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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 13, 2009 22:30:42 GMT -5
As Kerridon grinned at her objection to being defined as a perfectionist and rejoindered with affirmation of his previous statement, D'rorah could not resist her own snappy retort. [blue]"You seem to have your own recurring tendencies... such as one for purposefully stirring my ire."[/blue] The statement ended with an arching of the eyebrow and a twisting of her lips into a half smile. [blue]"One might think you enjoyed making sport of me... not that I mind very much,"[/blue] she added, finding their witty banter a refreshing engagement and a nice change from her usual interaction with others. It sometimes proved difficult to find others who appreciated and shared D'rorah's very dry sense of humor. Most seemed to think she was rudely criticizing when she made remarks intended to be amusing. Yet another reason books were easier to deal with.
After her shower and having approached Kerridon, she forced herself to relax slightly as he returned her smile and seated herself on the bed next to him as she accepted the book he held out. The turned a few pages, thinking the topic sounded fascinating. After a minute, she carefully closed the cover and forced herself to hand the book to Kerridon, exercising great restraint on her part. [blue]"You should probably take this from me. I do not know that I can be trusted not to lose myself in it."[/blue] She offered him a teasing smile as the last comment was spoken and laughed softly at his statement that perhaps distractions were not such a bad thing after all.
[blue]"Thank you again for everything this evening. One can only imagine what might have transpired had I been left outside on school grounds after nightfall."[/blue] But then, she didn't really have to imagine. She had experienced the sorts of things that could happen if she found herself out after dark, away from the protection of the school and unable to defend herself. Best to have been spared from that. She still had the vestiges of previous attacks from just such situations. In fact, considering that it had happened several times now, she was rather amazed she had survived it all and had still not succumbed to corruption.
She turned so that she was angled towards Kerridon, feeling a shiver from her internal cold pass through her body. Had it been anyone else, she would have blamed it on the thin satin gown she wore for bed, but D'rorah knew she would have been cold no matter how she bundled up. As far as she had been able to learn, no other Shadow Warrior had resisted so many attempted corruptions and there was no record of the physical after effects or how to treat them. After a moment, she pulled her knees up to her chest, and leaned against Kerridon. Her chilled hand sought out his own. She held it thoughtfully between her two hands. One underneath and the other lightly tracing circles over the back on his hand, slender fingers tripping over knuckles and gliding over skin as she mused to herself over the odd turn of events. She could admit that she was exhausted, but she found herself unable to allow Kerridon to leave, afraid she would wake to find this was only some delusional dream she had escaped to while being tortured by the Mage, or lying at the edge of the school grounds unconscious.
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 14, 2009 5:03:30 GMT -5
Kerridon raised an eyebrow at her snappy retort, the cool expression on most of his face being betrayed by the corners of his lips still turned upwards. [blue]"I never said I did not have my own recurring tendencies,"[/blue] he told her.[blue]"however generally those whose ire has been stirred are not smiling and they do mind,"[/blue] he pointed out, resisting another comment about the accuracy of the words she was using. It was implied in what he had said anyway.
He was grateful that she sat down next to him, and eyed her carefully as she flipped through a few pages of the book. However, he did not have to worry – a minute later and she was handing it back. He accepted it and placed it on the other side of him on the bed, making sure it was not so close to the edge that it might fall off. [blue]"I was planning to retrieve it from you if you showed any signs of becoming engrossed. I am quite impressed that I did not have to,"[/blue] he replied. [blue]"Perhaps pulling you away from your research at Hogwarts for food and sleep will not be quite as hard as I envisioned it."[/blue]
He nodded at her thanks, not really considering that he would have done anything else but glad that he had been there to witness her escape from the common room. Had he been five minutes later he would have missed the whole thing and likely just come into a common room full of gossiping Ravenclaws discussing what had just happened. By that point it would have been much harder to find D'rorah with no idea of where she had gone.
