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Post by libellule on Jul 22, 2010 3:40:10 GMT -6
The shackles chimed against him as he moved, crawled. He collapsed under his own knees and his cheek hit the cold floor. He was unconscious and lost in his memories and his madness…
“Stay away from him, Morningstar.” It was as wicked as he could muster.
…She descended into the cold spiraling staircase; a small flickering Flame on a small candle was her only guiding Light. They whispered wicked things, tell her how they would rip her, limb from limb, but she was not afraid. She had nothing to lose. And lower she went and the darker it got.
Why were the shadows not caressing her as they usually did? How could Zanen not be near? It was so dark here…
‘You have to choose…’ She turned to find a man unconscious on the floor she fell beside him. The candle fell with a sharp clang and the light went out as his steel grey eyes opened.
“Danalli…”
“YOU?!”
She shot up, blankets and sheets flying everywhere, in a flailing, blurred haze, as she stood poised on the mattress ready to str- wait mattress!? “A dream..” She sighed with a shudder as she stumbled, loosing her focus. She fell to a sit as the room swam. “Well… talk about an out of body experience.”
Her tension became more and more recessed as she looked around and rubbed her face as she ran a hand through her hair, a twinkle of charms bouncing off one another. She looked down and brushed her hands against the soft blankets she knew so well. She was back in her room, their room…
“My my… I must have fainted.” She instantly remembered everything that had happened. And she brought a shaky hand to her cheek, bandaged, of course. She smiled in the thought of him. Danalli had no recollection of what had transpired between her and her locked mind. And then she remembered Ciel…and…
“Asina!” She whipped the blankets off of her and jumped to the floor. Well… attempted. “What.. I…” She stumbled to the wall closest to her as she swaggered almost drunkenly. Her head… why did it hurt? She slid to the ground against the wall.
“What the hell,” she swore so completely confused and Danalli never swore.
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Post by Willow on Jul 22, 2010 4:08:41 GMT -6
Zanen had not been far while Danalli recovered. The trip had been uneventful back up the palace, and it had been swift as well, especially since Necromancer had joined him with a tug and a though and a beckon through the shadows. After that, it had been a quick gallop, then they were at the palace and up the hidden staircase that Zanen favored that would take them straight to the guarded wing that protected the one that housed he and Danalli. He’d bandaged her up and tucked her into their bed. Then, needing the space to pace off his worries and his frenzied thoughts, he’d left her in the main bedroom and had escaped into the parlor.
Not ten minutes later he heard her wakefulness and made his way quickly to the door. He paused with his hand on the handle and twisted, pushing the door open.
“Danalli,” he said with a sigh as he crossed to her quickly and scooped her easily into his arms, carrying her back over to the bed and setting her down. “You alright? You had some kind of a breakdown once we were out of the tavern.” His face was still hidden behind the swaths of fabric he always wore to hide his face from the rest of the world. He was so used to wearing them that he often forgot to pull them down even when he was alone with Danalli or Asina, the two people who had seen his true face.
“And now…” Even though his face was primarily hidden, his frown was evident. “You were only grazed,” he lifted a hand and touched her cheek gently, “what is wrong?”
Goddess above, he was worried. All that while she had collapsed. Why had she fainted. He had supposed it might be shock. But then there was that strange surge of power, and her mutterings about Ghatreg. And now? This evident weakness of her body.
Zanen was not used to being this worried about someone. He didn’t really like it. Asina had always been able to take care of herself and she snarled at him if he ever worried, enough that he usually just pushed it aside and let her deal with whatever ailment she had by herself. Of course, Asina was hardly ever in a state of weakness. Only when she performed huge magical workings. Like the one she did last night. Whatever it was.
He was worried about her, too.
Fuck. Why had he been able to touch her like that? He shouldn’t have been able to attack her, shouldn’t have been able to turn any kind of violence toward her with the intention to actually harm her, to kill her. They’d always been able to train, to spar, to scuffle. He’d drawn blood on her before but… He never should have been able to reach out and try to kill her in an episode of demonic rage. The Seal should have calmed him or paralyzed him before that happened.
But it hadn’t.
Then Danalli had gotten hurt, and she’d collapsed and….
