✥ Immortal ✥ (Accepting All Areas)
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The snort of horses and songs of birds filled the air as the early morning sun broke through the thin cloth curtain of the small wooden ranch house. The room that the sun's rays fell into was empty and had been for some time, the bed cold and made. The house sat silent, empty as the occupants had already been up and working. The family that had owned the house and farmland for many years was out tending to the horses, most of them.
The family knew exactly who was missing and why. The older man looked towards the rising sun before saying, "They'll be back soon, prepare his stall." The younger kids looked at their father, nodding and running off to the barn. It had been many years since the family first became the Guardian of a long line of Cain's and in that time, while things hadn't changed, they had at the same time. The original house still stood, though it had been built upon and updated as technology and building standards changed. The original barn no longer existed as the family expanded to doing riding lessons and stabling of horses. Another thing that had changed was the fact that the farm did not associate with the original properties of the House of Cain, though they were never sought out for assistance anyway. The sound of hooves beating against the ground started to be heard, the man lifted his head from watching a water trough fill with water. A beautiful horse was in full gallop from the woods, the rider riding in perfect sync with him. A smile graced the man's lips as he shook his head. "They're all the same," he laughed thinking about how his father told him, as his father him and so on, that there was an importance to the horses that had returned to them. The foul that had come with them was carefully raised, for its mother was the horse used by the original Lord of the House of Cain. The offspring of that foul were raised in much a same manner and each generation of Cain took that horse as their own. It was a symbol of their roots, yet none showed the enthusiasm of the horse as Dayna, the youngest generation. "How went the hunt?" The man yelled, leaning against the fence as the horse started to slow to a trot, then a walk. Dayna sat back in her saddle, pulling her hair out of her face as a confident smirk played her face. "Successful as always," she stated proudly as she pulled a slew of tied up birds from the back of her saddle. "Yes, yes, of course," the man said as he nodded his head towards the barn. "Go ahead and take him in, the little ones are ready for him." The brunette simply nodded before urging the horse onward. As distance grew between them, the man called out, "Today's the day isn't it?" The horse continued to walk and without looking back Danya nodded saying, "Yes, it is." She didn't have to look back or hear to know that the man sighed, not liking the answer. It was Danya's twenty-seventh birthday, it was the age Rei was when she fled the attack on her home, saving their branch of the family. Granted, if you could call giving birth to a daughter and then vanishing, leaving her to grow up with people that she's not related to as saving. Dayna had vowed that she would return to her real home when she was of age and she would take it back. Approaching the barns, she heard the rancher's children arguing about something. "Isn't it a bit early to be fighting?" She asked them as she slid off the horse, walking him towards his prepared stall. The kids jumped at being caught before spinning to look at Dayna. "Is it true?" The little girl asked, her bright blue eyes staring up at her. Dayna's brows furrowed as she stared at the child. "Is what true?" She then asked, handing the horse to the older boy as he said, "The kids papa teaches say you're a wolf." A small smile graced the lips of the woman as she kept her chuckle in her throat. "Do you think I'm a wolf?" The kids looked at each other as they tied up the horse and began taking the tack off of him. They then shook their heads in unison. "No, the horses like you too much," the boy said as he fought the saddle onto its post. "But if you were a wolf, you're a nice one." Dayna smiled at the kids, putting a hand on the girl's head as she grabbed a brush to help them clean the horse up. "Well thank you for that," she said as she ran the brush over sweat covered fur. She remained silent for a moment, knowing that she didn't answer the children. "People can be anything if you want them to be if you think it hard enough. Mean people can be monsters and nice people can be angels, but that doesn't make it so," she said, her eyes watching the grey beast before her. "The important thing is for you to decide on your own, not to let the wiles of strangers lead you on." The three continued to brush in silence, once done putting them away. The kids then approached the equally as sweaty woman, wrapping their arms around her in a hug. "You're definitely not a wolf. You're