|
*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
|
Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 17, 2020 21:19:12 GMT -5
Parker didn't have the heart to tell her that there might not ever be a next time, so he just smiled and nodded. He followed behind the dogs just so they wouldn't try and go around him to get to their master and get in other people's way. Until they went outside, of course. Then he resumed a spot beside Sol. "I guess we'll head back to the ship now?" he asked.
~*~*~
As busy as the day had been, Anya had been glad she had gone with them. If she hadn't, then she would have missed out on the fun that was watching Aidan and Star compete and everything that followed afterwards. Was the day hectic? Yes, but it was well worth it in her opinion.
Now, as the night was drawing near, Aidan was out tending to the dogs while Seth and her were inside. They hadn't gone with the boy manly because he was capable of doing it on his own. She had reminded him to lock up the doors when he was done and trusted that he would do just that. After helping her mother a bit around in the kitchen and straightening up the living room, she took a seat on the other end of the couch, throwing her feet up so they were draped over Seth's legs. "And that was day one of the Festival," she said with a sigh to finally be off her feet. She might be fine with going all day doing something without rest, but it was still nice when she could take a few minutes to rest. "We still got a whole other day and night to get through."
~*~*~
Kyra had managed to come to a few hours after she had been captured. Since then, she had spent her time tied to one spot and both dodging questions and making her captors angry. Everything she had on her as far as weapons went had been removed, so there was little hope of finding a way to cut her binds. She wasn't getting out unless the men let her out. However, they failed to do anything to keep her from talking. Sure, they might have been hoping that she'd say something useful about the Rebels or where they might be located. However, all she did was do what she did best: make sarcastic comments and snide remarks to the point where physical blows had been dealt. It was fine. She was used to a few punches. Punches and slaps to the face were far better than a knife through her heart.
In the time when the men would leave the room, there was little for her to do. She didn't dare sleep. If there came a chance to escape, then she would need to be ready to take it. Sleeping would only make it hard for her to see such opportunities. Needless to say, it had been a long night. But that was fine. For while she didn't sleep, she was able to gather her own info on the men and what had happened to put her in this mess. Of course, she should have known Genevieve would have gotten to Fairst first. Everything had gone far too easy. She should have known something was wrong then and there, but she had been so caught up with the need to just do her job and get it over with. Sadly, there was nothing she could do with the information.
As the day wore on, she was pretty sure that there wouldn't be backup arriving, which was fine. One of two things could happen. Either these mean would see this as a waste of time and just kill her, or they would carry her back to Illera to be questioned there. If the latter happened, she could free herself. Once untied, she would have a shot to fight the men off. Three on one wasn't the best of odds, but she would find a way to manage. She'd have to. Yet that wouldn't be necessary. For somewhere in the house, she heard the muffled sounds of crashing and fighting could be heard. Maybe backup had been sent after all. Just not the backup she had wanted.
Kyra stared at Morgan as he came bursting in through the office door. The man who had been with her, the man who pretended to be the guy in charge of the town, took a moment to stare at him in shock before he was up on his feet and making his way to stop whatever rampage Morgan was on.
(Nah, I figured the guys scared the actual dude in charge into hiding while they waited on Kyra to show, so it's just the one guy who Morgan can beat up as he sees fit. XD)
|
|
Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
|
Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 17, 2020 22:37:26 GMT -5
Once outside, Artemis kept to his right side in a loose heel while Apollo branched out and wandered around, sniffing everything and marking every other thing. Sol was aware of where his dogs were and what they were doing at all times,but he didn't interfere. He looked at Parker out of the corner of his eye when the other man fell in beside him. "I guess. Unless there was something else you wanted to do or see before we leave."
~ • ~ • ~ ( Okay, Anya putting her feet in Seth's lap without second thought is adorable, and I love it. xD )
Seth's lips twitched into a smile when her legs flopped over his. He pulled his hand out from under them and rested it on them instead. "Is tomorrow going to be much the same?"
~ • ~ • ~ ( Gotcha. ;D Badass Morgan is surprisingly fun. xD )
Morgan's focus narrowed in on the man coming toward him. He didn't move until the guy was almost on top of him and pulling a dagger from a hidden sheath. Morgan flipped his own dagger in his hand so the blade was against his forearm and side stepped the first attack. Then man spun after him, but Morgan was already several feet away,much to his surprise. That surprise cost him, for as quickly as he moved away, Morgan moved just as fast when he suddenly closed the distance between them and hit the man hard on the temple with the hilt of his dagger. The man dropped like a sack of bricks.
