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Post by Shiningami on May 16, 2008 22:01:08 GMT -8
Elizabeth smiled and took a breath so deep that it was close to mocking. "Well I figured you would have the universal answer to all things man."
"Oh yes, tell me what you found out."
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Post by Luna on May 16, 2008 22:15:05 GMT -8
"Just because I happen to be male doesn't mean I know how to win one's heart; I've never tried afterall," he said wryly.
Stepping inside, he sat on a chair and leant back, crossing one leg over the other. "Mostly I chased old contacts and, irritatingly enough, most thought I wanted the services of the Cat. Most frustrating," he said, pausing, before continuing. "So far it's been narrowed down to an area in the north, in the mountains. That's going to make tough travelling so you may want to start gathering winter clothes subtly, a little at a time, for three if I'm not mistaken."
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Post by Shiningami on May 17, 2008 8:42:10 GMT -8
Elizabeth smiled. "The Cat, eh? Isn't he a myth?" Her eyes sparkled. "I'm surprised that there are that many people who claim to have access to the Cat. Anyway...Winter clothes it is then. I can talk to Geralt tomorrow and have him add a couple extra layers for my gowns and such. Because I'm relatively certain that I will be needing them. When do you suppose we will leave?"
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Post by Luna on May 17, 2008 22:02:15 GMT -8
"Possibly for me as well?" he added since it would look strange him buying cold weather clothes for himself only.
"When I find out more information. From memory there are a lot of monasaries in that area, something about monks liking the cold to test their faith or some such rubbish," he said, his disdain for religion obvious. "We will need to narrow it down some, hopefully that's what I'll find out tonight." He just hoped his chest wasn't noticed; such injuries could be taken advantage of.
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Post by Shiningami on May 17, 2008 22:40:01 GMT -8
Elizabeth smiled, "Of course for you silly. Oh, and if anyone asks, I've been summoned to visit my dying old great great aunt." She winked, kissed him once, and told him, "I'll be back here at dusk with everything. Meet us here."
With that, she turned and strode out of the room at a quick pace. She grabbed Angeline in the kitchen, and they both walked out and towards the tailors, then spreading out to different parts. Mez would go to Geralts and get the dresses, while Angeline would get the winter clothing for Jayden and big coats for all of them.
When they got those, they met back at Elizabeths room and began their wait for Jayden to return with information on their departure, and where they would be arriving.
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Post by Luna on May 18, 2008 6:07:06 GMT -8
Late that afternoon, Jayden left to gather what information he could. It was sadly insubstantial. And what's more he had gotten into another fight. Thankfully he hadn't been seriously hurt, no more bruises, but the large wound on his chest was now bleeding again. He was never more glad that his clothes were black so that it wasn't immediately obvious. Still it was bleeding rather heavily despite the bandages.
Going back to the mannor he snuck in through the back door and climbed the stairs to Elizabeth's room. He didn't bother to knock this time since he was somewhat late and they would both be in there and likely ready to go. He drew his cloak close around him so that his black shirt, wet with blood was hidden. He wanted to get going, he hated just standing idly around when they could be moving and now that he had a direction in mind then he was anxious to get going. And he didn't want to face Elizabeth's wrath when she found out that his wound was bleeding again.
"I've narrowed it down to three monastaries and I don't think we'll be able to get anything else without actually going there. Thankfully they are all in two side-by-side valleys so there's not too much travel," he said by way of hello.
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Post by Shiningami on Jun 9, 2008 19:26:36 GMT -8
"Good." Mez smiled. "How long will it take us to get there, when should we leave, and here." She tossed him his share of winter clothing. "We've already got everything packed, but since I didn't remember exactly the date of departure, didn't saddle the horses."
Mez looked over at Angeline and smiled. "Looks like you will finally get out of this stuffy place!"
Angelines eyes began to sparkle as she wondered at the thought. She had been here ever since she could remember...to leave it completly was a thing of dreams...
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Post by Luna on Jul 15, 2008 18:29:34 GMT -8
"We can leave whenever you're ready," Jayden said, catching the clothes easily. "The sooner the better. If we travel quickly it will probably take three days to get to the first valley, at least another two to traverse it looking for a monestary. From there if we don't find anything we can either see if a local knows a way over the mountains or we will have to go out and around, about five days ride I would imagine."
It was a long journey and Jayden had been looking forward to spending some more time with Elizabeth, alone in the bushes, but that wasn't going to happen with Angeline around. Not that he would ever admit it but as well as being distrustful towards the girl he was also jealous of her, and of the attention he was getting from Elizabeth. Despite all his mental and physical healing he still had a few quirks that remained from his time in prison, quirks like needing Elizabeth's attention to remind him that he was still loved and that it wasn't all a dream, that she wasn't going to leave him or hurt him.