Dayna." They told her, keeping her trapped in the love for a few moments. Once they let her go, she simply smiled at them before grabbing her discarded weapons and kill. It seemed that only this family saw the good in the woman of Cain. Rumors had spread about her mother, grandmother and so on. Each child was born on the night of a full moon, their mother vanishing soon after; they claimed it was because the family wasn't human. The fact that none knew their father and a father had yet to step forward seemed to paint a picture of she-wolves that would rip the heart of their mate out after they found out they were with child. To be called a she-wolf when she was preparing to hunt vampires, the irony wasn't lost on the woman. She went inside with the children, they would help her prepare her kills for their meals for the next week while she was away. The kids didn't know what was being prepared for, as much as they knew, this was like any other day, well other than being Dayna's birthday. The family would work and later on celebrate the woman's day before the kids would be ushered off to bed. Once they were asleep, Dayna moved on to her room at the back of the house and prepared for her journey. She slipped on a pair of leather riding pants, boots and a tail coat. The jacket and boots were of a forest green color, the pants an earthy brown. On the back of the jacket was a large stamping in the middle of the Cain family crest. She pulled her hair out from under the leather, letting if fall over that crest. "Hey wolf girl," a man's voice came from the door. Dayna didn't have to turn to know it was the old man that had raised her. "You can't convince me to not go," she called as she wrapped a brown leather belt around her waist and equipping her daggers within her boots, small sword at her side. "I know," he said, the door frame creaking as he pushed himself off of it and began walking towards the woman. "I just have a couple of gifts for you." She turned around to look at the grey haired man, a puzzled look on her face. "Oh come now, you can look happier than that." Dayna's lips drew narrow, though her expression didn't seem any more impressed. "Ok, I'm happy, now what?" The man laughed, shaking his head before pulling a bow from behind his back. "What's that?" She asked, running a hand over the delicate carvings in it. "A trader brought it, oh, I don't know how many years ago. Said they were a sole survivor of a raid on the House of Cain, or so the story was passed down. He traded it with an ancestor of mine for a horse and ever since then, we've been told that it will only be brought out when the House of Cain decides to fight for their land once again." Dayna's purple eyes widened as she looked up at the man. "You're giving this to me?" She was shocked and this brought a small smile to the man's face. "Once you get your House restored, you remember who supplies you your horses. We may do well now, but our job is serving your family." The woman bit her lip before hugging the man whispering, "Thank you," into his cloth shirt. Pulling away, she slung the weapon over her shoulder, her quiver should have been with her horse's tack, ready to leave. "Sir vincent has your other gift," the man then said talking about the grey horse she had ridden earlier. "He's all ready to go so you just be safe." Dayna nodded before gathering the rest of her items and going out to the horse. Sir Vincent indeed sat ready, though his tack was not his usual. The tack was of fine leather and old crests, the crests of the House of Cain. On his back was a very old, yet still beautiful purple blanket with that same golden crest embroidered on it. While the family had served the House of Cain, it meant that some items were left with the original horse master until delivery was ready. When the House fell, there was clearly no reason to deliver and with the promise made, the equipment would eventually see use so it had been cared for and preserved until then. Thanking the man once again, he shooed her off into the darkness, knowing that if she stayed much longer, he wouldn't let her go. Though he knew that she didn't share the view, she was as much his daughter as his other two children. From the stories he had heard, Dayna was the most stubborn of the members of Cain that had been born since the fall. She was headstrong and confident, she had a goal in mind, much more so than the other women. The others had desired to throw away what happened and live their lives how they wanted, but they all still met the same fate. Dayna pushed Sir Vincent hard through the warm night. From the story she was told, she would reach the castle by morning. If they pushed harder, they could rest a bit. That was exactly what they did, though it also helped that they left earlier than when Rei had left, so many years before. They were most of the way there so they would be able to get a little more rest. Not being on the path, but rather deep in the woods, Dayna dismounted