Lore: Fugitives

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Thu May 17, 2007 6:33 pm

The group of survivors camped deep within the woods, making small fires and using the little supplies they had for whatever their needs. They camped a little ways away from a river that ran just south of the encampment, and the trees gave them a green roof, encompassing them in darkness.

Mizuki dozed on a makeshift bed of linens and the people scurried about with new found duties. Soran kept them busy. No time for mourning, but it helped them get over their grief and renew themselves with revenge. Mizuki stirred awake by a small fire with spitted rabbit on it. The smell churned her stomach and she rolled away from it. One thing she noticed though, was that she could hear Soran's thoughts. She blinked awake in surprise and she heard Soran think about his plans for the group.

Sitting up, she called to him. 'Soran,' her tone was cheery, but tired from her sleep.

[ooc: ready to go guys!]

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Fri May 18, 2007 3:44 pm

Soran was in the midst of training some of the women to carve arrows from birch sticks when he heard Mizuki call him. He glanced back at where she was resting in the camp. Fatigue traced his features, but their sweaty march and sheer necessity had driven his fever away. “Keep making these,” he said to the women, getting back to his feet and turning toward Mizuki.

We’re going to need them, he thought, though it’s not going to be enough. The thought was very rational, calm and disturbingly resolute. We need backup Mizuki’s awake Would Sinead have even noticed Hepian yet? She’s probably dehydrated. She was unconscious all day We might find support at the next city, but how many spies does Arken have? It’s very reasonable to expect the worst I hope she’s well enough to talk. No, I should let her rest. What happened to her body?

The rogue’s thoughts were like a storm of calculations and concerns as he crossed over to Mizuki’s side and knelt next to her, at which point the flurry of deliberations abruptly tamed to a gentler buzz behind a more sincere, relieved emotion that didn’t read out into discernable words. “How do you feel?” he said as he sat on the earth at her side, and his thoughts reflected the same words without interruption.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Sat May 19, 2007 8:57 am

Mizuki smiled. His thoughts were chaotically clashing with each other but they made sense. He was wondering what to do next, and worried about her. She loved him for it. When he knelt next to her and asked her how she felt, she wrapped her arms around him. She needed his touch. It felt like he hadn't touched her in a very long time.

"I feel better," she whispered in his ear, resting her chin on his shoulder and rubbing her cheek against his. She loved the feeling of his smooth, unroughened by stubble face against hers. She closed her eyes and revealed in the feeling, remembering their last embrace with fond memories. "I miss you."

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sat May 19, 2007 10:05 am

But I've been with her all this time...why would she-...oh, she means... Warm arousal kicked through their connection, and Soran had to glance away for a second while he decided that couldn't be what she meant. But suddenly her gentle nuzzling against his cheek didn't feel so innocent. I shouldn't be able to think about this right now.

"You were out all day," he said to Mizuki, running his hand along the back of her head, stroking down her silky hair to the curve of her neck. The sensation made him shudder, and he stopped. Stop. She's not well, he reprimanded himself.

You'd have never believed what was going on in his head from the matter-of-fact tone of his voice. "We traveled a good distance through the woods, away from the cities. Arken will try to take one of them next, so it's best to avoid civilization until we're farther north. Almost everyone is healthy. A young boy healed them. They're preparing to move again tomorrow. Do you need anything? Can you drink?" he asked, noting that her color was a bit peekish.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Sat May 19, 2007 10:30 am

Mizuki chuckled to herself, she knew full-well what was going on with him. But she let him be, maybe now really wasn't the time for it...

She moved away, kissed his lips lightly then said, "No and yes," she smiled, "So everyone's alright then?" She only said it to keep their conversation moving and make Soran comfortable. She knew everyone was alright and fit to make a journey. She did not let the sadness of the disaster touch her... not in front of Soran.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sat May 19, 2007 10:42 am

They seem to be. Rai included," Soran said, his mouth still tingling from her chaste kiss. He turned behind him to where a kettle of spring water was boiling over the fire, and filled a cup that had been waiting there for mizuki to wake up. "We only have hot water right now. The pond we found was of questionable purity," he said, and swished the water in the cup to cool it so she could drink. He was so relieved that she was up; he hadn't known what was happening to her. He wanted to tell her all the concerns and possible courses of action that were crowded in his mind, but didn't exactly. "This is going to be big. Bigger than we can handle," he said, suddenly looking as tired as he felt.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Sat May 19, 2007 11:02 am

Mizuki took a second to answer then said nonchalantly, "The water is fine. So, Rai is healed..." Again she knew the how's and why's. She fell quiet, thinking about everything all at once. Yes, it deffinatly was big, and they were about the only people who could handle it.

