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Post by Tiz on May 29, 2015 0:24:39 GMT -6
The street seemed even more empty than it had before the brawl. Tiz lead Charlotte with diligence towards his home, which was a modest two-story temporary style housing, though the young man had been there since coming to Laus. He lived on the top floor, and a different tenant lived on the bottom floor. He was rarely home, or likely asleep, so when they approached the door, Tiz made no effort to remain quiet or courteous of him, should he have been there at all.
"No place like home," he said, almost sarcastically. Laus wasn't his home-- Sacae was. Although, the woman probably didn't know that. Climbing the stairs quickly, still covered in blood, Tiz was satisfied. He was finally home, and the door was locked behind him. Opening the door at the top, he stepped inside slowly, as if he hadn't seen home in weeks. In reality, it had only been a little over an hour. He looked first to the sword he left sheathed and leaning against his bed. What a difference it would've made in the battle before.
He looked at Charlotte, more happy than he had been before, though of course his mind was still heavy. But he was safe. That counted for something. "Well, make yourself at home. It ain't much, but you know, I do what I can. The Marquis of Laus pays ex-military a little bit extra each month for their service if they serve over four years, so I'm living on that. Not much freelance work to be had, unless you want to go to Ostia. You don't want to go to Ostia," he laughed, finally relaxed.
He collapsed on his bed, leaving room for the woman, should she decide to sit with him. "You know," he said, intrigued. "I never got your name."
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Post by Charlotte on May 29, 2015 9:11:15 GMT -6
Moving through the dimly-lit streets and towards safety was comforting, to say the least. Charlotte was not averse to conflict, per say, but she didn’t prefer it to a ‘diplomatic’ resolution, of which the encounter in the courtyard certainly was not. Everyone had their baggage, sure, but that wasn’t just “oh, my parent’s were too strict when I was a kid so now I’m rebellious,” type of baggage. Thief, liar? Throw in whore and you had a batch of insults Charlotte heard on a semi-weekly basis from rivals and underworld underlings, and she was in deep. Was this man too?
She smiled as they approached the door, noting the derision in his tone. The young woman couldn’t be sure, but it was often the attitude she had towards her own “home” here. For her, it was because she didn’t see herself as from here, or anywhere really. The Isles certainly weren’t her “home,” what with no family to call her own or to long to see. Laus was the closest place she had to a home, she supposed, but it could have easily been any city in Lycia.
Entering the man’s one-room apartment, Charlotte wasn’t surprised to see it was nicer than her own, which wasn’t hard to accomplish considering how the blonde barely passed through her residence more than once in a blue moon. Tiz’s place looked lived-in, as if he’d been here a while, but maintained. Taking a few steps around the place as the man mentioned a bit on his situation, Charlotte wasn’t surprised to hear he was ex-military, what with his skill in combat, combined with the men who had been pursuing him. Still didn’t explain why his military buddies - at least that’s who she assumed they were - wanted to kill him, but all things came with time.
As her new friend fell onto his bed, Charlotte didn’t hesitate taking to his few cabinets, procuring the salves and wrappings he had mentioned, along with a small bowl of water. She wasn’t shy about rummaging through other people’s things when she needed something.
“Well, there was a lot going on,” the blonde laughed. “But it’s Myscha,” Charlotte lied, looking over her shoulder as she grabbed two small rags before walking over to his bed, placing the water bowl on the ground before sitting next to him. She was still trying to decide if she needed to keep her real name a secret, what with it now floating around in the Inquisitional Intelligence. Still, it was habit to introduce herself for the first time as Myscha, and there was no need to change now.
“Now, shirt off,” the blonde instructed as she wetted the rag she’d grabbed. “I’m no healer, but I can at least keep you from catching a fever.” Waiting for his response, Charlotte took to her own arm, cleaning, salving, and binding it first. She’d be no help to cleaning his wounds while bleeding herself.
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Post by Tiz on May 29, 2015 9:28:18 GMT -6
Tiz smiled to himself as this Msycha went rummaging through his things. He didn't care, but he did, of course, find it humorous that she didn't even ask. He had nothing to hide-- it was good that she felt at home with him, at least enough so to find what she needed. She was helpful and quick to act, which was important, since they both needed some medical attention. His wounds weren't severe, but he was more blood-covered than he realized. Honestly, bathing couldn't hurt him. He didn't know if he could do that with a guest, though. He still didn't know he trustworthy she was.
"You don't know the half of it," Tiz said, half-heartedly. There was a lot going on, and now there was more going on than he would've dreamed. He hadn't seen Dak in so long... Tiz figured the two had moved beyond what happened. It seemed he was very, very wrong. "Myscha, huh?" Tiz shot back at her, wearing a slightly amused smile. He wondered if that was her real name, or if she was using an alias. He had no way of knowing for sure, but he suspected that there was likely more to this woman than was present in appearance. "I'm Tizato Ciel. You can call me Tiz." His full name was distinctly Sacaean, so she could probably make some assumptions. He wasn't sure. He seemed to be at ease around her... To be fair, Tiz was usually at ease around everyone, but he didn't sense that she was out to get him. He did feel like there was something, though; something about this woman felt misplaced, like there was a big secret just floating around the room waiting to be shared. He couldn't get a feel for it.