Zanen shook his head and found that he was damn near pacing again. “Asina and Ciel should be back soon.” He was sure. Ciel wouldn’t have let anything happen to Asina. He was a competent man and an even better demon, his skills were the top of his class. Of course, Asina seemed to have an allergy to being protected.
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Post by libellule on Jul 22, 2010 4:10:30 GMT -6
The satisfaction in his eyes was hard to miss as the crowd dispersed, the innocent scared ones first. He could smell the bloodlust on every demon in the crowd and he chuckled. He could smell their own fear as they watch the smallest unveiling of his true power. And let he be one to be feared. Why yes. He was quite content with this kingdom and the demons, like him, that resided in it.
“An offer I do accept,” he chuckled maliciously, his tone settling back into a normal single-toned voice. Then he looked at her with a glint of amusement in his eyes. “Whenever I can be of use, Priestess.” They were among the public eye now and his walls were more than up and more than guarded.
The delicious smirk that touch her made his non-to-distant desires come crawling back that were so abruptly interrupted. His hand opened as it moved half an inch to her before he clenched it into a fist. That bout of rage had made his lust skyrocket and he craved, more than anything, to stake his claim in front of every demon that had their eye of their attractive queen in an act of physical displays. Oh he wanted it to be known throughout this entire kingdom that she was more than claimed. She was his and he was more than capable of killing anyone who dared to challenge his territory.
‘Ugh… Zanen.’ He shot her a dark look with narrowed eyes that was easy to read. “Do I have to remind you that I almost began an unending battle with him because you shoved him a little to hard?” Maybe she was too caught up in shock to hear his murderous roar. He walked her to the palace gates. He would not allow her a window of time in that marketplace without him. Not like this. They stopped at the gates.
“I’ll find some sort of trouble to get into.” His mouth was by her ear quickly and as he drew in a breath and breathed his hot air across her skin he spoke. “I’m sure I’ll find you later. Until then… Priestess… my priestess.”
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Post by Willow on Jul 22, 2010 4:36:43 GMT -6
They headed back up the path together that would lead to the gates of the palace and she enjoyed for that brief time the nearness of him and how they were almost touching. With a stretch of the imagination, she could have reached out and touched him, could have ran her hand over his skin, dug her fingernails into his shoulder, molded her body against his. Moments ago, she could have reached out to him and pulled him in, could have shown everyone watching that no one else but her was remotely worthy enough to look at him and only she was allowed to touch. Oh yes. Because he was hers.
“Mm, yes. To be fair, he was going to pop anyway. Your presence was just driving him off the wall.” She shook her head. “I must say, no one quite infuriates him like you do. You must be so proud.” Then they came to the gates and she stopped, turning to him.
His breath so hot against her skin made a sound that was something between a growl and a purr rumble in her throat and she grinned, nodding her head lightly. “Oh, I’m sure you will,” she crooned to him. Oh, how she wanted to twist her head and taste his flesh. It was just so close.
But no, that would be later.
For now, though, there was something she needed to say.
“Ciel,” she said, her voice serious for a moment as she pulled back and looked up at him, “do me a favor and stay close, alright? Zanen and I are going to get into a very serious discussion that could possibly turn into a fight because of everything that’s happened today. It might push him over the edge. Your direct presence would definitely not be good but I’d be a real idiot if I thought I stood a chance as I am against Zanen if he went berserk.” She paused a beat. “As you saw earlier, he’s actually able to harm me now. He has his Seal back, it’s no longer on me.” Yeah, there was really no easy way to say that and no fun way to follow it up, so she just place a hand briefly on his chest before turning and heading through the gates so that she could faze Zanen.
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Post by libellule on Jul 22, 2010 4:36:51 GMT -6
A frown flitted about her features as she listened to his eyes that spoke so much more worry than his mouth as he picked her up and brought her back to the bed. He was so precious to her. “Oh Shadow,” she cooed so lovingly, pulling him to stand before her as she sat and relaxed, as he would have preferred. She tugged the knots he tied so well and released his gorgeous face. She stood, leaning against him, to reach the swaths about his hair and pulled the tie that held it back. She tugged the snarls out of his hair before sitting again. She placed both palms on his cheeks and stared so passionately into his eyes. “There you are,” her voice was so smooth and easing when she wanted to soothe his mind.
