private The Fall of Andalasia ~Book 1~

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

Robert watched them leave. He had to admit, even when he was drunk he had great taste. Perhaps there'd be time to take them for another round after breakfast. It would be nice to actually remember it. He sighed contentedly and sat down at the table, awaiting their return. Breakfast smelled delicious.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

*A comely woman opened the door, in her thirties with curly brown hair "Dresden, dear, how many times have I told you to not use your head?" She wrapped an arm around him and brought him in "Put those in the kitchen."*

 

*Clarke was led down the hallway and down a short set of stairs before reaching the private dining room. A woman sat across the table, helping a young girl to cut her food. She looked up briefly before turning back to the food "Good to see you're out of the room."*

 

*Robert stepped forward, laying his hands on Helenas shoulders and pulling her in "You know what I mean."*

 

*An acolyte knocked on the heavy wooden door of the library "Excuse me, Maester. The Grand Maester wishes to see you in his study. Concerning the books you were asking for. *

 

*The twins came back, fully dressed before each placed a kiss on his cheeks. "We have to go to work. See you at the tavern, our delicious bard." They ran out, waving goodbye.*

 

*"Remember this place?" The older Indicus askes, reclining back into his chair. "Or can you remember at all? Can you even remember what your mission is?"*

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,

 

Once again, Robert was sad to see them leave, but quite enjoyed watching them go. If round two had to wait until later, that was a small price to pay for these two. His thoughts wandered to imaginings of what had gone on the night before, and what might take place again later, as he ate the breakfast they'd made for him. It tasted just as good as it looked. 

[Sekel 692]

*@@RunsWithSquirlz

Helena's cheeks flushed red when she was pulled closer. She tilted her head slightly at his words and she seemed confused. "I ... uh ... I do?" Helena asked helpfully. She didn't know what he was going on about but since it's Robert she has a likely idea of what he meant.*

Edited August 31, 2014 by Dji

[Flying Ace 142]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,

Dresden smiled brightly when she put an arm around him, "I couldn't use my hands though." Dresden stated as he walked into the kitchen with effort he was able to put the groceries onto the table. As he quickly caught his breath he looked around his surroundings, something felt familiar about this place and it made him feel safe.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz, "I remember this was my home before I became an assassin, I remember that I was given a contract to protect the princess, and my secondary objective is to cause tension between the nations but the Iron Maiden is doing that for me so far. I could list most if not all of my contracts to this day, But that isn't what you have been referring to is it?"

[Sanctified Absence 126]

"Ah... Of course. The... Books." What books did he ask for exactly? Why was he even in need of any new books, the Mages Tower itself must've had all the answers he needed. Then again it did seem oddly, possible. "If any of you need assistance I'm sure one of the others can tell you what you need to know," he may have been on his free time but the younger Mages at least needed to know that he would be unavailable for a while. 

 

He made his way to the door and quietly out the library. "Are you to escort me there, or just a messenger?" He wasn't too knowledgeable in how the more specific things worked around here, quite strange for a Maester indeed. Maybe he was too focused on the actual Magick himself to learn about the less important things such as formality?

[Torrent505 370]

Clarke stared at this family before him and again his mind was insisting things that didn't make any sense. Insisting he knew things that he didn't, making these people he had never met familiar. He spoke to them calmly and sweetly because his mind told him that's how he was supposed to behave and still subconsciously he sought information, "I'm glad to be out of there myself, one can only work for so long before the mind fatigues. Lunch with all of you reenergizes me more than the strongest coffee." He pulled up a seat to join them and pull a plate towards himself, "I heard something about landing? How closes are we? Is it the last stop? Are we finally there?" For some reason he chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair looking at the beautiful woman and her little girl, "You know you're very lucky, most Tinkerers would never let a family inside anything in the Order."

 

**************************

 

Lance pushed his way through the staff and the buyers; he took a knee and bowed his head before Madame as she was performing her art. "Mistress what can I do for you?"