He had to keep himself from blushing a bit when the woman told him to disrobe. He laughed a big belly laugh. He did like forwardness. While understanding that it probably wasn't a come-on, Tiz liked to have fun. He enjoyed the way Charlotte spoke and interacted with him. "You could at least say please." Tiz joked, smiling at his new friend. He stood up slowly, realizing now that the stiffness in his joints was beginning to set in. His limbs felt heavy, but also weak. He started by removing the pauldron on his left arm. This was standard issue from his Swordfaire Division. He had been placed in the first, which acted in part as a personal guard for nobility or diplomats, ambassadors, and the like. He had been tasked with guarding the Marquis of Laus at one point, and was placed at the personal dispatch team for the former Marquis of Ostia before its destruction, when the team first went in years back. The first division wore grey, the second wore white, and the third wore red. He took it off slowly, realizing how much lighter he felt without the added weight. He held it fondly, looking at all the scratches that had been written upon its dull frame. The golden trim was fading. He wore it as a badge of honor, these days, since he didn't have his uniform anymore. It meant a great deal to him-- the thing had seen combat at every point Tiz had. It had been with him since he had joined the League, and it would probably stay with him until death.
The man sighed, setting the pauldron on the bed, then proceeded to undo the leather strap at the top of his shirt, and then slowly pulled it over his head, his arms aching a bit as he did so. He realized now how many nicks the axe blade had made on him. Dak was no lightweight, no novice to the art of fighting. Tiz had cuts all over his slightly muscled chest and stomach, and his biceps were rife with small, long-length cuts. He sighed, placing his shirt on the bed, offering his arms to her, palms out. "I guess you get to play doctor." He laughed.
He wondered how bad her wounds were. He witnessed a pretty nasty fall, but she obviously hadn't moved to help herself before helping him. This spoke well of her character-- she was certainly interested in helping others before herself. This made Tiz glad. There were few like that anymore.
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Post by Charlotte on May 29, 2015 10:23:00 GMT -6
“Please, then,” Charlotte teased Tiz as he began to slowly peel his pauldron and clothes from his upper body. While her focus for the moment was quickly binding the cut on her own arm, she did take a few glances at Tiz as he disrobed, taking note of his lingering look at his pauldron. His full name confirmed he was native Sacaen, despite his complexion looking more northern than that, but armor like that didn’t come out of Sacae. She assumed it was indicative of some division of the League, but the blonde wasn’t too familiar with military armors and their associated ranks. A knowledge gap to fill, to be sure, but she had been a bit preoccupied as of late.
Finishing up her bandage just as the man pulled his shirt over his head, Charlotte slightly narrowed her eyes, looking over his wounds. None were too deep, thankfully, so no stitches required, but there were an awful lot of cuts. Some of the smaller ones wouldn’t require more than a cleaning and a bit of salve, but the longer, slightly deeper cuts needed bandaging. Everything appeared minor and manageable, and thankfully she hadn’t been hurt badly at all. She’d be sore in the morning, but no worse for wear than usual.
“I’m a woman of many hats, what can I say?” She said with a smile. It was the second time the man had offered his hands, palms exposed like that, and she wondered if that was a Sacaen thing. Wetting the other rag, she rung out the excess water before placing it to his left bicep, gently washing the blood and dirt away from the skin. It was no use dressing a wound if you dressed it while it was dirty, though some fools still did it anyways.
It was strange, looking over the half-naked man as she continued cleaning his arm. She didn’t normally go out of her way like this to help someone she’d met barely a half an hour ago. What was happening to the cut-throat Charlotte? Had her excursion in the Isles truly changed her that much? It was certainly the closest to dying she’d ever been, but if anything it should have solidified her need to distance herself. Damn, the Etrurian agent was rubbing off on her, wasn’t he?
Closing her eyes for a moment, she placed the rag in the bowl, then dipped her fingers in the salve and began applying it to the smaller wounds first. “So…” she started, her thumb gently rubbing salve onto a cut at the edge of his shoulder. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she decided to break the ice. “What was all that back there? Can’t say I stumble upon handsome men being hunted down like that every day…”
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Post by Tiz on May 29, 2015 11:11:19 GMT -6
"A woman of many hats, drop-dead good looks, and a story or two to tell I'm sure, yeah?" he laughed as he sat down on the bed, preparing himself to be treated by his new doctor. She seemed so focused, like this was something she did often, yet somehow he suspected that a woman as mysterious as her didn't often drop by into strangers' homes to treat their wounds for them. Tiz probably could have applied everything he needed himself, honestly, yet this Myscha offered to do it for him. Was she attracted to him? No, he thought, it couldn't be something as simple as that. This went deeper. Plus, he had no reason to believe she was into him. He looked at her through pensive green eyes as she prepared to treat him.
As she cleaned his body first with clean water, he prepared himself for the sting of the salve. These cuts were likely the kind that were shallow enough to sting like hell and fury when treated; plus, for all Tiz knew, the axe could've been carrying some poison. He doubted it-- he would have felt it by now, but Dak was always fond of the poison tipped axe he always used back in the day...
