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Travels
Jan 12, 2009 11:52:32 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on Jan 12, 2009 11:52:32 GMT -5
It caused his heart to leap a bit at her touch, and he counted this as a good thing. He wasn't going to run scared anymore. He'd...take things slowly, and he wouldn't rush. He didn't fully trust anybeast of course, but with this one at least he could count her as going to be close to him for awhile.
She ran her free paw up his forearm, a motion that sent a chilly shiver through his veins and coursing its way to his head. He might have shuddered noticeably, but quickly discounted it. She wouldn't mind that. "Well.....she was captured of course, and taken to these taverns." he lead her over to where a series of buildings once stood, replaced mostly by warehouses and stores that belonged to Empiret Magenta Mining. "Just picture in place of these buildings a series of taverns and inns, loud, rowdy music sounding from within, and fights almost every night."
His paw still held hers, and at this point it seemed subconscious. "Yes...she was about to go in to labor, and the corsairs were quickly realizing she was useless to them. She couldn't anything coherent out aside from that she was about to give birth. My real last name is actually Judaken." he said quietly, tracing memories in his head like lines in the sand under his boots. His pronunciation came out as "Jyoodocken." "I've always used Fugate though as that's the name I was given here by.....the Emperor of this place, Ublaz Mad Eyes."
His eyes were distant, as if seeing things that weren't there. He could remember these taverns, but not his birth of course. "So yes.....my mother probably would have been killed....but Ublaz intervened, saying that it wasn't worth it as she'd probably die in labor anyways. She did.....she had no proper medical attention or a midwife, and I grew up with the assumption that my father had been killed as well, as Ublaz mistook one of the attendants he put to death as my father."
He took her other paw in his, running a finger over the textures of her fur and knuckles, once again probably without fully recognizing his own actions. His mind was already back in the past. "So....why I was spared that day....I can't fully say, but part of me suspects it was because of Ublaz. He saw a use for me....a terrible use, and thus he ordered me, the infant kit....spared." his voice was like that of a ghost, very distant and distracted, but it wasn't cold, it still had life.
"Tell me Jayd...." his eyes locked with hers, piercing, direct, and burning, but not in a bad way. "Have you heard the tales of Ublaz and why he was called Mad Eyes?" his eyes did not blink, they stayed upon hers, part of his story telling mechanism, and they seemed to take on a life of their own, being altogether prominent and dominating in a way, as Ladorak had a vision of Ublaz's own eyes forever seared in to his memory of course, though he could in way mimic their own terrible abilities, his were just....well Ladorak Fugate's eyes, but he at least could copy the expression he was so familiar with from his past.
The ermine paused from looking at her only to briefly remove his spectacles and place them in a chest pocket on his jerkin, so that she could look upon those green points of radiance without the obstruction of glass in front of them.
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Travels
Jan 12, 2009 13:38:21 GMT -5
Post by jaydjasmyn on Jan 12, 2009 13:38:21 GMT -5
His story was a horrid one. Jayd couldn't help but to let it pull at her heart strings. She could only imagine what his mother must have went through. At times the femme thought about what a creature thought in the last moments of their life and as they took their last breaths of air. Was his mother thinking of her kit? Without a doubt she probably was. To die with the last thoughts being that of your kit and what might happen to him was a horrible way to be put to rest.
Tears were swelling up in Jayd's eyes as she pondered over all of this. When Ladorak took her paws she looked up at him and about that time the salty liquid began to flow down her cheeks. At this point he asked her why he had been spared, likely a rhetorical question because after all she could only guess as to why. Ladorak knew more then she but still it seemed that he still did not know enough.
Jayd nodded and then spoke with a crackle in her throat. "Yes. I believe that I have heard of him but I always tried not to listen to stories of mad beasts." Just then the female bit her bottom lip. She was afraid that she may have just offended Ladorak since Ublaz was the one that raised him.
His stare was almost scary. It took her breath away. Jayd had a mix of emotions. She saw Ladorak's gaze but at the same time he seemed to be imitating someone else's. When he finally took off his reading lenses Jayd let out a breath. "Ladorak. Tell me something. Are you looking at me through your eyes or those of Ublaz's?" Her paw reached up and her palm smoothly ran over his cheek. Jayd wondered if part of the mad beast stayed with Ladd or if he was just getting into character in order to tell the story. Either way Jayd found herself just a touch scared.
