Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1494596" data-attributes="member: 15043">A New Day...Orion gave a slight smile as he sat on the ground, meditating as the sun rose above the cliffs high above the city.  He felt relaxed, at ease, at peace.In these times, moments like this came very rarely.  When they did mercifully arrive, he took full advantage of them.His meditation was interrupted by the noise of gentle stirring on the bed behind him.  With a smile, he turned and saw the sleepy head of a courtesan pop out from under the covers.“Meh.  Morning already?” her tired voice asked, and Orion nodded simply.“Yes.  Did you sleep well?” he asked, standing up.  His meditation done, he was now looking for other activities.“Excellent, thank you for asking,” she gave a sleepy grin.  The smile gave Orion an idea.“Would you like to take a walk, through the gardens?” he asked.  “Of course I would wait till you got yourself arranged comfortably.”  It’s been a while since I’ve had a little bit of fun... other than last night’s festivities...  She gave a larger grin... courtesan’s usually weren’t treated this well.“Of course.”  She clambered out of bed, and disappeared behind a privacy screen in the ornate bedroom to change and wash up.  Fifteen minutes later, she emerged, and Orion held out his arms.“Here.  Let me carry you,” he offered, and her eyes went a little wide with surprise.  Most of her patrons DEFINITELY did not make such... gallant offers.  “Why thank you,” she said, letting him scoop her up.  It wasn’t every day she got carried... though she started to look at him funny when he started walking towards the window.“Sir... where are we going?” she asked hesitantly as the window drew closer.  “To the garden,” Orion said with a grin, and then jumped.  (Mantis Leap)  He clutched her tight, as she screamed the twenty feet down, her eyes still squilched shut when he landed on the ground.  Her eyes flickered, and then opened in shock.“H...How?  Wh...How?” she started to stutter, as Orion carefully set her on her feet.“I’m fine, my friend.  Don’t worry about it.”  He held out the crook of his arm, as she continued to stutter in confusion and shock, “Let’s go for a walk, shall we?”Siabrey herself stirred quietly from bed about the same time.  Her arm instinctively had ensnarled itself around the softness of a pillow.  Her awake form, eyes still closed, for a second thought the warmth of the pillow was that of a body next to her... and she cooed slightly.  Then her eyes flickered open, and she let out another sigh.  He will be back... soon love... you will be back... she consoled herself, hoping somewhere, Lucius could hear her.Its hard... I can only imagine the deep voice of Kelir said in her head.  You have more important things to deal with right now, Siabrey...  there are thousands counting on you.“I know,” she answered back, aloud.  “I... I want to go after Luke... but I know I just can’t right now.”Do not worry... he will return, Kelir comforted her.  She gave another sigh, got up, and began to change.  It would be another long day... as undoubtedly more petitioners and nobles had filed in to replace those she had dismissed the night before...Tess by this point was already in the throne room, watching with a lazy, happy smile as the Chamberlain was taking down the names of the new petitioners, and telling old ones that their case had yet to be heard.  When she spotted Siabrey, she gave a wave, and the fighter, clad in royal robes yet again, swept by the gaggled mob towards her friend.“So?  Tess?” Siabrey gave her friend an enormous smile.  “Anything...”Tess cut her off with a nod and a lazy smile.“Tesseron Keldare!  I am so proud of you!” Siabrey laughed, and Tess’ smile went towards a friendly scowl.“It was my birthday!” she said haughtily, “I think I had the right to a little fun!  Besides, its not like its going to become an everyday occurrence, unlike some people I... oh,” her friendly rant ground to a halt as an uneasy subject came up.  Siabrey’s partial look of pain had already vanished; sleep had given her energy, and recharged her defenses.“I understand Tess, don’t worry about it,” Siabrey smiled.  “Still, I think I should inform Shaun of this...”“You wouldn’t dare!” Tess leaned forward, failing at an attempt to look menacing.  If he finds out I had fun with several courtesans last night... I won’t hear the end of it!“I wouldn’t?” Siabrey raised an eyebrow.  “Tell you what.  I won’t tell him, if you keep an eye on these jokers for me,” she motioned to the growing group of petitioners, now loudly complaining to the Chamberlain.  “I’m going to go check on the mage’s... make sure they didn’t stay up all night researching...”“I think I can keep these people in line,” Tess grinned, surveying the petitioners which were slowly making their way towards her.  One loud one, the same one that had harassed Tess the night before about his “three acres,” was in the lead.  Siabrey gave her a wink as she slipped out of the throne room.“Just like you kept those courtesans in line?” she asked, ducking away from Tess’ kick and out of sight.It was a fifteen minute walk through the colonnaded halls of hte palace before Siabrey was able to reach the Imperial library, where she expected to find most of the Court Mages conducting their research.  