Messages

16

Domiciles / Re: The Long Road

« on: July 16, 2011, 02:23:26 AM »

A great majority of the time Lam was gone, Kysis was deep in sleep, a good sort of sleep where he dreamed only of the events of earlier, meeting his daughter there at the door.  Pandora was practically wreathed in sunlight in those dreams, and instead of the sobering events which followed, his mind replaced them with his playing with Pandora, and Lam participating.

When he woke, there was a sort, wistful smile on his lips.  Then he remembered, that had not happened.  Pandora did not even know him at this point.  Alex was sitting near by, and offered to retrieve him clothing.

For now, Kysis only donned his pants, Alex helping him up the stairs to his room, which was hardly his room anymore.

Kysis wandered around the chamber slowly, running his hands across the unfamiliar bed cover, then walking to the crib, staring into that empty space with sad eyes.  Eventually, he found where his clothes where, exactly where he left them, perhaps the only thing still familiar.

With some help from Alex, Kysis managed to don a tunic fitting to his station as a lord, though it was not too dressy. Kysis did not want to seem formal, though the black tones he wore made him seem such, despite it all.  He was still in mourning for more than just his city, after all.

Apparently Lily as back, the young woman servant blushing as she curtsied and introduced herself to him.  After that was done, Kysis suggested she begin preparing dinner for Lam\'s return, which she jumped to immediately.  Alex went about cleaning Alia\'s old room, Kysis finding out Alex had been using it as his own for a while; Kysis followed him, sitting in a chair out of the way, the two having short, clipped, stilted conversation about what had happened in Kreos when Lam returned.

Kysis wanted to jump up immediately, but forced himself not to, very mindful of his just redone stitches.  Slowly, he got up, with the help of Alex, facing both Lam and Pandora.  His eyes, haunted, dark eyes, lit up slightly at the sight of his daughter.  He approached just as slowly as he had stood, not wanting to startle his daughter.

17

Approved Characters / Calista Everard of House Liari

« on: July 15, 2011, 10:23:35 AM »

>Full Name and Title:
Lady Calista Everard of House Liari

>Age:
25

>Birthday:
April 3rd

>Occupation:
As a Lady, heir of old money, she has no true job.

>Religion:
Thanatos, Greek God of Death, is the patron to her family, and she prays to him like the rest of the Liari lot.

>Hair:
Her hair is a golden blond which naturally falls with some curl.  She keeps it long, though she often braids it up line a crown about her head.

>Eyes:
Her eyes are a dark sapphire blue, large and expressive.

>Nose:
Her nose is medium, never broken, and smooth.

>Lips:
Medium in plumpness, and about medium in width, her lips had a tendency of looking slightly pouty.

>Skin Color:
She has olive skin, which takes on a golden glow quite easily.

>Scars:
She has no visible scars, and has worked her hardest to make the ones she has fade into her skin, so they are not noticeable.

>Height:
5ft8in.

>Weight:
She is thin, though athletic, having more strength than a lot of “ladies”, but still looking ladylike.

>Physical Attractiveness:
She is statuesque, almost, and confident, adding to her appeal.

>Clothing:
She always dresses to her station, with rich fabrics and fine tailoring.  She is not used to the fashions of the north, however, most of her dresses from Greece, her homeland, her fashion choices reflecting that. She normally wears olive greens, golds, and burnt oranges, which play best to her complexion and hair.

>Mother:
Ariadne was a beauty of Kreos, a woman of the aristocracy, and groomed for being someone who ran a household—in style, with money.  She was always level headed, calm, and keen on listening carefully for information while remaining under the veil of being “oblivious” and “naïve”, as someone of her station was supposed to.  She met Ryos Liari at a ball, before he gained his title as Lord of the land, and married him.  She died when Calista was only ten.

>Father:
Ryos Liari was a quiet man, who had a love of weapons fostered by his father, who had been a soldier before gaining the title of Lord Liari.  He took up the mantle with great pride, even though he was riddled with sickness throughout his life, always weaker than his younger brother, Marcos.  He worked in the forge despite his weakness, leading to his early death of an unbeatable sickness soon after Calista’s wedding.

