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Rhodri explores a piece of Riverfall's history and encounters a familiar face.

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Built into the cliffs overlooking the Suvan Sea, Riverfall resides on the edge of grasslands of Cyphrus where the Bluevein River plunges off the plain and cascades down to the inland sea below. Home of the Akalak, Riverfall is a self-supporting city populated by devoted warriors. [Riverfall Codex]

Remorse is Such a Strong Word

Postby Rhodri on March 28th, 2017, 2:50 am

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10th of Spring, 517 AV
19th Bell


Rhodri stepped through the doors of the library and out into the night air; the mists from the falls instantly clung to his skin. It was so different here as opposed to the arid winds of his desert homelands. The pause gave him an opportunity to gather his bearings. Navigation in the city was hard simply from the lack of time he’d had to wander and learn her streets. Rarely had he ventured to this side of the river since he jobs and apartment were both to the north. The Eypharian was impressed with the city’s infrastructure in so much that the blue brutes seemed to manage things quite well. That being said, he was pleased with his research session and felt infinitely more comfortable with an adequate knowledge of his hosts and some of their practices.

The large frame moved with a decent amount of grace as he left the academy. Rhodri walked with his nose in the clouds but his eyes were always shifting to take in as much as he could. This occasionally included glancing down and ahead on the path to ensure that his steps fell in all of the proper places. While posture was important, being certain that each step was a solid one demanded its own amount of focus. It was this constant pendulum of observation that allowed the Eypharian to veer off of his intended route.

There was a large crack in the walkway where a tree root had elevated the stones and left what looked like a fissure. Rhodri made a few quick steps off to the side so that his boots would not scuff nor catch upon the upheaval. The diversion opened his shoulders to the south where a large shadow covered much of his view. The deep brown eyes traced the inky shade that seemed to envelope the medical center and he even noticed some strange architectural hitched in the shadow’s lines. Some were explained by the base of a building just at the edge of his sight. The din of a setting sun as Syna tossed her most vibrant rays often played tricks on Rhodri’s eyes. He could see just fine in the day and almost as well at night but the rising and setting cascades that served to bookend the days often played tricks with the young man’s vision.

As his eyes lifted higher into the darkening sky, Rhodri caught his breath in mid exhale with a subtle gasp. He had never seen such a creation. A tower, dark and rigid, broke the skyline like some kind of enormous spearhead jutting out of the ground. The way home no longer was straight. The elitist was so consumed by the large structure that he stepped clean off of the pathway and did not take his eyes from the fascinating building. The way it seemed to stack upon itself while maintaining a threatening appearance of piercing death and heavenly ascension was impressive. Rhodri found the tower to be so captivating that it made him angry and jealous that his people had not created such a feat which would dwarf the grand thing before him.

On the whim of this inner rage, the arrogant fellow turned so suddenly that his boot caught the edge of an exposed root and sent his heavy upper body forward and away from the stability of his strong legs. Several staggered steps followed but the Eypharian used his arms to balance by extending them out all at once and then rotated them a pair at a time until he was able to right himself once more. Rhodri was grinning but it was not one of pleasure. The smile reflected a sarcastic response to the irony of the near-tumble. An Arumenic phrase detailing an unkind series of events passed through his lips but that was the end of it. The novelty of the tower had passed –overcome by the rage of embarrassment.

Rhodri readjusted his course and headed back towards the cobbled road that ran behind the medical building. He had not realized until now just how far off he had strayed. The prideful youth made sure to replace his posture of self-loathing with one of arrogance and entitlement which was such a better fit. His big arms rocked back and forth at his sides. There was a range of motion that defined his walk and it was something that only a clever observer would note. His lower set of arms did not reach as far forward as the other two but had the longest stretch behind while the middle set was the exact opposite. The top set of arms did not move much at all but seemed to rather hang in a state of suspension and only slightly rocking back and forth. All of these distances were covered with the same speed so it was hard to tell exactly which arm was which despite the open cloak and sleeveless shirt.

The racist fellow moved with a bit more haste since the detour had cost him an unnecessary delay. The sounds of voices sprang from a set of doors that opened in front of him. The medical center was letting out a shift change by the looks of it as there were several individuals and all seemed to be going in various directions. Rhodri quickly reached down and squeezed the mark on his thigh through his pants. He felt the tiny living tentacles animate on his fingers and smiled a very unpleasant expression. It was fleeting, though, as he steeled himself and focused more on the other people present in the area. One man, a thin blue brute, was walking away from two women and headed west. Without breaking stride, Rhodri allowed his hands to trace along the body of the man as they passed one another. The cords took hold around the man’s body in various places. Rhodri glanced around while maintaining his pace. No one seemed to pay him any mind since they were engaged in conversation or study. The Eypharian stopped and pretended to stretch his back by twisting his entire upper body to the right while keeping his hips still. He ripped at the cords with a strong jerk that was well-concealed and looked back just in time to see the man twist then fall.