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

"Begin shackling up the men. Be careful with the bard. That one is mine. Also, we might have possible buyers for the young boy. So no bruises...yet." Madame replied before flourishing back to the buyers.

 

"Let's begin!"

 

*Robert pushed Helena down to the bed, catching the string of her robe. "Let's take this off now."*

 

* The door to Roberts home opened and Helena strode in, cloth bags slung around her arm. "Morning Robert, I see you've made breakfast!" She snatched some from his plate. "I'm finally back from the trip, got those shafts I needed."*

 

*The acolyte led Zaddion up to the highest tower, where the Grand Maesters study was, and left him at the door, excusing himself. The Grand Maester smiled at him, weak in his older years and pointed to a tome on his desk. "You wanted it...The Tome of Life and Death. Sealed for centuries and then lost...but found yet again."*

 

* Dresden s mother clucked her tongue "We need dinner to be ready before your dad comes home."*

 

*The older man only stared at Indicus, sighing slightly. *

 

*"Well we're lucky then, that you are the Head Tinker." The woman smiled. The boy began placing food on an empty plate "May I feed her today? I'd very much like too, she loves the sweets." He asked his mother. "Ask your father. " she replied curtly. *

[Sekel 692]

*@@RunsWithSquirlz

Helena didn't have time to say anything except flush a furious red. "Take them off? But I'm not ... oh." Helena trailed off as she realised what was happening. The Robert she knew wouldn't really do this without permission otherwise he'd get gutted by her. Something niggled at her in the back of her mind, saying that this isn't real but she chose to ignore it. "Okay then. Let's take them off." Helena agreed, a plan in place for when her robes came off.*

Edited September 1, 2014 by Dji

[Torrent505 370]

The implications were clear, the familiarity he felt for them finally justified. They were his family, his wife and two adorable children and he loved more than anything in the world; but they were also impossible. Tinkerers very rarely started a family and those that did commit to another experienced the equivalent of professional suicide, they would never advance in the Order and were shunned by all other Tinkerers; for him to be High Tinkerer and have a family... Impossible.

 

His mind began to fight against the lie and the same time would do everything to stay; it was impossible but they were his family and he loved them so much, he had his job and them it was all he could have ever wanted, a want he could never admit or have. He HAD to stay he HAD to be with them, his head had begun to ache but he ignored it. "Of course son you can feed her just be gentle, and only what your mother lets you. Not all sweets." He chuckled.

 

He moved his chair close to his wife's and took her hand kissing it, "you are looking magnificent today love, you know that?" He needed to let her know how much she meant to him before whatever was wrong happened, before whatever was fated to end this wonderfully impossible world came to pass.

[Flying Ace 142]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,

Mom? Dad?

"Yes, mommy."

Since when did I-

"The merchant was so nice to me! He said I was a big boy."

But I grew up in....

"Do you know what's for dinner mommy?"

Something's really wrong here-

The inner voice in the back of his mind kept getting pushed back due to Dresden's want...desire for parents; how could something he always wanted be so bad?

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz, I sat there and looked at the man in front of me in return, while forcing myself not to shout out my question then again I said after calming myself. "Okay what am I missing here it is obvious I forgot something and you know what it is so  tell me or tell me if i must find out myself." I ended there and waited for a response.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

The window to Zaddions room was pushed up slowly. A dark form slink in quietly, save for the tinkling sound her dress made. She stepped silently over to the sleeping form of Zaddion, climbing onto his mattress.

 

The others, so deeply entrenched in thier dreams; didn't notice themselves being shackled. The girls pinned tomthe beds whilst the men were being prepared for transport.

