Back in her lab, Regan stared at the files atop her desk blearily. For the past four of hours or so she'd been stuck doing the one thing she hated most - reviewing paperwork. If all she had to do was fill in the forms and stick them in an envelope to be sent to the boss that wasn't too bad but noooo...she had to look through each and every one of them, correct each mistake, draw up legal documents, yada yada yada.
She hated paperwork.
Stretching, she glanced at the clock in the corner, mildly surprised to find that it was half past eleven at night. Damn, Milo was right about her overworking. Yawning, she shut her eyes for a while, relaxing in the comfort of her lab. She could hear the sound of the air conditioner, smell the aroma of coffee in her mug, feel the wind on her face. And before she knew it, she was fast asleep.
But her senses were on guard. Even though she wasn't looking, she always knew if someone was trying to sneak up on her. As far as she knew, no one could sneak up on her.
No one, except him.
Yes, him. Him who always reminded her of apples and sherry. Of childhood memories. But he never would sneak up on her. He was always open, cheerful, being the only one who could lull her to sleep or make her laugh again. He was the only one who could make her feel so protected, so relaxed, when she was around him.
And then she smelt it.
The distinctive, spicy aroma of Seiris mixed with apple.
An aroma so familiar she almost thought she was hallucinating. Regan's eyes snapped open. He smiled back at the look of surprise on her face. 'Seiris,' he said softly, leaning against the door. She sat up, for once unable to keep the emotions off her face. 'Tadhg?' she had to be sure. That it was him.
'Yes,' Tadhg smiled gently, nearing her. He stopped next to her chair, where he knelt down until he was at her eye level. (Due to the fact that he was approximately two and a half inches taller than her - who was five ten- her head would reach his eyebrows - or somewhere around there -whenever they stood together.) Regan reached out a hand, but paused, not daring to touch him.
At that point, he gave a small grin, and took her hand, and placed it on his cheek, his hand holding hers fast. The moment she touched his face, he winced at the cold of her hands. He really needed to get her some gloves. Misunderstanding, she proceeded to withdraw her hand, afraid that she hurt him, but his hand held hers there, not letting go. 'Your hands are cold,' he remarked off-handedly.
Regan managed a weak smile. 'They always are.' Pause. 'How did you get in? This is a top security building. You could be killed for trespassing...'
Tadhg shook his head with a chuckle. 'Always so worrisome. It doesn't matter. Tell me, how long have you been working without sleep?'
She gave a shrug. 'About...coupla days or so.' She gave a cheeky grin at the disapproval on his face. 'Don't worry. I can cope with it. It's okay.'
'No it's not,' he said shortly. 'I don't want you neglecting your health to do paperwork. You should take my advice and go to sleep.'
She looked at him, head cocked. 'As far as I remember, I was asleep before you woke me up.'
'As far as I remember, chairs were meant for sitting, not sleeping.'
'I really don't mind sleeping on the spot.'
'It'll hurt your neck. You'll have posture problems.'
'And you're being so attentive all of a sudden,' she teased. She barely had time to register the spark in Tadhg's eyes when he suddenly scooped her up, carrying her to the couch opposite her desk, where he laid her down. 'You'd rather sleep in a chair than sprawl out on a comfy sofa?'
This time it was Regan's turn to shake her head. 'As I've said, I don't mind. Besides, sprawling out on a cold leather sofa is not comfortable.'
Tadhg thought for a while, before holding up a finger. 'I might have the solution to that problem.' With a flourish he took out a flask from his jacket pocket. He opened it and gave it to Regan, who propped herself up on her arm. She threw a wary look at the flask before taking a sip. Her face registered pleasant surprise. 'Sherry?'
'Only for Seiris,' he deadpanned. Chuckling at his joke, no matter how lame it was, Regan took another sip, feeling the heat from the alcohol spreading to her body. Replacing the cap, she passed it back to him, who took a deep sip before putting it away.
'Now,' he said as if commanding her to do something. 'Go to sleep.'
Her response was totally unpredictable. 'How?' At his look she continued. 'You can't make me go to sleep just because I drank sherry. It takes time for the alcohol to work, remember?'
And so he resorted to his final trick. Sitting on the floor next to her, he ran his fingers through her hair, telling her the story of Prince Hector of Troy, for which he was named after. He knew it would soothe her, the simple gesture of playing with her locks, telling her a story in his low, gentle voice, and simply being there with her. It was all that matter.
Halfway through, seeing her shiver, he took off his coat and covered her. A small smile played on her lips, and Tadhg couldn't resist as he brushed his lips gently over hers.
When Regan woke up the next morning, she wasn't sure if she had been dreaming or not. However, one glance at the coat Tadhg'd had left being, and the memory of his kiss, convinced her that she wasn't hallucinating. She smiled, unconsciously touching her lips where he had kissed her.
Then she noticed the note tucked inside the pocket of his coat. Curiously she took it out and read it. And she smiled when she saw what he'd written.
P.S. Sweet dreams.
Monday, 31 December 2007
The Exodus Revealed [Part 1]
Upon entering, Sebastien Richards, Head of Security, tore down the flight of stairs that led from the main entrance to the conference table. The table was situated in front of the huge ceiling to floor windows, and it was in the shape of an almost oval. A chair was situated at the head of the table, while twelve other chairs flanked the table, six on each side. The other end of the table was left chairless.
Eight of those chairs were occupied. The first chair to the left hand of the head was occupied by a young woman. Dressed in a turtleneck, jeans and a white knee-length lab coat, Regan Saoirse Fleming, the Head of the Forensic/Science Department, was a very attractive lady, despite her young age. It was rumored she had an IQ of 200, along with multiple degrees at the age of fifteen.
Her bulky clothes hid the shape of her 18 year old body, and she always wore long sleeves and high-necked collars. She like to cover as much of herself as she could. Her auburn hair was a riotous cascade that curled over her shoulders, the warm colour at odds with her usually sour expression - Regan rarely smiled.
Beside her was Milo Selwyn, Regan's assistant in basically everything, and the Exodus' resident historian. He was tall, with a slight accent. When he wasn't spending his time helping Regan or reading in the library, he could always be seen chatting to his archaelogist cousin via Skype.
On Milo's right was Cassius 'Cash' James, the infamous womanizer and Head of the Technical Department. There was a bet going on how long will it take Cash's current girlfriend to find out that he once slept with her sisters, best friend and cousin.
In the meanwhile, Joaquin Colton, Senior Investigator, sat beside Cash. Everyone seated knew of Joaquin's fighting abilities. It was said that Joaquin was a champion boxer when he served in the Marine Corp prior to his recruitment by the Exodus.
Peter Hamlet, Lead Investigator, sat opposite Regan, next to Branwyn Colton, Joaquin's sister, who was one of the best computer hackers on the team. Beside her was Mikayla James, Cash's cousin, and Kirsten Scott, the resident medical doctor.
'Eh-up,' Peter said with a fake Cockney accent. 'Late for a meeting you called, Sebastien? That's not polite.'
'Shut up,' Sebastien growled, slipping into the seat beside Kirsten. 'I called the meeting because something's come up.' Placing his PDA on the table in front of him, he activated his laser keyboard with a touch of a button. In front of them, the huge windows blacked out, and a screen lowered from the ceiling, images thrown all over via a ceiling-mounted projector connected to Sebastien's PDA as someone dimmed the lights.
Milo raised an attention eyebrow. 'And we are looking at...?'
'A casefile from Cairo,' Sebastien said importantly. 'Murder-suicide. Problem is,' he waited to gauge their reaction. 'They think it's the other way around.'
Kirsten nodded. 'Professional hitman, maybe? This crime scene looks too...clean to be a normal run-of-the-mile murder. What do you think Regan?' Everyone turned to the Head of Foresic/Science Department, acknowledging her status of second-in-command.
To a boss whom I have no idea of his identity, Regan thought ruefully, toying with the pendant she wore, which was of an eagle resting on a wreath of laurel leaves, wings outstretched, as if it had been flying mid air when someone took a picture of it and made it into a pendant. It had been a gift from a friend who knew her habit of running away when the going got too tough for even her to handle. She even remembered the words he'd say when he gave it to her: To remind Saoirse that she's free.
That same phrase was engraved on the back of the wreath in a stylish Gaelic script. It was quite ironic, considering that her middle name, Saoirse, meant "freedom" in Irish while she herself was a runner. But to get back to the story....
She didn't even know why she was offered the job in the first place. It was random. One day she opened an envelope with a request for her to take the position as the Head of the Forensic/Science Department in a top secret international organization known as the Exodus.
She then realized that everyone was silently awaiting her command. She rubbed her temples. 'How gory is it, Sea Bass?' Sebastien frowned at the use of the nickname, but kept his peace only because it was her. 'Well, you remember the '97 incident?' Everyone winced slightly at the incident. Three families from Cuba launched a mass attack on each other. When the even was over, the place looked like a war site for WWII.
'Yeah,' Sebastien nodded gravely. 'This is much gorier.'
'Brilliant,' Cash commented. 'The gorier the case, the better. I'll take it.'
Everyone listened carefully as Sebastien continued to outline the case.
Everyone except Regan, who said nothing as she thought for the thousandth time, Who was she working for?
____________________________________
He sat down on his chair, looking at a photograph in his hand. It was of a younger him and a younger her - the one person he'd ever loved, and the only one he'd love until the day he died. Dressed in a simple shirt and jeans, he smiled. He remembered that he taught her how to shoot - or rather, she blackmailed him into teaching her. He remembered the times they'd argue so. There was fire in his eyes as he yelled at her, and ice in hers as she responded – and once more the result was not water.
He remembered of the promises they each made to each other. Both lied to hide their pain, both hated it when the other did so, and so they compromised: protect each other, and there would be no pain to lie about.
He smiled, and he remembered.
And Timothy Leonardo Hector Marsden, or Tadhg, as she called him, looked at the photograph as he traced the pendant the girl was wearing, the one of an eagle resting on a crown of laurel leaves. Until now, he still remembered what he told her: To remind Saoirse she's free.
Yes, he was the one who gave her that pendant. He gave it to the one he loved the most.
And that one is, and always will be, Regan Saoirse Fleming.
Or, using his nickname for her, his little Seiris.
The Irish word for "sherry", his comfort drink.
That, she somehow, at the age of eight, managed to get him hooked on it.
Eight of those chairs were occupied. The first chair to the left hand of the head was occupied by a young woman. Dressed in a turtleneck, jeans and a white knee-length lab coat, Regan Saoirse Fleming, the Head of the Forensic/Science Department, was a very attractive lady, despite her young age. It was rumored she had an IQ of 200, along with multiple degrees at the age of fifteen.
Her bulky clothes hid the shape of her 18 year old body, and she always wore long sleeves and high-necked collars. She like to cover as much of herself as she could. Her auburn hair was a riotous cascade that curled over her shoulders, the warm colour at odds with her usually sour expression - Regan rarely smiled.
Beside her was Milo Selwyn, Regan's assistant in basically everything, and the Exodus' resident historian. He was tall, with a slight accent. When he wasn't spending his time helping Regan or reading in the library, he could always be seen chatting to his archaelogist cousin via Skype.
On Milo's right was Cassius 'Cash' James, the infamous womanizer and Head of the Technical Department. There was a bet going on how long will it take Cash's current girlfriend to find out that he once slept with her sisters, best friend and cousin.
In the meanwhile, Joaquin Colton, Senior Investigator, sat beside Cash. Everyone seated knew of Joaquin's fighting abilities. It was said that Joaquin was a champion boxer when he served in the Marine Corp prior to his recruitment by the Exodus.
Peter Hamlet, Lead Investigator, sat opposite Regan, next to Branwyn Colton, Joaquin's sister, who was one of the best computer hackers on the team. Beside her was Mikayla James, Cash's cousin, and Kirsten Scott, the resident medical doctor.
'Eh-up,' Peter said with a fake Cockney accent. 'Late for a meeting you called, Sebastien? That's not polite.'
'Shut up,' Sebastien growled, slipping into the seat beside Kirsten. 'I called the meeting because something's come up.' Placing his PDA on the table in front of him, he activated his laser keyboard with a touch of a button. In front of them, the huge windows blacked out, and a screen lowered from the ceiling, images thrown all over via a ceiling-mounted projector connected to Sebastien's PDA as someone dimmed the lights.
Milo raised an attention eyebrow. 'And we are looking at...?'
'A casefile from Cairo,' Sebastien said importantly. 'Murder-suicide. Problem is,' he waited to gauge their reaction. 'They think it's the other way around.'
Kirsten nodded. 'Professional hitman, maybe? This crime scene looks too...clean to be a normal run-of-the-mile murder. What do you think Regan?' Everyone turned to the Head of Foresic/Science Department, acknowledging her status of second-in-command.
To a boss whom I have no idea of his identity, Regan thought ruefully, toying with the pendant she wore, which was of an eagle resting on a wreath of laurel leaves, wings outstretched, as if it had been flying mid air when someone took a picture of it and made it into a pendant. It had been a gift from a friend who knew her habit of running away when the going got too tough for even her to handle. She even remembered the words he'd say when he gave it to her: To remind Saoirse that she's free.
That same phrase was engraved on the back of the wreath in a stylish Gaelic script. It was quite ironic, considering that her middle name, Saoirse, meant "freedom" in Irish while she herself was a runner. But to get back to the story....
She didn't even know why she was offered the job in the first place. It was random. One day she opened an envelope with a request for her to take the position as the Head of the Forensic/Science Department in a top secret international organization known as the Exodus.
She then realized that everyone was silently awaiting her command. She rubbed her temples. 'How gory is it, Sea Bass?' Sebastien frowned at the use of the nickname, but kept his peace only because it was her. 'Well, you remember the '97 incident?' Everyone winced slightly at the incident. Three families from Cuba launched a mass attack on each other. When the even was over, the place looked like a war site for WWII.
'Yeah,' Sebastien nodded gravely. 'This is much gorier.'
'Brilliant,' Cash commented. 'The gorier the case, the better. I'll take it.'
Everyone listened carefully as Sebastien continued to outline the case.
Everyone except Regan, who said nothing as she thought for the thousandth time, Who was she working for?
____________________________________
He sat down on his chair, looking at a photograph in his hand. It was of a younger him and a younger her - the one person he'd ever loved, and the only one he'd love until the day he died. Dressed in a simple shirt and jeans, he smiled. He remembered that he taught her how to shoot - or rather, she blackmailed him into teaching her. He remembered the times they'd argue so. There was fire in his eyes as he yelled at her, and ice in hers as she responded – and once more the result was not water.
He remembered of the promises they each made to each other. Both lied to hide their pain, both hated it when the other did so, and so they compromised: protect each other, and there would be no pain to lie about.
He smiled, and he remembered.
And Timothy Leonardo Hector Marsden, or Tadhg, as she called him, looked at the photograph as he traced the pendant the girl was wearing, the one of an eagle resting on a crown of laurel leaves. Until now, he still remembered what he told her: To remind Saoirse she's free.
Yes, he was the one who gave her that pendant. He gave it to the one he loved the most.
And that one is, and always will be, Regan Saoirse Fleming.
Or, using his nickname for her, his little Seiris.
The Irish word for "sherry", his comfort drink.
That, she somehow, at the age of eight, managed to get him hooked on it.
Wednesday, 26 December 2007
A Medieval Story [Part 4]
The tavern was loud and busy that night, which was expected considering the number of knights and men occupying the space. Pembroke and Orionus were playing some guessing game with the womenfolk, while Galahad and Gawain were challenging each other at knife-throwing. Bors was, as usual, ordering more ale to be brought in his loud hollers, and some other knights were laughing at a story told by Ganis. Guinevere was in a corner, helping Vanora with her ever-growing brood of children as Gilly, Bors' eldest dueled with Lucan using practice swords a little way off. Talwen was laughing as she watched them, joined by Lyndon, Feich and Branwyn, Bors and Vanora's children.
Meanwhile, Saoirse was leading Tadhg into the main palace, showing him his room. 'That's the one,' she said quietly, jerking her head at a door. Cautiously, Tadhg pushed the door open gently, revealing a comfortable-looking room with a bed, a table and a couple of chairs. A shelf stood on one side, right next to a large partition that had been put up. On the other side of the partition was a huge wooden tub.
Looking pleased, Tadhg started to walk in before realizing something. He turned around. 'Where are my things?'
Saoirse looked puzzled. 'Aren't they here? I specifically told Jols that your clothing should be brought to your room.'
Tadhg gave a soft shrug. 'Well, they're missing right now.' He didn't sound as suprised as Saoirse was. He thought a while. 'Where's your room, milady?'
Raising an eyebrow, she led him to her chamber two doors down. Opening the door, Saoirse walked in, allowing Tadhg a rare glimpse at her room. It was bright and cheery, and had the same furniture as there was in Tadhg's so-called room, with some changes; there was also a writing desk and another shelf full of books and various scrolls. As his eyes swept around the room, they fell on a familiar-looking bundle of clothing, washed and dried, neatly folded and stacked on the shelf next to various articles of Saoirse's clothing.
