Rystelle

Flames of War ( Rystelle x Ragnarok)

Lydia had excepted the hostile welcome as Ragna had given her fair warning to it, and she had guessed herself that it would be like that. What she did not expect was that Jezebel would be so small. She was short--shorter than Lydia for sure, and shorter than even most human adult females. In the halfling's mind Jezebel had been this towering figure almost as tall as Ragna himself. The fact that she had to look down on her was almost comical. That did not mean Jezebel was no less deadly, however, and Lydia was extremely wary of the succubus woman. She had all the right to be as it turned out. Ragna had warned the members of his household against harming her, and yet Jezebel still tried anyway. Suddenly the succubus was there, her razor sharp nails at Lydia's throat. Had Ragna not commanded her to stop, Lydia herself would have tried with the few holy spells she knew. If that had failed then Lydia would have been the one crumpled on the ground--only with her throat ripped out.

While grateful that Ragna had protected her yet again in some way, what he had done reminded her of what he was. Or partly was. Lydia did not mind in the least though. Ragna was bound to her in a way by his oath, but at the same time she still did not fear him. She had not feared him when facing him in Termina, and she did not fear him now as he showed his more demonic side while taking charge of his household. If anything she kind of liked it. It was a stark contrast to how Ragna had often rambled during the first half of their trip. But this was not the time to tell him that. Here in his manor Lydia had to act as if Ragna was no more than an escort to her. She would not mention their little trysts or his oath to her. They were nothing to each other.

"A bath would be pleasant, thank you, and more than I could ask for," Lydia said lightly. Her voice was even and polite, her expression cool. Nothing in her body language gave away their little secret. "I'll be waiting for you to finish your tasks, and we can resume the journey when you're ready." When Ragna summoned one of his servants to escort her, Lydia followed without hesitation. She stepped around Jezebel's unconscious form still slumped on the ground. The hafling had briefly considered stepping over the succubus, but if she did so and word got back to Jezebel there would surely be trouble of some sort--if not for her, then for Ragna. Lydia did not wish to cause him more grief than was necessary.

Some time later Lydia found herself alone in Ragna's quarters, soaking in a tub so large and deep she could swim in it. She did a little, enjoying the warm water. It had been quite a while since she had had a proper bath. It felt good to wash away the grime accumulated during their travels. Finally Lydia felt as if she had cleaned up and relaxed enough. Well, she wasn't exactly relaxed. Even if Ragna had ordered the members of his household not to harm her, she was still constantly on edge. The male demon who had taken her to Ragna's quarters had been eyeing her unpleasantly and had not even tried to hide his lust. Lydia still felt as if she was being watched even now.

She climbed out of the tub, the steam swirling around her, water dripping from her sleek form, her snow white hair plastered against her back until it stopped at her waist. Grabbing the towel left for her, Lydia wrapped it around herself and picked up her discarded clothing and weapons. She pad silently into the bedroom next door where fresh clothes had been lain out for her. It was only seconds after Lydia had left the bathroom that she felt a pair of hands grab her from behind.

"Scream and it'll be the last thing you ever do," hissed a demonic voice in her ear. "Not that that would stop me anyway..." The demon chuckled and his hands started to travel over Lydia's body before he stopped to yank the towel away.

Lydia realized that the demon accosting her was the same one that had led her to Ragna's quarters in the first place. She had known he would be trouble. Instead of cowering in fear, Lydia cooly demanded, "Didn't your master say I was not to be touched?"

"What the Master doesn't know won't kill me," the demon said with another quiet laugh. "Besides, how could he blame me? Such a pretty thing like you. Surely no man can resist. Ah, but I'm sure you turn them all down, don't you? You're a cold-hearted bitch through and through, I can tell. All you elves are. Luckily for me, I simply take what I want."

His voice was in her ear, his tongue trailing up her neck, one clawed hand moving to her chest and the other heading for her region below. But still Lydia was not scared. Instead she was furious. Suddenly she dropped everything she was holding, save for the dagger she had drawn from her belt. She turned, pulling out of the demon's grasp only to slam him against the wall. Lydia held him there, her left arm digging hard into his neck, her right holding a blessed dagger against his groin. At the moment she didn't fully care that she had lost her only layer of protection--she was in too wrathful a mood. There was an unbridled hatred burning within Alydia's luminescent green eyes.

"Don't you ever come at me again, threatening me and acting as if you know me," Lydia growled angrily. "If you do I will castrate you and feed you to the wolves. If you have a problem with it, hell spawn, then go and tell your master that you so blatantly disobeyed his orders. While you're at it, let him know that you also threatened to kill the girl your king has summoned. See how well that goes over, hm?

