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Stare
12-05-2017, 04:57 AM
some mature language and content.

https://img00.deviantart.net/8e77/i/2014/327/6/6/red_wizard_of_thay_by_artastrophe-d87fhy6.jpg

Stare
12-10-2017, 03:12 PM
“My name is Maester Rafael, and I believe …”

He was a middle aged man, with tanned skin that spoke of Fallien origin. Yet, he held himself with an uncertain style and finesse that did not quite revoke the desert country. Instead he seemed the business man, with a straight back, a sharp beard and a wrap of fabric bound over his head. A fine robe was dressed over his body in a cotton material and a rich, green colour. Two small dark eyes poked from large brows and a hint of brown hair beneath his turban. A small flicker of a smile appeared on his lips, as he extended his hand to her.

Uncertainty, standing at the doors to the vast mansion that was Vitruvion's base, Stare gave a small nod back. Carefully, she took Maester Rafael's hand and was thankful to high heaven that she had on her more fancy clothing. A white, chiffon and cotton tunic, with layers, and a silver cord that ran around the centre. A rare piece of jewelry hung from her neck as a single pearl on a thin chain.

“Stare, yes,” the kenku said quietly, her eyes meeting the man's who had helped to seal her personage fate. “Welcome to Beinost.’

Maester Rafael dropped his hand and swung it back behind him, with the smile on his face growing. In the background the stoney driveway of the mansion was glistening with its sandstone colours in glorious summer light. A carriage that spoke of being hired by its plain design and casually uniformed drivers and coachmen stood on it, mostly unpacked by now but with a single young woman amongst them. She was dressed plainly, and had her hair pulled back tight against her hair and sealed with pins.

“Shall I give you a tour of the house first, or would you like to freshen up first … sir?” She asked quietly to the man who had just travelled halfway across the ocean to meet them.

Maester Rafael watched her for a few seconds as his smile expanded before he gestured at her in a manner that reminded her a lot of Vitruvion. Great men who were alike got on apparently. “You may show me around this house of your master-” he cut himself off, and regarded her. “Of course, you do not call him that. It is private, yes?”

Stars blinked a few times and gave a tense tilt of her head behind her to ensure there was nobody behind her. Her jaw tightened before she nodded a little.

“Please follow me, Maester Rafael,” she twisted and gestured inwards to the house, sideways on to him.

The Maester looked at her for a while before nodding once and striding the last step up into the house. He passed through the double open doors, his eyes dancing with delight as he was faced with the glory that was Elssmith manor. Stare moved in behind him, but not before she looked back at the young woman at the carriage. Their eyes met, black kenku versus deep green human ones, and the woman smiled. Raising a hand she waved at her kindly, before continuing with her work.

“Stare, you said your name was?”

“Not my original one, Maester, but the one I have now.” She turned as she closed the door, finding the tanned man now facing her, the backdrop of pillars and glorious ornaments framing him well.

Stare
12-10-2017, 03:13 PM
“Ah, of course. Avis Tsukaka, I remember,” he nodded.

Brow rising with surprise at the fact he did, Stare paused a moment before lifting her open hand to the front room. “The front room,” she said quietly, “Which has been cleared for your personal use.”

Rafael moved closer to the room and peered into it, eyes moving over the suitably sized space with a curious eye. He nodded as he moved back. “It will do.”

For a moment the kenku paused, then turned, and walked him through to the blue room, the smaller reception room that she personally used for administration and meetings with the managers of Vitruvion's various businesses. It was a fine, small space with sofas and a small armchair, perfectly sized for her. The walls were panelled and painted in a soft sky azure.

“Very good,” Rafael commented. “Now, tell me how your arrangement with your master works. You are …”

Stare sucked in her breath as silently as she could as she showed the court official and private merchant into the drawing room. It was a little used reception room that adjoined right onto the dining hall. “I am paid a salary, Maester Rafael, for the work that I do. This is the drawing room, used for larger gatherings that we have here.”

“Ah. That is extremely interesting. He does not need to, but he does,” the foreigner said as his eyes glanced around the room. Stare lead him straight in to the dining area, where the six portraits of Vitruvion at the various stages in his life glared down at them like ancestors.

Stare pressed her beak halves together in a thin line of irritation. She knew this was going to be thrown at her - the legal ties between her and Vitruvion. Part of Maester Rafael coming here was going to result in questions being asked. Yet still, though prepared for them, she felt ill.

“Dining room,” she grunted.

“I see. Yes, he mentioned your arrangement was unorthodox.”

“Library,” she gestured, leading him into the long room, every wall lined with books. Her eyes caught movement out of the side of her eye. Quietly she neared the Maester and spoke in a low voice. “Maester Rafael, our arrangement is that it is a private matter. Between myself and Sir Elssmith. I would respectfully ask that you be careful who is around when we speak of it.”

The Maester glanced over his shoulder and true enough Agatha, housemaid, was currently outside the door. She curtseyed as she saw Rafael, then continued with her task of cleaning.

Turning back to Stare he fixed her with an intrigued eye. A smile flickered onto his face. “If that is your arrangement then so be it. I am in a different culture of my own, where the sort of relationship is more common.”

“And Sir Elssmith's private study is through there,” she nodded at the double doors at the end of the library. “Would you care to see your sleeping arrangements?”

The foreigner kept his smile on and nodded elegantly. “If you would care to show me.”

With a small hesitation to her step, the kenku led the merchant and official up the stairs around around the balcony, to the room that last Nevin had stayed in, only a few days previous. It had been done out in more sumptuous dressings now, with fine warm blankets and many pillows. Throws and fabric hangings with rich colours, the type of decoration that Stare had been told was common in Hernsford, filled the room.

“The bathroom is across the hall,” she gestured out again. “Sir Elssmith's room is beside it.” She nodded at doors set into the back wall. “There are wardrobes and cabinets there for your use, and if you need anything then …” she spread a finger out to a bell on a fine silver tray. A small cultural item, she had been told, from Hernsford, that was used to summon a servant. Or slave, in their case.

The Maester paused and inclined his head. “Thank you, Stare.”

She gave a short curtsey, then rose.

“Is there anything else you need, Maester?”

“Nothing that I am sure Guilia could not find.

Stare paused, connecting the woman that she had seen outside with the name and offered her a small greeting. With Rafael's title and disposition Stare concluded that the young woman must be his accompanying slave for this journey. With a small nod she took a step back.

“Then I will leave you to settle, Maester,” she said politely, and turned to leave.

She felt his eyes watch her with rising intrigue, but she ignored him. As he said nothing else she took it as her leave to go and thus she went out of the room, closing the door partly behind her.

Stare
12-10-2017, 03:32 PM
“Hello?”

A very polite, knock on wood.

Stare looked up in alarm, eyes opening wide as was caught off guard. She sat in the armchair - 'her’ armchair - in the blue room, a large book open on her lap. In her hand she held a quill, and beside her on a coffee table was spread various documents and papers.

By the door stood the brown haired, green eyed young woman. There was a soft smile on her lips and a dance of joy in her eyes. Still her fist lay on the open door from where she had knocked. A very quick glimpse into the aura told her this was a human, at the age of twenty three.

Young for a human.

“Hi …” Stare said slowly, her hand slowly moving to rest the quill on the page. “You came with Maester Rafael right?”

The smile grew as the woman stood straighter, moving her hands to be in front of her. Giving a small wave she took the introduction as an invitation came in and took a couple of slow steps forwards as she spoke further.

“I am Guilia,” Guilia said, making the name sound beautiful and wondrous. She spoke in a fine, exotic tone that whispered of sandy beaches and wild seas. Stare could see now that she had the same tanned skin as Rafael. “And you must be Stare, right?”

Taking a moment to slowly move pen from the book - it was clear she was not going to be able to finish her objective of doing the house accounts just now - Stare nodded slightly.

“Yes … I am.”

Guilia’s eyes flickered to the book and down. “Ah, sorry, am I disturbing your work?”

The kenku shrugged a little. “If you are willing to wait five minutes I was almost done.”

Guilia nodded almost right away and shifted to stand near the centre of the room. Her smile by now was miraculous. “Of course!”

And she cupped her hands in front of her and went absolutely silent. Stare raised her brow and watched her for a moment, intrigued in the way that the woman almost went entirely still before she nodded at a sofa. “You can sit down if you want?”

With surprise Guilia looked from the chair to Stare. “Is - is that allowed?”

Stare blinked and gestured at it again before opening her book fully up and picking up the pen. “Of course. It's just a sofa.”

“But does it not belong to your master? Does he not-”

The kenku couldn't help but smile in her eyes. “Guilia, this is a Tuesday. On a Tuesday this room is mine for all business and related matters. You are very welcome to sit or stand, especially in here, right now, as you like.”

Guilia, for a moment, seemed lost in indecision, but then she nodded, grinning. Carefully, she sat, folding her hands on her lap and ensuring her dress was still in perfect condition. Stare nodded once to her again, before dipping the end of the pen in ink. Then, very delicately, she began scribing the remainder of the accounts.

Stare
12-10-2017, 03:58 PM
“Okay.”

Done, she folded the book closed, and began to gather the various sheets into a pile. They neatly came together with a few taps of the ends on the wooden table. Then, opening the front cover of the book only Stare threw the sheets inside, and ended her accounting for the day. Setting the tome aside, she let out a satisfied sigh before brushing her tunic down, pausing, and finally looking at Guilia.

Who was still sitting as she had left her, ten minutes prior.

“I'm assuming Maester Rafael does not need you then right now.”

“Oh,” Guilia shook her head. “No, he is resting right now, and said just to go to alert him to dinner.”

Dinner. Stare paused as she remembered she would not eat in the dining room tonight on account of Vitruvion's guest. “Ah right,” she nodded slowly. “And have you worked for him long?”

“My mother bore me when she herself was in Maester Rafael's possession,” she said with a brightness to her voice. “And I was then born under his roof, thus …”

The kenku blinked, trying to understand. “Thus …?”

“Thus, naturally, I am his.”

His. As in his possession also. Stare stopped as she realised this was part of the slavery tradition of Hernsford. Any slave who gave birth would have their child then declared the immediate possession of whoever's owner the mother was. Perhaps even the father. It took Stare a moment to remember exactly how Guilia was related to Rafael and she sucked in her breath as she was reminded of who they were …

“Oh right, of course,” Stare spoke fast. “Apologies.”

Guilia looked confused. “You … did not know that?”

The kenku shook her head.

“But how not?” came the question, incredulously spoken, “That is one of the basic rules of slavehood. Simple, in fact, everyone knows that!”

Stare blinked, suddenly taken aback. “Guilia, I'm sorry I offended you but I'm not of Hernsford. We don't have sl- that here, at all. Only with the exception of your city’s international laws. We-”

“But you are one,” said Guilia, confused and now frowning. “You are a slave.”

Silence fell in the room. Never before had anyone told her the truth of her identity so flatly and truthfully. The kenku stared at the human with dark, passionate eyes, and her breathing became hard. For a moment, all there was, was heartbeats, before Stare broke eye contact and threw her eyes to the door, hoping, beyond anything, that nobody heard.

Instead, someone was standing right in the doorway. Right there, obvious and glorious, dressed in dark, blue tailcoat and breeches. His fine black boots were made of the best leather, and he had in his hand a dark wood cane. Casually, he was leaning against the open doorway with his long white hair loose and trailing over a shoulder. His piercing blue eyes watched her carefully, gently, and on his lips was the faintest hint of a smile.

Stare
12-11-2017, 05:50 AM
“To answer your question, Guilia,” Vitruvion said, in a voice like silk, but his eyes never moving from Stare's, “Stare does not know, would not know, the traditions of Hernsford. For although, as you say, she is a slave, she is of our continent, where such things are not practised, unless under exceptional circumstances.”

Guilia was stunned for a moment, as she gazed at the handsome man. Then, with a gasp the woman got to her feet and descended into the lowest curtsey she could create. Vitruvion's smile grew and he finally drew his gaze from Stare to acknowledge Guilia.

There is no one nearby, he said with purpose into her mind. Nobody heard her say anything. Or I. I have established a silence enchantment around us.

Thank you, she sighed with honest relief.
“Sir Elssmith,” Guilia lowered her eyes. “I apologise, sir, for sitting and not asking. Stare explained that-”

“Stare explained everything correctly,” Vitruvion said, pushing himself off the doorpost. He switched his cane from one hand to the other and started to walk into the room. “You may sit where you wish here, so long as it is not in the way of my business, your own master's business, or you should really be doing something else.” He came to a slow half in front of Stare, his eyes now fixed on Guilia.

The human woman was stunned. She glanced at Stare, who had her hands curled into light fists and gripping part of her extraordinary smart tunic.

“Yes sir, thank you sir,” Guilia murmured.

“Hmm,” Vitruvion nodded, and then held out his hand to Stare, wordless. It took her a moment to figure out what he wanted, for his eyes were still not on her and he said nothing.

Slowly she took the huge book from the table and held it up to him, slipping it into his hand. She felt the weight being taken as his fingers slipped around the spine, each one curling like a trap, seizing the massive thing with the literal strength of a god.

“Guilia, Stare will show you, in a moment, the rooms downstairs. Right now, if you could, please give us a moment.”

The Hernsfordan swallowed, but then nodded and curtseyed again. Glancing once at Stare she gave her a small apologetic smile before heading out. Vitruvion watched her, and Stare saw the smallest flicker of a movement from a finger. The door creaked and swung closed of its own accord after her.
It was only then that he took a small breath and moved his eyes over to Stare. She was caught back underneath his powerful, cool gaze.

“I trust Rafael … you settled him in adequately?”

The kenku gave a small shrug. “As best as I could. Rooms were all ready when he came.”

He nodded slightly, “I will have Rafael have a word with Guilia about talking of your enslavement out loud.”

Stare flinched with the word and tore her eyes away. There was a silence.

“Well?” He said, as if asked for something.

“Thank you,” she muttered. “But I hate this entire situation. Having it thrown in my face over and over again.”

He blinked for a moment as all the emotions - disgust, stress, pressure, even fear - flowed through her and burned into his consciousness from her. There was a small hesitation, and he took a long breath before moving his cane and the book to one arm. Stretching forwards his now free hand he very gently stroked a long line up the nose ridge of her beak, up onto the feathers and the crown of her head. Smoothly, he pulled the fingers around the side of her face, around by the curve of her jaw, as she sat there, still and stunned, eyes huge, not sure what he was doing. Steadily, his eyes held hers, and he did not flinch until he finished with a single finger beneath her beak.

“I know exactly how much you hate it, Stare,” he whispered, “I feel it daily from you, but it means that there is another barrier from anyone ever taking you away from me. Nobody now can ever pressure you into anything without referring to me. It is your last and bear safeguard from harm, and the way that, if you are ever lost beyond my control, then there is at least one last thing I can do.” Slowly he removed his hand. “You will need to bear these few weeks, and then our lives will go back to normal.”

Stare
12-11-2017, 09:22 AM
“So you sleep upstairs?”

They were in the servant's hall, where a long table with simple chairs stood. It was a room just off from the sizeable kitchen, where Mrs Deerling the cook and Druss the butler reigned supreme as lord and lady of the table. This night, however, Druss had vacated his seat to allow Stare to sit at the end, as was practise when she wasn't dining with Vitruvion. Instead now he sat to the side and Guilia opposite him, with the three of them gathered into a small conversation of their own.

“Miss Stare acts as Sir Elssmith's business manager and steward when he is out of town, Miss Guilia,” Druss replied, the small mouse-like man smiling appropriately.

Guilia's eyebrows went high. She opened her mouth as if to start saying something, then stopped, remembering what she had been told about the situation of the relationship between master and steward in this household. Slowly she closed her mouth and nodded.

“When Sir Elssmith first met me I came to live here more or less to live as a guest of the house,” Stare said quietly, cutting up the flesh of the animal on her plate. “Once I begun under his employ formally he made the decision for me to have my own formal room.”

“The house is so big and Sir Elssmith just a single man,” Druss agreed. “Though you serve as housekeeper, you - Miss Stare,” he looked at Guilia, “Miss Stare is his representative in many aspects.”

“What if he required the room for a wife?” Guilia asked, “Or a family?”

Awkward silence fell for a moment. The question of Vitruvion's potential marriage one day had always been a point of discussion, and for some in the household, a point of contention.

“Well, Miss Mer would lose her room first, of course,” Druss said quickly.

“... Mer?”

Stare grunted, “My assistant. She is also of noble birth, so it is right she be treated well.”

“But she would lose her room first,” the butler reiterated.

The kenku sighed, “If Sir Elssmith ever got married, had a family, invited someone into his household who needed the room more than I, then I would move down here, of course.” She stabbed a sprout. “At the moment that is not the situation, but as soon as it happens, I'll move when he asks.”

Druss nodded, and Guilia blinked, knowing she had said something that that had caused some tension. She bit her lip, and looked between the butler and Stare before smiling.

“I see.”

Stare ate, and was subject to a moment of fascination from the Hernsfordan, but then Guilia smiled more.

“So you serve really as Sir Elssmith's right hand woman.”

Stare immediately shook her head. “Not right hand. That is Raevin … He's an elf, currently working in Corone at the brewery.”

Once who he was was explained Guilia nodded. “I see. So you are his left hand?”

The kenku was caught off guard by the expression, and furrowed her brow slightly, trying to think about it. A short silence fell, interrupted by Druss.

“That … Would be rather accurate.” He grinned. “Yes. Left hand.”

Stare
12-12-2017, 05:41 AM
It was much later. Dinner had passed, and Guilia had disappeared already, gone for a short while to see to Rafael's needs. Stare found herself without anything to do, and the kitchen was slightly struggling with the extra organisation of the more formal meal than normal. Thus, after Stare heard enough whispers and heightened shouts she grunted and heaved herself to her feet.

Walking through to the kitchen she found a mound of dishes - far more than if Vitruvion was just eating himself. The kitchen was set out into two sections of a main room, then a small intense coming area around a corner, hidden right now from view. Currently all of the kitchen staff however - Mrs Deerling, the cook, Charlie, the kitchen maid and Timmin, the pot boy - along with Druss were hurriedly arguing about the workload and how they were going to handle organisation across the coming few days.

“I can't possibly be expected to cook three full luxury meals a day!” Mrs Deerling was saying, “The visitor - he barely liked anything. Charlie had to come down three times - three! - for personalised requests.”

“He's awfully fussy,” the boy said, scratching his arse, “He didn't want that gravy, then he wanted to know if we had grainy bread. Then it wasn't the right wine.”

“We either need more staff or need to cook less,” Charlie grunted, her arms folded across her chest. “It's only the first day but it's going to get out of hand.”

Stare let out a sigh and stayed in the doorway before a full minute passed, and they did not notice her. Still, they spoke over each other and Druss mumbled, trying to calm them down. But …

Nothing. Rolling her eyes she gathered up what short sleeves she had and headed right for the washing tub. It was already running with water, and had a large pile of items in it, but an amount that wouldn't be useful for any sort of cleaning of them. Without any room on the worktops nearby she ended up shoving them on the floor with a loud clatter.

