The Spark of Adventure ((Closed)) [Archive]

Lilith

11-19-06, 03:25 PM

Prickling heat, more intense than a blazing hearth in winter, beat down upon Lillith’s ebony skin as she forsook the comfort of the merchant district and headed out, into the shimmering dunes of the desert. The Fallien desert was a dangerous place, home to creatures that could drain the life from you in a matter of minutes, but Lillith was too proud to pay the extortionist fees the bazaar had demanded for the poison she desired and so she found herself, in the face of good reason, throwing caution to the wind and journeying onwards.

Lillith’s eyes, twinkling like precious jewels within the depths of her forehead, darted back and forth warily as she walked, because the monsters that she was hunting, were more accustomed to this scorched sandbox than she would like to admit, and to prevent being ambushed, she would have to remain constantly vigilant. After an hour or so of trekking through the merciless land however, Lillith began to wonder just how accurate the directions to the Scorpions nest had really been. The thought of the merchants leering face, laughing heartily at her expense, caused an angry frown to etch its way across her lips as the ache of fatigue started to wash over her limbs, stabbing at her mind like a series of knives until she gave in and sat down for a rest.

Swinging her backpack from her shoulder, Lillith’s fingers traced eagerly over the worn leather clips that held it tight so that she could reach inside and retrieve a well-stocked water skin from its dark interior. Knocking the stopper aside with a deft movement of her thumb, the Drow warrior took a long draught of the water inside it, soothing her burning mouth and giving her a chance to collect her senses. Surely this place, if it did exist, couldn’t be far now?, she just had to keep looking, that was it, don’t give up now!

Letting her gaze wonder, from the vantage of the dune she now sat upon, Lillith suddenly noticed a patch of shade in the distance which, upon closer inspection, proved to be a gaping hole nestled between an outcrop of rocks. Delighted with her discovery, Lillith replaced the water skin inside her pack and then leapt to her feet, with her spirit renewed, for her searching had finally been rewarded. The brown boots, snugly fastened upon her feet, carried her down the hill of sand and over towards the small cave, whilst her gauntlets slipped to her waist, gripping the hilts of her swords in anticipation.

It is often said that fools run, where angels fear to tread, and so the inexperienced Drow adopted a measure of caution as she slowly walked through the cave’s entrance, and into the darkness beyond.

Izvilvin

11-20-06, 10:32 AM

It was with calm grace and keen observation that Izvilvin Kaz'izzrym rode the desert atop his steed, a powerful Suravanian horse bred solely for these types of journeys. His duties had been extended past his careful watch on Jya's Keep and his morning routine of scouting the perimeter. Defending the land so passionately brought some measure of fame to the Drow, but he was all too aware that some of that was due solely to his race.

A dark elf defending the human lands of Fallien. Some would laugh at the idea.

Today was his first day of patrol outside of the island of Irrakam. He would ride from southwest to northwest, cross the river to the east, then head south and back west to the ferry that would take him back to the Keep. It was a longer patrol that he'd expected, especially when he watched the island as he circled it.

The scorpions were active today, but not aggressively so. On any given day they could keep to themselves and hunt carefully for plantlife to eat, or go wild and attack any humanoid who dares step across their sands. The volatile creatures recieved a suspicious eye from Izvilvin every time they came near, but today, they were simply docile.

Eventually he spotted a dark figure in the distance, cloaked by the distance and the waves of heat between it and his eyes. It was moving away, that much he could see, but he could make out no details of the thing. It was traveling west, not in the direction of Astaka, Suravani's Oasis, or any other landmark Izvilvin could recall.

He settled his horse into a slow trot, keeping a pace that would allow him to watch the figure, yet not go too close. Minutes later, it disappeared into the sands, and the Drow sped up his pursuit.

Lilith

11-20-06, 05:46 PM

As Lillith ventured deeper into the choking darkness of the cave, her elongated ears started to twitch, reacting to a series of strange chittering sounds that reminded her of bone grazing steel. A cold shiver writhed its way down her spine as her imagination attributed the noises to wild and terrible images, nightmares that would tear her delicate skin to shreds. Before fear claimed a foothold on her senses, she thought back to wisdom borrowed from her training.

