Lord of Azure Flame Chapter 5: That which is unplanned

[Phoenix]

After Kamilla left the room, Iso walked over to Irina who was still holding onto her stomach. He put his hand over her shoulder.

Iso: Are you alright?

Irina: Don't touch me -_-

Iso: I told you that I was sorry.

Irina: You're just like our Uncle. The last time I ate something I wasn't supposed to, he sucker punched me into throwing it up.

Iso: Urgh ... I'm nothing like Ivanko <_<

Irina: Sheesh! You could have made me stick my finger down my throat! You didn't have to hit me!! That's so macho stupid!! You were just waiting for a chance to slug someone!! Just waiting!! When you found out that I had eaten the food, you didn't even hesitate!! Hmpf!! >_<

Iso: Irina ... I'm sorry :(

Irina: Hmpf -_-

Iso: Irina! :o

Irina: Go away. Go check on Katie or something -_-

She turned around and crossed her arms while trying to hide how aching her stomach was. She couldn't help but wonder where Iso learned to punch like that. He could have rendered the average person unconscious with a strike like that. Mages weren't widely known for raw strength. Iso hung his head and walked passed the chair Kamilla had used. He suddenly saw the vial that she had put away.

Iso: What the?

[Kanami]

As Kamilla entered the room, she saw the vial which had been placed on the chair beside the one she had been sitting in, and Isotov looking at it, "Don't use that, it's uh, poison! Right, it's the poison I gave you all, you really don't want to be drinking that" she said grabbing the vial from the seat, and turning to leave with the vial in her hand. As she passed Irina, who still didn't look fit to walk, Kamilla smiled. "Rest well" she whispered with a grin on her face.

[Balcerzak]

Tessa and Kelas had managed to get Arrin upstair and into his bed without too much issue. He hadn't given them too much hassle, though he had been surprisingly heavier than he looked. He seemed to have settled down a bit, and he wasn't fitful or anything, which was certainly to be counted a good sign, but Kelas had been right, his temperature now was a bit higher than it had been earlier. Either that or...

"I should've been more thorough when I was checking him earlier. I'm sorry Kelas. I guess, I guess I let myself get too excited about the thought of learning from Esphyr, and didn't pay enough attention," she apologized to the nomad, while internally berating herself. How many mistakes was she going to make today? How many things could she fail to do right?

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she caught a glimpse of the maid from her peripheral vision. Oh, that's right, Kamilla was also assigned to this room wasn't she? She turned towards her, but she had already gone, the door's momentum slowly closing it the rest of the way.

"Say... don't you think the everyone's bullying that woman a little too much? She really didn't seem that bad a sort when I was talking to her this morning..."

Edited May 18, 2010 by Balcerzak

[Snowy_One]

OOC: I apologize if something is wrong. I wrote this before catching up.

IC: "I want to die!"

Esphyr's own words rang firmly in her ears like the ghostly calls of a banshee upon the moors as ice cold water splashed across her face, it's frigid chill digging into her cheeks like the cruel fingers of a wraith. As she let the droplets traced down her cheeks, she looked down into the town well. She could see her own reflection looking back at her, outlined red with the light of the setting sun. No... It wasn't her at all. The face that looked back up at her was hard, rough, covered in small cuts and scars. Not the face of someone who lost a fight. Not the face of someone who cried. Yet even as she looked down she could feel the dried trails of her tears on her face, the ache of her sobs still trapped within her throat, the sting of the root in her back. Not something a mercenary cried for. It was something... something... something that someone else should be crying for! Not a warrior chosen to wield the Crimson Sword! Not a powerful mercenary! Not-

The faint touch of someone's hand suddenly traced across her back. Esphyr quickly straightened upright, her hand reflexively going to her face and stroking her cheeks to wipe away phantom tears. Slowly, she turned around, only to see the blue locks of Katie's hair. "So you've come to taunt me? Rub it in my face? That I'm not as good as you as well?"

What do you mean? asked Katie, her fingers tracing the letters into Esphyr's back. Each stroke of her words brushed over her wound, sending twinges of pain into the mercenaries back. Pain that bit into her, as if accusing her of prejudice against the mage woman. Then, Katie moved her hand up to between Esphyr's shoulders, tracing at the back of her neck. You see yourself down there, and it's not what you like? Then, Katie seemed to wait a moment before continuing, sliding her hand back down. Earlier, when I stopped you from striking Morgan, you weren't mad at her, were you?

