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Post by Gracia Rodello on Sept 11, 2006 22:37:51 GMT -5
A cruel streak wound its way within her belly, the potential was definitely there for Lance to be a mighty commander. Except there was something, still deep within those eyes of him, something that spoke of innocence and a soft underbelly that should never exist.
"Lance...let me ask you. What is your favorite part about fighting someone hand to hand?"
It was a simple question, but his response would speak volumes. So Gracia with lips pressed tightly together leaned back to watch him.
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Post by lance on Sept 11, 2006 22:45:37 GMT -5
He shifted in the seat... caught off guard by the question. His youthful brow furrowed as he studied her features for several seconds... looking for the trap. At last, he spoke, his voice a strong tenor.
"Pushing myself to the limit."
He meant it quite literally... nearly every battle he fought was using every iota of strength that he had, releasing the restrictions the human brain laid upon the muscles and then using his body as a weapon more deadly than any base inanimate thing could ever be.
"The feel of my muscles tearing, my heart pumping so hard that my veins feel on fire."
Grinning a bit wildly... he had gotten into the question. Tai-jutsu was one of his few passions, one of the few things his mind could pay attention to for any extensive amount of time.
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Post by Gracia Rodello on Sept 11, 2006 22:54:00 GMT -5
Although there was a certain degree of respect for the physicality of the hunter. Or the nature of the fight, her nose crinkled and her hand came upwards to slam hard upon the table before her.
"What about the person you are hurting. Your thoughts should not lay within your own pleasure when fighting another for the Empire. Your thoughts should be directed..." A finger pointed hard against the table, punctuating each word. "At how you are going to decimate your opponent. How you will make the Empire grow stronger. How you will kill everyone in your way"
She was starting to get extremely agitated, as she placed two fingertips upon the neck of a fine vintage of wine sitting right next to her hand and uncorked it. She glanced at him with a icy stare watching for his response. There were already two glasses set next to her.
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Post by lance on Sept 11, 2006 23:03:09 GMT -5
The outburst surprised him... but after his initial reaction, he realized that battle really was euphoria... that it wasn't a mean to and end, but rather, a handful of moments of pure joy when he could shut off the parts of himself that were less efficient and perfect what he considered his craft. His own fingers traced idly, almost nervously across the table, his gaze slipping down from her own to study the pattern of the grain.
"But... Does it really matter what I'm thinking... if I win?"
The question/reply sounded paltry the moment it left his lips, and if he could take it back, he would have. He looked up, his gray-blue eyes studying her once more. The irritation was obvious. His leg began to bounce slightly, his bare heel tapping against the floor.
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Post by Gracia Rodello on Sept 11, 2006 23:15:19 GMT -5
Eyes widened in shock, deep down to her very core. That someone in such a position was even asking that question made her mumble a curse and grab the glass. She wasn't going to give it to him, in fact she poured the wine with glee almost. Sliding the dark red liquid towards him, it splashed onto her hand and the table in her haste.
"What kind..."
A breath, nostril flare, anger deep within her eyes. Righting her shoulders again and holding back some of her temper.
"Yes...It does. Anyone can win, your opponent can stumble and lose. The meaning behind the win though, thats whats important. Why are you fighting? Just for the sudden thrill of victory?!"
Gritting her teeth she wanted to reach over and coil her long fingers around his neck and shake him until he understood.
"While that is a great thing, its secondary to what matters the most"
Fanatic, of course. It was the Emperor she followed, thus she pointed upwards towards the banner that hung on one side.
"That right there. It should instill fear in everyone."
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Post by lance on Sept 11, 2006 23:22:43 GMT -5
He sat stock still as she burst into her fervor, ready to defend himself or escape should the violence she was so obviously contemplating bubble forth. His gaze remained on the spilled wine, the corners of his lips turning up faintly in a reflexive vapid grin... a stillborn smile.
"I... I do fight for the Empire. I serve the Emperor."
It was not a trembling voice... it was a careful choosing of words that halted his speech. He looked up at her, brows furrowed. He had never been a piece of an organization, or even a community before. As far back as he could remember, he had been Lance, unfettered and alone.
"And I will serve him to the death."
His gaze swept to the same banner she regarded, and his jaw worked. Without turning to look at her, the words came softly... he sounded a great deal like the innocent aspect of himself that so angered her. But it was not true innocence... it was inexperience, garbed as such. He never cared what he looked like while his dagger was making it's way from one ear to the other.
"The Emperor will rule this world... or he will destroy it. Either way, every drop of sweat that I shed will be for that day."