“I’m going to guess something happened after that dagger grazed me,” she spoke logically, deep in thought, “And /it/ happened. I remember my hands shaking and feeling so completely helpless. I remember feeling so weak.” She bit her lip as she looked away from him. She took a shaky breath, standing. She would not let her weakness stop her now. She walked slowly to the middle of the room. “I remember loosing control of being solid and I starting changing. I started… moving so fast my entire form blurred… and I just sat there and then… there was this spark.” She put a hand to her head. She looked at him. “And I remember your face. That’s all… Gods, Zanen… You’re so pale. You’re almost shaking.” She rushed over to him to take his hands in hers. “I’ve decided it’s a defense mechanism and it only shows up when I’m in peril like today or when I’m overly angered much like that night when you caught me and sparked my heart.” She was certain he remembered the power that seemed to come from nowhere that one night. How she seemed to shoot self igniting arrows one after another better than any soldier this army has ever seen. And how they all seamless sliced the one before it. How funny he’d been the one that caused it. How ironic.
Her eyes felt all misty as she looked as him, but he was away. “Zanen! Come back to me. Nothing is wrong. I’m fine. Just tired. I promise.” Her eyes were more than concerned and more than worried as she looked up to him.
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Post by Willow on Jul 22, 2010 5:00:11 GMT -6
Her hands were a balm to some of his nerves and he calmed some under her touch, as she removed the cloth that hid his face and took down the tie that held back his hair. She touched him, stroked at his worries, and he felt herself being soothed. He breathed out a sigh and took her hands in his, kissing them gently before he shook his head. He flashed her a small smile. “Yes, I remember that night. I remember it very well. I remember wondering at that power, you intrigued me so much. But the rest of that night was washed over and rolled into a brief memory when our hearts touched.” His voice was soft but it was even and cool with no tremor. He was worried, yes, very worried. He was disturbed and even distressed, but he would be fine. It was nothing he couldn’t handle, naturally, but it was still something that he wasn’t used to dealing with. This worry, both over Danalli and Asina. He wasn’t used to it and he sure as hell did not like it.
“I’m fine, darling, really. You just worried me a little is all. Between you and Asina…” he shook his head again and rose his hands, stroking them both over her hair. “I’m the Oracle, and I feel as if I missed something very, very big here. Both with you and with Asina. Something I really should have seen coming.” He shook his head again and sighed.
Zanen did not like this. He didn’t like watching the world go by him in real time when it was events like this, things that were big and concerned the few people that he truly cared about. Danalli… there was something about her that he really needed to figure out. For the sake of all of them, he needed to figure it out. And Asina. She’d done something or she knew something that she hadn’t told him and it had to do with why he’d been able to attack her earlier. It was unlike her to do something like that, to hide something from him, but whatever it was, she knew the reason he’d been able to attack her. She knew why his hand had been able to close so freely around her slender, breakable neck.
“Maybe you should lay down and rest a bit then,” he murmured softly and pressed his lips to her forehead, leading her back to the bed so that she could lay down.
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Post by libellule on Jul 22, 2010 5:39:40 GMT -6
Was he breathing? Because he felt just as dumbstruck. What did she just say? Because he was more than certain she said she lifted Zanen’s own seal off of her and gave it back. You can’t just do that. You can’t just give a gift back. That was like a slap in the face. ‘…if he went beserk.’ He snarled again. He had better not touch her. He had better not even think about it. After this afternoon Ciel almost felt the need to follow her, to protect her. She was walking into a warzone. He only nodded. He didn’t know what else to say… ‘Yeah… thanks bitch… Now I’m going to have to kill him.’ That was a nice conversation ender. He swore she never thought her plans /all/ the way through sometimes.
