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Post by KitClairvoyance on May 10, 2007 19:41:40 GMT -5
The first few steps gained the protest of Kit's stomach, or rather, Kit's lower abdomen. The pain had slowly spread out from its centre at the stomach and was beginning to thin out the further it got. He guessed it had something to do with him moving about so much. The good thing was that the pain was no longer concentrated in one place, and so it was less intense than when he had first downed that goblet. The bad thing was that now even breathing hurt him. He really didn't want to know if the pain would extend to heartbeats.
Once he settled himself into a slow walking pace though, the pain was more bearable. It was always easier for him to deal with a constant regular pain rather than to deal with irregular jolts of pain. Then again, he wondered if Kristen felt pain at all.. or if she was even capable of feeling pain. He wouldn't put it past her to have been in pain for so long that she had been desensitised to it. Or perhaps she wasn't desensitised to it, and had been living out her days in constant agony.
"I hope you don't mind if I walk with you, at least. And not because I think you need help. Just because I want to get to know you better."
Kit turned to see Ikkin coming up alongside him. Something told him that she was intent on following him down to breakfast anyway, regardless of what he said. In many ways, Ikkin shared similarities to both Maya and Kristen. The three of them could be very determined whenever they chose to be, and they all were graceful and dangerous in their own rights. Yet, Ikkin was also different from Maya and Kristen. Her words and actions tended to be warmer than those of the other two, very much unlike Maya's slyness or Kristen's downright coldness. She also had a certain innocence about her, something that both Maya and Kristen had lost in their past. In a sense, Kit found Ikkin to be more comforting to have around.
"Sure, it'd be nice to have someone to talk to anyway."
Kit was also curious as to why Ikkin wanted to get to know him better. He was more used to having people distance themselves from him, especially if they knew what fields he specialised in. Not many people wanted someone who made deals with demons and consulted tarot cards to be near them, and so Ikkin's interest in him caught his own curiosity.
Then again, he was also rather wary of people who took an interest in him. A lot of times he was befriended only because someone wanted to take advantage of his innate gifting. He had lost count of the people who had turned their backs on him once they got what they needed. Thus he tended to distance himself from people and only considered those whom had proved themselves honest to be friends. So he couldn't help but to treat Ikkin with a slight suspicion, even if he knew that the knight's intentions were honest enough.
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Post by Ikkin on May 10, 2007 21:30:41 GMT -5
Ikkin was glad to see that Kit was in less pain as they walked down towards breakfast; he seemed to have straightened up somewhat, at least, though there was something about his breathing that still worried her. He appeared to be thinking to himself again as she came up alongside him - she noticed that it seemed to become common with him, and wondered what was on his mind.
"Sure, it'd be nice to have someone to talk to anyway," he said, before becoming introspective again. She was glad that he didn't refuse her, though she thought that he could have made conversation a little bit easier for her. It was up to her to start the conversation, it seemed...
"So, what's bothering you?" Ikkin asked Kit. "Er..." She wondered if that was the best question to ask when Kit was obviously in pain. Though, it seemed to be something else... "I mean... It always seems like you have something on your mind. Is there anything wrong, or...?"
She wondered momentarily whether he would understand that as trying to help and turning away, which she definitely didn't want. There was something about the clairvoyant that intrigued her, and she really wanted to figure out what it was.
"Er, you don't have to answer if you don't want to," she said. "I'll understand if it's too personal. I'm just..." She stopped herself before saying, 'worried,' realizing that would probably push Kit away. "...curious." That wasn't quite right, either... but she really wasn't sure what else to say.
Why did she feel so awkward around him?
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Post by zhunter on May 10, 2007 22:16:55 GMT -5
He's awake.
...
How long?
How long...Had he truly been out of clear conscience?
...
Only a night.
He sighed at this for he knew he was lucky.
What a nightmare.
He could have been impaled, sliced open, bleeding dry on the floor of some distant place, but...It was just an illusion. He had never really been a ninja. Never killed beings for twisted pleasure. Never captured his best friend, pumped him full of emotional toxins, and beat him over the head with his own crown.
What a nightmare.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shino opened his eyes and looked at the world around him. It was white. But not opaque and clear. Just white because of the stones. His room was white. He was home. He had never left. Silver tapestries hung above him, and he could see his sword on the wall. A suit of armor...his suit of armor was being propped up in a corner. And a couple of lances were stacked in a corner.
