[IC] The gladiator and the princess

[tsubasa]

Lauralye stared at Robert as he confessed to falling for her. After a moment, she stood and turned to David, "If I marry you... Will you leave him be? No killing him, no hurting him. He is allowed to remain here. As a guard..." She held David's gaze, "Not my personal guard,"She adding knowing that David would never agree to allowing Robert near her, at least not while she was alone.

Lauralye stepped closer to the man she was supposed to marry, "He will be paid. He will no longer a slave... he will protect and serve. He has saved my life and proved to be a good guard. We can't risk throwing him in the pits or dungeon and losing a good guard now. Not with the demons attacking..."

[Xion Demente]

Robert looked at lauralye in suprise, David looked to Robert his brows creasing in thought. "Lauralye I don't know if we can trust him or not, don't know if he'll turn against us once this whole fighting with the demons is over he might be just saying that to get his advantage over us."

David thought for another moment, then he saw Roberts face. He smiled to that, he knew the guy loved lauralye. He would use that against him, "alright then I won't touch him as long as you marry me then." Robert looked between the two, the expression on his face begging lauralye not to do this.

[tsubasa]

Lauralye didn't dare look back at Robert. She did, she might not be able to continue with what she was doing. However, David wasn't going to take no for an answer. If she said anything against him or Robert, and maybe even herself, would pay for it. She took a deep breath and nodded, "No one lays a hand on him," She clarified before finally walking up to the man who was to marry them. She took her place, her back to Robert and sniffled, "Alright... Let's get this over with."

[Xion Demente]

David smirked, when he saw Roberts face crumble. He looked back to lauralye, "as you wish then." With that the wedding continued, Robert just stood their watching his arms crossed his gaze was anywhere and everywhere just not on the alter.

He knew if he looked, he would crumble under that weight. David looked to lauralye, "I do." Those two words stabbed Robert in the heart, but he bearedwith it he wouldn't break with all these people around. 'Stay strong show no defeat,' he thought to himself. Once it was over people congradulated them, he just stood back letting other people pass him.

He stood back, at least mixing in with the crowd wouldn't be hard since he was still in all black clothing he had worn from yesterday. He wanted to stay as far away as he could, he knew if he even got close to lauralye he would break. David looked for Robert in the crowd once he spotted him he smirked, now Robert didn't have a chance with the princess now that she was married to him.

[tsubasa]

Lauralye tried to smile as she said 'I do', she tried to be happy about the marriage. However, all she could think of was Robert behind her, sitting on his knees, telling her he loved her. Why couldn't things just be straight forward for once...

The ceremony didn't last long and soon she and David were walking through the crowd. She nodded her head as people congratulated her. She was not happy though. She had always thought she could manage to be content with her marriage to David. Apparently, things were far more complicated now that Robert was her. She caught only a glimpse of him that entire night. In the moment, she felt as though someone was clenching her heart. However, she knew this would keep him safe. That was all that mattered to her now.

As the night wore on, she turned to David, "I'm going to slip away for a moment... I'm still feeling under the weather," She said before a small cough. She kissed his cheek, "I suppose I will see you tonight... when we go to bed...."

Then she left, bringing a guard with her. She climbed the stairs to the tower and opened the door. She turned to the guard, "I would like sometime alone," She said simply before walking into the room and closing the door behind her. She stood there for a moment before removing her crown and gloves. Soon enough, she stood there in merely her undergarments. She took a deep breath and walked to the window and stared out on the small town she would never see again.

what she is wearing

[Xion Demente]

Robert watched lauralye leave, before he finally reported in that he was a new guard. "Well we could use the help Williams like always the black attired your wearing is probably the best thing for you now wear need some black armor to match it." Robert merely nodded, "we'll call you in the morning you've had a rough night."

Robert thanked him, before going to his room. Once the door closed behind him, he put his back to the door and slid down it to the floor. "Damn it," he said it quietly to himself no one would be able to hear him. He closed his eyes, and held his head in his arms he opened them immediately when lauralye's face.

He got back to his feet, taking his shirt off only in his jeans and boots. He kicked those off, too he put his hands on the window sill he leaned on his hands staring out to the village. He sighed, he let his gaze drop to the floor. He didn't need to fill his mind with possibilities lauralye was now married to David that was that though his mind had other ideas.

[tsubasa]

Lauralye sighed, this was going to be her life now. Hiding from her husband and Robert, for she knew she could not bring herself to be near him, staring out to the world that she was being kept from. She rested her head against the window frame when suddenly something moved. She jumped when she found two demonic creatures staring at her. She froze for a moment before she slowly started to back away. Then there were more and they were jumping at her. She screamed as two grabbed her arms and dragged her out of the tower and into the sky.

