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Post by Max452 on Mar 18, 2012 19:31:18 GMT -5
OOC: AHAHAHA I love how Tismri is scribbling away like a mad woman! I wonder what would happen if someone...happened to relieve her of those pages and published it for her...hehe...
Romulus gave a soft smile at Tenal Ka's words, ever grateful that she had forgiven him. "I would never hurt you, Tenal Ka." His words, barely audible, had slipped out from his thoughts. He hoped that the wind was loud enough to mask it, as it would reveal a more intimate part of him that he was not quite ready to divulge completely yet. He remained quiet for some time, enjoying the view. It was so free here; he had nearly forgotten what it felt like to be out in the world, away from people and their judgemental stares. His eyes darted to Tenal Ka's back and he had a moments thought of desiring to see her face, smiling at him. He cleared his throat and again, was glad that no one could see his blushing face. "How long until we reach the Spine?" He yelled over the wind. He usually could tell the distance to a location on the ground, but as they were in the sky, where he was unused to calculating distance in, he had no clue where they were.
***
Sidhion's mediations were again interrupted when he heard those same footsteps approach again. He gave himself a quizzical expression, one that only Locien had seen. The massive dragon watched with curiousity as Tismri had suddenely returned. Sensing something important was about to be discussed, the icy dragon excused himself to go find some meager game in his limited field.
Sidhion's back remained to Tenal as she approached. "Two visits in one day?" Sidhion's voice sounded amused, but it did not reflect the true mood he was in. "Is that young leader beginning to press you for answers from me?" His tone remained in its bored amusement, as he decided to place his barriers around his heart up. He then felt her sit next to him. Upon hearing her question, he opened his eyes. He looked at her, a blank look, but as always, his eyes told otherwise; they were debating something. "I desire peace." He thought she knew that already. What was she looking for? Was there a deeper meaning in her question? As for him, his answer was a lot deeper than he would have admitted.
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Post by Tismri on Mar 18, 2012 19:44:41 GMT -5
OOC: Likely the same thing that happened the first time someone did that; she would freak out and swear that she would kill whoever made public those private writings. lol
Tenel Ka thought she heard Rom say something to her, but the words were so faint that they were lost in the wind. They rode in silence for some time, and the queen enjoyed the breathtaking view of the landscape below them. It had been a while since she had last gone on a trip with Caedus anywhere, and she had sorely missed the experience. Then she heard Rom yell his question to her. After discussing it over with Caedus, she called back, "Less than an hour, by Caedus' reckoning. It will not be too long."
~~~~~
Tismri contemplated Sidhion's answer for a few moments. Was that all? Was her supposition incorrect? She thought it over for several moments longer.
"Is that all?" she asked him, her eyes drilling into his. She wanted an explanation, and she was not going to leave this spot until he told her the truth. "There is nothing else you want?" She could see the debate in his eyes, and knew there was something more.
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Post by Max452 on Mar 18, 2012 20:25:09 GMT -5
OOC: hehehe
"Sounds good!" Romulus yelled back to her, as he tried not to look directly below them. The feeling of doing that still made him nauseous, so instead, he focused his eyes on Tenal Ka's back, wishing that he could catch a glimpse of her face. He waited patiently as they flew to the Spine, trying to think of what game or adventure they could have there. He wanted to give Tenal Ka a challenge. He wondered if he could satisfy her need for adventure.
***
Tismri's prying caused Sidhion to furrow his brow. "Do you doubt my desire?" He asked, wondering about Tismri's newfound prying ability. She seemed rather desperate to figure out what he desired. "I told you, all I want is peace...however you interpret it, I suppose." He told her honestly, feeling exposed under her penetrating gaze. If only she realized that she was the one that gave him peace. But alas, his sins had tainted him. He momentarily thought of Kyler and Pyra. Their mothers had all in a sense resembled Tismri, whether by looks or mannerisms. He thought he could find some peace with them, but there was always that nagging feeling that they were not who he had wanted, and so, he only used them to gain powerful offsprings that could help him harness the Emeralds' power once they were ready. The elf shuffled under Tismri's gaze. "Does that answer satisfy you?" He asked her, again, wondering what specific answer she was looking for.