He frowned a little as she shivered, and it increased again as she pulled her knees upwards and leaned against him. He wrapped his arms around her in an attempt to warm her but knowing it would not do much good. He gestured at the fireplace and with a murmur of 'incendio', hoping that might help some but unconvinced that it would do much at all. He could feel the chill of her skin at a far lower temperature than was natural but knew that no normal magic would help to dispel it. Sensing her unwillingness to let him leave, Kerridon softly kissed the top of her head before murmuring in her ear. [blue]"I can remain here while you sleep if you wish,"[/blue] he told her, hoping that perhaps knowing someone was watching over her would help her sleep better. Unfortunately, such measures would be impractical back at the castle, because as much as D'rorah's roommates had remained blissfully unaware of D'rorah trying to let herself die, he doubted they would remain quite so unaware of him in their dormitory.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 14, 2009 7:36:29 GMT -5
D'rorah laughed dryly as Kerridon postulated that perhaps it would not be too difficult to pull her away from her research. [blue]"I can promise you now, Mister Paradox, once we return to Hogwarts there may be stretches of entire days when you will be unable to wrench my fingers away from quill and parchment. There is important work to be done, and the sooner the better. At any rate, it is absolutely fascinating. So much of what I have learned thus far has been gleaned from those translations."[/blue]
D'rorah felt Kerridon's arms move about her as she leaned against him. The heat from the fire was a welcome addition to the room. Though, she wondered if she were slowly becoming accustomed to the change in her body temperature, but because at certain times such heat felt unbearably hot... it seemed there was no winning. Heat was the very reason she had been in the common room this evening and in the path of Dylan's humiliating tirade. She had been basking in the warmth of the fireplace while working until being interrupted and then publicly shamed.
She felt a kiss placed at the top of her head and smiled sadly. She wondered at this sudden change and how quickly it had come about. Would Kerridon dismiss the events of the evening once they were back at the castle. She believed he had only intended to see to her health and well-being when he had brought her here. Certainly, she had surprised even herself by kissing him. And yet, already it felt as though they fit together. She ached for Dylan less when she was in his arms... and in fact, found that she was able to put him out of her mind entirely for the first time since she had met him after tonight. She felt his breath as he murmured into her ear, offering to stay as she slept.
She turned and lifted her face slightly so that she could meet his eyes, searching surreptitiously for his intention. [blue]"I would not wish to be any bother,"[/blue] she replied uncertainly, not wanting him to feel as though he needed to nanny her. She wasn't accustomed to having people think she needed this sort of support. She was the rock, calmly suffering through the various events that came her way. She was the one who was accustomed to being a pillar. And so now, this show of concern for something that seemed as silly to her as fear of nightmares made her wonder if she were somehow becoming more fragile. She didn't want to think herself weak... and by extension, she didn't want Kerridon to think her weak. And yet, she couldn't deny that having him nearby would likely help her to sleep more peacefully. She opened her lips again, trying to avoid pushing away his help. She did seem to have a habit of pushing people away. Perhaps that was even what had led to Dylan huddling by the fire with Amy, seeking someone who would allow him to be the stronger person once in a while. Could she do that now? Finally the words came out. [blue]"But I would like it very much if you stayed."[/blue]
There, she had said it. A wish expressed that had solely to do with her own needs. Why did she feel so safe now, here? It had to be Kerridon, his quiet presence... they complemented each other. She knew that one day would come when he would need her support, and she would be there for him then, quiet and calm and steady. And so, in anticipation of that day--Was she thinking of a far off future together already?--she accepted the offer made in the present and did not think any less of herself for it. Leaning forward slightly, she pressed her lips to his, her eyelids floating closed in calm contentment. Her hands sat lightly upon his neck, holding him to her with the barest of touches as her feet found the floor, her knees lowering from her chest.
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 14, 2009 10:30:49 GMT -5
[blue]"In that case I will simply have to bring food to you and watch over you until you eat it. Unfortunately it will be a little more difficult to bring sleep to you... if I really cannot pull you away I may have to spike your drink yet again with one of those sleeping potions,"[/blue] he teased, not really intending to do such a thing – at least, not without giving her some hint beforehand of what it contained.
As Kerridon held D'rorah, he contemplated the events of the evening so far. They had not turned out at all as he had expected, but yet again the change had not been negative, as he had previously made the assumption that most changes were. Like the meeting with D'rorah in the bookshop, this had most definitely turned out with positive results. But still there was the thought of Dark Phoenix hanging over them... When he had changed sides he had not automatically turned to hating his old mistress. He hadn't really thought about his feelings towards her at all. But now, when he was sure she was going to prove an obstacle to this new connection with D'rorah, something stirred within him that was buried so deep it was a little hard to identify. It was certainly not a semblance of any positive emotion that he was feeling towards her though... he had gotten so used to answering her every whim without question that any negative feelings towards her had been absolutely forbidden... she found them so easily that it was nearly impossible to hide it, so they all got buried... and apparently were only now coming unearthed.
Kerridon met her eyes, having intended to stay at least until she fell asleep anyway but with no qualms about staying longer. However, he had an idea that D'rorah did not often ask for anything for herself and thought it likely that had he not brought the subject up, she probably would not have either. She did seem uncertain as to how to reply, starting off with a simple statement that she did not want to be a bother. [blue]"You would not be,"[/blue] he told her calmly, threading the fingers of the hand she held through hers. Eventually she did come to a decision and he nodded, a slight smile on his face. [blue]"I will stay,"[/blue] he confirmed, not wanting to leave her wondering as to whether he would or not.
