For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Exotic Solos =&gt; Topic started by: Kye on 30-06-2008, 04:29:55</h2>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>30-06-2008, 04:29:55</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Kimberlyn finished putting the gelding through his paces, walking him around the ring for a few moments to give him time to cool down before handing him to a groom.&nbsp; She was well pleased with his progress, he would make a beautiful show horse, but he wasn’t made for the front lines.&nbsp; He was too shy, a sharp move could send him running.&nbsp; He would need a steady and understanding hand, perhaps a noble…<br><br>She let her thoughts drift as she reached her room and splashed water onto her face.&nbsp; She looked up into the mirror for a moment.&nbsp; Her hair fell down just past her shoulders in a dark brown wave, her exotic storm grey eyes making her stand out in almost any crowd, though she would have preferred the anonymity of a plain face.&nbsp; She turned away from the mirror with a sigh and quickly changed into the slave tunic and loose pants that the Commander had provided for her, the only sign of her unease was the slight increase in her breathing, a tiny shiver of her body as the fabric slid across her skin.<br><br>She looked at herself one more time and nodded at her reflection.&nbsp; “Good luck slave…” she said to her reflection with a salute before she picked up her pack and left, closing the door firmly behind her.&nbsp; She was already running a few minutes late, she couldn’t afford to make a bad impression on Lietenant Crow.&nbsp; After all, she was going to be living with him for the next few months… The thought made her shiver again as she jogged towards the stables.<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>30-06-2008, 04:56:02</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Lieutenant Mason Crow sat impatiently with Commander Parson, awaiting Kimberlyn's arrival.&nbsp; Mason was already upset that he had been forced to take this assignment in the first place.&nbsp; As he thought back to the life he had once led in Virlana, he immediately began to scratch at the stubble on his chin.&nbsp; His hand then moved to his short dark hair, that as usual was messed up from riding.<br><br>"Be easy on her Mason," the Commander said with a hint of amusement.&nbsp; The two of them were longtime friends as well as fellow mercenaries.&nbsp; It was Commander Parson who had first recruited him into the division of Antias's army affectionately called Flashfire.&nbsp; The name came from the division's reputation for sweeping over an enemy and leaving nothing left.&nbsp; Such missions were the sort Mason lived for.&nbsp; He had trained hard to have the honor of commanding his own unit, and he had led many successful campaigns in the recent West Gate conflict.&nbsp; But now this... assignment.&nbsp; Someone was paying big money for information regarding the player's behind Virlana's newest treaty.&nbsp; Mason's history in Virlana's noble court made him a logical choice, but that didn't mean it was a good idea.<br><br>"Why do I have to take the stable girl?"&nbsp; Mason asked, not bothering to hide his annoyance.<br><br>"You've said yourself you weren't made for infiltration assignments, she is going to be a voice of reason for that short temper and thick head of yours.&nbsp; Not only that, she's come a long way since joining Flashfire.&nbsp; She can fight as well as most of the men, and she takes smart risks in situations others might panic during.&nbsp; She's ready for this, even if you aren't."&nbsp; Mason felt his short temper rise to the surface even now.&nbsp; Luckily it was Commander Parson saying what he said.&nbsp; Other men who felt it was their place to point out Mason's flaws found themselves six feet under soon after.&nbsp; With a newly formed scowl, Mason continued to wait. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>30-06-2008, 05:18:58</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Kimberlyn made good time back to the stables and quickly located one of the stable boys.&nbsp; She tossed him her pack with a grin.&nbsp; "Alright Mika, get Obsidian and Kalli saddled for me, ornate saddle and tack on Obsidian and plain tack on Kalli," she ordered.&nbsp; "We should be ready to leave shortly, I just have to report to the commander for the final briefing."&nbsp; <br><br>She winked at the boy, who grinned back and gave her a sharp salute.&nbsp; "Yes Ma'am!" he said as she left the stables and headed towards the Commander's office at a half run.&nbsp; If she hurried she would just make it.&nbsp; <br><br>A few moments later she stopped outside of the commander's office and smoothed down her tunic, running her fingers through her hair before she knocked lightly on the door.&nbsp; She waited for the muffled order to enter before she slipped into the office, closing the door quietly behind her.&nbsp; "Commander," she said with a nod, studying the other man out of the corner of her eye. <br><br>"Kimber," Commander Parson said with a warm and reassuring smile, using the shortened form of her name that she reserved for close friends.&nbsp; He knew about her misgivings on this assignment, and had somehow talked her into going back to Virlana, something she had sworn she would never do. He was probably the only person who would have been able to convince her to put her life in the hands of someone she hardly knew. "I believe you have met Lieutenant Crow," he said, gesturing towards the scowling man.<br><br>"We've met in passing," she said, turning to look fully upon the Lieutenant she held her hand out towards him.<br><br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>30-06-2008, 05:36:08</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Mason watched Kimberlyn step inside and took note that she was already playing the part of slave.&nbsp; From the talk around the camp, it was a role she had played before.&nbsp; The Commander confirmed that camp earlier in the week when he explained that Kimberlyn had been a slave in Virlana.&nbsp; From the look of her, she had likely been a noble's slave.&nbsp; With her wavy dark brown hair, full lips, unique storm grey eyes, and appetizing curves, no one else could have afforded her.&nbsp; Of course, she had only recently matured to become the woman she was now.&nbsp; Perhaps her slave history had only been limited to her childhood.&nbsp; Whatever her history, he had no memory of meeting Kimberlyn before she joined Flashfire.&nbsp; If she had been in Virlana at the same time as he, then they had no doubt traveled in different circles.&nbsp; There is no way he could have forgotten someone with eyes like hers.<br><br>As Mason continued to stare at Kimberlyn's appealing assets, he heard Commander Parson speak his name.&nbsp; Mason blinked a few times before noticing that Kimberlyn was reaching his hands toward him.&nbsp; So they were supposed to be friends now?&nbsp; Ignoring the hand, Mason spoke instead, his frustration with everything suddenly unleashing on the girl.<br><br>"I understand you're no more excited about this assignment than I am, so lets not make it something it's not.&nbsp; On this mission, I'm playing the part of noble and you're playing the part of slave.&nbsp; And whether you remember or not, slaves never look their masters in the eye."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>30-06-2008, 05:52:27</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Kimber dropped her hand and began to take an instinctive step back but managed to stop herself, though she shivered slightly out of fear.&nbsp; She really wasn't afraid of him, not yet anyway, the fear was instinctive.&nbsp; She was slipping back into the role more fully than she had thought she would, and far more quickly.&nbsp; <br><br>Commander Parson's opened his mouth with a frown upon his face, but Kimber's raised hand stopped him.