"Ow, ow ow!" He said, flinching a bit, laughing genuinely as Myscha dressed his wounds. "Easy!" he knew there was no way for her to be gentle-- he needed the help she was giving, but he always handled medical care poorly. In fact, more often than not, Tiz would bandage things up and let them heal on their own. More times than not, he didn't end up with infections. But he guessed she knew what she was doing, and in truth, he was incredibly thankful for her.
He tensed up, a chill shooting down his spine, hitting every nerve ending on the way down as the woman asked what had happened. Tiz knew what had happened, and at first thought it might not be best to share, but again, he didn't feel in danger around this woman. Perhaps she was something special. And he didn't know her story, either; it could be that she had gone through something similar, or had at least dealt with grief in her time.
"Well.." Tiz began, sounding like he was about to tell a funny story. "His name is Dak Lasser. I don't know who his companions were-- I didn't see their faces. Probably military pals. Back when Ostia--" Tiz was immediately overcome with emotion. He almost choked on his words, and tears started to well up in his eyes, but he closed them so that they wouldn't form and he could continue. "...Back when Ostia was being destroyed by earthquake and fire, we were sent in to evacuate townspeople. The League chose the first and second Swordfaire Divisions, and I was appointed captain of the first for the mission. It was our very first retrieval operation. The first Axefaire and third Lancefaire divisions were sent with us, because we figured with the eruptions there would likely be a myriad of different monsters, and maybe even some bandits taking advantage of the chaos. We were right. I decided to split the companies into pairs, and I took the Axefaire division with me. Dak was a part of that squadron. We were sent into a relatively unstable part of the city, back when it was still a city... Anyway, some things happened."
Tiz looked down and away from Myscha, whose eyes he had been carefully attached to since starting his story. "We were separated by a small quake. Some buildings collapsed, and Dak lost half of his unit. He got trapped under some building rubble, and was unable to come with me. We were beset by a group of monsters just after. I lost three men, and the Axefaire division-- what was left of it, anyway-- suffered heavy casualties."
He choked again, unable to stop the tears that were forming. "Dak never told us that his wife and child lived in Ostia, and that's why he had requested that his division by brought along. I asked the Marquis of Laus for permission to take them, so it was granted. He never told us..."
Tiz paused for a long moment, just glancing at Myscha as she cleaned his wounds. "Dak's family was beset by monsters, and on the other side of the street, the second Swordfaire division was trying to rescue some children from a fire growing out of the earth. Monsters were approaching them, and they were small in number. We had all but finished what was surrounding us, and Dak was shouting at me to save the woman and child..."
"I didn't realize it was his wife and son. I had no idea. His son was just a year old, held in his mother's arms, so afraid for his life, completely ignorant of what has happening, and I... I was in command, and I issued my division to back up the second Swordfaire division, to save the children. They were greater in number! I didn't know... I didn't know... If I had, I-I might've done something different. I might've saved Dak's family. But while he lied trapped under a building, watching his family be ripped apart by vicious beasts and then swallowed by the earth, I took all of my men and we went to the other side of the street. I let his wife and child die. Under my watch, with men under MY command, I could've... I could've split them up, I could've taken half and sent the other half to aid Dak's family. *I* could've aided Dak's family... And I didn't. I couldn't. I panicked, and when we had saved the kids, I looked back, and Dak was lying face down in the ground, his family nowhere to be found."
"In the aftermath, I talked to Dak about it. He told me it was his family, but that he understood-- my duty was to the greater number of people, and I couldn't have let emotions get in the way. He seemed to be at peace with what had happened... Though, after that, he didn't talk to me very often. We were still okay, but... but now I know why. He's held it against me ever since. And now that I've left the military, he's coming for me. He resents me for what I did, and probably resents me more for abandoning my position in the League. I... I could've stayed, tried to atone for my sins, but I..." Tiz looked to the other side of the room, his eyes red and swollen.
"I couldn't face it. I couldn't handle it any longer. Their blood, it's... It's on MY hands. And I can't... I couldn't live with it. I can't live with it..." Tiz cried softly.
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Post by Charlotte on May 29, 2015 14:37:34 GMT -6
“Flattering the nurse won’t get you special treatment, tsk,” the blonde shook her head as she continued massaging the salve on his wounds. She’d known it’d hurt, but the quicker it was inflicted, the easier it was to get used to. She mused she’d have been a horrible parent, had she ever had the interest in mothering a child. Not nurturing or unconditional enough for that job, as she proved even now. Sure, she was helping, but she had little patience for crumbling in the face of pain. Pain could only last so long.
Instantly the mood of the room changed after Charlotte posed her question to the man. Not because the tone of his voice shifted, no, in fact he sounded as if he had a joke to tell. No, Charlotte felt his muscle tense just for a moment, saw a brief twitch in his features that were whisked away, covered. She’d trained herself to notice those sorts of things, so she certainly wasn’t going to miss them now, not when she could tactilly feel the hidden response she normally had to dig for.
So she watched and listened carefully, all the while still applying salve to his wounds and bandaging the ones that were large enough to warrant covering. The man was quick to become visibly upset as he described the sad tale of his and Dak’s friendship during their time in the Lycian military. And while she hadn’t been in Ostia, she had enough colleagues who had either been there themselves or knew someone who had been and barely made it out alive. It hadn’t been a pretty sight, and now the countryside was ravaged because of it.
