Closed The End of the Chase

Decisions are made...

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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]

The End of the Chase

Postby Claire Lexi'lya on May 12th, 2017, 12:22 am

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Mid afternoon | XX, Spring 517 A.V.


The Travertine hot springs was a work of art. Nature had created something of beauty along the cliff sides just outside Riverfall, and despite this being her first visit, Claire had little doubt it would not be her last. The weather was on the warmer side, signaling that summer lingered around the corner. The heat did not bother her like she thought it might, even with the massive amount of feathers her raptor form wore. She was not a bird for water, but the heat it seemed was more than easily dealt with—a lazy day in the shadow of orchard trees for example.

The Kelvic normally held a large amount of patience, as it was nearly built into her hunting system. On the rare occasion she indulged in a hunt, the waiting game had always been the key to a successful catch. It was something as dependable as medicine—something that was born of her and learned through patience and practice. And as of late it was also something she was failing at. It seemed another instinctual feeling was capable of rendering her nearly useless, and it was tied to one thing—one person.

Rhodri…

Waiting to hear from the Eypharian was maddening. It tore at her soul and pushed against everything she stood for. The raptor was normally calm and collected—capable of making swift, decisive decisions without panic. And the infuriating six armed man had robbed her of it the day at the tower just above her home. Claire held no patience for the hunt. She preened herself to the point her feathers had begun to look nearly ragged. Flying gave no distraction. And medicine brought no joy either. Basic mistakes had begun to filter into her normally clean routines, and not even the quiet solitude of the conservatory among the flowers could bring her harried emotions to soften.

The brute left her nerve-wracked.

It was beginning to show outside her daily hobbies too. Her so called brother had made several attempts to speak to her—none of which actually ended well for him. Her sleep had deteriorated vastly and it made for one cranky girl. Tristan was far more wary of her than before… but this could have also been for the fact she no longer saw Rhodri, given she had promised to give him space. She had no idea what Tristan had against the man, but any mention of the Eypharian made his face twist into an unidentifiable emotion to her. But Rhodri's lack of presence meant Tristan no longer hovered—at least as closely as he dared before. It made shifting to flee his sight entirely a rather easy affair. The Kelvic needed space for herself, nothing within the city to remind her of the very thing she was missing, and the hot springs seemed an interesting first visit.

And while the warm waters tried to relax her muscles, it seemed they did very little for her soul.

The girl had chosen not to bring anything with her—clothing wasn't a necessary requirement for water—and taken up residency in one of the lower pools away from the top of the cliff. It had taken a bit of time to find one that suited her preference, warm enough to keep her happy yet cool enough to ensure no permanent burns. Not to mention prying eyes. Or perhaps it was just another effect of her unfinished bond. Indecisiveness.

Or wishy washy. That term worked too.

Currently, Claire had pressed herself along the far edge of the basin she had chosen. Her arms delicately folded along the edge while her chest and stomach rested against the wall of the pool. The edges of her hair drifted in the water, turning black as they twisted through the slight current. Her legs were folded beneath her and twisted off to one side so that they wouldn't become cramped because the Kelvic had decided to spend a great deal of time at the hot springs.

She had a choice to make.

The raptor has promised Rhodri she would wait. It wasn't a decision to make lightly and the bird knew that pushing the Eypharian would only result in failure. But holding out hope was beginning to ruin other aspects of her life. Every day seemed to pull her further into sorrow—and it didn’t help that the last time she had seen the man he had been fairly difficult. In one breath he seemed protective, and the next his attitude reflected anger. The situation had certainly been stressful enough, and the Kelvic was left more confused than ever.

Her need to bond was a biological one, but it was her desire that steered her towards the brute. Loneliness clawed at her chest so deeply she half expected there to be physical signs of her emotions across her skin. It had been lonely before Rhodri of course, but even with his arrogance and belittling ways he somehow managed to make her feel whole.

Even when she was scathingly pissed off at him.

Today had to be a turning point. No matter how much it bothered her to give up on him… she was alone in Riverfall. No one to rely on if she failed. She couldn't allow herself to fall into trouble with her job or living situation. If he hadn't come to find her yet… the Kelvic found it hard to believe that he would be accepting her at all. And the mere thought was enough to conjure tears to the corners of her eyes. Perhaps he had found a way to live without her after all. Was it her turn now? He wouldn't be the only one she could ever bond with. But he was certainly special. Gods only knew if he heard such a statement out loud. He would likely lord it over her until the day she died.

As the Kelvic let a breathy sigh from her throat that sounded vaguely like pained moan as she let her chin fall to rest on her arms, but kept her eyes firmly locked on the sea in the distance. Today would be the last day she fretted over the beautiful man who thought himself as divinity. She had to hold conviction… to regain some order. Because while he wasn't going to be her only choice…

… she had wanted him to be. And that made her decision all the more difficult.

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The End of the Chase

Postby Rhodri on May 14th, 2017, 12:52 pm

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Something had gone horribly wrong. A fortnight ago, Rhodri and Claire had been telling each other the truth –finally! After several encounters of games and run-arounds, a breath of fresh air and some honesty gave new life to the arrogant man. He had come to Riverfall to better himself so that revenge and destiny would be easier for him to take. What he found was a world uncaring of his lineage, unconcerned for his well-being and undoubtedly willing to destroy him if for no other reason than to weed out a weak link in the chain.

The Eypharian dug deep into himself to find the courage to do things he felt beneath him. He took on employment, surrendered himself to the city’s unbalanced hierarchy and even ‘volunteered’ to help in a situation that held no direct benefit for him. His family would not recognize him. His peers from his homeland would not believe such tales but it was all true. Perhaps the most impactful storyline was the one that involved a small woman with wavy brown hair. A slave by most standards, she should have been nothing more than property to him –a doormat to wipe the sand from his divine feet. Yet, the young healer not only sent a massive ripple through the exile’s life but she exposed a void within his soul that he did not know existed. Now that Rhodri was aware of what was missing, he had fallen prey to the power of loss and grief.

Recent events had put the Eypharian on edge. He’d been given a chance; multiple ones, in fact, to tell Claire how he really felt. He’d asked for time, received it from her and his feelings did not wane but rather, intensified. Being the buffoon that he is, the aristocrat could never seem to get his six arms to all move in unison. When he wanted to tell her the truth, he ended up shouting insults. When he wanted to get her attention with a soft gesture, he became cold. Over and over again, this cycle tore him apart and the longer it went on the more frustrated he became which led to more mistakes and miscues. Rhodri was a mess when it all came to an end. He wanted nothing more than to curl up someone quiet with the dainty Kelvic until he couldn’t tell where she ended and he began.