Quiet fell as the noise finally caught the attention of the arguing staff.

“Druss, I suggest you send Agathe or Kira over to Lady Heysan’s place and see if we can borrow one of their staff as extra until the Maester leaves.”

There was a pause before:

“Miss Stare!” The butler gasped, “You shouldn't be doing that!”

Stare grunted and grabbed her first plate and scrubbing brush. “Charlie, if you could dry, Timmin organise the things needed to be washed. Mrs Deerling, why don't you take time to write a more simple menu for the next few days, using what ingredients you have.”

Voices began again.

“But Miss …”

“Miss Stare, you honestly shouldn't-”

“No way, my menu is certainly fine as it is-”

“For Ansaldo's balls sake!” Stare shouted, twisting around to glare to each of them. “You arguing is simply making the problem worse. Now, my suggestions are just those - suggestions, but if you want to get anything done over the next few days then I would suggest helping me. Please.”

Surely, but not responding to any particular emotion just yet, she stared from one to the other. They looked back at her in wordlessness … then to each other. Back to her again. Then to one another. It took Druss to break the cycle and nod to Stare.

“I will take the fastest horse I can, Miss.”

On that Timmin and Charlie sucked in their breath and moved quickly to respond to Stare's instruction. It left Mrs Deerling to watch all with uncertainty.

But the kitchen was already in full motion. With a sigh the cook grabbed her meal planner book from the worktop and turned to slunk back into the mess.

The kitchen was cleaned that night and all the other times. With help from Marjie, a loaned kitchen girl from Lady Heysan's - aka Vitruvion's sister Ventrua - they had no more trouble for the rest of the time Maester Rafael was there. Stare was able to continue with her normal duties, and called upon by Druss to settle any further disputes.

Stare
12-12-2017, 12:52 PM
By the time she headed to bed, Stare was exhausted. She had been up for over eighteen hours by then and had almost been non stop. Now with stress lines likely appearing under her feathers - but that was part of the advantage of being a kenku. One could usually hide their true emotions. Right now though her body language spoke of her state of mind as she dragged her weary behind up the stairs. She yawned, glancing briefly down at her hand trailing on the bannister, before she got to the top of the stairs. Ready to fall right into the covers of her bed and sleep until someone woke her - probably Agathe - Stare walked over to her door. Her hand curled around the hand the handle and began to turn it.

Slowly, she opened it, another huge yawn starting.

Only thing was, there was someone on her bed.

“GAH!” she freaked, eyes wide.

However it was the one person who claimed every right to be there, leaning back against the headboard. Legs drawn up he was half reclining and reading, with his long pale fingers wrapped around the pages with care.

He did not even look up at her fright, but only turned the page with a soft scraping noise.

Stare let out a sigh after the scare and hurriedly stepped in before closing the door behind her. Now she was alert again, but her body still felt weary. Shockingly so. She took in a deep breath, then another before she could think of what to do or say.

“It's - it's late,” she eventually stuttered.

“Observant of you,” he replied in a dull voice, eyes drifting down the page.

Still she stood there at the door, uncertain as to what to do. She rubbed her arm, staring at him as he sat so casually.

“I'm absolutely shattered,” she said quickly. “I need to sleep.”

“Then do so,” he shrugged, his hand flipping another page.

She blinked a fair few times. “What - what are you doing here?”

“As you told Guilia at dinner, this is my house. Therefore I can go where I please in it.”

Still he did not move, and remained incredibly non-chalant. The kenku furrowed her brow, flexed her fists. It was something she could not argue with, but-

“Why are you here?” she asked suddenly. “You usually only come in a night when there has been something untoward, damning, tense or otherwise sensitive during the day. Did you - did you argue with Maester Rafael?”

There was a horrid pause, one in which there was an atmosphere of pressure, unease on her part and a slow realisation of irritation.

Slowly his eyes finally moved, roaming across the room, dragging their unwilling selves. She could see the muscles in his jaw tighten, the slow sharp breath being taken in. Then his blue, piercing glare came to her and she suddenly understood that he definitely was not in the mood.

In fact, he was quite, quite furious about something. In a way that had not as yet been expressed by his voice, but one he was holding in. Which meant even worse. The absolute of all dark emotional states.

Stare
12-12-2017, 12:52 PM
Shit, she realised.

And she froze, eyes huge, breath sparing. She drew her beak shut as her heart began to pound and she took a minute step back. His anger was plain - dire, almost cruel and for a moment she was Avis in the Hollow again, fearing for her life of this god who threatened to strike her down.

A slow grunt formed in his throat.

“Better,” he said, his voice still not confessing his mood. “Now. Shut up, and go over there,” he nodded to the window seat. “You can sleep on it rather than here.”

It made her stare, beak opening. “I … what? Why?”

“I am clearly too lenient on you, Stare,” he hissed, his tone switching unexpectedly to match his mood. “You should respect me more. I'm not just your master, I'm your-”

“God. Yes I know,” she answered, eyes large and pressing herself against the wall. When he was this angry before he has let it out physically on her. But that had been in the Hollow, in a world where he did that anyway. Now that she was here, and he was too, rather than with Blaze or Sable, she was dangerously close to being subject to something she never wanted to experience again.

That he had promised she would never be subject to him by his hand. He had never broken a promise that he had given her yet, but that still did not mean that he would not punish her in other ways.

Simply, now, she had to try to avoid angering him more.

“Go and sleep,” he ordered, pointing back over to the bay window seat. It was cushioned, by her hands, and thus gave some comfort, yet not as much as the bed.

Stare swallowed, remembering the last time she had tried to go against a direct order. He had reminded her of the pain of a slap and sent her away from him, never revealing what was actually on his mind.

“Stare?!”

What was wrong with him? By the look in his eyes, however, he would not actually tell her. He had likely come here, expecting her to be more quiet, and not tired or grumpy from that exhaustion. He had likely wanted something to quell his bad mood and her companionship could be described as more comforting than a night by himself, fuming in his own fury.

But she had made it worse by her terrible choice of words, and now he was deeming her not even worthy of the bed.

“Are you even listening to me?” he spat.

Sucking in her breath Stare lowered her eyes and turned away from the wall. Knowing there was very little choice in the matter at all she hurried over to her cabinet where she stripped herself of all her weapons. Pausing, she considered taking off her fine tunic, then realised she might need it for the next day and so dragged it off over her head. Now in her underclothes she grabbed a softer tunic and pulled it on before glancing over the bed and the blanket that was there over the duvet other than that there was only the throw on the bay window seat.

“And that will do,” he growled, grabbing the blanket himself and pulling it over his legs.

Stare flinched, feeling the results of emotional manipulation. But this was Vitruvion, the old one whom she had first met. This was he, the raging fury and the anger that lived. This was the man so possessive in temperament that he had literally bought her.

Swallowing, she shut up and scrambled over to the window seat. Picking up the throw she climbed onto the window seat and curled up on it, tight and slightly shaking. She pulled up the throw to her beak and hunkered down on the simply padded sofa-like thing and curled into a tight foetal position.

“Hmm,” came the more satisfied grunt. So different was he than in the blue room. But that was Vitruvion, two sided, subject to mood changes. Thankful for her, yet irritated by her.

Never feeling love for her like Nevin had said, when he saw their relationship in his mind.

“Good night, Stare,” he said, calmer.

“Good night, my lord,” she whispered.

Stare
12-12-2017, 03:54 PM
“Miss?”

She started awake. The first thing she realised was that her body was exceptionally stiff. Sore and terrible she had aches all over, as if the entire night had been spent cramped in a wooden coffin.

It was not far from the truth. She was still on the window seat, crouched there and curled into an odd position. Groans came from her beak as she was forced to face the challenges of sleeping there. Opening her eyes and looking around she found Agathe, the housemaid looking at her.

Quickly she sat up, but was too fast. Instantly she regretted it and her eyes screwed shut with pain.

“Ahhh,” she groaned, leaning back.

Agathe paused, blinking a few times in confusion. “Are you … okay?”

Stare peeked open one eye to see the elf gazing at her confused. The kenku took a moment to think, then thought that telling Agathe that she had been ordered by Vitruvion to sleep the night on the window sill while he used her bed would open herself up the sort of questions she would rather not answer right now. She looked over to the bed and was quite happy to see Vitruvion was not there.

“Yeah I'm fine, just stiff,” Stare nodded, “I fell asleep … reading.” She gestured at the table near her, which was basically always covered in a book or two.

“I see …” Agathe said, although she looked unconvinced. “Um … well, yes. We are having trouble with the breakfast Miss. Druss said not to disturb you but … well.”

Stare grunted and was already getting to her feet. She gestured for Agathe to go on as she stumbled painfully over to her cabinet. “What's the issue I can help with?”

“Eggs, Miss Stare. Maester Rafael loves them - must have them. The chickens … well it seems they got attacked in the night. Them and a fair few others in the estates around.”

Stare blinked. Then muttered under her breath. The things she did for people in this life. But this was her life now. Grabbing a finer tunic and a neat belt she strode into her bathroom and began quickly changing.

“What's the time and is that the only issue?”

Agathe nodded and spoke louder to get her voice through the door of the en suite. “It is six of the morning hour Miss. And yes, your suggestion to get Marjie has assisted greatly. We have no other problems.”

Stare groaned quietly, so that only she could hear. Six o'clock. It meant she had barely had four hours of sleep, but there was no possibility of avoiding that. Apparently Maester Rafael liked eggs so much that he could cause chaos to get them. She sighed as she looked at herself in the looking glass, seeing the bedraggled and tired kenku, but this was it. She had no other choice in her life.

It was eggs or her own bacon. Smoothing down her feathers as best as she could in that limited time Stare grabbed the door and strode out to meet Agathe. The maid smiled at her briefly, and Stare nodded. There were no words, only a mutual understanding as the two of them walked to solve the problems of the nobility.

Stare
12-12-2017, 07:12 PM
Maester Rafael had to go without eggs that day. And the next few days also. It was a decision that had to be made, purely for the reason that there were no eggs in the city by the same time the next week. A sudden and cruel beast had claimed nearly every chicken's life in the city, stealing their essence for some sick purpose. There were not even some to be bought in the markets, for even though Stare sent Charlie to go and gather some at the break of dawn it seemed all the pubs and inns had got there first. The seventh day brought more strife, and it was up to Stare to confess to Rafael that there was none.

Vitruvion was another man. His mood change had been sudden but was lingering for some days. He disappeared for an afternoon into the Hollow, leaving Stare with the responsibility to show the official around the city for a few hours. She kept it as formal as she could, introducing the Hernsfordan to Ventrua.

He came back slightly in a better mood. Once more she found him in her room again as she went up for the night after another long. Utterly, she was spent, and though she was surprised to see him there she said nothing this time. Instead, after closing the door she stood there and looked right at him, not hiding the exhaustion within her.

It took him long enough to acknowledge her. Nearly a full three minutes, long and tedious as their seconds ticked by, before he looked up from the book he had. His facial expressions spoke of his own frustrations, but this time Stare knew not to ask.

Not to say anything. Only stand there, hands tense and in loose fists at her side, desperately trying to not fall asleep as she remained upright.

His eyes narrowed as he stared at her, testily. Yet, he nodded and gestured to the bed. Letting out a sigh she moved, shrugging her tunic straight off before she collapsed into the bed, without covers and without any words.

Blankets twitched over her. The lantern light in the room was flicked out. Strong arms from a firm body wound around her form and pulled her close without so much as a question. Stare let it happen, because she knew it was him. Her heart thudded but she knew his arms would just hold her - and then stop. An internal sense of trust in her told her that he had no intention to hurt her - not even now in his foul mood. Thus, she let him rigidly hold onto her as she let tiredness sweep over her.

As she fell asleep to deal with the chicken crisis tomorrow. Bad as the fowl were. Tiresome as they were. Loving of them for breakfast as Maester Rafael was, and deep as the mystery of their disappearance of.

The mindless, steady slaughter of every chicken, then also duck and eventually any easily accessible background fowl in all the estates for the whole of Beinost and her surroundings world.

A mystery that was only going to get worse.

Stare
12-13-2017, 10:24 AM
“Wait - wait, slow down.”

She stood before the gardener of Lady Heysan's estate. He was a balding man, with wrinkled and blotchy skin. A wine stain birthmark covered half of his face, and that in some circumstances might have ended with someone staring at him. But Stare … she was used to folk staring at her. She was never going to let a single thing as a birthmark mar her perception of someone.

The gardener pressed his lips together, shutting himself up. His keen hands gripped the pole of his hoe firmly as he waited for Stare to entirely understand. For about a full minute he had now been ranting at her.

“So you're saying the killing of fowl in the city started … weeks ago?!”

He nodded, “Aye mi’lady,” he said in a thick northern accent. “I’ well, i’ ... yeah.”

Stare blinked, and then let out the gasp that had been building. “Ansaldo's balls above,” she whispered. “When was the first?”

“Well, yeh ken, there's foxes and aither vermin who’ll ge’ 'em bu’ … firs’ unexplained un … I guess, yeh’d say, fae whi’ I ken … three weeks ago?”

Three weeks. For three weeks there had been unexpected killings of fowl in the city. Slowly building until a few nights ago when their own on the Elssmith estate had been mercilessly slaughtered in one night. And what was more - their bodies were left. Some had been ravaged, yes, the meat torn off by whatever scavengers and carrion feeders could get to it, but none had ever been dragged away. It was as if some madman had danced through, getting more and more murderous as the nights went on. First, there had been the entire coop on the Flotterby estate, belonging to Lord and Lady Flotterby who's wealth was in farms. Then, the next night the pub Breezy Pint, the houses belonging to the Geldings noble family and the Ocean View suburbs had been subject. It had built up, until one entire district had been hit, and even when the Breezy Pint bought more chickens, they died too. It was an epidemic of strange and eerie proportions, which no one could explain, save for the murmurs of Basilisks.

But the last time that kind of deadly serpent had been seen here had been decades past. And with the size that basilisks were meant to be it was certain someone would have noticed. The attacks were too sporadic as well, stretched over the whole of the city in a single happening. No wild beast would do that, therefore it had to be either planned, or a truly terrifying new beast.

“I see,” Stare sighed, feeling the despair. “And you said they were never stolen?”

“Every body 'ere fae meh to find,” the gardener nodded. “An’ I've seen 'em at neighbourin’ estates, lef’ and righ’.”

He gestured to either way, indicating the grand houses that peeked over the boundary hedges.

“I see,” the kenku said softly. She ran a hand through her feathers. “So it is someone or something that attacks … for …”

“Fae spor’, I reckon,” the gardener nodded.

The comment made Stare blink. “For … sport?”

“Aye, cause yeh ken meh reckonin’.” The hands on the how tensed as he leant forwards towards her.

He paused, and Stare blinked before answering hesitantly.

“... What?”

“The attacker ain’t ea’in’ 'em. A’ all.”

Avin
12-14-2017, 04:37 AM
Death has such a seductive taste to it.

Oh yes, in its raw form, when I smell and sense death it is as a dark fog that lingers around creatures and plants, but it is also like burnt meat. Crisp and resting on a fire for too long it sears onto my taste buds on my long, avian tongue and fills me with a pleasant joy. I have come to love the taste and smell of death, it is my achilles heel. For some time now, for the two months that I have been living my second existence, I have developed this lust for it.

I entirely admit this. But if it can help me bear through the pain of my life, then woe betide anyone who stands between me and death.

Currently I stood in a field. Fourteen dead rats surrounded me, attacking after I had disturbed their nest. Looking down I surveyed my handiwork and nodded to myself. The pungent smell of death was still fresh, and the blood on my katana and tanto still dripping. I had sweat on my brow, which I found odd, for never had I realised it before that I could do so. I dragged one long intake of breath before slumping down and resting amongst my downed foe.

Now I could rest back beneath the blue sky, surrounded by the tall golden stalks of a pleasant crop. Part of me was tempted to begin the steady disintegration of the field, but it would cause me copious amounts of pain, and besides that - that side of me I was not proud of. Even if I could rid myself of the agony every time I used my death touch it was not a good thing. The death scent was seductive and made me happy, to ability cause visible rot was not. Who knew what might happen - if I could pass it from one person to another at all? Death was cruel, I knew this for the numerous times my new body had struggled through it already. It was painful. I delivered it quick and instantaneous to beings that did not matter.

Mere animals. Not beings.

“Excuse me?”

I looked over to where the noise came from. Squinting my eyes in the hot and bright sunlight I stared until I found the creature who addressed me. A being, short and a little on the chubby side. If it had not been for his beard I would have conditioned him as a child.

“Ah,” I noted. “A halfling.”

I had never seen one before, at least in my clear memory. Only heard of them from Vindrexis Quansaldo, one of my masters and creators.

The small man was dressed in a long, dark blue robe and had a collar of white. He leant on a staff topped with a small star motif. Of my growing knowledge of religions I reckoned he followed one of the Raiaeran star gods.

Which made sense, as I was in Raiaera.

“Erm, yes,” the halfling nodded, curling a lip. “Yes I am. And you are … Not alive. And also on church land.”

I blinked and tilted my head at him. He could tell I was not alive. Now that interested me.

Then he gestured around me, at the rest corpses. “You are covered in blood, and there are many rats dead around you. My assumption is that you killed them.”

Completely willing to admit it, I nodded.

The priest, for he clearly was one, smiled then. “Then I must thank you, undead bird. You have rid us of a rather rotten pest. Now, come and bathe at my house. It is the least we could do for the man who saved or crops.”

Looking down at my feathers I saw that indeed, the white of them was stained crimson. For a moment I paused, then I shrugged and agreed. A bath would be good. It would help pass the time until I needed to wait for the trigger of my task that I was sent here for.

Therefore I got up and followed the halfling to his home.

And I had a pleasant bath.

Stare
12-14-2017, 06:44 AM
Stare was stressed. Very stressed.

Right now she was riding as hard as she could, having already been to fourteen estates and that had an interest and money invested into some form of Vitruvion's businesses. All of them were suffering under the weight of the killing of fowl, and two were now relating loss of other livestock. She had already given advice on one business that thrived on its production of eggs and chicken meat, stressing as they suffered panic. She had needed to spend an entire hour going over their books, and assuring them that because of this they would not suffer complete monetary loss. The owner of the business, a Miss Hellin, was an elf who had cried on Stare's shoulder then listened with intent as the kenku had found some form of budgeting that would allow them to buy up other stock temporarily and sell it on with profit.

Now she was heading to the Offices - Vitruvion's mostly self-sufficient rented buildings that needed no to little management, aside from accounting. They had requested her come to gain news on what was going on.

She arrived in a flurry of dust, bounding right off Sen's back in a single leap. “Stay there,” she growled at the chocobo who tilted his head and watched his mistress disappear into the large tenement building.

“Right, what is the matter?” she asked, digging her claws into her palm to stop herself from shaking.

