Saltwater Thief

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Zeldria Miphras

Bride to Ineraz (@SilverPaw), Sister Bride to Sera (@Pupperr)
Interacting with Ineraz, Sera, & Xaelia @Ellion

Zel hadn't been sure what she expected from Sera, but her sister bride seemed civil enough in response. Granted, she didn't respond with much of anything, and it dawned on Zel that Sera had been uncomfortable ever since they'd arrived at the market. She did, however, oblige her with what seemed to be a simple random choosing game similar to "Father Bought a Donkey," and the result was the lighter grey. Which was just as well, Zel decided, and Ineraz didn't seem to find issue with it, so that was that.

"Thank you Sera," she said as she took it off the rack. She found a large bag for carrying her choices in, and as she loaded them into it she decided to take a moment inside the closed wagon to change out of the Drakken clothing and into one of the shirts and skirts she'd picked out. Not long after, Ineraz led them out onto one of the major thoroughfares... and straight into a scene out of a Gem's nightmare. Men screamed in pain and rage alike amid ringing metal and the sounds of flesh being torn into as what seemed like a small war broke out in the street. Zeldria's attention was soon taken away, however, as a Gem came hurtling out of the crowd, collided with Ineraz briefly, then turned to look at her.

Xaelia seemed so much different today than she had in the baths, but there was neither mistaking nor forgetting her. And, judging by the way she looked and then practically leaped at Zel, it seemed the feeling was mutual. Zeldria found herself returning the embrace, regardless of length, and couldn't help but notice how Xaelia reacted when Ineraz barked orders at them. He ordered them back to the wagon, which seemed a good idea, so Zel broke the hug but kept her arm around Xaelia.

"Come on Xaelia, I'll stay with you," she said as she gently pushed on the dark-haired Gem's back and guided her back to the wagon. Senn and the hounds took up defensive positions around them once they arrived, and once they were firmly against the wooden side Zel guided her newly reunited friend to crouch down with her.

"It's alright, we should be safe now. Are you alright? What happened?"

Summary

Zel gets her cloak, then finds a suitcase, and changes while packing in the wagon (she was still wearing the boy's clothes. Gross.)
Returns Xae's hug, then takes her over to the wagon. Worries about her. Asks questions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wilhelm the Black Blade

Husband of Onyx (@Vesuvius00) and Amalia (@Belle)
Interacting with Onyx & Amalia

It was not a good day for the injured Drakken. He'd been struck in the shoulder by a knife, kicked and clawed by a Gem, and then tripped by the reeds at the command of another, only adding insult to injury. He broke free quite soon, however, and was just getting to his feet to move for Amalia and Onyx again when a flash of movement appeared behind him and Wilhelm's black sword protruded from his chest, splashing blood across the ground before him. As the shock passed over his face he registered what was happening, and when he turned to look where the fighting had been before he only saw his compatriots lying on the ground, their blood mixing with the waters of the swamp, soundly dead.

Wilhelm pulled the sword from the man and flung his form to the roadside without a word, glaring contemptuously at the man. For all the noises of combat, there was not a wound to be seen on him; a torn right sleeve was the only sign he'd even been assailed. Both of his brides seemed unharmed, save for Amalia's ear where it had been struck by the arrows. Leaning in to the carriage, Wilhelm easily plucked the arrow from the wood and smelled the head carefully.

"Not venomed. That is well," he said before dismissively tossing it among the corpses. He straightened his clothes a bit, now that the fight was done, but he did not sheathe his sword as he strolled to the front of the carriage. "How many more ambushes will we be dealing with today?" he asked, not quite wondering aloud. A few seconds passed where nobody spoke, and then Wilhelm rapidly reached up with his free hand to grab the Driver by the arm and bodily hurl him to the ground from off his perch.

"I asked you a question, Matteo. How many more ambushes are waiting for us on this road?" he said with a voice like ice.

"M-my Lord?" Matteo stuttered as he sat up, "I've no idea why you're asking me-"

"Oh you don't?" Wilhelm snarled, "You think me a fool then? You come to me with reports of a blocked pass..."

