Lord of Azure Flame: Chapter 10: Flying Supermodel Assault!

[Phoenix]

Irina

Despite her best attempts, she couldn't really hide the fact that she wasn't used to being favored by people.

Irina: No, nothing's the matter ... I'm a mercenary, remember? If we get special treatment, there's usually a catch. Not that I don't trust you, I do ... ... I guess I'm just used to getting short changed or ... unknowingly given extra special assignments.

[riariadne]

"Oh... is that just how she is? Huh. Didn't know she was superstitious."

[Ether]

"Is that what this is again?Damian said Esphyr was having similar issues...are me and Damian really all that different from other employers...I thought treating mercenaries like one would their own troops,their friends was common practice...was I wrong...?" Aiya trailed off,thinking a little.

'Has it really come down to the point where someone can't even trust a good deed?The other commanders seemed to treat their mercenaries well,but was I missing something?'

[-Cynthia-]

"It must be some sort of...nomad thing. I really do not know what her problem is sometimes." Morgan said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, considering you were imprisoned at the time, you did not really have a choice in the matter. Having a Crimson Weapon can often be more of a curse than a gift, most people would refuse given the choice."

Edited June 27, 2010 by -Cynthia-

[Phoenix]

Irina

Irina: Don't get me wrong, Aiya! I appreciate everything you're doing ... it's just more so than I would if I was working for the typical employer. I guess having lousy employers makes you appreciate things like this a lot more. Thanks ^_^ Hey is Ulfy going to eat that buck here, or are we taking them both back with us?

[Psych]

Cess finished his soup, and grabbed his things. He walked into the main common room, and saw almost everyone there. Morgan and Chase were having a conversation, but he needed to talk to her.

"Would you mind taking a look at this? Katie thinks it's a dark tome, but I've never seen one like it, and it's empty. I think it's just a normal journal."

[riariadne]

"I guess I might've too had I known that. But so far, it's helped me out."

[Ether]

"It just makes me wonder if the trust I placed in my fellow officers to be decent people was mislead...I could never bring myself to treat someone different just because they were a hired sword...Still,I guess all I can do is make sure I treat you as well as I can." Aiya said,hoping to not keep the topic negative any longer.

As Irina asked whether Ulfy would eat now or later,Aiya giggled.

"Looks like Ulfy beat you to the punch." She said,as Ulfhrahn was already halfway through the buck,and quickly finished it.

"If that's all,we can strap the doe on,and head back...or is there anything else you wanna do while we're out here?"

[-Cynthia-]

"Well I am glad you can view the Crimson Bow as a useful tool rather than obsessing over their sometimes...mercurial nature." Morgan responded to Chase.

Morgan examined the tome. "It does not appear to be of the sort where you could actually learn something from it, but I would dispose of it anyway. Cursed items are often cleverly disguised." she said, narrowing her eyes at the book.

[Psych]

"It matches this box." Cess took the box out of his bag. He tried to open it, but still couldn't. "It won't open though. I bought it at that curio shop down the street. I doubt that little old lady would try to curse us."

[Phoenix]

Irina

Irina: I don't suppose there are any markets out in the forest, so I guess we should get back if Ulfy's done eating.

Lev

Krinkov kept darting back and forth. He thought he heard something, but he wasn't exactly sure what it was ... suddenly a pegasus came bolting out of the stables and flew off into the sky! Lev's eyes were just closed enough for him not to see the sky galloping horse! Krinkov knew something bad was about to happen, and not even before he could blink again, Kiev, Irina's wyvern, and his much younger brother came flying out after the pegasus! This was not going to end well at all. Best to tackle his brother and knock some sense into him. His master seemed fine where he was. Krinkov quickly took off, the flapping sound and force waking Lev!

Lev: Ugh! What the hell?! Krinkov? Hey! Where in the hell do you think you're going?!

Edited June 27, 2010 by Phoenix

[Ether]

"Alright then." Aiya said,jumping up onto Ulfhrahn again and helping Irina up,after securing the doe.

"Hold on tight!" Aiya reminded Irina,remembering her near fall earlier.Once she was holding on,Ulfhrahn took to the skies once again,heading towards the town.