The demon cursed at Lydia in his native tongue, and she quickly moved the blade of the blessed dagger against his cheek. She put enough pressure behind it that it began to cut through his skin, causing him to bleed. "Say that again, you pox ridden bastard, and see what I'll do to you," she said coldly, a deadly venom lacing the edge of her tone. Lydia was able to recognize a few words of the demon language. What he had said was one of the things she knew. It was a particularly nasty insult, and she was already pissed off. All the demon could do under the threatening presence of the holy blade against his ashen gray skin was glare at Lydia with his hateful, beady eyes.

Finally Lydia pulled the demon away from the wall and shoved him forcefully. She spat at him, eyes still burning with hatred, specifically at being compared to the elves. "Now get the fuck out of my sight." The demon shot her one last glare, but then he scurried from the room, his cheek still dripping with blood. The bedroom door slammed behind him and a faint scent of sulfur told Lydia that he had teleported away. She waited for a few minutes more to make sure that he was gone for good, then...

Lydia rushed back to the bathroom, everything but her dagger still laying on the floor of the bedroom. She threw the bathroom door closed behind her, locking it with the sealing spell she had used on it earlier. The halfling let her dagger drop by the edge of the bath and dove back into the tub still filled with hot water. Lydia snatched up the nearest bar of soap and began to scrub herself vehemently. She had to get rid of the slimy feeling left on her skin from when the demon had touched her. She had to. She had to...

Lydia was shaking uncontrollably. Silent tears ran down her face as she remembered the monster's words, remembered his tongue on her neck and his hands on her body. She sank down into the shallow end of the tub, her knees drawn up to her chest, one arm wrapped around them with her face buried in it, her other hand running through her hair in an exasperated motion. Lydia had never been so scared before in her life. Not when a horde of demons knocked on Termina's door, not when Jezebel had nearly ripped her throat out. She cried bitterly, her heart throbbing as she wished Ragna was by her side instead of wherever he was now.

Flames of War ( Rystelle x Ragnarok)

Once Lydia and Ragna were on the road she let her hand fall from his. She drew her broadsword in case there might be an ambush and she kept her eyes open. On the roads, the woods. Attackers could come from anywhere, but demons were harder to track and anticipate over the majority of other races given that they used portals. The only thing that really gave demons away was the scent of sulfur when they appeared. The others though, besides angels, had to move on foot or by horse or cart. It was easier for Lydia to hear or see them coming, especially with her improved sight and hearing. Elves of pure blood, however, could still manage to get a drop on her since they were quieter than even she.

"Curse that damned king," Lydia muttered angrily as they walked the path alongside the forest. The night's light was waning and dawn was on the horizon. Lydia had originally thought that the night had been later when she and Ragna had emerged from the cave, but the storm that had trapped them there had started earlier in the afternoon. It had been such a vicious storm that it had simply turned the sky black. Lydia was grateful for dawn's light. Even if she could see better than humans in the dark, sunlight was much better than moonlight to give away hidden enemies. Sunlight off a metal sword hilt was a dead giveaway for potential assassins. Lydia herself kept her sword hilt wrapped with strips of leather.

Looking up at her companion, Lydia sighed, "It seems I've got half the world after me, and still no idea as to why. Are you sure you have no idea why the demon king summons me, Ragna?" She had asked before and he had told her he did not know, but that had been early in their journey. It could be that he had withheld information. Perhaps now that their relationship had developed he might care to share it. If Ragna had nothing, however, Lydia would not press him anymore. She didn't want him to think that she was only using him. The thought that she might make him feel that way sent a pang of sadness through her heart.

Flames of War ( Rystelle x Ragnarok)

At the sound of the voices coming from the woods Lydia raised a finger to her lips to quiet Ragna. The man had slapped the woman and they were arguing for sure, but past that the half-elf didn't know what was going on. If she really wanted to know what was going on without alerting the couple to their presence Lydia was going to have to be still and concentrate. But if she and Ragna stayed in one spot for too long they could be ambushed. Perhaps just a few seconds to see what might be going on... Lydia's ears perked up and she listened to what the two voices were saying.

"Why did I ever marry you? I could have married a wealthy merchant, but instead I married a soldier who drinks and gambles away all our money. And now you're taking a job from a demon?" That was obviously the woman speaking. She was human from what Lydia could tell--she didn't have the musical voice of the elves, or the low, gravelly voice of the dwarves.

"We're taking a job, and--" That was the man, another human from the sound of it. Seemed like a lover's quarrel.

"No. Not us. You. I'm only here to make sure that you don't spend the money on booze and whores."

"Phillis, sweetheart--"

"Don't you 'sweetheart' me, Sam!" The wife interjected sharply. It appears that she had not taken kindly to being slapped. "Tell me, what does the demon even want with this elf?"