As several servants pulled open the great doors leading inside, she saw her prediction was right.Inside the massive chamber, scattered across numerous stalls and desks, were easily 60 or 70 men clad in the bright, showy robes of Court Mages.  About ten of them look up at the noise of the doors opening, and immediately stand as she entered the room.  Their eyes were deep red, from lack of sleep.  The others, indeed, were asleep.  The awakened ones looked at their sleeping fellows, and then back at her nervously, as if expecting a lecture.“Sit... sit sit sit,” Siabrey said, motioning for them to sit down.  “Be comfortable.  You’ve worked all night.  All I wanted to know was if you needed anything,” she asked simply.  After all, you are busting your brains trying to find out things for us about our enemy’s greatest weapon... the least I can do as the person in charge is make sure you’re taken care of.To her surprise, as she looked at each mage, they all shook there heads no... save the last one.“Majesty, if I may... I would like some breakfast,” the clean-shaven young man said.  The other nine, all clearly older, scowled at him in a fury, evidently thinking he’d arouse her ire by being so blunt.  Instead, Siabrey smiled, and motioned for a servant.“See to his request,” she said loud enough for the others to hear.  “Does anyone else require anything?”One by one, the others began putting in requests... breakfast, a drink, pillows, a magnifying glass (she wasn’t sure what this was, but she hoped one of the servants did), rest from research... to one smart aleck asking for a courtesan.  After each, even the smart aleck, she would motion for servants to go arrange the matter.  After the last waking request was taken care, she beamed with pride on seeing the mages now much happier (though still tired).  “Could you tell me where Aeron is?” she asked the clean shaven mage, who was now hungrily devouring a piece of bread.  He nodded, mouth too full to talk, and pointed to a sleeping form in a corner.She walked over, and with a gentle nudge woke him up from his slumber.  He turned with a scowl to see who had disturbed him, and jumped slightly when he saw her in regal finery.“Majesty,” he slurred out hurriedly, sleep still disturbing his tongue.  “I apologize for...”“Don’t worry!” she said soothingly.  “You all have worked hard.  I just came to see if you needed anything.”  She saw him give a large sigh of relief, and then slowly nod.“Rest... food and drink.  If the others here can get that, we can take a short break, and then resume searching much better.”“Then it shall be done,” Siabrey said simply, motioning for the servants to bring in a breakfast table, several jugs of wine, and some pillows and blankets.  “You all have worked hard... and I deeply appreciate that.”  Siabrey was still being her blunt self... she did appreciate their efforts.“Thank you, Majesty,” Aeron gave her a slight smile of thanks.“Shauny!” a voice, pleasant and singing in the rogue’s mind called.  He grinned, knowing it was Elenya’s.  His tired mind couldn’t place the voice as real or dreamlike... but nonetheless, he smiled.  The feeling of shaking on his arm pulled him into realizing the voice was real... and the light assaulting his eyes through closed lids made it seem real as well.“Augh!” he put a hand over his eyes to stop the pain, and with effort, rolled over onto his stomach, burying his face in a pillow.  The shaking hand grabbed his shoulder again.“Shauny!  Wake up!” Elenya’s voice said, not as pleasant... more insistent this time.“Why?” he murmured, his head seeming to thunder with pain with every heartbeat.  “It hurts.  I want to sleep!”“Shauny!  Wake up!  Wake up and take this!” Elenya now grabbed his shoulder, and heaved him onto his back.  “Take it, it’ll make the pain dull,” she said softer, and he felt the tip of a canteen or bottle being put on his lips, and a bitter, smelly fluid flowing into his mouth.  He had no choice but to swallow, and the liquid hit his stomach with a thump.  For a second, he felt like he would throw up, but then suddenly, the nausea and headache dulled, and he was able to open his eyes......seeing that Elenya’s were filled with worry and confusion.“You shouldn’t have drank so much,” Elenya said softly, running a hand along his head.  “I was worried for a bit you weren’t going to wake up for a long time.”  He turned his head slightly, and kissed the palm of her hand in thanks.“I just got carried away... that’s all,” he said quietly, hoping he hadn’t worried her too much.  Her eyes flashed, and a mischievous smile came over her lips.  “I’ve also been waiting to tell you something... namely Tess had some courtesan’s last night... thank me later after you’ve teased her,” Elenya grinned, clambering back out of the bed.  Shaun started laughing, and couldn’t stop, despite the pain it still gave his head.“I knew you’d like that tidbit,” she grinned, heading over towards the window.  “Maybe later today we can go for a walk through the gardens?” she suggested, heading towards the window.  Ideas were popping into his head, until he saw her face fall as she looked out.“Hon... what is it?  You see a ghost or something?”“Shaun... there’s lightning... lightning to the south...” she said uneasily.</blockquote>

Verification