Such was not to be. Clair disappeared as soon as her duties had been fulfilled. Once again, the dark eyes of the desert brat watched as her great wings bore her fast and far away from him. The time before hadn’t hurt so bad but the day at the vineyard felt like his heart was breaking.

The last episode was the worst.

Instead of a broken heart; pieces of a whole that could be put back together, Rhodri felt his heart just stop. One tick, it was pounding in his ears and hanging in his throat but as Claire’s feathered form shrank into just a dot, the young man stopped feeling anything. A cold sensation burned him from the inside out and the fires in his eyes were extinguished. A vibration reverberated out from his chest that shot down his arms and legs to tingle his palms, fingers and make his guts ache. This sour feeling stuck around long after she had gone. More than twice, the Eypharian snapped at a random person on the streets. His foul mood seemed to penetrate even the happiest of memories as his brain worked overtime to find some sort of way to make the pain stop.

It was one of these outbreaks that had led him into an interesting situation. Two women stood nearby the latest event with amused looks on their faces. Rhodri was distracted by his misery but one said something to the other then approached the Eypharian. Long, wavy tendrils of sable hair blew about in the wind across the lithe figure of a woman with sun-kissed skin. The aristocrat almost took hold of the apparition in front of him but when he moved forward he found this person to be much too tall to be Claire. With a delicate hand, the woman pulled hair back from her face to reveal a pretty smile and light yellow-green eyes; not the dark eyes of the eagle.

Rhodri was so disappointed but didn’t even feel the sinking sensation that normally followed such a let-down. He’d already hit the bottom and tried to scrape by the pretty girl who was now looking at him with a look of pity.

“Aww, sugar. I know that look.” She put a soft hand on the man’s chest which only set off alarms in his head. The desert brat immediately pushed off her touch and stared at her with eyes like daggers. “It’s ok. When I had to give up my son, I didn’t want company either- but the truth is…” She leaned forward with a slight grin and lowered her voice to a whisper. “I needed a companion then just like you need one now.” Rhodri shrugged. He did need a companion but it wasn’t this tall, leggy woman. From the sounds of her story, she was once Nakivak and now a free citizen thanks to her contribution to the all-male society. Rhodri mumbled a response to her that was something along the lines of “just get me out of town for a while.”

The woman seemed to light up and shifted from standing before the tall Eypharian to being next to him. She guided Rhodri through the city then past it towards the sea to the south. The man had never been this way but he hadn’t been paying attention so he had no idea what route his newfound friend had taken. The walk was a blur. The exile hardly paid attention to anything including the endless conversation. Twice, Rhodri had to separate himself from the clingy thing next to him. He didn’t wish to be touched but the stubborn female didn’t seem to take the hint and continued to wrap herself around his right arms. It became apparent to the man that his guide didn’t mind the back and forth- in fact, she was acting like it was some kind of game. The spirit of the aristocrat was broken so he just stopped trying to fight and surrendered his lower right arm to serve as a tether.

The walk seemed to take forever and several times Rhodri caught himself looking over and wanting to touch the luminous hair only to realize it wasn’t the infuriating healer but some pretender. The irony of having a visually similar woman on his arm was not lost to the Eypharian. She didn’t smell like Claire nor was she as beautiful and this one was taller which felt awkward. He had no desire or intentions towards the person next to him but he didn’t have the strength to fight so he simple allowed himself to be led about like a lost sheep.

The earthen stare moved about from side to side taking in no details or any particular sites until they came to a cliff. Rhodri narrowed his gaze as they face the sea and a multitude of pools that cascaded down the front of the rocks. Steam rose up like a fog above this place and the normally humid air intensified to the point that it affected the lungs of the tall Eypharian. “What is this place?” It was the first time he’d spoken or even paid attention since he ran into her near the Kuvay’Nas building.

“It’s the Travertine Hot Springs, silly boy.” The woman was pouring on her charm but didn’t care or notice that her target was scarcely listening let alone picking up on subtleties like the inflection in her voice or the coy stare. “The hot waters can melt away what’s bothering you.” There was almost a purr in her words. Rhodri looked at the woman for the first time since they met. She had a very knowing look and even nodded to confirm his unspoken question. She reached around him and undid the strap to his ruck. A set of hands caught her by the wrists while another set took hold of his possessions.

“I’ll deal with this. Know your place, mbene shure.” He finished the task and set the pack in front of him. Rhodri stripped from his shirt and stuffed it into the pack. The woman reached for his weapons belt and received a smack on her hand that was not only firm but rather unkind. The arrogant man glared at her and she sheepishly withdrew her hands but not her body from within his shadow. The lifetime of having servants quickly rose back to the surface of the golden skin. He had a calm anger in his eyes. The woman was not Claire and so she would not be treated as the kelvic healer. That didn’t mean that she couldn’t serve a purpose. He was dirty and sore. This woman could satisfy some things even if it wasn’t the huge void he now felt in his core. Rhodri removed one weapon at a time and held it out for her. “Put this in my bag.” The female did as she was told. The process was repeated two more times.

When it was all done, Rhodri lifted his pack and held it on his left side while the woman cheerily attached herself to his lower right hand. She went back to clucking about some such nonsense but the Eypharian lifted a hand. “Don’t talk. Just find me a pace to relax.” The girl nodded and started down the narrow staircase in front of the aristocrat.

“The pools at the bottom are cooler. Follow me.” Rhodri smiled but it was not a kind grin. He allowed himself to be led down further towards the ocean. The entire scene was almost unreal. The beauty of what ly before him was stirring his insides again but the natural sanctuary only reminded him of his failure with Claire. The stirring ceased. In its place, he felt that cold emptiness that made him want to beat the woman in front of him just for pretending to be the little healer. It wasn’t that she could know or did it to be malicious but that the world would play such a cruel joke on the Eypharian should not go without response. As a descendant of the gods, it was Rhodri’s duty to let the tall and graceful stranger know that she was only what he allowed her to be.

His thoughts lingered in this violent place until he heard his new follower address a third party. Rhodri looked up to see the woman standing beside a pool with her dress in a heap on the edge. Her body was well-kept but a bit pale. The setting rays cast a wave of light over the small curves that made her look attractive but it wasn’t enough to make the man’s pheromones engage. He just stared at her hen found his eyes wandering to the person that was on the other end of a polite question. “Mind if we join you?”

