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Post by RONJA IRIS AMALIA on Oct 26, 2009 18:17:09 GMT -5
Ronja could see the vengeance in his eyes, and she didn't bother to comment farther. She had begged enough for one day and when he did decide he would go after Rad she would follow him, and rip her to pieces herself. Nicholas had no advantage, and she wouldn't let him die, at least, not alone. She sighed, trying to settle herself and her brain.
Then the door opened and she groaned before looking over to the door. Company great, more people to see her at her worse. Battered and bruised and emotionally scattered. She sighed though and let go of Nicholas's hand, throwing back the covers to expose her naked body. Large cuts covered her arms and legs, stomach and back. From the chain whipping. Of course her name 'tattoo' from the knife. At least her face was kept clear, a sad mimic of what it was, since the fire in her eyes had dimmed considerably. many had stopped bleeding, but some were starting up again, and there was nothing she could do about them. She just hoped pepper didn't ask her anything specific. Ronja had a few burns on her wrists from not only the chains but from the prickly vines.
In essence, she was a mess.
Ronaj glanced over and realized Nicholas was naked too and cracked a little smile. "Maybe you should grab a towel, but come right back." She said lightly. Her tone sounded amused, as if nothing had happened. oh if only this was not the circumstance they were in...
Pepper gasped initially, and then carefully studied Ronja's wounds. Ronja never had a qualm with being naked or being touched, but this made her very uncomfortable.
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Post by NICHOLAS SANDROSE on Oct 26, 2009 19:10:49 GMT -5
"Maybe you should grab a towel, but come right back."
Nicholas shook his head. He wasn’t going to leave Ronja alone with a stranger, not for a single moment -- no matter how benevolent that stranger seemed. The air in Ronja’s bedroom wasn’t cold, and Nicholas didn’t really mind being naked. After sharing his body with Ronja, and then with Queen Ellylon, he no longer experienced the shame he’d once felt. He’d come so far from the person who had nearly died of embarrassment when Ronja ordered him too strip in front of her. Looking back on the incident, it seemed like years ago.
When Ronja moved back the covers, Pepper began to inspect her wounds. The healer’s touch was gentle, but Nicholas could see how uncomfortable Ronja felt, so he stroked her cheek, trying to offer some distraction from the examination. “A lot has happened while you were away. Ellylon stepped down and proclaimed Ealdun king...no one really knows why. So far, he hasn’t made too big a mess of it. I guess.”
“And there’s talk of war.” Until he found Ronja lying in a crumpled heap, Nicholas had hoped that the peace ceremony would prove binding -- even if it hadn’t gone exactly as planned. But now he wanted blood. It must have been an Atra fae who did this to Ronja. Who else would kidnap an innocent woman and torture her to the point of death? Those crazed bastards wouldn’t honor any treaty; the only way to achieve peace was to wipe them out. And Nicholas felt more than willing to do just that.
Pepper finished her examination, and Nicholas fell silent, allowing the healer to speak. “I’m going to apply a salve to your wounds, to keep them from getting infected. Then I’ll need to stitch up the worst ones.” Pepper reached into her bag and produced some dried leaves, which she handed to Ronja’s maid. “Brew these in hot water.”
A few minutes passed in silence while the maid complied. Then she returned with a mug of hot liquid, which smelled like a mixture of cinnamon and turpentine. Seeming to sense the dynamic between Nicholas and Ronja, Pepper handed the mug to Nicholas, and nodded toward Ronja. “Help her drink it. It will make her body go numb, so she won’t feel what I’m doing.”
Nicholas nodded. Supporting Ronja’s head with one hand, he held the mug to her lips, careful not to spill any of the warm liquid. “Drink up.”
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Post by RONJA IRIS AMALIA on Oct 26, 2009 19:58:32 GMT -5
"War? I believe that..." Ronja snorted. Rad was an Atra after all. But Ronja brought this on herself, going to Kelpie land... in her defense she had a kelpie friend now. Ronja and Rad had just really started this war though, Rad got what she wanted, fame, glory... and Ronja got destroyed. "Hell, I guess I helped start it... dammit... I was stupid to be there...."
Then she paused, listening to Pepper and just nodding sullenly. She didn't like the idea of being numb, but she was sick of pain. She was sick of feeling, pride, heartache, pain, regret, shame.... too bad she couldn't numb her heat as well. And she drank when Nicholas lifted the cup to her lips, waiting for it to take affect. But she was annoyed that Pepper talking to Nicholas like he was older, her guardian, like she couldn't understand her herself. Ronja decided to just look annoyed at Pepper.