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Post by Gracia Rodello on Sept 11, 2006 23:47:22 GMT -5
"You serve the Emperor, but you serve him blindly."
A roll of her eyes as she heard the proclamation of death. "You'll do no one any good dead. But I guess its noble or something" The word noble making her wrinkle her nose and she pointed at the drink.
"Take a drink...relax some. I think we need to go over a few things"
The smile was a bit welcoming as she leaned forward and mumbled. "Lance....how old are you exactly?"
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Post by lance on Sept 11, 2006 23:54:41 GMT -5
He regarded the wine... somewhat dubiously. It was obviously another facet of whatever gauntlet she was making him run. His reticence towards alcohol was well known... and one of the many aspects of him that served to set him apart. He nodded slowly, reaching forward and lifting the glass of wine... placing it to his lips and sipping at it slowly.
"I am eighteen years old... my birthday passed three months ago."
He took another sip of wine, and another. The taste wasn't unappealing... almost addictive. He looked up at her, wondering what had promted her to ask his age. He looked younger, by almost two years, on account of lack of height and facial/body hair.
"I don't consider myself to be noble..."
His voice seemed to stick in his mouth as the wine cloyed at his words.
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Post by Gracia Rodello on Sept 12, 2006 5:16:48 GMT -5
The wine itself was of fine vintage, a bit too sweet actually, and yes it was quite addictive. As she pulled the bottle away from him she stood and strode to the bar, emptying it out. It would only be moments before he was rendered unconscious, such a slight figure could easily be dragged away. Her voice sounded loud and ringing within his ears.
"Oh..yes..you are certainly noble. Your certainly innocent, but when I'm done with you. I'll make sure you see everyone as your enemy but the Empire."
Moving forward as his head dropped onto the table, her hand reaching downwards over him, the back of her hand stroking the side of his face. So soft and supple that young skin was, how jealousy flared up within her. Both hands reaching forward to grab the wrists, pulling them upwards over his head. The wine had a lulling effect, but soon it would wear off and he'd find himself unable to move for at least two hours. Thus she worked fast, pulling out the rough thick rope and sliding it around his wrists, fashioning cuffs and grabbing at them by the middle. Suddenly he slammed into the ground as she turned and began to drag him off as if he were a piece of beef. Stopping then only a few steps then she turned and looked down.
"Oh, sure they'll be mad a few days. But they always forgive me. They always let me do whatever it is I want"
This was the reason that she was so dangerous, not her nefarious deeds or the macabre need to draw blood. It was actually because she was always making them laugh, cloud them with entertainment, use wide flourishes, and they'll just let you do whatever you want.
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Post by lance on Sept 12, 2006 8:52:27 GMT -5
As his mind clouded over, temples throbbing dully as if his blood had betrayed him, he couldn't help but wonder why she was shouting. The words seemed to echo about his skull, and his mind, slow as the drugged wine had made it, just couldn't seem to comprehend them. As he hit the floor, he would grunt, trying vainly to right himself, but finding that his muscles wouldn't even respond.
A somewhat stupid and uncomprehending smile formed slowly on his lips as his lids grew heavy, his breathing deep and steady... and then he knew no more.
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Post by Gracia Rodello on Sept 12, 2006 10:19:47 GMT -5
Like a sack of flower.
That was it, a bit heavier as with each labored breath, pulling until him over the back of the horse. The horse began to canter back and forth nervously, his body jostled some. This was the best way to get him to the Empire.
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This morning, dawned bright, except he wouldn't know that. The dungeon itself was dark, water dripped from somewhere, fetid smells roiled forward to assault his nose. His body still felt sore, and from the corner there was movement. He was on the ground, but he could probably see it.
It was her face, half hidden by shadows, so pretty. Vacant eyes watched him for a moment, temperament so volatile that she reached around those now chaffed wrists and pulled hard upwards so that they were both standing and she pulled higher struggling but hanging him on the hook there.
"No one will notice you're gone for a few hours. They'll think you're sleeping, Anyway, its not like anyone cares"
It was a good thing he already wore no shirt, as she strolled around him, the volumes of her skirt wrapping around his legs, if it was possible trying to pull him into this deep dark part. One hand pressed, splayed over his back as she stroked it up and down, finding the cuts and bruises along the length of his slender back ohhh so exciting.
Breathing began to come in quicker, deeper the first signs of excitement. Her hand rearing back then and slamming into his back, watching the red mark there and she looked up to his face.
"Time to wake up Lance....Time to see what I have in store for you"
Words issued with a sinister hunger, a feeling that surely he would someday embrace.