Picking up the rag again, she began cleaning the man’s chest as he talked of Dak’s family. It was an unfortunate loss, but by and large what Tiz had done was the right decision. Hard, of course, but right. That didn’t mean that his friend Dak could deal or live with that fact, but not many men would be able to do that, abandon their flesh and blood for the greater good. Only strong men could, and it sounded like Dak wasn’t one of them, despite his particular skill in brandishing an axe.
But the consultant knew that’s not what Tiz would want to hear as he broke to tears. She pulled the rag back, pausing for a moment as she tried to compose something to say. Charlotte certainly didn’t think she’d be comforting a crying man tonight, but there was a first time for everything. Such a shame, too. He really was handsome, when he wasn’t breaking down into tears.
“Well, you can, because you have been for at least three years,” Charlotte stated bluntly as she straightened up, wetting the rag again and ringing it out. She motioned for the man to move back slightly before moving to straddle one of his legs, resting her bottom on his knee as she brought the rag back to his chest, which she now could see with no hindrances. She didn’t intend in the sexual sense some might interpret it, not entirely at least. He’d have to straighten up a bit to open up that road again.
“I know it’s probably hard, but you have to remember that you didn’t know,” the woman said, her eyes focusing on his chest. ”You did what was best and saved a lot of children. Your friend doesn’t see that because his vision is clouded by his family. It’s sad, but those children you saved also had people who loved them, just as Dak loved his family. Stewing in hatred only soils the memories he has of them.”
As the blonde spoke, she tried to understand Dak’s motives, why he was so incensed with Tiz. She mulled through all the different slurs Dak had thrown Tiz’s way… Murderer, traitor, and scum held accountable for his actions all made sense, considering what Tiz had said. Was he a thief for stealing Dak’s family from him? It was a stretch, but it still didn’t explain the slanderer part. The rest made sense, but thief and slanderer… potentially empty insults, but she couldn’t decide whether there was more to all this or if it really was just a quarrel between friends for something that had happened back in their military days.
But that wasn’t worth digging into now, not with the man still breaking in front of her. She took the rag in her left hand, using her right to lift his chin just enough for the two of them to make eye contact. “And you stewing in grief doesn’t help anyone. Not your friend, not his family, not you.” Her icy blue gaze lingered for a moment before dropping back to his chest, taking another fingerful of salve before going back to applying it to his cuts and wounds.
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Post by Tiz on May 29, 2015 14:55:15 GMT -6
The young man breathed in heavily, recomposing himself. He gave a slight but authentic chuckle as the woman spoke. She was right, of course. Tiz hadn't ever told that story-- not once in three years. He didn't really know how it would play out, but certainly, he was embarrassed. This issue had weighed on him, becoming a demon that pressed hard down on his battle-weathered shoulders for years. Maybe he could move past it, he thought; yet, the confrontation with Dak was inevitable. Without a doubt, the two men would face off, and very likely, if Tiz couldn't convince him to settle down, one of the two would die. Tiz had always been more capable than Dak, so he wasn't worried if a fight was what it had to come to. Still, though, he was weary from such a night, and under such circumstances, didn't want to face Dak again. He couldn't. Could he?
As the woman shifted positions, Tiz allowed for it graciously, letting her move where and how she pleased. Feeling her butt against his leg was odd- he hadn't been around women in a romantic sense in a long time, yet the feeling was welcome, and desirable was a word that might've described it accurately, were it not for Tiz's complete lack of control on his emotions. He was never good at reigning things in-- he wore his heart on his sleeve, as they say, and was forward in a different sense, being that he was very in touch with his emotions. It did, however, have its drawbacks, an important one being that it made him incredibly vulnerable in front of a woman he truly didn't know. Carefully, but with determination and a purposeful grip, Tiz wrapped his arm around the woman's waist to keep her in place as she helped clean him.
"Ohh..." he mused, as if he had just woken up from a long nap. "I'm sorry. I don't usually... I don't know. I've never told anyone about that. I thought about telling my parents back home, but ya know, they're parents. I'm a big boy now," he winked at her. He did feel better, at least, getting it off his chest. It had been stuck to him for some time.
"I do feel like I made the right decision, in the end," TIz said with some finality in his voice. Perhaps it WAS possible that he could put the issue to bed, although the blood on his hands would never truly be washed off. Whether one man or twenty, he let people die under his watch, as captain of the 1st Swordfaire Division. He felt himself a military failure, regardless of the honors he was given, and regardless of the recognition he earned among his peers. "Those children went home to their mothers and fathers. Many in Santaruz, some in Laus, and some just left the country. All greener pastures. I guess I helped with that, in the end. And yet..." Pulling his unattended arm outwards, he looked at the treatment and the bandage that now hugged it. He held it out, examining it. This arm had taken, and saved, lives. Life and death, two very essential parts of the cycle, were in some part under his control. Both as a dog of the military and as a human being, he felt duty to preserve whatever sort of moral fiber was left in the degrading world.
When she took hold of his chin, Tiz's feelings changed completely. Her gaze was fierce, commanding-- but true, genuine, and honest. His green eyes met her blue ones, and he felt for a moment that if she had leaned in, he would've kissed her. Perhaps it was circumstance, perhaps it was feelings, perhaps it was her butt on his leg, he didn't know. But she held some sort of power over him: of that, he was certain.