Slow and steady breaths, that’s it Lillith, filter out the distractions of the world and focus your mind on the task at hand. Her masters words flowed clear and crisp towards her on the wind, providing, what would be the first of many formidable techniques designed to hone her mind and body until they became one with the blade she clutched in her hand. Excellent Lillith, now feel the weight of your weapon, seek comfort in its balance and, when you are ready, swing it towards the dummy. The smooth leather of her gloves teased the sword forwards, propelling it through the air with a flick of the wrist and an elegant twist of the hilt, but it was not until General Vodutin began clapping that she noticed the steel tip of her sword had sliced through the dummy’s throat. The cut was not perfect, but with time, and the patience of her teacher, her skills would grow to astounding levels.

Back in the present, Lillith had calmed her nerves enough to reach a fork in the path and was forced from the memories of her youth so that she could decide which of the two she should take. A plump red tongue trailed affectionately over parched lips as the Drow warrior sank into thought, carefully considering each option that lay before her using what little information she could gather with her senses. The left one is quiet, though the darkness seems alot thicker there, but does that mean it is more dangerous? Or just deserted. Attractive mountains rose and fell with the cold kiss of gold lavishing the valley in-between as a sigh escaped her puzzled mouth, signalling her decision long before her feet lead her down the silent road and, she hoped, away from the larder of the scorpion nest.

A relieved smile tugged at the corners of her face when she emerged into the room beyond the turning, examining it in the mellow moonlight rays that crept through cracks in the caverns ceiling. The sight that unfolded before her bright little eyes, was that of a large circular chamber, plain as could be, aside from the grey stones at its centre, but as she advanced to take a closer look, an ominous cracking suddenly erupted from the stones, causing Lillith to gasp in horror as her mind realized where she was “ .....Oh no! the Hatchery!”.

Izvilvin

11-22-06, 06:50 PM

Fortunately, outside of the hidden cavern stood a small wooden post that served well as a place to tie his mount. Despite all of his work in the desert, Izvilvin had never discovered this particular cavern before. What someone would be doing in here he didn't know, but he didn't imagine it was a good thing. He disliked the idea of not knowing even more.

The Drow was used to the darkness, having spent a century living with nothing but the light of an ocassional lantern shining in his eyes, but he was still tensed. The path forward was narrow, and he found it impossible to move at a quick pace while still remaining silent, constantly worrying that the figure ahead of him would sense his movement and double back. For now he wanted to observe, and learn all he could, before coming out into the open to make his presence known.

There was one constant, neverending characteristic of the cave beyond the darkness, and that was a sound that Izvilvin was all too familiar with. The consistent scuttle of scorpion digits scraping against the stone ground echoed throughout the pathway, causing the Drow to leave a ready hand near the handle of one of his sai as he felt his way along in the darkness.

Some time passed before a voice cried out. Izvilvin's features twisted for a moment as his mind ticked, realizing the voice had been Drow. It was definately the language, but the melodic tone, the flawless wielding of the hard-to-master tongue, told him it was spoken by a Drow as well.

Izvilvin abandoned all attempt at stealth and bounded quickly down the path, picking his steps expertly as only an experienced explorer could, an iron sai glimmering in each hand.

He came to the main chamber and knew precisely what was happening. His jaw locked and he looked about, trying to get a sense for where the eggs were, and more importantly, how many there were. Before him was a dark elf, wickedly svelte and seeming to stand with an aura of enchanting charm. It had been a long, long time since Izvilvin had last experienced the beauty of a Drow female, and it was something that only now he realized he missed.

"Why did you come here? Upon hatching, the scorpions' hunger is impossible to fill," he said, somewhat refreshed at this sudden ability to communicate. "We must go. Follow me."

He turned, but upon taking a single step toward the pathway, he encountered what surely was the mother scorpion and her older offspring. The creatures stood on six long limbs and had pincers strong enough to break bone. The tips of their tails dripped with poison.

"The newborns will not be so dangerous," he muttered, suggesting she worry herself with dealing with them, while he kept the older three at bay.

With that, he growled and leapt forward, ducking around the forward lash of the mother's tail and flailing expertly at it.

Lilith

11-24-06, 06:30 PM

Green gems sparkle, blazing furiously in the fleeting stillness of the cave as smooth and nimble fingers creep towards a short-swords hilt. Lillith had been trained to fight, even trained to kill, but the need had never arisen for her to put these skills to the test and so when the first of the infant scorpions emerged, she drew her blade and prayed she’d survive.

As if in answer to her desperate thoughts, footsteps suddenly started echoing down the passageway, bringing with them, her deliverance. When Lillith first set eyes upon Izvilvin, she couldn’t help but smile, for there before her stood the lavender gaze, and rippling muscles, of a true warrior. The ease with which the Drow assessed the situation told her much more about his character than an hour of fumbling at his head with questions ever could have, and his experience showed in every confident step he took.