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Travels
Jan 12, 2009 16:54:40 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on Jan 12, 2009 16:54:40 GMT -5
He could see from her eyes that she was crying, no doubt over the fact the fact about his childhood. Odd....not a single beast had ever shed tears over his past, not one that he could remember anyways. He almost felt a twinge of regret, but he could tell that she at least was starting to experience some of the very things he went through.
She was touching his cheek fur now, but he didn't push her away, he kept his gaze, mostly for effect. "Oh no...close to Ublaz's, but not his. Believe me, if I had his gaze, your will would be absolutely crushed, you would fall down....down in to his gaze, and no matter what you did, you could not look away from him. The next thing he told you, you would believe it with the very depth of your soul, every fiber in your body would seek to carry it out if it was a command. It didn't matter who....all beasts were helpless before his gaze."
The stoat finally blinked, his eyes softening and turning once more back in to Ladorak's eyes, the warm quality of a summer sea washing back in to them. He reached up to take the paw that she had ran along his cheek, interlacing his fingers with hers. "So you see how I was taken in to Ublaz's palace, and how I was forced to do things against my very will. Whenever he looked me in my eyes, I was turned in to nothing but a mindless slave of his will, coerced in to doing his bidding....albeit in a way that was probably painless. From my kithood I was held under his sway if I refused to help him otherwise. You just....couldn't say no to Ublaz."
He began leading her up a path to the palace ruins. It was rock strewn, but Ladorak ensured that she would not fall so long as he held her within his strong grasp. He lead her safely past any pitfalls or large rocks that would make it difficult to otherwise walk over, ever vigilant in case she stumbled. It was clearly a different Ladorak she was seeing, one who was definitely looking out for her wellbeing now, rather than one who wanted to remain aloof and closed off from the world and those around him.
"What do you think about what I just told you?" he asked, stepping around a significant sized boulder that jutted up at a grotesque looking angle out of the ground.
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Travels
Jan 14, 2009 9:22:39 GMT -5
Post by jaydjasmyn on Jan 14, 2009 9:22:39 GMT -5
Jayd may have been raised by a family that, to others, may seem rough but she still had a heart. Her family was an exception to the pirate rule. They were kind and warm with each other and only took when they needed to survive. So her tears for Ladorak were genuine and true.
"So you see how I was taken in to Ublaz's palace, and how I was forced to do things against my very will. Whenever he looked me in my eyes, I was turned in to nothing but a mindless slave of his will, coerced in to doing his bidding....albeit in a way that was probably painless. From my kithood I was held under his sway if I refused to help him otherwise. You just....couldn't say no to Ublaz." Jayd nodded and wanted to press her forehead into his chest but thought that perhaps her paw on his face was as much affection as Ladorak would be able to stand at this point. His gaze, even though much weaker then Ublaz's, slightly drained her energy but as soon as she could see his eyes soften her body began to feel like its old self again. She could certainly see how an evil being could use such a power. This caused her heart to go out to Ladorak even more so now though she couldn't help but to wonder if he was always as gentle as he seemed now.
Soon the male was leading her to yet another place. Jayd began to feel even more comfortable with Ladorak, his paw was strong and guiding yet his presence seemed oh so gentle and inviting. It was then that he asked her what she thought thus far of what he had revealed to her. There was no better opportunity to talk about his past. "I don't know how you survived such a horrid thing. What I would like to know is how you never became an evil stoat. Why did you turn out like you did? I mean... Your so kind and your heart seems so true. Did Ublaz make you do bad things as well and should I feel safe with you?" Jayd tugged on his paw and spun around so that she faced him, blocking him off from going any further.
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Travels
Jan 14, 2009 12:48:41 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on Jan 14, 2009 12:48:41 GMT -5
Quite to his surprise, she did a turn to bring herself in front of him, blocking his forward progress. Raising his eyebrow at her now, he heard her concerns out. Could she feel safe around him? That was....a valid concern. He could see why she'd ask that. Smiling in a lopsided way, he looked up, above her head, then back down at her. "Well to address your first question about why I did not grow up to be an evil stoat, hm-hm." He chuckled a bit. "I knew that this wasn't my true home. I'd been told the truth about what happened to my mother, and always wondered about the place I really belonged had I not ended up here....what my REAL home might have looked like." he said with a twinge of sadness.