The manipulator laughed a raucous chuckle and resumed his progression towards the bridge that had originally been his destination. He watched as the vocalization he made drew attention to the Akalak who scrambled to his feet and quickly began to recover by trying to play off the tumble as well as gather his personal affects which had been scrambled. The left corner of Rhodri’s mouth turned up in a sneer. Tripping the guy was one thing. Getting all of his peers to see his hurried attempts to ignore the event was so much richer of an experience.

The next step landed the Eypharian in a foul mood, however. His body ran into something which caught him in a tender place and bent him at the waist to avoid further damage. The explicit response was well justified as his middle hands covered his groin. Whatever he had run into had a sharp edge. The brown eyes filled with fiery feelings of revenge and justice as they looked down to discover the root of the problem. Rhodri’s gaze widened further to see the dark hair and small form of a woman he had met before; a woman that had been kind to him. This memory of her selflessness saved her an outright slap but it did not spare her a good amount of spite and spit as he cast his view in Arumenic. “Mbene shure!!” The phrase was almost a hiss but no more could be said when the Eypharian grimaced as he stood. He was unsure what to do as the pain inflamed his anger but his brain reminded him of the need for useful people. This conflict elicited silence for the time being. Sometimes, it was better to let others do the talking.
Last edited by Rhodri on April 3rd, 2017, 12:20 am, edited 3 times in total.
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I have six arms and one brain.
If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?
Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.
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Remorse is Such a Strong Word

Postby Claire Lexi'lya on March 29th, 2017, 10:22 pm

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Title | Date
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It wasn’t unusual for Claire to leave the medical center late. Riverfall was a most beautiful city, but as it stood the poor Kelvic was finding it more difficult than she imagined--fitting in that was. There were days where she roamed the city, both on foot and through the sky, in an attempt to map out the city in her mind. But despite everything remaining stationary, she felt as if she would never fully understand the city.

Not to mention the fact that she was still becoming accustomed to the Akalak as a race. Alvadas was a city that left nearly every race an equal… but it seemed not every city would follow such ideas. It hadn’t been a thought that crossed her mind when she had left her home honestly. It was becoming far more clear however that she was more naive than she was willing to outwardly admit.

So Claire had no issues with staying late within the center honing skill rather than returning home to an empty and much too quiet house. Practice was what she had lived for before Riverfall, and there wasn’t anything she could imagine that would change such a course in her life.

Currently her fingers--nearly numb from hours of practice--were precariously wrapped around a needle. Despite the lack of feeling in the tips of her fingers currently, Claire knew the minute she stopped she’d likely feel the pain threading through her finger pads. She had already lost count the number of times she had managed to prick her fingers on the tip of the needle.

Beneath her hands, and the reused catgut wound through the end of a needle, was a simple piece of leather. Worn thin from past use the leather sported several rips and slices that served as her practice suture. Already she had sewn together several attempts at a decent suture… none of them anything spectacular by her expectations. Though she had been told several times already that given this was her first attempt to learn sutures that is was decent enough.

Drawing in a deep breath, the Kelvic gently put the tip of the needle to the ripped edge of the fabric, just running slightly from the edge. She pushed gently but firmly with constant pressure until the tip broke through the thin leather. Wincing Claire barely dodged poking her fingers as the needle slid through the leather, but she noted that had this been a person the needle would have poked too deeply. It would have lanced the wound further and Claire blew out a breath in exasperation.

Regardless she pressed on, carefully treating the rip as she would a real wound and pressed the needle into the leather rip across the small divide. It seemed easier to come from below than puncturing from above, and carefully Claire pulled the edges together.

Releasing the catgut from the needle, Claire held the ends together. Twisting one end of the suture under the other the Kelvic tightened the string until it was flush against the leather, trying to ensure that she didn’t pull the string too tight and cause the leather to overlap itself unnaturally.

Repeating the loop, Claire examined the tightened knot that met the skin of the leather. It wasn’t as neat as she liked, but she also had to repeat in her head that no suture was ever perfect… especially given that she had never performed any before today.

“Claire go home!” The sound of a voice jolted her out of her observation. Glancing over her shoulder she spotted one of the doctors who worked some of the night shifts. A regular at heckling her to home home at that. Biting her tongue, she dropped the leather to the table and stood up slowly. Her muscles pulled from sitting too long and her upper back and neck ached from leaning over the table hunched.

It was only when she made her way out into the hall did she realize that Syna was beginning to set. She had been free to leave for several bells, but the Kelvic hadn’t realized just how absorbed she had gotten into her work. With a sigh, she hurried down the halls in a light jog, sliding left or right to dodge those coming down halls in front of her.

There wasn’t a particular reason she needed to hurry she supposed, other than her eyes didn’t function as well as night as they did the daytime. Not to mention getting lost in her new city after dark was extremely unnerving to say the least.

As she made it out the back doors, she slowed slightly. Syna wasn’t as low as she first thought. She’d have plenty of time to get home, possibly even taking a longer route. Not to mention after sitting for so long her legs didn’t appreciate the exertion of jogging through the halls.

