On the run! (snowleo & de humanize)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Solos =&gt; Topic started by: snowleo84 on 28-02-2011, 19:24:01</h2>
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				Title: <strong>On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>snowleo84</strong> on <strong>28-02-2011, 19:24:01</strong>
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				Jack moved at a leisurely pace along with the crowd, kicking pebbles on the ground in the moonlight. He was tired after the long day he'd had at the palace. He had been helping his father with the preparations for the grand royal dinner. He didn't envy his father's work - he'd prefer minding the horses in the stable any day over cooking for the king and his family. He'd heard his father tell stories about royal cooks getting their fingers chopped if they hadn't marinated the meat properly or if the pudding wasn't sweet enough. The royal kitchen sounded like a scary place, with one's life always on the edge of a sword.<br><br>He could hear people talking around him as he walked. His father was walking a few paces ahead of him, and kept praising the king, which Jack somehow didn't like. "Oh, like there was ever any doubt on who'd win the battle", his father exclaimed, loyal to his bone to the king. The others agreed too, they found the king to be a just and wise ruler. By his side, he could hear the village belles giggling, talking in hushed voices about some of the handsome princes who'd been here for the dinner. And then someone behind him mentioned, "Lovely couple they'll make! The princess deserves someone as brave and chivalrous as Prince Herman." He'd heard someone talking earlier in the kitchen about how the king had announced the wedding of his daughter to Prince Herman.<br><br>Jack had no interest in the affairs of the palace, he was too tired to keep yapping all the way back to home. All he could think of was to crash on his bed as soon as he reached home. And then suddenly something caught his attention. As though something had shined on his eyes. He looked up, it was the night of the full moon, but what could have a luster that brilliant as to blind him in the moonlight, he wondered. And he kept looking around the crowd and on the rocky path, for he imagined it must have been lying on the ground. But he couldn't spot it again.<br><br>And then it shined again, this time a few paces in front of him, and he lengthened his steps, pushing people around to try and find it. And there it was! Adorning the feet of one of the girls - a golden anklet, seemed like&nbsp; an intricate piece of jewelry. <em>Darn thief, she thinks she&nbsp; can get away with this</em>, he thought and moved faster, closer to her. He didn't want to shout, as then she would be warned and try to run away. With her face covered in her cloak, no one would find out who she was. So he stealthily made his way to her. She was moving along with the crowd, but at a distance from it, on the left. He moved behind her, tapped her shoulder, and whispered "You thought you could run away unnoticed? Ha, caught you!"
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				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>De h u m a n i z e Me</strong> on <strong>28-02-2011, 22:20:54</strong>
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				It had been an evening from hell. There was a fabulous royal dinner hosted by King Nicholas that evening, a celebration of his daughter's coming-of age. She was now eighteen years old and now ready to be married off to a young prince of a neighboring kingdom. The King had invited all the young princes to dine with them, and the one who impressed him most would have his daughter's hand in marriage. Princess Vasilisa scoffed at the idea; how can you get to know a person during <em>one meal</em>? <em>My father has certainly gone mad,</em> she thought to herself in mild disgust. <br><br>The suitor that had been chosen to take the lovely Princess Vasilisa's hand in marriage was Prince Herman of the Kingdom of the Stars. He was handsome, no doubt; tall with a muscular build. Dark brown hair fell into his face, sometimes hiding his chocolate brown eyes. He was rather tan, which was unusual for royals, seeing as most of them preferred to sit inside all day and be pampered. None of that mattered to her though- handsome as he may be, he was dim as a wit, and rather conceited. Two qualities she hated in a man. She simply couldn't stand the thought of growing old with him, and this is why she found herself in the situation she did. <br><br>Someone had tapped her shoulder and began accusing her of something. Flinching, she held her breath and squeezed her eyes shut, balling up her hands into fists. It was as if she was foolishly trying to become invisible. Opening her eyes after a moment, she let her breath out and spun quickly on her heels, a look of defeat shaping on her face. "Please!" she begged in a half whisper, "Please don't turn me in! I simply cannot go back there. I-" she hadn't realized she'd clasped her small dainty hands around the bigger, more husky hands of the man that stood before her. His eyes were wide with surprise, as if not expecting what she'd said. Immediately, she quieted herself, waiting for what would happen next.
