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Post by Kelathi on Apr 3, 2020 23:46:35 GMT
It would be a lie to say that there wasn’t a slight spring in the man’s step now, buoyed as he was by the adrenalin still burning through his veins. He enjoyed the high whilst it lasted, continuing his whistling of a merry tune that he had indulged in earlier that day, as he made his way down the street, the slave following dutifully behind. They turned off and entered a maze of twisting alleyways, painted in the blue shade of the towering houses on either side, and the amount of people they came across significantly dwindled, as was the intention. Soon, they approached a rather unremarkable and unassuming house, one of the plainer of those that surrounded them. Standing outside, the Jay looked up towards the second-storey floor, cupping his hands around his mouth and uttering a strange call, a whistle that sounded very much like the jumping, halting call of a chiffchaff. In one of the shaded alcoves above, a figure appeared. After scanning the streets from his vantage point, he waved at them to continue before disappearing back into the shadows.
The man stepped forwards, rolling a well-placed, deceivingly light barrel out of the way to reveal a wooden hatch breaking the monotony of the paved ground. He hoisted the hatch open to reveal a short drop that led to a narrow under-ground tunnel. The light did not travel far, and the darkness might seem claustrophobic for those not clued in to where it led. “After you.” The Jay announced, sweeping a gesture towards the opening, his lavender eyes fixed on the slave’s.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Apr 4, 2020 0:21:14 GMT
What few people did see them paused primarily at seeing the figure with the pale complexion, often not even noticing the collar around his neck, but the slave didn’t notice the occasional stare. All he “cared” about was doing as told, and so he followed his new master, the Jay. There was no sign of concern at the twisting, winding alleyways and side streets they went through, no difficulty in maintaining an even step even as they paused, and with a signal verified it was safe to head down.
Had Lucian been in his right mind, he wouldn’t have gone down that first alleyway.
Instead, at the “invitation,” his gaze fell down to the hatch, and obediently stepped forward to drop into the darkness. No hesitation, no question, nothing.
Well, there was one thing… his landing meant a slight, natural crouch to cushion his knees, but as he stood he was suddenly met with ceiling. There was a blink of uncertainty at being unable to simply resume the usual stance due to a physical barrier, but the look passed as he did as best he could. He waited, ever patiently, for the Jay to follow him and once more lead. None of the sights nor sounds from this trip would be recalled. But the sight of a tall, blonde figure trailing after the Jay certainly made a memorable impression on those who saw them.
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Post by Kelathi on Apr 28, 2020 14:54:42 GMT
The slave’s unquestioning actions irked the Jay somewhat. No hesitation, not even a moment of considering his own wellbeing before plunging blindly into the unknown. It was chilling to see just how under the thumb of the magic of the Choke he was. Like… the shell of a human. Mentally shaking himself, the Jay followed, dropping down into the darkness after him.
After their eyes had adjusted to the gloom, the slave of course, waiting patiently without comment, the Jay began to walk. Leading the way down the narrow tunnel, the ground dipping gradually lower as they went, they could see the faint orange glow of a torch in the distance. As they approached the halo of light, the tunnel began to widen, and turning the corner, they were met with another long passageway. A few more twists and turns later, they were eventually faced with a heavy set of wooden doors, framed by burning torches. A low murmur could be heard coming from the other side, the doors muffling much of it, so it was not exactly clear what the sound actually was. With some finesse, although aware by now that his actions would be pretty much wasted on the slave, the Jay spun on his heel before the doors, performing a low, mocking bow. “Welcome!” He announced. Even in the darkness, the glint in his violet eyes was still visible as he looked up at the slave slyly. Straightening up and spinning back round, he pushed the doors open with a flourish, like a magician eager to share his secrets to a willing apprentice.
