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Laying down next akiko on the ground closing his eyes for a minute. Then looked up at akiko "so when should we get going cause mr. horse over there is done drinking?" Standing up he looked over to her then smiled as he looked at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
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"Oh, we should probably get going now." Her eyes flashed of amusement as she handed the canteen back to Aranthal. She brushed the horse's neck to confirm that he was in fact done drinking and than swung up onto his back gracefully. Nudging him into a trot she moved over to Aranthal and held out a hand. "Let's get to New Atreas. "
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Katie closed her eyes for a few moments,feeling a tad dizzy on the horse.She had been on horses many times but for some reason she felt sick.She closed her eyes,still letting the horse move even though it was dangerous and winced from the pain in her chest.She didn't want to stop tonight so she acted as if nothing happened and forced herself to sit up strait and open her eyes.
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Accepting akiko's kind gesture but only brushed her hand as he jumped up behind her on the horse with out to much effort. "I would agree that we should be going now due to the fact that we are only half a league away." smiling as he put one arm around her again and the other on the hilt of his katana. He then leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek "I'm glad i chose to come with you".
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Kotori didn't notice Katie's trouble's for his own. But if he had he would have felt bad, it was just the sympathetic part of him that despite not trusting people called out to try to help. He was also developing a soft spot for the small group despite everything.
"I'm glad you did to," slipped out of her mouth before she could even think. She nudged the horse forward keeping it at a much slower pace than before but still covering a fair amount of ground. They would be in New Atreas a night ahead of the other groups if they all arrived on the 'third day.' Akiko's mind was beginning to slip from he actual quest she had set out to do, the warm handsome body pressed against her back distracting her momentarily. |
"If you get tired i will gladly take over." smiling as he said this he put his hands over akiko's. Aranthal didn't know why but he felt a great amount of emotion towards her but he liked it. After a few seconds he just decided to keep his hands on the reigns to let her know he was serious about taking over.
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Akiko shook her head though smiling at the gesture. "I walked for three days before I went to sleep. I'll be fine until we get there. Don't worry." How much she revealed in those simple sentences had just slipped out. She blushed at him since he had been there when she had collapsed from those three days lack of sleep. Her mind wandered to how sweet it was that he'd taken her to an inn and made sure she was okay. It was a good thing his hands had been on the reigns.
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(( Here comes another town!! Mist'an on the map...The purple dot.))
It seemed like they weren't making any ground. Solruil tried to sleep a little on her steed but every couple minutes her eyes would open. Every time this happened, she could almost swear that they were in the same place as before until she woke up fully. At least they were moving quicker than before they got the horses. All of a sudden a glimmering town emerged from the nothingness that they had been riding through. Progress!Solruil thought to herself. "From the map, it looks like this is Mist'an. I've always stayed in this town whenever I come this way. The river comes down on the other side. I think -because of time- we should continue until we hit the river, then we can either camp out or take a small break." She hoped everyone had heard. It seemed that no one was very excited about the travel at that moment. |
Kotori was far more relieved than he should have been when Solruil mentioned taking a break. After all he knew how serious it was to get to New Atreas in time. "that sounds great! I'm so glad we have a map. " He was still struggling to stay on the horse, every time it turned instead of going in a straight path he felt like he was going to fall of. In fact, it felt like the horse knew that he'd never ridden before and it was messing with him for its own amusement. "Stopping at the horses will give the river something to drink to." He'd said it fast as he was jostled slightly and didn't realize he'd said it wrong until after the words left his lips.
"I mean, the horse's can get something to drink at the river." He looked down at the saddle cheeks crimson before realizing that was a bad idea and gave him a queasy stomach which forced him to have to look up. ( i am having way to much fun torturing the poor half-elf. XD ) |
Feeling her control over the reigns lessen aranthal leaned forward against akiko's back apply a fair amount of pressure to it then smiled. "Are you sure you don't need me to take control there beautiful?" smiling he knew that she liked having control but she seemed a little distracted. Taking both reigns into his right hand he then put his left onto her stomach and pulled her closer. "Well we should get there soon at this pace." I can't remember the last time i was this happy, she really might be that person the druid told me of.