Esphyr turned about to face Katie, a furious look upon her face. "Why did you stop me? You hadn't the right! It was my fight between me and her and you had no place stepping in! Because of that, she had to step in again when I fought her and ruined everything! EVERYTHING! I LOST BECAUSE OF YOU! Because you wouldn't... You wouldn't... You..." Esphyr sudden made a wild swing, her fist coming up and under and slamming Katie firmly in the gut. Yet the mage did not move. She barely even shuddered as the mercenary let loose a frustrated scream. Instead, Katie simply waited, not saying anything until she was sure she has Esphyr's attention again. Then, with her hand upon Esphyr's belly, she traced again.

She isn't Morgan. Is she?

Esphyr's eyes suddenly went wide in shock. She could feel a sickeningly heavy knot twisting and churning about in her stomach like rancid fish as ghostly claws slashed into her back and the banshee's wail grew to a pitch fever. "Good night." she said simply before breaking away from the teacher and rushing indoors, the rest of the party obscured from her vision by a tunnel-like focus on crashing into her bed and forgetting the day had ever happened. Several hours earlier, it would have been almost funny. She finally had her release, and it was just the kind she hadn't wanted at all.

[Inactive Account]

"The shrieking from earlier did grate on the nerves a bit, but wasn't enough to provoke any sort of justified response," Kelas admitted, "but then she had no reason or right to play along with the whole poisoning bit. Isotov's paranoid, a little more so than is justified perhaps, but to falsely confirm his suspicions... what was she playing at?" A cloud of worry passed over her face as she glanced at Arrin. He was feverish, but wasn't showing any signs of poison. Yet. "Whatever she actually did, I'm beginning to question keeping her around. I don't think she would have given us away had we left her at a safe haven earlier, but I don't trust her with anything now. If this whole thing's a prank, nobody's laughing."

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

Arrin was dreaming, and not well. He was on a blank white plain: the same one that had always been there, ever since Daranau had found him. And there it was, sitting in front of him, grinning. It shape changed nauseatingly, constantly: he could not have described it. Daranau smirked and pointed: there was a third figure on the plain, this time, a woman. She was... the face kept changing. His teacher, his sister, Tessa, a nearly-forgotten face... Daranau gestured. Lightning struck; the woman was alight with blue flames, screaming, the faces cycling through ever faster. Arrin shouted, tried to run to her... his feet were rooted to the ground. Daranau was laughing.

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

Arrin was twitching in his sleep, muttering unintelligibly. His fever had gone up. Kelas looked to Tessa, saying nothing, eyes clearly asking "What do we do?"

[Kanami]

Kamilla shrugged her shoulders, she opened the vial and sipped a bit, then closed it and put it on the, table, "Antidote, do whatever you want, might be a bit sour though" she said heading back over to the kitchen and disappearing from the groups sight. The matron hadn't heard the groups comments but had watched as Mark and Helios and thrown the food out without touching it, and was in a foul mood.

"I ought to charge those ingrates extra" the matron said quietly to herself.

Leaving the brooding woman alone, Kamilla grabbed a small bowl from the cupboard she'd pulled plates out of earlier and hurried outside, not really caring if anyone was following her.

[Balcerzak]

"Well, you do definitely have a point there," Tessa conceded. "Admitting to placing poison was a fairly foolish thing to do. But when accosted by a knife-wielding maniac who's accusing you of something, do you really want to risk telling him he's wrong? Her mistake was not clarifying the situation after she was no longer in danger. And it really does make putting trust in her difficult."

As Arrin started tossing and turning, and mumbling, the conversation about Kamilla was quickly dropped, however. Kelas had a worried expression on her face, and seemed to be wordlessly pleading with her. Tessa would have wanted to help the mage regardless of being asked, though. Advancing to the bed, she ran her hand across his forehead again. There was no mistaking it this time, the lad had a fever. Next she leaned over and lay her head on his chest, listening to the sound of his breathing. After a few moments she sat back up.

"Well, the good news is that he doesn't have any fluid in his lungs, so that rules out quite a few things, but I still can't draw any definite conclusions. It would be a lot easier if he were able to describe any other symptoms: if he was feeling cold, if he'd been having headaches, hearing ringing sounds, anything. But I suppose that will have to wait. Why don't you get a cloth soaked in cool water? At least we can make him comfortable for now, while I do some more thinking. But don't worry, it really probably isn't anything serious at all."