>Siblings:
None, though she had two cousins, Kysis Liari, and Alia Liari (deceased).

>Husband:
Tiberius Everard (deceased).

>Children:
Calypso Liari (daughter, still a baby, by Tiberius).

>Childhood:
Calista grew up in the Keep of Kreos with everything she could ever want, from beautiful playmates to wonderful dresses to phenomenal balls.  She was tutored in being a strong woman, while still remaining feminine, though now and then Ryos allowed Tiberius, his Master of Arms, teach her some knife work, so she could defend herself.

>Education:
She was tutored widely as a child, learning Greek, Latin, and English, as well as arithmetic, poetry, music, and painting.  She absorbed it all eagerly, ready to please her father all the more after her mother’s death.

>Natural Talents:
She has an extremely keen ear for overhearing things, a gift of her mother, and knows how to be charming, even if she hates someone, another gift of her mother.  Her level-headedness comes from both parents.

>Hobbies:
She paints now and then, though she harbors no delusions that she is any good.  She can also play a half-harp with some skill, and enjoys memorizing poetry for verbal recital.

>Personality:
She is level headed but warm, quiet but charming, and extremely charismatic, carrying herself with confidence.

>Weaponry:
Though Calista knows how to use knives, she rarely caries one with her, as she has guards for protection in public.

>Pictures: Calista

>Recent History:
When the Ottomans attacked Kreos, she was one of the first people evacuated to the camp on the north side of the pass, however, her husband, Tiberius, as Master of Arms to the Lord Liari, rode back into battle with his lord.  They brought back his body along with the news her cousin had fallen.  Calista went into heavy mourning, until Kysis seemed to arrive back from the doorstep of Hades, when she promised him she would try to continue her life… in Oberon.  She did not travel to Oberon with Kysis, instead riding a carriage with a few guards around her, mainly Jax, an old friend of hers, as their arrival in the city is not quite so urgent as Kysis\' ride.

18

Broken Wheel Tavern / Re: The Daily Grind

« on: July 15, 2011, 08:57:55 AM »

Fenwick\'s smile became completely natural as the young lass gave him a playful curtsy back.  It was wonderful when people played along, and he could not help but absolutely glow because of it.  In fact, he had almost forgotten about his business delivering the wine all together until the lass mentioned that fact.

He took it in stride, walking with her through the little gate of the tavern.  His gait was easy and relaxed-- his legs were anything but, from all the walking he had been doing, and so heavily laden as he was.  He was just not cut out for heavy labor.  Thankfully, he was on his last delivery of the day, unless another of the hired hands managed to weasel their way out of a good wage.

"Yes, indeed I am, and I come bearing the six bottles." Fenwick shrugged, the motion a touch difficult with the weight of the straps bearing down on him.  It was a good case, and kept the bottles safe, but really couldn\'t they have commissioned a smaller case that was easier to handle?  But then they would have to hire more hands.  What a vicious cycle.

"Delivered by yours truly, Fenwick Baldor himself." Fenwick flourished another bow this time, a very small one, considering he was still wearing the pack.

19

Domiciles / Re: The Long Road

« on: July 14, 2011, 11:35:57 PM »

Wait until Alex got back?  The words drifted through his head, lingering, but not really finding any purchase.  Kysis nodded in a slow, lethargic, tired sort of way, as though he had to move his head through molasses.  That was what it felt like.

He could still see Lam there, next to him, taking some reassurance from that.  When she returned with Pandora, he wanted to be well rested so he could spend the proper time and energy with his daughter.  She was already walking!  When he left for Kreos, she was swaddled in cloth, so small, so vulnerable, and it had hurt his heart all the way through to have to leave such a beautiful child behind, but he knew Lam was more than capable and that his people needed him.