"But it's true my lord! It is blocked!" Matteo pleaded as he began to scramble backwards while Wilhelm followed him.

"You tell me there are bandits on the Highroad, so my only option is this path..."

"I could not confirm that, but it did not seem worth the risk-"

"And then, strangely, the wagon horses grind to a sudden halt HERE, where an ambush was waiting!"

"Th-the horses must have been startled by something!"

"Indeed. But how would something startle them while my steed remains untroubled?"

"Y-y-your steed is trained and bred for war my lord!" Matteo stammered, panic beginning to flood his face as he found his back pressed against a tree, "Surely he wouldn't be startled by something so-"

"Of course not! But he would still sense it and alert me, as he has been trained. Unless, of course, it was something he was not intended to sense. A localized tremor, only beneath the wagon horses perhaps?"

"Yes, of course! One of the attackers must have-"

"And why would they do that? Only someone who knew my horse would alert me would specifically avoid affecting him with it. Someone who has been around these horses their entire life. Someone like you, Matteo."

Wilhelm reached down and gripped Matteo by the throat, hoisting him up against the tree with seemingly little effort.

"Now, I will ask you one. Last. Time," he said venomously, "How many other ambushes are there?"

Matteo struggled to find enough breath, but the more he groped and scratched against Wilhelm's iron grasp the more he seemed to realize that he was running out of options. Finally, he managed to breathe out "This was the only one, my lord."

"And who were these men?" Wilhelm asked.

"Peasants, my lord...." Matteo said between gasps, "Disgraced soldiers who only wanted some Gems for themselves..."

"You are certain of that? Or are you deceiving me again?" Wilhelm demanded as he hoisted the servant higher still.

"N-no my lord! I tell you truth! Please!" Matteo began to beg as tears formed in his eyes.

"Very well," Wilhelm said as he let go and Matteo flopped to the ground, gasping for air. Wilhelm watched him patiently as he began to right himself then looked him straight in the eyes. "Then you are dismissed."

With a single motion the black sword lashed out, severing the servant's head with an impossibly clean strike that left a single, straight gash in the trunk of the tree behind him. He cleaned the sword of its blood as he trod back to the wagon to take stock of the situation. With nary a word to his brides, at first, he went to the back of the carriage and began to pull the saddles from it. He unhooked the horses from their post and quickly saddled each of them, then turned to Amalia and Onyx.

"We will be riding the rest of the way," he told them, "It will be faster and less noticeable. Are you both familiar with the action, or need I instruct you?"

Summary

Wilhelm kills some people, determines that Amalia isn't poisoned from the arrow, then deduces that the driver was complicate in the whole affair. There's some Q & A, Wilhelm has to choke a bitch, and then we all learn what happens when you betray the man; you die!

Now he just needs to know if his brides can ride horses at all before they get going.
(Note: Nothing more planned for the road, next post will get us to Nachtstone)

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Zeldria Miphras

Bride to Ineraz (@SilverPaw), Sister Bride to Sera (@Pupperr)
Interacting with Ineraz & Sera

Zeldria stood quietly as Ineraz looked over her clothing selections. She was nervous about his pending approval, but she was determined to quell it as she waited. Her fear was the greatest enemy she had at present, and if she did not conquer it she would only receive more misery. Mercifully it seemed she'd made good choices, and Ineraz found little reason to object. Then, however, he came to the scarf. And as Ineraz commented on it and began to slowly lift it, her heart crawled into her throat and began to rapidly beat. His expression had stayed neutral as he examined it; that was not a good sign. Approval was what she wanted, and anything less was worrisome.

Just breathe Zel, she told herself. Don't let him see the fear. If he doesn't see it, he can't use it. Remember the fire. it flares, it shrinks, but it never leaves its cage. Just keep breathing, let the fire rise and reduce in time with your breaths. In, and out. And as she directed her mind to focus on her breath and the image of the small flame in her hands she looked back at Ineraz, as calm an expression as she could manage on her face. She wouldn't let him see her concern. She refused to let him see it.

