(*poke* I almost completely forgot about this thread.. *gasp!*)

(Sorry for the absence ladies I been in FLA with my folks and unfortunately no one had a computer I could use anymore so I was unable to get a post up...:sweat: )

Satisfied with the way the recent battle went in their favor, Kiric had already begun his plans for the assault on the next house, but he had hit a bit of a wall in how to deal with his matron on attacking another house so soon. Word had reached them about the victory for their allies the Toshiba household, and he had known that their alliance was not something that would last, so they needed to keep pace with them in order to stand a chance against them when they were ready to turn on them. It shamed Kiric to be lead by a matron as feeble as Alexa but the one thing that was to his advantage was the fact that she was so docile that she was easily swayed for the most part. She did have a stubborn streak like her mother which never seemed to be a good thing since she was so opposed to violence but he would have to find a way to make her see. In Kiric's eye's she was not much like a drow should be at all but who was he to judge? It was his duty to ensure Alexa's safety and that of the Vai'on house and he intended to do so however necessary. Finally stopping for a meal, the six foot male ate quickly then made his way out to the training grounds. It was almost time for the matron's training session to begin and if she didn't show up today he would drag her to it if he had to. Whether she wanted to or not, Alexa would learn to defend herself because she had to realize that even Kiric couldn't be there all time. He quickly barked out some orders for the trainee's whom had shown up today and they began their training uninterrupted by the weapon-master as he waited on his gentle matron to arrive.

(Okeydokey. That's fine with me. You didn't forget about the thread so it's all good :))

(Fine by me as well ^_^)

Fingering the new set of blades that she'd had forged, Alexa lifted her head. Passing by a few of the guards that were stationed about the household, the matron glared at those who dared send a look her way. Her hair was tied back out of her face stubbornly, and she carried herself in a practiced manner - one of defiance and supposed authority. She was trying to be a drow - or at least partially.
Upon arriving at the training room, Alexa stepped in without shrinking away from the nearest people. In fact, she almost pushed one of them aside. Everyone should show reverence to their matron - even if Alexa didn't want it, she would need it.
"I have come. If you want me to stay here for more than a few seconds, you might want to get started. Though her voice didn't waver, Alexa seemed as though she were trying on a new personality entirely - it didn't quite fit her.
-

Selk sent Fayne away many hours after she'd called him in. The weapon master didn't go to Holly - not yet. Instead, he went straight to the training room. Stretching and trying to work out the soreness he'd received from his matron's beating, the male grit his teeth. After stitching a few of the largest wounds on his forearms and shoulders, Fayne finally let out a sigh. Staring at the floor in front of him, the drow felt his anger surge. I hadn't even moved. Not once through the entire torture session had he even lifted his gaze. Even if he was under an enchantment, this sickened him.

Slowly heading for the hall, Fayne went toward Holly's room. He needed help stitching his back - the serpent-headed whip that Selk used wasn't particularly kind to him. Lifting a hand to knock in the drow fashion, the dark elf pressed a black hand to the stone. After a few moments, he shook his head and actually struck the door with his knuckles. Holly didn't see heat signatures - she wouldn't know he was there unless he made some sort of noise.

Holly had been reading a book, deep into it when Fayne knocked on the door. The book practically flew from her hands she jumped so high. "Uh..coming." She stated walking to the door. It had been hours since she saw Fayne, she was so worried about him the whole time he was gone. Some part of her was so glad he was back, the other was afraid to see how hurt he was.

Slowly she opened the door and looked him over. "I'm so glad you're alive.." Holly murmured reaching to take his hand. A huge part of her wanted to collapse into his arms but that would end up hurting him. "How can I help? Fayne, please, next time don't go against her, not now. I hate seeing you hurt." She glanced at the wounds on his arms and back, gently she brushed her fingers across the stiches he had put in himself. "I tried to help, I didn't know what to say though, I'm sorry I couldn't help."