“Zanen would not willingly lay a hand on her,” he mused darkly. He was sitting on the edge of the castle wall, enjoying the sunset. He lit a cigar and leaned back as he inhaled the clove and cinnamon that spiced across his lips. What had ever happened to Zanen and Danalli? They never met up with them. He shook his head, taking a drag. Apparently that horsegirl had won his favor. He wasn’t always /nice/ enough to take seven daggers in his arm for just anyone. He still didn’t see why she was so special. He assumed the only reason why he was content with her company was because of how honest she was. She hadn’t tried to hide her fear and she hadn’t tried to build up her bravery. Danalli was a true soul and Ciel could respect that. He took another puff as he leaned his head against the stone, listening for bone shattering punches and angry yelling.
-
“I’m so sorry Zanen… Please don’t worry. I… I never meant to get in your way.” She was so self-conscious that she was so close to being a burden. She didn’t want to cloud his vision. She didn’t want to cause him any conflict. She closed her eyes to his soft touch. She had craved it all day. Just like this. This loving caress of his. It made her feel so loved.
She placed her hand on his heart and smiled softly. “Just because you’re the Oracle doesn’t mean you see everything, Zanen. It might mean you see everything that wants to be seen. Sometimes…” she looked up to him with a sad smile, “Sometimes there are things that don’t want to be seen. Things that are very good at hiding.”
She stood slowly and placed her arms around his neck. “You’re absolutely amazing,” she softly kissed his lips, and smiled serenely, “Every day. You do your utmost best. I know it, Asina knows it.” She kissed him once more. “You should remember it.”
She tucked her head under his chin before letting go and sitting back down as he pulled the covers back over her. “I’ll see you in a little while,” she answered to his soft kiss.
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Danalli opened her eyes surprised to find that it was still light out and her Zanen was gone. He must have been roaming as usual. She must have napped for an hour, but she was wide-awake now. She sat up and found her strength had returned to her. No… Sleep wouldn’t find her for a few hours. Maybe she’s run those horses a little. She donned her boots, trousers, and an already stained shirt. She stole past the kitchen and ‘stole’ a few apples from her favorite chef. He had such a friendly smile.
Once in the stables she gathered her colts and turned them out to the field. They were so full of energy she could feel it buzz off her skin. “Get it out of your system then. We’ve got work to do.” They went off, bucking and biting, rearing and neighing. She almost wanted to run with them. They were still a little too young for that. She had to get them used to commands and so she went on teaching them simplistic tasks she’d have to reinforce again and again. But she had apples… so many apples. Which made it easy.
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Ciel observed her from above. Well he was here and she was perfectly in his line of vision. He supposed he could keep an eye on her. ‘Anyone else? I mean I’m practically a babysitter,’ he mentally growled.
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Post by Willow on Jul 22, 2010 6:16:17 GMT -6
There was a light knock on the door and Zanen looked up. He turned back to Danalli with a small smile and pressed a light kiss to her forehead before rising. “That’s Asina. We’ll both come in to see how you’re doing when we’re done talking.” Then he turned and walked to the door. He opened them, then shut them noiselessly behind them as he followed Asina through the parlor and into his personal library. It was a very large room filled with books collected from all over the realms. Very spacious, and the traditional room for their private but serious discussions. “You have some explaining to do, Asina.” Violet gaze was sharp and his shoulders were tense, his posture agitated, like he was already ready for a fight.
That did not bode well, but Asina forced herself to ignore it.
“Promise me that you will fight to remain calm and hold onto your wits while I speak, first,” she said coolly, studying him carefully. Her own posture was defensive, prepared. If he was ready for a fight, so was she, and he could sense that. He could sense that a part of her was ready for him to attack her again. Zanen didn’t like that. He deeply enjoyed that a lot of people, that essentially everyone but a very select few people were terrified of him. He did not appreciate that the woman who he loved as a little sister was looking at him as if he were a threat.
Especially because he had a feeling that he was one. His nerves were already frayed and when you push a demon so close to the killing edge in one day he is likely to remain dangerously close to it for a while. It would have been worse if she hadn’t come to him right when she returned to the palace, though. Then he would have hunted for her already in a rage and they both knew that that would have ended badly for certain.
His lips curled back in a snarl, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. “I always hold onto my wits when you do not steal them from me, Priestess.”
Yes, he was pissed. He only reverted to her title while speaking to her when he was really pissed.
“There’s something big coming Zanen,” she began.
