Sacrfice and Corruption [Wisti & Will]
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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 10-03-2009, 21:45:01</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Sacrfice and Corruption [Wisti &amp; Will]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wistful Dream</strong> on <strong>10-03-2009, 21:45:01</strong>
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				The salt sea filled her senses as she stood on the deck, letting the wind blow through her long dark blond hair, the wheat colored mass of hair flying like ribbons in the breeze. The gold and chestnut twined together and glowed in the sunlight that poured down from the sky, Apollo's chariot was a little over mid way through its daily ride through the heavens of the burning blue sky that stretched above her. Aglaia leaned forward over the side of the rail, looking down into the vivid blue of the Aegean sea below them, she wondered idly if Poseidon cared at all that Greeks were being carried on his seas to slavery to the Minoan's. But then, perhaps it was eased on his conscious by the fact that the Greeks being carried to slavery and death were Athenians. Since Athenians had chosen Athena as their patron Goddess over him he had never been overly found of them.&nbsp; &nbsp;<br><br>The Minotaur and the strange folk of the Minoans awaited them on shore, she could see the isle that held the fabled palace and labyrinth, it would only take an hour or so more to reach the shores of Crete. And then her life and those of her companions would be at an end unless some miracle happened. Aglaia was not the type to go mutely to her death, indeed the female had tried to throw herself overboard a few times during the journey, trusting her fate to the seas rather then the slavery that awaited her. But thanks to a silly fellow prisoner by the name of Natasa that had been ruined. The stupid brunette had thought to win favor by squealing on the honey haired female. So now her feet were laden with shackles and the cuffs of them, hard metal that chafed around her slender ankles, were attached by chains to the main mast.<br><br>The Fates must surely hate her, or perhaps it simply was not time for her life to end yet.<br><br>Regardless, it would end soon, the golden skinned woman knew that, for how could it be otherwise when she was to be a sacrifice to the Minotaur, the half man half beast monster that nightmares were inspired by. She clenched her hands around the wooden rail, her dark blue eyes the color of winter tempests as she glanced at the island that would end her life. Each year seven young men and seven maidens were brought to Crete and given to the Minotaur; to appease the beast so he would leave the Minoans in peace. The strange race was not overly into wars, yet they commanded the known world as far as Aglaia knew, and the certainly had enough strength to demand Athen's young people. Though, Laia mused absently, she was not young by Athens standards, after all at the age of nineteen she was an old maid with hardly any use outside of this. Her family certainly had been happy to get her off their hands.<br><br>She was beautiful enough to catch any man's eye, perhaps a touch too curvy and tall, too full figured for the tastes of people obsessed with perfection. Added to the fact that she was stubborn and had a mind of her own, refusing to be quelled. Women were second class citzens to her people, yet she refused to accept that, having served in the temple of Athena in her youth, from fourteen to seventeen she had passed on from the age of marriage into old maid. And an unmarried women had no worth, so here she was, being taken to her death.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Sacrfice and Corruption [Wisti &amp; Will]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Will</strong> on <strong>09-04-2009, 22:36:31</strong>
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				A crowd was gathered at the harbor, watching as the ships glided smoothly into port.&nbsp; The early afternoon sun drenched them in warm light.&nbsp; The water was exceptionally calm, reflecting the composed, casual dispositions of the people there.&nbsp; It was the day of the sacrifices, the tradition of bloodshed that had come to be so associated with the kingdom of Crete.&nbsp; It happened every year; seven men and seven women would be thrown to the monstrous creature, to appease the gods and goddesses who had kept them safe and prosperous.<br><br>Kreios had never cared for that explanation.&nbsp; The king of the Minoans saw it in a practical light, a show of force, a demonstration of his power of the Greeks who had sent him these prisoners.&nbsp; It had become a tradition that was bigger than its origins, and in a strange way, it gave his citizens an identity of sorts.&nbsp; None of his assembled entourage seemed very excited, or nervous, in any way.&nbsp; Men and women both stood firmly at attention, all of them clearly quite powerful and important, although the usual assortment of servants were there as well.