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Post by Tismri on Mar 19, 2012 9:11:16 GMT -5
"Another!" Karliah called out to the barkeeper as she slammed her empty glass onto the counter. Her mind was muddled from the previous drinks she'd already had, but that was what she wanted. Maybe if she drank enough, she could forget this misery plaguing every waking moment of her life.
The other thieves in the hideout knew she was going through a rough time. All they really knew, though, was that someone was targeting her specifically and she was constantly on the run. Somehow, she still managed to bring in more than her share of gold and loot to earn her place, and everyone liked her well enough. Because of this, there was an unspoken vow among them to protect her.
What they didn't know, but she did, was who was after her. She'd heard months ago from a friend in Gil'ead that a man had been asking about her, and from the description, it could only be Marek. Why, though? For two months she had heard nothing from him or of him, and suddenly he seemed intent on finding her. And he had come close more than once. There was even a moment, less than a week ago, when she had locked eyes with him before turning to run in the other direction.
She had thought, when he'd not reacted to her departure, that he had shrugged it off, agreeing with the reasons she had put in the small note, and moved on from her. Although the thought had hurt her greatly, she knew that he would be happier if he had. And that was all she wanted.
The two months he had left her alone had given her time to let her guard down. He started his search when she was most vulnerable, and now she had to always be running from him. She was tired, now. So tired of fleeing the man she loved when her every impulse drove her to go back to him and surrender, to fall into his arms and never leave. Tired of running away.
Perhaps, just this once, she would let him catch her. She might get a satisfactory answer as to why he was pursuing her so aggresively now. Didn't he understand that she had left in order for him to live his life as he ought? He was Somebody in the world. Someone important, a person everyone knew and respected and loved.
And her? She was a commoner, a criminal, a thief. Most people never gave her a second glance, and those who knew her reputation would spit on her name. She was Nobody.
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Post by Max452 on Mar 19, 2012 14:51:18 GMT -5
OOC: I love how we just fast forward pass the boring parts. lol
Marek scanned the town. He knew she was here. He could sense it. He had been hot on her trail ever since he got a great tip from a fencer in Feinstar. Of course, it almost did get a bit bloody when the man was trying to withhold information. After that, he was able to find her in the next town, but missed her by a few hours. But he was closer. It had gone like that for weeks - just missing her by one hour or two. His persistence paid off though, as just last week he had actually made eye contact with her. He couldn't describe his emotions at the time. A part of him wanted to run and hold her, another was filled with a panging sadness, but another, more dominant, emotion, wanted to call her "stupid" for leaving him. However, just that moment when their eyes met, Marek froze. He remembered Malve shouting at him to move, but Marek couldn't. He just stared as she ran off. He had realized, after getting scolded by Malve, who had been nothing but helpful, that he really wasn't prepared to encounter the woman who broke his heart. He wasn't ready to hear what he already knew. That she no longer loved him. But then he wondered, why was she running? If she harbored no more love for him, why not face him and get it over with? That thought puzzled him. Was his mother right? Did she forsake him because she wanted him to be happy, even if it meant not being with him? His mind whirled with endless possibilities, but in the end, it came to one conclusion: he needed her to tell him...face to face.
Once again, he heard that she was in another town, this town. He gazed around, looking for a tavern that could get him the wanted information. What you think, Malve? You think we're getting close? He asked him just as he opened the tavern door to the shout of "Another!" from a haunting voice. Marek stared and froze at the door, his eyes latched onto Karliah's form. His eyes hard, but a small tint of hurt, bore into the woman that left him.
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Post by Tismri on Mar 19, 2012 15:42:31 GMT -5
Karliah stared into the depths of her glass, lost in her thoughts. She thought the drink was supposed to help her forget, but her pain seemed to be the only thing on her mind. The memory of Marek's eyes would not stop haunting her, and thinking of that would bring back those happy months with him, that time when she was able to pretend that there was nothing keeping them apart and they could be together.
At the very least, perhaps the stuff would help her sleep. She was hardly able to move properly and she knew her health was in danger, but sleep simply wouldn't come to her anymore. She downed the last glass in a single gulp as she had all the others and slid a few coins across the bar. She turned to go to the room she rented for the night, and her eyes drifted to the open tavern door.
She saw him again, looking exactly the same as he had last time. The merriment was gone from his eyes, replaced by an icy stare that made him seem like a completely different person. She stared at Marek for a long moment, then sighed, signifying her defeat. She just couldn't run anymore. She was so tired, and perhaps a little drunk. After looking at him, she turned and continued to her room. If he wanted to talk, it might as well be there, in private, not where the whole tavern could hear as she demanded to know why he was wasting his time chasing after her when she'd left so he could be the noble he was born as.
