Open Chronicles Field of Blood, City of Bones

[Tyrone Kystal]

Back behind the safety of the walls Tyrone could finally relax a little. Everyone was gory and tired and heading towards a big building talking about cleaning up, that sounded good to him so he followed while trying to pick Nikaia out of the crowd of soldiers again, she was damn hard to keep track of.

The indoor washing area was new for him, he hadn't seen such intricate baths before. He was used to just hopping in a river and scrubbing himself clean, but this was like an indoor manmade river.
He set aside his gear and clothing like the others and sat naked on the edge of the water, it was heated even!
Though the water quickly started clouding up with blood and gore as hundreds of soldiers began washing themselves off and shedding gore faster than the current could wash it away.

Not wanting to wash himself in dirty water he decided to wait till the bathing area started to clear of occupants before finding clean watching to cleanse himself. He was still unaware of the deep cut across this ribs, it had stopped bleeding but it was still in bad condition.
Before long people began clearing out and he started searching for a good spot to finally get all of the crud off of him.

 

[Nikaia]

Nikaia spied him sitting off to the side, waiting. She made her way over to him and pulled herself up out of the water and sat next to him. “Hey. Can’t say you don’t look awesome while covered in blood, but aren’t you going to clean up? It’ll start to stink before too long. Come, join me.”

She lowered herself into the water again and faced him with crossed arms and a smile. “You aren’t shy are you?”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“Hey. Can’t say you don’t look awesome while covered in blood, but aren’t you going to clean up? It’ll start to stink before too long. Come, join me.”

“You aren’t shy are you?”

He grinned at her, his white teeth a stark contrast to the dark stained skin of his face.
"I'm never shy when presented with a direct invitation by a bloody woman!"
He began to lower himself on his arms into the water, but the action made him sharply aware of the open wound in his ribs. He grunted in pain again as the water lapped over the wound but he came up grinning as he went to join her.
The blood came off of him in clouds in the water even without scrubbing, but there was also fresh blood of a recently re-opened wound.

She was just as beautiful as he thought she was. Her armor didn't leave much to the imagination, but he certainly appreciated the sight without her armor even stained with blood as she was.
"You are quite formidable from what I could see, at the end of it I could see many dead at your feet. I wish I could have seen you in action though, a woman destroying her enemies is extremely sexy."

 

[Traecon Maxwell]

He ignored the sideways glances, the stares and even glares directed his way, as he strode towards the bathing areas to rid himself of the blood. He had gotten a bit carried away in his exploits, having broken formation to simply leap into the fray with wild abandon. His armor would withstand the attacks, and his skill with the sword ensured he was soon wading through bodies rather quickly. Limbs flew, heads had rolled, and armor was rent like paper before him.

He hadn't even begun to tap into the abilities of his sword yet, and when the skirmish ended he was practically drowning in blood. Messy, disgusting, and he had soured his image to the soldiers of this place. His fault, naturally. He shouldn't have broken off from his group, nor create such a spectacle of the invaders. They would be back in force, and moreover, they would prioritize his group over the rest, if not just him in general.

The thoughts kept his mood sour as he undressed and stepped into the bathing area itself, still trailing blood from his feet and body. He would have to wash the armor out as well - which was an absolute chore. Scrubbing out the insides of that armament was a week-long labor.

Not many remained in the room, and he only spotted the two he had seen in his night watch the night before. He settled down in a place a mite further down than they were, where he would not (hopefully) be noticed. With a wet towel and the chestpiece of his armor set on hand, he got to work, flushing the insides out with water, rinsing it of what blood had coated its insides.

 

[Nikaia]

She was just as beautiful as he thought she was. Her armor didn't leave much to the imagination, but he certainly appreciated the sight without her armor even stained with blood as she was.
"You are quite formidable from what I could see, at the end of it I could see many dead at your feet. I wish I could have seen you in action though, a woman destroying her enemies is extremely sexy."

“That’s awfully sweet of you.” She said with a grin. “I’d say much the same of you. But you might not think the same, since the shield would cover the bits you’re interested in.” She teased. “But you on the other hand, you don’t cover any of the things I want to look at.”

Not many remained in the room, and he only spotted the two he had seen in his night watch the night before. He settled down in a place a mite further down than they were, where he would not (hopefully) be noticed. With a wet towel and the chestpiece of his armor set on hand, he got to work, flushing the insides out with water, rinsing it of what blood had coated its insides.

There was a second round of people for the bath, and a number of people came in. One of which was a man who had been on the side of the phalanxes closest to him. He dropped in beside the mercenary. “You did well out there. Breaking rank was a little less than what the captain wanted, but you did well. Thanks for covering the flank friend.