He returned her kiss softly, the hand she had previously held moving up to the side of her face with his other arm still wrapped around her. He quickly became distracted yet again from the task of getting her to sleep and it was several minutes till he pulled away. [blue]"Miss Philosophy, I told you this before. How am I ever going to manage to get you to sleep if you insist on being a constant distraction?"[/blue] he teased lightly, pointedly resisting from leaning in again, however much he wanted to.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 14, 2009 14:01:17 GMT -5
[blue]"You are not the only one who knows how to spike potions,"[/blue] she jibed back. [blue]"Beware the precedents you set."[/blue] She knew she wouldn't be too pleased to be unexpectedly dosed with a sleeping potion, but she was certain Kerridon wouldn't dose her with sleeping potion without warning. She intended not to let it get to the point that he would think such an action was necessary. She planned to make an effort to be more mindful of her physical needs. She needed to keep her physical body as sharp as her mind, and proper sleep and food would be necessary for that.
Feeling his fingers thread through her own, she squeezed back lightly as he promised to stay with her. A smile blossomed into being on her face, silently conveying her gratitude. It would be nice to sleep for a change and to be comfortable as she did so.
His hand at the side of her face raised a pleasant crop of goosebumps. She knew that moments like this would be hard to come by once they were back at Hogwarts. D'rorah never had been much of one for public displays of affection. And even if she had, it would be far too dangerous for Dark Phoenix to find out of this new relationship. D'rorah found the concern playing in the back of her mind even as she kissed Kerridon. This would be difficult and dangerous for both of them. She sighed quietly as he pulled away and reopened her eyes as he spoke again. [blue]"I could be far more distracting if I chose, Mister Paradox."[/blue] A mysterious smile formed on her lips that quickly transformed to a smirk as she rose from where she had been seated. [blue]"But I suppose I should focus on being slightly less distracting."[/blue]
She sauntered casually to the head of the bed, pulling back the covers and burrowing beneath them. She stretched her toes beneath sheets that were warm from the fire in the fireplace. She felt as though she could sleep for days on end before waking and feeling refreshed. She waited for Kerridon to join her before snuggling back against him. Content, she brought one of his hands to her lips and kissed it softly, cradling it between her hands and allowing her eyes to fall shut with a happy sigh. She fell asleep quickly, her exhausted body frolicking off into slumber as soon as it could manage.
Some hours later, D'rorah was deep asleep and dreaming. Her body tensed as she lived a scene in her mind that she had lived hundreds of times. It was always the same, and its terror never diminished. Always, it was as though she was reliving the night her parents had died, the night she had been found hidden away in the closet where her father had placed her for saftey, and brutally attacked. The nightmare seemed to never end once it began. It went on and on. She moaned softly in her sleep and twitched. Her breathing slowly became shallow and sped up, her heartbeat increasing as the torment continued. Finally, the endless loop of nightmare reached it crescendo. [blue]"Aba! Ima!"[/blue]She awoke suddenly, hearing someone screaming and realizing that it was herself only after several moments. She tried to slow her breathing and calm herself as tears slipped down her cheeks and landed with light pattering sounds on the bedcover, but was having little success.
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 14, 2009 15:12:55 GMT -5
The smirk on Kerridon's face stayed there as she returned the threat, nodding his acknowledgement of it and storing the information away. Hopefully he would not get to that stage anyway... at least by putting the threat out there D'rorah should have some incentive to not let herself go quite so much that she needed a sleeping potion. It was again good to see her smile and he returned it. [blue]"You should smile more often,"[/blue] he told her, bringing their conjoined hands upwards so he could softly kiss the hand resting on top of his. Kerridon could feel the goosebumps on her neck with the bottom of his hand and he could not help but smile into the kiss. The smile remained on his face as he heard her sigh when he pulled away. He raised an eyebrow at her vague threat of being more distracting, but wasn't particularly happy when she pulled away, even though she was doing exactly as he had asked. [blue]"I shall have to bear that in mind. For now though, your second suggestion might be better."[/blue] He stood as he spoke, slipping off the shoes he should have taken off at the door – probably another reason for Edlyn's disapproval – and pulling the school robe over his head so that he was dressed in a long-sleeved grey top and dark trousers, then slipped under the covers and looping one arm over her as she leant back. She quickly caught that arm and brought his hand to her lips, keeping her hold on it after. He was surprised at how quickly she fell asleep, and only when he was sure that her deep breathing equalled sleep did he allow himself to relax enough to fall asleep himself. Kerridon didn't immediately wake up when D'rorah tensed, but it certainly broke through a little bit and he stirred... It was when she began to moan that he awoke properly, sitting up and instantly aware of his surroundings. He could hear D'rorah's harsh breathing getting worse and reached out for her. The fire had burnt out and the room was almost pitch black; the only light coming from the moon outside, its light forcing its way through the curtain material. Before he could reach out properly she was calling for first her father, then a moment later her mother, then she was screaming. [blue]"D'rorah!"[/blue] he called urgently, trying to get her attention as he eventually managed to catch her face in his hands and from that point of reference wrap one arm around her. He wasn't sure whether she had even realised his presence as he felt some of the tears dropping on his hand. [blue]"Shhh..."[/blue] he murmured, wiping away some of the tears on her cheek before moving his hand to stroke the back of her head gently as he held her against him.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 14, 2009 15:54:44 GMT -5
D'rorah's smile brightened in response to Kerridon's smile and statement that she should do so more often. [blue]"The longer you are around, the more likely it is that it will occur with greater regularity,"[/blue] she replied. It seemed there would be much smiling this evening, as he once again smiled into their kiss before pulling away and letting her amble off to bed.