He sat up steadily and yawned heavily. Running a hand through his hair, as seemed to be his ritual when waking up, he found that he had not loosened the newly-drawn, shoulder-length ponytail of silver-white hair on the back of his head. It seemed that nothing had changed, but his sense of style and perception. Less of a soldier and more of a warrior this morn.
Standing up if his white, sating sheets he tread over to the mirror he had in his washroom. He looked into the reflection and saw a new aura of himself depicted in it. A new sense of power and stone-heart bravery. Of course he had always been brave, but never like this. More like fearless without any reason to be. That and the killer white, soul patch between his lip and chin.
After a slight pause at looking at his face, Shino noticed that he hadn't shaven in quite sometime. It looked like the recent upheaval of invaders in the Castle and all the commotion about the coronation had thrown him off his usually prompt timetable. But without a second thought, Shino grabbed a sharp knife off a shelf in the washroom and wet his face.
The hot, soothing water refreshed his usually cool demeanor. He felt the bristles on his cheek, then under his nose, then scraped the knife along the grain to take off the unwanted hair on his face. A simple task that only took a couple of minutes. Afterwards he could see a clean-cut Shino looking out of the mirror now. Everything about him as white as snow, except for his slightly-tanned skin.
Except for the clothes.
"Time to get going along..." Shino said, speaking for the first time in this bright new day. He opened his wardrobe and picked gray trousers, chain mail, and a gray long shirt to don over his toned, muscular form. A simple white cloak over his tunic, as well as white boots on his feet and he was ready to face whatever came his way.
He opened his door and greeted the hallway with a smile, not caring who smiled back.
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Post by Kat on May 11, 2007 3:34:38 GMT -5
"Well...?"
Kat looked uncertainly at the knights behind her as the doorway to the dining hall was clear. She glanced over her shoulder, watching a stream of maids come in from the kitchen, bringing in anything they forgot, like a few more utensils and some table napkins. The smell of food was tempting...it was all the Purple Knight could do to keep from dashing to the table first, taking her place and grabbing a little bit of everything to quell her growling stomach.
But where were the manners in that?
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Post by Shadaras on May 11, 2007 9:16:02 GMT -5
Shade went bouncin down the corridors, not waiting for any of the others. They'd probably be going slower than she wanted too, anyway. Turning the last corner before the Great Hall, she saw Pyro, Zari, and Kat waiting at the entrance. Slowing down, she walked over to them, saying "Heya!" Behind the other knights, she could see that breakfast was almost ready. Her mouth watered at the scents coming out of the door, and the other knights seemed as hungry as she was. So why weren't they entering the room?
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Post by Dice on May 11, 2007 14:19:44 GMT -5
Pyro smiled back at Kat as she approached. As the three knights continued to the dining hall, for some reason, they halted at the door. She saw Kat looking in and grinned.
"I'll play devil's advocate for a moment, and say...you know you want to!"
She turned around and gave Shade a bright smile. "Morning, m'lady."
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Post by zarikrahia on May 11, 2007 14:47:01 GMT -5
Zaha purrred 'Salve, Shade.' Startiung, Zari grinned and said 'You gave me quite a fright, Shade. Kat, I'm hungry too. Manners. Funny thing that they are, true.
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Post by emmhwal on May 11, 2007 15:11:23 GMT -5
Emma silently followed Kat and the other knights to breakfast. She was not going to get lost again. Although, she thought, it was hard not to smell it. She waved shyly to shade, and finally decided to say something.
"Are we going in? 'Cause I think we're all hungry," she said, glancing with a smile at Kat and Pyro.
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Post by Kat on May 11, 2007 21:25:53 GMT -5
"Good morning, Lady Shade," said Kat. "Well...I guess I see no reason to linger any longer...shall we take our seats? I'd prefer to have a hot breakfast myself."
She swept away, choosing a seat on the right side of the table, one place away from the head. The head was of course, reserved for the king himself.
"You do realize it's free," she said, beckoning the rest.
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Post by zarikrahia on May 11, 2007 22:32:06 GMT -5
Zari sat down next to Kat, and Zaha leapt up onto Zari's lap, purring softly. 'I commend humanoids with their creation of tables and chairs, back in Feliastion these would be hewn from stone, and most simple.'
