Voluntary kidnapping, part two

His horse went slower, than he would have wished for. Leomir hated time. More than anything else in this world, he hated the passing of it, it´s absolute grap over everything he held dear. And yet here he was, wasting it. A lot of it. Even without taking care of ressources like horses or coins, it was more or less a six days ride from Porto Leonis, and for that he had to jump to Shan Men Rey, use the tunnels of terra and bear the darkness, the smell, the annoying feeling of being crushed alive by the hostile element, everyone else seemed so damn fond of. He shrugged. There is a practical side to this.

The Mitray´Kor tried to concentrate, but now, that the golden bond was gone again, he felt Miriels brilliance waiting, like a treasure ready to be taken, just beyond his grip. He sighed again. Leomir hated feeling stupid, He always had hated it and now, that he had tasted real wisdom, the whole world seemed like shrouded in darkness. The true mysteries seemed so far away suddely. It had only been two days. Two oh so wunderful days in which he had understood the creation. Truly. Now he was his old self again. And now he knew how much things there were, which he couldn´t think through.

Your depressed, because you´re not smart nough anymore. And that´s the reason you act stupid. Bravo, great hero!

He blinked the annoying voice inside his head away. Yes, it was stupid. If he should be needed anywhere, there was no way to reach him. If there was another attack, he would not be in Eliars Exile for another twelve to fourteen days. He should stand guard over this creation, while the White Storm was reforged. But here he was, unarmed, clothed in his black dress in which he got to know her and followed the sirens call.

Idiot! You will never forgive yourself, if something happens now. Another breath in, than out. Changing directions now, wouldn´t change much and only make the architect behind the creations defenses angry without a reason. Better fight him for a cause, and even if she was nothing else, she was a cause worth fighting for.

So he checked his hair nervously, and rode the last mile to Tinderos. When he saw her at the city gate, Leomir frowned and hoped, that she would not see, that he had done so. It was not that he wanted her to be beautiful all the time, but a little part of him felt offended nevertheless, that she hadn´t put more efford in her wardrobe.

Some part of him had hoped for the black dress and ballroom full of dancers... something decadent and mysterious... but then he saw the horses - odd as it was, recognicing them second to her- and his frown turned into a smile.

"Ar´Dhar." He shouted the words over the air between them: "I hope I´m not that late..."

His horse went slower, than he would have wished for. Leomir hated time. More than anything else in this world, he hated the passing of it, it´s absolute grap over everything he held dear. And yet here he was, wasting it. A lot of it. Even without taking care of ressources like horses or coins, it was more or less a six days ride from Porto Leonis, and for that he had to jump to Shan Men Rey, use the tunnels of terra and bear the darkness, the smell, the annoying feeling of being crushed alive by the hostile element, everyone else seemed so damn fond of. He shrugged. There is a practical side to this.

The Mitray´Kor tried to concentrate, but now, that the golden bond was gone again, he felt Miriels brilliance waiting, like a treasure ready to be taken, just beyond his grip. He sighed again. Leomir hated feeling stupid, He always had hated it and now, that he had tasted real wisdom, the whole world seemed like shrouded in darkness. The true mysteries seemed so far away suddely. It had only been two days. Two oh so wunderful days in which he had understood the creation. Truly. Now he was his old self again. And now he knew how much things there were, which he couldn´t think through.

Your depressed, because you´re not smart nough anymore. And that´s the reason you act stupid. Bravo, great hero!

He blinked the annoying voice inside his head away. Yes, it was stupid. If he should be needed anywhere, there was no way to reach him. If there was another attack, he would not be in Eliars Exile for another twelve to fourteen days. He should stand guard over this creation, while the White Storm was reforged. But here he was, unarmed, clothed in his black dress in which he got to know her and followed the sirens call.

Idiot! You will never forgive yourself, if something happens now. Another breath in, than out. Changing directions now, wouldn´t change much and only make the architect behind the creations defenses angry without a reason. Better fight him for a cause, and even if she was nothing else, she was a cause worth fighting for.