Noticing his gaze, Saoirse looked in the direction of his eyes and saw his clothes the same time he did. 'Why are your clothes in my room?' she asked, turning to him. Tadhg shrugged, moving towards the bed, lying down as he settled himself comfortably. 'It's obvious your father the King has no intent of letting either of us go free--' here, he held up his right hand and shook his, reminding them of the cuffs that bound them to each other, '--before I tame you,' he paused, 'as your friend so, uh, eagerly put it.'
Crossing her arms with difficulty, Saoirse finally gave it up and walked across to the bed, sitting down as she leaned back. 'So what do we do to make him let us go?' she asked silently. It had finally occured to her that no matter what she did to protest, Tadhg was just going to have to spend the night in her room. Tadhg raised a brow delicately as he shifted into a seating position. 'Well, very obviously we can't, but your mother might put in a good word for us.'
Saoirse started to speak then shut her mouth and smiled. 'Oh, the cleverness of you.' There was an admiring tone in her voice when she spoke.
Tadhg laughed self-consciously. 'You really think so?'
The smile disappeared. 'Nay.'
Tadhg snorted. So much for that praise. He sat up. 'Well, in any case, I would like a wash before I retire for the night.'
He smirked at the horror on Saoirse's face. 'Just because we're bound together, Tadhg, I am not going to be ordered around by you.' Her face was hard.
'I wouldn't dream of such a thing.' Sarcasm was heavy, and they both knew it. 'Whatever made you think so, oh, Princess mine?'
Saoirse scoffed. 'One, I am not your princess. Two, considering we're tied together, I'd hate to know what lies underneath your tunic.' She then gave a mischievous grin. 'Not that there is much to see.'
Tadhg groaned. 'Now that was just plain insulting!' Rolling on his side, he started tickling her in the ribs. She gave a soft shriek and retaliated by poking him in the side as well. Guffawing loudly, Saoirse almost fell off the bed but Tadhg leaned back, using the chain to pull her up. She looked at him with a twinkle in her eyes. 'I suppose I'll have to say "Thank you for saving me", eh, Tadhg, knight?'
'Save it,' he said shortly, grinning. 'You're not going to thank me for what I'm about to do next.'
'Which is...?'
He responded by poking her viciously in the sides, causing her to shriek again. She sat up to evade him, but the chain that bound them only let her go so far. With a hard tug, she collasped onto Tadhg, her merry laughter fading as she looked straight at him. He smiled back softly. 'I have not seen you laugh for a long time. You should do it more often.' Gently, he rolled onto his right side, setting her down on the bed with ease. Saoirse, in turn, could not lift her eyes of this man who reminded her of Aodhfin. She continued to stare at him.
In his respect, he didn't seem ruffled by her look. Glancing through the window, he saw that the tavern was bright, lighted with as many lamps and torches of fire as the place could possible hold. Around them, darkness filled as the moon rose.
Looking around, Tadhg noticed the candle burning brightly on the corner of Saoirse's desk. Turning to her, he gave a look, asking her permission silently. She responded with a soft nod. Without turning, his free hand moved, and she heard a small thunk as his knife hit the flame of the candle, snuffing it out. Darkness was immediate, and the room was only lit by the far away blaze of fire from the tavern. Elsewhere, it was silent. Saoirse knew that besides the servants working in the kitchens on the south side of the palace, they were the only people there. Everyone else was at the tavern, and those who weren't at the tavern were in their own homes, situated further off from the palace.
They were now on their sides, looking at each other in the moonlight. Saoirse's left hand, which was chained to Tadhg's right, was lying in the space left between them. Looking at him, she now noticed the resemblance. 'Do you,' she hesitated, 'do you know of a man named Aodhfin?'
Tadhg was so silent she thought he hadn't heard. But in the end he spoke, 'He was my brother. He left long ago to tutor the daughter of the Roman Commander turned king, Arthur Castus.' Saoirse blinked in surprise. 'I noticed the ring he gave you,' Tadhg continued. 'My ring.'
Saoirse's hand dipped into her tunic and pulled out the said ring, dangling from the chain around her neck. She made to remove it when a hand on hers stopped her. She looked up to see Tadhg with a question in his eyes. And so she explained, 'The ring is yours. Now that you have come, the ring should be returned to its master. I am but a temporary keeper.'
She held it out for him, but Tadhg closed Saoirse's hand over the ring, and brushed his lips over her hand gently. 'It has been with you so many years, that I fear to part it from you. Keep it; it is yours.' He then kissed her softly on the forehead, running his fingers through her hair to soothe her. 'Get some rest. The hour is late, and we have many things to do tomorrow.' Saying thus, he watched her silently until she fell asleep before he followed suit, covering both of them with a blanket.
Meanwhile, Saoirse was leading Tadhg into the main palace, showing him his room. 'That's the one,' she said quietly, jerking her head at a door. Cautiously, Tadhg pushed the door open gently, revealing a comfortable-looking room with a bed, a table and a couple of chairs. A shelf stood on one side, right next to a large partition that had been put up. On the other side of the partition was a huge wooden tub.
Looking pleased, Tadhg started to walk in before realizing something. He turned around. 'Where are my things?'
Saoirse looked puzzled. 'Aren't they here? I specifically told Jols that your clothing should be brought to your room.'
Tadhg gave a soft shrug. 'Well, they're missing right now.' He didn't sound as suprised as Saoirse was. He thought a while. 'Where's your room, milady?'
Raising an eyebrow, she led him to her chamber two doors down. Opening the door, Saoirse walked in, allowing Tadhg a rare glimpse at her room. It was bright and cheery, and had the same furniture as there was in Tadhg's so-called room, with some changes; there was also a writing desk and another shelf full of books and various scrolls. As his eyes swept around the room, they fell on a familiar-looking bundle of clothing, washed and dried, neatly folded and stacked on the shelf next to various articles of Saoirse's clothing.
Noticing his gaze, Saoirse looked in the direction of his eyes and saw his clothes the same time he did. 'Why are your clothes in my room?' she asked, turning to him. Tadhg shrugged, moving towards the bed, lying down as he settled himself comfortably. 'It's obvious your father the King has no intent of letting either of us go free--' here, he held up his right hand and shook his, reminding them of the cuffs that bound them to each other, '--before I tame you,' he paused, 'as your friend so, uh, eagerly put it.'
Crossing her arms with difficulty, Saoirse finally gave it up and walked across to the bed, sitting down as she leaned back. 'So what do we do to make him let us go?' she asked silently. It had finally occured to her that no matter what she did to protest, Tadhg was just going to have to spend the night in her room. Tadhg raised a brow delicately as he shifted into a seating position. 'Well, very obviously we can't, but your mother might put in a good word for us.'
Saoirse started to speak then shut her mouth and smiled. 'Oh, the cleverness of you.' There was an admiring tone in her voice when she spoke.
Tadhg laughed self-consciously. 'You really think so?'
The smile disappeared. 'Nay.'
Tadhg snorted. So much for that praise. He sat up. 'Well, in any case, I would like a wash before I retire for the night.'
He smirked at the horror on Saoirse's face. 'Just because we're bound together, Tadhg, I am not going to be ordered around by you.' Her face was hard.
'I wouldn't dream of such a thing.' Sarcasm was heavy, and they both knew it. 'Whatever made you think so, oh, Princess mine?'
Saoirse scoffed. 'One, I am not your princess. Two, considering we're tied together, I'd hate to know what lies underneath your tunic.' She then gave a mischievous grin. 'Not that there is much to see.'
Tadhg groaned. 'Now that was just plain insulting!' Rolling on his side, he started tickling her in the ribs. She gave a soft shriek and retaliated by poking him in the side as well. Guffawing loudly, Saoirse almost fell off the bed but Tadhg leaned back, using the chain to pull her up. She looked at him with a twinkle in her eyes. 'I suppose I'll have to say "Thank you for saving me", eh, Tadhg, knight?'
'Save it,' he said shortly, grinning. 'You're not going to thank me for what I'm about to do next.'
'Which is...?'
He responded by poking her viciously in the sides, causing her to shriek again. She sat up to evade him, but the chain that bound them only let her go so far. With a hard tug, she collasped onto Tadhg, her merry laughter fading as she looked straight at him. He smiled back softly. 'I have not seen you laugh for a long time. You should do it more often.' Gently, he rolled onto his right side, setting her down on the bed with ease. Saoirse, in turn, could not lift her eyes of this man who reminded her of Aodhfin. She continued to stare at him.
In his respect, he didn't seem ruffled by her look. Glancing through the window, he saw that the tavern was bright, lighted with as many lamps and torches of fire as the place could possible hold. Around them, darkness filled as the moon rose.
Looking around, Tadhg noticed the candle burning brightly on the corner of Saoirse's desk. Turning to her, he gave a look, asking her permission silently. She responded with a soft nod. Without turning, his free hand moved, and she heard a small thunk as his knife hit the flame of the candle, snuffing it out. Darkness was immediate, and the room was only lit by the far away blaze of fire from the tavern. Elsewhere, it was silent. Saoirse knew that besides the servants working in the kitchens on the south side of the palace, they were the only people there. Everyone else was at the tavern, and those who weren't at the tavern were in their own homes, situated further off from the palace.
They were now on their sides, looking at each other in the moonlight. Saoirse's left hand, which was chained to Tadhg's right, was lying in the space left between them. Looking at him, she now noticed the resemblance. 'Do you,' she hesitated, 'do you know of a man named Aodhfin?'
Tadhg was so silent she thought he hadn't heard. But in the end he spoke, 'He was my brother. He left long ago to tutor the daughter of the Roman Commander turned king, Arthur Castus.' Saoirse blinked in surprise. 'I noticed the ring he gave you,' Tadhg continued. 'My ring.'
Saoirse's hand dipped into her tunic and pulled out the said ring, dangling from the chain around her neck. She made to remove it when a hand on hers stopped her. She looked up to see Tadhg with a question in his eyes. And so she explained, 'The ring is yours. Now that you have come, the ring should be returned to its master. I am but a temporary keeper.'
She held it out for him, but Tadhg closed Saoirse's hand over the ring, and brushed his lips over her hand gently. 'It has been with you so many years, that I fear to part it from you. Keep it; it is yours.' He then kissed her softly on the forehead, running his fingers through her hair to soothe her. 'Get some rest. The hour is late, and we have many things to do tomorrow.' Saying thus, he watched her silently until she fell asleep before he followed suit, covering both of them with a blanket.
The Mages of the Gems [Part 5]
The old crone Norinade looked at the faces of the women before her. 'Sisters,' she said quietly. 'Does ye knowst what is happening in our land of late?' Her way of speech was archaic, but that was expected considering how old the crone was. The crone was in a cave, which had been her living chambers for the past years of 3 score and five. Surrounded by her proteges, all eager prophetess wanna-bes, she shut her eyes before opening them again.
Norinade sat up straight. No one answered her. Norinade continued. 'As ye can see, Shaera is fast fading under the power of that vile knave, Sitheirian, and his Gnostic army, that accursed knave! And what are you laughing at?' This last bit was barked harshly to the young ladies that were trying their best--and failing--not to laugh.
'So, ye thinks this is funny, dost ye?' Norinade smiled wickedly. One of the ladies gave a little shriek. 'No, Lady Norinade, of course not. But we all wonder about the words of the prophecy. We cannot understand it, but if someone will explain to us the meaning...' she gave a hopeful smile at the crone, who sighed. 'Very well then, Welinta. First we shall recite the prophecy.
"In the time of dark,
Where the vile shall rule over all,
Fear not, for help is on its way,
Yet it will take ten years and four,
For the Mages to receive their gifts,
And go and save the world!
These Mages of the Gems,
Each hold a mighty power.
Agate, Amber, Ruby, Sapphire,
Hyalite Opal and one Emerald.
They will come of power
At ten years and four,
And it will increase,
When they are two winters more.
Battling evil as they go,
Finding comrades that they know,
Will help to save the earth and all,
And bring peace, once and for all."'
Norinade shut her eyes, and looked around at her protege. 'Dost ye not understand now the words of the prophet?'
They shook their heads. 'Nay, old crone. If thou would be so kind to explain to us, perchance we may.'
Shaking her head, the crone said, 'The prophecy tells of a dark age in the lands of Shaera and its neighbouring countries. It is during this dark age that six children are born, all in the same year, and they will come into power at fourteen winters, where they will meet each other. To save the world, they must travel to the furthest ends of the earth and reclaim back a gift that can save all--The Phoenix Song.'
Everyone's eyes grew wide. 'Yes,' the crone continued. 'The Phoenix Song is the only thing more powerful than the Mages that can fully contradict the Reign of Evil for all eternity. If the Mages fail, however,' she shook her head. 'That will be the end of the world. However,' she said, creating suspense.
'However,' she continued, 'for the Mages of the Gems, their journey is just beginning.'
________________________________
14 Years later.....
An aged Norinade looked up blearily. 'What time is it, Welinta?'
'Just after sunrise, milady,' Welinta answered, pouring tea into cups. She handed one to Norinade, who sipped at it hesitatingly. 'Child, set up the looking pool. I want to see something.'
Obediently, Welinta took a basin and filled it with water from the little stream at the back of the cave. Taking care not to spill any, she took the basin and knelt in front of Norinade, who took the basin from her and set it on a large slab of rock that served as a table. Chanting some words, she threw some herbs into the pool. The moment the herbs touched the water, they exploded, causing Welinta to cough from the smoke produced. Norinade, however, was silent as she looked at the image of two girls in the pool.
Both of them were dressed in plain cotton, and it was clear that they were herdesses, who sheperd the rua, a type of deer-like creature with a thick coat of wool. The wool was manufactured in the village of Brystanlow into a fabric known as ruan cotton. By their conversation, Norinade discovered that one of them was Skye; the other was Shoe. She smiled. 'Look, Welinta, these are the Mages of the Gems; or two of them, at any rate. This--' she gestured at Shoe, '--is the Keeper of the Booke of Magick, child. Skye, on the other hand,' she paused for a moment. 'There is another passage of the prophecy, Welinta.'
'What passage?' Welinta asked curiously. Norinade sighed. 'The prophecy so claims that each Mage has a special title. The girl, Skye, is Lady Combat. Looking at her, child, do you not think she has the features of a mighty warrior, just waiting to be forged in battle?'
'And the other Mages?' Welinta injected in her excitement. Murmuring a soft spell, Norinade waved a hand over the pool of water, which rippled from the center out, erasing the first image with another. This one was of two girls laughing with each other. By the looks of the clothing, they were of the highest society, and it seemed that they were at a gathering. Welinta thought she recognized Lady Telia, her ex-mistress before she came to live with the crone, laughing in the background.
'The girls,' Norinade's voice jerked Welinta back into reality. 'The one on the left, the one with the fine long hair, that is Lady Juno, while the girl beside her is Lady Wise. Juno is said to be the most beautiful Mage of them all, and Wise is the one who has the most knowledge about magic, which is quite appropriate considering the girl's father is an alchemist.' She have a hacking laugh.
Welinta thought a while. 'So, Lady, are the Mages all girls then?'
'Whaddya expect?' Norinade snapped at her. 'Mages are always females. It is part of their birthright. Now, as to the final two,' she gave a third wave over the water, and it was now divided into two. One side of the pool showed a young girl being treated as a servant in a rich family, while the other side showed a girl running in the woods with a bow, a quiver of arrows and a sword. Welinta smiled in amusement at the second girl's antics.
Norinade noticed. 'You think her young and naiive, don't you, Welinta?' She immediately made to deny it, but her mistress cut her off. 'Welinta, child, you still don't understand. Yes, the girl had a good measure of a child's innocence and mischievousness, but she is far more mature than you give her credit for.' She looked back at the pool. 'The girl is cynical and neurotic, but she is also impulsive, and yet she believes that we are fighting for a world that does not exist. She truly believes that there will always be a battlefield, and that she would die in battle, just as her forefathers had done. As she travels with the Mages, she will come to realize that what she believed is true, despite others who deny it.'
Welinta looked in dismay. 'So, milady, you mean to say that we are never to be free of the dark curse upon us?'
'That's where the first girl comes in,' Norinade said, gesturing to the other girl in the pool of water. 'Lady Mystique. She is the most talented at magic, even though she is raised in a family of Gnostics. It is her and the other Mages, along with a little help from a childhood friend, that will convince Lady Icefire there to change her views about the world. Only then,' Norinade smiled softly. 'Can we be saved.'
Norinade sat up straight. No one answered her. Norinade continued. 'As ye can see, Shaera is fast fading under the power of that vile knave, Sitheirian, and his Gnostic army, that accursed knave! And what are you laughing at?' This last bit was barked harshly to the young ladies that were trying their best--and failing--not to laugh.