When Rhodri looked to the figure already in the pool, he nearly choked. “Claire.” His voice sounded like sand pressed against a piece of parchment. If he hadn’t been already, the exile was staring at the small, wet figure. Th woman he was with saw the expression on his golden face and gave a hiss at the other woman who had caught the Eypharian’s attention. This drew Rhodri to her focus but not in a good way. He made a leap towards her and landed inches from her body. His voice was so loud that it echoed off of the various tiers nearby before being flung outward to sea. “Know your place!” He roared. The combination of his aggressive action and words caught her off-guard and the woman tumbled backwards. She fell off the small ledge and down to the next tier some six feet below with a splash. The man just looked down at her as he had from the start. In his mind, the encounter was over.

Having dealt with the nuisance, Rhodri turned around to Claire and his entire world shifted beneath him. He nearly fell into the water as emotions and feelings overwhelmed him like being washed in the surf only to be stolen from the shore by a riptide. He couldn’t speak; couldn’t think. He opened his mouth but no words came out for the Eypharian. Finally, after a chime or two of struggling –though it felt like bells – he managed a very soft phrase. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
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The End of the Chase

Postby Claire Lexi'lya on May 14th, 2017, 11:11 pm

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The ocean moved endlessly as Syna crept across the sky. Solitude did little to stop the war consistently waging in her head. The yes and no, the right and wrong. It was relentless in the back of her head even when she wanted to stop thinking about it. Despite the decision she made it seemed her entire being wanted to fight it. More time, more space. Claire wasn’t sure how much she had left to give to the entire ordeal. There had to be a stopping point—thought she had already reached it. But the circles she was currently chasing herself into signaled she had no idea just how far she’d go…

The Kelvic never failed to make things messy with the Eypharian.

There was the faintest sound of shuffling off in the distance just behind her. The girl didn’t bother to move or look—she couldn’t be the only one at the springs. If she ignored them, then there was a greater chance that they would leave her in peace. Her sharp eyes continued to remain on the ocean, the waves that never ended. But the sound of a girl’s voice filtered into her ears and Claire let out a rough sigh as she let her eyes slid shut.

After several breaths, the Kelvic let her eyes open and she shifted her weight slightly so that she could glance over her right shoulder to the naked woman standing at the edge of her pool. Her eyes traced the outline of her form, where her dress rested, and then there was the glint of gold that belonged to the person standing next to her. It took no time—not even a full visual of the man—before her stomach dropped to the stone beneath her. Once again her entire focus of the man on her mind seemed to summon him… except he wasn’t alone. The tall, very naked female specimen that was currently focused on her seemed to be his company.

There was no stopping the myriad of emotions that suddenly flooded her. Claire could barely keep up with them as the bombarded her as she took in the full scenario in front of her. The woman was pretty enough and apparently wanted Rhodri to join her in the pool. He was shirtless—which she might have actually taken the time to stare and enjoy the view had she not suddenly felt so cornered. Her heart began to pound furiously in her chest and for a moment the Kelvic thought she might actually hyperventilate.

Betrayal overrode most of her feelings. Which was ridiculous because they weren’t anything, especially if the two people in front of her had anything to say about it. It was her own instinct that roared over everything else. He was supposed to be hers and somehow he had fallen out of her grasp before she even realized it. It made sorrow well up in her chest, trying to rage war against her possessiveness. He had made his choice, but it had been her own decision that robbed her of the knowledge.

It suddenly dawned on her that her request to be saved a goodbye was probably the worst decision she had ever made.

The Eypharian’s eyes—which had been watching the naked woman—suddenly found her. Claire could barely hear her own name over the roar in her ears. The woman, however, seemed to notice that something was amiss between them, and took quite the offense to it. She literally hissed at her and Claire narrowed her eyes at the woman. It gave her the chance to latch onto something other than sorrow, loss, and betrayal. Anger was so much easier to use.

Rhodri beat her to it. He practically jumped at the woman, shouting in her face that she should know her place. His defensive stance knocked the woman off balance and for a moment Claire felt her heart leap into her throat as the woman tumbled backward. It was only the sound of water that let it fall back into place, and resume beating wildly out of control. The brute once again focused his attention on her, and Claire simply stared impassively at him as he tried to get his mouth to work.

“I thought I’d never see you again.”

The words brought out a humorless laugh out of her. It was a foolish thought, that they’d never see the other again. How many times had they bumped into each other without trying—including their present circumstance. She couldn’t make out if he was happy to see her, or if his words meant that he had been trying to avoid her, but her mind took the worst possible path given their previous engagement. “We live in the same city Eypharian, of course, we were likely to see the other again.” Claire couldn’t use his name… it felt too personal now. Too deep.

The raptor couldn’t have kept the bitterness out of her voice if she tried. She tore her eyes from the beautiful gold tinted skin to look back out at the ocean in front of her. “You didn’t need to do that you know. You’re more than free to bring whoever you want… wherever.” His choice was made and now she had to deal with her own fallout. Her fingers clenched into her fist until she could feel her fingernails digging into the skin.

“I see you figured out if you could live without me.” The words left her mouth before she could contain them. There wasn’t even any heat behind them like she would have preferred. They sounded sad even to her ears and Claire realized she couldn’t even hang onto the anger that had filled her moments before. She was too tired—arguing and fighting for something that had already passed. The Kelvic closed her eyes, fingers immediately moving to wipe at her face before pulling a painful breath into her chest.

Rhodri was blocking the only real feasible escape she could take. Granted the male would likely let her be given his choice, but the Kelvic couldn’t handle to get that close to him. Shifting was her only choice, but it wasn’t ideal either. It would leave water beneath her feathers, which would make flying difficult. Overall her feathers were fairly water repellent, but so close to the skin meant they would hold the water. The weight was something she could handle, but it was more the awkwardness and adjustments she would have to make to handle it.

There was the choice to just remain in the pool and ignore the Eypharian… which wasn’t really a choice.

So the girl gathered her legs beneath her and used her arms to help pull herself to stand. The water dripping off her skin reminded her that this wouldn’t be easy, but she didn’t have to remain shifted for long—just long enough to get away. Long enough to wrap her head around everything she had just lost in a matter of moments. She swung her legs up and over the ledge of the pool and bit her lip for a moment before focusing her gaze on the man she was once again running from.

“Goodbye Rhodri.”

It felt like the final nail in a coffin that should have been buried long ago. Claire focused on the shift, feeling feathers take the place of naked skin. The weight of water that clung to her skin—now stuck between her feathers—was highly uncomfortable. She flapped her wings, testing the newfound weight to her body. She repeated the same words in her head over and over again. Just long enough to escape… to run away.

Again.

She hated the idea of it really, but if she stayed she would break. The last time such a thing had happened it had taken her so long to just get back up. And the loss of her mother seemed so different than this—this was leaving a scar on her heart and soul. There was no telling how long it would take for her to get back up from this. So the Kelvic relied on being a coward, no matter how much the word left a distaste in her mouth.

