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| Vale of the White Horse | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: 5 Jan 2010, 13:03 (19,271 Views) | |
| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 14:46 Post #3991 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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There was something off about that question, for some reason. But no, he must be paranoid. Hadn't she just returned his kiss, stating louder than words that she wanted him? 'If you want to hear it so badly,' he answered. |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 14:54 Post #3992 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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‘Yes,’ she whispered, rather ardently. ‘Oh, I do want to hear it. But I’m not worried…’ Now she lifted her eyes again. He had to see her. See who she was. ‘It wouldn’t matter so much if you decided to refute it.’ She was silent for a moment, but not long enough to allow him the chance to slither away from this. ‘Now I owe you some clarity. I’m saying that the seduction of a chieftain’s wife is a very grave accusation. And considering your reputation, not so very hard to believe for any independent party…So not another step out of line, please.’ |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 14:59 Post #3993 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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It took a while before he registered exactly what she was saying. Then his earlier excitement and triumph quickly abated, replaced by another urge, equally as strong. Rufus slowly licked his lips, one of his hands still touching the wall behind Briallen. 'Ah,' he said quietly. 'I may have made an error of judgement, there.' |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 15:04 Post #3994 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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‘Sometimes we do,’ she said mildly, though beneath her dress, she could feel the trembling of her knees. But this was not the moment to be weak, or even moderate. She leaned closer to him. He was still so conveniently close that she did not have to reach far. ‘I will not let you have the Vale,’ she whispered, as he had whispered in her own ear. Perhaps now he would feel why it had shaken her. ‘I would die to keep it out of your hands, Rufus.’ |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 15:10 Post #3995 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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'You might want to be careful with such statements,' he replied, pushing himself away from the wall. There was nothing more he'd like than slap her in the face right now, but it would only make matters worse at his end. 'I already have most of your precious little Vale, Briallen. It'd take a miracle for you to get it back, you heard what the people in the settlement think of your beloved husband.' |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 15:16 Post #3996 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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There, she had him. Briallen hid her hands in the fabric of her sleeves, because she felt like a child that had played with flints until they sparked a fire. But she also thought of the Earth Kin, the Good Folk. Though they confused her, she found solace in the idea that they were still on her side. ‘Miracles. Indeed’ |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 15:27 Post #3997 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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With every passing second, he got angrier. How could he have made such a gruesome mistake? And how dare she threaten him in his own home, when most of the power in this rotten place was his, now? Well, it just so happened that he could do a fair bit of threatening himself. 'I've tried to make this easy for everyone,' he said lowly, looking down on her. 'Your husband is not only incapable of giving you a good fuck, but also frightfully inept at leading his own chieftaincy. So you might want to start praying for that miracle.' |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 15:31 Post #3998 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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Would he hurt her? There was nothing she could do if he did. Some of her fear showed on her face, she was sure. Briallen breathed deeply. ‘You have no idea what you’re dealing with.’ And it was true, she had figured by now. ‘How did you know about me and Tudwrig?’ |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 15:40 Post #3999 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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'Don't I, now?' he said flatly. At least she had the grace to look afraid of him. 'I think I've quite the inkling exactly what's going on in this vale. There's not much I don't know. It's amazing what you can accomplish with a few suave words in the right places. This could all have been resolved quietly and peacefully, but you had to poke your nose where it didn't belong, with your Silures-blood. You can be proud of yourself, Briallen. You just made things a lot more difficult for everyone.' |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 15:45 Post #4000 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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‘Because I defy you?’ She looked for a way past him, but he blocked her exit quite well. Briallen licked her lips. This was ridiculous! Her Silures-blood indeed! ‘I don’t know what you had expected then – quiet submission? It’s really not you who ought to be enraged about what’s been going on in this Vale lately! I will let the Romans live in this settlement because they are ordinary people, but from this day on your power over our decisions is greatly diminished.’ |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 15:52 Post #4001 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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'I tremble in my boots, really.' Rufus crossed his arms in front of him. 'If you think it's that easy, I'm sorry to disappoint you. You shouldn't have left for so long, with your husband incapacitated, and now it's too late for you to do much about the situation, petty threats about my diminishing power aside.' |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 15:54 Post #4002 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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For a moment she considered asking Tudwrig to go into this villa and tear this man to shreds. ‘There’s only one of you, my lord,’ she pointed out softly. |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 15:59 Post #4003 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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Although he was really very angry, he wasn't about to drop even more of his cover. Rufus took a deep breath to steady himself. 'And there's only one of you, too, with the difference that I'm considerably more stronger than you are.' |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 16:00 Post #4004 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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‘In which way, my lord?’ |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 16:02 Post #4005 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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'Why don't you go figure that out for yourself?' He pressed his lips together and took a step aside. 'You already got what you bargained for, and I think it would be wise that you leave right now.' |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 16:08 Post #4006 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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If there was one thing she wasn’t going to allow him, it was being stronger than her. She’d see where his limits were and step over them. Again and again, if she had to. ‘If it comes down to a competition of wills, I believe I hold the advantage in one point,’ Briallen said, her voice constrained. Her heart was still thundering and she was glad that he was going to let her go at all. ‘Love courses through impossible ridgeways. It wasn’t me who said that, either. It was the Roman whom you sacked.’ She slipped past him as quickly as she felt was dignified. ‘Now that we have this out of the way, my lord, rest assured that I shall be nothing short of cordial to you.’ |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 16:13 Post #4007 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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'I shall be looking forward to next time we meet,' he said coldly. Whatever to love. There were only the bonds of mutual lust, and even those were easily severed. 'Give my regards to your husband.' Rufus made the faintest of bows, just as a servant appeared. 'Show the lady out, I've other things to attend to.' |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 17:14 Post #4008 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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Days had passed and he had watched Gwenllian settle into the camp of brothers with relative peace. Relative, because she always carried that deep, haunted look behind the mirrors of her eyes. He doubted that it would ever go away. She hadn’t asked him what he would do if she was with child and if that child was not his. He couldn’t tell her, either. Elgued bend low and muttered something in his ear. He had to shake his head to clear it. ‘Just now?’ The other man nodded. ‘We’ll want to have you present while they report.’ ‘Fine.’ As far as Rhywallon was concerned, he’d have nothing to do with anything that bore the mark of Spurius Sulpicius, but he couldn’t reject. Wouldn’t, because if it had not been for Gwyddien, his life and that of Gwenllian’s would’ve been torn to pieces. ‘I’m coming.’ |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 17:35 Post #4009 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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That morning she had woken up with a stomachache, but she hadn't thought much of it. She often had aches and cramps like that, and after the first three or four times of running to the bushes to see if the moon had come upon her yet she had just given up on hoping and simply tried to ignore it. Gwenllian turned one of the breads she was cooking. It was hardly enough to last them for more than a day, but a welcome addition to their diet. And it kept her busy. Day-to-day life in this camp was very different from what she'd known so far, and though she had to get used to these men, she was more at ease here than she'd been anywhere else. Except the few days when everything in Caer March had seemed more or less perfect. When she'd turned all the loafs, she got up to relieve herself. Elgued strode past her as she went, walking towards Rhywallon to talk to him. She wondered what was up; the man looked a little preoccupied. Perhaps there was news? She'd have to ask Rhywallon later. |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 17:51 Post #4010 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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Rhywallon kept himself in the shadow of a cluster of oaks, but observed Gwyddien an Elgued as they made the men who had return drink from a goblet. After the first had passed the drink to the second, he wiped his mouth. ‘Well. Sulpicius has moved his camp by a mile. He’s nearly at the river now.’ Rhywallon noticed Elgued glancing at him. ‘I can only hope that the Silures chased him back with fire,’ he shrugged. ‘Will he venture over into our own lands again?’ Gwyddien inquired. The other man shook his head. ‘Maybe, but not for long. Dobunni is already under occupation. Why take something you already have?’ |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 18:12 Post #4011 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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Once out of sight, she squatted and gave a sigh. The first days, she couldn't even relieve herself without anxiety building up in her chest. All that was there now, was a dull feeling of hope lost. There wasn't much she could do but wait - she didn't even want to look down. When she was done, she pulled up her smallclothes and got up. Or wanted to, because a sharp stab of pain shot through her abdomen, bringing her down to her knees. Gasping, she dug her fingers into the soil until the pain abated. If this was what was going to happen for the next nine months, she might as well drown herself in the river. Unless, of course - but no, it was too late for that. Against her better judgement, Gwenllian ventured a tentative look in her smallclothes. At first, she thought the bloodstains must be an illusion, but then a second jolt of pain shot through her. This must the best sort of pain she'd ever felt, she thought while tears ran down her cheeks. Trembling, she stumbled back to camp to get something to stem the flow. 'You okay, lass?' one of the men at a nearby fire asked after a searching look on her face. She didn't answer, but dived inside her tent. Rhywallon had to know immediately, she thought while searching for her bandages. But it looked like Gwyddien had called council, and she wasn't sure if she could disturb them. |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 18:16 Post #4012 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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‘We will proceed as follows then,’ Elgued said. ‘Myself will head for the Vale of the White Horse. I don’t see the need to keep a large party if all Sulpicius is doing, is drinking water.’ ‘He won’t be,’ Rhywallon protested. Gwyddien gave a single nod. ‘Two men are sufficient to keep watch there. Now Elgued will check on the situation around Caer March. You have been there, Rhywallon – I would prefer you to go –’ ‘No,’ he said. |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 18:24 Post #4013 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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Gwyddien's expression didn't change. 'You know the grounds better than any one of us. As such, you're the only logical choice to go with Elgued.' Even though she wanted to go to Rhywallon straightaway, the pain prevented her for many long minutes. At one point, someone outside called out: 'Everything all right, girl?' 'Ye - yes,' she gasped. 'Never been better.' There was a dubious silence outside. 'If you need anything, just holler.' 'Will do - ow.' Gwenllian knitted her brows together, her eyes tightly shut. It was good pain, she told her self. But why did there have to be so much of it? |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 18:28 Post #4014 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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‘What about Gwenllian?’ he frowned. ‘And don’t tell me to leave her here.’ ‘Rhywallon, since when did you get married to that girl?’ It was one of the two scouts. Perhaps since she might be carrying my baby,/ he thought darkly. ‘I will think about it. But exposing her to danger isn’t going to happen. That Vale’s still got Rufus.’ He turned around. |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 18:35 Post #4015 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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'We can handle Lentulus without exposing Gwenllian to any sort of danger,' Elgued said with a shrug. 'Think about it long and hard, Rhywallon. We've a need of you, and you can't hide behind her safety forever.' She really, really had to go see Rhywallon now. Gwenllian tried to drag herself up, but it was as if her period tried to make up for its lateness by throwing all the pain she'd had to feel weeks ago at her at the same time. 'Oh, damn,' she squeaked and fell back on her sleeping mat. |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 18:37 Post #4016 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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He halted briefly. Elgued’s word punched him in the face. ‘There’s still Morcant out there.’ |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 18:43 Post #4017 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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'We haven't heard from him in quite a while.' Elgued got up, crossing his arms in front of him. 'And he hasn't been inside the caer as far as we know. You, on the other hand, have. But by all means, talk to Gwenllian and ask her to provide an excuse for you. I'm sure she'll be happy to oblige.' 'That's quite enough, Elgued,' Gwyddien warned. |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 18:45 Post #4018 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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Rhywallon grinned, though it felt to him more like the grimace of a dog before it attacks. ‘Go to the Vale and meet our friend Marcus Lentulus, Elgued. You’ll understand what I mean then. As for Morcant – ah, he might be slightly distracted. I know he is with a girl near Caer March. The one he kidnapped.’ |
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| Sonja | 16 Aug 2010, 18:51 Post #4019 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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Elgued rolled his eyes. 'Him too, then? Great.' He sank back, glowering darkly at the fire. 'All the more reason for you to go, Rhywallon,' Gwyddien interjected. |
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| Marieke | 16 Aug 2010, 18:52 Post #4020 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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'Like I said, I'll consider it.' |
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