When she looked back down to his chest, Tiz looked down in the other direction, to the sword resting near him. "I know. You're right, and I don't dwell on it often, but you know, when a brutish guy is in your face with an axe, slinging accusations pretty wildly, it's hard to avoid thinking about it." he looked back to her, and very gently lifted his arm from her waist to toy with a lock of her hair before moving it back down.
"Do you think we deal in moral absolutes? Is there a right and a wrong? Or is it all grey?"
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Post by Charlotte on May 29, 2015 17:39:37 GMT -6
The strong but simultaneously gentle grip on Charlotte’s waist was not unwelcome, yet unexpected. Considering the man in front of her still had red eyes from shedding tears just a moment ago, she was surprised by the boldness of his movement. But she decided she liked the bold move, even considering the conversation they were having. If there was one thing she appreciated, it was forwardness, even when it came from an unexpected place.
Tiz said he didn’t dwell on it much, sure, but the way he paused for just a second too long, his far-away gaze as he looked over his arm… he did dwell on it more than he let on, and it wouldn’t stop until whatever it was between him and this Dak character resolved itself, one way or another. It would certainly be violent again, but maybe this time Tiz wouldn’t be careless and leave his weapon behind, especially now, knowing there was at least one man out to get him.
Charlotte breathed in sharply as the man softly touched her hair, locks that once flowed down the entirely of her back. She closed her eyes for a moment as his hand lowered back to her waist, feeling almost as if he’d softly dragged his hands over her bare skin. Somehow she was still feeling exposed after having her hair cut off in the Isles. Charlotte would never say she was self-conscious, no, but she was certainly trying to still get used to this new… ‘look.’ Made her feel more naked than when she actually was naked, somehow.
Taking one of the bandages in her hands to apply to one of the longer cuts to his chest, Charlotte thought over what he asked. She knew what her answer was, of course, but was more interested in wondering what this man’s response might be. His attitude led her to believe he might be one who dealt in absolutes, but she’d just have to wait and see.
“I don’t believe there are hard right and wrongs, no.” Again she spoke plainly, further establishing herself as a woman of strong opinion didn’t feel the need to shy from expressing it. She was not in the company of Lycian nobles, after all. “Most people believe killing a man is wrong, until they threaten their homes or their lives. Then the murder is justified.” Taking another bandage, she smoothed it over another cut, which looked to be the last she needed to clean on his torso.
“Taking people, situations, hell, the world at face value just blinds you to the truth. I’ve made a business out of many things, including the truth, so I can’t afford to deal in absolutes.”
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Post by Tiz on May 29, 2015 22:50:25 GMT -6
As Tiz heard the woman breathe in sharply, he grinned softly and cooed a bit. "I'm sorry," he said. "didn't mean to frighten you." Tiz was in such a strange position-- one that he hadn't expected to be in. What he had expected, of course, was to play alone in the fountain for a few minutes, reflect on his thoughts, then come back home and go to bed. But now he had gotten in a street brawl, met a beautiful woman who was all but sitting in his lap, and was being dressed-- and undressed-- by this same woman, whose name he wasn't even sure he knew for sure. He wondered about her. Where had she even come from? If she was from Laus, he had sorely missed seeing her around. He didn't feel like he had ever laid eyes on her before.
As Charlotte finished bandaging his chest, Tiz placed his hands around the woman's waist, very gently picking her up with little effort and placing her on the bed beside him. He thought about making a move, but instead stood up, examining himself. He had gotten free medical attention-- and good care, at that. Not something you get every day, the young man thought. It was pleasant. He was covered in bandages now. One wrapped around his shoulder, some around his abs, one on his chest, a few on his arms... Fortunately, they could all likely be covered with his clothes. He had nicks on his legs, too, but wasn't sure whether this Myscha would address those or not.
While examining himself, Tiz listened carefully to Myscha's words. He was pensive, thinking through her points, considering them thoroughly. "Yeah, it's strange how things work out sometimes." he began, turning to face her as he stretched out his arms and played with his bandages to make sure they stuck. "Every civilian casualty is called a murder, until someone blows a war horn, and then it's a number in a history book someday. You know? Killing is a taboo until some king somewhere puts a name too it, puts massive numbers to it... Then it's glory. It's honor, it's... Well, you get it. Seems sort of... Unfair to me. I think dealing in absolutes really limits our perception of reality, of the human condition as it relates to life, and love, and the importance of every breath we are blessed to take."
He sort of chuckled when she said she made a business out of the truth. An information broker, maybe? If that was the case, he needed to be careful. An assassin, an intelligence corps officer? He didn't know. Honestly, he was afraid to ask, but he was deadly curious. He wanted to let loose and be free around Myscha, but he still didn't feel like he had complete honesty from her. And he probably shouldn't, he thought, since they had just met not more than a couple hours ago. Tiz "hmm"ed quietly to himself. "Business, huh? I guess truth is a rare good these days." He sat down again, closer to her.
