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Post by qhostqrowls on Oct 1, 2023 0:25:46 GMT -6
Siofra slunk through the crowd in her fox-shape, winding around ankles and through legs. Her amber eyes were entirely fixated on the willowy figure by the throne.
The woman’s feline features were smoothed into a bored, unimpressed expression. She was evidently displeased with the interruption, and her stare was direct and unblinking as the scene unfolded.
The weight of her gaze only lifted from Aberdeen when Siofra padded to her side. The changeling whined, jaws parted, as the fae bent to run manicured claws along her ruff, leaning affectionately against her hand.
Her fingers came away stained red. Her expression wrinkled in distaste, and she wiped them clean on the foxes haunches as she straightened, silk sliding across the warping roots of the throne.
“He bled you?” Grainne said, her voice low and lilting.
“A little.” The fox murmured back, sitting neatly at her feet. Her ears pricked, and their gazes moved as one to settle again on the nokk’s kneeling figure.
The woman’s lips began to curl into the faintest of smiles as she watched his confidence falter.
“He will suffer for it, my pet.” She assured, and settled back comfortably.
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Post by NightshadeVII on Oct 16, 2023 18:12:14 GMT -6
To think that wanting a life to call his own was considered a transgression. Aberdeen stared coldly at the elven queen, his detached expression only thinly veiling his building panic. Already, he could feel Valka’s magic prodding at his skin, like claws looking for wounds to pry open. Silent threats, clear promises.
“I suppose now isn’t the time to let bygones be bygones?”, the nøkk’s voice was laced with insincerity as he spoke. Even now, his useless pride still had to make itself known.
As Valka’s fingers pressed slightly deeper, Aberdeen twitched, letting out a pained groan. His skin split under her touch, crooked elder branches bursting forth and tearing through his flesh at the elven queen’s command. Unbridled agony blossomed in his chest as the growth spread, devouring all it touched. His form twisted unnaturally, bending to the queen’s will. It felt as if she was reshaping his very bones, which wasn’t far from the truth. Instinctively, the nøkk tried to pull away, to escape the torture, only to be held steady by Eike. “Listen well”, Valka began again, her voice a dark melody, “the only reason you still draw breath is so you can fix the mess you’ve made. You carved out the heart of our realm, your home, and it suffers.”
“I’m glad I could return the favor”, Aberdeen hissed through gritted teeth. This only provoked Valka to dig her fingers in deeper into his throat. Aberdeen lurched forward, his body trembling. The skin of his back split with a sharp tearing noise as his flesh and bone twisted, those wicked branches blooming from within and forcing their way out. Turquoise eyes clouded with tears and his senses slowly gave out due to agony. It took all his broken will not to scream. His hands clawed at the ground beneath and he tried to twist away once again, the movement clumsy and desperate. But there was no escape for him. He sobbed, the sound catching in his throat.
Just as his head fell when exhaustion replaced pain, the elven queen grasped his chin tightly, forcing him to look at her. He was not allowed even the smallest respite. “You’ve caused so much pain, Aberdeen, so much”, Valka spoke as if nothing had happened, “you’ve always been so selfish, never once stopping to consider the hurt you might inflict on others. First Dagmar, then Lyse, then your whole court. It’s heartbreaking.”
Aberdeen wanted to spit and curse at her for using those names against him. How dare she? Those losses were not his fault, if anyone was to blame it was her and Geirvaldr, the whole damn court even. All his spite and venom was wasted, his body too weak to act upon it and Valka would kill him if he tried.
“Now is your chance to stop with your silly little games and redeem yourself, mend what you broke… I want nothing more than to put all this behind us, dear”, Valka smiled sweetly, yet her eyes were cold, her grip unwavering, “Don’t you want that too?”
Through tears, Aberdeen glared at her. The court held their breath, the realm watched over them like a ravenous vulture and Valka expected an answer.
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Post by qhostqrowls on Nov 1, 2023 1:33:44 GMT -6
The pair by the throne were as silent as the rest of the court, watching, waiting for his answer. Silk slid over skin when Grainne leant forward, pupils dilating as she took in every tortured twitch of the nokk’s hunched figure.
Siofra just stared, tail curled around her paws. Ever so slowly, her ears had pinned backwards, and they now lay slick against her skull.
Without a word, the fae stood, and the changeling tore her gaze away from the spectacle to hurry after her mistress. Grainne had a distinctly feline elegance to her gait, and the crowd parted like water as she prowled nearer so she might stand at the edge, as close as possible without infringing on another courts politics.