“And you think I don’t know that!?” he hissed, already warming to that anger. It felt so good, just too wonderfully good. “Big things are coming, big, terrible things. Lilani or something else, I don’t know, but we are nearing a point where things are going to change in a very big way.” His voice was low and dangerous. “You would do well to remember who is the Oracle here.”
“And you would do well to remember that you are not the only one who has visions, Zanen,” she hissed back, her voice rising with her temper. “Because of my vision with Danalli I—“
“You had a vision concerning Danalli and you didn’t tell me!?” he roared, arms flinging out in a violent gesture.
“You would have gone berserk, Zanen! Even now I cannot tell you the contents of that vision.”
“WHAT!?”
A growl bubbled in her throat and she stood at her full height and glowered up at him. “You know how visions work, Zanen. You of all people know how visions work. Which is why I didn’t tell you right away. Instead I acted. I was going to tell you at breakfast when you were calm, depending on your mood, or I was just going to wait until my strength returned but because of the unfortunate events of today I have no choice but to tell you now.”
Zanen stalked forward, towering over her as he bumped against her, so close that she had to tilt her head back to look at him. “Tell me now, Asina. What did you do.” His voice had gone cold and lethal. Dangerous. Murderous. There was no shock right now, there was just that demonic rage simmering so terribly close to the surface.
“The Seal,” she said very calmly, “the Kekenc Seal. Last night I gave yours back. Only I have the ability to do it, to revoke the Seal, and only with the possessor’s permission. Since that meant me, I just did it. Unlike Danalli, I can defend myself. Give it to her. Protect her with your power, from your power.” There just wasn’t an easy way to say that, was there?
His eyes were blood red.
“You can’t defend yourself now,” he growled and somehow he had gotten her cornered against the wall.
“No, Zanen,” she said softly, battling with her own demonic nature so that she didn’t push him over that razor-thin edge, “I can’t. I’m drained from the effort of giving you back your Seal. So you can give it to Danalli. Danalli, Zanen, think of her.” Dark eyes locked with crimson a she waited, as she watched, as she breathed slowly and made sure that he was hearing her. “You will thank me for this later, Zanen, but right now you need to look past you rage.”
He was growling at her and at the moment he was fantasizing about how lovely her blood would look painted across the walls and the floor, garnishing the books of his library.
“Zanen!” she growled. Her voice was loud and commanding and made him snarl at her, slamming his hand against the wall next to her head. “Back. Off.” Asina was a demon with rages, and she knew how to back one down from one. Usually, it meant showing the other demon that you were bigger, badder, smarter, and just more /right/ that it was. Of course, currently, she was only smarter and more right. He was most definitely bigger and badder.
One large hand had curled around her throat again, causing deep bruises and cutting off her air. But she kept herself still, didn’t give him the thrill of a struggle to send him over the edge. One hand raised and she carved a long, deep gash in his cheek. It caught his attention but did little else. He looked at her a few moments, watched her, thought about her, about what she’d said.
And he was Zanen again. Slowly but surely, he pulled himself out of it until his grip loosened on her throat and she coughed, sucking in a deep breath as he stepped back. “You revoked my Seal?” He looked stricken.
“Zanen,” she said hoarsely, “would you rather nearly strangle me, or nearly strangle Danalli?”
“You can defend yourself,” was his immediate answer, accompanied with a snarl, followed by a miffed, “usually.”
Asina nodded. “Correct. Trust me when I say that Danalli needs your Seal more than I do. I would never have given it up unless it was absolutely necessary. Besides, you can’t tell me you haven’t thought about it.”
He looked away for a moment and that told her she was right with that wild guess.
“Go on,” she said then. “Work off your steam. I’ll see you tomorrow, and I’m hoping by then your Seal will have found someone it has more use being attached to.” And with that she left the library.
Zanen stood there for a few minutes by himself, then actually sat down. He sat there for a very long time. How long, he wasn’t sure, but when he finally stood up to go to Danalli, she wasn’t there. He let out a long sigh and stared at the bed for a few minutes before grabbing the wraps for his face and donning them. The tip of the long gouge in his cheek was just visible, but he hardly noticed, instead he made his way down to the stables, where he knew that Danalli would be. He saw her, and watcher her for a few long moments. “Thank you, Asina,” he murmured softly before shaking his head and going to her. He wondered how Danalli would take this new development.