 

[Traecon Maxwell]

There went his hopes of not being noticed.

“You did well out there. Breaking rank was a little less than what the captain wanted, but you did well. Thanks for covering the flank friend.

He shrugged in reply, moving on to the gauntlets. "Broke rules. Paid price. They will go for me next time." His eye twitched when he saw a piece of bone fall out the left-handed one, falling into the water like a pebble. Wait, that was a tooth - ah yes, he had recalled punching a barbarian. But how did it fall inside his gauntlet? Unless - A quick check confirmed he had all his whites.

Himself getting punched and having one such tooth knocked out? Well... the battle itself had been a blur, so he didn't recall anyone getting a lucky shot in. Not enough to break off a tooth - his facemask was supposed to prevent such injuries.

He continued to wash the armaments, after having another two teeth fall out the right-handed gauntlet - he was sure he had used more blade than fist, so how was he getting all these in his armor? - he moved on to the boots, grimacing as a literal pool of blood flowed out of each.

"Ugh."

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“I’d say much the same of you. But you might not think the same, since the shield would cover the bits you’re interested in.”

“But you on the other hand, you don’t cover any of the things I want to look at.”

He chuckled, "I'm happy to please you. So, how does this work? I wash your back and you wash mine?"
He dunked his head under the water and and came back up, his long hair plastered to his head and he began scrubbing the blood from the dark locks.
"Or would you rather just watch? Because I would infinitely enjoy that as well."

He noticed the dark mercenary come to the bath as well, but he paid little attention. He was at the front and practically disobeyed orders as well, but he didn't have time to worry about what those farther back were doing. They will have a different plan and the barbarians won't be ready for it.

 

[Nikaia]

He chuckled, "I'm happy to please you. So, how does this work? I wash your back and you wash mine?"
He dunked his head under the water and and came back up, his long hair plastered to his head and he began scrubbing the blood from the dark locks.
"Or would you rather just watch? Because I would infinitely enjoy that as well."

“Neither. Why don’t you watch me? Or you can wash me if you want, I have no trouble with you putting your hands on me.” She said with a wink. “Wherever it is you want.”

Of course, she was only trying to whet his appetite for her, the predator needed motivation after all. She was scrubbing herself down with her hands, making sure to bend and twist in... alluring ways.

He shrugged in reply, moving on to the gauntlets. "Broke rules. Paid price. They will go for me next time." His eye twitched when he saw a piece of bone fall out the left-handed one, falling into the water like a pebble. Wait, that was a tooth - ah yes, he had recalled punching a barbarian. But how did it fall inside his gauntlet? Unless - A quick check confirmed he had all his whites.

“Suppose so. The name’s Daxos. What’s yours?”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“Neither. Why don’t you watch me? Or you can wash me if you want, I have no trouble with you putting your hands on me.”
“Wherever it is you want.”

"A dangerous offer, Nikaia..."
In that moment she was playing with fire even as she teased him in the water.
The invitation was too free, too inviting, had Tyrone been a lesser man, or had his self control been any weaker, things would have gotten dicey really quick. It's one of the few things that separated him from an animal, his ability to choose even when the fire of his wound and the strength of his loins nearly drove him over the edge to savagely partake of her.

Even as his tension opened the wound again and fresh blood trailed from his side and was swept away by the water he moved forward slowly and gently placed his calloused hands on her on her naked flesh, he started out gentle then firmly as he scrubbed the blood from her skin with the rough pads of his hands. He tended to her and even massaged her soldiers muscles, paying special attention to her back and shoulders.

Having denied his primal desire his breathing calmed, though tension still raged through his body it somehow didn't reach his hands as he worked hard to make her skin glow. But he let her private parts be, out of respect to her as a warrior.
Even as he worked he could feel his mind growing fuzzy, the wound still leaked his life fluid and voices started becoming echoey and distant.
But he didn't let himself go unconscious.
He was behind her as he cleaned her, his hands on her hips. He leaned his chest against her back with his mouth close to her ear, "Can you look at this wound for me? I'm afraid someone got a lucky hit before they died..."
He needed to sit down, but he refused to appear weak or vulnerable. So he even smiled with his request, to pretend like it wasn't serious.

 

[Nikaia]

"A dangerous offer, Nikaia..."

Even as his tension opened the wound again and fresh blood trailed from his side and was swept away by the water he moved forward slowly and gently placed his calloused hands on her on her naked flesh, he started out gentle then firmly as he scrubbed the blood from her skin with the rough pads of his hands. He tended to her and even massaged her soldiers muscles, paying special attention to her back and shoulders.

