Private Tales Then the Mountain's will Destroy

[Houri]

"I'm not sure the wagon would have been any better," Houri murmured into her cup and then her cheeks heated at the thought of how worse their journey might have been if they had been crowded into the back of a small wagon together. Last night had been hard enough with walls between them.

"Can I get you lovebirds something to eat?" the chirpy girl who appeared at their table didn't look familiar, which meant she probably hadn't worked the night and explained why she was the only one in the room who looked as though they had actually slept. She had to bite her tongue to keep from telling her to go away.

"We're not--" she started but the girl waved her off.

"Oh hush, I heard all about y'all from my Ma. Tore up the dancefloor she said," a sigh. "It sounded romantic. Anyway," she ploughed on before Houri could open her mouth to object. "We have eggs, bacon and real good sausages. Straight from the butcher down the road. Or, if you prefer something sweet my Ma's just baked some fresh cinnamon rolls."

 

[Silas Artesto]

A brief look of confusion at her comment quickly shifted into a sly grin around the rim of his cup as he took a long drink. Through his exhaustion, he'd almost forgotten the burning heat in his gut that had drawn him to her like a moth to flame, even in the hallway outside of their rooms. Silas had only just been able to maintain his composure then. If they'd had nowhere else to go...

"You're right..." Artesto gave a quiet snicker, lowering his voice as the young waitress approached them. "Though that might depend on your definition of 'better'." He quickly added, certainly able to think of a few benefits to that hypothetical wagon trip.

Silas didn't try to wave off the implication that the chipper girl offered about their relationship. On the contrary, the beaming smile on his face as she recalled the story about the impromptu kiss they'd shared in the heat of the moment seemed to suggest he was more than happy to be seen as Houri's 'lovebird'.

Why shouldn't he be?

"The cinnamon rolls, definitely." Silas piped up without even having to think about it, his amber eyes meeting Houri knowingly. His partner-in-crime had a sweet tooth, and the least he could do for that knee-trembler of a kiss last night was appease it. "Two of them, please."

Houri

 

[Houri]

Houri slid down in her chair as the innkeepers daughter flashed her a grin, delighted in how Silas was also grinning at her. She contemplated kicking him under the table and might very well have done if that grin didn't do something to her heart that made her palms sweat and her pulse quicken. So instead she focused intently on her coffee, as though it were the most interesting thing in the room. The serving girl gave another giggle, flashed Silas a smile and a wink and said "coming right up," before vanishing back to the bar.

"Thank you," Houri managed to croak once they were alone again and found the courage to raise her eyes to meet his gaze. She held them for a full three seconds before looking over his shoulder and then back down at her cup. "I'm not... used to..." being liked? Feeling like this? "I'm not used to people not knowing what I am, joking with me," her eyes flickered back to his. "Making me feel... this way."

 

[Silas Artesto]

Houri's reactions were what he was after, far more than the approval of some pretty little inn waitress. There was something about watching a girl he knew to be one of the strongest and most reliable people he knew melt underneath a smile and a wink that intoxicated him.

Underneath that badass weather-twisting Initiate that had pulled his ass out of the fire just days earlier, there was something beautiful and captivating. Ever since she'd pressed her body close to his, ever since he'd had the taste of her lips lingering on his own, he couldn't get enough of it. Of her.

"You don't need to thank me." He eventually responded, searching her eyes just as she had his. The mostly empty coffee in his hands had been forgotten; sitting across from Houri had energized him as much as a dozen cups full. "This... what we've been doing together the last few days, it's something I've never had before. Something simple, something fun and exciting." Everything back home had strings. Had a catch.

"This just... kinda makes sense, you know? It feels right. That's why... I want you to myself for as long as I can keep you. Let them be mad at me when we get home."

The young woman was quickly swinging back around the bar with cinnamon rolls in tow, and Silas flashed another grin. "Right now, I wanna spoil you. Indulge me."

Houri

 

[Houri]

Houri had not suffered watching her family scrimp and save, had not worried for her siblings health, nor concerned herself with money even when she had been in the Academy. There were few places where being a noble did not carry some weight, especially not when she hailed from one of the Great Houses. She had only truly known hardship when she had been confined to an asylum and even then, the depth of that had not been properly recognised until they had abandoned her and her fellow inmates. Yet still, she had never felt a desire to be spoilt before. Had never longed for someone to care for her or seek things out for her comfort. She had never understood why anyone would lower themselves in such a manner.

In that moment though she realised that perhaps it was not debating to allow another to fuss for her. In fact it took as great a strength as lifting a blade. Made her more vulnerable than if she took to the field of battle with no shield.

