The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Ariadne on 05-07-2008, 23:44:28</h2>
		<dl id="posts">
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ariadne</strong> on <strong>05-07-2008, 23:44:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				In the realm of the Fae, that world between worlds known as Arcadia, the changing of the seasons signifies more than a change of the weather. It also means a changing of the ruling court.&nbsp; According to Fae laws the reigning Unseelie court of Winter must relinquish power to the Seelie Spring court.&nbsp; Winter has other plans…It had plans to stay.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Are our Guests comfortable?” <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Yes, my Liege.”<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“And her Father? He is aware?”<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Most definitely my Liege. An envoy from the Spring Court is due to arrive.”<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Excellent.”<br>Aisling stared at the walls of the cell while Eibhlin slept; the dark haired beauty’s head cradled in her lap. The same walls she’d been staring at since being abducted from her father’s gardens two days ago. They were a mottled grey stone.&nbsp; What little light there was came from lanterns hanging outside the cell.&nbsp; &nbsp;<br>Aisling frowned leaning her head back.&nbsp; It bothered her not to see the sun and feel the warmth of its rays.&nbsp; She had tried to weave the few rays of light that peeked through the cracks of the outer wall when they were first brought to the dungeon of&nbsp; Winter Thorn Castle but found that her magic was hampered by minute traces of iron that surrounded the cell.&nbsp; Sighing, she shifted her legs a bit to keep them from falling asleep.&nbsp; Her hand idly toyed with a strand of Eibhlin’s dark hair. At least I’m not alone, she thought as she watched her friend sleeping.&nbsp; <br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>05-07-2008, 23:45:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Eibhlin moved slightly against Aisling’s thigh, a soft sigh escaping her lips as her eyes slowly opened, revealing a pair of beautiful deep blue eyes, the color of the deepest waters, so dark that they were almost black.&nbsp; She smiled slightly and reached up to take Aisling’s hand, kissing the inside of her palm lightly before she sat up, stretching as she glanced around their small cell.&nbsp; It looked like a casual glance…&nbsp; it was anything but… she took in every nuance, ever strand of light and shadow.&nbsp; Nothing escaped her notice.<br><br>She reached out as her eyes flicked across the bars of their cell, testing the shadows and darkness that were weaved into a ward upon the door.&nbsp; As with every other time, she found no weakness, no strand that she could use to unravel the whole.&nbsp; She sighed in frustration as she leaned back against the wall next to Aisling, pulling her legs up onto the small cot with her.&nbsp; “Have they said anything?” she asked after a moment, her voice quite, the rich tone blending with the shadows, dancing with the dark. <br><br>She held up her hand a moment later to silence Aisling, standing to move between her friend and the door.&nbsp; “They are coming…”<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>06-07-2008, 17:01:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal O'Neill opened one eye slowly, glaring at the alarm clock that had gone off on the table across the room, the radio erupting in the altogether too cheery for this time in the morning voices of the station morning crew. He considered trying to pull the covers over his head and trying to go back to sleep, but it was probably a bit late for that. He blew out a long breath. "Too much to get done today anyway." he muttered, throwing back the blankets and sitting upright. <br><br>He ran his fingers through his black hair, trying to get it in some semblance of order, or at least out of his light brown eyes, and yawned again. "Shouldn't have stayed up so late last night." he said, rising and heading for the bathroom.<br><br>- - - -<br><br>An hour later found him somewhat more presentable, and climbing into his car, a ten year old Volvo S40. He set his backpack with the laptop and assorted tools into the back seat, lying the plain wooden walking stick (his old jo staff) next to it. There was enough going on around the Hill of Tara these days that a little added protection wasn't a bad idea at all.<br><br>He settled down into the drivers seat, starting the car and flicking on his stereo, nodding his head to the bass beat that erupted from the speakers, and set off.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ariadne</strong> on <strong>07-07-2008, 19:59:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Silenced by Eibhlin’s warning Aisling turned to look toward the door. In the dim light her eyes sparked a brilliant sky blue as she listened for the telltale sounds of someone approaching. After a moment she heard the sound that had alerted Eibhlin, the soft scraping of worn leather hitting the stone floor moving in the direction of their cell.<br><br>“Two of them.” she spoke; her voice softly melodic in the silence of the cell. She stood, straightening her lithe frame to stand evenly next to Eibhlin. Ignoring the look of exasperation that her friend’s dark eyes flicked toward her; she stood her ground. She was the daughter of a King after all. How would it look to be found cowering like a frightened pixie in a corner?<br><br>The jingling of keys drew her attention back to the door.&nbsp; <br><br>“Your Ladyship. If you would follow us.” a voice said through the door as it unlocked. Opened it reveled two guards in the black and white Winter Thorn regalia. They stepped aside leaving the way clear for Aisling and Eibhlin to leave the cell of their own volition. The illusion that they could simply walk out of the cell and run was quickly banished when the blue strands of a binding weave shimmered in front of her and wrapped itself like a snake around her wrists. <br><br>One of the guards flicked his wrist and Aisling found herself stepping forward.&nbsp; The guard smiled revealing sharp white teeth.&nbsp; He flicked his wrist again, this time with a little more force and Aisling found herself sprawled on the floor. Frowning, she picked herself up. Brushing herself off, she stared at the thin blue shimmer. It wasn’t an ordinary binding weave.&nbsp; &nbsp;Her eyes went immediately to Eibhlin. Silently she told her friend to have patients.<br><br>“We’ll follow.” she told the guards. They smiled and turned on their heel heading down the hall way<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>07-07-2008, 20:00:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Eibhlin stiffened as the binding closed around her wrists, her eyes flicking from one guard to the next.&nbsp; She glanced up in time to see Aisling fall forward, sprawling on the ground at her feet.