((haha, scared Holly. :lol:))

"I couldn't let the child die," Fayne murmured, and watched Holly's pale fingers trail over his stitched wounds. The contrast between stark white and onyx was startling - and it put a grim smile on the weapon master's face. "I would stand against Selk any amount of times if it meant a child might survive." His efforts had been for nothing, but that didn't mean he hadn't tried. "If I had the choice, I would force her to let them live." The drow reached up to clasp Holly's hand in his. "I'm fine. It doesn't . . . hurt."
His words weren't completely truthful - it definitely caused him pain. But the wounds weren't as terrible as others he'd faced before. This was hardly the worst state he could be in. "I didn't mean to worry you." Slowly pushing a needle and some thread into her hands, the male met her gaze with his own. "I would appreciate your aid, Holly."

"You're always going to worry me Fayne. Even if you weren't in trouble." Pausing she held the needle and thread. "Any time you need anything, you know I'm always willing to help. Anyway, why did Selk care about a child so much?" Holly asked pulling him into her room to sit on the edge of her bed. Quickly she walked into the bathroom, coming back out with a wet cloth. She lightly pushed it against his wounds on his back. "This might hurt...a little bit..." While she began to stich up his back for him she forced herself to think of something to talk about. "Have you ever been out of the underdark when you could see?"

The drow chuckled. Of course he would always worry her - his life was too dangerous to do otherwise. The vampire's question made him take a slow breath. "A living child means a witness to the house destruction," Fayne whispered, shaking his head. "It also allows for the heir to the matron's place to rise if they should survive."
Fayne sat where she bid him to, and offered a thankful smile when Holly returned with a cloth. Upon having the stinging object pressed against his open wounds, Fayne sucked in a small breath. He didn't flinch; the black-skinned male steeled himself as she started to stitch the wide gashes. They would leave scars . . . but that was nothing new. They were merely overlaying a web of other pale marks left behind from many other encounters with whips and various weapons.
Thankfully Holly brought something else into his thoughts. Her soft voice made Fayne close his silver eyes. "No," he said bluntly. After a few moments he elaborated. "I have been to the surface a couple of times, but it was after I lost my sight." Sitting up straight so Holly could continue his work, the drow shifted so he was sitting more comfortably. "I still haven't forgotten it." The scents, the feel, the air - everything was so different. "Can you . . . tell me more about it?" Fayne pulled a stubborn lock of hair away from his shoulder, grasping for a way to keep himself talking. After all, he wasn't a natural extrovert.

"Well, sure." Holly said softly continuing to stitch him up. "It's much different then down here, even at night there's always a great deal of light around. After all, being a vampire, I can't exactly explain the light in the day. That's more of a burning feeling then just light. Although humans seem to have a weird liking of the sun." She was just about halfway done as she continued trying to explain. "The air is much, cleaner. It's always crisp and new, underground this air is almost thick to me. I guess you could say it's a bit more peaceful. The people don't really want to fight. They don't learn to deal with pain like you do down here." Pausing again she took a deep, unneeded, breath before continuing. "The sight is amazing. As beautiful as that pool of water is cannot compare to a winter sunrise over the ocean. I still remember that from when I was human. Every day the sky would be bright orange, and red. Sometimes even a beautiful pink. It's such a sight. Sometimes I can't believe how well I remember it from so many years ago.

At that, she finished the stitches. "Okay, that should hold." Holly used the cloth to clean the stiches on his arms and his back again before walking back and placing it in the sink. "Well, how do you feel now?" Holly smiled and sat down next to him, reaching over to take his hand.

Just listening to Holly's descriptions of the surface made Fayne's mind slip into peace. He nodded a few times to acknowledge that he was still listening, and let his consciousness be lulled by her soft words. By the time she finished, Fayne opened his eyes slowly. He watched the woman head into the other room, and waited for her to return with his thoughts dwelling on the surface world. He hadn't seen what she described, but he could try and picture it. Never would his mind's eye give the sunrise justice, and never could he picture the expanse of the seas . . . but as long as he had Holly to tell him of it, he didn't mind. He didn't want to see it without her anyway.
"Feel?" Fayne chuckled quietly as Holly sat beside him. Giving her cold hand a squeeze, the dark elf met her gaze. "Better. Stiff, but I'll heal. Thank you." His silver gaze searched her face for a moment. "You come from a different world. Why on earth do you want to stay here?"