"You see, even though Ublaz could hypnotize me in to doing his bidding and becoming his servant if I was being....uncooperative, he could never turn me in to something like him. Not even hypnosis could do that. True....." he gulped now. "While I WAS under his control well....yes....I did do bad things. I'd....kill...." the word was difficult coming out past his tongue. "Beasts he wanted taken out...assassinations.....act as his representative on voyages since he never left the island.....things like that. But that's the thing Jayd." The smile was fighting to come back, his mouth curling upwards a bit as he looked down at her, hoping she wasn't too horrified by what he'd just revealed.
"I was in a trance. My mind completely blank, a slate for him to write whatever it was he wanted on it. Believe me....if I had had my free will.....I never...NEVER would have done any of those things he ordered me to do. I know I mostly killed troublesome pirates or diplomats, mostly vile beasts but.....sometimes I KNOW I must have harmed good beasts as well.....and it's that that well....I still have trouble sometimes accepting." He said, looking down off to the side at the boulder they had stopped by. He wasn't looking at anything in particular, just tracing cracks and fractures that spread out from its base, the effect of the ground eroding under it and years and years of having been subjected to the tropical rainstorms that often frequented Sampetra.
"It isn't permanent though....hypnosis that is. I'd always wake up at some point in time....knowing who I was.....me...Ladorak Fugate, not some mindless drone of the marten Emperor. That was NOT who I was....and me, my mind, my soul....always knew that. He could erase that for a time...but never permanently. I was still me when I woke up. I hated it so much....I wanted to get away.....wanted to leave....but whenever I was permitted to leave the island I was usually under his power, and therefore couldn't, and the times I wasn't I was under the strictest of guard. Besides....I was sort of....terrified of leaving you know? The only world I knew was this island...where would I go if I escaped? Where COULD I go? I knew nothing about the outside world."
He blinked his eyes, keeping away some tears that had been welling up within his eyes, but a few very small drops squeezed out and started to trail down his cheek fur, dampening it like a morning dew. "As for whether or not you can feel safe around me....." his snout was turned so that it pointed directly at hers, and the ermine could feel a tugging emotion within him now, the desire to lean down and plant his lips against hers.
For just a fraction of a moment.....Ladorak nearly did this. Closer....closer....his eyes began to close, and his mouth parted slightly, but he suddenly remembered what he was doing, and rather than just give in to the impulse, he pulled back, but did smile down at her. "You can. I always knew who I was Jayd, and Ublaz's control could never wipe that out from within me. Do you trust me?" he asked, his eyes searching hers for signs and indications of how she felt about him after knowing yet another part of his past tale.
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Travels
Jan 14, 2009 13:49:40 GMT -5
Post by jaydjasmyn on Jan 14, 2009 13:49:40 GMT -5
It almost seemed that Ladorak was begging her to see him for who he was and in her heart she knew that he wasn't the beast that Ublaz was and never could he be. So yes, she felt safe with him but it was something that she just had to ask and she hoped that he wasn't offended by it.
His face loomed so very close to hers. Her eyes closed slightly as well but their lips never met. Jayd felt her heart drop and heard her breath gasp when the sensation that she's dreamed about never came. Her lips did however smile. The last thing that she wanted Ladorak to think was that she was some desperate female that only wanted one thing. There were some females out there that only wanted that, especially if they knew that Ladorak was well off. But of course Jayd wasn't like that at all.
Part of her heart felt regret that she hasn't shared with him yet about her past but she just couldn't. He was a relatively new friend and she thought that perhaps his roots weren't deep enough within her yet. In other words she thought that his feelings weren't strong enough to hold him near to her when she told him the truth.
Jayd to pulled back though the disappointment could probably be seen written over her unique features. But instead of giving into the negative feelings she simply smiled innocently as if she wasn't expecting anything at all from the male. "Yes I trust you Ladorak. With all of my heart I trust you." The femme now released him from his obstructed pathway. She turned to the side, her cheeks blushing slightly from the heat that was building between them, or at least the heat that she could feel running through her veins.