The seconds stretched themselves far more than should have been possible, but finally Ineraz broke the statuesque scene. He placed the scarf around her neck and tied it, quite gingerly, and then examined how it looked on her. “It suits you,” he said.

"Thank you my lord," she replied, "I'm glad you find it so."

After the girls loaded their purchases into the wagon, Ineraz advised her to seek out a suitcase for her goods as well as a traveling cloak and some riding breeches. It certainly seemed prudent, and it was good to have the choice. Before much longer they were perusing cloaks, and while a simple black cloak would have done, something compelled Zel to seek a more interesting color. Of course, since practicality was the goal she couldn't go too outlandish, but perhaps a nice grey to compliment the scarf's color. The shopping made her feel more comfortable, somehow, as it was something she knew and could spare a little revelry in, and for a time she had forgotten some of her circumstances.

"Hmm. I can't quite decide between these two," Zel voiced aloud as she examined too cloaks, one a lighter shade of grey closer to silver and the other a little more like a dark winter's grey. "Sera, what do you think?"

The words had left her mouth before she thought of them, before she could consider who she'd be asking the question of, and before she could remind herself of everything that had been happening so far. But, even as she recalled all of these things, it was far too late to rescind...

Summary

Zel is deathly afraid that Ineraz will reject the scarf out of hand, but she manages to contain and conceal it. Somewhat. Then she goes looking for a cloak, and in the moment forgets a few things and without thinking engages Sera in conversation.

DUN DUN DUN

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Wilhelm the Black Blade

Husband of Onyx (@Vesuvius00) and Amalia (@Belle)
Interacting with Onyx & Amalia

Travel through the marsh was slow to begin with, and it only grew slower as they went deeper in. The potholes multiplied, the swamp water encroached further upon the road, and the grass grew taller with each yard. Wilhelm kept his eyes and ears open, searching for any sign or sound of the foul play he suspected was afoot here. Little could he anticipate that it would come from his own brides.

The carriage lurched to a sudden halt as the horses pulling it suddenly reared up in panic. Before Wilhelm could look to the driver, however, the distinct noise of an arrows striking wood resounded in the marsh, followed swiftly by the screams of one, then the other of his brides. His head snapped about in the direction of the scream, and there amid the twisted trees stood a pack of shadows, one of which was open and holding aloft a bow. Another swiftly approached that one and an arm lashed out to strike it.

"Oi!" cried a voice, clearly no longer concerned with concealment, "We was told to not 'arm the merchandise!"

In the time it took him to say that, Wilhelm had reached to his belt and pulled a dagger from it, pulled back his arm, and hurled it forward, using his mastery over the air to guide it over the swamp. It struck the archer directly, embedding itself in his neck and causing him to collapse, sputtering blood as he attempted to speak.

"Cowards."

Wilhelm's voice sliced through the air as he dismounted and rounded to come between the carriage and its assailants. He strode out into the wet ground by the road, standing as a challenge to the men who dared slight him with a cold, merciless fury in his eyes. Another shadow stepped out from behind a tree with bow in hand, but as he made the movement another of Wilhelm's knives flipped through the air to strike him in the shoulder. He lived, but he would not be wielding a bow any further.

"You would rely on ambushes and trickery to claim a prize. Pathetic," his voice called across the swamp again, "If you would have what is mine, then bare steel and come take it from me."

The central assailant looked about him, then nodded to his companion with the injured shoulder and stood. Three more joined him, and all four soon held weapons in their hands; an axe, twin shortwords, a spear, and one held a mere hand sickle. They began to walk closer, slowly and cautiously, and revealed themselves to indeed be Drakken. By their clothes they were peasants, nameless fools with no military training. Which explained why none of them simply picked up their comrade's bows and quivers.

"We got ya surrounded, milord," one of them called as the began to fan out to enclose him.

"All I am surrounded by," Wilhelm declared as he drew his sword, "Is fear and dead men."

