Lullyn

The Dragon Empire

Robin sat by Kestral's bed some time later, feeling drained. When he'd reached the forge, Pepper's arms were submerged in the lavender, the other boys looking owlishly. His father hadn't asked what had happened to them, but at the sight of his little girl's still and damaged form, he moved and took her from his son's arms. His father spoke softly, as big men often do. Robin had said he'd found her that way and must have fallen from a tree and hit her head. His father had looked pat him to the boys and then back at Kestral, who's eyes were closed and she breathed as if asleep. He'd taken her into the house. Robin, before following, turned to the boys and spoke in a low growl. "I've just saved your skins for now," he told them, keeping his voice too low for anyone to hear but them. "You will not breathe a word of what happened, how it happened, and you will stay away from Kestral and Jubilant Wells." There was that force in the voice. The other boys looked to Pepper, who had stopped crying but was livid with anger now. "You saw what that little freak did," he hissed at Robin. "He's...." "You were the one who hurt, Kes," said Robin gently, putting his hand into the cool liquid essence of lavender and squeezing Pepper skin where the burn had left it's mark. He could feel the heat coming from it. Pepper gave a moan of pain. "Remember this, Philip," said Robin, using Pepper's real name to emphasize the point. "Your parents are pig farmers, who need my father's forge to repair their broken tools and to make them new ones. If my father knew what you'd done, he would never do it again." The silence was filled with this idea. It might not happen straight away, because the Blacksmith was a good soul, but he would wait for them to come to him and turn them away. They would be unable to buy any tools, for their neighbours would shun them, for fear that the Blacksmith would add them to his list of people not to do work for. There was no other blacksmith within 5 days travel. This went through Pepper's mind as fast as the others boys. He swallowed. "So," continued Robin in a voice that told them they were not to argue, "you were playing with fire and you got burnt. You came here because everyone knows that blacksmiths have great cures for burns, since they have to work with fire, and we took care of you. Lavender is amazing with burns, and you may not have serious tissue damage. Whatever you do have, you will accept as payment for my silence and doing as I've said. 1 word and I will ensure all of your families," and with this he met each boy's eyes, "will never receive any assistance further from my family." After that, he told Pepper's hands in the barrels until the stinging stopped and the redness went from the skin. The other boys seemed to realize that being associated with Pepper would land them in a very bad place, and drifted away from the foolish idiot. Robin had gone inside to hear his mother fussing, but he went to Kestral's room, where her father had gently put her in bed and had cleaned her face. He was carefully stitching the skin. "She may have a scar," his father had said when he heard his son's footsteps, though he didn't turn. Her head was bound and then Robin sat with her, his father's wish to be called once she awoke. He sat on the floor, back to the bed, staring at the other wall. His brain was trying to process something it couldn't accept. What had happened? He'd worked with fire for a long time, and understood burns. But how had Jube done it....? And, in his soul, he wondered how he'd be able to leave Kes alone with him ever again. He felt a soft touch on his hair, but the name that was murmured wasn't his. He turned and met her gaze, which was a little blurry. "Sorry Robin," she said with a small smile. "I thought you were Jube. Why am I in bed? I feel...." He took her small hand between both of hers. "What can you remember?" he asked. Most of it, it seemed. She told him how the fight had started and she remembered going to protect Jube. Robin listened with his lips pressed tight. She was worried for Jube, asking if he was okay and if Pepper had hurt him. She sounded weak, but her tone seemed to say she really wanted to do something. He tried to soothe her. "Jube is fine," he said. "Not a mark. I told him to go home." Kes nodded, seeming to relax. "If I had to get married so that I could stay near him, I would." Robin looked shocked at her words. She was talking nonsense. "I didn't think you were getting married," he said trying tease her, but feeling worried. "I'm not," she murmured sleepily, "but I'm not leaving him alone. He needs me." Robin frowned, not wanting to explain to his sister that Jube, despite all appearances, could protect himself. "I'll go find father," he said, patting her hand then standing. "You gave him a fright. But Kes, I've told him you fell from a tree." She nodded. She didn't need to know his reasons. She trusted him. Once he'd spoken to his father, he followed the promise he'd made Kes just before he'd left her. "Go see Jube," she'd pleaded quietly. "Tell him I'm okay. He'll be upset. Just tell him. Please?" So Robin headed to Jube's house with the message, feeling confused. He strolled to the house and knocked on the door, looking back to the forge, and from there to the empty, open window which was Kes's room. He'd do as she asked, but he wasn't sure what else he might do. He forced his hands into his pockets where they'd be safe.

