|
Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 21, 2021 21:38:02 GMT -5
You can hear the smile in his voice, even without looking up at him, "So you're okay? Thank Pelor's Light." The relief in his voice is as plain as his smile. You glance up at him through your lashes, trying to make it seem like you're not looking at him at all. He seems confused, and unsure what inappropriate thoughts you could have been having. He also seems like the pieces are falling into place. Yep, that deep red blush that is racing up his neck and across his face totally gives away that he figured it out. He responds again, this time in a barely audible whisper, "Do you want me to leave?" The reluctance in his voice is plain.
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Dec 22, 2021 6:24:59 GMT -5
"yes I'm ok." she whispers as she attempts to look at him discretely though hearing the reluctance in his voice, she looks up completely. Reaching out for his hand, " no please stay, I'm sorry...." her words trail off as she looks down at her outstretched hand unsure if he will take it or not. She was not all that sure what to do with her developing feelings for yoseph, her own mission to save her people was quickly being pushed to the back burner and she was worried she was running out of time.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 22, 2021 8:10:13 GMT -5
His hand is in yours almost immediately, the duel warmth of body heat and intimacy. His second hand covers the back of yours, sandwiching your hand between the two of his. "There is nothing to be sorry about." His voice is almost back to normal. Maybe a little more excitement than normal actually, or is that just you reading your own jolt of excitement at his touch? "You've been working hard since you came ashore, and I have an idea that will help you relax. Let's finish up our meals, and maybe drink a little of that wine first though. Then you can tell me what you're really worried about while I try to get some of that tension out of your shoulders. Sound good?" He begins to pull his hands back, but slowly, maintaining contact as long as he possibly can.
He finishes pouring you the glass your hands were to shaky to finish pouring yourself, and then he pours his own. After passing you your glass, he begins to eat his food. Unlike before when he picked at his food, mostly just moving it around. Now he eats quickly, with no messing about. When you're both done eating, he clears the plates off the table and sets them on the shelf by the door. He finishes his glass of wine then moves to sit beside you. "Turn that way please." He gestures for you to turn away from him. You feel his hands touch your shoulders, tentatively at first. He's actually so nervous that he's shaking a little. It only takes a minute though for him to get into the process of massaging your shoulders. His skin is soft, but his grip is firm. He squeezes and presses, and the tension you didn't know you had begins to melt out of you. Then he stops abruptly, "You start talking about what's really bothering you and I will continue." You can hear the nervous excitement in his voice, spoken through a mischievous smile.
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Dec 22, 2021 17:37:04 GMT -5
A soft sigh slips past her lips as the tension starts to melt away and she relaxes, just enjoying his touch, though the tips of her ears are still a bit purple as her blush has not faded yet. When he stops she seems to sit up straighter for a moment as if she had almost started to fall asleep. She was thoroughly enjoying the massage. "oh right.. well ummm... you have to understand when I came here it was to find the cause of what is hurting my people, and well I've told you that I'm engaged." she said and sighed pausing a moment to collect her thoughts again. "My heart isn't in the engagement, though I know its the right thing to do for my family, and I should be happy that i am in such a match, because well I'm nothing special...." as she talks water droplets seem to collect on her hands as she clenches them and un clenches them in her lap. "i never expected to make a friend here.....or develop feelings like I have." the last part was whispered so quietly one would wonder if it was even spoken out loud.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 27, 2021 15:08:58 GMT -5
Yoseph's hands still rest on your shoulders, and as you speak you can gage his reaction from the twitches, and changing pressure of his hands. He gently runs his fingers across your skin at the mention of your people's plight, a calming motion. His fingers twitch, and tighten a little as you mention your engagement. Although he does his best to resume the previous motion immediately after. His hands squeeze when you mention that your heart isn't into the engagement. You read into that excitement. When you try to claim that you're nothing special Yoseph uncharacteristically interrupts you, "You're wrong!"
The warmth of his hands vanishes from your skin, and he moves around to in front of you to look you right in the eyes, "You are a gift from the sea." His hands return to your shoulders, this time holding you still. "Everything about you is special!" His voice is excited, and full of inflection, "From your adorable little toes to your hair that can't seem to decide if it's blue or silver." He moves closer, close enough that you can feel the heat of the blush that's exploded on his cheeks, "You. Are. Perfect. You're kind, and selfless. You care for your people enough to risk everything. You're beautiful, lithe and and distractingly curvy in all the right places. Your talented with forces that I can barely understand." He gestures to your hands where you've gathered all the moisture into a ball held carefully between outstretched fingers.
