The Aching Road[Tock]

[Andresciel]

He sighs as he felt her stop, his eyes opening once more to look down at her. "I won't get no Ideas." He stated, kissing her as he stood, "But once we get to the city, I do plan to give you more payback then a simple dinner. After all, a woman whose very beauty rivals that of the stars and sun deserves such attention as she gives me." He stated, testing the sling that was upon his arm with grim satisfaction, before he pushed himself up and moved closer to her. His hand came down around her waist as he lifted her, still strong despite his injuries, into him and gave her lips a soft peck, "Thank you." He whispered before stepping back, whistling to Velenor, and moving out beside her. However, his eyes kept drifting downwards to watch the sweet swinging of her hips, a soft sigh leaving his lips. If only he wasn't too badly injured, perhaps they could stop just out of sight of the gate and he could return the favor she gave him.

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

She rolled her eyes at his compliment, and with a snort said, "'Ere's such a thing fer layin' 'er on too thick, bludger. Tone 'er down a notch..." Why was she offering him advice on flirting with her? Why not just tell him 'petch off,' and call it a day? The answer came a moment later when he pulled her in and kissed her. He was quite strong, and that aroused her, taking her breath away with the kiss. When he pulled away her face was pink once more, and she muttered, "Ain't fer nothin' ta thank me fer..." He didn't seem to realize that it had been a close call between helping him, and slitting his throat. Though she was beginning to be glad she had decided on the former. She began to walk, heading south, without much of a clue where she was actually going. She just knew she'd gone north when she left the city, so south had to bring her back. Aside from that, she had no deal idea how to get where she was going. She normally wasn't foolish enough to leave the city on her own. After a short walk she paused and looked around, realizing she really had NO idea where she was. She had been wandering in a daze before she stumbled across Andre, and didn't even know how long she had been out here. "Ya know where we's goin'?" she asked him. Then she looked him over with a frown and asked, "Come ta think o' 'er, whatcha bloody doin' alla way out 'ere inna middle o' nowhere, anywho? Rest o' yer blokes done passed through 'ere onna way ta Sunberth an' 'en Sahova, sommat ten days ago... Whatcha git lost...?" She studied him for a moment, then asked, "O' deserted o' sommat?" The latter sounded preferable to her. She wasn't keen on the idea of taking on a Syliran Knight as a lover. Though so far, he hadn't been acting much like any knight she had known. Oh, there was the bravery and honor, the way he'd thrown himself into danger without question. But he didn't seem to have the standard-issue-stick-up-his-arse...

[Andresciel]

The Knight heard her words, and it brought a smile to his lips as he turned back towards the south. He closed his eyes, picturing the map, and where he was currently at. "That way." He pointed due south, his eyes opening as he heard her words. "No. I'm not with the rest of them. Nor did I desert." He shook his head as he looks at her, "I'm trying to soothe the Zeltivans for what my foolish superiors did." He sighs, shaking his head as he thought back to the reports of forced Recruitment of the locals. "And I'm not doing it as a Knight." He sighed, his voice soft as he walked beside her, shaking his head. "It is stupid to force people to work for something they do not wish to." He sighed again, his concern more for the forced recruits, then for the Knights themselves. He looked at her, watching her movement as he shook his head. "I get the feeling you don't like the Knights. Met one of the Zealots did ya?" He chuckled, reminded of a young squire named Imass, before looking at her, stopping cold in his tracks. His words were a vow, "Tock. I am truly angry that my superiors forced Zeltivans into working. I am ready to give up my armor just to try and make this fair. I have no skills beyond what the Knights have taught me...but I will not stand in the Order if they can not keep up the basics law of honor." He nearly snarled the words, having come to distrust the order and its so called honor.