Sir Vincent and pulled him towards a tree. She didn't tie him up for she knew he wouldn't wander off without her and if something did sneak up on them at night, she wanted him to be able to get to safety. Sitting on the ground, her back against the tree, Dayna fell into a light sleep. Like clockwork, as the sun rose, Dayna woke with it. They still had a bit of a ride ahead of them, but it wouldn't take more than a few hours. Mounting the horse once again, they were off, riding to a past that the woman never existed in, in order to save a world she never knew. After a while, a stone structure started appearing in the woods. It was an outer wall of a castle. A smirk play the lips of the woman as she urged the horse onward. Once up to the foundation, she walked the horse around the outer wall. Tattered and burned banners hung from the walls, edges of her family crest were all the could be seen after the fighting that took place. "So this is the House of Cain," she quietly said to herself as she stared up towards the upper bricks of the wall. She started rounding toward the front of the wall when she heard a vehicle coming down the road. Quickly turning Sir Vincent, she hid them within the woods once again, allowing the vehicle to pass. "How strange," she thought to herself, not moving until the sound of the vehicle was gone. She pushed Sir Vincent forward, crossing the road to hid in the woods not near the castle for better coverage. She pushed the horse onward, following the path of the vehicle until another large stone structure appeared. Dayna's purple eyes narrowed as she concluded that as House of Vladamir. She pushed the horse deeper into the woods before dismount and walking on foot closer to the structure. The trees were dense in the forest, this area clearly never having been touched by the modern world. Slinging her bow and quiver onto her back, Dayna climbed a tree that gave her a clear, yet hidden view of the courtyard the vehicle had pulled into. Carefully pulling a decorated arrow from the quiver, the woman not having realized that her usual quiver was switched out for another family heirloom, she notched the projectile. Then, she waited. The man came for something, someone was surely to make themselves known and once a target appeared, Dayna would claim her prey. She sat ready, the late morning, near noon sun casting shadows over the opening that she was watching though. |
The water was steaming, heated and ready to be used. Moving it to a cup where the tea leaves awaited the hot liquid, he watched the steam that they produced. As the leaves sat, the water slowly began to gain a darker color to it. He did not add any sugar, taking it bitter as it was. The man had brought him what was called tea bags. Processed tea that was supposed to make it easier. Kuroyami preferred the natural way of the older days. It had a different taste in his opinion. Sitting at the base of the steps, he sat the cup upon the step by him. His fingers intertwined as his hands folded. From one of his gloves, something hung down and brushed his knee. A silver beaded chain, with a small cross that hung from it. |
It was almost like clockwork. The truck pulled up at someone emerged from the far from welcoming looking castle. A scowl plagued the woman's feature as she drew the arrow back, its silver tip following the male as he made his way towards the truck. Dayna watched a man get a out of the truck, shortly after a small girl. "Luring more to be your prey," the girl whispered darkly as her bow hand was pressed to her cheek. She sat, motionless, waiting for the group to leave, giving her a clear shot at the man. She would not frighten people who may not know what those of Vladamir truly were.
The wind picked up slightly, the breeze welcoming in the given situation. Only, her target seemed drawn to something in the distance, in her direction. As he turned, the woman held her breath. He looked towards her tree, but given the distance she couldn't tell exactly what he was looking at, though the chill that ran down her spine told her that the prey had caught wind of the hunter. Or perhaps not, for the male soon took to helping the two unload the truck. Once the man vanished within the stone walls once again, Dayna let out a slow breath. "One of them?" She asked herself in a hushed tone. "Somehow that doesn't seem right." She would have expected more to be at the castles, if not, why would her family not have gotten back what was theirs? Unless, that is, a single member of the family had destroyed all that came before her. Glaring at the figure once again the woman thought, "Well, you haven't faced me yet monster." She then returned the arrow to her quiver, the bow going back over her shoulder. Climbing down the back side of the tree. As she neared the bottom of the branches, she let out a soft whistle and within a few moment, Sir Vincent was standing below her. She finished climbing down the tree, lowering herself carefully onto the horse