|
Post by Tobias Mhuir on Nov 29, 2007 22:47:26 GMT -8
Opera's hooves clopped on the stone pavement outside of the Veela outpost. Scipio leaned slightly over Opera's saddle and looked at the castle with wide, fearful eyes.
"Its a lot bigger then I thought." He muttered gravely. He sat there, still as a statue for a moment, feeling waves of fear wash over him. "Stop it." He told himself abruptly. "Two more years and you'll be an adult legally, but duty calls for you to become a man now. I'm a Captain aren't I? So I should act like it!" In his angry rant directed towards himself, he actually smacked himself in the forehead accidentally.
"Ow." he muttered faintly, but then he sat up straight in Opera's saddle and charged towards the drawbridge. In that moment, he made a resolution in his mind; he would rescue Ranya Alexandrine or die trying.
|
|
|
Post by rani on Nov 29, 2007 22:58:32 GMT -8
A month had passed by now and Ranya sat staring at the door deep in thought. Thinking about how she was going to get out. Bars, no magic, keys on the other wall. Then it struck her... magic worked on the outside. The girl stood up and walked over to the bars, still thinking. What if... what if she could use her telekinesis if her hand was on the outside.
She reached out between two of the bars and started weaving the magic... it was just working, if only she had more time. Suddenly the dungeon door was thrown over and the gaurd marched in. Ranya ducked back into the deepths of her cell. Waiting to see who he had come for. It was her.
She didn't resist as the irons were clapped onto her wrists and she was led outside for her very own execution. She was helped up onto the platform in the center of the courtyard and hung from a rail by her wrists. So this was it... the end of Ranya Aurora Alexandrine. Or so she thought when she heard the sound of hooves. Ranya looked up, holding her breath. She knew those hooves! "Opera..." she whispered, then she realised. "Scipio..."
|
|
|
Post by Tobias Mhuir on Nov 29, 2007 23:06:13 GMT -8
With a loud battle cry, Scipio drew Rebel, his rapier, holding it aloft in one hand. As he neared the gate, it shot a bolt of lightning at the gate and it hit the center. To give one's element to a gate was like a password for the Silmaril Knights, Scipio's only question was whether or not it would work. If it didn't Opera would have to come to an abruft, rought halt. But then to his disbelieving eyes, the gate registered his bolt of lightning and swung open in front of him and Opera charged through.
He came into a stone wall with a high stone ceiling so high the Opera's fast hoof beats echoed off the ceiling loudly. Scipio halted his steed as he came to an fork in the hall.
"Where now?" He yelled in pure frustration. He didn't have the time to look around for Ranya, use the trial and error straegy. He needed to know the right way now, and if he made a worng turn, it could cost Ranya her life.
"Someone tell me what to do!" he called out, worn out from making so many difficult decisions quickly. He wasn't used to this.
|
|
|
Post by rani on Nov 29, 2007 23:14:20 GMT -8
Ranya recognized Opera's hoofbeats and kicked the veela that was fastened her wrists away. Mackena shot up from her seat fuming as her granddaughter climbed up onto the top of the post. Ranya had one advantage over her grandmother.... the ability to think of a way out.
"Kill her... kill her now", the woman shouted and Ranya ducked the arrow that was flying at her. She pulled the pin out of her hair and began to pick the locks of her irons. "Get bent", the girl shot back in anger. It was the first time she had answered back at the woman. Then she heard a familiar voice.
"Scipio", she screamed loudly. Her voice carrying down the halls. "Scipio Quickfingers".
|
|
|
Post by Tobias Mhuir on Nov 29, 2007 23:31:27 GMT -8
"Ranya!" He called and then he spurred Opera to life again, galloping her into another courtyard, this one open air and laid bare to the elements, with a shock, he realized what it was---the gallows. And he looked through the doorway and saw Ranya on a platform. About to be executed. He purred Opera forward again and burst out of the doorway.
"STOP!" he roared at the top of his voice, and was surprised to hear that it was taking on an unual mature quality. Opera reared up dramatically and whinnyed loudly. Then Scipio began to lie smoothly and convincingly as he had many times before.
"This is an order from the Silmaril King." He invented wildly. He didn't even know the king, though he had a sneaking suspicion that he was related to Peregrine. "He commands that you release the Veela at once.
Opera's hooves clattered back down to earth and Scipio turned he about, sightly, adding to his dramatic entrance. As he turned his eyes caught Ranya's and he smiled at her for the first time in many months. Its going to be alright, Rani. He thought, hoping his thought speak would work, he had never used it before, so he was still unsure. Rani. It had been a long time since he had used that name. Too long.
|
|
|
Post by rani on Nov 29, 2007 23:52:11 GMT -8
Ranya smiled at Scipio and finished picking the locks and jumped down off the gallows. As she walked towards him boldly her outfit changed... her dress grew shorter and changed from gold to red, she wore black shorts that could just be seen under the dress.