'So, ye thinks this is funny, dost ye?' Norinade smiled wickedly. One of the ladies gave a little shriek. 'No, Lady Norinade, of course not. But we all wonder about the words of the prophecy. We cannot understand it, but if someone will explain to us the meaning...' she gave a hopeful smile at the crone, who sighed. 'Very well then, Welinta. First we shall recite the prophecy.
"In the time of dark,
Where the vile shall rule over all,
Fear not, for help is on its way,
Yet it will take ten years and four,
For the Mages to receive their gifts,
And go and save the world!
These Mages of the Gems,
Each hold a mighty power.
Agate, Amber, Ruby, Sapphire,
Hyalite Opal and one Emerald.
They will come of power
At ten years and four,
And it will increase,
When they are two winters more.
Battling evil as they go,
Finding comrades that they know,
Will help to save the earth and all,
And bring peace, once and for all."'
Norinade shut her eyes, and looked around at her protege. 'Dost ye not understand now the words of the prophet?'
They shook their heads. 'Nay, old crone. If thou would be so kind to explain to us, perchance we may.'
Shaking her head, the crone said, 'The prophecy tells of a dark age in the lands of Shaera and its neighbouring countries. It is during this dark age that six children are born, all in the same year, and they will come into power at fourteen winters, where they will meet each other. To save the world, they must travel to the furthest ends of the earth and reclaim back a gift that can save all--The Phoenix Song.'
Everyone's eyes grew wide. 'Yes,' the crone continued. 'The Phoenix Song is the only thing more powerful than the Mages that can fully contradict the Reign of Evil for all eternity. If the Mages fail, however,' she shook her head. 'That will be the end of the world. However,' she said, creating suspense.
'However,' she continued, 'for the Mages of the Gems, their journey is just beginning.'
________________________________
14 Years later.....
An aged Norinade looked up blearily. 'What time is it, Welinta?'
'Just after sunrise, milady,' Welinta answered, pouring tea into cups. She handed one to Norinade, who sipped at it hesitatingly. 'Child, set up the looking pool. I want to see something.'
Obediently, Welinta took a basin and filled it with water from the little stream at the back of the cave. Taking care not to spill any, she took the basin and knelt in front of Norinade, who took the basin from her and set it on a large slab of rock that served as a table. Chanting some words, she threw some herbs into the pool. The moment the herbs touched the water, they exploded, causing Welinta to cough from the smoke produced. Norinade, however, was silent as she looked at the image of two girls in the pool.
Both of them were dressed in plain cotton, and it was clear that they were herdesses, who sheperd the rua, a type of deer-like creature with a thick coat of wool. The wool was manufactured in the village of Brystanlow into a fabric known as ruan cotton. By their conversation, Norinade discovered that one of them was Skye; the other was Shoe. She smiled. 'Look, Welinta, these are the Mages of the Gems; or two of them, at any rate. This--' she gestured at Shoe, '--is the Keeper of the Booke of Magick, child. Skye, on the other hand,' she paused for a moment. 'There is another passage of the prophecy, Welinta.'
'What passage?' Welinta asked curiously. Norinade sighed. 'The prophecy so claims that each Mage has a special title. The girl, Skye, is Lady Combat. Looking at her, child, do you not think she has the features of a mighty warrior, just waiting to be forged in battle?'
'And the other Mages?' Welinta injected in her excitement. Murmuring a soft spell, Norinade waved a hand over the pool of water, which rippled from the center out, erasing the first image with another. This one was of two girls laughing with each other. By the looks of the clothing, they were of the highest society, and it seemed that they were at a gathering. Welinta thought she recognized Lady Telia, her ex-mistress before she came to live with the crone, laughing in the background.
'The girls,' Norinade's voice jerked Welinta back into reality. 'The one on the left, the one with the fine long hair, that is Lady Juno, while the girl beside her is Lady Wise. Juno is said to be the most beautiful Mage of them all, and Wise is the one who has the most knowledge about magic, which is quite appropriate considering the girl's father is an alchemist.' She have a hacking laugh.
Welinta thought a while. 'So, Lady, are the Mages all girls then?'
'Whaddya expect?' Norinade snapped at her. 'Mages are always females. It is part of their birthright. Now, as to the final two,' she gave a third wave over the water, and it was now divided into two. One side of the pool showed a young girl being treated as a servant in a rich family, while the other side showed a girl running in the woods with a bow, a quiver of arrows and a sword. Welinta smiled in amusement at the second girl's antics.
Norinade noticed. 'You think her young and naiive, don't you, Welinta?' She immediately made to deny it, but her mistress cut her off. 'Welinta, child, you still don't understand. Yes, the girl had a good measure of a child's innocence and mischievousness, but she is far more mature than you give her credit for.' She looked back at the pool. 'The girl is cynical and neurotic, but she is also impulsive, and yet she believes that we are fighting for a world that does not exist. She truly believes that there will always be a battlefield, and that she would die in battle, just as her forefathers had done. As she travels with the Mages, she will come to realize that what she believed is true, despite others who deny it.'
Welinta looked in dismay. 'So, milady, you mean to say that we are never to be free of the dark curse upon us?'
'That's where the first girl comes in,' Norinade said, gesturing to the other girl in the pool of water. 'Lady Mystique. She is the most talented at magic, even though she is raised in a family of Gnostics. It is her and the other Mages, along with a little help from a childhood friend, that will convince Lady Icefire there to change her views about the world. Only then,' Norinade smiled softly. 'Can we be saved.'
Swords of the Mages of the Gems 2
<<< This is Christophe's sword, Aodhfin.
<<< This is the 15th century longsword, Lexa's weapon, Trofast.
Tuesday, 25 December 2007
Swords of the Mages of the Gems
<<< Liora's sword is the three-ringed rapier, Spitfire.
<<< Braunstone sword, Skye's weapon is called Flameis.
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
The Mages of the Gems [Part 4]
From Lexa's POV, in Third person form.
All was quiet in the village of Vunao, where the girls were staying for the night. Even the Flying Dragon Inn, known for the habit of the residents to stay up late and talk the night through, was quiet. A few minutes earlier, Horans, the Innkeeper, and his son, Oairn, patroled the perimeters of the inn before they went to bed, convinced that nothing was about to happen that night.
But they were wrong.
Moments after Horans passed a large statue, the clouds in front of the moon moved, shining bright light onto the statue, revealing the newest member of the Mages of the Gems hiding behind it. Lexa Field peered out of the statue and looked around. All clear. Suddenly she stopped for a while. One hand was on the stone wall as she surveyed her surroundings. 'Why don't you just come out and let me see you?' she said quietly.
There was silence, then a rustle of clothing. All of a sudden, the other Mages appeared right in front of her. 'Where were you going?' Andrea asked sharply. Lexa raised an eyebrow delicately. 'For a walk. Do I need your permission?' With that, she made to walk past them, but Skye held her back. Of all the other Mages, Skye was the one she respected the most, while Andrea, despite their agreements, was like a big sister to her. Liora was the one she connected with the most, while she envied Ellyn's beauty, and she knew under Shoe's shy demeanor she was a kind person.
'Lex,' Skye said warningly. Lexa looked back at her "sister," bracing herself for the explosion. Skye continued. 'How did you know we were here?'
That caught her off caught.
'Excuse me?' Lexa asked. She was expecting something that went more along the lines of Andrea's "Where are you going?". Skye repeated the question. 'How did you know?'
Gathering her wits, Lexa gave what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug. 'I can talk to rocks and minerals, and as you can see, this place isn't exactly a forest. Besides, I'm an empath. Even if I can't see you, I can sense your emotions.'
Ellyn stepped forward. 'Where do you think you're going?' Now this was more like what Lexa knew was coming.
'And don't even think of lying to us,' Liora spat out warningly. Lexa felt a presence in her head and immediately erected mind blocks all around her. Stay outta my head! she screamed telepathically. Liora flinched as if stung. Suddenly she stiffened. 'Someone's coming,' she hissed. 'Hide!'
Behind the shadows, Liora and Shoe exchanged a look. Maybe they should look into this, Lord Petrius. Elck, even saying the name brought a disgusting taste to Liora's mouth as she did a mental roll of her eyes. Why couldn't these people have names like Jack or Bob or Tony? Geez, even Jeremiah would do the trick! But no...they just had to choose Petrius. Urgh.
Oairn started speaking again. 'So you're leaving because you're sick of being his slave?'
'Not only that,' an excited tone crept into Toresh's voice. 'Apparently we can be saved. The prophecy says that the Mages of the Gems are discovered in the Shaeran Country, and word has come that the prophecy fulfilled! There! In Shaera! That's why I'm going there. I want to find the Shaeran, as the Mages are called, and invite them to our town to help us in our quest!'
Oairn's mouth dropped open. 'Toresh....that's suicide!'
'I know,' Toresh said grimly. 'But so's staying here! One day or another, Petrius will not let us walk free once he finds out that I know he's working with the--' here, Toresh's voice lowered even more. '--with the Raiders of the North. He uses dark magic to ensnare the people of the village, and it is said that those who are affected have red eyes due to the darkness residing inside them.'
'And what of the Mages?' Oairn asked eagerly. Toresh was smug. 'They say the Mages are goddesses of the light, with superhuman powers and ravishing looks!' At this, the hidden Mages were rolling their eyes while Oairn looked heavenward, awed. 'And they also say that these Mages are even more beautiful than Majesta herself! And you know how beautiful Majesta is!'
Everyone present knew of the legend of Majesta, the Goddess of Beauty and all things feminine. Being the daughters of rich and powerful lords, Andrea and Ellyn had often seen busts and statues of Majesta, and they were pleasently awed. Not by the golden leaves circling the goddess's head, or the strings of diamonds around her neck, but of the beauty of the lady. To be called more beautiful than Majesta was, to the girls, overrated.
'And,' Toresh continued triumphantly, excitement growing. 'No one knows their names, but each of the Mages have a different title according to the prophecy. First there's the eldest, who is said to be the most fearsome fighter of them all, and is known as the "Lady Combat", bearing a spiked mace and a sword as her weapon. ' Here, Skye tried her best to muffle her choked laughter, even clamping a hand over her mouth to silence the sound.
Ellyn glanced at Oairn, who was positively glowing. 'And, Toresh? Go on.'
Toresh grinned. 'Well, the second eldest is the most gifted in magic despite having grown up without it, and is therefore called the "Lady Mystique." Next is the "Lady Juno," the most beautiful yet sensible and hardy--all at the same time.' Toresh let out a laugh as he continued.
'The fourth Mage is the known as the Keeper of the Booke, which basically sums it up. The fifth mage is the "Lady Wise" who knows the most about magic, while the sixth and youngest mage is--' here, Toresh looked at his younger brother, a gleam in his eyes. 'They say the youngest Mage is the coldest of them all, but is fiery with passion underneath the deep icicles that flaw her beauty. They call her "Lady Icefire."'
Shoe could not for the life of her imagine how Lexa would react to this. She chose not to think about it and instead focus on what Toresh was saying next. He ended his long speech with something that sounded like, 'I'll leave now to catch up with the Shaeran.' With that, he left the hallway, running into the darkness of the night. Oairn kept the light burning for a while, before snuffing it and leaving the hallway also.
There was silence. Then Ellyn spoke. 'Lady Juno?' her eyebrows were arched, her tone cynical. Skye looked around. 'I suggest we get back to our rooms before someone notices we're gone,' she said in a hushed tone. Everyone nodded at her sound advice and immediately headed back to their chambers, almost forgetting why they were even in that hallway in the first place.
All was quiet in the village of Vunao, where the girls were staying for the night. Even the Flying Dragon Inn, known for the habit of the residents to stay up late and talk the night through, was quiet. A few minutes earlier, Horans, the Innkeeper, and his son, Oairn, patroled the perimeters of the inn before they went to bed, convinced that nothing was about to happen that night.
But they were wrong.
Moments after Horans passed a large statue, the clouds in front of the moon moved, shining bright light onto the statue, revealing the newest member of the Mages of the Gems hiding behind it. Lexa Field peered out of the statue and looked around. All clear. Suddenly she stopped for a while. One hand was on the stone wall as she surveyed her surroundings. 'Why don't you just come out and let me see you?' she said quietly.
There was silence, then a rustle of clothing. All of a sudden, the other Mages appeared right in front of her. 'Where were you going?' Andrea asked sharply. Lexa raised an eyebrow delicately. 'For a walk. Do I need your permission?' With that, she made to walk past them, but Skye held her back. Of all the other Mages, Skye was the one she respected the most, while Andrea, despite their agreements, was like a big sister to her. Liora was the one she connected with the most, while she envied Ellyn's beauty, and she knew under Shoe's shy demeanor she was a kind person.
'Lex,' Skye said warningly. Lexa looked back at her "sister," bracing herself for the explosion. Skye continued. 'How did you know we were here?'
That caught her off caught.
'Excuse me?' Lexa asked. She was expecting something that went more along the lines of Andrea's "Where are you going?". Skye repeated the question. 'How did you know?'
Gathering her wits, Lexa gave what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug. 'I can talk to rocks and minerals, and as you can see, this place isn't exactly a forest. Besides, I'm an empath. Even if I can't see you, I can sense your emotions.'
Ellyn stepped forward. 'Where do you think you're going?' Now this was more like what Lexa knew was coming.
'And don't even think of lying to us,' Liora spat out warningly. Lexa felt a presence in her head and immediately erected mind blocks all around her. Stay outta my head! she screamed telepathically. Liora flinched as if stung. Suddenly she stiffened. 'Someone's coming,' she hissed. 'Hide!'
Immediately, everyone scurried around to find a hiding place. Lexa crouched behind the statue she was hiding earlier, with Andrea squeezed in beside her. She looked around. From what the stones told her, Skye and Shoe were hiding behind a large life-like figurine of Monaehs, the founder of the town, while Liora was tucked in a corner, shielded by the weapons brandished in front of her. Ellyn was nowhere to be seen.
Then shadows came into view. A young man stepped into the light. He had a black cloak, and he wore a sword at his hip. Beside him, a figure in peasant's clothing appeared, carrying a lamp. Oairn! Skye held back a gasp. What was he doing here? His rounds ended moments ago.
The first stranger thought the same thing. 'What are you doing here, Oairn?' he said irritably. 'I told you to stay inside.'
'For one, Toresh, I'm not going to be ordered around by you any more!' Oairn began hotly. 'Second, I'm not going to let you go out to your death by letting you do what you're going to do!' He lowered his voice. 'Why are you doing this? You know whoever defies Lord Petrius dies. You're my brother, Resh. I don't wanna see you die.'
Behind the shadows, Liora and Shoe exchanged a look. Maybe they should look into this, Lord Petrius. Elck, even saying the name brought a disgusting taste to Liora's mouth as she did a mental roll of her eyes. Why couldn't these people have names like Jack or Bob or Tony? Geez, even Jeremiah would do the trick! But no...they just had to choose Petrius. Urgh.
Oairn started speaking again. 'So you're leaving because you're sick of being his slave?'
'Not only that,' an excited tone crept into Toresh's voice. 'Apparently we can be saved. The prophecy says that the Mages of the Gems are discovered in the Shaeran Country, and word has come that the prophecy fulfilled! There! In Shaera! That's why I'm going there. I want to find the Shaeran, as the Mages are called, and invite them to our town to help us in our quest!'
Oairn's mouth dropped open. 'Toresh....that's suicide!'
'I know,' Toresh said grimly. 'But so's staying here! One day or another, Petrius will not let us walk free once he finds out that I know he's working with the--' here, Toresh's voice lowered even more. '--with the Raiders of the North. He uses dark magic to ensnare the people of the village, and it is said that those who are affected have red eyes due to the darkness residing inside them.'
'And what of the Mages?' Oairn asked eagerly. Toresh was smug. 'They say the Mages are goddesses of the light, with superhuman powers and ravishing looks!' At this, the hidden Mages were rolling their eyes while Oairn looked heavenward, awed. 'And they also say that these Mages are even more beautiful than Majesta herself! And you know how beautiful Majesta is!'
Everyone present knew of the legend of Majesta, the Goddess of Beauty and all things feminine. Being the daughters of rich and powerful lords, Andrea and Ellyn had often seen busts and statues of Majesta, and they were pleasently awed. Not by the golden leaves circling the goddess's head, or the strings of diamonds around her neck, but of the beauty of the lady. To be called more beautiful than Majesta was, to the girls, overrated.
'And,' Toresh continued triumphantly, excitement growing. 'No one knows their names, but each of the Mages have a different title according to the prophecy. First there's the eldest, who is said to be the most fearsome fighter of them all, and is known as the "Lady Combat", bearing a spiked mace and a sword as her weapon. ' Here, Skye tried her best to muffle her choked laughter, even clamping a hand over her mouth to silence the sound.
Ellyn glanced at Oairn, who was positively glowing. 'And, Toresh? Go on.'