&nbsp; She hissed in anger and lunged towards one of the guards, who flicked his wrist and sent her stumbling back against the wall, the air knocked out of her as she glared with murderous intent.&nbsp; <br><br>There was no doubt what she would do if she ever got her hands on one of them, they could see the promise written in her dark eyes.&nbsp; She caught the flick of Aisling’s eyes as she glanced over at her and forced herself to relax, her expression turning into a hard, cold mask as she moved away from the wall, falling into step behind Aisling.&nbsp; <br><br>She memorized their route as they walked, her eyes taking in everything, memorizing the play of shadows.&nbsp; The halls slowly changed, going from the mottled grey of the stone used in the dungeon to the unnatural shades of marble used in the upper halls.&nbsp; The guards feet hit the floors with a steady thump, the sound echoing down the halls, Aisling’s feet made little sound, only the soft, familiar whisper of her tread.&nbsp; Eibhlin made no sound at all, her footsteps utterly silent.&nbsp; <br><br>They were lead through a set of double doors, the intricate carvings drawing her eyes for a moment before she felt the rough pull of the bindings as the guards sent them stumbling into the room, barely catching themselves as they stopped before a large desk.&nbsp; The man behind it, some minor dignitary if she had to guess,&nbsp; glanced up, his eyes flicking over them with disdain, though he stared hard at Eibhlin, looking her over a second time before he turned his attention to Aisling.<br><br>“Highness, I’m happy to tell you that you r father has agreed to a trade.&nbsp; The two of you for a handful of… political prisoners,” he said with an amused expression as he stood up and walked around the desk, stopping for a moment beside Eibhlin to look her over more closely.&nbsp; She bared her teeth in what might charitably have been called a smile, if her eyes hadn’t been quite so cold.&nbsp; “I do hope our hospitality has been to your liking,” he said with a glance towards Aisling. <br><br>“Come along then… let’s not keep them waiting…” he finally said as he turned and left the room, expecting them to follow. <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>08-07-2008, 00:17:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal sat crosslegged on the ground, his back against a tree, with his laptop open on his knees. The remains of his lunch was sitting beside him, and he was tapping away on the keyboard. He looked up from the computer as a cloud passed across the sun, a chill wind reminding him that winter wasn't that gone. "Spring, my ass." he murmured, looking at the icy blue sky. "Isn't it supposed to be warming up by now?" He looked around, then back at the computer. "Well, as long as it doesn't start raining, and the weather forecast seems to be clear for today."<br><br>He took a moment to look away from the machine, at the mounds that dominated the area, and the stones dotted here and there. You could almost feel the weight of ages past, history settling down around you. <br><br>He gave his head a slight shake, and turned back to his notes. He still had a fair bit of work to do, and he needed to do it while he had light enough to see by.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ariadne</strong> on <strong>12-07-2008, 00:32:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A cold wind blew through frost covered trees.&nbsp; The snow fell softly, covering the land in a pristine beauty.&nbsp; It was eerily quiet.&nbsp; Shivering from the cold, Hazan rubbed his hands over his fur clad arms to keep warm. He didn’t like the cold. He preferred the warmer climes of the Autumn Court.&nbsp; A smile touched his broad face when he thought of his home. Anything was better than this cold and seemingly barren place. <br><br>When the news of the Princess’s abduction spread through Arcadia the Autumn Court wasted no time in devising a plan to further their own gains. Which was why Hazan was here.&nbsp; Their plan was simple-prevent the exchange from happening by doing exactly what the Winter Court had done. Kidnap the Princess. <br><br>Hazan did not envy the girl her lot in life; born a pawn to be toyed with when it suited the Players. With effort he turned his amber eyes back to the task at hand; keeping watch for the arrival of the Winter Courts party.&nbsp; Hidden in the trees he and several of his men waited watching the clearing in which the exchange was to take place.&nbsp; It wasn’t large by any means, almost a perfect circle. A set of stones marked the Northern most point.<br><br>A small group, no doubt the envoy for the Spring Court, waited at the opposite end of the clearing. They had been there for the better part of an hour and if Hazan read their agitated movements correctly the other party seemed to be running behind the agreed upon timetable.<br><br>Movement near the standing stones drew his attention.&nbsp; Several Winter Thorn guards moved through the stones. Hazan knew immediately which girl was the Princess even though he had never seen her before. The girl had silver hair bound in a braid down her back, and she wore the vibrant blues and greens of the season-the green of new growth and the pale infinite blue of an unclouded sky.&nbsp; She and her companion stumbled behind the guards. As soon as the girls past between the stones Hazan whistled and the Autumn Court descended upon the clearing.<br><br>--<br>Aisling clenched her teeth together to keep them from chattering as they walked. The snow had begun to fall as they left Winter Thorn Castle behind them and she was cold. The suns warmth was robbed by the wind that blew through the trees and her feet were wet, the cloth of her shoes no match for the snow as it began to stick to the ground and soak through.&nbsp; She made a mental note to start wearing sturdier shoes as they continued on. Keeping pace was difficult, the guards having some sport at her expense as they travelled.&nbsp; She found herself stumbling along.<br><br>Her spirits lifted somewhat when she caught sight of the standing stones. Surely they marked their destination. She cast a glance toward Eibhlin, hope that they would soon be going home dancing in her sky blue eyes. <br><br>“Move along.” the guard behind her hissed. <br><br>Aisling concentrated on keeping her footing as they came to the stones, keeping her head up as she moved.&nbsp; The pristine beauty of the snow fall in the clearing was shattered as they moved into the clearing. A sound, much like the whistling of an arrow drew her attention towards the trees. It was the only sound she heard before the clearing was swarmed.<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>12-07-2008, 00:34:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Eibhlin ignored the chill in the air, the only sign that she felt the cold at all was the faint spread of chillbumps across her exposed skin.