for she knew simply jumping onto his back would only harm the beast. Quietly urging the horse onward, they stayed close to the wall to block view from any of the castle windows. She would have to sneak inside, which would put her at an unfortunate position. She would no longer have range on her side, nor the vast wilderness. It would not be wise to draw her bow indoors, unless she had good range and time. On top of that, the castle was not hers. If she could manage to get in, she was not familiar with its layout. By entering, she would be pretty much securing her death, though her stubbornness told her that she wouldn't go down until her House was reclaimed. As the horse followed the wall of the castle, the forest seemed to start creeping in on them. With few occupants, clearly keeping the trees at bay was not a priority. Then again, for a castle that kept the front gate open, having trees growing so close to the wall shouldn't have been that much of a surprise. Leading a horse to one of the wider trees, Dayna reached up, pulling herself into it, leaving Sir Vincent to 'keep guard'. The woman was formulating as many plans as she could, trying to figure out the best way to approach this. She figured it would go over as well as the time she cornered an adolescent bear within its cave. It didn't go over that well, but one got out far better than the other. She would have to see how much like that bear this person would behave, or if there were even others in the castle. Climbing up the tree, she was able to shimmy across its branches to plop herself on the the barrier wall. Quickly ducking down, she kept the top of the wall over her back as she then scooted around. She kept her ears peeled, though the castle sounded dead and abandoned. Anyone back in the city would have either thought the woman crazy, well, crazier than before, or foolish for going to such lengths to not be noticed. She could easily place the kids she went to school with using the 'scary, haunted castle' as a dare. They would walk up to is, scaring each other the whole way, before seeing if they could last the night. She rolled her eyes at the thought. The castle wall started to near the physical building and instead of entering through the large wooden door, the woman pulled herself over the wall once again, grabbing the ledge of a nearby window. It was a narrow fit, something that would easily keep out people larger that she, or even herself if she wore plate mail. Dayna didn't though, so she was able to squeeze through the narrow opening and softly land on the wooden steps below her. The man had gone through the front, he had a delivery. He should have no purpose being near a rampart tower in the castle. If the building was anything like in the stories, the front area would be large and if he were occupied in that area, a bow would suffice. She pulled the stained wood weapon from her back again, notching an arrow. With her back pressed against the wall as she crept down the stairs, she held the bow, half drawn, ready to finish pulling and releasing if needed. She kept her pace slow, listening for movement, but all was still quiet. The stairs were coming to an end, she pulled the bowstring back all the way as she could hear movement a floor below her. She silently moved around the corner and the man from earlier was there, seeming to go over the items that were just delivered. She released the projectile, the silver arrowhead lodging itself into the hardcover of a book that sat on a stack of potatoes before the male. As soon as the decorated arrow had left the string, Dayna was notching another one. "Drop your weapons or the next one finds solace in your flesh," she called out to the male, her tone dark. |
She could have been as quiet as she liked, but his ears caught even the faintest of movements. At the same time, she could not hide her scent. The smell finding its way to him in time. He sighed lightly, so she indeed intended on becoming a problem. He did not turn as he noted her approach. She moved behind, shooting an arrow soon enough into one of the books he had just recieved. Slender fingers moved to the book in question, lifting it as his eyes observed the arrow in the cover. She had told him to drop his weapons. The only visible one a sword by his hip. His appearance did not seem to allow for more concieled ones, but one never knew. Her threat was to shoot him next. If she had known what he was, why hesitate to land the first one at him? |
While her threat was noticed, it was clearly not being taken seriously with the way the man responded to her. For as much as an eye roll would have been very fitting for the words out of the woman's mouth, her darkened purple orbs remained locked on target. "Kill you?" She questioned, a dangerous smirk forming across her lips. "Killing you would not help me." Her eyes hardened further as her tone dripped with venom. "No, you're needed alive." Purpose? Well, he could learn of that after she subdued the male.