Toresh grinned. 'Well, the second eldest is the most gifted in magic despite having grown up without it, and is therefore called the "Lady Mystique." Next is the "Lady Juno," the most beautiful yet sensible and hardy--all at the same time.' Toresh let out a laugh as he continued.
'The fourth Mage is the known as the Keeper of the Booke, which basically sums it up. The fifth mage is the "Lady Wise" who knows the most about magic, while the sixth and youngest mage is--' here, Toresh looked at his younger brother, a gleam in his eyes. 'They say the youngest Mage is the coldest of them all, but is fiery with passion underneath the deep icicles that flaw her beauty. They call her "Lady Icefire."'
Shoe could not for the life of her imagine how Lexa would react to this. She chose not to think about it and instead focus on what Toresh was saying next. He ended his long speech with something that sounded like, 'I'll leave now to catch up with the Shaeran.' With that, he left the hallway, running into the darkness of the night. Oairn kept the light burning for a while, before snuffing it and leaving the hallway also.
There was silence. Then Ellyn spoke. 'Lady Juno?' her eyebrows were arched, her tone cynical. Skye looked around. 'I suggest we get back to our rooms before someone notices we're gone,' she said in a hushed tone. Everyone nodded at her sound advice and immediately headed back to their chambers, almost forgetting why they were even in that hallway in the first place.
The keyword being almost.
'Okay, where were you going earlier?' Ellyn snapped, not finding the whole "Lady Juno" thing amusing. Lexa winced. She shouldn't have jinxed it by thinking about it. Reluctantly, curtly, she told them the truth, leaving out the parts about Christophe. But that wasn't so easy. Liora spoke up. 'So...who's the guy?'
'What guy?' Lexa replied a little too quickly, freigning ignorance. Liora shrugged. 'The one you were talking to. Tall, dark and handsome, with the falcon and the sword that's slightly curved at the tip, hanging from the baldric across his shoulder.'
Damn, how did she know. Oh right, she's a telepath. Stupid me.
'So?' Skye demanded. 'Tell us about him.'
Lexa blushed sheepishly. 'There's nothing to tell about,' she said. Andrea, however, caught her uncertainty. 'Ah ha! She's blushing!'
'No I'm not!' With that outburst, Lexa crossed her arms and walked towards her bed, picking up her sword, Trofast. [Pictures for the swords of Lexa, Christophe, Liora and Skye will be at the end of the post if I manage to insert them in. If I can't they'll be in the next post.] In the gleam of the night, she reached for the hilt, and with one mighty stroke drew the sword from the scabbard. It was a hand-and-half, or a longsword. Forged in the fires by her father, Siroc, it was the only inheritance she had left of her past other than her bow. The hilt was fine silver, and it had delicately-carved images of acorns and evergreen trees and hawks. The grip was black leather, and the pommel and guard was made of steel. The carved images were by Christophe, who'd designed the blade for her last birthday, right before he left.
Studying the sword, she said slowly. 'Christophe designed my sword for me.' There was a pause. 'Father forged it according to his measurements. A gift, from the two men I loved the most.' The last sentence was in a quiet whisper. 'One of which is dead, the other of which warned me to stay away from this place. That was why I went out tonight, to see what was going on. Christophe said something's wrong with this village.'
'So that was what you were referring to when we were entering the gates,' Shoe exclaimed, remembering the commotion between Andrea and Lexa earlier. She rubbed her eyes. That seemed like a timeline ago. Lexa nodded, sheating her sword as she buckled it to her belt. The hilt rested on her hip nicely. 'So, Skye, what are we to do about Petrius?'
Skye thought a while. 'I'm not sure,' she said slowly. 'It certainly sounds like he's working up some damage around here...Shoe, what does the Booke say about him?'
Shoe summoned the Booke of Magic and opened it. On the first page of the Booke was a large map of the world. She touched the map on the country they were in: Vanicea. Magic flew from her fingers, and the whole map then dissolved to show an enlarged version of the map of Peliant. She then continued to narrow down the perimeter by touching the part of the country they were travelling in and the village of Metaya in that order. The map of Metaya showed everything clearly, from the apocathery to the inn to the mansion where Lord Petrius lived.
Flipping the pages, she started searching for information on Petrius, and stopped at an entry, her finger underlining Petrius's name, written in ancient text. '"Petrius, son of Giane, from the house of Beirn,"' Shoe read out loud. '"Is the current lord of the village Metaya, but is known to have been fraternizing with the Raiders of the North, vile beings who practice the Dark Arts. Even though his evil doings are common knowledge, nothing has been said about it since it is also known that he is a cousin of the current King of Vanisea, Erlion." That's it. Nothing else.' She closed the Booke.
All of a sudden, they heard a scream and some shouts of terror. Exchanging glances, the Mages immediately ran out of the room, Liora buckling on her sword as she ran. Skye attempted to do the same while balancing the spiked mace in her other hand.
When they reached outside, all they saw was a crowd surrounding a house that was currently on fire. 'Help!' a woman cried. 'Fire!'
Villagers hurried to help put the fire out when Ellyn grimaced. 'Enough of this,' she hollered. Focusing on her powers, she raised a large jet of water from the well, directing it into the heart of the fire. Skye helped by using her telekinesis to direct the water properly. Within minutes, the fire was slowly but surely being put out.
There was another cry from the villagers. With a sinking feeling, Ellyn bit her lip. In the excitement, she forgotten about keeping a low profile. Turning around, she was ready for a horde of dumbstruck peasants when Stelleen, Ellyn's Water Hawk, screeched out a warning. Ellyn looked up as she connected with her pet. Alert, friends, Stelleen cried out softly, a small army is headed this way! I see trolls and goblins, as well as Raiders of the North. Watch out!
Shocked, Ellyn relayed the information to the other quickly. 'What we must do first is evacuate the people!' she cried over the loud shouts of the peasants. Andrea was getting sick at yelling. 'Alright now! Enough of this nonsense, people! We're the Shaeran, for crying out loud!' Flicking her fingers, she froze the whole village abruptly. Shoe looked amused at the sight of a man frozen halfway between a jump. She was so tempted to kick his legs out from under him.
Suddenly there was another yelp of surprise. The Mages swung around to see Toresh and Oairn looking at them. 'So,' Toresh said slowly, in awe. 'You are the Mages of the Gems?'
Rolling her eyes, ever the one to be sarcastic, Skye groaned. 'So, now what do we do?'
To be continued...
Sunday, 16 December 2007
The Mages of the Gems [Part 3]
Note to Self: Finish Spyz, The War of the Elements, and Mages of the Gems. BElow are the ones copied from Louise's S Club Story.
_________________________________
"Earth.
Destroyed by water,
Strengthened by fire.
The mother of creation."
Shaeran
Name: Andrea Oakley
Personality: Lively, extroverted, and down-to-earth
Stone: Emerald
Powers: Control over earth, can talk to plants and freeze time
Stone’s Powers: cures scorpion/bee/snake bites/stings, blind snakes
Weapons: -
Pet: Perri – squirrel
Pet powers: ability to leap huge distances, mild earth
Notes: knows the most about magic
Andrea is happy and outgoing, but really stubborn and down-to-earth (her personality; her element. See the connection?!). She was brought up surrounded by magic, so she knows the most about the world of magic.
-Stone Setting: Earrings (if I remember correctly)
___________________________________
"A woman scorned hath no fury than a fire provoked."
Shaeran
Name: Jarda Corrae (JC) Skye
Personality: Cheerful, but also fiery and explosive, rough
Stone: Agate
Powers: Pyrokinesis, telekinesis
Stone’s Powers: can be used to divine for treasure, brings sound sleep and calm
Weapons: spiked mace, sword – Flameis
Pet: Kio – Black Wolf
Pet powers: Howl, super strength, mild fire
Notes: fiercest in battle
Skye, being the fiercest in battle, often acts on impulse, which isn’t so good. Often her friends have to hold her back. She is a true and loyal friend.
-Stone Setting: Wristband
_______________________________
"Peace! Be as water, cold, calm, flexible...
Yet as furious as fire."
Shaeran
Name: Ellyn Rivers
Personality: steadfast and loyal, down-to-earth, a little disobedient
Stone: Sapphire
Powers: Control over water, creates water-proof blue fires, can speak to water dwellers
Stone’s Powers: heals sight, relieves paralysis and epilepsy
Weapons: -
Pets: Stelleen – Water Hawk
Pet powers: ability to travel at high speeds, far sight, mild water
Notes: most sensible and hardy
Both she and Andrea are practical and straight-thinking, but Ellyn is much more sensible. Often it is she who advises the group, but she isn’t bossy. Sometimes she and Andrea get on the wrong side.
-Stone Setting: Cloak fastener.
__________________________________
"Calm!
Give your worries to the wind..."
Shaeran
Name: Shoe Westfern
Personality: quiet, imaginative, goes with the flow of the others
Stone: Hyalite Opal
Powers: control over air, can create shields, phase through solids
Stone’s Powers: invisibility, loses its glitter when it is near to poison
Weapons: -
Pets: Salome - dove
Pet powers: super speed, can turn into a living mist
Notes: Shoe is the Keeper of the Booke of Magic
Shoe is quiet and sensible, but her introverted nature causes her ideas to be swept away, lost in the sands. Liora in particular tries to bring her out. She and Skye lived in the town of Eroa, where they are rua-herdesses. Her grandmother is Una Westfern, the village wise-woman.
-Stone Setting: Headband
_________________________________
"Fire.
A good friend, but a deadly enemy.
Not even the most powerful of people
Can afford to get play with fire...
The force of destruction!"
Shaeran
Name: Alexandria ‘Lexa’ Field
Personality: finds anything girlish repulsive, loves to simmer to boiling point
Stone: Ruby
Powers: control over fire, can talk to rocks and minerals, empathic
Stone’s Powers: protects from plague, when danger is near grows darker
Weapons: sword - Trofast, bow
Pets: Prydwyn – Snow Deer
Pet powers: Weather control, colored snow
Notes: impulsive but logical
Alix is logical, but too bad her impulsiveness gets in the way of the logic. She keeps the gang going all the time. She and Liora are best friends.
-Stone Setting: Pendant
___________________________
"Indestructible.
Unpredictable.
Powerful.
I
Am
FIRE."
Shaeran
Name: Liora Ember
Personality: shy, scatterbrained, emotional, extremely fiery
Stone: Amber
Powers: control over fire (lesser), telepathic, great healing powers
Stone’s Powers: heals some diseases, cures minor ailments
Weapons: Sword- Spitfire
Pets: Arexal – Fire Falcon
Pet powers: super speed, fire
Notes: most gifted, but was brought up without magic
Liora’s powers hit their peak at sunset (amber is the sunset stone), so don’t provoke her, then. She loves to talk with Alix, who shares much in common with her. Liora, Alix and Skye are all of the Fire element. She was brought up in Alpenforde, a town that abhorred magic, but she turns out to be the most gifted.
-Stone Setting: Bracelet.
_________________________________
"Earth.
Destroyed by water,
Strengthened by fire.
The mother of creation."
Shaeran
Name: Andrea Oakley
Personality: Lively, extroverted, and down-to-earth
Stone: Emerald
Powers: Control over earth, can talk to plants and freeze time
Stone’s Powers: cures scorpion/bee/snake bites/stings, blind snakes
Weapons: -
Pet: Perri – squirrel
Pet powers: ability to leap huge distances, mild earth
Notes: knows the most about magic
Andrea is happy and outgoing, but really stubborn and down-to-earth (her personality; her element. See the connection?!). She was brought up surrounded by magic, so she knows the most about the world of magic.
-Stone Setting: Earrings (if I remember correctly)
___________________________________
"A woman scorned hath no fury than a fire provoked."
Shaeran
Name: Jarda Corrae (JC) Skye
Personality: Cheerful, but also fiery and explosive, rough
Stone: Agate
Powers: Pyrokinesis, telekinesis
Stone’s Powers: can be used to divine for treasure, brings sound sleep and calm
Weapons: spiked mace, sword – Flameis
Pet: Kio – Black Wolf
Pet powers: Howl, super strength, mild fire
Notes: fiercest in battle
Skye, being the fiercest in battle, often acts on impulse, which isn’t so good. Often her friends have to hold her back. She is a true and loyal friend.
-Stone Setting: Wristband
_______________________________
"Peace! Be as water, cold, calm, flexible...
Yet as furious as fire."
Shaeran
Name: Ellyn Rivers
Personality: steadfast and loyal, down-to-earth, a little disobedient
Stone: Sapphire
Powers: Control over water, creates water-proof blue fires, can speak to water dwellers
Stone’s Powers: heals sight, relieves paralysis and epilepsy
Weapons: -
Pets: Stelleen – Water Hawk
Pet powers: ability to travel at high speeds, far sight, mild water
Notes: most sensible and hardy
Both she and Andrea are practical and straight-thinking, but Ellyn is much more sensible. Often it is she who advises the group, but she isn’t bossy. Sometimes she and Andrea get on the wrong side.
-Stone Setting: Cloak fastener.
__________________________________
"Calm!
Give your worries to the wind..."
Shaeran
Name: Shoe Westfern
Personality: quiet, imaginative, goes with the flow of the others
Stone: Hyalite Opal
Powers: control over air, can create shields, phase through solids
Stone’s Powers: invisibility, loses its glitter when it is near to poison
Weapons: -
Pets: Salome - dove
Pet powers: super speed, can turn into a living mist
Notes: Shoe is the Keeper of the Booke of Magic
Shoe is quiet and sensible, but her introverted nature causes her ideas to be swept away, lost in the sands. Liora in particular tries to bring her out. She and Skye lived in the town of Eroa, where they are rua-herdesses. Her grandmother is Una Westfern, the village wise-woman.
-Stone Setting: Headband
_________________________________
"Fire.
A good friend, but a deadly enemy.
Not even the most powerful of people
Can afford to get play with fire...
The force of destruction!"
Shaeran
Name: Alexandria ‘Lexa’ Field
Personality: finds anything girlish repulsive, loves to simmer to boiling point
Stone: Ruby
Powers: control over fire, can talk to rocks and minerals, empathic
Stone’s Powers: protects from plague, when danger is near grows darker
Weapons: sword - Trofast, bow
Pets: Prydwyn – Snow Deer
Pet powers: Weather control, colored snow
Notes: impulsive but logical
Alix is logical, but too bad her impulsiveness gets in the way of the logic. She keeps the gang going all the time. She and Liora are best friends.
-Stone Setting: Pendant
___________________________
"Indestructible.
Unpredictable.
Powerful.
I
Am
FIRE."
Shaeran
Name: Liora Ember
Personality: shy, scatterbrained, emotional, extremely fiery
Stone: Amber
Powers: control over fire (lesser), telepathic, great healing powers
Stone’s Powers: heals some diseases, cures minor ailments
Weapons: Sword- Spitfire
Pets: Arexal – Fire Falcon
Pet powers: super speed, fire
Notes: most gifted, but was brought up without magic
Liora’s powers hit their peak at sunset (amber is the sunset stone), so don’t provoke her, then. She loves to talk with Alix, who shares much in common with her. Liora, Alix and Skye are all of the Fire element. She was brought up in Alpenforde, a town that abhorred magic, but she turns out to be the most gifted.
-Stone Setting: Bracelet.
Thursday, 13 December 2007
The War of the Elements [Part 1]
Silence in the Chamber of Council. Everyone that was present were conversing in whispers, meditating as they awaited the arrival of their lord, Eadric, who was now late for the urgent meeting he had called. The lord of the Serapheth, the Enlightened, was rarely late for such meetings; indeed, he could always be found in his chamber, willing to advice those in need of it. If Eadric was late, the Serapheth knew things weren't going well below.
The Serapheth consisted of many different people, or more accurately, creatures. There were the Avians, humans with the wings of an angel, who patroled the skies; the Siricis who lived underwater, yet could also breath above land; the Therians, who could change into different animals according to their own clans; and the Familiars, beings who serve as guides for the living. These four clans were known universally as the Colony.
Besides the four species above, members of the Serapheth also include the Elementals: the Firestarters, who controled fire; the Earthgivers, who controled plants and the land; Waterstriders, who could manipulate water; and the Windwalkers, who controled air. Other than the clans listed above, there were also the mages, reverend elders of the court, who knew magic and were highly educated in it.
All of a sudden, all conversation ceased to an abrupt halt as their leader, Eadric, neared the platform where he stood. 'Friends, Serapheth,' he announced, hands resting on the podium in front of him. 'I apologize for being late, but I have grave news.' The tension was thick in the air. Eadric continued. 'The Darkwielders are assembling.' Concerned murmuring filled the Chamber. The Darkwielders, assembling? This was unheard of. War is soon.