Lillith didn’t take long to heed the strangers wisdom, drawing both her weapons with quick tugs of her wrists and clutching them tightly whilst he asked her what she was doing here and suggested that they leave. Before they could make their escape however, a terrible sight came scuttling around the corner, causing the breath to forsake her lungs. Cursing her luck as she saw the angry mother, she placed her back against her newfound allies own and gritted her teeth as several small scorpions started crawling towards her, longing to feed off her juicy flesh.

Some may have considered Lillith’s trust in this Drow to be too hasty, but she was willing to take the chance, if it meant she might get out alive, though Izvilvin’s warning about the newly hatched scorpions didn’t make the prospect likely. Lillith shuddered to think how dangerous their mother would be when the infants were already threatening to overwhelm her with their sharp little claws, but she swore she wouldn't die like this and so bravely fought on. Parrying their blows as best she could, the Drow maiden slowly started to discern a pattern in their attacks and was, eventually, able to turn the skirmish in her favour, proving that her stubbornness did more than keep the men at bay.

Steel tore greedily into bone as Lillith twirled her weapon through the air, slicing one of the creatures clean in two as she crushed another beneath a well-timed stomp. Now that she was on the offensive though, and no longer distracted by their predictable assault, she managed to muster a response to the silver haired stranger. “ Thank goodness you appeared, I thought I was lost there for a moment! I came here to obtain some poisons for less than the ridiculous prices in town, but fear I underestimated the scorpions ferocity”.

Sending another scorpion flying with a kick from her boot, she chanced a glance over her shoulder and added warmly “ I’m Lillith by the way, and if we get out of here, i’ll have to buy you a drink”, she said before returning her attention to the hatchlings once more.

It seemed that Lillith would be able to hold her own against the ravenous menace that threatened to consume them and hopefully, her newfound friend, was faring just as well.

Izvilvin

11-24-06, 08:34 PM

The heavy iron prong of Izvilvin's sai cut cleanly through the mother scorpion's tail, a shallow cut, but a wound nonetheless. The creature did not hesitate to dwell on the pain, lunging forward to grab at the swift Drow with both pincer claws.

Far too wily to be caught by such a straightforward attack, Izvilvin didn't try to dodge. Rather, he pushed forward past the long limbs, coming up to the mother's head to ram a sai into it from each end. The scorpion's might tugged his weapons from his grip as it pushed desperately away, but in a flash he was once again holding two sai from his belt.

It was then that the two offspring creatures came forth, fully willing to defend their matriarch with their shallow lives. Izvilvin was all too happy to oblige.

The adolescent scorpions were smaller than the mother, but leaner and more dense. Their armored skin was tougher, the Drow recalled, and they were faster still. He threw a sai at the trailing creature and plucked the final one from his belt in one smooth motion, then focused on the closest creature as he heard the confirming squish of iron through flesh.

"Izvilvin. A drink would suit my night well." he said, trying to keep his focus whilst replying to the one Drow he'd seen in years.

He was forced on the defensive almost immediately as the scorpion lashed at him. Pincers and tail snapped haphazardly toward him, leaving the Drow no room to counterattack as he dodged. He expertly parried the venomous tip of its tail, then quickly followed with his second sai to sever the top portion of the weapon. In doing so, Izvilvin allowed a pincer to grab at his hip while he pulled away, just barely dodging the razorlike edge.

He threw both sai, one after another, and each was buried handle-deep in the scorpion's head. With two monsters down, only the mother remained. For her, Izvilvin drew Icicle, the shortsword of ice that wafted a cold mist from its Damascus blade.

The mother of the scorpions came at him with fury, striking not with her pincers but the poisonous tail. Despite the wound he'd inflicted, the monster fought on. Izvilvin parried with Icicle, the enchanted sword leaving a thick coat of ice over the very spot it had touched. In the moment of shock the cold inflicted, the Drow stabbed forth, driving the powerful blade through the mother's head and neck, deep into its body. It didn't make a sound as it fell.

He was next to Lillith in an instant, Icicle sweeping across at the ground to render the baby scorpions harmless. With each powerful swipe, a blue mist trailed the blade. In no time at all they were done with, and Izvilvin sheathed Icicle, not daring to wipe the freezing sword against himself to clean it.