Because of the fact she had not been able to stop even to eat since five in that morning. It was now three in the afternoon. She had not seen Vitruvion all day, or even been aware of his presence in her mind but her focus was not on him and his bad mood. It was here. Now.

A short, delicate elf blinked at her from behind a large reception desk which was covered in papers. As Stare strode in she stood up and let out a sigh of relief.

“Miss Stare! It is utter chaos. The businesses are all at loggerheads as to who has priority over the supplies that are left.”

“‘Supplies that are left’?” Stare quoted in confusion, ending her journey at the desk.

The small elf nodded. “Yes, Miss. There has been a lack of supplies to feed the workers here, nothing has come for the last four days. That being my responsibility, I … well. I sent a runner boy to the market but that was in uproar also.”

Stare paused for a moment. “So they have eaten through the stock room and have nothing for lunch?”

“Or dinner, Miss. I am sorry to trouble you with such trivial matters but the arguments have accelerated into accusations and-”

What she wouldn't give for food just now. Nodding, Stare gestured to her.

“Show me where they are and I will help sort it out.”

She was shown a main hall, where four men were currently screaming at one another. Two were elves, one was a human and the other was an orc. There seemed to be some form of xenophobia going on for many racial slurs were being bandied around. Sighing deeply Stare marched past the shaking receptionist, and straight into the middle of the men.

“Right!” she yelled, grabbing the arm of one and pulling him back. “Stop this - NOW!”

A stunned silence. Many eyes turned to the kenku, and some lips moved but no words came out. They recognised who she was instantly, and awe fell across faces of those who had only heard of but never seen the only kenku in Beinost. The woman who, it was rumoured, had kept the city running in the light of all this chaos.

“Right,” she nodded to each one of them in turn, glaring and threatening to release her stun stare if she needed to. “Good, you are quiet. Now listen. I will hear each of your worries in turn, starting with the one who comes alphabetically first.”

“But-”

“Eh, no!” She put up a hand, cutting off the elf speaker. He frowned but went silent again. To him she nodded firmly. “Right. After that, I will organise for food to be sent here. It will be sparse and basic, but I have already organised a supply line for all the other businesses coming from the north. You can get some of that, and until we can source out the origin of the problem, it is the only thing.”

She looked from one to the other. “Is that acceptable?”

There were mumblings. Stare, starting to see hazy lines sucked in her breath and stood straighter. “Sir Elssmith thanks you for your continued support. Now, who is first?”

And her day continued thus into the night, and on into the next day. Then, the supply train came, with fresh produce and new chickens, which she insisted be kept inside houses and flats.

Inside. Watched at all times.

That week, Stare saved a city from disorder.

Avin
12-14-2017, 10:07 AM
“My name is Friar Tomas,” the priest said, leaning back and dropping into a creaky chair. His eyes pierced me as I slowly walked into the hovel after him.

Humble was one word to describe his home. Small, neat and looking like a shepherd’s hut. It was made of large stones, cemented together and with a thatched roof. Inside were possibly three rooms, and the first was what I had just been invited to. It was a main hall, with a neat little fire and simple wooden furniture. Definitely more hermit than archbishop.

“Avin,” I grunted my introduction and continued to stand. My hands were gripped around the staff of my naginata, my swords already shoved back into my sheaths. It extended a foot or so behind me as I dragged it.

The friar smiled a little. “So, undead Avin. You are what … a kenku?”

I was surprised that he knew my species, especially this far away from Corone. Shrugging a little, I confirmed his thought with a nod.

“I have a gift to detect how to detect at what state of life people are,” he explained. “If they are ill, tired, dead, undead … a minor gift but one that I can serve with.”

My brows rose, breathing in sharp. It sounded like my own death sense, except more informative. Quickly I moved, wondering why this man was being so honest with me. I dropped into a seat opposite him, my brow furrowing.

“How does it show?” I asked.

Tomas paused, before smiling. “A feeling only, child Avin. You do not need to fear me.”

I inclined my head, indicating that I did not.

He watched me for a while before straightening. “I live by my own, serving my god here, the star god Galatirion, and there are individuals who come to aid my farm, to help me clean, and ultimately I give them guidance under the will of the god I serve.”

Slowly I nodded, familiar with the concept. Sabazios, one of my masters and creators, had a temple of his own, and he was served by mages and priests. It was true that the number of them had been depleted, thanks to Vindrexis’ works, but I recognised the system. Tomas was Galatirion’s representative and likely spoke with him directly.

“You serve someone, don't you, Avin?” he said softly.

I paused and stared at him, but he only smiled.

“Do not worry, I have no qualms with you. After all you did sort my rat infestation that has plagued my crops.”

“What do you want?” I grunted, suspicious and cautious.

“Only to be your friend … and to offer you a bath,” Friar Tomas said, a small shrug appearing. “That is all, I mean you no harm.”

But still I was tense now, fearing of what he knew about me. Clearly he saw my body language and sighed. He shook his head.

“Go if you must. Continue what you must do, but know, Avin, that there is another path. There always is a more peaceful path.”

I shook my head as I stood.

“Only path,” I whispered. “Is death.”

Stare
12-14-2017, 12:23 PM
“She really is quite, quite spectacular my friend.”

Two great lords stood by the window, framed in its wooden structure. One was tall, pale and had pure white hair that draped over his shoulders. Once, about a year ago, that hair had been a light blonde, but now it had faded, or some might say brightened. The other man was tanned, with dark hair poking from under a orange-red turban and a small smart beard. He wore robes of crimson, whilst the first man had a smart tailcoat suit of dark blue.

Together they stood as nobles, watching out of the window to the light stoney drive to the front of the house. On it life was in abundance. A near constant trail of horses and carts came in through the gates, coming around to the doorway of the house. There, the horses and carts stopped, only to be set upon by many hands, a handful of the troupe of around a hundred hired hands and volunteers who had offered their services over the past three days.

At their head, running back and forth was a kenku. Black and dressed in a simple white cotton tunic, she organised every package coming in. The loads were similar in kind - all food and drink from far and wide. Eggs, meats, alcohol, they were designed to supply a city that was verging on chaos simply because their livestocks were facing annihilation.

A black haired elf came back and forth to the kenku, a sheet of papers in her hand. From her a further eight people were organised. As a delivery came in it would be met by one of these eight, who would take down the details of the cart or horse bearer, and what they had brought. This would then be steadily unloaded, and an eventual payment given by the kenku.

“You said it took her three days to organise this?” Rafael looked to Vitruvion, arching his brow.

The god took in a breath and passed Rafael a goblet. He nodded, though his face did not smile, it lined with angst.

“Yes.”

“My friend, she is incredible. No wonder you are so determined to keep her.”

Vitruvion kept his eyes on Stare, who was currently trying to negotiate with a man who had brought in three cagefuls of chickens. He seemed to be disagreeing with how much money they had determined, and she was calmly trying to show him a signed piece of paper.

He lowered his drink. “You are not getting her from me, if that is what you are asking.”

Rafael rose his brows, watching his own slave woman, Guilia, talking with a deliverer who had just stopped his mules. She had asked Rafael's permission the previous day to help, and had been assigned as one of the eight.

“I do not need her, but if she was for sale I would definitely put in a bid. Indeed,” he took a swig of his wine. “I think you undervalued her to me.”

“Hmm? What do you mean?” Vitruvion glanced to the official.

Rafael smiled. “Remember that all Hernsfordan slaves are given a standing from one to five. Also known by their colour standards - Bronze, Silver, Gold …”

“Mythril, Adamantine, yes, the last being very exceptional,” Vitruvion agreed.

“And I rated your little bird there at a Mythril from the information you gave me,” the Hernsfordan looked right at his old friend. “And when I first came here, I was convinced of that. But seeing this, seeing her …” Rafael shook his head in disbelief and jabbed a finger at Stare. “That my friend is a jewel amongst jewels. Not only is she a rare breed, but she could also said to be beautiful, very highly and adaptively skilled and by what you have told me about her magic, a very special item. By the gods, I don't know where you found her, but if my deductions and experience are anything she's definitely Adamantine. And I've maybe seen a maximum of ten ever go for sale, in all my forty years in the business.”

Slowly Vitruvion tipped back his goblet, his eyes focusing on Stare. For a long time he said nothing, his eyes only filling with a knowing light. Rafael kept watching him, a smile on his lips, and leant against the window frame.

“She's saved an entire city from possible chaos, Vitruvion, even possible starvation. I know your agreement with her is to keep it silent, but I cannot help let you know my friend. Tying in what we have talked about this week, what you have managed to make her … she would be one of the most expensive slaves I have ever known,” he paused, and stared at Vitruvion. “I hope you know this. Stare is … one of a kind.”

The god breathed in slowly, lowering his goblet. Tenderness filled his eyes, and for a single moment he was not the angry, frustrated man who had been dealing with what seemed like hell.

“I know,” he murmured. “And she is all mine.”

Avin
12-14-2017, 12:47 PM
I sat on a hill overlooking the city.

A smile was in my eyes as I thought about the feast I had been able to have these last few days. The way that the death scent called to me, been seducing me, my fight had gotten more and more powerful every night.

For I was a killer of epic proportions now. I had been sent here to cause panic, and I had done it well, within my own understanding and guidelines. I had satiated my hunger for death, at the same time as sticking to my own morals of separating being from beast. I had acted sporadically and led up to this point over the last three weeks, accelerating my killing until they needed to bring in outside supplies. Over that time I had killed every last chicken and almost all ducks.

Now I watched their caravans of trade, seeing them head down few pathways and merging into one. I could not see precisely where they headed but I could watch and let myself be satisfied that I had fulfilled my orders to create panic.

In that light I was determined to let this be my last night of killing. Tonight I would wage war and slaughter a hundred pregnant horses and cows whom I had already marked out. With that I would receive double the satisfaction of death as both mother and child bled to the sound of my blades.

Sighing with the thought I lay back, and considered Friar Tomas. He had found me during one of my days outside of the city and offered a unique perspective on life. A halfling hermit who served an elvish god, a man who had gifts akin to my own. He had offered me kindness and I had escaped when he came too close to telling me what I did not want to hear.

But his heart had been in the right place.

My life was strange and confusing. I did not know what to think of what I had done, of it was termed right or wrong in the general morality of the world. For I was right in the fact I had obeyed the orders of those I had dedicated my service to. Those who I was certain now knew the way of things and how they should be. Because they had to be right. They had to be. I would not have been brought back in such a manner if they were wrong.

They had to be.

The sun was setting. Slowly the sky went from pale blue into inky darkness and I found myself sighing, wishing for a moment I had another choice. Another way to live my undead existence … maybe Friar Tomas could give me another chance.

But the world was as it was. I was Avin, the white kenku, death incarnate, servant of Vindrexis Quansaldo and Sabazios.

I was a dark shadow, destined to end lives.

Created to end lives.

My only path was death.

Stare
12-14-2017, 02:51 PM
Exhausted she stumbled into the house yet again. For almost forty hours she had been awake, and in that time she had likely saved the city. So little food had passed by her beak, much water and some alcohol that a surprisingly (for once) non-bitchy Mer had forced into her hand. Wine, spare dried meat, and bread had been her sustenance through the days and night and now all was quiet. The suppliers had all gone, the food and drink shared out amongst the estates and establishments to the extent that she determined according to their needs. Arguments had eschewed of course, but these she had sorted out with a few minutes of careful diplomacy.

“I should run for office on the council,” she muttered to herself as she shut the door to the dark, dark sky behind. Night again, and this one she was determined to sleep through.

Stifling a yawn Stare started towards the stairs, her eyes very briefly glancing to an old clock on the shelf under the portrait of Vitruvion as a soldier with Blaud the owl. It was just past midnight which meant most of the house would be in bed. Maybe just Rafael up, or Mrs Deerling preparing food for tomorrow.

Her claws clicked lightly on the wood as she made her way over to the stairs, body weary and in desperate need of sleep. Rubbing at her eyes she found herself uneasy and feeling the lines of stress. It was at that point she noticed one of the dining room doors was slightly ajar, with light coming from the gap.

Then a voice.

“Stare? If that's you, can you come in here please.”

His voice. Her weary mind cried out for mercy, with a desperate plea to sleep. “Pity!” it yelled, “Pity!”

Sighing long and low she turned, blinking hard to try to find some new source of energy. After all she had been readying herself for sleep, finally. And thus she had been slowly coming to a sense of rest. Now though, now she needed to wake up.

It occurred to her then that he could see into her mind and so there was no point in putting on a pretence of alertness. So he would see she was exhausted - so what? He was … him. She tried to pull herself together and straighten, making some form of effort to look presentable.

She pushed open the door and was very happy to see it was just Vitruvion. He was leaning back in a seat, booted feet on the table and gazing at the portraits of himself. Stare saw a lack of enthusiasm in his own eyes, a weariness that contradicted how he had been acting this past week.

“My lord?” she murmured politely, not daring to risk the use of any other tone or words.

There she remained at the edge of the room.He did not look at her, but rather remained where he was, looking up with near sadness of his past lives.

“From now on you are not to mention the name of Hugin ever again,” he said quietly. “I would have you relate this to the others of the household who know who he is. He owns a few shops.”

Stare nodded a little, her brow creasing, confused but not having the will to start a conversation that could go on.

“I should say 'owned,’” he muttered, grabbing a goblet from the table and gripping it with cold malice. “I've kicked him out the Hollow and the city. He had the obstinate selfishness to keep all of his food and supply to himself, his whole six months of provisions when others were starving,” he spat, disgusted. “That and I have had enough of his nonsense. He managed to kill Reign.”

Stare
12-14-2017, 02:52 PM
Stare's eyes went large. Suddenly she was awake far more than she had been in the past hour as horror swept through her. Hugin, the old rival of Vitruvion had ended Reign's life. She, princess of the pixie folk, who Vitruvion had captured for his own initial amusement in the hell hole sex slave nightmare called the Hollow. Hugin had taken a shine to her and the two 'brothers’ had shared her for a while before Hugin began to take liberties and actually moved her to his quarters. Now he had killed her, likely by rape or torture, Stare was sure, and committed a terrific crime of not feeding the city when he could have.

Her beak halves opened as she gazed at Vitruvion in shock. No wonder why the human form-bound god had been so mad the last few days …

No wonder.

“Ansaldo's great tiny balls,” she whispered.

“Hmm,” Vitruvion grunted, eyes still dark. “That and I have found a pattern in the killings. I need you to help me tonight try to find the culprit and stop them.”

Stare blinked. Tonight? But all she wanted to do right now was sleep for a hundred years.

“To-tonight?” she replied aghast. “You mean …”

“Now,” he grimly nodded. “I don't have Raevin as he is in Corone, so instead I need you. You will take one side where I believe the being or beast comes in and I will take the other. Together we will hunt them, following what we find. I do not want to cause too much hassle so will not let anyone else get involved.”

Stare swallowed and stared at him. Her beak worked and she was gaping in silence for a while before she shoved her utter exhaustion at the forefront of her mind and began to desperately stutter.

“Vitru- sir. My lord. Please. I need to rest. I haven't stopped for - for - for,” she began to feel apprehension and anxiety, her heart beginning to race. Swallowing, she tried to find herself, to find her plot and train of thought, raising a hand to drag it through her feathers. “I am - can't -” her eyes looked around wildly. “I'm absolutely no use to you like this. I can barely stand, I-”

“Stop,” he sighed.

Then one moment he was in the chair, the next he was - not. She blinked, thinking she had maybe gone mad. It would make sense in the circumstances. Her brow tried to furrow but it was already too high in stress and she began to try to look around, desperate …

Smooth hands slid around her from the back, one around her waist, the other just under her arms above her breasts. They were rigid and powerful, having no hesitation in their destination. As Stare felt herself on the verge of tears a strong, firm frame appeared behind her, giving a support for her weak limbs. The hands and their arms encircled her body until they were wrapped around her completely, and pinned her with no hope for escape against the body.

Her breathing was still irregular but her heart began to slow, steadying until the familiar - Ansaldo's balls, it was familiar now - hold took over her. She felt his chin chin come to rest on her head, a slow breath easing from him. From his chest being so close she could feel his calm heartbeat and hers began to match it, on point and exact until the perfectly synchronised.

Boom, boom, boom …

And then she felt the flow of energy begin.

At first it was a trickle, but then it built. Focused, genuine strength moving into her body. It was just a tingling feeling at the start, that danced in her fingertips. Then it was a tickle, a soft vibration that hummed up her arms. Then her toes were filled with a little hope, her ankles, calves and knees, and it flowed up her appendages and into her torso, where she breathed deeply. Heavily. But not gasping. Never gasping.

Up the energy went into her shoulders, where it meet her neck. Swallowing she felt a warm sensation running down her throat before she tilted her head back and closed her eyes. Then - and only then did the brilliant flow spread up, right up until it was in her mouth, nose, ears, eyes, crown …

Feathers.

She opened her eyes, her body suddenly now humming with energy like it had been the day she was born. Pure, divine power was living in her, granted by the genuine source of it in the first place - her god. As she was released she was grateful to find it was all still there, inside her and now she was awake, no longer shaking. She was …

“Ready?” he whispered.

Her bright, awake eyes beamed at him.

“Yes, I am,” she said with determination.

And it was the honest truth.

Avin
12-14-2017, 05:58 PM
Through the streets I ran, a shadow in the night.

I came from the hill I had always done - from the east and I made my way down the curve of the crescent that made the shape of the city. I sped through the larger emptier places, going straight to my chosen destinations. There were sixteen stables and twelve cattle sheds I had marked out, where my hundred expecting horses and one hundred expecting cows were waiting for their glorious deaths.

I did not move very fast - I had yet to experience that supernatural gift of ever I were to get it - but I went as silent as I knew. That was as quiet as death, for I was death. My feet and claws were wrapped in rags to stop them from making any harsh or obvious sounds, and I had perfected the art of killing silently. I knew how to kill well, for a neck slash or a stab in the right place usually ended life swiftly without any need for cries being made.

A stab to the jugular or the carotid arteries in the throat is a place to find quick bleeding and the subject will go unconscious after ten seconds at maximum. A good knife in the heart will get a person down quickly too. Easily accessible is the eye, and the brain sits right behind this, but one must be fast. Then there is the artery beneath the armpit, the one on the inside of the thigh. Any of these points will give death quickly and painfully. Yet I know the best one of all, taught to me and my brother when we were training as senshi, warriors of the kenku. The neck stab, the stem stab, right where the brain joins the rest of the body, giving it's life to everything else.

That is where I usually aimed, and that is how I kill the majority of the time. It is near instantaneous and very easy to get wrong. But I try every time.

Then try with a thrust to the throat.

Through the streets I ran, and it was by the third block that I realised someone was following me. Confused, as I had not been followed any of my nights before, I edged in a wide arc. True enough the shadow that I saw skipping over the same fences and roofs went in almost the same angles. I frowned, frustrated and tried to push myself harder. I got to the first stable and rushed the horses there. My naginata out I reached and slashed three necks in a consecutive row. The last one whined and I threw it an angry look. Because of it I only had a single moment in which to wait, suck in one lungful of the sweet burnt meat smell - then dash.