&nbsp; Outside of these stood a small crowd of younger locals, milling about and watching the proceedings with curious interest.&nbsp; Most of the older residents had witnessed it many times, and they no longer cared for it, preferring to go about their day like any other.<br><br>The older man sighed, and he looked up to see the prisoners being brought down the ramp.&nbsp; His strong chin jutted outward, golden tan skin shining in the daylight, and his brow furrowed.&nbsp; Severe, angular features framed his dark brown eyes, and his black hair was short and tight.&nbsp; Uncrossing his well-muscled arms, he waved to a man standing near him, and the man bowed immediately.&nbsp; "Go, and assess the acquisitions.&nbsp; The fools are late, and we must be back at Knossos by sunset," Kreios spoke sharply.&nbsp; Turning to his assembled guards, he looked them over quickly.&nbsp; "Prepare to escort us back to the palace grounds.&nbsp; You all know the price for any mistakes."&nbsp; None spoke, only nodding in comprehension and drawing their short swords in smooth, practiced timing.&nbsp; The sound of their metal blades leaving their sheaths was quite loud, ringing out around the king.<br><br>The soldiers stood in a tight formation as the prisoners were brought past, and Kreios looked them over with a hard gaze.&nbsp; The men were typical... Fine youthful men, all of them, but barely able to be called such.&nbsp; Soon they would be nothing... Then the women were drawn by, and Kreios eyed each one of them carefully, sighing through his nose as he looked them over.&nbsp; There was an intensity in his eyes, but only in his eyes; he stood with the calm confidence that an effective king should, detached, assured of himself and those around him.&nbsp; The women were beautiful, to be sure, but they always seemed to be the same, no matter how many he saw delivered.<br><br>Kreios' thoughts stopped as he caught the eye of the last girl, bound a bit tighter and more thoroughly than the rest.&nbsp; At last, here was one that defied expectations.&nbsp; She looked a bit older than the rest, a bit fuller, more complete possibly.&nbsp; Something else, though... Something else drew his attention to her, and he couldn't explain it.&nbsp; He stared at her openly, appraising her, considering her every curve and trying to look deeper, before finally taking a deep breath and looking away.&nbsp; Kreios turned to the younger man next to him, apparently the captain of the assembled guard, and spoke quietly.&nbsp; "Aristos... Let us go now.&nbsp; And let your men know to take haste."<br>"Yes, my lord.&nbsp; It shall be done."&nbsp; The young soldier nodded and bowed slightly, his armor clinking as he walked briskly to the fore of the guard.&nbsp; Intelligent green eyes glanced over them, looking for any flaw in formation or stance, and he spoke.&nbsp; "Half of you to the front.&nbsp; I will join and lead you there.&nbsp; The rest of you to the back, and keep your eyes sharp, to the fore as well as your rear.&nbsp; Failure is unacceptable.&nbsp; Now go."<br><br>The soldiers moved quickly, executing their orders, and soon the curious locals began to wander back to their business as the nobles and servants and prisoners all headed down the path back to Knossos.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sacrfice and Corruption [Wisti &amp; Will]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wistful Dream</strong> on <strong>09-04-2009, 22:39:00</strong>
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				And so it had begun. The last part of this cursed journey, leading her to her death, Laia did not try to glide and look swan like and beautiful as the others before her did. That would be making things far too easy for her captors, and she was not stupid enough to think that beauty and grace would win someone's heart and get their aid. The other girls were silly, they had gossiped on the boat and plotted to make themselves look beautiful and vulnerable, hoping to come across someone in the servants, the nobles, anyone, who would intervene for them. They did not really believe they would die, they were so young, so pretty, surely they would just be forced into marrying beneath them, into the Minoans which was a type of death. But the Minotaur, the fearsome monster of legend who would rape and then eat them couldn't be real.<br><br>Aglaia thought them all a bunch of fools. The Minotaur was real, no doubting that, so instead of worrying about her long wheat colored hair or the sun that tanned her tawny skin, or the marks from her bonds to keep her on the ship after her several attempts to escape, she prayed, prayed to Athena. Surely the War Goddess would do more then her questionable beauty would.<br><br>As she was taken off the ship her eyes moved through the crowd before her, assessing and curious before catching on the tall imposing figure of a man who must have been the king. And apparently she had caught his attention too, though how she did not know. The girls before her moved easily with their shackles on their ankles, after all they had practiced endlessly how to glide in them, silly ninnys to her mind. The tall warrior looked away from her then, and the soldiers fell in around them. The blond shook her head and inwardly sighed yet she walked, not with the artificial grace that the other females put on, but the swaying sensual roll of a woman at ease. She would not be anything other then what she was when faced with death.