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The End of the Chase

Postby Rhodri on May 23rd, 2017, 3:12 am

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The words that came from the Kelvic’s mouth might as well have been rocks. Insult after insult was then followed by cutting remarks which all crashed like waves against the rocks and Rhodri was just a pile of sand that washed away one grain at a time. The onslaught never seemed to stop and the Eypharian felt like his towering frame was being reduced to rubble with every scathing statement. His eyes held on with quivering brown rings to the small fire that still burned deep down inside of his body. The exile had never felt more alive than when he held her –than when the heat from her body set his golden skin on fire like the rays of the sun goddess.

A shift of light distracted Rhodri. Claire had walked away from him in a huff at the bridge. She had flown away from the vineyard without any explanation after they had shared the most intimate and eye-opening experience of the young man’s life. As an arrogant racist, the Eypharian believed himself to be above any situation and anybody involved in it. Claire had ruined that notion. The small body of a slave triggered his heart in ways he didn’t understand yet the emotions overwhelmed his reason and upbringing; his very core had been wrecked by the lithe little healer and there was a large part of the man that didn’t care. The gilded skin quivered and resorted to puckering into a million tiny bumps of skin that followed a shiver up his spine and down his limbs.

Goodbye Rhodri.

The eagle in front of him brought to a head the battle of pride versus instinct. Rhodri was suddenly angry as the magnificent creature fluffed its wings. His breathing increased in frequency but the mount of air he took shrank until the broad shoulders rose and fell at a quick pace. His face turned red beneath the well-groomed beard and the brown eyes, moments ago in mourning, flashed with a violent explosion like that of a volcano. His lips made a hard line but parted just enough to utter a spiteful phrase that was accented by several droplets of spittle. “Like Hai…”

The words came out in a growl that was fueled by countless bells of suppressed emotions, denied affections and confused intentions. Rhodri flexed his entire body all at once in what might have looked like a back spasm which pulled his arms back simultaneously. The Eypharian let out a shout that landed somewhere between a battle cry and roar of frustration. This vocalized profession of anger triggered movement from the tall figure. The aristocrat leapt forward and down with his eyes on the small ledges that separated the water. The first step was a solid plant but the second was off to the outside of his right sole and it caused him to buckle at his midsection. The large man’s abdominal muscles strained and his arms flailed in various positions to offset the sudden displacement of his gravity’s center. This worked enough to allow Rhodri to land a third step but his weight was continuing to travel beyond the width of his stance. The very next step was only close enough for him to land a few inches of his toe onto the ledge and despite his twisting and attempts at balance, the Eypharian was top heavy.

Rhodri tumbled with a growl that morphed into a startled cry that ended in a splash. The dark hair and gold skin disappeared into the steamy waters. The small tsunami which followed dropped the water level almost half an arm’s length in that individual pool. For a moment, the splashing of a back and forth wave controlled the surface of the turbulent oval. After half a chime, the liquid parted with a tearing sound as the Eypharian burst to the surface and floundered to the edge. All six arms eventually drug his form to a place where he was nearest to Claire. The look on his face was transparent. Fear.

His mind had run to a place that laid mountains of blame upon his heart. For his failure, Rhodri would surface to witness her soaring way until she was just a dot in the clouds. The brown eyes blinked rapidly to shed the droplets of hot water but the glassiness of the earthen robs suggested another source of moisture. Tense ticks chiseled their way into history until his face found her sitting there just out of reach. Even in her avian form, he could read the cold emptiness of her eyes. She was hurt and now certain of her actions. The desert brat had allowed that other woman to walk with him, lead him here otherwise he would not have come but the presence of the taller female was the reason for the hurtful words that his Claire had whispered through the steam.

Rhodri’s face was bleeding in two places; along his cheekbone and a split lower lip. The red substance trickled into his beard where it dispersed with the water from the pools and the sweat which the steam brought. Soaked from head to toe but overheating, he huffed a bit as the Eypharian weakly pushed his body up to the small surface that created space from one solace to the next. His arms strained and flexed as he slowly brought his body out of the water. The humid air clung to him and his clothes but he didn’t seem to mind. Unwilling to take his eyes from her, he sucked in his bottom lip and tasted his own mortality. It was heavy like a coagulated wine but thick with the taste of metal. The thought that he was more steel than flesh brought little comfort as he watched another flash bring the tiny frame of Claire back into his vision. Instantly, his pheromones started to dump his scent into the mix of steam and ocean breeze.

Just as her feathers were graceful in their power, the slightly tanned skin and flowing dark waves swayed with a delicate balance of elegance and virile prowess. The deep eyes of the man watched her draw near – bound by her gift – to touch him. For a few ticks, he stretched his broken body towards the magical touch that would take way the sting in his cheek and seal his skin once more. As her fingertips grazed his cheek, his upper hands shout up and caught her by the wrists. He used his hold of the rock and his grasp of the Kelvic to balance himself so that he could bring his face within inches of hers. The steam was thin enough in the small span that he would be exposed for being on the verge of tears. The salty droplets were formed of pain but not the physical sort. His entire story since they had met was playing on repeat in his mind and the repeated destruction that he had faced now leaked from his vision. In a voice that was shaky yet powerful in the confidence of his truth, Rhodri addressed the healer with a phrase that made his shoulders sag in both release and defeat.

A firm yet wide open stare affixed itself to her gaze. The upper hands held her wrists and the lower ones supported his weight but the middle ones seemed locked into an inner struggle that weighed whether or not to touch her face and hair. “If you’re going to leave, then leave. It’s not fair that you mend my flesh only to rip out my heart.”
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Keep your teeth together and do as your betters command.
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The End of the Chase

Postby Claire Lexi'lya on May 25th, 2017, 11:23 pm

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There should have been fear.

Claire had lived her life on a spectrum of space between herself and other people. That space had only ever been ignored when she focused on healing. More than once she had allowed the hulking man in front of her to invade her space, but this was different. His hold on her wrists kept her rooted in front of him—though there was no pain in his grip. He wasn’t holding her to keep her in one place but in order to keep her from touching him. Under other circumstances, it would have drawn out a more brusque side to her—focused on healing rather than the broken expression that marred his face.

Even when the Eypharian had lunged at her there had been no fear. The raptor swore she could hear her brother’s words in the back of her mind, shouting that Rhodri would do nothing but hurt her—but much like it had before it did not stick. She had watched him stumble, lose his footing, and disappear beneath the water. It had been the perfect opportunity to escape, by foot if she had even wanted, but there was something about his outburst that made her feel glued into one spot. As if moving would shatter everything around her and the world might crumble beneath her wings.

Or it might have been the fear on his face as he emerged from the water that stalled her idea of escape.