&nbsp; He looked at her for a moment and then leaned back against his desk and crossed his arms.&nbsp; He would let her handle it, after all she was the one who had to live with Mason, not him.<br><br>Kimber never lowered her eyes from his, and after the brief instinctive fear her eyes hardened, flashing with anger, her eyes seeming to darken with the emotion.&nbsp; "Lieutenant, I'm sorry if you don't agree with this assignment, but I know my role and I will play it to the full, but a role is all it is.&nbsp; I earned my freedom, fought for it, and I won't let some noble with a short temper take it away again.&nbsp; I am your partner, not your subordinate, and I will ask you to remember that when you speak to me alone.&nbsp; Don't take out your anger on me, we are going to be together for a long time, I would hate to spend the entire time having to watch you as closely as I will the enemy," she said, her voice sparking with her anger.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>30-06-2008, 06:04:58</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Halfway through her little speech, Mason felt blood flood into his head.&nbsp; If he had had any drink in him at all, he likely wouldn't have been able to stop himself from knocking the bitch senseless.&nbsp; Luckily he remembered that the Commander was standing right there.&nbsp; Not to mention, he wasn't the sort of man who had a reputation for hitting women.&nbsp; Even so, he wasn't in the mood to listen to her speak to him like this.&nbsp; Whether he deserved it or not didn't seem to enter his head as he stepped out of the office and slammed the door behind him.<br><br>Parson watched Mason leave, and didn't react the way a commanding officer ordinarily would.&nbsp; Instead, he smiled and looked towards Kimber.<br><br>"I should probably let you know that I wasn't fully decided to move this mission forward, but you just conviced me that the two of you will make this work.&nbsp; I'll fill you in on the final details right now.&nbsp; We'll let Lieutenant Crow cool off, and you can fill him in during your trip there.&nbsp; No doubt you'll be find him at the tavern."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>30-06-2008, 06:26:53</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Kimber winced as the door slammed, her eyes widening at the Commander's words.&nbsp; He expected her to work with that man?&nbsp; They would kill each other inside of a week!&nbsp; He was insufferable!<br><br>"Commander... I don't understand... How do you expect me to work with him?" she asked, flinging her arm out towards the door.&nbsp; "He obviously has no respect for me, and he just as obviously doesn't want to have anything what so ever to do with this mission.&nbsp; I really don't think this is a good idea... he would have struck me if you hadn't been standing there..." she looked into the commander's smiling eyes.&nbsp; "Damn it James... how am I supposed to work with a man I can't trust?!?" she asked sharply.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>01-07-2008, 04:04:19</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Commander Parson was surprised by her outburst, he thought Mason's reputation would have made her come to the same conclusion he had.&nbsp; Even so, it hadn't been him on the receiving end of Mason's spiteful words.&nbsp; The Commander sat down and gave a big smile before explaining the reality of the situation.<br><br>"Trust him?&nbsp; You can't trust anyone Kimber, at least not in all things.&nbsp; With Mason, you can't trust him to treat you like a human being, and you can't trust him not to get into a fight every time he has a mug of ale.&nbsp; But luckily, those aren't the things you will need to trust him for on this mission.&nbsp; You can trust him to understand exactly how to behave like one of the stuck-up heartless bastards found in Virlana nobility and see the mission through, you can trust him to fight with you unlike any other mercenary to ever join Flashfire, and you can trust him to never leave you behind.&nbsp; Besides, that was the first time I have ever seen anyone talk Mason down like that.&nbsp; If you ask me, I think the fact that he allowed you to have the last word is a sign of just how well the two of you are going to work together."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>01-07-2008, 04:13:56</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				She bit her tongue to keep another curse from leaving her lips.&nbsp; <br><br>She slowly sat down and really thought about what he had said, about the way that the Lieutenant had reacted.&nbsp; She grudgingly admitted, if only to herself, that the commander was probably right.&nbsp; She didn't think that she would enjoy her time in Crow's company, but he would do his job.&nbsp; If she had to watch her back around him... it wouldn't be the first time.<br><br>"Alright Commander, I don't like it... and I am still not sure he is the right man for this job, but I'm not paid enough to make those decisions.&nbsp; Let's get this briefing over with so that I can get him out of the city before he passes out," she said softly, her voice at odds with the hard expression in her eyes.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>01-07-2008, 04:58:03</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Sitting at his usual barstool with a full mug of ale in his hand, Mason had now had the time to think about what had happened inside James's office.&nbsp; Truth be told, the former slave girl-turned stable girl-turned mercenary had always impressed him.&nbsp; She carried herself with determination and control uncommon to her history and to her gender.&nbsp; She escaped from one of the hardest lives anyone could have the misfortune of being born into.&nbsp; And rather than find some rich moron to marry (with looks like hers it would of been easy enough) she joined a mercenary company.&nbsp; Not just any mercenary company either.&nbsp; Men from all over Antias trained all their lives to be accepted in Flashfire.&nbsp; Kimberlyn didn't know anything about the application process, she just decided she liked the horses.&nbsp; So she walked into camp one day and asked to take care of their horses.&nbsp; She was told to piss off time and time again, but every single day she would ask again.&nbsp; <br><br>One day one of the more rustic of the men offered to let her help in the stables in exchange for services that mercenaries often take without asking at all.&nbsp; Mason had been there when Kimberlyn reacted by relieving the man of his hungry loins with a well-aimed horseshoe.&nbsp; After several minutes of recovering and being mocked by every other man in earshot, he turned on Kimberlyn with murderous intent.&nbsp; Mason remembered feeling inclined to step in himself to help the girl, but it would have meant going against his officers, an offense dealt with harshly in the Flashfire Company.&nbsp; Luckily, Mason didn't have to when a then-Lieutentant Parsons stepped forward, knocking out the frenzied mercenary and offering a Kimberlyn the stable job in almost the same breath.&nbsp; Since then, Kimberlyn had only impressed him more and more, watching her learn to fight, ride, and strategize using the same doggedness she had used in becoming a stable-girl.<br><br>Shaking his thoughts away from Kimberlyn, he focused back on his glass of ale.&nbsp; It was the same glass he had been given when he first arrived, and he still hadn't touched it.&nbsp; True, duty demanded he not drink so soon before a mission, but that had never stopped him before.&nbsp; With a shrug, Mason pushed the mug away from himself and brought his head to his hands instead.&nbsp; With a heavy sigh, he began to mentally prepare himself for returning to Virlana... and all the shit he had left behind there.