She hardly remembered falling asleep. It happened so quickly that she supposed she must have been more exhausted than she was willing to admit. Perhaps the restorative draught had had something to do with that as well. She remembered her terror crescendoing as she slept. She was unaware of Kerridon's attempts to wake her, so deeply entrenched in the agony of her nightmares. Her arms ached with the memory of the icy burn of the bindings that had been used to restrain her after she had been found. She heard her name cut through her terror and inhaled a choked, shaking breath as Kerridon caught her face and then wrapped an arm around her. It took her a moment to realize where she was and what was happening and another moment still to realize that now it was Kerridon who held her, and that she was free of her bindings.
She heard his soothing murmur as he wiped her tears away and forced herself to take another choking breath to bring herself under control. She buried her face against his chest, weeping silently as he stroked her hair. After a few minutes, she had managed to calm herself and took a long, shaky breath as she shook her head. [blue]"I am so sorry to have woken you,"[/blue] she managed hoarsely. [blue]"One would think I would be better equipped to deal with this after so long."[/blue] She winced as the lingering pain in her arms momentarily intensified and then began to fade once again into memory. She waited until her tears had stopped flowing freely before chancing a look up at Kerridon. [blue]"Blubbering on like some nattering halfwit,"[/blue] she chastised herself, raking away a tear in annoyance.
Mentally and emotionally exhausted, she slumped against Kerridon as she continued breathing slowly and deeply. A moment later she looked up at him again and pressed a pair of trembling lips to his cheek, as though she needed a reminder that he was real and she was no longer trapped in her dream. [blue]"Everyone tells me it is supposed to become easier with time... but I believe memories tainted by Shadows rarely fade very much."[/blue] She scoffed lightly. [blue]"Perhaps I am too damaged to be worth the effort."[/blue]
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 14, 2009 18:32:32 GMT -5
D'rorah appeared frantically unaware of her surroundings as she woke and it caused him to hold her tighter, attempting to provide some security but afraid that he was failing. [blue]"You are awake now, it is gone... it was a dream. Over now,"[/blue] he tried to reassure her, again not convinced that he was helping in the slightest. Her breathing was improving at least, though slowly, but again he was holding her as she cried. He certainly much preferred her smile than having her sob and feel like he could do nothing.
It took several minutes for her to calm down enough to speak, and he continued to murmur softly in her ear as she cried, wanting to offer some vestige of comfort. [blue]"Do not worry about waking me. Is that not why I was here in the first place, in case this happened?"[/blue] he replied, feeling her tense again and turning his face down to hers in time to see the wince on her face, her eyes still dripping out tears. It was only when they had slowed significantly that she did look up at him, apparently quite annoyed at herself for her display. As she scraped away one of the tears in annoyance, he moved the hand from the back of her head and caught her hand in as gentle a manner as possible and brought it down slowly so that she would not do so again.
[blue]"After so long?"[/blue] he questioned, staring down at her. [blue]"What has it been, two years? You cannot expect things to fade so quickly, D'rorah."[/blue] Certainly he still woke from nightmares ready to scream, but long hours of being trained never to show weakness preventing him from that release, so that instead it built up inside of him till it exploded... usually at innocent victims, at least in the past. [blue]"Your response to bad dreams is certainly a better option than the method I have taken previously,"[/blue] he admitted, not going into any detail but still wanting to reassure her.