What met them was a great expanse. A city beneath a city. Torches burning on countless walls replaced sunlight, relieving the gloom in a way that painted scene like a city in twilight rather than one that was underground. The modest dwellings were carved from stone, here and there were banners decorating walls, bright and jovial and exciting. Many houses had been adorned with brightly coloured tiles, and they could see that chasm extended further into the dark, with winding pastel-paved streets of various intricacies reaching into the depths. The low murmur that had been muffled by the thick doors had now ballooned into the steady hum of a bustling city. A few curious eyes moved to them as they entered, smiling instinctively when they saw the Jay, but pausing and regarding the slave with a look of wariness, smiles melting as they studied him. “This way,” The Jay announced with a grin, clearly proud of this secret city, shutting the large doors behind them and practically skipping down the paved steps towards the street, taking two steps at a time There was a clear bounce in his step now, and everyone who passed them greeted the Jay, staying clear only because of the stranger he had in tow, their gazes suspicious as they ran over him. Taking a winding, narrow street, they pressed further into the city, before finally stopping before a house that looked much like any other. “Zahrah!” He called, swinging the door open, throwing his cloak and wig over the back of a chair haphazardly. The dwelling was humble, with simple wooden chairs and shelves lining the walls, strewn with books, some dusty and aged, others clearly well thumbed and referred to often. Not by the Jay, of course, he did not have the attention span to sit still long enough to peruse a book. They must belong to the other occupant of the house, then…
“Upstairs.” A female voice called, to which the Jay motioned for the slave to wait, before running up, taking two steps at a time.
It was not possible to hear exactly what was being said, but after a few moments, two sets of footsteps could be heard on the stairs. The Jay reappeared, folding his arms and leaning against the doorframe. His gaze was guarded as he waited for the other to appear, his eyes waiting to receive her rather than falling on the slave, ready to read every flash of emotion across her face.
The woman who emerged was as beautiful as the Jay was handsome, and by their dark skin and matching violet eyes, they were very clearly siblings. Her dark hair was just as curly as the Jay's, but it was almost black, and she had worked a few braids into it, decorated with colourful thread. She paused on the last step, her gaze immediately snapping to the slave. Very much aware of her brother trying to read her, she nevertheless kept her expression neutral with ease, knowing it would annoy him somewhat. He was always so impatient, eager for a response whether it be praise or a scolding. In contrast, she was patient and measured; she liked to think things through before revealing her thoughts. Finally, she stepped down the last step, approaching the slave, the look in her eyes turning to interest as well as… a touch of sadness? Sympathy? Her gaze moved down to the Choke, and the expression intensified somewhat.
“I’m going to remove the Choke.”
The Jay’s voice cut through the silence sharply, and Zahrah’s eyes widened in alarm. Spinning round, she rounded on him, her facade of control slipping immediately in her passion. “You say that like it’s so easy!” The Jay tipped his head to the side slightly, amusement in his gaze, having succeeded in getting a reaction out of her, which had been his intention. “Is it not?” He asked innocently.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Apr 29, 2020 1:35:21 GMT
Of course the slave didn’t notice that his master was irked by his blind obedience. He followed, almost unseeing in spite of the scene that lay before him. Only his master’s flourished reveal made him look about, but the dead way that his eyes drifted down again showed nothing had stayed with him.
Not even the uneasy looks sent his way got a pause, as impassive in his devotion as his response to the fight earlier had proved. The Jay’s quick steps were only matched by the slave’s long stride, pushing only hard enough to maintain the same distance behind. This only ended when he was told to stay in place, no curiosity in looking about him. The blank way he waited for any command… the Jay had been right, he was simply a shell under the collar’s control.
His master’s presence once more on the ground floor earned his gaze, but the woman that stepped down alongside seemed to momentarily perplex him, but it was clear why. She was so similar to his master, it was… unexpected. This passed, however, as his gaze went back to his master, not even aware of the careful, gentle study of him.
The sudden shift in their conversation didn’t phase him, which seemed all the more worrying given what was being suggested. Zahrah crossed her arms over her chest, regaining some of her composure. “You do remember what they say about the Choke? That you’re the walking dead once it’s on? What will happen to him if you take it off? And what if he does recover? He’s still…” Her voice trailed off as she looked back at the slave, her gaze once more touched with that tinge of sympathy, knowing just how eager the crowds must have been to see his blood spilled.
“He’s still Sjeverni.”
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Post by Kelathi on Feb 7, 2021 2:47:53 GMT
“Yes, he’s Sjeverni. And we are thieves.” The Jay responded levelly. “He’d be in about as much risk of persecution as we are.”
“You know that’s not true.”
Her voice was quiet. Thieves or not, here, they had friends. A Sjerverni had no friends outside of his country. He would be welcome nowhere.