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>01-07-2008, 05:23:52</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Kimber left the commanders office thirty minutes later, a small worried frown on her face.&nbsp; This mission had the potential to turn into a complete disaster, she could see it as clearly as day, and it was her job to make sure that it didn't.&nbsp; She sighed as she turned the corner and headed towards the Lost Pig.&nbsp; No one remembered why the bar had been named in such a way, but it was one of the most popular bars in town, especially for off duty mercenaries.&nbsp; <br><br>It served good ale, decent food, and the women who worked there didn't mind the rough language or the occasional grope, mostly because they knew that it wouldn't ever go beyond that without their express permission.&nbsp; <br><br>She walked into the tavern and smiled at the man behind the bar.&nbsp; Brent grinned back, showing the gap in his teeth.&nbsp; He was a large man, if not seven feet tall, then darn close, and he was a retired Mercenary, which explained why the girls didn't expect any real trouble from the patron's of this particular tavern.&nbsp; "Kimber, to what do I owe this honor?" he asked, his deep base rumble making the patron's close to the bar glance over to see who had come in.&nbsp; <br><br>"I was looking for Crow," she said, raising a hand to wave at an acquaintance.<br><br>"He's in the back corner," Brent said, pointing towards the back of the tavern near the fireplace.&nbsp; <br><br>"Thanks," she said, jumping up to give him a kiss on the cheek, smiling as his blush brought good natured ribbing from the people nearby.<br><br>She made her way to the back of the tavern, carefully moving out of reach as one of the mercenaries who'd had a little too much to drink reached out to try and grope her.<br><br>She finally reached the back table and sat down across from Mason, glancing down at his still full mug with a raised eyebrow.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>01-07-2008, 05:56:49</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Mason had taken his thinking to a corner table near the fireplace.&nbsp; He had brought his ale with him, so as not to offend Brent.&nbsp; By the time he felt enough a compulsion to take a sip, the beverage was well past luke warm.&nbsp; It was around this time that he watched Kimberlyn take a seat across the table from him.&nbsp; He hadn't seen her come in, having put himself facing the wall rather than away from it.<br><br>The first thing she noticed was his full mug of ale, probably a rare enough sight on its own.&nbsp; But the fact that it was HIS full mug of ale... well he could understand why questions might be asked.&nbsp; Of course, he couldn't let her realize he hadn't drank anything at all, then she would know just how bothered he was.<br><br>"For the sake of the mission, I resisted drinking my fourth mug."&nbsp; Kimberlyn gave a small sigh, as if expecting to hear something else.<br><br>"How considerate of you."&nbsp; She said in a with a hint of sarcasm.<br><br>"Are the horses ready for the road?&nbsp; Probably the sooner we leave the better huh?&nbsp; Last I remember, the trip to Meer was a day and a half by horseback.&nbsp; If we leave now, we'll get there while its night.&nbsp; I'd rather explain myself to less of those bastards than more..."&nbsp; Hopefully she would allow them to avoid a conversation about what happened in James's office.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>01-07-2008, 06:36:46</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yes, the horses are ready, I had them saddled before I arrived at the Commander's office," she answered as she glanced down at his ale again.&nbsp; <br><br>He hadn't taken more than a sip... and she was pretty sure that this was his first, not his forth.&nbsp; She thought about calling him on it, she wanted too, oh how she wanted too, but she let it slide.&nbsp; If he wanted to keep up appearances, or just didn't want her to ask what he had been doing for the past half hour she wouldn't pry.&nbsp; <br><br>"I won't make this a big deal, but before we go I need to ask you one question.&nbsp; Can you work with me?" she asked the question in a flat voice, waiting to see his response. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 00:44:51</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				For a minute there, Mason thought she was going to let sleeping dogs lie, but he now realized that was too much to hope for.&nbsp; Mason joined a mercenary company, with its rigid hierarchy, and masculine atmosphere, to avoid conversations such as these.&nbsp; He didn't want to communicate like this woman seemed to want to.&nbsp; Why couldn't she give his reputation the benefit of the doubt?&nbsp; He detested a lot of the other men who were a part of Flashfire, but he never failed to work well with them when ordered to.&nbsp; Granted, once off duty he didn't hesitate to bash in the same men's heads.&nbsp; Maybe she was worried he would do the same to her once the mission was over.&nbsp; A reasonable concern, now that he thought about it.<br><br>"I have my orders, I follow my orders.&nbsp; Any other questions?"&nbsp; He really hoped she would take the hint and leave it at that.&nbsp; The last thing he needed was her nagging at him about their "working relationship" the entire trip to Meer.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 00:53:58</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				She watched him and somehow managed to hide her grimace when he answered.&nbsp; This was going to be a wonderful assignment... she could just picture the number of things that could go wrong, but it wasn't her problem.&nbsp; She had been ordered to go with him, act the dutiful little slave, and see what she could find out, preferably in writing.&nbsp; After all... everyone would be suspicious and quiet around him... but slaves tended to blend into the background, become invisible when they weren't part of the entertainment.<br><br>"No... No more questions.&nbsp; Let's get going," she said, a slightly hard edge to her voice, her smile never reaching her eyes.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 01:16:32</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Good, he thought.&nbsp; The woman had been a mercenary long enough to know when to draw the line between partners and friends.&nbsp; In Mason's experience, the two never mixed.&nbsp; Even when on mission with James, Mason never treated him any differently than his commanding officer.&nbsp; He would treat Kimberlyn exactly like he would treat one of the men.&nbsp; He felt her reputation had earned her at least that.&nbsp; However, if she started behaving like some sort of lost pup, he might be forced to remember it was a girl he was working with.<br><br>Mason stood up, but not before pouring his warm ale into the fire.&nbsp; It was best not to offend Brent by leaving his ale untouched, the man had a reputation of his own worth respecting.&nbsp; The two of them made it without word or incident to the horses Kimberlyn had made ready.&nbsp; Mason was happy to find that his favorite horse was waiting for him, a black and white stallion known as Storm.&nbsp; Like him, the horse had a fiery temper that it wasn't afraid to show to anyone who crossed his path.&nbsp; Most were intimidated by such behavior from so large a horse, but Mason understood how to handle him.&nbsp; If the horse took a bite at him, he would smack the animal's nose.&nbsp; If the horse bucked while he was riding, he would kick it in the ribs.&nbsp; After enough of such things, the horse learned that THIS human wasn't intimidated, and they got along grand ever since.<br><br>With a nod of thanks to Kimberlyn for her choice of horse, he had the stable-boy fetch the packs and his weapons.&nbsp; After a few moments, the boy emerged, barely able to hold them all.