It wasn’t the mild damage to his face that drew her back to human form, but it was an easy cover if she had to lie her way out. Deep down the Kelvic knew it was the draw of the pain on his face. She wanted to remove it despite the fact that moments ago she was so hurt and betrayed by his simple appearance at the hot springs. Those emotions remained, lingering in the back of her chest in a pressure that threatened to overtake her once again. His words, however, jolted the girl out of her head—of the sole purpose to comfort him in one of the only ways she knew how.

It was as if she had been moving on auto and her mind suddenly snapped back into place. Claire pulled a sharp breath into her lungs to the point of pain as she narrowed her eyes at the man accusing her of trying to rip out his heart. Instead of comfort, the Kelvic felt a hot bubble of frustration beginning to well in her stomach. The man was so infuriatingly confusing that she couldn’t even tell which way was up or down with him. She gave a sharp tug downward on her wrists—not in an attempt to escape his grip—but as if the movement might jolt the man into some form of sense.

”I don’t understand.” It was an honest answer in a choked voice. He had asked her before, in a dark tower weeks ago that she might give him the truth—the whole truth. She had given it to him then, and there was no lie now. She truly did not understand the Eypharian in the slightest. A shudder rippled through her arms as the mix of emotions inside her manifested outwards. Claire swallowed thickly in an attempt to steady herself because she was far too conscious of everything she was feeling at one time.

“You asked for time and I gave it to you. I told you that I would wait for you.” The words were stronger than she had expected, though they still felt heavy in her throat. ”You didn’t come.” Another tremble passed through her arms and the Kelvic used the grip Rhodri held on her wrists to push back towards him for a moment, trying to recover from the weakness in her arms. Her frustration grew as she spoke the words out loud as if the emotion was pushing against her lungs as if to rid herself of the rest of them.

”The last time I saw you… you were hardly pleased to see me.” The girl slumped against his hold slightly, pressing her lips together for a moment before shaking her head and forcing herself to look away from him. Because it felt like a secret, the next words that tumbled out of her mouth. ”But I still waited.” The Kelvic felt as if she could no longer control her breathing. Her shoulders heaved as the frustration spread throughout her and she suddenly forced herself to look at him.

”You couldn’t stand a man even asking for me to become a Nakivak. But I am supposed to sit here and watch you bring another naked female…” She couldn’t even finish the sentence. A lump choked the words out of her throat and Claire balled her fists tightly in an attempt to reign in her feelings. It nearly a chime of shallow breathing before she even bothered to open her mouth again.

”It’s my own fault. I told you not to say goodbye—but I was wrong. You act one way but speak another. I don’t understand.” The words came out weak, like a plea. She could feel the heat welling in her own eyes that mirrored his. In one breath four words fell from her lips. Familiar words that she had said to the Eypharian before. They had started the two of them down this path to begin with. The first time she had asked it had been her attempt to play his game better than him—this time it was an attempt to settle her soul; spoken so softly the Kelvic could barely hear them herself.

"What do you want?"

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The End of the Chase

Postby Rhodri on May 28th, 2017, 4:30 pm

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Rhodri couldn’t help it. His body slowly gravitated out of the water and towards her. His arms flexed and pulled in a manner that drew inches out of chimes like draining water from a stone. The large man couldn’t help the scent that poured from his neck when his dark eyes found hers. The longing and pain they shared was stronger than the rock that held the pools in place. The heat that they created would certainly make the waters inhabitable should it ever transfer out of their souls. The random jerks she made with her arms shook him like earthquakes. Once, he almost slipped from the edge and back into the water.

Claire was a gorgeous creature. Her skin was perfect and when it was wet, she shone like one of the stars in Zintila’s cloak. One could remark on her how her curves look like they could have been shaped by the same hands that made the world. It was easy to comment on what a body could do and how it could make a man feel but the look held by the Eypharian’s dark stare saw more. Rhodri had born witness to the fiery spirit and deep emotional volcano that was her heart. When a man has gazed upon the face of the universe as it beats life and death, it’s hard to ever look at the world in the same light. As the spoiled exile stared at the tiny healer, his eyes revealed all of this; the golden skin on his face was an open book to the cycles of fear, doubt, pain and love that warred in his mind. The passion he felt place his care and concern for her on a pedestal so that the raging storm of his pride and bitter upbringing looked like fog as viewed from a mountain. The being that he held was a gift and Rhodri knew it- he’d accepted it weeks ago.

Rhodri had spent countless bells debating if he could stomach the hatred he bore towards people beneath his race. The entire season had been painted with murals of a man who had to find ways to fit in but would often encounter glimpses of honor and propriety that made him feel respect for those he’d been taught were not his equal. This back and forth cycle had been dumped onto the brunette waves of the kelvic who had turned the Eypharian’s world upside down. Here they were; together and bickering as always but all Rhodri could think about was how he had been so wrong. The words she spoke were all true. The pain they inflicted was welcomed since he felt like a man who deserved to be punished. All of this time, throughout his entire life the desert brat had felt he was better than people and for the most part- he was. Not Claire. He could explain all of his behavior to her. He could tell her how she had caused him to hate himself and then justified hating her as well for making him feel that way. No. He could not tell her this. Could he?

Rhodri felt his side twinge when she mentioned the other woman but he couldn’t be entirely angry. The strange female had been the sole reason he came to this place and without her he would not have found Claire again. He didn’t want to speak. The Eypharian was afraid of the words he might say. He shut his eyes. The pheromones were overpowering his senses as the steam from the pools seemed to intensify the vanilla and sandalwood aroma. Inside his own head, Rhodri began to respond quietly. His grip on her shifted, though. One set of hands kept him afloat while the middle held her wrists. Slowly, if she’d allow, he would interlace the fingers from his top hands into her own. Just touching her soft skin –the blessed hands – made his cheeks fill with a rouge tint. The heart inside his big chest thumped so loudly that Rhodri swore she would be able to hear it. “Claire.” He sounded like a wandered who hadn’t had a drink in days. The handsome man cleared his throat and licked his lips which also gave him a taste of his own blood from the split on his lip.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Claire.” His eyes opened to take in the sight of her face but strayed over her body before finding her warm stare once again. “I am a wreck.” His voice didn’t hold the confidence he’d always used with her. Something sounded broken like he’d been injured or ill; weak. “I blamed you for so much and thought if we were apart that I could get my head on straight.” He leaned closer to her until his nose was not far from her own. “The fact was that I was wrong. Without you there, I couldn’t focus. It was like I needed you round to get dressed.” He shut his eyes and turned away as he bit on his lower lip. The statement was ridiculous but he found no joy in admitting a fault like this. “I reacted so poorly to you because I was angry.”