With the last threat neutralized, Morgan spun on his heel and marched over to Kyra. He was going to ask her if she was all right, but one look at her face at it was clear she wasn't. Though knowing her, she would tell him she was fine. Morgan didn't really want to hear it. He also didn't feel like arguing with her. So, taking full advantage of her restrained position, he slid his dagger into its sheath and cupped her face in his hands. Drawing on his magic, he healed her, quick and easy.
Only after all her injuries were gone did he step around her and cut her loose. As he did, he put his face beside hers and asked, "Is now a good time to say 'I told you so?'" He didn't even care that it made him sound like an ass. She had scared him, and he was still ticked at her for being so stubborn.
|
|
*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
|
Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 18, 2020 8:54:00 GMT -5
Parker shrugged. "No, not really. I can't exactly go acorn hunting with you trailing me, otherwise that will ruin the surprise. So I think I'm good to call it a night," he replied with a straight face, his eyes switching between taking in the buildings and store fronts and keeping an eye on Apollo. Sure, he didn't believe the dog would get lost, but he still found himself watching him whenever he got too far away.
~*~*~
(XD I was like, she could either sit beside him and just lean against him, invading his personal space, or he can be a footrest. Footrest won. XD)
"The food stalls will still be there, and a few of the other games, but tomorrow is more geared towards the youth of the town. More sport competitions, wrestling matches, that sort of thing," Anya told him, resting her head on the back cushion of the couch. "There's an archery contest that I'm sure you'll want to do. My brothers take part in it every year. Ryner got second at one point in time. Then at night there's going to be like a party or dance set up. They'll clear the square and set up a stage."
(I just looked at the schedule to confirm how many festival days we said there were, and today (in real time) is the day that the Comet reaches the final port and Parker says goodbye to the crew and Sol. XD)
~*~*~
Kyra had never seen Morgan in a fight, since they had reunited. Sure, she was with him fighting Riders, but she had been preoccupied with her own opponent to really watch what he was doing. It was clear that he was a well trained fighter. His easy and swift movements were a testament to that. Did it make her feel any better in this situation? Absolutely not.
The moment he had knocked the man unconscious and turned to her, she was glaring at him. Him grabbing her face to heal the bruises didn't help matters either. Her first reaction was to jerk her head back, but couldn't get her body to actually listen. Never had she pulled away from Morgan, and, mad as she was with him now, couldn't change that. She could kick him. Lifting her foot, she landed it on his chest to push him away, giving her enough space to stand up. "What the hell are you doing here?" she spat. "No, more importantly, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
|
|
Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
|
Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 18, 2020 9:56:49 GMT -5
Sol tried not to smirk. "Of course. Ship it is then." He altered their course a little so they were heading more for the docks. Apollo, walking ahead of them, continued the wrong way for a minute before realizing his mistake. Then he came running to catch up and reclaim his position in the lead.
~ • ~ • ~ ( It's great. I would have loved both, but I think I like this one better. xD )
Seth barely heard anything she said after "archery contest." His head snapped around to her, his eyes bright with excitement. Then it dimmed a little. "Do you think it would be fair for me to enter an archery contest? Not to criticize the skill of your townsfolk, but I'm pretty sure I could out shoot them all blindfolded." He said it matter-of-fact, not boastful. He was probably the best archer on the continent (aside from the elves, and only because they had the advantage of centuries of practice rather than decades), and while he was proud of the fact, he didn't like boasting about it considering what he'd been using that skill to do over the years.
( Haha, nice. xD I did notice the last time I was on there that we were almost in line with Sol and Parker's timeline. xD )
~ • ~ • ~ Morgan moved away from her with a grunt. "I think it's called rescuing you, princess. You're welcome. Actually, you know what? You're not welcome. Are you out of your damn mind? How could you think that after that night and that fight, going out on a mission was a good idea? You're not a damn machine, Kyra. You've been going nonstop for days, and on top of that I dropped an emotional bombshell on you. But instead of taking a moment for yourself to recover, you go walking right into more danger. You need to stop listening to your head for once, because it is clearly stupid, and start listening to your heart and body. And I am not saying that so you'll tell me what we both know is true. I'm saying it because it's true, and because you need to start taking better care of yourself, and so that I can stop worrying about you. Damn it, Kyra, you scared me today. And if you want to keep me from becoming your shadow so I can avoid ever feeling like that again, you better get your ass back to camp and sleep for a week. Or until you're back to a hundred percent. Whichever comes first."