And then the battle erupted!

Summary

It's an ambush! Wilhelm kills one archer and injures a second to the point he can't shoot anymore, then challenges the others to fight him directly. They do, approaching him 4v1. There is a 5th, the injured archer, but he's not in the attack. Hmm...

Through the Doors of our hearts - Finished

I'm fine with doing so.

Through the Doors of our hearts - Finished

Alexander

"I think we'll do just fine," Alexander replied, "No murderin' to be had here!" Well, he thought, so long as Ryker doesn't try to touch the knife again. He didn't expect most people to truly understand his obsession with that. The knife was special in more ways than one. It wasn't just a memento from his world, it was symbolic of his connection to Julie, his Stormwing. The knife had been made by folding the steel around one of Julie's feathers, and while there was no question the feather itself was no more, the whole thing was supposed to be metaphorical anyway. It was supposed to mean that even when he couldn't see the sky and she couldn't hear his whistle, they were still together and relying on one another. Sure, some of the students had objects they really liked, or maybe even mementos from home, but how many of them had something that was that significant to their time? He certainly hadn't met any that did.

But, before too much longer, it was time for dinner. And after an afternoon facilitating introductions and helping Ryker find his way about the house, Alex was ready for a little solitude. So, he sat down a bit away from anyone else with his food, and started to eat, every so often glancing about to see if anybody was set on approaching him.

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Wilhelm the Black Blade

Husband of Onyx (@Vesuvius00) and Amalia (@Belle)
Interacting with Onyx & Amalia

A half hour came and went as Wilhelm watched the horizon, waiting for the sight of his servant to come galloping up. He was late. Another ten minutes passed before he appeared, riding the horse up the hill at a somewhat leisurely pace. Wilhelm rode down to meet him, his mouth set in an irate line.

"You are late," he stated coldly.

"I am, my lord," the driver replied, "I paused along the way to let the horse drink and rest. It would not do if we were slowed because of its fatigue, or so I thought."

"Did you now. How remarkably considerate of you. What is the status of the pass?" Wilhelm inquired.

"The reports were accurate my lord," came the response, "A multitude of boulders barricade the pass, and it will be at least a day before they can be cleared. Additionally, one of the men told me there were whispers of ambushes on the High Road, as you presumed."

"I see. Then our course is clear," Wilhelm said as he turned his horse to return to the carriage, "Prepare the horse, and as soon as they are ready to move again we make for the marsh."

"As you say, my lord."

They returned to the wagon then, and as the driver reequipped the horse with the carriage equipment Wilhelm dismounted and strode to the side of the carriage. He opened the door and stepped up to look down on his brides, carefully passing his gaze over them both to ensure they had weathered the trip thus far and had not attempted anything rash. Then he spoke.

"There has been a change in our travel plans. The most direct route has been blocked, and we will be traversing a marsh to reach our destination instead," he said imperiously, "I tell you this so you know, and also so you will be observant. I suspect treachery on the road, and I will not suffer it. Keep your eyes and ears open, and should anything appear out of the ordinary or suspicious, you will notify me immediately. Is that clear?"

Sometime later the driver called that the horses were ready, and Wilhelm responded that he was as well. They set off down a different road to the west, one that winded and twisted as it neared an area blanketed by a layer of almost sickly green fog and woven of black, gnarled trees. Pools of fetid water began to appear and grow larger as they grew closer, and the already bedeviled tones of Drakka's fauna grew ever more vile. The pace slowed as the horses and their operators carefully looked for the path, gingerly stepping where the ground was hard and evading the pitfalls and murky traps of the marsh road. All the while, Wilhelm kept his eyes sweeping back and forth, his ears raised, and one hand on the scabbard of his sword at all times...

Summary

The driver returns. The pass is in fact blocked, and they take a detour through the marsh. It's dark, it's gloomy, it's spooky, and it smells bad.