"Lillith," he said, catching his breath. His eyes dwelled on her face for a moment, examining the charcoal skin, silver hair and stunning features he'd missed in a Drow female. She was elegant, very much the image of anything back in Alerar Izvilvin could have missed.

"Fetch your poisons and let us be off. I've another hour to my route, and though it's early, I would take your drink immediately after my work is done."

He fetched his sai, cleaning them carefully before placing them back into their holders on his belt. He could feel a flutter in his chest, some vapid feeling he couldn't quite catch, but ignored it. Why a Drow would be in Fallien in search of poison, he didn't know, but it was something he intended to find out. Assassins could be beautiful, he knew, and there were dozens who wanted him dead, and hundreds who wanted the same for the Jya.

For all the emotion he had toward seeing one of his own kind again, it could not overcome his devotion to his new homeland.

Lilith

11-25-06, 12:10 PM

Amidst the whirlwind of steel and claw, Lillith managed to catch her saviours name and rolled it around upon her tongue whilst she continued her vigil against the scuttling horde. Izvilvin, enchantingly simple, with the faintest hint of untold strength lurking beneath its surface, she thought, as she considered how readily he had leapt to her defence, handsome and kind, that was it.

To a Drow, a name meant many things, from the sweetest sound upon the wind, to the final crease that wracked your lips, but in her mind, Izvilvin, would always mean ‘Salvation’.

Time stood still as Lillith stole another hasty look behind her, watching in stunned silence as the midnight skinned male danced around the mothers blows like an acrobat in a play. So skilled was Izvilvin’s movements, that even when the mother had retreated and he was backed into a corner, he managed to slip away and elude a tail that, surely, would have slain a lesser man in an instant.

Lillith was wrenched back to the creeping threat of the hatchlings a moment later however, and failed to witness the precision of Izvilvin’s Sai’s as he hurled them through the air. The gruesome squelch that followed as the weapons found their mark, told her all too plainly that another of the scorpions was dead and an end to this ordeal, was steadily drawing closer.

Suddenly, a chill swept across the back of her neck, causing goosebumps to rise upon her sweaty skin as Izvilvin drew his enchanted blade and used it to kill the hive mother, once and for all. Now that their queen had fallen, the hatchlings that had been so brutally bombarding her, seemed to lose heart and scattered in fear when Icicle joined the fray, but Lillith was not done and managed to impale several stragglers before they fled out of reach.

In the calm that followed their victory, the Drow maiden turned to face her friend and shot him a huge grin as she surveyed the slaughter they had wrought. Scorpion bodies lay around the two Drow in broken heaps of twitching flesh and shattered bone, which to someone who had been fearing for her life, seemed as fitting an end, as any she could have imagined. Izvilvin wasn’t keen on tarrying here long however, and told her to get what she came for so they could finally be rid of the place so, sheathing her shortswords, Lillith hurriedly fiddled with her backpack and produced the tools that she needed.

Moving from one body to the next with quick and calculating strides, her gleaming eyes inspected their corpses intently, searching in vain for the small venom sacks she had come for. The hatchlings, apparently, weren’t fully developed yet and so offered her no such bounty, but fortunately, she did manage to extract intact sacks from the mother and her two bodyguards. Bending over them so that Izvilvin received, a rather unintentional view of her shapely arse, her dagger twisted through their bodies eagerly, like a knife carving up a chicken as it carefully claimed its prize.

Once Lillith had finished her work, and had securely stowed the sacks in a pouch upon her belt, she straightened the chainmail skirt about her waist and then pursued Izvilvin out of the dimly lit cave, and into the light beyond. When the two companions finally emerged from the darkness, they were greeted by the sight of Izvilvin’s faithful steed who whinnied excitedly at its masters return.

Izvilvin greeted the horse with an affectionate stroke and then clambered atop its back, before extending a hand towards Lillith and helping her up into the worn leather saddle. Lillith had trusted her new companion this far and so gladly accepted the hand that was offered her, sinking into the saddle behind her brave saviour and then wrapping her arms about his waist as the two of them set off into the desert, with the promise of adventure, shining just beyond the horizon.

Izvilvin

11-27-06, 09:17 PM

The rest of Izvilvin's patrol went by quickly with Lillith along for the ride, as the two engaged in some conversation that the Drow had sorely missed. Since he'd left Alerar, she was the only female Drow he had encountered. Arawn, a male Drow-vampire, was the only other of their species he'd known since leaving. Arawn had been a supporter of the strong and a killer of the week, slaying an elderly man who Izvilvin was trying to help along during their journey on a distant island.

