Getting To Know You

by **Taylani** on October 3rd, 2013, 2:44 am

Cringing when his hand landed on her shoulder, Taylani turns her head away from him, almost afraid of what she would see in his face. Afraid to see her own thoughts mirrored back in his gray eyes. When his arms came around her, she weakly pushed back against them "Fallan...please don't.." The fact that she couldn't simply walk away, she couldn't even do that for herself out here, and his gentle but silent insistence caused her to settle back against him shortly though she was not what one would call relaxed and loose.

She wasn't upset at him, so when his lips find her neck again she does not move away but she does shake her head. The words he spoke were in Pavi and she only understood the bare pronouns of "You" and "I", but whatever it was he said it softly and without the mocking tones she was half afraid of. "You know I can't understand you.." Her words are muttered just barely audible, but with no rancor or anger in her tones. Only a quiet resignation, and a simple giving up that was marked with a slump of her shoulders causing just a little more of her weight to lean against him.

She still does not attempt to look at him, instead fixing her gaze across the grass. Yet she does speak again, "I can't be ...just this.." She indicates with a wave of her hand her and Fallan, not quite ready to voice what she assumes it is in her mind. "I can't just sit and wait to become pregnant." This was an easier subject then what was weighing on her mind, but she honestly didn't think he would care or even understand that. Instead, expecting he would want some sort of explanation else he wouldn't have bothered to come and try and offer his brand of comfort, she spoke of something less sinister, less painful that was also weighing on her mind.

by **Fallan Windchaser** on October 3rd, 2013, 9:41 am

As she allowed herself to rest back against the support that he offered, he shifted his balance to allow for it. Her protests he ignored for they were what he expected, yet it seemed to him that they carried less passion than they had. Of course it was also true that he no longer teased her, and that perhaps had been cruel, but she had needed to awaken to the reality of her situation.

He knew what it was to be away from the comfort and security of your family, though in his case it had been a choice, but causes aside there came a point when the reality kicked in. It was a coming of age when the adult had to step free from the cocoon of the protected child.

There was something on her mind, though just what was not clear to him. He guessed from the little that she did say that she was now thinking beyond just the shock of captivity. She was less captive than she thought, but he had responsibilities both to her and his people which placed restrictions on what she could do.

He struggled to find the words in common that could convey what he meant and yet leave it open for her to speak of whatever it was on her mind. He refrained from attempting to lighten her mood as he suspected that she would not appreciate the cheapening of whatever it was that she was attempting to say. He also resisted the temptation to caress her nipples for the same reason, which was much harder to do.

"What Tay want?" He didn't wait to hear the answer before he continued. "Tay not just this," it was easier when she supplied the words that he needed. "Tay mother. Tay partner." He had no idea if she understood what he meant, but then he didn't know what she meant yet anyway so it was perhaps irrelevant.

by **Taylani** on October 3rd, 2013, 12:32 pm

As he shifts, so does Taylani pulling her legs from beneath her and awkwardly pushing her skirts beneath her to protected her bare legs and bottom from the grasses. One hand reaches up to capture her hair and bring the mass over one shoulder to alleviate the occasional tug when a strand gets caught between his body and hers. In doing so she reveals most of her neck to him, the expanse curving gently as she still does not look at him but more outward and down, a very faint bruising rising where his teeth and lips had teased her.

His words met a hard shell one she had cultivated over the time she has been here. So instead of accepting his words she lifts one shoulder, not quite understanding everything he said. Sh got the mother remark, how could she not as that was the whole purpose of him buying her. When she speaks she tries to keep all emotions out, attempts to don the blank face and expressions to cause her voice not to be a telltale on her inner most thoughts.

"But I am next to useless out here. I can't do anything for myself. I can't even speak to you...or most others properly. I am not a mother." Her hands fall to lay lightly on her flat stomach, "At least not yet. I am nothing but your slave. Your whore." Having said it, even having used the term that he had so often used to describe her on the day of the auction when she had so adamantly refused to be one Taylani felt a little of the last dredges of her old life slip away. It was almost a physical death but more of a release. Perhaps it was simply accepting what she was either way Taylani did feel a small amount better having said them.

by **Fallan Windchaser** on October 3rd, 2013, 1:07 pm

It was next to impossible to refuse what had been offered so temptingly and so he kissed the exposed neck softly, his arms squeezing her gently as the meaning of her words came to him. He kissed her again while he reflected on what she had said and found it was true.

She had not the skills to survive here, even if she stayed in Endrykas itself. He shrugged to himself, realising that many things would need to change, including his lackadaisical attitude to moving them forward. Now was the time for harvest, the time when food was plentiful around them and it was time that she learnt it.