“You’re looking a lot better,” he called from the edge of the corral.
---
Meanwhile, Asina was in her own room. She paused in front of her vanity, touched the dark bruising around her neck before rolling her eyes and turning away. Her strength was already coming back, and it was coming back quickly now. If only the damn confrontation could have been postponed until tonight. She was never powerless for long. Just usually until the next day. Depending on what she’d done it could be anywhere from early afternoon until the evening, and revoking the Seal was more in the ‘early to mid afternoon’ range of power depletion.
Regardless, that vacation Ciel was alluding to was sounding very good right now. After swallowing her anger in front of Zanen, she had a lot of energy she wanted to work off.
Maybe she could kill something.
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Post by libellule on Jul 22, 2010 6:49:41 GMT -6
A growl rose through his body as he felt their confrontation. Being a Zephyr made him very very sensitive to power and because Zanen and his were so much in tune with each others Ciel could pick it up almost from anywhere. And right now that power was getting much to close to his Priestess’ very small minute aura. But he hadn’t felt that surge he was so unimaginably worried about. The entrance in beserker mode. Ciel had a plan as he’d gazed down at Danalli. He might not be able to stop Zanen fully as much as he hated to admit it to himself Zanen had a few centuries on him. Throwing Danalli in the middle and in front of him might give Zanen enough distraction for Ciel to knock him out. Ciel was so deep in his thought process of trying to calm Zanen he almost fell off his perch when he watched the demon strut out towards the field. Ciel was almost overjoyed. ‘Finally,’ he mentally threw at the other demon. ‘Here I thought I was going to watch her mortal tail all night…’ He found himself keeping a good eye on that pony of Zanen’s this whole time. He even sneered when a stable boy got to close. He chuckled to himself when he realized he could’ve worded that just a little better, but no matter. He’d already said it and already closed his link. He stood up on his ledge and hopped on the roof, doing just a little be of exploring.
Except he wasn’t really exploring when he knew where he was going… ‘Mm… Priestess,’ he purred to her, standing outside her closed window. Obviously he couldn’t see the state she was in.
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Post by libellule on Jul 22, 2010 6:59:22 GMT -6
“Ah ah ah,” she cooed to her young chestnut steed as he tried to get another pile of oats from her pockets. The long whip in her other hand kept him far unless he came up from behind, in which she’d snap the chain across his snout with the leash she had in her other hand. They usually stopped or reared, either way she was fast enough to dodge them. “You run the circles I tell you and we’ll see if I give you any hay.” He snorted in outrage and she chuckled. “I can do this all night, doll.” He obediently started to walk in a circle as she gave him more of the leash. He was a good 7 yards away from her She nickered at him and he fell into a perfect trot and just because she loved to be all flashy when she felt his eyes… Danalli whirled her whip around her before she snapped it effieciently and the loud piercing crack made the steed toss his head angrily as he tore in a gallop. But she… she was in perfect control as he ran circles around her, just as she’d asked.
She heard him behind her and smiled as she followed the steed around a few more times. She couldn’t break her concentration, the steed would’ve broken his right after hers. “Hush, whoa,” she coaxed to the powerful creature as it returned to a bright walk, aimed straight for his prize, “Yes yes you precious thing.” She gave him a handful of oats. The horse nuzzled her shoulder as she pulled the halter and leash off of his gorgeous face. She rubbed it and put her forehead to his. “I suppose I’ll feed you tonight.” She patted his neck and walked towards Zanen as he ran off to meet up with others.
“I am much better,” she smiled brightly, climbing up the fence. She threw a leg over at the top, straddled it, and sat quite comfortably. It was so obvious she loved it out here. It was either the change in her demeanor or the mud that was all over her face, her clothes, and her hair. She had found herself in a very peaceful state. “I had such a wonderful nap. It only took a little while. I can only hope you are in a good mood as well.”