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Post by Charlotte on May 31, 2015 22:24:35 GMT -6
Charlotte listened as Tiz elaborated his own opinion, kicking her boots off and curling her now bare feet underneath her bottom. It wasn’t too different from her own, so she instead tried to focus on his actions, though those were few are far between. He didn’t pace, but he did stretch and test his bandages while he spoke - meaning either he didn’t trust her work or was just cautious about ensuring his wounds were properly covered. Him sitting back down closer to her was honestly more telling than that, though. It meant he was already comfortable with her, even after this short time. Good.
“Always has been,” the blonde sighed, placing the rags into the water bowl and wiping her hands on the fronts of her pants before closing what little gap there was between the two of them, resting her head on Tiz’s shoulder. “There will always be people who have something to hide and people who are resourceful enough to find out what they’re hiding, good or bad.”
The young woman closed her eyes for a moment, adjusting her head slightly on the man’s shoulder. “Ah, I shouldn’t bring up work, not when the night just started turning around for the better.” Opening her eyes back up, she noticed the few tears in the man’s pants; had they been there before tonight?
Lifting her head and resting her chin on his shoulder, Charlotte’s eyes drifted back to Tiz’s. They were an interesting shade of green; she hadn’t noticed before, but now only a few inches away she could see little flecks of gold. “Need me to clean up your legs too? I didn’t see those cuts before.” She wondered if the man would be uncomfortable with how close she’d made herself to him. It was honestly hard sometimes for her to judge personal space, considering she preferred little to none for her own.
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Post by Tiz on May 31, 2015 23:20:36 GMT -6
Tiz "hmm"ed happily, pulling Myscha in closer as he wrapped an arm around her waist again. How strange this was for him-- normally, he was very open, but not very vulnerable. This was very vulnerable for him, and yet somehow, he felt safe. Maybe it was her doctoring, maybe it was her beautiful disposition and appearance, but maybe... No, Tiz thought. He wasn't falling for her. He didn't even know her that well. But was he sure?
He laughed quietly, looking down at Myscha's hair as he began to speak. "Oh yeah, that so? And what do you have to hide, Myscha?" He was lighthearted, of course, but with an air or seriousness. She certainly was a mystery: one that he liked. "...And how resourceful do you think I am?"
At least she shared his opinion that the night was turning around for the best. It was as if Dak felt miles and miles away, gone forever, and that, even if for just a moment, just a brief, powerful moment, it was just the two of them. Just Tiz, and just this girl Myscha, whom he knew virtually nothing about, yet was at this point almost irresistibly drawn to. As she leaned her head against his shoulder, he welcomed it, pulling her in, closing the inches between their heads by moving his over hers. "Sounds like work isn't a happy subject. I guess when truth is a commodity, and a rare one, it probably can't be, huh?" He teased. "I won't ask. None of my business anyway... Myscha." As he said her name, he felt as if there was some glaring hole, some shape that fit out of place, as if he was thinking of someone, but addressing someone else. This woman's story would be interesting to him, he had decided. Regardless of whatever feelings he thought might be developing. For a moment, he considered that she might be this way with everyone, but his idealistic nature pushed the thought out of his head.
When the woman brought herself back, looking into his eyes, Tiz realized how close they were. He also realized how quickly the social barrier between them had closed ever since he shut the door to his apartment. Yes, he decided, this was more than her doctoring. Her power over him was growing-- he could see that in the fierce, yet sincerely amicable gaze he received from her. The blue of her eyes reminded him of the night sky and the ocean and the fringes of icy behemoths in the north all in one, as if every shade of blue had come together in an artistic creation that rivaled that of the gods. He was completely vulnerable at this distance, with this gaze. He almost missed the fact that she had asked about his legs.
He had almost missed the fact that they still hurt. A lot. "Yeah, uh..." the young swordsman chuckled. "I guess if we want to be thorough."
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Post by Charlotte on Jun 1, 2015 21:44:32 GMT -6
Charlotte closed her eyes for a moment, allowing herself to be lost in the hum of the man’s body as he spoke, almost to the point of missing what he said. The woman was comfortable, enjoying the warmth on her cheek from the man’s exposed skin. Even the smell was strangely soothing, a mix of musk with the medicinal herb smell of the salve on Tiz’s wounds. Opening her eyes again with chin still balanced on his shoulder, she trained her gaze on his, hearing the answer to her question but not moving to act or respond as she normally would.
There was always a tipping point in situations like this. Locking eyes with so little space between them, there was a moment where both held their breath, waiting for what one could only assume would be for the other to either make a move towards or away from the other person. Charlotte was usually on the receiving end; she liked to play hard to get, and hungrily seeking satisfaction in that moment wasn’t really conducive to that persona. But surprisingly, she wasn’t trying to do that tonight. Sure, she had lied about her name, but that was merely to protect her identity as was necessary.
So as the sat there with locked eyes in that moment, with the man’s strong grip at her waist, Charlotte found herself holding her breath. Her response should have come a few moments earlier, so the silence was quickly becoming too heavy to bear. She wasn’t sure why she was feeling so swayed by the man, especially when she was usually so contained, so controlled. She barely knew the man, but she found herself growing warm in the cheeks as she tried to decide what to do.
Charlotte wasn’t the type of woman to fall for someone, though. Sure, she enjoyed the company of men, though much less often than she used to after first leaving the Isles. Honestly, she didn’t remember the last time she’d let herself be this close to someone she’d never met before; that time in her life had long since passed. This was different, though, since she wanted to be sitting here with Tiz; she wasn’t doing this out of some obligation or for a job. It was just for her tonight.