Morgan hadn't expected to launch into such a speech, but he felt better for it, though he was still mad at her.
|
|
*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
|
Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 18, 2020 10:27:27 GMT -5
Parker walked beside him, matching his stride easily and enjoying the cool evening air. "So we're leaving at dawn, right?" he asked. That would mean most of the crew members would be back on the ship well before then to help get the ship ready to sail.
~*~*~
(I do too. X3)
"I wouldn't see why not," Anya told him. "I mean, there's no rule that says a professional bowman can't enter. It's just for fun and bragging rights, after all. There's no real prize to be won. So I would think you could do it. Maybe miss the mark once or twice just to make the others feel better, but no one will stop you."
(And this is why I love using our own time to mark the events of the plot. XD)
~*~*~
"You've got no right to tell me what I can and can't do," Kyra spat back. "You don't know what I've been required to do in the past. I am more than capable of taking care of things myself. I would have been just fine, sleep or no sleep. So you can get your pompous, self-righteous ass out of my face, and let me do my own damn job! Maybe if you could see pass whatever emotional haze is in front of your eyes, you'd be able to see I'm not some damsel needing some Rider to come save her, to make sure she's safe and sound and all healed up."
It was at this time that Ian finally caught up to Morgan and entered the room. He took stock of the situation before focusing on Kyra. "Are you okay?" he asked, but the reply he got didn't match the question.
"And they send the other idiot with you!" Kyra all but shouted, motioning very irritably in Ian's direction. "Of course! At least Ian would have been more tactful than just barging in here blindly."
Ian, who was very confused by this point, looked slightly offended. "Gods, what's got you so worked up?" he asked.
|
|
Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
|
Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 18, 2020 12:38:28 GMT -5
"Just before. That's when the tide changes, and we'll go out with it. And so long as the winds stay with us, we'll probably be in Kuasta by the end of the second day." They turned a corner, and the harbor came into view. The moon was almost full, so its light illuminated the water and the ships that sat in the bay. Even from a distance it was clear that the Comet was the largest and nicest vessel.
~ • ~ • ~ ( What would Anya do if Seth started massaging her legs/feet like all the romance heroes do? xD )
Now to that, Seth couldn't help looking a little smug. "I don't miss — ever. I think you mean, purposely shoot the arrow so it looks like I missed. Which I suppose I can do if you think that'll help."
( Makes it much easier to keep everything organized too. xD )
~ • ~ • ~ Morgan didn't even acknowledge Ian. He took a step toward Kyra, his temper flaring. "I know damn well you're not a damsel, wild heart, which is why this situation scared me so much. You're better than this. You shouldn't have needed a rescue, because you shouldn't have been caught. But you did, because you're not taking care of yourself! If you had come into this mission well rested and clear headed, I have no doubt you would have been fine."
|
|
*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
|
Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 18, 2020 18:42:26 GMT -5
Parker nodded but said nothing else. If the crew was going to be back that early, then it might not be a good idea to adj and share Sol's bed again. Sure, everyone kn the crew knew they were a thing but he still didn't want to have everyone talking. Then again, they already were, he was sure. Still the thought of having to deal with playful jeers so early in the morning was a tiring idea.
~•~•~
(She might think it's a trick and be very suspicious but not stop him. XD)
"I thought that went without saying," Anya said, rolling her eyes but was more amused than annoyed.
(Yep!)
~•~•~
"And how the hell did you know I was in trouble? Hm? Did you just assume that? Did Lawrence tell you? Did Ian? Because I don't think there was anything in those letters that said I was in trouble. What was written were lies anyway, so who was to say I was even still here? For all anyone could have know, only the paper could have been stolen, and I could have been on my way back to camp!" Kyra countered. Whatever they'd started the fight about was unknown. Now she was only concerned with not being the one to be beaten down, told she was in the wrong. None of this would have happened had it not been for Morgan, after all. "Not to mention who even sent you here, because I know damn well Lawrence doesn't send new recruits on rescue missions this soon."
|
|
Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
|
Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 18, 2020 20:57:46 GMT -5
( Okay, your one little typo there, "adj" took me a moment to decipher, but it helped to look at my own phone keyboard and see which letters were near the D and the J. xD )
After a few minutes of quiet, Sol glanced over at Parker. "Something wrong?"
~ • ~ • ~ ( xD Now I kinda want him to tickle her too. xD )
Seth chuckled and patted her leg. "One can never be too sure. You should compete too. Your archery was coming along really well the last time I saw you practice."