 

*Robert smiled while one hand traced her shoulder, coming to a stop at her neck. Then the caress turned into a vice grip as he clenched her throat, pinning her down on the mattress. *

 

*Your fathers favorite. I have a feeling he'll be angry again today." She smiled nervously to Dresden.*

 

*Indicus sighed "You sound exactly like the rest of them. Cold. When did I stop being my own man?"*

 

*His wife seemed surprised "Well, thank you." His son grabbed the plate, Jaqueline hopping down from her chair to follow. They headed to a small elevator and pulled the lever. His wife seemed contrite "I wish you wouldn't let them down there. They like her too much. Calls her thier 'friend'"*

[Sekel 692]

*@@RunsWithSquirlz

Helena struggled to breathe as she was being pinned to the mattress. She struggled against Robert's grip and tried to think of a way to get out of it before coming up with something. 'This had better work.' Helena thought to herself weakly as she kneed Robert in the crotch. Soon as she felt his weak grip lessen just slightly, she turned invisible and wriggled out of his grasp.*

Edited September 1, 2014 by Dji

[Flying Ace 142]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,

I feel...like somethings holding me.

"Why is daddy going to be angry again?" Dresden asked looking down at his feet; for a split second he saw shackles around his ankles but they vanished as soon as he blinked.

"Why do I feel weird mommy?"

This...isn't.....

"I don't feel right."

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

Robert chose neither to question this nor argue with it. He was enjoying this all way too much. In fact...considering how well things were going, why not push his luck a bit? "Yeah, I did. I was actually thinking maybe we could go eat it together... in the bedroom?"

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz, I looked at my aged self, "I killed the bandits that killed my parents, the Assassins guild some how took notice and recruited me. I made it through training, and over the years I shut myself in, practicing with my magic on occasion, and doing contracts. Being cold is just a side effect, stemming from surviving in my line of work. But why do you care about my version of you? I connected the dots and figured he was just a reflection of what I could be or could have been. 

[Sanctified Absence 126]

"Ah yes, such a tome would be considered a valuable relic in itself would it not? Never mind the..." Something felt a little wrong, almost like a disturbance of the sixth sense. Must've been the Magick flowing through the tower combined with a lack of sleep, or something of the sort. Turning his attention back to the book, the Mage's mind wandered, the book alone would suggest that there were people who could manipulate this kind of Magick. Of course none of these Life or Death Mages existed as far as he knew, everyone except... Except who?

 

He started wondering why he was so paranoid when he caught himself performing the Magick Sense equivalent of looking in the corner of one's eyes. "... The information found inside it. I don't have to tell you what it means that this has been found after so long, but why tell me? Surely there are other, more specialised Mages that could make better use of its secrets."  

[Torrent505 370]

Clarke wondered at why he had answered the children as he had, it had for whatever reason been an easy answer to give. Now he was curious just what he had given permission for, "I'll go down with them and make sure there's no trouble. You know it never is a problem love, but I know it worries you." He had managed to eat several mouthfuls and cross the room to joining the children at the elevator right as it arrived. He was still chewing thoughtfully though he paused to make faces at his kids. He loved to hear their laughter.

 

**************

 

Lance had accompanied the buyers and stood waiting with them making sure everything was perfect and to their liking. He did his best to soothe any of their concerns and answer their questions.

 

****************

 

Serafinno was in a very different situation than the others, he woke up in a very very foul mood. The smells of the inn struggled to calm him but that just made him more upset. This place had seemed so nice, everyone had oooh'ed and aaah'ed while fawning over him, it had been such fun and he felt so close to his new friends and the staff; then they had all forgotten about and abandoned him!! It was all a big lie!

 

Everyone here was just pretending to like him and they just left him to sleep on the cold, smelly, and wet with sticky ale and alcohol! He was going to find Whisper and give her a piece of his mind! He wandered out into the hall following her scent.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

The woman began quickly and quietly undoing Zaddions shackles. Using a strange tool she pulled from her brassiere. When she was done, she looked at him with a sorry expression before reeling back and smacking him with the back of her hand.