Lillith was different, at least she seemed so on the surface.

By the time the route was finished, Izvilvin was famished and his mouth was dry. They rode slowly into town, disembarking on a ferry that carried them and their mount onto the island of Irrakam. They bypassed the formality of the Outlander's Quarter due to Izvilvin's status, and carried on into town.

His loyal mount carried them into the heart of the city, where they dismounted and tied the horse to a tether provided outside of one of the many eateries in town. Izvilvin was hardly aware of the many stares from the townfolk. They were used to seeing him walk around in the city, after all these months. But a second Drow? A female, at that! The confusion was almost tangible.

Izvilvin led Lillith into a dimly lit tavern area, where oaken tables stood sporadically between the entrance and the bar. Atop each was a red oil lantern, though none of them were lit so early in the day. They sat in one toward the side of the room, where the light from the window could wash in on them and their table.

A woman came by and looked at him suggestively, doing her best as a human not to show any bias. Izvilvin looked to Lillith. "Do you speak the human language? If so, I will enjoy your company all the more. Order me a plate of meat and vegetables, if you will."

The waitress looked from him to his companion, waiting for the musical voice of the woman to speak up for the warrior.

Lilith

11-28-06, 11:49 AM

The journey from the harsh desert plains to the bustling island of Irrakam passed more quickly than Lillith had expected, due in part, to the eagerness with which her new companion listened to her talk. She talked about her life, she talked about the land, and even let the handsome male in on a few of her aspirations as well, with no topic seeming too vague or farfetched, for his receptive ears.

Lillith halted her wondering tongue when they passed through the city gates however, stunned into silence by the curious stares and wide mouthed gasps that she received as Izvilvin’s horse lead them through the streets. She had travelled far and wide in her youth, but never had she been so admired, despised, or well, she wasn’t quite sure what to call the looks that some of the citizens gave her as they paused, pointed at her, then went about their business.

Nervously curling a hand through her silver hair as they plunged still deeper into Irrakam’s depths, she was relieved when the horse slowed to a trot and then, eventually, stopped outside a tavern. Elegantly dismounting from the noble steed, she smiled inwardly as she followed Izvilvin into the establishment, thinking quietly “ Maybe if I ply him with a bit of ale, he’ll finally tell me a bit about himself and not just the deeds he has performed for these people.

Seating herself opposite her new friend, Lillith giggled when a waitress wondered over to them, and asked them what they wanted in a tone that made Izvilvin grimace. Little could she know, that it was the frustration of the language barrier that bothered the Drow and not just the way that the human sneered at them.

Fortunately though, unlike the scene as they entered Irrakam, Lillith was very accustomed to being treated with bias and nodded her assent to the surly faced warrior” Don’t worry my brave saviour, I speak their filthy tongue just as easily as our own”. It was evident, from this statement, that although Lillith was capable of haggling a merchant to death with her charms, she held a little resentment beneath that enchanting exterior.

“ Fetch my friend here some meat and vegetables girl, and make it quick, before he decides to eat you instead!”. Of course, Izvilvin, kind natured as he was, probably had no intention of eating a human, but there was no way the waitress knew that and so with a terrified squeal she hurried off in the direction of the kitchen. Calling after her fleeting form, Lillith added quickly” Oh, and a bottle of ale with two mugs too, or I might have to drink your blood to sate my thirst”.

Several of the tavern’s patrons started edging away from the two Drow as they heard these words, which forced Lillith to restrain herself from laughing at the absurdity of it all, for in reality, Drow were more like them, than they knew.

Izvilvin

11-29-06, 09:48 PM

Izvilvin was taken aback by Lillith's statement. Filthy tongue? He loved the people of Irrakam as surely as he adored his own friends, and though he found their language confusing, he certainly didn't think it filthy. But with the skill of an experienced interloper, Izvilvin betrayed absolutely no indication that her words stung him.

He did, however, turn a sidelong glance at the retreating waitress and the other patrons of the tavern, when Lillith had finished speaking. The Drow didn't know what she had said, but even an idiot could see that it had stirred fear among the humans.

He looked at her purposefully, his lavender eyes calm but strong. "These people are wary enough of us as it is. It has taken me months to earn their trust."

No fool, the Drow knew she had not chosen soft words to convey to the waitress. It strengthened his belief that she could be in Fallien for negative reasons, and put him even more on his guard.

