The Kindgom of Heaven and Hell

First topic message reminder :

Faline all but cowered at the back of the great hall. She hated meetings. They were often times full of loud angry men who had a tendency to throw things. This night was no different. The entire village had shown up, despite the raging storm outside. Every man from every family was there, shouting to be heard over the next.
Her father, the Jarl, was seated at the head of it all, one long leg draped over his ornate throne. For a while he remained silent, his eyes not one the villagers, but going from the young woman hiding under one of the tables near the door to her sister who sat on top of it, holding onto a rather heavy broad sword. He shook his head at both of them. 
Oalf sighed heavily and held up a hand to silence the crowd. "I am fully aware of the danger we now face from the outlanders. And I am aware that those who cross our borders are far from human. However, I am not sure if we warrant help from out bordering villages. If we decide to seek help, we will need to go to the king. But...he is a bartering man. I am not sure we have anything he will find worthy enough..."

Something about the orb sparked a memory in Braun. It was all he could do not to slap it out of Cessily's hands and watch it shatter on the floor. "You're also going to provide weapons and another horse. If we are serving a king then should be sent on an important errand for him in style, right?" His fingers flexed on her waist as he spoke Lucian. For being a common criminal he certainly sounded like a politician.

Cessily closed her eyes for a split second, the feel of Braun's rough fingers against her bare skin sending an almost delicious shiver right the way through her.
Unfortunately, Lucian saw this and smiled to himself. "Oh, you can have another horse, Braun." He told the other man. "I'll even have armour sent for you." He added. There was certainly more to that orb that the 'king' wasn't telling them.

Faline smiled brightly at the crystal Lucian was holding out for her. But as before she was having trouble simply touching something he was offering to her. "It's lovely." She said softly, peering at her reflection in the smooth glass. "Mind if I ask what it's for, your majesty?"

Braun discovered that he hated rain. It created mud and mud made it hard to move. His brown hair was plastared to his head and it was becoming harder to see. Not to mention his horse. He couldn't even ride the damned thing. "Fucking magician. I swear I'm going to take that egg and shove it down his throat." He snarled.

"It's a simple gift." Lucian replied gently. "And also, a way for you to see your sister whenever you wish." He breathed.

Cessily on the other hand had her head back and her face turned up to the sky, riding her horse with her arms outstretched. The young woman was smiling as the cold rain splashed across her face. "Don't tell me yourself cared of a little rain?" She asked, still not opening her eyes.

"Like now?" Faline asked, her green eyes sparkling like morning dew on spring grass. "Oh, sire...You are too kind." Her smile was even brighter than before as she took the crystal from him and peered inside. "Is there something I have to say?" She asked, only seeing the king's distorted image through the other side. 

Braun lifted his head, watching Cessily as she seemed to become one with the rain. "I'm not scared of it. I just don't like being wet." He muttered, wishing that strange feeling in his stomach would go away. The cantankerous horse became angry that he stopped and tried to take a bite out of his backside. He gave a thump on the nose. "Stupid old, bitch." He hissed. "Mind yourself or I will cook you for a meal."

"You simply need to call her name, however, if the crystal she has is covered over or somewhere dark, you won't be able to see much of baby thing." Lucian told Faline gently, desperately trying to keep himself from falling into those delicious green eyes of her's.

"Excuse me?" Cessily had heard that last part and was watching Braun with a scowl now. She had pulled her heavy cloak a little tighter around herself now and pulled the hood up over her head, though rain still dripped off the nd of her pert nose.

Faline knew she shouldn't touch the king without permission but she couldn't help herself. She nearly dropped the orb as she threw her arms around him. "Oh thank you, sire." She said softly. "I was so worried about her. "You're so kind. I can never repay you." 

"Well? The damn nag shouldn't have bit me." Braun snapped, rubbing at his sore bottom. "Bitch." He growled. He was so busy complaining he missed the sight of the tree root and went tumbling into the mud. This brought forth a rather loud roar that set the old horse to complaining as well.

Lucien had no problem at all with the blond creature in his arms touching him, he was only to happy to return her freely given embrace. "Now do you believe I am not here to hurt either of you?"

Cessily couldn't contain her laughter. Even with her new armour, she was extremely light on her feet as she dismounted her own horse to move to Braun's side. "I can't say you didn't deserve that."

Faline didn't answer this question as she pulled away from him. She wasn't really ready to. A few days was not long enough to make a decision like that. "What about my father?" She asked after a moment. "I hate to sound ungrateful, but I'd like to see him too. Is that possible?" 

Braun looked up at her, his impossibly blue eyes the only thing visible about him through the mud. "You're enjoying this a little too much, kitten. I wonder how much you would enjoy it if you were down here with me?"