~ • ~ • ~ "It's called instinct and deduction skills," Morgan snapped back. "Ian was in a hurry to leave, Lawrence was trying to distract me with stupid tests, and I have magic that lets me do pretty much anything. And I don't need anyone's damn permission to rescue the woman I love." He pointed at her. "And don't even start. I don't care if you don't want to accept how I feel. I feel it, and not even your stupid, stubborn attitude is changing it."
|
|
*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
|
Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 18, 2020 21:59:50 GMT -5
(Dang it! And I thought I was doing good. XD)
Parker shook his head. "No, there's no problem," he answered, turning his head to smile his way. "Just kind got lost in my own thoughts for a moment."
~*~*~
(Do it! He's tickled her enough times to make it a habit now. XD)
Anya shrugged. Yes, she was decent now, but the thought of picking up a bow wasn't as tempting as it was for Seth. Even though she knew that the day after the Festival her training would resume, but that was still a whole day away. "I've never entered before, so I hadn't really thought about doing it this year."
~*~*~
"And that's you're problem, right there," Kyra said, but for once she wasn't focusing on his love confession. Instead, she picked the sore spot she had with Rider's in general. "We get it, you've got magic. You've got a dragon. You get to defy all natural laws, and you think that gives you the right to just ignore what you want whenever something comes along you don't agree with. You're too full of your own ego and self-importance, and that everyone needs to agree with you or get out of your way. I've got news for you, Reilly, that it's not going to fly here, at least not with me. You want me to start listening to you, to start hearing what you're saying? Then stop acting above the rest of us, and start following the rules the rest of us are forced to abide by."
And with that, she turned and left the room, pushing past Ian without, barely, shoving him clear out the way. Sure, perhaps all she said wasn't exactly aimed at Morgan, but his choice of phrasing had rubbed her the wrong way. It might as well been all about Morgan for all she cared at the moment. The anger and hurt she had pushed away had resurfaced, mixing with the new irritation with with herself and Morgan alike. Kyra shouldn't have gotten caught off guard like she should have. That much was true. However, having it been thrown back into her face wasn't helping the matters any. So, for the next ten minutes, the woman looked for the horse she rode into town on. And once she had checked over the tack and saddle bags were intact, she climbed into the saddle. Her weapons were still somewhere inside, but that was the last thing on her mind. She could always find more later.
|
|
|
|
|
*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
|
Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 19, 2020 21:04:27 GMT -5
Parker glanced at Sol from the corner of his eye. He would bet money that Sol already knew that answer, but just wanted him to say it himself. Really, he wanted nothing more than to just come right out and say it, but he had spent too long keeping what he wanted to himself to break that habit. "Someplace I'm not going to get shit from Quill and Mason in the morning," he replied, adding a small chuckle.
~*~*~
Anya pulled the foot he barely tickled out of reach and poised as if ready to kick him if he tried it again. "There is no need for that, good sir," she told him, giving him a playful warning glare. When a couple of seconds passed, though, she returned it to its previous spot. "I'm just... trying to get used to the idea of doing everything again."
~*~*~
Ian crossed his arms loosely in front of him as he replied. "Yes, stealth would have been the route I would have taken," he answered. "Storming the place was risky. If you had guessed wrong, someone might have seen you and sent word to these people. They could have set up an ambush on you, killed Kyra, or you could have put innocent people at risk. Or a combination of all of the above. Scoping the place out would have been my first priority. I would have gathered the basic information: Where they were at, how many men, strategic advantage and disadvantage points. Then I would have search to see if Kyra was even alive. From there, I would have refined my options and form a plan."
He studied Morgan for a bit, chewing over his next words before he spoke. "I hate to be the one to say it, but Kyra was right. You weren't thinking clearly. While you've proven your capable in a fight, there were too many openings for things to go wrong. It was careless, not to mention you left every one of them alive. That's a mistake, and that's not the formerly mentioned jealousy talking. You let your emotions get the better of you. The end result might have turned out okay, but the means to get there was reckless."
|
|
|
*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
|
Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 20, 2020 7:27:22 GMT -5
Parker had to laugh. "Yeah, I thought of that right after I said it," he admitted. "I guess I should have said wherever doesn't make us both late again. I'd hate to make you rush about for a second time."
~•~•~
"But I thought that what I was learning was part of a Rider's training?" Anya stated. "I haven't mastered them yet, so sooner or later I'll have to go back to what I was learning before."