"Not whore," he replied, biting his tongue on the follow up that whores were paid for their services. He raised his hand to run his fingers along her cheekbone, unsure of how to phrase what he felt. He was tempted to tell her that she was not a slave, but that would raise too many questions and allow her to think that she could refuse his ability to touch her and to use her as he wanted. That could wait until another time.

"Tay more than slave." It was the closest that he felt comfortable getting to at that point. "Fallan teach Tay, Tay not useless." His lips found her neck once more as it was so conveniently placed in front of them.

by **Taylani** on October 3rd, 2013, 2:00 pm

His words did not surprise her, she had been expecting no more then what he said. She does not avoid his lips, though each gentle kiss was one more dagger in its own way. When he raised his hand to run his fingertips along her cheekbone she flinches away, just a slight movement before she stops herself, her eye lashes fluttering shut more to compose herself once more.

It was time to finish berating herself over her actions, it was time to simply move on there was nothing more she can do. She can not change the past, and it is not as if she ever thought that there would be any one who would be clamoring to take up a cast off from the barbarians, a slave who birthed her way back home. She would know what she did but really what was one more shameful secret, to add upon the rest of the burden of humiliation and sacrificed dreams.

Her face resumed the expressionless mask, though it was harder to maintain and far less flawless then when she employed it before. Her back straightens and she takes a steadying breath. "Yes. Eventually....I will learn." Apparently she was speaking on him teaching her to not be so useless, but Taylani herself was not certain that she was.

by **Fallan Windchaser** on October 3rd, 2013, 3:29 pm

The tension in her body was palpable as was the minor flinch when he touched her. They had gone back in time and whatever excitement had caused her to be bolder was gone and he could only hope that it came back again. He couldn't promise her what was not in his power to give and there was only so much he could say without handing her all of the cards in the deck. Still though, he considered it worth an attempt even if it went against his previous decisions.

"Wind blows, grass changes. Tay can be grass. Winter grass die back. Always grow in Spring, new grass. Every day new dawn, new sun on grass." He doubted that it made much sense, especially to someone from Syrilas where they lived indoors every day and did not understand the seasons, so he tried to make more clear.

"Today Tay slave. Tomorrow? Tomorrow new day."

by **Taylani** on October 3rd, 2013, 4:25 pm

Of course, Taylani mused, he didn't understand, and she didn't expect even if they both spoke the same language equally fluent that she could explain better. He seemed to want her to simply accept and perhaps it was time to just accept it. It doesn't matter what she does, so she inhales and lifts her chin again, still avoiding his eyes. Her left hand moves to her right, her fingers gently working the simple bone ring off her right ring finger. One last glance at it, her finger running over the carvings of the leaves that was so delicately wrought within the ivory-colored circle, a quick lift to her lips to kiss it gently before she flings her arm wide, her fingers letting it go to sail off lost in the sea of grass.

"Yes. I am your slave today. Tomorrow doesn't matter for it's too late already." Finally she turns toward him, still not meeting his gaze, her eyes settling somewhere around his collar. "I am getting thirsty. Can we go please?" Not really thirsty, but no longer wanting to be out here in the wide open, cradled between his legs, wanting to simply move on, out of sight.

by **Fallan Windchaser** on October 3rd, 2013, 7:09 pm

It seemed to him that his words had no impact on her, and having failed with his most philosophical approach he was left with nowhere to go. He could only hope that this mood would leave her sooner rather than later and so he nodded in acceptance and pushing back stood up and dressed.

Not even Stormdancer could lighten the tension that now separated them and they were still close enough to the tents that walking was easy. He ran his fingers through the horses mane and signed to her to follow. At the top of the rise the tents were once more visible and so he set off with just a glance behind him to make sure that Taylani followed.

by **Praetorian** on October 21st, 2013, 2:13 am

Taylani

Dance	+4 XP
Teaching	+3 XP
Rhetoric	+3 XP
Horsemanship	+1 XP
Riding: Horse	+1 XP
Seduction	+2 XP

Endrykas is Never Silent
Teaching Technique: Pantomime and Simple Words
Pavi Phrase: "Thank you"
Stormdancer: Dark bay Strider
How to mount a horse using a mounting block.

Fallan

Observation	+3 XP
Dance	+2 XP
Rhetoric	+3 XP
Riding: Horse	+2 XP
Horsemanship	+1 XP
Seduction	+2 XP

A Man's Role In Dance: Support and Strength
A Woman's Role In Dance: Story and Flight
A Dance That is Not for Drinking
Seduction: Taking Advantage of a Situation
Taylani: Not a fan of Public Displays of... Affection?

Notes :

PM to join Getting To Know You