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				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>snowleo84</strong> on <strong>28-02-2011, 22:55:43</strong>
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				As she turned to face him, Jack could feel the whiff of perfume hitting his face, and for a second, the night seemed magical. <em>Oh, she has also poured upon herself, the perfumes from the royal flasks then. Poor thing, will be hanged now at the public square</em>, Jack's mind was going through what he knew would be the inevitable now. She'd put up her fists right in front of her face, and he tried to grab them and move them so he could try to recognize who she was. And then he saw the lovely blue of her eyes! Like two little oceans right in the middle of those shapely eyes! She was gawking at him, and pleading like any thief would when she got caught, but his gaze was fixed at her eyes. No girl in the village had such eyes. In fact he'd laughed at his grandma and had called her a senile woman when she'd told him about fairies with eyes as blue as the sea.<br><br>Her hands felt warm and soft. He'd expected them to be sweaty, like a thief's hands would be, but she seemed to be at peace with her wrongdoing. He squinted hard as he tried to think if he'd seen that face before, but her cloak hood was shadowing most of her face. Her hands were still clasped on his, and he was somehow feeling hesitant in making a hue and cry about the thief who dared to steal from the palace. His breathing got a little heavier, as it often did when he was in a pickle. But he finally decided and nodded, as though telling himself he was doing the right thing.&nbsp; "You shouldn't have done this", he said, "stealing from the palace and slipping away is not as easy as you think. Look what happens to you now." Warning her thus, and grabbing her wrists in his hands, he turned around, searching in the crowd for his father or some older person he knew, so as to hand her over to him.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>De h u m a n i z e Me</strong> on <strong>01-03-2011, 18:16:33</strong>
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				<em>Stealing?</em> He was accusing her of <em>stealing</em> from the palace? <em>'Hah! What an ignorant buffoon!'</em> She thought as she gave herself a silent round of applause for her apparently amazing disguise. As he began to drag her off in the direction of someone who would no doubt turn her in and probably recognize her for who she really was, she dug her heels into the dirt beneath her. "No!" she hissed, clenching his wrist with pointed fingernails. "Turn around and look at me." she instructed, the command coming easy to her; such was the way of a royal. "Really look at me." Somehow she had wriggled her hands free, and she gently pushed back her hood far enough for the moonbeams to light up the gentle, yet defining features of her face. Ocean blue eyes twinkled back at him from beneath her blonde hair. Her define high cheekbones contrasted with her soft, luscious lips. <br><br>A nervous smile took residence on her face as a look of shock and realization played across his. "Now do you understand?" she whispered, rubbing left wrist gently, where he'd so recently man-handled her. "I'm not a thief; I'm a refugee."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>snowleo84</strong> on <strong>02-03-2011, 15:42:33</strong>
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				"Ahh", Jack winced as her nails dug into his wrists. "Stupid girl, you'll be dead when they find out..." <br><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"> "Turn around and look at me."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>Jack wondered how crazy this girl could be, talking to him in a authoritative voice. <em>Who the hell does she think she is?</em>, he thought and turned around to give her a piece of his mind when... he got a clear look at her face.<br><br><em>Holy cow, it's Princess Vasilisa herself.</em> <br>He felt as though his breathing had stopped for a moment. A combination of being blinded by her angelic beauty and the fear of having done something gravely wrong rendered him speechless and paralyzed, it seemed. He started thinking about what could be happening.<br><em>The princess is in disguise, moving with the crowd. Perhaps she was going to meet someone secretly, and now I've spoilt it for her. Maybe she's just out on a disguised visit to check on how her people were doing. Grandma had told me about kings who used to do that in her days, secretly checking in on their subjects' welfare. If this is the case, maybe she'll spare my life.</em><br><br>He quickly tried to make amends for the error of his ways, by bowing to her, and muttering, "Forgive me, Your Highness, for I only stopped you since I couldn't bear the thought of a thief stealing from the palace..."<br><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">... I'm a refugee."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>He was stunned by her words. <em>Did she say 'refugee'?</em> He looked up at her, with a look of incomprehension mingled with his nervous tension. <br><br>And then suddenly, a woman from behind him said, "Oh good Lord, it's the Princess herself, honoring us with her presence." And three or four other women started mumbling.<br><br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>De h u m a n i z e Me</strong> on <strong>02-03-2011, 17:37:43</strong>
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				"No, no, no! Shh!" She stuttered, trying to get the ignorant buffoon of a man to stop his talking. "No-more people will recognize it's me--" She brought her dainty hand to her forehead, closing her eyes as if she suddenly got an incurable headache. <em>All my plans- ruined, because of this stupid, stupid man.</em> she thought, trying to figure out what to do next. Her eyes shot open, with a plan, she grabbed the wrists of two of the women had began mumbling. They were all roughly her age, in their early twenties. She motioned for the rest to follow her. "<em>You too.</em>" She nodded to the man who had started all of this, her voice practically a hiss. "You are all coming with me. Quickly now, quickly, or I'll have your heads!" she added cruelly. Honestly, she would never have anyone ordered to death; but that didn't mean <em>they</em> had to know that.<br><br>Vasilisa moved in the shadows, leading her small group quickly to the edge of town. The women panted and gasped for air as none of them really endured much physical activity, but they all ran for their lives. Every single one of them, each with their own reason. Some threatened by the princess, whereas the princess threatened with a life she couldn't bear. Eventually, they came to a stop in the Raven Woods, an eerily dark forest that few people had the nerve to venture into after dark. Vasilisa bent down, resting her hands on her knees, catching her breath. The other's took similar positions, one of the women, the red head, slumping down against a tree so that she could sit on the ground. Vasilisa's proud, yet pleading voice broke the silence. "Now, I'm sure you're wondering what in the Goddess's name is going on here," she began, pacing in front of them. "I'm not dressed in my normal royal garb, I was out after dark without any sort of guard..." her voice trailed off, leading them to countless other possibilities as to why this situation was in a word, abnormal. "But I've brought you here, honestly, to plead for my <em>life</em>." She put special emphasis on the word 'life' as she watched the gazes of her listeners change from confusion to a look of beginning realization and wonder.<br><br>One of the women, the tall one with hair black as the night, and eyes that could pierce to the core of anyone, waved her hands sporadically in front of her face. "No-no, that can't be true...why would you need to ask us to spare your life? We would never dream of-" the woman was cut off as she spoke, the short, slim, yet busty brunette cutting in.<br><br>"We love you, Princess. The entire kingdom does! W-we have so much respect for the royal family how could anyone even think of harming you?" she pursued, her eyes searching deeply into Vasilisa's for understanding, apparently finding nothing as the blank look on her face hadn't changed. The other two listeners, the silly man and the redhead, who by now, looked as if she very well might faint, watched the exchange silently, not wanting to pry yet.<br><br>Vasilisa looked upon her subjects lovingly now, appreciating their kind words, and almost regretting startling them as she had. But she couldn't have allowed the small group to alert others of her presence. Her plans would have been ruined for sure. The quiet assembly sat for a moment, simply staring at each other. Finally, with a heavy sigh, Vasilisa spoke, "It's not that you all would have harmed me, per say, but by announcing my presence to the people who were walking with us, you would have endangered me and my plans."<br><br>The redhead finally piped up "We're so sorry, princess. Can you forgive us?" <br><br>At the same time, the taller black haired woman inquired "Plans?" After she sent a glare towards the redhead, indicating her to stop talking, she continued. "Forgive me, if I may ask a question....what plans? Where were you going?"<br><br>Vasilisa shrugged, not really knowing where she had intended upon going. "Well, I must admit I didn't plan that far ahead, but really, anywhere but here will suffice. You see, I can't marry Prince Herman." she shuddered to prove her point. "Sure he's handsome but he's-" she paused searching for the correct, and hopefully still polite words, she decided upon "not exactly my heart's desire."