The Darkwielders were once members of the Colony and the Elementals themselves; however, surrendering to the dark side transformed them. Rogue Avians, now Spectrals, were now flying with the wings of a bat; instead of the beautiful people they once were as Siricians, they were ugly, with fins like a shark and sharp teeth. They called themselves the Nymphos, inhabiting the deepest darkest depths of the ocean. Therians were now Feral, growing claws sharper than knives, killing a man with only one bite. The Familiars were now dumb beasts, reduced to mere housepets.
As for the former Elementals, they did not lose their powers, but with each passing winter, they change, transforming into huge dragons and mighty beasts, serving the dark side, under the command of the dark lord, who was called Gothric of the Goths.
Eadric silenced the crowd with a hand. 'My friends, we know not of their numbers; yet we must be prepared for all. We must assemble an army immediately before the Darkwielders attack.'
At this, Kincaid, leader of the Avians, stood up, his wings unfolding, reflecting the light. 'My people will fight till the last warrior.' He held up his fist accompanied by loud cheerings from his kind. 'We will not surrender to Gothric!'
'I agree as well, cousin,' Aoife of the Siricis stood, flipping her long dark blue hair. Her voice sounded watery, as though she was underwater. 'We will scout the seas, with troops at the ready to fight the Nymphos. Even though our allegiance to the Serapheth is strong, the Siricis are a peace-loving kind, so forgive us if we only manage to delay them.' Her head was bowed.
'Nay, kind sister,' Lionello spoke up. The lord of the Therians, his alter ego was a large lion, filled with command. 'The Therians will help, we will sent the great cats and birds of prey to guard the stronghold, and our swiftest horses will bear man in war. That I can guarentee.'
At this, the Familiar leader stood, her cloak swishing in the breeze. 'I will send my kin to each and every household, they will guide the family in these times of darkness.'
Eadric nodded. 'Thank you for your help, Rumina. Colony. I'm sure the Elementals are in as well?' The Elementals nodded. 'You have our help, Eadric.'
'Good,' Eadric said. 'Prepare your people for the war that is oncoming. Make sure that the strongholds are strong. Train your warriors. Meanwhile, the mages and I will create a force field around the lands. We can delay the Darkwielders.'
'Do as you must,' everyone said in unison, their right hand placed on their heart as a sign of acknowledgement.
_______________________________
Meanwhile, Gothric of the Goths looked into his scrying pool, where he'd just witnessed the happenings of the Serapheth. He grinned evilly. 'Do as you must,' he repeated. 'Do as you must, indeed.' He gave a soft chuckle, which grew into a maniacal laugh by the minute. 'We'll see how this fares, Eadric!'
The Serapheth consisted of many different people, or more accurately, creatures. There were the Avians, humans with the wings of an angel, who patroled the skies; the Siricis who lived underwater, yet could also breath above land; the Therians, who could change into different animals according to their own clans; and the Familiars, beings who serve as guides for the living. These four clans were known universally as the Colony.
Besides the four species above, members of the Serapheth also include the Elementals: the Firestarters, who controled fire; the Earthgivers, who controled plants and the land; Waterstriders, who could manipulate water; and the Windwalkers, who controled air. Other than the clans listed above, there were also the mages, reverend elders of the court, who knew magic and were highly educated in it.
All of a sudden, all conversation ceased to an abrupt halt as their leader, Eadric, neared the platform where he stood. 'Friends, Serapheth,' he announced, hands resting on the podium in front of him. 'I apologize for being late, but I have grave news.' The tension was thick in the air. Eadric continued. 'The Darkwielders are assembling.' Concerned murmuring filled the Chamber. The Darkwielders, assembling? This was unheard of. War is soon.
The Darkwielders were once members of the Colony and the Elementals themselves; however, surrendering to the dark side transformed them. Rogue Avians, now Spectrals, were now flying with the wings of a bat; instead of the beautiful people they once were as Siricians, they were ugly, with fins like a shark and sharp teeth. They called themselves the Nymphos, inhabiting the deepest darkest depths of the ocean. Therians were now Feral, growing claws sharper than knives, killing a man with only one bite. The Familiars were now dumb beasts, reduced to mere housepets.
As for the former Elementals, they did not lose their powers, but with each passing winter, they change, transforming into huge dragons and mighty beasts, serving the dark side, under the command of the dark lord, who was called Gothric of the Goths.
Eadric silenced the crowd with a hand. 'My friends, we know not of their numbers; yet we must be prepared for all. We must assemble an army immediately before the Darkwielders attack.'
At this, Kincaid, leader of the Avians, stood up, his wings unfolding, reflecting the light. 'My people will fight till the last warrior.' He held up his fist accompanied by loud cheerings from his kind. 'We will not surrender to Gothric!'
'I agree as well, cousin,' Aoife of the Siricis stood, flipping her long dark blue hair. Her voice sounded watery, as though she was underwater. 'We will scout the seas, with troops at the ready to fight the Nymphos. Even though our allegiance to the Serapheth is strong, the Siricis are a peace-loving kind, so forgive us if we only manage to delay them.' Her head was bowed.
'Nay, kind sister,' Lionello spoke up. The lord of the Therians, his alter ego was a large lion, filled with command. 'The Therians will help, we will sent the great cats and birds of prey to guard the stronghold, and our swiftest horses will bear man in war. That I can guarentee.'
At this, the Familiar leader stood, her cloak swishing in the breeze. 'I will send my kin to each and every household, they will guide the family in these times of darkness.'
Eadric nodded. 'Thank you for your help, Rumina. Colony. I'm sure the Elementals are in as well?' The Elementals nodded. 'You have our help, Eadric.'
'Good,' Eadric said. 'Prepare your people for the war that is oncoming. Make sure that the strongholds are strong. Train your warriors. Meanwhile, the mages and I will create a force field around the lands. We can delay the Darkwielders.'
'Do as you must,' everyone said in unison, their right hand placed on their heart as a sign of acknowledgement.
_______________________________
Meanwhile, Gothric of the Goths looked into his scrying pool, where he'd just witnessed the happenings of the Serapheth. He grinned evilly. 'Do as you must,' he repeated. 'Do as you must, indeed.' He gave a soft chuckle, which grew into a maniacal laugh by the minute. 'We'll see how this fares, Eadric!'
Tuesday, 11 December 2007
Keira Knightley Ad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aibOY18Pkgo
That's the link to the Keira Knightley Coco Chanel advertisement.
I'm OBSESSED with the ad.
I don't know why.
Probably coz I'm such a Keira fanatic.
Merry Christmas!
That's the link to the Keira Knightley Coco Chanel advertisement.
I'm OBSESSED with the ad.
I don't know why.
Probably coz I'm such a Keira fanatic.
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, 21 November 2007
Tales of Meridya by the Bard, Pelainus [Part 1]
Once upon a time, there exists the land of Meridya, ruled by the Princesire, Tadhg, and his wife, the Queen Saoirse--yes, yes I'm using the 'Medieval Story' characs--who were fair and just to all their subjects. Tadhg's father, Lucan, had died in battle against Rothar, the King of Delwyn, who'd barely survive the War of the Sovereigns. Even so, Rothar was determined to conquer Meridya as a present for his eldest son, Peridan, but Tadhg's army were so skilled that Rothar never managed to commit much destruction.
Then, in Rothar's fiftieth year, when his son Peridan was twenty and five, Rothar's first grandson was born, and they named him Kirby Evandar Peridanson. At the age of four, Kirby was shown to have great skill in swordplay and archery, and have many a time bested others at his skills. Convinced that his grandson's abilities signified his great power, Rothar gathered his sons, including Peridan, and his army, and attacked Meridya.
Alas, that year was a peaceful one for Tadhg and the Meridyans, considering that it was the birthyear of Tadhg's princess, Vanora Firestar, born only several weeks earlier, and the people expected no harm. Therefore the attack upon them were shocking, and many fled the land to safety. Tadhg and Saoirse were killed in battle, but Vanora, who survived, was given to Tadhg's brother, Teinn, and was forever exiled from Meridya.
Immediately after, Peridan and his family moved into the former Princesire's castle, where they lived. Coincidentally, Kirby was given the same room in which the Princess Vanora had, but no one thought much of it.
On the other hand, the moment Teinn realized they were exiled, he escaped into the only safe haven the family had left--Elder Forest, and he raised the child Vanora as his own in the clearing by the river, known to all as Woodland's Crush. Changing the princess' name to Brynn, he taught her etiqutte and maners, palace terms, archery and swordplay, hopeful that maybe, one day, the princess can claim her throne again. Although uncle and niece were exiled, many of their loyal serfs left their places to serve Brynn, and they became her Forest Guards, proclaiming her as the Lady of Woodland's Crush, where they all set camp.
In Brynn's eighth year, Rothar, angered at how many of the Meridyans chose to defy his orders in their loyalty for Tadhg's exiled family, decided to head to Elder Forest to flush out the outlaws. In a ferocious battle, Rothar was killed, and so was Teinn. To avenge her uncle's passing, Brynn took with her a small band of the Forest Guards whom she trusted utmostly, amongst them Oarin son of Jaont the blacksmith, Rhaecus the centaur, and Yenril the archer, to raid the castle for provisions and money.
While everyone else was busy looting, Brynn felt a curious feeling to see her old room. Entering the chamber that was once hers, she saw a boy sleeping in her room. Gripped by a sudden feeling of hate for the person who threw her family into exile, she was ready to shoot an arrow at the sleeping form which was Kirby when he woke up and saw her face clearly by the light from the moon behind her. She couldn't hold back an audible gasp when she noticed that he was only older than her by mere years.
It was strange. She was younger than him, and her bow was strung, with an arrow pointed at his heart, yet Kirby felt that she wasn't here to kill him. His eyes flickered to hers, and he saw something in them that made them shine, not with anger or hate, but with a feeling of loneliness and abandon. And of longing.
She was getting ready to kill the boy, who was obviously a son of Peridan, and she gritted her teeth in longing for the death of her foe. But he continued to look at her, and gave a soft smile. There was nothing patronizing about it, yet she was instantly ashamed for even thinking of killing anyone in such a way.
It was only a brief instant, but he noted--and commited to memory--the whole scene: moonlight behind her, seemingly making an aura around her red hair. He memorized everything about her, from the exact shade of her blue eyes to the shield-pendant that hung around her neck. It was silver, and there was a picture of a stag on it. Kirby blinked, and the girl was gone. He sat up abruptly, getting onto his feet as he ran towards the balcony where hence she entered his room. Looking down, he saw the girl, arrow still affixed, talking and walking with a centaur and several others. Except for the centaur and the girl, they were all carrying small bags filled with gold.
On impulse, Brynn turned and looked up behind her. The boy was up, he saw them with bags from Peridan's treasury. And yet...he did nothing to raise the alarm, as though he wanted them to leave without getting caught. Rhaecus saw where she was looking, and laid a hand on her shoulder. 'That, Brynn, is Evandar, eldest son of Peridan, and yet from what they said about him, he is nothing like his grandfather, Rothar.'
Brynn was confused. 'I was just about to kill him, Rhaecus,' she said softly. 'But I couldn't.'
'That's good,' Rhaecus said soothingly. 'He is not your enemy, Brynn. He never was one of them.'
Looking at Evandar [Kirby] again, Brynn finally drew her arm back, and shot an arrow at him. The arrow hit the balcony, and Kirby picked it up. It was made from the elder tree, and he turned to Brynn again, and he watched as they left, carrying bags of loot with them.
Then, in Rothar's fiftieth year, when his son Peridan was twenty and five, Rothar's first grandson was born, and they named him Kirby Evandar Peridanson. At the age of four, Kirby was shown to have great skill in swordplay and archery, and have many a time bested others at his skills. Convinced that his grandson's abilities signified his great power, Rothar gathered his sons, including Peridan, and his army, and attacked Meridya.
Alas, that year was a peaceful one for Tadhg and the Meridyans, considering that it was the birthyear of Tadhg's princess, Vanora Firestar, born only several weeks earlier, and the people expected no harm. Therefore the attack upon them were shocking, and many fled the land to safety. Tadhg and Saoirse were killed in battle, but Vanora, who survived, was given to Tadhg's brother, Teinn, and was forever exiled from Meridya.
Immediately after, Peridan and his family moved into the former Princesire's castle, where they lived. Coincidentally, Kirby was given the same room in which the Princess Vanora had, but no one thought much of it.
On the other hand, the moment Teinn realized they were exiled, he escaped into the only safe haven the family had left--Elder Forest, and he raised the child Vanora as his own in the clearing by the river, known to all as Woodland's Crush. Changing the princess' name to Brynn, he taught her etiqutte and maners, palace terms, archery and swordplay, hopeful that maybe, one day, the princess can claim her throne again. Although uncle and niece were exiled, many of their loyal serfs left their places to serve Brynn, and they became her Forest Guards, proclaiming her as the Lady of Woodland's Crush, where they all set camp.
In Brynn's eighth year, Rothar, angered at how many of the Meridyans chose to defy his orders in their loyalty for Tadhg's exiled family, decided to head to Elder Forest to flush out the outlaws. In a ferocious battle, Rothar was killed, and so was Teinn. To avenge her uncle's passing, Brynn took with her a small band of the Forest Guards whom she trusted utmostly, amongst them Oarin son of Jaont the blacksmith, Rhaecus the centaur, and Yenril the archer, to raid the castle for provisions and money.
While everyone else was busy looting, Brynn felt a curious feeling to see her old room. Entering the chamber that was once hers, she saw a boy sleeping in her room. Gripped by a sudden feeling of hate for the person who threw her family into exile, she was ready to shoot an arrow at the sleeping form which was Kirby when he woke up and saw her face clearly by the light from the moon behind her. She couldn't hold back an audible gasp when she noticed that he was only older than her by mere years.
It was strange. She was younger than him, and her bow was strung, with an arrow pointed at his heart, yet Kirby felt that she wasn't here to kill him. His eyes flickered to hers, and he saw something in them that made them shine, not with anger or hate, but with a feeling of loneliness and abandon. And of longing.
She was getting ready to kill the boy, who was obviously a son of Peridan, and she gritted her teeth in longing for the death of her foe. But he continued to look at her, and gave a soft smile. There was nothing patronizing about it, yet she was instantly ashamed for even thinking of killing anyone in such a way.
It was only a brief instant, but he noted--and commited to memory--the whole scene: moonlight behind her, seemingly making an aura around her red hair. He memorized everything about her, from the exact shade of her blue eyes to the shield-pendant that hung around her neck. It was silver, and there was a picture of a stag on it. Kirby blinked, and the girl was gone. He sat up abruptly, getting onto his feet as he ran towards the balcony where hence she entered his room. Looking down, he saw the girl, arrow still affixed, talking and walking with a centaur and several others. Except for the centaur and the girl, they were all carrying small bags filled with gold.
On impulse, Brynn turned and looked up behind her. The boy was up, he saw them with bags from Peridan's treasury. And yet...he did nothing to raise the alarm, as though he wanted them to leave without getting caught. Rhaecus saw where she was looking, and laid a hand on her shoulder. 'That, Brynn, is Evandar, eldest son of Peridan, and yet from what they said about him, he is nothing like his grandfather, Rothar.'
Brynn was confused. 'I was just about to kill him, Rhaecus,' she said softly. 'But I couldn't.'
'That's good,' Rhaecus said soothingly. 'He is not your enemy, Brynn. He never was one of them.'
Looking at Evandar [Kirby] again, Brynn finally drew her arm back, and shot an arrow at him. The arrow hit the balcony, and Kirby picked it up. It was made from the elder tree, and he turned to Brynn again, and he watched as they left, carrying bags of loot with them.
Wednesday, 7 November 2007
Fanfic Now: Mr.& Mrs. Smith--What's Next? [Part 3]
Continuing from Part 2...
___________________________________
'We're cut off,' Jules said, thinking rasionally. 'The only other option is...' she turned to the screen door. They ran towards the balcony and looked down. 'Will it work?'
Wyatt shrugged, cocking his head to one side. 'Only if you trust me.' He held out his hand. Jules stared at it warily. 'After that little stunt you pulled back there? I don't think so.'
'Look, Electra, this is for our best interests--'
'Our? There is no 'our' in this mission, Andrian,' Jules fumed. 'As the wise man said, "First we try, then we trust." We already tried. And unfortunately, I still don't trust you.'
'Come on, Electra,' Wyatt said impatiently. 'If we don't go now...'
'They'll catch us,' Jules said stubbornly. 'So go ahead. Leave me here. I don't mind at all. Nothing makes me happier. I can get out myself.'
Wyatt scowled. As much as he'd hate to admit it, he was strangely reluctant to leave her behind. He didn't want to leave her there with those goons behind her. What was this strange feeling that kept binding him to her? With a sigh he did something he'd never done before: reaching into his pocket, he took out the Evelyn gem and gave it to her. 'Is this enough to gain your trust?' he said quietly.
