From: Jhez Salin (Jhez_at_wanadoo.dk)
Date: Wed Jan 28 2004 - 02:26:24 GMT
Later that evening outside the inn...
After the meal, Astran excuses himself, and goes off to his room, where he
spends a few minutes changing, washing and generally primping his
appearance. The effect would be better if he had had time to have a bath,
and perhaps a change of clothes. As it is, though, his hair is neatly
groomed, and his robe is mostly clean and free of creases. He makes his
way back down.
Illyana smiles happily to see Astran coming out to join her. She whispers:
"I'm glad we are finally alone" and snuggles up close to Astran.
Astran smiles back, a little worriedly, looks around to check no one else
is within earshot, and takes her face in both hands. "We're not." He says,
quietly, and a little sadly. "I have a constant companion these days.
But... I want to get rid of it! I want to find someone to tell me what
they can do - really do - to someone who is marked, because if I am a
threat to us - to you - I couldn't bear it. I want to talk to some Nethe
rmancers and Horror Stalkers, and I guess were in the best city in Barsaive
to find experiences follows of those disciplines! Will you come with me, in
case, well, in case they aren't as understanding as you..?'
He pauses for a moment, then continues, more in a rush this time; "Sorry,
this can't be what you expected in a romantic moonlight walk. I .. I wasn't
going to talk about this right away, but it all just came out. I want to be
rid of this, so I can treat you the way to deserve to be treated."
She looks at him intensely, listening with every part of her body. "Of
course I will", she replies. Then she decides that he thinks too much and
acts too little. She moves her hands around his waist, caressing the small
of his back ever so gently and slowly. It is almost as if she is
unconscious of what she is doing - and certainly of any effect it has on
him.
Her lips part in a slow smile. "Your constant companion better get used to
having me around" she whispers, her mouth so close to his skin that he can
both hear and feel her words. "In a way it is probably better that we are
not ... entirely alone... as I don't think my mother would approve of what
I would want to..." she blushes "... do if we were..." Hot blood courses
through her veins. She is young, she is in love and she is alive. That's
all she needs to know right now.
Astran lowers his head and kisses her, hesitantly at first, then with
passion, if not much expertise, his hands running through, and entwining in
her hair. So close to her, he can smell the oil on her swords, and the
lingering shampoo in her hair. He has never been this close to a girl
before, and he cannot believe how fortunate he is. As they part for air, he
slips his arm along her side, and pulls her gently in close to his side.
"If this was any other city, I would want to take you dancing - even though
I'd show you up horribly - but in this town, all we have is each other, and
I would not wish it to be anywhere else! I know so little about you,
though, and you of me - I trust you with my life and my soul, dear Illyana,
what would you know of me? Tell me all about your life, your family, and
you're grandfather."
Illyana tries to concentrate on speaking, but her hands have a mind of
their own and snake their way under his shirt while she speaks. "I'm a
farmgirl born and bred", she smiles. "My dad and my brothers always tried
to protect me against the outside world, but my granddad understood that I
needed to learn the way of the sword. None of my brothers had the talent
and it had already skipped a generation in my dad." Her hands, rough from
swordplay, but as gentle as can be right now, work their way up his back,
drawing him closer still. She caresses his spine so slowly. A fever is in
her blood and she is not exactly entirely aware of her actions. Her
breathing is shallow and fast, her pulse racing.
"What about you? Do you have siblings? How many? Tell me..." she whispers,
kissing his lips lightly between each word.
Two, um, little sisters - Lucca and Soveh. They'll be, er..gosh. ten this
summer. Umm. Illyana" he says, pulling away slightly, "I can't believe I'm
saying this, but I don't want to hurt you, and I don't know what this thing
in my head can do, yet. I want to be with you so much, I can hardly think,
but I'm afraid". He wraps his arms around her in an embrace, trying to put
so much into
the contact. "Soon, passions! But I cant risk you. Hold me Illyana, but
watch me." He laughs suddenly. 'Here I am with a beautiful girl in my arms,
and I dare not show her how much she means to me. No one at home would
even believe I had a girlfriend! If this is adult life as an heroic Adept,
it sucks!"
"Don't worry... There'll be time for that later." Illyana tries to
concentrate on something beside her need to touch Astran. "We need to do
something about that voice in your head. What has it said to you? I could
almost wring T'sunami when he implied that your judgment was impaired! As
if he had room to speak! For all we know, it could be a Horror that gave
him that strange notion about Karma rituals... after all, a Horror would be
happy to see an entire group of Adepts give up their Karma. That's why they
corrupt Karma and cancel it, too, after all. That lizard..." Thinking of
T'sunami has chilled her blood a little bit.
She suddenly realizes what a hussy she has been. Her hands moving on their
own accord, more or less. Or... not really, that is. The darkness hides her
blush as she thinks of the fact that if Astran had not been showing such
strength of mind, she would... And he is supposed to be Horrortainted?
Anger flashes through her mind.
"Tsunami is right" says Astran, with a smile. "He doesn't know that my
judgement is still sound, and for that matter, neither do we. *Either* of
us. This is why I need to talk to the Horror experts - plus they might
have some information on Selwyn. I can't trust myself until I know the
limit of its power, and I cannot stand up to it now, and risk it using me
as a conduit for its wrath on Haven. We *will* have a reckoning, it and
me, and I *will* win, but its time for me to stop reacting and start using
my Discipline - Knowledge." For a moment, his jaw tightens, and the adept
is visible inside the boy.. Then he grins mischievously, and the moment
passes. "That karma ritual, though - its a crackpot idea! I might get a
paper out of it for the Great Library, though. Something to fall back on
if my next teacher wants a written paper for advancement exams.." He
shivers, reminded that they are standing in the open outside and the
temperature has dropped rapidly from when they first came in to the city.
"Lets get back shall we. Its a lot warmer in there than in here, and I
don't seem to be able to maintain the romantic atmosphere in the manner
befitting a gentleman to his lady." He extends his arm to Illyana with a
flourish. "Shall I escort you to the Inn, madam? I hear they serve the
finest night-cap in Parlainth" He giggles slightly. "Not that that's saying
much. Troll ale - bleeugh!"
"You are much more sensible than I am. And more responsible." Illyana
sighs. "Oh, well, I guess I need to sleep as well..."
Arm in arm they walk the few steps back to the inn. Illyana never mentions
the movement she spotted in the shadows. She is afraid that she is just
tired, or imagining things. And she does not want to alert Astran. She
smiles happily and leans a bit towards him, enjoying the warmth of his
body. A small sigh escapes her lips. She does not want to go up to sleep
with the girls, but she knows that if she stays downstairs, she will not be
able to hold her temper, if T'sunami tries to provoke her. "I think I'll
just go to bed", she says on the doorstep of the inn. "... and dream of
you..." she adds, suddenly a little shy again. Her quicksilver nature once
more is that of a very young woman falling in love for the very first time,
even though the tough-as-nails Swordmaster is hidden somewhere beneath the
surface, waiting to remerge.
She slips upstairs, giggling slightly at the look in Astrans face as she
leaves him. Oh, what a joy it is to be a woman... and what a pain!
*** OOC: I'm sending this mail to the list even though in all fairness
no-one but Astran and Illyana knows what is going on outside... exactly :)
***
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.7 : Wed Jan 28 2004 - 02:25:31 GMT