Lavine gave her father a nod
"I understand it is my responsibility to find out more about it for myself then to ask you"
she smiled then took a bite of her dinner
"Father..."
she paused a moment to finish her bite then looked up at him
"If Memoire is unable to convince his father. What other options do you think we will have?. It wouldn't leave us with many options will it?"
She sighed
"Should I just leave it all in his hands? He was asking me earlier if I had any ideas that might work. But every option we came up with went against certain traditions"



H started mumbling and incantation
"Once they slow you have 30 seconds to do what you gotta do"
A few seconds later everything around them but Xia and H slowed almost to a halt

Heizengard wrote:

MateusseDarkslight wrote:

The guy shrugged at Vincent. "Just doing what I gotta do, royal duties and shizzle. Look, this doesn't have to be painful, just put the knife down and I'll be quick, ok?"

Vincent rubbed his temples for a bit. So the king sent some dog to kill him and Kao secretly. I think he's bluffing. He thought to himself. "If you were sent to kill me, then why didn't you kill me before I woke up? It would have been easy, I was face down, knocked out cold. Here's something else: why did your king send you out to kill me right here in secret? I'm a public threat aren't I? Surely you'd want me publicly killed." Also where was Kao now? Did she run away during the fighting? No, even Abiron wouldn't be able to do all this. Sighing Vincent looked at the stranger again. "Okay look, what do I have to do to get you not to kill us, and if not me, then what do I have to do to get you not to kill that little girl who's always with me?"

The man paused. "Err... don't think that's an option. Sorry. And as for not killing you while you were out, it's a lot easier searching a body than a pile of blood-soaked rags, if you catch my drift." He looked around. "However, I will make it quick if you tell me where that other girl's at. Really don't wanna have to go hunting, just wanna go home to bed..."

Lavina's father tapped her nose. "Rules are made to be broken, as they say - it's not about what's traditional, it's about what works. If the traditions don't work, then the traditions must be changed. Does that not make sense?"

Asego Tulant stood in Ricke Vilari's study, sipping a vintage brandy. They had been speaking about nothing for some time as they waited for Daernt Vilari to bring Kao.
"You won't hold your daughter's condition against me, will you?" Ricke Vilari asked.
"Of course not. I can't hold you accountable for actions that weren't yours." Asego replied. "I will understand if you don't want your son marrying her."
"The tattoo..." Ricke said.
"It is a problem. Nothing my doctor can not remove."
A knock came at the door.
"Come in." Ricke said.
Daernt entered the study. He seemed anxious.
"My daughter is with you?" Asego asked.
"She... is." Daernt replied.
"Then send her in, boy!"
"O-Of course." Daernt turned. "Kao?"
The door opened and a young man entered the room. His long hair was slicked back behind his ears. Daernt looked at the floor.
"Forgive me sir," he said. "She wouldn't listen to me. I tried to tell her to dress properly..."
"Shut up, Daernt." Kao said, eyes locked on her father.

---------------------------------------------

The smile curled the corners of her mouth as the old elf began to shake with rage.
"Out!" Asego Tulant said sternly. The two Vilaris exited quickly.
"You're going to lecture me. About my appearance, about you providing me everything, and that I should be more respectful. Then you'll probably hit me. Then I will kill you." Kao said coldly.
Asego stormed across the room in an instant, swung his hand and his eyes widened as he hit nothing but air. A cold chuckle came from behind him. By Ricke's desk, leaning against the wall stood Kao, Arms crossed over her chest, watching him as he looked in shock at where the illusion had been.
"I have to say, father. Magic is quite useful once you learn to control it."
"That tattoo... a contractor? When?"
"When i fell off the airship. But I don't see why it matters to you."
"You are my daughter, and you will act as a prop-" The sword blade stopped inches from his neck.
"I told you what would happen if you brought all of that up again." Kao looked up at him with disinterest. "I'd rather not kill you. I do owe you for giving me the kind of life many only dream of. But I fear I prefer the life I've lived the past few days more. I've found the love for murder. You might have noticed the destruction going on in Sear, I did that. I did have some help from my master. I had fun, and Rusty here is practically exploding. Keeps whining about how full his belly is."
"You're insane."
"Most likely." Kao agreed. "But I don't mind." Unable to hold it in, Kao burst out laughing at the unintended joke.
"You can come back with me. I'm sure this can be worked out."
"It can't."
"I didn't ask."
Her father lashed out, lightning quick and hit her in the stomach. DOubling over, Kao filled the room with some sort of monstrous illusion that caused her father to flinch for the second needed to recover.
"Now I'm definitely going to kill you." She promised.
The fight was fierce but brief. The enchanted blade had implanted the memories from its many wielders into Kao's mind, creating a deadly fighter. Asego was gasping his last breaths in a pool of blood as Kao sheathed her sword and left the study.
Making her way out of the estate, she saw a familiar carriage coming into view.
Oh great. Mildri is here too. She grumbled to herself.