She appeared to lose all energy shortly afterwards as she led against him, a moment later reaching up to kiss his cheek for some reason he could not discern. Of course, the kisses they had exchanged earlier had seemed to have no specific purpose behind them, but this seemed a little less of an appropriate moment, especially considering how she trembled as she did so. Once again he moved his hand to gesture at the fire, bringing it alight and illuminating the whole room, while hopefully beginning to warm it again. He scowled at her last statement, and the hand that had just lit the fire pushed her chin upwards so that she had no choice but to look him in the face. [blue]"Do not say that,"[/blue] he ordered, with no room for argument in his voice. [blue]"You are worth all the effort and more; you are never too 'damaged' to receive that."[/blue]
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 14, 2009 22:38:22 GMT -5
She nodded weakly as Kerridon said not to worry about having woken him, that the possibility of just this sort of thing had been why he stayed with her. He caught her hand gently as she scraped away a tear, taking the offending hand away from her face so that she couldn't repeat the action. She could see the concern in his eyes and ached more at the thought that she might be causing him pain.
[blue]"Yes, two years,"[/blue] she replied numbly. She had let her guard down too much tonight, opened up far more than she was accustomed to. It had been a while since she had woken from a nightmare actually screaming... but then, it had also been a long time since she had attempted a full night's sleep. Typically, she relegated herself to the bare necessity and slept lightly so that she would wake long before she got to this point. His statement that her response to the dreams was better than things he had done in the past was hardly reassuring, after all, he wasn't the one here making a terrible scene and crying in her arms like a five year old.
She squeezed her eyes shut as Kerridon lit a fire, the light searing the retinas of eyes slightly darkened once again with Shadow taint. Her chin reluctantly lifted updwards as Kerridon forced her to look him in the face, his stern tone clearly disapproving of her statement as he remonstrated her for saying she was too damaged. She pulled her face away after a moment and gazed at the wall. She couldn't understand why he would willingly and gratefully put up with all of this... or why Dylan had, for that matter. Even now, Dylan's voice rang in her ears again as she heard him accused her of having been damaged by the attack in front of the entire Ravenclaw common room. A voice in the back of her mind told her she was being foolish, wallowing in her own self pity. It didn't matter what Dylan or anyone else thought of her. She had a role that had to be played, and she would fill it. This scene did not help her cause at all.
Mentally slapping herself, she straightened where she sat and squared her shoulders, regaining the posture she normally carried herself with. She receded inward, finding her own internal emotional place once again... retreating behind the walls she had used to keep her sane for the past two years. Her tears stopped. Her breathing calmed. She wouldn't allow herself to burden Kerridon with this... that was the problem with allowing oneself to be weak... one moment spawned countless others. The Mage had wanted her to be tormented; therefore, D'rorah could not allow herself to feel tormented. [blue]"This will not work,"[/blue] she murmured quietly as her mind recalled with clarity Dark Phoenix. [blue]"If she finds out that you and I..."[/blue] her eyes shifted back to Kerridon, suddenly cold and logical, [blue]"You are placing yourself in far too great a danger by seeing me. She knows who I am, what I am. I cannot stand to see anymore people I care about hurt or murdered, not knowing that I was the reason for it."[/blue] She blinked back tears that threatened to spill from the corners of her eyes once again, finding it painful to push away something she wanted so much while simultaneously convinced that her happiness was the least of her concerns at the moment. She looked to Kerridon, wishing she could be anyone else leading a normal life and blissfully unaware of everything she currently found herself drowning in. [blue]"Can it work?"[/blue] she asked, hardly daring to hope that he would answer in the affirmative. Surely, she wasn't worth risking the wrath of the Mage... and certainly not after the scene she had put on tonight.
Already, her eyes looked dead and slightly darkened. She had found an emotional connection to tie her to the world again but wasn't sure she could allow herself to have it. But what Kerridon thought on the matter would ultimately influence her decision. She was giving him an easy out, a way to send her off without feeling guilty. He deserved as much. [blue]"You could not have possibly considered all of the ramifications earlier when I forced myself upon you,"[/blue] she added. Kissing him had been impetuous, sporadic, spontaneous... she had hardly had time to realize she was doing it, much less time to think about the consequences of her actions. She really would have to spend time meditating and regaining her self control. Her emotional nerves were frayed by the conflict with Dylan, and she had to stop allowing it to affect her actions. [blue]"I have not been fair to you."[/blue]
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 15, 2009 7:29:55 GMT -5
As he had been worried would happen, D’rorah truly did not appear comforted by his words – unsurprising, really. They were only words; they could not replace her parents or anything else she had lost. He had been right about the time of the attack – it had apparently been quite recent when he had found the memory in Raziel’s mind. She seemed a little numb which worried him slightly – he didn’t want her cutting away from her emotions again. When the fire was lit he could see the darkness in her eyes from the taint of the shadows, but couldn’t really do much about that…
Unfortunately she would not look at him for long, and he dropped his hand as she turned her head away. A few moments later she suddenly stiffened, and Kerridon’s heart dropped a little as he felt her straighten and saw the emotion freeze on her face. It wasn’t good for her to block away her feelings like this – he knew that very well. Of course, he hadn’t yet discovered a viable alternative to his previous method of dealing with bad feelings, because first after seeing Mami immediately after she had been tortured, and also having noticed the numerous scars all over D’rorah from similar circumstances, he didn’t think that inflicting the same on someone else would actually help now. But then, his emotions had not been particularly overwhelming lately… he didn’t know why; presumably because he had been distracted by other things such as rescuing Mami and ensuring the protections on his mind were strong enough to keep the knowledge of his change in allegiance from Dark Phoenix.