Malevolence was more than a little bothered by Marek. They had gotten so close to ending this chase. She had been within sight! And he let her run away. He didn't follow, but just stood there like a stupid statue. The spirit grew tired of this adventure--he could clearly see that Marek would never be satisfied in any way. He didn't want to face the woman, so he would always let her get away so that he could continue to follow her. Malevolence wasn't about to let it go on.
He studied the town Marek was walking through, thinking. They were close yet again. This town was small, and they knew she was somewhere here.
I think we have found her again, he replied to Marek's question when her voice rang out from the open tavern door. He watched as the two stared at each other, sensing that the same immoblity was preventing Marek from moving again.
Well, are you going to go to her? he asked after she turned away, Or am I going to have to make you go in there? And he would, too. It was time for this ridiculous search of his to end. Malevolence was ready to sieze control of Marek's limbs if he continued to hesitate like this.
OOC: Haha, yeah. I think we could have had more interesting stuff in between if he was more thieves or something. Had other characters for the two of them in interact with.
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Post by Max452 on Mar 19, 2012 20:20:55 GMT -5
Marek's eyes latched onto Karliah's, but not making a move. He felt frozen again as the fear of knowing the truth eloped him. He heard Malve's annoyed encouragement, but again, like before, it didn't strike him out of his fear. He could feel that the tavern inmates were beginning to notice the two's uncomfortable staring, but ignored them. He had almost wanted to just run out the door when Karliah just let out a sigh of indifference. Almost. Her apparant indifference made something else hold him in place. It had caused his anger to trample down his fear. The way she just seemed to shrug him off, like garbage irritated him like none other. How could she just throw away all those months! It was probably just a game to her! And now, it looked like she finally was fed up with this whole thing as he was and was finally going to just give him his rejection to his face. Well, he had a word or two to share with her on the whole falsified affair. The anger that was pulsating in him caused him to move. He walked behind her, quietly, as she led him to her room.
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Post by Tismri on Mar 19, 2012 22:53:51 GMT -5
Karliah entered her room, stumbling slightly from a combination of the drink and her exhaustion. She left the door open and didn't bother looking behind her. It was too painful to look at him right now. She knew hew as there, though. She heard his footsteps as he followed. She instead went to an open window and stared out at the small town, not really seeing it. Everything within her was driving her to turn around and cling to him, never letting go. She longed for him to hold her again, to be there beside her when she awakened in the morning, to make this miserable nightmare of theirs to stop.
She couldn't, though. Her reasons for leaving him echoed in her head like a gong. She didn't belong with him, although her love was greater than any human had loved another before. A bird may love a fish, but there was nowhere they could build a home together. The same was true for her and Marek. She could not fit herself into his life, and she would never have the audacity to ask him to leave it and join hers.
She didn't waste any time. Before he had a chance to say anything, she asked without turning, "Why are you doing this, Marek?"
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Post by Max452 on Mar 19, 2012 23:33:34 GMT -5
Marek shut the door behind him, having followed Kari into her room. He watched her as she went toward the window, as if to keep a distance from him. His heart beat was beating wildly as he tried to control his anger. "Why am I? doing this!?" He withheld a snarl as he began to close the distance between them. "Why are you?" He accused, his voice threatening into a shout. "You up and left! and for what?!" His frustration and pent up anger began to show. "To steal my heart and trample it? Was I just another...trophy for you?" He asked her, a bitter hiss in his lips. "Why, Kari? Tell me the truth...I want to hear it from your own lips...why you left me?" His voice died down to a pleading whisper as his anger began to be mixed with the love and hurt he felt for her. "Was it really for my happiness? Because I can assure you...all I've seen and felt have been dark days..." He stopped his approach, a few feet away.
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Post by Tismri on Mar 19, 2012 23:52:54 GMT -5
Karliah's mind prickled with anger at Marek's accusations, and she gripped the windowsill tightly, not turning to face him. Was that what he thought of her? That use enjoyed doing this? He had no cluse the emotional suffering her decision put her through. Even now, listening to the raw anger in his voice, she thought it might be better if she just ended her life and their misery. Then he would be free to live his life, and not spend it chasing her down.
When his voice softened, her eyes moved to look at him of their own accord. It was a bad choice; the instant she saw him, she felt all her resolve crumble and she collapsed to the floor, tears starting to stream.
"You really don't know?" she asked him, her voice tight. "I left because I realized what I was doing. I realized that if I married you, I would put you in a position where you couldn't stay. I saw that I was being selfish, wanting to be with you when there was no place the two of us could be. I left because I didn't want to take you away from your life and everything you knew. I love you too much to do that to you." Her voice cracked ask her mind pleaded for him to understand. "I left because I love you," she told him, her voice so faint she wondered if he had even heard it.