MateusseDarkslight wrote:

Heizengard wrote:

MateusseDarkslight wrote:

The guy shrugged at Vincent. "Just doing what I gotta do, royal duties and shizzle. Look, this doesn't have to be painful, just put the knife down and I'll be quick, ok?"

Vincent rubbed his temples for a bit. So the king sent some dog to kill him and Kao secretly. I think he's bluffing. He thought to himself. "If you were sent to kill me, then why didn't you kill me before I woke up? It would have been easy, I was face down, knocked out cold. Here's something else: why did your king send you out to kill me right here in secret? I'm a public threat aren't I? Surely you'd want me publicly killed." Also where was Kao now? Did she run away during the fighting? No, even Abiron wouldn't be able to do all this. Sighing Vincent looked at the stranger again. "Okay look, what do I have to do to get you not to kill us, and if not me, then what do I have to do to get you not to kill that little girl who's always with me?"

The man paused. "Err... don't think that's an option. Sorry. And as for not killing you while you were out, it's a lot easier searching a body than a pile of blood-soaked rags, if you catch my drift." He looked around. "However, I will make it quick if you tell me where that other girl's at. Really don't wanna have to go hunting, just wanna go home to bed..."

"Ah I was kind of hoping you knew where she was, I'm not the kind of person to put a leash on ones pet. I'm unlike your king in the regard." Vincent laughed a bit before glaring at the stranger. "I see your king doesn't believe in mercies. You do realize that shes a child, right? How do you plan to sleep at night knowing you killed a child? I asked you not to kill her because of that. If you said yes, I would have let you kill me, but I guess that's not gonna happen. I've killed countless mages and soldiers; what makes you think your gonna be any different?"

Miss Elegent Serenity wrote:

H started mumbling and incantation
"Once they slow you have 30 seconds to do what you gotta do"
A few seconds later everything around them but Xia and H slowed almost to a halt  

The moment that everything around herself and H had slowed, the balls of fire vanished from Xia's hands. She drew both of her daggers, and quickly began knocking out all of the men, except for the one whom seemed to be giving the orders. Before her 30 seconds were up, she decided to take away the weapons of the men who were now unconscious, as well as the weapons of the man who seemed to be giving the orders, she also tied his arms behind his back, and knocked him on the ground. Just as her time was up, she returned to where she was standing, and folded her arms.

MateusseDarkslight wrote:

Lavina's father tapped her nose. "Rules are made to be broken, as they say - it's not about what's traditional, it's about what works. If the traditions don't work, then the traditions must be changed. Does that not make sense?"

Lavina nodded
"It does make sense and I agree sometimes things must be changed if the traditions don't work, but what if our only option was to....."
she paused and looked down at her plate running her finger along the edge
"What if he can't convince his father and I was still being forced to marry his younger brother and our only other option was to....to"
she finger stopped and she closed her eyes afraid to say it but she then blurted it out
"To have a child"
She kept her eyes shut awaiting her fathers response



H legs gave out from under her an everything returned back to normal speed. She sat on the ground panting
"First time is easy. Second time around is exhausting"

The man regarded Vincent with the closest thing resembling amusement his apathetic face could seem to manage. "I do double time as the royal executioner. I've killed plenty of kids. Just easier. Also, I don't think you quite get who I am, not that it matters because I'm still gonna kill you. I like your appeal though, not many people have your guts. Tell you what, you get the first punch. Just as a treat for you."