The thought of just how many people would have died had he not shown up when he did had him slightly more awake again, a sour taste in his mouth.  He had to go, even if he felt like he had stepped outside the river that was time, and everyone else had been whisked away without him.  It would take a great deal of swimming for him to find them again, but first, he had to sleep.

He smiled softly as Lam kissed his hand, wanting a kiss on the lips, but not having the will to speak it out loud.  Perhaps Lam was uncomfortable.  That could be it.  He remembered how skittish he had been, once upon a time.  That last small layer of innocence he had still clung to was gone now.

"I love you." There was something slightly desperate to his tone.  He needed to say it, he needed Lam to remember it.

20

Domiciles / Re: The Long Road

« on: July 14, 2011, 12:14:05 PM »

Kysis was too tired to be angry at the healers for trying to charge extra of an injured man.  They saw his back, saw his wounds, and yet, were still lacking in the compassion Kysis expected of their profession.  It let a bitter taste in his mouth, but he said nothing, allowing Lam to deal with the situation, as she had complete control of it.

Once they were gone, and he heard the front door close and bolt, Kysis set the mug down on the floor next to him, turning his head so his left cheek was rested on his arms and he could actually see Lam.

Again, he could feel the pull of exhaustion, its rough, relentless hands gripping every fiber of him, trying to pull him down, under the black curtain of sleep again.  And while his mind reached up, grasping, trying to stay above the surface, it was a loosing battle.

"I... I haven\'t gotten rest in a while." His voice was hushed, heavily laden with the load of everything he had been through, dragging him down further.  He fought to keep his eyes open, barely winning that skirmish, though the next battle against sleep was already surging forward.

21

Domiciles / Re: The Long Road

« on: July 14, 2011, 09:14:48 AM »

"Yes, I think I met Lily." Kysis remembered Lam calling for a woman to take Pandora-- whom Lam seemed to have given a nickname since he left-- along with Matthew\'s help to her aunt and uncle\'s care.  It would be strange, living in a house with someone he did not know in the least, but something he had to get used to, considering that the manor\'s main attendant was now gone.

Carefully, Kysis glanced over his shoulder.  The man was tying off the lat knot of the stitches, the skin carefully sewn together, Kysis unable to spot any gaps.  It looked sturdy.  Next the man slathered some sort of wet substance on the stitches, the elderly woman explaining that he would have to regularly reapply the salve in order to keep the stitches moist and to keep there from being further tearing during the healing process.

She also stated that he should avoid any sort of hard work, or other strenuous activities.

For once, Kysis agreed to that without protest.  He had had enough of swordwork for a while now.  Yes, he would still have to manage the business, but he could not see himself holding a sword for a while, or training as arduously as he had before.  He did not see himself needing it.  Not now, not when he was so freshly back from the horrors of war and the verge of death.

"Thank you." Kysis meant it sincerely, though the words had somewhat of an edge to them, attributed to the pain.  He asked how much he owed, Alex coming back with the water at that point.  Kysis instructed the man, in Greek, to fetch the coin, which he jumped quickly to comply with.

Kysis did not dare sit up quite yet, not with these people still in the room at the very least, taking a very careful cup of the mug of water Alex had given him.  He was eager for these outsiders to be gone.

22

Domiciles / Re: The Long Road

« on: July 13, 2011, 10:32:26 PM »

Kysis was thankfully when she stayed, though with his blind side towards the door to the dining hall, he could not see who went to retrieve the water in her stead.  He could tell that there was some communication going on, even if it was not verbal.

When the tried and true topic of weather came up, he understood that while he generally thought such subjects were pointless wastes of speech, it was meant to distract him.  With the wet, strange, seething pull of the tendon through his skin, he could use all of the distraction he could get.

"The weather held well for us, though there were a few ominous clouds over Frankish lands." Kysis spoke quietly, making sure he did not move too much with the words, and not really caring for the other people in his house to hear what he said.

He wondered just how much Lam had told them to get both healers here so quickly... or perhaps he had been asleep longer than he thought, though it only felt like the blink of an eye.