Looking back I saw the figure pause and bend over the beast who had made the noise. Rolling my eyes I swung away, running and jumping for the next destination I was headed to. Clearly this being had sentiment. They were stupid.

But it but struck me that I could hamper my follower with hopeful salvation if they liked the animals. Therefore I paused at a kennel I had met once night before and severely hurt the new dog there. Now limping the creature whined as he struggled to get to safer ground and I had to satisfy myself with the brief half scent of death.

It seemed to slow down progress for - hurrah! - at my next appointment I checked and I had no followers. Grinning in my eyes I spent time locating the aorta of each cow and rejoiced as I saw the panic rise in their eyes. The scent of death hit me and I could take large lungfuls of the stuff, feeding my addiction. “Cause chaos,” Quansaldo had said.

Well, I was stealing the future of the milk industry. I blew a loud raspberry to the last dying pregnant cow before I twisted around and began heading out of the shed.

But I was stopped, stunned. For standing in the doorway, framed in moonlight was a figure. And she was feathered. And she was black. I tilted my head, rubbing my bare chest as I looked astounded at another kenku, dressed in a thick woollen tunic. She had a shiny silver thing in her hand and had huge eyes the stared.

Pausing, I tried to think. Then I understood as I recognised her from the time when I had been sent to the woods to spy on a group heading into a vampire castle. She had been among them, she who Quansaldo had marked as my enemy.

Or at least the servant of his - our enemy.

I straightened and tightened my grip on my naginata, preparing for war as the succulent scent of death began to filter away.

“Enemy,” I grunted in greeting.

But her reply was better. In fact I hadn't not expected it. She gazed at me with utter disbelief.

Her beak opened.

As she whispered in awe.

“... Avin?”

Stare
12-14-2017, 06:51 PM
He was a completely different colour. His black feathers had been dulled to an ugly, dusty white-grey. And they were less shimmering, less proud. But was the same height as she remembered, he held himself the same way - as a warrior. He had the same build, wore the same etchu-fundoshi style clothing, which was a glorified form of loincloth. He also had the same very distinctive rose red spark in his pale, boney eyes.

It had to be him. But last Stare had known … he was dead.

“Oh my …” she murmured, keeping a cautious few paces back from the shed’s interior but longing to do nothing more than to run and throw her arms around him. She tried a smile to her eyes, but it came out pained and awkward.

“Oh Avin,” she said faster. “I can't believe you are here. Alive! It's - hells you don't know anything. We're - oh my,” she ran a hand through her feathers at her head. “Ansaldo's balls, how are you here? What happened-”

And she tried to take a stumbled, excited step towards him. But he quickly growled. He lowered his naginata - that weapon he had treasured beyond all others - and pointed the bladed end at her stomach.

Stare froze, and her eyes went large. “Avin … What is wrong with you? It's me, Stare … I mean Avis! You know, your-”

Stare? came a confused voice. What is going on? Your thoughts, they are ...

Vitruvion, it's my brother! she said hurriedly, her eyes on the pale but so familiar stranger. He was acting … strange, definitely, but she was so certain of his identity.

There was an unsteady pause. Stare … is he the perpetrator?

She sighed and looked past Avin into the shed. True enough there were four corpses of cows inside, their bodies bleeding still. Sir looked back to Avin.

And saw the confusion in his eyes. Her brow rose and then she realised …

“Avin,” she looked at him seriously. “You know who I am right?”

The pale kenku, still with his naginata lowered and pointed at her, his body in a ready crouch snarled.

“Yes,” he growled. “You are my enemy.”

Stare’s blood drained and if one could see her skin … they would say it had gone deathly pale. Like the bastard … no her brother before her.

“Oh fuck,” she whispered, fitting the pieces together. “Oh my …” she looked at him with great sorrow. “Avin, I'm your sister. You've forgotten, you must have, but we'll get you help.”

She felt sorrow stab at her heart as she sent out the plea. Vitruvion, I think he has memory loss. Can you help him? I don't know what has happened to him ...

I am on my way, the god grunted, and she sensed him spin on the spot where he was on a long cobbled road and start up towards her. Look behind you. I need to know where you are.

Stare nodded, and nodded briefly to Avin before she turned. She gave Vitruvion a long look at the trees and buildings behind her, showing him just where in the city.

Be quick, she began. I think he-

But that was all she said. At least that was all Vitruvion heard. Because at that point Avin lost it, and decided to act on one of his primary orders - bring about the downfall of Vitruvion Elssmith.

His enemy with her back to him he jabbed forwards, and struck the back of her neck. Right in, knowing the body of a kenku so well. So firm. Stab! Right at the brain stem.

Right at the brain stem.

Instaneous.

Death.

Stare
12-14-2017, 07:37 PM
It was like a dream.

Like a distant memory that had faded to nothing long ago. It was like floating on and in clouds, surrounded by a world of little worries and few troubles. It was like being lost but wanting to be, enjoying it and loving the world that you had ended up in. It was light, airy, magical but had begun with bitter pain.

Stabbing, hateful, angry pain that ripped down her spine like a lightning bolt. And all she could hear in her head was a scream. A loud, agonising, tremendous scream, that screeched and wailed and cried as if it felt the deadly killing pain too ...

No …. STARE!

That's me, she thought, as she succumbed to the peace offering to embrace her. I'm pretty sure that is my name.

And the peace enveloped her. It became the dream, it became the clouds. It was the new land with new horizons. And she lived in it. And she loved it.

For it was nothing. It was silence.

It was no worries, no fear and no anger. Only a great love that pounded from a steady heart somewhere nearby. An endless, warm, unquestionable love. From who? Well that answer was easy.

From a god.

Expecting it be the end Stare let all else fade away. She gave one last breath and welcomed death as the final escape. She had had her chance of life, and now it was someone else. So fast it came, so she barely had seconds to think, I am dead.

But then one does not really think of that.

Instead she was confused, expecting there to be more of a heaven that this dream, but she decided it would do. After all, where did kenku go when they died? To Ansaldo's heaven? To a plane that only Vitruvion knew about? To a world that the kami inhabited?

Apparently .. somewhere white and very, very fluffy.

She closed her eye and leant back, for what seemed like …

Forever.

Until it was not. Until she - she felt …

Whump.

What the … Eh? she thought as she felt herself inhabit … a body?

Certainly it felt like a body, with arms and legs and torso and a beak. Good, a beak no lips or funny nose thing, that was a bonus. And a heart that was not beating and lungs that were not currently filling with air.

Well that was a problem. Were not bodies supposed to breathe and move and things? And she could swear she could see only darkness.

But just how … and why? Why a second … was this an odd heaven? Was reincarnation even …

She needed oxygen, her instincts told her. Therefore, quite suddenly, Stare gasped. Her beak snapped open for air and she was - breathing … what? She needed air? This was crazy. She was supposed to be dead now, gone to another place where bodies did not need things to survive.

As her heart started to beating - thump, thump, woo hoo! - she heard a rattling. Then … movement. Not hearing movement - well there was some to hear but more importantly she was … moving. Being made to move. Her … hands were being pulled back and upwards with gentle precision as strong arms caught her body and began to pull it up into a slouched position.

Head dropping, still breathing, heart still going. Mmmmm.

Movement stopped. And she relaxed, eyes still not opening but loving this type of half life. It was nice. Maybe it could continue, yet she was still breathing, and the clouds had gone.

Light. Holy Ansaldo's britches, actual light, at her eyelids.

Scowling she tried to move a hand to shove it out of the way but … well something was dropping her hand from moving at all. Instead there was a light thumping like metal on wood and -

Fuck.

Her eyes peeked open. First one, then the other. She saw white, tiled walls, a bed she was in and luxury sheets beneath her. Currently she was half sitting up, her two legs stretched out before her with … yup, they were fetters fixed around the ankles. Trailing a chain that was fixed to the end of the bed and she was pretty certain her wrists that hung about shoulder height were similarly caught and secured.

Fuck.

Stare
12-14-2017, 11:50 PM
Suddenly then her eyes were open fully. And she began to stare around, twisting her head to glare at her wrists. They were bound to a wooden bedframe, one with a headboard of a criss-cross style pattern, with the links of chains passed through them, then bolted together. Her jaw tightened as she narrowed her eyes and tried to find out where her “wrist” precisely was located so she could summon the strength to move it. Then the thought passed through her mind that she had actually moved her her without thinking and so - so, she thought “wrist” and soon she was tugging, pulling, unable to move the thing -

“Miss Stare, Miss Stare, please-”

A voice. She had not expected a voice. The only voice she had heard had been that screaming her name in her skull before she had drifted in the nothing. Jaw tightening she swung her head around, eyes darting with a savagery to the culprit.

There, in the room itself, in the space beyond this bed that she was bound to, stood a young woman. She looked anxious and pale and uncertain. A name popped into mind, learnt long ago. 'Desian,’ who works with her cousin ‘Demer’ in the kitchens of the … the Hollow. Where she was.

Fuck.

Immediately Stare began to tug and demand room at every cuff, yanking and pulling at it, her heart going mad as she bent and contorted her body. Confusion - so much confusion. She had been there, now she was here. The chains creaked and rattled, her feet wriggled and hands begged. But the metal, that was different loops from the all too familiar cuff of metal still on her left wrist For some reason it was ‘good’ it was there. She felt it was ‘good.’ But these other things - they were bad and restrictive. Still not making a vocal noise she arrived against them, making the bed creak as she tried, tried, tried.

“Demer!”

“Already on it,” and footsteps. Running footsteps.

Stare glanced at where they came from. There was a doorway, and someone was running through it, fast. She was still panickedly heaving at these bonds that would not give for all she could tell right now, they were wrong. She did not want them. The Hollow - the Hollow was a bad place, full of hateful memories and a life lived in fear, horror, pain.

Too much pain.

Stare threw her eyes back to the girl, choosing the first bare piece of skin. Then there was a shriek as ugly dark blotches began to mould and mutate, the skin itself beginning to die. 'Desian’ began to yell out in agony, and staggered backwards against a wall. Looking into what she knew of herself and who she was, Stare searched until she found another thing that could be useful. She glared at the woman's hand and summoned an idea of horror.

A metaphorical stab and the girl was then clutching at her hand. She cried out, but still made no move to release Stare. Because that was who the kenku was - she was ‘Stare’. And she ‘stared’ at things exceptionally well. It came in handy when she was trapped in a hell hole.

Next -

A tall shadow fell in her way, cutting in between her and the creature who would not release her - ‘Desian.’ He was dark, with a pale top and was looking down at her with the most focused, intense sky blue eyes …

Fuck.

And the being that was Stare … gasped. Her lungs suddenly called out for air as her heart leapt and then, then she knew and pieces began to fall back into place. Things of who she was, and what she was. What she had been doing before this and why. The man with the blue eyes suffered no pain at her stare - that was incredibly important. He was, she was, they were, this was …

Fuck.

Her heart began to leap and suddenly … suddenly she knew precisely what …

Vitruvion. Raevin. Mer. Brer. Nevin. Nosdyn. Avin ...

Avin!

“Oh my gods …” she whispered. “I - I - he …”

I'm pretty sure I just died.

Stare
12-14-2017, 11:50 PM
“... Stare?”

A meaningful voice. Strong, decisive, true. One that summoned up her deepest instincts to listen and made her eyes once more spin around.

Her heart was racing with the realisation of what had happened.

Vitruvion swam into view. He was standing over her, one hand on the headboard and leaning in, eyes fixed and firm.

“Stare. Do you know who I am?”

“Where's … where's Avin?” Stare found herself able to crack her voice. It was then she discovered her throat was incredibly dry. She let out a hacking cough.

“No, I said, do you-”

“Of course I know who you are, you bastard,” she said painfully. “Water? And where is Av-”

More coughing. This time worse, likely due to the fact she had forced more words out. A grim expression appeared on Vitruvion's face but he looked behind him and nodded. A flask was passed over his shoulder. Taking it in hand he unstoppered it and held it to her beak. Opening her beak she tilted her head back to let the water run in, in and down her throat.

Ansaldo's balls, she was thirsty apparently.

She blinked as she remembered the name 'Ansaldo’ and everything that went with it. Still drinking, her eyes flickered back to Vitruvion and she knew that he had to know when she thought about it. He had to be listening right now.

She turned her head away when she had had her fill of water. Swallowing the last she let herself catch her breath for a moment before she found herself, and resumed to the question in mind.

“Where is Avin?”

Vitruvion breathed in sharply, but he allowed her the question, stoppering the bottle as he answered.

“He was gone by the time I got to you. And that was within seconds. There was no trace of him, minus the corpses of the cows and yourself-”

He stopped sharply, his eyes looking at her quickly up and down. Pausing, he leant forwards and with a hand placed it on the back of her neck. She found herself suddenly shoved forwards with a strength she could deny, and though she protested with a - “Hey!” - and a resistance, there had never been any chance. She was pitched to the side as far as those stupid manacles would allow as he peered at the back of her neck.

His fingers pushed aside her feathers as he looked her over like a prize. She could feel them dig through her plumage to her skin, and search, digging down until he had scoured every bit where the blade had.

A jolt ran through her, a spasm as her body remembered death. It was the only answer to what had happened to her. So why was she still here? Vitruvion was still scouring the place where the blade had gone in, forcing her into this awkward, leaning position. She ground her sides of her beak together and attempted to sit back up, but then his hand pressed firmly down again.

She could not argue with the most powerful strength she knew. The fingers continued to move and he began to make noises such as, “Hmmm,” and, “I see.”

Her eyes became a dagger glare. Hissing with distaste as it went on for too long she eventually spat.

“Are you going to tell me what the fuck I'm doing here or do I actually need to ask myself?”

The suddenness of her rude and angry sentence made him pause. His fingers remained on the back of her neck for a moment longer, then they lifted and she was allowed to move back. Savagely her glare flickered up to meet his, where she burned her questions at him. His brow rose - oh, balls, that familiar brow - before he lifted a hand.

And he asked quietly. “Desian and Demer, will you leave us please?”

“But sir!”

Vitruvion twisted around to eye them. “I am protected enough. She cannot harm me and there are questions that need to be answered, in private.”

Pauses, and Stare was confused at their hesitancy in leaving … but then remembered that she had given Desian both a dose of necrosis - her 'grotesque’ stare - and a helping of pain - her 'power’ stare. To them, she was the monster, chained and dangerous. Vitruvion was perfectly capable of controlling it as the beast by herself, and so he could assure them that all was well.

The two relations stood and shuffled out, the male supporting the injured female. Vitruvion waited until he heard the door closed, at which point Stare tugged on the chains and demanded at him.

“What the fuck is going on? Because I'm pretty sure that I died.”

Stare
12-15-2017, 01:00 AM
Slowly Vitruvion let out a long sigh. An obvious look of pain passed over his face as he considered a subject that had apparently been a sore subject for him. Stare frowned at him, a dark frown, as she considered the other times she had ever seen that look. Once there had been a time in the Hollow, where Hugin had brought Reign into a council meeting as his 'own’ sex slave. Then there had been the time they had first discovered the existence of his brother. Then more recently, Vitruvion had stood on a hill overlooking Bane Wood village and he had sent her away, saying that they could not go seek the ape-orcs together, a possible species that, like her own, had been banished from Vitruvion's homeworld to this one by his father. That day she had learnt of the deep trust for her that neither of them really admitted but knew was there. A similar emotion to-

“That was the day,” he said quietly.

Focusing and realising she had been dosing she looked at him. “What?”

“That was the day …” he said again, his eyes steady with hers, “That I decided to do something …”

There was a pause. Stare hated suspense right now. After all she was chained to a frigging bed.

“To do what?” she demanded in a harsh tone.

“Stare,” he sighed at her tone. But then he went on. “That was the day I decided to do something about your … mortality.”

Silence fell. Stare blinked, confused. “Sorry, I did not quite get that last bit. Did you said mort-”

“'Mortality,’ indeed,” the god nodded, now starting to sound a little more like his usual self. “That which allows you to die and never come back.”

Die and-

Stare blinked, her eyes wild with expressions. Uncertainty, shock, disbelief, confusion.

“Mort …”

What the Ansaldo's balls ...

Vitruvion's face changed slightly. He went from looking at her concerned to having a small brightness in his eyes. Colour came to his face as his lips formed a line and in the corner they twitched up into - into a - a smirk …

Fuck.

“Oh my …” she whispered, as she stared at him in utter horror.

His smirk grew, and there he was back. The god who ruled her world, her life, her existence …

“Fucking bastard,” she shrieked and tried to go for him.

Naturally she forgot two things in that fit of rage. One, he was a god - her god to be precise - and two, she was chained to the bed. What occurred was that she sort of uselessly flailed and slumped as chains rattled and she glared at the man before her who was now honestly smiling.

“I spent those three days meeting with the Raiaeran god of immortality,” he spoke quietly. “I gave him my plight, he offered me assistance and discovered it did not go against any of the treaty I signed with them when I came here. We worked on the enchantment and it took time but … well …”

He gestured at her as she hissed darkly.

“You won't age, now. Instead-”

“You couldn't just leave me alone, could you?” She shrieked, she glowered and glared at him. “You couldn't just let me die, let me live my life?!”

Stare
12-15-2017, 01:01 AM
The god paused a moment and blinked, part of the smile fading. “Stare, I told you a while back, near when we first met that something was going to be done about your short life. This is merely … well.”

Her beak snapped as close as she could get it near his skin, in the circumstances.

“You didn't even ask me, Vitruvion!” she yelled. “What is it? How many deaths? How more do I have to suffer before you are satisfied?!”

The smile faded completely. It was replaced by a huge frown and a deep crush in his brow. He blinked a few times and switched his balance of his stance.

“Stare …” he said carefully, “This -”

“You disgust me,” she spat, the anger boiling over now and the words … they were words made to hurt, made to curse. She chose them to sting because it felt bloody good. Eyes dark she hissed at the man before her who had - had … gods, she couldn't even think about it.

“I hate you. I despise you,” she hissed, mad, “I wish we had never met, that Raevin had nerve found me. I wish I was still dead, that I had no life here. I wish you had been, I wish that you and I-”

Wham.