Don’t say another word! The voice in his head chastised him with all of the reason why she didn’t need to know his innermost thoughts. He shook his head. “I wasn’t going to tell you this but...” A hand reached out to touch her face. “I don’t want to lie to you anymore. I don’t want to make you feel like you don’t know who I am.” Rhodri almost felt guilty for looking at her so intensely. He began to worry if his stare would hurt her somehow. “I was mad at you. I was upset that you could twist my insides and make me forget what I was doing when you weren’t even there.” His cheeks flushed again and the man pushed himself up from the water. He was standing now with his entire upper body out of the pool. Rivers of water ran through the chiseled lines of his muscles and bones but despite the appearance of a warrior, the exile’s face was one of fear.

“I told you a long time ago what I want. Then you asked me if I was able to stand up to the truth.” He took a deep breath and used all of his hands to create space between the two of them. The Eypharian released every hold and grip and backed away into the middle of the pool. “I need you, Claire. Not only do I not want to live without you…I don’t think I can.” His skin flattened despite the sun’s dying beams. This time of day should have made his skin its most golden but he seemed pale. Rhodri was out of options. He was also out of excuses. He was, once again, at her mercy but this time wasn’t about physical injuries.
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The End of the Chase

Postby Claire Lexi'lya on May 28th, 2017, 9:48 pm

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Never in her life had she ever been so torn.

Part of her wondered if this was good—for either of them. It often felt as if they would never be on the same side, forever lingering on their own sides and refusing to meet in the middle. This game had been the entire season, but to her, it felt as if it had been waged longer. She was four years old and to a Kelvic without a bondmate, her entire life was forever. Choosing a stubborn headstrong bondmate seemed like a logical choice; she, after all, was quite the same. But their actions left the other bloody—it seemed so much worse than physically tearing each other part.

Claire was acutely aware she was the one causing his pain. While she should have been upset with his words, the ones that he used to hold her responsible for his withdrawal, there wasn’t any anger to be found within. He had once told her he was a racist—even her own brother had declared she would be nothing but a slave to him. The Kelvic couldn’t begin to understand the fight he might have been waging with himself for the past few weeks. Because despite the words that he had been angry with her, Rhodri’s touch spoke nothing of it. No rage when he folded his fingers with hers. No hatred when he brushed fingers across her face.

There was no way the girl could claim to understand him, even as he tried to share his pain. It was the trust he showed her in telling her the truth despite the fact she could very well be angry at him for it. For placing blame on her shoulders—because it was true. Just as much as she twisted his insides, he tore hers to shreds. He was still terrified as he pulled away and the Kelvic did not resist him when he stood and pulled away from her entirely. It wasn’t the first time she was left feeling cold despite the heat of the air around them. Empty and lifeless because there were choices to be made and both of them kept distance in an attempt to stay sane.

And failing.

It wasn’t lost on her that he was doing it again. Saying all the words she wished to hear from him and pulling away at the same time. Only this time he wasn’t using anger to cover his fears because he had opened that part of himself to her. So Claire was stuck on one side of the pool as he backed away from her and she felt there was little she could do but watch him. The entire world seemed to stop as Claire honestly tried to find footing on new territory.

All the pain that existed between them should have made the choice clear. They should make the clean break and step away from the other permanently. Except this wasn’t what they wanted… the two of them just didn’t know how to stop putting up walls. The Kelvic dropped her hands to the stone wall holding the water—and him—separate from her and her head followed. Closing her eyes she pressed her forehead into her hands as she scrambled for something, anything, to give her an answer. She remained still for several chimes, her only movement was the rise and fall of her chest.

Claire had only one real choice, but she feared it would be the wrong one. He had dropped his walls—even just a little—to give her a view of himself. And yet he retreated, using distance as a wall now. Every other time the two of them came to this crossroad it seemed the other fled. To give space to the other so that they might come to terms. Claire was tired of giving space. She had done so and it had not done any good. She was tired of playing a coward, hiding away from what she wanted. Beneath her forehead, her fingers clenched into fists and she let out a heavy breath.

The Kelvic let her eyes fall back on the brute. For a moment she hesitated, still afraid of the choice she making to be the wrong one before she shoved the thought completely from her mind. If she failed then this would be over one way or another. At least she could claim she did not run in its end. The dark brown eyes narrowed slightly on his form, not in anger, but in a more familiar way she didn’t often use in her human form.

A sharp gaze she used when she hunted.

Patience was a game they had been playing and she found herself at the end of it. Her hands braced her weight as the girl brought one leg up onto the edge of the pool and it was followed in one smooth graceful movement of the other until she could drop into the water below—her eyes never once moving from his form. Even with the fearful expression his face carried he was still by far the most handsome man she had encountered. His entire being seemed to pull her in and the Kelvic didn’t bother to fight the feeling. She waded through the water slowly until she was within her own arms reach of him. It took nearly all her willpower not to touch him, however, instead she cocked her head upwards so she could lock eyes with his once more. No fear or anger across her face. Nothing but determination and purpose.

”I want you.” There wasn’t a part of her touching him, but she knew what she was doing—pushing him. At the tower, she had feared to push him emotionally… that in doing so would end in him drawing away from her, or worse, making the wrong decision to bond with her because she had manipulated his feelings to get there. But a hunter never wavered in their quest to get what they wanted.

”And not just as a bondmate.” The Kelvic drew a deep breath, trying to use it as a base of courage. It was hard enough to admit to herself what she felt for him—to voice it to him was risking her entire being, but she had to trust him. The only other alternative was too painful to consider. ”You… infuriate me. Drive me to distraction with a single touch—and it never fades. Everything is upside down with you.” The girl pulled another breath into her lungs, biting down on her lip as she never waived in staring back at him.

”You do something to me that no one else has done.” The Kelvic hesitated, the words hanging on her lips but they didn’t want to come out. Instead, her hands lashed out and grabbed for one of his wrists, the middle right. She drew it close as one hand cradled the appendage and the other drifted back to the last place she had touched him before she had left the tower. Her index finger traced his wrist, finding the pulse that indicated life beneath his skin. Her eyes drifted downward for a moment, watching herself delicately trace the golden skin beneath hers. ”All the fighting, every touch…” Her tongue skirted across her lips as she lifted her eyes back to his face.

”You make me feel alive.”

It was a truth that the Kelvic had avoided admitting to herself. She could smile, and tend to the wounded like every other day—but it didn’t mean she felt it. Healing was something she loved immensely, but it could not fill her every need. She was lonely in Riverfall… but that loneliness extended long before that, and far beyond the need to bond. Rhodri brought out the rush of emotions she never knew she had. How quickly she could be raging at him and so suddenly caught up in desire for him in the next moment.