<br><br>The sun was hot and intense as it beat down on them, Apollo moving slowly today it seemed, but then not slow enough. She wished he would turn the chariot and turn back time, give her back life. But she knew better then to pray for that, Gods were not to be tampered with lightly and such a prayer, if granted, could effect any number of things and more then likely piss off another god. So that would just result in her death in another way, Aglaia was well aware of how hopeless her situation was. But she faced it, faced the truth rather then a false dream that someone would save her, for a woman she was shockingly brave.<br><br>That bravery could only go so far though and she was weary as they made their way to the palace, she wanted this ordeal done and over with, after a month of knowing she was to die and watching it steadily come closer she was weary and welcomed death. She had lived a good life, committed no wrongs, she would have a place in the Fields rather then in torture for eternity. And that was the peace she clung to.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sacrfice and Corruption [Wisti &amp; Will]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Will</strong> on <strong>25-04-2009, 18:20:48</strong>
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				The gate of the labyrinth was massive.&nbsp; Fashioned from wood and overlaid with bronze, it towered over the assembly.&nbsp; Kreios' tone was serious and grave as they approached, and Aristos stopped his men abruptly several yards from the entrance.&nbsp; The soldiers were well-trained, clearly, halting in perfect lockstep and pulling the prisoners' chains tight.&nbsp; No one spoke.&nbsp; They all knew exactly what to do.<br><br>The entrance to the labyrinth had been built on a fairly high hill, and once something, or someone, was thrown inside it was impossible to climb back up to escape.&nbsp; More importantly, it was impossible for the minotaur to escape.&nbsp; That being the case, the huge bronze gate was rather unnecessary, however it was very imposing.&nbsp; It was enough to make anyone shudder if they looked at it long enough, with ornate images etched into its gleaming surface.&nbsp; There was the minotaur, large and monstrous.&nbsp; He was surrounded by several royal symbols of the Minoans, and beneath that, words, bragging of their defeat of the Athenians.&nbsp; It was all very striking.<br><br>Servants were waiting at the gate as the procession arrived, and Kreios simply nodded to them.&nbsp; Large, muscular men, lightly clothed, moved immediately to take hold of the heavy bronze rings that hung from the doors, pulling and straining against them and finally managing to swing it open.&nbsp; Inside was darkness.&nbsp; Pitch black darkness that seemed almost substantive, as though one could have reached out and grabbed hold of it.&nbsp; They had come to the end.<br><br>More locals had gathered here as well, although the tone was more somber and serious than that of the curious locals at the docks.&nbsp; The stood a good distance away, but it was unclear whether they did so out of respect for the King or out of fear of the labyrinth.<br><br>Kreios moved to stand near the entrance, and his voice rang out sharp and loud, in an effort to draw attention away from the evil shadow of the open door behind him.&nbsp; "Citizens of Minos!&nbsp; Today is the day of sacrifices.&nbsp; Today is the day we demonstrate our strength and power.&nbsp; Today is the day we take from those who are subject to us, and give to the Great Goddess, who has sustained us and prospered us these many years!"<br>The soldiers all bowed their heads and spoke as one.&nbsp; "All glory to the Great Goddess."&nbsp; Kreios paused, and then continued, looking over the prisoners again as he spoke.&nbsp; They were growing restless quickly; they always did by this time.&nbsp; Their fate was sealed long ago, but they never seemed to truly believe it until they were face to face with their doom.&nbsp; Just as cattle went willingly to the slaughter, right up until the blade came down.&nbsp; Cattle they were indeed, and nothing more.<br><br>"All glory to the Great Goddess!&nbsp; Our enemies will pay our debts, and we will drive them into the dirt with our feet!&nbsp; Throw them in!"&nbsp; Kreios shouted to the soldiers.&nbsp; The group in front parted, moving aside as the group in the rear pulled their shortswords.&nbsp; They pointed them at the prisoners, no longer holding their chains, taking one step forward at a time and jabbing the ones who refused to move.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Sacrfice and Corruption [Wisti &amp; Will]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Wistful Dream</strong> on <strong>27-04-2009, 01:35:42</strong>