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Travels
Jan 14, 2009 17:07:38 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on Jan 14, 2009 17:07:38 GMT -5
It was with an inward release of tension that Ladorak felt he could breathe easily again. That last line had really demonstrated the trust she placed in him but....he felt there may have been something more. What could it possibly be? The male of course had kept his mind off of such things as developing any further interest in her, but like it or not, he was probably going to have to at this point, as just spending time with her was enough to pique his curiosity, but only a little at this point.
"Good....I can assure you that I'm safe." He said, giving her a bit of a wink without fully turning to look at her. "Come, let us continue on to the palace....or what's left of it." he added that last bit in as they started walking again. "It's where I resided, mostly attending to Ublaz's needs as he saw fit. I was his confidant as well in a way, acting as his envoy as he always refused to leave the island. He would always send others to do his bidding."
The path wound upwards, leading them towards a series of jumbled masonry and shattered foundations, the remains of what were once a great palace. From a hidden location, the same pair of eyes watched them get closer.....good! Almost there!
Ladorak of course was gradually starting to pay a little more attention to Jayd, and not their destination ahead of them. He was noticing how she walked, how she carried herself....and yes, once or twice his eyes traveled from the top of her head completely down her body to bottom of her feet, drinking in the sight a bit, but he made sure it was only a minimum few times he did this.
"These....these were the two columns that used to mark the great entrance hall." He waved a paw in front of him, showing her one column that lay at a haphazard angle on the ground, as if being tossed there by a kit playing with blocks, and the other standing up but being riven in half up it's mighty base. "Here is where I grew up. The good and the bad.....heh, it's funny I used to hate Ublaz so much....a part of me still does....but even so....he DID raise me.....and it seems I was the only one he could think of in his last days as sole heir believe it or not."
He let her paw go now, wandering absentmindedly over to a stone block and sitting upon it, looking about him, his eyes clearly remembering all the details of what this place used to look though as though it had been standing only yesterday. Over across from him would be mighty and vibrant tapestries of royal design, and above him various crystal chandeliers, crafted from the gems that the pirates had paid for tribute to the marten Emperor. And at his feet.....well an ornate rug, rich blue in color, had been spread out, stretching the length of the hall, though no hall was visible anymore.
Finally, his eyes focused again, and he found himself looking over at her. "What do you think so far? I know it must be hard to imagine, but this place was the very definition of opulent in its day." he slid over a bit on the rough stone surface in case she wanted to sit beside him. Yeah....like it or not.....he was becoming interested in her, and his subtle changes reflected this. He wasn't...sure how much he wanted to open up with her but....perhaps it couldn't hurt to get to know this female a little bit better.....could it?
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Travels
Jan 15, 2009 9:34:23 GMT -5
Post by jaydjasmyn on Jan 15, 2009 9:34:23 GMT -5
Ladorak suggested that they continue onward and of course Jayd would not disagree. She was eager to see what was left of the Palace. Even if it did not hold the greatest of memories it was still a place to behold.
Along the way Jayd's eyes also rolled over his frame. She could only imagine what it would feel like to have her paws wave over each and every muscle but in the end she 'must' have control over what she was thinking. Clearly he wasn't available at this time for her to do with as she wished.
Once rewarded with their destination Jayd simply listened to what the male had to say. She could see that a flood of memories rushed back into his mind by just observing his facial expressions.
"What do you think so far? I know it must be hard to imagine, but this place was the very definition of opulent in its day." Jayd then smiled and happily sauntered over to Ladorak, taking a seat beside him as she reached over to grab his paw, if only to assure him that he wasn't enduring his memories alone. "Even though the memories must be a little painful this place must have been grand at one time." Jayd turned to Ladorak and smiled as she squeezed his paw tightly. "Ladorak... You have emerged victorious. You have risen above your kit-hood and made a better life for yourself and for this I am proud of you. Another beast may have buckled and given into the darkness." As if by a friendly gesture the femme pulled his paw to her lips and kissed the back of it, immediately after releasing it, rising and then walking forward to inspect the scenery more fully.
