|
|
Post by aeralynn on Nov 24, 2014 0:58:05 GMT -6
At the end of the day, Aera made her way to the Silver Scale. The sun had finally set, leaving her free to walk around with the hood of her cloak down. It had been weeks now since she had felt sunlight on her skin.
She approached the door cautiously, her shoulders stooped slightly with the weight of anxiety. The last time she had been to the scale, it had been Wulfric who had brought her here. That had been the day his wounds had stopped healing. His death had come only a short time later.
Now, she was hopefully here to begin to set things straight. With Ashen keeping her in the scale, she wouldn't hurt anyone. Not by accident, and most certainly not intentionally. Nothing would be able to fix her recent failures and mistakes. But from now on, gods willing, she would be able to do right. Coming to the Scale was the first step on her journey back to the honourable person she had once been.
Without further hesitation, she raised a fist and knocked four times on the door.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ashen Windsong on Nov 24, 2014 1:22:42 GMT -6
Ashen moved from her dinner at the table, walking over to the door. she had just begun drinking her elven wine with Fallen; reading herself to enjoy a quite evening.
Slowly she opened the door, to see Aera. she glared at her for a moment, then opened the door and stepped aside to let her in. raising her hand in a jester to welcome her into her home. a fresh bandage wrapped tightly around her hand. "please pardon the mess, we are in the middle of Dinner." Ashen began to move back towards the raging bonfire. "close the door behind you, and i would appropriate it if you left your larger weapons by the door like the rest of us. if you have a dagger you may keep it as i do myself, but we dont hold pole-arms in the middle of the floor in here, thank you." Ashen words where calm, but firm. this was her house, and she would be damned if aera would break any rules.
as she waited for the door to close, she felt the need to say a few things. but perhaps aera already knew..."do you know why we say, respect the 5? did wulfric tell you the rules of the scale?"
|
|
Fallen
Journeyman Roleplayer
Guildmaster of Assassins
Saura'dae
Posts: 209 
|
Post by Fallen on Nov 24, 2014 1:40:41 GMT -6
Standing from his seat at the table, the drow narrowed his eyes at the vampire who'd just entered. Having taken his ring off, his skin now appeared ebony black, the flames from the fire casting shadows that played across his features. Expression set in stone, he didn't say a word, only watched her as Ashen spoke with her.
He didn't trust her in the slightest. Nor did he want her anywhere near the scale. This building was the only place where he didn't wear armor and now with her here he was feeling vulnerable.
|
|
Jay
Journeyman Roleplayer
I need some ale
Posts: 104
|
Post by Jay on Nov 24, 2014 3:37:04 GMT -6
Jay had been sitting with Ashen and Fallen when the door knocked and was right next to Ashen as she answered letting the vampire in. He gave her a slight nod in greeting, his mind going back a few hours to when he gave her his warning, the simple words of "I got you one more chance. Don't blow it". They had been simple enough but he felt that they had spoken volumes in the vampires mind. He took his place on Ashen's left hand side, hand on his sword, and listening as she spoke and ready to help if need be. Whether or not it would be with words or weapon, he did not know.
|
|
|
|
Post by aeralynn on Nov 24, 2014 6:27:15 GMT -6
Aera was greeted by a glare from Ashen as soon as the door opened. She did as Ashen said, closing the door behind her as she entered. Her polearm, she leaned against the wall by the door as soon as Ashen said not to bring it inside. She wasn't trained in any other weapons. She only had her polearm on her.
Looking past Ashen as she spoke, Aera could see Fallen regarding her with an expression that communicated no hint of trust. Even Jay, who had trusted her just enough to try to get her the second chance, had his hand on his sword, ready to defend at a moment's notice.
She didn't blame any of them for their distrust. Aera knew that trust was a gift that had to be earned.
"No," she said quietly in answer to Ashen's question. When Wulfric had brought her here, she had been on the brink of being overwhelmed by thirst and hurting someone. "We were in a bit of a rush when I was last here. He didn't get a chance to explain the rules to me."
|
|
|
|
Post by Ashen Windsong on Nov 25, 2014 3:57:57 GMT -6
Ashen with her back still turned to Aera, kept her eyes on the bonfire.