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Post by Max452 on Mar 20, 2012 0:06:01 GMT -5
Marek eyes widened as Kari exposed the truth to him. He saw the raw emotion in her eyes and that caused him to forgo all of his anger. She loved him. And she was willing to sacrifice her happiness for his. In that instant, as he saw her tears freely flow, the barrier around his heart melted away. He went to her side quickly, but softly. "You're such an idiot, Kari." He whispered to her and he tried to look into her eyes. His voice was gentle, and the anger that was once there had gone. "When are you going to realize that my life was you?" He sighed. "I will never be happy unless you're in my life; it doesn't matter where we are, as long as we're together, I'll be in endless bliss." He confessed to her. "Please, Kari. Stay with me. Please, I'm begging you." He pleaded with her as he motioned to wrap his arms around her.
I'm sorry, Malve. It looks like I was completely wrong about everything...I'm such an idiot. Thank you for being there, as my friend. I will forever be in your debt. Marek told the Spirit, realzing his rash thinking.
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Post by Tismri on Mar 20, 2012 0:26:19 GMT -5
Karliah didn't look up at Marek as he moved toward her side. She must have seemed ridiculous to him, sitting there on the floor, crying as she confessed her love for him. What if he didn't understand. She flinched slightly when he called her an idiot, but the rest of his words caught her off guard. He wasn't happy without her, although he had everything else in the world. She was his happiness, even as he was hers. She never cared for riches, but she had never thought he would feel the same. He was willing to abandon his life on his own accord to be with her. His last words broke her completely, and she threw her arms around him, clinging to him.
"I missed you so much," she whispered to him. There, with him, in his arms, the world suddenly seemed perfect again, as it always had when she was with him. Everything would just fall into place. Out of a sudden, demanding need, despite her exhaustion, she put her lips to his, determined that nothing would ever ruin their time together again.
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Post by Max452 on Mar 20, 2012 0:41:06 GMT -5
Marek gripped Kari as she clung to him, thrilled to have her in his arms again. "I've missed you too, Kari. So much..so much." He held her close before being taken by surprise by her sudden kiss. The haunted memories that he once had, quickly turned to ones that Marek would always cherish, and this night was no exception. He kissed her back, desperate for her. "I need you." He ushered out in between breaths, reiterating to her that he would only ever want her.
It was so easy to forget the horrible months apart, to forget the unbearable pain as if it had been washed away by rain. Eager to be with her again, Marek quickly began dismantling the buckles that kept the armour on him. Sorry Malve. He told the Spirit quickly as he removed the chestplate in a desperate rush. He then proceeded to remove his tunic, revealing the hidden chain around his neck. He hurridly continued to kiss Kari, leading her toward the bed at the same time. "I love you so much." He whispered to her as he hungrily kissed her.
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Post by Tismri on Mar 20, 2012 1:23:05 GMT -5
It seemed as if Marek took the words right out of her mouth. Karliah was acting just as much out of necessity as she would desire and instinct as she removed her clothing, hardly taking the time to breathe as she kissed him. She gave him her love again that night, as she had done so many times before. She swore to herself that she would never leave him again. Whenever she finally fell asleep that night, she rested more deeply than she had since she'd left him. Her mind was at peace, content. Marek completed her in a way he would probably never know. Without him, she was Nobody. He made her Somebody, and she would owe him always for that. ~~~~~ Karliah awoke the next morning, snuggled against the man she loved more than life itself. She smiled, and her eyes drifted to the chain that had somehow remained around his neck during the night. It was odd; she never remembered him wearing one before. She found the object that it was attached to, and her heart halted momentarily as she gazed at the familiar ring. He had kept it? The entire time, even when he was so angry at her? She wondered why, but she was somehow glad he did. It showed her that he had never stopped thinking about her while they were apart. She moved to kiss him, wanting to wake him, eager to continue where they had left off the night before. But then she heard voices outside her window. Loud ones, official. Voices that only belonged to guard captains and soldiers. "So is she here?" the voice asked firmly, and she heard the sound of rustling paper. "I-I have a lot of guests here," the innkeeper's voice stuttered. "Look, this woman is a wanted criminal. She's a thief. You have no reason to hide her. She is just as likely to steal from you and run off. If you cooperate with us, we'll see that you are compensated for your trouble. If you hinder us, we'll have no choice but to arrest you for harboring a wanted woman." Those words were enough to kick on Karliah's survival instincts. She knew her trail had been caught by the guards again. Perhaps they didn't pursue her as aggressively as Marek had, but she still needed to evade them. She rolled out of bed and hurriedly located her clothes. "Marek, wake up!" she called in an anxious whisper, trying to prevent the guards from hearing her. She needed to go, and she had to go now, but she refused to part herself from him again. "Marek, we have to go." OOC: Haha...Marek didn't pay for his stay.  |
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Post by Max452 on Mar 20, 2012 14:10:00 GMT -5
Marek felt the warmth next to him disappear. He was still half asleep. "Mmm...get back here...I'm not done with you yet..." He mumbled, his arm reaching out as he rolled to his side to grab her, but found nothing. "Mmm...you better not be leaving again..." He said with some annoyance, not realizing the situation outside. It was then he heard Kari's anxious whisper. He groggily opened his eyes and found her dressing. "What's wrong?" He asked her, lifting his head a bit. He then noticed the frantic look in her eyes and immediately knew that something was wrong. He jumped out of bed and quickly dressed.