&nbsp; With a smirk, Mason hefted the sacks from the lad and secured them to his horse.&nbsp; He then took his bow, arrows, knives, and axe and placed them onto his person.&nbsp; It wasn't common for Virlana nobility to ride so armed, but it wasn't unheard of either.&nbsp; Besides, anyone in Virlana who remembered him would expect nothing less of the deadly mercenary.&nbsp; His armor had to be left behind, but it was rare Mason needed his armor to win a fight anyway.&nbsp; Feeling like the soldier he was, Mason mounted the horse and looked to Kimberlyn to see how she was getting on.&nbsp; As it turns out, Kimberlyn had been waiting for him to finish.&nbsp; The girl was still wearing her slave's tunic, and from what he could see, she wasn't armed at all.&nbsp; If she had weapons, she was hiding them from sight.&nbsp; A solid plan.&nbsp; With another nod, Mason made a clicking noise that sent Storm into a gallop.&nbsp; Kimberlyn followed close behind, and soon the two of them left the Flashfire company on the road behind them.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 01:32:07</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Kimber sat on her horse, gently stroking the mares neck to calm her as Mason began to load his horse.&nbsp; She glanced over his equipment and nodded mentally in approval.&nbsp; He was well armed, and the weapons appeared to be both well used and well cared for.&nbsp; You could tell a lot about the quality of a mercenary by the state of their gear.&nbsp; If it was new and shiny, she didn't want to work with the man, and likewise if it was old and rusted she would walk the other way.&nbsp; A mercenaries life could ride on the state of their equipment, and only a fool would let a weapon become dull or rust.&nbsp; <br><br>She raised her chin slightly and stared back at him when he turned to examine her.&nbsp; She doubted he could see the knives that she had strapped to her thighs beneath the cloth, it would take a truly keen eye to spot them, she also doubted that he had noticed her pile her hair on top of her head, spearing it with a thin stiletto.&nbsp; She never went anywhere unarmed, and this was no exception.&nbsp; <br><br>Kimber spoke softly to Chase, the words sending the mare into a ground eating run as she followed Mason out of town.&nbsp; She sat the horse easily, her movements perfectly in sync with the horse, strands of her hair escaping the knot to fly out behind her, though the dagger held.&nbsp; <br><br>They rode in silence, neither of them feeling the need to fill the trip with useless chatter, by the time the last of the sunlight faded from the sky they had made it to the campsite that she had chosen before she left.&nbsp; She whistled sharply to get his attention as she led the horse off the road.&nbsp; She wasn't willing to run them overnight, the roads were good, but risking an injury would have been foolish.&nbsp; <br><br>She stopped in a clearing that had clearly been used numerous times.&nbsp; There was a semi permanent fire circle in the middle of the clearing, and a pile of wood off to one side.&nbsp; Travelers courtesy still held out on these roads, and they would be expected to replace whatever they used so that it would be available for the next person who needed it.&nbsp; <br><br>She dismounted my throwing her leg over the horse and sliding to the ground gracefully and began to unsaddle the horse, rubbing her down before she saw to her own thirst and hunger.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 02:25:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The ride went smoothly enough to please Mason.&nbsp; Not many had reason to take the road to Flashfire's base camp these days, so the road was relatively clear.&nbsp; The day was cloudy enough to block the sun, and not cloudy enough to threaten rain.&nbsp; The temperature was relatively cool, and as the sun began to descend, the horizon took on a orange and purple glow that any fool could appreciate.&nbsp; Absorbed so in the pleasant setting, he was startled when her sharp whistle rang out.&nbsp; He turned his head to see her cantering off on a small trail that led to where she intended to camp down for the night.&nbsp; Mason was enjoying the ride, but realized there wasn't a better campsite for miles.&nbsp; Taking one last look at the colorful and now sunless sky, he turned to follow Kimberlyn.<br><br>Feeling in good spirits, Mason dismounted from his source, and took the time to unsaddle Storm and give him a good rub down.&nbsp; Such a thing wasn't necessary after so short a ride, not for a prize warhorse such as this, but it was always good to show ones appreciation for their horse's hard work.&nbsp; Kimberlyn was doing the same for her mare, a small but sturdy specimen called Chase.&nbsp; Mason didn't bother to tether Storm, the horse would never abandon camp unless there were circumstances that put it in very real danger.&nbsp; And in those circumstances, Mason wanted the horse to be able to flee.<br><br>With the horse seen too, Mason took out his water and rations, not bothering to think about cooking.&nbsp; Soon enough he would be eating the posh food of nobility, and felt he would be missing field rations after too long.&nbsp; He noticed Kimberlyn was hard at work making a fire for both of them, remaining as silent now as she had on the road.&nbsp; She didn't even glance his way as she worked, making it clear she was honoring his wish to keep this mission professional.&nbsp; Even so, he was starting to realize he had missed the Commander's final instructions when he stormed out of the briefing.&nbsp; Picking up a log to add to her fire, Mason stepped over and handed it to her before speaking.<br><br>"So, did the Commander happen to mention the name of our contact in Meer, or where we'll meet him?&nbsp; While you're at it... what else did he say after I left?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 03:07:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She was so intent on setting up the camp that his words startled her, making her jump slightly.&nbsp; She took the wood from him with a nod of thanks and struck flint to steal one more time, the tender igniting with a slight pop.&nbsp; She fed more wood in slowly until there was a small but cheerful fire, more than enough to keep away the chill of the night air.&nbsp; <br><br>She sat back and took out her own waterbag and took a long sip before answering.&nbsp; "His name is Danric Velore, a minor noble who has been invited to the king's birthday celebration.&nbsp; He owes someone high up a favor, the Commander wouldn't or couldn't tell me who.&nbsp; We will accompany him to the celebration, which will last for three weeks.&nbsp; We are to find out anything we can about this supposed treaty with the people from across the ocean.&nbsp; Anything we can get in writing will be appreciated, but word of mouth will work as well.&nbsp; He wants to know how popular the treaty is and what the terms are.&nbsp; We can test the water to see if there is enough unrest in Virlana to make a possible rebellion or uprising feasible, beyond that we use our best judgement, and don't get caught.&nbsp; They will deny our existence if we are captured." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 04:06:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As Kimberlyn began to speak, Mason sat himself down across from her to enjoy the freshly made fire.&nbsp; He unstrapped his half-moon axe from his back and set it on a log within arms reach.&nbsp; The name Velore was familiar to him.&nbsp; As he recalled, the Velore family were just establishing themselves as exotic slave traders.&nbsp; He had briefly met Joseph Velore once, the family's patriarch.&nbsp; Danric had to be the son Joseph had bragged for their entire conversation.&nbsp; Perhaps Danric was the new head of the family these days.