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Zeldria Miphras

Bride to Ineraz (@SilverPaw), Sister Bride to Sera (@Pupperr)
Interacting with Ineraz & Sera

It wasn't long before Zel was left alone with herself and her thoughts once again. There was the guard, as always, but this one seemed content to sit and watch her in silence. Perhaps he was the quiet sort, or maybe he was being cautious and keeping his distance from her for fear of joining his associate in the dungeons. Zel had no intentions of burning him, of course, but he had no way of knowing such things. She was glad for the silence, however; in a house full of nothing but scorn, her own soul and mind were the best company she would have. What recourse she had at this point, she could not say, but she knew she would need to calm herself to find one. So, she returned to her old habit.

Closing her eyes and bringing her hands together as if she was praying, Zel concentrated on her breathing and blocked all other things from her mind. Ineraz's pressures, Sera's temperament, the way the cooks reacted to her, all of it was sent away from her head's inner chambers and instead funneled into a tiny flickering flame between her hands. Slowly she began to make the fire grow and shrink in time with her breath, spreading her fingers out around it like a cage. She funneled all of her concerns, her worries, her fears into it, sending them to the fire where she could contain and control them and away from where they would only try to consume her. In a way, she absently thought, it was almost symbolic of herself, this little burning sprite she'd made...

"What are you doing?" barked the deep, rough-hewn voice of the guard, his tones filled with warning. Zel opened her eyes as she nearly jumped out of her skin. Her control waned and the fire between her palms flared outward in a crackling burst of heat that forced her hands apart lest they be scorched.

"Composing myself, if you must know," she replied after she'd brought herself back to center, "I find it helps to conjure a small flame and exercise fine control over it."

The guard only grunted, which she took to assume meant some form of acceptance of her answer, and she returned to waiting. After some time Sera was deposited there with them while Ineraz went to attend to some business. And while Zel did her best to retain her composure, Sera's presence still had a notable effect on her. She would glance warily toward her sister bride every so often, as if watching to see if she would call her fire again, but if Sera returned the gaze Zel was quick to find interest elsewhere and look away.

The time seemed to stretch and linger past its due, until finally Ineraz returned- albeit looking much more cold and stony than before. Something had happened, though Zel could not hazard what, and she only hoped it would not give him cause to rebuke or relieve his stress upon her. It seemed he would not, however, and instead beckoned them outside. A wagon was prepared, and the hunting hounds were brought out to meet the two of them. Zel had known hounds, but like most things in Drakka the ones she was now seeing proved drastically more vicious and savage than what she'd known. They were quite large and one of them would not have much trouble eating her if the mood took it, but it seemed for now they were content to investigate her scent and leave her be beyond that. Some of them even permitted her to scratch their ears, a surprising comfort to her heart, before they had to be on their way. The wagon smelled heavily of animals, but such things had been the norm back home and Zeldria had no qualms climbing into the wagon.

Once they reached the market, Ineraz allowed them to roam freely, within reason, to find clothes they wanted. Selection was somewhat limited, but it seemed more than a few tailors saw opportunity in the Reaping and had laid out a collection of wares for Gems to sport. Many of them were designed more for looking at than actually wearing, it seemed to her, but here and there Zel managed to find a few selections that would serve practically. A few blouses, mostly white, caught her eye, coupled with some skirts in black and red and a single moderately formal dress. There was, however, one thing that called her attention to it; a small neck kerchief the color of the morning sky. She couldn't say why, but it called to her in a way that was oddly familiar, and she found her heart quietly set on it. With her choices in hand she turned to Ineraz for final approval, but the only piece she honestly hoped would not be denied was the scarf...

Summary

Zel does her calming exercise again and a small difference occurs, but nothing to be alarmed about I'm sure. What could be alarming is how she's very wary of Sera now, but she's trying to not be direct about it. She pets the puppies a little, then gets in the wagon and goes shopping. She finds a few things, including a little neck kerchief that for some reason resonates with her, and she really wants it.

