Men who play games of war and soldiers born from circumstance...
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Scroll 04 : 07
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Heavy wooden doors are opened for him as Kso’ppghiel returns to the Queen’s chamber, finding her quickly as she lays on her terrace. The blonde immediately kneels to her front, white eyes lowered in mock subordination. Io’fayl smiles as she leans forward, speaking the stream of words that will allow the mask free. The metal clinks in her hands as she places it off to the side, fingers returning to lift her Harbinger’s head in order to pull his gaze to her. For all the trouble, she is still very pleased with how he is coming along. Eventually he will outrank even Mithghiiel in her mind. “My Queen…” Kso’ppghiel hides the force required to say the words, speaking softly. “I wish to begin taking on my duties as your Harbinger but I have not fought in months, I am weak and desire training. I would request that I be trained by your Captain, as he and I are similar in skill and he knows your law and expectation best.” The smile on Io’fayl’s lips grows wider as she slides herself closer, the Queen’s lips grazing the man’s at her front while he continues fighting with himself simply to stay where he is. The only lips he wants touching him are that of the Captain’s but he knows that in order to gain this desire, he will have to remain still. “I will allow this.” She smiles as she continues brushing her own mouth against his, “Because you please me Kincaid.”
 The very instant the blue feathered creature reaches out to touch at the wood of Bal’thial’s door they are swung open, a squeak of surprise slipping into the hall when a clawed hand yanks him inside. Taloned feet click noisily against cold marble as Sav’real stumbles forward, turning around in time to greet the white haired man’s back as the doors are shut quickly again. The tall Captain turns around and moves swiftly forward to scoop the small creature up, blue wings flapping as he’s spun once before being dropped on the plush bed as amused laughter fills the entire room. Bal’thial hops up on the edge a moment later while Sav’real is trying to right himself, metal adornments chiming and wet braided plaits spilling down his back as he sinks partially into soft bedding while the widest of smiles remains painted on full lips. “I would kiss that pretty beaked face of yours my friend, but I would not want to give you the wrong idea.” Sav’real blinks, taking a moment to simply take in how… happy the Captain looks. “That’s ok, really, cross-species isn’t my idea of a good time.” He situates himself on the bed, smoothing some ruffled feathers. “You’re glowing, man. I knew he came to talk to you, cause he scared the crap out of me outside your door, but I didn’t think it’d go… well. It did go well? I’m assuming. I want details.” He demands. “It went well… eventually” Bal’thial chuckles softly while sitting back and crossing his legs to his front. “But I am not a man to kiss and tell.” Sav’real freezes in mid movement, serpentine blue eyes widening as they turn to the Captain’s mismatched gaze while he’s leaning forward to rest strong arms on both his knees. “The less you know, the safer you will be.” He smirks. “but you can say that we have reached an understanding of sorts, the Queen’s chosen and I.” “Uh huh…” Sav’real smiles smugly. “I knew she didn’t have him. But I’m glad he’s still… himself and not her puppet. And seeing you happy after these past few weeks is a nice change too. But considering that, I can already guess what your ‘understanding’ is as I don’t think you’d be this happy if it was just a ‘let’s be friends’ conversation.” He snorts to himself, these creatures are so easy to read. “I’m obviously not going to say anything, but realistically, how can you possibly pull it off? She’ll know the instant you two look at each other then she’ll be in the market for both a new Captain and Harbinger.” Bal’thial’s expression begins to straighten and he sighs. “This… I know it all too well and it was discussed. I do not want him in danger and so I will continue doing what my duty dictates as I have been doing for the last thirty odd years. I will not allow my emotions to be present while I am before her just as I would not any of my men because the price for slipping is greater than any I am willing to pay.” More so than anyone he knows the full measure of his Mistress’s anger and how hard her hand can be when she feels she has been wronged. He will never do anything to subject the Harbinger to it or risk him simply because he couldn’t keep himself contained. “He has said he understands this and I am in hopes that he truly does.” “I really don’t think he’d ever knowingly do anything to give our Queen the upper hand.” Sav’real can only hope Kso’ppghiel does truly understand what all of them would be faced with if her wrath was provoked. The fact that he’s Mithghiiel’s son only worsens the potential outcome, she will not be scorned twice. “But will he really continue to comply with her wishes? You know what she does with her Harbingers, as does he by now. She’ll have her hands all over both of you. I’m just glad she doesn’t go for my kind, that’d be kinda gross.” He snorts. “And what about his father? If he ever finds out, and then if he finds out you knew the whole time. I can’t see that going over well. Or worse, what if she tells him about his father?” “I have thought of this the entire time he has been within these walls…” the Captain says quietly. “I am torn between my loyalties to our Queen and those to my heart… my only hope is that when the time comes he will understand. He is not ready to face that knowledge, nor is he skilled enough to take her on. Anger has carried him far, but as he has found time and time again, it has meant little when compared to her wants and desires. He needs training, and discipline and time to hone his skills. I feel that if he tries now, just as he has tried to face her, I will witness him come to an end such as Tir’snin…” Shaking his head, Bal’thial sits back enough to straighten. “I do not want to lose him this way. Perhaps when he finds out he will not be able to forgive me for having knowledge the entire time, but I would take his hatred to his death any day.” And as much as he would prefer neither, so long as the other man remains living he will accept whatever comes from this in the end. Another sigh slides free of full lips as the Captain pulls a hand away from his knees and slides clawed fingers up to push at braided strands. “You are lucky indeed that our Mistress does not desire your kind… I have never cared much who she has taken or when, myself included until now and I know this will most likely become …difficult.” “I’ll say.” Sav’real smirks. “I’ve never seen you care about anyone like that. She’s going to take you both in front of the other, it’s only a matter of time because it’s what she does. If Kso’ppghiel can get enough of her attention, she might leave you alone in favor of pretending he’s Mithghiiel, but that only means she’ll be on him more.” He shakes his head. “Considering how possessive he is of those swords, I can see him being pretty possessive of someone he cares for and he has little discipline when it comes to holding that kind of emotion in. If this lasts, there is going to be a time where you’re going to have to chose ether him or her and if you choose him you better be prepared for a nasty fight. Like I said before, I want you to follow your heart and if it’s with him, I couldn’t choose a better person for you, but I like you alive.” “I enjoy living as well.” Bal’thial laughs lightly despite the fact that the smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “I know the issues we will face and I am prepared for them. It will not be easy, true, but so long as we are careful…” the Captain’s mismatched gaze slides up to meet serpentine blue and he smirks softly. “I suppose it truly would have been better if my interest had been as superficial as I had believed… but no matter the outcome of this, I cannot and will not regret my actions. I feel for him as I have felt for no other and his smile alone is enough to give me strength to face the dangerous waters that lie ahead.” Not only face them, but make them so completely worthwhile.