<br><br>The talk of the treaty had surprised Mason, the same as the rest of the world.&nbsp; The people across the sea had only been discovered by sailors about ten years ago.&nbsp; No one knew much about them, but the rumors weren't good at all.&nbsp; Demon worshipers was the most common.&nbsp; Forest was apparently the common terrain where they were from, and the natives were said to live within the trees rather than cut them down.&nbsp; One trader who came to the Flashfire camp had claimed to see one of their cities, with homes built high in the trees and connected by rope bridges made from bone.&nbsp; He said he saw vile rituals being performed involving the screams of children.&nbsp; Mason felt the man was embellishing, but the stories were enough to make Mason hope he never met one of the barbaric people.<br><br>Why would Virlana make a treaty with them?&nbsp; What did a slave-trading nation and a strange savage people have to benefit from one another?&nbsp; And what did it mean for Antias and the rest of the known world?&nbsp; The answers to those questions were exactly why Mason and Kimberlyn were coming back to Virlana, a kingdom they seemed to eager to never see again.<br><br>"Thanks, I suppose finding the Velore home won't be difficult.&nbsp; During the briefing I was also supposed to fill you in a little on my Virlana background.&nbsp; You lived there once, so you might have heard of the Crow family.&nbsp; They used to be something impressive about a hundred years ago or so, but by the time I was born their treasury was all but gone.&nbsp; Even so, my father continued to live the life of a noble by using his name to gain loans.&nbsp; My father arranged all the usual things for me... riding lessons, training under the master of arms, and a private tutor for more academic studies.&nbsp; It wasn't my father died that I realized the truth about my families finances."&nbsp; <br><br>"My uncle took over and couldn't handle the pressure of the creditors.&nbsp; He made business arrangements with shady characters and became involved in treasonous political plots.&nbsp; My uncle's new friends cost the rest of the family dearly.&nbsp; I won't go into the details, but in the end I did my part to help expose my uncle's treachery. The King himself was grateful for my help and released me of my family's debt as a reward.&nbsp; I left Virlana soon after, having lived too much as a noble for one lifetime.&nbsp; I never kept in touch with anyone in Virlana, despite having a house and land.&nbsp; When I return, no one will have any idea that I became a mercenary in Antias.&nbsp; They'll naturally assume I'm returning to Meer to claim my inheritance.&nbsp; The name Crow will grant us invitations to conversations and places that we might not otherwise see."<br><br>"But how about you?&nbsp; What backstory should I know?&nbsp; Is there a chance you'll be recognized by anyone?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 06:16:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She listened to him quietly, pulling out a small pot she began to heat some water as she listened, adding a small bag of herbs when it began to steam.&nbsp; She learned more about him in the few minutes it took for him to finish speaking than she had learned in the three years that she had been a part of Flashfire.&nbsp; <br><br>She had only agreed to this mission because she knew how important this was, according to how closely Virlana had allied with this foreign power would decide a great many things, from other alliances to the future of the entire continent. What little she had heard had worried her greatly, but the things that the Commander had told her... they were the things of nightmares, luckily she had plenty of her own, and couldn't really fit more into her already hectic schedule.&nbsp; The thought made her snort, amused at herself.&nbsp; <br><br>"There is a chance that I will be recognized.&nbsp; I destroyed part of the keep when I fled, killed a couple of guards, but luckily the law is on my side.&nbsp; You probably know the laws involved better than i do, but my understanding is that after a year a runaway slave becomes common property and does not have to be returned to her former master.&nbsp; It's considered the height of rudeness not to do so, but it has been done before.&nbsp; My former master was minor nobility, though I never knew his surname.&nbsp; He didn't want the rest of the nobility to know that he was a slave trainer, though it was the majority of his income, and i only heard his first name once," she said with no inflection in her voice, her eyes trained on the tea that was brewing over the fire.&nbsp; <br><br>"I was with him for eight years before i managed to escape... I was one of his favorites," she shuddered slightly in spite of her wish not to slightly disgusted with herself for showing her vulnerability.&nbsp; After a deep breath she continued,&nbsp; "He will want me back if he sees me, but you have the right to refuse him," she said, hoping that he realized how much trust and faith she was putting in him.&nbsp; "My suggestion would be that you found me about a year ago on your travels.&nbsp; Luckily I never had his mark removed... so it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am exactly what I appear to be.&nbsp; A well trained pleasure slave, nothing more."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 06:35:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Kimberlyn's story wasn't exactly what he expected.&nbsp; Considering how young she had been when she first became a slave, he assumed that she had moved from owner to owner like most women in Virlana.&nbsp; Eight years with the same owner, and as a pleasure slave?&nbsp; His eyebrow raised at the term.&nbsp; Law or no law, if that same owner saw her return to Meer, he would do whatever was in his means to take her back.&nbsp; How dangerous that was depended on how much money and influence he possessed.<br><br>"Pleasure slave?"&nbsp; He asked, probably giving the impression he was interested in hearing more of the details concerning that.&nbsp; He was silent for a few moments and then began to shake his head a bit suddenly.&nbsp; "No... no that won't do at all.&nbsp; You can't pose as my pleasure slave, it will limit your ability to gather information.&nbsp; Instead, you will be my aide.&nbsp; Most nobility don't use slaves for such an important position, but it's not unheard of.&nbsp; You have the education, pleasant appearance, and charm to fake the job well enough.&nbsp; More important, you will be trusted to attend to me during almost all of my conversations and functions.&nbsp; Not to mention as an aide, your duties will allow you to form relationships of your own with serving staff and slaves from the various houses, the children of the families, and other sources.&nbsp; Not to mention, if your former master shows up, the fact that you'll be my aide will make it more understandable why I would refuse to give you up.&nbsp; Pleasure slaves can always be replaced... though I suppose not with eyes like yours, but I've never been a sucker for a pair of eyes."&nbsp; The last comment he said with a slight smirk.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 07:31:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She ignored his last comment and the slight smirk that graced his lips with decided effort.&nbsp; She was relieved that he didn't find her that attractive, it might make this easier on both of them.&nbsp; Even as an aide, due to her looks if nothing else, others would expect that she service him in other ways, and they would need to keep up that appearance, unless he didn't mind having his manhood questioned.&nbsp; <br><br>She pushed those thoughts aside, better not to borrow trouble, it would undoubtedly find her soon enough.