“Anyone that tries to oppose me can taste my blade.” Was the even response, to which Zahrah rolled her eyes. “As if it’s that simple! You truly must enjoy making enemies wherever you go.” She turned again to the slave, her gaze softening as she regarded him. It was the Jay’s turn to roll his eyes at her words. “Well, whatever I decide to do, he needs patching up. Would you mind…?” A note of pleading to his voice, and Zahrah turned back to him sharply. “I see, so you didn’t really come here just for my opinion! I wish I was surprised. Bring him into the living room and I’ll see to him.” As she turned on her heel, the Jay produced a playful thumbs-up to the man, accompanied with a dashing grin, despite knowing he’d get no response, then followed his sister. “Come, Sjeverni! My sister’s bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired, but no-one can fault her stitching skills… ouch!” The ouch was directed at the playful elbow in the ribs he’d received, his grin suggesting it hadn’t really hurt. “Come, sit.” The Jay encouraged the man, as Zahrah began to gather the supplies she would need.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Feb 9, 2021 0:25:23 GMT
The conversation between the siblings meant nothing to the slave, only stirring to follow as commanded, sitting where indicated.
The choke kept him from responding to any of the woman’s tending, not once resisting an arm being raised or a bruise being touched. One of the larger bruises accompanied at least a cracked rib, Zahrah had found, likely a ‘gift’ from a guard who knew the choke would protect their indiscretion. All he showed was the hollow, blank gaze that listlessly stared ahead, waiting for a command to obey.
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Post by Kelathi on Feb 9, 2021 1:57:54 GMT
Zahrah talked aloud as she tended to the slave, explaining what was wrong with him, and how she would treat each injury as she found them- more for the Jay’s benefit than the Sjeverni himself. There was not much she could do for his cracked ribs other than bind his stomach, the pressure would take away some of the pain and they would simply heal on their own over time. She tutted and fussed, every now and again a look of anger would replace the sympathy. Anger at how the man had been treated. Occasionally a muttered order would be needed to get the slave to lift his arm, remove his tunic, and replace it once they were done. The silent way he obeyed was unnerving to them both. He looked… dead. Merely a shell of a human, no light behind his spiritless gaze. The Jay hovered nearby, alternating between looking listlessly out of the window to back at the two.
“It might kill him, you know.” Zahrah commented as she packed away her things, the slave tended to as well as she could manage. The Jay sighed, his gaze once more drawn from the outside to the present. “I know.” He admitted, quietly. “But death surely can’t be worse than this.” He added, a hint of anger in his voice as he motioned towards the man. Zahrah merely dipped her head, unwilling to try and sway the Jay either way, rather, stating facts and letting him do with them what he will. “If he does survive, he may be unpredictable, violent, even. You will be careful, won’t you?” She planted a quick kiss onto her brother’s cheek, hugging him tightly for a moment before letting him go. He replied with his charismatic grin. “Me? Careful’s my middle name!”
His answer did not leave her feeling settled.
**
The Jay was nervous, evident in the way he paced the room.
They’d walked through the winding streets to the place that Karim currently called his home, a humble abode no different from the others, despite his fame in these parts. He’d purposely tried to prioritise back-streets, in no way eager to answer confused, or even angry questions about the man he had in tow. And now they were here, and he was going to remove the choke, and… he was nervous.
Was this the right thing to do? What if it did kill him? The Jay was an idealist. He liked the idea of saving the Sjeverni from a terrible fate, giving the broken man wings through granting his freedom. The idea that the man might instead simply die, was unacceptable. He’d rescued him for a reason, and that reason had not been to simply kill him.
So he paced, every now and again looking over at the slave, who stared back at him blankly, oblivious to all except an uttered command. His hands were bound, chained in fact, together and to the headboard of the bed. He stood patiently besides it, waiting for orders, as always. The Jay had scoured the room, removing anything that might be able to be adapted into a weapon, heeding his sister’s words about the man being aggressive. The only thing that might cause him harm would be for the slave to grab the table or chair and throw it at him. Of course, all this preparation might be for naught if removing the choke was going to kill the man anyway.
During his anxious musing, a small ferret-like creature had popped in through the window, it’s lavender gaze flitting from the Jay to the stranger questioningly. One of the men was pleased to see him.
“Ah, Ari! What do you think I should do, hm?” As if in answer, the creature chirruped softly, leaping off the sill and onto his shoulder in one fluid, easy motion. “I see. I thought you’d say that.” The Jay replied, looking very serious, leaning into the nuzzle as the creature rubbed his head up against his cheek.
Well, there was no time like the present. Warily, the Jay approached the Sjeverni, who looked at him levelly, awaiting orders. “Okay, so… just stay calm, okay? Chal! I hope I’m doing the right thing… sit down, will you?” The slave obeyed, sitting on the bed, which gave the Jay access to the Choke. His fingers brushed against it, and again, he hesitated. “Okay.” He uttered, breathing deeply and steeling himself. “Here we go.”
