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Post by Elvander on Apr 7, 2020 19:29:51 GMT
Trys could hear Kiona crying outside, and her anger faded a little. The girl had been through so much, after all. It was a lot. But she had to start processing, she had to start allowing friends to help her. She wasn't sure if Ike had entirely given up his mission, but if Kiona was cured, she would be a neutralized threat. He could go home knowing he'd fulfilled his mission. Trys was growing fond of him. Exhaling a breath, Trys finished packing and popped her head out the window, looking down at Kiona and Ike. "Sleep in the stables, if you like. But If you run, you'll have more than just Ike on your tail." She warned her, and withdrew once more.
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Post by Val on Apr 8, 2020 1:10:01 GMT
Ike sighed heavily as the princess began to sob, pushing a hand through his thick hair in exasperation. Sensitivity was not a strength of his and he wasn't at all prepared to deal with a crying teenager. He stared down at her for a long moment, giving her time to let it out.
He shot Trys a pointed look as she appeared in the window, thinking it best that she left Kiona to him. He could handle it. When she disappeared again, he moved to kneel in front of Kiona, "Look, you've barely recovered. If you stay outside tonight there's a good chance you'll lose your toes." Once again, he was not above scaring her into doing what he wanted. He didn't trust her enough to be out of his sight, anyway. "Come inside," he insisted.
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Post by starrea on Apr 8, 2020 3:07:07 GMT
More and more tears rolled down Kiona’s cheeks only for the frosty air to freeze them in place. Her cheeks were numb and she was already starting to lose feeling in her fingers and toes but she didn’t care enough to move. Her body had sagged under the weight of her grief but the emergence of Trys’s voice visibly made her stiffen. When she heard Ike move, she raised a hand to wipe the tears away even though it was pointless because she couldn’t stop crying.
She realized that she finally had a name to put with his face; Ike. Trys had let the hunter’s name slip and it only served as further proof that there was some sort of alliance between them. She eyed Ike mistrustfully as he crouched in front of her, visibly tense as she mentally prepared herself for whatever choice words he had for her. Whatever she had been expecting from Ike, him being sensitive hadn’t even been considered, so she was stunned to silence when he tried to carefully reason with her. It felt wrong to see him as anything other than the man dispatched to kill her and she wondered if he just saw her another trophy at the end of a hunt.
She didn’t want to lose her toes but she also didn’t want to move, and she definitely didn’t want to be in the same space as Trys. Now that she had finally started grieving, the idea of either listening to Trys tell her off or guilt her or watch Ike and Trys conspire against her was too overwhelming. Her grief was all consuming and doing anything else was unimaginably hard.
“I’ll stay in the barn,” She mumbled, which besides the cold, would give her the ability to feel shitty without interference. She took a deep breath and wiped more tears away but still didn’t make an effort to move.
“If I do this, go with you without a fight... I don’t want her to come. I’m not your prisoner and if she comes, it’s going to feel like that and it isn’t fair.” The thought hadn’t even really occurred to her until the words were halfway out of her mouth, but she hoped that now was the time to talk to Ike about it. He seemed at least partially receptive right now and if they were going to make this work, he had to meet her halfway.
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Post by Val on Apr 8, 2020 23:19:11 GMT
"Nothing is fair," Ike responded bluntly. Kiona was delusional if she expected him to strike a fair deal. Despite his attempts to be reasonable, she was in no position to negotiate. He wouldn't say it to her face, but she was most definitely his prisoner. Her privileged lifestyle was over, and soon enough that realization would dawn on her, since it apparently hadn't already. "You of all people should know that."
So far Kiona refused to respond to comforting, berating, physical force, and just about any other form of reasoning. Ike was fresh out of patience and decided he would just be brutally honest with her. Perhaps she could learn a thing or two from him, if she decided to listen. "She is coming. That woman is the only reason you're alive right now, and the only reason I am even considering making this journey." He paused, realizing how genuine his defense of Trys was. Gods, he was losing it.