&nbsp; "It sounds like a good plan, but you need to decide if those are my only duties or not, we will have to keep up appearances, and it will also decide whether I sleep in your room which gives us time at night to talk and plan, or if I will spend all of my evenings in the common rooms reserved for the slaves.&nbsp; We also need to decide what you will do when someone else asks to borrow me for the night, because it will undoubtedly happen."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 21:38:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Kimberlyn's insistence on pushing the pleasure slave angle surprised him.&nbsp; He thought she would be happy by his suggestion, but she betrayed no feelings regarding how she felt on any of this pleasure slave talk.&nbsp; Didn't she realize what she was suggesting?&nbsp; If she put herself in such a position, she would have to relive the humiliation and possibly abuse of her former life.&nbsp; It wouldn't make much of a difference that she was pretending to be a slave, not if she was subjected to THAT.&nbsp; Did James discuss this with her?&nbsp; Did he ask her to do this, or had she come to this resolution on her own?<br><br>"What you say makes sense, and unless information can be gained by spending time in the common rooms, it would be best you sleep in mine.&nbsp; People can assume you're serving me that way if they wish, but I'm not going to go out of my way to say such things, and I'll make it clear that you're not available for loan.&nbsp; If this matter becomes a larger problem somehow... well... we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."<br><br>Mason crossed his arms after he finished speaking, making it clear he had made his opinion clear when it came to her subjecting her body to the nobles of Virlana.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 21:54:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She nodded slowly, for once completely in agreement with him.&nbsp; She was relieved by his reluctance to use her as a pleasure slave.&nbsp; It was something she would prefer to avoid at all costs, but it was also something that the Commander and her had discussed.&nbsp; If it came down to getting the information they needed, and that was the only way to accomplish her task, she was willing to make that sacrifice.&nbsp; It mad her ill just to think about it.&nbsp; She had been mostly celebate since winning her freedom, spurning the advances of the mercenaries with a dogged determination that left rumor's that she was more interested in her horses or women than men.&nbsp; She was fine with that... The only person who knew any different was the Commander, with whom she'd had a brief and quiet affair after her arrival, though that had ended when he had married.&nbsp; They were now nothing more than good friends.<br><br>She took out two wooden cups and poured some of the tea out into one, adding another handful of herbs to the liquid.&nbsp; She wrinkled her nose slightly.&nbsp; Maiden's tea was a bitter brew, but she would not risk becoming pregnant while on this assignment, better to be safe.&nbsp; She glanced over at Mason for a moment.&nbsp; "Would you like a cup?" she asked, knowing that his cup would be a nice blend of herbs, relaxing without the herbs she had added to her own. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 22:31:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Her body language implied she not only understood his opinions, but also appreciated them.&nbsp; He was thankful for that.&nbsp; It was hard to do ones part to protect someone when they didn't want protection in the first place.&nbsp; He watched Kimberlyn pull out two wooden cups and start to pour the tea she had made.&nbsp; As if the tea wasn't strong enough, she then pulled out more herbs, putting off the scent of the unmistakable maiden's kiss brew.&nbsp; In Mason's time as a noble and a mercenary, maiden's kiss had also been a popular topic of conversation when it came to bedding women.<br><br>When Kimberlyn asked if he would like a cup, he ignored her completely, but not because he didn't want one.&nbsp; His body remained in a relaxed position, but his eyes narrowed, and his ears perked.&nbsp; Kimberlyn caught his facial expression and realized what it meant.&nbsp; The two of them were no longer alone.<br><br>Mason did his best to begin to survey the area around him, but he could make out no other person or animal beyond their horses.&nbsp; Cover was extremely limited, and if someone was hiding themselves, there was only place they could be doing it.&nbsp; The trained mercenary Lieutenant looked back at Kimberlyn, then pointed with his eyes at a nearby copse of trees behind her.&nbsp; He then made a stretching motion as a cover for reaching for his axe.&nbsp; His bow was still with his horse, and too far away to make a dash for.&nbsp; He could only hope whoever was here didn't have crossbows.<br><br>Kimberlyn sat very still, keeping her eyes trained on him for information, rather than turning her back to see what he could see.&nbsp; There!&nbsp; Movement, very slight, but enough to confirm what he expected.&nbsp; He still couldn't tell how many there might be, but he at least knew it wasn't an animal.&nbsp; Rather than risk waiting on an attack, Mason sprung himself forward, using the log behind Kimberlyn to leap towards the copse.&nbsp; The four men behind the tree realized their cover had been blown and emerged to meet him.&nbsp; Much to Mason's dismay, one of them had a crossbow ready to fire.&nbsp; The crossbow snapped, sending a bolt deep into Mason's left shoulder.&nbsp; The pain from the bolt enraged him, and lent more speed and fury to his attack.&nbsp; <br><br>As the man with the crossbow reloaded, Mason reached another wielding a curved sword.&nbsp; With a battlecry, Mason caught the man off guard by barreling into him rather than swinging his axe.&nbsp; As the two fell to the ground, Mason put a dagger into his heart.&nbsp; By the time the other man landed, he was already dead.&nbsp; Mason heard movement behind him, the light footsteps of Kimberlyn, who had no doubt joined the battle.&nbsp; He only hoped she wasn't actually unarmed.<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>02-07-2008, 23:14:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Kimber had time to watch the first man fall, Mason's battlecry filling the clearing as she pulled one of her daggers, reaching up to pull the thin stiletto that held her hair in place as well.&nbsp; Her training took over, adrenaline, increasing her heartrate, but her breathing remained calm and even.&nbsp; She assessed the situation as Mason came to his feet in a move so fluid it almost seemed unreal.&nbsp; She heard the click of the crossbow as it was reloaded, the man slowly raising it with the intention of firing it point blank into Mason's chest as he turned to face him.&nbsp; <br><br>She only had a moment to act, she flipped the thin, razor sharp stiletto in her hand, catching the blade deftly before flinging it towards the crossbowman.&nbsp; She was already turning back towards the man running towards her, she never saw the blade sink into the man's neck, his eyes going wide as he gurgled in surprise an slumped to the ground, the still loaded crossbow falling at Mason's feet.&nbsp; <br><br>She lost sight of Mason as he glanced down at the crossbowman before turning to launch himself at their third attacker, the sharp ringing of metal hitting metal filling the small clearing.&nbsp; She managed to get her last dagger out and in hand before the last man was upon her.&nbsp; He raised his short sword above his head, angling for a killing blow.&nbsp; She barely managed to parry it.&nbsp; The shock of his powerful downward swing running painfully up her arm as she cried out, forced down to one knee as he pulled back to take another swing.<br><br>She rolled forward, barely missing his legs as his swing met empty air, her dagger cutting through his hamstring as she rolled gracefully to her feet and turned, driving the dagger into the base of his skull.