"About what about alerting Sinead?" she asked. Could they get her help? "This doesn't just have to be our responsibility." She looked past Soran and at the people, she could feel their emotions. Many wanted revenge, and others just wanted peace or to kill themselves. "These people are ready to perform rash actions..."

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sat May 19, 2007 11:27 am

Soran turned his gaze to meet hers carefully. "Mizu...how do you know that?"

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Sat May 19, 2007 11:33 am

She blinked then touched her head. "Everything just came back, now that I'm rested." Then it occured to her that while Soran had been away, Mizuki powers had gone on overdrive and she used them more than ever before.

"Oh, since...everything, my abilities increased." she thought about it and realized she didn't actually know how that had happened. "I guess the desparation of the situation strengthened my powers... I-" she fell silent not knowing how else to explain to a man that didn't entirely trust magic. She loved him, she didn't want to scare him away from her.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sun May 20, 2007 9:27 pm

Soran's eyes were hard to read as he watched her explain, but his mind wasn't. Abilities increased? Is that permanent? They already drained her this much, what if they kill her? His thought process went on. Mizuki's abilities were a threat; something that might turn on her and destroy her at any time. He didn't trust them any more than he trusted any other spell, and the fact that they were altering without her control bothered him immensely. Then can she...no, I would know it...probably... He watched her eyes for some sign of what she was thinking, and wasn't sure. Damn, he had to know, whether he liked the answer or not. You can hear this? he thought, his eyes never faltering as he stared at hers.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Sun May 20, 2007 9:31 pm

Mizuki cocked her head to one side like a child and nodded. "I'm not afraid," she told him seriously. She then wrapped her arms around him, ignoring the water she knew she should be drinking.

Around them the people worked nonstop. They glanced in the direction of Soran and Mizuki, but figured they were reuniting after all of Mizuki's odd fainting spells. No need to worry about the people who could handle the situation.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sun May 20, 2007 9:41 pm

Soran stiffened in her arms. She wasn't afraid, but he wasn't cool with this situation. Someone was in his head, hearing his thoughts with magic he didn't trust and couldn't sense; there was something deeply disturbing about that, something that frankly made him want to create distance between them. And amidst that fierce emotion there was also the dread and regret of knowing that Mizuki would know; she'd be able to tell how much he resented her in his mind, and it wasn't her fault. Reminding himself of that let him stay in her arms without moving away, but it wasn't enough to ease his tension. "Sorry...is there any way you can stop?" he said out loud, very quietly. Alarm spread deeper through his body, instinctively guarding the privacy he'd fought so long to establish and wasn't ready to share, not yet, not at all.

At once, a wall seemed to come up between their minds. Soran's frantic unease faded from Mizuki's head like someone had just stuck a pillow to each of her ears.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Sun May 20, 2007 9:48 pm

Her eyes clouded with knowing, but the mental wall had not been her doing... it was Soran's. Her heart stung but she tried to hide it.

He was not ready...

She pulled away from him and gave him a smile that looked real, pushing her hurt deep down inside her, as if she could bury it. Now she put up a wall to everyone's thoughts and feelings. Mentally, she was curling up in a ball and covering her ears. So, this gift her mother passed on to her was also a curse? Well, that was easily fixed.

Lying now came so easy. She took the cup from his hands and sipped from it, commenting on the work the people were doing like nothing had passed. "So, you have them working?"

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Sun May 20, 2007 9:55 pm

Soran looked at her for a long moment, a bead of sweat building at the side of his face. He didn't know what to make of her. He wasn't aware of the wall he'd thrown up; already it was beginning to dissolve. It was something he wouldn't master doing voluntarily without practice, and he didn't even know what he'd done. But suddenly Mizuki acted different; calm and casual, where a moment ago he was sure she'd be hurt by what he was thinking. Was she still hearing? "What just happened?" he asked, ignoring her question.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Sun May 20, 2007 9:58 pm

"I threw up a wall," she lied casually. "You didn't like it, so I blocked myself off from you." She looked him in the eye and saw his confusion. Her eyes flickered hope that he would accept what she could do but, she didn't count on that hope.