Jules took it. 'It'll do for a start,' she kept the gem. Then she took hold of Wyatt's hand. The moment their fingertips touched, an electric shock traveled from him to her, and she blinked. Whoa! Now that was something you don't see everyday. Their eyes locked, and his grip on her hand tightened. In quiet silence, they both climbed over the railing, perching dangerously on the railing. Now they just had to wait for their cue to go...
BAM! The door was opened. Throwing the battering ram aside, Rothbart's security were in the room just in time to see two figures jumping down from the balcony. A couple of them went to answer Rothbart's plea of help while the others rushed to the railing and looked down. The water was murky, and they could see nothing in the fast growing darkness.
'Should we go?' one of the guards said. 'Nah,' his superior said darkly. 'It's too dark. Besides, the tide is high, and the current is strong. They're probably swept by the current to their deaths.' He took one last look before leaving.
_____________________________
Meanwhile.........
Jules struggled to stay afloat in the strong current when she felt someone grab her arm. 'Here,' Wyatt hissed, his wet hair plastered to his head. 'Follow me.' He started swimming with strong strokes, following the current until they arrived at a small, hidden cove several feet from where they jumped. A man was waiting for them there, and he helped Wyatt get to his feet, getting sprayed with droplets of sea water as he did so. 'Gee, Wy, why do you have to get me wet everytime we do this? More importantly, why do I always have to do pickup duty?' His eyes turned wide as Wyatt helped Jules up to her feet. 'And the million dollar question is,' the guy took a proper look at her. 'Who's the babe and what the hell is she doing here?'
Wyatt and Jules exchanged looks. 'Long story,' he decided, eyes still on her. 'Do you have time?'
___________________________________
'So that's how you met her,' the man, whose name turned out to be Seth, chuckled. 'She sounds fiesty.'
Wyatt acknowledged that with a nod of his wine glass. 'She is. Fiestier than anyone I know.' He looked past Seth, caught up in his own thoughts, remembering her witty remarks; the soft, barely noticeable pout when she was tense; the way she'd run her fingers through her hair.
But he loved her eyes the most.
They were big, shiny orbs of blue. Sultry, burning with passion despite the icy demeanor of her expression. Outwardly, she was harsh and defensive, ready to lash out at anyone who insulted her. He felt that she kept to herself, rarely opening up to anyone outside her close knit circle of comfort. But when he looked into her eyes, he sensed that she was just as vulnerable as anyone else, maybe even more. She carried herself well, and her appearance was that of a knowledgeable and mature young lady, but inside she was just a little kid with trust issues, refusing to be hurt any longer no matter what, reminding Wyatt of a phrase his father once said to him, 'Gain their trust, but trust no one.'
He didn't realize that he'd said that out loud.
'Excuse me?' Seth asked, leaning closer. 'What was that?'
'Nothing,' Wyatt said, biting his lip. Seth chuckled. 'You were thinkin' about her, weren't you, Wy?'
He scowled. 'No, I wasn't.'
Seth grinned again. 'Now, you're lying. Hey, Raphael,' this was to the guy who just came in. 'Wyatt's thinking about our visitor!'
'Oh, is he?' Raphael said, putting down Wyatt and Jules' knapsacks on the floor. After Seth picked them up, they were escorted to a pre-booked hotel room a couple of floors beneath Rothbart's suite. Offering Jules the bathroom in the only bedroom, Wyatt showered in the other, smaller bathroom situated in the living space of the suite. Seth started preparing drinks while Raphael went down to retrieve their stuff.
'Here,' Raphael said, giving Wyatt Jules' bag. 'Give it to her. She'll need it when she comes out.'
'Right,' Wyatt took the bag and entered the bedroom. Leaning on the wall beside the bathroom dor, bag at his feet, he rapped the door with his knuckles, the back of his hand facing the door. 'Yeah?' a voice called out from inside.
'It's Wyatt,' he said. 'I've got your bag out here with me.' Pause. 'Are you coming for it?'
'Yeah,' Jules called again. 'Just give me a second.' She came out two minutes later with a bathrobe on. 'Hey,' she said. Wyatt nodded. 'Hey.' Silence. Then he passed her the bag. 'When you're done, we've got dinner waiting for you.' One last look, then he left the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Jules curious.
'So?' Seth demanded as Wyatt entered the living room. 'What did you say to her?'
'Nothing much,' Wyatt made his way to the fridge. 'What are we having for dinner?'
Seth's gaze faltered. 'Uh, Rafe?'
Rafe shrugged. 'Up to you. I'll call room service. What do you want? Seth?'
'Filet mignon,' Seth said smugly. 'With mixed vegetables and a dab of potatoes at the side.' Rafe nodded. 'Wyatt?'
'Steak au poivre,' he replied immediately. 'With fennel, green beans and herb-roasted potatoes. Steak medium well.'
'And I'll take the salmon,' Rafe concluded. 'What about the girl?'
Wyatt looked up. 'Electra?' he thought a while. 'She'll take the same as mine.'
Seth rubbed his hands in glee. 'And wine?'
'Red,' Wyatt continued. 'Two bottles is more than enough.' He turned to Rafe. 'Go ahead and order. She'll be out soon.'
'Aye aye, Captain,' Rafe nodded and gave a two finger salute before calling Reception with their order.
___________________________________
'We're cut off,' Jules said, thinking rasionally. 'The only other option is...' she turned to the screen door. They ran towards the balcony and looked down. 'Will it work?'
Wyatt shrugged, cocking his head to one side. 'Only if you trust me.' He held out his hand. Jules stared at it warily. 'After that little stunt you pulled back there? I don't think so.'
'Look, Electra, this is for our best interests--'
'Our? There is no 'our' in this mission, Andrian,' Jules fumed. 'As the wise man said, "First we try, then we trust." We already tried. And unfortunately, I still don't trust you.'
'Come on, Electra,' Wyatt said impatiently. 'If we don't go now...'
'They'll catch us,' Jules said stubbornly. 'So go ahead. Leave me here. I don't mind at all. Nothing makes me happier. I can get out myself.'
Wyatt scowled. As much as he'd hate to admit it, he was strangely reluctant to leave her behind. He didn't want to leave her there with those goons behind her. What was this strange feeling that kept binding him to her? With a sigh he did something he'd never done before: reaching into his pocket, he took out the Evelyn gem and gave it to her. 'Is this enough to gain your trust?' he said quietly.
Jules took it. 'It'll do for a start,' she kept the gem. Then she took hold of Wyatt's hand. The moment their fingertips touched, an electric shock traveled from him to her, and she blinked. Whoa! Now that was something you don't see everyday. Their eyes locked, and his grip on her hand tightened. In quiet silence, they both climbed over the railing, perching dangerously on the railing. Now they just had to wait for their cue to go...
BAM! The door was opened. Throwing the battering ram aside, Rothbart's security were in the room just in time to see two figures jumping down from the balcony. A couple of them went to answer Rothbart's plea of help while the others rushed to the railing and looked down. The water was murky, and they could see nothing in the fast growing darkness.
'Should we go?' one of the guards said. 'Nah,' his superior said darkly. 'It's too dark. Besides, the tide is high, and the current is strong. They're probably swept by the current to their deaths.' He took one last look before leaving.
_____________________________
Meanwhile.........
Jules struggled to stay afloat in the strong current when she felt someone grab her arm. 'Here,' Wyatt hissed, his wet hair plastered to his head. 'Follow me.' He started swimming with strong strokes, following the current until they arrived at a small, hidden cove several feet from where they jumped. A man was waiting for them there, and he helped Wyatt get to his feet, getting sprayed with droplets of sea water as he did so. 'Gee, Wy, why do you have to get me wet everytime we do this? More importantly, why do I always have to do pickup duty?' His eyes turned wide as Wyatt helped Jules up to her feet. 'And the million dollar question is,' the guy took a proper look at her. 'Who's the babe and what the hell is she doing here?'
Wyatt and Jules exchanged looks. 'Long story,' he decided, eyes still on her. 'Do you have time?'
___________________________________
'So that's how you met her,' the man, whose name turned out to be Seth, chuckled. 'She sounds fiesty.'
Wyatt acknowledged that with a nod of his wine glass. 'She is. Fiestier than anyone I know.' He looked past Seth, caught up in his own thoughts, remembering her witty remarks; the soft, barely noticeable pout when she was tense; the way she'd run her fingers through her hair.
But he loved her eyes the most.
They were big, shiny orbs of blue. Sultry, burning with passion despite the icy demeanor of her expression. Outwardly, she was harsh and defensive, ready to lash out at anyone who insulted her. He felt that she kept to herself, rarely opening up to anyone outside her close knit circle of comfort. But when he looked into her eyes, he sensed that she was just as vulnerable as anyone else, maybe even more. She carried herself well, and her appearance was that of a knowledgeable and mature young lady, but inside she was just a little kid with trust issues, refusing to be hurt any longer no matter what, reminding Wyatt of a phrase his father once said to him, 'Gain their trust, but trust no one.'
He didn't realize that he'd said that out loud.
'Excuse me?' Seth asked, leaning closer. 'What was that?'
'Nothing,' Wyatt said, biting his lip. Seth chuckled. 'You were thinkin' about her, weren't you, Wy?'
He scowled. 'No, I wasn't.'
Seth grinned again. 'Now, you're lying. Hey, Raphael,' this was to the guy who just came in. 'Wyatt's thinking about our visitor!'
'Oh, is he?' Raphael said, putting down Wyatt and Jules' knapsacks on the floor. After Seth picked them up, they were escorted to a pre-booked hotel room a couple of floors beneath Rothbart's suite. Offering Jules the bathroom in the only bedroom, Wyatt showered in the other, smaller bathroom situated in the living space of the suite. Seth started preparing drinks while Raphael went down to retrieve their stuff.
'Here,' Raphael said, giving Wyatt Jules' bag. 'Give it to her. She'll need it when she comes out.'
'Right,' Wyatt took the bag and entered the bedroom. Leaning on the wall beside the bathroom dor, bag at his feet, he rapped the door with his knuckles, the back of his hand facing the door. 'Yeah?' a voice called out from inside.
'It's Wyatt,' he said. 'I've got your bag out here with me.' Pause. 'Are you coming for it?'
'Yeah,' Jules called again. 'Just give me a second.' She came out two minutes later with a bathrobe on. 'Hey,' she said. Wyatt nodded. 'Hey.' Silence. Then he passed her the bag. 'When you're done, we've got dinner waiting for you.' One last look, then he left the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Jules curious.
'So?' Seth demanded as Wyatt entered the living room. 'What did you say to her?'
'Nothing much,' Wyatt made his way to the fridge. 'What are we having for dinner?'
Seth's gaze faltered. 'Uh, Rafe?'
Rafe shrugged. 'Up to you. I'll call room service. What do you want? Seth?'
'Filet mignon,' Seth said smugly. 'With mixed vegetables and a dab of potatoes at the side.' Rafe nodded. 'Wyatt?'
'Steak au poivre,' he replied immediately. 'With fennel, green beans and herb-roasted potatoes. Steak medium well.'
'And I'll take the salmon,' Rafe concluded. 'What about the girl?'
Wyatt looked up. 'Electra?' he thought a while. 'She'll take the same as mine.'
Seth rubbed his hands in glee. 'And wine?'
'Red,' Wyatt continued. 'Two bottles is more than enough.' He turned to Rafe. 'Go ahead and order. She'll be out soon.'
'Aye aye, Captain,' Rafe nodded and gave a two finger salute before calling Reception with their order.
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Fanfic Now: Mr.& Mrs. Smith--What's Next? [Part 2]
Continuing from Part 1.....
_______________________________
Removing the bread from the tip of her sai, Jules kept the weapon away and walked towards the counter. Pouring hot water into her mug, she filled it almost to the brim and dumped a tea bag inside.
'Earl Grey again?' Ben's voice called out, implying that he'd had his eyes on her after the little stunt with the sai. Jules shook her head and smiled. 'How did you know?' Not like she didn't know how he knew. She drank Earl Grey every morning.
'Please,' Ben shook his head. 'I might not be as good as your mom and dad, but I am observant enough to know that's what you drink every morning. Idiot,' this was under his breath. Jules caught it and pretended to take offence. 'Hey, back at cha.'
'Brat.'
'Backatcha.'
Ben thought hard. 'Donkey.'
'Backatcha.' Jules took a sip from her mug. The tension between them was now gone. Ben groaned. 'Don't you have any other lines?'
Jules smiled. 'Don't need to. "Backatcha" works pretty much most of the time. Look, time out. I really need to get started on my work, okay?' she grabbed her mug. 'I'll see you in a bit.'
Ben cocked his head. 'Julie?'
'Yeah?'
'What happened last night?' Ben asked. 'Where were you?'
Jules thought a while. 'Maybe someday, I'll let you know.' She headed up the stairs to her room. Closing the door behind her, she set the mug down on her sidetable and plopped down onto her bed. Ben's question about her whereabouts last night rattled her. Her entrance last night was either very obvious (which wasn't possible--hey, she was a sucessful thief after all, managing to steal stuff others tried and failed to steal) or he was a better agent than she thought he was. Yeah, that was probably it.
The reason why Jules couldn't come out with a proper excuse to answer Ben was because she herself wasn't sure. She'd snuck out last night, traisping around her neighbourhood, and had fun just being alone. It was quiet at night, and with everyone sleeping, it seemed so peaceful. She was suddenly reminded of an event three years ago...
________________________________
3 Years Ago....
'And again, why are you stealing my mark?' Jules frowned in annoyance. Her partner was just as irritated. 'Gee, I stole your mark? More like you stole mine!' he shot out. Jules raised an eyebrow. 'There's no need to get so pissed off, Andrian.'
'Oh really?' Wyatt Andrian frowned. 'Then what do you suppose I do, Electra?'
They were crouching on the balcony outside a hotel room, hidden by the darkness of the night. Upon meeting Wyatt Andrian, youngest master thief, Jules had introduced herself as Electra, not daring to use her middle name, just in case anyone who knew her parents found out about her as well.
Jules was grousing. The target was hers. Hers, dammit! And now thanks to the timely--Not!--interruption of Mr. Andrian over there, she had to share her credit. The target that day was Kalein Rothbart, owner of Rothbart Jewels, who was staying in the town's most expensive hotels situated by the seaside, The Diamond Treasure, owned by his partner Miguel Rodriguez. The two were going to host a 2-day exhibition on the different diamonds and gems that were found around the world.
It was there that Jules was planning to swipe the Evelyn gem, a large diamond found in Rothbart's mines, which he named after his daughter. Somehow the Andrian guy decided that the Evelyn gem was his mark as well, and he started messing up her plans.
She was doing perfectly fine when security came in and arrested her just as she was about to blow the vault in the hotel safe, where the diamond was kept. Well, okay, she couldn't blame them; she was planning to steal diamond anyway. But then she realized that she'd been caught because of Wyatt Andrian's glitches [apparently he cut the wrong wire, setting off the alarms instead of shutting them down.] Even then, she could still take care of herself. She was just on the verge of taking out the two goons that guarded her when Mr. Cocky came in and rescued her like some freakin' damsel in distress! Now that stung.
After escaping the goons, the two thieves decided to work together to get the gem: 50-50 for each of them. Eavesdropping on Rothbart's conversation with the Head of Security, they found out that for safekeeping, Rothbart was going to keep the diamond in the vault in his usual room--one of the Presidential Suites on the fifth floor, complete with balcony, hot tub, and a marvelous view overlooking the sea.
Dumping their bags and equipment behind a large bush some distance from a section of the sea directly under Rothbart's suite, the thieves took only the necessities: Wyatt, a couple of handguns, ammo, and some other electronic devices to break the safe; Jules, her sai, quite a number of sharp, silver handled knives and, as back up, a SIG P226. Both wore bulletproof vests under their clothes. Using a rope, Jules and Wyatt then proceeded to scale the wall to Rothbart's suite balcony five floors up, the balcony being the easiet and least protected way in.
So here they were, crouching outside the balcony, shielded by several potted plants. It was the perfect hiding place. Rothbart never comes out to the balcony just in case there was a sniper waiting for an opportunity to kill him, and they probably weren't expecting any company, considering the lack of guards to guard the place.
'Electra,' Wyatt hissed. Jules turned around. 'What?'
'Nothing,' he shrugged. 'Just wondering: why so quiet?'
Jules shook her head, but stopped and pointed. 'Hear that?'
Someone was rapping on the door. Inside the room, Rothbart, who was having a soak in the hot tub after depositing the gem, quickly pulled on a robe, and hurried to answer whoever it was. Opening the door, he saw a waiter pushing a trolley with some plates on it. 'Room service, sir,' he explained. 'You ordered the lobster pate with the Caesar salad and wine?'
Rothbart nodded. 'Yes, just leave it here.' He gave the waiter a tip. 'Thank you.' Closed the door behind the waiter. Looked around before pushing the trolley into the bathroom. Closed the door behind him again. Wyatt blinked. 'He eats, he drinks, and soaks in the hot tub at the same time? Doesn't he have anything better to do?'