She watched as he drew his weapon, the blade catching the little light coming through the windows as reflecting burning candles. When it came to territory advantage, clearly the male had it, but the shadows did more to hide the darker haired woman than the white haired male. She watched the man on the lower floor. There were stairs connecting the two areas, though that much would have been obvious for people had to get up there somehow. The room was indeed large, and clean for that matter. The man before her wore very little, at least on his upper half. His abdomen was nearly fully exposed and a person wouldn't do that if they weren't confident in their abilities, or if a blow to the chest wouldn't actually kill them, either would work. The glinting arrowhead that was pointed at his chest quickly moved before taking flight through the air. A shot through the chest would do the girl no good, rather, the shot was aimed at his thigh. Crippling was what she needed, if pressed to take more risky shots she would, but for not the less vital areas would be her target. Once the second arrow had taken flight toward her target, Dayna was quickly pulling out a third, notching it, pulling the string back tight once again. Her movements were quick and fluid, no wasted moving or energy; it was clear that she had been trained very well and for a long time. From the look in her eyes, one would even guess she had taken the life of a human before, or perhaps it was because she viewed her prey as being on the same level as the deer she hunted in the woods. |
The woman spoke that she was not there to try and kill him. That he was more useful alive. He almost actually laughed lightly at that. She could not kill him even if she desired to. She wanted him alive, so she planed to imprison him for something? Either way it mattered little. He would not be the easy prey she might hope for. The second arrow came for him, he was used to this kind of combat as well. Some thought fighting from a distance would give them an upper hand, but that was not going to save her. He moved forward, right at the coming arrow. His blade moving up, in a swift movement metal hit wood. The arrow deflected from its target, while the shaft was broken in half. |
As splinters of the arrow shaft showered to the ground, Dayna was easily reminded of her combat with the bear years ago. A part of her was pleased that she would have the pleasure in fighting the man, an easy victory on the road of revenge was not one that she wanted. This man though, he was definitely faster than the bear had been. His movements were too quick to get a successful shot off so the woman held tight knowing she did not have an unlimited supply of arrows.
The male jumped over the banister, the distance between the two narrowing moment by moment. She could have ran, but such a thing would be pointless. She would end up lost, or cornered or both. At least here she could make out her surroundings and with neither trying to hide, she felt that leveled the playing ground a bit. Instead, she slid a foot back, changing her stance slightly. She spoke not as the man questioned her, wanting to know what she had been told. A story told to her every night since she was a child that she practically relived what happened so long ago in her dreams, it was enough to know what sort of monsters the members of the House of Vladamir were. His step closer to her caused Dayna to draw the arrow tighter. While she didn't like using a bow at close range, she could, but blades would have been better. With the arrow ready for flying, it would be wiser to let it loose rather than just trying to change to the slender blade on her hip. He lowered his weapon some. Was he underestimating her? Did he view her as an easy opponent because she hadn't let loose the third arrow yet? Or because she was a woman? Either thought angered her and she shifted her fingers on the string some. He was silent again and the woman prepared to loose the arrow when he requested her name. A smirk graced the woman's lips as she smoothly replied, "Dayna Cain." With that, her bow tipped to the side some, the arrow flying towards the male's bicep. She didn't move for another arrow this time, but rather tipped the bow the horseman had given her, charging the man, the bow poised to take a blow from the sword. |
She did not speak, which in itself said quite a bit as well. She shifted a few times, little movements many would not notice. It gave hint that he might be getting to her in some way, even if she did not outwardly speak it. Nor did she move from their enclosed space, another either bold or foolish move on her part. Possibly both as well. He remained silent as he awaited an answer from her, his own position not changing in nature. She finally changed a bit, smirking at him in an almost sarchastic way. She gave him her name, saying that she was called Dayna. The name resonated within him, even as she let the next arrow fly and moved on him. He turned his body a bit, allowing the arrow to graze him but not fully land on its target. |
The man was much taller than her this close up than he had appeared before she charged him, but that wouldn't cause Dayna to waver. Her attacks seemed to have little effect, if any, on his demeanor as he calmly introduced himself. He was a knight of this house, hearing that put the woman at a greater disadvantage, yet at the same time spurred her task. The man danced around her, putting himself on the stairs the she had come down earlier.