Surprisingly the weapon's master had not been waiting for the matron that long and even more surprising was her first words to him when she arrived. Even though Kiric wasn't sure what had gotten into the young elven woman he felt a small sense of pride swell in him and it brought a slight grin to the older male's lips, "Very well milady let us begin." Turning and walking to the rack with the practice weapons and tossed the matron a pair of sai, "Today we shall practice with these." Kiric had put some thought into the weapon that would most fit his matron and this is what he had come up with. Grabbing his own pair he turned to her, "I have long been vexed about what weapon you would most be suited to until recently," he said as he twirled his sai around in his hands. "I think these will benefit you the most as they can be used in a variety of ways and allow you to be as good a fighter as your creativity will allow." Kiric knew that this wasn't the first time they had used the sai for training but he meant for her to specialize in them starting today. "Now, we've played with these toys before, lets see how much you remember." His tone was a bit sadistic as a shadowy grin embraced his face and he took his stance. The matron would be the first to strike and he would teach her from there.

"Good." She stated holding his hand in her own. "It's not the same up there anymore. I can't go out in the daytime, I can't act human. I can't fit in anymore. They don't accept me. So, no matter how much I love being in the fresh air, nothing compairs to feeling as though you belong." Holly paused for a moment and put a pale hand up to his cheek. "I know I don't really belong here, I don't belong anywhere. I should be dead, but I can't help but feel more welcome in your world than my own. In my world, I'm a fairy tale creature for little kids to believe in. Here, I'm Holly the vampire. Not just a person who is "allergic to the sun."

"Anyway, my point is, if no one accepted you here and you went somewhere else where they did, would you want to come back?" Holly looked at him with a slight frown on her face. He had to understand what she meant. Sure she hated the world around her, but if someone like Fayne was there and cared about her it wasn't so bad.

"I'm glad you've put so much thought into it," Alexa said quietly, turning her form so she was a smaller target. Bending her knees, she lowered her center of gravity before lashing out with the first strike. Usually she would bide her time, feigning a few times. This time, she forged ahead, using her size and speed as best she could. I will not look weak in front of my house.
-

"I see," Fayne nodded slowly, tracing his fingertips over Holly's palm. "I would never return if there was somewhere else." Understanding spread over his features, and the weapon master chuckled mirthlessly. "Perhaps you do belong here now, Holly. I wouldn't wish it upon anyone, but perhaps it was meant to be this way." He certainly didn't mind Holly being around - his life had changed ever since the vampire had arrived. Sadly, so had Selk.
"I'm glad you're here, Holly." Leaning forward, Fayne kissed her forehead gently. "But I can't help but wonder if you were sent here for me." Like an angel; a messenger.

"I'm glad I'm her too." Holly whispered when he kissed her forehead. "Maybe I was sent here for you. I don't know though, if that's true I haven't done much for you...but you've done alot for me." She paused, deep in thought. "You know, I think I was sent here for you, l because I needed someone like you. Who knows maybe Alex was going to die anyway. I'm certainly glad it was you who killed him, otherwise I never would have met you." Holly lightly gripped his hand and smiled at him. "If I hadn't come though, you wouldn't be controlled by her..." Gently she reached up with the hand not holding his and traced the silver tattoo sadly.

Kiric was impressed by her aggressiveness, it was a good look on her, and it almost made him forget to defend himself. The lean muscled male managed to parry the female just in time and retaliated with a few well aimed thrusts of his own. Kiric aimed at joints mainly at the moment but this was just the warm up so this was little more than a test for her to him. With that being the case, the intensity of the fight was going to be determined by Alexa, something the onyx colored male was looking forward to. Once she was ready, her real training would begin.