Abruptly he stops talking as he realizes exactly what he just said there. He just freezes, looking you right in the eye, his nose almost touching your own. The heat of his face feels like the sun's light through a window at midday. His hands on your shoulders are quite warm too. He looks excited, and scared all at once.
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Dec 27, 2021 16:16:57 GMT -5
She sits there staring at him, wanting to believe all the sweet things he is saying and when he calls her beautiful her cheeks turn purple with blush as it quickly spreads to the tips of her ears. Glancing down at the ball of water in her hands that she hadn't even realized she had collected. When he stops speaking she looks up curious as to why he stopped talking, realizing just how close he was made her blush deepen even more if possible as she watched him. All the thoughts in her head came to a screeching halt as she glanced down at his lips then back up meeting his gaze...
After a few moments of silence though what felt like eternity to her she finally made up her mind and she decided it was now or never. Closing the last bit of distance between them she pressed her lips lightly against his, a soft and shy kiss as her eyes drifted closed. As if realizing what she had just done she froze, her eyes shut tight and she seemed frozen in place tense as if afraid of his reaction or perhaps it was cause she had realized what she had done.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 27, 2021 16:39:59 GMT -5
The first moment of the kiss is soft, tentative, but once that contact was made Yoseph’s hands slide along your shoulders up the long curve of your neck. His hands cradle just under your jaw as he kisses you back passionately. Once you freeze, he tilts his head so that his lips pull back and his forehead touches yours instead. “Are you okay? I’m sorry if-“ he cuts off, and you see his lips curl up into a smile. “We said no lies.” He admonishes himself, “I’m not sorry. I’ve been wanting to kiss you since the first time I saw you.” He tilts a little straighter so that the tips of your noses touch too. “Honestly, I’ve wanted to kiss you more and more each day.” He gestures vaguely toward the wine, “I brought up the wine to give me the courage to ask you if I could kiss you tonight, but you beat me to it.”
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Dec 27, 2021 17:21:02 GMT -5
"I'm fine." she says softly almost breathlessly though she isn't having a heard time breathing more an automatic response to the kiss. she seems to visibly relax when his nose brushes against hers as it finally sinks in that he wasn't angry with her for the kiss. "it was my first kiss..." her words slipped past her lips quickly and quietly, surprising herself with her own admission the ball of water that was still in her hands pops splashing across their laps. oh no!.. I'm so sorry, I didn't. I don't oh no..." her words are jumbled as she frantically looks around for something to dry you off with, having seemingly forgotten her own ability with water at the moment. her expression frantic as she seems to remember her ability and quickly pulls the water from his clothing before getting up and carefully carrying this ball of water away before dispersing it outside the open window, letting it disappear into the soft breeze. To embarrassed to turn around and face yoseph after ruining the moment and soaking him with water.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 27, 2021 18:25:08 GMT -5
Yoseph smiles, looking down in embarrassment, “Mine too.” He whispers back. When the water hits he glances down, and starts to laugh. As Myst looks around in a panic Yoseph stops laughing. He draws her face back to his and kisses the tip of her nose. “Use your magic.” He whispers.
As the water pulls itself free, he smiles again offering his hand toward Myst while she stands at the window. “Please, come back.” As Myst turns she would see his hand. Once she takes it he pulls her toward him, pulling to one side to make her spin in place. He draws her down to sit on his lap and wraps his arms around her. “You amaze me every time you do that you know. Ever since I saw you move water the first time, I’ve copied your motions when I’m alone. Still haven’t moved a drop.” He laughs, drawing your head down to his shoulder. Your nose just touches his neck, and he giggles, “That tickles.”
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Dec 27, 2021 19:14:30 GMT -5
She relaxes into him, glancing down at her hands in her lap. "I'm not even sure how to explain how i do it." she said with a shrug as she tucks her head against his neck, her soft breath tickling his neck as she sat there with him. thinking back to what just happened had her blushing a deep purple again as she slowly peaked up at him. " i never expected to find someone like you in my life.... " she whispered almost absent mindedly as she became lost in her own thoughts she slipped her arms around his waist hugging him and snuggling a bit into him. The sound of his heart beat echoing in her ear as she sat there.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 28, 2021 5:45:44 GMT -5
The two of you melt together, any sense of tension dissolves in this intimate moment. Whatever awkwardness there was between you vanished with the tension. In this peaceful moment there is no strife back home, no guilds, no monsters preying on children. There is only the two of you. The sound of his heart beating in your ear. You can feel his pulse flowing through his neck against the tip of your nose. His gentle breathing stirring your hair. This moment stretches on, peaceful and serene.