Her arms were crossed over her chest, nails tapping impatiently against the pale skin of her arms. There was nothing but predatory amusement in her stare, and her plush lips curled into the faintest of smiles when she looked to Valka.
Siofra slunk between her ankles, watching Aberdeen from the corner of her eye. There was a distinct hesitance to her body language, but Grainne didn’t seem to notice the little body by her feet at all, engrossed as she was with the brutality about to unfold.
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Post by NightshadeVII on Nov 22, 2023 11:10:32 GMT -6
“I want…”, the words felt like ash in Aberdeen’s mouth, “I want to put this behind us.” Turquoise eyes fell in defeat. The realm stirred subtly, invisibly closing tighter around those bound to it, protective, territorial - like an animal protecting its litter. The vague sensation, a tightening of the ribs, a prodding at the back of the skull, made him shudder. And just like that, he was back in the fold. All this time running and hiding and he ended up back where he started.
“I’m glad…”, Valka smiled, letting go of his chin to caress his cheek instead, thumb brushing his cheekbones. The motion was tender, as if to soothe him, as if she hadn’t just tortured him. Aberdeen tried to turn his face away, knowing he had just sealed his own fate. Again. The urge to laugh, at himself, at the situation, was painful. “Og selvfølgelig ved du hvad der sker, skulle du gå imod mig”, Valka spoke in a calm, friendly manner, “tving mig ikke til at flå dig levende, Ask.”
With that, Valka rose to her feet, motioning for Eike to let go of the dark-haired nøkk. Aberdeen stayed down for a moment, eyes darting between the elven queen and his old mentor, feeling like a lamb among wolves. Once he was sure it wasn’t a trick, he got up slowly, rubbing the hollow between his collar bones as if he could still feel the elven queen’s touch. He wouldn’t have to look behind him to know Eike’s expression, an infuriating grin, smugness disguised as playfulness. Unchanged, after all this time.
“Now, I couldn’t help but notice that you hurt the poor changeling I sent to fetch you…”, as Valka spoke, she looked back over her shoulder, dark blue eyes finding Siofra and lingering on Grainne before returning to the nøkk, “you know the rules of our kind. Blood for blood. It is up to those affected to decide on a suitable recompense.”
With that, the elven queen stepped back, motioning for Eike to do the same, his work done. “Siofra, Grainne, he’s all yours…” The look in Aberdeen’s eyes changed from terror to exhaustion and distaste as his gaze fell on the two Valka had mentioned. He was not in the mood for whatever cruelties these fae he didn’t know had in mind for him - Siofra, the one that had fetched him, would probably want revenge for his attempts at murdering her. Could he blame her for that, considering his own actions? Easily.
As the elven queen passed Grainne, she stopped briefly, the back of her hand ghosting over the other’s cheek in a caress. “Have your fun, dear”, the words were warm, spoken like a sweet secret, “but do remember I need him alive.”
Valka returned to her throne, the cloth of her dress shimmering as she crossed one leg over the other. Waiting, observing.
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Post by qhostqrowls on Nov 27, 2023 6:03:04 GMT -6
A pale hand flashed out to catch the queens wrist, slender fingers closing gently over smooth skin and delicate bracelets.
Grainne leant into the caress, the way a cat would press its cheek against a petting hand. If she could have purred, she would've. Instead, her feline gaze tracked over Valka's features, narrowing in sultry affection.
"You tempt me, a rúnsearc," She drawled, her hand slipping from her wrist to settle on her waist, holding her back from the throne. Siofra, hunkered by her feet, stared adoringly, attentively, upwards. A beast of her standing wasn't of importance to any court member, let alone the monarch. She was thrilled to be noticed at all.
Grainne's lip curled when she looked to Aberdeen. Her cool gaze raked over his torn clothes, the splatter of dark blood crusting across his skin. But amidst her disdain, there was boredom. Laziness. This creature was at the bottom rungs of this courts hierarchy. He was barely worth the time he'd wasted.
"Siofra, play with him if you wish," She said airily. "I have no interest in dirtying my hands today."
A familiar amber gaze settled on Aberdeen, flat and unreadable. There was the faintest wrinkle of a snarl across her muzzle. She wanted to please her mistress - impress her, show her strength. But instead her ears flattened, the only sign of her discomfort, and she simply lowered her belly to the floor and turned her face away with the softest of whines. He had suffered enough, and she understood now why he had fought her so.
Grainne flashed a smile, her teeth perfectly white, and shrugged a shoulder.
"The little beast is tired. As am I. Let us be done with this ordeal."