So he checked his hair nervously, and rode the last mile to Tinderos. When he saw her at the city gate, Leomir frowned and hoped, that she would not see, that he had done so. It was not that he wanted her to be beautiful all the time, but a little part of him felt offended nevertheless, that she hadn´t put more efford in her wardrobe.

Some part of him had hoped for the black dress and ballroom full of dancers... something decadent and mysterious... but then he saw the horses - odd as it was, recognicing them second to her- and his frown turned into a smile.

"Ar´Dhar." He shouted the words over the air between them: "I hope I´m not that late..."

His horse went slower, than he would have wished for. Leomir hated time. More than anything else in this world, he hated the passing of it, it´s absolute grap over everything he held dear. And yet here he was, wasting it. A lot of it. Even without taking care of ressources like horses or coins, it was more or less a six days ride from Porto Leonis, and for that he had to jump to Shan Men Rey, use the tunnels of terra and bear the darkness, the smell, the annoying feeling of being crushed alive by the hostile element, everyone else seemed so damn fond of. He shrugged. There is a practical side to this.

The Mitray´Kor tried to concentrate, but now, that the golden bond was gone again, he felt Miriels brilliance waiting, like a treasure ready to be taken, just beyond his grip. He sighed again. Leomir hated feeling stupid, He always had hated it and now, that he had tasted real wisdom, the whole world seemed like shrouded in darkness. The true mysteries seemed so far away suddely. It had only been two days. Two oh so wunderful days in which he had understood the creation. Truly. Now he was his old self again. And now he knew how much things there were, which he couldn´t think through.

Your depressed, because you´re not smart nough anymore. And that´s the reason you act stupid. Bravo, great hero!

He blinked the annoying voice inside his head away. Yes, it was stupid. If he should be needed anywhere, there was no way to reach him. If there was another attack, he would not be in Eliars Exile for another twelve to fourteen days. He should stand guard over this creation, while the White Storm was reforged. But here he was, unarmed, clothed in his black dress in which he got to know her and followed the sirens call.

Idiot! You will never forgive yourself, if something happens now. Another breath in, than out. Changing directions now, wouldn´t change much and only make the architect behind the creations defenses angry without a reason. Better fight him for a cause, and even if she was nothing else, she was a cause worth fighting for.

So he checked his hair nervously, and rode the last mile to Tinderos. When he saw her at the city gate, Leomir frowned and hoped, that she would not see, that he had done so. It was not that he wanted her to be beautiful all the time, but a little part of him felt offended nevertheless, that she hadn´t put more efford in her wardrobe.

Some part of him had hoped for the black dress and ballroom full of dancers... something decadent and mysterious... but then he saw the horses - odd as it was, recognicing them second to her- and his frown turned into a smile.

"Ar´Dhar." He shouted the words over the air between them: "I hope I´m not that late..."

He reacted way too fast, to be convincing... almost as if he had tried a hundred reactions and chosen to went with this one.

A shrugg of his shoulders, the left a little more than the right, to add that kind of asymmetry, that made real movement convincing. A smile, coy, but only hinted at, to ensure, that it really meant nothing: "Well... I realised, I hadn´t really talked to the people, I should now... there are many of your fellow courtembers, that will have a role to play." In his momeory he went through the tent full of people. Amir, always ready for battle with a deep sincerity, that hade made Leomir respect him, even in times he did not want to. The sad jaester, who would fight for a cause perhaps he hiself didn´t remeber. And the girl with the choice, so full of love and caution. And Mallo, with her wits and couriosity. You like the mortals of the roses. This smile was real: "They all have something to offer in der war to come, and I hade a habit out of the principle to remeber the faces and stories, emotions and lives of the people, that will die in a war, I..." he paused: "... we have to start."

Then he continued the act: "It would have been nice to have met you again, after Miriel and I divorced again..." The sadness creept in his voice, unwelcomed, but also mercyless. You´re stupid again. You lost her. The women, the elements forged for you, before they left. You lost her again. His heart felt like cramping as the moment washed over him, more forcefull now, that his feelings for Suria collided with his loneliness.