Releasing a groan through her lips, Claire brought her hands up to her shoulders, crossing her arms and let her fingers try and work out some of the tight muscles that sent tiny waves of pain through her neck. It wasn’t helping much, but there was no complaining… not when she was at fault in the first place.

The sound of a laugh and the voices of her peers caught her attention however as she made her way down the path. Glancing to her left--without halting her walk--she noticed an Akalak picking himself up off the ground. Frowning, Claire watched as others helped him gather his belongings.

She really should have been paying attention to where she was going first.

Without warning Claire collided hard with something in front of her. Pain blossomed through her already sore joints and she flinched as she stumbled backwards in reaction. Unfortunately she wasn’t able to catch her balance and she tumbled straight down onto her backside, hands scuffing the ground as she tried to catch herself unsuccessfully. The Kelvic might have considered it was a wall she had walked into, if it hadn't been for a curse floating in the air in a language she most certainly didn’t recognize.

“Mbene shure!”

Wincing as she tried to adjust herself on the ground, she looked up… and then further up some more. He was tall, more than a head taller than her and from her position on the ground it made him quite literally tower over her. And vaguely familiar. As her eyes skirted across the man’s face she realized she had met this particular man before. Though it wasn’t the handsome planes of his face she took into account first, it was his arms. All six of them.

But his name failed to come to mind.

Pressing her injured hands into the ground, she forced her painful muscles to stand back to her feet. She could remember their first meeting briefly… mostly that the man could certainly come off as arrogant. Though at the moment he looked anything but with his hands covering his groin and the spiteful look in his eyes. No he just looked angry… and she was trying to think of it lightly. Not that she could completely blame him. She had once again let her attention focus on something other than where she was going and she not just walked into him, but managed to injure him as well. It wasn’t a pain she was familiar with, but most male races had the same tender spots. It was a pain many insisted that didn't wish on others.

“I’m so sorry!” The words came out tight but sincere. Her hands hovered towards him, but not touching. While she had tended to his injuries when they had first met, she wasn’t entirely sure he’d appreciate the help this time given the circumstances. So she forced her hands together and twisted her fingers in an almost nervous fashion as she gazed upwards at the Eyphrian.

“I didn’t do any permanent damage did I? Because I can take you inside if you need…” She trailed off, awkwardly pointing behind her to the building she had just vacated. It seemed like such a trivial question, but he was just staring at her and it was a little unnerving.

“Honestly I didn’t see you…” The Kelvic frowned slightly. His name was still evading her. It began with an R, she could remember that much. Claire had been so certain she’d never see him again that she hadn’t really bothered to try and file away any kind of that information. “Rodney right?” Her nose wrinkled slightly as she muttered the name more to herself than to him.

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Remorse is Such a Strong Word

Postby Rhodri on March 30th, 2017, 3:15 am

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At his full height, Rhodri was well above the woman. Dark eyes cast about her frame in a way that was both curious and unnerving. The young man was not prone to subtlety once a direct confrontation had been made; truly, he lacked the patience. Such was the way of others in his family. The Eypharian has almost at a point of willing forgiveness towards the two-armed being. There was a twinge in his gut as her lithe curves and gentle tone brought extra saliva against his tongue which forced him to swallow. This strange feeling washed down his body like a gentle rain that released a wave of goosebumps once the unknown emotions hit his boots. The prickly feeling rose up like flames fanned by a strong wind and eventually made him shiver. This was the last domino and Rhodri felt the sides of his neck grow damp but not with sweat. His pheromone glands, a trait of his people, opened up which instantly set off alarms in the young man’s mind.

Despite all of this, the Eypharian maintained a straight face albeit one of discomfort. The thick smell of sandalwood kissed with vanilla floated down from him in the evening breeze as he felt the pain in his groin subside. Perhaps it didn’t lessen but it was short-lived in his focus since this new series of inner workings had taken up residence as the key feature on tonight’s agenda. Rhodri was a tick away from opening his mouth to excuse her interruption when she called him the wrong name.

The syrupy brown eyes widened in surprise then narrowed –only a tad- to display an instant rage. Rhodri was a god among insects in this place and the whelp couldn’t even remember his name?! Without thinking, his hands shot forward. The lower set grabbed her wrists while the middle hands squeezed around her upper arms but this was not all. He drew her close to him, his strong grips forcing her arms to remain at her sides. The arrogant man curled down as she was pulled against his abdomen. Rhodri’s face was an inch from the medic’s when he began to speak. The glands in his neck were throbbing in combination of the earlier encounter and incensed by his rage as the pleasant smell became much thicker in the immediate area.

Having this woman so close to him was causing Rhodri’s heart to beat faster and he couldn’t explain it. This did not sit well so he firmly decided that it was due to her lack of ability in the department of walking. The Eypharian needed no such distraction in his life and quickly unloaded some thoughts at her that seemed to snap him from his present state. “No! Not Rodney!” He gave her a firm shake but never moved his hands so the whole cycle was a brief push away followed by being yanked back against his torso. Rhodri’s chest rose and fell twice then he continued. “ROW- DREE.” The dark-haired man said it in such a way that she could not mistake it. The deep pools of gossamer stare into the woman’s eyes but felt his anger fade, oddly enough. This was the final straw.