~•~•~
"That's all well and good, but none of us know that," Ian pointed out. "We haven't trained with you. We haven't gone on missions with you. And from what you did today, all you've shown me is you don't work well with others. Not to mention we're both probably going to yelled at by Lawrence now. I get it, you were worried for Kyra and you did handle these guys with little problems, but now you've got more things to worry about."
|
|
Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
|
Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 20, 2020 11:35:09 GMT -5
"So long as I'm sleeping on my ship, I won't be late. The sea will wake me when I need to be up." Sol said it simply, with little thought to how it might sound to a land dweller.
~ • ~ • ~ "Well, yeah, but that's not..." Seth paused. What had he meant? "I guess I meant that the how of it will be new. I'm not Alia, not much of a teacher at all, so how I go about teaching you will be different enough it'll all feel new. Maybe."
~ • ~ • ~ Morgan wanted to argue, but found he couldn't. Did he work well with others? He had always seen himself as a team player, because he was easygoing and could get along with anyone. Yet the only people he had ever teamed up with for any sort of mission was Seth and Kyra. The jobs he'd done for Genevieve were always solo; his one and only soy mission for the Rebels: solo. He wasn't against the idea of working with others, but he suddenly wondered if that was one area he might actually need practice in.
He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I don't regret what I did, but I do know why it was wrong. I'll deal with whatever comes my way, but until it gets here I'm not going to worry about it. Come on. We should probably catch up with Kyra."
|
|
|
Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
|
Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 20, 2020 15:38:10 GMT -5
Sol shrugged. "Usually, yes. I'm not really a very good sleeper. I can't even remember last time I slept through a whole night." Even the two nights he spent with Parker, while the time he had slept had been very restful, he had spent several hours both times lying beside him wide awake. Part of it was just a natural ability to operate on less sleep than the average person needed, but he wasn't naïve and he also knew a big part could be attributed to unresolved issues from his past. He didn't let it interfere with his waking hours, but he couldn't stop it from interrupting his sleep.
~ • ~ • ~ Seth smiled back at her. "Good thing, cause I've never been very flexible." He had adapted to new things plenty if times if the years, but it had always taken a lot of pushing and shoving from the people around him to get him to bend even a little.
~ • ~ • ~ Morgan froze on his way to the door and eyed the other man. "Take care of them how?" If Ian even suggested killing them, Morgan was ready to knock him unconscious too and drag him out. He didn't want the men to walk off scot free, but he also wouldn't condone murder. He didn't think Ian was that kind of guy, but there was also a time when he would have sworn that Seth was incapable of killing. It was enough to teach him anyone could be "that" kind of guy.
|
|
*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
|
Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 20, 2020 18:56:43 GMT -5
"Well, you could have fooled me," Parker said. "What with the nonstop pace you operate on." True, Parker knew he woke early. He had never once beat him to a training session, and he couldn't remember ever seeing Sok just completely exhausted.
~•~•~
"If I could study with Jan, I'm sure I'll be fine studying with you," Anya assured. "He was a stickler for a lot of things, and it was always hard to tell what he was thinking."
~•~•~
Ian heard the unspoken threat in those words. "They've seen Kyra's face. They could send her description to every city and she'll be in more danger than she is now. Bit to mention, they've seen your face. What do you thinks going to happen when word gets sent back you've been spotted here?" He asked. "On top of that, they've used our letters. Even if we take them, they could still report how they operate. One of them might even be a magic user and was working on reversing the enchantment to learn the camp's location. It's too risky to leave these men as they are. Lawrence's orders."
|
|
Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
|
Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 20, 2020 20:19:22 GMT -5
Sol smiled a little at that. "Long practice. Plus I like to think the ocean gives me more energy. When I'm on land too long I tend to start dragging by the end."
~ • ~ • ~ ( Ooo, should this be when Seth finds out Nick and Jan are the same person??? )
~ • ~ • ~ Morgan slowly turned to face Ian fully. "I thought the Rebels were better than Genevieve and her Order. I thought you were above murder. I know I am. And I'm not going to let you kill anyone." Without another word, he spun on his heel and walked over to the unconscious man. He grabbed a handful of his shirt and yanked him upright, shaking him awake. As soon as the groggy man realized who held him, he tried to break free, only to go absolutely still when Morgan locked eyes with him.
Drawing power from the plants outside, Morgan shifted his magic into what he needed. "What's your name?"
The man hesitated for only a second. "Frank."
"How deep are you within the Order?"
His mental struggle was more clear that time, but the magic Morgan wielded over him had him biting out, "Deep enough to know you're a walking dead man."