He cleared his throat, while the Mitray´Kor cursed silently over his lack of selfontrol... another thing lost.

"So..." he tried in a lighter tone: "... where are we going? I heard stories of corin-beasts living in Sagara..."

He reacted way too fast, to be convincing... almost as if he had tried a hundred reactions and chosen to went with this one.

A shrugg of his shoulders, the left a little more than the right, to add that kind of asymmetry, that made real movement convincing. A smile, coy, but only hinted at, to ensure, that it really meant nothing: "Well... I realised, I hadn´t really talked to the people, I should now... there are many of your fellow courtembers, that will have a role to play." In his momeory he went through the tent full of people. Amir, always ready for battle with a deep sincerity, that hade made Leomir respect him, even in times he did not want to. The sad jaester, who would fight for a cause perhaps he hiself didn´t remeber. And the girl with the choice, so full of love and caution. And Mallo, with her wits and couriosity. You like the mortals of the roses. This smile was real: "They all have something to offer in der war to come, and I hade a habit out of the principle to remeber the faces and stories, emotions and lives of the people, that will die in a war, I..." he paused: "... we have to start."

Then he continued the act: "It would have been nice to have met you again, after Miriel and I divorced again..." The sadness creept in his voice, unwelcomed, but also mercyless. You´re stupid again. You lost her. The women, the elements forged for you, before they left. You lost her again. His heart felt like cramping as the moment washed over him, more forcefull now, that his feelings for Suria collided with his loneliness.

He cleared his throat, while the Mitray´Kor cursed silently over his lack of selfontrol... another thing lost.

"So..." he tried in a lighter tone: "... where are we going? I heard stories of corin-beasts living in Sagara..."

He reacted way too fast, to be convincing... almost as if he had tried a hundred reactions and chosen to went with this one.

A shrugg of his shoulders, the left a little more than the right, to add that kind of asymmetry, that made real movement convincing. A smile, coy, but only hinted at, to ensure, that it really meant nothing: "Well... I realised, I hadn´t really talked to the people, I should now... there are many of your fellow courtembers, that will have a role to play." In his momeory he went through the tent full of people. Amir, always ready for battle with a deep sincerity, that hade made Leomir respect him, even in times he did not want to. The sad jaester, who would fight for a cause perhaps he hiself didn´t remeber. And the girl with the choice, so full of love and caution. And Mallo, with her wits and couriosity. You like the mortals of the roses. This smile was real: "They all have something to offer in der war to come, and I hade a habit out of the principle to remeber the faces and stories, emotions and lives of the people, that will die in a war, I..." he paused: "... we have to start."

Then he continued the act: "It would have been nice to have met you again, after Miriel and I divorced again..." The sadness creept in his voice, unwelcomed, but also mercyless. You´re stupid again. You lost her. The women, the elements forged for you, before they left. You lost her again. His heart felt like cramping as the moment washed over him, more forcefull now, that his feelings for Suria collided with his loneliness.

He cleared his throat, while the Mitray´Kor cursed silently over his lack of selfontrol... another thing lost.

"So..." he tried in a lighter tone: "... where are we going? I heard stories of corin-beasts living in Sagara..."

He held his horse by her side, looking over to the women he had met under such strange circumstances. For other people of course those circumstances would be very normal... A room full of well dressed courtmembers of different realms, one or two dialouges right out of a novella from a mediocre poet with a talent for witty wordplay and there they were. But Leomir was not that... never had been. Sure, he knew how to win people over or how to make them lose their balance for the purpose of manipulation. He was, as Cordovan liked to say, the hammer. He made hearts boil with passion, anger, envy and revenge.

And when he was done, other people came, with warm and calm demeanor and reasonable requests, that hadn´t been that reasonable an hour ago...

He was not inspiration, but pain. So the whole riding in the sun with a woman who was provocingly underdressed and just hoped, that he soul would do the work-part of this scene disturped him. It was tat natural and innocent, that Leomir could not shake the feeling, that he was watching another person, riding beside Suria. Someone he himself didn´t know all that well.