"I'm not saying you should be grateful or even trust either one of us. I'm telling you to be smart. Act in your own self interest." He stood up abruptly and stared down at her, "Sleeping in that barn is definitely not smart," he added, waiting to see if his words had any impact on her at all, "So, what's it gunna be, princess?"
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Post by starrea on Apr 9, 2020 0:57:08 GMT
His words caused Kiona to cringe. Yes, she knew that nothing was fair but she was getting really tired of always getting the crap end of the stick. The tears hadn’t stopped but his complete disregard of her one request brought a new wave of frustrated tears to roll down her frozen cheeks. Everything in her life was out of her control and she wanted to scream that he hadn’t honored her single request. The worst of it was that she knew she didn’t have anything to bargain with except her cooperation, and even that wasn’t a strong bargaining chip.
Kiona still wasn’t convinced that Ike was going to kill her but his words finally resonated with her. Instinct and fear had saved her life when she had been escaping from the castle back in Grovakha, but now they were the reason she was in this very situation. She hadn’t been smart and she hadn’t acted in her own self interest. And right now, it was in her best interest to go inside, even if it meant seeing Trys.
She slowly got to her feet, curling and uncurling her numb toes to help blood flow to them. She wiped more tears away but they continued to slide down her cheeks. “No. Me and you, alone. I don’t trust the both of you together. I’m agreeing to cooperate and be just as open to this as you are. Even if you restrain me and she comes, it’ll be slow and unpleasant for all parties. So I’m taking your advice and I’m acting in my own self interest and telling you what will work for me. Because you might not really care about all the shit going on in my life and my head, but it’ll be a lot less painful if I’m not constantly in the middle of a breakdown.” Her voice came out a lot stronger than she was feeling but as she kept going, she got stronger. By the end, despite the tears rolling down her cheeks, she looked up at Ike with a determined look.
“If you want to come back and sleep with her then don’t let me stop you. But I can’t make this journey with two people I don’t trust. And if you do force me, I’ll be a lot smarter this time. It will turn into a painfully long trip.” She measured up to him, not intimidated by the striking height difference between them. She was fairly certain he wouldn’t hurt her right here, right now. For the first time since all that shit went down, she felt stronger and smarter and she wasn’t about to let Ike destroy what little sanity she had left.
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Post by Val on Apr 9, 2020 3:44:04 GMT
Ike felt a sense of relief when his words appeared to resonate with her, enough to spur her to her feet, at least. He turned back toward the cabin, thinking he had won the fight, when Kiona halted him with an abrupt 'no'. He turned to glare at her in annoyance as she laid out her argument. He just wanted a moment of peace, but the princess had other plans for him.
He couldn't even begin to understand the mind of the young girl that was Kiona. She was crying, but continued to stare up at him defiantly through the tears. Emotions and negotiations had never really been part of his work, but here he was, hearing out his target. He was about to cut her off when she blurted out the rather uncalled for accusation about him and Trys. He visibly twitched, seething at her and praying Trys wasn't listening to their conversation. That kind of distraction was the last thing he needed right now.
"I'll consider it, alright?" he snapped, just to get her to shut up. They all needed to rest, and that's what he intended on doing. He turned and stormed back toward the cabin, "Get some rest. You'll need it." He swung the door open and paused to glance back at her pointedly, "And keep your mouth shut," he added, not about to tolerate her suggestive comments. He entered the cabin and made his way down the hallway, preparing to report back to Trys.
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Post by starrea on Apr 9, 2020 15:04:52 GMT
Kiona savored the small victory as Ike retreated. It was the only thing that had gone her way recently and she allowed the sense of accomplishment to wash over her. It was obvious to see that she had struck a chord with Ike and it felt good to see him rattled while she stood strong. She watched him stomp into the cabin, leaving her behind to follow.
Kiona glances between the cabin and woods. Now that she was by herself, she felt the woods calling to her. The idea of throwing herself into the numbness of survival was tempting but she hesitated. She needed to be smart if she wanted to survive this and running without a plan wasn’t smart. She glanced back towards the cabin. Sometimes the smartest choice wasn’t the easiest one, she told herself as she slowly trudged back. She didn’t go to the door like Ike had, but rather to the window she had slipped out of before. It was a little bit of a struggle to haul herself back up with her numb fingers and many layers but she got it done.