When Lavina opened her eyes again after about a minute, her father was sitting there, eyebrow raised, patiently waiting.
"And what was your opinion on that idea?" he asked. "It is, after all, your body we're talking about, not mine."

"That's... urrgh...what she said..."
Riastrad was woozily sitting up, a crossbow bolt jutting out of his head. "Ow... did I... did I get shot?"

Lavina blinked as if she was in shock by her fathers question. It took her a moment to answer
"I-I don't really know, I mean it's a big decision to make. To decide to be married to and spend the rest of my life with someone I don't even know. Or to bear a child with someone who I just confessed my feeling for and spend the rest of my life with. "
she paused
"Then there is the tradition of saving it for when I get married. I want to withhold that tradition and set an example for our people. Plus if I bear a son he would be the next in line for the throne"
She looked up at her father hoping he could help her
"What should I do father? I don't want to go against you, our traditions everything, but then I don't want to be forced to marry someone I don't even know and be forced to have a child with him against my will"
she placed her head between her hands
"I don't know what to do. Father please...help me"


H looked over at Riastrad
"How the hell are you still alive from being shot?"
she raised a brow

Xia looked over at Riastrad. "Yes, you did." She replied, not really surprised with him waking up after being shot in the head with a crossbow bolt. "With a crossbow, no less." She walked over and picked up the bolt. She examined the workmanship of the bolt and shook her head. "A rusted bolt." She said, and dropped it on the ground. "If the bolt doesn't kill you, the resulting infection will." She looked up at the man she had left standing. "I figured you wanted him," she pointed to the only other conscious man in the area; "for yourself."

Her father gave her a hug, soothing her.
"I can offer no counsel. This is your future, your decisions. All I can say is follow your heart and believe in those you trust and love. Every path we walk is treacherous, but it doesn't matter which path we choose, only that we walk it without fear or regret. I have absolute confidence in you. If you're asking what I would do, then I would wait. For what else to do, I cannot say much."

Riastrad gritted his teeth, and walked over to the guy on the floor. He sat on him. "Xia... kindly set us on fire."
The man started squirming, cursing, yelling, but Riastrad put a foot on his face. "Please, Xia... and then both of you look away. Not gonna be pretty."

Lavina sat quietly poking at her food with her fork, she wasn't really hungry anymore. She had a lot to think about and decisions to go over, the last thing she wanted to do right now was eat. She stood up her eyes looked down at the table
"May I be excused father? I'm not really hungry anymore, I have a lot to think over."
She looked up at her father
"I think I'm going to head to my room and think things over. Maybe read the book mom gave me, it usually always makes me feel better"
she gave her father a weak smile

Xia held out her hands, as two balls of fire formed on her palms. She took a deep breath, looked at H, then back to Riastrad, as she exhaled slowly, then threw the balls of fire on Riastrad and the man he was sitting on. She then turned around, so she wouldn't be tempted to see what would happen...even though she knew full well what would happen...even the smell of it still curtailed her blood.

There was a lot of screaming. Two voices screaming.
Then one voice died out, while the other deepened to a bestial roar. A few moments later the sound of crackling flesh subsided, and the roar returned to human groaning.
Riastrad tottered on his feet as he rose from the blackened ashes, fully healed. "Ow... ow... ow."
He looked up at them. "Well, the only real plan we've got now is to take this lot back the way we came and explain ourselves to the other rebels - who preferably won't try to kill us. Unless any of you ladies got any better ideas?"

Her father tried to smile reassuringly. "It will be alright in the end, Lavina, I am certain of it. And we have long passed the time where you require my permission to leave the table."
A pause.
"I love you, my daughter. And no matter what you decide, that fact will not change and I will support you all the way."

H turned away once Xia set them on fire. Once he was done doing whatever it was he did she then turned around
"Well hopefully they can get these men to talk and confess to what just happened"

Lavina smiled
"Thank you father. I asked cause I didn't want to be rude and just up and leave without telling you"
She walked over and gave her father a kiss on the cheek
"I promise father that no matter what I will make you proud of me. I love you father and thank you for all you have done for me, even with mom not being around you did a wonderful job as a father"
She smiled
"If you shall need me I will be in my room"
With that she turned and headed down the hall and up the stairs to her room. Once she was in her room she waved her hand allowing the vines to close the door then walked over to her stand where she kept her book. She ran her fingers over the edge of the book before picking it up and hugged it. She walked over to her bed and laid down still hugging the book.
"Mother please help me make the right choices I need to for myself and my people. I wish you were here so you could tell me what I need to do"
She rolled on her side and started thinking over her options, slowly drifting to sleep deep while in her thoughts.

