Leavestakings *repost*

[Jocelyn]

Racelle stared blankly at the embroidery hoop on her lap. With a million thoughts flying through her head, the white flower she was working on hardly looked anything like what she wanted it to. Sighing she began picking out the stitches to start over. She had been told that Dashiva would be in bed for a few days and would take him longer to get enough strength to walk about on his own; perfect conditions for her escape. With no worrying about him getting suspicious and the other two men busy keeping the new girl in check she would have no trouble making arrangements for an easy getaway. Regular trips to the stables during the evening to visit Rose would take care of anyone else’s suspicions on the evening of her escape. The cover of darkness would help, but that would look suspicious; she would make due with the evening. She could make it to Caemlyn in a night.

 

Putting her embroidery aside, she went to the small kitchen and found an apple to take to Rose and left the house. It had been over a week since she had gone to see her mare anyhow. She kept her head on the ground in front of her as she walked through the Farm. Black coats were frequent among the few normal people and children running about. What the black-clad men were made no difference to her, but she worried over who would notice who she was. She didn’t want her escape ruined because to many people knew her face. She was lucky that the stable they kept her mare in was near the edge of the farm instead of in the center, even if it was on the eastern side, farther from Caemlyn. She could ride through the woods around the town and make her way back west toward home.

 

Entering the stable she nodded to the man sitting at the back, half asleep. He came forward and offered his assistance. Racelle explained that she was just there to check on her mare and he thankfully left her alone as she entered the stall. She took out her small knife she carried and cut the apple in pieces to feed her mare. The roan ate them as if she was starving, and nuzzling her hand as she ate. Racelle smiled and stroked her nose. The mare had been a gift from her father not a year past. Racelle bit her lip at the thought of her father. Branlet Colford was a sturdy man but he was not as young as he once was. She worried over him. She hadn’t heard any news of bad happenings in Caemlyn but that did not mean accidents didn’t take place. She shook off the feeling of dread and replaced it with determination. She would make it back to Caemlyn soon and see him. Then she wont have to worry about him.

 

The stable door opened and, of all people, Jocelyn walked in. Growling to herself, Racelle cursed her inability to leave without being followed. She gave her mare the last bit of apple and exited the stall and approached the young girl. “Taking up stalking, child? Or do you have your own horse in this stable?†She knew she sounded bitter but she couldn’t help it. There was no need in the girl following her. Racelle wondered how she had left the house without Rion or Isha following her anyhow.

 

 

 

 

Jocelyn made her way quietly out of the house. She had told Rion she was going to retire early for the evening, complaining of a headache, but in actual fact she was following Racelle. The woman had slipped out of the house, and Jocelyn had instantly been curious as to where she was going. Over the time since her 'capture', she had come to believe that Racelle was not to pleased to be here as it seemed. If she was planning escape, well, Jocelyn did not want to miss the opportunity to join her.

 

Racelle led Jocelyn to the stables, and she smiled. She enjoyed checking on her own mare, Alitha, but the smile was more for the way Racelle walked, her eyes on the ground, walking neither too fast nor slow. She was trying to avoid notice, making Jocelyn all the more suspicious that she was up to something.

 

Entering the stable quietly, Jocelyn halted as Racelle rounded on her. “Taking up stalking, child? Or do you have your own horse in this stable?â€Jocelyn blinked at the harsh tone, before scowling darkly. Child? There was surely no more than a year or two between them, if there was an age difference at all. Gritting her teeth, Jocelyn's reply was just as icy. "I do indeed have my own mount in these stables." She managed not curse, but only just. "Though I must say I was more interested in where you could be going, hiding from notice like that." She gave Racelle a pointed look. Light, this was not going well. She would never get her help if she did nought but growl at her.

 

Looking to make sure the dim-witted groom was not paying attention, she tugged on Racelle's arm and led her into an empty stall, before speaking urgently, her voice lowered. "It has occurred to me that perhaps we could help each other. We both want escape, yes? Maybe if we worked together we would be more successful." Jocelyn warily looked over Racelle's shoulder, slightly taller than herself, praying there was no one listening. She needed to leave, and it had to be soon, lest she crumble her resolve and never see her home again. The image of Rion, blushing sweetly popped into her mind unbidden, but she hastily pushed it away. Thoughts of him were not useful in increasing her motivation to leave.

_________________

Jocelyn Mahrin

Black Tower Civilian

 

The girl spoke through her teeth. "I do indeed have my own mount in these stables. Though I must say I was more interested in where you could be going, hiding from notice like that." Racelle lifted an eyebrow at her as the girl pulled her into an empty stall, "It has occurred to me that perhaps we could help each other. We both want escape, yes? Maybe if we worked together we would be more successful." Racelle most certainly did want escape but she did not prefer to have help. But on the same subject she did not want the young thing mouthing off to the men. She had worked to hard to appear submissive to her "new home".

 

Sighing vexedly she kept her voice low as well, failing again to make it sounds civilized "We will speak of this where there are no ears to hear...Tonight after Rion and Isha have retired, and you will be lucky to make it back to the house without being seen."Racelle looked the girl over once more and made her way back to her mare for the moment to think, paying no more attention to Jocelyn. Two working on escape may very well be the worst decision but it was to late now. Done is done. That child would not get in her way when it came to her escape.

 

Patting her mare's nose once more and leaving the stable she again kept her face on the ground the entire way back to Dashiva's house. Peaking into Dash's room, he hadnt moved an inch and was still asleep. She had been told he probablywould be at least until the next morning. She sat back in her chair and finished the embriodery around the neck of her dress, without having to start over a second time. Rion and Isha had both long since retired when she put away her embroidery. Climbing the stairs was a dangerous task, they were'nt extremely noisy but they weren't quiet enough as she would have hoped. The silence made them seem louder. Creeping past Rion and Isha's rooms she made it to Jocelyn's room unnoticed.

 

Without knocking she entered the small room given to the girl. Not knowing the room well she hissed into the dark. "Light the candle, girl, I dont want to fall." She managed to not be bitter this time, but it still stung to ask for help. Jocelyn lit a small candle to reveal her setting on the small bed, still fully clothed. Racelle strode over and sat the candle on the floor behind the bed so as to hopeully block the light from shining through the door. It would do them no good if they got caught becuase Isha or the other got up to notice the light. Setting herself on the bed she faced Jocelyn. "If we are to escape it should be soon. I dont want Dashiva well enough to walk before we leave. With two of us it shouldnt be hard to get the few things we need smuggled to the stables. They did not allow me to keep my saddlebags, only the things inside but those shouldn't be hard to find. And when it comes to that I need no more than my horse. I am only going as far as Caemlyn." The mention of her destination reminded her that she had no knowlege of where the child would take of to. "Where is it you are returning to, again?"