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"hmmmm, oh yeah of course. I'm fine." But she leaned back into his arms anyways. The amount she was enjoying being with him, and the feel oh his warmth that close to her worried her slightly. Akiko shook her head at the silly thoughts though, he was kind, and an elf like her, and from the things she knew he wasn't like any of the other men that she had danced for.
"Oh good, I think I've been traveling to long. it would be nice to rest for a day if that's possible." She smiled happily closing her eyes to enjoy the ride. Her head resting against his shoulder, though her hood was still up from the cloak he had given her. |
Reaching into his waist pouch he pulled out a small flute then tied the reigns to his left hand. He began to play a very light airy tune that his mom used to play when he was restless. The song consisted of very high notes, contrary low notes and everything in between. The horse seemed to pick up pace during the song even though aranthal did not mean to make him go faster. After he was done he put the flute back in to his pouch and looked at the elf leaning against his shoulder and just smiled. That song is the only thing i have from my family, i sure hope they are ok.
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(-grins about karaoke-)
"That was pretty." Akiko said after the song. During it she had been twitching slightly wanting to dance. the song would not have been easy to dance normally to, but it'd been so long since she had, and she probably could have come up with something. Her head bobbed slightly at the change of speed but she settled comfortably back again. |
Drake looked over at Kotori."Nice one.."He muttered and continued making his horse trot until he was by solruil.He stopped the horse."A break sounds good."He yawned,obviously tired or all of this.
Katie stopped her horse only to look at everyone with a small nod,she didn't feel like talking at the moment. |
Solruil hid a giggle when she heard the elf. poor thing...hehe -the horse of course haha no thats mean. Of course I feel sorry for the elf...I'm somewhat surprised he hasn't ridden...I thought all elves were masters at it. hm, I guess not...She thought to herself. Solruil was glad that everyone agreed, because she wanted to take a break almost as much as them also.
As they reached the river, hundreds of butterflies flew up from the grass, creating a perfect picture. Solruil dismounted Phantom first and removed his tack. Then she set her belt, sword, and shoes next to the rest of her stuff. The grass felt thick and soft under her feet and with every step it seemed like she sank just a little into the greenery. Solruil went to the water and knelt down next to it. She put her hands into the clear liquid to scoop it up and it surprised her that the water was warm. She drank some and then splashed the rest over her face. It felt perfect. |
"Thank you, my mother used to play this when i was little." aranthal then slowed the horse down a little. "She would play it when i was upset and it would calm me down." he then looked at her cloak and noticed that the broach didn't really match her personality. "So do you have any family akiko?"
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"The priest is my family. " She didn't want to talk about it really, so it was a short, to the point answer. it left everything opened for interpretation though she wasn't likely to answer any more questions without causing even more. She rather wanted to ride in silence at the moment, but her body was still itching to dance. The sooner they got to New Atreas the better. She'd go to the bar, ask to dance for the night. Make a little bit of money than rest up and try to find what the priest had asked her to. Akiko assumed that it was a genius plan.
Kotori gratefully slid off the horse and immedietly laid on the ground. A bit to obvious that he had been uncomfortable riding. The horse through its head whinnying at him and trotted up to the wander before bending to take a drink. |
Solruil got up and walked over to the elf. "You doing ok? You should drink some water if your feeling queezy...Um....aren't elves supposed to be great at riding or something?....Solruil felt bad asking but sometimes a question would come into her head and it would bug her so much until she found out the answer. She sat down next to the elf and offered him some water, that she scooped into her water bag, from the river."Here..Drink some...A little at a time...."
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Kotori sat up gratefully taking the water bag from Solruil and drinking a sip at a time. Finally he sighed, knowing that everyone would be in ear shot as she said this. "I'm not an elf." His hand lowered with the water bag in it as he watched the water billowing slowly down stream. It flashed gently in the light and all ripples looked beautiful. But he didn't feel the peace he normally would have gotten from it. Slowly, as if reluctantly he brought the water bag to his mouth again and took another drink. His movements were slow as if he didn't have the will to live.