“You insolent swine! Watch where in the petch you’re going!” When he started the comment, the woman was still on the ground. Yet, as his words came up, he drew her up against him even tighter to the point where her toes would lift off the ground for a tick or three. At the peak of her involuntary lift, he could smell her lips and was swept up by the sudden urge to kiss her. He straightened his body and released her abruptly. The sudden freedom was like a bell going off in his mind and Rhodri took advantage of it by sidestepping her in almost a hop then jumping back to the path and moving towards the bridge.

His upper left arm folded so his hand could rub his neck. The young elitist’s fingers grazed a slick spot just below the pheromone gland –the moisture smelled strongly of his fragrance. His middle hands came together to fidget. Rhodri was beside himself with wonder. What had any of this meant? Did it mean anything at all? He was unsure. One thing Rhodri could count on was a solid foundation of wit and support to ignore the lesser races so that is the path he chose. He strode forward with flushed cheeks and his skin was hot to the touch on his face and neck. The tall frame straightened until Rhodri had to look down at everything and everyone. With renewed zeal, the Eypharian made his march more upright by focusing upon his stance and posture. Through all of this, the fading light turned his skin into a radiant gold that almost seemed magical in nature. It was so magical that it inspired him to walk away with a purpose.
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I have six arms and one brain.
If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?
Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.
- Eypharian Logic-
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Remorse is Such a Strong Word

Postby Claire Lexi'lya on March 30th, 2017, 10:30 pm

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He was still staring at her. Under normal circumstances she would have found it easy to stand her ground. He wasn’t the first rebellious man she had ever come across that wanted to have a stand off--and probably wouldn’t be the last.

But there was something… off about the six armed man. Somewhere in the back of her mind she felt a shift. Almost an allowance of the man’s rudeness but not quite. Acceptance perhaps. She never excused people of their actions or behavior, save for those who were in great pain… which while he was still likely still feeling twinges of pain, he seemed just fine outwardly.

It made standing still rather difficult. Unwillingly Claire shifted her weight from one foot to the other and inwardly desired to look away from him. A submission she refused to allow. All the while an unfamiliar scent filled the air--something that hadn’t been there before when she had bumped into him. Difficult to ignore because it held a delicious quality, though it certainly did not make her hungry.

It was only when the four of the Eyphrian’s six hands snagging both her wrists and shoulders at the same time that the cloudy focus of the scent shifted to something more dangerous.

Touch was not something Claire was a stranger to. It wasn’t uncommon to shake someone’s hand or give a child a hug in her profession. It was often gratitude that made her job so enjoyable. This however… this was entirely different. Arms pinned to her sides Claire found no wiggle room to pull away. The moment her chest met his lower abdomen, her nerves exploded.

The Eypharian's face hovered so close to hers that it made her vision a little blurry. Claire’s breath caught in her throat and she was acutely aware of everywhere they touched. It was a flash of heat, and it took her several ticks to realize it wasn’t even so much the man as it was her own body’s reaction. To make matters worse, the scent that had been hanging in the air was so much stronger now that she was closer to him. It surrounded her, made her head feel all sorts of fuzzy as she tried desperately to understand what he was doing--or saying for that matter.

There was nothing she could do as she was precariously yanked away from the man’s chest only to be pulled back in. Her mouth gaped open in shock, only a small grunt escaping her lips as he snapped in her face that his name was ‘Row-dree’. He was probably right, if her mind hadn’t been so addled between shock and aroma, she might have even agreed to the error.

Instead she managed to squeak a lackluster “Hey!” as the man quite literally picked her up and pulled her even closer. The Kelvic barely had time to register the alarm that went off in her head that made it appear he might just kiss her--a funny thought especially since he was certainly far from happy with her. But just as quickly as the alarm sounded Claire found her arms free.

And everything else as well.

Her sudden freedom did little to help her catch her balance. Pain jolted back up through her spine and hands as she found herself rump first back on the ground for the second time in several chimes with the six armed man suddenly going to great lengths it appeared to avoid her. Her mouth moved without sound as her mind tried to piece together just what exactly had just happened.

With distance however came clarity. The scent seemed to follow the man, and while her mind still felt a little addled, Claire found herself more capable of reaction. And it wasn’t pretty. Because despite the distance she still found herself flustered and instead of putting logic or reason behind the cause--the man or the scent--she let herself go down another path.

“Are you kidding me?!” Her voice came out near a screech, almost an echo of her bird form. Scrambling to her feet she whirled around to face the retreating form. There was no stopping the temper that hit her. The heat that had been caused by his closeness shifted into pure white hot anger. The Kelvic wasn’t strong, and she doubted she could have stopped his previous advance even if she had seen it coming, but that didn’t stop the emotion from pushing her far past an edge she really should have avoided.