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				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>snowleo84</strong> on <strong>03-03-2011, 14:12:21</strong>
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				Jack was still panting a little, trying to calm his heart down, so it wouldn't explode. He was feeling exactly like the time he'd been caught snoozing in the stables, mortally afraid of what was to come. Only this time, there seemed an even lesser chance of reprieve. <em>Among the scores of people in that crowd, why did it have to be me who had to spot her? Darn, my quest for serving justice will now be the last act of lunacy in my life.</em> But even as he was scared for his life, he could see that things would get even worse with those four women getting to know the secret. He knew village belles - they couldn't keep a secret even if their life depended on it. In fact the first thing they'd tell their husbands on bed that night would be how they saw the princess trying to run away from her marriage, and how she's defiling her father's honor by doing so. <em>Look at these devious witches now, acting all loyal and trustworthy in front of the princess.</em> <br><br>His thoughts suddenly wandered to why the princess could be fleeing in the middle of the night, rather than getting wedded to a prince, thereby ensuring the rest of her life was even more comfortable than it was till now. Grandma was perhaps right, he thought, when she used to talk about the tender age affecting princesses' minds, making them do weird stuff like kissing frogs for love. He grimaced at the thought of such dim witted heiresses and tried to come up with a way to save his life and those of the others.<br><br>His eyes lit up as he came up with an idea, and he realized he had to act fast. The witches had been throwing questions at her, and he didn't want her to trust them with even a word more. He rushed to the princess, her eyes opening wide in shock as he took her by her hand and pulled her a little distance away from the crowd. He bowed to her, and whispered in an urgent manner, "Forgive me Princess, for pulling you up roughly. But you have to be patient and hear me out." He paused for a tiny moment to see if she was in no mood of listening to him, half expecting a slap on his face. And then he continued.<br><br>"Your Highness, these women can't be trusted. I understand you have strong reasons to believe that your good lies in you running away from the palace in the middle of the night, but you mustn't let these slimy creatures know of your intentions. I pray to you to tell them that you're merely seeking refuge with your uncle who rules the neighboring kingdom, and that he shall come with you to try and change your father's mind on the matter. Please my lady, tell them if they told another soul about having seen you tonight, you'll have them executed in the public when you return. Else they'll yap about the entire incident the moment they reach the village boundary. I urge you to order them thus, and ask them to turn around and make their way back. Once they've left us, your humble subject may help you in your pursuit." He'd said everything with his eyes looking down, but he finally looked up, anxious as to what her reaction would be.<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>De h u m a n i z e Me</strong> on <strong>03-03-2011, 18:20:27</strong>
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				A look of calm contemplation captured her, bringing on hand to her mouth and resting it there. This was often a gesture she made when she had something difficult to think about, and often times she didn't even realize she was doing it. What the man said made some sense, which surprised her, seeing as she'd written him off as a dim-witted ogre previously. Her eyes narrowed as her thoughts churned within her mind. She wanted so badly to believe that these girls would keep her secret safe, but that probably wasn't true. With a heavy sigh, her hand dropped from her mouth and she studied the man. <br><br>"And what exactly will keep them from closing their mouths once they've heard that I indeed ran off? What rumors would spread then? Would I be forever banished from the place of my birth?" she spoke her questions with intensity, trying herself to figure out the answers, and wondering what move to make next. She smiled suddenly, and chuckled. "My idea was to take them with us. They'd have no choice." Vasilisa still felt that her idea was a good one. The people in the village might just write off Vasilisa's disappearance as a kidnapping, and the four towns women were dragged off too, to experience worse fates. The wheels in her mind began turning again, thinking of how she could send the man back to tell of the kidnappings, tell the towns people how he witnessed it, and that he was determined to save the princess. He could meet them somewhere down the road...<em>yes</em> she thought, <em>yes, this plan could work.</em> "I think that plan could work..." she said, grinning impishly before telling him her plan.<br><br>Meanwhile, the three women whispered back and forth, trying to figure out what was going on.<br><br>((Can there be only three other women? Sorry, but the fourth hasn't even really made an appearance yet.))