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Post by Willow on Jul 22, 2010 19:13:58 GMT -6
Ugh, she hated when the ethereal powers of self-healing she loved so much were on stand-by. Her nose wrinkled in a sneer as she realized that moving her head caused a stiff kind of pain and soreness that didn’t agree with her. The kind that stemmed from battle or amazingly vicious sex she was perfectly fine with, and in fact loved to relish in. The kind caused from not being able to fend off her right hand demon that was basically her brother? No, she was not alright with that kind of stiff soreness. The ugly bruises it left her to deal with would remind her for a while how weak she actually was after a large working of magic. If she’d been in her power, the bruises would have faded before they’d even become. If she’d been in her power, she would have gladly snarled and snapped back at him when he’d curled his long and powerful fingers around her throat and would have turned it into a brawl.If she’d been in her power, she probably could have buffered his aura with her own, could have slammed him back and weaseled her way into his mind and made him get a hold of himself. It was her right as his Priestess. It was her power as the queen of her people that she could wrangle their tempers, even Zanen’s, though he would definitely be at the master level of difficulty.
As would one other demon.
’Mm… Priestess…’
A smirk curved over her lips and she turned, ruffling one hand through her short crop of hair as she reached the window and unlatched it, opening it wide for him to enter. “Looks like you found me,” she said with a raised brow as she tilted her head. "Zanen's gone to Danalli?"
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Post by Willow on Jul 22, 2010 19:48:19 GMT -6
The other Zephyr’s mental shot made him growl, but before he could do anything about it the link was closed. Zanen shook his head. “That demon grates at my every last standing nerve,” he grumbled as he shot a glance in the direction he could sense the mental touch had come from. There was very little doubt in his mind where the venomous eel that was his kindred was heading off to, but at the moment he didn’t have the capacity to care. Right now he just needed to be near Danalli, needed to let her presence soothe him, needed to talk to her at least a little about what had transpired between he and Asina. Just enough so that she understood when he placed his Seal upon her.
He was right, thinking that Danalli would calm him. Being around her, just seeing her send off the spirited young chestnut with that brightness in her eyes soothed the last strands of his temper. When she finally approached him, sitting up on the railing of the corral, he sighed and reached out, pulling her down and straight into his arms, one gloved hand stroking her hair as he pressed her close to his body. He just needed her close, needed to breathe her in.
Contact was important to a demon. They were predatory, territorial creatures and much like the ancient dragons that they could trace their ancestry to they could often only be soothed by the contact of that which they covet. For Zanen that was Danalli.
So he breathed her in and sighed before giving a slow nod. “I’m glad that you’re feeling better. As for my mood, that depends.” He pulled away from her and leaned back against the posts casually, his body no less lethal for its relaxed state. “Asina and I got into it a little.” The long scratch on his cheek she’d inflicted to get his attention stung, but it would heal by tonight thanks to his own power. “But in the end, she was right. She’s always damn right.” He shook his head at that before looking over at her. Yes, Asina had been right. Dammit. He doubted there were many demons who had this conflict, but he wished desperately that the Kekenc Seal could be used twice, that he could protect his two most cherished people from himself and the world. Since that was impossible, he would take this second chance Asina had given him and use it wisely because when it came down to it, she was right. Asina could protect herself for the most part, unless she was working or had just worked a large feat of power and magic, but Danalli was so much more vulnerable.
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Post by libellule on Jul 22, 2010 22:53:14 GMT -6
With his teeth bared, he glowered at her as she avoided the topic that stared him so boldly in the face. The purple all around her swanlike neck made it obvious. Even in the dark shadows of her room he could see it so clearly. The bright gold in his eyes darkened to rust as his anger buzzed quietly. ‘That stupid, arrogant demon.’ It was a wicked hiss. ‘How dare he lay hands on her?’ He stilled his shaking hand that had already turned into a fist and he licked his lips, already tasting what he desired so at this very moment.
“Don’t play that innocent ‘Zanen’s gone to Danalli’ bullshit with me Asina. You may be able to tell him to fuck off, but you’d better think twice when it comes to me.” His voice was so dangerously threatening.
He angrily turned from her. He knew it. He /knew/ he should have gone with her. He could’ve protected her from… that thing. Killing him would’ve felt so nice, so freeing. But no, he’d sat out and waited, allowing her into the lion pit. “Stupid,” he growled to himself.