"No, it was not... it... she didn´t want it to be and me neither... the band was a quick solution for a problem on the way, but Miriel and I..." he shrugged again, this time, to shake whatever he felt: "... she has lost too much, to ever trust again. And I... I´ve seen, what she is capable of." For a second a memory haunted him. He tensed. Keep it together. You said yes to all of it, every part of the way. Whatever it takes. That were your words. Innocence is not an option anymore. Not for you!

He let his eyes glaze over the famous shimmering plains: "But it was an amazing experience... seeing the world through the eyes of the wisest of them all... It made me detached in a way, I always wanted to be from the mortals..." This time he the Mitray´Kor fumbeled over the word. He didn´t plan on using it with her. It was derogative or at least felt that way. "I don´t mean you..." He added apologetic.

He held his horse by her side, looking over to the women he had met under such strange circumstances. For other people of course those circumstances would be very normal... A room full of well dressed courtmembers of different realms, one or two dialouges right out of a novella from a mediocre poet with a talent for witty wordplay and there they were. But Leomir was not that... never had been. Sure, he knew how to win people over or how to make them lose their balance for the purpose of manipulation. He was, as Cordovan liked to say, the hammer. He made hearts boil with passion, anger, envy and revenge.

And when he was done, other people came, with warm and calm demeanor and reasonable requests, that hadn´t been that reasonable an hour ago...

He was not inspiration, but pain. So the whole riding in the sun with a woman who was provocingly underdressed and just hoped, that he soul would do the work-part of this scene disturped him. It was tat natural and innocent, that Leomir could not shake the feeling, that he was watching another person, riding beside Suria. Someone he himself didn´t know all that well.

"No, it was not... it... she didn´t want it to be and me neither... the band was a quick solution for a problem on the way, but Miriel and I..." he shrugged again, this time, to shake whatever he felt: "... she has lost too much, to ever trust again. And I... I´ve seen, what she is capable of." For a second a memory haunted him. He tensed. Keep it together. You said yes to all of it, every part of the way. Whatever it takes. That were your words. Innocence is not an option anymore. Not for you!

He let his eyes glaze over the famous shimmering plains: "But it was an amazing experience... seeing the world through the eyes of the wisest of them all... It made me detached in a way, I always wanted to be from the mortals..." This time he the Mitray´Kor fumbeled over the word. He didn´t plan on using it with her. It was derogative or at least felt that way. "I don´t mean you..." He added apologetic.

He held his horse by her side, looking over to the women he had met under such strange circumstances. For other people of course those circumstances would be very normal... A room full of well dressed courtmembers of different realms, one or two dialouges right out of a novella from a mediocre poet with a talent for witty wordplay and there they were. But Leomir was not that... never had been. Sure, he knew how to win people over or how to make them lose their balance for the purpose of manipulation. He was, as Cordovan liked to say, the hammer. He made hearts boil with passion, anger, envy and revenge.

And when he was done, other people came, with warm and calm demeanor and reasonable requests, that hadn´t been that reasonable an hour ago...

He was not inspiration, but pain. So the whole riding in the sun with a woman who was provocingly underdressed and just hoped, that he soul would do the work-part of this scene disturped him. It was tat natural and innocent, that Leomir could not shake the feeling, that he was watching another person, riding beside Suria. Someone he himself didn´t know all that well.

"No, it was not... it... she didn´t want it to be and me neither... the band was a quick solution for a problem on the way, but Miriel and I..." he shrugged again, this time, to shake whatever he felt: "... she has lost too much, to ever trust again. And I... I´ve seen, what she is capable of." For a second a memory haunted him. He tensed. Keep it together. You said yes to all of it, every part of the way. Whatever it takes. That were your words. Innocence is not an option anymore. Not for you!

He let his eyes glaze over the famous shimmering plains: "But it was an amazing experience... seeing the world through the eyes of the wisest of them all... It made me detached in a way, I always wanted to be from the mortals..." This time he the Mitray´Kor fumbeled over the word. He didn´t plan on using it with her. It was derogative or at least felt that way. "I don´t mean you..." He added apologetic.