Do not let them get to you, a memory recalled. They will try to get into your head, question what you're doing. The sun was setting on the ranch, a much younger Dayna was wielding a wooden sword, fighting the older man. He would swing at her, every time there was a tension between then, he would whisper things to her like 'you're being lied to', 'how stupid of you to believe such stories', 'you don't know anything'. He would whisper anything and everything that he could think of that would waiver the then, child. Dayna turned around in time for the male's eyes to fall on her again, questioning just what she was there for. And much like the old man had told her would happen, the words started to spew. Her mind remained focused though, her thoughts clear. What purpose would the horseman have to lie to her? He and his family were far from having financial problems, many sought his aid for horses and riding skills, they were set for life. What would those of the dead get from lying to her? If it came to it, she would be killed, would they gain anything from that in the after life? As the man came at her, she slid backwards, avoiding the blow. She took the few moments to slide her bow down the hall and drawing her sword with her left hand, poising it neatly before her. "A Knight, huh?" She finally spoke as though his questioning and seeming judgement had no effect on her. "Were you alive too? A monster?" Her eyes narrowed, "How did it feel to slaughter those that didn't stand a chance against you? To kill those that had no chance of a fair fight?" "You say I'm ignorant, yet your duty as a Knight has left you dirty." She would keep him on his toes, she had led their dance thus far and now that he seemed to be getting serious it was time for her to not blindly attack, but see what he could do. |
Still she did not respond much, which was fine with him. He did not need to hear the words, having heard them plenty of times before from those who came before her. Some times, from himself as well. She moved away from his attack, pushing the bow away before her sword was out as well, now pointed at him. It was now that she chose to speek, the words reaching him. She asked if he was alive, a monster? Saying he slaughtered those ho did not stand a chance or a fair fight. She said his work as a knight has left him dirty. His eyes on her, "I never claimed to be clean....nor pure. But to simply believe me a monster that slaughtered the innocent is easier than wondering who I truly am." |
The man was growing more talkative. Was it just in his nature or was something clicking within the male over what she was saying? Dayna couldn't tell, she didn't know her opponent well enough. What she did know was that he was easily over powering her with one arm and that was something she had to try and prevent. As the weight pressed down on her sword, the man drew near her to the point that if things continued on, no personal space would remain between them.
Just like that, Dayna made a novice mistake. She pulled her eyes from her opponent for a split second to view her weapon. As she did this, a kick came to the blade. The shock wave the shot through the blade stunned the woman, but only briefly as her instincts kicked in with the backward movement she had taken. She stumbled, but only for a moment as she shuffled her feer to regain her standing. Though before she could re-grip, Kuroyami's found the base of her's. She opened her hand for just a split second to get the ringing out of it, before her fingers wrapped around the hilt once again. When she re-gripped the blade, it wasn't in the traditional fashion though. Rather, the blade lay perpendicular with her body. The time for talk was over, at least on the woman's part. A smirk came to her face once again as she trust her arm and body forward, enough to hook the flat part of her blade behind the male's ankle. Her shoulder dipped low as she yanked the blade back to pull the male's leg out from resetting to the ground. As she did that, her right hand snatched a blade from within her boot and she followed up by shoving her elbow and shoulder into his chest, blade poised towards his throat. |
She moved off balance for a moment, before regaining things. Her blade went for his foot, which caused a frown to form upon his lips. She was trying to unstable his footing now as well. At the same time, she was going for a blade at her boot. Foolish, for placing your blade close enough to the foot led for also the possibility of trouble for you. He lifted his heel, pressing forward upon the toes enough to allow the blade to slip from his heel to under his heel in turn. Pressing sharply down on it then, he would pin the sword down to the step. The danger then came to that blade she was bringing from her boot, the sharp edge coming close to his body. He angled his own blade enough to where the two slid off each other, blocking further closing of distance to his body. |
She could feel the male shifting over the sword and before she had a chance to adjust, it was pinned to the ground. She grit her teeth slightly as she shoved her dagger forward only for the male to shove his sword against it, the blade between them. This wasn't exactly a situation she had in mind so Dayna was left to try to come to a conclusion on the spot and with his blade pushing back, she had to think what to do real quick.