MateusseDarkslight wrote:

The man regarded Vincent with the closest thing resembling amusement his apathetic face could seem to manage. "I do double time as the royal executioner. I've killed plenty of kids. Just easier. Also, I don't think you quite get who I am, not that it matters because I'm still gonna kill you. I like your appeal though, not many people have your guts. Tell you what, you get the first punch. Just as a treat for you."

OOC: Sorry it took so long for a reply. I was gonna reply to day you posted this but I wasn't feeling too good and didn't want to reply to something that I needed to be a full power to reply to. Then yesterday the net I use wasn't working.


Just easier. Those words made Vincent's brow twitch but he regained his composure soon enough. "I could have hit you anytime during this conversation, besides you and I both know that if I took you up on that offer, I'd already be dead." Vincent was starting to grow a bit annoyed by this point. "I was gonna let you go, but that little comment you made about killing kids just... rubbed me the wrong way. And I know what you're gonna say, I killed plenty of kids who are you to talk, but the thing about you and me is that I'm a monster. I killed that girl just to put fear in that mans face. She was the one person I killed that I did not enjoy. Everyone else was my partner. And then you stand in front of me and threaten her life to my face? That's not something I'm just gonna stand around for, dog. Or should I call you puppet?"

Riastrad turned to the unconscious rabble. "I like your thinking. Let's get them all lashed up - don't want to deal with any runners now, do we?"

Lavina...
The voice caressed Lavina softly in her sleep.
Laviiina... come on, you can't just lie in bed all day, darling...
Sunlight poked through her eyelids, and Lavina was in her room but not as she knew it. It was covered in vines, looking like it had aged thousands of years. The voice was still talking to her though. You have to get up, Lavina, there's still so much you have left to do...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The man looked amused. "Big words. You're like my damn brother, so needlessly dramatic. I've grown bored with you."
There was movement from nearby rubble, and a little boy staggered out, bloodied, bruised, eyes wide with fear, blubbing helplessly.
"Aww..." the man groaned. "Seriously? It can't just be simple? Everyone's dead so I don't need to do any extra work, that's what I want for once."
The boy, looking absolutely shellshocked, limped up to the man and started tugging on his shirt, lost and terrified. "Help me!" he sobbed, blood and tears mixing on the ground. "Help me! Mama! Mama! Mama, help me!"

The man reached down and pinched the boy's head, index and thumb either side of the skull. Then he pinched until his fingers met in the middle and the upper half of the child's head popped like a balloon, sending a red fountain over Vincent. As for him, he delicately aimed the gore away from his outfit. "This thing is a bitch to clean," he muttered as he tossed the corpse aside.
"Sorry," he said distractedly, shaking the hem of his robe to check he got nothing on it. "What were we talking about again?"

Vincent looked in shock at what happened before him before letting out a big laugh. "You thought you had me, didn't you? Now I know your lying." Vincent pulled up his knife and looked at it closely. I had my doubts that the King sent you. For one thing, you came way to quickly, I was only out for a few minutes and there was no way word could have gotten to your king so quickly. Secondly, you killed an innocent. I highly doubt your master told you you could kill anyone else. After all he's the one pulling your strings. So prove to me you are who you say you are and I might not kill you."

Lavina moves her hand in front of her face to block out the sun before sitting up. She looked around the room noticing it seemed to have aged
"Where am I?"


H walked over to two of them and pulled them to their feet
"UP you go."
She looked over to Riastrad holding on to their bindings
"I got these two"

"Oh, Lavina..."
The voice was audible this time, not just in her head. A woman was standing on her now-ancient balcony, looking out at a moonlit sky. "I'm so proud of you. And envious too - I would have longed to have soulsight like yours, so I could speak to my mother this way..."