She bit her bottom lip as the bar maid set the cinnamon rolls in front of them and topped up their coffees. The room had grown busier so they were spared another round of needling. Instead, Houri leant forward to take one of the cinnamon rolls and carefully unfurled a small part of the still warm pastry.

As soon as the buttery crust touched her tongue she let out a throaty groan of pleasure.

 

[Silas Artesto]

Silas made no attempt to hold back a self-satisfied snicker at the sound that came out of her mouth at only one bite. It was all the confirmation he'd needed that he'd made the right move in ordering the treat. Artesto didn't know what Houri's upbringing had been. He knew she was a Luana, and that they were pretty big deals, and he'd even heard of the previous bearers of her name, and the historical significance it held.

But she'd never stricken him as the spoiled wealthy type. She wasn't stuck up like Leander or Ivan, and she didn't have the aura of privilege and status that Livia did. No, Houri felt real, like somebody he could relate to, even if they came from vastly different worlds. Artesto hoped... rather, he liked to think, that this kind of treatment from him didn't just come off as giving her whatever she wanted. Especially not if she'd been given that her whole life.

Popping a bite into his mouth and leaning back, Silas closed his eyes and reveled in the sweetness that filled his cheeks. Why couldn't they serve stuff like this back home? Did they figure serving absolute slop would somehow harden them up any more than the rigorous physical training and constant studying? Hell, he'd be more inclined to apply himself if they offered treats like this in return!

"Mmh... Wonder if these beat your cakes? I still want to have that late-night baking sesh with you, you know. I haven't forgotten." He chuckles, turning his head to look out the window as the morning sun begins to stretch over the small town. It'd been so dark when they'd arrived he hadn't seen how pretty the little hamlet was. It all looked just as cozy as the tavern. "But... I suppose we've got some more land to cover first, yeah?"

Houri

 

[Houri]

Houri's eyes opened like a lazy cat in the sun such as her enjoyment of the freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Her lips quirked at his comment and she rubbed the small bit of sugar she could feel sticking to them off with her finger, before licking it off. Even after a year outside of the asylum she couldn't bring herself to waste a bit of food. She would rather make herself sick than do so.

"Better than some, not as good as others," she declared which was a fine compliment indeed. Nothing could beat chocolate in Houri's mind but the cinnamon rolls certainly beat out lemon cakes and blueberry scones. Her eyes followed his to the window outside as he mentioned the rest of the journey they had to make. As much as she didn't want it to end, she enjoyed their easy conversations on the road and was looking forward to returning to them.

"Do you want to continue on foot or should we look for a few horses?" given his gifts, Silas would probably still choose to walk but if he wanted to move at a faster pace, Houri would need something faster. "I'm still not going to let you piggy back me all the way," she said as she saw him open his mouth with that glint in his eyes.

 

[Silas Artesto]

Silas couldn't help but snicker a little: she'd caught him red-handed this time. He'd thought maybe she'd warmed up to the idea after the night they'd just shared, but perhaps he was aiming too high for now. "I was just going to let you know the offer was still open!" He leaned back and raised his hands defensively, grinning ear to ear. "Can't fault a guy for being chivalrous, can you?"

Popping the last of his treat into his mouth and quickly smacking his lips against the tips of his fingers, Silas stands up from the table and stretches his arms out over his head. It wasn't that he wanted to move at a faster pace, but they couldn't stick around here all day, could they? As much as he enjoyed lounging about with Houri, he knew she wouldn't let him slack off forever.

No matter how convincing he tried to be.

"There's a wagon service that runs along the coastal roads." He offered, reaching into his pouch to place a few coins on the table for the waitress that had been so kind to them. "Heard one of the guys in here mention it last night. If you wanted to focus on just talking, we could do that. I'd rather not ride a horse, though. I can barely stay up on one in my gear, and my civvie clothes got ruined back at the fort." Silas' suit was specially made to allow him flexibility and freedom of movement, but the material didn't agree with horseriding, he'd learned after a few falls.

Apparently, they were working on an improved version for Graduation though, so hopefully that wouldn't be an issue in the future.

"I'll admit, though..." He offered his hand to her, the smug edge returning to his voice. "I'm just as happy taking another long, leisurely stroll with you, too."

Houri

 

[Houri]

Their earlier mention of wagons instead of inns rose unbidden in her mind.

"Maybe it's best we walk," she croaked, heat rising to her cheeks once more. A fool. She felt a fool. But for once it was the type of fool she believed she could get use to. This giddy feeling was all the joys of drinking a little too much wine with none of the nasty lingering headaches the next morning. She took his offered hand so easily when only a few days ago she would have shirked from the implication she could not get to her feet. Houri chided herself she was just looking for any excuse to allow their skin to brush across one another. To linger. To feel the heat---

Yes definitely better that they walk.