The two of you sit in comfortable silence for a time, just enjoying the feel of one another. Eventually Yoseph breaks the silence and the two of you chat about what feels like everything. Your history, his, your likes and dislikes. He asks a lot of questions about Neptas, and shares what he knows of Clifton, and the Empire. The wine bottle runs dry, and the streets grow quiet so that you can finally hear the waves lapping against the docks. It grows very late, or perhaps very early depending on perspective and yet neither of you seem to want this shared moment to stop.
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Dec 28, 2021 16:28:44 GMT -5
Doing her best to hide her yawn behind her hand as she struggles to stay awake, not wanting the night to end or to leave his embrace, but sleep called and her eyes were struggling to remain open. Shifting her position slightly so as to sit up a bit hoping it would keep her awake longer she tried to think of other questions to ask him as she wanted to know everything about him, but her mind was clouded with sleep and soon enough she was yawning again. "this has been the most wonderful of nights." she said her voice soft like the sea on a calm night.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 29, 2021 8:43:21 GMT -5
As you sit up, Yoseph stirs. “I was having the most wonderful dream.” He gives you a little squeeze, “I was so relaxed it seems that I fell asleep. Sorry about that.” He seems a little embarrassed, but he is either too tired or to comfortable to blush this time. “Perhaps it’s time we get to bed. If I can be so bold as to request your company again tomorrow?”
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Dec 29, 2021 8:55:09 GMT -5
"its probably best, and of course, I will try my best to be back in time for the dinner service." she said as she looks up at him and smiles a tired smile. reluctant to get up from his lap as she looked up at him and smiled, leaning in and giving him one more kiss, not wanting the night to end but knowing that they both needed sleep, at least she would sleep with a smile on her face tonight. Slipping from his lap she went to gather the dishes to take them down to the kitchen.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 29, 2021 11:09:04 GMT -5
When you sneak in that last kiss, Yoseph wraps his arms around you and prevents you from pulling away. This kiss leaves you both a little breathless. “I figured if it was going to be the last kiss of the night, I’d make it a good one.” He finally pulls himself to his feet and starts to follow you out of the room. When you go to grab the dishes, Yoseph says, “Just leave them. I’ll grab them when I bring up grandpa’s breakfast.”
You both go downstairs to the second floor where the rooms are. You both stop outside your respective rooms with hands on the unturned door knobs, and turn to face each other. As your eyes meet Yoseph smiles. He looks like he wants to say something, but the moment stretches and you don’t think he’s going to after all.
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Dec 29, 2021 12:18:51 GMT -5
after standing there unsure if she should say something or not she turns and starts to open the door. Glancing back at him one last time. "good night my dear yoseph." her voice soft and yet heavy with sleep. her eyes sparkle like moonlight on the water, happiness and something else shining in them as she turns and walks into her room closing the door behind her. She leans her back against the door, a large grin on her face as she tries to slow her racing heart. After a few moments she finally makes her way to her bed kicking off her shoes as she goes. collapsing onto the soft bed she cant help the contented sigh that leaves her lips as pulls the covers over herself and quickly drifts off to sleep.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 30, 2021 10:42:25 GMT -5
As you open your door, he opens his at the same time. When you pause to speak, he pauses too. “Sleep well Myst.” He says quietly. Did he just wink? Or was it a trick of the light? Either way he vanishes quickly into his room, shutting the door behind him softly. His door creaks immediately after, and you know that he’s leaning on the door from the inside. You can see him in your mind, standing there leaning on the door with the same smile that your own lips wear right now.
You crawl into bed, and are out cold within seconds of your head hitting the pillow. You were so distracted by your own thoughts that you didn’t even notice the young woman wrapped in blankets curled up on the floor on the far side of your bed.
You awake to the sounds of panicked screaming, and the sounds of thick wood snapping. Anguished cries of wounded people fill the air. The sky outside is dark and foreboding, punctuated by bright flashes of lightning. Wind rattled the windows, and rain drums in the roof. You’ve experienced storms before, but usually insulated far below the surface. This is terrifying. Moving to the window, you see the harbour below. All the ships that are normally in neat rows are scattered into the lower streets of the district. The docks themselves are gone completely. Massive waves crash into the second set of streets and you can’t find the buildings that are normally on the first level closest to the water.