Even when the girl had first met him she had felt that charge when he had touched her knee. It wasn’t the bond that created that rush—it was him. The need to bond with him simply fell into place afterward, as if the answer to her every problem. The Kelvic knew it wasn’t so easy—if it was they would have bonded already. The two of them pushed and pulled at the other because it seemed perhaps in doing so they could bring out life in the other.

”I want you.” The fingers that had traced his pulse lifted to rest over the muscles of his chest where his heart would lie. Heat flared to life beneath her palm but she ignored her own reaction to ensure he understood her. She stressed the words again, to emphasize that this was her opening, her moment where she trusted him with everything. He could pull away and put up walls but the Kelvic was done backing down. She was going to push until he either caved and pushed her away or realized that she would back him into a proverbial wall until he gave in.

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The End of the Chase

Postby Rhodri on June 4th, 2017, 1:49 am

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Rhodri held his breath as the object of his obsession debated the truths that he had shared. Would his perpetual arrogance finally drive the healer from him? The exile didn’t want to think about it. In his home land, he would steal away just for some peace and quiet but in Riverfall, he felt isolated everywhere he went. He had no use for the Akalaks despite many of them being respectable or powerful beings. The system was one that agreed with his logic but it placed him at odds since he could only ascend so far. Through the trials of earning his keep, minding his words and avoiding contact with the riffraff that a well-run city attracts there was Claire. She haunted him like an apparition that never faded. In the light of day, she was a radiantly white cloud that lingered in the corner of his mind. The lithe brunette was a ball of fire that shot through the sky every night that drew his desires to the surface until he felt like he would burst.

The way her body moved as she entered the steaming pool made him sweat. As a people, Eypharians revere beauty so one would think that Rhodri had seen his share of beautiful women – truly, he had- but Claire was different. The woman’s grace was instinctual and her shape was unmatched. The aristocrat doubted that even a divine presence would match the spectacle that he had just witnessed. His jaw dropped open and his eyes no stared beneath the water’s surface as if to try and see more of what was just displayed. It wasn’t until she spoke that his earthen gaze snapped back to the dark eyes. Her expression was different somehow. He intensity was something he had not seen before and it sent a chill up his spine.

She wanted him. Despite his idiotic nature, racist ways and general attitude of ‘petch off’, she chose him. Claire was not only explaining her reasoning but she was paying him compliments as she encroached upon the space that he has staked as his sanctuary. Naturally, he wanted her to be in his world. The racist buffoon wanted nothing more than to be with the lithe healer. His heart was not his own whether she was near or far but as long as she was close, he could still feel like he was in control of himself. The glands in his neck were working overtime and he swore she used some kind of magic to give him the jolt that ran up his arm when she touched the inside of his wrist. His arms came alive and slowly began to wind her in closer to his core. The tiny hands’ every touch was a kiss of venom that made his adrenaline spike. It wasn’t long before he was huffing breaths trying to keep up with her voracity. Something in her eyes drove him insane while freezing him in place. Rhodri was head to toe consumed by the kelvic but it wasn’t because of the bond that was taking hold. It was because of the woman attached to the other end.

Rhodri took the hand that was placed upon his chest by covering it with his own. He lifted it gently while tilting his head down and pressed his damp lips to the center of her palm then replaced it over his heart. Steam beaded up on his eyelashes and the bridge of his nose while sweat poured down his body mixed with the liquid pheromones from his neck. The Eypharian’s breath was shallow as the humid environment was not something that he was accustomed to and it was filling him with a sense of urgency that tugged and pulled at his every sense as if his body was opening up itself to Claire in every facet that it could. His eyes never left hers even as he wrapped his lower hands around her waist and pulled her against him until he could feel her skin against his abdomen.

The spoiled young man wanted nothing more than to tear the rest of his clothes off and envelope her with his body. There was nothing and no one to stand in his way but he remained still. His middle hands took hold of hers though he did not remove her resting palm from his chest. His top hands stroked the hair back from her face and then held her jaw and cheeks so that she couldn’t look away from the seriousness in his stare. “I’m yours.” Slowly he bent down and brought his lips to the point where her breath mingled with his exclusively. There was no room for steam between them and his grip tightened around her like the coils of a constrictor. “I-“ Rhodri had yet to blink and his voice had become just a whisper in the air. “I don’t want to make you feel less…” The Eypharian’s eyes shook as he refused to let them shut while he searched for the words that pained his pride. “I want you to feel as important as you are –an equal.” It was almost as if his words had become silent, so quiet, he had become. “Teach me how to love you.”
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The End of the Chase

Postby Claire Lexi'lya on June 8th, 2017, 2:49 am

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Claire was at a loss over what to do. This was unexplored territory for the Kelvic and it left her a little terrified. Pushing Rhodri had a rather positive effect—the man didn’t hesitate to pull her flush up against him and even managed to draw a small token of affection from him. But even as heat raced across her skin where ever hers met his, the girl was so used to the push and pull between them; having him suddenly ask her for direction felt like a terrible decision on his part—Claire never did right by him. Most often she fled every time he managed to get this close or let herself be consumed with some form of anger. The beat of his heart didn’t just pound through him, but seemed to reverberate through her own skin as her palm lay flat to his chest; a reminder that fleeing wasn’t an option and she literally had no idea how to fulfill his request. She was terrified that whatever choice she made next would somehow push him in the wrong direction.

Away from her.

Every instinct in her being told her what she wanted to do. But this was the part of her she had buried all season—and that had all been based on fear. The Kelvic had pushed, but this time the Eypharian had not pushed back. He gave her everything she asked for and now everything dangled on her not ripping them apart. She was fairly certain he could see the fear across her face, feel it in her body. Despite the heat that surrounded them the girl couldn’t stop the slight tremble that continuously passed through her. And Claire also knew if she let it show too long he would get the wrong idea. That somehow the fear was of him, and not of herself. The thought alone was enough to spur her into action.

Carefully, as if the movement might startle him, the raptor pulled her hands free from his. They lifted upwards to grip the wrists of his upper hands, the ones that framed her face and held her gaze firmly to his. For a moment it appeared she might try to pry the hands away because the Kelvic pulled a breath into the tightness of her chest and closed her eyes. Her instincts—despite the fear and worry—had not led her wrong today. So instead of freeing her face from his hold, Claire used them as anchors to pull herself upwards, even if it was just a little. With the slightest tilt of her head the girl pressed her lips firmly against his own—a desire the Kelvic had suppressed ever since the vineyard.