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				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>snowleo84</strong> on <strong>11-03-2011, 22:29:12</strong>
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				He listened to the princess's plan with a furrowed brow, worried on the one hand about including three others in the mess, and on the other hand, trying to judge her scheme on its merits. Perhaps she was right, there was no way they could ensure that these three kept their lips sealed. And it was of utmost importance that not a soul got a hint of her escape tonight. Else she wouldn't have gone far before the soldiers caught up with her.<br><br>But even as he liked her idea, he knew it wasn't thought out fully. "I must say you've made some very good arguments, my lady", he bowed to her and said, "But dare I say, we could do even better on this." He paused, making sure he had it all thought out in his head first, and then laid it out for her. "I may run back and tell them about some wicked people having kidnapped you and these women here. But I'm afraid it will be to our detriment, since the panicked king would definitely send his soldiers out in all directions looking for you. And as agile and strong-willed you are, you may not be able to outpace those horses' hooves."<br><br>He paused again, making sure she understood his point, so he could propose his solution next. "But there's a way to deal with that. I shall go back, and tell them I saw you getting kidnapped by the bandits of the valley up north. I shall tell them I tried to save you, but alone I could never prove a match for all of them brutes wielding weapons. I shall make sure to include in my tall tale how the bandit chief cursed the king, derided his name, and threw a challenge at the royal army to try and enter their valley of death. That shall surely turn him mad with anger, and he would make his troops charge towards the valley. I shall then sneak out furtively southwards to meet you here in the forest later tonight." He smiled, pleased with himself for having figured a way out.<br><br>The women seemed to be nodding in agreement, whispering how this could work. He went closer to the princess, and facing her, said, "But of course, my story needs to be believable, else everyone will dismiss me as a kid who'd had a lot of mead at the royal dinner, especially my father who I'm sure shall assume I'd dreamt the whole thing up, or am just concocting a lie to amuse people. So, Princess, I beg you to hit me hard on my face. Hard enough for bruises to show. At least two of them. Perhaps one closer to the eye, and one jab at my jaw."<br>He waited for her reaction.
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				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>De h u m a n i z e Me</strong> on <strong>11-03-2011, 22:41:48</strong>
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				Vasilisa was nodding in thoughtful agreement as she listened to the plans of the man before her. He did give good points, she noted, and looked him over. <em>Maybe he's not such an ignorant brute after all,</em> she concluded with a smile. "That sounds like a very good plan," she agreed, and turned to look at the three other women as he began to speak of her hitting him. Her head snapped back as she looked him over. "Hit you? Whatever for?" she inquired, appalled that the man wished to be degraded in such a way.<br><br>Realization spread across her face as she considered it. "I suppose your story would be more believable if you..." her voice trailed off, as she thought. "i-if you had wounds with which to show as proof. But I- I don't want to harm you..." she explained, crossing her arms over her chest, quite unwilling to hit a person who didn't deserve it.
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				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>snowleo84</strong> on <strong>12-03-2011, 13:56:13</strong>
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				Jack was in a fix, since the princess didn't want to strike at him, even after listening to his plan and agreeing to it. She crossed her arms in front of her, making clear her stand on the matter. Jack was miffed, but arguing with a member of royalty, even though she was hardly doing anything worthy of her lineage, didn't seem to be a good idea to him. So he went to the other women, and urged, "Now that the princess has agreed to the plan too, I need one of you to step up to the task. All I ask of you is to smite me on the face, for a couple of bruises to show up."<br><br>To his shock, all of them shook their heads saying no, and one of them said, "We can't do it either, we can't hit you. We never hit people, and least those who haven't done anything wrong." The others nodded in agreement. Jack doubted their claim of never hitting anyone - he'd seen women beating other women in gloriously violent catfights, and even beating their husbands when they'd drunk a little too much before coming home. And he wondered if they were trying to act all gentle and docile since they were in the princess's presence.<br><br>He was getting more worried with every moment since he knew it wouldn't be long before the royal cavalry rushed out searching for the missing princess. Frustrated at not getting anyone's cooperation, he went back to the princess. He sighed, and said, "So you won't hit someone who has done you no wrong. Forgive me, my princess, you leave me no choice." He went closer to her, and in a flash, leaned in and planted a kiss on her lips. He didn't linger there for long, but made sure she could feel the wetness of their lips coming together.