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Post by Shiningami on Feb 16, 2009 17:09:07 GMT -8
"That sounds quite reasonable. And it would fit nicely into the story of my leaving to visit my dying great great aunt. So we should be back just in time to attend one of the stuffy old balls..." She rolled her eyes in distaste. "More parading nobles...Well at least we get a little break!"
She motioned to Angeline to start saddling her horse as Elizabeth did the same. She moved closer over to Jayden from behind and slyly wrapped an arm around the inside of his cloak, and squeezed gently while planting a soft flutter of a kiss on the corner of his mouth. "We'll find some alone time, don't worry." Elizabeth had always been able to somewhat read Jayden, and she thought she knew what was buzzing about in his mind as he looked enviously over towards Angeline.
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Post by Luna on Feb 20, 2009 17:13:43 GMT -8
"Maybe," he said in regards to getting back in time for a ball. He glanced to Angeline, unsure if she knew the true reason for their mission and not trusting her enough to tell her or speak of the true reason. He honestly doubted they would have time to return to their public life, more like they would have to retreat to their cabin to teach the unknown heir what they knew about the palace, the queen and form a plan on how to replace her.
A small, crooked smile crossed Jayden's scared face as Elizabeth slipped an arm around him. He rested a hand in the centre of her chest, keeping her away slightly from his bleeding wound, not wanting her to find out. He did lean in and kiss her though. "I'm not so sure about that," he murmered softly, looking over his shoulder jealously toward door where Angeline had disappeared. He wouldn't be mean to her or anything because Elizabeth liked her so, but it would still take a long time for him to trust her.
"Let's go," he said, making his way outside and down to the stables. He stuffed the clothes into the saddlebag and mounted up, patting his horse softly on the neck as he waited for the girls to be ready to leave.
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Post by Shiningami on Aug 3, 2009 10:57:49 GMT -8
((*falls in love with Jayden again*))
Elizabeth let him slide out of her reach and followed him out the door to the stables. She couldn't make her heart stop fluttering, as was normal after being held by him. Some part of her heart was still in shock about him being alive after all those lonely years spent in the playwrights camp. Suddenly, and unwillingly, all of those memories came flooding back to her in no particular order. She saw the day she was told he was dead; then the day he found her in the tree and how she had scolded him; then the battles she had fought to get to him, but only too late.
She wiped stinging tears from her eyes with a gentle fierceness. All of those many years ago...but somehow it still seemed so fresh, as if it had occured only the morning before.
She shook herself to banish those thoughts, and turned her attention back to saddling her horse. As she lifted the white saddle blanket over the back of her bay gelding, she noticed a little red stained the delicate fabric. First, she believed her horse was hurt, but after frowning over the horse, she couldn't find anything wrong. She shrugged and put the blanket on again, this time, finding yet another, but smaller, dot of red. She moved her hand and found it was from her fingers. Curiously, she studied her hands, searching for the source, but finding none. Then, with a explosion of suspiscious rage in her chest, she stood up, glaring blackly at the back of Jayden's head. She strode towards him with purpose, and Angeline stepped out of her way, eyes wide as the full moon.
As she neared Jayden, she reached for his shoulder and spun him around to face her. With both hands she jerked his coat open to reveal his wet shirt. Gingerly, but hasitly, she touched the wet spot and drew her hand away. Seeing blood remain on her fingers, she turned her anger rightfully towards him. "What did you do." She asked, her voice slow and thick with fury. "You were going to let us ride off into the distance while you where hurt! And when you drop off your horse, dead from losing so much blood, what would we do?" She awaited his answer, knowing, and trying, not to be too harsh on him. His days in the prision were always in the forefront of her mind, and she never wanted to remind him of any of that, but it was hard when he seemingly betrayed her.
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Post by Luna on Aug 3, 2009 17:06:04 GMT -8
Jayden set to saddling his horse in silence, not really convinced that Angeline should be going with them but he did like seeing Elizabeth happy so he said nothing. He was just about to mount up when she grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. When she touched his chest directly where the blood was, he sighed. He knew what was coming.
For the most part he merely remained silent and stoic as Elizabeth raged on. "It's not that serious," he lied. "We need to go, and go now, and an injury, something I am used to working through, will not get in the way of that." He turned and mounted up, eager to be going. He didn't like her being angry, and especially not at him, it reminded him too much of the 'mistresses' in the prison, hurting him and yelling because he deserved it. He just wanted to leave.