Fairy Tale (closed. RE: Kyrisse only)

Edward seemed to beam at her words, his movements good and the work of many hours of practice. All the royal children could dance, as could the court, because they knew it would be important. "You really should dress like this more often," he continued with obvious enjoyment, moving among the other dancers with ease. "It quite becomes you." At the sides, several young ladies were watching them through narrowed eyes, though if Edward had looked over they would have transformed into smiles and giggles. He liked to be the center of attention, and having Alessandra as a partner was certainly drawing attention, but as future king he expected nothing less. "Are you having a good time?" he asked as they swirled. Avril stood at the side of the floor, feeling lost and forlorn. She couldn't be angry at Alessandra, for Edward clearly wasn't waiting for an answer. She just felt disconsolate at Stephen's obvious (at least to her) distressed countenance. It was alright for Edward, who assumed every girl would just at the chance to dance with him. Stephen had finally gotten up the courage to ask someone, okay with her assistance, and Edward had snatched them away. The problem was that Stephen didn't seem to know what to do when he didn't want to do something, or didn't want something to happen. He was selfless to a fault, which made him easy to overlook. Avril moved to a seat by a wall and crossed her hands on her lap. Beside her was a guard, who she told that any young man who approached was to be politely told that she was not interested in dancing at this time. She couldn't see Edward and Alessandra from here and didn't want to, but she couldn't leave the party, as she suspected Stephen had. She was the princess and her best friend was here. To leave would not only have been rude, but against her own nature. She really wished, sometimes, that she could stamp her foot and just have a moment, but a Princess was to be calm and the only way she could be angry was to be extremely cold and polite to people, which she struggled to do. So she sat in silence where her parents couldn't see her and silently tried to remember that she loved both her brothers. Then a thought struck her. If Stephen hadn't left the party, he might have gone back to the balcony. It was a long shot, but she needed to look. She wanted to speak to him. She stood and headed up the stairs, her back to the merriment of the dancers.

The Dragon Empire

The spell broke with Pepper's words, Robin standing and shaking. There was no way to explain what had happened, no way without saying something utterly impossible. He felt some shock and it was clear, despite the tears, that Pepper was in some as well. But it was one thing at a time. He glared at the boys who were stood not moving and ordered them to take Pepper to the forge. "There's barrels there for burns," he said, knowing from years of experience what he was seeing. "Go there with him and put his hands in there. Do it now." Robin's voice was cold and calm, which was unlike him. The boys did as they were told, forcing their blubbering leader with them. "It's lavender," said Robin to no one imparticular, but since only Kes and Jube were left, they were the only ones to hear it. "Lavender is amazing for burns, which is why it's in the forge." Kes seemed to lose what was left of her strength. Jube was safe. She knew that, so she felt the world fall away to darkess. It was Jube's turn to hear Robin, the same careful, calm but serious tone he's used on the boys. "Jube, I'm going to take Kestral home," he said, stepping forward to take her weight. "She's hurt and needs to be seen to. You are going to go home. You will not tell anyone what happened, or come to see Kestral. You will wait at home whilst I take Kestral." Kestral looked so small as Robin lifted her into his arms, her face dirty and her scarf, as well as her clothes, ruined. "Go home, Jube," he repeated, before turning from him and walking away with Kestral in his arms. "If you do anything silly, Kestral will get upset and possibly hurt in the process. I know you don't want that."

The Dragon Empire

The scream seemed to light a fire within her, her eyes on Jube's face. There was something powerful and... she couldn't explain it, but it called to her, as strongly as her need to take care of him, to protect him. Her lungs screamed in protest, but she took as much notice as she did of Robin. He couldn't have stopped her with a hammer. She was on her feet and flew at him, running at his back and putting her arms around him, her face buried in his back. "Jube..." her voice was still struggling, but she was forcing it. "Jube, I'm okay. It's okay, Jube." She was clinging to him fiercely, tears mingling with the dry and curdling blood and surely staining his clothing. "Jube...." She felt her knees loosing strength. Her body had allowed her to reach him, but it wasn't going to last long. Her legs began to shake and her hands gripped as much to prevent herself from falling as to be there for him.