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Post by Tismri on Mar 18, 2012 20:44:37 GMT -5
After a long flight, Caedus finally landed within the heart of the mountains. The sun was nearly set, giving the trees deeper shadows. Tenel Ka slid out of the saddle and looked at their surroundings. The air here was unbelieveably fresh, not tainted by the odor of thousands of men and women gathered together in one place. The only sounds were the evening noises of creatures settling for the night which noturnal animals began to awaken.
~~~~~
Tismri stared at Sidhion a while longer. There was more to his words, she could tell. He had meant something more. Just what, though, she couldn't tell. Finally she sighed, dropping her gaze, giving up hope on ever understanding the elf.
"No," she told him. "No, it doesn't satisfy me. I had thought perhaps I had figured you out, Sidhion, but it seems I was wrong. I am left even more confused than when I began; I was hoping you might provide some answers, some insight so I could finally know just what you are thinking." She stared at the grass, feeling depressed. Before, there was nothing she could not figure out if she didn't think it through enough. But the elf had stumped her, and she had no more ideas left.
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Post by Max452 on Mar 18, 2012 21:04:30 GMT -5
Romulus slid off the saddle right after Tenal Ka landed. He gave a nice inhale as he relished being back in the woods. His eyes easily adjusted to the night as his ears began picking up the sounds of the night. He glanced over at Caedus. "Thank you Caedus for flying us." He thanked the dragon before turning to face Tenal Ka. He was a bit fidgity now. "Do you wish to rest for the night and hunt in the day?" He asked her, feeling anxious to sharing the evening stars with the woman as they would share camp. "Or, do you wish to hunt now? There are some animals that we can find, but more will be avaliable tomorrow. But, if you want to experience a night hunt, we can do that..." He gave her her choices as he did not care which, just as long as he spent time with her.
***
Sidhion stared at Tismri, unsure how to read her words. He was a genuinely a bit amused at her predicament. This was perhaps the first time she ever admitted that she did not have an answer. "I'm surprised, Tismri, that you are admitting defeat. It is highly unlike you." He continued to gaze at her with some curiosity. "Do you truly wish to know what I am thinking?" He asked her, "for yourself...or for your the Varden?" He asked her, his eyes steadying on her, once again, he felt his barriers lowering themselves.
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Post by Tismri on Mar 18, 2012 21:31:09 GMT -5
Tenel Ka glanced around the darkened forest, wondering what sort of creatures stalked the night. She would have loved to investigate a bit, but she decided against it for the moment.
"I am a little tired from the flight, and we still have to set up the camp. Perhaps tomorrow we can have a night hunt, but for now I think we should rest. And maybe talk for a while?" She added the last hopefully, not wanting to end her day with him so soon.
~~~~~
Tismri grew more despondant at Sidhion's teasing, knowing that this was the first time she admitted not knowing something. Her eyes flashed back up at him when he asked her if she wanted to really know what he was thinking. The way he phrased it, and his tone...had she been right after all?
"I want to know the truth, Sidhion," she told him, gazing intensely in his eyes as she unconsciously leaned forward. "And I want no riddles or metaphors. Tell me in straight, human, terms."
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Post by Max452 on Mar 18, 2012 21:55:43 GMT -5
Romulus gave a tentative smile at Tenal Ka's request. "Okay. I would enjoy that immensely." His smile became more confident. He stared at her a bit longer than he had intended, and quickly cleared his throat. "I'll go and unpack our things." He declared, having felt his face go hot from staring at the Queen Mother. He quickly grabbed out their bedding and began to set things up. At first he had placed their bedding right next to each other, but the thought of Tenal Ka sleeping right next to him made him blush, and so he continued to widen the distance, feeling unnerved at the idea as his thoughts went to more inappropriate ones. Finally, he situated them so that they were placed in a V angle. Where their heads were further away, so that Rom wouldn't be so intoxicated by her and do something rash. Having the beds arranged, he began to collect wood to build the fire.