&nbsp; If she felt the seeping of ice cold moisture into her shoes, it didn’t show, her expression never changing from the hard look of warning she wore whenever one of the guards stepped too close to Aisling.&nbsp; <br><br>When Aisling stumbled a third time Eibhlin reached out with her bound hands and steadied her, keeping her hands on the small of the other woman’s back as they walked.&nbsp; One of the guards sneered and made a move to force them apart.&nbsp; Eibhlin’s eyes hardened, darkening, the blue disappearing altogether, leaving nothing but ice cold obsidian in their place.&nbsp; The guard actually balked at her expression, taking a hesitant step away from the two women.&nbsp; The bindings were supposed to hold their power in check… but he didn’t feel up to testing that theory with a woman who obviously held more than a touch of Winter’s ice in her soul.<br><br>Eibhlin’s eyes thawed, the deep blue returning, a small reassuring smile on her lips when Aisling turned to glance back at her, completely oblivious to the silent battle being waged in her wake.&nbsp; <br><br>They were past the stones when it happened.&nbsp; Eibhlin reached out, dragging Aisling&nbsp; to the side, falling to the cold ground as a net of shadow and earth fell where they had been but a moment before.&nbsp; Her eyes flicked quickly around the clearing, counting the enemies with cold efficiency.&nbsp; When she reached a dozen she realized what was happening… someone else was making a power play, and unfortunately they were caught in the middle of it.&nbsp; <br><br>She concentrated on her bindings while crouching next to Aisling, finding a tiny strand she yanked with all her might, the power unraveling in a rush of power that melted the snow beneath them.&nbsp; “Come on, we have to get out of here…” she said, glancing down to see that Aisling had managed to free herself as well.&nbsp; <br><br>She backed up towards the stones, watching the enemy descend upon them and began to weave a shield of shadows and darkness around them, a moment later she felt Aisling joining her strands of light, weaving them through Eibhlin’s shield as they stepped between the stones.&nbsp; Then…. Nothing….<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>12-07-2008, 01:43:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal looked up from his notes as he felt a damp chill on his skin, instinctively looking towards the sky for rain. The sky was overcast, but he could just make out the dim glow of the sun setting in the west. "Can't be that time already?" he muttered, checking his watch. "Hmm .. guess it is." He started to head back to where his car was parked, cutting between the mounds to save a little time.<br><br>As he walked back, the mist around him grew thicker, and he frowned as his visibility grew less and less, till he could barely see a handfull of meters with any clarity. "Oh, give me a break." he said, frowning, as the surrounding mounds seemed to vanish. He walked towards the last place he was fairly sure he'd seen one, and fetched up against the grass covered earth. We walked around it til he found the entrance, looking it over, matching it the ones he knew. "Mound of the Hostages." he murmured, the mist seeming to swallow his words, and he shivered involuntarily at a sudden chill gust of wind. <br><br>He frowned, turning towards the mound. It felt like the wind had come from there, but the mound should have blocked it. He gave his head a shake and turned away, trying to get his bearings for the next one. He paused, looking around ... there was a faint sound .. raised voices? He hefted the stick in his hand, setting his backpack on more firmly. "Local kids?" he murmured. "No doesn't sound like ..." he let the words trail off. <br><br>From behind him came a gust of freezing wind, and he spun to face what looked like a tunnel in the mist. He barely had time to take this in before he realised there were a pair of figures coming charging out of it, and straight into him, the three of them going down in a pile of thrashing limbs.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ariadne</strong> on <strong>19-07-2008, 17:06:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A mist moved quickly across the ground enveloping them as they retreated. Aisling felt the air shift around her. A surge of power tingling across her exposed skin as they retreated headlong through the standing stones. A low rumble came from clearing, the sound of rushing water and tumbling earth, then nothing but silence.<br>&nbsp;<br>The sensation that she was running, the wet ground beneath her shoes, the smell of a storm overwhelmed her. She blinked disoriented.&nbsp; Nothing felt familiar.<br>&nbsp;<br>“Eibhlin…I don’t think…” she managed to say a moment before she found herself in a heap on the ground.&nbsp; She lay there a moment perplexed as to how she ended up on the ground.&nbsp; Had they run into something? A tree? A stone? It took another moment for her to realize that light brown eyes stared up at her in confusion and that she was in fact looking at another person, someone that was not Eibhlin.<br><br>The mist was disapating. Pushing herself up, Aisling untangled herself with help from Eibhlin. Without thinking she offered the person, a man she realized, a helping hand to stand before taking a step back warily. Aisling looked around, her silver blonde hair falling into her face as her sky blue eyes took in what she could see trying to gain her bearings. None of the landmarks looked familiar. She could feel the magic, but it was muted as if dormant. <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>20-07-2008, 14:57:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal had been half turning when the impact occurred, and fell heavily, cracking his elbow into the ground hard, followed by his head. For a moment he could only see flashes of light sparkling in his eyes, and muttered "Ow! Son of a <em>bitch</em>, that hurt!" He shook his head to clear it, as he felt the weight lifting off his body, blinking away the disorientation of the collision. <br><br>He found himself looking up into the bluest pair of eyes he'd ever seen, framed by hair that seemed halo like, with the weak sunlight behind it. He could feel the weight of what he guessed was the second person moving as well, then the woman was rising off him, and holding her hand out to him. He took it, letting her draw him back up to a crouch. He took a moment to check himself, and the hand on the back of his head came away with traces of blood on it. "Ah, wonderfull." he said, looking at it, wincing as the cut decided at that moment to start stinging. <br><br>He picked up his jo staff from where it lay beside him, and rose slowly to his feet, his left elbow now starting to throb as well. A carefull flexing of the arm seemed to indicate nothing too serious. <em>Probably going to leave a hell of a bruise though.</em> he thought. He swung the staff up and tucked it against his right side, then ran his right hand over the thick, black woolen jumper's elbow, but the material didn't seem torn. Likewise the somewhat faded blue jeans had survived the impact with little more than grass and mud stains. He grimaced slightly at this. <em>Damn it. Grass is such a pain to try and get out.