He turned, his glared smoldering her. His voice was so calm and so snakelike. “You had better start explaining, Asina. And if it isn’t good enough that little pony is going to be traumatized by the murder she’ll see in front of her own eyes.” The void of emotion in his voice left nothing to be argued about.
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Post by Willow on Jul 22, 2010 23:28:32 GMT -6
To think that at his arrival she’d nearly forgotten about the uncomfortable bruises on her neck and how many near-death experiences she’d had today, two of which had been from the same person, a demon she could have honestly said before today that she’d never thought she’d ever think might actually be the one to end her life.
But no, of course Ciel wouldn’t leave it alone. After all, this /was/ Ciel we were talking about. She would have acted the same way were the situations reversed, because she was his as he was hers. They both knew that fact very well.
The anger in his voice and his posture still made her snarl, though, no matter how much she knew he was justified in it.
“Zanen’s Seal has been on me for a thousand years and it has saved me more times than I like to admit,” she said softly after taking a deep breath, dark eyes narrowed but her voice even. “You know I would never give it up unless it was truly important, Ciel. That circumstance just happened to come up. About a week ago I had a vision involving Danalli and Zanen. She’s important, very important, and in my vision Zanen was attacking someone. Danalli tried to stop him and that was where the vision split. In one, he kills her in one blow. In the other, the power of the Kekenc Seal stops him from being able to harm her.”
Her voice rumbled out in a feral, angry growl. “I’m no Oracle and I don’t get visions often. It was fragmented. I only saw it in flashes. I don’t know when it happens or who the man was. All I even remember of him was that he was an old man. Grey eyes, white hair. He could be anyone.” Her breath came out in an irritated sigh. “Anyway, so I thought about it. I couldn’t tell Zanen I was going to revoke the Seal unless I told him about the vision, which is not a good idea no matter what. He didn’t even know I /could/ revoke the Seal until today.” She shook her head. Yeah, that had been a very well-kept secret.
Then she paused before telling what happened in the library, but she decided that ultimately, he was going to get it out of her anyway.
It pissed her off just thinking about it, but she relayed the incident.
“We spoke in the library after you and I parted ways. I told him what I did and explained vaguely that it was to protect Danalli without actually telling him about the vision. He was pissed, he was near the edge, but I managed to talk him down. He saw that I was right.”
Yeah, that about summed it up.
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Post by libellule on Jul 22, 2010 23:28:39 GMT -6
“Mm.” A small giggle fell from her smile as he pulled her so lovingly to him. “Oh, Shadow,” she cooed again, loving to call him his perfect nickname, “I missed you too.” Her fingers traced the unseen line of his face, hidden and protected underneath those clothes. She didn’t see them as barriers anymore; they were more like his shadows and shades that hid him so well. His guardians. Those digits dance across his covered lips that she wanted so badly to kiss. They stopped at his eyes as she pulled them away and hers filled with worry as quickly as she had. They were not as clear, focused, and piercing as usual. She could see the red receding just like Ciel’s had been earlier. “Zanen,” it was more of a question as she brought her hand back to cradle his face, brushing her fingers across his eyelid when he closed it. She did not like how upset he was. She noticed the gash in his cheek and reframed from fretting over it. It will heal soon, but she couldn’t help but frown at him. “A little fight, eh? I’d say someone was almost killed…”
There was no hiding how shaken she had been from the incident. She /had/ almost been killed. Those daggers… She twitched slightly, as if dodging them mentally. She was so happy she moved in time. She still had to thank the other demon, but she left the thought. That demon probably didn’t accept much from mortal weak humans. She was more than right. But she thanked him mentally.
As he leaned away she stood with her arms crossed over her chest, watching him with fearful eyes as he spoke. Danalli sighed as she listened to him, relaxing, but staying against him. He’d been away from her body for far too long. Well… At least Asina was alive and well. A demon’s rage was so dangerous but she couldn’t find it in her to run from him. Even after the fight between him and Asina she was almost entranced by the way he moved. It almost made her heart skip. It did not scare her. No she was only scared for Asina, who was more than protected by Ciel.
Zanen… Her Zanen was an artist.
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