And for several ticks, it was everything she remembered. The feeling of his lips sent a shockwave straight to her heart and that feeling spread across her body until it settled low in her stomach. But the feeling was quickly submerged by another—one she had been waiting for all season. The tether that drew them together, a constant pull and reminder of what she was, suddenly snapped as if the pressure was too much to take. For a moment there was nothing but the echo of space that had existed before him. The abrupt feeling caused the Kelvic to pull away from his lips with a gasp—not because the tether broke, but because she no longer felt alone. Faintly the Kelvic felt the whisper of emotions through the new link that cemented her to the man before her. Some mirrored hers, others seemed just out of her reach of understanding. But she was certain of one thing.

It did feel like home.

For some reason, the idea brought tears to her eyes. Not of sadness, but because of the overwhelming joy the feeling brought. “Rhodri… pick me up.” Her voice was weak and broken but she didn’t care. Claire knew the Eypharian would heed her request and that was all she needed to wrap herself around him. Her left arm managed to find its way between one set of upper and middle arms to grasp at the skin of his back while her right circled his neck and her legs found the familiarity of his hips. The small girl buried her face into his neck, ignoring the sweat and pheromones glazing his skin. She wanted to be as close to him as she could until she could manage swell of emotions that racked her body—both hers and his. As if it was a beautiful dream and she might just wake up alone and cold in her bed as she had that morning.

It took several chimes of deep breathing before the Kelvic realized it was easier to just let the feelings come than fight them off. Pulling her face away, Claire freed her hands from her own grip until she could frame his face with her fingers. Her sharp eyes took in his face as if she had never seen it before, observing every line and curve in her own time before meeting his gaze. Slowly a smile split across her face—bright and hopeful despite the season-long torture the two of them put each other through. “If you thought I was going to take anything less than equal, you really are an idiot.” The words held no weight to the insult, just a teasing tone that she hoped the Eypharian would pick up on.

“You are stuck with me now. You’re mine.” The raptor didn’t even try to hide the possessiveness in her voice. Rhodri already knew he didn’t have to be stuck with her, but she wasn’t bound to let go easily. It took too long to reach this point with him in the first place. Leaning her face forward, she gently bumped her nose with his before echoing his earlier statement. “I’m yours.” There was a hint of pride behind her tone before she pressed her lips back to his—lightly this time as more of a mere brush of skin than anything else. Claire was determined to get through at least one kiss that wasn’t interrupted or overloaded with guilt and ruined. But even the gentleness fanned at the desire stirring in her chest.

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The End of the Chase

Postby Rhodri on June 14th, 2017, 1:21 am

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Rhodri was not sure what to expect. His mind had gone into a holding pattern while his emotions ran all over the map. He was hot from the springs but cold as their distance remained. His eyes hurt from staring at her but he was afraid to shut them for fear that Claire would disappear again. The tiny healer covered her face and froze for a tick but it felt like a season. When the kelvic lowered her guard, it was like watching a flower bloom for the Eypharian. The big man felt as though he might cry if he weren’t so stubborn. He was exhausted and ready for some kind of resolution though his heart longed for nothing more than to steal away from the world with this woman.

She accepted him. Claire believed him. Rhodri allowed himself a smile but it was erased by a slack jaw when she kissed him. The wave that hit him caused the big frame to sway like a giant tree in a powerful gust of wind. It was almost enough to topple him but the sturdy foundation held and the giant remained above the steam. His earthen stare weighed down upon the dark eyes of the raptor. Claire’s gaze was intense but open and easily read. The ease in her movements, the care that she placed behind them gave the exile a sense of peace he hadn’t been able to glean from her in previous encounters.

He complied and lifted her with all six of his arms. He never let go of her face but his middle hands each cupped the curve where her legs met her bottom. His thumbs pointed up at her hips as his long fingers snaked along the line towards her inner thighs. The grip was firm but gentle and hoisted her out of the water aided by his lower hands which gently guided her legs around his waist so that the backs of her knees rested on his hips. The lower hands moved back dragging his heavy fingers along her slick, smooth skin until they could take the place of his middle set; the lines accented by a deep purr that passed through his lips. The lower hands not only held her but they pressed the two of them together so that Rhodri could feel the heat of her body a few inches below his belly button which set his body on a one-way response. His muscles rippled between relaxed and tensed as the young man tried to figure out how to handle himself which was vocalized by a a loud exhale. His pheromones exploded and his middle arms wrapped around her back so tight that they overlapped one another. The desert brat pushed his middle right hand up with his fingers digging and pushing her skin and muscles with increasing pressure as the passion in his body boiled. The middle left hand rubbed up and down along her spine in a way that was barely firm enough to whisk away the beads of sweat and water that clung to her.

When Claire began to cry, Rhodri opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong but he didn’t need to ask – he knew. He could feel the joy in her being. He could almost taste the relief that her body exuded as she clung to him tighter than he could hold her. It was a strange sensation for the man who was used to being in control - the idea that she had somehow infiltrated his very soul with her own emotions scared him but it was slowly being turned into a good thing. The way she felt about him no longer needed to be spoken. The Eypharian could sense the way she felt safe in his grasp and he instinctively tightened all of his arms which seemed to increase the fires of contact which they shared. Her arms nestled perfectly between his own and despite their difference in stature, the two bodies meshed into a single being almost flawlessly.

Rhodri closed his eyes and leaned his face into her hair then drew a very deep breath. The steam that surrounded them seemed to amplify the scent of his woman and it caused his head to swoon. He lifted his head just in time to see her look up at him and call him an idiot. Rhodri smirked and was about to laugh but the bop on the nose changed his entire perspective. He felt his insides permeate with something foreign but absolutely welcomed – Claire's love.

The brief kiss was not enough for him. Greedy and selfish at his core, Rhodri absorbed the delicate peck, caught his breath and pressed his face down against the thick lips of his kelvic. His brain had stopped...not that it had been very active anyway. Thinking had been ousted in favor of feeling and sensing. His hands pulled at her skin –slowly- while his fingertips put on a show of kneading the muscles of her legs and back while creating a pulse of moving her frame slowly against his body which had become rigid from the thoughts that ran through his mind.

The Eypharian took every opportunity to put his lips on Claire. Between her doting and playful jabs, he kissed the corners of her jaw, the edges of her mouth, the ridges of her cheeks and the pockets where her neck hit the collarbones. Peppered in between the dainty kisses which he continued to pour over her like dropping rose petals from a basket were words in response to her own.

“Stuck. Makes. Me the. Luckiest. Idiot. Ever.”
Image
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
Perpetual Improvement
 
Posts: 73
Words: 111934
Joined roleplay: March 4th, 2017, 4:37 am
Location: Riverfall
Race: Eypharian
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