The words she spoke rang all too true of what he had been thinking recently and he didn’t quite meet her eyes as she talked in that cold manner. However, he fully intended to make sure that it would work – he wasn’t willing to give this up on a whim. [blue]”I do not see that any danger I am in by seeing you could be greater than the danger I am already in by being disloyal to her,”[/blue] he pointed out firmly, turning his face back to hers in time to see what looked like tears verging in her eyes again. She asked her question, with barely the tiniest hope in her voice, and he lifted one hand to hold the side of her face again.
[blue]”There are two ways it can work,”[/blue] he told her, once again looking her in the eye. [blue]”One, is that it is kept secret… from everyone. None of the other lightfighters should know in case they are captured and forced to give up information. The other…”[/blue] He hesitated a little before continuing, knowing that he would need to be very secure in his mental protections before going about this method. [blue]”I could inform Dark Phoenix that I have tricked you… that I am gaining your trust day by day, and that I believe you will give me information regarding the lightfighters and their identities.”[/blue] Likely he would have to feed her false information at times, but so long as she did not realise and thought that Kerridon was a good source of information, they should both be safe.
[blue]”Firstly, you did not force yourself upon me. I believe I complied quite willingly. And secondly, I do not go about things lightly… I have learnt that it is not a good idea to go ahead in life without considering the ramifications of your actions.”[/blue] Still she kept speaking, and without really knowing what else to do when she said she had not been fair, he leaned forward to kiss her again, hoping she would not push him away. He pulled back soon, and whispered to her. [blue]”D’rorah, do not abandon this before it has even begun.”[/blue]
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 15, 2009 16:58:18 GMT -5
D'rorah listened quietly as Kerridon spoke, considering his words carefully. She found a whisper of a smile again as he kissed her, and returned the kiss wholeheartedly. She agreed that she didn't want to give up now, before it had already begun... but if he had any wish to end it, now would have been the time. Before either of them got hurt. Of course, D'rorah knew it would have hurt already to pull away. The thought of it had hurt. She didn't connect with many people, but the connections she did make were deep.
[blue]"You were wrong earlier."[/blue] Her voice was quiet as she gazed upon him with something akin to adoration in her eyes. [blue]"You really are quite remarkable."[/blue] She reached a hand forward and carefully moved a strand of hair from his face, studying his grey eyes intently. She wanted it to work... she wanted to be with Kerridon. She wanted him to be safe. But then, how safe was anyone at Hogwarts these days? She laid her hand upon his cheek and gently stroked his skin with her thumb. All thoughts of her nightmare were out of her head at the moment. Instead, she wondered how best to approach the issue of Dark Phoenix.
She leaned forward and placed a soft, single kiss at his lips before pulling back again. [blue]"It seems much safer to keep the secret... but it would mean being distant through the remainder of the school year."[/blue] She pursed her lips slightly, thinking. [blue]"Is there any possibility you were seen helping me? If there is, it seems wiser to tell her. But that would be a difficult subterfuge to perpetrate well..."[/blue] She inhaled slowly. Held the breath for a moment. Exhaled.