 

 

"We will speak of this where there are no ears to hear...Tonight after Rion and Isha have retired, and you will be lucky to make it back to the house without being seen." Jocelyn bit back an icy remark, settling instead for a stony glare. Speak to her like a child, would she? Racelle walked away before she could reply, so Jocelyn seethingly made her way back to the house, all but stomping up to her room. She sat for some time on her bed, staring at the wall separating her room from Rion's. He was in there, sleeping, the light that had been showing under his door having gone out already.

 

Why did she not feel satisfied? She didn't belong here, and now it seemed that wretched, condescending chit Racelle was going to help her, so the reality of escape was that much closer...yet why did she not feel any better about it? She did want to leave, yet something was making it incredibly difficult, and whether she admitted it to herself or not, she knew that something was the strange, sweet man on the otherside of the wall.

 

The sound of the door opening drew Jocelyn's gaze, and the unmistakable sound of Racelle's voice caused her to instantly frown. "Light the candle, girl, I dont want to fall." Clenching her teeth, Jocelyn lit a candle with a taper from the small coal on her dresser. Working with this girl was going to prove very trying, but beggars couldn't be choosers. She sat on the bed, turning to look at her as she spoke. "If we are to escape it should be soon. I dont want Dashiva well enough to walk before we leave. With two of us it shouldnt be hard to get the few things we need smuggled to the stables. They did not allow me to keep my saddlebags, only the things inside but those shouldn't be hard to find. And when it comes to that I need no more than my horse. I am only going as far as Caemlyn." Caemlyn? Jocelyn intended to go a lot further than that, thinking it was long past time she returned home.

 

"Where is it you are returning to, again?" Jocelyn tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I will be heading home. To Arad Doman. I will ride with you until we are byond their perimeter, then we shall go our separate ways." Her voice was cold as she spoke. Home. Where was that? She didn't know anymore. A voice whispered in her mind that home was where Rion was, but she hastily squelched the voice down. She barely knew the man, Yet somehow he had managed to worm his way into her affections. He was her dearest friend. Friend. She could almost laugh at that word. Whatever she told him, she knew that 'friends' didn't often kiss each other as they did.

 

"I still have possession of my saddlebags, which I will take to the stables at first opportunity. We can hide what we need to in those, until you manage to find your saddlebags also. My journey is longer than yours." She tapped her chin with one finger thoughtfully. She actually didn't mind the thought of parting company with this girl sooner than later. "It shouldn't take us long to have what we need ready to go. I will make a point of keeping food for the journey too. Tomorrow I will take my bags to the stables, where my horse is being kept. I think it would be prudent for us to avoid being seen together, lest anyone becomes suspicious. If you need to speak to me, you can come to my room like this. Now you should leave before Rion hears us talking - he is a light sleeper." She waved dismissively at Racelle, in what she hoped was an irritating gesture to the woman, blowing out the candle and shrouding the room in darkness once more. Let her trip over her own feet on the way out.

 

Silently Jocelyn lay on her bed, still fully clothed, and turned to the wall, as though she could see through it to the room beyond. She kisses her fingertips before laying them lightly on the wall. "I do what I must do." She whispered into the dark. Why was she feeling so terrible about leaving, when that was what she had wanted all along?

_________________

Jocelyn Mahrin

Black Tower Civilian

 

"I will be heading home. To Arad Doman. I will ride with you until we are byond their perimeter, then we shall go our separate ways." Her tone was cold and harsh and it made Racelle frown. Why would she think badly of her home? She left it for another time as the woman pressed on.

 

[/i]"I still have possession of my saddlebags, which I will take to the stables at first opportunity. We can hide what we need to in those, until you manage to find your saddlebags also. My journey is longer than yours. It shouldn't take us long to have what we need ready to go. I will make a point of keeping food for the journey too. Tomorrow I will take my bags to the stables, where my horse is being kept. I think it would be prudent for us to avoid being seen together, lest anyone becomes suspicious. If you need to speak to me, you can come to my room like this. Now you should leave before Rion hears us talking - he is a light sleeper." [/i] She waved dismissively at Racelle, and leaned over to snuff out the candle putting the room in darkness. Racelle nearly slapped the woman. She had attempted to speak throughout her rant three times and each time she talked over her. The only thing that kept her from shouting was the thought of being caught.

 

Racelle bit back a nasty comment and thoughts of revenge as she left the room. She crept down the stairs and slipped into the bed next to Dashiva. It was good to feel him warm again. She had been so worried that she would loose her only friend. She snuggled into his side and sleep found her quickly despite the many things going through her head about the plan for escape.

 

The next few days were long and wearisome. In the mornings Racelle would go to the Inn and fetch Dashiva’s breakfast. Always taking an extra bit of bread and placing it carefully in the saddlebags she had found in Dashiva’s rooms. It was easy enough hiding things when he was constantly asleep. After two days of collecting what food she could in her saddlebags she ventured a trip to the stable to “check on her mare†again. There was a man that she passed on her way that gave her an odd look, but she didn’t take note of him. Not at least until the next time she went to the stable and he followed her. Or at least she thought he was following… he continued to walk down the street as she went into the stable but he still watched her as she walked through the doors into its alleyway.

 

Racelle saw the man randomly throughout the week. He always seemed to be looming in the distance, watching. He made her uncomfortable. What if he was looming the night they tried to escape? They would see soon enough. Four nights after Dash’s Healing took place Racelle sent word to Jocelyn that they would make their run tonight, by slipping a slipping a note under her door on her way to Dash’s study for an ink bottle. They would meet at the stable an hour before sunset.

 

Racelle easily slipped out of the house, claiming to run to the Inn for supper. She hadn’t seen Jocelyn the entire day. The child had better be there. I refuse to wait on her. She sat in the Inn for an hour or so and ate some of the delicious smelling roast mutton and some vegetable she hadn’t seen before. It was quite good, and she regretted not being able to take it with her. But then it would not take long before she would be back in Caemlyn eating her aunt’s food and singing in the Inn. Light, her father would be worried sick. She hoped he hasn’t worried too much. How would she explain where she had been? She bit her lip and thought a moment. She wouldn’t spread even more rumors of this place, and the Asha’man, but she still needed a way to explain herself. Leaving it as a matter for later she got up and made for the stable. Twilight approached, as well as her leavestaking.

 

Approaching the stable she caught sight of the strange man leaning against the corner of one of the shops across from the stable. She warily kept her face forward as she approached the stable and opened the door, praying the man wasn’t really watching for her. Jocelyn was waiting with a saddled horse by the bridle as she opened the door. She had a very annoyed look on her face, but Racelle took no notice as she went to the small tack room just inside the stable’s sliding doors. The door squeaked open but a hand over her shoulder held it shut. Whirling around Racelle found herself facing the man she had been seeing all week.