((the one in the sig alright. lol))
She stopped by Opera's head and smiled. "I'm sorry", she said honestly before turning to face her grandmother who drew a blade. Ranya raised and eyebrow and kicked her away. Ranya then snapped a chain from her neck and burst it into a crisp. "I renounce you", she shouted at Mackena. "You hear me... I renounce you. My home is Erroterra.... away from you".
|
|
|
Post by Tobias Mhuir on Dec 16, 2007 21:43:50 GMT -8
“Jump up behind me.” Scipio told her, “We can talk later, but we need to get out of here now.” He said, planting his spurs in Opera’s barrel and causing her to spin around sideways so Ranya could mount up behind him. The mare was fiery and energic, ready to gallop a thousand leagues if need be, or so she thought she could.
|
|
|
Post by rani on Dec 16, 2007 22:20:01 GMT -8
Ranya smiled and mounted up behind Scipio. She really was sorry. Gently she wrapped her arms around his waist, then she kissed his cheek lightly. "Thankyou Scip", she whispered in his ear. "And I'm sorry".
|
|
|
Post by Tobias Mhuir on Dec 16, 2007 22:42:35 GMT -8
"My pleasure, Rani." He replied, but he didn't have time to say anything else, Opera, unable to contain herself a moment longer, sprang forward mightily. Her shod hooves clattered over the floor as she galloped towards the gates once more. A resounding boom was heard as the gates slammed shut in front of them, just as Opera was on her way through.
|
|
|
Post by rani on Dec 16, 2007 22:51:56 GMT -8
Ranya glared up at the guards that had dropped the gates. "Save your arrows..." she shouted to Scipio. "These men are mine..." Ranya shot up from Opera's back opening up her wings that she had gained.... the sign of a pure hearted veela. She came up and threw the men off over the wall, then charmed the chain to lift the gates up.
She smiled down at Scipio and jumped over the edge, floating down towards him. But out of nowhere a black winged figure swooped down and threw Ranya against the wall. Ranya hit the wall hard and screamed out as she felt a bone in her left wing snap... then she tumbled to the ground and struggled to get up.
Mackena stood over her granddaughter, black wings spread out, sword in hand. It seemed as if she was going to kill the girl herself...
|
|
|
Post by Tobias Mhuir on Dec 19, 2007 15:06:28 GMT -8
Scipio nodded and lowered his weapon and waited patiently, restraining the excited Opera. He just sat there, and waited not-so-calmly until he heard a scream. He knew immediately that it was Ranya screaming,
“Ha.” He commanded Opera and swung her around. The impatient mare obliged as the pair galloped to the edge of a bridge, with only a moment’s hesitation, Opera jumped down into the cold icy water.
Cold, wet water covered Scipio from head to foot as he struggled to rise to the surface of the water, and a moment later he did, Opera coming up a second later with much blowing of air coming from her nostrils and snorting loudly. Scipio scrambled towards her and took hold of her bridle and guided her to the edge of the castle, where the water level was lower. Above him on a ledge, he could see Ranya and the woman who must be her grandmother. Ranya seemed to be holding one of her wings at a funny angle and the grandmother was standing over her, holding a sword.
Silently, Scipio retrieved his rapier, which he had named Rebel, from its sheath and quietly pulled himself onto the ledge behind the two women, he took a step forward, and a loud resounding crutch was heard, he had stepped on a dead rat’s skull, and more then likely it had given his presence away.
|
|
|
Post by rani on Dec 19, 2007 21:49:41 GMT -8
Ranya pulled herself backwards along the ground away from Mackena, her broken wing dragging along the stone, trembling slightly. Then she heard a crunch and noticed Scipio standing behind her grandmother. Her heart began to race as the veela woman turned and sneered at the boy.
"Trying to act the hero?" the woman questioned before raising her sword. In quick reaction Ranya reached for a rock and threw it with all the strength that she could muster. The rock hit Mackena's sword arm and the blade flew backwards out of the womans hand. The blade landed just just millimeters from Ranya's side. The girl looked at the blade with wide eyes.... that was too close for her liking.
|
|
|
Post by Tobias Mhuir on Dec 19, 2007 22:01:16 GMT -8
Scipio looked back coldly at the woman,
“That is exactly right, except your granddaughter is more of a heroine then I can ever hope to be a hero. She is the one person in the world who was even forgiven me.” He said truthfully. He took another step forward and said in a thunderous voice, pointing his sword at Mackena,
“Release her from your service, let her be free, let her go.”
|
|
|
Post by rani on Dec 19, 2007 22:11:29 GMT -8
Mackena smirked and turned to Ranya, forcing her to stand with her power. Ranya gasped as she lost all control over her body, then Mackena grabbed her by the neck with an unnatural strength.
"If you're so determined to save her...." she said before holding Ranya out over the edge of the ledge by the neck. "Save her before she falls to her death, she cant fly away like the little angel her father claimed her to be".
Mackena smirked, knowing that it was near impossible. "So stand down". Ranya looked at Scipio helplessly. There was no way easy out of this... if he stood down both he and Ranya would be killed. If he killed Makena, Ranya would fall to her death. Either way.... it seemed that Ranya was due to die.
For the first time in years.... Ranya began to pray. Mackena snickered when she noticed the girl moving her lips in silent prayer. "Pathetic.... turning to god for help".
|
|
|
Post by Tobias Mhuir on Dec 19, 2007 22:31:29 GMT -8
“Maledizione!” Scipio swore in Italian, his dark eyes flicking back and forth between his two options, neither of which would work. One was against the code of honor for a knight and the other would get Ranya killed. There had to be another way out of this, but Scipio couldn’t see it. Then, an idea hit him, did Mackena know that Scipio could swim—however patchy his skills might be and however much he hated water he still could swim.
Suddenly, Scipio made a horrible choking rasping sound and cletched his hands around his throat. “Need water….” He choked, faking a believable fit, “Must swim, must return from whence I came…” He choked and then he dived back into the water and as he dived his spoke in Ranya’s mind.
I’m a merman who can transform.
|
|