“What gives you the right to just manhandle me like that?” Before she knew it, Claire found herself charging after the Eypharian. There was no way she wasn’t going to speak her mind now--especially since she had found herself so incapable just moments before. “Forgive me but I hardly see a point in remembering the name of some…” Her hands flew wildly in gesture at his back as if the emtion in her voice wasn’t enough to get the point across. It was no longer a screech, but certainly louder than she really needed to be. And even as her hands moved she kept her eyes firmly locked on his back, determined to be prepared if the man should turn on her again.

“You are unbelievable. Selfish, hard as a rock, stinking, handsome--just stop would you!” The words came out in Isurian. A habit she had picked up from her time with Elma and rage took over. There were countless times she could recall Elma muttering in Isur when a client just refused to listen. It felt easier to curse in different language, though she had no idea why. Maybe it was a reminder of a time that was now long gone. But there weren’t enough words in her knowledge of the language. Charging ahead of the man, she planted herself several feet in front of him, breathing heavily as if she had just run a marathon, face flushed a deep red and her dark hair falling over her left shoulder as she cocked her head to the side in a very birdlike stance.

“You stupid brute!” The words came out like a snarl, in one hefted breath. It took several ticks however for her to realize the words hadn’t come out in Isur. They were common. The flinch was instant as she scrunched her face and shook her head in frustration. She hadn’t been this mad in a long time… not since the boy from Ravok had tried to break her leg. Before she could say anything--or him do something she couldn’t stop--the woman whirled away from him. Claire fairly stomped down the path he had been taking.

Despite the fact that it was actually the opposite direction of her home.

“I can’t believe this. Ridiculous…” She muttered under her breath as her eyes tried to flash across the area in front of her. It didn’t actually bode well that she didn’t know where she was. “Petch…!”

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Remorse is Such a Strong Word

Postby Rhodri on April 2nd, 2017, 3:04 am

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Rhodri was doing his best to tone her out. It was easy to outpace someone that didn’t even come up to your shoulder. The young woman got louder and more vocal as he distanced himself. It dawned upon the arrogant Eypharian that his pheromones might have had something to do with it. There was certainly more to be discovered in this arena but now was not the time. Rhodri was tired and wanted to get home after he made his planned stop at the historic bridge. Things were going to turn out well enough in the city of blues but that would all have to wait, it seemed. The woman shouted something in a language the aristocrat did not know.

The tiny woman had run out in front of Rhodri then stopped to address him. He rolled his eyes but did not break his stride. The Eypharian was not listening to her words for detail but chose to pay careful attention to her tone. That way if it sharpened up for a true insult, he would know. This, of course, all conflicted with his notion of wanting to ignore the girl altogether. Just as the man was about to walk around his accoster, she threw her hands about and whirled way from him in a huff. Now, Rhodri stopped. He had been heading in this direction all along while she had been going in the other but now she was heading towards the bridge as well.

The dark haired man slowly started to walk after her. In his head, he was making the argument that he was simply following his intended course but the deep, earthy gaze kept straying down along the wavy tresses to her little rump which shifted back and forth like a seductive pendulum. The woman was outright marching to stay ahead of the Eypharian who suddenly felt his body reacting to the small curves that were on display for him. The glands in his neck went back to pumping out his unique fragrance and Rhodri felt his gait slow to a more leisurely or almost languid pace. He would take one stride to her two and this kept their bodies at an equal distance which allowed him to enjoy the view all the more. It was difficult to explain but something about her swearing and the way it told her of poor upbringing made the sway of her hips all the more hypnotic. Rhodri actually smiled. His mind made a mental note to find more ways to appreciate the lower classes and lesser races.

The smile disappeared as the cliff emerged. They had arrived. The rope bridge swayed in the breeze and far below, the sounds of rushing water could be heard. The dark eyes were now almost black as Syna’s light faded. Rhodri tore his gaze from the woman who stood on the edge and scoured the landmark for every detail. Despite having just spent a few chimes staring at the woman in a lustful sort of appreciation, he calmly moved around her without any regard. The Eypharian even made a point to not make contact with her body in his passing. The three arms on his right side al tucked in across his chest and abdomen for a few steps then he extended his limbs for both balance and to grasp the frayed ropes which upheld the sides.

The big frame was unsteady on the swaying footpath. More than twice, the arrogant man looked down to the rushing waters below. In the daytime, the river was clean and blue; pure like the sky on a cloudless day. Yet at night, as the celestial lovers traded places in the sky, the Bluevein river ran black and cold. Rhodri ventured further out towards the middle of the bridge, his eyes bouncing from the waters beneath him and the boards that comprised the structure. According to the stories in the library, there had been a great ordeal over a wayward woman and she had paid the ultimate price for her decision. After a few more steps, the bridge really began to shift from side to side. The Eypharian bent his knees and stretched out hi six arms to give him plenty of rope to grasp from leverage. It was in this time of patience while the turbulence slowly righted itself that the brown orbs fell upon a smattering of deep stains in the wood only a few feet from his position.