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

Tock snorted and said, "Ya should jus' bloody quit, mate. Knights ain't no good fer no one. Jus' a bunch o' stuck up wankers what can't mind 'eir own business." She turned half towards him while they walked, "Ya know what 'ey did what when I lived in Syliras? Ain't NEVER let me pop someone in 'is fool 'ead what if'n 'e started shyke in a bar. Ain't NEVER let me climb up on top o' the high walls an' statues. An' ain't NEVER listened what when I put in complaints about the dang poop monster! I mean, izzat fair!?" She took on a mocking tone of voice, "What says it's illegal fer ta damage public property, but ain't no illegal fer a cat ta piss all over my clothes!" She sneered and shook her head. "But I bloody gave 'at cat what fer, I did!" She snickered and grinned wickedly. "Bloody built me a cat slapper, I did! Kept 'at little monster away from my luggage, less 'e wanted ta git smacked inna face!" She had wanted to skin the bloody cat, but she'd never gotten the chance before she was kicked out of the city. She continued grumbling, her mood souring when he started talking about the recruits. "Why ain't 'ey jus' send 'em back?" she demanded, quite angry about it. "I know folks what lost sons'n'brothers fer 'at bull shyke! An' I bloody TOLD 'at Purple Man," she stopped so she could release the stretcher and shake a fist at Andre, "what as we AIN'T givin' 'em no bloody more o' our people, aye!? Bloody got fitty o' 'em already! An' fer what!? So's as we wouldn't BLOODY STARVE TA DEATH! 'At's some right good folks ya done work fer 'ere, bludger..." She scowled, but realized she shouldn't be taking it out on him. He had said, after all, that he was here to try to make amends. But that just pissed her off more, since what could one daft fool knight do about it, all by himself? So she stared him down and demanded, "Whatcha gonna does 'bout 'er, anywho? Ain't fer no talkin' what's gonna 'elp, bloke. Ain't nothin' does no good, 'less ya can bloody bring 'em 'ome..."

[Andresciel]

He stood there, taking her anger, taking her rage, and only watched her. His eyes were heavy with guilt, "I know." Was all he said, the pain evident in those words could break through the coldest hearts. After all, it was his order that did such a thing, that stained their honor so. Still, when she was done, he looks at her, and lifted her chin up, "I will bring them home if it is within my power to do so." He stated, his voice quivering with pain, his eyes meeting her own. "Just please quit yelling at me. Its not my fault what my superiors do. I just want to make things right." He stated, leaning down to place his forehead to her own, his eyes closing as a single tear ran down his cheek. "I am so sorry for what my order has done. I truly am Tock. I am doing all that I can to make up for it. I'm one weak mage, a Knight on his own. And you are about the only other person I can trust in this." He state before standing back up, his voice losing the quiver, as he turned back the way they were walking. His shoulders sagged, and one could almost see the weight of the world, of his order, upon his shoulders. "If nothing else happens, I will retire and not support the order any longer. I will move into Zeltiva to make my trade by my own hands. As a Reimancer."

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

She wanted to yell more, but the pained way he asked her to stop gave her pause, making her feel guilty about it. He was right that it wasn't his fault for what the other knights had decided to do. But... No. No, she was pissed, and he was going to just have to deal with that. She wasn't done yelling yet! "Don't what go givin' be no 'orse shyke 'bout bein' able ta trust me, bloke!" she shouted, shaking a finger in his face. "'Ow's fer I 'the only one ya can trust,' aye? Ya ain't knows nothin' 'bout me!" she threw her arms up in the air in frustration, dropping his pack to the ground. "Fer all ya knows," she continued on her tirade, "I's gonna march right up ta the Wave Guard in Zeltiva, an' what tells 'em yer a deserter, o' whatever..." she shrugged, not really sure WHAT someone would do about such a thing. Really, she didn't give a petch what the man did. Let him go against the knights if he wanted, it wasn't any of her business! "Bein' sorry ain't brings 'ose blokes 'ome fer 'eir family, bludger!" she jabbed a finger against his chest. "An' quittin' ain't gonna bring 'em 'ome, neither, now will it!?" She crossed her arms, staring him down. Maybe she was being unfair. Well, petch it! She wasn't a fair person, and if he wanted to get to know her better, then he bloody well had to get to know her pissy, yelling, stubborn side too! "Ya wanna quit, an' work wit'cher 'ands, 'en 'at sounds mighty good fer me, mate," she said. "But dun do 'er fer the wrong reasons, aye? Ya quit, 'en quit what cause ya ain't like bein' a knight, an' done been tired o' the stick up yer arse! Quit cause ya ain't like fightin' an' what telling folks what ta does when 'ey's mindin' 'eir own business. But DON'T," she grabbed his chin and roughly raised his face to look right at her, "go actin' like quittin' done been some 'onorable thing o' sommat protest about the blokes 'ey took, aye? Cause 'ey won't care none! Ya quit, 'en 'ey says, 'Oh, no problem bludger, we's got fitty more, look jus' like ya!' 'Ey won't give a rat's arse 'bout it, an' 'at won't git 'ose boys 'ome..." She stared at him, looking right in his eyes with anger and passion. "Quittin's what fer YOUS, mate. Don't act like it's fer 'em..."