Morgan snorted. "Sure I am. Okay, Frank. You're going to forget this conversation. You're going to forget you ever saw me, or Kyra. You're not going to remember this mission at all. And when you report back to Genevieve, you're going to tell her that if she tries to dig the truth from your mind, it'll only cause you to lose more memories. You got me?"
As he spoke, the man's expression became completely blank until, with Morgan's question, all he could do was nod.
Morgan released the man's shirt and stood. "Good. Now go sit in that chair until I send your friends in."
The man stood slowly and obeyed without a word. Morgan turned a glare on Ian. "Problem solved. Unless you care to argue with me?" Morgan wasn't big on threats, but it was clear in his tone regardless. If Ian wanted to kill anyone, he'd have to go through Morgan.
|
|
*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
|
Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 20, 2020 20:41:12 GMT -5
Parker turned his head to give him close scrutiny. "Hmmm, that sounds awfully like a mermaid to me," he stated, able to hold the quizzical look without laughing. "Are you hiding that from me? It'd certainly explain how you made it to your pirate palace before the ship did."
~•~•~
(I think he could start seeing similarities, but would Nick have taught differently while playing a different person? Or do you think he would teach the same? If he teaches the same, then yeah, he should at least make an educational guess. Then maybe actually have it confirmed when they get to the camp.)
~•~•~
Ian watched as this took place. There were plenty of Riders who specialized in messing with people's minds, so what Morgan was doing was no surprise. It seemed like a simple solution to this, and he hoped it was. But he'd seen mind spells fail before, and it often didn't end well. All he could do was shake his head. "You're a fool if you think that this war can be won without bloodshed," he said. "This is your mess. You'll fix it, and then be properly chewed out by Lawrence. I'm not about to argue this with you. All I'll say is, every spell can be reversed it the right person tries. I'll see you back at camp." He took one last look at the man that had just had his memories tampered with before leaving Morgan to his task.
|
|
Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
|
Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 21, 2020 13:07:08 GMT -5
Sol rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. "Okay, first, it's merman, not mermaid, thank you very much. And second, no, though that would be cool. I just..." He stopped, speaking and walking. They were at the docks now, and he paused to look out at the calm waters of the ocean before continuing. "I've spent most of my life on or near the sea. I know her moods and currents better than I know my own. And when I became the Pirate King, that knowledge... shifted, became deeper somehow. I can't really explain it. But to me, the ocean has a voice, and she can be very accommodating if you know how to ask." He shifted his gaze to Parker; his eyes shone silver much like the moon-bathed ocean. "I survived that storm and made it to the island because the sea wanted me to, and because I wasn't ready for her to reclaim me yet. If we weren't on the same page with that, the result might have been different." The conversation had turned much more serious than he had meant it to, so he smiled slightly and added, "In any case, for all my years sailing the seas, I have yet to encounter any kind of merpeople."
~ • ~ • ~ ( Nick's training methods remain the same in principle no matter who he's pretending to be, but for each individual student he may make adjustments based on the student's personality, drive, existing skills, etc. So I guess his training method does change, but the kind if teacher he is doesn't, of that makes sense? )
~ • ~ • ~ Morgan didn't respond. He didn't think the war could end without bloodshed, but there was a difference in killing on a battlefield and killing unconcious men in cold blood. He still hated the idea of having to kill at all, but that was for him to come to terms with when he absolutely had to. Until then, he would save as many lives as he could, even if it was foolish.
Once Ian was gone, Morgan woke the other two men one at a time and performed the same mental manipulation on them as he had the first one. It was true that compulsion wasn't an uncommon power among Riders, but only a handful were truly good at it. And Genevieve was the best of the best. It was how she had gained her power so quickly, and how she kept unruly subordinates under control. Older Riders could resist her, as could unusually powerful ones. Morgan fell into that last group. Drawing life from things and using that to fuel his magic instead of his own inner strength let him make his spells powerful with minimal cost to himself. Well, he hated himself a little bit every time he felt a tree die, but emotional turmoil was a small price to pay to keep Kyra and the rest of the Rebels safe.
Job done, Morgan made a quick sweep of the whole house to make sure it was secure, then he left. Kyon had taken to the skies after Morgan first entered the house, but he returned now, landing much more carefully than he had the first time. A moment later, Morgan was in the saddle and Kyon was airborne again. By unspoken agreement, Kyon flew after Kyra. He had been watching her since she stormed off, so it didn't take long before she came into view below. Kyon descended gradually and pulled up in front of her, landing softly to avoid spooking her horse.