When the waitress eventually came back, Izvilvin seized her hand as it placed the mug of ale against the table. She resisted at first, but the look in his eyes seemed to calm her slightly. He smiled and nodded, squeezing her pink fingers, and looked to Lillith. The waitress looked to the female Drow as well, but headed back without a word to fetch Izvilvin's food.

"How long are you in Fallien?" he asked when the waitress had left them once more. "And where will you be staying?"

Lilith

11-30-06, 03:12 PM

Lillith tilted her head quizzically at Izvilvin’s words, why would he want to be trusted by people that hate him so? she wondered, as her eyes traced his features thoughtfully, had he grown noble enough to look past even their failings and see the good in the common man?

Despite her resentment of the human race though, Lillith would not willingly cause her saviour pain and frowned slightly before replying” It...is not easy for me to trust people Izvilvin, but perhaps you are right. I shall not tease them anymore with my jokes”. Pouring some ale into her mug and taking a deep sip of its contents, more to ease the tension, than to quench her thirst, the Drow maiden regarded her companion in a new light, perhaps he has been sent to show me what I had forgotten in the world of greedy men, and endless scheming .

Gently planting her mug back upon the table, Lillith considered how best to answer the questions that Izvilvin posed next and, for the first time since leaving her fathers caravan, realized she hadn’t quite thought this venture through.

I came here...to be free of my father.., I came here to see what things looked like without ulterior motives attached to every decision”. Here she paused, wondering if she should reveal just how vulnerable she really was but, eventually, she decided that the warrior had proven himself to be friendly so far and finished “ I don’t know where I am staying, or how long I will be here..you could say i’m a little lost.”.

She didn’t know if Izvilvin would believe her story, or if he would forgive her for making an awkward situation even harder, but deep down, she hoped that everything would work out for the best.

Izvilvin

12-01-06, 11:09 PM

Izvilvin drank slow, swallowing only a bit of ale at a time. He did not often let alcohol cloud his mind, and he was certainly not going to let it do so now. He kept his eyes on Lillith while he ate carefully, savoring the meat and the ripe crunch of steamed vegetables. Her explanation was believable, and Izvilvin found himself a little bothered with himself for chiding her even as slightly as he had.

He spent the next little while in silence, eating his food and brooding in thought. Lillith offered Izvilvin something he hadn't had in years -- friendship with communication. The Drow recalled his past friends, Laix and Palmer, and how he had built such strong relationships with them despite not being able to converse.

His eyes lingered on Lillith's own. He could build such a relationship with her, he supposed, or one even stronger. Izvilvin would have been lying to himself if he tried to deny his longing for a woman, even if she was only a close companion. The warrior supressed a sigh. His mind was racing with possibilities -- of Lillith being an assassin sent for him, a thief trying to gain entrance to the Keep, or worst of all, an assassin sent for the Jya.

The Jya, of couse, would sense her intentions before they ever neared her door. Why couldn't he just bring Lillith to see her? At the least, it could set him at ease.

He finished his ale, but left the rest of his food on the plate. The Drow had grown sick of the stares from the eating humans, already. "Come with me to the Keep, meet the Jya. Perhaps I can have a room prepared for you to stay in while you are in Fallien."

The tone was somewhat apologetic for his earlier one, but he didn't come right out and apologize. Not yet, anyhow. Two pieces of gold was more than enough as payment for the food and drink, and more than generous as a tip. Izvilvin didn't bother to ask for Lillith's money, though she had originally been the one to invite him for a drink. There was more than enough time for that in the future, he thought, if things went his way.

He led her outside but did not mount his horse. "I know the staring is a bit much, but would you walk with me?" he asked, well aware of the eyes following them but not bothering to look back.

((Yo! You can go ahead and lead us down the center of town and into the Keep. Do whatever you like, and in my post, I'll take us in the meet the Jya.))

Lilith

12-09-06, 04:44 AM

Her thin eyebrows raised in surprise when Izvilvin finished chewing his meal and asked her to accompany him to the “keep”, the fabled residence of Fallien’s Jya. When the Drow started to rise from his chair and sapped the last honey-sweet drop of ale from his mug, Lillith’s hand subconsciously moved towards her money pouch but before she could open it, Izvilvin had already tossed two coins onto the table and headed outside.

Shrugging slightly, she pursued him into the street outside into the street, failing to notice he had begun to speak again as her mind swam with possibilities. A room at the keep, that was an honour few people were fortunate enough to enjoy, yet here he was, offering it to someone he barely knew.Lillith hoped that her new friends suggestion meant that he was beginning to return the trust, she had so faithfully put in him since their first meeting but before she could dwell on this thought for too long, she was brought sharply back to reality.