Her words were cut off. Suddenly there he was, leaning across her. No, not leaning, he was basically over her, straddling her. One leg was awkwardly bent over hips whilst the other was on the side of her. His eyes were dark again, full of an anger and passion so deep that she could barely fathom the beginnings of it. And his hand - his hand …

It was pressed against her throat, pinning her back against the headboard. Her great eyes, suddenly filled with fear stared back at him and her heart beat wildly. All the things she had been saying - they tumbled from her mind like leaves, born from malice and made to hurt, nothing more. They had served their purpose clearly for now he was holding her down, all the strength of ages poured in to subduing her, quietening her, reminding her just who was master and god in this relationship …

And then he saw her fear. Her utter, sudden distress and terror from him. Her beak was clamped shut, her breath short and in her mind all she could think about was the last few days and the two nights. Where the ferocity of dealing with the Hugin situation driving him over the age with ire, to the point where he had ordered her to sleep on the windowseat …

Something he knew, in this moment, he could make her do anytime. Because she knew precisely what and who he was, and what powers he possessed. He had every right to pull her apart molecule by atom, every single iota and particle …

But that was not the type of god he wanted to be. Not the type he had ever wanted to be. That was his father's way, likely his brother's way. A law given with a malicious grin, followed because of fear. A type of ruling that assigned beings under gods and gave them the right to crush them and banish them whenever they saw fit. Public executions, forced migrations, epidemics because one was simply bored …

Stare
12-15-2017, 01:03 AM
He let out a long, uneasy sigh and released her neck. Breath rushing back into her lungs she gasped, and then spluttered, remaining in the same position but responding to the physical needs. Her own attitude was a knowledge of what he was, and a personally created bubble of dread that bordered on awe. Complete and full wonder at what he was and what he … hells, what he had actually done to her …

“How - how many deaths?” she whispered.

Vitruvion heaved in a weary sigh. He looked at her before looking down at her plumage. Her glossy feathers, so beautiful to his eyes and wondrous and ebony.

“There is no limit,” he admitted. “It will continue until …”

“Until?” she urged.

“Until I and the god Galatirion jointly agree it for the best to end it.”

Which meant … well.

She swallowed heavily, the weight of the news crushing her. A realisation of a life … a truly eternal, immortal life. One that she could not escape from, aside from those.mythical tales.

He shook his head as he lifted his eyes back to her. “We were very thorough, Stare. Two gods, one who's speciality is immortality itself. Granted, elvish immortality but the idea is the-”

“But why?” she suddenly cried, tears starting to fall now. “Forgive me but why? Why couldn't you let me just live a full life?”

The question seemed to stun him for a moment. Vitruvion paused and he looked right into her eyes. She saw fire in there, energy and the same passion as before. His chin lifted as he moved properly now, his leg unfolding so he was completely straddling her. Leaning in he locked contact with her and stretched a hand until he rested on the headboard. He locked his fingers around it and balanced himself as his other hand slid down and cupped the side of her jaw. Intently he gazed at her and in that moment … she was aware of what Nevin had spoken off. When he had discovered his and Vitruvion's true connection. When he had seen their bonds. When he had murmured:

“You… you love her. You really love her.”

“I made the most selfish decision I ever have that day, Stare,” he spoke in a hushed tone, but full of strong confidence and pride. So much determination. So much intent. “I decided that I refused to live without you. Not that I could not live with you, but I would not. I refused, and I still refuse.” He moved even closer to her, and she was entirely mute, lost in his words, his gaze, his presence … “You are mine, Stare, forever and always, and I refuse to let anything take you from me. Another hand, another god, war, death - nothing stands in my way now. You are mine, and have admitted such so many times. Body, soul, now existence. I will live forever, and you will now too. By my side, constantly. I will never let anyone touch you, I will keep you even when you hate me with every morsel of your body, yet still I will keep my promises to you, Stare.” He breathed out and narrowed his eyes, his hold on her chin though still as gentle as a newborn. “You cannot escape me, now. Ever. You are mine, and for what I need to be I am yours. Your god, your friend, your companion. We will face eternity together, and I swear from this day to protect you. Forever.” .

He stared right at her, to her very core being and her soul, which was … entirely his. She admitted it now, she gave in and completely admitted it. She was his through and through and even though she swore she hated him her loyalty had always lain with him. Why then would she forgo sleep for all those hours and try to save the city in his name? Why then would she fight this war? Because she was loyal to him. She had to honestly admit it to herself. She had been ever since she found out he was her god.

“For-ever.”

... Fuck.

Stare
12-15-2017, 01:39 AM
Eventually he moved his hand as the silence between them became more. It dropped from her face as he let out a long, murmuring sigh that extended and exposed all the feelings he had. Stare herself - well, she was caught between awe that Avin was alive, at least sort of, and that she was … alive too. Her eyes were still large, staring wordlessly at the man before her whom she knew she trusted now, despite what he had done to her. The innate trust was so obvious when one looked at it, to both of them. Nevin had seen it as a form of love, that was one explanation.

Vitruvion then suddenly seemed to notice his position. He was still straddling her, his knees on each side of her hips. Beneath him her small but gentle form was bound and his for the taking, if he so wanted. He felt a leap of joy in his chest at the potential, because, he had to admit it, his sex drive was rather high, which is partly why he had built the Hollow. His lips parted, and the idea formed in his head as he remembered the actual pleasure he had had taking her before and he-

A sharp intake of breath. Glancing up, he saw that Stare had noticed the same thing. Except in her eyes … there was a weariness, a fear. Something he prized in other girls but for her, well. She would always have to be willing from now on. Always.

Quickly he moved off her before any of his more obvious signs of arousal made themselves known. It was very highly likely that because he could feel something that she had too, and he avoided looking at her because of the disgust in her mind she was hastily trying to cover up and pretend was not there.

“I will return … later,” he said. “For now, just …”

“Sit tight?” she muttered, a weak line of sarcasm working its way out.

Glancing to her once he raised an eyebrow and then smiled slightly. “I will have Desrian bring food and drink.”

“Do I need to be kept like this?” Stare asked, blinking. “I get for the first bit, as I was confused and violent but now ….?”

“I … that we need to discuss this matter further, Stare. But right now, is not the right time. I am not risking you running off right now, so just … yes.”

He adjusted his clothes and waved a hand at her. “I will return. Try to calm down more and … yes.”

He twisted and started marching out. Leaving her in his wake, trussed and chained and entirely at his pleasure. For his taking if he had wanted, but he had refused. Kept to his promise never to have sex with her unless she gave permission and she had not wanted that all. She had felt his presence, his desires and then rejected them with disgust.

Her jaw tightened and she glowered, but he opened and shut the door behind him with no other words. Stare huffed, blinking a few times as she sat there, now irritated. By all her reckoning her cuffs were of stronger stuff than steel, likely dehlar, and that meant she was not going anywhere just quite yet.

Stare
12-15-2017, 01:40 AM
Sighing and tipping her head back she gazed at the ceiling, irritated but knowing she would get no more from him. He would be off now, straight to Sable or Blaze. They would ease him, satisfy him in a way she did not want him to. Not ever again as far as she was concerned.

Because he had started out to her as a rapist. A machochist, enforcer and mockery of a gentleman. Then he had become something more as time went on, or she had to him. She had provided a face to talk to, to discuss with to suffer with. Both of them had faced Thesus Heysan as one, and that had initially bonded them. Then through her own research (inspired by the same Thesus Heysan's daughter) and Vitruvion's careful deductions they had discovered the truth of their bond. And it had grown from there. She had got a salary. Vitruvion had made his fake slavery documents into real ones. He had called her high priestess. She had admitted that she and he had a trust that ran deep, and openly admitted to a neat and dear friend that he was her god. Then, there had been the possibility of love, and now this … this. Something that cemented their futures together eternally with every myth of escape that Vitruvion had thought of covered in some way, apparently.

Damn, she was immortal now. Not fakely, or shabbily like one death save, but properly immortal. From what she could tell it can't have been too long that she was in fake death and had seemed to come back entirely healed. Avin … her own brother, or he who was a shadow of his former self had killed her. He had called her 'enemy’ and stabbed her in the back of the neck, the brain stem where she too knew cause an instant death, if one was skilled enough to find it.

It was something taught at kenku fight school. Damn. Damn. Enemy?

Had he really said, “enemy’? Did he really not remember or recognise her? She thought of how he had looked and the word he had used and the way he had killed her - from the back. He had killed countless beasts over the days and hopefully he had stopped that night. Hopefully, she would need to ask. But the actions and the word …

A sense of unease fell into her heart as she considered what he might be and what had happened. Because she was certain he had been killed along with her brother. Briefly, once, she had seen his body.

Damn. So he had been resurrected, like her but not. It had caused him to lose his memory and for him to think of her as an enemy. So he recognised her, but only with hate as an intention, and murder …

Oh heck. Hells. Ansaldo's bloody balls. He had to have been, it was the only part that made sense.

She realised Avin had to have been resurrected by Vitruvion's new-to-Althanas half-mad and half-brother.

Stare
12-15-2017, 05:49 AM
“Miss …?”

She peeked open an eye. Her body was normally functioning now, with a steady breath and a steady thundering heart. It had been a few hours perhaps since Vitruvion had left and Stare had been left to her own devices.

Which meant figuring out that her brother was some form of undead slave to Vitruvion's villainous half-brother and actually coming to terms with the fact she was never going to get older.

She spied Desian, nervously at the edge of the bed with a wicker basket in her hands. From the basket came a slight rise of steam as well as a good amount of succulent scents. Meat, there was definitely meat in there.

Desian looked honestly fearful for her life. Considering what she had done to her, the fact that she knew what sort of pain she could inflict, Stare was hardly surprised. There was a reason, after all, why Vitruvion had her currently strung up here. In some ways he should have blindfolded her as they were her most powerful weapons but that was perhaps too far. She would not have forgiven him for taking away her sight as he explained her new identity.

“I apologise for harming you earlier,” Stare sighed. “I did not know what was going on. I thought I was … well. I was supposed to be dead.”

Desian paused and blinked a few times. “He said you are … immortal now.”

Stare grunted, finding the truth of it shoved in her face oddly satisfying. It also let her know that Vitruvion was in no way planning on keeping that part of her a secret. It was not like the treaty with his godhood after all, or the shame that followed her with slavehood. Instead it was a bright, significant truth that he was proudly proclaiming. Now that she knew at least. She imagined what she might have done if he had told her before she actually experienced dying … how she might have reacted. Certainly she would have been very, very upset.

I also did not know how and if it would work, how you would return until you did suffer death, came a quiet, contemplative reply. I would not have been able to answer many questions you might have had.

Back in my head I see, she dryly commented.

I have always been in your head, my dear, he replied, showing an image of his minor smile. But sometimes I have other things that are of more importance.

“Miss Stare, shall I come back …”

Stare focused again on the room, and the young woman standing there. She rolled her eyes a little and tried to concentrate on what had been said before.

“It seems that way,” she responded to Desian with a small frown in her tone. “Wait, you were here when I was brought in yes?”

Desian paused and nodded awkwardly. “Yes … Sir Elssmith requested that I and Demer watch you. He brought you in himself.”

“And here is …”

“The - the Hollow, Miss,” she furrowed her brow slightly.

“Yes, that is obvious, but where in the Hollow?”

Desian paused. “Sir Elssmith's apartment. This is the room his sister stays in usually.”

Ventrua. So it explained the comfiness of the bed at least and the finery of the place. Stare blinked and glanced around the room, seeing a small chest and a couple of chairs she had not taken in seriously. It was some form of guest room for his friends, then.

“And how long was I …?” What was the right word? Out? Unconscious? Dead? Lost in that world of clouds and dreams and paradise.

“It took twenty four hours before you were breathing again, if that is what you mean.”

She spoke with more confidence this time, as if she trusted Stare more. Maybe it was the fact Stare hadn't attacked her yet. Again.

So a whole day. Stare grunted, taking the piece of information and storing it away safely. She ground her beak together, still irritated in the ugly fact that this was it now. This was her inevitable life. Even death was not a barrier to Vitruvion's say on her everyday being and doing. No matter what happened - balls above, not even Raevin would be with them forever. He would stop aging yes, maybe had already as he was a high elf, but he could still die of mortal wounds.

“Miss, are you hungry?”

Hungry? She had not even thought of that. Before she had been terribly thirsty, but that had already been sorted. Hunger on the other hand was another issue, and now she considered it she noticed that there was indeed a gnawing presence in her guts and stomach.

“Yes,” she agreed, “I am.” Then she looked at her feet again and let out a very dissatisfied growl. “I'm guessing you haven't been given permission to release me yet?”

“Not - not until Sir Elssmith has been to see you again, Miss,” she nervously replied. “He …”

“Is the be all on the authority of my life, yeah I know,” Stare sighed. And she arranged herself to the best that she could, moving her butt to support herself better, and finding it irreconcilably annoying that her ankles were chained that way. Then she looked at Desian. “How do you want to do this then?”

And what enshewed was ten minutes of negotiation, more motion than anything on how precisely one feeds a kenku. Then a further ten of steady eating, a sour look permanently in Stare's eyes, and morsel by morsel dropping off food into her beak. With the woman already afraid of her, Stare had to be careful not to make any sudden movements or snap her beak parts too loudly. Gulping down larger pieces in her instinctive, throwback manner was highly dangerous and took thirty seconds of apologising before Desian continued.

It was nearing the end of the meal when the wooden door opened and Vitruvion came striding back in, his cane under one arm.

Stare
12-15-2017, 06:38 AM
“Back so soon,” Stare grunted, eyeing him up.

He arched an eyebrow. “Wonderful to see your usual merry self back amongst us, my dear,” he said lightly.

Striding over to the far side of the room he used his spare hand to grasp a chair. Then, sweeping it off its legs in the most elegant manner possible he began to carry it back over to where Stare and Desian were. It reminded Stare of the times he used to do so back in her old room, in the Hollow. Of course then they had a very different relationship and new so little of each other. Now … now.

He planted down the chair and sat in it. Then, with no pause and no indication that that was what he was going to do he gestured for the basket of food. Desian handed it over without hesitation and he nodded at her.

“I will handle this now, Desian. You can go back to your normal duties. I thank you for the assistance.”

The kitchen cook eyed up Stare with caution before bowing to them both quickly. Then she twisted around and shot out the door before anyone could tell her to do otherwise.

There was a short, tight pause.

“Did you want to finish, Stare?”

Her eyes flickered back to him and this time she did show her irritation. In his hand was a fork and on the end of it a slightly warm hunk of pork.

“Desian said to wait for you to return before she had permission to release me. Now you are back here, I'd like you to hurry the fuck up and-”

“You're language is still volatile, your mood still unpredictable. My dear, I'm not letting you go until you completely understand what it is that our relationship is now.”

He looked entirely unamused. Stare still glared though.

“Well I'm pissed off that you didn't ask me.”

He dropped the fork into the basket and leant back. “You would have refused, no matter the negotiation. I know you that much, Stare.”

Shaking her head she looked away, fury fuming from every pore.

“Well? I speak the truth do I not?”

She locked her jaw.

“Well?” His voice sounded a little heated, and if there was one thing she knew about Vitruvion it was that he liked his direct questions to be answered.

“Yes,” she huffed, “But it is a dispicable act. You could have … hinted. Done it slowly. I don't know.”

She heard the sound of him putting the basket on the tiled floor.

“I have already confessed I acted out of pure selfishness. And I am proud of what I did, whether you like it or not,” he said, his words harsh but true. “It was the only way that I could, in the short time that I had, come up with. I had three days or so in which to sort it out. Any longer and you would have been incorrigible to deal with in the fact that I disappeared, and you missed out on the adventure with the ape-orcs.” He paused. “I did not lie, by the way, they are all gone.”

Stare
12-15-2017, 06:39 AM
She grunted, but it was a noise filled with anger. Folding his arms across his chest he stared at her. “To change the subject your deductions about your brother's sudden re-existance make sense. To make an undead, which he clearly is by the sight of him, does require a knowledge of necromancy, and a demon like Sabazios would have access to such.”

Stare furrowed her brow for a moment. “Wait - did you need to use necromancy on me?”

Vitruvion blinked. “Well, no. You were already alive when the enchantment was woven, all that went into you is deity power. Mine and Galatirion’s.”

That was a relief - sort of. Stare was still in a foul mood though. “I'm still not happy with you. That and whatever brother dick face has my brother.”

“Clearly as a mockery,” Vitruvion nodded, “To spite you and I.” He paused for a moment, frowning. “He will be a problem. Undead are hard to end. I would even go as far to say he could be immortal too.”

The thought made Stare pause. Avin … immortal? Her lips parted and she gazed in wonder for a moment, dreaming of a life with her brother in eternity …

“Stare, your brother has faced death. That, and he clearly has no memory of you. That makes him very different to what you are. I would go as far to say we need to be highly worried about what powers he might have and the state of his sanity. He did have a dramatic killing spree.”

Her eyes twitched in annoyance as the dream was shattered. She sat there, brooding and irritated. Eventually Vitruvion sighed. “Do you have any more questions?”

“Would demonic magic end me?” she asked.

“I doubt it, and I honestly -” he paused. “You know, fuck it, I order you not to go looking for a way to end yourself. I forbid any research into it, any questions being asked to anyone who might know, any of that.” Her eyes glanced over to him and he looked right back at her, expression utterly serious. “I don't forbid you from much, Stare, but this is not something I want distracting you. Deal with this situation like you have others.”

Noticing him of her distaste of it, she clacked her tongue loudly a few times on the side of her beak. Honestly, he was cruel sometimes, and he knew he was. He also knew, however, that she had hardly any will in disobeying his orders, for she knew exactly what his potential was in terms of punishment.

“Any other questions?”

“I died. Does that end your ownership of me?” she asked, quickly and snappily.

“Actually, no,” Vitruvion answered. “As immortality is something that can exist, however rare, it can be taken into consideration for Hernsford cases. I talked with Rafael at length about it. We simply had to change some details, new certification will be made when he returns back to the city.”

Damn. So she still had that. Either way she could have seen Vitruvion spending huge amounts of money rebuying her every time she came back now. So she'd be stuck anyway.

“Anything else?”

“No,” she savagely answered. “Only when I can get out of here.”

Vitruvion was quiet for a moment. “Well, for that, another day looks to be needed to cool your temper. I will …” he took a moment and leant forwards to lay a finger on the manacle closest to him. She flinched a little, which he ignored.

“It will magically open in a further twenty four hours. Nothing else will open them until then. I have things to do, so I'll have someone else cater to your needs.” He looked right at her, “Stare, I know you hate me for this, and I apologise for the emotions you are going through, but this is it now. Eternity, with me. This sort of thing was always coming. You had to know.”

She refused to meet his eyes. So he sighed and stood. “Maester Rafael will be going today. I want to say goodbye to my friend, then I will see you back at the mansion. We have a few things to plan actually.”

She grunted, but said no more. He huffed, then stood. “I'll see you then.”

He paused, but still nothing from her. Only fury and hate. So he nodded and swept out the room, leaving her to it all. To her thoughts. To her dark musings. To her terrible mood.

Stare
12-15-2017, 10:56 AM
Twenty six hours later she woke up to find she had actually fallen asleep. Once again Desian had come in and unenthusiastically granted Stare food. No communication happened between the two women, just a few looks. Stare then was left to brood for some time, a length of time that she found herself reluctantly relaxing in, until she could fully comprehend what had happened to her. Yes, she was immortal, but she was also … well, immortal. Few ever got the chance to say they could live a thousand lives and suddenly Stare was faced with the reality that her life had only really just begun. Where would she be in fifty years - certainly not dead like she would be in an ordinary kenku's life. A hundred and she might not even be in Beinost. A thousand …?

