The Wilting of The Rose [Wistful Dream/Iressi]
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		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Solos =&gt; Topic started by: Cosmic Latte on 25-04-2009, 23:14:37</h2>
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				Title: <strong>The Wilting of The Rose [Wistful Dream/Iressi]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cosmic Latte</strong> on <strong>25-04-2009, 23:14:37</strong>
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				Every story has a beginning, and a ending. We start ours with a ending, a end of a era, the twilight of a great, and powerful empire. The year is 1324 IA the twilight years of the Fifth age of Man, and the death of the Empress of the Rose Empire of Tharkamel. With no heir the throne her husband, the leader of the armies of the Rose Empire now is in command, and with no political experience in a age where politics are becoming increasingly important has proven to be a disaster. <br><br>The armies of the Rose Empire have long held back the Fair Folk, evil fey from beyond the Mari Kama River. Now pen war has broken out, Tian Xaea now ignoring the Treaty of the Red Lotus forged almost 100 years before. Now once again their Shinobi have moved into the countryside killing all random, and their Wu Jen have called upon the Oni, the demons of old to fight their battles for them. The Oni Army has moved into central Tharkamel, while the Shinobi can be found anywhere even in the Imperial City, the heart of the empire.<br><br>Worse still is the expansion of the Albirian Caliphate from the southern continent of Rahthamajan, their war machine fulled by their zealous belief in their pantheon of gods, and a blend of science, and magic that has created great war machines that lumber across the battlefield. While they have currently stopped their advance, they slowly build their armies ready to push across Lake Zarakari, or the Blood Lake as some now call it. Even the Shogunate is threatening to enter into war with its neighbors. Karakai, no all of the world of Ai is posed for war, and it looks like nothing will be able to stop the end of the Fifth Age, and the end of over a thousand years of progress.<br><br>Far away from the hustle of the Imperial City we enter into our story, in a small shrine to the Four Faced Goddess, Amantsu. Located close to the border between the Rose Empire, and Tian Xaea the shrine has been a place were both nations could go to find solace, and peace. The only warriors there were the warrior monks who numbered maybe ten at most, the rest were priests, and those that decided to make their lives working at the shrine. Saraphina was one of these priests, well priestess that lived there worshiping, and maintaining the holy site. <br><br>One cold evening however her life would change forever...<br><br>Kaiko ran as fast as he could up the stone steps to the shrine itself hoping to see Saraphina before it got too late. He smiled softly as he thought about her, he couldn't help it he has had a crush on her since the day that he came to the Tokimono Shrine (named after the founder), today was the day he was going to tell her, and ask her to come with him to the Lotus Festival. As he hand made its way to the doors of the shrine however suddenly a net fell on top of him, he called out in alarm.<br><br>Then the fire started.<br><br>Flaming arrows shot out of the forest, landing on the rooftops, and even into some of the poor people trying to escape. The Shinobi jumped out of the forest throwing nets onto those people that survived, including Kaiko. The attack only lasted for a few moments before it ended, those that survived were rounded up, and put onto carts. That was the last time that Saraphina saw the young boy, she was taken away by herself since she was one of the few young women in the shrine. She was taken north, away from the burning shrine, away from the Rose Empire into Tian Xaea.<br><br>Tian Xaea is a strange land, it looks like there are no guards on the streets though if you break a law you are found, and punished. The eyes of the Emperor of Tian Xaea are everyone its said, and unlike the Rose Empire were the genders are equal, here woman are just barely above slaves. The fact that Saraphina was a slave, and a woman just made that all the worse. Though thankfully nothing truly bad happened to her, she was a virgin so they didn't dare deflower her, that would ruin her price. Also to mare her beautiful skin would do the same, while her time with the Tian Xaeaians wasn't pleasant, it was nothing like the horror stories she had been told.<br><br>To them a slave was a valuable commodity, not something to be broken. Worse though was the strange language everyone spoke, the Imperial tongue was outlawed here so if she was ever to speak out there was lots of yelling, and pushing, and even brandishing of weapons. She spent a week there, clothed in a simple kimono, waiting for something to happen. Finally something did happen, a tall well built man wearing a simple blue kimono, and a sword on his belt happened by. He looked at her for a moment saying softly in Imperial when nobody was looking, <strong>"Your from the Empire..."