She didn't get it, Robert said that demons couldn't fly. And yet, here they were flying away to where ever it was they were going, with no one stopping them.

The guard that had been watching her, burst into the room to find the room empty, with only the princess's crown and gown. He grabbed the crown and ran down the stairs, yelling, "The Princess has been taken! The Princess has been taken!"

[Xion Demente]

He heard the yelling, then he heard that lauralye had been taken. Robert cursed under his breath, before he got his jackets and boots back on. He jumped out of the window, letting himself fall before his wings came out of his back. He looked around, wondering where the demons would take the princess then it hit him.

His eyes widened, before he was flying toward the direction the demons were taking the princess, he swallowed. "Why in the world does this have to happen now," he said to himself. As he flew through the sky, he knew he needed to get there soon. Before something really bad happened to her, his sword was on his hip he had to get to her fast.

[tsubasa]

Lauralye didn't dare struggle in their hold, fearing they might drop her. Soon, they landed in the forest and pushed Lauralye toward a man with short blonde hair. He smile at Lauralye and caught her by her shoulders, "Now, now, that is not something a bride should wear... Although, you look quite stunning. I'm awfully disappointed that your father didn't invite me to the wedding. I could have saved you from marrying that awful man," He chuckled, "Your mother would just hate to know that you are married to someone that toxic."

Lauralye pulled away from him, "Don't talk about my mother like you knew her!"

The man laughed, "Why I did, Princess. You get to know a lot about a person when you watch the life fade from their eyes."

Lauralye paled and tried to move away but the man grabbed her wrist and pulled her close, "Now, now. Don't you want to know why I killed her?"

[Xion Demente]

Robert felt a presence, his eyes widened. He knew this presence he landed on the ground a few feet away from the man. "Lucian what do you want with the princess?" His head rested on the hilt of his sword, he looked between the demon and the princess. His jaw clenched, he felt taloned hands on his shoulders.

He tried to break out of its grip, but the talons only sunk into his skin further. He let out a grunt of pain, his hand dropped from the hilt of his sword, as he slowly sunk down to his knees.

[tsubasa]

Lucian laughed as Robert laughed and pulled the princess into him. He placed his hand on her jaw forcing her to look at Robert, while the talon demon forced him to the ground. Lucian chuckled, "I feel as though, you might be here for more reason than just duty."

The man's hand rest on Lauralye's shoulder before running down her bare arm and grabbing her wrist. He rose it to his face, "But can't you feel it, Robert, or have you senses dulled to the whimsical of the world?" He looked at Robert, "She's quite powerful. Such a shame no one told her."

Lauralye looked at Lucian confused, causing the man to laugh at her, "Poor soul. You are gifted your highness. Just like your mother was. That's why I killed her."

The princess swallowed, "Are you going to kill me?"

Lucian chuckled, "Not yet. Only if you prove to be... unhelpful. See your mother loved her husband and when things got harder with him, she had you. She had much to fight against us for. You... Have a husband who you don't love, a father who throws you into dungeons, and a country you barely even know. You can join us."

"Join you? Then why did.... you try to kill me?"

"Simple miscommunication. Luckily, Robert was there," He ran a finger along Lauralye's jaw, looking her in the eye, "I can teach you how powerful you are. Show you the world. I can let you be free. If you join me."

"What do you mean... powerful?"

Lucian grinned, "I'm glad you asked," He squeezed the wrist he held, causing her to shriek and fire to erupt from her hand. When he released her, she cradled her wrist and looked at him incredulously. Lucian smiled, "You are a witch, Princess."

[Xion Demente]

Robert looked to Lucian, before his gaze went back to lauralye. " don't do it lauralye it's not worth it please," he wasn't one for begging but he had to try. He didn't really care, if lauralye was a witch. He felt a talon dig into his shoulder deeper than before, he groaned in pain. He kept his gaze on lauralye, "and you my dear boy you would just get in the way I'm afraid your going to have to be killed."

Roberts eyes went back to Lucian, his blue eyes flashing dangerously to silver. Though they went back to blue as soon as they went to silver, he kept his eyes on Lucian. His hand reaching for his sword, but not finding it their. "You looking for this?" His eyes snapped back to Lucian to only see he was holding his sword.

Lucian only chuckled, "I'm sorry my dear girl but he stands in the way of my plans and I plan to kill him to get rid of that threat now." With that he started walking toward Robert, the talons of the demon kept securely in his shoulders.