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Wilhelm the Black Blade

Husband of Onyx (@Vesuvius00) and Amalia (@Belle)
Interacting with Onyx & Amalia

As breakfast concluded Wilhelm made his way outside and began checking over his horse, ensuring the saddle was tightened properly and that the great beast was well prepared for the travel ahead. Behind him, a commotion of man and beast drew his attention as his attendant wrestled with one of the carriage horses, but to his surprise another voice cut in; Amalia's. Intrigued, he turned to watch the events unfold. For a moment it seemed the driver might grab or strike his bride; a sharp look from Wilhelm caught in the corner of the man's eye dissuaded him of that rather quickly. He threw his hands up not long after, and the blonde bride went to work. To Wilhelm's surprise she managed to quiet the horse's temper, and before long she'd found the source of the anguish- a pebble lodged in the beast's hoof. Earth Gems had been noted to have skill with animals, but he'd never seen it quite so pronounced or used so effectively.

"Well then," he said as he sauntered closer, "I trust you won't be needing my bride's assistance in tending to that. With both haste and care, if you're capable."

The driver was furious, that much was clear, but a continued stare from his master set the man on his work. While he did that, Wilhelm firmly patted Amalia on the back and bade her step away. "That was impressive," he said with a touch of amusement to his tone, "It seems I was quite fortunate this Reaping. Now then, into the carriage with your sister bride. We will leave as soon as the horse is tended to."

True to his word, as soon as the driver had finished removing the rock and tightening the horseshoe he was clambering into his seat as Wilhelm mounted his horse. With nary a word to the brides they set off, hooves and wheels clattering against the street. The city was remarkably still as they moved through it, the sun just barely cresting over the taller buildings. Soon the capital would stir with activity once again, but Wilhelm had designs to be gone by the time it did. The watchers at the gate gave them little trouble, aided by Wilhelm's riding in the open, and it was not long before they had left the city behind. Cobblestone roads and iron walls soon gave way to roughly hewn dirt and the desolate rolling hills of the Drakkan countryside. The morning mist was beginning to fully fade away as they traveled, revealing the brown grass and rocky soil underfoot. Little sound save the rattling of the carriage and the grunt of the horses echoed as they moved, and to say truth Wilhelm preferred it as such. His preference lay, as it always would, in the solitary confines of his own domain, where nothing happened without his knowledge and approval, and here in the quiet was the closest he would find this near to the city with its buzzing hive of pomposity, bragging, and folly. To say nothing, of course, of the tactical advantages the silence offered should some bullheaded fool be lying in wait, looking to hawk his brides from him.

Things went smoothly for quite some time. The road continued its silence, broken only by the occasional chatter of his brides and his own, rarer responses. That changed, however, around midday. As they crested the top of a hill, Wilhelm called a halt to the procession. He gazed ahead, seeing the deep gorge cut into the land that was his usual route home- Bloodrock Pass. He motioned for the driver to unseat himself and approach him.

"You said there were reports of a landslide," he said, not quite as a question.

"That is correct my lord," the driver replied, "But I could not confirm it."

"Then you will do so now," he commanded, "Take the lead horse and one of the spare saddles. See with your own eyes if the pass is blocked or not. It is a quarter hour's ride between here and there. I will remain here with my brides, awaiting your report. Do not disappoint me."

"Of course not, my lord."

Not long after the driver had separated the stronger of the two horses, saddled him, and was riding down the hill toward the gorge. Wilhelm observed him as he went until he was out of sight, and then turned his eyes toward the pass itself. Perhaps the tellings of a landslide would prove false, but if not... it was concerning, to say the least. Regardless, he thought as he adjusted his sword at his hip, he was Wilhelm the Black Blade. And come storm, stone, or simpleton he would keep what was his.

Summary

We're off! Things are quiet for the first part, until the group gets within sight of Bloodstone Pass, where a landslide was rumored to have blocked the road. Wilhelm sends his driver to confirm those reports, preparing to make a plan B if they are in fact true.