“Well, whats life without a little danger. Besides,” she purred, “I like dangerous men.”

His attention to her was absolutely great. She practically melted in his hands, especially as he got rougher. She was unaware of the injury in his side. It wasn’t until he actually asked her to look at it that she became concerned.

She turned around to peer at the gash in his side. She looked at him with a serious expression. “It’s one thing not to go down in battle when’s not dead, it’s a different thing entirely to leave an injury unattended. Come with me, we need to get you to a doctor.”

She rose out of the water and carefully helped him out of it. Swiftly donning her undergarments, which were basically her clothes anyway, she helped him to a nearby medical post, one of many throughout the city.

It was a simple matter of stitching the wound closed after cleaning it and sterilizing it. After that Nikaia chided him for being so foolish. “Don’t leave injuries uncared for. You aren’t still drunk from last night are you?”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“Well, what's life without a little danger. Besides,”
“I like dangerous men.”

He couldn't resist putting his arm around her throat with a low growl and teasingly tightening to see how she would react. "Must you tempt me, woman!?"
He believed her, but he doubted she was that easy... She was already far more than a conquest at this point and he didn't want to chase her off or give her the wrong idea.
Thoughts of taking her as his wife were dancing in his head and he didn't want to mess up.

“It’s one thing to go down in battle when you're dead, it’s a different thing entirely to die from an injury unattended. Come with me, we need to get you to a doctor.”

He nodded and followed her quietly, he didn't argue with her and let her aid him out of the bath. He put on his own underclothes and went with her to the medical post.
They were dealing with many wounded as it was, but they were far from overwhelmed and were able to treat him quickly.

“Don’t leave injuries uncared for. You aren’t still drunk from last night are you?”

He couldn't help but chuckle which made him wince.
"No... My only excuse would have to be "Blood Lust"... In the heat of battle I didn't even notice one of the barbarians sliding an axe across my bones... In fact, I didn't even notice till I got in the bath."
They were now outside the medical facility, and alone for all intents and purposes. He leaned against a pillar and beckoned for her to come to him, to join him in the shadows. He was still only in his brief undergarments and the chill night air raised bumps on his bare muscled flesh, but he didn't mind the cold at all.

 

[Nikaia]

He couldn't resist putting his arm around her throat with a low growl and teasingly tightening to see how she would react. "Must you tempt me, woman!?"
He believed her, but he doubted she was that easy... She was already far more than a conquest at this point and he didn't want to chase her off or give her the wrong idea.
Thoughts of taking her as his wife were dancing in his head and he didn't want to mess up.

She didn’t fight back, but instead looked back at him and said sultrily, “Must is a strong word. But if I didn’t tempt you, how would you be motivated enough to run me down? Though,” she read her fingers along his forearm, “it doesn’t look like I can run from you now? So what will you do with your newfound prisoner? I’m eager to find out~” she purred.

"No... My only excuse would have to be "Blood Lust"... In the heat of battle I didn't even notice one of the barbarians sliding an axe across my bones... In fact, I didn't even notice till I got in the bath.

“That May sound great, but it is in fact, problematic. Pain tolerance is all well and good, it lets you fight through pain, but not noticing an injury can prove fatal. Be more careful next time alright.”

They were now outside the medical facility, and alone for all intents and purposes. He leaned against a pillar and beckoned for her to come to him, to join him in the shadows. He was still only in his brief undergarments and the chill night air raised bumps on his bare muscled flesh, but he didn't mind the cold at all.

His gesture to join him was met with a knowing smirk. “Oh come now. Can’t make it too easy on you.” So she turned and strode away, making sure to exaggerate the sway in her hips as she walked. She kept walking, wondering what he’d do.

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“That May sound great, but it is in fact, problematic. Pain tolerance is all well and good, it lets you fight through pain, but not noticing an injury can prove fatal. Be more careful next time alright.”

She cares, it's refreshing and deeply appreciated. He responded with a wide teasing grin, "Yes ma'am!"

“Oh come now. Can’t make it too easy on you.”

A sly smirk spread across his face as he watched her walk away. The hunt was on and she was practically begging him to take her down, but she wanted it on her terms. Her teasing was manipulative, tempting, coaxing.

At this point it felt like mind reading with how easy it was to see what she wanted. But he wouldn't oblige her, he wanted her but he couldn't make it that easy either.
He would rather that she desired him as much as he desired her, and then next time she won't walk away.

He walked after her on his way back to the baths to clean and retrieve his gear, but he gave her a pinch on the back of her thigh as he walked up.
"You're a horrible woman, you know that?"
He grinned as he walked beside her.
"I have some plans in regards to tomorrow's battle, but I don't want to disobey orders again. Who can I talk to to bring my ideas forward?"