The Dragon Empire

Robin wasn't listening to what was going on. He dashed to Kestral, moving her carefully. "Kes," he said softly, his voice with some panic. He could see the deep cut over her eye, which had covered her face in blood. She looked dazed, but she was still moving. "Robin," her voice came in some gasps. The kick had winded her. "Don't talk," he said, trying to wipe away the blood to see how bad the cut was, but it only smeared in across her face. "Easy." But she was shaking her head, trying to grip his shoulder. "No," she said in a voice no louder than a breath, as she saw her friend's head just behind her brother. The rest of him was shielded, but he was looking at Pepper "Jube...." She tried to tell Robin that she needed to protect Jube. They'd hurt him. But she couldn't get enough air into her lungs. Pepper seemed to be calming, as some of what he had done seemed to penetrate his skull. But his dislike of Jube, something that was within his core being, overrode it. Who did the little gobber think he was talking to? He was nothing, but he stood there, bold as brass, talking to Pepper like he was his equal. Pepper's cronies, however, were faster on the uptake. Something was wrong with the weird kid. Didn't everyone say that the people like him could go psycho? It was something they all talked about, the freaky guy who followed Kestral like a puppy. The two holding Pepper very carefully let go, wishing they'd run when the others had. There was 4 of them, including their leader, but this looked like he would kill at least 2 of them and the rest wouldn't be walking away. They began to back off, leaving Pepper stood there. "What you going to do, freak?" said Pepper, who either hadn't twigged that he was alone or hadn't noticed the air change around Jube. ooc: you can take over Pepper if you like. He was your NPC. I just stole him ;) Beside, I think you're going to need to take over the next bit.

Fairy Tale (closed. RE: Kyrisse only)

He didn't know how to find the words to respond to her. He couldn't explain that his sister telling him to was only a way to give him an excuse, without having to look pathetic. He had been pleased that she'd yes, but his treacherous thoughts told him that she was too polite a young lady to refuse him, especially since he was the prince. These thoughts had started when he'd reached his teens and seemed to be a constant companion. He looked over her head at his sister, who was smiling and following behind, though at a little distance. Did he imagine her looking at something, pausing just before she left the balcony? The descended the stairs that led to the main floor, where a dance was ending. He swallowed hard. This could be.... The crowd parted as they reached the foot of the stairs and for a second, Stephen was puzzled. He may have been a Prince, but no one ever seemed to notice him. But it became clear as a figure, beaming and wearing finery in red and gold walked over to them. Stephen seemed to freeze. "Stephen," he said with great enthusiasm. "You found my partner. Thank you so much." Edward turned a dazzling smile on Alessandra, behind him several girls looked extremely unhappy. "Alessandra," he said with charm, holding out a hand, "my mother has expressed a great wish to see you dance with me. Will you do me the honor?" Without waiting for a response, he bowed and took her hand, pulling her away from Stephen and sweeping her onto the floor before a protest could be made. Then the dance had begun and he was swirling her around the floor. Stephen stood very still, not moving until the crowd closed once more and Alessandra and Edward were lost to the couples. "Stephen?" said Avril's voice behind him. It was quiet and concerned. He blinked hard, the spell broken, and turned to her. "Excuse me," he said, as formally to his sister had she been a stranger. Then he was gone and she knew she wouldn't be able to find him this time. On the dance floor, Edward was looking very pleased with himself. "You look so very beautiful tonight," he said charmingly, gazing down at her like she was the most important creature in the world. "It's hard to believe when I remember you playing in the gardens with mud up to your ankles." He gave a hearty laugh, swirling her around and around. He was strong, but his grip was gentle.

The Dragon Empire

Robin looked a little surprised to see Jube, but shrugged. "She said same to me when she came past," he said, stopping his work to talk. "She probably just got distracted." Jube looked distressed, with made Robin feel uneasy. There were a lot of things Kes would do which he thought were silly, but nothing that would upset Jube. She was sometimes like a protective mother hen with a baby chick. He put down the tool into the water and stepped outside. As he did, he saw his father emerge from the house. That meant she'd been a gone a while. "Come on," he said to Jube, calling to his father that he was taking his break and walking toward the feilds. "She needs a collar with a bell." They reached the feilds, but there was no sign of her. Robin spotted Lavender too, so it wasn't as if she would need to go anywhere else. As if on some cue, 2 boys emerged from the woods in a run. Robin recognized them and moved so that they would either need to collide with or stop. "What's going on?" he said, seeing the alarm on their faces. They were panting too hard to be coherent, but one managed to say Kestral's name after several attempts. Robin would have lifted him by his collar, but he was more concerned with Kes than he was with whatever had spooked the two boys. Breaking into a run, he headed into the woods, following the path that brought him to the sight that made his blood run cold. Kestral was on the floor, her back to him so he couldn't see her face. Pepper was still being held back by 2 boys whilst a third was standing looking white faced.

A Brave New World?

I hope not but might be worth putting in on the interest board.

Fairy Tale (closed. RE: carsgovroom only)

I wondered about that, but more about how would some of them get back up? Oh well, at least I won't try that if i get chance to go! That would be super embarrassing.

Fairy Tale (closed. RE: carsgovroom only)

Were the parades on? I've not been since I was little. :S I used to love seeing the characters! Apparently if you shout "Andy's Coming" all the toy story characters hit the deck.