</em> he thought.<br><br>That done he turned to get a proper look at the people who'd all but run him over, letting the staff drop down into his grasp, it's butt against the ground, and blinked in surprise. He turned from one to the other, his eyes showing the puzzlement he felt at their appearance. Their clothing looked like something more suited to a holiday nightclub than a cold and misty field, and there weren't too many women who wore their hair <em>that</em> long. Their features were .. delicate .. that was the word that seemed to best fit. His eyes narrowed slightly as he saw the slightly pointed ears.<br><br>"Who are you?" he asked cautiously. "And where did you come from?" He looked into the mound, but it was still closed, the entrance sealed by a barred gate.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>23-07-2008, 00:19:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Aisling's voice drifted to her through the mist, as if from a great distance, though she could still feel her, mere steps ahead in the mist.&nbsp; The scent of rain and lightning filled the air, threatening...<br><br>A moment later she stumbled, going to a knee with a grunt at the impact, pain flaring up her leg as she collapsed the rest of the way onto something... no... someone... she could feel them move, shift beneath her.&nbsp; The sharp voice, raised, loud in her ears brought her to her feet in one fluid movement.&nbsp; She brushed the midnight strands of her hair from her face and reached down to pull Aisling out of harms way, a frown flowing across her face as she took in the man who had run into them...<br><br>Eibhlin stayed her hand as Aisling helped the man stand, silently moving to stand between them, Aisling half hidden behind her as her eyes took in the man, then their surroundings.&nbsp; She kept one eye on him as he shifted, the scent of blood telling her that he was injured.&nbsp; The staff brought her attention fully back to him, her stance shifting, finding her balance as she moved to the balls of her feet, testing the ground momentarily as he spoke... the words didn't register, sounding foreign to her ears as she moved suddenly.&nbsp; <br><br>Her right foot kicked out, kicking the bottom of the staff so that it fell from his hand towards her.&nbsp; She grabbed it with one hand as she turned, sweeping his legs out from under him, sending him back to the ground again as she began to pull what power she could reach, throwing a net of shadows around his body to keep him from being able to move, let alone stand.&nbsp; She brought the staff down, the tip stopping against his unprotected throat, her deep blue eyes narrowed as she watched him, her entire body tense...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>23-07-2008, 02:40:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The sudden movement of the second woman took Conal by surprise, his staff knocking loose from his hand, his attempt to grab it skittering just beyond his fingertips. He saw the woman continue to spin, dropping low and knew what was coming next. Unfortunately, off balance trying to grab the staff, he couldn't move fast enough to avoid it. <br><br>He tried to jump the sweep, but that meant that the kick aimed at the back of his knees caught his ankles instead, and he felt the world tilt crazily. He managed to tuck his chin against his chest, and slap the ground hard as he landed, absorbing most of the impact. His head snapped back though, sending yet more stars dancing across his field of vision.<br><br>When they stopped he found himself staring back at his staff, feeling it's tip under his chin. <em>What the fuck is going on here?</em> his mind screamed, but he carefully relaxed his body. <em>No sudden moves, no pissing them off any more than they are already. Shit, I wonder if they're high on something? They didn't even try demanding money first.</em><br><br>He licked his lips, then spoke slowly, keeping his voice as calm as he could. "Listen, if it's money you're after I don't have a whole lot on me. Maybe fifty or so. If you want to point that thing elsewhere I can give it to you. No need for any more rough stuff, ok?" His body felt strangely heavy, like it didn't want to move. <em>Fuck, don't tell me I'm getting a concussion out of this on top of everything else.</em> He blinked once or twice, looking at them. He tried to focus on the one who'd helped him up. <em>Maybe she's more reasonable than her friend.</em>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ariadne</strong> on <strong>23-07-2008, 06:19:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Eibhlin! Stand down." Aisling said. The order coming a moment too late as she saw her friend react to something the man did. Stepping forward, she placed a hand on Eibhlin's shoulder.<br><br>"He meant no harm." she whispered, her voice gentle as the breeze.&nbsp; When the man started to speak she turned her sky blue eyes toward him. He spoke slowly. Her head tilted as she tried to understand his words. She was silent for a moment.<br><br>"Eibhlin...we are no longer in Arcadia." she said glancing toward her friend as she knelt next to him.&nbsp; Slowly she unraveled part of the net covering his upper body. "He is injured." she mutters to herself.<br><br>Reaching for the last strands of light she wove them around the man's head using them to heal his wounds. The strands sparkling as she worked quickly before the light completely faded. Sitting back on her heels she looked at the man curiously.&nbsp; Concentrating she spoke slowly. The words sounding odd and unwieldy to her as she spoke to him in his language. <br><br>"What is this...money...you speak of?" she asked.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>23-07-2008, 22:28:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal watched carefully as the more reasonable ... or at least less violent ... of the two women spoke. Her voice sounded odd. <em>What the hell accent is that?</em> he thought. <em>Sounds like one of those musical languages ... not European though. South American maybe?</em> He couldn't understand a word of it, whatever it was.<br><br>He wanted to lean back as she bent down towards him, but given he was flat on his back, that didn't leave much room. Lights flickered again in his eyes, and he felt a warmth on the back of his head. When it faded he felt slightly better, the dull throb having mostly subsided. <em>What was that?</em> he thought, curious now.<br><br>He blinked as he realised she was speaking again, English this time, and his expression flickered with puzzlement. <em>'What is money?' Ok, maybe she only speaks a little English.