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Post by lance on Sept 12, 2006 11:04:15 GMT -5
Morning came, and he tried not to notice. As his eyes fluttered open, only to spy darkness and little else, he felt like his head was trying to split itself in twain. The ground was hard and cold beneath him, and he shivered reflexively.
The sound of shifting fabric somehow penetrated the dull fervor in his ears. He struggled to look up, muscles pained and unresponsive. A figure... Gracia? It had to be her. Slowly memories trickled to the forefront of his mind. It must have been the wine. He was such a little fool.
Her words were mostly lost on him... By the time he tried to perceive him, the sound had long faded.
He felt her skirt on the bare skin of his legs and shivered once more... and then her touch. He was... afraid. Not chilled with fear, but by now he knew that he was bound, immobilized, and at her mercy... and he doubted she planned to be merciful.
He inhaled sharply as she slapped him... Not replying. All he could do was hope that she made a mistake, so that he could escape. Even as she taunted him, he tried his bonds... Smirking. She was obviously no stranger to tying knots.
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Post by Gracia Rodello on Sept 12, 2006 11:31:35 GMT -5
And as he tried pulling one hand reached behind him, opening a small flash and pouring the water over the skin and ties there. The ties seemed to become slightly lax, but the salt water that had been poured would begin to itch at some point, tighten the bonds there slowly. Personally she hated being held down, it was going to get a little panicky.
"So, what we will begin with is going to be on your absolute undying loyalty to our Emperor and the Empire."
A rattle of chains, they were very thin, small hooks upon the ends of them. Fingertips pinched just beneath his elbow, the fleshy part as she looked at Lance.
"By the time I am done with this, you will cry and you will swear fealty to the Emperor until your last dying breath"
That small hook pressed against the soft skin, digging in slowly at first just a pinprick then swiftly and with some work due to the blood that coated her fingers and made it all slippery. It slid in, like a fish on a hook. Moving down the other side, she brought those bloodied fingertips to her lips, a tongue snaked out as she carefully absorbed it and nodded with a smile.
"So sweet"
Another rattle of a chains as she brought the other hook up and around his body, the cold metal sliding against his torso as she brought it up to show it to him, twisting the little hook around between her thumb and forefingers.
"I'll be putting another 5 of these into your body Lance...And I will pull the flesh, not so that it comes off, rips off or anything. But so that every time you feel that stinging pain, that rend of your flesh. Every time you fight, you will think of the Empire. And how glorious it is"
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Post by lance on Sept 12, 2006 12:20:50 GMT -5
Any reply that he might have offered was stolen as the hook was buried in his soft flesh. He gritted his teeth, biting into his own tongue in the process as he tried to stymie the pain.
So this was a trial by fire, meant to temper him. While he approved of the sentiment, he was still completely vulnerable, with no control at all over the situation. If her bloodlust increased, there would be nothing he could do to stop her from exsanguinating him or worse.
As she brought the hook up for him to see, he shuddered. He had seen victims of torture before, victims of very similar torture. She was going to turn him into a freak. The pain would be unimaginable. Granted, he could shut it off... but despite the fact that she seemed to derrive so much enjoyment from his suffering, he knew that what she said was true. She was doing this for the Empire. To make him a more effective tool.
"As you will, Gracia"
His eyes met hers. There was no strength in his voice... in fact, it was flat. Resigned. Save for the hoarseness, the stickyness of his mouth, it would have been a monotone.
"As you will."
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Post by Gracia Rodello on Sept 12, 2006 12:29:02 GMT -5
Something deep within those Ashen eyes lay buried, a knowing thing. And when fingertips had clenched the soft skin beneath his other arm and shoved the hook through, a bit more forcefully. Her tongue darting out against her bottom lip as she hoped to hear his cry.
"All you have to do is cry for me Lance..and this will stop"
And if he gave up, what then? Oh, the horrors would be even worse.
And so she leaned down behind him, the rattle of the chains against each other as she grabbed his right leg, and began to dig the chain into the fleshy part of his calf. Watching the crimson stain begin to run downwards, rivulets pooling at his feet. And for fun, she wound that chain around her finger as she pressed her cheek to his side, a sigh of pleasure, a tug. Another, and another, pulling skin away from the muscle, tearing it little by little with each tug.
"You can end this Lance. Once you realize that only the Empire will save you"
Such a feminine voice, she was doing this with such a husky lilt, girly all the way down to the tips of her toes. Making sure that he associated this pain with a woman's voice of pleasure, of manipulation as well. Why not really mess the man up.
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