Finally, she lay back upon her pillow, lying on her side so that she faced Kerridon and pulled the blanket back up over her shoulders. She waited for him to lie beside her and reached out a hand, slowly whispering her thumb back and forth over his lips as she thought. [blue]"This will require a good deal of thought and caution,"[/blue] she mused aloud, knowing that both of their lives were at stake in this decision and how well it was carried out. She scooted slightly closer, moving so that her face was nearly touching Kerridon's, entangling her legs with his beneath the covers. [blue]"The only way to keep such a secret would simply be to not spend time together. There are so many people at Hogwarts... there really is no privacy anywhere in the school. And there is the issue of my mental connection with my Elemental Master... as well was with Mister Bishop..."[/blue] Her expression was calm and thoughtful. She didn't prefer the idea of seeing Kerridon every day and hardly being able to talk to him. It was almost inevitable that something would come up to bring their new relationship into the light of day... secrets never seemed to last long at Hogwarts. Rumors ran rampant through the halls. If even one person had noticed Kerridon helping D'rorah their ruse would fail. Certainly, people had already seen them conversing... mostly in the library. [blue]"Do you think you could manage to convince her that you are using me to spy on the Lightfighters?[/blue]
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 15, 2009 18:57:25 GMT -5
Kerridon was relieved that D'rorah didn't pull away, and in fact returned his kiss while smiling very slightly into it. Just the mere hint at what this might be made him not want to let go of it, and the fact that it didn't seem to have taken very much to reassure her helped reassure himself that this was what she wanted too. This time he didn't dispute her words when she repeated that he was remarkable, but he still wasn't convinced by them. The expression in her eyes, though... he couldn't directly recognise it, but it reminded him of another time, another girl not in the same position as this. He had seen it multiple times when Taisy had looked up at him but had never gotten to the point of recognising adoration when it was aimed at him. He had seen that look so often when they were younger, but then they had come here, to Paradox Hall, and it had faded... they had faded apart. Kerridon had been fully willing to listen to his father's indoctrination, not realising it was such, but Taisy had remembered their mother and grandfather's lessons far better than him. It had caused some definite clashes between them before she died.
Luckily all thoughts of her nightmares had apparently faded from D'rorah's mind as she focussed on the new topic, and no more tears fell. He reached up to cover her hand with his, kissing it gently once as he listened to what she was saying. Although his gut instinct went with keeping it a secret, the idea of keeping this lack of contact up for the remainder of their time at school was certainly not a likeable thought. [blue]"I do not believe so... I left the common room after you did so someone may have seen that, but I placed a disillusionment charm on myself before following you outside,"[/blue] he explained. Having taken it off as soon as he reached the Paradox grounds, D'rorah would probably not have realised he had it on.
He followed her lead as she lay down, releasing her hand so instead he could wrap his arm around her as he had been doing before. Kerridon agreed with her on the matter of not being able to see each other at all while at Hogwarts – it would cause far too much of a risk. However, he had not thought of the matter of her Elemental Master and... [blue]"Mister Bishop?"[/blue] he questioned, a little unsure as to what she was talking about. [blue]"You have a mental connection with him?"[/blue] It was to be expected that she would have that connection with her Elemental Master, but with the Slytherin as well? How had that come about? [blue]"Will they already know?"[/blue] he asked – without personal experience of how the connection worked, he did not know how strong it would be or exactly what it entailed. He had read about it, of course, but D'rorah would know better than he.
[blue]"I believe it would be possible... however, difficult, and dangerous if she broke through mental barriers. I would likely need some information I could give her to show that it was working already; make her eager to see what else I could retrieve for her."[/blue] That first bit of information at least would have to be truthful, which presented the problem of what to tell her. [blue]"You say nowhere in the castle is truly private... would that include the Room of Requirement?"[/blue] he added, the mysterious room having occurred to him as he spoke previously. If there was just some way of meeting with her even on a minimal basis that did not involve leaving the castle, that would be something.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 15, 2009 23:21:11 GMT -5
D'rorah nodded as Kerridon spoke of having used a disillusionment charm before following her out of the castle. That had been a smart move on his part. But of course, she expected nothing less from him. He inevitably asked about Zane, wondering aloud why she should have a mental connection with the Slytherin who was not her Elemental Master. [blue]"I had been attacked while patrolling near the boundaries of the forest,"[/blue] she explained. [blue]"A student had ventured past the boundary... she claimed she sought potions ingredients. In any matter, she was attacked by Shadows. I fought them, but Mister Kelley was not there to help retrieve my emotions. Mister Bishop happened upon us. He acted in Mister Kelley's stead and saved me from corruption that time by retrieving my emotions for me. Because of that, there is a link between our minds."[/blue] She thought for a long beat about Kerridon's next question. [blue]"Mister Kelley is unaccustomed to accessing the connection. It is unlikely he has realized."[/blue] she thought for a long moment, torn between accessing the connection to answer the question and preserving the sanctity of his mind. Zane was another story entirely... now that she focused on him, she realized that he seemed distant and emotionally dead. Oh, he was still alive, but he had closed himself off completely from the things happening around him. [blue]"If either of them has noticed, it is not at the forefront of his mind,"[/blue] she replied, unwilling to plumb the depths of their minds any further for the information right now.