&nbsp; He stood there for a moment before toppling to the ground, his momentum freeing her dagger as she turned to check on Mason.&nbsp; The clearing eerily silent after the frenzy of battle. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>03-07-2008, 05:42:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The crossbowman had reloaded much faster than he thought possible.&nbsp; It indicated that not only were these men well trained, but their equipment was top notch too.&nbsp; He had made good speed making his way towards the man, but that same man now had a clear shot at him at point blank range.&nbsp; Mason found himself missing his armor as he prepared to take what could be a lethal shot.<br><br>Instead of the crossbow's snap, he heard a death gurgle, followed by the clatter of a fallen weapon.&nbsp; Mason smirked at the sight of the small dagger in his would be killer's throat and ran for the next ambusher in his sights.&nbsp; He didn't concern himself with Kimberlyn, she was a Flashfire mercenary after all.&nbsp; The man ran to meet him, their weapons clashing in a fast frenzy.&nbsp; The man knew how to wield his strange curved sword, but didn't expect Mason to kick forward with his foot.&nbsp; As the man found himself winded from the blow, Mason took the opportunity to bring his axe down.&nbsp; A large crack broke out into the night air.&nbsp; Mason had used the side of his axe that wasn't sharp in the hopes of questioning one of the ambushers.&nbsp; But from the look of the man's head, chances were good he wouldn't survive.&nbsp; Still, he certainly wasn't going to cause any more trouble, so he turned to check on Kimberlyn.&nbsp; She stood nearby the corpse of the last attacker and was turning to look to him at virtually the same time. <br><br>"Where in the depths did they come from?"&nbsp; Mason screamed out, as if realizing for the first time that a crossbow shot to the shoulder hurt like hell.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>03-07-2008, 05:56:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Kimber knelt down next to the body beside her and looked him over as she wiped her dagger clean on his tunic, sliding it back through the hidden slit in her pants and into the thigh sheath with a practiced grace.&nbsp; She studied him for a moment before rising and walking across to the other body.&nbsp; She pulled out her stiletto and cleaned it on the man's tunic as well, placing it next to the pack as she dug out a wad of clean linen.&nbsp; <br><br>She turned towards Mason and moved to take a look at the crossbow bolt.&nbsp; "This is going to hurt," she warned before she pulled it out swiftly, moving to staunch the flow of blood with the cloth she took his free hand and pressed it over the wound hard.&nbsp; "Hold that, and take a seat by the fire please," she said calmly. Later she would be shaky, have her moment of weakness, now she had to work.&nbsp; She needed to seal that wound and stop the bloodloss, and then she needed to go see if she could find any sign of their attackers camp or equipment, as well as make sure that they were alone.<br><br>"Do you want me just to bind it or cauterize it?" she asked, unwilling to scar him by burning the wound without his permission.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>03-07-2008, 06:13:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Examining the area of the wound, he noticed that it had missed crucial nerves that gave his arm movement.&nbsp; For that he was thankful.<br><br>"Cauterize it."&nbsp; Mason answered quickly, his tone the same as if asking someone to brush dirt off his back.&nbsp; As Kimberlyn set herself to the task with practiced efficiency, he looked towards the copse of trees the men had been hiding behind.&nbsp; Certainly, it was possible to hide in such a place... but how did they GET there?&nbsp; They would have had to walk in the sight of Mason and Kimberlyn both to have reached the trees, and there was no way two mercenaries such as they would miss such a thing.<br><br>"Magic is the only explanation.&nbsp; It's the only way they could have been there-" Mason paused as Kimberlyn stuck a hot dagger inside his wound.&nbsp; After she removed it and the smell of burnt flesh hit his nostrils, he continued.&nbsp; "The other question is who sent them here, and how did they know to find us here?&nbsp; As far as I understand it, only you, me, and James knew we were riding this way.&nbsp; And it was your idea to stop at this particular camp site, that wasn't even planned ahead of time."&nbsp; <br><br>For a moment a thought fluttered to his mind that Kimberlyn had sent word to some foul sorcerer leagues away.&nbsp; After all, how well did he really know her?&nbsp; He dismissed the idea though.&nbsp; Why bring men to kill your companion and then aid him in battle?&nbsp; Kimberlyn had finished wrapping his shoulder by now, and was now standing to look over the attacker's bodies.<br><br>"Make sure to check the one I cracked over the head.&nbsp; If he's still alive, we can get some answers out of him."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>03-07-2008, 06:40:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Kimber nodded and took one of her extra daggers out of her pack, setting the blade in the fire to heat.&nbsp; <br><br>She glanced back at the bodies as she waited for the blade to begin to glow.&nbsp; Why were they there, why now, why not wait until they were closer to Meer?&nbsp; It didn't make any sense.&nbsp; The Commander had said that the orders came down from on high... but he hadn't told her who the actual contract was from.&nbsp; She should have pressed for more information.&nbsp; Chances were that she could have gotten it if she had been persistent.&nbsp; <br><br>She took the blade out of the fire, silently agreeing with him that magic had to of been used, the horses hadn't even reacted...&nbsp; She set the blade against the wound and suppressed the instant nausea at the smell of burning flesh.&nbsp; She had to give it to him, he didn't even flinch, she wasn't sure that she would have been able to stay as calm as he appeared.<br><br>She quickly wrapped his shoulder, making sure that he would still have the full range of movement, even with the bandage on.&nbsp; <br><br>She began to search the bodies without a word, thouroughly examining each of them.&nbsp; The man with the head injury was dead, his skull half caved in, but it was on him that she found the first and only clue.&nbsp; There was a small tattoo on his upper arm.&nbsp; A symbol... she just couldn't quite place it.&nbsp; "Come look at this..." she said over her shoulder before turning back to look at the mark.&nbsp; Mason was just stepping up next to her when her mind finally placed where she had seen it before.&nbsp; "Shit..." she said with feeling, standing up to pace back and forth between Mason and the fire, running her fingers through her long hair.&nbsp; <br><br>"Do you recognize that symbol?" she asked, hoping that he would have another explanation for the Black Steel mercenary symbol tattooed on the man's arm.&nbsp; Why were members of one of the other companies trying to kill them?