The entire time it takes casual footfalls to bring Bal’thial to his Queen’s chambers, he spends it working to distance both mind and emotion from what he knows will be waiting for him when he arrives. For days there has been little word from his Mistress and not one aside from the stationed guard has seen much of her and even less of the Harbinger himself. His nights have been restless and far too often he’d lie awake staring at the high ceiling above while he worked to purge the knowledge of what was most likely happening in the level just above and his days had been spent training both himself and his men and tending to his normal duties in his attempts to keep his mind from wandering as it’s trying to do just now. But he is both weathered and trained in more ways than one, and as he’d told Sav’real days prior, he will not allow a slip of his emotions to jeopardize a man he’s been longing to see so he forces his thoughts into stillness by the time he’s reached the end of the winding hall. The distance and coldness shifts into his mismatched gaze as the doors are opened before him, and he moves past towards the pair and bows his head to the floor. “You called, Mistress?” he questions quietly as he stops in the center of her room, not daring even a quick glance up. Io’fayl smiles as she rises from the foot of her bed, running her fingers along her Harbinger’s spiral curved horn before moving towards her Captain. “And you come as always, my dear Captain.” Fingers move forward, claw tips lifting Bal’thial’s head to pull his gaze up to hers before trailing down the front of his tunic. “It seems my Harbinger would like to begin his duties. I feel it would be best if you help prepare him for this. He is weak from lack of training, his body no longer conditioned as it was. I need this remedied and quickly. I would like you to provide him with daily training as opposed to discipline…” Her smile turns slightly wicked. “Though you are to be an extension of my hand of he should not follow your orders. He is allowed one sword and the mask is to stay.” The tall Captain returns the slightest of smiles as mismatched eyes remain locked with pupiless rust and delicate fingers trace idly along the contours of his tunic wrapped skin. “As you wish, my Queen. The extension of your hand will be just.” His words pull an amused smirk to Io’fayl’s lips and Bal’thial makes a mental note to commend the other man once they are alone for finding a way to put this in motion as he’d said he would all those days ago. “Kincaid…” She calls to her Harbinger without removing her eyes from the one before her. Kso’ppghiel sneers at the name beneath his mask, standing and grabbing his sword off the bed before walking towards the pair. White eyes avert themselves from the two as the Queen uses her grip on Bal’thial’s tunic to pull him forward, her lips dancing over his briefly before they meet in a soft kiss, her other hand traveling to the waistline of his pants. The clanking of metal enchantments as the Harbinger shifts, visibly annoyed pulls her back and she steps away from the Captain to give her attention to the one behind. Finger tips run playfully over the ridges of spiral horns as she’s walking away. “Your jealous fits amuse me, Kincaid.” A knowing amusement shifts through blue and green eyes that is quickly lost at his Queen’s words while she continues away from them both and Bal’thial can practically feel the second sneer being given from beneath the metal that bars the lower half of the blonde’s face. He almost wants to laugh at the joke only two in the room are privy to, but knows better than to even dare as he keeps his face a constant mask that doesn’t give the slightest thing away. Pupiless white eyes turn to meet his gaze and the pair lingers for the briefest of moments before the white haired Captain turns and motions towards the closed double doors. “Move.” He says flatly “I have more duties to attend to this day than coddling our Queen’s chosen.” A light laugh resonates out behind them from Io’fayl’s lips and Kso’ppghiel narrows his eyes at the sound before moving past the stationary man at his side. The doors close behind them as they exit, both men walking in reserved silence a good distance apart from each other as they head down to the Captain’s chambers to pick up his sword. The air between them is thick as they fight to ignore the other until they finally reach the door to his room. As it opens, Bal’thial shoves the Harbinger roughly in, slamming the door behinds them to keep up appearances. Once inside however, the Captain pulls him close and whispers the words to remove the mask before tossing the metal off to the side as they meet in a near violent kiss.
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