***
Sidhion felt his breath catch as Tismri leaned toward him, her eyes unwavering. "I...I doubt the truth would change anything..." He stammered out, feeling like that nervous young elf again. How could she possible still effect him so? "But...if...you insist on knowing...I....the truth is..." He felt his heart beat faster. "I desire peace." He told her once again, but it held more emotion than the last time he spoke it, and the second difference was that his hand had found itself on Tismri's cheek. He felt himself leaning in again. "I want..." He didn't finish his sentence, as his lips softly pressed itself against Tismri's.
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Post by Tismri on Mar 18, 2012 22:20:34 GMT -5
Tenel Ka took the saddle off Caedus as Rom went about setting up the camp.
What do you think of him? she ask hesitantly, glancing at Rom out of the corner of her eye. She felt the dragon chuckle.
He is an honorable man, he told her, settling down. I approve of him.
Approve? Tenel Ka asked. Her face reddened slightly as she realized what he was referring to. I...you mean...it's not...Do you think he cares for me that way?
If not, I will roast him alive for leading you on this way, he told her.
~~~~~
Tismri listened carefully as Sidhion started babbling like an idiot again. He had often spoken like this to her before, and she had never paid much attention. Now, though, understanding his words was the only thing on her mind.
This time, when he told her that he desired peace, she understood that there was more to it. The warmth of his hand on her face did not distract her as she stared into his eyes, the distance between the two of them closing.
As their lips finally met, she felt satisfaction rising within her, as she knew now that she had guessed correctly. But it also left for her a wide, new frontier that had previously been unexplored for her. She wasn't sure where she wanted to go with this, but something about this felt right. She returned his kiss, her hand rising to his face, but after a moment she pulled away a few inches.
"Why did you never tell me?" she asked him softly.
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Post by Max452 on Mar 18, 2012 22:47:23 GMT -5
Romulus happily finished building the fire as he glanced up from his handiwork toward Tenal Ka. He smiled at her. "There, that should keep us warm for a bit." He sat himself on the bedding acrossed from Tenal Ka. "What do you want to talk about?" He asked her as he unlatched his weapons and placed them beside him. He stared at her, admiring how the glow of the fire complimented her features.
***
For the first time, Sidhion felt an electrifying emotion run through him as Tismri returned his kiss. He had kissed women before, but never had felt this way before. He continued to kiss her, enjoying the contact and not wanting it to end. He felt her hand slide onto his face; the warmth enjoyable to the touch. Suddenly, she pulled back, but only slightly. Sidhion wondered if she regretted kissing him, but her next words didn't appear so. He looked at her softly, a twinge of guilt. "I..I tried...but, you know me...I was never good at expressing feelings...and...then I heard some rumors...about Kaylayn trying to woo you...and that perhaps you had accepted..." He pursed his lips together, recalling the day when he overheard someone saying that the crazy elf Kaylayn was off chasing Tismri and that something happened and it ended up Tismri was chasing Kaylayn. The companion then made a joke saying that the two had to be in love, for why else would Tismri chase someone? Not understanding it completely, but Sidhion began to believe that Tismri was happy with someone else, so then, began to stop trying to tell her how he felt. "I just wanted you to be happy." He finally said, recalling then, that since he couldn't have peace with Tismri, that he could strive to focus more on getting peace for Aegleasia. He just wanted others to be happy.
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Post by Tismri on Mar 18, 2012 23:14:52 GMT -5
Tenel Ka moved closer to the fire Rom had made, settling comfortably on her bed. She pushed her braided hair back as he asked what she wanted to talk about. She thought for a moment, glancing over the surrounding woods.
"Why did you become a..." she paused for a moment, trying to think of the word. "A Ranger?"
~~~~~
Tismri listened as Sidhion explained himself to her, still speaking nervously. She shook her head slightly as he mentioned Kaylayn.