</strong> He sighed starting to walk on, but something about her made him come back. <br><br>He walked up to the owner, and bought her. He walked back at her saying something in the Tian Xaea language that she thought meant stand at this point, beyond her kimono she had a leather collar, and a chain attached too it. He held her by this, though not firmly leading her out of the city silently before he turned towards her, saying to her in Imperial now they were out of earshot of the guards of Tian Xaea, <br><br><strong>"What's a woman like you doing as a slave to them?"</strong> He sounded somewhat annoyed, though he was mostly annoyed at himself for buying her in the first place, he wasn't sure what her story was. Hell he wasn't sure if she from the Empire, it was just a guess on his part.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wilting of The Rose [Wistful Dream/Iressi]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wistful Dream</strong> on <strong>26-04-2009, 00:39:50</strong>
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				Her world had been torn into ruins, burnt, destroyed and it was gone. Gone like the ashes of her priestess robes that had been torn from her that first night.<br><br>Saraphina had been raised in the faith, one of three triplets her sisters had chosen other trades to pursue, Samantha having gone to be a dancer for the high court, Saranya to train as a Seer. Phina had been the shy sister, her fear of large crowds almost crippling; she had loved nature and quiet, and so her parents had sent her to the nearest Shrine of the Lady Amantsu. Life there hadn't been bad until just a forenight ago.<br><br>As she sat, kneeling obediently as her 'owners' wished she fought back tears while her mind recalled the deaths, the destruction. She was utterly alone, something she had never experienced before. She was after all a middle child in a large family, her parents having given birth to seventeen offspring. Mostly twins, Saraphina and her sisters were the only set of triplets. The girl pined for her sisters, for her brothers, the only two males born into the household. For anyone. She could hardly even talk for fear of rousing anger, Imperial was not tolerated here.<br><br>Instead of focusing on the grief she closed her eyes and went inward, meditating, calling out with her other power, the gift she hid from almost everyone, Beast Speech, or Wild Magic. Eru, the half wolf, half hunting dog she had saved and trained had promised to track her with the help of Isrie, the falcon who's wing she had set. And to bring Wind Dancer and Maeve along; her animals were her family and also how she had kept sane through the horrors of this new place. Phina thanked the goddess that was still able to call out to her animals and have it thought of as nothing more then meditation. The girl was slender, perhaps too slender thanks to the weeks within the Tian Xaea border, and her high level of activity before. She had never really bothered to eat unless it was pressed on here, too caught up in her duties and the life she lived. <br><br>At 5"6 she was a slender lithe slip of a woman, having gotten little interest in the men passing because she did not hold the fuller figure they sought. For once she was grateful for her lack of interest in food growing up, though her long wavy dark black hair drew attention enough, along with the exotic tilt of her eyes, their color a rich, shockingly bright blue green, paired with softly golden skin, touched by the sun during her long rambles in the wood. She had promise for beauty, if only she was more womanly. Yet at the age of eighteen she wasn't finished growing either. She had just been about to connect with Eru when a man suddenly stopped and looked at her. She jolted out of her trance state in shock and inhaled uneasily as she watched him leave. He came back though, he came back and bought her. Phina sent a brief prayer heavenward that it wasn't too late, that her friends might yet rescue her, even from this stranger.<br><br>When he led her outside the city though she wanted to let out a fierce cry of relief, her mind touched on those of her friends, they were close, and they could take one man easily. But he shocked her by speaking Imperial and she licked her suddenly dry lips as she spoke, her shyness coming out in her stutter. "I...I...s-s-ser-served at th-he s-s-shrine of the Gr-reat Lady Amantsu. Tian-an Xaea ra-aiders came...ki-lled...ca-captu-red all..."<br><br>She trailed off then, shrinking as far away from the tall man as she could with the end of the chain in his hand. <em>Please hurry Eru...</em> She called out mentally, trying not to tremble. Even as a small child she had had a crushing fear of strangers, a shyness that made her stutter and shrink, only with the animals was she ever at ease.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wilting of The Rose [Wistful Dream/Iressi]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cosmic Latte</strong> on <strong>26-04-2009, 06:32:41</strong>