"Half-elf," Sam managed to say. "And I don't know, I--"

That was all Lydia needed to hear. She tugged on Ragna's hand, pulling him away from the campsite and out of the forest. "Let's get to your manor quickly," she urged, the expression on her face dark. "There are others still looking for me, and it seems as if some of your fellow demons aren't above hiring humans to do their dirty work."

What Is Left -- The Walking Dead

"Alright," Olivia agreed, giving him a slight smile. Together they headed back to the docks. Their pace was quick, but not so quick that they would easily run out of breath. They kind of had to take it slow anyway with the sheer amount of supplies they had picked up. As they walked Olivia kept sweeping the streets, her gaze sharp even in the growing gloom. Laden down with so many things they were prime targets for a hidden Walker or some less than friendly survivors. But even as she kept her eyes out she spoke quietly, saying to Shawn, "If we get a big enough boat for us and our supplies, we could take the Hudson to the canals and then to the Great Lakes. From there it would be really easy to get into Canada. The only problem is that the canals are man-made and have to be operated from shore. Would be able to work the system if it still runs? If we can't then it would be a wasted journey and wasted gas. We may be better heading along the Northern end of the East Coast to Canada and then heading farther inland from there. What do you think, Shawn?"

Flames of War ( Rystelle x Ragnarok)

Lydianna quickly weighed the options and made her decision. Putting a hand on Ragna's forearm she shook her her head silently. "I would rather not find out what lies ahead," she said, her voice a low whisper. "We've already had a few encounters with demons. It could just as easily be more. It could perhaps even be a trap set for us. I think we should leave now." She considered using her magic putting out the fire, but if the fire were to suddenly go out then whoever had built it would be alerted to their presence. Humans couldn't see very well in the dark, but demons certainly could. It wouldn't be hard for them to track Lydia and Ragna. The two half-breeds could certainly fight back, but if they were outnumbered and caught by surprise it certainly tipped the scale in their attacker's favor. "Let's go," she reiterated again quietly.

shadows.

"Oh yeah!" Sophia chirruped happily. "It's really cool. They have all sorts of neat candy from all over the world that they sell. American candies like Hersheys, Asian candies, stuff from Europe. They make a ton of stuff themselves though. Chocolates, lollipops and taffy, cotton candy of all flavors." Sophia's mouth was watering just thinking about it. She was always careful not to buy too much at once though because she worried about getting cavities or gaining weight. She drank enough coffee from the shop as it was and reminded herself that she needed to cut back on that and go on walks more often. Maybe she could get Tim to go with her.

The local park--not the state one but the one inside the city--would soon be awash with Christmas lights and decorations. If the snow kept falling it would be perfect for making snowmen and having snowball fights. The ice skating rink was also opening up, though you could also skate on the pond at the park when the ice was thick enough. Just thinking of all the winter activities they could do together made Sophia feel warm inside. For a time she could forget all about the ominous text from David.

Tim's hand still in hers, she smiled at him and said, "Come on, Tim. Let's go in." They headed inside together and it was as if they had stepped into Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

What Is Left -- The Walking Dead

"I think we should build up a store of food and supplies," Olivia informed Shawn matter-of-factly as she started packing her gear for their run into the city. "It's always good to have extra rope, food, and medicinal supplies if you can get it. I'd also like to see about finding a food dehydrator. With it I'd be able to make jerky out of deer, fish, or anything else we might be able to catch. I'd like to have a store of food come spring. Also, once winter passes I think we should move up North to Canada. Initially I wanted to travel and see more of the States, but I think after three years it might be time to find somewhere safe to settle down. Unlike the US, Canada has large regions that were--are, should still be--pretty much uninhabited. Most likely there's still plenty of land not yet overrun by Walkers. Mountains, forests. Plenty of land to hunt and farm on. We could start building a house, set up defenses and traps in case any Walkers do wander into our neck of the woods. I checked my map earlier and if I remember correctly we might be able to take a boat up the Hudson and switch to some of the other rivers to make our way directly into Canada by water. We could also go by land and take a straighter route. Might be quicker, but could be a bit more dangerous too. We can discuss the pros and cons later."

When Shawn said that he needed to go back to his boat, Olivia nodded and waited patiently for him. She already had all her gear together because, even with Shawn around, Olivia never wanted to be caught unawares without some weapon. Still, when he returned she was glad to see him and she had a smile ready for him. As they walked into the city, however, Olivia's expression and her posture changed. Her eyes scanned every nook and cranny of the city, every window, every car. Her ears were opened to listen for the slightest sounds--the wind through an alley, the crunch of snow beneath someone's foot. She was always ready for fight or flight should it come down to it. As she went she searched each car, taking care to remove anything of possible use while also making sure not to loiter in one spot too long. It was colder today than it had been yesterday and the sky was growing gray. Olivia was sure that it would snow again by the end of the evening. If they were lucky it would be a heavy snow that would help winter fully set in. She quietly commented to Shawn, "From the looks of the weather I think the Walkers will start freezing over again. If so it'll make scavenging easier. Not to mention we can easily kill a lot of them and spare the rest of the world a bit of grief." Olivia had done that in past winters--stabbing or shooting frozen Walkers in the head--killing them when they couldn't move.