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				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>De h u m a n i z e Me</strong> on <strong>12-03-2011, 18:30:03</strong>
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				Though short, that kiss nearly rocked Vasilisa's world. It was her first. It was stolen. She didn't decide who it was with. She was angry. But a part of her <em>liked</em> it. Of course that part of her would never be allowed to admit it to anyone who just witnessed what had happened. The three women gasped, their hands flying to cover their open mouths. Everyone, including the perpetrator was taken aback. Especially when the princess drew her arm back and planted her fist so hard on the man's face that he stumbled backwards, wide eyed and open-mouthed. There were a few things that people didn't know about the princess, and that was why she was hesitant to hit him. She knew no one would expect such force behind the impact. Such force shouldn't have been wielded by such a young woman. But the princess trained in secret. She wouldn't allow herself to become the stereotypical damsel in distress so many people thought she would be.<br><br>A shaky hand rose from her side to touch her lips softly, as if she could somehow remove the kiss that had been planted there. Her eyes darted over to where he stood, holding his face, still in shock. "<em>Don't</em> do that again." she warned, the threat of another hit, quite possibly a harder one, lingering in the air between them. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>snowleo84</strong> on <strong>12-03-2011, 20:04:43</strong>
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				Jack was still breathing heavily, feeling the after-effect of the blow as searing pain ran across his jawline. He could almost feel the heat of the blow on his face, and had no doubts about whether or not the princess had managed to mark his face with a bruise. He could taste some blood in his mouth, coming from the cut that his own teeth had inflicted on the insides of his cheek. <br><br>He looked at the women, looking as if they would faint any second from what they'd seen transpire in front of them. And then he looked at Vasilisa, her initial shock now replaced by unflinching anger. She seemed to be ready for another blow, and he wondered what it was that had stopped her from hitting him again. <em>Perhaps... deep inside, she liked something about my kiss</em>, he thought and smiled to himself, his teeth tinted red with the blood inside his mouth. <br><br>He spit out some of the blood, and looked at the princess again. <em>She hits me now</em>, he said to himself, <em>but she'll kiss me in debt of what I shall be doing for her tonight. For you, my feisty princess!</em> Smiling again, he pulled her closer to himself and kissed her again, this time, biting her lower lip only slightly. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>De h u m a n i z e Me</strong> on <strong>13-03-2011, 18:08:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The three women standing on the sidelines were still in incredible shock, but now, seeing how feverishly the man kissed Vasilisa, they felt compelled to avert their eyes, as if witnessing something that were private. Vasilisa was certainly taken aback; she didn't expect him to place another, more passionate kiss. As their lips enfolded together with mixed emotions, she could taste the blood from his mouth. That blood stained her pink lips red. It occurred to her, that she probably let the kiss go on for too long, as she felt the tug of his teeth rake her bottom lip. Forcing herself away, she stepped back, eyes aflame with rage and passion. It wasn't her fists that brought to him his scarlet justice, but her right foot. She jumped into the air, swinging her foot to make impact with the other side of his face. Jack hit the ground, and without time for any further action, the princess stalked over to the other women, grabbed two by the arm, dragging them in the opposite direction, the third following like a loyal puppy.<br><br>As she walked away Vasilisa's tongue met her lips, the taste of his blood still fresh and new to her senses. Odd thing was, it didn't disgust her. It intrigued her. A shy, shaky voice broke the silence as they moved, "A-are you alright m'lady?" it was the brunette, the puppy. <br><br>"I'm perfectly fine, thank you." Vasilisa hissed, not even bothering to look back at her. "Just keep walking. We must be quick now." Without any further interruptions, the four women moved about the shadows, making their way to the far side of the forest, where they would wait for Jack to meet them.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>snowleo84</strong> on <strong>13-03-2011, 21:55:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jack kept lying there for a few moments, as he could see the princess and the four women disappear into the darkness in front of him. His head was reeling, and he still wasn't able to get over the fact that the princess had kicked him on his face. He chuckled at the whole incident, blaming himself for having gone a little too far with his lips and his teeth. But he was also happy that now no one would dare question his story about the bandits. He spit out some more blood onto the ground, and he could feel a couple of his teeth were loose when he moved his tongue over them. Hurting like hell, he picked himself up, and started walking back towards the village. He knew he had a long way to walk, so that he could enter the village from the other side, since his story was about bandits nabbing the princess and fleeing northwards. <br><br>He kept running till he could see the last of the villagers trundling back to their homes. He went around the orchard, and came up to them from the north. Just as he was a few yards away, he started shouting as he ran, "Horror! Horror! Bandits! Bandits! Took the princess away!"<br><br>The group of villagers stopped dead in their tracks, and turned around. As he reached them, panting and gasping for breath, their eyes widened with shock looking at his face bruised and bleeding, and his clothes torn, something he'd done on his way to add further effect to his concocted tale. Within a few moments, all the seniors in the village, including his father were gathered round him, as he narrated the entire incident in between his struggling breaths. <br><br>The soldiers had come running too, and on hearing him, asked him a lot of questions. He could fabricate reasonable answers to all of them, until one of them asked, "And what were you doing there, young man, at this hour? Did you see what the princess herself was doing, before those bandits jumped on her?"<br><br>Jack swallowed, since he hadn't been expecting this question. But he thought for a moment, acting as though he was still a little breathless, and then said, "I went that way since on our way down to the village, I saw someone break away from the crowd and head north, and she was wearing gold anklets. Presuming it was a thief, I followed, only to realize she was the princess herself. She told me she was there to collect some rare flowers to gift to her father tomorrow morning." He paused for effect, and then added,"But alas, that was not to be, since it was right then that the bandits came out of the shadows."