Jules resisted rolling her eyes. 'Come on. We can go in now, steal the gem, get out of here.' She opened the screen door and entered, Wyatt right behind her. 'Wait,' he held out a hand as they passed the door to the bathroom. Jules frowned. 'What now?'
Giving a soft chuckle, Wyatt crept to the door and locked it. He grinned at Jules, who threw her hands up in the air, half impressed, half exasperated. 'Can we turn to the situation at hand now?'
'Of course,' Wyatt said, pulling out a small device from his pocket. Attaching the device onto the safe door, he pressed a button and there was a soft click as the safe door opened to reveal the Evelyn diamond. 'There you go,' he whispered, pocketing the gem. Jules was now indignant. 'Hey,' she hissed. 'I thought we said fifty-fifty!'
Wyatt gave her a roguish smile. 'I guess I lied.'
'You little--'
Then they heard it.
An unmistakable rapping on the bathroom door. 'Hey, someone, let me out of here!' Rothbart yelled through the door. Silence for a moment. Then a loud slamming sound from the bathroom. Alarms came on. Rothbart started laughing like a maniac.
'Shit!' Wyatt cursed. 'He had a panic button installed in the bathroom of all places? Doesn't he have anything better to do?'
But the worse was yet to come. Suddenly it seemed that someone was trying to crash the front door down. 'You inside! Open up!'
'Help me!' Rothbart, hearing the commotion, decided to join in. 'Secure the Evelyn gem!'
Panicking, Jules hesitantly looked out the peephole in the door. She saw what was coming and immediately ran back towards Wyatt just as half the door broke open. 'Gee,' she said sarcastically. 'They've got a freaking battering ram!'
Both thieves exchanged looks. 'Crap!'
_______________________________
Removing the bread from the tip of her sai, Jules kept the weapon away and walked towards the counter. Pouring hot water into her mug, she filled it almost to the brim and dumped a tea bag inside.
'Earl Grey again?' Ben's voice called out, implying that he'd had his eyes on her after the little stunt with the sai. Jules shook her head and smiled. 'How did you know?' Not like she didn't know how he knew. She drank Earl Grey every morning.
'Please,' Ben shook his head. 'I might not be as good as your mom and dad, but I am observant enough to know that's what you drink every morning. Idiot,' this was under his breath. Jules caught it and pretended to take offence. 'Hey, back at cha.'
'Brat.'
'Backatcha.'
Ben thought hard. 'Donkey.'
'Backatcha.' Jules took a sip from her mug. The tension between them was now gone. Ben groaned. 'Don't you have any other lines?'
Jules smiled. 'Don't need to. "Backatcha" works pretty much most of the time. Look, time out. I really need to get started on my work, okay?' she grabbed her mug. 'I'll see you in a bit.'
Ben cocked his head. 'Julie?'
'Yeah?'
'What happened last night?' Ben asked. 'Where were you?'
Jules thought a while. 'Maybe someday, I'll let you know.' She headed up the stairs to her room. Closing the door behind her, she set the mug down on her sidetable and plopped down onto her bed. Ben's question about her whereabouts last night rattled her. Her entrance last night was either very obvious (which wasn't possible--hey, she was a sucessful thief after all, managing to steal stuff others tried and failed to steal) or he was a better agent than she thought he was. Yeah, that was probably it.
The reason why Jules couldn't come out with a proper excuse to answer Ben was because she herself wasn't sure. She'd snuck out last night, traisping around her neighbourhood, and had fun just being alone. It was quiet at night, and with everyone sleeping, it seemed so peaceful. She was suddenly reminded of an event three years ago...
________________________________
3 Years Ago....
'And again, why are you stealing my mark?' Jules frowned in annoyance. Her partner was just as irritated. 'Gee, I stole your mark? More like you stole mine!' he shot out. Jules raised an eyebrow. 'There's no need to get so pissed off, Andrian.'
'Oh really?' Wyatt Andrian frowned. 'Then what do you suppose I do, Electra?'
They were crouching on the balcony outside a hotel room, hidden by the darkness of the night. Upon meeting Wyatt Andrian, youngest master thief, Jules had introduced herself as Electra, not daring to use her middle name, just in case anyone who knew her parents found out about her as well.
Jules was grousing. The target was hers. Hers, dammit! And now thanks to the timely--Not!--interruption of Mr. Andrian over there, she had to share her credit. The target that day was Kalein Rothbart, owner of Rothbart Jewels, who was staying in the town's most expensive hotels situated by the seaside, The Diamond Treasure, owned by his partner Miguel Rodriguez. The two were going to host a 2-day exhibition on the different diamonds and gems that were found around the world.
It was there that Jules was planning to swipe the Evelyn gem, a large diamond found in Rothbart's mines, which he named after his daughter. Somehow the Andrian guy decided that the Evelyn gem was his mark as well, and he started messing up her plans.
She was doing perfectly fine when security came in and arrested her just as she was about to blow the vault in the hotel safe, where the diamond was kept. Well, okay, she couldn't blame them; she was planning to steal diamond anyway. But then she realized that she'd been caught because of Wyatt Andrian's glitches [apparently he cut the wrong wire, setting off the alarms instead of shutting them down.] Even then, she could still take care of herself. She was just on the verge of taking out the two goons that guarded her when Mr. Cocky came in and rescued her like some freakin' damsel in distress! Now that stung.
After escaping the goons, the two thieves decided to work together to get the gem: 50-50 for each of them. Eavesdropping on Rothbart's conversation with the Head of Security, they found out that for safekeeping, Rothbart was going to keep the diamond in the vault in his usual room--one of the Presidential Suites on the fifth floor, complete with balcony, hot tub, and a marvelous view overlooking the sea.
Dumping their bags and equipment behind a large bush some distance from a section of the sea directly under Rothbart's suite, the thieves took only the necessities: Wyatt, a couple of handguns, ammo, and some other electronic devices to break the safe; Jules, her sai, quite a number of sharp, silver handled knives and, as back up, a SIG P226. Both wore bulletproof vests under their clothes. Using a rope, Jules and Wyatt then proceeded to scale the wall to Rothbart's suite balcony five floors up, the balcony being the easiet and least protected way in.
So here they were, crouching outside the balcony, shielded by several potted plants. It was the perfect hiding place. Rothbart never comes out to the balcony just in case there was a sniper waiting for an opportunity to kill him, and they probably weren't expecting any company, considering the lack of guards to guard the place.
'Electra,' Wyatt hissed. Jules turned around. 'What?'
'Nothing,' he shrugged. 'Just wondering: why so quiet?'
Jules shook her head, but stopped and pointed. 'Hear that?'
Someone was rapping on the door. Inside the room, Rothbart, who was having a soak in the hot tub after depositing the gem, quickly pulled on a robe, and hurried to answer whoever it was. Opening the door, he saw a waiter pushing a trolley with some plates on it. 'Room service, sir,' he explained. 'You ordered the lobster pate with the Caesar salad and wine?'
Rothbart nodded. 'Yes, just leave it here.' He gave the waiter a tip. 'Thank you.' Closed the door behind the waiter. Looked around before pushing the trolley into the bathroom. Closed the door behind him again. Wyatt blinked. 'He eats, he drinks, and soaks in the hot tub at the same time? Doesn't he have anything better to do?'
Jules resisted rolling her eyes. 'Come on. We can go in now, steal the gem, get out of here.' She opened the screen door and entered, Wyatt right behind her. 'Wait,' he held out a hand as they passed the door to the bathroom. Jules frowned. 'What now?'
Giving a soft chuckle, Wyatt crept to the door and locked it. He grinned at Jules, who threw her hands up in the air, half impressed, half exasperated. 'Can we turn to the situation at hand now?'
'Of course,' Wyatt said, pulling out a small device from his pocket. Attaching the device onto the safe door, he pressed a button and there was a soft click as the safe door opened to reveal the Evelyn diamond. 'There you go,' he whispered, pocketing the gem. Jules was now indignant. 'Hey,' she hissed. 'I thought we said fifty-fifty!'
Wyatt gave her a roguish smile. 'I guess I lied.'
'You little--'
Then they heard it.
An unmistakable rapping on the bathroom door. 'Hey, someone, let me out of here!' Rothbart yelled through the door. Silence for a moment. Then a loud slamming sound from the bathroom. Alarms came on. Rothbart started laughing like a maniac.
'Shit!' Wyatt cursed. 'He had a panic button installed in the bathroom of all places? Doesn't he have anything better to do?'
But the worse was yet to come. Suddenly it seemed that someone was trying to crash the front door down. 'You inside! Open up!'
'Help me!' Rothbart, hearing the commotion, decided to join in. 'Secure the Evelyn gem!'
Panicking, Jules hesitantly looked out the peephole in the door. She saw what was coming and immediately ran back towards Wyatt just as half the door broke open. 'Gee,' she said sarcastically. 'They've got a freaking battering ram!'
Both thieves exchanged looks. 'Crap!'
Sunday, 4 November 2007
Fanfic Now: Mr.& Mrs. Smith--What's Next? [Part 1]
I figured that since I love the show so much, I'd write a fanfic about Mr. & Mrs. Smith and maybe I'll do one for Alias. But why the hell do I bother writing disclaimers when no one takes much notice of them anyway?
____________________________________
Years after the ending of the show...
Dublin, Ireland.
'Jane, are you sure that the man we're going for is inside?'
Jane Smith rolled her eyes. 'For the hundredth time, John, yes!'
They were in an abandoned building in the Land of the Leprechauns, opposite a large hotel, and John was starting to get on his wife's nerves. Their target for the day was Paolo Martinez, and he was proving to be a hell of a recluse. They'd barely gotten a sighting on him.
Until now.
'There,' Jane propped the sniper rifle on the ledge and looked at Martinez through the scope. Martinez, in a fancy suit and designer shades, was walking purposefully towards his limo, surrounded and watched by his ensemble of bodyguards.
'How long do you need, Janey?'
'Two minutes, John, two minutes.' She gave a smirk as she aimed for Martinez's head. 'Which is probably faster than you can say--' she shot off two rounds. Both bullets met their mark. Martinez started bleeding like a bloody waterfall. '--"I do."' she continued.
John copied her smirk. 'Good girl, Janey!' he was pleased. 'Now that we're done, what do you say to a bit of sight-seeing before we go home?'
Jane grinned. 'Actually, I was thinking of something else. Something in the terms of...a word starting with 'S'.'
John blinked, surprised. Jane nodded. She was waiting for a chance to do this. John gulped visibly. 'You mean--?'
'Yes,' Jane smiled. 'We're going shopping!'
'Shopping?' John blurted out. His thoughts were more on the explicit side. Jane looked at him curiously. 'Of course. What did you think I was suggesting, John?' She finally caught it by the blush on his face. She tutted. 'God, John, you're really dirty minded, you know that?'
'Yes, yes I am.' It saved time to agree when Jane was in one of her ranting sessions. He sighed. He just hoped to everything holy that this time, Jane wouldn't max out their credit cards like she did on their last "job".
Hopefully.
_____________________________________
Benjamin Danz lifted another forkful of eggs into his mouth. Ever since the whole deal with the "John & Jane Smith On The Run From Their Respective Agencies" fiasco, the couple were persuaded to get a kid by their--well, actually, John's--lifetime good friend--well, actually, more like a fellow agent--Eddie, to throw suspicion off themselves.
Considering that Benjamin was now "thrown to one side"--as John so cheerfully put it--while on the run the Smiths decided to adopt Ben as part of their cover. Long story short, they found that they clicked together as a family when Jane found out that she was pregnant.
With twins. A girl and a boy.
Then naturally as expected [yes, I'm rambling] Ben immediately backs out and says that now that the Smiths have their own kids he might as well leave. And anyway, short-story-turned-rambling-short, they managed to convince him to stay with them. And here he is.
Smiling softly, Ben failed to notice when the other female species of the family entered the kitchen. 'Morning, Ben.'
'Oh, hey, Jules.' Jules Smith headed straight for the fridge, taking out a carton of OJ and pouring the contents into a glass. 'Want some?'
'Nah,' Ben shook his head. 'So...' he asked carefully. 'Where were you last night?'
Jules froze. 'I don't know what you're talking about.'
Ben shook his head. 'You're gonna hafta be better than that,' he said laughingly. 'Just because Jane and John are out doesn't mean you can start sneaking around.'
Jules scowled. 'I wasn't sneaking around.'
'Oh really?' Ben raised an eyebrow. 'Then why were you back at, let's see, three in the morning? Come on, Julie, spill.'
'There's nothing to spill, Ben,' Jules frowned, sipping from her glass. 'I just had something on.'
Ben sighed dramatically. 'I hate to do this, but I'll play the parent card.' He cleared his throat. 'Electra Jules Smith, where were you?'
To her credit, Jules didn't blink. Not even when he mentioned her first name. Her parents named her after two people: Electra, daughter of Agamemnon, and Clytemnestra, and Elektra Natchios, the comic book character, famous for being Marvel Comics' most deadly assassin and for her trademark weapon: her Japanese Sai.
'You know, Benjamin,' she drew out the vowels of his name in her upper-class drawl. 'I wouldn't do that if I were you.'
'Oh right,' Ben scoffed. 'Whatcha gonna do, skewer me like a shish kebab? You're a brat, you know? A spoiled brat with nothing to do besides eating, sleeping and making out.'
'Back at cha.' Jules took offence at the "making out" line, but ignored it.
'Funny,' he was scowling now. In annoyance he threw a piece of bread at her. Quick as a flash, Jules pulled out one of her sai--a gift from her mom; in honor of her more vicious namesake--and skewered the bread neatly. 'You were saying?'
Ben shook his head, mouth still gaping. 'Nothing, I was saying nothing.'
'Good,' Jules grinned, walking off. Mom was right, she decided. Something like that could make Ben shut up. For good. Chuckling, she walked back up the stairs to her room, leaving Ben in the kitchen, still shocked.
____________________________________
Years after the ending of the show...
Dublin, Ireland.
'Jane, are you sure that the man we're going for is inside?'
Jane Smith rolled her eyes. 'For the hundredth time, John, yes!'
They were in an abandoned building in the Land of the Leprechauns, opposite a large hotel, and John was starting to get on his wife's nerves. Their target for the day was Paolo Martinez, and he was proving to be a hell of a recluse. They'd barely gotten a sighting on him.
Until now.
'There,' Jane propped the sniper rifle on the ledge and looked at Martinez through the scope. Martinez, in a fancy suit and designer shades, was walking purposefully towards his limo, surrounded and watched by his ensemble of bodyguards.
'How long do you need, Janey?'
'Two minutes, John, two minutes.' She gave a smirk as she aimed for Martinez's head. 'Which is probably faster than you can say--' she shot off two rounds. Both bullets met their mark. Martinez started bleeding like a bloody waterfall. '--"I do."' she continued.
John copied her smirk. 'Good girl, Janey!' he was pleased. 'Now that we're done, what do you say to a bit of sight-seeing before we go home?'
Jane grinned. 'Actually, I was thinking of something else. Something in the terms of...a word starting with 'S'.'
John blinked, surprised. Jane nodded. She was waiting for a chance to do this. John gulped visibly. 'You mean--?'
'Yes,' Jane smiled. 'We're going shopping!'
'Shopping?' John blurted out. His thoughts were more on the explicit side. Jane looked at him curiously. 'Of course. What did you think I was suggesting, John?' She finally caught it by the blush on his face. She tutted. 'God, John, you're really dirty minded, you know that?'
'Yes, yes I am.' It saved time to agree when Jane was in one of her ranting sessions. He sighed. He just hoped to everything holy that this time, Jane wouldn't max out their credit cards like she did on their last "job".
Hopefully.
_____________________________________
Benjamin Danz lifted another forkful of eggs into his mouth. Ever since the whole deal with the "John & Jane Smith On The Run From Their Respective Agencies" fiasco, the couple were persuaded to get a kid by their--well, actually, John's--lifetime good friend--well, actually, more like a fellow agent--Eddie, to throw suspicion off themselves.
Considering that Benjamin was now "thrown to one side"--as John so cheerfully put it--while on the run the Smiths decided to adopt Ben as part of their cover. Long story short, they found that they clicked together as a family when Jane found out that she was pregnant.
With twins. A girl and a boy.
Then naturally as expected [yes, I'm rambling] Ben immediately backs out and says that now that the Smiths have their own kids he might as well leave. And anyway, short-story-turned-rambling-short, they managed to convince him to stay with them. And here he is.
Smiling softly, Ben failed to notice when the other female species of the family entered the kitchen. 'Morning, Ben.'
'Oh, hey, Jules.' Jules Smith headed straight for the fridge, taking out a carton of OJ and pouring the contents into a glass. 'Want some?'
'Nah,' Ben shook his head. 'So...' he asked carefully. 'Where were you last night?'