Leaving the inn with a wave from the young innkeepers daughter, the road back out of town was easy enough to follow but Houri found herself slowing to take in the sights of the town itself.

"I wonder why the Garrison Captain told us not to linger here, it looks pleasant enough," she mused, peering into a shop window curiously. "I don't think I've been in an intact town since..." she trailed off as she realised just how many years it had been. Oh, she had visited villages and towns since yes but most had been under attack or had been about to be. The shops then had been boarded up. Any sign of life snuffed out.

 

[Silas Artesto]

"It's been a while." Silas interrupted her during her pause. It was a difficult position they were often put in, to bear witness to the casualties of conflict. The nature of a Dreadlord, Initiate or otherwise, was to gravitate towards violence and death. Between the two of them Silas was sure they'd seen enough ghost towns to last a lifetime, and there wasn't any point in dwelling on that fact. "But I'm sure the Captain just didn't want us to drag our feet. I don't see what could be of any danger here, anyways."

They'd stayed a full night without any incident. If something here would have preyed upon them, it could easily have done it as they slept. Besides, they were leaving now, walking towards the opposite end of town than they'd entered yesterday. Whatever the Captain had been on about didn't matter anymore.

"It is strange though." Silas mused aloud, as he held Houri's hand tightly, looking behind them to the bustling town center they'd just departed, the sounds of a busy day growing quieter with each step. "This place isn't far at all from the Fort, the conflict, and that awful storm that came with it. You'd think they'd be a bit more uneased by it all."

He was probably overthinking it. Probably.

Once they'd made it back onto the road, and the buildings had grown from sparse to none, Artesto cleared his throat, attempting to broach this topic as gently as possible.

"Do you... want to talk about last night?"

Houri

 

[Houri]

Houri's brows knitted together at Silas' astute observation. It was only a few miles back that that other village had been all but decimated. How had this town survived? Her eyes flickered to the skies above, searching for something that niggled at the back of her mind... until Silas brought up last night. The question dashed all other thoughts from her mind and she missed a step, forcing her to grab a hold of his arm for support before she hit the cobbled street face first.

Graceful, Houri... she chided to herself... then realised it really was her voice that she heard. There was no sneer from Ardvi, no lament from Varyu or curse from Shiva. Her voice. It seemed to echo in her mind and she revealed in it. Abruptly she realised she was hanging off of Silas like some noble lady who had had one too many glasses of champagne and straightened up, a blush flushing her skin from the neck up.

"I -- ah," she pulled back and threw a glare at the offending cobble she had tripped on. "I... Do you want to talk about it?"

Perhaps if her mind had been less occupied with Silas, she would have noticed they were being watched.

 

[Silas Artesto]

Even when his intentions were pure, Artesto's tendency to get distracted by a pretty face only served to put him into danger. He'd been onto something, and probably would have been much more alert and aware of their surroundings if he hadn't dug up the events of last night, hastily and sloppily buried in a grave of embarrassment and frightening desires.

"I liked it." He stopped walking as she grabbed his arm and turned to her, sliding his hands into the pockets of his civilian clothes with a soft smile on his lips. "I didn't realize how much I wanted it until we were doing it, and... It certainly doesn't make me want to rush home any faster." Silas admitted, shrugging his shoulders. He'd started this mission with a sore heart and a troubled mind, and Houri had dispelled it all with one touch of her lips to his.

How couldn't he want more of that?

"I just... I want to keep chasing that, you know?" Silas took the hand on his arm and held it, taking one step closer to her. "But I'm also not pushing you. If you want to pretend that didn't happen, want to finish the trip home, and never talk about it again, I won't hold that against you. Okay? So long as--"

There it was again, that eerie chill up his spine. Stronger this time, too strong to ignore. He pulled Houri to stand behind him as he turned back toward the village they'd just left, the hairs on his arms standing straight as he searched for whatever was setting his alarm bells off.

"Do you feel that?"

Houri

 

[Houri]

Houri would have given anything for those voices to speak to her again, but every time she reached for them they seemed to draw further and further away. She needed their advice. They had offered it to her over the years without her prompting, even when she didn't wish it, and now she did... nothing. She could only watch Silas as he spoke, as he touched her hand and drew it close, with growing bewilderment. Her heart raced and she tried to figure out what she was going to say when he stopped speaking. He would want something from her. A response at least to show that she returned the feelings he was pouring out to her, or an indications he also wanted to chase that high they had both felt last night. But words came and went in her mind. All of them useless, not good enough to describe the enormity of what last night had meant to her. Done to her.