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				The dark man looked down at her, and sighed softly,<strong> "You served Lady Amantsu? I once did as well, I was a soldier for the empire."</strong> He held his sleeve to show her a tattoo that held the crest of the Imperial Army, a phoenix with a sword, and a rose in its talons. He sat down holding his katana up reflexively so that it wouldn't touch the ground as he looked at her, <strong>"Don't worry, while I don't serve the Empire now, I know better than to assault one of the Great Ladies servants. Even then I don't make a habit to assault young girls in general."</strong> He sat there watching her before he heard something at the edge of his senses. <br><br>He spun onto his feet pulling his Katana out in one swift motion, blinking a little when he saw a dog running over to Saraphina, it was Eru. Eru practically pounced her licking her face with the man looking at her like she was crazy, though he put his katana away, which was a good thing since Eru's next reaction was to growl at the man, <strong>"Easy dog, I'm not going to hurt her."</strong> He said backing away little so not to incite it, though he didn't show any fear. Mainly because he wasn't afraid of it, he was afraid of having to hurt the creature. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wilting of The Rose [Wistful Dream/Iressi]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wistful Dream</strong> on <strong>26-04-2009, 06:58:22</strong>
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				<em>Eru!</em> She cried out to him and then let out a happy sound of joy as he pounced on her. She sank to her knees and wrapped her arms around the half grayhound half wolf and buried her face in the rich fur of his pelt. Inhaling his scent steadied her and she trembled, letting a few tears fall onto him even as he growled at that man in front of her. She heard a screech above and quickly stood, throwing out her hand fearlessly to let Isrie swoop land, bracing her arm and ignoring the slight pain from the falcon's talons. It was worth it to have her friends with her.<br><br>Wind Dancer appeared then, the spirit stallion that only she could ride without being bitten and otherwise molested. The horse was pure blood bay, brilliant and deep in his coloring, he let out a war cry, for he had been a war horse once before Phina had rescued him and galloped up toward her with Mae, the prickly cat, clinging to his back. <em>We are all together again! Oh thank you, thank you all</em> She bit back tears and curled herself into Wind Dancer as the horse eyed the man, clearly unhappy about the chain and pawing at the ground nervously. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wilting of The Rose [Wistful Dream/Iressi]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cosmic Latte</strong> on <strong>26-04-2009, 07:11:51</strong>
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				He looked at her for a moment chuckling softly, <strong>"I guess he is a friend huh? At least a friend for you. Come on we need to get moving."</strong> He said simply moving towards her though her dog growled at him, causing the man to growl right back at him staring down, <strong>"I don't have time for you dog, if you know whats best for her you will let me remove her collar, and we can be on our way."</strong> He was scary, or at least he looked scary for that moment, but his demeanor changed back to what it had been before, <strong>"Sorry, my name is Jin."</strong> He didn't say anything else as he walked towards her again, staring down at the dog has he passed by.<br><br>He blinked a little when he saw the horse arrived, <strong>"I...what?"</strong> He said grumbling a little as he wondered to himself, <em>'What in hell are these things. Who is she?'</em> Finally he pulled the chain, and collar off of her, putting it into a&nbsp; bag he had with him, <strong>"I don't know why I helped you. You can choose to follow me, or go out on your own. Its your decision, but we are far from the border to the Empire, I can..take you there."</strong> He sounded like he wasn't sure why he was saying that, he kept thinking, <em>'This whole thing is bizarre.' </em> He didn't give her too much time to think about it as he started to walk away
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wilting of The Rose [Wistful Dream/Iressi]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wistful Dream</strong> on <strong>26-04-2009, 23:55:22</strong>
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				She shrank back against Wind Dancer as he moved toward her, but he was only trying to remove the collar apparently. She let out a sigh of relief as the wretched thing was removed, finally able to breath freely once more. It had been on far too long Phina decided, rubbing the care skin that had been chafed by it. He seemed surprised by her companions and when he offered his name she blinked. He was being helpful.<br><br>The girl shifted, still hiding against the horse, with Eru pressed into her other side, Isrie on her shoulder as the five of them looked at Jin. When he mentioned going back to the Empire she nearly went weak with relief. "I...I am...-Sa-ar-phin-ina,...Phi-na-a to fr-iend-ds. The-se-e are my fr-iends." as he walked she hurried after him, she didn't want to be left alone, not here. She would just be taken again, and another collar put on, another person to buy her. "Pl-e-ease...sir...tak-ke me ho-ome"