"Ellylon... is she still here? What happened? And Nicholas... you seem different... did you get your chance with her?" Ronja asked her voice going from concern to teasing, a smirk curling onto her lips. Then she realized pepper was here and she faltered, furrowing her brow.
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Post by NICHOLAS SANDROSE on Oct 27, 2009 14:23:47 GMT -5
Pepper ignored Ronja’s glare, displaying the professional indifference which most doctors develop when their patients express inconvenient emotions. Instead of responding, she retrieved a glass jar from her bag, and dipped her fingers into its sweet-smelling contents. The cream might sting a little at first. But once Ronja’s body surrendered to the numbness, she would be spared even that discomfort. Starting with the letters carved across Ronja’s chest, and methodically working her way downwards, Pepper began to rub the salve into Ronja’s wounds.
“Ellylon...is she still here?”
Nicholas nodded. “She’s still here. But something’s wrong. She’s not...she’s not herself. And every time I ask her what’s going on, she just says that she can’t tell me.” A frown of worry twisted Nicholas’s lips. He and Ellylon were just beginning their romance; they should be delirious with happiness. But Ellylon remained burdened by a sadness he couldn’t touch. Occasionally, when Nicholas caught her staring out of a window, it seemed to him that she was waiting for some horrible monster to carry her off. “I think Ealdun knows more than I do. Or suspects more, at least. Not that he’d ever tell me anything.”
Then Ronja asked about his progress with Ellylon. Biting his lip, Nicholas hesitated. He didn’t want to tell her like this. He wanted to wait until she was whole, and happy, and in love with someone else. Ronja’s body was already so badly broken -- what if he broke her heart? But there were no more secrets between them. And the topic did seem to elicit some mirth in Ronja. At that moment, Nicholas would have confessed to fucking Ealdun, if he’d thought it might cheer her up.
“She’d been acting rather strangely since the peace ceremony. I started getting worried. So I went to see her. She summoned me into her parlor, and as soon as we were alone together, it all suddenly seemed so clear. My heart knew what it wanted. I got down on my knees and confessed everything. I told her who you’d been helping me prepare for, how I felt about her...everything.”
Nicholas glanced at Pepper, who was now applying ointment to Ronja’s legs. But she just shrugged. “A good healer sees all and hears nothing. Carry on. It won’t leave this room.”
For some reason, Nicholas believed Pepper. So he continued. “When I finished, she kissed me. And it didn’t stop there. I think...I think I’m her consort now.” Ellylon hadn’t been specific about what position he now occupied in her life, but Nicholas didn’t really care. She let him touch her body, she let him talk to her about things more intimate than songs and performances, she let him hold her when she slept. Maybe there was a name for that and maybe there wasn’t. Maybe he was her lover. Maybe he was her royal fuck-buddy. It didn’t matter.
Bowing his head, Nicholas placed another kiss on Ronja’s brow. Then he searched her eyes for some reaction to what he’d just told her. “I love you. I’ll always love you. But she’s the queen of my heart. Are you...are you disappointed?”
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Post by RONJA IRIS AMALIA on Oct 27, 2009 16:06:37 GMT -5
Ronja listened to his words and she smiled softly. It was meant to be really, they were both quiet souls. He was gentle and devoted, and Ellylon was regal and loved his pretty words. It would work better, Ronja and Nicholas had already tried. Ronja was too wild and unpredictable for him. They had chemistry, but there were not the same type of person, they loved differently. For her it was rough and loud, for him it was soft and simple.
They were never meant to be, and Ronja was glad he had the woman of his dreams now.
He kissed her brow and she smiled, placing a hand on his cheek. "I love you too Nicholas, but no, I'm not dissappointed. She is better for you." Ronja said quietly, rubbing her thumb against his face lightly. The problem was, Ronja had no idea how long it would take to get her fire back, because without it, she was more like Nicholas. Could she recover before he died? Hopefully, she wouldn't want to pine over him from afar.
Ronja nodded lightly and removed her hand, saying nothing else, just watched Pepper work over her body with the salve and then she began to stitch her up. Ronja hated this numb feeling that had over come her. She was so used to feeling alive, and even when she wasn't feeling herself, she'd rather feel pain than nothing at all.