He pressed it firmly, feeling the clasp loosen and open, and then removed it carefully.
*Chal- equivalent to 'fuck'.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Feb 9, 2021 2:38:56 GMT
The master’s pacing hadn’t affected the slave at all, still standing dumbly as he waited for orders. No change from being freed, being tended, being chained again… a shell indeed.
He had sat on the bed while barely shifting his gaze, almost completing the move by braille. Then, the clasp was unlocked, the collar removed.
For a few moments, nothing happened. He still stared ahead listlessly, still hollow inside. But his eyes began to flutter, as if waking from a deep stupor, but as light and awareness began to creep back into his grey eyes, they still did not come into focus. His breath began to catch, hands finally rising unbidden towards his throat, a shake taking hold even as his eyes went wide.
Gasps mixed with whimpers and grunts of pain were the only sounds he could make, curling forward far enough to crash into the ground and off the bed, still unaware of his surroundings and only able to feel the crushing power of the collar as it had broken him before. A minute of this, and he stilled, breath caught as the twitching stopped. Silent, even as he was shaken by his master.
It took a very panicked slap to the slave’s face to bring him back, a sharp gasp of air needed before falling back into the same pain, so strong it literally kept taking his breath away. But each time he came out of it, it was longer before his breath would stop, the muffled cries of pain growing longer and softer, until finally all that was left was pained panting, rough breathing that finally recognized the source of the pain was gone, but far from forgotten.
---
Something was different. Lucian couldn’t tell what, but as he slowly came to in unfamiliar surroundings, he tried to piece things together. It was hard, damnably so when it felt like everything was lost in a dense fog, with barely enough energy to even start opening his eyes.
Finally, with the same deep, even breathing of a man in need of healing, he was able to open his eyes, looking about the space he was in. This wasn’t his room in his father’s house… not the stone walls nor the wooden furniture, slumped with furs. It was dim in the space, and shadows danced about his vision like specters, so he couldn’t fully make out the furniture around him, nor the dark shape that held his hands together before him.
“Mm…”
He couldn’t help the whimper as he tried to move, as if every part of him was battered and bruised. But he restrained any other sound, fearful of his father being near to hear it, as he forced his gaze to focus, identifying… a chair? Was that a chair?
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Post by Kelathi on Feb 10, 2021 9:22:36 GMT
For a moment, the Jay had thought it would be alright. The man hadn’t immediately stirred, appearing unphased. But just as the Jay had begun to wonder if all this talk of danger in regards to taking off the Choke had been misled, the man had begun to react, convulsing violently and crying out in pain. Alarmed, Karim had rushed to the man’s side as he collapsed. But even worse than the throes of thrashing was when he suddenly lay still. The Jay had done the only thing he could think off- shaking the man and even firmly slapping his face until his eyes fluttered open again. Confused and dazed, there were always a few moments of calm before the pain seemed to grip him again, the cycling repeating for what felt like hours. The Jay alternated between trying to hold the man’s thrashing form, the few bits of furniture dangerous opponents to flailing limbs, and shaking him to keep him alive, aware that the man simply passing in those moments of stillness was all too real a possibility.
Eventually, the fits became more infrequent, and finally stopped altogether. At this point, heart still pounding, Karim had warily pulled away. He moved slowly, as if worried any sudden movement would draw on another violent fit. When it seemed this would not be so, he hoisted the man back onto the bed, the first chance he’d gotten since the removal of the choke. Heart in his throat, he pressed his ear briefly to the man’s chest, tentative relief flooding him as he was greeted with the sound of a steady, if weak, heartbeat.
He didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he perched on the chair, hands clasped tightly together, his anxious gaze fixed on the sleeping man.
The Sjeverni was out for a good few days. The Jay had been practically glued to his side, even as the man seemed to be stable, clearly trying to sleep off whatever damage had been done to his body and mind. He’d dribbled some water into the man’s mouth, but other than that, there was little he could do except hope that he would eventually wake. Zahrah had visited, to give her brother company and also to check in on the Sjeverni, like Karim, feeling helpless to do anything but wait. When she had gone, the Jay had returned to his watchful vigil.