She looked out the window one last time before shutting it. A part of her wanted to eavesdrop on whatever Ike and Trys were talking about, because she knew they were undoubtably talking right now, but the idea of potential interaction and pure exhaustion persuaded her otherwise. She worked on stripping off layers and untying her boots before slipping under the covers.
The tears still hadn’t stopped. Mercifully, sleep came quickly.
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Post by Elvander on Apr 9, 2020 23:33:28 GMT
Trys had heard it all from the window, and her feelings were hurt. She had done everything to protect Kiona, but the princess would rather travel with Ike, her hunter, than with her? She had lost her beloved companion to that woman. Trys had given more than everything to keep Kiona alive, but the girl seemed to see her as an enemy. Trys was sitting on her bed, her back against the wall, her knees pulled to her chest when she heard Ike's footfalls down the hallway. Her blue eyes were full of emotion, but she wasn't going to be another hysterical woman Ike had to deal with. Trys was calm, Trys was smart and levelheaded. She wouldn't cry over the opinions of a stranger. She took a deep breath, held it, and exhaled slowly. "I'm in here," she called to Ike. By now, she'd scrubbed the blood from her arms and had changed into dry clothing, simple leggings and a long, warm tunic belted at the waist.
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Post by Val on Apr 10, 2020 5:01:42 GMT
Ike paused in the hallway long enough to hear Kiona climb back inside and shut the window. It appeared he had won the battle, for now. Taking Trys' call as an invitation, he pushed open the door to her bedroom and stepped inside, giving the room a quick scan before his eyes landed on her. Ike could often be oblivious when it came to emotions, but one look at Trys told him that she had heard every word of the conversation. He sighed and closed the door behind him, not wanting Kiona to be able to hear their conversation.
"Well?" he prompted, leaning up against the door and crossing his burly arms over his chest. In all honesty, Ike wasn't sure he would follow through with the plan without Trys keeping him in check. There were a lot of mixed feelings and dissent clouding his judgement, and he wasn't sure what path he wanted to take. "It's not worth letting her get to you," he added, trying to play the consolation off casually, letting his eyes drift toward the ceiling, "You know you've done right by the girl." Without Trys' interference, he'd be halfway back to Grovakha with Kiona as his prisoner. Instead, he stood in the bedroom of the woman, waiting to hear her opinion on what to do next.
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Post by Elvander on Apr 12, 2020 22:31:26 GMT
Trys studied Ike as he closed the door behind him. He was big and brutish looking, and she had seen him as a threat when they first met. But not, though he was still a powerful presence, she felt, for some reason, that she had his ear. She rubbed her temples, accepting his nonchalant consolations. "She doesn't want me to go with her. She's traumatized, and she feels out of control. I want to go with you both, I'm familiar with Alynthia and I can help navigate and get you to the right places. I have to come," Trys sighed, wondering what Ike was thinking. He was dealing fairly well with the girl. "She's complicated. I can't say I don't have some regrets about helping her. But I know I did the right thing. And you're doing the right thing now, too." Trys blinked slowly at him and offered him a slight smile. She decided not to comment on the fact that he was turning out to be a bit of a softie. "We need to convince her that she's safe with us. Maybe we give her some choices about where she wants to go first in Alynthia, who she might want to see. That might help her feel more in control."
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Post by Val on Apr 14, 2020 22:20:00 GMT
Ike listened and took in the sight of her smile, wondering if perhaps he was letting all of this get out of hand. She insisted that he was doing the right thing, but it felt so wrong. He was letting his country down by letting the whims of these two women control his actions. His people would rightfully ostracize him for his behavior, but what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them. He pushed away from the wall and moved slowly around her room, studying the objects it held to maintain the casual persona he had put on in front of Trys.
