Isolate and Medicate

the Rift

[PRIVATE] Isolate and Medicate

Torleik the Bloodskald Posts: 354

Outcast atk: 4.5 | def: 8.0 | dam: 7.5

Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.3 :: 11 HP: 66.5 | Buff: SWIFT

Irelyn :: Plain Griffin :: Molten Dagger RedGod

#13

01-02-2015, 08:54 PM (This post was last modified: 01-02-2015, 08:55 PM by Torleik.)

Torleik

And you're giving me such sweet nothing

Torleik noticed Tinek was no longer present and though to ask about his location, though Ophelia did not seem perturbed by his absence. "Does Tinek go off on his own often now?" inquired the stallion, glancing to the skies in case he'd simply missed the dragon circling above. There was little movement save for a passing pair of birds, of what kind he could not tell.

Her words regarding his control were not all that well-met, and his expression became slightly more rigid. "If I could always guarantee I was in a place to help me control myself, I doubt I would have these issues as I do," he said stiffly. It was not like him to admit weakness, or faults of a severe nature, yet here he had done both to Ophelia - and she was telling him to just make sure he was always in a good place? As if he chose to put himself in bad positions for his emotions? Still, he listened to what the mare said, listened to her tell him that she gave up her leadership for Tinek. The mild irritation the stallion had felt prior gave way to slight stubbornness, and almost some manner of entertainment. "You want I would give you up?" Torleik said somewhat pointedly. "Those that make us feel most strongly are those those that should be held tightest."

It was an adage from his mother, something she'd often said about Torleik's father. The young colt had asked one season why his mother loved his father when his father clearly had no intention of remaining faithful, and those words had been her answer - and her answer every time after when Torleik asked why she put up with him following one of his many transgressions. Though the rune-horned stallion could clearly see his father loved his mother, he had long ago vowed to never make the same mistakes as his sire, to try to love two women at once, to try to pretend that doing so did nothing but hurt all involved.

Ophelia's story did intrigue him, though he felt that pressing would only cause her to close off like a snapdragon. A trickle of doubt dripped in through the back of his mind, all the pieces he knew from before finally falling and clicking into place. She had been a great spy once, an exceptional manipulator, clever with her words and actions so as to get exactly what she wanted from the other equid or the situation. What was to change that now? What was to prevent her from using him in the same way - even if she only did so out of habit? Brows knitted together in the silence that followed, his thoughts carving their own winding paths through the rocky glaciers of his mind.

In all of Helovia, Torleik though of one woman he'd met who seemed straightforward and fully self-sufficient, and that was Ophelia's sister Ktulu. The negative of Ophelia in virtually every way he could imagine, the dark sister was a warrior, blunt, without the smoke of stealth and the silk of lies gilding her form and beguiling others. Ktulu was a shieldmaiden of honor and strength, like those in the tales of his homeland. Ophelia was everything that frightened him in a woman.

She was crafty, sneaky, clever with her tongue, saw the world as chess pieces to be moved and played against one another. Politics was an arena Torleik had left to his brother, despite being at least somewhat capable of holding his own when it came to such treachery and self-promotion. In his personal life he couldn't handle that level of falsehood, all the lies and deals behind closed doors; he had a simple heart that wanted to live honorably and love fully. The Bloodskald shook his head slightly, irked with himself that it had taken him so long to consider this. He had foolishly let his heart lead him where his mind should have been directing the expedition.

Now he was in a dark cave with a pinprick of light to follow and hope he didn't lose his footing along the way.

He supposed he'd best enjoy the journey, then, since it could all end in a frozen disaster. And that didn't affect his ability to be sincere in what he said, now did it? So he complimented her and then flung water at her face, hoping it might amuse her. Ophelia's response was not quite what he'd expected. She puffed her chest out and affected a royally haughty air, opening one, beautiful blue eye at him asking if he'd...actually...just done what she thought he'd did.

"Hm. Seems I did..." the dual-horned stallion rumbled with a grin, sensing there was more to come. He was correct. For a fraction of a second he thought she might kick him, but the water that splashed up and spick-spick-spicked against his skin in little droplets of wet heat told him differently. He chuckled as she trotted away from him, his body warmed by her smirk and the playful, almost vengeful spark in her eyes. The heat from the springs around them seemed to have seeped into his body and settled in his loins and he grunted.

This was the same feeling he'd gotten prior to his...utterly idiotic foray with Brisa. Torleik was almost 100 percent certain Ophelia wouldn't even let him near her for that reason, and he felt a little guilty for being so easily aroused. Surely he should be better than this. But he shoved those thoughts away and went after his pale princess. His own movements agile for what one might think, given his size, Torleik attempted to fake her out by leaping a little towards the hot springs, then suddenly the other way. With luck, that would drive her closer to the water's edge - which would be aided (he hoped) by his reaching out and trying to playfully bite on the side facing away from the water.

If all went well, he could nudge her into the spring and claim complete victory.

@[Ophelia]

"talk talk talk"

Credits: Image by Schwartze @ DA