He was hopping as he placed his boot on, finished dressing. He spotted the soldiers outside and knew they were after Karliah. Malve. I'm going to need you're help again. We got some trouble coming. He warned the Spirit, indicating he needed lent power. "Which way?" He asked Kari, glancing at the door and then at the window.
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Post by Tismri on Mar 20, 2012 15:01:06 GMT -5
Karliah glanced at Marek in brief annoyance as he was slow to get out of bed at first. She couldn't blame him, though. She doubted he had every truly had to run for his life before. And he didn't have to now, but they both knew she couldn't leave him behind this time.
"What's wrong is I'm about ten minutes from being left to rot in a prison cell for the rest of my life if we don't get out of here," she told him, and she saw the understanding dawn on his face as he hurriedly dressed. Karliah pressed herself hard against the wall next to the window, keeping her eyes fixed on the soldiers. She held up a hand as he asked her which way they were going to go.
"Out the window," she told him, still keeping her voice as low as possible, never taking her eyes off the men outside. "But only when I say so. If we don't time this right, they're going to see me." She could hear the innkeeper protesting the soldiers' entry without making sound like he was covering for anyone. Bless the man; he had long been a friend to her and her fellow thieves, often giving them a place to stay and looking the other way from their activities. Eventually, the guards forced their way past him and into the building. Karliah waited for six breathless seconds before motioning to Marek and jumping out the window, landing on all fours to lessen the impact. She remained in a crouch as she glanced left and right for any more soldiers outside, keeping herself again pressed against the wall as she waited for Marek to join her.
~~~~~
Malevolence grunted to himself as Marek spoke to him. He had found his woman; what else could he possibly want? He sensed Marek was anxious and wanted him to give him some extra power. Malevolence grudgingly complied, feeding him strength and energy. It wasn't as much as he could have given, though, or he might have given were he in a better mood. He was getting rather frustrated with Marek now, and was beginning to regret allowing him to remove the armor, even if he was glad he didn't have to share the man's mind last night. This constant application and removal of the armor was wearing on the spirit, as if he was continually being forced unconscious and reawakened. He desired to have a talk with Marek soon.
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Post by Max452 on Mar 20, 2012 20:24:14 GMT -5
Marek nodded, understanding the situation now. He pressed himself against the wall, on the opposite of Karliah, waiting for her signal. An old familiar adrenline rush came to him as he stared at the soldiers as they rushed inside the tavern. It had been awhile since he went stealing from nobles and from perfoming fun feats, and found this situation a fun little warm up exerice. He spotted Kari's signal and watched with beaming approval that his lover could handle herself. He followed immediately after, grateful for the sudden energy and strength that Malve provided. He landed onto the ground, dust gathering near his feet, as he turned quickly to follow Kari.
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Post by Tismri on Mar 20, 2012 23:13:07 GMT -5
Karliah continued to be alert as Marek joined her outside. She didn't see any other soldiers, and she knew the innkeeper was going to keep them occupied for as long as possible as they searched the tavern. Still, it was not going to take long before they caught onto her. She started to walk casually away, hoping to leave town before she was seen.
It was too much to hope for. There were more guards waiting around the side of the tavern, and the spilled out into the street, blocking her and Marek's path.
"Halt!" they called out, recognizing her immediately. "You're under arrest, thief!" Karliah cursed, grabbed Marek's arm, and ducked behind a house, barely dodging a barrage of arrows. She ran through all the back ways of the town, hoping Marek could keep up with her through the confusing alleyways, until she reached the city stables, where several magnificent horses were being kept. She had observed the day before as an overly well-dressed merchant rode in on a carriage pulled by white stallions. She wouldn't feel bad in the slightest about liberating one of the beasts, and she jumped onto it's bare back. She calmed the startled horse and gestured to Marek.
"Come on!" she called to him anxiously. More guards than she had expected streamed out of the city. She wasn't sure what her bounty was now, but it had to be very hight to have all these men out for her.
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