"I hope Atropos was tired enough he was not too much of a problem." Right now, he would not elaborate.  There were other people in the room. If he could have, he would have switched to Greek entirely.  His accent had thickened from going back to Kreos, so it was a wonder if these people could understand him, unless they had dealt with accents a lot.

23

Domiciles / Re: The Long Road

« on: July 13, 2011, 12:04:11 PM »

Kysis leaned his head against Lam\'s arm as she touched his arm, taking a small amount of comfort from her closeness.  It had been slightly disorienting, waking to a sudden pain, seeing strange people and a room he had never woken up in before, but now, he had calmed down a bit, and knowing Lam was in the room was a reassurance.

The offer of wine... Kysis mulled over it, considering.  It would help with the pain.  It would help keep his mind off everything.  It might even help keep the demons away.

And then food was offered.  Kysis\' stomach lurched a little.  He was feeling a touch too nauseous to smell food, much less consume it, the pain and fatigue not helping any.  Perhaps later, when he was stitched up all the way and had some time to recover from a relapse in the way of blood loss.

"No food, thank you.  Perhaps water?" Kysis\' mouth was considerably drier than he expected, and when he wetted his lips, they only seemed drier for his efforts.  The thought of wine was discarded, forgotten when his stomach churned at the mention of food.  Water, however, sounded good, as Kysis knew he was probably on the dehydrated side.

24

Domiciles / Re: The Long Road

« on: July 13, 2011, 11:13:05 AM »

Somehow, Kysis had not awakened when the group came in, the exhaustion winning out after all.  Though he had always been a light sleeper, this was a very deep slumber.  Even the initial poking at the back half of his wound did not wake him in the least, or the powders applied to it.

It was only when the needle pricked him, the hard pulled sheep tendon sliding through his tender skin, that Kysis suddenly jolted and tensed, eyes flying open, wide and full with a wild, almost mad sort of fear.  He gasped a few short breaths, turning quite suddenly.

And then he saw that he was laying in a bed, in Alia\'s old room, and that it was a healer merely sewing up his back.

Kysis sagged back into the bed, burying his face into his arms, squeezing his eyes shut.  He tried relaxing his back muscles again, the young male healer having paused to wait for him, so there would be no more tearing.  Then finally, when Kysis got his fluttering heart to calm and his breathing to be more regular, the man started stitching him up again.

It was painful, considering there was no sort of numbing agent used at all and the wound was quite tender from being reopened, but Kysis was glad for some proper medical attention, as there really hadn\'t been much in New Kreos.  His original treatment had been the sort of treatment a soldier gives on the field, which is better than nothing, but not much.  This would help a great deal.

25

Domiciles / Re: The Long Road

« on: July 13, 2011, 07:24:43 AM »

Kysis gripped Lam like a vice as she led him into the bedroom, waiting patiently as she turned back the sheets and made the place ready for him.  It all looked clean and orderly and fresh.  Kysis felt bad dirtying the place, but too weak, too worried, to protest.

The entire arduous ride from New Kreos, Kysis had refused to truly rest, had refused to show even an inkling of the pain he was feeling, even an inkling of worry.  He had to be strong like the Liari steel to make it back, to return home and right the wrong done by Matthew in delivering news of his false demise.  If Matthew had just stayed in New Kreos, the shock upon returning home might not have been so hard, and Rico... Rico might have still been alive.  At least that was what Kysis told himself.

There was a slow churning sort of rage he had for Matthew, sitting beside that dark chasm in the back of his head.  They were not at the forefront, but waiting.

Kysis laid down thankfully, sagging down onto the overly soft bed.  He had not gotten to sleep on a bed since... since he originally left Oberon.  It felt good to lay down, and he tried, the best he could, to relax, though small trembles still took him now and then.

He was able to focus a little better now that he was off his feet, paying close attention to Lam, what she did.  He wanted to reach out to her, grab her, tell her not to leave, plead with her, but he remained silent, barely even moving until Lam was kissing him and telling him an indirect goodbye.