"That crazy elf wouldn't have known the first thing about wooing a woman," she said. Admittedly, there was a time when she liked him a bit, but she had realized that there was no way the two of them would ever have been able to work out. He kept wreaking the world she was trying to fixed. She felt perhaps slightly guilty over the fact that she had used his affection for her to tame him. But either way, he was gone now, and even if he returned, she would likely have nothing to do with him.
She sighed when Sidhion told her that he wanted her to be happy. She gently took his hand and stared into his eyes. "I would have been happier if you told me sooner," she said. She put her lips to his again, the contented feeling returning to her.
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Post by Max452 on Mar 18, 2012 23:51:46 GMT -5
Romulus blinked, a bit surprised that Tenal Ka wanted to know why he was a Ranger, but given the reason they were out on this trek to hunt, also made sense that she would ask that. He gave her a half smile. The answer to that question was rather complicated, and stirred up memories of his time with his father and brothers. His eyes recalled the day he was sold by his brothers. Remus. That familiar hate itched at him like a rash.
Realizing that Tenal Ka was expecting an answer, Romulus gave a quick smile. "Well, actually, I never choose to be a Ranger...it just kinda happened." His small became nervous as he debated on telling her his story. He stared at the fire for a moment, deciding that he wanted Tenal Ka to know him. "It's a long story." He returned his gaze to her. "I, well, when I was a babe, the Duke of Kingsley found me. He raised me as his own and wanted me to succeed him one day." He smiled at the fond memories he used to have with his father. "My family was known for its horses and hunting skills; and Father made no exception to teach me. I used to love hunting with him. I didn't know then, but I had elven blood in me, which gave me the ability to use magic and to speak to animals. I would use this skill to tracked and become familiar with the world around us." He gazed around them, emphasizing his fondness for the wild lifestyle. "Well, my brothers weren't too fond of the attention Father was giving me, so they tricked me and placed me into slavery." Rom absently rubbed the hidden brand on his shoulder. "I escaped three years later, but only found myself captured by slavers. But good fortune was upon me. The Rangers came because the slavers had poached some animals nearby. They discovered my talents and had me join them. Ever since then, I only enhanced my love for nature." He shrugged, having finished his story. "Does that answer your question?" He asked her, an amused but inquired look on his face. He wondered if he had shared too much information with her.
***
Sidhion blinked. Tismri hadn't been wooed by Kaylayn? This revelation shocked him. If he had known...maybe... His thoughts trailed off then because the next words Tismri said shocked him completely. "I..uh.." He stammered. She really knew how to get him tongue tied. Her next action caused a satisfied sigh to escape him as their lips connected again. He kissed her more confidently than before, eager for the contact. However, he quickly pulled away. "This is probably not a good idea, Tismri." He told her, a sad look in his eye. "Trinn and The Varden won't be too pleased; I am still the enemy...and...I still have the vision of uniting Aeglaesia..."
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Post by Tismri on Mar 19, 2012 0:19:48 GMT -5
Tenel Ka listened to Rom's story with eagerness, wanting to know more about him. The fact that his own brothers had sold him into slavery shocked her, but not in the way it might have any other person. It surprised her because she now knew hers was not the only family riddled with strife and jealousy.
She settled with her head at the foot of the bed so she was closer to him as she listened. She thought over his story and what she learned of him.
"Yes," she answered his question, "Yes it does." She met his eyes and smiled softly. "I am glad the Rangers found you. There is too much life in you for you to have remained a slave."
~~~~~
Tismri kissed Sidhion slowly, although he seemed to be a bit more eager than last time. She was still thinking this through. Even as he pulled away, she knew what he was going to say.
"I know," she replied to him, perhaps a bit regretfully. "But you don't have to be their foe. The Varden's only true enemy is Galbatorix." She paused for a moment as she thought.
"I have the same desire as you," she told him. "I desire peace...for myself as well as for Alagaesia. And I believe in the Varden's vision; they have the best chance of uniting the land." She returned her eyes to Sidhion, her emerald eyes unfathomable. "Would you be willing to give up your vision for theirs? For mine?"