Morgan crossed his arms as he stared down at her. "Our conversation isn't over, missy, and you should know that I'm done letting you run from me. You're my best friend, Kyra. I'm not spending any more of my life without you in it."
|
|
*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
|
Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 21, 2020 18:21:21 GMT -5
"Tomato, Tomado," Parker commented when he was corrected on his mer-terms. Yet he listened as Sol went on to describe his relationship with the sea. To some, it might be strange, but to him, it was similar to how his father talked about their land. He had grew up there, knew everything it held, all the moods it went through from one harvest to the next. Parker himself couldn't say he had that talent, but he could make guesses that were pretty close.
When Sol moved the conversation back to a lighter note, Parker smiled and bumped his shoulder slightly. "Maybe that's because you haven't accepted your merperson ancestry and grown a tail yet," he teased.
~•~•~
(Makes sense. It would still be similar enough that Seth would ask what he looked like, and, even if he changed hair color, he'd still have the general appearance. )
~•~•~
Kyra had already spoken with Ian. The other Rider had the same idea of catching up to her. However, after assuring him she was fine and stubbornly refused to rid back to camp with him, the woman continued on her way. For the most part, it was because she didn't want to be around anyone, and partially because she didn't want to ditch the horse. The poor thing didn't deserve being abandoned.
She knew Morgan would find her. There was no reason that said he wouldn't. Yet no amount of preparing herself was enough when he and Kyon landed infront of her. Reining in, she held his gaze steadily. "Then as your best friend, you should know I'm not in the mood to talk," Kyra replied, tugging on the reigns to turn her horse to go around Kyon.
|
|
Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
|
Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 21, 2020 22:35:13 GMT -5
That made him laugh. "Maybe, but I hope not. I would be fine living in the ocean, but I'm not really keen on having a tail instead of legs."
~ • ~ • ~ ( Right. Okay. 😁 )
Seth shifted so he was facing her without dislodging her legs from his lap. "You rarely talk about this Jan guy. Tell me about him. Was he a Rider?" That was the only thing that made sense. No normal man could know so much about dragons and Riders. It was also highly unlikely any normal person could steal a dragon egg. Yet wouldn't Anya or Corrik have mentioned Jan's dragon if it was in the picture? Seth supposed it could have died, but he couldn't imagine any Rider would want to teach new Riders of he had lost his own dragon. Unless it was an old wound... The more he thought about it, the more curious he became about the man who started Anya's journey as a Rider.
~ • ~ • ~ Kyon shifted slightly so he was blocking her again. His golden gaze was apologetic but resolute. He liked Kyra a lot, but like any dragon, he would always side with his Rider.
"I know you don't," Morgan said. He slid to the ground and took a few steps toward her but didn't get too close. He looked up at her, expression determined. "So you don't have to talk. Just listen for a minute, and then you can be on your way. Okay?"
|
|
*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
|
Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 21, 2020 23:42:31 GMT -5
"Hm, it would make commanding a ship a bit difficult, wouldn't it?" Parker asked, but he was grinning. "Not to mention your sweet dogs wouldn't be able to follow you. Someone else would have to care for them."
~•~•~
"I don't think he was," Anya answered. "He never mentioned a dragon and he wore gloves most days. He knew a lot about them, though. He told me just about everything I needed to know about Corrik and what to expect while he was growing. I asked him how he knew all of this one day, and he told me he just had a lot of close friends who were Riders. I didn't really press him on the subject, and he always got in a weird mood if Iasked too many questions off topic to my lessons."
~•~•~
Krya had no choice but to stop her horse. She couldn't be mad with Kyon. He is after all, bonded to Morgan. This had nothing to do with him anyway. She gave an exaggerated sigh as she looked down at Morgan. "Haven't you said everything you can say, Reilly?" She asked. "What more could you possible have left?"
|
|
Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
|
Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 22, 2020 0:13:25 GMT -5
At the mention of his dogs, Sol's hand automatically reached for Artemis to give her ears a scratch. She leaned into his touch and his leg. Apollo had found a crab on the dock and kept poking at it with his paw and then bouncing away when the thing turned on him, claws raised. The sight was highly amusing. Sol couldn't imagine a life without them. "Is that a subtle hint that you'll look after them if I grow a tail one day?"
~ • ~ • ~ Seth's brow furrowed. "Huh. It's very unusual for someone who's not a Rider to know so much. In case you hadn't noticed, a lot of what we know isn't public knowledge. You said he wore gloves and got moody when you brought it up? It's always possible he was a Rider, and that his dragon just... isn't around anymore. What happened to him when you left?"