<br><br>The story worked, and soon a cavalry was sent to the north valley to search for the missing ladies, including one of the royal bloodline. Jack went up to his father, and told him another lie, about the soldiers taking him to the general for further questioning. As soon as he was out of his father's eyesight, he ran. He kept running till he reached a barren stony patch in the forest. He could see that the princess and the women were sitting there, waiting for him. <br><br>He presented himself before the princess, kneeled down, and said, "Forgive me, my lady. I had no right to steal those kisses from those heavenly lips of yours, but you'd agree to me when I say that you'd left me no choice. I had to run back soon, and I couldn't fulfill my task without these bruises. As it happens, everyone believed me, and a cavalry has been sent up north. I realize you're very angry with me, but I pray you to consider that my life is now on the line for you. For I can't return to the village until you do so too. Else they'll behead me."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>De h u m a n i z e Me</strong> on <strong>14-03-2011, 04:46:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It was roughly an hour before the sound of feet beating against the ground reached the ears of the silent foursome of women. During their time waiting, they had introduced each other, and chatted. The tall black haired woman introduced herself as Arianna Grey, wife of Nathaniel Grey. The short busty brunette had revealed her name to be Isabelle Allende, she was born here, but married at a young age to an immigrant to the town; Stephan Allende. And finally, the woman with hair as red as fire said that her name was Rosemary Bernstein, wife of Nicholas Bernstein. She had also noted that she preferred to be called "Rose". The girls were laughing and chatting amongst themselves when Jack arrived, save for the princess, none of them seemed to notice when he arrived, but unlike them, Vasilisa was keen on her senses. <br><br>As he dropped before her, should couldn't help but pity him. His face was painted all shades of black and blue, dotted with red, his cheeks were flushed, showing that he sincerely was sorry for how he'd kissed her before. Somewhere deep down, Vasilisa reminded herself that all men were indeed, scum, and that he probably enjoyed stealing those passionate, albeit short embraces. With a wave of her hand, she forgave him. "What's done is done. No need in dwelling on the past," she offered simply, before introducing the women to Jack. <br><br>"Did I happen to catch your name, lad?" she asked, looking him over.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>snowleo84</strong> on <strong>15-03-2011, 19:15:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jack was relieved to see the princess had decided to forget and forgive his transgressions. For a moment he wondered in his heart if she'd perhaps even liked the kisses, but quickly rejected the notion. The princess introduced the three women to him, and he realized he knew the husbands of two of them. Nathaniel Grey was the blacksmith of the village, and Bernstein traded in milk and cheese, since he had a lot of cows at his house. He couldn't place the name Allende, but decided to check on it later.<br><br>"My lady, my name's Jack. I'm the son of Andrew Fairborough, a cook at the royal kitchen. I work at the royal stables, Your Highness." He paused for a moment, and then decided to add, "I make sure I pay special attention to Bolt, your favorite white mare. Err... at least the stable head told me she was your favorite." He hoped to make any positive impression on her now, as a way to make amends for his earlier indiscretions. <br><br>Owls had started hooting loudly, and night was getting darker. Jack looked up at the princess, and said, "My lady, the moon is far up in the sky, and that means we're into the second half of the night already. Even if the king's soldiers do make it to the valley up north in the next few hours, they shall not be able to find the bandits in their own territory. That is a nasty, devious bunch of people who'd hide away in dingy corners when they see an army charging at them. Since dawn is merely a few hours away, I suggest you and the ladies would do well to catch a nap. I shall be keeping guard and looking around for any sign of danger. Once it is dawn, we can decide on our further course of action and move on accordingly." <br><br>He looked at the ladies, and they seemed to be nodding in agreement.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>De h u m a n i z e Me</strong> on <strong>28-03-2011, 21:14:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As the ladies began to lay down, pushing leaves around on the ground for comfort, Arianna began to eye Jack. Her thoughts were spinning with the adrenaline of a new adventure. <em>Who knows how long we'll be gone? Could be days...weeks....maybe even months!</em> As her thoughts churned, Arianna bit her bottom lip, admiring the only man to accompany them on their journey. Having such devilish thoughts was not new to her, especially since she'd had her eye on Jack for a few weeks now. Admiring him from afar, and bound by her marriage. Her lousy, pitiful marriage. It had been <em>months</em> since she laid in the arms of her husband. He was away; constantly working, and almost always tired. Arianna dreamed of being held again, and this little journey might just give her the chance to feel wanted again.<br><br>"Hey there Arianna," Vasilisa called, beginning to lose her formalities. "Why don't you start setting up your sleeping area? We don't have much time to sleep anyways."<br><br>Shaken by her words, Arianna grinned and turned on her heels towards the other women. She placed herself in between Isabelle and Rose, snuggling up with them. There was a slight chill in the air, and the girls felt it would help if they slept close to generate body heat. As for Vasilisa, she stayed a few feet away, not feeling exactly comfortable with the other women just yet. Turning onto her stomach, she rested her head on her arm, not wanting her face to lay in the dirt. <br><br>As the night went on, Vasilisa found herself sleepless. When the other girls snored softly, she lay awake, her eyes admiring the night sky. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>snowleo84</strong> on <strong>30-03-2011, 22:20:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jack kept pacing around the edges of the clearing, alert for any sound or hint of movement. All he could hear was the hooting of jungle owls, which was now considerably lesser than when the humans were all awake and moving. And there was the occasional rustling of leaves as a rodent scampered through the jungle floor, searching for food. He'd picked up a thick branch of a tree, cleared it of the leaves, and was brandishing it around like a thick stick, ready in case any serpent slithered out. Apart from that, they were safe, and he knew that. This part of the woods wasn't as dense as that further south closer to the river. The only animals living here were monkeys and sloths, and they weren't active at night. <br><br>He was thinking about which way to proceed the next day, and feeling drowsy, when his eye caught the three women sleeping, almost cuddling with one another. He'd so far considered them as plain looking village women, but for the first time he was paying attention to their bodies. From what he could make out looking at them dressed, the brunette was top heavy for her build. He could almost see what attracted the out-of-towner Mr. Allende to her, and he chuckled at the thought. The redhead looked like a delicate creature, and her face was very pale, white as the milk her husband supplied to the entire village. The black haired one was tall, for a woman, and looked quite young. <em>Probably her father conveniently married her off to the blacksmith, when he saw the chance!</em> thought Jack, and thinking about convenient marriages planned by fathers led him to look at the princess.<br><br>She was lying there, wide awake, gazing at the sky and the stars. Jack smiled as he realized that the day had been perhaps too intense for her to be able to sleep now. He wanted to help her calm her nerves, and he thought perhaps a decent conversation would help her relax. He moved closer, and lied down a little distance from her, on his side, popping his head on his hand as his elbow rested on the ground.<br><br>"Lovely night, isn't it?", he asked, smiling. "With the cool breeze and starry skies? Makes one forget about life's worries for the moment and relax, doesn't it?"<br><br>He paused for a while, and then added, speaking very softly, but in a firm tone, "My princess, I just wish to tell you that my heart feels your decision was the right one. And I sincerely hope His Highness understands your side of things soon." <br><br>He looked closer at her face, and inquired, in almost a whisper, "My lady, did I hurt your lower lip when I bit it?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>De h u m a n i z e Me</strong> on <strong>31-03-2011, 07:51:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The twinkling stars had always had an eerie way of engulfing her entire consciousness; and she would get lost in them far too easily. To her, it almost felt as if she drifted about in space with them, her slender fingers stretching out to touch one of the incandescent beauties. There was a rustling sound to her left which pulled her back to earth from her dreamland; her spirit settled back into her own body once more. The princess let her head fall to the side from which the silence had stirred. Jack. <br><br>She smiled warmly at him as he spoke of the stars that so entranced her, but she said nothing. Words could barely describe her propensity for them, and she wouldn't try to explain it. She simply smiled; eyes twinkling in the moonlight. <br><br>Then the subject switched inevitably to the matter of their current predicament, but it was a nice twist. He agreed with her.... <em>He agreed with her!</em> Vasilisa felt a sudden rush of bubbly excitement she could barely contain herself, but somehow, she kept her composure. "Y-you really think I'm doing the right thing? No one ever listened to me in the castle- no one seemed to care..." the words flew from her mouth uncontrollably. She still had a hard time believing that someone, <em>for once</em>, understood where she was coming from. As Vasilisa had her mini-outburst, Jack referred to their kiss again; and she immediately felt herself blush and bite down nervously on the lip that had just recently been caressed by another. Unable to speak now, she shook her head, indicating that he'd done her no harm.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>snowleo84</strong> on <strong>01-04-2011, 19:23:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jack could see the princess was surprised by him voicing his support for her bold step, and he was glad they were coming to better terms. He nodded, and said, "Yes, my princess. I can imagine how you'd have felt on learning that the course of your entire life had been decided, and perhaps that scared you. I sometimes wonder how a girl feels when she'd betrothed to a person she hasn't seen in her entire life, and gets to know that she'd now spend the rest of her days on earth in his house, rearing his kids. But once when I asked my mother about that, she laughed at me and uttered something about me needing to grow up and learn the ways of the world." <br><br>He paused, smiled as he looked into her eyes, and said,"And today, seeing you, trying to do break the shackles of a politically inspired marriage of convenience, I felt like I should stand behind your decision, and help you in any which way I can." He smiled again, proud of himself. "Of course, probably I was also blinded by your beauty, and my heart had no choice but to think about how to help you in your little adventure. You see, I'd never seen your face from close quarters all these years and..." He realized he'd said a few things too many in his joyous mumbling.<br><br>His face turned red, and he muttered in an apologetic voice, "Pardon me, my princess, I should have kept my mouth shut, rather than going on to embarrass myself." He paused for some more time, and said, "I'm relieved to know your lips didn't get hurt because of me, my princess. They're so pretty I couldn't have forgiven myself if I'd hurt them." Again, he turned red, and trying desperately to change the topic of conversation, it struck him that he hadn't asked her something.<br><br>"I'm sorry my princess, I should've asked earlier. Did you have dinner before you... err... went about escaping from the castle?" Taking out a couple of loaves of bread, and little leather flask of water from the pouch beneath his robe, he said, "I have but a poor man's food, in case you're feeling hungry. I got these with me to feed my little calf at home, but I swear to Lord, they are clean. I feed my calf only what I would be willing to eat myself."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>De h u m a n i z e Me</strong> on <strong>01-04-2011, 21:15:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>Blinded by your beauty.</em> Blinking a few times, she processed what he had said. <em>He thinks I'm beautiful!</em> The familiar warmth of a blush spread once again over her features as her lips curled up into a giddy smile. She didn't want to smile, to show him how much his opinion affected her. This smile was actually somewhat of a betrayal of her own hormones and girlish fantasies, and she scolded herself for allowing the butterflies to stir in her stomach. As he continued to ramble on, much like she did from time to time, she realized how often he addressed her as "my princess" rather than her name. In an attempt to rid the two of any barriers, she smiled and said simply; "Please, Jack, call me Lissa." <br><br>The princess shifted into a sitting position as Jack offered her up some of the only food he had, but she waved her hands in front of her face, and shook her head, indicating she didn't want to partake in the meal. "It would appear that all this excitement has made me lose my appetite." she explained, not wanting to insult him in any way. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>snowleo84</strong> on <strong>07-04-2011, 05:46:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jack could see the princess was in a better mood now, smiling rather than looking forlorn and thoughtful. He could see her blush, and the color in her cheeks made her look even prettier. Jack smiled to himself thinking about how unbelievable it all was. Here he was, alone with the princess of the kingdom in the middle of the night in a jungle, and she was blushing at his words. And she wanted him to call her by her name.<br><br>"Lissa... such a beautiful name", Jack smiled and said. "But pardon me, Princess, if I take some time getting so fearless as to be calling you by your name. Merely few hours ago, I was just a stable boy, and wouldn't have conceived any of this possible."<br><br>She sat up, as though she wanted to talk with him some more. Jack realized that what she needed most at this point was the company of someone who believed in her decision, and who she could open up to. He smiled, and asked, "So princess... err... Lissa, what would the ideal prince for you be like?"<br><br>Just then, one of the girls stirred in her sleep, causing the others to rustle too. Jack pointed to the girls, and asked the princess, "And what do you think of our three companions?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>De h u m a n i z e Me</strong> on <strong>07-04-2011, 08:04:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Whoever you were before tonight doesn't matter. Eventually, we would have met. And eventually, I would have grown tired of not having a name." With a slightly agitated sigh, she stood up and looked away from him, stalking towards a nearby field to bask in the glow of the moonlight. "I'm sick of being a possession of the kingdom; a doll without a name. Just because I'm royalty doesn't mean anyone should treat me any differently." Turning back towards him, she gave him a sympathetic smile. "We are all human. The same flesh covers our bones. The same blood runs through our veins. Eventually, our bones will crack, splinter and decay. The blood will cease to course through our hearts. The flesh that protects us with weather with time, and we will all grow old. I am&nbsp; no different than you, Jack. No different than any other person on this planet." she explained, turning to the man that now stood with her in the field. <br><br>Her green eyes pierced through him, searching deep within him, reaching out to a part of his soul that would empathize with her. Taking his worn hands in her small, dainty ones, she smiled at him. "I suppose I just want a prince- no," she corrected herself, shaking her head and breaking eye contact "I just want a <em>man</em> that understands that and treats me like the woman I am. I want a man that will cherish the soul that resides behind the pretty face; not just the outer shell of me."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>snowleo84</strong> on <strong>09-04-2011, 16:36:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jack was staring at the princess with wide-eyed and open-mouthed amazement, as she bared her true feelings before him. He realized his image of her was terribly wrong, and there was more to her than palatial riches and fast mares. He was quiet for some time after she'd finished, and then smiled, and said, "Lissa... it's a beautiful name. Makes me wish I could write a poem on it. If I knew how to write poems, that is", he grinned stupidly. <br><br>"You speak with finesse, my... err... Lissa. Just like my grandfather used to, when he would explain to me why working as a cook or a stable boy is not demeaning in any way. I dreamed of becoming a soldier one day, and Grandpa agreed I'd be a smart one. But not a good one. At some point or the other, a soldier's life depends on whether he can take another's, and my grandfather was of the firm opinion I would fail in that regard. He said I just didn't have it in me. I used to be terribly upset those days, but I've come to accept my fate slowly."<br><br>"Which man would be so foolish as not to respect your intellect, Lissa? You're far more mature than what your age and your royal upbringing would suggest. You're fit to rule a kingdom, I'd say. And on top of that", he said, pressing her hands which held his, "you're more beautiful than a peacock and more graceful than a swan. Kings would fight wars to win your hand in marriage, Lissa. I'm so fortunate to be standing so close to you, on a moonlight night. Just the two of us."<br><br>He coughed and stood back a little, aware he'd been standing too close to her. He brought up another matter, "We need to plan how to move ahead in the morning, Lissa. Keeping in mind that the king's men would already be dispatched in all directions. And it's about to be dawn soon. Perhaps you'd like to take a dip in the pond before we move on, and maybe the women too. I spotted a pond not far from here to the west."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: On the run! (snowleo &amp; de humanize)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>De h u m a n i z e Me</strong> on <strong>10-04-2011, 08:27:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				For the time being, Lissa decided to ignore his compliments, feeling utterly foolish at how often his words had caused her to turn all shades of red that evening. Offering him a sweet smile, she looked at him with confident eyes and spoke, "Jack, you must understand that fate is not set in stone. Even pen can be altered with but a few scratches. Your <em>fate</em>, is yours to decide. I'm sure you'd be a magnificent soldier if you ever decided to set your heart on it. You'd be surprised what you can accomplish in a life or death situation." Exhaling, her eyes held something that resembled sympathy mixed with encouragement. "And if the one thing you can't bring yourself to do in your lifetime is take the life of another, well I'm sure that makes you quite a selfless person. Besides, you can do all sorts of harm without actually <em>killing</em> anybody..." she added with a smirk. <br><br>As he suddenly backed away, causing her hands to drop his, she realized how close they'd been again. She's also come to the realization that she wouldn't mind kissing him again someday, but she quickly banished the thought from her brain. Now was not a time to think of such foolish things. Her attention was once again caught by Jack as he spoke of plans and a rendezvous at a nearby pond. With a dismissive wave of her hand, she shook her head. "I don't really think bathing is my top priority right now. We need to get as far away from here as quickly as possible." she decided with finality.<br><br>Lissa turned on her heels and began to make her way back to where the three damsels slept when she abruptly stopped and peered over her shoulder. With a twinkle in her eye and spring in her step, she trotted back over to Jack and gave him a hasty kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for your kind words Jack. I'm glad that we met." she said simply, smiling a smile that was quite possibly the brightest in the world.&nbsp; &nbsp;
			</dd>
		</dl>
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