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Travels
Jan 15, 2009 11:42:27 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on Jan 15, 2009 11:42:27 GMT -5
It seemed as if he had won her trust, as well as her admiration for not giving in to own kithood. Now that he looked back and thought about it...maybe it was a wonder he had turned out the way he did. He had always known he'd never really belonged in this environment anyways, and had made certain to constantly remind himself of that fact.
He watched with just a bit of anxiety as she proceeded to kiss the back of his paw, an unusual gesture for a female to make towards a male, as normally it was the other way around. He did not recoil though, he allowed it to happen, and before long she had released him and was wandering over to other parts of the ruins, the entire area being several acres and being relatively safer than the rest of the island.
He watched her move for a bit, suddenly remembering something. "Oh Jayd, I think I just recalled something you might like to see, but um....I'd like to surprise you with it." he said, pushing himself off the stone block and smiling over at her. "Just wait here, I won't be too long, and whatever you do, please don't exit the perimeter of the palace, as I'm not sure if there are still any remnants of the corsairs left around or not, but I'd prefer it if you stayed within the ruins, they won't come in here, nothing of value after all." he explained to her, giving her a brief nod. "Don't worry, I'll be back in under 10 minutes." he said in a reassuring voice, and started to move off further in to the ruins, towards what looked to be a staircase that was covered as it was obviously had been part of the interior of the palace at one point in time.
Looking over his shoulder, he flashed her a thumbs up sign and disappeared in to the darkened area, heading up the stairs to what looked like the dilapidated and crumbling remains of a tower or turret, it was hard to tell now thanks to the deterioration.
Of course, now that the two had separated, a third beast that had been watching from concealment now decided to make himself known, and out he came from behind a tall pile of rocks, smoothing his black fur down and adopting a grin, some somewhat clean teeth poking out from his snout. He was a weasel it seemed, so he was smaller in stature than Jayd the stoat, and probably because of the tropical climate, his fur was not white as it would be under normal circumstances.
He wore nothing too spectacular, consisting of what looked like perhaps business attire, but it was hard to tell what his profession might be other than just neatly clad. Certainly more well dressed than Ladorak, but his clothing appeared worn and dusty, as if he'd had them on for a long time. There was a coldness to his eyes, as if he were dead, but something very deep about them as well.
Despite smiling, he didn't appear to be very friendly for some reason, but did have an aura of mystery about his whole being as well. "Hello there!" he said, hoping not to startle the female too suddenly. He adopted a non-threatening posture. "I hope I'm not intruding on anything, but I couldn't help but notice that you had arrived here in that red sailed vessel, a very fine one she is at that." His domed head bobbed a bit, and at his side now could be seen a cane of some sort, though it looked different from most canes one would normally see.
"I bet you're wondering what an out of place creature like me is even doing here right? Well not to worry, I'll get to that, but I was wondering though, if I could perhaps get your name and what brings you to this place?" he asked, rubbing his paws together, that silky smile never leaving his face, but as cordial as he seemed, there was just something definitely "off" about him, well numerous things really, some less harder to place than others. He did not make any attempt to approach her, as he stayed firmly rooted where he was, giving her a once over before standing there patiently in expectation of her speaking.
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Travels
Jan 15, 2009 11:53:35 GMT -5
Post by jaydjasmyn on Jan 15, 2009 11:53:35 GMT -5
Jayd was leery about Ladorak leaving her here all alone but his voice was reassuring and so she felt safe enough. The femme nodded as she watched him disappear and then she was off for further inspection.
As the female rounded the corner, almost running into the revealed beast, she took a few quick steps back wards. Her eyes widened in surprise, not from fear but simply because she was sure that her and Ladorak were completely alone.
At first her gasped breath took away her words but soon enough she spoke as she allowed her eyes to dissect the weasel. "My name is Jayd and I'm here on holiday." She stated nothing further for fear that the odd beast may take advantage of further information.
Her stature straightened up a bit as her eyes darted in the direction that Ladorak departed and then back at the weasel. Desperately she wished that he was here with her. "What are you doing here? Do you live on this island?" Her gaze was curious but still oh so very cautious. Inwardly she was wishing that Lad would hurry up.
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