~ • ~ • ~ "Lots, actually, but most of it can wait. Right now, I just need you to know you were wrong. Wrong about me," he clarified, "not wrong in general." He sighed. "Kyra... wild heart. I do not and have never thought of myself as above anyone. I know being bonded to Kyon doesn't make me special, even though plenty of Rider I know would like to convince me otherwise. I didn't disobey Lawrence and come after you guns blazing because I'm a Rider. I did it because—" He stopped and shook his head. "Well, you know why. My point is," he said, looking up at her again, "I would have come for you with or without Kyon. I would come for you with or without magic. I don't need those thing — well, I need Kyon, but he could have stayed at camp if he wanted to. My point," he said again, "is that I will always come for you when you need me. Sometimes even when you don't. All right? So... do try not to lump me in with your stereotype for Riders. It's insulting."
|
|
*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
|
Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 22, 2020 9:02:15 GMT -5
Parker, too found great entertainment in watching Apollo try and play with the crab. To see the big dog scared everytime the small crab moves towards him made him think this was not his first run in with the creatures. "No, it's a very obvious stating that I will steal your dogs if you grow a tail," he said, matter-of-factly.
~•~•~
The thought had crossed her mind, but Anya had never had he courage to actually ask. If his dragon had died, it'd be a touchy subject, she was sure, and she had no right to pry. "He was originally going to go with me to Illera, to help me get settled in, but the day I left, he said he had received a letter from family and he had to go take care of it. He sid he would catch up to us later in the city, but he never did."
~•~•~
This man had the worst way of getting to her. She wanted to sigh, to tell him he wasn't like the others. Tell him that she knew there would be no stopping him coming after her. She wanted to climb down from the saddle and into his arms, to find the rest he had always provided for her. Yet she knew where that would led to if she did, and Morgan had made it clear that it was not to happen again. So Kyra stayed put and searched for the words to say. "Then move, Morgan, and let me be on my way," she said. "Or will be like the ones who won't take no for an answer?"
|
|
Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
|
Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Nov 22, 2020 11:57:02 GMT -5
Sol chuckled. "You may have to battle my sister for them. I kind of promised her that if anything happened to me, she could have them."
~ • ~ • ~ Seth's fingers started drawing random patterns on her legs as he mulled that over. He suddenly knew this man wasn't part of the Order, probably wasn't even part of the Circle. If he was, he would have brought Anya to Ilirea the minute she hatched Corrik, like Searchers were supposed to do. And if he wasn't with the Order but had a dragon egg, that likely meant he had been at one point, but left, perhaps when his dragon died. If he stole an egg, then that likely meant he had never intended to return to Ilirea with Anya. So why would he make her think otherwise? "What all did he teach you?" he asked. And why hadn't magic been one of them? Magic was a huge part of a young Rider's education. There had to have been a bigger reason than just avoiding the ire of the townspeople.
~ • ~ • ~ Morgan stared at her incredulously for a moment. He tossed his hands up in defeat. "Gods, why must you always turn everything into a fight? You know what? Never mind. Good bye, Kyra." He turned on his heel and stalked off, though he didn't go toward Kyon but rather the closest treeline. Kyon shot Kyra a rather reproachful glare before getting out of her way and following his Rider.
|
|
*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
|
Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 22, 2020 13:44:39 GMT -5
"Which one? The twin?" Parker asked, tilting his head slightly to one side. "I think I could manage. Work out an agreement as one twin to the next."
~•~•~
"Well, he helped me understand more complex writing and reading, history, science, tracking. He taught me how to understand Corrik as he was learning to form his thoughts into messages to me, flying, of course. And he liked having me solve mind games, riddles, and had me think up solutions to a lot of scenarios. Claimed it was to help me analyze situations and come up with more than one way of dealing with them," Anya explained. Every now and then there might have been a self defense lesson but those took a backseat to the rest of what she had to learn.
~•~•~
Because no one likes stating in a fight, Kyra thought to herself as she watched Rider and dragon level. Was she proud of herself? Not in the slightest, but what was she to do? Everything she threw at Morgan, every problem she pointed out, he always had a defense. He could easily explain himself away and convince anyone of his views. Yet when he did it to her, nothing she said was good enough. There was no reasoning she gave that he could accept, and, yes, she was difficult and perhaps took things too far. But she didn't need Morgan's help pointing out everything she did wronged hiw she hurt him. Better to send him away than sit here with nothing to say. The woman kicked her horse forward once more still having a lot of ground to cover before nightfall.
|
|