What Is Left -- The Walking Dead

When Shawn left Olivia set about cleaning up the cabin some. She stored away last night's dirty dishes to be washed later, put the solar panels in a safe place. After that she rinsed off a bit and dressed in warm clothing. Thermal underwear, jeans, a thick sweater, wool socks and boots. Her gloves and jacket was nearby in case they might want to go out later. Olivia sifted through her supplies to see what they might be able to have for dinner. She had gotten plenty of granola bars from the outdoor shop in the department store. Those would be good enough for now, but she definitely wanted to find some more food soon. Olivia started to wonder if maybe she could find a cooking store to raid. Perhaps she could find a meat dehydrator. If so she could use the solar panels to power it and she could make jerky from whatever she could hunt or catch--deer, rabbits, even dried fish. It would keep for a while and she and Shawn could start making a food store. She'd have to bring it up to him whenever he came back.

As Olivia went about her tasks she hummed happily to herself. It was nice, she thought, having someone else around again. Someone she could trust, someone she loved, someone to talk to. If she hadn't met Shawn, Olivia probably would have continued getting along just fine. She would have still been lonely, yes, but she would still be able to survive easily. But with Shawn things were even better. She was safer, she wasn't lonely anymore. Olivia loved him. She really did. It might have been soon, but in this world they now lived now you had to act and act quickly no matter what it was. As Olivia thought of Shawn she felt her heart swelling with joy once more. She tried to wait patiently for him to come back, and when she finally heard the knock she almost jumped at the door. She managed to keep her composure though, and instead she calmly but happily greeted him by saying, "Welcome back."

What Is Left -- The Walking Dead

Olivia was up for a while longer than Shawn, but she didn't move or make a sound. Instead she lay there with her eyes closed, listening to his breathing and the beating of his heart. She was hyper-aware of any part of her body that touched his. Shawn was warm. His presence was a comfort, a beacon of light drawing her in from a sea of loneliness, a dark storm of haunting memories. As she lay there in his arms she pondered some things. If the two of them had met before the infection, what would have happened? Would they be friends? Perhaps they might have a relationship more akin to siblings. Maybe they would have eventually wound up lovers as they were now. Or maybe they would have simply been strangers passing by. Whatever could have happened in the past did not matter, and there was no reason to really dwell on it. What mattered was that she had Shawn in the here and now. He was hers, and she was his. She didn't have to worry about being lonely anymore because, despite how she had often told herself she wasn't, Olivia had been very, terribly lonely. Of course she could have found a group to join, but after what had happened to her that one time she had no desire to put herself at the mercy of others should they ever suddenly on her or each other.

Eventually the lullaby created by the gentle river waves and the beating of Shawn's heart carried Olivia off into a deep sleep. Come morning's light she started to stir, awakened from her dreams by Shawn's gentle affection. She yawned and rubbed her eyes to clear them of sleep before nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck once more. "Morning," she greeted. Her voice was still heavy with sleep, but there was a note of happiness there nonetheless. Olivia kissed his neck and hugged him tightly before asking, "How did you sleep last night?"

What Is Left -- The Walking Dead

Shawn's words were a soothing balm to Olivia's fears. She had been honestly worried for a bit there, but now she realized that she had no need to be. Not with Shawn. He had been true to his word: stopping when she wasn't comfortable. No doubt it must have ached him to do so--she had seen the lust burning in his eyes--but he had stopped and for that Olivia loved him and respected him even more. She wrapped her arms around his middle, smiling softly as he kissed her forehead. When she looked up at him her expression was gentle. "Thank you, Shawn," she quietly said as she hugged him. She leaned up to give him a kiss, this one sweet and loving. One day she would be ready to step further, and then Olivia would brush off those haunting memories. When she did she knew Shawn would be there to show her it didn't have to hurt, that it wasn't scary, that it could be an act of love. But even until that day and all those after she knew Shawn would be by her side no matter what. The thought made Olivia so joyful she felt like a cauldron ready to bubble over.

She stared at him with adoration that seemed to only grow with every passing moment. Finally she took his hand in hers, smiled, and said, "Let's sit down and get comfortable. We've got a long way 'til sunrise." Olivia led him to the benches so they could sit. They were deep benches, deep enough to lay down on but not enough to give extra room when doing so. When it came to holding each other and cuddling though it was perfect. Olivia leaned against Shawn, her arms around him, her head on his shoulder. "I love you, Shawn," she sighed happily as she nuzzled his neck.