It was ironic, then, that the slave had awoken in the Jay’s absence. As such, it was Ari who first notice that the man was awake, having appeared at the open window, fixing the man with it’s lavender gaze. No sooner had the creature arrived, had the Jay himself walked in, pausing abruptly as he noticed that the Sjeverni was stirring.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Feb 11, 2021 3:26:45 GMT
Lucian hadn’t heeded the warnings his body was giving him, forcing himself to sit up as if he could hear his father’s voice telling him to get up. This was doubly hard as he tried to restrain every grunt of pain, as if any admission of weakness was the greatest sin to avoid. But shaking, panting hard from pain and the attempts at control, he finally managed it, legs swung over the side of the bed even as he was moments from collapsing again.
As his vision cleared, more so than before, he went to rub at his face with one hand, again finding his hands weighed down by something. Finally he was able to focus his eyes on the dark shape on his wrists, making out the metallic forms… and recognizing what they meant as much as what they were.
His breath caught for a moment, eyes wide as memories suddenly hit him. He wasn’t anywhere near his father’s house… he’d gone across a sea to this land, fought in a vicious battle… been captured and made a slave. But worse than the metal shackles on his wrists had been the collar… crushing pain before utter darkness. Even bound, his hands rose to touch at his throat, scarred by the memory of such pain, but bewildered at his current situation… with no collar.
When he finally realized he wasn’t alone anymore, Lucian had already lowered his hands, having watched them for a few moments before tightening into fights, dark circles showing his weariness even as his grey eyes grew stormy and deep. But as his attention was finally drawn up, a shake still visible in his form, his vision not fully clear…
His gaze darkened, alight with a cold intensity that befitted the man who had dispatched the two guards so easily just a few days before.
“Dakhani…”
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Post by Kelathi on Feb 12, 2021 2:02:29 GMT
“Sjeverni.” The Jay answered, coolly. Inside, he was cheering, ecstatic at the fact that the slave had not only not died, but was now awake. Regardless of his true feelings, on the outside, he restrained himself.
The ferret leapt off the window-sill, skittering quickly across the room to leap up onto the Jay’s shoulder, who moved fluidly, as if hardly noticing it’s presence. “It’s good to see you awake.” He stated, moving to the window, glancing outside before turning back to the man, leaning back casually against the wall and crossing his arms as he regarded him.
“How much do you remember?”
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Feb 12, 2021 2:08:12 GMT
The gaze remained dark and cold as it followed the Dakhani across the room, defiant even if weak. This matched his tone when he responded, hands still curled into fists, and if it wasn’t for his shaky breath, he seemed on the verge of launching at the man.
“Why the hell should I tell you?”
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Post by Kelathi on Feb 12, 2021 2:15:57 GMT
The Jay's eyebrows shot up at the man's venomous tone, looking only mockingly taken aback by such a response. "Now, that's quite a way to speak to the one who liberated you." He commented, noting the tension in the man, the dark look of anger in his eyes. Maybe Zahrah had been right, he hadn't fully thought this through. The Jay and his sister did not care whether this man was Sjeverni or Dakhani or some other race, it had not occurred to him that this man might not think in the same way. The chains had been a good idea, after all.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Feb 12, 2021 2:24:50 GMT
The Sjeverni’s lip curled at the other’s response, a wolfish, dangerous look given how effortlessly he had taken down enemies before.
“Liberated?” he repeated, mocking, but oddly enough not even bringing up his hands to refer to his bound wrists. Instead he scoffed, looking away as if disgusted. Resigned, even.
“We both know why I’m here. Just get it over with… I won’t be entertaining.”
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Post by Kelathi on Feb 12, 2021 2:34:02 GMT
The Sjeverni's words were telling, even if he did not mean them to be so. The Jay realised, with disappointment, that the man did not remember the trouble it had taken to bid for him, to get him here, and to liberate him from the Choke. It wounded the Jay's pride somewhat that the Sjeverni had not been privy to his own rather excellent act of being a woman, as well as his acrobatic skill in sword fighting. No matter, these were things the man would soon learn... if he ever grew calm enough for the Jay to feel he could remove the man's bonds, that is.
The Jay's head tipped to the side thoughtfully at the man's last statement, and he pushed away the momentary look of pity that had threatened to take over his countenance. What this man alluded to was exactly what the Jay had fought to keep him from experiencing.
"You need not worry about that. Nothing is going to happen to you." He glanced at the man's bonds. "You're bound for my protection." he smiled wanly. "For however long it takes for you to realise that I'm not your enemy."
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