A Rough hand, bearing the wear of wielding a sword, entwined reassuringly with one of her own, causing her to blink suddenly as she struggled to recall the words that had just passed in one ear, and out the other. “ Walk with you...to the keep...Y..Yes, if it means I shall have the pleasure of your company a little longer Izvilvin, then I shall walk with you. “The Drow maiden’s cheeks flushed a light shade of crimson as they passed through the centre of town and drew the inquisitive stares of Irrakam’s citizens, but she did not falter, for she found strength in Izvilvin’s embrace and so resolutely travelled onward into out of the residential area, towards the keep itself.

The sight that met the warriors eyes as the companions turned a bend in the road, was one that could have stolen your breath away, and even though Lillith had been raised on the luxury being rich provided, she too paused to take in the majestic expanse of the Jya’s fortress. Turning to face Izvilvin, her admiration was plainly written upon her face as she spoke in their native tongue” This is where you live my saviour?, you really must have charmed these humans hearts”.

Lillith had travelled around so much in her youth, that she hadn’t really grown up around Drow men, and so her first impressions of Izvilvin were slowly giving rise to new feelings and desires she never knew existed. Appraising his physique beneath the guise of surveying another section of the keep, Lillith quietly reflected that perhaps this brave man could teach her skills suited more for the bedroom, than the battlefield.

Sorry that I took so long to reply dear, i've had a bit of writers block recently.

Izvilvin

12-12-06, 03:51 AM

((I'm just glad you posted in the end. You're never on AIM though!))

With a polite nod to a nearby soldier of the Keep, Izvilvin's horse was taken care of. It would be untied from the front of the tavern and brought to the stables, where it'd be fed and brushed for the next time the Drow needed it. In only a few short months, he'd gotten used to the way things worked in the human desert. It was his home, more so than Alerar had ever been, but the inevitable need to return back to his homeland was growing more and more apparent to him. It was a daily struggle for him to ignore the growing desire in him to see his mother, to whisk her from the infernal depths of dark elf society and bring her to Fallien, a land of light and love.

That, and to kill General Vordutin. If not for his own safety, his need for support in such an endeavor was his reasons for still working for Step -- as shaky a connection as it had been in recent months. Reminded of a certain possibility, he looked to Lillith and wondered if she could be trusted.

He could hear her gasp as they rounded a corner and got a good look at the Keep, and a smile crossed his face. The tall structure gleamed white in the early afternoon sun, and even from this distance, he could see some flowers draping from the higher windows. Windows he'd climbed through to infiltrate on his first visit to Fallien. He'd never left after that, he realized, and the elf grinned again.

"This is my home, Lillith, yes. I may have charmed the humans here, but their enchanting land has put a much more powerful spell on my heart. Fallien is so unlike our homeland... So much less petty. The Jya, the ruler here, governs out of love and not with force."

Izvilvin looked at Lillith, his lavender eyes trailing up and down her body in a quick rush. Her curves were more than obvious beneath the armor she wore, an intentional effect if he'd ever seen one. He wanted to give himself to them, to lose his mind in the syrupy essence that Lillith's love surely was. Struggling to keep those desires in check was just as trying as any other emotional test he'd faced.

Prying his eyes away, Izvilvin sucked in a steadying breath and walked forward, passing through the gates with only two nods to acknowledge the guards. They eyed Lillith briefly, but said nothing to challenge her entrance.

"I am a soldier here, lady Lillith. It is the only way someone of our kind could have earned such trust." he said, perhaps speaking of things to come.

The inside of the Keep gleamed brightly from the sun, as rays reached through the large square windows to bounce against the marble floors and walls. They walked along a plush red carpet that ran down the center of the rectangular bottom floor, making a straight line to the staircase that led upward midway through the room. Izvilvin marched up quickly, then down a narrow hallway that ran past his room, Mazoo's, and the now-vacant rooms that had once belonged to Palmer and Sasarai.

Ahead was a large wooden door, adorned with lines of silver that streaked from the center to weave into the shape of a rose, something the current Jya had ordered be carved there to give her some individuality. Two female guards stood in front of it, long halberds draped across their armored chests. They, unlike the others Izvilvin and Lillith had encountered, eyed her suspiciously and made no move to allow them entrance. They were, after all, the Jya's personal guards.