 

 

 

Nakor was walking back to the barracks when he once again saw that mysterious woman skulking toward the stables. This was becoming a very frequent habit and it made him cuirous. Who was she? Why did she go to such lengths to keep her face hidden and avoid notice? He knew from watching her over the past few days that she lived in Dash's house and he that made him all the more curious.

 

He wondered, now that Dash was injured, if he knew she was leaving everyday to see her horse at the stable. He decided not, especially since he was fairly certain she had been leaving things there each day. She was probably planning an escape. While Nakor didn't care one way or the other about the girl's freedom, he couldn't risk her exposing the location of The Farm to others.

 

That was why he snuck up behind her and grabbed the door of the tack room, effectively stopping her from opening it and gaining her attention. "And just where would you be planning to go miss?"

_________________

Anwashawn Ellasser

Tower Trainee

Blue Team Captain

~mentee to Corin Danveer

Burrich Fallstar(Mountain Fury)

Wolfkin Wanderer

~mentee to John Dunbar

Storm Hunter

~Wolf Companion

Nakor Zorrander

Dedicated of the Black Tower

 

Jocelyn grew more and more nervous as the days passed. She had been so eager to leave, yet every time she saw Rion's smiling face she felt like the worst sort of traitor. He was her friend, well if she was honest she treated him as more, and he didn't deserve the hurt she knew her leaving would bring. Yet what choice did she have? She couldn't stay, could she? Regardless of her thoughts she continued to smuggle food and clothing across to the stables where her saddlebags remained with her mount.

 

She was sitting on her bed in the afternoon when a note slipped under her door. Picking it up she hastily scanned it, before crumpling it and hiding it in her pocket. They were to leave tonight? It certainly looked as though her decision had been made for her. Light, how was she going to act normal until then?

 

Slipping out of the house after telling Rion she was just ducking to the inn, she headed straight to the stables. Pressing a finger to her lips, she stifled a sigh. That was the last time she would ever kiss that sweet man, let alone see him again. Could she cope with that? Never mind that, she must! Going through the motions, she saddled Alitha and placed the bridle and bit over the mare's head, before packing her now bulging saddle bags. All the while images of Rion popped into her head, him blushing when she first kissed him, the wonder on his face when she had showed him the book shop in Bandar Eban..."Argh!" She grunted, scowling, trying to force such thoughts from her mind. It did not make life any easier.

 

It wasn't long before she was ready, and she stood impatiently, waiting for Racelle. The longer she took, the more worried and annoyed Jocelyn became. What if she had been held up? Or found out? No, she would not think on such things. Instead, she focused on the tongue-lashing she would gladly deliver.

 

Suddenly the doors swung open, and Jocelyn gave Racelle a stormy look. SHe was about to open her mouth when a second figure caught her eye. She had not encountered him so far at the farm, yet there was no denying he was one of the channellers. He followed her and put out a hand, preventing her from opening the doors to the tack. Jocelyn swallowed, her eyes going wide.

 

"And just where would you be planning to go miss?" Burn Racelle for a bloody fool! How was she going to escape if she couldn't even manage to enter the stables without being caught? And now she'd bloody well been caught out too. Mother milk in a cup! Yet the man had not looked her way yet. Perhaps he was paying her no heed. Quietly she stepped back, leading her mare into the stable, fumbling about in her mind for an excuse, should she need one. She certainly would deny any involvement with Racelle. She needed their plan to work.

 

No shouts followed her, so she quickly and quietly unsaddled Alitha, pushing her full saddlebags back under a pile of hay. The only problem was, she had to walk past both of them to leave the building. Couldn't that wench out there get anything right?! She fumed silently and listened to their exchange, hoping they would leave and simply forget her presence.

_________________

Jocelyn Mahrin

Black Tower Civilian

 

"And just where would you be planning to go miss?"

 

Racelle slowly turned to face the black-clad man. She hadn't known he was an aspiring Asha'man until spotting the pin on his collar. Fear raced through her as she frantically thought of some reason she would be gathering tack in the middle of the night. In her panic she could think of no usable reason and stuttered terribly "Well, w-..," Glancing over to see Jocelyn unsaddling her she decided she would let the young thing slide past any punishment. "I was just...erm" She looked about frantically but words failed her. "I dont think that is any of your buisness." That sounded so childish she almost gave up and slumped against the door, but stubborness kept her back straight and she looked into the man's face challengingly.

 

OOC: dang that's short...

 

 

 

 

The girl was obviously hiding something. Nakor had begun watching her merely out of curiosity's sake but now he was glad he had been as there seemed to be something troublesome afoot. A week or two ago he would have gone running to the nearest Ashaman or Dedicated to report, dragging the girl behind for them to deal with. But that was when he was just a Soldier. As a newly raised Dedicated he had quickly assumed a measure of responsibility he had not expected. He'd even been assigned to teach classes the very day he'd received the sword pin.

 

He felt he had to prove himself and so he couldn't just run to a superior for advice, but had to make the call himself in this situation. As to what should be done with the girl? That was a quandary. He obviously couldn't let her up and leave, he knew Isha wouldn't be happy about that. Nor could he let the rude attitude she'd presented be ignored.

 

No, it was time for a firm hand. Drawing himself up to his full height, he tried to appear as menacing as he could. Taking hold of the Void he let it influence his voice, dropping it to an icy cold whisper that reminded him of death itself. "What is and is not my business is for me to decide, not you. I strongly suggest you put aside any notion you may have of leaving, this night or any other. Go back now and I'll even keep this a secret between us and not tell Isha that you tried to leave."

 

Grasping Saidin he used flows of Earth to lift the ground beneath her and send her sprawling back the way she'd come.

_________________

Anwashawn Ellasser

Tower Trainee

Blue Team Captain

~mentee to Corin Danveer

Burrich Fallstar(Mountain Fury)

Wolfkin Wanderer

~mentee to John Dunbar

Storm Hunter

~Wolf Companion

Nakor Zorrander

Dedicated of the Black Tower

 

 

"What is and is not my business is for me to decide, not you. I strongly suggest you put aside any notion you may have of leaving, this night or any other. Go back now and I'll even keep this a secret between us and not tell Isha that you tried to leave."

 

His voice was cold and distant and it gave Racelle chills. She opened her mouth to comply but somehow couldnt get the words out. Instead she merely nodded her head. As she did, the ground surged beneath her and she was forced sideway's onto the ground. She cried out as she hit the ground hard on her hip. All breath left her as she looked up to the man standing over her. He merely nodded slilghtly and watched her.

 

She stayed where she was a moment, thinking frantically. She wanted out of this place and back to her father! She bit her lip and after a few moments of thought, there was nothing to do at the moment, except follow the man's orders. She hadn't given Jocelyn any thought since the stranger's appearance, a glace toward the back of the stable showed nothing, so she assumed the girl was lurking back there somewhere. Putting the child out of her mind for the moment, she strode for the door the epitomy of calm and collected. There leavestaking would be postponed a few more days it seemed.