"1. Dragon mothers word is law, however she can be held in a council with other members in private." Ashen striaghted as her diameter changed from her relaxed low shoulders to one of a proud leader. all of her defenses rising even higher then normal. she even jerked her chin, causing her neck to crack. as she spoke even her voice turned dark and cold.
"2. We protect our own, We are a Family, We protect the Family first above all others. 3. Honorary members are the ONLY ones void of the dragons words, thought they are expected TO Watch and protect the family as the Family is expected to watch and protect them." Ashen turned her gaze toward Jay and Fallen. anger swelling within her, but not to the men...
"4. If any member wishes to leave on good terms, they may. everyone lives of of equivalent exchange." Ashen then turned her whole body and gaze to Aera. a her eyes cold as she locked her eyes with the monk.
"5. Betrayal isn't taken lightly. Any member that betrays the house in anyway will be punished by the house. depending on the harshness of the betrayal, depends on the harshness of the punishment."
Ashen paused after telling aera. holding her hands behind her back now. her cold glare never fading. "i have been counseled...to give you another chance...you have to prove to me my time will not be wasted...something you will come to see in time..." Ashen walked forward to Aera stopping her steps only a few feet away from the tall woman. "i...AM...a cold hearted bitch...my methods are strange ,foreign, and though you are not a member of the scale...YOU are in MY territory..." Ashen could feel the heat of her anger rise deep from her belly. she wanted nothing more then to claw this woman appart, she bite her tounge though. to aera she was being nice, compaired to what she wanted to say..and do.
"is any of this unclear?..."
|
|
|
|
Post by aeralynn on Nov 25, 2014 13:09:10 GMT -6
Aera listened to Ashen's speech. The first few points raised no worry in her. Obey the Dragon Mother. Protect the other members of the household. And at any point, a member could leave, so long as it was on good terms. But as Ashen proceeded onto the fifth rule, Aera's stomach began to tighten with worry. Betrayal wasn't taken lightly. She wasn't a member of the Scale, not even honourary. But she had still betrayed them.
Were it not for years of mental training, she would not have been able to quell her fear. A few slow breaths as Ashen continued to speak, and she was able to relax slightly. She knew things could be going far worse at the moment. Ashen was giving her a chance, and that was far more than she deserved. "No, you make yourself clear," she said. Her voice was calm and reserved, though she could hear the underlying anger in Ashen's voice.
"You told me earlier today that I'm to stay at the Scale until you've finished the cure for my vampirism. I'll do this. There's no way now for me to fix what I've done...but please, keep me here until it can be ensured that I won't hurt anyone else," she said.
|
|
Jay
Journeyman Roleplayer
I need some ale
Posts: 104
|
Post by Jay on Nov 26, 2014 2:21:54 GMT -6
Jay listened as his mother spoke, noting as she became angrier and angrier. He had to commend the vampire, if it had been him in her place he most likely wouldn't be as calm as she seems. He heard Aera speak but what he hadn't noticed was that Ashen was close to the vampire then she had been before and decided to step in putting his hand on her shoulder before speaking to her quietly. "Calm mother. We cannot afford a fight right now, not so soon after the deaths. If she is so much of an idiot that she decides to starve herself again, well then we shall lock her in that room that Rose had been in. If not I think I have a way to punish her for what she has done already." he hoped those words were enough to calm his mother.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ashen Windsong on Nov 26, 2014 2:31:43 GMT -6
Ashen facial expression turned from her cold, blood lusted glare, to a slight smirk. her mind letting jays words sink into her thoughts. "actually...my son" she turned her gaze to him. "that is an awful, wonderful idea...For someone to have had someone like windriver, apparently control her...as erin claimed...perhaps..." her gaze turned to aera again. her voice was still cold, filled with no emotion; her smirk still present "an angelic blessed room would be the best thing for her...look at rose..."