This shouldn’t be possible, the cliff walls should provide a huge amount of protection from a tsunami, or any storm driven waves. That’s when the water boils in the harbour, and a massive creature forms up. At first it’s just a rounded mass like a mountain, and then huge tentacles spread out from the mass. The first tentacle smashes into the city leaving destruction in it’s wake. Lightning flashes overhead and you recognize this beast. The Kracken, a weapon of last resort controlled by the people of Neptas.
Searing pain draws your attention away from the horrors outside. Looking down at your leg, you can see the glow of the stone you carry there. It vibrates with power, screaming at you to take action.
You sit bolt upright in your bed at the Pike, drenched in cold sweat. Your movement wakes Annabelle, and she sits up rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “Ah, good morning?” She asks groggily. Once she looks at you she adds, “What’s wrong?” Her tone now worried, and wide awake.
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Dec 30, 2021 17:02:04 GMT -5
"nothing... wait what are you doing here annabelle? when did you get in here?" she asked as she rubbed sleep from her eyes and glanced around confused. "oh no i hope im not late." she says as she scrambles out of bed. The dream playing vividly in her head as she tries to sort threw it and get dressed at the same time worried that she had missed madame aceso and would get in trouble for over sleeping. As she finishes dressing she reaches for the rock in her pocket not sure what to expect after that vivid dream but fear still lingered in her eyes.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 31, 2021 7:05:49 GMT -5
Annabelle rolls her eyes, and huffs out a little sigh, “You woke sitting bolt upright coated in a cold sweat, but yeah I’m just a kid I’m sure nothing is wrong.” She twists the word nothing, filling it with sarcasm. She then gets up and refolds the blanket she was sleeping in. “I came in here late last night, but I meant to stay in Iko’s room.” She heads for the door, “Sorry I guess, but don’t worry I didn’t take anything.”
When you start madly dashing around to get ready, Annabelle slips from the room. You finish cleaning up in record time and head outside. You take a deep calming breath before heading out the front door. It’s just a little before when you should be here to meet Madame Aceso.
Stopping to check your stone you find that it’s still pulling you toward the city proper. You know from when you checked the river that it points farther in that direction once you get to the river. It seems to want you to go out the Swamp Gate into the swamps beyond.
You wait around an hour past when Madame Aceso was supposed to collect you, but she doesn’t show up. From everything you know about the woman, tardiness is not one of her flaws.
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Dec 31, 2021 17:28:53 GMT -5
"maybe i should go check on her." she says as she looks around, Heading back in and towards yoseph's room wanting to let him know she was leaving for the day so that he didnt worry when she didn't come down for breakfast. Tucking her hair behind her ears as she paused outside his door raising her hand to knock but also worried that she would be waking him up way to early, she steps back and turns to head to her room to write him a note rather than waking him up at such an early hour.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 31, 2021 17:46:03 GMT -5
You write your note, and go to leave it in the kitchen where he is sure to find it. That’s when you find Yoseph already hard at work baking fresh bread for the breakfast service. “Good morning Myst, I hope you slept well. I know I did, not long, but well.” When you tell him that you’re headed out, he nods, “No worries. I’ll see you tonight. I’m going to bake a pie, do you have any requests?”
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Dec 31, 2021 18:12:52 GMT -5
she merely shrugs when he asks how she slept as it was fine till the dream well more like nightmare happened. "umm hmm, mother always made a rather tasty kelp pie." she said and shrugged. "but i dont think anyone else here would like it. im sure what ever kind of pie you make will be delicious." she said and walked over to him. leaning in to kiss his cheek lightly as she blushes, not sure if she had done that or not but it was to late to go back on her actions.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Jan 1, 2022 18:28:20 GMT -5
You lean in to peck him on the cheek and he turns at the last moment so his lips meet yours instead. As you pull apart a moment later he smiles, “I can’t seem to get enough of doing that.” When you mention kelp pie he moves over to a drawer and pulls out a thick book with home made twine bindings. He flips through the book for a few seconds, and shrugs. “No kelp pie, but there is a spinach pie. I’ll see what I can come up with for you.” He puts the book back in the drawer and moves to the side of the hearth, “Breakfast?” Using a ladle he pulls out a scoop of thick porridge filled with small red berries.