[Jocelyn]

Jocelyn waited impatiently as the two spoke, the whole time her anger simmering just below the surface. Light, she could slap the girl, and her foolishness! At least Racelle hadn't dragged her into the mess of her own making. Needless to say, it would not be easy to plan an escape any time soon now. Burn the chit!

 

The man spoke, and Jocelyn froze, his words almost too good to be true. He would keep the secret? Surely he lied, surely he would betray them. Yet a flicker of hope sprang to light within her. Perhaps not all was lost after all.

 

Racelle's yelp left her wondering what was going on, yet she dare not leave her hiding place until she deemed it safe. So she waited impatiently, for what seemed an age, as Racelle scurried off. The man obviously waited a moment, but soon after the door opened and closed once more. Jocelyn waited a few minutes longer, to be safe, before cautiously peeping around the door of the stall, only to find the stables empty. Releasing the breath she hadn't realised she held, she closed the stall door on her mare, before sneaking out into the night.

 

The way was dark, but Jocelyn was able to pick her way without incident, slipping back into the house quietly. She tiptoed up the stairs, wincing when one creaked under her foot. It would be bloody marvellous, being sprung twice in one night.

 

There was no light beneath Rion's door, and she stood outside it for a moment, listening for the tell-tale signs of his sleeping. She told herself it was so she knew he had not heard her, yet deep down she knew she just wanted to hear him. Light, but she was going to miss him. Pressing her fingers to her lips, she gently pressed them to his door, before slipping into her own room next to his. Not bothering to change she slid into her bed, staring at the ceiling in the dark.

[Neira]

Racelle left the stable and made her way through the farm back to Dashiva’s house. She could have kicked herself for not taking more precautions. As she approached the house she did not go in the front door, or in at all. Walking around the house she sat on the step outside the kitchen. Putting her head in her hands she closed her eyes and sighed. Why was she here!? Why could she not leave? Surely Dashiva could trust her by now…

 

There would be no knowing how much trouble she would be in with her father when she got back home. He was no longer there to watch over her, and pull her out of things. The thought made her mad. She was always so dependent on someone…her father, Dashiva… why was she incapable of taking care of herself? No. I refuse to be so dependent. I will get myself out of here, and I will do so as soon as I can. She rose from her seat on the step and went inside.

 

The next few days she watched as Dashiva gained his strength back. He made it up the stairs to his office twice by the fourth. She could tell Jocelyn was getting anxious. She gave Racelle odd looks when they crossed paths. A few more days. She kept mouthing to her when she thought no one saw. The day after their first failed attempt, Racelle saw the Asha’man that had caught them. He was standing not far from Dashiva’s house, and he followed Racelle all the way to the Inn. After that day, however, there was no sight of him.

 

After not seeing him after five days of waiting, Racelle decided it was safe enough to try again. This time she caught Jocelyn as she was coming in the house that afternoon. Racelle caught her arm as the child was ascending the stairs. “Tomorrow, dusk.†She said, and was again pulled away by Dashiva yelling from his bedroom that he wanted out of his bed again. Racelle had told him that morning that he had overexerted himself the day before; he had walked without permission to the kitchen and helped himself to a bottle of wine. She continued to try and keep him in his bed, but she would be burned if the man couldn’t make it up the stairs alone now. It scared her. If he could move at all it was less chance they could truly get away.

 

Amazingly, she got all the way to the stable and had her horse saddled by the time Jocelyn came in the stable herself the next night. She had had no meetings with the Asha’man from before and no one had noticed her coming into the stable. Jocelyn shot Racelle a warning look at her as she went about saddling her horse. It was not long at all before the two of them, hoods up against the night, left the stable at a trot, and after passing the last building of the Farm, healed their mares to a lope and sped through the surrounding trees, to the north and east toward Caemlyn. I’m going home. Racelle smiled at the thought and let her hood fall back, letting the rushing air force her hair behind her.

 

After over an hour of letting the horses run, Racelle slowed her mare and turned to Jocelyn. “We should find a place to let the horses rest. We can continue to Caemlyn and be there by morning if we can keep our pace up.â€

[Kael]

Rion rose from the edge of his bed and put his book down on the small table he had pulled in front of him. Softly he blew on the drying ink, trying to make his latest edition to his notes dry all the more quickly. He had added a few more bits and pieces of people he was making biographies of, information he had gleaned about Dashiva and Dalinar since they had been in the Tower along with writing up a large portion of his introduction. He had had to cut off how many people he had entered into his book, the Tower was growing to large, so it was going to be more of a history of the Tower and less a biography of everyone inside.

 

Rising he wove a small ball of air to encompass his book to keep dust away and then tied the weave and made his way to the room next door. Rion wasn’t sure what had compelled him to knock on Jocelyn’s door, although the want, the need, to be near her was more than enough to make Rion do almost anything, was enough. He knocked, hoping she hadn’t gone to sleep, aldo hoping that maybe she would accompany him for dinner perhaps.

 

There was no answer, and Rion tried the door knob, pushing the door open easily. “Jocelyn?†Rion cried softly into her room, no answer still and peeking in still farther Rion found it empty. Twisting his mouth Rion went back downstairs to see if she was there. But again the bottom floor was devoid of life. Now rather confused Rion went to seek out Racelle, hoping that she would know where the other woman of the house.

 

It was now that Rion began to get somewhat frightened. Racelle to was no where to be found and while Dashiva trusted Racelle much more than Jocelyn, the chance that both of them were out of the house at this hour was small.

 

But Rion assumed that for some reason the two were out together, Dashiva must trust Racelle enough that she wouldn’t let Jocelyn get into any trouble. So Rion sat and waited, wondering what had become of his newest friend. The minuets ticked by slowly with Rion sitting in the chair, rocking back and forth slightly.

 

Finally Rion gathered up the nerve to go find Dashiva, in his room at the moment it seemed. He knocked gently.

 

 

Rion

[706Somtaaw]

Dashiva slept uneasily, ever since he'd been Healed after that trip to Shienar, he'd been house bound, barely able to walk around his own home let alone exercise and it ate at him.

 

Racelle had helped him when he needed it, and he'd come to trust her far more, especially after learning it had been her who had gotten word out he needed Healing.

 

A soft knock on the door woke him, and he reached for saidin instinctively, and for the first time since that trip to Shienar managed to brush saidin.

 

Forcing himself up on his elbows took effort, and his muscles protested after barely being used but he ignored it while he called, "enter."

 

The dagger he had under his pillow was almost useless to him, but it was a small comfort to have a weapon nearby, but he relaxed as he saw Rion enter his room slowly before frowning slightly.