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wilting of The Rose [Wistful Dream/Iressi]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cosmic Latte</strong> on <strong>28-04-2009, 02:28:13</strong>
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				Jin stared at her for a moment, <strong>“I'm not going to kill you, however I am getting very annoyed with how you speak. You have nothing to fear here, nothing. I will keep you safe, so long as you speak without shaking like a leaf.”</strong> He seemed to be speaking through his teeth trying to control his annoyance with her, it almost seemed like he had never been around a woman before. Or at least one as scared as her, he kept walking, though it wasn't too hard of a pace. He let his eyes move back to the horse before grumbling to himself.<br><br>They walked in till it grew darker, and he made a small camp for her, and her animal friends starting a fire. He started to cook some noodles, some meat, and what looked to be some real vegetables as well. He poured, and mixed it together handing her a cracked red bowl with a strange symbol on the side of it saying, <strong>“Here, I have some wine if you are thirsty as well.”</strong> He seemed to have calmed down by the time they made it to the camp.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wilting of The Rose [Wistful Dream/Iressi]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wistful Dream</strong> on <strong>03-05-2009, 02:34:23</strong>
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				She flushed in shame at his words, at the way he looked at her. She knew that she was odd and a mess, it was part of the reason why she avoided humans, hardly speaking and merely giving body language to talk. It was so much easier to just talk to the animals, it was not really just a thing with fear, but more shyness and social awkwardness. She stuttered even with her family, words had never come easily to Saraphina, until seven she hadn't spoke a word, her family had thought her to be mute. <br><br>But at least he wanted to keep her safe, he was an odd man but she simply shrank back against her horse and watched him with wide eyes. One of her thin hands twined into Wind Dancer's mane and she rested her head against his flank even as her other hand dropped to rest on Eru's head. With them around her she felt steadied, stable. Which was something she needed badly.<br><br>When he made camp Phina watched Jinn, staying back before coming closer to the fire, warming herself by it, and smiling as Maeve made her languid way over toward the male to start up at him and meow. Apparently the little queen was wanting her dinner. She accepted the bowl carefully, surprised at the smell of it. She nodded at the mention of wine and smiled as she dipped her chopsticks into the bowl to take a bite. A soft sound of surprised delight as she tasted the food and it was good. After weeks of slave fare she was eager for good food and finished off the bowl neatly but quickly.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wilting of The Rose [Wistful Dream/Iressi]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cosmic Latte</strong> on <strong>03-05-2009, 07:10:47</strong>
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				He chuckled a little giving her seconds after she finished without her asking, and he poured her a glass of wine soon after that. Jin was slightly amused at the girl, though more with her ability to control, no not control animals, but befriend them. He wondered if he was being slightly too hard on the girl, though he didn't change his actions, or his mood towards her. <br><br>After they ate he set up a bedroll for her, <strong>"Here you can sleep there for now."</strong> He sighed a little as he sat down on his own bedroll, which seemed to be a older one than the one he gave her. He didn't let himself fall asleep at first, he sat there, and listened to the sounds around them. He was silent for a time as he listened to his surroundings trying to focus in to the small bit of nature around them. Then he heard a twig snap, he didn't react to it at first. Though before her animals could react he suddenly pulled his sword out kicking the burning remains of the fire out. Darkness fell upon the clearing like a shroud as he tried to listen to find his opponent.<br><br>There was a soft chuckle as a man walked out into the clearing, <strong>"Well now what do we have here...Jin I didn't think you were one to have so many...friends."</strong> Jin growled softly muttering under his breath, <strong>"Chozai, what in the hell are you doing here?"</strong> The other man chuckled softly, <strong>"I'm here to kill you, remember?"</strong> The two started to fight after that, Chozai charged at Jin with a long straight sword. More than once he almost managed to disarm Jin, the hilt of his sword curved to grab blades. Jin seemed to have the upper hand though, Chozai said to him, <strong>"Well I see you learned your lesson the last time we fought. Me turning the lights off on you was classic, I just wish those guards hadn't shown up." </strong> <br><br>About then more foot falls could be heard the man stopped fighting for a moment jumping back, <strong>"Well Jin seems you get off easy this time, wouldn't want any Tian Xae soliders interrupting this fight. I will be back though."</strong> Then Chozai jumped up into the trees. Jin cursed loudly looking over at Phina, <strong>"Lets get out of here, I rather not explain whats going on to the guards, and why you don't have a collar on. Will your horse carry me?"</strong>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wilting of The Rose [Wistful Dream/Iressi]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wistful Dream</strong> on <strong>10-05-2009, 09:42:58</strong>