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Post by Tam on May 11, 2007 22:38:35 GMT -5
It seemed that Tirilia had found several of the newer knights outside the castle to greet, but Tamia hesitated as the other knight headed in their direction. She didn't really feel like socializing right now, and she wasn't sure why.
Instead, she turned back to the castle and set off at a steady pace. She decided to snatch a roll and perhaps some cheese as she passed by the Great Hall and then surreptitiously return to her quarters for some alone time. She braced herself, expecting a smart comment from Oran in regards to her sudden change of direction, but he said nothing. Silently, Tamia realized that he was still harboring some negative feelings toward her from the events of last night. There was something somehow hazy about her entire mind today, as if she wasn't quite remembering all the details of their skirmish. There had been attacking shadows; the Knights defeated them. That was all there was to it -- wasn't it?
Even at this early hour, the courtyard inside the castle walls was bustling with activity. Tamia caught a whiff of maple sugar on the breeze, and suspected breakfast was about to be served. Her nerve twitched. If there was going to be a hot meal this morning, the knights would be dining together, and her chances of sneaking off would be minimal. It looked like she was going to have to stay for a while.
By the time she turned down the hallway leading up to the Great Hall, Oran was being so silent that the knight had to glance behind her to make sure he was still there. The cat was not facing her, but instead, he was looking past her, indifferently watching a group of knights who were passing through the impressive doors flanking the entrance to the hall.
A few new faces, Oran sent, pointedly avoiding her gaze.
"Yes," Tamia murmured, watching them. Although it had not been long ago that she was raised from Squire status herself, and she would normally feel somewhat excited to have new people to talk to, her thoughts were elsewhere.
Lots of cats, he added bluntly, and disappeared through the doors. Tamia saw that his observation was accurate - several knights now seemed to be sporting feline companions - and pondered the increase in the number of animal familiars present in the castle.
Slipping through the great oaken doors, Tamia wended her way to the Knights' table and slid into an empty chair. If the coronation of the King was only last knight, she thought, then why do I feel like I've been gone for so long?
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Post by Shadaras on May 11, 2007 22:38:50 GMT -5
Shade sat across the table from Zari. "Do either of you have any idea why Lord Wolf thought it so important that Kit and I be at breakfast this morning? He mentioned to the healer he recruited to heal us, but he didn't say anything about why we had to be here."
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Post by KitClairvoyance on May 11, 2007 22:39:14 GMT -5
Kit could only watch as Shade bounced merrily down the corridor. What hadn't her potion gone wrong? As Shade disappeared around the corner to the Great Hall, he realised he had a certain dilemma. He was hungry, but he doubted he could eat anything in his current state. And yet he had to be at the Great Hall, surrounded by similarly hungry knights who would be taking their fill right in front of him while he contended with his stomach. Suddenly, he wasn't all that eager to get to breakfast, regardless of if King Wolf had something planned or not.
Yet, he couldn't just slip off and disappear to his room where he could curl up in agony for the rest of the day. For one, Ikkin was right next to him, and that ruled out his chances slipping off discreetly. And then he would probably be needed down at breakfast anyway, even if he couldn't eat. At least Maya wasn't around to laugh at his predicament.
"So, what's bothering you?" Ikkin started, "Er... I mean... It always seems like you have something on your mind. Is there anything wrong, or...?"
Kit looked at Ikkin curiously, he had never known her to fumble with words the way she was doing. This was very much not like her indeed. He wondered if it had anything to do with him, after all, he wasn't the best person around to carry out a conversation with. Kristen never placed much importance on conversation; she only spoke when needed, which wasn't very often. And when she did speak, her tone would be so cold, it'd kill off any notion of a conversation at once.
"Er, you don't have to answer if you don't want to," Ikkin continued. "I'll understand if it's too personal. I'm just..." Again she stopped, as if fishing for the correct word, "...curious."
Well, that makes two of us. Kit had the impression that Ikkin was trying hard not to come across as concerned for him, and yet her voice betrayed her worry. He wondered if all females were as mixed up as Ikkin, then decided that they weren't. Maya and Kristen both seemed rather sure of themselves, though he had to admit they weren't really the best people to represent females.