 

"yes Rion what is it?" he asked after a moment.

[Asfaloth]

Nakor was troubled. How was he going to tell Dashiva? Nakor hadn't really had much contact with the M'Hael Haran during his tenure at the Black Tower, but he knew his reputation. It was bad enough that the girl had left but how was he to tell Dashiva that he'd known it might happen and hadn't been able to stop her. How much of a failure did that make him look?

 

Well, putting it off wouldn't help matters any. He took a deep breath and walked over to Dash's house. He hoped Rion was there now too. His fellow Dedicated lived in Dash's house and he suspected the man might be interested as well, considering there he'd seen the second girl that left hanging on his arm often enough.

 

He knocked on the door and waited for one of the men inside to let him in.

[706Somtaaw]

The inverted wards that surrounded his home triggered, letting Dashiva know a man who could channel was approaching.

 

Growling an oath, he looked at Rion who had just opened the door. "Can you see who is at the bloody door? It'll take me near on a bloody half hour to get down there."

 

Shaking his head, he pushed himself out of his bed, and slowly shrugged into one of his shirts, cursing himself for being so bloody stupid while taking Racelle to Shienar.

 

Shuffling he walked across the hall to his office, closing his bedroom's door and leaving the office open so Rion would be able to find him.

 

Settling down in his chair, he waited to see what happened next.

[Jocelyn]

“We should find a place to let the horses rest. We can continue to Caemlyn and be there by morning if we can keep our pace up.†Jocelyn nodded mutely in response, slowing as they approached a clearing, surrounded by dense trees. Hopefully that would give them adequate cover for the break they needed.

 

Sliding from her mount, Jocelyn shrugged her shoulders, trying to remove the itch of dread that had set itself up there. She should feel exhilerated to have come so far, to be free. Instead she felt like a vile betrayer, her heart heavy. And she knew why. Rion. Curse that man, but he had some how wormed his way into her affections, and now she knew how terribly she must have hurt him, leaving like this.

 

She shook her head forcefully. No, she would not have regrets now! What was done was done. She was heading home, where she belonged. Sadly, thoughts of the cold manor she had once called home no longer brought comfort. Her parents did not know where she was, this was true, but likely they also did not care. She was merely another asset, an expensive, spoiled asset, bait to lure a wealthy husband. In fact, Rion was the only person who had ever treated her as more than a pretty object. And she was the fool who was leaving.

 

Fool? Light, she was a fool for thinking such things! How could she stay in a place filled with men who were destined to go mad. Yet however she tried to justify her reasons, her heart would no longer let her ignore it. Hanging her head, Jocelyn slumped on a fallen tree, finally admitting her darkest secret to herself. She had fallen in love with that shy, innocent, sweet man. How she let that happen, she had no idea. Indeed, even though she had not been a stranger to a man's affections, she had never felt this way about another person before. That in itself was terrifying. How would she face him now?

 

No, that was not an option. She was not going back, she didn't belong there, despite what her heart told her. Rion would be fine, she was sure. She didn't know how she would fare, but she deserved to be hurt. She sighed noisily again, standing to scratch Alitha behind the ears. The sooner they left the better. She needed a lot of distance between herself and that place.

[Kael]

"Can you see who is at the bloody door? It'll take me near on a bloody half hour to get down there." Rion cringed visibly as Dashiva barked at Rion irritably. Dashiva in himself was enough to make Rion tread lightly, but angry he terrified Rion.

 

Rion stepped quickly from Dashiva's room and all but ran to the door wanting to find out who it was so he could ask Dashiva what to do about Racelle and Jocelyn and ease his worry.

 

He opened the door toa dedicated who he couldn't put a name to and beckonded for the man to follow him. Rion paused at the open door of Dashiva's office, poked his head in and then brought the rest of his body, stepping aside as he walked in to let the dedicated speak.

 

 

Rion

[706Somtaaw]

OOC: Dash didn't bark, I meant to imply he growled because he was getting annoyed but no worries.

 

IC: Dashiva looked at Rion poke his head in, and then come inside his office followed by another Dedicated.

 

"Yes, what it is Dedicated..." he trailed off trying to recall the man's name. He did his best to know everyone's name, but lately the Tower had been exploding with new Recruits, and with more and more men able to Travel, recruiting went even faster.

 

"I hope this is good," he said after a moment. "I shouldn't even be working while I recover, so make it quick," he snapped after a moment when the other man hesitated.

[Asfaloth]

Nakor cringed. This was not how he would have chosen to meet the M'Hael Haran. He'd come to help the man out and now he was being yelled out as if he'd done something wrong. Well, so be it, he could prove his worth by providing information.

 

"I'm sorry for interrupting Sir, but I saw something today I thought you might be interested in. As I was walking back from the Inn I went by the stable. Now, the stable's not exactly on my way home but I've been in the habit lately of checking to see if a certain horse is still there each day. See, I had a run-in with a girl named Racelle about a week ago and convinced her not to run off. Well, I wasn't so sure how convinced she was so I've been checking on her horse each day. I'm sorry to say, Sir, that it's gone. I assumed you'd want to know. I also thought you'd like to know where she was heading so I followed the tracks for awhile, far enough to see that she and another headed toward Camelyn. If you want, I'll go get them for you."

[706Somtaaw]

Dashiva blinked at the news, and dropped his head, thinking. Raising his head, he looked at Rion almost impaling the young man onto his office wall.

 

"You were more active than I was, did you have any signs something like this was going to happen?" he asked quickly.

 

He reached out for saidin and was pleased he was able to. Drawing deeply on it, he reveled in the fight to survive and drew more than he'd need to form a Gateway.

 

Glancing at the other Dedicated, he shook his head. "I'll go and bring the young lady and her companion back myself. Both of you are welcome to tag along."

 

Arching an eyebrow at Rion, his eyes widened as he heard his news. (OOC: SOrry, but this is likely my last post in some time so I need to cover a bunch in case I can't post for a while)

 

"well, well well that is interesting. Rion you'll be coming along to help make the recovery a little smoother."

 

Weaving the flows to Travel directly from his office, he limped through the opening dropping him half a foot down and nearly halfway back to Caemlyn from the Tower.

 

Limping around, he found a few signs of passage, and wove a Gateway that would drop them a short distance further.

 

OOC: Dash'll weave 2-6 more short gateways before he limps through to get whacked by a staff. Cheers

[Jocelyn]

Jocelyn grew restless, pacing back and forth while the horses rested. She would much rather keep riding, but knew it would be foolish to not let the horses have a decent rest. They wouldn't get very far if they exhausted the poor animals.

 

Picking up her quarterstaff, she strode away from the animals and Racelle a few steps, swinging it to and fro slowly, to alleviate the restlessness. A tiny smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she recalled the lesson she had given Rion in the weapon. It had proved to be a most memorable afternoon, Rion's lack of skill actually increasing the fun.