Lucian was shaking his head sadly. "I'm afraid not, he is too far away for me to find him in the flames, and he does not have one of these crystals." He replied. "The men I promised are already in their way to your village though."

"You're the one who insisted I needed protection out here." Cessily replied, her sword drawn now and the tip very carefully tilting Braun's chin up a little higher. "And yet I can remain seated on my horse." She added, her rose colored lips curling into a very slight smile.

"Oh." Faline did her best not to sound disappointed. "Then maybe you will allow me a visit soon." She said, turning her attention back to the orb in her hands. Her golden curls fell in her face as she looked down at it. "Cessily?" She called, worried the king was just telling her this to make a fool of her. 

"Your horse is not a sway back old nag!" Braun roared, shoving her blade aside. "Never do that again, woman." He snarled at her, shoving to his feet. "Keep your sword sheathed or so help me I'll make sure you know how to use it!"

"Faline, I am not the monster you seem to think me." Lucian breathed as he watched her calling her sister's name. "It is a very lonely life to be king, I was hoping you could join me for lunch, maybe?"

Cessily didn't sheath her sword, she was glaring hatefully at Braun. "Once again, you assume I carry this blade because it looks nice!" She hissed, missing the sound of her sisters voice in the saddle bag where the crystal was stowed.

Faline didn't answer, her shoulders slumping with disappointment when her sister didn't respond even after the second time she called her name. "Lunch will be fine." She whispered after a moment, feeling as if maybe her sister was glad to be rid of her. 

Braun yanked out his own sword as he moved closer to her. "You seem to think that mine is little better." He hissed.

Lucian was surprised to find that he was genuinely disappointed that Faline didn't truthfully wish to have lunch with him. "It... Is fine. If you wish to stay here, I shall have one of the women bring you something."

"No, you think a woman cannot possibly handle a weapon!" Cessily shot back, though she kelt her feet firmly planted. "You think we are all delicate little dolls!" She shouted as thunder clapped over head. "I am of the borderlands, I do not have the luxury of sitting back and letting anyone do anything for me!"

Faline turned her eyes on the king, trying not to look like she was about to cry. "It's not you. I was really hoping to see my sister and the crystal is dark..." She said softly, feeling more than a little disappointed at this. "What if she's glad to be away from me?" 

"And yet your feather head sister is perfectly capable of it!" Braun shouted, not sure why he was suddenly so angry. "How do I know that you are not just like her? You're a little girl trying to be a solider!"

"Faline..." Lucian moved a little closer, like he was trying to calm a feral cat, not daring to get too close Incase she ran. "Perhaps she is simply busy? Catching her lunch, maybe?"

Those were the words that stabbed the deepest, and it was clear in the depths of Cessily's moss coloured eyes. "She gets to be whatever she wishes to be, because I protect her." The dark haired girl whispered. In no more than a few seconds she had sheathed her blade and gracefully swung herself back up on her own horse. Without a word Cessily urged her horse into a speedy gallop, leaving Braun in the mud.

This seemed to make Faline feel a little better. A small smile escaped her at a memory. "Have you ever had the pleasure of catching your own lunch, sire?" She asked him, her joy suddenly returning to her. She placed the orb on the table and took his hand. "Tell me you have time to go fishing. I saw a stream just behind the castle. We can go now and no one will even know we're gone." 

Braun was unable to hide his smile as he watched her ride off. For the moment it didn't seem to bother him that she had left him far behind with the sway back old mare. "She'll be all right." He said softly, not sure of whether he was talking to himself or someone else.

Lucian patted Faline's slender hand gently and smiled. "I think I scare the fish." He confessed. "I tried fishing, once, didn't catch a single one the whole time."

It was sunset before Cessily stopped. The young woman had long ago abandoned the well ridden road, choosing instead to take a path deep into the forest. It was here that she left her horse resting by the stream as she took her bow to walk on foot a little deeper into the trees. For some reason she kept silently telling herself she didn't need anyones help.

"That's because you've never fished with a borderlander before!" Faline said, her fingers closing over several of his since she couldn't get his whole hand. She was pulling him toward the kitchens and out toward the gardens, not even listening to whether he was protesting or not. When they were out in the grass, she kicked her shoes off and stood for a moment, smiling at the cool silk between her toes. "There. That's what heaven feels like." She breathed, closing her eyes. 

It was well after dark when Braun caught up with Cessily. He said nothing as he began to take off his soaked clothes and then hunt for something to dry off the nag with. There was no point in speaking or letting the nag get sick.

Lucian arched his brow a little and smirked. "Grass?" He asked. "I can think of a great many things that feel even better." He breathed, enjoying the look of bliss on Faline's delicate features. "Do you not have grass in the borderland?" He asked uncergInly, glancing down to the tiny toes that wriggled in the cool blades.