</em><br><br>He gave his lips a quick lick to moisten them and spoke again, slowly and calmly. "I'm going to reach my right hand into my pocket and get you the money. Just tell your friend to hold off on trying to push that through me, ok?" He moved his hand slowly to the pocket of his pants, reaching in and drawing out a fistfull of money. There were a trio of euro notes, 20, 10 and 5, and a double handfull of coins, 2s, 1s and smaller change. He slowly raised it up to the woman, keeping his thumb on the notes to prevent any errant breeze picking them up and sending them fluttering away.<br><br>"This is all I have on me, ok? That's it. I'm just a student, we're not exactly rich to start with."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>24-07-2008, 21:42:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				If Eibhlin heard Aisling's order to stand down it didn't show.&nbsp; She kept the tip of the staff against the soft hollow at the base of his neck, though she was careful not to press down hard enough to cause any more damage, easing up just a bit, her eyes flicking over him, really looking at him for the first time.&nbsp; <br><br>"You do not know what he meant... and if we are not in Arcadia there is even more reason to be cautious..." she said quietly, her voice holding touches of darkness, the tone low and calm, though oddly musical.&nbsp; <br><br>When the man began to speak she tilted her head slightly, catching a word every once in a while, though not enough to truly understand what he was saying... Aisling had always been the one interested in learning...<br><br>She tensed when the strange man reached into his pocket, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied the strange paper and metal that he pulled out.&nbsp; She put a hand on Aisling's shoulder and gently moved her friend back away from his outstretched hand.&nbsp; She reluctantly pulled the staff away from him and reached out to touch the paper, not taking it from his hand, the rest of her weave dissipating as she felt the power bleed away upon the winds.&nbsp; "This is not dangerous..." she murmured after a moment to Aisling before looking back at the man and shaking her head, gently pushing his hand back down towards him with the money. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>25-07-2008, 02:19:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal knew that his confusion would be evident on his face ... he made no effort to hide it, reasoning that if the two strange women didn't speak much English, they could at least recognise expressions. He slowly put the money back into his pocket, then raised his hand to rub at his throat. <em>I'm sure it only feels like there's an imprint of it there.</em> he thought.<br><br><em>Should I try and get up?</em> His eyes flicked over the darker of the two. <em>She's very protective of her friend, or whatever they are. Might be safer to say something to the other one before I try standing. I think I have enough bruises today, thanks.</em><br><br>He cleared his throat to draw her attention back towards him. "You mind if I get up again? I'm not planning to do anything, it's just uncomfortable here, you know? Your friend isn't planning to knock me down again, right?" He paused a moment before continuing. "And if you don't want money, what do you want? What the heck's going on here?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ariadne</strong> on <strong>28-07-2008, 23:05:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				“He didn’t mean any harm, Eibhlin. We ran into him...remember?” Aisling told Eibhlin. “I think he believes we are here to steal from him.” she added a moment later when her friend pressed the colorful paper back.<br><br>The man looked more than a little confused at this, his expression perhaps a bit more exaggerated than necessary. When he began to speak again, she caught the final notes needed.<br><br>Aisling shook her head as she stepped around Eibhlin to help him up a second time ignoring the chastizing look Eibhlin shot her way. This time when she spoke it sounded as if she had been speaking English for her entire life.<br><br>“I apologize…it seems as if we are…lost…” she said. She stepped back once he was standing. Brushing a strand of her silver hair behind her ear, she looked behind her and noticed for the first time the mound with what looked like a barred door. Frowning she looked back at the man.<br><br>“Where are we?” she asked.<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>29-07-2008, 01:48:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal listened to them talking, but still couldn't place the sound of their words. <em>That's going to bug me til I can figure it out.</em> he thought idly, looking from one to the other. <br><br>He cautiously rose to his feet, brushing himself off as he looked at the two women. The friendly one spoke again, and Conal frowned briefly at her. <em>Her English seems to have gotten a hell of a lot better.</em> he thought. "Lost." he echoed. He watched her looking around, puzzlement on her own features. "Yeah, well I guess it's easy enough to get turned around in the fog, especially if you don't know the area." he said after a few moments.<br><br>He gesture towards the nearby barred door. "That's the Mound of the Hostages. I guess that's the direction you came from when you decided to try running me over." He grimaced slightly. "Sorry, that was uncalled for." He took a breath before continuing. "Um .. most of the rest of the Raths are north of us. That's ... that way, I think." he said, orienting himself in what he thought was the right direction. "So the main road should be that way." he said, pointing.<br><br>"If you know whereabouts you parked your car, I can probably take you there." He looked towards the second woman, and held out his hand to her. "I'd like my staff back, if it's all the same to you." he added, glancing towards the other woman, in case she needed to translate or something.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>29-07-2008, 02:09:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Eibhlin listened closely as Aisling spoke, picking up more words, the meaning becoming more clear as she truly concentrated, though she never looked away from the man on the ground.&nbsp; <br><br>She took a step back when he rose, just far enough so that the staff could be used against him if he became a threat. <br><br>With a frown of concentration she listened, able to understand enough of his language to gather his meaning, though she didn't have nearly the grasp on it that Aisling obviously did.&nbsp; She looked him over, her eyes running from his eyes down to his feet before coming slowly back up, the deep blue depths shimmering slightly, whether from the lighting or some other effect no one could tell.&nbsp; <br><br>"What....is a...." she frowned for a moment as she mouthed the word before speaking it, "road?"&nbsp; The words came out with a strange musical tone, changing the language slightly as it flowed from her lips.&nbsp; She glanced down at his hand and then ignored it, her grip on the staff tightening slightly, though her features had softened, some of the anger fading to be replaced by confusion. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>30-07-2008, 00:31:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conals mouth twisted slightly in annoyance as the woman refused to acknowledge his desire to have his property back. <em>What is a road?</em> he thought. <em>Ok, maybe her English isn't as good as her friend's is. Wanting your own stuff back is the same in any language, I'd think.</em><br><br>He turned to face the other woman again. "Listen, I don't know what your friends problem is, but around here, you don't go taking other peoples stuff. If I called the Guards in on this they could probably lock her up for assault, given what she just did to me. I'm not looking for hassle, so can you just ask her to give it back to me, then I can take you down to wherever you're parked, ok?"<br><br>He took a look at the darkening sky, then turned back to her. "Listen, it's getting dark, and I have to get back to Dublin yet tonight. By the looks of things it's going to be fairly unpleasant, and I'd rather not be out here arguing if the skies decide to open on us. Getting soaked wasn't on my plans for this evening." <em>Neither was getting trampled and my ass knocked to the floor either.</em> he added mentally.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ariadne</strong> on <strong>30-07-2008, 02:10:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Aisling could understand the man's frustration. "She is protective." Aisling replied when he asked about Eibhlin. "We do not mean to cause you grief."&nbsp; She looked at Eibhlin and nodded for her to return the staff to him. <br><br>"I do not know what you mean by "parked"...but we came from there." she said pointing toward the mound behind them. Looking up at the sky she closed her eyes a moment. <br><br>"It is going to rain." she said speaking to Eibhlin. "We need to find shelter until we can figure a way to return."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>30-07-2008, 23:52:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal accepted the apology with a nod. "Yeah, well, don't worry about it." he said. "I've had worse days."<br><br>When she spoke again, and gestured towards the mound, he frowned a little in puzzlement. "What do you mean you came from there? People can't get in and out of there ... that's why they keep it locked up, to keep anyone from disturbing it." His mind flicked back to just before they'd run into him, and what had looked like a tunnel.<br><br><em>That makes no sense.</em> he thought, shaking his head as the woman spoke to her friend in their own language. He turned to look at her again, examining both of them. <em>The clothes, the hair, the language. Something really isn't making sense here.</em> Unbidden, snatches of folklore rolled up into his memory, stories of the Sidhe, and the things attributed to them.<br><br>"Who are you?" he said, softly, looking from one woman to the other, and swallowing, added "What are you?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>31-07-2008, 00:08:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ebhlin looked up at the sky, studying it for a long moment, before turning back towards the man. <em>It's not going to rain... the skies are going to open...</em> she thought as she looked him over one more time as he spoke, reluctantly holding the staff out, balanced easily in her hand.&nbsp; <br><br>She tensed as he studied them, his eyes running over first Aisling then her, but she felt no power, no anger from him... only deep curiosity, confusion, and a touch of apprehension.&nbsp; <br><br>His questions, as rude as they were to her ears, confirmed that they were lost and alone... and definitely not in Arcadia any longer.&nbsp; With a slight frown of concentration she answered, preferring his attention on her instead of Aisling.&nbsp; "I am called Eibhlin.... this is Aisling," she said, obvious reluctance in her voice to give him the power of a name over her friend.&nbsp; "She is Sidhe...." she answered, watching him closely for his reaction... "I am Unseelie Sidhe..." her accent slowly disappearing as she spoke. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>31-07-2008, 01:46:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal took the staff back with a nod, letting it swing down to rest with the butt on the ground. "Thank you." he said, holding off on saying more as the woman continued speaking. When she declared the two of them as Sidhe his tongue darted out to moisten suddenly very dry lips.<br><br>He held up his hand, one finger raised. "Excuse me one moment." he said, resting the staff in the crook of his arm. He took a breath, then reached down and pinched himself hard on the hand, drawing a sharp intake of breath at the pain. He looked back at the two women and spoke again. "Well, that should rule out the possibility of me being unconscious." said, keeping his voice calm. "Either I hit my head a lot harder than I thought, or you two really did come running out of a tunnel of mist."<br><br>He took a step or two away from them, sitting down on a stone at the entrance of the mound. "You'll have to excuse me." he said. "It's not everyday you find out legends are real. I mean, part of me wants to call you nuts, or maybe me, but I can't help but think you're telling me the truth. And that's ..." he let his voice trail off in another shake of the head.<br><br>"What are you doing here?" He let the staff rest against his shoulder as he looked at the two fae, hands held loosely in front of him, forearms resting on his elbows. He gave a sudden frown. "It wasn't me, was it? Did I somehow bring you through?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ariadne</strong> on <strong>06-08-2008, 03:08:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Aisling ran her hands up her arms as a chill wind began to blow. Bringing with it the scent of rain. She looked down at her feet and realized that her shoes were still soaked. She bent to pull them off preferring to go barefoot rather than walk about in sodden shoes. She listened with half an ear to Eibhlin's explanation. She held her breath, waiting to see what he would do with the knowledge of having their names. When he did nothing the tension she held in her shoulders melted.<br><br>"No..." she said starting to answer what she recognized to be an actual question for them to answer and not simply him trying to make sense of something that should not be.<br><br>"That is...I don't believe you are the reason we are here." she corrected. "In truth, I don't know why we are here. It certainly wasn't our intention when we were running..." Aisling stopped short shaking her head. "May I ask your name?" she asked.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>07-08-2008, 00:48:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal nodded as the other .. Aisling .. spoke. "What? Oh, sorry. My manners are normally somewhat better than this. Then again, it's not exactly every day I have strange women trying to run over the top of me either. My name's Conal, Conal O'Neill."