Either way she was going to be beside Vitruvion. That he had made very, very clear.

Indeed, nothing had really changed. Her destiny was still tied to his, it was just longer now. Far, far longer and with no noticeable end. Entangled into his strange fate, balls - one day she might even see other planets.

She fell asleep thinking about the exotic fantastical adventures. Then, she awoke to find time had passed and the locks on the manacles had opened, releasing her as Vitruvion had ordered them too. For a while she just lay there, a sigh in her throat, gazing around the room and the only wish right now to get back to the mansion and mope there.

It sounded like a good idea, moping. Thus, after she had stared around the room long enough she swung herself out of the bed. Immediately her body groaned, creaking with aches and strains as it had been forced into an uncomfortable position for so long.

Inspecting her wrists, she found welts beneath the layer of feathers where the metal had chafed. It was not too bad, nowhere near what she had experienced before, but still painful. And it was the same for her ankles. Bending down was near agony and she found herself hobbling about the room for a while until her muscles remembered what positions they should actually lie in. Her cuff was still on of course, she doubted it would ever leave her wrist ever again, but that side of her existence she had gotten used to. It was actually useful having a deity present in your head sometimes, even when you didn't know he was watching and listening.

Groaning and stretching she got her body back to a workable form within a good few long minutes. Heading over to the small trunk she kicked it open and was satisfied to find her chainmail, helmet, weapons and two fine tunics within, along with some battered jewelry. It looked like Vitruvion had brought over a few things from the house of hers just in case. Grunting Stare turned away and looked around the room until she spotted an irregularity in the wall, and nodded with satisfaction. After all Ventrua’s room would have to have a bathroom, the woman was so elegant.

Stare
12-15-2017, 10:56 AM
Rolling back her shoulder she stepped in and had one of the best showers of her life. It got rid of a vast majority of remaining aches and and stiff joint agonies and made her feel a lot more in terms of satisfaction. Stare stood under the water until she could genuinely not bear the heat anymore, then stepped out to begin the very long process of towelling off. It was hard when one had feathers, and you had to be very careful.

Tap, tap, tap …

The knock was quiet. Very quiet. In fact Stare would go as far to say it did not exist when it occured again.

Tap, tap, tap …

She paused, frowning as she was mid-towel of her tail feathers, short and plucky as they were. Head tilting to the side she waited for a while, listening out as she slowly continued to dry herself.

And - Tap, tap, tap …

She figured then it was coming from the front door of the room, not the bathroom. It was also a lot more chaotic this time, full of urgency, speed and -

Quickly, she moved, shoving the towel around her before opening the bathroom door. Hurrying to the trunk she began to rifle through it to find a tunic as the knocking got more repetitive.

“Hang on,” she shouted back to it. “I'm just out the shower. Just - hang on!”

It seemed to cause a pause. For there was no knocking as she dropped her towel to pull a fine, embroidered tunic over her head. Instead there was an oddly familiar voice, but one of a long time ago. A very long time ago.

“Ah - ah Miss Stare?”

It was young, human voice, full of a time when she had permanently lived here. Stare's beak parted in utter astonishment for the man she had not heard from or of in such a long time. Grabbing a belt from the trunk she began to tie it on as she looked to the door, genuine excitement running through her body.

“Come in!” she yelled, and the door opened.

In walked a blonde haired, green eyed young man. He was of medium height and build and had his hair swept back into a ponytail. He was dressed in simple clothing of a shirt and breeches, with knee high boots, and a leather jacket. By his side was a sword in a sheath, and his hand rested on it as if he expected danger at any moment.

“Balls above,” she found herself smiling in her eyes as she tied the last knot on her belt. “Zulon!”

The young man smiled slightly. Last time they had seen each other Stare had been taken from the Hollow to the mansion. That had been little over six months, and going from once being her personal guard tasked with keeping her in the Hollow to a genuine possible friend standing before her.

“Miss,” he said, with a small note of reverence in voice. “I … well I have a rather urgent matter and with Raevin gone you are the next most authority.”

Stare blinked, and paused a moment as the genuine impact of that hit her. Of course, Raevin was in Corone, guarding the Celestial Brewery against a threat and attack. And Vitruvion was apparently away. Frowning slightly she flicked some damp from her shoulder.

“Don't you have a sergeant or something? Someone under Raevin who-”

“It's a little more important than that, Miss,” Zulon said quickly.

Stare lost all her enthusiasm. Her eyes glanced at the bed where she had spent far too long and she sighed and gestured for him to go on as she twisted back to the trunk.

“Yes. Well,” he paused suddenly and she glanced back at him to see him glancing at the bed, with the manacles still hanging there.

She paused and lied right off. “Coming back to life is painful,” she excused. And it was easy to say, because in truth she had found it so, despite the fact that all that pain had been mental and emotional.

“I see,” he murmured. “Yes, Sir Elssmith revealed that you were immortal.”

The kenku went back to concentrating on finding her items. She grabbed her helmet and tied it onto her belt, as well as her dagger and gauntlet. Pausing, she decided against the chainmail for the time being and straightened, looking back at Zulon.

“You were saying what the issue was?”

The guard paused a moment, then nodded. “Ah yes, sorry Miss … Ma’am. The council is about to be in session and we have no idea where Sir Elssmith is.”

Stare
12-15-2017, 03:09 PM
Vitruvion. Whatever you are doing, please stop it and listen to me now. Pause. No answer. Vitruvion, it's actually urgent. She breathed faster, flexing and unflexing her fist. Meanwhile Zulon furrowed his brow at her, uncertain as to what to say or do. My lord, please!

Use that first next time and I may reply sooner, came the unamused reply. He showed her an image of his face, his eyes looking off away elsewhere. There was another figure, a sort of shadow that was close and Stare was vaguely aware of a conversation happening between the two.

Fine, then I am sorry, she said hurriedly and a little bitter, But there is a genuine problem currently. And she made it obvious in her mind. She showed flashes of the important sections of her and Zulon’s conversation, then images of her currently striding down the corridor, him in tow. She was heading for the mess hall of his personal guard, mainly to see if there was any possibility any of them had any ideas.

I know what the issue is perfectly, Vitruvion said calmly, But Rafael is determined to slow his departure. I have let him know I have a meeting to get to, but without being able to explain much of what it is he disbelieves it's importance.

Stare blinked for a moment, pausing in her step. Behind her Zulon sucked in his breath and came around to her front.

“Have you managed to contact him?” he was asking hurriedly. “What does he say?”

The kenku glanced at the human and shook her head before refocusing back into her mind.

Vitruvion they are gathering now. And a large part of the meeting is to talk about -

My banishment of Hugin, I know, the god murmured. But I will be there in an hour or so. This conversation is … important.

Stare grew aware that the one talking to Vitruvion right now - clearly Rafael - was doing so in excited, rushed tones. He was leaning forwards with an animated look on his face, and she could see the intent in his face. They were in a carriage heading … out of the city.

Vitruvion, so is this meeting. Zulon says that you are key to it. You asked for an early meeting, and to not show up would be -

Well I cannot order this carriage turn around. Either they wait for an hour … or … well. Ask Zulon. He pretended to listen to Rafael as he concentrated on her, nodding idely.

Stare groaned. Looking up, Zulon raised his brows. “... Anything?”

She shook her head hopelessly. “He's with Raf- a foreign noble who was visiting recently. They are in a meeting that is leading him outside of the city. He says they
need to wait or …” she looked confused. “Or I should 'ask Zulon’.” She glanced at the human. “What does that mean?”

Zulon paused for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up. Lips parting in shock he stared at her for a few long seconds before he suddenly nodded.

“Of course,” and quickly he was gesturing at her, twisting to start walking away.

Her brow rose and she looked utterly lost but began to follow, her claws clicking as she did. “What is it Zulon?” she asked, her hand curling around the hilt of her dagger in instinct. “What idea - what did I remind you of.”

Stare
12-15-2017, 03:10 PM
“A while back I used to be in general charge of the council meetings,” he confessed. “As in their organisation, the agenda, and so on. I stopped when I actually got reassigned to guarding you and then …” he looked briefly at her, and then waved his hand as she fixed a single, unamused eye at him. “Yes, well. Anyway, one tradition that stands is that if a brother cannot make a council meeting, then they can send a recognised representative in their place. Naturally, they have to know about the Hollow, how it runs, what the interests of their party are …”

All of a sudden Stare knew what was coming. Her eyes grew large with a mixture of disbelief and negativity, as if why - how could a person have the audacity to even suggest she was -

Raevin is in Corone, as you know. I am not able to be present, you are my most obvious choice. Start the meeting Stare, and I will continue from you when I arrive.

Start the … the council meeting, of the brotherhood of the Hollow. She herself had been to three in her life, and the first of those she had been trussed in ropes, shoved forwards as Vitruvion's prize. Now she was - what? His steward maybe for all things business, but down here? How dare he! How dare anyone suggest that she play the ultimate traitorous act and sit before those whom she knew the suffering of and speak about them and their lives as if she didn't care!

The ultimate hypocrite.

“Miss?”

“Zulon,” she said in the most serious tone. She stretched out a hand and touched his shoulder lightly. He frowned, and slowed, but did not completely stop.

“Zulon, I cannot do that,” her eyes were full of life and honesty. “I am a hypocrite to most of the women here, I am the traitor who they would all rather see die than stand before them representing something they hate. I am not capable of holding a meeting, chairing a meeting for things that I absolutely detest with all my being-”

“You're not doing it for yourself, or for them,” Zulon looked right back at her, with the same powerful look in his eyes. Knowing, understanding, entirely acknowledging. Did he … did he hate what he saw here also? Her heart beat fast as she furrowed her brow, longing to see if her suspicions were true … but he shook himself and straightened. “You are doing it for him.”

An intake of breath. And a swallow. She looked away, her heart racing. Him. She was doing this for Vitruvion, so he would not be shamed, not be made out to be a fool, not have his image tainted. And he was an incredibly proud man, image was part of many things to him - the way he was seen as a wise and generous employer, the way people knew him as powerful and mighty. What citizens of Beinost considered when they saw him walking down the street, what they supposed, what they murmured, what they said of him when he was not there. That, and many other related conditions were what drove him, encouraged him, made him who he was.

He was a terrible man, it was true, but so was he just, generous and well liked. Did she have a good opinion of him - yes she did. He had earned that opinion as the months had gone on and though she had no other options in her life for what direction to go in, she knew that he was at least decent. Not cruel, not malicious, he genuinely cared about the few who cared for him, and for her … well. What he felt for her was a mystery unto itself. What she did know was that she trusted in him, was ultimately loyal to him now. All of his efforts to keep her close were done so with reasonings of honesty and concern for her. One could read so many other things into what he had done but she knew they lay at the core of his understanding of it all, at least.

“Damn it,” she whispered. If you were honestly any other person, she growled at him.

A soft smile came to his lips as he looked out of the window, watching the approaching sea. I will take that as a compliment my dear. I entirely trust you to serve my interests and speak well.

You are just lucky I had a raving mad family to learn diplomacy with, she sighed as she looked to Zulon with a shrug, and a nod. The guard beamed, his eyes bright before he gestured.

“Stay here, I will get two more guards to escort you. I am guessing you don't need … stupid question.”

She raised her brow. Quickly he looked awkward before he pointed back down the long white hall to where the rooms belonging to Vitruvion … and Blaze and Sable were. The sudden glare gave him all the information he needed. It was common for brothers to bring a 'guest’ of their 'household’ with them, but that was definitely somewhere Stare would never stray to. Zulon briefly nodded to her, low and respectful, before he darted through a door. Sighing deeply Stare shook her head honestly not able to believe she was doing this.

Please never ever ask me to do this again, unless it is in dire need. I'm only doing this for Reign's sake.

Vitruvion inclined his head. Otherwise I would have postponed it yesterday or the day before if I thought this might happen.

Her eyes narrowed. You thought this might happen.

Hmm, he agreed grimly. But the situation being as it is, the truth of what Hugin has done cannot go unanswered for any longer.

She leant against the white wall and let out a soft sigh. If you were anyone else ...

She felt his chuckle and then heard a laugh as Rafael joined in, thinking it was something he had said.

No one else is your god.

Stare
12-17-2017, 07:40 AM
“You have to be … Joking.”

Every single eye was on her.

Well, she had not expected anything else. There they were, eight brothers of the Hollow, excluding Hugin, his empty seat in the ten thrones a testament. They were arranged in a circle, with the largest chair currently unoccupied also. But one she was pausing at, taking a long, deep breath as she let her eyes scan the room.

Eight brothers. Many different races. Each lounged in their seats and had behind them two or three personal guards that ultimately fell under the command of Raevin. Before five of them was a girl of some description - each one bound in a different way and waring different amounts of clothing.

These eyes, those particular dark eyes, Stare tried to avoid as she dropped heavily into the chairman's seat and bore through the unending silence.

Then:

“You have to be … Joking.”

“Unfortunately Sir Vitruvion Elssmith is currently unavailable,” she addressed the men there, her heart pounding but her mission to not let it enter her voice. Behind her at least she had three of the best fighters, including Zulon who had all proclaimed their loyalty to her through this process. “He has asked me to step in as his representative for now, and of course offers his apologies. He will be here when he is able, and hopes to make part of the meeting.”

There was a short, unsteady silence. Then, one man, who was pale and clearly a demon - Stare didn't even need to look in the aura - with fire in his eyes and small quills on his head, fixed her with a small and certain smile.

“You are the same one, right? The girl who …”

Stare took in a quiet breath and brought her hands to cup them on her lap. This was just another business meeting, she tried to assure herself. Another difficult, vexing meeting that would once again test her abilities as a manager.

“A year ago I lived here, yes, Lord Tethion,” she replied to the demon, keeping her eye contact on him and her tone of voice steady. Oh yes, she knew about demons and in some way Tethion had always reminded her of Nosdyn, her friend. “Now I work as steward and representative for Sir Elssmith in managerial and other roles.”

The demon raised his brows and grinned, showing rows of pointed teeth. She pressed the sides of her beak together, biting back a snarky reply, trying to also ignore the absolute astounded glares of the chained woman at his feet.

“Can I answer any more questions?” she said, “Or may I formally open this meeting?”

There was a pause. Then an older man whom Stare was sure was called Gravelle leaned in, concern on his face. “How can we know that this is not a ploy? That you have not distracted your master with some harsh trick and mean to cause harm?”

Stare
12-17-2017, 07:41 AM
“You can trust me, my lord Gravelle,” Zulon stepped forwards and came to stand by Stare's side. He held himself tall then, proud, with a strong back and even darker eyes than those that bore into him. “I can verify that Miss Stare stands and represents Sir Elssmith not just here. She is commonly to be found in the very streets of Beinost working in his name.”

He glanced to her and she nodded slightly back. Zulon smiled and continued. “And, my lord, it is not 'master,’ but 'employer.’”

Gravelle blinked with the correction. His lips parted and he looked around at his brothers. Stare saw his grip on a leash in his hands tighten and a look of discomfort cross the face of the girl there. She herself felt a degree of tension and she dug her own claws into her hands.

“If that is all, lord Gravelle, I would like to continue the formalities of this meeting.”

The older man curled his lip but said nothing more. Sitting back he caused the girl, who was frightfully young, to fall back against his legs. Stare forced her gaze away from that and looked up to Zulon to nod to him. ‘I have this,’ her gaze said. He gave her a soft smile before he stepped back.

Her eyes travelled around the room, seeing those she recognised, and those she thought she did. Some glared daggers at her, and others, like Tethion, were acting with more of a kindness.

Hugin, came the suggestion.

Yes, thank you, I was just getting to that.

He grunted, but continued to listen. She was dimly aware of him talking to Rafael in more intense tones as they looked out over the harbour they had got to. Stare swallowed a little and tried to ignore the knot that was forming in her stomach at even being here before she straightened, and finally was able to address the empty chair.

“Sir Elssmith called this meeting to inform and answer any questions that you have about the dismissal of Hugin from the Hollow,” she said quietly, her hands pressing tightly together. “As such there is now an empty seat at this council and-”

Nominations and suggestions for the replacement can be made in the usual ways.

She paused. Usual ways?

Just say it, he stressed.

And she repeated it to the waiting ears. “After the following has been discussed, of course.”

There was an ugly, painful pause. “You … can give us some idea as to why Hugin was banished? Even though you reportedly have been hidden away in a room for the past few days,” one dark skinned man was saying, leaning casually in his chair. He did not have a girl with him.

Stare tightened her jaw. Immediately though brows were being raised and looks thrown in her direction. The kenku's breath began to grow laborious as she was made to think about her recent days then, hidden away and going through one of the hardest times of her life. Finding out that Vitruvion had made her immortal.

“I can advise you what I have been advised,” Stare replied back to a man she was sure was called Sumi, or Summin or Sumum, or similar. “And Sir Elssmith can provide details if you wish to, but for any major details I will try to answer.” She paused. “Hugin was banished for-”

“Just what have you been doing the last couple of days, hmm?”

Stare
12-17-2017, 07:42 AM
Stare sucked in her breath and lifted her eyes to look right at her accuser. It was Gravelle again, apparent the man had some form of spite for her. The kenku looked at him a short while, then turned away.

“That has very little to do with Hugin, lord Gravelle,” she found herself saying quietly. “Instead it would be more prudent to focus on the issue at hand. Hugin has consistently insulted Vit - Sir Elssmith, time and time again. First it was mere comments that my employer could endure, then it was deeper insults. He has continually defied him, caused upset within the Hollow and now-”

“So you won't tell us what you were doing?”

“Oh for heaven's sake, Gravelle,” a new voice said. This one was young and merry and Stare recognised the brother as the human Frendir, the first other she had ever met. He smiled pleasantly at Stare before he went on. “Let the girl go on. Clearly Vitruvion trusts her enough to send her here in his steady, let her get on.”

Gravelle looked awfully taken aback, but he scowled deeply and fell silent. Moving back into his chair he forced his young 'guest’ to raise herself onto her knees to keep up with the length of leash she was given. Stare forced herself to look away, give a simple thank you nod at Frendir before going on. “Thank you, lord Frendir.” She fixed her roaming gaze back on, eyes dancing over the bothers one by one, in turn. “Hugin was insulting not only here but also in the city itself. You all know the story of Reign, and that she was still technically,” she paused, hating the words she was about to say, “a guest of Sir Elssmith's. However, Hugin had since had her in his apartment for …”

Two months.

“Two months, yes. Last week, though, things took a turn for the worse. I am sorry to say that Hugin murdered Reign, and thus made the greatest insult.”

There was a deadly silence.

“He killed a guest that,” her jaw tightened as she began to despise herself for her language, “Was not his. That is not his right, there was never a transference of ownership. Therefore, Hugin destroyed Sir Elssmith's property.”