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				Phina accepted the seconds given to her eagerly, eating neatly and taking the glass of wine without words. She preferred silence to words, that was clear and she handed him back the dishes once done, holding a purring Maeve on her lap for a moment as she watched him warily as he moved. But there were two bedrolls, he wasn't going to make her share with him, that was good. Her blue eyes tracked him around the campsite and she slowly moved to the bedroll laid out for her after he laid down.<br><br>She curled into it, feeling Eru curl against one side and Maeve on the other even as she slipped off to sleep, exhausted still from her long days. She heard something and stiffened, Wind Dancer pawed the earth, Isrei fluffed her wings and she felt the tender prick of Mae's claws. Someone had come.<br><br>Where they here to take her back? She trembled and held back a whimper of blind fear as she hid her face in the bedroll, letting Wind Dancer tell her what was happening, seeing the fight through his eyes. It didn't last long and when she heard the words speaking of guards the girl slowly, wearily raised her head. Jin spoke to her then and she scrambled out of the bedroll, rolling it up neatly and nodding. "Y..yes si..r....for...a b..it...Wi..nd Dan...ncer is str...rong" She smiled shyly, showing that the stutter wasn't purposeful even as she swung herself up and into the saddle with the ease of a strong rider. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wilting of The Rose [Wistful Dream/Iressi]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cosmic Latte</strong> on <strong>11-05-2009, 08:24:25</strong>
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				Jin sighed at her stutter, but had little time to complain about it as he moved onto the horse as the guards grew closer. They road off away from their camp sight into the night, Jin was surprised at&nbsp; Wind Dancer speed, and ability. They heard the sounds of the men grow softer, and more quiet as they road Jin telling her where to go in till they no longer hear the sounds of the men. Jin had Phina stop the horse looking around for a moment trying to think, he had her take the horse to a river leading it up against it for a time then back tracking to where they were before, and made another trail going another way trying to buy some more time. He had her take her horse over the river getting off it it again to hide the tracks on the other side before the started to ride again.<br><br>He said nothing as they rode, letting a hour or so pass this way before he spoke, <strong>”We should be fine now, those guards aren't likely to be good trackers.”</strong> He had her stop the horse as he made camp again for them grumbling a little, <strong>”I hope this is the last time tonight...”</strong> He blinked a little looking around, <strong>“Where is the other bedroll?”</strong> He searched, but he couldn't find it. He set out the other one for her, sitting down on the hard ground in front of her, <strong>”That man has been trying to kill me for years. You see, he is a assassin. I was fighting in some battle, and the lord had hired him to kill me. Well he failed, I was the only one that he wasn't able to kill, so I guess in his free time he tries to win the battle against me.”</strong> He yawned a little laying down on the ground, <strong>”You should rest, its going to be a long day tomorrow.”</strong>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Wilting of The Rose [Wistful Dream/Iressi]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wistful Dream</strong> on <strong>13-05-2009, 05:01:08</strong>
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				Phina felt drowsy, but fear kept her alert as she guided Wind Dancer easily, the large stallion taking the load of two people and supplies rather well. They seemed to get away from them, safe and far, though the man made them stop and do strange tracking things. She understood the way an animal might, but not as a human would. The girl simply stayed quiet and then nodded when he told her to halt, a yawn parting her lips. Even as he touched the ground Eru came looping into the clearing. <br><br>All of her friends where still with her.<br><br>She lay down on the bedroll as he gestured for her to do, listening to him curiously, at least she knew that he could protect her and so far would. Her body was trembling with exhaustion though and so Saraphina nodded at his words and immediately sank down to sleep this time, her animals around her and the man near by. Her rich blue eyes glanced at him and she finally spoke softly. "Sh..ar..are bedroll?"
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