Kuroyami seemed to lose interest in their combat for some reason, his eyes having fallen to the sword beneath his foot. He stepped away from the blade, speaking of the blood it had spilled. So the man had been alive for longer than he looked. Able to finally compose herself, the brunette lifted the sword, looking at the blade for the first real time in a long time. "What its previous master did with it is not a sin that should be carried to the new master," she replied calmly, her eyes lifting to look at the white haired male in time to see it was too late to do anything. His hands gripped her wrists so tight that she gasped, the stone halls echoing as the two blades fell to the ground. At first there was a look of surprise in the woman's eyes as she looked into the male's orbs, but that gaze quickly hardened as she glared at him. He stare at her in silence, their contest seeming to go on for far longer than it really had, before he called her foolish and scooping her up. "Foolish," she spat at him as she tried to push herself out of the male's arms. If his speed was any hint to his strength, it would have been wise for her to just give up and save her energy. "You better have a reason for those words." He ignored her as he carefully placed her down outside, making sure she had her footing rather than just dumping her out onto the step. She was stunned by that and it wasn't until her sword bumped the back of her feet that she turned around. He told her to leave before closing the door in her face. She growled at the door before picking up her weapon and re-sheathing it. "Well if you're so smart then tell me why I'm wrong," she yelled as she pounded a fist onto the heavy, wood door. Her yelling had indeed caught attention, not unwanted, but called for a friend. Sir Vincent, hearing his master had come outside once again, casually made his way into the courtyard. He snorted at the woman, though didn't approach them steps. Dayna glared at the doors, crossing her arms as she mentally burned a hole into the boards. After a few moments of silence, she then turned, walked down the steps and mounted Sir Vincent, her glaring then directed at the whole castle. |
She had yelled at the door. Saying for him to tell her why she was wrong. He should have ignored it, let the woman leave and simply be done with her. But something told him that it would not be simply that easy. The Cain and Vladamir were the same in the sense that they were stubborn. He sighed, before standing up. He strode over to the door, pulling it open in time to see her on her horse glaring at the castle. "If you would keep your blade away enough to actually listen you might learn" he leaned against the doorframe, "you could have also knocked rather than sneaking in....I do have manners. Do you?" He watched her for a moment. His eyes then lowered a bit to the horse she was upon. |
A few scenarios had played through the woman's mind, but the one where the man just opened the door, unarmed and not hostile, well, that wasn't exactly one of them. She rose a brow as she looked at the man from atop the horse and listened as his spoke. As he questioned her manners, or lack there of, both eyebrows raised in an 'are you really questioning that' fashion. Before her rebuttal came, Kuroyami made a comment about Sir Vincent, one that took the eyes off the man and to the steed. Appreciation and love filled her eyes as she patted the horse, even without either of their lineage, Dayna was sure that he would have been her horse anyway.
As the man began heading back inside, offering his invitation, his words far more welcoming than he expected. Could she trust him? Probably not, but she could not expect the man to trust her if she came back into the castle armed to the nines. Sliding off the horse, Dayna undid her belt that carried various satchels and her blade, attaching it to Sir Vincent's saddle. Her quiver found a new home on the notch on the other side and the spare dagger in her other boot slid into the side of the quiver. She then wrapped her arms around the horses neck, resting her face against the side of it as she whispered, "I shall return. You just relax. You're home, well, kinda." Pulling back, she smiled at the beast, patting it before turning and following the man inside. Once she had stepped past the doors, she could see the man tending to the book she had shot earlier, an action she couldn't say she was sorry for. Before pursuing further, she turned and closed the doors behind her. Even with the doors shut, he didn't turn to attack her, rather he seemed to continue on his way as though she weren't there. She stood at the door, simply watching as he picked up a tea cup that was sitting on the stairs, that surprisingly managed to avoid everything that had happened. It was at that time the man turned to look at her, the look on her face fully telling how she was not fully sure she trusted the situation. Without a word, he turned and started walking away. Dayna quickly followed, though she left room between the two of them so that way, if needed, she could run. Though, recalling the fight earlier, no, she couldn't so regardless to the distance, she would either die instantly or in a few seconds. He led them to a kitchen where he pulled out a second cup, as he went about cleaning his cup, Dayna looked at the one he had set down near the kettle. Leaves floated at the top of the steaming surface as the woman slowly reached for the cup, her fingers tracing the hot surface, playing with the leaves. "It is somewhat strange seeing others using leaves instead of prepared tea bags," she said as she moved to the far side of the table, sitting in the seat there. She let the silence sit for a moment more, her eyes watching the leaves move as the hot water did once she set the cup back down. Pride was a dangerous thing and Dayna had no shortage of that so she had to get that put aside in order to make progress. Taking a slow breath, she rolled her purple eyes to look up at the male. "So, why am I wrong?" She asked him once again. |
She moved to the table, picking up the cup before she moved around to sit down at the table. He watched her for a moment, her comment coming about the tea leaves. "They taste better...more natural" he said himself. She as then asked him once more about why she was wrong. He took a breath, choosing his words. "How much of the story do you know?" he asked her, something he had asked before. She had refused to answer then however. He really was curious however, it would easier than having to go through the whole story but then again, the beginning was the best place to begin. |
As Kuroyami mentioned the more natural taste, Dayna let out a breathy laugh through her nose as she swirled the leaves around her cup. When he started telling his story, she brought the delicate object to her lips, sipping on the hot beverage carefully. The story started out the same as the one she grew up hearing. She had heard it so many times, that just by hearing it again, the image of a storming night came to mind, much like the one that she saw in her dreams.