He turned his head, giving a soft kiss on her hand which he managed to catch without too much strain, before letting her go.  Kysis found he could not speak, just laying his head back down.

The last thing he wanted to say was goodbye, and he hoped it was the same way.  He had just come back.  Kysis closed his eyes, eyelids feeling as though they weighed a hundred pounds at least.

He quickly dropped into a light, fitful slumber.  It had been a while since he\'d even gotten proper sleep, and when he started to get some, horrific nightmares always woke him.  Now, it was a sleep of utter exhaustion, Kysis forced into it without even really noticing.

26

Domiciles / Re: The Long Road

« on: July 12, 2011, 01:28:29 PM »

Kysis let himself be helped up, not taking the full brunt of standing on his own, like he might have if he was not so wounded.  Small tremors filled him as Lam moved around him, a thick knot forming in his throat.  It was decidedly much colder outside the bath than on the inside, goosebumps rising over his now damp and exposed skin.

The news, that his blood was the correct color, that there wasn\'t worse oozing from his back, made it slightly easier to breath.  For a moment, it had felt like a load of heavy stones laid across his chest, making it impossible to breathe, but now, that was slightly lessened.

It did not, however, stop the fact that he was bleeding.

Kysis was glad when Lam came back before him again, touched him again to help him out of the tub.  Contact was reassuring at this point, keeping him in the here and now.  There was a dark chasm near by, where he could easily fall, Kysis teetering precariously on that cliff.

The fact that Alia\'s room had not been changed at all, despite the fact that she had passed on some time ago, was reassuring in a way.  It meant that not too much had changed.  Kysis nodded, slowly, taking in what she offered.

"I sent Alex with the horses." The words fell numbly from his tongue, Kysis only really noticing what he said afterwards.  It was the truth.  Alex was the first of the household for him to find, the one he had given the reins over to.  It was entirely likely that Alex was back by now.  How long had it been, since he returned?

Kysis could not tell.

With shuffling steps, Kysis started off towards the door which led to the largest room in the house, the one that had been Marcos and Arna\'s room at first, then Alia\'s, and had sat empty since.  He touched the door knob, resting his head against the wood of the door for a moment, collecting himself as much as he could.

He had not even noticed how much water, now speckled here and there with blood, that he was leaving in his wake, nor had he thought about the fact that he was utterly in the nude, rows of scars visible, his torment laid bare.  Right now, his only thought was to remain standing.

27

Domiciles / Re: The Long Road

« on: July 11, 2011, 11:52:44 PM »

As Lam began her small, tender shower of kisses, he could not help but smile into them, if only for the joy of being able to feel such ministrations again, where he had believed he might not ever again.  Even as he had dragged himself back to the camp of New Kreos, there had still been that doubt, but as always, Thanatos was not ready for him and he mended well, returned.

However, his relief was short lived as he looked down again, noticing the tendrils of blood drifting from around him.  Kysis reached back touching the back side of his wound, producing fingers slicked in a mixture of water and blood.  From that short feel, he knew he had pulled at least two of the stitches, and the pressure on the ones nearest those was more than it should be.

Kysis swallowed back the sudden taste of bile.

He was home, yes, but it was not over yet.

"Lam..." He looked up at her, then back at his hand. His worry was a mixed bag at the moment, part that he would bleed out now that he had reached home, and die here, despite everything he had done (he wasn\'t bleeding that much, but the panic was still there), and that Lam was in fact getting dirtier by being in the water with him, when she had been all dressed up and collected to meet with the king.

His tongue wouldn\'t work right now, though, just her name slipping out, tainted with fear.

28

Domiciles / Re: The Long Road

« on: July 11, 2011, 11:58:48 AM »

Oh no.  She was crying.  That was not his intention at all.  This was supposed to be a happy reunion.  This was supposed to be joyful, and yet his heart was clenching, his lip trembling, just barely, not really enough to see, though it was enough to feel.  He felt it especially because of the tension of his new scar, that mauve arc pulling his skin tighter than it should have been from that split in his lip down to his chin.