[[OOC: I'm not a Doctor, but I play one in RP! Err, actually I have no idea what I'm doing, but this seemed plausible. If you have better ideas, PM me or something.]]

Edited May 18, 2010 by Balcerzak

[Kanami]

OoC: Took you long enough Bal XD

Kamilla sighed, she could feel someone glaring at her nearby, but then again she wasn't exactly new to this sort of treatment. She quickly finished what she had come outside to do and hurried back into the inn, and to the kitchen, ignoring the glares she was getting once again, she quickly grabbed what she needed and hurried up stairs.

As she approached her room she could hear voices still inside, and she hesitated. But decided she'd done this much, she might as well follow through. As she put her hand on the door knob and the door opened slightly she heard Tessa speak.

Tessa; Why don't you get a cloth soaked in cool water? At least we can make him comfortable for now, while I do some more thinking. But don't worry, it really probably isn't anything serious at all."

"I was starting to doubt if you were really a healer" Kamilla said rather rudely as she entered the room. She thought she saw Kelas scowl, but didn't pay her any attention. She didn't even look at them as she spoke.

"Cold water" she said bluntly dropping the bowl on the table, "There should be clean towels in that 3rd drawer over there, if not go see the matron, If he wakes up, make sure to rehydrate him" she said propping 3 glass cups on the table.

"Tessa was it? she said quickly glancing at the healer, but she continued without waiting for an answer "I've taken the liberty to switch our rooms for the night, I've already lied down in it, but feel free to use that bed over there" Kamilla jerked her head towards her bed, and then quickly turned 180, and marched out just as quickly as she had walked in. But she paused at the door "If you think the water's pois-" she paused, recalling how Arrin and Tessa had been one of the few to start eating without suspecting her.

"Nothing, good night" she said quietly before closing the door behind her. As she walked down the stairs her brain finally started registering that the pair had spoken to her, but she'd ignored them completely, not that she was regretting it.

As she entered the lobby she noticed Irina and Isotov had also vanished. Well, to be honest they might have still been there, but the lights had gone out. She reached behind the counter and pulled out a candle and match. "Heh" she said quietly as she lit the candle aflame, and headed towards the kitchen.

Edited May 18, 2010 by Nadesico

[Snike]

OoC: Wow. Kamilla must have a death wish, or something.

[Phoenix]

The poison situation as a whole seemed to have passed. Irina helped clean up most of the mess that was left behind, and then headed up to her room to lie down. Iso knew that there was no point in speaking with his sister again for awhile. He'd pulled another Ivanko and he was just starting to realize it. There was nothing left to do for the moment, so he left the community room and headed for the entrance to the inn. His plan was to go outside, get some fresh air, and hopefully avoid running into the mischievous waitress.

[Ansem]

Helios walked down the hallway and saw Kamilla in the kitchen. "Learn how to cook properly". "Dont drop your poison in the food". "Like it wasnt repulsive enough" Helios said as he walked away.

OOC: Nobles

Edited for time failure

Edited May 18, 2010 by Kai-Sama

[Kanami]

Kamilla raised an eyebrow as something scuffled in the dark. Before she could reach out and raise the candle to see who it was Helios's voice entered her ears.

Helios: "Learn how to cook properly". "Dont drop your poison in the food". "Like it wasnt repulsive enough"

"Oh, just an overgrown cockroach" she said to herself "Not even worth responding to" brushing Helios's comment off, she returned to her work, throwing in a few more ingredients into her cauldron.

newts tail, bat's whiskers, ogres left toe, what else... umm oh right, castrated human, Helios get back here!

Edited May 18, 2010 by Nadesico

[Ether]

OOC:With no disagreement,here we go!

Aiya was getting nervous again.

'Just how am I supposed to bring it up to him?Do I just blurt it out?Do I make it romantic?Sexy?Ugh...why can't I figure this out?'

The surroundings were certainly not helping her thought process.She was washing the blood off of him,the thin cloth not doing much to hide the hard muscle of his abs underneath her hands.

She shuddered slightly.She felt like such a pervert,she couldn't help herself from trying to feel him up as she continued her work.

'W-what am I thinking?I'm washing him...it's not like I can do that without touching him,right?'

