side of her face. Odd, this wasn't lust. Sex was the last thing he could take right now, but he felt like he could forget about his back and the awful angle he was in if she lay next to him right now. "You shouldn't be up-"

"Lady Tenele!" gasped a doctor as he entered the ward to check on them, "You shouldn't be up yet! You may be healed, but your body has a lot of catching up to do!" He frowned as he spotted her on the floor above Vlad, who seemed to be carressing her. "LORD Dracul," he said firmly, rushing next to them. He peered over at the vampire's back and grimaced. He touched a broken rib to make his point, and Vlad closed his eyes. "These will not heal until you lie still. We have no blood to give you, and you're running on an empty tank, so I suggest you use your time efficiently while you still have the energy to recover."

The doctor looked from Vlad to Tenele, disapproving and worried. "I heard rumors about yesterday. Many are saying the No Life King set fire to the Maiden's home and became trapped himself. Maiden, you know the vampire too well to be tricked, and Lord Dracul should know better than to attack a maiden. To me, it looks more like what I'm looking at right now." He looked at Tenele for confirmation.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:27 pm

Tenele groaned and looked up at the doctor for a moment and then back at Vlad. "He fell out of bed. I was merely trying to help him back into his," she retorted and pulled herself up into her bed using the bed railing and covers. "Last night I was attacked by old enemies... and Vlad is the only reason I'm alive today."

Tenele sat on the bed and looked down at Vlad. "He would never attack anyone that didn't deserve it in the first place," she told the doctor. "And pray you never deserve it." She smiled at Vlad and then glanced back at the doctor with a hint of amusement in her eyes. She was trying to frighten the man away.