 

Pushing her hair out of her face she mentally pushed aside Rion's blushing image as she began to practice, twirling the staff, forcing all her pent up emotion into the actions, causing each swing and thrust to be quite violent. Soon she was red-cheeked from the exertion, her dark tresses sticking to her face. So intent was she on her work, that the site of a man in black stepping through the air beside her made her start violently, instinctively swinging the staff in his direction.

 

A loud thwack was heard as wood connected with shin, Jocelyn not hesitating as she whirled again, bringing the staff down firmly on the head of the man, knocking him to the ground with a grunt of pain. Caught in a frenzy, she lifted the staff once more, to have it suddenly jerked from her fingers. Stunned, she blinked, not quite believing her eyes when she saw that two more men had stepped through the sky after the man that was now holding his head at her feet. "Rion?" She asked, fear suddenly surging to life. How had they been tracked so easily? Belatedly she realised the man lying morionless at her feet was Dashiva, and their companion the man that had stopped her and Racelle only a few days before.

 

"Oh light..." She murmured. Grabbing her skirts, she turned to run.

[Neira]

"We should find a place to let the horses rest. We can continue to Caemlyn and be there by morning." She called to Jocelyn after a few hours of letting the horses run. The animals had had little to no excercise in the stable they had been kept in so she had let them run a bit extra, but it was more than time enough for a rest. She would not risk laming one or the other of them and having to share a saddle with the chit. It was lucky that the two found a suitable clearing for them to sit and to let the horses rest.

 

It was a relief to be out of the saddle. Racelle dug through her saddlebags and found a bit of bread and cheese and gave some to Jocelyn. They sat in silence, eating. Racelle would have given her best dress to close her eyes and rest as the horses did but she knew if she did she would waste too much time. Jocelyn was fidgeting and when it seemed she knew nothing else to do took out her quarterstaff and began swinging it about wildly. Racelle watched as it whirled about faster. Jocelyn had not seen the slash of light that widened and opened to admit none other than Dashiva himself. A loud crack of the staff on Dash's leg took him to the ground and Jocelyn was running toward her horse.

 

"Light!" Racelle cursed and was to her horse before Jocelyn was. Never minding the girl she had dragged along with her, she was on the saddle and had the mare healed in the opposite direction of the gateway and the three men that had followed them before Jocelyn had hold of her own. Racelle was nearly out of the clearing before a solid barrier held horse and rider in their place. "Not again..." She said to herself softly. Rose again was wide-eyed but after a moment she was calm again. Had she been able to move Racelle would have rubbed at her temples that were throbbing painfully. From the corner of her sight she saw Dash on the ground unconcious. Worry and panic raced through her as she attempted to turn her head to make sure he was just unconcious... Waiting atop her mount she attempted to get loose of her invisible bonds even knowing that there wasnt one. She felt Rose relax as much as she could being held in midstride as she was. Somehow, with patience she didnt know she had, she quietly waited for someone to drag her back to the Black Tower.

[Kael]

Rion's head hang low and his steps were slow as he followed Dashiva from his home and followed him to the traveling ground. He was dissapointed that Jocelyn would run, he was heartborken, feeling as if he had a gaping whole in his chest. He had thought Jocelyn and he had cared about one another enough that she wouldn't leave, she was his only true friend that didn't scare him at the Tower, since Isha and Dashiva were both rather terrifying.

 

He dragged his feet as he went through the gateway a small voice inside his head began to rant. She was just using you boy. No, she couldn't have, she just..she just You can't even find a decent arguement because you know it's true. Who would ever be your 'special friend' Ha

 

Rion felt ery small, more like a child who should be clinging to his mother's apron strings. He felt like something inside of him had died, and his movements and face showed that. He stepped throught after Dashiva and was only halfway through before a quarterstaff connected with Dashiva's shins and then again on his head. That was only a small blow when compared to the punch in the gut when he saw who had struck him. Seeing Jocelyn only made him feel worse. Using you boy.

 

"Rion? Jocelyn turned to run and Rion was already reaching out to Saidin when the voice protruded into his thoughts once again. She still runs from you, she does not care for you she just wants to get away from you boy.

 

Rion drew forth all the power he could before he wove threads of air encasing both Jocelyn and Racelle in threads of air that made it so oly their eyes could move. Rion tried to skrink in inwardly as he tied the weaves off. He felt like he was ont he verge of tears. Silly boy

 

 

Rion

[Jocelyn]

A myriad of emotions flooded through Jocelyn as she was suddenly ensnared with invisible bonds. Panic rose to the fore as she realised she was completely immobile, unable to even open her mouth to speak. She couldn't turn to see, but she didn't have to, she knew it was Rion that had captured her. The panic eased a little, as she knew he wouldn't hurt her, yet the emotion was only replaced by shame, deep and overwhelming. How could she have just up and left him? She deserved his anger and his hurt.

 

Closing her eyes tight she struggled not to cry. She felt wretched, and all the worse because she knew she deserved everything that came her way. No doubt she had lost her special friend forever, the man that had wormed his way into her heart until she couldn't imagine life without him anymore. The one she loved. And she had ruined it all, ruined any chance she had ever had at true happiness. Light but she was a fool. A stubborn, wool-headed fool.

 

Suddenly the fight left her, and a lone tear trickled down her cheek unchecked as she was unable to push it away. A tear for all that she had thrown away, for all that could have been. For the hurt that Rion must feel. For the knowledge that her place was here, with many strangers and madmen. Once the only saving grace had been Rion, but now she wouldn't be surprised if he loathed her. How could she stay, knowing that she would have to live with the hurt she had caused? Yet she couldn't leave again, she knew that now. She had been an idiot to try. She knew now, that no matter what, her life was tied here, and she would do what she could to protect Rion. Even if now all she was able to do was watch from afar. Burn her for a dozen kinds of a fool!

[706Somtaaw]

Dashiva stepped through his Gateway, looking down for any signs and his instincts made him look up just as a staff clipped out his ankle, and another impact on his head, nearly knocking him out.

 

He was faintly aware of saidin being drawn upon around him, and forced his way away from passing out. Slowly stumbling to his feet he gave a short nod as he saw the tied off flows of air.

 

He clutched his head with one hand, and slowly limped around to eye Jocelyn face to face and then limped around to look at Racelle before shaking his head sadly.

 

Looking around slowly, he saw his other Gateway had closed and flinched when he didn't feel saidin in him. Reaching out carefully, he sighed softly as saidin filled him and the struggle to live and control it filled him once more.

 

Laying the weave for a Gateway slowly and carefully, he opened a Gateway to the Traveling Grounds and limped back to Jocelyn, before laying two flows in place. One flow cut Rion's, while the other incased Jocelyn again in more air but left her hand uncovered.