D'rorah listened quietly as Kerridon continued speaking. Finding information to give Dark Phoenix would prove difficult. It would have to be something actionable, something she could test the veracity of without causing any harm to their group. [blue]"The Room of Requirement should be private,"[/blue] she replied thoughtfully. [blue]"However, with Miss Edwin living there at the moment, it is only available as our training and meeting room. [blue]"The room of Elemental Wind within would be private... only I or Mister Kelley would be able to open it."[/blue]
She inhaled quietly and deeply as she considered the complexities of the situation before them. They had set off down a difficult road... but not impossible. Or, at least, it seemed neither of them was quite willing to bow in the face of impossibility. She shifted forward a slight bit, placing a feather of a kiss at his lips. "[blue]There would be privacy within my home in New York... there is no one living who has access. Though, that would present the added difficulty of sneaking away from the grounds whenever we wished to be alone."[/blue] She smirked at the thought. [blue]"Fortunately, we both seem to be adept at leaving grounds when we find it advantageous for one reason or another."[/blue] There was proof of that in the fact that they were here right now, both having gotten away from school grounds without interference.
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on May 16, 2009 4:38:55 GMT -5
Kerridon nodded as she spoke, a little frown on his face at the sheer stupidity of the student that had put D'rorah in danger. Kerridon had not yet really met Bryan, the most recent Elemental Master of Wind, but from what he had heard so far he was not overly impressed. Although the fact that he was not used to accessing the connection seemed favourable for their parts, he had not been there for her when he should have been. At least Zane had apparently not noticed either. Unfortunately, there was still the matter of them finding out in the future. [blue]"Could you block them out while we are together in future?"[/blue] he asked, intent on finding out more about this connection later.
He continued listening as she went on to agree that the Room of Requirement would be private, with the exception of Bryan – but there was still the matter of getting in there without being noticed. If the vampire did venture out of her area, or if any of the other lightfighters came in, they might be a little suspicious if they saw him coming out of the Elemental Room of Wind, either with or without D'rorah. Coming off grounds might be a safer bet for most of the time, with the Room of Requirement a substitute if that proved difficult. [blue]"See? It can work,"[/blue] he said with a hint of a smile, leaning forward to place his own kiss on her lips.
Resting his head back down on the pillow, he brought his hand up to rest on her cheek, stroking the skin with his thumb as she had been doing earlier. [blue]"You should sleep some more,"[/blue] he whispered, intent still on giving her a good night of proper rest. It seemed unlikely she would get another one soon.
((Sorry it's so short, I gotta go to work but wanted to get this up first))
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on May 16, 2009 5:15:23 GMT -5
D'rorah had put the episode with Silren in the forest out of her mind until that moment. She remembered having asked Zane to keep an eye on the girl, and could not recall having heard much back about her. Perhaps there had simply been nothing of note to report back, but she made a note to remember to ask him about her next time she saw Zane. She pursed her lips slightly as Kerridon asked if D'rorah could block her connection with Zane and Bryan while she was with Kerridon. [blue]I should be able to block Mister Bishop reasonably well. He is not my true Elemental Master, so the connection is not as strong. Mister Kelley, however, would be more difficult to block... especially if he were to actively attempt to find me or to communicate with me for some reason. I can obscure the connection as much as possible, but even if I could completely block him out, it would be perilous to do so. He is, after all, the link that secures my emotions and staves off corruption."[/blue]
She returned his hint of a smile as he reinforced the notion that things could work, that they could find time together. A teasing smirk rose to her features. [blue]"You believe I am exhausted now... Would you care to add a transatlantic apparition or two into the mix for fun?"[/blue] Luckily, she'd been traveling with her parents enough that it didn't discombobulate her too much and the effort was something she was accustomed to. She thought it would be nice to spend time in one of her own homes... though Paradox Hall was certainly well appointed, she couldn't say it was her preferred environment. She thought for a moment. [blue]"If we keep this a secret, I will not be able to see you for a period over the summer... we are all supposed to go to China for training, and one cannot apparate within fifty miles of the monastery. Even if you were to come, I am dubious of the possibility of keeping our meetings a secret from Master Xiu within the walls of his own monastery."[/blue] She smiled slightly. [blue]"It will be an interesting test of that old adage about absence generating fond feelings within the heart... as well as a test of my own self-control,"[/blue] she added before turning her head slightly to kiss the hand he laid upon her cheek. She wondered what it would be like to endure seeing Kerridon day after day and still holding herself back from interacting with him.
His whispered guidance to sleep elicited a slight nod, though she was doubtful she would allow herself to sleep very much after waking once from her nightmare. [blue]"Perhaps,"[/blue] she agreed quietly. However, instead of closing her eyes, she inched slightly closer and began to kiss Kerridon once more, allowing one hand to move slowly through his hair as her eyes slipped shut. Her other hand rested lightly at his shoulder blade, pulling herself slightly closer still. She deepened the kiss slowly as her fingers combed through his hair. After all, how much sleep did a person really need?
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