Cessily had started a fire in the clearing where she had left her horse to graze. The young woman had shot a young stag with her bow and was cooking it on the fire by the time Braun caught up with her. Her cloak was drying on a branch and she had removed just enough of her armour that she could sit comfortably by the fire.

Faline shook her head. "Not really. And what we do have dies as soon as it sprouts." She knelt, holding her dress in her free hand. She didn't give Lucian much chance but to go down with her. "Smell it. It's so clean and alive. Our lands are not so sweet."

Braun took his clothes off and began to hang them over branches in the surrounding trees. Being naked wasn't seeming to bother him at all. He ignored the stay on the fire as he sat near the warmth. It wasn't long before he was asleep.

Lucian was smiling again, though it wasn't the scent of the grass. Watching Faline find the wonder in something he obviously took for granted was refreshing for him. "I'm sorry, it would seem I truly didn't realise what it was like out there for you, and your people." He confessed softly.

Cessily wasn't as comfortable in her skin as Braun seemed to be. The young woman had blushed when she had glanced over at her companion and seen that all of his clothing hung on the branches. She now sat in the opposite side of the fire, staring into the amber glow. It wasn't much longer before she too fell asleep, though as the fire died through the night she began to shiver.

"There are good things about the Borderlands too." Faline said, taking a blade of grass and rubbing it along his cheek. "We have the finest horses in all the lands. We have warm weather and even warmer ale." She added softly. "We know how to treat those we love." 

Braun could hear her shivering in her armor. He grumbled as he stoked the fire and sat down behind her, resting some of her bare skin against his own. Once she had stopped shivering somewhat, he was able to go back to sleep.

It was Lucian's turn to close his eyes and smile as Faline rubbed the grass against his cheek. "I believe you about the horses." He breathed as he slowly opened his golden eyes to meets her's. "But this ale... I feel our own brew could beat it." He told her with a grin.

Cessily hadn't woken as Braun did this, but did curl herself against the warmth he offered without realising it. It didn't take long before she was resting upon his chest, a slender leg draped over his own.

Faline laughed warmly at this and shook her head. "My dear king, I believe you are as green as your grass." She teased him. "When is the last time you tasted Borderland ale? And mine at that?" She wrinkled her nose at him as she pushed him over and watched him go rolling. She launched to her feet as he went and kept laughing. "Race you to the stream!" She shouted, her blonde curls flying out over her shoulder. 

Braun didn't sleep as well as he'd hoped to. Instead he'd spent the remainder of the night trying to make sure Cessily's armor remained between him and his privates. When she woke, he was fixing their breakfasts, now clothed and on the far side of the fire.

Lucian was still go dinning as he went chasing after Faline; no one had dared push him over before. Unfortunately, Lucian was somewhat of a cheat, and had used his magic to get to the stream before Faline, sitting there like he had been waiting an age for her.

Unfortunately for Braun, Cessily didn't know he had kept her warm that night. The young woman thought she had simply had a rather vivd dream about her travel companion as she woke. Since her hair was now much shorter than she was accustomed to, she didn't realise it was sticking up at odd angles right then.

Faline stopped in front of him, trying hard to steady her breathing. "You cheated." She said, shaking her head at him. Finally she gave up on trying to catch her breath and tumbled back in the grass. "I don't...know how you did it, but you...cheated!" She gasped out, dissolving into laughter. 

Braun was trying to keep a straight face as he watched her marching proudly around the campsite. His lips twitched violently and try as he might he was already beginning to snort.

"You, my lady, are a poor loser!" Lucian retorted, dropping down best to Faline. "So, what do I get for winning?" He asked as he sat up on his elbows, seeming like any other young man. Not a king, and not a sorcerer.

"Do you have something to say?" Cessily finally demanded regally as she replaced the pieces of armour she had removed the night before.

Faline turned her head to look at him, still gasping. "What is it you want?" She asked. Her long lashes swept her cheeks in a way that she had no idea was entirely seductive. 

Braun was quick to shake his head, trying as hard as he could to keep a straight face. His fingers shook as he held out a plate to her. He found himself thinking of how much she reminded him of a queen. She carried herself as one. Even with hair that was all over the place, she was still extremely regal.

"Right now? To kiss you." Lucian breathed, seeing no reason to lie about it. "Do you have any idea just how beautiful you are? It's little wonder your father sent you here, he knew beauty such as yours is priceless." He added, fingers brushing Faline's cheek lightly. "But more than beauty, you're... Free, in a way none of the women of this city are."

Cessily took hold of the plate and sat down beside Braun, even that simple movement seemed almost fluid, like water. "You made this?" She asked uncertainly, wondering how she had slept so late into the morning.