Rolling her chin forward, she grazed her lips against a clean patch of Tiz’s skin, almost shivering as the tingling feeling spread across her own skin. But instead of making a move, she moved just a bit, running her hand through her hair as she bent forward to pick up the bowl of water from the floor. Old habits died hard, it seemed.
“Ah, I’ll get a clean bowl of water..”
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Post by Tiz on Jun 1, 2015 22:04:02 GMT -6
The moment seemed so intense and so emotionally engaging that it could've been fake. It seemed so weighty, so heavy, that it couldn't have been happening in real time-- not to Tiz. What had he done to be blessed in such a way? As the two locked eyes, time stood still. The normally so-quickly passing time, which ended lives, brought life into the world, passed holidays, birthdays, wars-- it stood still. Time stood completely still for him. He could only stay fixated on this woman's eyes. She chose not to answer his question... it didn't need an answer. He knew she wasn't being honest, or at least not being forward, but... it didn't seem to matter. What seemed to matter was their closeness; this feeling of being wrapped into this woman was consuming him. He had never let himself get this close to someone and feel this way about them.
The stillness in the air was cold, and it made Tiz want to hold her closer than he already was. This moment was intimate, regardless of the lack of speech and the mere innocence of it all. This was something unusual, perhaps for the both of them. Tiz read in Myscha's eyes what her lips refused to say-- that she, like him, was experiencing something beyond the normal realm of human operation. This wasn't a run-of-the-mill encounter, and by no means was it shallow. Something was here, something was blooming, something was begging to be nurtured. He couldn't tell what it was or what he needed to do until Myscha made it clear for him.
As she very gently kissed his skin, away from his lips, he froze. The static between the two exploded in that moment, and it pierced Tiz's soul so easily that he was confused before he was anything else. The moment seemed to last for a long time. How was he feeling these things already? Even with women he had known for a long time, he had never really experienced anything quite like this... Was that because it was new, deep, and personal? Or was it because this encounter was to be short-lived and explosive for a small while? He hoped for the first, but he had no way of knowing. As the woman lifted her head away from him to retrieve the water, her eyes had left his. He stopped her very gently by placing one of his hands on top of her hand.
With the other, he softly cupped her face, stroking her cheek slowly with his thumb. He looked at her again, almost quizzically, with a brilliant green gleam in his eyes, and he kissed her. He gently parted her lips with his own, feeling the softness of her mouth around his. When he pulled back, he smiled the same mischievous smile from earlier, as if he had come to some great understanding about the woman. Perhaps, like combat, there are some things that can only be learned with experience. Maybe that is how he would learn about Myscha.
"I'll get the water. You've done enough for me."
He wouldn't ignore his wounds-- but hers, small though they may have been, needed attention. Tiz took the water bowl and emptied it, refilling it then with cleaner water, and a new rag. He smiled, his entire body turned away from her, that she may not see his happy expression. As he turned to face her, his expression was calm, collected, and soft. He followed her eyes.
"My turn to play doctor. Might not be as high quality a physician, but... I'll do what I can." He winked at her again, then got down on one knee and faced her, water bowl resting in the hand on his knee. "Tell me where it hurts."
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Post by Charlotte on Jun 2, 2015 12:14:38 GMT -6
As soon as Tiz’s hand cradled her face, Charlotte felt what little breath that remained in her lungs quickly exit in a soft exhale. She tried to remember the last time someone had touched her in that way, rather than simply moving over the curves of her lithe figure. A hand on the face was so much more personal and closer than she usually made herself available to a man, but she couldn’t help allowing the action to pass, entranced by the shimmer of something passing over her new friend’s glassy green eyes, struck motionless as his thumb passed over her skin, caressing her.
What came next was expected but welcome, their lips meeting for the first time. It was so gentle and so… different from what she was used to. Heavy, domineering, forceful this was not, and there was no stench of whiskey or ale that soiled their hot breath. It purely was, and whatever that.. feeling, that action was, well it was so terribly strange to her. But she didn’t shy away, no; instead it made her wish for more, this experience she’d never felt before.
Almost as quickly as it had begun, it was already over; Tiz’s roguish smile bringing a chuckle to her as she returned his curled lips with her own. It was so strange, how different this already felt from her other one-time encounters with men. They showed no interest in who she was, simply interested in progressing the night as quickly as possible so they could get to the ‘prize.’ Even knowing the Tiz for as short a time as she had, she didn’t see that kind of ruthless attitude in him, making her wonder what he served to gain from all this.
“Alright,” she sighed, watching him move to replace the water in the small bowl, curious as to what he might be musing about silently. Was he doing as she was, trying to interpret the type of intimacy they were experiencing? Charlotte hadn’t even considered how her messy-haired friend might be feeling. Would he wonder how they could move so quickly without any outward hesitation? Charlotte never felt more comfortable than when she was naked, lying next to a similarly naked man, so she had no issue with the rapidness of their interactions, but some men took pause. Tiz might have been one of them, and considering this wasn’t a job, Charlotte didn’t want to push anything too far. She was enjoying the pace of the night so far, anyways.