[tsubasa]

Lauralye looked at him, confused. Her wrist throbbed and she couldn't help but look at him in awe. She could do that? Fire from her hand just like that. Not to mention seeing the world she had been hidden from, didn't sound too bad. She could just barely hear Robert behind her pleading for her not to do it. Just as he had pleaded her not to marry David... She looked down at the ring on her finger, she could be free of him.

She looked at Lucian when he started to stalk toward Robert with sword in hand, "No! Stop!" She felt truly helpless. This wasn't David, who she could promise something better. Or her father, who she could plead to. Or even a guard, who she could order. This was a man she did not know walking forward to kill Robert. She felt utterly helpless for a moment before a cool breeze passed through the clearing.

Lauralye's hair danced in a wind that seemed to only pass her and her eyes started to glow. When she spoke, her voice was not the same.... It sounded as though someone spoke with her, word for word, "Do not touch him,"

She threw her hands forward and the talon demon flew backwards and crashed into a tree. Lucian turned to looked at the Princess and chuckled, "Hecate... I figured you might like this one."

[Xion Demente]

Robert looked between the two, he felt the demon get ripped from where it was. Hecate he knew that name from somewhere, then it hit him the goddess of magic. He had heard stories about her when he was little, though he wasn't scared anymore of her.

He slowly stood, pulling the knife he had hidden out of his boot. Lucian was distracted, he would do what he had to. He threw the knife, it hit Lucian right between the shoulder blades. He heard a scream of pain from Lucian, before he felt a force hit him.

Robert was thrown back, he hit the rocks. He grunted in pain, as he slid down toward the ground. "Your a foolish being you know that helping a side that might not win this war but it's not my choice your going to die either way it states it simply in your destiny."

[tsubasa]

Lauralye screamed in anger as Robert was thrown against the tree. Her hands burst into flames as balls of fire were tossed at Lucian. The man dodged around him but it was clear that he was starting to become aware that he may not be capable of taking of Lauralya and the goddess. Deciding to keep his hide over killing Robert, a simple thing he could do without a angry goddess and witch hurling fire at him. He growled before snapping, the demons and he disappeared into the night. All was quiet for a moment before Lauralye spoke, "You've done well, child."

Then the glowing faded and Lauralye's hair fell to her shoulders as she collapsed to the ground.

[Xion Demente]

He hurt he knew that, he looked to himself seeing a stab wound in his arm. Then seeing black lines come from it, he knew it was poisen immediately. He painfully got to his feet, dropping to his knees by lauralye. He moved her hair aside, before he picked her up and launched into the sky.

Once he got back, he nearly collapsed. One of the guards took her from his arms, while the others were helping him to the medical wing of the castle. Once on the bed, he felt pain and only that, he screamed in pain. It hurt it hurt badly that's all his mind could process right now was pain that was going through him by the poisen.

[tsubasa]

Lauralye was limp in the guard's arms, which worried him greatly. There didn't seem to be any injured to her but he took her to the medical wing just in case. They tucked her in as the doctor tired to find a reason that she didn't seem to be responding to anything, not even Robert's constant screaming as another doctor looked him over. The doctor stepped away confused and turned to help the other with Robert. Lauralye did appear just to be asleep, although he was amazed how she managed that in this moment.

The doctor pushed back the curtain that separated the two, to allow himself to keep an eye on the Princess. He grabbed a swab and wiped some of the black goo of his arm. Take this to the Apothecary and find a cure. Move fast!"

[Xion Demente]

The doctor nodded, and ran off. Robert was writhing in pain, he knew the poisen but he didn't know if their was a cure to it. He screamed in pain, that's all he knew right now was the pain that was going through him. His back arched slightly, he screamed in pain it hurt and he didn't know how long he would last like this.

He clenched his teeth, to make him stop screaming. Only whimpers of pain were coming from him, the black lines were slowly going up his arm. It felt like his whole arm was on fire, this was the first time he ever had been in this much pain in his life.

[tsubasa]

The doctor waited, trying to easy his pain as much as possible. He tried to leave Robert's view of the princess clear, knowing the man cared much for her. Although, there wasn't much to see as the girl lay there motionless, her hair splayed on her pillow. She almost looked like Snow White waiting for true love's kiss. The other doctor ran in and the two started to speak about the cure. It complicated and would take time but it would work if they started then and there. So quickly, the two set to work.

[Xion Demente]

Robert whimpered, the black lines were slowly crawling up his arm. It hurt that's all he registered right now was pain, he didn't know where he was or anything. The pain clouded his vision, he muttered a curse at Lucian after the sentence he whimpered once more.