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Post by Max452 on Mar 19, 2012 0:45:48 GMT -5
Romulus gave a mixed sheepish and embarrassed laugh at Tenel Ka's compliment. "Uh, thank you...I'm glad they found me too. They taught me a lot." He rubbed the back of his head. Feeling embarrassed about his lifestory, but liking the attention he received from Tenal Ka. "Um, what about you? What's it like in Ismalia?" Romulus asked, desiring to learn as much as he could about Tenel Ka.
***
Sidhion glanced away from Tismri, clearing thinking about her words. He was silent for awhile, debating within himself. "I don't know, Tismri. I don't know if I can trust them enough to even try. I've seen how Galbatorix created chaos amongst the us Riders. I don't want that to happen again...and I sometimes feel like I must take the matters into my own hands so that peace can be restored...purity must come back." He told her, amazed that she was able to have him speak so intimiately to her. He absently wondered if this was a new interrogation tactic, but brushed the thought away since Tismri's heart wasn't one of deceit. "May I have some time to think about this?" Sidhion asked, after another moment of silence.
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Post by Tismri on Mar 19, 2012 1:11:18 GMT -5
Tenel Ka felt a little awkward after giving her compliment, worried that it had come out wrong. She cleared her throat and glanced away in embarrassment. She smiled and looked back at him when he asked about her life.
"Ismalia is a wondrous place," she told him. "I am glad to have lived there, and to be the leader of the country. It will always be home to me." She felt slightly homesick. "Freia, our capital city, is built entirely out of a carved crystalline formation. We are far enough north that it never becomes too hot for us. Most of the land is rolling plains, though there are great icy mountains to the far north. Our southern boundary end where the Great Forest begins, which is the elves' domain.
"I grew up in Freia as the princess and heir to the throne," she continued, a frown set in her face. "It wasn't the best of lives. I think my parents and my cousin Tristan were the only ones who truly cared about me. And then, after the accident..." she glanced down at her missing arm for a moment. "After that, Tristan was taken away from me for a long time." She stared into the fire for a while. In truth, her life had been a very lonely one, she was now realizing.
~~~~~
Tismri's heart was saddened when Sidhion admitted that he was unable to trust in the Varden, but she understood. After all that they had lived through, it was hard for them to believe in anything anymore. She nodded when he requested time to think it over.
"Of course," she told him. She held his hand in both of hers for a moment. "You can have all the time you need." She stood, a little regretfully slipping her hands away from his. She turned to leave but stopped for a moment, glancing back at him.
"Perhaps you should have a little faith," she said, and left him for the day.
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Post by Max452 on Mar 19, 2012 14:34:25 GMT -5
Romulus listened intently as Tenel Ka described the landscape. "Wow...Ismalia really does hold all the beauty..." He commented, albeit, his face went red for a second. He continued to listen, noting the sadness in her voice as she mentioned an accident. He didn't really know much about it, but he had a good guess that it was responsible for her lack of two hands, which, didn't bother him much, nor did he press her to tell him what happened. When she grew to trust him, he hoped she would share it with him. It actually made him admire her more as she must have incredible skill to do things that two hands could do, or perhaps cannot do. He again, noted that her sadness continued to grow as she hinted toward her lonely life. Sensing her loneliness and wanting to comfort her, Romulus stood up from his sit and plopped himself down next to Tenel Ka. He carefully placed a hand onto her's. "You are a very strong woman, Tenel Ka. I've only known you for a short time, but I can tell - you are amazing to overcome all the challenges that you have. I am truly grateful to know you." He gave her a kind and affectionate smile. Wanting to brighten her mood, he directed her thoughts toward happier ones. "What was your favorite thing to do?" He asked.
***
Sidhion gave Tismri a soft smile, grateful for her understanding. He would definitely think long and hard tonight. New revelations have been presented to him and now, he knew a drastic choice would have to be made. He watched with some sadness as Tismri's hands slipped from his. He watched her leave, and wondered about the future.
OOC: Lol. I love how they totally ignored Jaygon and Therin...sorry guys...just couldn't think of a way to get them involved...you could probably bug Tismri now, since she just left again. =p
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