Izvilvin put his hand to Lillith's back and pushed her forward to stand just before him. He could not communicate with anyone in the Keep but the Jya herself, but Lillith could.

The guards looked to the beautiful Drow female expectantly.

Lilith

12-17-06, 07:03 PM

I know hun i'm sorry, my stupid AIM hasn't been working :( and i've been really busy with the run up to christmas.

Lillith knew little of Alerar, for unlike Izvilvin, she had not lived there for long, and so could not comment on how ‘petty’ their people were but the beauty of Fallien was slowly beginning to warm her heart. As her new found friend continued speaking, and told her of the Jya, she suddenly felt a great desire to meet this creature and discover if the rumours about her were indeed true.

She was so preoccupied with this thought however, that she did not notice it when Izvilvin’s eyes began affectionately wondering over her shapely frame and was snapped back into the present, only when he started to speak again. Listening carefully to the Drow’s words, and more importantly, the way in which he seemed to emphasise them, it sounded to her like there might be a future for her in these lands after all.

Gingerly pursuing him as he lead her past the buildings threshold, her green eyes gleamed in awe when she saw the extravagant marble floors shining invitingly before her. If nothing else he’d said were true, then at least they seemed to be welcoming she reflected as she traversed a sea of plush red carpet that eventually lead the two companions to a winding staircase. Lillith ascended these stairs alot more carefully than Izvilvin, because to her untrained feet they were still dangerous and unfamiliar, threatening to trip her with every step she took but, eventually, she reached it’s summit unscathed.

She couldn’t keep her eyes from wondering inquisitively into the rooms that they passed as the two of them travelled down a narrow corridor, stealing glimpses of their contents as quickly as she could while she tried to keep up with Izvilvin’s swift gait. At the end of the corridor, Lillith discovered a door with a beautiful rose pattern etched into it’s wooden surface but her attention was soon diverted, as she spotted the two gruff looking women that stood vigilantly on guard beside it.

When Izvilvin stopped infront of the guards, a brief silence fell while Lillith looked curiously from the Drow warrior, to the women, and then back again, waiting for someone to move and then, without warning, she was suddenly shoved forwards, gaining their attention.

Blinking rapidly in surprise, it took her a few seconds to figure out that Izvilvin wanted her to speak to them and even when she had, she wasn’t exactly sure what they were waiting to hear. I hope they don’t want a password she thought as she hastily rifled through her mind to formulate a sentence in the ‘common’ tongue that was native to Fallien, before addressing them in her honey-like voice” H...Hello there.., um, I have come with Izvilvin here” she jerked her thumb in his direction” to seek an audience with the Jya, if you please. “

Lillith wasn’t sure if this was what Izvilvin had wanted, but hopefully the guards would realize that he had brought her here, and that she was both under his protection, and his supervision, so posed no threat to the Jya in either instance.

Izvilvin

12-18-06, 08:08 AM

The guards looked to each other briefly, then to Izvilvin, who nodded at their gaze. Then they each stepped to either side of the door and pushed it open slowly, though they both watched Lillith carefully as the two Drow passed through the open door.

The Jya's room was a thing of beauty, the symbolization of many young girls' dreams when it came to their homes. Flowers dangled from the walls from lush green vines, a table of glass with a plushy red carpet beneath it sat in the middle of the room, with a container of fresh spring water and several glasses about it. Her bed was a large affair of pink silk strips dangling from a large 'roof', with a half-dozen pillows positioned invitingly at the head of the mattress.

She herself was a vision of beauty, dark skinned and shorter than Izvilvin, glad in a large white dress with a headress of golden leaves and silver flowers. She radiated an aura of power that warmed Izvilvin's heart, for she knew that for every bit as beautiful as she was, her spirit was just as pure.

"Izvilvin," she smiled, taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "I have not seen you in a while. How was your patrol this morning?"

Izvilvin returned the squeeze and came to stand next to her. He never quite understood whether the Jya was speaking Drow, or just speaking her own language while transmitting her thoughts through telepathy. "It went well, madam. I met a new ally in a scorpion nest, and together we were able to defeat the queen and her hatchlings. This is Lillith, Jya."

She nodded and looked to the female Drow, stepping forward just a bit. Izvilvin was somewhat wary. If Lillith were an assassin, this would be her first chance to stick a knife in the Jya's chest.

"Hello my elven friend," Jya spoke, her voice gentle and soothing. "I understand you may want to join Izvilvin in the Keep? Or is that wrong?" she smiled.