Property. Ownership. Very words that should not describe the girls’ lives here … but in fact did describe hers very true and very well. The difference being though, Stare had been through the trial by fire and now was more willing to serve Vitruvion than she ever had been before. Yes, she had had very little choice in the matter, ever really, but there were many choices now these days that she made. For herself. In the very end, she had to admit she had a god as her patron now. Forever.

“Wait, Reign is dead?”

It was not a male voice this time … but rather a female one. All eyes glanced over to where a tall, mostly unbound woman, save for a collar around her neck, knelt by the feet of an older elf. Her eyes were huge, and full of pain, and if Stare had never seen her before and known of her relationship with her ‘host,’ she perhaps would have needed to publicly demand some form of punishment. Which would not have felt good in the slightest. As it was, this was the one woman who, aside from Stare, could speak in the proceedings and that was mainly as her ‘host,’ the elf who smiled behind her, had no way of communicating himself.

Stare
12-17-2017, 07:43 AM
He was known as 'Tongueless Tinash’ and she as 'Pride’ and as far as Stare had been told she had been talking for him for coming on five years.

Yet from her outburst Stare could tell that there was a lot more of Pride than Tinash in the question. A lot more of ‘friend’ than 'that other brother's guest’.

“I am sorry to bring you such sad news, but yes,” Stare said, looking right at her and addressing her. “And for that reason, and another, Hugin has been banished from these halls … and the city.”

There was a hushed cry that ran through the room. And it was many more female voices than male, Stare could tell. She looked down at her tense hands, noticing the way her hardened knuckles were paler than normal and the ridges in her skin where she dug into her flesh with those sharp claws. Truly she felt the pity of the women who had lost a dear friend, for the community of the Hollow was two fold, especially between the ‘guests’ of the same brother. Her and Blaze had shared something strong, clearly Reign was the sort who liked to be friends with all. She had once come to Stare, but Stare had pretty much dismissed her in their one meeting.

“From the city? Why is he also banished from the city?”

Stare paused, looking at a brother called Frendir who now spoke. A smiling, happy kind of man who sat by himself today.

She knew she needed to choose her words carefully. “I am sure many of you are aware of the food shortage this city recently experienced,” she said slowly. There were nods all around, even from the girls. Apparently it had even stretched to the kitchens here. Stare breathed in. “Sir Elssmith discovered that Hugin had a large warehouse of food and requested he share it with the hungriest of the city, those whose lives were ruined by the slaughtering of the fowl and cows. Hugin … refused.”

And actually set it aflame.

She blinked, What?

Indeed, his tone was foul, full of dislike. I am on my return now. And keep going, you are doing well.

That at least was good news. Soon she could stop this game and he could take over, which was his job after all.

“Hugin sent the warehouse alight. Estimates say that the food could have fed the entire city for three weeks, and included private livestock. They were killed, the food ruined.”

A stunned silence fell in the room. It was broken a minute later by a muttering from Tethion. “Bastard. We all knew he was, I say good riddance to him.”

Despite the generally negative aspects of demons, especially when it came to her power and that of Vitruvion, Stare found herself in danger of liking Tethion. His mannerisms and even smiles reminded her so much of Nosdyn, the demon who had helped her before, and who was still bound in contract technically to her, that she began to miss the blue-skinned killer. A soft sigh threatened to escape from her beak.

“I … would quite agree lord Tethion,” she dared to reply.

The demon's lips twisted up into a smile.

Stare
12-17-2017, 07:45 AM
“What is to become of Solace and Dare?”

Stare paused, and thought of the names before it struck her that they were - nay, had to be with the type of name - Hugin’s 'guests’ that he had left when he arrived. Her breath drew in and she ducked her head slightly, lowering her eyes and thinking of what to say. The logical conclusion was that they would be inherited by the next brother to take Hugin's place, but that was … well. Hard to admit and it was possible that she had a chance now to find some form of other life for them. Have them taken entirely away as punishment? Could that work?

“They'll go to Hugin's heir, surely?” a loud voice growled. Old and wicked. Gravelle.

Stare closed her eyes briefly with the pain of not being able to do more before she looked up. “That …” she murmured, every word a self injured stab, “Would be the logical conclusion.”

“And tradition.”

She took a moment before dipping her head, avoiding the terrible dark looks she was getting from Pride, Toothless Tinash’s mouthpiece.

“Yes, lord Gravelle, that is tradition. As stated earlier, any nominations for his … replacement can be made over the next few days.”

There was a slight paused before she opened her beak to continue.

“Wait, the food crisis recently.”

It was a female voice now. Stare's eyes spun around until they met Pride's, her own emotions coming to the forefront to combat the current anger melting from the guest - no, slave’s - eyes. Stare looked briefly to Tongueless Tinash who seemed to be looking at Pride with a small amount of confusion. Pride saw the connection and glanced to her 'host’ before making a few gestures and the room was silent as the odd communication they had developed over five years formed into a full conversation. Eventually Tinash nodded slightly, and Pride seemed to get permission to go on.

She looked back to Stare.

“In the food crisis it has been rumoured that Sir Elssmith was responsible for bringing back surplus into the city.”

Stare paused, and clacked her tongue quietly against the side of her mouth in agitation.

“Yes,” she admitted, because after all she had done the food supply train in his name. Yet, it had still all been her as he stressed about Hugin and Rafael’s visit. She had used his money and his title in order to make the contacts, though. “He was responsible.”

There was a small mumble that ran through the brothers before Pride replied. “I see. Then thanks is due to-”

She paused, and her eyes grew large. Stare had that as her first indicator and it was only a portion of a second later that she found her own head twisting around to find a tall white-haired form stepping not through the door … but out of the air itself. No fanfare, no dramatic entrance apart from the manner. One moment he was there, and then the world opened for him as his oyster, as he had learnt and got more powerful in doing recently. He came in and finished Pride's sentence for her.

“Thanks is due largely to Stare actually,” Vitruvion said as he took a strong stride forwards.

Stare
12-17-2017, 07:46 AM
Quickly, Stare stood, eager than anything to be out of that chair. Not wanting to be the spotlight for anything, and finding herself quite suddenly embarrassed she stepped away, her head twisting to not meet the gaze of his eyes. She couldn't, not yet, not with this being their first physical meeting after she had been released from the bonds.

There was a vivid amount of eyes twisting to her … but thankfully they did not last long with the proper arrival of their chairman. He sank into his chair with ease, his cane in hand and a blithe smile on his lips. Stare paused before she silently left where she was and skirted around to edge to the back of the chair, her eyes glancing up to meet Zulon's. To all others it would look like a casual bow and swirl of reverence from an employee or servant to her master, but really Stare simply did not want to be too close to him. Not with what she was now, what he had made her. Yes she accepted it but looking at him now she had … it made her feel sick. Like yet again she was a traitor to herself and every girl here.

“Stare arranged the caravan of suppliers to source new provisions and chickens to our city,” Vitruvion beamed, leaning his cane between his foot and the arm of the chair. “So you have me … and her to thank, really. That and,” he looked over to Gravelle. “To answer your question from earlier, Stare has not been seen the past two days because she was recovering.”

The older man narrowed his eyes. “Recovering … lord Vitruvion?”

The white haired god curled his lips into a smirk. “Yes. And greetings to all. I apologise for being late, but I had a grave issue to deal with.”

Stare turned her gaze away from Zulon after he offered from comfort, then twisted around to looked back into the centre of the room. Her jaw tightened as she saw how out of place she was and she grumpily slipped into a place at Vitruvion's immediate left. Right was wrong, for that was where Raevin stood. Clasping her hands together she set about earning the right to become continuously frustrated.

“As you have possibly heard the rumours, we have made the discovery recently that Stare is immortal. It came about when her and I faced who we now believe to be the culprit of the crimes that led to the food shortage in this city, and she suffered death. It was rather marvellous and useful to me that she came back. I believe it was a painful experience, hence the time she was not seen.”

Stare's breath rushed out of her lungs. Twisting her eyes around she came to stare hard at what she could see of Vitruvion, “Discovered,” he had said, like her immortality was some form of natural occurrence. “Painful?” Well that was what she had excused to Zulon when he had gazed questioningly at the chains on the bed. For Vitruvion it could suit, it gave him an excuse every time she died to at least spirit her away and get her loyalty back with the anger that was likely to happen. Because Stare already knew that her next death, be it soon or in the far future, she was definitely going to be hugely frustrated at him. Because it was not exactly fair that she was not consulted.

Stare
12-17-2017, 07:47 AM
Careful, girl, or I'll send you back there now.

I'm allowed to have emotions, she argued back, You don't steal someone's life and mortality and force them into an eternity of slavehood without consulting them first.

Slavehood only as a technicality, Stare. You were doing well up until now, do not spoil it.

Well, she hissed, her eyes glued to the top of his head. You weren't here to … to tell the world is … force me to do this, be here and say these things. The only reason your reputation is still together is because of me.

Yes, and I thank you, and I find your loyalty touching and useful. You are useful to me, I will not let you leave my service or my side ever. Now stop glaring at me like that and return to proper decorum.

Proper decorum it's ass. But it might as well have been an order. Stare was dimly aware of a conversation now ongoing about if, then, the brothers should expect Stare to possibly conduct the meetings in future. Vitruvion was currently saying that yes, they should consider her his representative from now on, if such matters arose again. Certainly, right now, she hated him, and also of the stares that were now on her from those who were in shocked disbelief that one, she had saved their city and two, she was immortal - what now? Vitruvion was lucky that Stare's loyalty had grown to the point it had now. But then, if it had not, he would never had asked her to step forwards as his representative, or not stopped her in using his name as a rallying point for the supply train. It struck her just how she had changed in the last six or seven months, going from wretched slave who constantly said the wrong things deliberately, to steward who gave him a good reputation but always had new reasons to detest him. Most of her loyalty, she knew, grew from the fact that he was her god, and all else had grown from that. But loyalty did not mean that memories went away, and fresh feelings of anger.

“Miss?” came a soft, nervous whisper.

Stare looked over to see Desian of all people offering her a goblet of rich-smelling wine. Two goblets in fact. Stare grunted and grabbed both before automatically checking the metal with a glance of her eyes and passing over the more full and pristine one and holding it out to Vitruvion. Not skipping a single note and without breaking eye contact, the 'brother’ leant over to cup his hand around the goblet and take it from her. Then he paused a moment, in his speech, gestured for a brother to respond before he pointed at her, but did not look at her.

“Food,” he said quietly, in a non-suggestive, ordering manner.

Damn, she thought, realising her actions and his words. Damn this all.
Twisting back to Desian she forced her away around the room until she caught up with the serving girl. Desian gasped a little and looked honestly nervous - but then, Stare had attacked her earlier - before nodding.

“Can you please get some food,” she muttered. “He'll eat … grapes, cheese, olives, that sort of thing just now.”

Stare
12-17-2017, 07:48 AM
Desian glanced in the direction of Vitruvion, then back to Stare. “Of course Miss,” she whispered before giving her last couple of goblets away and hurrying out of the room. Stare moodily stalked back over to Vitruvion before returning to his left side.

“It's coming,” she murmured.

“That was not too hard, now was it?” he whispered back, nodding as he pretended to listen to a brother.

She looked away and huffed. “Wine good enough?”

“Actually it's slightly vinegary,” he muttered. “But it will do.”

She stood there for a moment, staring at him until he noticed his sly smile. Hissing under her breath she shoved her hand out and he placed the wine back in it. Twisting around she let her eyes scan over the room, only very briefly brushing those of Pride. She noticed then that the girl was still looking at her, eyebrows raised and looking somewhere between confused and in awe.

“I'll be back,” she muttered to him before she took both goblets and started out of the room.

She returned some minutes later to find the conversation thankfully moved on from her, and Hugin. Now the brothers were discussing the food crisis and solutions to avoiding such a thing in the future. One of them, an orcish man called Dru Blacktooth, was even suggesting not having Hugin replaced but instead turn his rooms into some form of storage facility.

Stare had gone down to Vitruvion's own apartments and grabbed wine from his own supply. On the way up she had met Desian and was now returning with both better wine and food, sacrificing her own (i.e. downing it) to have space in her hands. The time she had taken had been useful in order to get her breath back from her ordeal, outside of the stifling room. Because, really, it had to be admitted …

She had finally done it. Finally she had committed the final and dreadful act of calling the prisoners here 'guests’ in front of their 'hosts’ and them. Her final act in her traitorous journey, the actual words had transferred her truly over to the dark side in this horror. A long time ago Vitruvion had planned to have her take over the administration side of the Hollow, but when Stare had proved her use in business he kept her focus there. For six months now she had been coming and going as a simple punter, briefly appearing at a council meeting to simply be a presence, and also let Vitruvion know she was alive after losing her cuff to the first Church of Sabazios mage she had come across. That was the same time she had learnt first of his half brother who secretly plagued their lives, and hells, brought her brother back to her. So many things, so many journeys and Stare had today signed one of her final farewells. Two, if one countered mortality. The other was to the last part she felt of her that was salvageable - the small impact she had on the Hollow, but now as she walked back she realised that had died now too. The brothers now recognised her as Vitruvion's representative. They would never seen in the same way again.

When she came back she noticed Pride.

The girl was looking at her with a strong intensity, and not with just the confusion and awe from before. There was … something else, like a spark had been ignited and a new passion had arisen. Slowly, without breaking eye contact with her she passed over the goblet, then the plate of bread and olives to Vitruvion. Pride swallowed slightly and then began to raise a hand to indicate something … before a tap came at her shoulder. A look of despair fell over her face as she looked back and saw a series of gestures from Tanish. She blinked a few times, a few conflicting thoughts apparently in her head before she nodded and related his thoughts to the general room.

Stare though … could not shake it. There had been something in Pride for a moment, and indication that perhaps she did not hate her. An idea came into Stare's mind, to look into the aura sight and find what emotion might be flaring, but a quick word sounded into her head.

Stare
12-17-2017, 07:48 AM
Take her outside and do it. I can do without the distraction of seeing a room of souls just now.

She paused. You don't have to look into my head.

You should know by now I am there most of the time. It has unfortunately become a habit, and I find I can multitask, he picked up his goblet to his lips and took a slow sip.

How on earth do you suppose I get her outside on her own? Stare asked, bemused.

He used his many ringed finger to tear of a chunk of bread and push it into his mouth with all the ceremony of a king. If she is this desperate you can leave and she will find an excuse to leave. She is trusted beyond anything with Tinash. Hence being unbound and he only had one guard with him. Then we can know what she wants.

You mean I can, Stare smiled slightly.

Don't try to be funny. I said what I mean.

With that he twisted his head around sightly and looked at her. For the first time since he had entered the room their eyes met. The flash of ice blue bore into her and she found herself stunned for a moment before she ducked her head and looked away. Her heart racing she looked once over to Pride and waited until the girl could see her. Then the kenku meaningfully looked away before obviously turning … and heading out of the door.

She didn't even glance to Zulon, but stepped all the way out. Huffing she stepped through the short corridor and into the round hall that acted as a sort of crossroads for the long path that made up the Hollow. Stare checked and found Vitruvion's half aware presence in her mind. Pausing for a moment she did a short walk and found nobody there asides from her own self. Yes, there would be guards further up the white corridor towards the door but that was all.

Perhaps Pride would not be allowed out, despite Vitruvion's suggestion she was trusted.

A creak from behind her made the very idea tumble from her mind. Pride was already quietly coming out, her deep auburn hair framing her fine features. Stare had never really looked at Pride before but now, in this more open light than that in the council chamber, she could see that her skin had a slightly shimmering tone to it, like the sheen on pearls.

“Hi …” Stare said slowly, her hand closing over the hilt of her dagger just in case.

Pride blinked a few times before picking her way over the cobbles, coming anxiously closer. Stare noticed that she wore no shoes and was dressed in a thin dress. In fact she was moderately shivering, and the kenku felt a stab of guilt over having taken her from a room with so many warm bodies to help generate heat.

“I don't have much time,” Pride said quickly. “I used the excuse of needing to use the facilities, and so …”

Stare
12-17-2017, 07:49 AM
The kenku nodded slowly, uncertain as to where this was going. She paused for a moment, not knowing if she really wanted to and if the aura sight was a brilliant idea after all.

“Well,” Pride looked nervous for a moment, running a hand through her thick, luscious hair in stress. “Well I … I was wondering if you might be able to help me.”

Help her? Stare paused for a moment, and hoped to high heaven this was not a plea for freedom. Bringing up a hand she began to shake her head.

“Pride, I've been asked to help people escape before. I cannot do that, it's impossible for me to-”

“No, I don't mean that!” Pride said quickly, shaking her head. “I mean, I am not an idiot, I know you cannot. It's clear that you yourself are under some sort of contract … thing with Sir Elssmith.”

Stare paused, raising her brow. It was not too far from the truth actually. The first thing that had kept Stare by his side was her cuff. It bonded their minds together, but more than that he had the ability to forge a connection and mentally cause pain to her. The memory of that time came to her and she was oddly confused for a moment to realise that it had been many, many months since he had used any of that sort of technique. Pain and threats was how they had begun and now … well. She had just saved a city in his name without anyone asking.

She let out a sort of weak shrug. “It's a little bit more complicated than that …” she murmured.

“I don't need to know the details, but,” Pride said quickly. “I know that he has power here. He is the only brother able to do magic in the Hollow and you … well. The first council meeting you were ever in …”

Vitruvion had got her to stun someone to shut them up. Stare had forgotten that really as well. The kenku now frowned, knowing now that Pride really wasn't stupid at all. In fact she seemed to be incredibly perceptive and clever. There was really very little that Stare knew about Pride, but then they did not live in the same world anymore. Even with her time in the Hollow, they had never properly spoken. All in all Reign had likely spread the rumour that Stare was irritating and abrasive and only Blaze had really been her friend.

“And now apparently you are immortal, he said?!”

Stare breathed in slowly, and looked away a slight amount of pain in her eyes. “That was … an unexpected turn of events. My abilities keep growing exponentially. So my use to Vitruvion has increased.”

Pride nodded fast. “I understand, and I know you will understand when I tell you that - I -”

“Before you say anything more, Vitruvion will hear you,” Stare said quickly, eyeing her a warning. “He and I-”

“I know that,” Pride said, “As I said, I'm not an idiot. Others are and would never see, but I figured that out a long time ago.” She drew up, straightened, stress lines clear. “Just let me say this. I think … in fact I know now for near certainty that I have gained the ability to do magic. Here.”

Stare
12-17-2017, 07:50 AM
Stunned, utter silence.

What? was Stare's profound thought.

Aura, now.

Ah yes. She had not done it until now, and had meant to but politeness and the development of the conversation had distracted her. With Pride before her honestly looking like she might break into a thousand pieces at any moment, Stare barged her way into the aura sight with all the strength she could. In the quiet white stone corridor she saw a bright and glorious light before her. It was a light of a deep silver colour, but one that pulsated and thrummed with life. It was not grey, which meant no power, and it was not bound by a thin string of white energy - Vitruvion's eternal enchantment that kept the magic in this place on lockdown. That meant it was living, and was beyond what could be controlled by his spell. Which meant that it was of otherworldly origin, from beyond a place of Althanas.