Ashen's head tilted slightly, her ideas continued to swim in her head. "aera...do you need solid food to live? or just blood now? oh...and i hope your not privy to small, enclosed spaces...i mean you are a vampire you should be fine." Ashen waited for her to answer, waiting to see if she needed to fetch anything.
|
|
|
|
Post by aeralynn on Nov 26, 2014 3:00:44 GMT -6
Aera's face betrayed just the slightest hint of guilt when Jay mentioned her being stupid enough to try starving herself. Because, of course, that was once again what she had been doing. Even now, her throat was parched with a dryness that no amount of water would ever quench. She had been intending to venture into the woods tonight to try hunting...but her visit to the scale had been more important.
She kept her expression carefully controlled as Ashen spoke of a blessed room. Weeks ago, the thought of staying there would have put her at ease. It would have been like being back at her temples, a place she was still terribly homesick for. But now, with the curse of vampirism...the thought held no appeal. She couldn't even speak the names of her gods. Her prayer book burned her hands when she tried to turn the pages. Doubtless, a blessed room would be nothing short of awful.
But if that was where Ashen felt she should stay, that was where she would stay. "I don't have any issues with small spaces. And no...only blood," she answered, a hint of shame in her voice. "I haven't eaten...normal food, in a while now."
|
|
Fallen
Journeyman Roleplayer
Guildmaster of Assassins
Saura'dae
Posts: 209
|
Post by Fallen on Nov 26, 2014 3:16:18 GMT -6
Red eyes flicking from Aera to Ashen, Fallen never moved from where he stood. Expression like stone, he listened to their words carefully. Even with the vampire looked in that room would he really be at ease? He doubted it.
He didn't trust her not because of who she was, but what she was. She held a darkness inside her. Not like his own dark race's, but one born of a power bred to kill and conquer. It was a strong power and her will was already bent by it once and could be again. If he had it his way she would be far from here. He didn't really care either way what happened to the girl. If she lived, died, killed, was saved....he was indifferent. The only thing he cared about was keeping Ashen safe. And unfortunately Ashen had invited her in. Into their lives and into their home.
He already knew that if the girl made one wrong move he would end her. And this time he wouldn't miss.
|
|
Jay
Journeyman Roleplayer
I need some ale
Posts: 104
|
Post by Jay on Nov 26, 2014 3:33:50 GMT -6
Jay was watching Aera and tilted his head when he saw the slight look of guilt on her face and immediately put two and two together. His face hardened as he drew his sword pointing it at her chest. "You fool! you dare come into our home while you crave blood? You dare endanger all of us?" Jay all but yelled. He had gotten her a second chance and she was already blowing it. "Mother get someone to fetch her someone or something to drink from. I'm not letting her go from this place when she could endanger innocents out there." He said to Ashen, not once taking his eyes from the vampire.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ashen Windsong on Nov 26, 2014 3:44:43 GMT -6
"calm yourself...i already thought ahead. there is blood downstairs near the holy room. a mixture of animal and human..well i dont know if i count as human" Ashen confessed as she brought her hand onto jays, and gently pulled his blade away from the monk.
Ashen turned once she lowered her sons blade away from the monk, signalling for them to follow her. "Jay please make sure she follows me, Fallen i may need help moving the large circle stone that covers the door. i cant seem to shift lately. you dont have to if you dont want to." Ashen started to head to the stairs that lead down to the basement. "come vampire...your cleansing starts now..."
|
|
|
|
Post by aeralynn on Nov 26, 2014 8:26:52 GMT -6
Aera quickly stepped back as Jay drew his sword. She raised her hands, palms-up, in a gesture that showed she had no intention to harm. The action was instant and instinctive. "It wasn't my intention to endanger anyone!" she protested in earnest. "I'm in control, I swear."
She relaxed her stance again as Ashen gently forced Jay's blade down. Her words had been true. Though she was thirsty, she was not yet to the point where she was at risk of hurting people. She was still capable of holding her breath and running away when she smelled blood - she had been forced to do so several times already today.
But at the same time, she could acknowledge that she was always a risk. Always. For all her focus and self-control, mistakes could still happen. So when Ashen mentioned she had blood waiting downstairs, Aera allowed herself to be reluctantly grateful.
She followed Ashen, at just a large enough distance to not appear threatening, but close enough so that she wouldn't appear reluctant. "Thank you, Ashen," she said quietly. It was thanks for the blood, for the second chance, and for the help.
|
|