 

*Whisper went to investigate. What she found were two little girls with fiery red hair, chasing each other in a circle. When one saw her, she screamed in delight and grabbed her "Hello mommy! We thought you weren't coming!"*

 

*Tulla ruahed oit down the hallway. She threw open a pair of large double doors and found herself on a terrace overlooking the grounds below. Snow blasted its way in the wind, and all around, everything she could see was capped in white. It rarely snowed in Andalasia, never even this much. The crowd below her cheered at her appearance. They were cheering for thier monarch. Tulla paled.*

 

*His wife said nothing and only seemed angrier by his choice. They took the small elevator down to the engine room. His daughter sucking her finger the whole while. His son ran out, balancing the plate as best as he could. A tart fell of the tray that was quickly picked up by Jaqueline. They stopped in front of a glass cage, sliding the tray into a slot. Thick cords and tubes stretched from the box to the generators; which glowed with intense magic. A sorry, thin and tired Whisper stepped forward. Hair dull and limp, a menagerie of cords and wires attached to her body. She stared at Clarke, surprised to see him.*

 

*The images in Robert, Dresdens and Zaddions mind began to flicker and fade out.*

 

*Indicus said "I have known more assassins with courage, bravery and valor then you will ever know. None of them are cold. Only you. This will kill you soon enough."*

 

*Helena only managed a flicker before becoming apparent again. Robert had already struck out and grabbed her hair, he was a million times stronger than what he should have been.*

 

The men were being hauled out of bed and dragged to the cellar. The woman finally decided to haul Zaddion off the bed and puah him through the window. She grabbed his things, throwing them out ontop of him before sneaking out and closing the window after her.

[Sekel 692]

*@@RunsWithSquirlz

Helena gritted her teeth in pain when Robert grabbed her hair. 'This isn't Robert. There's no way he's this strong!' Helena panicked as she thought this.

Wake up ...

A voice in the back of her head demanded her to wake up and Helena somehow knew that this wasn't real. Robert would never act this way. "Robert, stop! Please!?" Helena shouted at him in an effort to get him to let go of her hair.

Edited September 2, 2014 by Dji

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,I smirked,  "As long as I see this contract through and the princess alive I am content to meet Death and be cast to whatever special hell I belong to. Let my legacy die with me and fade from, memory and history. It is probably for the best that it does. If you have anything else to say then please say it, otherwise this has been a nice conversation."

[Torrent505 370]

Clarke stared in utter disbelief and didn't even realize he spoke aloud, "so this is the price?" Whatever charm and desire this world held for him was gone now. His fists clenched, "This is the price?!" This world had shown him a family he he'd do ANYTHING to keep, it had made him feel that, maybe he would have even continued this horribleness...  But there was something he hadn't known before, what he was willing to do to HAVE the family to begin with, that did have its limits. This was far beyond those limits.

 

He looked at the children that were at once forever and never his, he both loved and despised them for their acceptance of what he had obviously and mercilessly done to excel so far in the Order with his family.  He now spoke to them, his outrage from before had turned cold "I'd never pay this price to have you, I'm sorry." It felt right to apologize to them, they'd never exist because of him. "I'm a bad man and I'll do bad things to become the Grand Inventor but to have a family as well... I'd have to become a monster and I will never become a monster."

 

Clarke turned away from the nonexistent children in front of the cage that would also never exist and the women he refused to acknowledge.  He went to leave the chamber at a side door, he still had his scatter gun and chainsword they were always at his back even this false reality hadn't changed that.  He was going to find whoever made this world so twisted, whoever had forced him to acknowledge and forsake his desire for an impossible family; he was going to kill them for tempting him with this sick but wonderful lie.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

*Clarke found himself stepping into the room he had attempted to leave. His children stared at him sadly; his words stinging the imaginary children. Whisper crouched and pressed her palms against the glass "He didn't mean it. He's grouchy when he works alot. It's okay, he's just stressed." She spoke to them softly and full of care. Jaqueline pressed a small drooly finger against the glass in response.

 

"Why are you here?" Whisper asked Clarke quietly. *

 

*Robert kept her pinned, withdrawing a knife. "Don't worry. This won't hurt too much."*

 

*"Your parents. Our parents would take thier lives if they could see the man you turned out to be. A faceless puppet? What is the purpose even, of finishing this mission? " Indicus asked.*