Stare also saw that the main light of her energy was flowing fairly regularly, but hardly touched her root chakra. The lowest chakra, located in the very base of the spine. Without light there it showed the kenku that Pride was suffering from almost complete fear, and by the way it was so deep seated and the other chakras moving so fluidly, it seemed that she had been living with it for some time.

Fear of herself. Fear of her power that she had to constantly hide. Fear of the fear that she had to hide.

And her aura itself was a bright consistent pumpkin. So she had good heart and intentions and a neutral attitude to the morals and laws of the land. It would be fine to work with.

“Well?” Pride whispered, her lips quivering. “Can you help me? I have no idea what is going on and it's been about four months now …”

Stare looked at her sharply and drew a finger to her beak. She shook her head as she felt Vitruvion's own silence continue on. He was … distant. Perhaps contemplative. Uncertain it seemed and -

He was rising, calling the meeting to a finish, saying, “We seem to be speaking in simple words now, gentleman. Nothing more than idle chatter. I have things to do. If you excuse me.”

Stare looked at Pride, saying quickly. “Vitruvion is just coming.”

Pride swallowed thickly, and her fear that she had hidden away so much was now leaking out of her badly. Her face was a mess of emotion, her posture self-preserving, shaking. Her eyes were pits of complete terror as she clearly had no idea what was going on … no idea.

Her eyes darted up as the door quickly and quietly opened. Vitruvion came out, sweeping towards them with intent in his eyes. He gave a warning look to Stare week stepped forwards and grabbed Pride by the shoulder.

“Pride,” she whispered fast and brutal. “Look at me,” the shivering woman swallowed and glanced at her beer uneasily. Stare bore deep into her eyes. “You can't do this now. Don't break now.”

“We will talk tonight,” came the rich voice appearing at both of their sides. Pride took in a breath and gazed up at the villain in her life she likely thought she would never talk to. His ice blue eyes looked at her with complete seriousness. “That is all. Stare, we must go before raising suspicion, Pride get back to Tanish now, pull yourself together if you want to live. I will send for you.”

And his hand drew around Stare's shoulder. Grabbing it he pulled her away, dragging her a couple of steps without looking back. Stare threw Pride an apologetic look, and already the door was opening again. Pride gulped breaths, clearly trying to control herself before the inevitable onslaught of voices and eyes. The last thing Stare saw as Vitruvion directed her up the corridor was Pride's wide eyes turning to the door.

Stare
12-17-2017, 08:55 AM
Zulon and the other two guards hurried to catch their employer and his treasured possession. Vitruvion's hand remained on her shoulder, a tight hold as he strode forwards in a speed and purpose that she had to push herself into another gear to keep up with. Her hesitancy was great, but his hand was firm as he guided her up the corridor.

You cannot help her right now, Stare, and neither can I. I cannot even try to start a request to share Pride alongside Tinash, he depends on her greatly. It is up to her.

But -

Stare.

The tightness of his hold on her shoulder intensified and he said nothing until they came to his apartments. She tried to keep following, to keep up with the prestense she was not worried about the woman they had left after she had just shared her greatest secret. He twisted around to the right, and slightly pushed her forwards to get the door, and she unsteadily opened it, trying to make everything smooth. Behind her she could feel the confused looks of Zulon and the other guards as they watched the silent awkward charade between god and kenku.

The door opened. Stare walked forwards under her own will this time, nodded once to the guard standing at the end of the room. She knew exactly where that led - her old room. Instead she went for the third door in the room and for a moment Vitruvion's grasp left her shoulder. She went to open the door as he turned to the guards and dismissed them lightly. She was halfway through the door when she got into the next room and she stopped, stunned.

Blaze was curled up, lying on a wooden table under a thin blanket. A chain led from her ankle to the leg of the table and she seemed to be asleep.

Or it would look so, aside from the fact her eyes were wide open and staring daggers at Stare.

“Ah,” a voice from behind Stare. Vitruvion paused before sighing and gesturing at a door beyond.

“In there, Stare. I will be a few minutes.”

Stare’s heart raced. She kept eye contact with Blaze, whom she now knew hated her with all her guts, then ducked her head and continued on. Quickly she headed through the door Vitruvion had indicated, as Blaze began to sit up and the god began to speak.

“Zulon …”

Stare went into the next room before she could hear anymore. Personally she had had enough. Her brother back from the dead. Immortality two days ago. Leading the bloody brotherhood council. Now Pride. Perhaps Pride had just been waiting for a long time to be able to say, and meeting her brother was directly connected to immortality. The timing though, the amount of emotions she had endured. Her life had changed so suddenly before her and she had so little ability to control it anymore.

Seeing Blaze there had not helped either.

Before her was a pair of rooms that had once been two very different bedrooms, one for pleasure and one for pain. Now the sumptuous, luxury feather bed one remained, and it's partner converted into a small reception area. Three good armchairs occupied much of the space and Stare found herself very willingly falling into one.

Truly she needed a friend right now. Someone to hold her and comfort her. Stare had felt the possibility of a spark with Pride, but that had only just begun. Nevin and Nosdyn were the two friends she could think of right now who could give a hug and understand. Raevin she could talk to, but he was in another country. Mer … was a like of jealousy these days. Vitruvion. Bah, he was her god and though he was the closest physical contact she ever got, he was not a comforter. Not a heart to reach out and be pitiful. After all, he had caused a lot of her pain in her life.

He had not even told her she was immortal. But waited until she died to let her find out.

Stare
12-18-2017, 04:41 AM
She was there for more than a few minutes. By the time that the door opened she was entirely curled up on the sofa, the throw on the back it brought down to cover herself as a blanket. Where she was - she didn't care anymore. Yes she had moped much already about damned immortality but she was prepared to do much, much more of it.

After all she had eternity to do so.

She heard a gentle sigh. Much calmer than the forced march he had put her through - though that admittedly was for Pride's safety more than anything. She did not look up but rather remained where she was, curled up and eyes half closed, gaze aimed at the arm of the chair. There were no words, only a minute that passed as he looked at her.

Then she heard a gentle click as somewhere a door was locked. Then hands moved, sliding under her foetal form and taking her into his hold. She was steadily lifted up, and in all honesty she felt like struggling out of it, but she did not. He was at fault after all for some of her low mood, and he knew it - but this was all the comfort she was going to get for now. Like it or not, Vitruvion had some care towards her, he had shown it plenty of times. Those strong arms lifted her up into the air, adjusted his hold a couple of inches before he had her steady, then he pulled her lightly to his chest. Without another word he held her close for a moment, then softly turned and started through into the next room.

The bed. A good one, if memory was anything. A few footsteps took him across it, and then he paused at it. She eyed down at it, waiting for it to come and meet her, when …

He seemed to curse lightly in some language she did not know. Then he himself moved, and taking her with him kicked off his boots in some magical unravelling of the buckles. Twisting he sat down on the bed, then twisted to lounge back, angling up his legs to be on the bed itself. Her, he released only one half of, letting her legs sprawl as he rolled her head onto his chest. For a moment she lay on him, stunned at his actions, eyes wide open now. Then she moved just slightly, edging to get all the way off him.

He smoothly brought up his free arm, blocking her way.

“Stare, you just spent a twenty minutes musing of how comforting physical contact would be currently. Considerations of who I am to you aside, this is the best I can give you in the conditions.”

Coming to a halt she gazed at the arm, a thick knot in her throat. So he was, quite simply, just trying to be nice. He paused for a moment, the dragged the arm towards her, scooping her up with it and with a heavy tug dragged her further back onto him.

Stare
12-18-2017, 04:42 AM
“It's your fault, partly,” she whispered, feeling his strong heartbeat beneath her head.

He grunted, and lifted her partly as he readjusted to relax better into the pillows. “It usually is with you. I am in your head most of the time so I'm used to seeing fairly regular negative reviews of myself.”

“Yet still you want me around for the rest of eternity?” she questioned. “You don't make sense sometime Vitruvion.”

“I make sense to myself, my dear, and that is all that matters really.” He took a long breath in, and began to fiddle with one of her feathers, examining the way the fibres lined. “I told you I am a selfish being, and that includes you most of all. It took few months for me to figure out that you are my most treasured possession, but there it is.”

“Thank you,” she flatly said, eyes finally glancing up to meet his, “For comparing me to your wine. Or a chair.”

His lips lifted into a smirking smile. “I think we both know I consider you worth more than a chair.”

Her brow raised, and she looked at him with an unamused look in her eye before grunting. She looked away again and huffed before she nudged at his arm a little that wrapped around her torso. Gently he tightened his grip and settled his other arm around her.

“You are tired, emotionally and mentally. It has drained your energy,” he concluded after a short deductive moment. “You should sleep before we speak further of Pride. Or what I need you to do now.”

She twisted her head slightly up, avoiding his face carefully with her beak.

“What you … need me to do now?”

Vitruvion waved a hand dismissively, with a sigh once more. Then his hand fell back down to rest on her shoulder. “I have a task for you that may take a few days. But worry that for later.”

Her eyes stared at him, “A few days?”

“Our current lives never stop, my dear. We are on the edge of war, in fact with your brother's appearance I would say one has been declared.”

War. With his half-brother who had her brother as an undead. Sibling against sibling, battle of the unwilling versus the protector.

She instinctively flinched and tensed, her legs pulling up towards her body. A sharp breath arose and his arms were there, pulling her yet closer to him.

“Sleep, for now,” he murmured. “You are no used to me, your master and god, in the state that you are.”

“Bastard,” she mumbled back to him, her eyes slipping closed.

“Bitch,” he agreed. “My foul-mouthed, belligerent, incorrigible, disobedient, disappointing, distrusting …”

“Mmm,” she agreed, slipping into exhaustion.
“Idiot at times, reluctant, rude …”

“Thanks,” came the sleepy whisper.

“Workaholic, exhausted, eternal …”

She was hardly listening now as she drifted into sleeping world.

“Precious,” he whispered, in a foreign tongue she did not know, gazing down at her. “Beautiful. Unique. And mine, all mine.”

Stare
12-18-2017, 05:10 PM
“Lady Stare?”

Lady? That was a new one.

Looking up she saw an unrecognised, unknown guard. He had a hand wrapped around the hilt of a thin rapier that was at his side.

He gave her a small bow. “Pride said that you requested to have her for tea.”

Stars paused a moment. Her beak opened slightly in surprise and she leaned slightly around the man. But he was alone. Behind him was a door just closing, and the pale gold of the wall. She was sure she hadn't asked Pride for tea, but rather Vitruvion had said he would send for her, in the evening. It struck her to consider that it was late in the day, for she had slept since the council meeting, and been in the Hollow she she had awoken from being killed by her brother. It had been the longest she had spent here since leaving and it made her remember the lifestyle of living without ever seeing the sun. Days and nights were ill defined, merely determined by those authorities above.

Somehow clearly Pride had managed to get some time away from Tinash. And she had used the opportunity to come propose a meeting to her, rather than the other way around. But to deny that Pride had been invited would open her up to more questions, possible danger too, and Stare already knew the woman was desperate for help. Truly, so.

There was really no choice.

“Yes, of course,” Stare looked up to the man. “Of course. I am glad she managed to find the time.”

Pride has come of her own accord, she spoke fast and furious into her mind.

There was a short pause, coupled with a sigh. He was currently in the Guard House, organising the structure of command with Raevin in Corone, and still not providing any news in relation to the incoming attack on Vitruvion's brewery.

I told her I would send for her, he growled.

Clearly she had some time of her own. Stare paused, as she saw the guard nod, accept her words and turn to head out. You like opportunists, I thought?

Vitruvion grunted. She caught sight of Zulon talking to some other men, and smiled slightly. The young human certainly was a good choice for progression to temporary head.

I will be there soon.

The door opened and the same guard headed into the small living room. He bowed again to Stare as he stepped back, revealing the slight figure of Pride, holding herself bold. Stare felt some satisfaction that the woman had managed to gain back her control over her feelings, clearly, after her and Vitruvion had left.

Stare pulled herself to her feet, unfolding from the armchair where she had been doing nothing but reading an old romance. As Pride came forwards she caught her eye before saying formally.

“So glad you could join me, Pride.”

Pride nodded a little, keeping the eye contact. “Thank you for inviting me, Lady Stare.”

Lady again. It wasn't so bad.

Stare
12-18-2017, 05:10 PM
Stare looked over to the guard who was pausing in the doorway. “Could you please ask about tea being brought here? There should be some of Vitruvion's guards in the first hall outside Sable's room?”

Pleasantly, she smiled. The guard grunted, and nodded before stepping back and closing the door. There was a light scrape as his boots carried him away. Stare waited a moment, letting the seconds ticked by before looking back to Pride.

“Vitruvion was going to send for you himself.”

Pride nodded, “I know, but the idea struck me. Tinash is currently having dinner with his other guest, Angel.”

It was surprising to the kenku to hear how easily Pride said, 'guest.’ And 'dinner’ too, she said it smoothly, as if it was really just food and no other connotations.

“I see,” Stare nodded, before gesturing to a seat. “Please.”

Pride smiled before sinking down. Once more Stare caught a glimpse of her shimmering skin again, iridescent like pearls. She looked into the aura sight, but this time with the view to concentrate on Pride's age and race. Stare saw a strange fae essence to the woman, and knowledge that she was into her early thirties.

“You're … part Fae?”

A look of surprise flittered over Pride's face as she sat down. “How do know that?”

“My eyes see more than most,” she shrugged.

Pride paused a moment before nodding. “Oh. Right. Well to answer your question, yes I am. It's believed my great, great grandfather was a kind of one. So, very diluted. My grandmother lived until he was a hundred and ten, so there is only some benefit.”

It made sense. Though still did not answer how Pride had got magic now, suddenly. Fae had mirror realms to Althanas, it was said, but they were connected still to it. It was entire other planets that gave access to the magic only. That or have the creator of the enchantment, Vitruvion, as your god. That also helped. But they would wait for Vitruvion to be able to discuss the reasons as to why Pride had been able to do what she can.

“Have I caused an issue coming now?” Pride asked with uncertainty.

The kenku took in a breath and shook her head. “It's fine. Don't worry, there is just a lot on my mind.”

The woman looked at her intrigued a moment. “You … can I ask about your work?”

Stare raised her brow. “My … work?”

“About how you moved from here to there,” she pointed upwards, gesturing to the surface.

Surprise came into Stare's eyes. Her beak parted and she moved back slightly. “That's not - not … the point of our conversation here. Of you being here. You know I work as Vitruvion's steward. That's all there really is to know.”

“Sorry,” Pride said quietly, realising that it had caused some consternation.

Stare nodded quickly. And decided it was time to change the conversation.

“Did you have powers? Magic, before you came to the Hollow?”

Stare
12-18-2017, 05:11 PM
Pride looked taken aback the question. She flinched slightly, drawing in her hands together and her eyes widening. Suddenly it was her turn to stumble. “That … no. Not at all.”

The kenku nodded a little, “Thank you. That helps. Do you … remember what happened just before you first think you used magic here?”

The woman drew inwards even more, recoiling almost. She swallowed heavily. “Lady Stare. I …”

The door swung open and the powerful, awe-inspiring white haired figure strode in. His cane tapped on the ground between paces, and behind him a couple of faces were present, including that of the guard from before.

“Stare,” he said in a thick, meaningful voice. “Change of plan, I need you to go to the harbour."

It was a very sudden request. Stare glanced to Pride with an apologetic look before going back to Vitruvion.

“Harbour? Why? And why now? Zulon surely can-”

He came to a stop and raised his eyebrows at her. “Because -” he paused and glanced at Pride. Because, there are reports of ships being attacked from Radasanth harbour to there. Pirates, a monster, nobody is sure, but only that route. And just before I came here I received a report that one of the merchant vessels has sunk. He looked back to Stare.

“Even more?” she whispered. “Why is this world full of …”

“I cannot leave now myself. I have business to finish with Hugin to entirely eradicate him from the city. I need someone to give a thorough sweep of the waters.”

The kenku huffed and gestured to Pride. “Am I allowed to make the point we have just started this conversation?”

Vitruvion looked to Pride and eyed her carefully. “I cannot spare Stare. I will work with you myself over the next few days to figure what can be done. What should be done.” He paused. “No alternative exists, and I cannot allow you to continue with this magic here without some investment and investigation.”

The woman seemed to go paler and dropped her eyes. Her hands gripped tightly into her clothes, creating tiny tears in the fabric. “I see.”

You can definitely be nicer, Stare muttered.

“You have places to be,” he answered. Coming forwards he gestured at her. Rolling her eyes she got out of the armchair. He dug in his pocket as he turned to sit, revealing from it a deep blue marble. Throwing it to her he nodded.

“The usual return trip. I will, as always be watching. I want you to find …” he looked sour for a moment. ... who is doing this and why just Radasanth to Beinost.

Stare blinked at him, as she pocketed the marble into her pouch with her other, more permanent ones. It has to be your brother, she replied. Moving now, with everything he has. Now he knows that we know about Avin ... she caught herself with a small sigh. Dear Avin. Caught in a cruel world, for cruel means. Brought back from the dead … to spite her.

Vitruvion's jaw tightened. “Go. Now, after you have got your things from Ventrua's room. I want this dealt with as soon as possible.”

The kenku moved from one foot to the other, her eyes anxiously on Pride who had now gone whiter, stiff with fear at the prospect of speaking to only to the god, whom she did not know as a god but as the ultimate master of the prison she had lived in for five long years. “But-"

“Stare. Now.”

Her beak parted. And she looked to Pride. “Sorry,” she said openly.

“Thank you my lady,” the woman whispered, eyes wide and fixed on the cane in his hands as if she was afraid he would use it.

Please do not kill her, Stare found herself suddenly asking, desperately.

There was a short silence. Slowly Vitruvion's eyes turned and burned into hers. They held contact then for some time, the plea mixing with the will, the ‘I want’ with the 'I must’. Slowly the god breathed in and narrowed his eyes, but seemed to give her the benefit of the doubt.

If she is a tool laid here by my ‘brother,’ I have no choice but to … but that aside, he drew up and looked over at Pride, physically and mentally preparing himself for the coming conversation. She gives satisfactory answers she will be not suffer.

Thank you, Stare whispered, then she nodded. He grunted and waved a hand to dismiss her.

And that was all she would receive. She left, quickly but assured in some way of Pride's safety.

Shinsou Vaan Osiris
01-01-2018, 04:24 AM
Stare receives 6470 EXP and the following spoil:


The Indigo Marbles - this marble is kept on the cuff around Stare's wrist. It is deep dark blue-purple. The partner is on Vitruvion's ring. It allows for Vitruvion to summon Stare directly to his side twice a day/thread.

Avin receives 325 EXP and the following spoil:


2 x pieces of cow bone.

Shinsou Vaan Osiris
01-01-2018, 04:27 AM
All rewards have been added!


Raiera