 

Taking hold of her staff, he pulled it away. "Your privilege to carry weapons at the Farm has been revoked," he said softly. "The smiths will be informed as well they are not to give you anything."

 

Limping towards Racelle on her horse, he leaned on Jocelyn's staff to support him and jabbed a finger at her. "And any weapons you have will be taken as well, and taken by force if necessary."

 

Shaking his head he limped towards Rion. "Release the woman, but hold onto saidin. Stay behind until both of them come through and do not let them run Dedicated."

 

Walking through his Gateway, he barked orders at a Soldier who happened to be walking nearby to pass on his orders to the Tower's smiths. Turning, he waited for the women and Rion to come through his Gateway so he could close it and release saidin.

[Kael]

Rion watched with his forlorn look asDashiva cut away his weaves from Jocelyn and replaced them with one of his own. He didn't listen much to the words Dashiva spoke, he was busy arguing with another.

 

There is no one you can trust here. The one person who you thought you could has abandoned you. You will you turn to now, Dashiva? Isha? One is going insane and the other is going to die if he continues with this death wish of his.

 

Rion shook his head breifly and closed his eyes trying to force the voice away. Stop it, go away. His hands were trembling as the mental effort he was putting into trying to force this ghost out of him took a visible form. Through his eyes eh could see Dashiva taking Jocelyn's staff and then moving to Racelle.

 

Dashiva is weak now. Strike. You are filled to the brim with Saidin, Kill Them. They are your enemies. KILL THEM NOW! I can't...I won'... Won't? Won't!? Your weakness will be the death of you. They are your enemies. Strike! Rion couldn't control the lone tear that fell down his cheek both from the feeling of betrayel and the small part of him that agreed with the voice in his head. Light how could Jocelyn have done this to him.

 

Who are you? His inner voice sounded pathetic, small, childlike. I am the part of you which you need to be. I am your streangth, your only chance in this world. I am that which you need to embrace but you fear to. Go away.. The only thing that followed was laughter.

 

"Release the woman, but hold onto saidin. Stay behind until both of them come through and do not let them run Dedicated." Rion nodded to Dashiva's command able to concentrate with his mind clear once again. Rion waited where he stood, his head down. He didn't look at Jocelyn as she passed, didn't acknowledge her prescence. For everything he had done for her she had still left. You should have known boy I did..I wasn't able to admit it, I was to.. Weak.

 

Rion was able to fight off another tear because of the Void, enveloped in both it and Saidin as he stepped through the Gateway on the heels of Jocelyn and Racelle. Thankfull that it was able to stem off some of the hollowness he felt in his chest.

 

 

Rion

[Neira]

Racelle noticed the tear run down Jocelyn's cheek with disgust. Was the girl such a coward? This would be Racelle's fifth unsuccessful escape, Dashiva had yet to abuse her in any physical way. Dashiva approached her, she could see with her peripheral vision and was taking her staff from her. She was still unable to bend her neck to look him squarely in the eye as he approached her and poked her leg.

 

"I have no weapons as you well know Dashiva. The only thing resembling it was a belt knife, the like of which is in a drawer in your bedroom."

 

He did not hear her, since he was limping, with extreme slowness, toward his open gateway barking orders. He leaned heavily on the staff he carried. When she was able to move again she turned her horse around and dismounted. She lead Rose through the Gateway and followed dismally toward the stable. It was only slightly off course toward Dashiva's house. It was slow going since Dash led the procession.

 

Dashiva found a stool to perch on as the two horses were unsaddled and placed back into the proper stalls. A groom was roused and the door to the room where the saddles were kept was locked. Racelle's eyes burned with anger. If she wished to leave, now she would have to make it on foot. Her stubborness told her there was a way but sense told her that was the end of her attempts at escape. The metalic click of the door locking shut was like unto the lock of a cell door.

 

She gave Rose a fond pat on the neck and rubbed her nose as Jocelyn's horse was still being unsaddled. On the verge of tears she remembered her father's face on the day she was presented with Rose. Silently one escaped down her cheek. Would she ever look on the face of her father again? With the thought her stubborness kicked in again and she whiped the tear with the back of her hand and vanquished all thoughts of her father for the time being. Currently, she needed to focus on the screaming match that would surely follow once she was alone with Dash. There would be time enough to plan a new escape at a later time.

 

As they made their way toward the house with Dash again at their head. Racelle was a few steps behind Dash, observing him. He was still so very weak. He did not need this much activity. He set a quicker stride but by the set of his jaw he was struggling. Then in one stride his staff slipped on a stone and Dashiva fell forward with somewhat of a strangled argh!

 

"Dash!" Racelle cried out to him and ran the few steps up to him and knelt down to him. He had managed to catch himself on his hands and knees, but he was panting heavily. She put a hand on his shoulder to help him up. Worry painted her voice as she spoke, "Are you okay? Come, I will help you back to your feet. We can already see the house, it isnt that far."

 

And suddenly she felt extremely guilty. Were it not for her escape he would still be in his bed demanding that she not leave the room on the instance that the sun left the sky as any other usual night. And now she may have caused him more days abed when she knew how unhappy it made him. Silently she made a vow that she wouldnt attempt to escape again. And then after it was already recited in the depths of her mind, she blinked. Was it not a very few minutes ago she was mourning the fact that she would never again see her father? Just a while ago she had thought she would begin her planning in a few days when Dashiva quit obsessing over her location every few minutes? And then again, her thoughts suprised her. It is worth it for his happiness...

[706Somtaaw]

Dashiva slowly led the way to the stables t oversee the women's horses. Finding a stool, he slowly sat down on it and sighed softly. It was taking a lot of effort to walk around this much, espcially after channeling and forming so many Gateways to catch up.

 

Once the door to the tack room was locked, he nodded and slowly stood. Both the horses were placed in stalls and he made his way to his own home, determined to make it without asking for help. Dalinar would likely be around to tear some strips off his hide if he found out that he'd done so much.

 

The staff he'd taken from Jocelyn helped him, but he knew he shouldn't rely too much on it, he wasn't used to staves, and wasn't paying attention to the ground in front of him like he should have. As the staff slipped on a stone, he tried to clench his jaw but he only managed to strangle an argh.

 

He heard Racelle cry his name and someone moving towards him. He hadn't managed to fall completely on his face, but it took a great deal of effort to stay on his hands and knees, with his head hanging down.

 

"Are you okay? Come, I will help you back to your feet. We can already see the house, it isnt that far.", he looked over at Racelle and reluctantly let her help him up. Muttering his thanks, he leaned on her shoulder long enough to seize saidin he channeled the staff back to his hand and released the Source.