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Post by NICHOLAS SANDROSE on Oct 28, 2009 0:46:08 GMT -5
Nicholas smiled when Ronja touched his face. She didn’t seem upset about his relationship with Ellylon, and that came as a great relief. He couldn’t stand the possibility of hurting her -- especially not now. But she was fine with his choice. And, really, that made sense. Ronja was the one who had ended their romantic entanglement the first time. Given an opportunity for further thought, it wasn’t surprising that she’d reached the same conclusion again. They had a strange ‘opposites attract’ kind of chemistry between them, but ultimately, they were just too different. She excited him and made him feel alive. Unfortunately, she also made him a little crazy. It was different with Ellylon. Being around Ellylon filled him with a blissful sort of peace.
“I’m so happy with Ellylon,” Nicholas confessed, his expression warmed by joy. But the joy quickly faded. “I just wish she wasn’t in some sort of trouble. And now you...”
By this time, Pepper had finished with the ointment and begun stitching up Ronja’s wounds. Nicholas tried not to watch, but he couldn’t quite tear his eyes away. It was like staring at a car wreck. Even though he knew Ronja couldn’t feel anything, he flinched each time the needle pierced her flesh. She’d always been so proud of her body. How long would these scars remain on it? And would the scars on her soul linger even longer? Nicholas wished he could take all of her wounds onto himself. But he couldn’t. He could only sit there, unable to prevent her suffering, and unable to avenge it.
“What happened?” Nicholas finally blurted out, as much to distract himself as to distract Ronja. He’d gathered bits and pieces from the things she’d said so far, but he wanted to hear the whole story. Maybe if he understood, maybe if it didn’t seem so random and pointless, maybe he’d be better able to cope with the event. “Why were you in the swamp by yourself? Why did someone do this to you?”
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Post by RONJA IRIS AMALIA on Oct 28, 2009 9:00:01 GMT -5
Ronja nodded lightly as he spoke about wishing Ellylon was fine, something must have happened at that ceremony... but Ronja wasn't around it nearly long enough to know what it was. But it made sense that he felt pain for his new lover, and she wished she could say something back, but she was busy watching the needle swim between the air and her flesh. How long would those marks stain her skin? How much glamour would it take to cover them? And could she do about the cuts on her soul?
Then Nicholas burst and she looked over at him. He really was worried, poor man. "Well, I was in Kelpie land, not trying to pick a fight, just sort of there for the thrill of it.... I man, I do have a Kelpie friend, but I wasn't looking for him... When this Atra girl notices me and calls me over to this rock she's sitting on... and she seems dangerous, but she talks like such a child...." Ronja furrowed her eyebrows, trying to think of exactly how they'd gotten into the situation they ended up in... "Well, I don't remember how it happened, but we ended up walking in the woods, I remember her gripping my arm but.... well next thing I know we're getting closer to Atra land, and I tell her I'm not going any farther and I run. Next thing I know, she's tied me with vines, filling my lungs with smoke, That's when I got this lovely tattoo," Ronja grimaced glancing at her chest "... after that she tried to drown me.... then she tied me to a tree, but it broke, and I managed to crack her neck a few times... Then once she got the chains... Well, suspended above the fire and she just whipped at me... I already told you how I got out... and you know it from there."
Ronja sighed, watching the images slide across behind her eyes. That day with Rad would never leave her. Never. She just had to make sure she came out stronger, not weaker.
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Post by NICHOLAS SANDROSE on Oct 28, 2009 17:36:42 GMT -5
The chains, the fire, the whipping...as Ronja described the things which had been done to her, Nicholas wanted to clamp his hands over his ears. Every word she spoke made him picture her enduring some fresh horror. He hated thinking about her hurting that much; it turned his stomach upside down. But she’d lived through the actual experience. He could live through hearing about it.
By the time Ronja finished, Nicholas’s eyes were dark with pain and rage. “I’ll speak with Ealdun,” he vowed. “When he learns what happened to you, it will be war for sure. Those Atra monsters need to be taught a lesson. Whatever harm they inflict on us, we’ll send it back to them, a hundred times worse.”
But Ronja’s story had given Nicholas an idea. Radella wanted to be remembered, did she? He was a bard. More than that -- he was the official bard for the Argentum court. Maybe he could use that as an opening. Maybe he could pretend to admire her, promise to write a song about her exploits. And all the time, he would be searching for a weakness, waiting for an opportunity to strike her down.
