Divinity's Kiss [Gilead and Wisti]
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		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Solos =&gt; Topic started by: Wistful Dream on 15-03-2010, 06:36:17</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Divinity's Kiss [Gilead and Wisti]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wistful Dream</strong> on <strong>15-03-2010, 06:36:17</strong>
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				The wind was blowing through the trees around the mountain citadel, they moved like the waves of the ocean did almost, fans of green, light and dark both, to bow and flowing in the wind. Eyes of a steady, unblinking amber watched, looking out over the forested beauty of the kingdom. Fereshard was beautiful, wild, untamed. The people here lived with the spirits of the earth, with the earth itself. It was a paradise, with large, sprawling forests, clear bright lakes, the ocean and its cliffs back the west side of the country, while the Kingdom of Dalais was to their east and north. The wild beauty of the small kingdom, only eight days to travel the breath of it, showed in her Champion, the King’s Champion. Short cropped red hair, with brighter threads of cooper through it, ruffled in the wind. It came no further then her shoulders at most, and that only a few strands; and the color of her coppery skin showed the amount of time she spent out in the sun, making her a meld of golden and flame hues. The fire girl. But not in the ways most would suspected.<br><br>She was lounging against the rail of the balcony at the highest point of the castle, looking out over all that could be lost. Would be lost unless she was able to wrest freedom from the greedy hands of the Lerin Empire. And she would. There was no alternative, no good reason to not, even if her life was given in it. Khalida le'Tuer felt the weight of the hopes of her country upon her shoulders, the King, Tyrol was a good man but he was in his third score of years, and it would be best if he did not fight. They could not risk it, not with his young wife newly pregnant. If the babe did not carry to term all could be lost with the death of Tyrol. It sat uneasily upon him, and Kal had just left a most unpleasant session with him. Ty would never easily sit at the sidelines while his beloved country was threatened. But he trusted her to handle things, they all did.<br><br>Her hands shifted, clenching in their thin leather gloves as she flexed her fingers before her right hand went to touch the hilt of her sword. It hung heavy around her belt, ready for her should she need to draw it. Thankfully she should not upon castle grounds, at least not yet. Her vivid honey eyes moved across the walls surrounding the castle, and then down to the training yards. Men and women trained down there now, hard and swift, all who were born to Fereshard had the strength of warriors within them, and all of them, old and young would fight proudly for their country. At least, she thought to herself, Dalais would side with them even if other countries upon the continent of Gith did not. And Lerin did have to cross the treacherous waters of the Mey Sea. There was reason to hope.<br><br>A voice cleared behind her and she tilted her head back over her shoulder to look. It was Samuel, her second in many ways and the first of her High Guard, the fourteen warriors who answered directly to her and lead the troops. Rather like a general she supposed, in large countries. Samuel was tall, though Kal was not short by any means, reaching five eight herself, he was well over six feet, a giant among men and as deadly as his Captain. However he had a tender gentleness about him with children, and his singing could bring tears to the most cynical of men. Would he loose reasons to sing in this war? Hope was such a fickle, teasing thing.<br><br>His dark brown eyes showed compassion, surely knowing many of her thoughts, after all he was one of her best friends, though that was thanks to her first true friend who happened to be his wife, Layla. “We are ready to ride to the oracle.”<br><br>Khalida gave a nod and moved away from the balcony, her leather and linen clad body moving with all the suppleness of a hunting cat. There was no mistaking her for anything other then what she was, with the gait of deadly grace, the short cut of her hair and the wild fierceness of her eyes. Warrior. There had never truly been a time for her to be a woman. Together the Champion and her second descended the stairs inside the castle, making their way down and through it, nodding greetings to those who waved or called to them, but they never stopped moving. It was only a matter of a passage of minutes before they came out into the courtyard, the rest of the Guard, thirteen men and women, waiting and ready. Slim, slight and dark haired Qadira brought her roan stallion and with a touch to the other woman’s arm Kal swung herself up into the saddle. “Mount!” cried the deep bass of Samuel’s voice.<br><br>As one the others mounted, long bows and quivers on no few backs and hands, swords all belted to their sides and leather armor present. They would not wear full plate armor unless it came to a pitched battle, and leather was good enough to keep arrows from meeting their target if bandits should attempt to attack. But all in Fereshard were too caught up in the war that was coming to steal from one another. After all, criminal and innocent alike stood to loose everything to the onslaught, and no one but an assassin would try to kill one of the Guard now. Safety but at what a price.<br><br>Through the courtyard, the baily and then out of the walls and across the countryside, in a hard diamond point, with her at the center, they road, not walking the horses, but not galloping either. The oracle was a good half an hour away, and they would speak to him and hopefully gather some warning of the storm of violence that was about to descend. The sunlight could not warm her, not even riding out on Soliel would sooth down the concerns that plagued her now. Her people were strong and wild, they road their horses as friends rather then beasts, without reins, guiding with their knees; and their fight was one that their ancestors had faced as well when they founded the kingdom. Khalida just hoped that she was up to what the price would be for freedom.