It was his turn to reach out.  Kysis scooted forward, only vaguely aware of the much higher water line.  A few drops sloshed out, completely unnoticed.  He touched Lam\'s face, fingertips roving slowly over her cheek, tracing her lips, moving up to tuck an errant strand of red hair behind her ear.  It was like he was a blind man acquainting himself with her features for the first time, or worshipping her features with a slow sort of care.

He pulled her into a hug again, shivering at the feel of her skin against his, even as his back ached from the sudden strain on his wound.  Thin little pink scars ran up and down his back from the whip of the sultan\'s eldest son.  Kysis ran a hand up over Lam\'s hair, relishing it.

"I\'m sorry.  I wish... I\'m sorry. Σ \'αγαπώ."

29

Broken Wheel Tavern / Re: The Daily Grind

« on: July 11, 2011, 08:37:44 AM »

Fenwick flushed a dark red at the comment that he was a bit dressed up for the task.  His smile drooped for only a second, then was back in its full glory, Fenwick looking himself over in an exaggerated fashion, dusting off a pant leg with a flourish, slowly straightening his gloves.  And finally, he tipped his hat, since she had made mention of it.

It was hot, really, really hot out, but by Adora, Talon, and anything else out there, he was going to look good despite it all.

"Oh woe be it that I was caught by surprise, and alas, made the trek so shod." Fenwick gave a short, ringing sort of laugh at the end of his delivery, enjoying the fact that he finally had someone to talk to, even though he had no clue who this young woman was.

She was plain looking, so he marked her as a farmer\'s daughter, or maybe the daughter of one of the less well off merchants.  If this wasn\'t the inn of choice for the farm folk, he might have thought of her as a commoner, nothing more, but location really did mean everything.

"And where, young lass, might I be taking this wine, if you know as you say?" Fenwick kept up his smile-- and on the same notion, kept up his performance.  If his family would just let him already, he\'d be off performing nightly in the theater, however, they would have nothing of it.  So be it.  He would take his performances to every street, every day, and make everyone go through it with him.

30

Broken Wheel Tavern / Re: The Daily Grind

« on: July 11, 2011, 08:05:36 AM »

Normally, Fenwick only handled deliveries when he absolutely had to, and that was generally only when he was dealing with the noble sort of folk.  And not only that, but he would have an assistant with him who would do all the carrying, making him seem of a much higher class than he actually was.

Fenwick understood the nuances of the social dance to every dotted i and crossed t.  He also understood that some people were lazy dogs and would rather spend a day in bed with a low-bred wench than earn some honest pay from some honest people... or mostly honest, at least.

With choppy, rushed steps, Fenwick walked upon the street which led out to the Broken Wheel Tavern, a place he had visited a few times, though not with the greatest of pleasure.  He wore fine clothing today, smart black pants tucked into dark brown boots, a light green tunic of soft cloth, a dark brown vest, and a fancy black hat adorned with a large emerald green plume, not to mention equally as fashionable dark brown gloves.

He was a dashing figure... if he had not been sweating from carrying a large, reinforced leather satchel full of delicate wine bottles which were all full and thus quite heavy.

It was a delivery of six bottles of wine, just the standard red the Baldor family vineyard put out, without any fancy cask treatments or other ingredients.  It worked for the simple farm folk, and was friendly enough to lend a light buzz after just a glass, which made it a wonderful seller.  However, that did not change just how heavy it was.

When he spotted the tavern up ahead, Fenwick smiled broadly, his lopsided grin, and moved to wipe the sweat from his forehead.  He stopped mid-motion, glancing at his sleeve.  He did not want to get sweat on the fabric; with this color of cloth, it would turn dark at any touch of moisture, and he really did not want to look messy, so he kept going, seeing the girl sitting up on the fence.

"Good day, lass." Fenwick started to give a bow, then ended up just nodding anyway. "I have come to deliver the wine shipment to this fine establishment.  Might you point me in the right direction?"