He paused for a moment, asking a question as he got to the part about the beggar going to their castle. When he asked it, he seemed more in thought, his eyes watching her as she slowly set the cup back on the table. While she had not heard this part of the story, she didn't quite see how it had to do with her being wrong about her quest. His next comments about how things could have been completely different caused the woman to raise her eyebrows. "Are you trying to push blame?" She asked, folding her arms on the table. "Cause, I hate to break it to you, but not inviting strangers into your house is kind of something that kids these days are being taught." Her eyes then roamed about the kitchen, looking from wall, up to the ceiling and back down again. "I'd say from the fact that I was trying to maime you not too long ago, you guys haven't learned much." She crossed one leg over the other as she stared right at the man. "Nearly killing off an entire family is not uniting them, just thought I'd get that out on the table. Also, because apparently you guys hold some grudge over the fact the the House of Cain turned the beggar does not make me wrong." She nodded slowly at the man before leaning back slightly, letting out a sigh. "Besides, your tale doesn't add much of substance to what I've been told. Pity, I was hoping you'd have something at least a little useful for me." She slowly lifted the cup once again, taking another sip. She then set the cup down, a serious look on her face as she folded her hands on the table. "You asked me, 'what do I know', while we were fighting. Would you like to know what I know?" She asked, leaning forward against the hard wood of the table. "Because my tale doesn't simply end after the House was destroyed, so maybe you will learn something about why it is I need you to help me. You know the beginning, the stormy night, we turned the beggar away and all of that, so I'll get to the good part, yeah? The part where you guys attack and my goal of vengeance begins. "Her name was Rei," Dayna started out, her eyes having gone distant for a moment. "She, like the others, was a member of the Cain family. She enjoyed helping out with the Cain horses and she was with child the night of the attack. Actually, she wasn't even there to start with. You see, they had a mare that had given birth not long before you guys attacked and she loved to spoil those two, or so the horseman tells me." Her eyes then fell upon the white haired male, serious. "There was fighting, it was why she came back. And what did she see? Her husband, slain before the stables, yet even though the stable roof was on fire, was left untouched. I always found that weird. The Cains, nor the Vladamir's ever thought of going after the horses. Though, I assume you guys wouldn't have much use for them and as swiftly as the attack came, I guess there was no time to prepare a counter offensive." There was a sting to her words, the same sting as when she accused him of killing those that could not protect themselves against their kind. "She freed the horses and she ran. She ran until the horses returned to their former master and it was there that she pleaded for the man to raise her child, to train her child and to share the story. She wanted the story to be passed down from generation to generation, until finally, someone would come to bring the House of Cain back and to destroy those that had wronged them so long ago." Dayna could feel the heat raising to her cheeks as she recalled the story and how no mother bonded with child, no child had memory of mother. She bit her lip slightly, fighting the knot in her throat. She was not an emotional person and to let herself slip up now, especially in front of the enemy, she had a feeling she would regret it later. "How many generations of this branch of the House of Cain suffered from not having parents because of that attack? How many have never known the feeling of actually having a family?" Kuroyami would probably have absolutely no idea what she was going on about at that point as it was something that was tied to her branch of the family. She didn't even know if the name 'Rei' would mean anything to him. |
He looked at her, as he listened to her words. To her comments and her accusations. He watched the way she reacted and sighed as she finished. "And that is why you are foolish" he said, "you assume and rush a lot. The story is not that simple, the beggar was the beginning. But not mine. You speak of the lack of a family...a home, parents and more. " |
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