Jules froze. 'I don't know what you're talking about.'
Ben shook his head. 'You're gonna hafta be better than that,' he said laughingly. 'Just because Jane and John are out doesn't mean you can start sneaking around.'
Jules scowled. 'I wasn't sneaking around.'
'Oh really?' Ben raised an eyebrow. 'Then why were you back at, let's see, three in the morning? Come on, Julie, spill.'
'There's nothing to spill, Ben,' Jules frowned, sipping from her glass. 'I just had something on.'
Ben sighed dramatically. 'I hate to do this, but I'll play the parent card.' He cleared his throat. 'Electra Jules Smith, where were you?'
To her credit, Jules didn't blink. Not even when he mentioned her first name. Her parents named her after two people: Electra, daughter of Agamemnon, and Clytemnestra, and Elektra Natchios, the comic book character, famous for being Marvel Comics' most deadly assassin and for her trademark weapon: her Japanese Sai.
'You know, Benjamin,' she drew out the vowels of his name in her upper-class drawl. 'I wouldn't do that if I were you.'
'Oh right,' Ben scoffed. 'Whatcha gonna do, skewer me like a shish kebab? You're a brat, you know? A spoiled brat with nothing to do besides eating, sleeping and making out.'
'Back at cha.' Jules took offence at the "making out" line, but ignored it.
'Funny,' he was scowling now. In annoyance he threw a piece of bread at her. Quick as a flash, Jules pulled out one of her sai--a gift from her mom; in honor of her more vicious namesake--and skewered the bread neatly. 'You were saying?'
Ben shook his head, mouth still gaping. 'Nothing, I was saying nothing.'
'Good,' Jules grinned, walking off. Mom was right, she decided. Something like that could make Ben shut up. For good. Chuckling, she walked back up the stairs to her room, leaving Ben in the kitchen, still shocked.
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
A Medieval Story [Part 3]
'Saoirse!' Talwen called out from her place at the watchtower. Saoirse blinked, and looked up. Her friend was waving from the top of the tower. In a few minutes, the waving hand disappeared and she could see Talwen running down the stone cold steps. Saoirse grinned, and gave the cuffs that bound her to Tadhg a soft pull, enough for him to understand she wanted to dismount.
Getting down from his horse, Tadhg came over and helped Saoirse dismount from Amergin. He was suddenly pulled out of his skin [metaphorically, not literally] when Talwen came rushing over and gave her friend a hug as though they'd haven't seen each other for years.
'Saoirse!' Talwen yelled in her friend's ear. Saoirse winced. Tadhg, meanwhile, looked faintly amused. 'Won't you introduce me, Saoirse?'
'Right,' Saoirse nodded. Talwen looked at Tadhg with a half-wary, half-amusing look on her face. 'This is Tadhg, one of my father's new knights.'
'Pleasure,' Talwen held out her hand. Tadhg planted a polite kiss on it. 'Likewise, Miss...?'
'Talwen,' she replied. 'Daughter of Gawain and Panama.'
'Ah,' Tadhg looked mildly surprised. 'It's an honor to serve with your father, Miss Talwen.'
Saoirse opened her mouth before either of them could say anything else. 'Shall we go, Tadhg?' she gave the chain a vicious tug, calling Talwen's attention to it. She looked up with bemusement in her eyes. 'What's with the chain?'
Tadhg and Saoirse exchanged looks. 'My father's stupid idea,' Saoirse rolled her eyes. 'He wants Tadhg to tame me.'
Talwen nodded in understanding. 'So now, the question is, will you let him tame you?'
Silence. Then another voice rang out. 'Talwen!'
Talwen's eyes lit up. 'Father!' she cried as the rest of the knights galloped towards the trio. Saoirse scowled darkly, and looked at Tadhg. 'If you don't mind I'd really like to avoid Arthur.' Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed the reins to her horse and led the way to the stables. Tadhg followed suit, leaving Talwen by the gates to greet the knights.
In the stables, Saoirse was having a problem to groom Amergin. Everytime she tried to jerk her hand to make her job more comfortable, she would be jerked back by Tadhg's hand, who was surprisingly strong, almost pulling her off her feet a couple of times. In the end, she went and confronted him directly. 'Do you mind?'
Tadhg looked up and shook his head. 'No.' He continued grooming. Saoirse bit her lip. 'Hey,' she cried out. 'I'm asking you something.' She strode over to him and glared at him. He looked at her again. 'What?' he said calmly, replacing the brush and curry comb.
Acting the part of spoilt brat again, Saoirse scowled. 'I need to groom my horse.'
'And?'
She rolled her eyes. 'And I can't do that if you keep pulling me.' Waited for his answer. Waited for him to yell at her.
But instead....
'Come on,' he took her hand and dragged her over to Amergin, picking up the brush and curry comb. Placing the two items in her hand, Tadhg stepped back. 'Go ahead and groom your horse.'
Wary, Saoirse took the brush and curry comb, alternating between the two to clean Amergin. Her rhythm started to falter when she realized that Tadhg was still watching her. 'What?' she asked.
'Nothing,' he shook his head. 'It's just...you're doing it all wrong. Brush your horse vigorously. They like that.'
'I did,' she snapped in exasperation. 'I just can't when you're watching me. You're incredibly annoying.'
'So are you.' He laughed. 'Come, this way.' Standing behind her, he grabbed her hand and guided her through the grooming process. With him so near her, Saoirse felt strangely comfortable, even more so than when she was with Aodhfin. Biting her lip, she turned around...and found herself merely inches apart from Tadhg. He looked down. 'Yes?'
'I'm sorry.' She said it quickly, not wanting to prolong her embarassment. He nodded. 'What about?'
Saoirse took a huge breath. 'I don't know. My attitude, maybe? I...I had no right to lash out at you like I did. I'm sorry.'
'Sorry enough to apologize twice?'
Saoirse caught herself, before noticing the twinkling in Tadhg's eyes. 'That was mean and unnecessary,' she growled, unable to stop herself ffrom grinning. Heavens above, what had he done to her?
'Yes,' he replied. 'But you liked it.'
'Oh, very funny! I suppose you--'
'Suppose what?' Arthur called out. Both of them blinked as they turned towards him. Behind Arthur, Bors and the other knights entered the stables also, Talwen bringing up the rear with her father Gawain. 'Suppose what?' Arthur repeated again. At that moment only did Tadhg and Saoirse realized how close they really were. Pouting ever so slightly, Saoirse moved out towards Gawain. 'Sir, who were the Romans?'
Gawain exchanged looks with his superior; it probably looks a bit unfair that Gawain's relationship to Saoirse was much smoother than Arthur's with his daughter. Shaking his head, Arthur nodded. Gawain started talking. 'The Romans are part of a patrol escorting a Roman commander called Flavian Marcius, who's basically the equivalent of Arthur Castus, former Roman officer,' here, Gawain sniggered, 'back to Rome. Marcius is the godson of the Bishop Larcius, cousin of Bishop Germanius. That's why he's getting royal treatment.'
Ganis nodded. 'And that's also the part of the reason why they're requesting to stay here, at Hadrian's Wall.'
Talwen caught the uncertainty. 'Part of?'
'Yes,' Pembroke, one of the new knights, spoke up. 'Apparently they were--' he sniggered, '--attacked by Woads on the way.' He failed to notice Saoirse's raised eyebrows and continued. 'Anyway, their supplies were gone, and a couple of their horses were stolen in the middle of the night. They blamed everything on the Woads. Probably lost their stuff themselves and too proud to admit it.'
'Aye,' Orionus piped up. 'That's why their commander's requesting a week or so at Hadrian's Wall to stock up their supplies and all.'
Saoirse turned to her father. 'And you said yes?'
Arthur shrugged helplessly. 'Saoirse, what could I say?'
'You could've said no!'
'The Romans were civil to us once. I was once a Roman myself. We should do the same.'
'Civil?' a look of disbelief crossed his daughter's face. 'They insulted my mother's people. They insulted my people. If you grant their request,' her eyes grew cold. 'I will not enter Hadrian's Wall until they leave. Bors.'
'Aye, Saoirse?'
'Where's the key for the lock?" Saoirse turned to him. 'Since I'm leaving, I don't want to Tadhg to be deprived of his stay at the tavern.' Exchanging looks with Arthur, Bors held out the key. Saoirse took it and unlocked the metal cuffs, leaving them dangling on Tadhg's wrist.
'Saoirse,' Tadhg said gently. 'Let it go,' this time in Gaelic. He took her arm. 'Your father's trying to do the right thing here. Don't give up on him.' Ignoring his words, she pulled away and immediately saddled her horse. 'Saoirse! Don't walk out on me!'
At this point she crumpled mentally. Burying her face in Amergin's mane so that the knights, especially Arthur, wouldn't see her sobbing, she spoke up quietly. 'What do you want me to do, Tadhg?'
He spoke again in Gaelic. 'I want you to calm down and think. These Romans insulted your people, yes, but until they aim it directly at you, it's a waste of time trying to best them. Instead, wait for them to make the first move. It's just like swordplay. Wait for them to start playing before you join in. Have faith in your father, Saoirse. He knows what he's doing.'
Saoirse nodded. Brushing her arm across her eyes quickly to wipe away her tears, she stood up straight, looking more regal and calmer than Arthur had ever seen her. 'When are they coming?'
'Before the sun sets tomorrow,' he answered. Saoirse nodded. 'Call me when they come.' Stepping forward, she grabbed the metal cuff and replaced it on her wrist. Turning to her father, she finally betrayed a hint of loneliness and love. 'It's good to have you back,' she said quietly, burying her head against him in an affectionate hug.
Getting down from his horse, Tadhg came over and helped Saoirse dismount from Amergin. He was suddenly pulled out of his skin [metaphorically, not literally] when Talwen came rushing over and gave her friend a hug as though they'd haven't seen each other for years.
'Saoirse!' Talwen yelled in her friend's ear. Saoirse winced. Tadhg, meanwhile, looked faintly amused. 'Won't you introduce me, Saoirse?'
'Right,' Saoirse nodded. Talwen looked at Tadhg with a half-wary, half-amusing look on her face. 'This is Tadhg, one of my father's new knights.'
'Pleasure,' Talwen held out her hand. Tadhg planted a polite kiss on it. 'Likewise, Miss...?'
'Talwen,' she replied. 'Daughter of Gawain and Panama.'
'Ah,' Tadhg looked mildly surprised. 'It's an honor to serve with your father, Miss Talwen.'
Saoirse opened her mouth before either of them could say anything else. 'Shall we go, Tadhg?' she gave the chain a vicious tug, calling Talwen's attention to it. She looked up with bemusement in her eyes. 'What's with the chain?'
Tadhg and Saoirse exchanged looks. 'My father's stupid idea,' Saoirse rolled her eyes. 'He wants Tadhg to tame me.'
Talwen nodded in understanding. 'So now, the question is, will you let him tame you?'
Silence. Then another voice rang out. 'Talwen!'
Talwen's eyes lit up. 'Father!' she cried as the rest of the knights galloped towards the trio. Saoirse scowled darkly, and looked at Tadhg. 'If you don't mind I'd really like to avoid Arthur.' Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed the reins to her horse and led the way to the stables. Tadhg followed suit, leaving Talwen by the gates to greet the knights.
In the stables, Saoirse was having a problem to groom Amergin. Everytime she tried to jerk her hand to make her job more comfortable, she would be jerked back by Tadhg's hand, who was surprisingly strong, almost pulling her off her feet a couple of times. In the end, she went and confronted him directly. 'Do you mind?'
Tadhg looked up and shook his head. 'No.' He continued grooming. Saoirse bit her lip. 'Hey,' she cried out. 'I'm asking you something.' She strode over to him and glared at him. He looked at her again. 'What?' he said calmly, replacing the brush and curry comb.
Acting the part of spoilt brat again, Saoirse scowled. 'I need to groom my horse.'
'And?'
She rolled her eyes. 'And I can't do that if you keep pulling me.' Waited for his answer. Waited for him to yell at her.
But instead....
'Come on,' he took her hand and dragged her over to Amergin, picking up the brush and curry comb. Placing the two items in her hand, Tadhg stepped back. 'Go ahead and groom your horse.'
Wary, Saoirse took the brush and curry comb, alternating between the two to clean Amergin. Her rhythm started to falter when she realized that Tadhg was still watching her. 'What?' she asked.
'Nothing,' he shook his head. 'It's just...you're doing it all wrong. Brush your horse vigorously. They like that.'
'I did,' she snapped in exasperation. 'I just can't when you're watching me. You're incredibly annoying.'
'So are you.' He laughed. 'Come, this way.' Standing behind her, he grabbed her hand and guided her through the grooming process. With him so near her, Saoirse felt strangely comfortable, even more so than when she was with Aodhfin. Biting her lip, she turned around...and found herself merely inches apart from Tadhg. He looked down. 'Yes?'
'I'm sorry.' She said it quickly, not wanting to prolong her embarassment. He nodded. 'What about?'
Saoirse took a huge breath. 'I don't know. My attitude, maybe? I...I had no right to lash out at you like I did. I'm sorry.'
'Sorry enough to apologize twice?'
Saoirse caught herself, before noticing the twinkling in Tadhg's eyes. 'That was mean and unnecessary,' she growled, unable to stop herself ffrom grinning. Heavens above, what had he done to her?
'Yes,' he replied. 'But you liked it.'
'Oh, very funny! I suppose you--'
'Suppose what?' Arthur called out. Both of them blinked as they turned towards him. Behind Arthur, Bors and the other knights entered the stables also, Talwen bringing up the rear with her father Gawain. 'Suppose what?' Arthur repeated again. At that moment only did Tadhg and Saoirse realized how close they really were. Pouting ever so slightly, Saoirse moved out towards Gawain. 'Sir, who were the Romans?'
Gawain exchanged looks with his superior; it probably looks a bit unfair that Gawain's relationship to Saoirse was much smoother than Arthur's with his daughter. Shaking his head, Arthur nodded. Gawain started talking. 'The Romans are part of a patrol escorting a Roman commander called Flavian Marcius, who's basically the equivalent of Arthur Castus, former Roman officer,' here, Gawain sniggered, 'back to Rome. Marcius is the godson of the Bishop Larcius, cousin of Bishop Germanius. That's why he's getting royal treatment.'
Ganis nodded. 'And that's also the part of the reason why they're requesting to stay here, at Hadrian's Wall.'
Talwen caught the uncertainty. 'Part of?'
'Yes,' Pembroke, one of the new knights, spoke up. 'Apparently they were--' he sniggered, '--attacked by Woads on the way.' He failed to notice Saoirse's raised eyebrows and continued. 'Anyway, their supplies were gone, and a couple of their horses were stolen in the middle of the night. They blamed everything on the Woads. Probably lost their stuff themselves and too proud to admit it.'
'Aye,' Orionus piped up. 'That's why their commander's requesting a week or so at Hadrian's Wall to stock up their supplies and all.'
Saoirse turned to her father. 'And you said yes?'
Arthur shrugged helplessly. 'Saoirse, what could I say?'
'You could've said no!'
'The Romans were civil to us once. I was once a Roman myself. We should do the same.'
'Civil?' a look of disbelief crossed his daughter's face. 'They insulted my mother's people. They insulted my people. If you grant their request,' her eyes grew cold. 'I will not enter Hadrian's Wall until they leave. Bors.'
'Aye, Saoirse?'
'Where's the key for the lock?" Saoirse turned to him. 'Since I'm leaving, I don't want to Tadhg to be deprived of his stay at the tavern.' Exchanging looks with Arthur, Bors held out the key. Saoirse took it and unlocked the metal cuffs, leaving them dangling on Tadhg's wrist.
'Saoirse,' Tadhg said gently. 'Let it go,' this time in Gaelic. He took her arm. 'Your father's trying to do the right thing here. Don't give up on him.' Ignoring his words, she pulled away and immediately saddled her horse. 'Saoirse! Don't walk out on me!'
At this point she crumpled mentally. Burying her face in Amergin's mane so that the knights, especially Arthur, wouldn't see her sobbing, she spoke up quietly. 'What do you want me to do, Tadhg?'
He spoke again in Gaelic. 'I want you to calm down and think. These Romans insulted your people, yes, but until they aim it directly at you, it's a waste of time trying to best them. Instead, wait for them to make the first move. It's just like swordplay. Wait for them to start playing before you join in. Have faith in your father, Saoirse. He knows what he's doing.'
Saoirse nodded. Brushing her arm across her eyes quickly to wipe away her tears, she stood up straight, looking more regal and calmer than Arthur had ever seen her. 'When are they coming?'
'Before the sun sets tomorrow,' he answered. Saoirse nodded. 'Call me when they come.' Stepping forward, she grabbed the metal cuff and replaced it on her wrist. Turning to her father, she finally betrayed a hint of loneliness and love. 'It's good to have you back,' she said quietly, burying her head against him in an affectionate hug.
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