Riastrad pursed his lips. "Hmm. There's too many of them to escort individually. You two look around for a cart or something to haul them on, so we don't overtax ourselves."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The man paused, looking like he was trying to decide between being offended and apathetic.
"Interesting theory, but I pull my own strings. No-one else can."
He withdrew a document from his robe and showed it to Vincent.
The document read:

"By Order of his Royal Highness, He Who Guides Us and Protects Us, Lord and Sovereign of the Light of Day and Night, King Yushen;
The holder of this Royal Document, he being Thom Yushen, Wielder of the First Power and Successor to the Throne of Our Illustrious Kingdom,
Is to be Afforded All Privileges, Special Powers, Rights and Abilities That may be Bestowed, Alongside being Above the Law and Mortal Reproach, His Behavior being Blessed by The Gods (Long May They Protect Us) For As Long as He Remains Within the Royal House And Has Not Abdicated, Fled, Committed Treason Or Been Party To Acts Against the Crown."

He put the document away. "I love doing that. Highlight of my day sometimes."

Lavina looked at the woman but she couldn't see her face. She then looked around the room again
"I don't understand. Where am I? Why does this look like my room?"
She looked at the woman
"Who are....."
The it hit her
"M-Mother?"
She moved towards the side of her bed to get up. She slowly started walking to the woman
"Is that you....mom?"
She had tears well up in her eyes could this really be her mother standing just in front of her?

H started looking around trying to find a cart
"Would there be one here? this place is a mess"

"Greetings gentlemen." The young priest said from the front of the small group of corpses. "I'm so glad to have found more survivors in this nightmare of a city." Looking around the bloody, corpse strewn ground, "It's unfortunate that so many have to have lost their souls this day." A religious sign was made over the priest's chest.
"Anyway, perhaps you two coudl help me? I'm curious as to how this all came about."

______________________________

Kao climbed inside the carriage, faking an angry fit while she threw an illusion of a proper dress over her improper attire.
"I see your father has beaten me to you once again." Mildri said pulling Kao towards her. "I'm so sorry, my dear. But you did deserve it this time. Running away like that."
"Who are you, my mother?" Kao asked sarcasticly pulling away from her friend. "Driver, take us into Sear! I have someone I need to find."
"But my lady, Sear is a ruin."
"I knwo it is, take me there or miss Mildri Corvesca will die."
MIldri's eyes widened as Kao took a knife from under her dress and put it to her throat. "No hard feelings, my dear."
"Driver! Get going!"
The man, torn between duty and circumstance, bowed his head and put the motor carriage on the path towards Sear.

"Oh, Lavina..."
The woman smiled and opened her arms. "You look just like your father when you look all surprised like that. Come here, baby girl, I've been wanting to hold you for so long..."

Riastrad shrugged. "Seeing as we can't carry thirty people between three of us -"
A pause as he did a headcount. "Twenty-nine people between three of us, there better be a cart or we're gonna have to leave 'em. And who knows if that thing is still lurking around."

The man jerked a thumb at Vincent. "His killer kiddie did it. And him. I did that one," he said pointing to the child he'd just murdered, "but he was annoying so it doesn't count."

"Mother!"
Lavina had tears in her eyes as she started running to her mother. Holding her arms out she embraced her mother in a hug
"Oh mother"
she sobbed into her mothers shoulder
"I wished so much for you to be around growing up. I know I never got to meet you but I missed you. I often talked to you when I was alone"
She hugged her mother tighter
"I am so lost mother I don't know what to do. But right now I don't care I just want to be right here with you"


H looked around and saw some rope laying on the ground
"Well we could always tie them together and make them walk back on their own in a line. Having them tied together they wont be able to get away easily"

"How interesting. A child did all of this. The power of her soul would be astounding." The priest said, thinking.

"Shh, shh," her mother said softly, cradling her sobbing daughter. "It's alright, sweetheart. It's alright. I'm not going anywhere, and I'm loving this as much as you are, believe me. I'm so PROUD of you, my baby. And I heard you. All those times I heard you, darling. You've done amazingly. I couldn't be prouder."
They didn't move for a good while, just enjoying the quiet intimate connection. Then her mother drew back slightly, still holding her, and looked her in the eyes. "Look how much you've grown. You're all grown up now."

Riastrad got to work. "I'll tie nine. You ladies tie ten, makes it simple. Come on, they could come round any minute."