"Selk would have controlled my actions even if you hadn't come," Fayne said with a sigh, keeping his gaze on Holly as she fingered his runic scars. "Though perhaps not so directly." Reaching up to grasp her fingers, the male smiled slightly. "I would still be blind if it weren't for you." The drow then moved closer to the vampire, pulling her against him. "I think we were meant to save one another, no matter what the consequences."
-

Alexa realized that the pace of their battle was reliant on her own movements - Kiric often pressed her futher than this. Then fight harder, Alexa. Her expression slowly melded into concentration, and her speed increased as she darted about the male. Trying to find an opening in his defenses, the matron snarled a drow insult under her breath as she was forced back once again.
She successfully blocked most of his attacks, dodging the others. She wasn't known for strength or endurance, but Alexa Vai'on could certainly give the fastest of trained drow a run for their money. With naturally quick reflexes and a keen eye for weakness, she struck wherever she could. The only thing she lacked was true experience and the brutal mind of a fighter. Just thinking of the people watching her made the lithe female move as fast as possibly could. Every time she thought she glimpsed a dip in Kiric's defenses, she struck, her speed gathering. Curse my lack of skill!
Diving into a roll that somehow managed to get her between his legs, Alexa planted a kick right in the middle of Kiric's back - it was the first strike she'd successfully made. Finally!

Holly smiled slightly and wrapped her arms around him. "Maybe that's true...but what exactly am I meant to save you from? I don't think I'm doing a very good job of it. Everything I've done to try and help has had something bad happen as well.." Holly stopped talking and looked into his eyes. Leaning in a bit, she let her soft pink lips brush across his and held herself tighter to him. Just as she felt when he came in, she never wanted to leave his grasp.

The weapon's master was impressed, the woman was coming at him with a fierceness she had never shown before today. Whatever had clicked in her head, was going to make her a better matron and a stronger more attractive woman for it. Now she was acting like a Drow now and it was good to see. Thinking was rarely a detriment to Kiric but he realized quickly that the pace was being increased and he knew that Alexa was actually faster than he. It was straining the black skinned male to keep up with the woman's breakneck pace but he managed and was able to stick a few counters in as well. But after a while longer he was caught out of position and Alexa landed a solid boot to his back that caused him to roll forward to regain his base. Unintentionally he had found that he was barking out instructions to Alexa in the heat of their session, pushing her almost as if he was encouraging her. She was making such impressive progress that it made him proud even though it eventually got him kick squarely in the back. Deciding that it was time to get dead serious Kiric smiled, "Good, Alexa now give me everything you got. I'm not holding back anymore." Dropping into his stance once more he decided it was time to push her to her limits, and he launched a relentless assault not sparing her any quarter, he wanted to see just how well she could fare in a battle for her life and that was how he would do their training from here on out.

Fayne didn't reply, but merely let out a small breath. The dark elf returned Holly's kiss softly, and then glanced toward the door. Despite his punishment, he still had to train the Toshiba household. His students would be waiting for him soon. With a frown, the drow met Holly's gaze. "I have younglings to train," he said, smiling grimly. "Selk would be most displeased if I shirked my responsibilities." The silver-haired male leaned forward to press his forehead to the vampire's. "Don't get yourself into trouble, Holly."
Slowly standing, the weapon master forced back the thoughts of pain. It would only get in the way of necessity.
-

The sudden shift in training forced a wave of feral fear to rake through the young woman. Alexa's first instinct was to back down - but she didn't allow it. Though her red eyes widened in uncertainty, she let her reflexes continue to save her butt. As the weapons in her hands seemed to flow through the air, she seemed to scramble for a few moments. The ferocity with which Kiric struck almost startled her. He's serious. Then again . . . had he ever been anything but?
With a few gasps of surprise, Alexa darted past and away from many of Kiric's strikes. Her speed was her only strength - she was weak in nearly every other area. The male was strong, and she realized that. If he struck her so much as once, Alexa would be in deep trouble. A bead of sweat slowly slid down the Vai'on matron's temple as she forced herself to keep fighting. Her muscles screamed for rest, and her feet were beginning to feel like they were full of wet sand. Many minutes into their session, Alexa began to slow down ever so slightly.
Don't lose. Repeating the words in her mind, over and over, Alexa grit her teeth and pressed on. Fumbling a rather simple attack, the girl found Kiric's blade flashing awfully close to her cheek as she turned away just in time. Would he have done it? For a moment, the woman's mind hung in the balance. Did this male really care about her? Or was he just trying to turn her into what everyone had been striving for? Was Kiric her . . . friend . . . or merely another drow bent on strengthening a woman to be his matron?
Distracted, she felt her blade slip slightly in her grasp. Upon the next parry, the sweat-slick hilt slid from her slender fingers.