[Andresciel]

It wasn't her anger, but the jabbed finger that pressed into one of his wounds that made him gasp, dropping to his knee. "Damn. I get it. Alright. I am tired of being a Knight, of those petching fools with sticks up their arse." He stated, pushing his body up off the ground. "But I need to do right. Its just part of me. Like you with your beautiful babies." He breathed out, trying to get his balance back from the sudden, intense spike of pain. Once that was established, he looked down at her, and spoke the words that had not yet passed through his brain, "You know. You are beautiful when angry. So fierce, so strong. Full of passion." He didn't bother to stop himself, he stepped close to her, pulling her up and pressing his lips to her own, more rough then normal, more demanding then the last few. Though it last only a few seconds, it spoke volumes on what he felt. Her anger called to him, aroused him in a way, but as he broke the kiss he spoke, "I won't quit until I bring the last brother, and son of Zeltiva home."

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

She felt a surge of guilt when she realized she'd hurt him... but PETCH him anyway! It was his own damn fool fault for going and being all noble and getting himself hurt for no better reason than... bravery and... honor and... protecting her... Oh mother petching 'ell... Then he started going on again about her being beautiful, despite the fact that her hair was still a tangled mess, there was still blood on her, and she probably smelled like three day old cabbage. She glowered at him and snapped, "Oh, don't ya go tryin' ta flatter--" She was cut off when he kissed her again, stumbling for a moment, clinging to his arms for support. Damn, 'is boy can't git 'nough... she thought, then she gasped for breath when the kiss broke. He started talking again, but she didn't hear his words, still too struck by the passion of the kiss. "Hmm?" she murmured, having completely lost track of what they were talking about...

[Andresciel]

He watched her stumbl, trying to find her words, before he strokedh her cheek as he placed his arm around her waist, "Cmon Tock. Lets get a bit closer to the city." He stated, leaning down to give her jaw a soft kiss. He was teasing her, waiting until he found the...ah there it is. A Sheltered little grove of trees. He lead Tock into it, before turning to face her, pushing the weight from her hands. His lips found her own again, but this time, he edged her back into the trees, his lips breaking from her own only when she was against it. That was when he dropped to his knees, sliding her pants down to her own knees. He tilted his head up, watching that beautiful face before he leaned in between her thighs, and began to return the favor she gave earlier.

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

This man was driving her crazy. One minute she's yelling at him, and the next he's teasing her with kisses. Satevis had never been so bold, so forward with his affections. She'd usually had to be the one 'initiating' anything. Yet Andre kept surprising her, with moments of affection at the most unexpected times. She followed him along, without a clue where they were heading, mostly just trusting that he knew where to go. She was wondering how much further it would be until they reached the city, when all of a sudden he was kissing her again. She whimpered as she was pushed back against the tree, clinging to his arms, trying to keep up with the sudden and unexpected passion. Part of her wanted to tell him No, tell him they needed to keep moving. But then, his lips felt so nice... She gasped for air when the kiss broke, and looked with wide eyes when he dropped to his knees and pulled down her pants. How could he be so bold!? No man had ever been like this with her, so aggressive yet tender, taking what he wanted without asking... "Now jus' a bloody min--" she started to protest, then cut off with a gasp, head tilting back, hands reaching behind her to clutch at the tree bark for support. She squirmed, completely unprepared for the sudden attention that he hadn't given her any warning about. "You..." she gasped, eyes closing, legs trembling, "wai--... st--..." She couldn't find the strength to voice her protests, it felt so good...