“So that’s Christine.” He said calmly. “It’s nice to meet you.”
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I have six arms and one brain.
If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?
Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.
- Eypharian Logic-
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Remorse is Such a Strong Word

Postby Claire Lexi'lya on April 3rd, 2017, 2:25 am

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At first the only thought that flitted through the Kelvic’s mind was that the bridge was not somewhere she had visited before. It meant that she was lost--again--and trying to find her way back home was going to take longer than she anticipated. Anger had led her across the wrong path quite literally. Claire knew deep down she should have walked away from the infuriating man, not chased him. Except challenges were never her strong suite for the simple fact she absolutely hated to lose. It had felt like a rather big challenge at the time...

The second thought was that the Eypharian apparently decided to take up the idea of being ‘deaf’ again. His eye roll informed her that he at least heard the words, but certainly bounced off him rather than provoke him. Probably for the better because Claire had no way of fending off the brute if he had taken offense in the first place. She was practically begging to manhandled this time and the idea made her inwardly balk. The Kelvic hated it the first time, the second time wasn’t likely to change her mind about it.

But the anger boiling in her gut faded just at the sight of the bridge. There was something wrong with it. Not in an obviously dangerous way either. It was the feeling like being watched… knowing someone was there and not being able to pinpoint from where. However as far as Claire could reason, the only one present besides her was the brute. To make matters worse it nagged at the back of her mind that she knew he was there. Despite having never looked back once, Claire was acutely aware of his presence.

The bridge in the fading light almost appeared twisted to her eyes. Slowly Claire let her feet bring her to the edge of the trench, eyes cast downward to the water far down below. The rushing water seemed to fill her ears, drowning out the sounds of night falling around her. It dazed her, in an almost hypnotic way. Time lost meaning as the ominous feeling of the bridge and raging water pulled her in.

Beneath the noise of the water, Claire swore she could hear the sound of voices. Someone speaking to her--or perhaps just around her. A distant echo of arguing based on the tone, however the actual words were slurred. Nothing was clear, but they were there nonetheless. The harder she tried to focus on the words however the more faded they became. It was like trying to keep water from slipping between her fingers while they were spread wide. There was only one thing the Kelvic was absolutely sure of.

One of the voices belonged to her mother.

Which seemed like a rather odd realization for her. Her mother was not a woman of angry words or tones, even when Claire had purposely caused trouble. There had always been an impossible calm to the woman. But there was no mistaking the pitch that belonged to her mother… even as angry as it sounded. The second voice was deeper and very obviously male. It wasn’t one she ever remembered hearing as far as she could tell. But it was a voice that seemed to set her on edge just at the sound. As if it should have been familiar.

It was the scent of vanilla and sandalwood that filled her lungs that suddenly seemed to snap her back to reality. It almost felt like a sharp tug over the voices and it quite literally made her reel back from the edge of the trench with a sharp gasp for air. The echoes faded completely and the world rushed in to take its place. Looking up, Claire caught the movement of the Eypharian as he began to cross the bridge. If he had noticed her disposition he certainly wasn’t going to remark on it. Still ignoring her then…

Frowning the Kelvic lifted her left hand to the base of her skull where an odd ache had formed as she approached the tip of the bridge. He seemed to be looking for something, though in the low light Claire knew she probably wouldn’t be able to pick up on whatever it was. Rhodri shifted near the middle of the bridge, bending down to examine something, and Claire felt her eyes narrow in question. There were faint words on the wind… these belonged entirely to the man before her. She couldn’t make them out, but she suddenly felt exasperated.

“I can’t get him to react with words, but we have all the time in the world to speak to a bridge.” The deadpan sarcastic words were cast to the darkened sky as if there was some kind of hidden answer above her. She wasn’t ever going to understand the being in front of her, but that never stopped her from trying.

Sighing heavily, she took the first few steps onto the bridge without issue. Her hands floated above the ropes in case she needed assistance, but balance was one thing she always seemed to excel in. Even without the tail. So long as there wasn’t a person built like a wall before her, or dropping her like a stone anyway. But moving across the bridge intensified the unsettling feeling of being watched, and it took several deep breaths before she could bring herself to stop just feet behind him.

“Are you done yet talking to inanimate objects?” The question spilt out of her before she could even wonder why she cared. It came as a total surprise, as if she hadn’t been the one asking it at all. Or the fact that she was waiting for him to finish his inspection at that. Between the bridge’s ominous feel, and the wide array of emotions the six armed man brought out of her, Claire swore she was going to have a headache for a week. To try her best to cover her unusual concern, she voiced an entirely likely one.

“Because if you fall off, not even my gnosis is going to save your butt this time.” Drawing in a deep breath, she crossed her arms over her chest and pressed her lips together. Almost as if she were truly impatient instead of curious. “Nor am I likely to try and save it this time anyway. And just what are you doing in the first place?”