Holly looked up at him and quickly stood as well, taking his hand. "I should go with you, you know in case your stiches break or something. I can fix them for you." She looked at him with wide eyes pleading to go with him. Honestly there was nothing else to do. If she trusted Selk more she'd go talk to her, maybe if she got tired of watching Fayne fight she'd go see Selk. Although that wouldn't do much good, Holly could think of nothing to say to the woman without getting into trouble.

Faster, more precise, no quarter for anyone. Those were the words in Kiric's mind as he lashed out viciously at Alexa. She was doing well enough to defend against him but she wasn't having much success in fighting back. She made no attempt at countering. Pathetic. She was surprised at the ferocity of his attacks. Unprepared. Kiric was now getting angry, the girl was still a girl. She was crumbling slowly under the pressure of his onslaught. Whatever fierceness she had garnered when she first arrived was no longer there. She was defending herself out of fear instead of fighting instinctively. The male had been counting the number of times that there should have been room enough for a counter to be inserted between his strikes and so far she had missed every opportunity. Kiric continued to press on knowing his own timing of his attacks were varied to shorten the gaps where she should have countered even if she did not. As the minutes passes, almost in slow motion, the change in Alexa's pace was noted. She's getting tired. It was at that moment that the master warrior pressed his attack even more, because he was losing a step as well but he needed to push the woman. Press her into a corner and make her think in an instinctive manner. At that moment Alexa lost her hold on one of her blades and instead of halting his last strike Kiric allowed for it to gash the cheek of his matron lightly. Then a burst of rage overflowed in the male and his body reacted as he put his boot in the woman's chest, "What the HELL was that!" The male growled, his voice almost on the verge of a shout, "That bravado you came in here with... Where'd it go? The second you noticed I was serious you lost focus and became a coward!" Calming his voice, the weapon-master's tone was still sharp, "You cannot do that, it will get you killed girl." Sighing as he walked over to Alexa and pressed a finger to the middle of her forehead, the older male calmly added, "When you fight, use it... you have one for a reason. Let your instincts help guide your actions." Then Kiric extended a hand to her, against his better judgment, and finished, "You missed many opportunities to counter and change the flow of our battle. Remember to read your opponent and the flow of their attacks and you will know when it's time to strike back. Now leave, your training is done for the day." With that being said he turned away and picked up the scattered sai and returned them to their respective racks before turning his attention to the other elves in training.

With a chuckle, Fayne nodded. "I don't mind having you around, Holly." Kissing her hand, he pulled her with him. The cloak he slipped over his shoulders was one he'd carried in with him, but he knew it would be shed the instant he was in the training room. "I have never objected to your presense before." Leading the vampire toward the selected room, the drow seemed to slip into another persona. It was time to be the weapon master of the Toshiba household - to be ruthless and skilled. It wasn't a facade, but merely another part of himself. Giving Holly's hand one final squeeze, he let her go and stepped forward into the room. A few pairs of glowing eyes turned to regard him, and Fayne barked a command in the native tongue.
Moments later, students of various ages were gathering weapons and training partners. The day was going to be long if everyone was to worked with individually.
-

((:squee: I want to slap Alexa upside the head! But she couldn't change on a dime like that, sadly. :no: Ah, well. She's getting some training, and she has to fix her mindset! :angry:))

Alexa was breathless when Kiric helped her up, and nodded minutely. You damned fool! She was frustrated - with Kiric, with herself, the outcome of the battle . . . things could have been better. Instead of leaving, as the male "ordered" her to do, the matron moved to sit along the wall. Watching in silence, she pressed a hand to her collarbone to feel over the bruise she knew was forming.
Her red eyes followed the movements of others, and she stubbornly crossed her legs as she listened and absorbed as much technique as she could. Perhaps if she was watchful, she would find more things to do when she herself was in battle. Sullenly nursing what wounds she'd received, she wiped the blood away from her cheek lightly. You must do better. You can't fail . . . not like this.