"She's not in control, though." He wanted Kiona to know that, but he understood why Trys was insistent upon it. Wasn't it enough that he'd saved her life by pulling her from the river? It frustrated Ike to have to give in to anything that Kiona wanted. He liked to do things his way. "She's stubborn. She's going to hate your guts for coming." He paused to look directly at her, "But you are coming," he clarified, "I don't trust the southerners, and I have no interest in negotiating with them. The girl can accept our plan, or she will become my prisoner," he insisted, gauging Trys' reaction to his declaration.
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Post by Elvander on Apr 15, 2020 19:57:44 GMT
Trys didn't shy away from his harsh, but up-front language. It was a relief to know that he was one her side. He could easily have insisted that she not come, and taken Kiona back to face the justice his people wanted. It showed her that she could trust Ike, despite their rocky beginning. "If she wants to hate me, let her." The words were nonchalant, but Trys' eyes would always give her away. She was clearly still hurt that Kiona didn't want her help and didn't trust her, despite all that she'd done- and lost- for her well being. She watched as Ike moved around the room. It was decorated with a few pieces of art she'd made from animal hides and bones, and a few pieces she'd purchased from the market for warding off spirits and protecting her home. Not that those had worked over the last couple of days. "She seems to think you're fond of me," she mused, trying to lighten the mood.
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Post by Val on Apr 16, 2020 23:43:31 GMT
Ike had his back turned to her when she brought up the one thing he'd hoped to avoid. His first reaction was to be defensive and curse the princess for her big mouth. However, wanting to maintain his composure, he took his time studying one of her odd trinkets, nearly knocking it over with his large hands. He couldn't afford to be flustered around the woman that had managed to best him and tie him up like an animal.
Eventually, he turned back around to face her, letting out a disapproving grunt. Was she attempting to tease him? He wasn't sure how he felt about that, but he ended up giving her a drawn out once over through steely grey eyes, "And what if I am?" he parried. He truly had no business even toying with the idea, but it was hard to resist now that she'd brought it up.
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Post by Elvander on Apr 20, 2020 23:10:59 GMT
Trys had to admit that his response surprised her. She hadn't expected him to entertain the idea, and she wondered for a moment if he was doing so to make her drop her guard. She bit her lower lip, watching him, trying to see through him down to his intentions. "If you are, then I'd say an advance wouldn't be unwelcome," she arched an eyebrow at him, wondering how far Ike would take this, if he was only trying to get under her skin or appear nonchalant. If he was truly interested... well. Trys had no qualms about enjoying the company of another. It got lonely out in her cabin, or out on her rangings.
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Post by starrea on Apr 22, 2020 14:46:56 GMT
Kiona was on the window ledge. Not the one in the cabin somewhere south of Grovakha, but the one in the bedroom she shared with her younger sister, Dorateya. When Kiona has been little, their mother had moved Kiona’s bedroom to the first floor of the castle - the rest of the bedrooms resided on the third floor - because Kiona had started to make daring escapes by scaling the castle walls. At first, she was the only sister who didn’t have to share a room so that was cool, but it grew boring as she got older. It wasn’t hard to talk Dora into sharing a room together on the hardly-ever used fifth floor. The room was far bigger and Inessa, the eldest, was more than happy to have a room to herself. Despite their mother’s disapproval, they moved up there shortly thereafter and Kiona promised to be careful when she was out scaling the walls of the castle.
Kiona could hear the screams. She could hear the footsteps thundering up the stairs. They were coming for her. It was enough to spur her into action and she jumped from the window sill, flattening herself against the castle wall just below it as men barged into her room.
When they left, Kiona scales down the walls, deftly leaping from one precarious spot to another until she reached the throne room windows. Her family, her mother and father and four sister, lay still in a pool of red. Shock hit her like a bolt of electricity and she almost lost her grip on the castle wall.
Then one of the bodies moved. Dora rolled over, slowly, and Kiona’s heart leapt. Her sister was alive. But then Kiona saw her face, or what used to be her face, and the massive hole in the top of her head where someone had caved her skull inwards.
Her lips moved and despite there being forty or so feet and a wall between them, it was like the words were whispered right behind her.
“They wanted you.”
This time, Kiona did lose her grip and she fell backwards off of the castle wall.
Back in the cabin, Kiona screamed.
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