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Remorse is Such a Strong Word

Postby Rhodri on April 10th, 2017, 1:56 am

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Rhodri glanced behind him at the small woman. Her face was lost in some faraway place that told the Eypharian more than enough to keep his distance. Emotions were messy and memories always had emotional anchors to weigh their carriers down. The young man had always aspired to rise above those around him and trying to help others work through their daddy issues wasn’t going to facilitate his goals. In spite of his contempt for the confusing aspects of the human condition, Rhodri felt his pheromones still salivating down his neck. What was it about this woman that triggered such a reaction from his body? His mind certainly wasn’t the driving force and that fact bothered him. How am I supposed to master the sphere of my influence when I can’t master my own form?”

This thought brought a scowl to his face and the Eypharian began to refocus on his current mission; investigating the bridge. The legend of this place was morbid and yet a very clear example of what lay in store for those who defy the society built by the blue warriors. Their city was beautiful and from what Rhodri had seen, it was well run. There was a system created for every facet of life and all of these fit into a hierarchy of order that had stood in place for centuries. Yet, underneath all of the structure and elegance was a brutal truth that no one was above the blues or their goals. The stains in the wood planks of the swaying bridge were evidence of that. Rhodri did not blame the all-male race. Their very survival depended upon a time-honored system and the woman had outright defiled it. A slight grin curled at his lips as he thought about how powerful the council must have felt when they sentenced her to death by her own will.

That chirping noise interrupted his thoughts again. The smirk disappeared as he felt the swaying motion of the ropes change and adjust to a second mass. Rhodri’s deep brown gaze shifted first to the corner of his vision to see the small woman approaching him. A sigh escaped his lips out of slight frustration. The kelvic had patched the Eypharian up very well at the gates which led into the city. Her little form flew in and landed next to his bruised and battered body. In a flash of light like some heavenly being, the brunette began to tend to his wounds in all of her natural splendor. The glands in the young man’s neck reacted to the memory of the graceful curves that sidled up next to him when the arrogant man was at his weakest. His fingertips tingled as he remembered touching her soft skin and the spark that it left in his chest. This all faded when she began to sass him over the favor that she had paid and how she wouldn’t do it again. He shook his head and let a scathing chortle escape his lips while the handsome face looked up to meet her gaze.

“Can you leverage any more good feelings from doing your duty, healer? Or are you after something in return?” He tilted his head to one side while still being crouched. “A healer with a price- how revolting.” Rhodri twisted his body to swing his broad shoulders in a way that closed him off from her once more and centered the mark left behind from a woman who was beaten into committing suicide. “Claire…” He looked over his shoulder at her with a nonchalant sort of gaze. “That is your name, yes?” He gave a forced smiled then pointed at the stain with his middle left hand. “This bridge is called Christine’s Remorse. More accurately, this stain is Christine.” With his lower right hand, he put his index and middle finger on the edge of the rounded blood line. He traced it gently. He continued to tell the tale as he followed the various rings of blood that have settled into the graining of the wood. “You see…the Akalaks –the blue men who run this city, don’t have any women in their race.” The Eypharian cast a sidelong glance at her but didn’t stop spilling the information that he had just learned. “They have a group of women called the Nakivak. They are the highest rank an outsider can achieve in Riverfall but it comes with a price.”

Slowly, Rhodri rose up until he could lean on the ropes over the bloodmark. “Nakivak are the property of the city for two years until they deliver sons to the giant blue brutes- an uppity stable of women willing to risk the dangerous delivery of such a large child just to become a citizen.” Rhodri gave Claire a very thorough up and down with his eyes making sure to freeze their gaze upon her hips longer than any other part. His glands began to sweat again which caused a slight catch in his throat. The arrogant young man played it off and continued. “You might not fare so well with the big guys, dear.” He gave his head a little tilt. “Anyway, one of these prized whores was with child and aborted it. Such a thing had never happened before and while the gang in charge tried to figure out what to do, a trio of Akalak who had given in to their darker halves stole the woman and hurled her off the bridge.” The man used all six arms to simulate casting a body over the ropes for effect.

“A few decades later, another woman aborted her baby.” He gave a wily grin to his audience of one, pheromones pumping and speech rolling from his tongue like fine silk. “She was seized by the leaders of Riverfall and told to cast herself over the bridge –this bridge! Yet, she refused.” Rhodri knelt back down and touched the stain. “They had two of their warriors who follow a different code beat and maim the woman; Christine was her name. They beat her until she was broken and useless…” His eyes had been on the bloody boards but now he turned them back upon Claire with almost a bit of sympathy in the deep chocolate pools –or maybe it was concern. His voice dropped to almost a whisper. “After all that…they cast her into the river. It's why this bridge is called Christine's Remorse” He flicked two fingers towards the falls and his eyes followed. He lingered in silence for a moment before standing to his full height. The Eypharian towered over the little thing so completely that his height and breadth seemed to wrap around her as he leaned down just a bit. One of the gifts of his race was his persuasive scent and he was no longer fighting the will of its production. “Be careful, healer. All beauty hides a secret.” Rhodri lingered and allowed his eyes to stare into her. The young man wasn’t sure what to do so he just stood and gave free reign to a host of thoughts.
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I have six arms and one brain.
If you only have two arms, what does that say about your ability to think?
Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.
- Eypharian Logic-
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Rhodri
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Remorse is Such a Strong Word

Postby Claire Lexi'lya on April 11th, 2017, 12:08 am

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There was no stopping the narrowing of her eyes as the Eypharian insinuated that she had a price for healing him. She had never viewed herself as someone who actually needed gratitude, but for some reason she had the rather high expectation of it coming from him. Maybe it was because at the time she had been the only who deemed him worthy of attention. There was no telling how long the brute could have laid there against the sign—bloody and beaten.