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				Aglaia felt her breath catch and she tried to keep herself calm. She was the clearest thinking of them, the men planned to confront the beast, thought to fight him and win. That wouldn't happen, the creature was born of a god, of Zeus and the Queen of this country a few rulers back. The blond knew her history well, knew from the whispers of the legends what had created the Minotaur. The other women would most likely blindly panic, scream, run, she wondered, idly, with the detachment only one facing almost certain death can have, if the beast would rape them first before it killed them.<br><br>But she did not hurry forward, nor did she cling to the others and weep as others were doing. In fact the girl rolled her eyes at the silliness of the other women, holding her fear at bay with the detachment. It would be over soon, so soon. But apparently she wasn't moving quickly enough because a spear found her rear and prodded it. The girl let out a yelp and jumped, something shinny and flickering flashing up around her. She trembled, feeling Athena in her, around her, like she had sometimes in the temple back home.<br><br>Her Goddess had not left her.<br><br>She wanted to fall to her knees and sob in gratitude, Athena would not let her be killed because of her faith, because of her dedication. Yet the magic that lingered around her was making others upset. Several guards tried to move through the shield to get to her and she shrank in, making herself smaller and luckily, they couldn't. <em>Thank you Goddess</em> She murmured over and over in her mind. Only, if they couldn't get to her and she couldn't leave the island...wasn't it a stalemate? Athena must want something she decided, want something from the people here.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sacrfice and Corruption [Wisti &amp; Will]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Will</strong> on <strong>28-04-2009, 21:02:58</strong>
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				Kreios stood and watched with a detached expression as the prisoners were driven in, a little surprisingly so after the speech he had just given.&nbsp; In reality though, he really headn't meant most of it.&nbsp; Glory this, Goddess that... bah.&nbsp; It wasn't that he didn't believe, most assuredly that was not the case.&nbsp; He just didn't care.&nbsp; The Great Goddess had forsaken him long, long ago, and even cursed him.&nbsp; So as he watched his soldiers jab and prod the Athenian sacrifices toward the gaping black entrance, he took a deep breath and sighed, eager for this long day to be over at last.<br><br>The sun was just beginning to slip behind the hills in the distance, and the sky was a burning orange red, shifting to a violet-blue.&nbsp; Kreios pondered it for a moment; he couldn't remember a sunset so vivid.&nbsp; Still, the practical implications outweighed the artistic.&nbsp; He would be expected back at the palace very soon. There were certain... matters, that needed his attention.&nbsp; Kreios smiled faintly.<br><br>Suddenly there was a short, sharp squeal from one of the female prisoners, and Kreios glanced back over at them in time to see a flash of light.&nbsp; His soldiers fell back for a moment, watching as a globe of magical light energy coalesced and surrounded the young captive girl.&nbsp; Magic?&nbsp; The Athenians would sacrifice someone of such power?&nbsp; No... this was treachery.&nbsp; He grabbed hold of Aristos' shoulder and gave him a serious, knowing look, and the younger man nodded, springing into action and drawing his blade as he approached the girl.<br><br>"Look sharp, men!"&nbsp; Aristos pointed to a pair of soldiers still eyeing the girl inside the sphere with a malicious gaze, weapons held firmly.&nbsp; "You, and you, with me!&nbsp; The rest of you, drive the prisoners in quickly and then form up around us!"&nbsp; The soldiers did as they were commanded with all speed, forcibly dragging and shoving the young men and women into the darkness as they screamed and pleaded.&nbsp; Aristos turned to the girl in the magical field, and jabbed at the sphere to test it.&nbsp; <br><br>The point of his blade was turned away with a loud crackle, and when he checked it, he saw that it had been dulled considerably.&nbsp; He set his jaw in a very displeased expression and spoke.&nbsp; "Well.&nbsp; It would appear we cannot harm you for the time being.&nbsp; However, I imagine that if you could harm us, you would have done so by now.&nbsp; So.&nbsp; What is the meaning of this... magic?"<br><br>Kreios was sidling in to stand slightly behind Aristos, looking the girl over with a curious eye.&nbsp; Her... that was why she had grabbed his attention at the docks.&nbsp; The girl, from the dream.&nbsp; And that light, the light that surrounded and protected her now, he had seen it as well, in different forms... many different forms... Kreios merely stood nearby in silence, content for the time being to hear her answer to Aristos' question.
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