<br><br>He looked from one woman to the other, running a hand through his hair, and carefully feeling where the bump had been. <em>Gone. Healed. Whoa.</em> His thoughts seemed to bump against each other. He gave a slight shake of the head, and turned back to the two women.<br><br>"If you don't mind my asking, why exactly were you running? You've as much as said you weren't planning to come here, so I'm guessing trouble of some kind?" He looked from one to the other. "And if that's the case, should we maybe get out of here before anyone else shows up?"<br><br>"Do you have anywhere you can go, or friends you can contact?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ariadne</strong> on <strong>08-08-2008, 18:37:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Perhaps Conal did not fully understand what she had said. Certainly, Aisling felt, his question to be a moot one considering their situation. She turned her light blue eyes toward the mound. The mist had completely disapated and the mound, if that was where they had infact come through, was barred and silent.<br><br>"There was a fight, a battle for power...I...we...were to be...exchanged." Lightning streaked across the sky in silence. Aisling looked toward Eibhlin before continuing. "It is unlikely that anyone will have crossed to follow us though they may have tried. Our crossing was not our doing...at least I don't think it was. It was as if we were suddenly simply removed and placed elsewhere." Her brow creased slightly as she puzzled through what she had felt before toppling over Conal. <br><br>Aisling turned back to Conal and studied him for a long moment. "You are the only person we know Conal O'Neill." she said, her soft voice carrying on the wind that picked up around them.&nbsp; Raindrops began to fall heavily from the darkened sky.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>08-08-2008, 22:13:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>"You are the only person we know Conal O'Neill."</em><br><br>Conal exhaled a long breath, looking from one woman to the other. He tried to keep his face calm, but his thoughts were racing.<br><br><em>No. Nonononono, no! Do not even think this.<br><br>You heard her. She doesn't know how they got here. Or how to get back. And they don't know anyone, which means all they have is the clothes on their back, and by the time this rain lets up they may be lucky to have that.<br><br>For all you know they could be insane criminals.<br><br>Maybe, but I don't get that feel off them. She said they were, what, political prisoners, hostages, something like that?<br><br>Yeah, shes said that. Doesn't mean it's true.<br><br>Doesn't mean it isn't either.<br><br>You're crazy, you know that. The dark one was ready to push that staff through your throat two minutes ago, and now you want to take them home?<br><br>If I don't they're going to end up in worse straights than they are now.<br><br>You're nuts.<br><br>Yep.<br><br>Fine, but if they kill you, the last thing you ever hear will be I told you so.</em><br><br>He looked up into the sky, at the fast approaching clouds, feeling the first drops of rain splash against his cheeks, and exhaled again, turning to face the two women and rising.<br><br>"Ok, let's go. My car is down this way." He gestured towards where the carpark was, now that the mist was starting thin, and he could place landmarks again. "I can't offer you much, but I can at least give you a place to stay, and a chance to get a hot meal into you while you think about what you want to do next."<br><br>He started to turn, and then turned back towards Aisling. "Assuming, that is, that you want to come with me." He looked up into the darkening sky. "I think it's likely to be the best offer you'll get tonight."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ariadne</strong> on <strong>11-08-2008, 00:27:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Aisling nodded after another glance toward Eibhlin.&nbsp; "As much as I am sister to the rain, I do not think it would be wise for us to stay here." she said. "Your hospitality is most welcome. Thank you." <br><br>As they began to leave Aisling moved to look at the door barring the mound. Looking at it curiously she reached out to touch one of the bars. Her fingers barely touched the metal when she pulled her hand back quickly as if it burned. She said something unitelligable but unmistakably meant to be a curse as she shook her hand and turned away from the door, a frown marring her otherwise serene features. <br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>11-08-2008, 01:08:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Eibhlin kept her mouth shut by sheer force of will, knowing that this was the wisest course for them at the moment even though all of her instincts told her that they should go nowhere with this man.&nbsp; <br><br>When Aisling touched the door Eibhlin glanced over sharply, pulling Aisling away gently as she stepped closer to examine the door, not touching it.&nbsp; "What happened?" she asked quietly as she reached out and touched the door as well, pulling back sharply at the painful sting in her fingertips.&nbsp; She backed away, pulling Aisling further from the door and closer to Conal.&nbsp; "What is this?" she asked him, her voice tense once more, though it wasn't directed towards him.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>11-08-2008, 01:25:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal looked around at the utterance, slightly puzzled. "Did you cut yourself on it?" He walked across to examine the bars, but couldn't see any sign of blood. He ran his fingertips lightly over the surface of it ... it felt rough, but not enough to draw blood.<br><br>"I can't feel any particularly sharp edges on it." he said. "It's just the old gate, to keep people from wandering down into the passage, and disturbing things. It's been here as long as I can remember." He looked at the gate, a large black iron wrought guard, and something in the back of his mind clicked. <br><br>"Iron." he said softly, almost to himself, before looking at the women. "The gate is made of iron. That must be why it hurt you." <em>I guess there's truth in those old stories after all.</em><br><br>He blinked as a raindrop splashed almost on his eye. "Listen, this weather is going to turn foul, and we really ought to get going. I'm not sure you'll enjoy being in my car, but you'll enjoy it a lot less if you're soaked to the skin. We will be at my place in under an hour, we can get dried off, get a hot shower and some food."<br><br>He looked up into the sky at the approaching rainclouds and grimaced slightly. "We should really move, or we'll get soaked."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ariadne</strong> on <strong>11-08-2008, 02:14:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Aisling took a breath willing the sharp pain to go away. She casts a last glance toward the gate. <em>It won't be possible to return home from here...