[-Cynthia-]

"You are far too trusting." said Morgan to Cess. "Old women can be as treacherous as anyone else, and it may not have really been an old woman at all. A box that does not open is very suspicious as well, it does not appear to be poorly made, so the reasons it does not open are questionable." she said, examining the objects closely.

Edited June 27, 2010 by -Cynthia-

[Snowy_One]

Esphyr gave a soft squeak of surprise as Damian suddenly pulled her close. His chest pressed against hers as hers pressed back, a heady heat slowly pooling between them. Esphyr looked up into Damian's eyes, a worried, confused, but accepting gleam in them. "I... I see you prefer the bards tales." she said, stumbling over her own words in a gentle way. For a moment, she contemplated moving closer.. Ever so closer to Damian. She took a gentle step forwards, her foot coming up alongside his in gentle embrace...

And then her body touched his. It was a electrifying sensation that shot through her body. Yet, in its wake came not a passionate steam, but a chilling twinge that shot along her backside. "No." she said simply, stepping away. "Damian... Look. I know I've said this before. I know both you and her said it didn't matter, but... Well. You're Aiya's man first. Not mine. There's nothing that will change that. I'm no expert in romance, but even I can see that. I... I don't want you to be unfaithful and I don't want Aiya to be hurt in any way. I don't care if you and her think it's okay, I don't. I'm not about to do anything she hasn't already done first if I can help it and... She's the one who will be staying with you when this is done. I... I'm a mercenary. I work for hire. I... I can't be a wife."

[Ether]

"It doesn't have to be that way,Esphyr.You always say that you can't do this,because you are a mercenary,or because of Aiya...You've never seemed to enjoy life as a mercenary,either.You speak of harsh employers,hateful jobs and people,and yet you seem desperate to claw your way back to a despicable life..." Damian began,looking her in the eyes again.

'She's so defensive...I don't even know what to think anymore...does she care about me,or is she just trying to confuse me...I'm sure there is something,and I want to help her...but what can I do if she does this every single time?'

"So,you won't do anything she hasn't done first,is that it...?I've kissed Aiya before,I've embraced her,so why is this an issue?"

[Snowy_One]

"Because... Because..." started Esphyr, stuttering in her speech as her mind reeled about. She knew the answer. She liked Damian for sure. She even... she even loved him. But it wasn't something she... No. That was a lie. She knew it was a lie and she wasn't about to try and hide it from herself. She knew the truth, and she knew what she had to say. She turned to Damian after a moment, a tear in her eye. "Because I've never had control in my life over anything. I didn't choose to be a crimson wielder. I... What I did at TISME I didn't choose to do. When I left I... The headmaster... I... Then I was forced to become a mercenary, forced to take whatever jobs I could, forced to deal with cruel employers and to grin and bear it and now." she stopped for a moment to take a deep breath. "Now I finally have some control and I don't want to lose it. I can say yes, I can say no, and I can say wait to you. That's something I've never been able to do Damian! Never!"

[Ether]

"I...I see..." Damian looked down at the ground for a second.

'She just wants the right to choose...She has her chance to make a choice,so she is making it...and this is her choice...'

Damian felt hurt.If this was the choice she made,then it was only logical that it meant she didn't care for him like he thought she did.

'So Aiya was just an excuse...I guess she doesn't mean to hurt me...but if this is what she wants,I have no right to take it from her...'

"V-very well...Esphyr...if that's your choice,then so be it...I won't bother you with such things again..."

Damian said,walking back towards the inn,his head still hanging low.

'Whatever you do,Damian,just don't let her see you cry...'

Such things were easier thought than done.

[Snowy_One]

"No!" exclaimed Esphyr, turning about as Damian started to leave. "Damian! Come back!" she shouted as she rushed to catch up with him. "Please, goddess no! I don't want you to leave! Stay Damian! Come on! Please!"

[Snike]

Derek

As the conversation died down, and everyone else entered the inn, Derek stood around, seemingly taking in the air. He didn't feel like talking with anyone, as he didn't feel comfortable, considering he was just hunting them. Eventually, a pigeon landed on his shoulder.