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Post by Shiningami on Aug 3, 2009 18:18:11 GMT -8
Elizabeth let him get on the horse, and stubbornly swung onto hers. She hated it when he left things like that unsaid, and the fact that she discovered it right before they must leave. She knew the urgency of their quest...but still. It didn't mean she had to allow Jayden to be a fool.
Sighing, she reminded herself, not for the first time, that he had been through a lot. She shouldn't be so hard on him. Her heart sank. It was because of her love that she was harsh, but she would have bet her soul that Jayden didn't see it that way, mainly because of the way he was treated in prison. From the very few little peices that he had told her of it, she could see the blackness that still eroded his heart and mind. She sighed again, this time in reseignment. She put on a brave smiling face when Angeline rode up next to her, smiling and bubbly; completely excited to be out on an adventure.
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Post by Luna on Aug 3, 2009 18:48:56 GMT -8
"Let's go," he said, nudging his horse into motion and directing it out. For now they would have to just walk or trot until the were out of the city and a fair distance away but then Jayden intended to pick up the pace some what, alternating between cantering and walking to rest the horses, a pace that could eat up the miles. It would still take several weeks to reach the mountains but at least then they would have time to work out a cover story.
He glanced across at Elizabeth and saw straight through the brave smile and relented slightly. "Knowing you, you will have packed more than enough medical supplies. When we get clear of the city you can tend it," he said.
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Post by Shiningami on Aug 3, 2009 18:53:10 GMT -8
"You're damn right I did." Elizabeth blushed suddenly at the curse. Very few times did she let those slip, and that one definetly snuck up on her. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know how you began bleeding again, and I don't want to know. I shouldn't be so harsh." She gave both Jayden and Angeline apologetic glances, but quickly lowered her eyes. What had made her snap so? She wondered. She pushed the thoughts out of her mind decided it was better left unknown for now.
"So...we know roughly where we are headed. Do we have a cover story for when we pass through the towns on the way there? Or are we going to stick to my beloved dying aunt?" She asked with mock swooning dripping from the end remark.
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Post by Luna on Aug 3, 2009 19:19:26 GMT -8
Jayden smirked when Elizabeth swore. He had heard it a few times before but it always amused him. Knowing that, despite the fact she said she didn't want to know that she really did. "I got into a fight. Another one. In order to narrow down where we were going. There were consequences," he waved a hand over his chest, "but I found out where they were so a little pain and a little blood loss is worth it."
He thought about some kind of cover story but in the end shook his head, "I'll leave that up to you, you know I'm terrible with that," he said.
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Post by Shiningami on Aug 3, 2009 19:25:08 GMT -8
Elizabeth only sighed. She had figured as much. "I understand that you got what you wanted...but please, please be more careful?" She leaned far over in the saddle to give him a peck on the cheek. "I can't bear to see you hurt." 'I almost lost you once...' were her thoughts, but she didn't say as much.
"I will think of something to tell anyone who asks..." She let her mind wander over different stories that would help them get through towns, and why they wanted to know how to get to monasteries.
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Post by Luna on Aug 4, 2009 19:32:05 GMT -8
Jayden nodded and decided to let Elizabeth improvise something when the need arose; she was good at it whereas Jayden just tended to glare blackly at them until they backed down. It didn't always work in their favour.
As they rode, Jayden didn't pay too much attention to what was going on around them since it was all too familiar. No doubt Angeline was wide-eyed and gaping like a fish out of water but Jayden just found the hustle and bustle, the busy streets and all the people suffocating. He couldn't wait to get out. His horse seemed to sense his jitteriness and picked up the pace a little, prancing somewhat as he did so. It seemed that what he hid behind his stoic face and still body was shown through his horse and his horse clearly wanted to leave the city as soon as possible.
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Post by Shiningami on Aug 4, 2009 20:24:21 GMT -8
Elizabeth smiled grimly as she watched Jayden's horse. She could always tell what Jayden was feeling by watching his horse, and that always made her somewhat ironcially happy. As much as he tried to hide his feelings, his horse betrayed him.
Coming into town, Elizabeth felt excited, yet wary at the same time. "Something is...not right." She whispered to Jayden. Somehow, there was something different. Nothing visual, she didn't think, but...something.
"I think we should just continue through and make camp along the road...I don't like this."
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Post by Luna on Aug 4, 2009 21:15:28 GMT -8
Jayden's eyes flicked to Elizabeth then, slowly, gazed over what was around them, focusing on nothing particular the better so his eyes could pick out what was unusual. He found nothing, causing him to frown, the expression making a couple of the scars on his face more pronounced. He didn't like this. His instincts were also afire and he reached down to his calf. It was there. It always was but he comforted somewhat to feel it there.
"Keep close to Angeline. If trouble comes she'll likely get in the way," he said.
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