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

Zeldria Miphras

Bride to Ineraz (@SilverPaw), Sister Bride to Sera (@Pupperr)
Interacting with Ineraz & Sera

She wasn't sure what she had expected from Ineraz in response to her account. Certainly not sympathy or pity, she knew better than that. And even if she hadn't known, the way he looked at her with his face full of scarcely concealed and almost mocking disapproval made it exceptionally clear. He would have died before surrendering himself to an enemy, as she had. Of course that was the case; he was a Drakken. His people prided themselves on war. Ineraz the Beastmaster had never, nor would he ever, encounter a foe that he knew in his very soul he could not hope to fight. He would never know what it meant for a sacrifice to be his only way out, to give a finger to save his arm. The very notion, she realized, was the mark of a coward to him. And there was little doubt in her mind that he now thought less of her, knowing that. Such thoughts were only reinforced by his questioning of her commitment, of all things.

Strangely, however, she didn't care. Somewhere inside of her, his dismay toward her meant absolutely nothing. She knew she'd made the right choice on that fated afternoon. Somewhere, years from now, those children would be able to smile thanks to her. And nothing he said or did would change that. There was a comfort and a power in that, aided and abetted by a little indignation as well. He presumed to judge her, but what would he know about her situation? But, much as she wanted to stare him in the face and tell him such, she also knew it was impossible. After all, there was no way a Gem like her could ever stand up to a Drakken directly.

"That, my lord," she began carefully, "Was because I was, and still am, a stranger in strange lands, given as property to you with no knowledge of who you are, what your preferences are. I think you'll find that I adapt well, given the chance, but I am still familiarizing myself with Drakka and your house, at present."

It was at that point that one of the guards came bursting in, nursing burns on his person, and began whispering in Ineraz's ear. Zel couldn't make out what was being said, but shortly thereafter Ineraz had the guard by the throat and began to aggressively threaten him. He beckoned her and the guard to follow him as he left the room. They did so, and before long they came across Sera, standing in the middle of a room, utterly horrified by something. Zel's eyes widened as Ineraz moved to question her. Sera had burned one of the guards? But how? Where had she found the courage? The very idea was unimaginable to Zel, and given the events at Shadow Worth it seemed tantamount to suicide! And yet, here Ineraz was, praising her for it. Would he come to expect the same of her? Was that why he always looked at her with dismay? Not that she wished for his approval, of course, but if Sera proved a better alternative... what on earth would he do to her? Moreover, Sera had clearly proved herself willing and able to wield her fire against a Drakken when crossed. What would she do to me then, Zel asked herself quietly. And all she was capable of in that moment was stare in disbelief at Sera, uncertain of anything she'd be able to do at all.

Summary

Zel answers Ineraz after affirming to herself that Ineraz' disapproval of her actions in the past doesn't matter to her, although she keeps that to herself. The fact that Sera's willing and able to torch these men she can't even fathom raising a hand against is... startling, to say the least, and has her quite on edge.

Through the Doors of our hearts - Finished

Alexander

Well, at least the lad seemed to be taking things well. He seemed to always be glancing around, especially out the windows- Alexander could understand that. Clearly his home was more outdoorsy than this place, and when that was the case you never really adjusted to staying inside again. As if to confirm the thought, he watched Ryker bolt for the room's only window and fling it wide open to breathe in the air.

"Well, I'm glad you like it!" he exclaimed with a wide smile. A smile that faded instantly when he saw where Ryker's hand was beginning to stray. When that hand moved definitively toward his precious dagger, Alexander exploded into action. Quick as a flash he stepped to just behind Ryker and lashed his hand out to clamp around the new boy's forearm with a grip like iron. The smile was gone, replaced with a stern glare that nothing he'd done prior suggested he was capable of.

"I would really. REALLY. Rather you didn't."

Confident that his message had gone through, Alex released his grip, smiled again, and turned to respond to the knocking at the door- though his eyes never entirely left Ryker, and they wouldn't until he stepped fully away from the dresser.

"Hello Eleanor, was wondering when you'd get here!" he said as he opened the door and greeted the headmistress, "Just about got done showing Ryker the room, matter of fact!"

@Siaya Dragalorn
@Kirah