"Hey Loc," he said, reaching into his pockets. "Where've you been? Here, you must be hungry," Loc chirped, and the mercenary pulled out some seeds. The bird eagerly hopped onto his arm and started picking at them. Just minutes later, a cavalry horse rode into town, carrying a rider, but Derek couldn't make them out, due to the darkness. Minutes after that, the silhouette of the pegasus knight-Viveka, was it?-'s horse flew out of the stable, tailed by a wyvern.

"Silly mounts, right, Loc?" he said, looking at the two animals. Loc stopped eating for a second, and chirped in agreement, before returning to the seeds. The pegasus brought his gaze over to the center of town, where it seemed that the cavalry horse was wandering about, strangely. Deciding to check it out, the mercenary let his bird hop onto his shoulder, and approached the horse from its' left. Whispering to get it to stop, he realized that the rider was none other than the pegasus knight from earlier.

"Hey," he said, shaking her shoulder. "Wake up. You're in Alburny."

[riariadne]

"I don't really see how anyone can have a problem with them. They're useful. Meh. Hey, is that... Viveka... on a horse still? ... Whatever."

[Ether]

"...Why is that?Like you said,this is your chance to make a choice...didn't you just choose to tell me you're not interested?" Damian replied solemnly.He stopped walking,head still hung low.

'Dammit!Why am I so weak?Why can't I even keep myself composed for this?!'

He turned around to look at her,tears visibly streaming down his face.

"If you don't want me to do this anymore,then I'll stop.That's your choice to make,as you said...I'm glad you decided to spare my feelings for as long as you did...I'm sorry I was too much of an idiot to see that you didn't want me like I thought you did..."

[-Cynthia-]

"I suspect most of the histrionics related to the Crimson Weapons is more for attention than anything else." Morgan said to Chase.

"She shouldn't be back so soon...and without General Jackson as well. I wonder what this is about..."

[Phoenix]

Isotov

After reading through another fifty pages, Iso decided to call it a night. Before trying to sleep though, it would probably be best to wait for Kelas to get back. If Katie was still cooking, then maybe something to eat before bed would be nice too.

Irina

When Ulfhrahn returned carrying the girls, he landed right near Lev, who was standing somewhat in the middle of the street.

Irina: Hey! Where's Krinkov?

Lev: Umm ... how best to say these without upsetting you ... ... ... Kiev is chasing that pegasus over there.

Irina: WHAT?!!!

High up in the sky, Susann was flying circles around Kiev as he made lunges for her! When the pegasus spotted Viveka a few blocks away, she came speeding down toward her! Kiev flew extremely high and used gravity to nosedive and slam into the pegasus, sending both of them crashing into a closed market stand!

Lev: ... Irina, what is these about? Haven't you been feeding Kiev?

Irina: We were just about to!

She hopped down and started running to the scene of the crash which was roughly around a thousand feet away! Meanwhile at the crash site, Susann flopped and struggled out of the wreckage just as Kiev came to! She flew off again, but before Kiev could give chase, Krinkov came bolting down and body slammed him! The two wyverns flew out of the wreckage and landed in the street! Krinkov knew that the pegasus was more important than it looked, and that Kiev was probably just too hungry to care. Kiev couldn't figure out why Krinkov was stopping him. Was his brother trying to keep him from eating and starve him to death? Was he just being selfish? Either way, this was his only chance to eat.

Viveka

Hearing a familiar voice, Viveka started to come to ... strangely, the first thing she noticed was the bird on Derek's shoulder. Before she could say anything else, both Susann and Kiev came crashing down onto a close market tent!

Viveka: *gasp* :o

OOC: Derek reminds me of Geintz now :/

[Psych]

Cess took the broach out of his pocket. "Then what should I do with this? It seems safe." In his hands was a smalll crystiline blue rose decoration. The broach seemed to sparkle, even in the torch's lights.

He handed it to Dani. "Here. Morgan won't let me keep it."

[Snowy_One]

"Damian! I do want you!" exclaimed Esphyr, stamping her foot on the ground. "I want you~ Just please... I want you to be able to wait as well. I... I want you. Please." she extended her hands, doing her best to offer a hug. "Please, hug me. I want you Damian. Please."