"I was banished from the world of elves practically the moment I was born. I have never been an elf. And I will never be a human. I'm walking the fence in between the two worlds never to fall to either side." It was a sad statement to him, and he lowered his head. In reverence perhaps, possibly in shame. It wasn't clear. Finally he stood up and gave a bow to Solruil. "Thank you for the water I appreciate it." He handed it back, and turned to look at Katie, Drake, and the wolf girl who were no doubt watching him. His eyes were sad. "I'm an outcast, and maybe you all understand now, why I do not trust anyone. " He was sure they had at least noticed that he didn't give trust fast or easily. |
Katie said nothing but only stared at Kotori with a small nod.She wanted to say something or to comfort him but decided not too since she didn't know him that well.She frowned and looked down at the palms of her hands..finally being a ble to speak."I'm sorry..."She said lightly.She had been sitting on a rock as this went on..he reminded her of someone but she couldn't remember the name and just shook her head.
She herself would probably never say why she trusted practically no one because she would go into a depression just by bringing it up.She moved her hand towards the water,having enough magic to just barely move the water into a twirl in the air.It made her smile a little. Drake sighed and looked at Kotori."I'm a demonic healer.Strange eh?"He chuckled a little,he wasn't really good at being nice. |
"Very." Kotori's simple answer was because he was now a bit torn inside. His heart pounding that he had revealed to much. Katie's simple nod did nothing to upset him. A silent acknowledgment that maybe it wasn't so crazy to feel the way he did. He moved to the water and was tempted to sink himself into it. Try to relax.
Instead he shifted directions and sat by a tree. His mind relaxing as he sank into a meditative sleep. In the state though, where he was not aware of his body, tears began to drift down his cheeks. Slowly, and in tune with his breathing. The sun shone far to brightly, and Kotori lifted his hand to shield his eyes. His horse was standing before him watching him. There, on its back. A bird. Kotori looked at it through shielded eyes. It was the same bird from earlier! Suddenly he seemed to leave his body as the bird rose into the air. He soared along with it. Down the river they flew. The river ended suddenly in a waterfall that opened up into a small lake, or pond. Kotori wasn't sure. The bird flew steadily onwards, off the cliff it went, Kotori beside it. There! The bird was showing him a path. A thin, one person wide bridge stretched from a path down the hill and went behind the waterfall to the other side of the river. The bird landed on the bridge and preened its feathers. Just as it had done before. Kotori landed next to it looking at it with a curious expression. Than it flew off again and disappeared. He blinked his eyes open and looked up at everyone around him. Barely, he could feel the tears on his face, and refused to reach up to wipe them away, if no one had noticed, they would if he made that action. |
Katie notices small tears on Kotoris face and since she wanted to look around she walked by him and patted his shoulder in a friendly way.She then continued walking up the side of the water ,looking down at the water as if she was looking for something..anything to make this better.She wascrying a little but only because she had been thinking of her past.She closed her eyes as she walked,humming the same tune from before when she was at the forest..but that was when she was in perfect harmony and nothing was dieing..there had been magic.She shook her head and knealed down,putting her hand in the water.She felt how cool it was and seeing on how her feet were already wet she stepped in it.
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Kotori could hear the notes as if they were a dream. They had been a dream, was he still dreaming? It was one of the things that had led him to accepting the adventure of traveling with this group to find the magic. Immediately he made the connection to it being Katie singing and he stood up, walking towards the sound, it stopped, but he could now see Katie up ahead. Silently he decided he would just watch.
It had to be a dream still. She'd only sung that in his dream. |
Katie decided to swim since she could just dry off when she rode the horse again.She layed back in the water,floating on her back since the water seemed to be calm.She hummed the tune wishing she could sing it but she was fairly shy when it came to that.She then mumbled the last part."In perfect harmony.."She knew what she was saying was a lie and frowned slightly to herself as she looked at the sky.
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(okay not sure what to say at the moment... Just had a friend message me and its out of place. )
Kotori watched, convinced that he was still dreaming. He closed his eyes finally, letting the tune wash over him. |
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