 

[Nikaia]

"You're a horrible woman, you know that?”

The pinch on her thigh was a bit of a letdown, she had hoped for something a bit rougher just a bit higher up, but she wasn’t about to complain. “How so?”

"I have some plans in regards to tomorrow's battle, but I don't want to disobey orders again. Who can I talk to to bring my ideas forward?"

She glanced at him, “I don’t think that that’s necessary. We have scouts looking for them but we can’t find where they are stationed, so we can only defend so far. And defense is pretty straightforward, no major strategy.”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“How so?”

He simply chuckled in response. If he explained it then she would have something to argue against which women were want to do, and there was no need for that when he already knew it was true. She was trying to get his heat up to get him to do what she wanted him to do, but he would woo her on his terms... Though he was a bit curious.
"I wonder... Would you tell me what marriage customs you have here?"
Cause where he came from, this type of behavior is what a whore or mistress would do, not a woman seeking love and companionship.

“I don’t think that that’s necessary. We have scouts looking for them but we can’t find where they are stationed, so we can only defend so far. And defense is pretty straightforward, no major strategy.”

He shook his head sarcastically, "Tsk tsk. You'll never get promoted thinking like that! Consider our enemy. They are trying to find a way to crush our army and get inside the city to cause havoc. They will be constantly trying new tactics to get through our defenses and you think we're going to survive by not changing anything?"
He tapped his temple, "Strategy is just as much a part of defense as it is a part of attacking. If we keep changing then they have to keep adjusting, and the more they have to readjust the more we can whittle down their numbers and eventually either destroy them or force them to go home."

 

[Nikaia]

"I wonder... Would you tell me what marriage customs you have here?"
Cause where he came from, this type of behavior is what a whore or mistress would do, not a woman seeking love and companionship.

“Oh, you going after that are you?” She asked. “Well it’s actually quite simple. The man kidnaps the woman and has two weeks to get her to agree to be his, if he fails, she’s released and he can’t try again. If she agrees, she moves into his home and they’re married.”

He shook his head sarcastically, "Tsk tsk. You'll never get promoted thinking like that! Consider our enemy. They are trying to find a way to crush our army and get inside the city to cause havoc. They will be constantly trying new tactics to get through our defenses and you think we're going to survive by not changing anything?"
He tapped his temple, "Strategy is just as much a part of defense as it is a part of attacking. If we keep changing then they have to keep adjusting, and the more they have to readjust the more we can whittle down their numbers and eventually either destroy them or force them to go home."

“I got up to captain I’ll have you know.” She said scoffing, slightly offended. “I got demoted down to this rank because of one case of being captured, one case of being the only survivor of ten soldiers and escaping unharmed, and one case of showing up injured long after I was supposed to show up. Besides, the generals do change things up.”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“Well it’s actually quite simple. The man kidnaps the woman and has two weeks to get her to agree to be his, if he fails, she’s released and he can’t try again. If she agrees, she moves into his home and they’re married.”

He raised his eyebrows, "Really? Are you sure this isn't a personal preference?"
He laughed out loud, "Well then! I guess I won't be wooing you until this war is over! Two weeks is too long to be out of action and we might lose without you!"
He put an arm around her waist and leaned in close to growl in her ear, "But afterwards... If you're willing... I would love to try and "convince" you to be mine."

“I got up to captain I’ll have you know.”
“I got demoted down to this rank because of one case of being captured, one case of being the only survivor of ten soldiers and escaping unharmed, and one case of showing up injured long after I was supposed to show up. Besides, the generals do change things up.”

He gave a small laugh hugged her shoulder soothingly, "There there, I meant no offense. But in that case there should be no problem with my bringing up a new tactic for them to consider."

 

[Nikaia]

"Well then! I guess I won't be wooing you until this war is over! Two weeks is too long to be out of action and we might lose without you!"
He put an arm around her waist and leaned in close to growl in her ear, "But afterwards... If you're willing... I would love to try and "convince" you to be mine.

When she was pulled in by the waist she looked up at him and chuckled. “I said that you had two weeks, not that it would take two weeks. But don’t go doing it right now, it’s far better to do it in a public area so that people know what is actually going on. And I have to warn you, women will always resist capture, so make sure that they are thoroughly secured before anything else, or they might escape you.”

He gave a small laugh hugged her shoulder soothingly, "There there, I meant no offense. But in that case there should be no problem with my bringing up a new tactic for them to consider."