With renewed vigor,she continued.

'I can do this,this is no problem,I can...'

His chest,pectorals to be exact.The indentations caused by scars of battle,many of which she could remember being by his side as they were healed.The slight discolouring of the flesh caused by them that most would view as an imperfection,she saw as badges of honour.

And he had more than his fair share of them.It made her feel odd,for her skin was clean of them.

'He always protects me...whenever I'm in danger of getting hurt bad,he always pushes me aside,or blocks the hit,and he gets hurt a lot because of it...'

"Listen,Damian...I..." She began.

'I have to tell him now...I may never get another chance like this'

"Yes Aiya?" He turned to look at her,and their eyes locked.She moved towards him,pressed herself against his back,faces now just inches apart.

"Damian...I love you."

Silence. Aiya's mind began to race as fast as her heart. Was silence to be damning,or graceful?

'What if he hates me because of this?What if he won't trust me anymor-'

The thought was cut short,her mind blanked in an instant.

"Aiya...I love you too."

'H-he loves me back?...He loves me back!'

The fear was gone.She was ecstatic,and closed the short distance between them,locking their lips together.

Every time before,she had lost her courage,and pulled away.The seconds passed,and she realized she had never held a kiss this long before.She realized how foolish it was.It seemed his lips were built as roughly as the rest of him,slightly chapped,but it didn't lessen the experience for her,she would have been surprised had they been soft and smooth.

'What is?'

Oh...right.She had heard of it before,but it was a foreign sensation,his tongue running along her lower lip.Opening her mouth to comply,she pulled him in tighter.

It seemed to last a blessed eternity,and Aiya whimpered when he pulled away.

"So this makes us official now,eh?" Damian said,still holding her close.

"Yeah.Now then,about your playful attitude with girls..."

"I know.I'll stop,don't worry."

"That's not what I was going to say."

"Oh?"

"It's part of who you are,it's part of your charm...on the contrary,I don't want you to stop."

"Are you telling me you want me to hit on other girls?" Damian was...befuddled,to say the least.He hadn't expected it to take long for his playful side to come up,but this was hardly the expected outcome to the topic.

"Uh-huh.You just wouldn't be the same if you didn't play around...just promise me you won't go any farther than...well..."

"I think I can live with that." Damian said with a comical tone,and then kissed her again.

OOC2: And.............Done. I tried to be kinda descriptive,while trying not to go overboard.Did i succeed,or fail miserably?

Either way,Damian x Aiya A support get!

Edited May 23, 2010 by Ether

[Ansem]

OOC: Congrats. The only couple i know that gets an A support in 5 chapters are Colm and Neimi. It could have waited a bit.

[Ether]

OOC:it was discussed in the feedback thread yesterday,and no one complained.In fact,Nadesico and Cynthia approved fully,Nadesico with a condition I was planning on anyway,and Bal had no problem from what he knew.

As well,they started with a B support,so I'm not gonna take 20 chapters or something like that for them to increase support to A.

[Ansem]

OOC: I have no problem with it. Just pointing it out

[Ether]

OOC:Ah,It was the facepalm that lead me to believe you had a problem with it.

[Ansem]

OOC: It was just so obvious. She didnt need to tell him

Mark walked down the hall and saw Kamilla. "You seem to have drop something in the food, milady" Mark sighed. "I know it is unfair for you to have to stay with us but we are all together for a reason". Mark hoped that he wasnt getting on her bad side. "I am assuming you know of the crimson weapons".

[Kanami]

Would you two take OoC conversations to the OoC(Feedback) thread? <_<

Kamilla sighed loudly as she finished making her concoction. She looked around and found a few containers, she hesitated but picked one out filled it, and then pocketed the contents. She quickly put away the dishes, and walked back out to the lobby, candle in hand. She could see the moon looking down at her from outside. She figured most people would be asleep by now, it was pretty late after all. She contemplated going to her new room, but thought better of it.

She was about to go up the stairs to see the matron for a blanket or something when Mark blocked her path. "I have nothing to say to you, if you're not going to kill me, then get out of my way."

Kamilla waited for less then a second before turning around and storming off again, as she approached the lobby, she noticed the door was still unlocked.

She hesitated only briefly before turning her feet towards the entrance, and wandering outside, it wasn't a cold night, though slightly cooler then what she would have preferred.