“Yes. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to pay someone with politeness.” The Kelvic growled at him. It was a weak shot considering she herself wasn’t exactly pleasant with him. He had earned this in her opinion however. She had already apologized for her clumsiness… the least he could do is excuse her for it given her help before. The worst of it was her previous insinuation that she would let him die was completely untrue. The gnosis on her face easily claimed it to be false. Even without the mark, she had helped people who were far nastier than Rhodri. But he irked her more than anyone else in her past. It was frustrating and Claire had no idea why.

She simply ignored his question about her name. Given the simmering rage beneath her skin, the Kelvic knew she couldn’t open her mouth. More insults would have followed and honestly it was like hurling them at a statue. It was a waste of energy—at least for the moment. The Eypharian didn’t seem to notice or car either. He moved on about the history of the bridge. A grim and bloody fate because one woman who defied the Akalak.

Perhaps it had been the idea of property. The moment the word came out of the brute’s mouth, Claire couldn’t help but grind her teeth together in anger. No one deserved to be viewed as something as little as furniture or a knife. Petch, some people considered those things above another being entirely. His eyes wandered her form, as if to punctuate the idea of being nothing more than a breeder. Something to give life but with no value otherwise.

“I suppose that’s for me to know isn’t it?” The sneer left her lips before she could choke it back. Claire had never bothered considering becoming a vessel for children, though she had heard through the grapevine at the medical center that Kelvics actually did rather well with bearing Akalak offspring. The word whore caused her to bristle further, and the raptor wasn’t even sure why she bothered remaining in place. It was as if her feet were glued to the boards beneath her feet, just to listen to the end of some poor woman.

Punishment was one thing, but it was against everything she stood for—killing someone just because someone changed their mind. The idea made her shudder visibly. Of course it was just as hard to imagine ending the life of an unborn child. Whatever had driven the woman to that point, crossing over that edge of ending a life…

The bridge held that feeling of being because it was. There had been bloodshed and lives lost and it stained the land—the falls below them. Claire had no idea if it might be a ghost, or just some kind of energy attached to the bridge, but it wasn’t to be dealt with. Rhodri shifted, pulling closer than she should have allowed. The Kelvic had to practically crane her neck all the way back just to keep eye contact with him, even with him curved towards her.

It felt like a stalemate honestly. He taunted her with words about beauty and secrets as if he expected her to pour a secret out herself, and somewhere in the back of her mind she felt a tug. A sharp pull that wasn’t painful but certainly leading. It did not tug her away from the Eypharian, but towards him. It was instinctual and deep, something her mother had described to her a very long time ago.

No. No, no, no, no…

“No.” It wasn’t so much as straight refusal at the thought, but certainly all denial. Claire had never felt it before, but for her first choice it was some shyke bullying brute with six arms and his head so far up his arse she couldn’t tell them apart. It was a secret, but at this moment there was no beauty in it. Just how she could find something alike in herself with him of all people…

So she did the only thing she could think of. Without another word she backed away from him, refusing to play at this little game anymore. With a rather unlady like snort and her head full of denial, she turned on her heel and fairly marched away from the six armed man. The Kelvic forced him from her mind, the pull that reminded her that he was behind her. She cared not if he followed.

It was time to go home.

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Remorse is Such a Strong Word

Postby Grim Ravenwood on June 29th, 2017, 3:30 pm

Your Grades

Rhodri:

Skills:
Observation: 3
Socialization: 2
Storytelling: 1
Seduction: 1

Lores:
Self: Manipulative
Self: Enjoys toying with others
Loaction: Christina’s Remorse
Akalak: Top class in Riverfall
Claire: Attractive Kelvic
Riverfall: Nakivak



Claire:


Skills:
Socialization: 4
Sewing: 1
Observation: 1

Lores:
Rhodri: Arrogant
Rhodri: The Brute
Rhodri: Smells pleasantly
Riverfall: Kelvics are considered pets
Sewing: Don’t pull too tight
Riverfall: Nakivak
Self: Hates to loose
Location: Christina’s Remorse

Grader's Comments:
Please be sure to delete your request from this thread. If you have any issue with the grades or lores, shoot me a pm. Rhodri, you are allowed to be behind one season on payments, but please take care of that, as you have not yet paid living expenses for spring. Enjoy your grades, they are to die for~

As always, Death guide you
Grim
Grim as an Eiyon, appears to undead as either something to be fearful, or weary of, depending on their personal power. To others, he might seem like a mystery, or just odd.
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