He thought for a while on what he should tell Ikkin. That he needed to curl up on the nice, cold, stone floor right now and writhe in pain? Or perhaps that Maya's sudden disappearance unsettled him greatly, no matter how much she annoyed him. And there was the fact that he had always been troubled since Kristen had disappeared herself, supposedly killed in a battle, though he knew Kristen better than that, and that it would take more than a single battle to kill the knight. Then there was also the troubles his clairvoyance had brought upon him, the many sleepless nights spent making deals and bonds with demons. Maybe he should just do what Kristen would have done and dismissed the question with a statement so cold it would ensure the conversation died. But no, he couldn't bring himself to dismiss Ikkin like that, she was too nice, and yet he didn't feel like pouring out worries for her to see.
So he did the next best thing.
"I'm just worried that I won't be able to eat breakfast." Kit said with a slightly forced smile. It wasn't a lie, and he avoided having to give Ikkin a glimpse of the dark undercurrents that haunted him day and night.
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Post by Ikkin on May 11, 2007 23:06:05 GMT -5
"I'm just worried that I won't be able to eat breakfast," Kit said, offering Ikkin a forced-looking smile. The amount of time it had taken him to answer that simple question betrayed the fact that there was more to it than that. Unless he was so worried about coming off as weak that he was unwilling to say even that... but, that didn't seem quite right.
Ikkin wasn't about to press her luck by asking, 'Are you sure that's all?' like she wanted to, but that didn't leave much for her to say. Sympathizing for his stomach troubles might have worked, if he wasn't so insistent on refusing care from others.
At least he didn't try to shrug her off, though. But that left her with the question of how to keep their rather awkward conversation alive.
Why must there be so little to work with?
"It might be best if you didn't, actually," she said apologetically. That probably wasn't the best thing to say, but... "When I was with the Mages, I had seen potion-related sicknesses before. In most cases, meals only made it worse. Though, if I remember correctly, certain kinds of tea lessened the pain.
"Of course, it might not have been the same thing... though it still might help. I'm not much of a healer or a potion-maker. My interests in magic have always been more combat-oriented."
Hmm, there was a topic that might be more fruitful.
"Speaking of magic... your talents appear to be fairly unusual." She decided that this might not be the best thing to say, and righted herself quickly. "Er, not in a bad way. I just mean, I've never seen tarot powers like yours before. Are they very rare, or is it something that's more common where you came from?"
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2007 23:26:56 GMT -5
Wolf nervously walked up the steps that led to behind the curtain of the Great Hall's stage. He had only been there the night before-- had it really only been a single night before? It seemed like so much longer already --when he had been coronated, yet he felt even more nervous now than he had then. Then, he had merely had to stand there and accept the crown. Now, he to make decisions that could-- no, would --potentially spell out how the kingdom would grow and advance under his rule. Or if it would fall and crumble as the old kingdom had.
He had faith in his knights, but not nearly as much faith in himself.
Approaching the curtain, he could begin to smell the lofty scents of breakfast. The servants, bless them all, were such great cooks, all tirelessly working to ensure the kingdom's nourishment and health from day to day, enriching the foods they made with love and tenderness, and quite often much cheesiness as well.
Yet for as delectable as it all smelled, Wolf's stomach twisted and churned and thoughts of eating dared not to stray before his thoughts. And when such an idea did cross his mind, it only sickened him further.
He pulled the curtain back slowly, peeking out a single eye into the Great Hall. The din and thunder of the room instantly struck him, and he nearly dropped the curtain in surprise. In a far corner, servants quietly ate their breakfast (for, as rightful members of the kingdom upon which so many duties fell, he had insisted that they join them in their meals, yet still, only a few of the younger ones were daring enough to break tradition and not eat in their chambers), though the mass he was of the noise being bombarded issued forth from elsewhere, where peasants and nobles and farmers alike all feasted upon scones and other delectables with glee. Towards the center of the room, the Knights were beginning to gather, though too few had come yet for him to feel it was time to make his announcement.
Wolf let go of the curtain, letting it fall shut before anyone had noticed him, and took a long, deep breath. He let it fall out of his lips slowly, emptying his lungs in hopes of clearing his mind. Usually, such tactics helped calm him, yet on this morn, his anxiousness was unfathomable and even more so infallible.
Hopefully, the other Knights would arrive soon enough that his nerves wouldn't subdue him first. |
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