It was unusual, watching him kneel as Loretta would have to take care of her wounds. The blonde usually held her business so close to her chest that she didn’t allow anyone but herself or Loretta to tend to her, not wanting to signal town guards or any pursuers that might be looking for her by going to a healer. Considering, though, that Tiz was cognizant of the origin of her injuries, she didn’t feel the need to push his help away, especially when it was free.
Since she’d already taken care of the cut on her arm, there was only one place that still ached uncomfortably, and was likely at the very least skinned based on the sting that she felt when moving her arm. Her shirt had certainly been ripped there after landing, shoulder to cobblestone road. Drawing her legs up onto the bed, Charlotte lifted her shirt over her head, taking the ruined fabric and placing it to the side. A black bandeu covered her breasts, but now largely uncovered, she turned so the man could see the shoulder in question.
“There,” Charlotte said simply, pointing at the spot on her shoulder. She couldn’t see, but the area was red and raw, just as a child’s skinned knee would look after tripping or playing too rough with friends. She made no mention of the yellowed skin on her front, bruises that were nearly healed from her trip to the Isles, nor did she say anything of the discolored grooves that scarred much of her back. They had faded over the years, and the room’s dim lighting might have even obscured them. She held no outward shame for them, but they certainly did bring questions occasionally when noticed.
Silent for only a moment, Charlotte looked away from Tiz, her eyes looking to the gray wall next to the bed. “So how long before you go after your friend?” the blonde asked, shifting the conversation in an attempt to alleviate some of the tension in the room. Tiz seemed like the kind to want to make things right with his distraught military friend, no matter how hopeless it might seem, so she could only assume the thought had crossed his mind. He didn't seem like the type to sit by idly, waiting for the problem to pass over.
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Post by Tiz on Jun 2, 2015 14:11:40 GMT -6
Short the kiss was, yet it lingered in his mind with great importance, as if the moment itself were infinite, cradled forever in the pockets of memory that Tiz held most dear. What was this? He wondered. He knew that he wanted more than just a single night of feverish romance, be it innocent or more intimate. This was... a seed, he thought. This seemed to be more than what one might expect from a one-night encounter from a beautiful woman. It felt more real than that to him. He tried thinking about other things as he examined Myscha, but nothing came to him. Only what he had just done-- that was the only thing that could occupy his mind. He smiled, wondering how long it would feel this way, and hoped it was for the foreseeable future. He had never kissed a girl in the same way that he had just kissed Myscha. Physically, there might have been some similarities, but... emotionally, there were none. Not any that he could think of. Most assuredly, Tiz told himself, this was new. It made him a little scared, being so vulnerable, but he happily accepted it, looking at the woman as she spoke.
His mind was full of pleasant thoughts, and his heart fuller. He placed his hand gently on her arm, just below the injured shoulder, examining it carefully through well-studied eyes. The dashed back and forth between the wound and the woman, because Tiz almost couldn't help but look into her icy blue eyes again. They were mesmerizing. Her shoulder also looked like it might be dislocated, but he wasn't sure. The fall she had might've caused it, but the shoulder might've been okay. He would asses it later. He found himself feeling more passion towards her as he looked at her bare skin, though not in a way that was stereotypically lustful, but in the same way that he saw this woman as artful, as beautifully designed. He wondered about the creation of human beings, and wondered if, from the viewpoint of whomever really created them, Myscha was seen as a perfect creation. He was beginning to think she might be. Perhaps that's what people meant by divine experiences.
He laughed a bit, looking back towards her with focused eyes. He was going to say something, but as he studied her now shirtless body, the words were lost to him. He searched, but couldn't think. His eyes weren't trained on her breasts, though he did pass over them more than once, slowly, and without hesitation. As impressed as he was, he was impressed with her entire figure. All of her seemed so perfectly sculpted, and he was as impressed with the shape of her shoulders, the sides of her body, the way her stomach looked, than he was with anything else. He imagined for a moment what she would look like naturally, with no man-facade to cover the beauty that was whatever the creator of humankind's artistic expression. She was beautiful.
Tiz's gaze, after a few long seconds of studying her, became fixed, intense, and trained right on her blue eyes. He let himself stare at her like this, a soft expression on his face, for a few longer seconds, then he looked down with a smile and a chuckle, and dipped the rag in soapy water. "This will sting." he said matter-of-factly, in a way that he probably hadn't spoken since meeting the woman. He very gently applied the rag, using his other hand to steady the woman, placing it with care upon the top of her collarbone, near hear neck. He slowly dragged the rag across the skin, being sure to clean the wound effectively. As he was doing so, his eyes flashed back to her, without turning his head.
He sighed heavily, leaning back for a moment, still on his knees in front of her. "I... don't know," he said sadly and honestly. He really wasn't sure. "I don't want to... I don't know. I don't want to fight Dak. I want him to accept my apology, and I want him to smile at me. I want him to tell me that everything is okay, even if it's not. I don't want to cross blades with him, but I will if I have to... I just... He's my friend. He's my comrade. We don't have to end this with bloodshed, but he DOES seem pretty dead-set on it..." Tiz chuckled, an authentic sense of humor in his voice. He looked away, towards the window where the stars shined shyly through the glass pane. "Maybe I'll meet him again someday by chance. Maybe fate will play my cards for me."
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