Finally, Pepper finished her stitching. While she tucked away her needle and thread, Nicholas stared at her with imploring eyes. “Is Ronja...is she going to be alright?” On some level, the question frightened him, as if he might jinx Ronja’s condition by asking about it. Of course she was going to be alright! The world would be too grey and empty without her.
“She won’t die, as long as she takes proper care of herself.” Picking up her bag, Pepper addressed Ronja -- although her eyes occasionally darted over to Nicholas, silently requesting that he make sure her instructions were followed. “What you need most right now is rest. Stay in bed for at least a couple days, or you’ll rip open your wounds. And drink all the fluids you can. Your body lost a lot of blood, you need to replace it.”
Pepper paused, making sure Ronja understood. Then she asked “Would you like something to help you sleep tonight?”
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Post by RONJA IRIS AMALIA on Oct 28, 2009 18:07:10 GMT -5
Ronja smiled a little as he commented on how the Argentum court would rip the Atra to shreds, oh she wished that were true, she really did. She realized how small her faith was in her court now, and she dismissed the thought. "They can hand the Atra their own ass on a plate." She said, face still contorted to a look of thought. The Argentum could do it... right? Of course they could, but now that Ronja knew how at least one Atra fought, maybe she could offer some insight... though all Atra were not as bad as Radella, Apollo as an example.
Yeah yeah, rest, bed fluids. Ronja was going to die of boredom. She was still hurt and broken, but that hadn't changed her whole personality. Ronja just gave Pepper a look. "You mean like a pain killer or like a sedative?" She asked with her eyebrows raised. "I think I'm good, thanks." Her whole body was numb anyway, not to mention that she was a bit of a hero, she would deal with the pain. As for the images that might keep her awake... It was natural to have to work through it, no red headed nurse was going to make sure she was put down like an animal. "You can go now.... thanks..." She added as and after thought.
Then she pulled the covers back up around herself and looked over at Nicholas. "If I'm going to be stuck in bed, you better find plenty of free time to come visit and entertain me, otherwise, the boredom might kill me. So keep making love to Ellylon to a minimum of like... twice a day for a while so you can come see me." Not like she thought they'd be going at it all day like she might have done, but she was making herself clear...
Ronja grinned lightly, a little laughter in her eyes.
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Post by NICHOLAS SANDROSE on Oct 29, 2009 11:13:25 GMT -5
"You can go now....”
Pepper lifted her shoulders in small shrug. “As you wish. If you need anything further, you can send your slave to fetch me.”
“I’m not her--” Nicholas started to protest. But Pepper was already gone. Rolling his eyes, Nicholas released a soft chuckle. “I guess she didn’t recognize the court bard without his clothes. Excuse me for a moment, Mistress Ronja, while I get dressed.”
Returning to the bathroom, Nicholas picked up his pants. He wasn’t embarrassed to have Ronja see his body. But if Queen Ellylon stopped by for a visit, there were things he’d rather not explain while naked. Nicholas hoped that Ellylon would be able to understand the nature of his relationship with Ronja. He hoped that she wouldn’t be jealous, imagining romantic love where there was only platonic. His heart held enough room for both of them. Demanding that he give up Ronja would be as cruel and pointless as insisting that Ellylon stop seeing her brother.
When he rejoined Ronja, Nicholas made sure that the blankets were tucked snugly under her chin. He knew he was fussing, but it made him feel a little better -- as long as it didn’t drive her completely crazy. Then he settled back down beside Ronja’s bed. “I’m going to stay with you tonight. Give me a pillow, and I’ll be fine on the floor. After that, I’ll be here as often as I can, until you’re truly sick of seeing my face.”
Nicholas blushed when Ronja mentioned his sexual relationship with Queen Ellylon. But her smile made him happy, as did the bit of laughter dancing in her eyes. So many people would be completely broken after living through such horrors. But not Ronja. It might take her awhile to get back to her old self; that was only to be expected. But Nicholas felt absolutely sure that she would get there. And he would do everything in his power to help her.
“Thank you,” Nicholas murmured. The blush lingered on his cheeks, and for a moment, he couldn’t quite meet Ronja’s eyes. “For helping me prepare. If I’d still been a virgin, I think I would have died of nervousness. It would have been clumsy and awful. What happened between Ellylon and me...it was different than what you and I did. But being with you gave me the confidence to follow my instincts. I knew that I could please a woman.” Now, his eyes finally found hers, and Nicholas grinned. “At the risk of bragging, I think I can say that I really pleased Ellylon.”
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