"Silas, I--" she began when he cut himself, thinking with alarm he was about to take it all back or call it a joke or a mistake. Either would break this tender feeling. But instead he yanked her behind him causing her brows to wrinkle. She was tall enough to peak over his shoulder at the town he was scanning but it looked as pleasant and picturesque as they had left it.

"Feel what?" she glanced up at the endless blue sky. There was not a single cloud; the promise of a perfect day.

"Come on, there's nothing the--" Houri began to tug him on towards the forest but no sooner had she turned, a figure blocked their path. The same feeling that had put Silas on alert now stole over Houri. She opened her mouth to say something - a warning, a call on her magic, anything - when the figure drew a hand from their cloaks pocket and blew a handful of what looked like dust over the two initiates. If they inhaled it, unconsciousness would soon follow.

Houri saw nothing further as darkness overwhelmed her.

 

[Silas Artesto]

Silas wasn't crazy. The boy knew when he was being watched, and he knew when he was being preyed upon just the same. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end, and there was an ache at the back of his throat that burned with every breath he took. Houri tugged at his arm, trying to hurry him along. Maybe that was the wisest choice, but if they were being followed, it would only take them out of eyesight and--

A haze began to cloud his vision, blurriness clawing at the edges of his sight as he caught a whiff of something, a bitter scent that penetrated his nostrils and sent his knees into a wobble he couldn't control. Behind... they'd been behind him, but how? He was so certain, even with Houri's closeness distracting him, that he'd felt something...

Artesto's fragmented attempts to piece together what was happening and from where weren't much use now, not as whatever agent he'd inhaled took its hold on the both of them and sent them into the blackness of unconsciousness. It was the last thing he could will himself to do to pull on Houri's arm protectively, seeking to mitigate any impact to her, for whatever good it did.

Stupid stupid stupid.

Even as he fell he cursed himself for being such an easy target, for not just taking a wagon, or hell, carry Houri back. They would have been so much more difficult to apprehend. As it stood, they made themselves easy targets so they could doe-eye and flirt longer.

He just hoped she'd be okay.

Houri

 

[Houri]

There were two things Houri noticed when she woke up. The first was how much her head hurt, like someone had taken a bat to her skull and used it as a practice ball. The second was the smell.

"Fuck," she groaned, nose scrunching up in disgust as the smell of decaying rotting fish fully sunk into her senses. There was no getting away from the stench. Every breath drew it further into her lungs to the point she began to wonder if she would ever get rid of it when they got out of here. Hazy memories of a figure blowing something into her face and how Silas--

"Silas?!" Houri blinked the haziness from her vision and finally took in where she was. The initiate quick discovered she was bound by wrists and ankles to a chair that was positioned in the middle of a large sun-filled room. The floor beneath her was tiled with care into the shape of a sun and the walls in similar motifs religious in nature. A sour taste formed in her mouth. Every Anirian citizen knew those symbols.

The Radiant Church.

 

[Silas Artesto]

"I'm here."

The voice was a little ragged and distressingly dry. Silas was bound similarly next to her, bound to a chair and stripped of all of his belongings. He looked worse for wear, bruises and the stained remnant of a bloodied nose on his face-- He'd struggled a bit when waking up, and a hooded figure had stopped by the foul-smelling chamber to 'discourage' that behavior.

"You okay? Just... don't panic, alright?" As if it were so easy, seeing those symbols plastered everywhere in the bright room. Damned sun cultists, nutcases, the lot of them. Artesto had always seen The Radiant Church as an elaborate excuse to be a wackjob and get away with it, and they'd proven him right today.

A sharp sting radiates from his arm, causing him to stiffen and struggle against his chair for a moment before biting down on his lip and stopping himself.

"My arm is messed up." He seethed, "Landed on it wrong, I think."

Houri

 

[Houri]

Panic?

Houri was furious. Furious with herself. Furious with the men who had snuck on them - dared to drug them instead of face them in a fair and open fight. Furious for not listening to Silas sooner and for not heeding the Garrison Sergeants warnings. The drug must have still been addling her mind though for when she let the anger trigger her magic as she always did, barely more than a few sparks jumped between her fingers.

Brilliant.

"I can't use my magic," her eyes flittered to the manacles about her wrists and then spat out a small curse. "Rune magic." The type that bound a persons magic. She twisted to try and see him and get a look of his arm, her eyes assessing and critical. "It looks dislocated - your shoulder. Try not to struggle or it'll make it worse."

Letting out a breath she returned her gaze to the room, her mind racing.

"What do you think they want?" for want they must to keep them alive.