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>18-07-2008, 04:46:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Mason checked over the wound in his shoulder one last time before standing to gaze at the symbol Kimberlyn was referring to.&nbsp; The tatoo was the same symbol Black Steel's men were fond of branding themselves with.&nbsp; That particular company of the Antias army was known for employing men from the Maldeen Mountains up north.&nbsp; A hardy bunch with a reputation for survival. The sort of men that were accustomed to cutting their own feet off to stop frostbite, or kill whole families to have one more fur for the winter.&nbsp; Flashfire men -and women- never wear such brands due to the amount of infiltration missions they are entrusted with.&nbsp; The men of Black Steel would never be asked to spy.&nbsp; They are only sent if there is someone to kill.&nbsp; However, they are generally not the best assassins to send, especially when the targets are members of Flashfire.&nbsp; Either someone had been sloppy, or someone was simply sending a message never meant to be lethal.&nbsp; Considering a sorcerer was involved, Mason very much doubted it was the former.<br><br>"These men came to kill us, that's true enough... but whoever sent them didn't expect them to do a good job of it.&nbsp; My guess is someone is trying to make us nervous, not dead.&nbsp; Does that make you feel any better about it?"&nbsp; Mason said with a smirk.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>21-07-2008, 02:17:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She gave him a look and slowly shook her head as she went to their horses, unhitching them with deft fingers and softly spoken words as they shied, the smell of blood making their nostrils flare, their eyes rolling to look at her as she spoke, slowly calming.&nbsp; <br><br>"No... it doesn't make me feel any better... They were not meant to kill us, not this time... but what happens when we continue with our mission and ignore their warning?&nbsp; This is not something to take lightly... someone doesn't want us to investigate this alliance, and they want it bad enough to risk killing two of Flashfire's operatives.&nbsp; It's not something one of the other companies will take on lightly, we have made sure of that," she said calmly as she led the animals closer to the bodies.&nbsp; With a quiet command she dropped the reins, the horses standing still as she reached for the smallest of the bodies.&nbsp; She wrapped the body in it's cloak and with a grunt of effort lifted it off the ground, throwing it over the saddle of one of the horses.&nbsp; She closed her eyes for a moment, wondering how she was going to get the other three... that one was almost too much for her.&nbsp; She turned to stare down at the bodies with a frown... <em>perhaps I could just rig something to pull them...</em>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>23-07-2008, 03:55:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Mason's smirk wiped from his face as soon as her tone became clear.&nbsp; Kimberlyn was a hard one, that was certain.&nbsp; She was right in what she said, there was much to be concerned about.&nbsp; There were only a short list of people who had the influence and resources to send men by MAGIC to attempt to kill them.&nbsp; Sorcerers were rare enough to make their services almost as expensive as a fabled Courtesan of Nebell.&nbsp; The list became much shorter when the sheer secrecy of the mission was taken into account.&nbsp; The more Mason thought about, the less any of it made sense.&nbsp; Who would ever spend that much to send an unclear warning?&nbsp; The mystery behind it all was enough to leave the Lieutenant suddenly dizzy.&nbsp; Or was that from his wound?<br><br>He came out of his haze when he noticed Kimberlyn throw a body onto one of the horses.&nbsp; The thought hadn't occurred to Mason to hide the bodies.&nbsp; Travelers would report the dead mercenaries, but surely the one who sent them would already know they were dead.&nbsp; Even so, there was no reason to invite the chance at more trouble if it could be avoided.&nbsp; Mason moved beside her and hefted up another of the bodies, letting out a slight gasp of pain as his wounded shoulder responded to the strain.&nbsp; Once he had the body on the horse, he turned to Kimberlyn again.<br><br>"I see your point.&nbsp; What do you suggest then?&nbsp; Should we turn back and see what the Commander has to say about this?&nbsp; We're not that far from the base afterall, and there is no reason the mission can't be delayed another day."&nbsp; Mason hoped his eagerness to avoid riding towards his old home didn't show too much.&nbsp; "By the way, thanks for saving my ass."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>27-07-2008, 20:35:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Surprise flashed across her face for a moment, widening her eyes as she looked at him for a long moment.&nbsp; Finally she turned away, her mask falling quickly back into place as she ran through their options, her mind working quickly.<br><br>“No…. I don’t think we should go back… it risks someone getting ahead of us… giving them time to hide anything that they don’t want found.&nbsp; Even a day or two delay could make a difference,” she said, obvious reluctance coloring her voice.&nbsp; “There is nothing that the Commander could do at this point… we were chosen specifically, and it would be unwise to allow anyone else into this plan at this late date… I suggest that we ride on… act as if nothing has happened.&nbsp; Let them come to us again if they wish to.”<br><br>She glanced down at the body at her feet and grimaced… Couldn’t he have eaten just a little less? She wondered idly as she glanced back up at Mason for a moment, her eyes thoughtful.&nbsp; “How’s your shoulder?&nbsp; Do you think you can help me get these last two bodies up on the horses if I take most of the weight?” she asked, unwilling to risk further injury to him. <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mahes666</strong> on <strong>10-08-2008, 05:48:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Feeling a little disappointed, Mason accepted her decision not to turn back.&nbsp; The fact that someone had already come to kill them just after a night's ride made the mission feel more distressing than it had ever felt before, but he wasn't the sort to back out if there was still a chance of success.&nbsp; If anything, the attack meant that there was good reason to continue on with the mission.&nbsp; He nodded to Kimberlyn when she finished her suggestion to move on after his thoughts finished.<br><br>"My shoulder is sore enough, but nothing worse than the headaches I get from drinking.&nbsp; I'll grab the head, you take the legs."&nbsp; He bent down, and together they put the other two bodies on the horse backs.&nbsp; The disposal of the bodies took some time, which Mason spent thinking to himself.&nbsp; When they finished the dirty task, Mason came back to the site with a strong desire to sleep.&nbsp; Ever the veteran mercenary, he focused on his duty first.<br><br>"Do you want first or second watch tonight?&nbsp; I assume we'll be leaving with the sun in the morning, so that only gives us about four hours sleep each.&nbsp; With any luck though, we'll reach Meer by dusk tomorrow."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: For Vengeance or Love (Kyrsa + Mahes666)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kye</strong> on <strong>11-08-2008, 01:23:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once back in camp Kimber quickly brushed down the horses as she listened to Mason, her mind only half on what he said, her thoughts a jumble now that the adrenaline was wearing off.&nbsp; With expert strokes she continued, his horse leaning into her, butting her gently with his head, causing her to smile, the expression lighting her face, softening her features, letting him see what had made her such a prized possession.&nbsp; She kissed the horse's nose and rubbed under his bridal before moving on the her mare.&nbsp; <br><br>"I will take first watch, it will take me a little while to calm enough for true sleep..." she said after a moment.&nbsp; "Before we leave in the morning I will take a look around and see if I can find any herbs for a poultice, something to help you heal more quickly, and allow you to use the arm sooner rather than later."
			</dd>
		</dl>
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