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Jan 1, 2022 18:58:15 GMT -5
Her cheeks turn a dark purple with blush when his lips touch hers as she looks up at him and smiles. " me either" her words are whispered under her breath as she watches him look threw the book." its fine I didn't think it was something made up here." she said with a gesture indicating on land versus in the ocean. Glancing curiously at the food before looking towards the window. " I would but I really must check on Madame Aceso she said she would be here before dawn and she never showed." she said as she adjusted her bag on her shoulders and stepped back. "I'll be back later yoseph." she said with a smile as she disappeared out the door and threw the main room. the water in the large fish tank seemed to react to her movement as she walked past it and out the door.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Jan 2, 2022 10:20:26 GMT -5
Yoseph grabs your belt and spins you about as you try to take your leave. He pops a spoon full of porridge into your mouth as you begin to protest, The texture is mushy, like a lot of the foods prepared under water. Then a wash of tartness spreads from the berries. "Breakfast is important." is all he says before he gives you a quick kiss, and darts away. He's pretty quick for an innkeeper.
You head out of the room, and out of the Well Groomed Pike. As soon as you're outside you can hear that same shouting voice from the day before calling out. It's a little more indistinct than yesterday, maybe he's found a spot a little further away today. Ignoring the caller since you have places to be, you head directly to The Garden. Approaching the building you see that same pair of men from the day before, and like yesterday they both stare at you as you approach the building.
Reaching the door you find it slightly ajar, odd that. Opening the door you find all the shelves of neatly organized items scattered and broken on the floor, the shelves themselves knocked over and bent at weird angles. Most of the plants in hanging baskets have been ripped out of the dirt and scattered around the room. The place looks absolutely trashed. Picking your way through the destruction you find Madame Aceso laying behind the counter. Her eyes are swollen shut, and there is dried blood caked around her mouth and nose. Her hair is matted with dried sweat. You rush to her and find her skin cold. She was badly beaten before she passed.
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Jan 2, 2022 11:07:23 GMT -5
Stepping back she covers her mouth and tries not to scream." no oh no!!" she glanced towards the door then back at Madame accesso's dead body. " I'm so sorry." she said wiping away her tears before stepping back out of the building and looking up and down the street hoping that a guardsman was patrolling. if not she would have to go to the gate and alert a guard there. Glancing towards the men she had seen the day before she eyed them suspiciously and then hurried towards the gates to alert a guard.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Jan 2, 2022 17:26:43 GMT -5
The men are still standing outside, and when you exit the building they once again stare at you. Looking a little closer, now suspicious of them. You realize that one of the men that is there now is not one of the men that was there yesterday. Those men are actively watching the local area, maybe even specifically the Garden. You do so a trio of guards passing the next intersection down and bolt toward them, calling out as you get closer. Once the guards have been informed of the situation, two of them accompany you back to the scene of the crime, while the third runs to report this situation to his superiors. You note that the two men that were staring at you are gone by the time you get back. The guards don't allow you back inside. Instead one asks you a lot of questions outside while the other secures the area to prevent random a passersby from entering the crime scene.
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Jan 2, 2022 17:50:54 GMT -5
She answers the questions the best she can as she stands there with them. Wishing she had grabbed the book before alerting the guards and also wishing yoseph was here. she kept sneaking glances around looking for the men who had been there earlier, as she had a feeling they had something to do with it. Even making sure to mention it to the guards and to describe what they were wearing as she tries to remain calm. While death was nothing new to her, violent death like this definitely was and she was starting to shake a bit as the adrenaline wore off and the reality of what had happened sank in.
|
|
|
Post by DM-Delfon on Jan 2, 2022 19:44:32 GMT -5
The process takes a long time as most bureaucratic processes do. A few minutes into you making your statement a squad of guardsmen arrive and cordon off the area. A few minutes after that another squad arrives and starts the process of gathering clues about the scene. This second squad wears the trappings of guardsmen, but you can tell they have a specialized role. Later still spellcasters arrive, and begin casting spells to aid in the investigation. After an hour or so you’re told to go back to the Pike. “It’s a traumatic experience, rest of you can.”
|
|
|
Post by lilmsdarknes on Jan 2, 2022 20:11:25 GMT -5
myst nods and holding her cloak tight around her almost as if she is cold as she makes her way back to the pike in a daze. Vaguely remembering getting there only when the bell above the door chimes. That's the first thing that draws her attention and she looks up realizing she is in fact back at the pike. Removing her cloak and hanging it up she runs her fingers threw her hair and looks around, unsure if she should bother yoseph while he is busy or if she should just go up to their little hide away and wait till he is done.
|
|