Making up her mind, she decided to go off for a walk into the night.

Edited May 18, 2010 by Nadesico

[Ansem]

"Hmm" Mark said. Something is obviously bothering her. Oh well. He wandered off into the inn looking for something productive to do. He finally feel asleep in his room.

********************************

Helios was growing desperate. A bunch of fallen books surrounded him. "None of these have what i need" Helios said to himself angrily. His shoulders were aching and his eyes were getting red. No matter how he tried to sleep he couldnt. Helios opened the inn door and stormed off. Maybe he was wrong and there was a library or magic shop around. After walking for a while he found a shop. It was dim and dingy. He went inside

Edited May 18, 2010 by Kai-Sama

[riariadne]

Despite what Chase said about not being hungry, he ended up eating some of his emergency provisions anyways. He heard a door slam, and also saw Helios leave, so he decided to check things out with Kamilla. He crept sneakily to Kamilla's room, but was frustrated when he saw none of her things there. She must have changed rooms, he thought, and went to the only other room the group had. Noticing the door was opened slightly, he slowly opened the door and snuck in. He noticed a small bottle near the rest of Kamilla's belongings. This must be the poison! Hmph, she'll sure be disappointed when she finds out it's gone, and with that, went back to his own room, locked the door, locked the bottle away in his small traveling bag, and went to speep much more peacefully than he had been fifteen minutes before.

OOC: Chase doesn't know it's the antidote (mainly because he never knew there was one in the first place and he'd never seen the poison's container) and yeah, he just stole it.

Edited May 18, 2010 by Lightning

[Ansem]

Helios charged inside. It was abandoned. He looked around. There were many books. Then he found a book labeled curses. He opened it. He couldnt read it but took it under his robe and left. It was dark out. Helios's hand quivered a bit. His health was not the best but he knew as long as he carried the crimson wind tome, he wouldnt die. He went back to the inn. He lit a candle and began reading

[Inactive Account]

"That..." Kelas trailed off, unable to pick a suitable epithet. She looked at Arrin. He'd stopped shaking, and was quiet again...

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

The dream was fading... Daranau's laughter echoed, and then was gone. Arrin drifted into true, dreamless sleep as his fever began to subside.

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

"You should get some sleep. I'll watch him," Kelas told Tessa.

OOC: arg blarg this town does not have shops

Edited May 18, 2010 by Darth Lacuna

[Balcerzak]

Kamilla's actions belied her cold, curt, and rude behaviour. The fact that she'd already taken the time and effort to prepare the materials only served to reaffirm Tessa's opinion that at heart she really was a good person. The offer to switch rooms also came as quite the surprise, as that meant staying with the man who'd repeatedly been threatening her life.

"Are you sure...?" Tessa had started to ask, but Kamilla had merely executed her agenda with surgical precision and had already left the room without even acknowledging a reply.

"That..." Kelas had begun but trailed off as Tessa shook her head. The two busied themselves with preparing a towel from the cabinet the woman had indicated, and wiped away Arrin's sweat, and were simply watching and waiting. After a few minutes had passed, he seemed to settle down a bit; the sleep-talking had stopped and he wasn't so fitful.

"You should get some sleep. I'll watch him," Kelas told Tessa.

"Hmmm. Very well, but if his condition changes, or really for any reason actually, don't hesitate to wake me, alright?"

OoC: Took you long enough Bal XD

OOC: That's just how I roll, I guess. Sorry for the hold up.

Edited May 18, 2010 by Balcerzak

[Inactive Account]

Arrin's breathing was easy; he slept peacefully. Kelas sat watching. He'd be all right...

Her back was starting to cramp up. She took to pacing. How was this supposed to work? She was worried, but... not really cut out for this "watching" business. She looked at her brother for the millionth time: sound asleep, temperature nearly normal now.

She needed fresh air. Tessa was sleeping lightly; if Arrin's condition turned for the worse again, he'd probably wake her. And she wouldn't be gone for long...

Quietly she walked downstairs, resuming her perch on the fence of the corral. Most of the horses were dozing, but Amari looked up and walked over at Kelas' approach. She nudged her owner as if to say, If you're going to sit out here moping, may as well feed me. Kelas nearly laughed, digging in her pocket for a bit of apple.

OOC: never mind the editing, nothing important changed

Edited May 18, 2010 by Darth Lacuna