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Post by NightshadeVII on Jan 29, 2024 17:26:37 GMT -6
Aberdeen probably would have rather been tortured than see Valka sweettalking the foreign fae, Grainne. He didn’t much care for the queens personal relations, but years ago, when he had been with the court, they had been content on their own, showing little to no interest in outsiders, believing them lesser. So what changed? Her cruelty he could understand, this… affection, what did she gain from this? After all, Valka was intentional, she reveled in exercising her control over everything, as any regent did.
Regardless, the nøkk brace himself for another blow, the bite of claws or whatever magic Grainne possessed. Yet it never came. Grainne looked at him with disdain and no small amount of boredom. Aberdeen felt an overwhelming desire to sneer at her, to spit a curse at her and prove himself worthy of her scorn. Siofra had turned towards him as well, a faint snarl wrinkling her muzzle, but it was flat and uninterested, as if any pain she might inflict upon him was not for her own sake. Discomfort flashed briefly in her eyes and the feline turned away.
The elven queen rested a hand lightly on Grainne’s waist, twirling a string of the fae’s hair between her fingers. “You’re much too kind to him, kære”, Valka said, her tone playful, as if she wasn’t discussing the torture of one of her subjects, “but there is no need to waste time. I can think of many things that would be much more important to attend to. Though…” Gently, so as not to startle her, Valka reached down and ran a hand down Siofra’s back. “My dear, when your wounds have healed, could you look after Aberdeen for me?”, she asked sweetly, “I don’t want him running away again. And you’ve done so well bringing him here, so I assume I can trust you with this?”
Aberdeen almost wanted to laugh at the queen’s display. He knew she could easily heal the creature’s wounds, and yet she chose not to, her smile hiding cruel indifference. A benevolent ruler indeed, torturing her subjects, letting her allies suffer, all the while speaking with false affection, to keep those around her chained to her will. For just a moment, Valka turned to Eike and sent him a nod. Ever the loyalist, the blonde nøkk obeyed immediately, dragging Aberdeen to his feet none too gently, the grip on the back of his throat tightening. It was both a threat and a promise, he knew as much.
Still, the nøkk had noticed the look in Siofra’s eyes, a flicker of understanding, of hesitation, nestling her mind like a splinter. He didn’t want to hope for sympathy, but maybe there would be something he could exploit, with time.
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Post by qhostqrowls on Feb 2, 2024 20:28:12 GMT -6
Siofra arced her back into the queens touch, completely enamoured by the attention. It was not with the blind adoration she gave to Grainne, but it was as close as it would ever be.
“Yes, my lady. I will take him now.” She said, bowing her head before slinking away.
Grainne leant in close to murmur something against the queens ear, smiling, her attention shifting away now the torment was over.
The fox trotted up to the pair, staring up at Aberdeen with a flat, unreadable expression.
She darted forward to nip at his ankle, and then padded to Eike’s side. She was eager to impress, but despite the snappiness of the gesture her teeth had tapped harmlessly against his skin.
Her narrow muzzle pointed skyward as she looked to the blond, waiting for his instruction.
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Post by NightshadeVII on Feb 12, 2024 14:19:20 GMT -6
The queen’s eyes narrowed in a smile as Siofra replied. “Thank you, dear, I know you won’t let me down.” As Siofra padded away, Valka returned her attention to Grainne, smiling languidly. The torture was forgotten, the queen's rage sated for now, leaving her feeling calm and satisfied. With the formalities of the bastard son's return dealt with, she was more than ready to focus her efforts on enjoying Grainne's much more pleasant company. Aberdeen knew this wasn't over - he could expect another audience in the near future - but for now, he had been let go, allowed to lick his wounds and recover from the reunion.
Aberdeen fought the urge to kick Siofra as she nipped his ankle. He didn’t care if she hadn’t hurt him, that she hadn’t broke skin, he was fed up with her aggression, her attack-dog mind that had her following orders blindly. In fact, he was fed up with this whole dammed place and his wretched court. His feelings towards Eike was no better, the desire to lash out and wipe that smug grin from his face almost overwhelming. At this point, the only thing holding him back was his own exhaustion and aching wounds.
Eike, on the other hand, looked delighted to see Siofra and sent her a friendly smile. “This way, it’s not far”, with a not so gentle tug at Aberdeen’s arm, he began to walk, “please do stay close, wouldn’t want you getting lost.”
Eike effortlessly led the nøkk and changeling through the halls of the court, navigating as if the obscuring mist wasn't even there. “You know, Siofra, I’m surprised Aberdeen here”, the words were empathized with a shove, “put up so much of a fight. It’s unlike him. So allow me to apologize on his behalf of our court.” The dark haired nøkk scoffed, but held his tongue for once.