 

Leaning on the staff, he retained the Void and pushed forwards without completely limping but no where near his usual stride. Walking into his home, he went to his office and placed the quarterstaff in an armoire, next to his long sword and short sword and the spare blades.

[Neira]

Dash muttered something that Racelle took for a thank you and let her guide him inside. He shook her free as they entered his bedroom and he but Jocelyn's staff into the armoir with the rest of his weapons. Racelle kept to his side as he limped to the bed and sat.

 

The guilty feeling in the pit of her stomach. She did not say a word and neither did he. She stood before him where he sat on his bed, waiting patiently for him to begin yelling at her. He looked up into her face silently, which was just as worse. His peircing eyes bore into her and her stomach knotted itself. She attempted speech but her unshed tears made the sound stick in her throat.

 

"Dash, I'm sorry." She managed finally, and the words came out of her in a rush of sudden confidence now that her voice returned to her. "I would not have acted so, had I known that you would yourself come after us. You know I miss my home and my father, he will have been so worried these last weeks. And...I swear tha-" She knelt down at his feet and looked up at him in the eyes. She had already made the vow to herself, she may as well say it aloud for his benefit. "I swear by the Light and by my hope of salvation and rebirth, I wont leave the grounds of the Black Tower without express permission." She swallowed the lump in her throat that had appeared as she spoke the irrevocable oath. Would that keep him from raising his voice to her?

[706Somtaaw]

Dashiva slowly made his way to his bed after locking the staff away in his office and slumped onto his bed. He looked at Racelle and pushed away the feelings of betrayal, he'd trusted her and that had let her try to escape.

 

"Dash, I'm sorry." she said, and he forced his eyes open again and looked at her. "I would not have acted so, had I known that you would yourself come after us. You know I miss my home and my father, he will have been so worried these last weeks. And...I swear tha-" he blinked slowly as she slowly knelt.

 

"I swear by the Light and by my hope of salvation and rebirth, I wont leave the grounds of the Black Tower without express permission." blinking again to cover his surprise and nodded slowly after a moment.

 

"I'm disappointed you even tried," he said softly. "I trusted you before, and cannot believe you at this time. That will change in time, but not now."

 

Stretching out, he decided to push for something to speed his recovery.

[Neira]

Dash's words tore at her. She knew it was no more than she deserved but after her moment of true loyalty to Dash he had still lost confidence in her. In time he had said... she let that suffice and nodded and began undressing for bed. Stripped off her over dress she folded it neatly into a drawer of a large, dark chest while trying to master her tears. She did not want to regret her escape attempt, but at the same time she hated betraying his trust as she did. More and more it was brought to her attention that he was her only form of friend in this Black Tower.

 

Her tears dried themselves as her thoughts wandered. She hoped it would not take long for him to forgive her actions. But fretting about it wouldn’t get her anywhere and she went and got in bed next to him. The first nights sharing a bed with Dashiva were awkward and often sleepless for Racelle but anymore it was just another night’s sleep. It happened on occasion that she might wake huddled next to him shielded from the cold by his body heat. But even that did not bother her anymore. She got in bed and blew out the small candle that sat on the small table next to Dashiva’s massive bed. In the dark she listened quietly to the sound of his breathing. It was not yet the unchanging rhythm of sleep but it was slowing slightly.

 

“Dash,†She spoke into the darkness. He did not stir, and so she turned on her side to look at the dark, shadowy form of his body. “I truly am sorry. Surely you must know that I’m not an oath breaker.†It was said in a half-whisper that she assumed Dash did not hear, for he never moved or said a word. Without thought she wiggled her way into his side. He slept on his back with his hands tucked behind his head and she found a spot beside him that took her into sleep in just a few moments. Her sleep was deep, and she remembered little of what she dreamed. Whatever it was she had dreamed, it must not have been pleasant, for when she woke, about an hour before dawn, her shift was wet with sweat and indecently exposing most of her legs. There was no one to see them, beneath the coverlet, but it still bothered her bunched up on the back of her thighs. She was surprised to find Dash’s arm around her, his hand on her hip. She had been with men before, and always the next morning it was awkward and it always felt foreign to her, but Dash’s arm around her this way felt soothing and familiar. She reveled in it a moment and turned her head to look up at him. His chest rose and fell with the rhythm of sleep.

 

She did not move, for fear of waking him. She knew that when he woke he would ask her for his breakfast and take his arm from about her and, as on the times when they woke so close together, he would ignore its happening and continue to treat her as he always had. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly and shifted in the laziness of newly-overcome sleep. She waited for him to realize he had hold of her and for the warmth of his arm to leave.

[Jocelyn]

Jocelyn hung her head in shame as she made her way past Rion through the gateway. She had never felt so hollow, so empty...so wretched in all her life. Remorse was not something she used to experience, though now she would give anything to take back her stupid actions.

 

He didn't even glance her way! As though she was nothing, no longer mattered, meant nothing to him. It was no less than she deserved, for her actions must have hurt him terribly, yet she was stil crushed to the core. How could she run away from someone she loved? The only one she loved. The one that had painted a smile on her face every morning at the thought of seeing him. The one that had filled her days with laughter, where normally there would have only been gloom. The one that had her heart in his pocket, whether he knew it or not. No, he did not know, how could he? She had barely realised herself, and certainly hadn't told him. And now her running away must have been like a slap to his face.

 

Another tear for her stupidness crolled down her cheek but she ignored it as they were led to the stables, her beautiful mare locked away from her. She only watched in silence, continuously reminding herself that it was no less than she deserved. Dashiva held her staff, and though she had treasured it also, she no longer cared that it was gone. Why should she have treasured possessions, when she had thrown away the one thing that was most precious to her? Fools deserved no pity.

 

She walked in silence, her body language clearly showing her dejection, shoulders slumped and skirts tracing in the mud. The fiery girl she had been was now firmly hidden beneath her cloud of self-inflicted misery. The tears continued to burn her eyes as she was waved upstairs to her room, without a word or even any eye-contact from Rion. She needed to explain, to apologise, yet would she listen, if the roles were reversed?

 

Hugging herself, she held back a sob as she entered the small room that was hers, the sound of a lock being turned ominous in the quiet. She was never more a prisoner than she was now, never so alone. At last she let the tears flow down her cheeks, her sobs seeming to echo in the quiet space. Throwing off her over-dress, she removed her one remaining treasure from the pouch sewn beneath it.

 

With shaky fingers she traced the outline of the red leather-bound book, the one reminder of Rion she had been unable to leave behind. Hugging it to her chest she curled up on the narrow bed and sobbed for all that she had lost, pressing herself against the wall separating her from her love. If only she could remove the wall she herself had made sure was erected between them. How could she expect him to ever forgive her? A long time later, eyes red and burning and cheeks wet, she slipped into a fitfull sleep.

 

 

OOC: Shall we start a new thread for the next day/s Rion?