“I won’t stop you. Just don’t be too aggressive about it or the new captain will take it as a challenge to his authority.”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“I said that you had two weeks, not that it would take two weeks. But don’t go doing it right now, it’s far better to do it in a public area so that people know what is actually going on. And I have to warn you, women will always resist capture, so make sure that they are thoroughly secured before anything else, or they might escape you.”

He gave a low chuckle into her ear, "You've convinced me... Once this siege is over I'm challenging you!"

“I won’t stop you. Just don’t be too aggressive about it or the new captain will take it as a challenge to his authority.”

He rolled his eyes, "From what you told me, it sounds like he needs a good challenge to his authority. But I'll simply run strategy by him, and if he says no I'll just prove I'm a genius on the battlefield."
He stopped at the street that would go back to the bathhouse.
"I need to finish cleaning up and get my gear, do you want to join me or shall we say goodnight?"

 

[Nikaia]

He gave a low chuckle into her ear, "You've convinced me... Once this siege is over I'm challenging you!"

When chuckled herself, “An open challenge? Why not? I was expecting something a bit more sudden. Being snatched up into a chariot and bound before I can respond. But being taken openly by force is definitely... enticing.”

She pulled away, “but until you decide to make your claim, eyes only loverboy.”

"I need to finish cleaning up and get my gear, do you want to join me or shall we say goodnight?"

“Sure, I’ll join you.”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“An open challenge? Why not? I was expecting something a bit more sudden. Being snatched up into a chariot and bound before I can respond. But being taken openly by force is definitely... enticing.”
“but until you decide to make your claim, eyes only loverboy.”

He laughed and shook his head, "You play hot and cold very poorly!" But he acquiesced and simply walked beside her as he returned to the baths. Once there he stripped again and got back in the water to properly clean himself before getting his equipment and cleaning that as well.

 

[Nikaia]

He laughed and shook his head, "You play hot and cold very poorly!" But he acquiesced and simply walked beside her as he returned to the baths. Once there he stripped again and got back in the water to properly clean himself before getting his equipment and cleaning that as well.

“How so?” She asked. She didn’t entirely understand what he meant by ‘hot and cold’. The baths were again, pleasant and steaming. She and the remaining soldiers plus the muscled mercenary washed, and once that was done, redone clothing and went about their business, the day was mostly done, but not so late as to tire everyone just yet.

She walked to the circle of temples, and would enter one of them for prayer. She had skipped it the night before, and wouldn’t skip it again.

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“How so?”

He shrugged, "I suppose it's another term for 'teasing', one minute you're coming on to me like a panther in heat, the next you're saying 'no touching till you tie me to your bed!' and I say you do it poorly because I can see the contrast."
He bumped her with his hip jokingly.

Once he had properly cleaned himself and his equipment and dressed they went their separate ways. Tzuriel had some business with the captain and a tactic to arrange with the other mercenaries. But first he needed a bow, the heavier the better and he may even need it custom made to suit his preference.
Finding a weapons shop was his first priority, then to lay the groundwork for his idea.

 

[Nikaia]

He shrugged, "I suppose it's another term for 'teasing', one minute you're coming on to me like a panther in heat, the next you're saying 'no touching till you tie me to your bed!' and I say you do it poorly because I can see the contrast."
He bumped her with his hip jokingly.

“Fair enough. But think about it this way. I’m giving you an order, when it’s quite clear that between us,” She said turning around and putting her palm on his sternum, “you are the one in control. So what is it that you think I’m getting at?” She grinned up at him a licked her lips. “Or do I need to explain it to you further?”

 

[Tyrone Kystal]

“Fair enough. But think about it this way. I’m giving you an order, when it’s quite clear that between us,” She said turning around and putting her palm on his sternum, “you are the one in control. So what is it that you think I’m getting at?” She grinned up at him a licked her lips. “Or do I need to explain it to you further?”

He rolled his eyes, grabbed the wrist of the hand on his chest, pulled her past him while his foot tripped her up. Still holding her wrist he slung her to the ground and climbed on top of her, her wrist pinned down with one hand while the other put light pressure on her throat.
His blue eyes narrowed to a feral glare and he almost snarled at her.
"You want me to ravage you like the mountain beast that I am. But if I did that now we would be down a good soldier when we need everything we've got!
You said I'm in control, I am. Therefore I will take you for myself when I decide the time is best for all concerned!"
He leaned in close, she could feel his savage breath against her skin.
"This teasing game you play with me is dangerous. I am in control, the moment I'm not in control is when the beast takes control instead and I rut you senseless! Think of the men you're in charge of... How can you command them and fight by their side when you can't even walk?"

Just as suddenly as he threw her down he let her back up, giving her a hand if she would accept it.