Aberdeen kept his eyes straight ahead, staring at nothing in an attempt to ignore the tugging sensation at the back of his mind. The realm's oppressive recognition, its spite a physical weight on his chest. If Valka didn't kill him, the realm itself surely would.
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Post by qhostqrowls on Feb 19, 2024 23:25:58 GMT -6
The changeling was a dark shape by the fae's feet, as silent as a shadow. Her ears were pricked, amber gaze keen and alert. Faintly wary. The realm was unfamiliar, foreign, and she often wondered what her mistress saw in the endless expanses of mist and the strange, haughty fae that inhabited it.
She glanced up at Eike as he spoke, bounding a few steps ahead of the pair. She snapped distractedly at a leaf, the distant bough it had fallen from entirely obscured by the fog. The little beast was unsure of how to reply, and fell back into step, now alongside the blonde.
"It is my honor to aid your court," She replied diplomatically. "I am made to fight. He is not, yet he did so anyway."
There was a note of respect in her voice as she side eyed Aberdeen.
"It was stupid, but brave. And now he is where he belongs, with his own kind. You will be happy in time."
She now addressed him directly, and then looked back to the forest. She felt suddenly unsure, and stopped to pick up a stick, holding it in her jaws - an unsubtle way to show she was done with talking, and a distinctly animal, canine way of redirecting her anxious energy. Her pace picked up imperceptibly. The sooner this was done with, the sooner she could lick her wounds and fill her belly, and sleep off the strange lingering sense of wrongness curled in her chest.
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Post by NightshadeVII on Apr 7, 2024 11:44:35 GMT -6
Eike couldn’t help but chuckle as Siofra insinuated that Aberdeen was brave for fighting back, no doubt finding the notion deeply humorous. His fight had been many things, but it had not been brave, not even Aberdeen himself was naive enough to consider himself courageous. For a moment, he could almost see the hilarity of the situation. Stubborn perhaps, selfish no doubt, but brave? Never.
“Stupid indeed…”, Eike murmured in agreement, “but he’s always been like that, never satisfied with anything that’s given to him, so eager to make a mess for everyone else to clean up.” Bold words coming from the blonde, entirely false. How many times had Aberdeen not ‘cleaned up messes’ left by Eike? But then again, pupils took after their mentors, so it was no surprise that the blonde projected his own faults onto Aberdeen.
The younger nøkk tuned out of the conversation as much as he could, mostly to shut out the blonde’s voice. Until Siofra said something that made venom rise into his throat once more. Again, Aberdeen ignored the urge to kick Siofra. How dared she assume he would be happy in this place? She knew nothing. A grimace tugged at his lips, undermining his attempts at keeping a neutral expression.
As they rounded a corner, the hall opened up into a clearing. Or perhaps it was a hall? Either way, it had not changed in centuries, a faint scent of waterlillies and aquatic plants hung in the air. A lake spread out before them, bluish-green and dark as if it had no bottom. Motes of light danced across the surface, providing faint, ghostly illumination and the trees around them formed an intricate, domed skeleton structure. Like an intricately carved rib-cage. Even through the mist, he recognized this place easily. Home.
Unceremoniously, Eike shoved Aberdeen away, towards the lake, and the younger nøkk stumbled. Water soaked through his shoes and pant legs, up to the knees. On the bright side, at least the lake itself did not try to attack him, even if it easily could. Finally, a lesser threat. Aberdeen did not try to get up, instead sitting back on his heels and keeping his head low for now, exhausted.
The blonde muttered something under his breath, running a hand through his hair. “And you’re sure you’re alright with keeping an eye on him?”, Eike turned to look at Siofra with a well-crafted look of sympathy, “if he tries anything, attempts to threaten you or hurt you, anything like that, come find me, alright?”
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Post by qhostqrowls on Apr 14, 2024 23:22:37 GMT -6
Siofra bounded up to the lake, dropping the stick in the shallow water and dipping her head to drink. She drank for a long moment, staunchly ignoring both fae as she quenched her thirst.
She turned back to them regally, licking the last drops of water from her narrow muzzle. So much talking. She was utterly done with conversation for the day. She stared up at Eike, amber eyes gleaming.
"Yes." She said arrogantly. "I will not need help. Thank you for your hospitality..."
She thought hard for a long moment, trying to remember his name.
"Eike."
She inclined her head. Even if these fae were lesser, from a court she didn't much care for, she knew her place. Fae were fae, even these strange foreign ones, and superior beings regardless.
"I will guard him as your Queen requested."
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