</em><br><br>Turning she followed Conal toward the carpark and his car. A short distance from what looked to her like boxes with wheels the rain began to fall in earnest. And though she was getting soaked the corners of her lips turned up in a smile that brightened not only her, but the area immediately around her.<br><br>She murmured something watching Conal as he walked in front of her. While the rain increased around them, Conal remained relatively untouched. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>11-08-2008, 23:43:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal hunched his shoulder as he felt the rain starting to pick up, hurrying towards the car. He looked around as it seemed to lighten again, but it was coming down harder than ever around him. He glanced back over his shoulder at the two women, noting the smile on Aisling's face. <em>That's a handy little trick.</em> he thought. <em>A little freaky maybe, but I think I could get used to something like that. Wonder what else she can do?</em><br><br>He led them to the all but deserted car park, unlocking and opening the doors to let them in, before finally sliding into the drivers seat. He turned around in the seat to look at them. "You two doing ok? Listen, if you get uncomfortable or anything, want to stop, get out, whatever, let me know and I can pull in first chance I get."<br><br>He looked out at the still darkening sky. "It won't take us that long to get back to my place. Traffic shouldn't be too bad. If there's anything you want, or want to ask, just speak up."<br><br>With that, he turned the key in the ignition, and set off.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>28-08-2008, 00:46:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Eibhlin ignored the rain, the fat drops rolling across her skin, falling to the earth around her.&nbsp; She smiled slightly as Aisling exerted some control over the rain, thunder shaking the ground beneath their feet as they approached the metal... coach.... what did he call it?&nbsp; a car?<br><br>She could feel the tingle of the strange metal before she passed through the door, the feeling setting her on edge, her teeth clenching slightly as she settled down onto the seat, her eyes narrowed as she watched Conal climb into the car in front of her.&nbsp; She kept her hands to herself, not wanting to risk touching something that would burn like the gate had.&nbsp; <br><br>As they began to move the her sense of unease grew, vibrating up and down her spine as they moved quickly, passing other coaches.... cars on the road.&nbsp; <br><br>"Is your home made of this metal too?" she asked, trying to keep the rough edge out of her voice as the strange sensation increased. <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>31-08-2008, 00:05:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal glanced in the mirror at the woman behind him, shaking his head. "No, it's mostly brick and ... stone, I guess you'd say." <em>Probably easier than trying to explain concrete.</em> he thought. "Some wood, some metal, but that stuff is mostly in the kitchen." <br><br>Conal drove the car as fast as was safe. He wanted to get home as quickly as possible, without any further strange surprises. For once it seemed luck was with him, as traffic was surprisingly light, and he hardly encountered a single red light or traffic snarl for the entire length of the journey. He glanced at the two women in the back, unwilling to ask if this was their doing.<br><br>He pulled up in front of his home, parking the car up and inviting them inside. <em>They can't come in unless invited, right?</em> he thought. <em>Or is that just vampires?</em> He gave a slight grimace as he flicked the lights on in the living room and drew the curtains. "Sorry about the mess." he said, moving some assorted research books into a semi tidy pile to make room on the sofa. "I wasn't really figuring on having company. Um .. let's see .. kitchen is along through there." His hand pointed towards the door they'd stepped through and curled around to the right. <br><br>"There's a lot of metal in there, so I'm not sure if you want to explore it. It's also where the food and drink is though. Upstairs is the bathroom, bedrooms, and what I jokingly refer to as my library. Do either of you need the bathroom, or something to eat or drink?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ariadne</strong> on <strong>13-09-2008, 23:32:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conal's home reminded Aisling of a scholars room, despite the strange configuration. It had the feeling of being small but she could tell that it wasn't. Her sky blue eyes traveled along the lines Conal's hand motioned in as he explained where everything was.<br><br>"A towel perhaps?" she asked when Conal asked if they needed anything. Aisling looked down at where she stood noticing the water pooling around her as it dripped from her clothing, the material clinging to her form.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Sun Has Set (Ariadne + Kyrsa + HairyHeretic)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>HairyHeretic</strong> on <strong>13-09-2008, 23:55:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Conel looked at the pair of women, their damp clothing clinging to them, revealing shapely curves. <em>No, don't even go there right now.</em> he thought, and nodded. "Towel ... right, no problem. Hang on here and I'll be back in a minute."<br><br>He went up the stairs, opening the small hotpress and lifting out a pair of bath towels. Thankfully the heat was automatically on, and the towels had absorbed a fair bit of warmth .. not hot, but they'd feel comfortable, certainly. <em>Change of clothes probably wouldn't hurt either.</em> he thought, ducking into the bedroom, quickly stripping off his own still damp clothing, and pulling on a pair of track pants and a Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt. <br><br>He searched through his folded clothes and pulled out another two pairs of track pants, and fairly plain t shirts. That done he returned downstairs, each arm hold a towel, track pants and t shirt in a small pile. "Here you go." he said, as he reentered the room. "A warm towel and a change of clothes. Nothing fancy, but they'll give you something to wear til we can get your own stuff dried out."<br><br>He looked from one to the other. "My bedroom is upstairs on the right, if you want to get changed there. I can stay down here til you're done."
			</dd>
		</dl>
		<div id="footer" class="smalltext">
			
			<span class="smalltext" style="display: inline; visibility: visible; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=credits" title="Simple Machines Forum" target="_blank" class="new_win">SMF 2.0.19</a> |
 <a href="https://www.simplemachines.org/about/smf/license.php" title="License" target="_blank" class="new_win">SMF © 2021</a>, <a href="https://www.simplemachines.org" title="Simple Machines" target="_blank" class="new_win">Simple Machines</a>
			</span>
		</div>