<br><br><br><br><br><br>It was a long ride for an hour, for the oracles that were tied to Neraos never liked to settle too close to any other people, hermits the lot of them and for good reason; after all they were linked to the Goddess of Divination. That would mean, from what she knew talking to Derin, the oracle they were seeking out, that he would too often See things he had no wish to, things he could do nothing to alter but would overload him with every breath he took. Kal kept her eyes sharp for any danger as did those around her, thankfully they made it to the foot of cliff edge that Derin had chosen to make the path to his home without any issues. The Champion swung down from her stallion, soothing him with caresses and murmurs, by tradition now she and three others would go forward on foot until they reached the wood path that would lead to the sacred grove and the man she sought.<br><br>When they reached the wooded path she would go on by herself, alone as was only proper. Because it was she who held the question and had the right to ask it by the very position she held. <br><br>Was there any hope?<br><br>She sighed to herself as she walked with Samuel, Qadira and Mical toward the treeshroud game trail, her thoughts circling around and around themselves as she fought not to feel fear. She had done so much, even besting a dark path dragon who was a bit of a mage when the creature had tried to settle in the north west of the country; and yet it was not enough. A single dragon she could slay, she had, a Empire with vast resources and a will to dominate the world, well that was not something she could take on single handed or even with the help of her Chosen. <em>Please, Meria, Gatekeeper, whoever is listening, protect us, somehow, whatever the price.</em> She who did not prey often offered that up even as she left behind her warriors to tred the path to the grove alone. <br><br>The trees, so dense and thickly layered along the path, slowly thinned out as she drew near the grove. It was nice, under them protected from the rays of the sun by the green canopy above her and she could smell the rich loam of the earth, the scents of water, earth and growing things. She loved her homeland with all that lay within her soul, just as her father had before. As she broke out of the pathway and into the grove she felt a pang in her heart, at the thought of her father who had passed on when she was merely thirteen year old, just over ten years ago. Once asking the oracle had been his duty, not hers and she would have gladly surrendered it to have him back and alive to guide her in the up coming war. Her emerald eyes picked out the navy robed figure of Derin then, with a sigh the warrior pushed away thoughts of longing and focused only on what she had come here to ask.<br><br>Khalida dropped down to one knee, inclining her head in respect. "Son of Neraos, I come to use my right of a question once within the moon's cycle, will you hear it?"<br><br>"Not until the moon has risen in the sky and grants me the tie to both the Goddess you name me son of and to the God who governs the Heavens. It is not in my power to give you an answer whilst the sun shines in the sky above, for trust me Kali, it has been on my mind as well."<br><br>She glanced up then her green eyes stricken at the thought that even Derin had nothing to offer, that even he would be worried about the outcome of the rising war. Surrender or die, that was the Lerin Empire's message. Yet the man, his hair white with age and eyes a pale violet that marked him as other, touched her shoulder and urged her to her feet. He was old now, in his seventies at least, and yet he still had such power in his hands and eyes. He soothed her with the touch on her arms and leaned in to kiss her left cheek. "Go back to your people, make camp and come to me when the moon is at its height, we will both find our answers then."<br><br>Numbly she nodded and turned to stumble back the way she had come. "Hope is not yet dead Kali, for if I do not know the answer that means Fate is not yet decided what is to happen. Pray little flower, pray and I shall as well." His wise voice filled her ears as she walked and soothed the numb shock of fear from her heart. Pray, well she would, and so would the others.<br><br><br><br><br>The other's hadn't been discouraged, at least not once she relayed the full of the encounter. When she had first reappeared with a closed expression and no words of divine prophecy there had been some panic. Yet once she told them that Derin would call her at midnight and divine the heavens for an answer they took it as only right and proper, after all this question was of a rather large importance and all the measures to get a good reading should be taken. Khalida allowed Samuel to rally the others to set up camp, something they had prepared for as always, though had not truly thought would happen. Mical was sent back, for he had the swiftest horse, to the cliff side citadel that was the capital as the rest started setting up tents and Qudira along with two others slipped off to hunt in the wild woods. Kal watched as her closest friends and strongest warriors worked, each of them having something that shone in them like a gem and feeling her heart ache.<br><br>How many would die for freedom? <em>If there is to be one, let it be me, let me die for them, please.</em><br><br>Once the sun started to set she felt restless and paced away from the others, up the cliff's edge instead of deep into the woods, walking to where the land ended and the sea began. Out west, to the dying sun and the yet unseen foes of the Empire. The girl lifted a hand and ran it through her thick hair, heaving a heavy sigh even as she collapsed down to the earth to sit with her legs folded inward and sink into a trance, praying, just as Derin had told her to. Midnight could not come soon enough. 
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