#arrowbound

THEY TOSSED HER INTO A CELL and her back hits the wall with a THUD. Legs quiver before giving out, the power to stand fading away as she slid down the COLD, HARD, concrete wall. Arms are bound with a pair of handcuffs, only allowing minor movements as to make sure she doesn’t escape that easily. They CUT into her wrists-- but the pain, she can bear. The only thing on her mind right now is to look for an opening, something she could use to FREE herself from not only these cuffs but from the cell as well.

Brown hues shoot towards her left side, a FIGURE rests in the corner of an opposite cell, a person she does not recognize. However, she cares very little for the other person’s WELL-BEING, right now she could only focus on herself and plot her own ESCAPE. She hadn’t any time to DRAG another person along-- they would only SLOW her down.

    “ Well met, Zero. ” A polite utterance of words elicits past her lips in mere acknowledgement just before she draws her blade back into her sheath, causing a light shing! to resound through the  THICK  veil of night. By then, it was already getting late and Sayuri supposed that she should cut her training to a close today, especially now that a certain archer appeared in her nearby vicinity.

The briefest dusting of sunlight filters through drawn curtains; an early morning haze falling upon the prince. As per usual, Leo and early hours remain in constant opposition. With a small groan, despite the fact that for once he had remain unconscious through most of the night - he forces himself to an awaken state. Blurred and unfocused, lazy hands rub at his own eyes, a pounding pain in his skull - and he can't quite remember what occurred. 

Something metallic brushes against his own face as he lays and ponders - and oh. At once the vital events of the day before rush in, his cheeks flushing red in remembrance. The fluttering in his chest is odd, unfamiliar - as he places his hands over his chest, ring directly over his own heart. 

                                    Alex takes great, possessive strides to make sure after every clash of blades, every brimstone laden conflict that DAMPENS the earth with blood ––– that the other isn’t scathed too much ( it’s been like this since Mercer insisted he LIVE ). The residential PLAGUE chimera made it crystal clear and obvious his quiet attachment. “You didn’t get into too much trouble when we got split up, did you?” There’s a moment of brief, experimental TENDERNESS as he notes debris in snowy hair ( as bright as the moon herself ) and almost, almost goes to brush it away, calloused hand dropping back to his side in a RESISTING fist before gazing at the blood on Zero’s temple ( mildly concerned if it’s his or someone else’s, the latter would delight him ). He has his own thin gash across his cheek ––– but that all heals after he’s fed, of course. “Thank god you’re FANTASTIC with close combat as well, I met an archer before who was shit when anyone came close in melee. A real sitting duck. He didn’t last long.”

SHOT AN ARROW THROUGH YOUR HEART                     STOPPED YOUR BREATH WITHOUT A THOUGHT

“Zero.” He’s often not above asking Zero to do particular task that may or may not involve uncomfortable matters. Rather, uncomfortable matters for anyone but Zero himself. Regardless, as he gave forth his attention to his retainer, Leo prompted himself to be upfront about the task at hand. “I have a job for you. It’s come to my attention that I’ve been tailed as of late. I dare say someone is trying to find out a particular secret of mine. Do you mind taking care of it?”

Oh how people love to meddle and find out secrets. It’s a currency highly valued by the right kind of crowd. His would be too high priced, should it be found out. It’s why he has to be careful where he treads. 

For a moment, Leo lets out a sigh. It’s rare for him to let loose but he is with another whom he trust explicitly. His shoulders slump and he has to wonder how long this will continue on. Not that is against the relationship he’s formed but the secrecy of it all is...taxing. 

book starters | accepting.

                   They’d been listening to battle plans, war strategies, deliberate pushes from the enemy. Mercer quietly samples the hot, BITTER tea, how he likes it best. “Isn’t that how wars always start and continue?” he states quietly, head canted like an interested animal, setting down the tome he had in his grasp ( keeping busy was ABSOLUTELY necessary at all times for a restless mind, even forgoing sleep that wouldn’t come ). The mere thought of DISCORD brings unbidden memories back, moments barefoot, with feet in mud thickened by the COAGULATION of blood. He can’t remember where he started, no origin, so many years of aggressive pacing in captivity before freedom into Nohr’s grasp ( a living CHIMERA with such taint is a weapon to be forced into someone else’s will; but not here ).  

                 Alex is suddenly reminded how FRAGILE humans are and eyes linger on the sleek shine of a scar on Niles’ collarbone, receding into the velvety blue cloak, blue he loves        so much ( so much that he could join the stars in their LIMITLESS beauty and bright splendour, no matter the shade; prussian, midnight, cobalt, ultramarie ). The same as his eyes, the same sheen of silver in his damp hair when Mercer held him STEADFAST in the river to clean his wounds on that awful day. He almost lost him. Almost. He could lose him again without telling him. It would leave a sore in his chest on SEEPING, VILE cracks in a false, mallory heart he wove. “We aren’t that different       us,” Alex continues, calloused fingertips tracing worn leather. Niles and him had a lot in common, including the crippling fear of ABANDONMENT and REJECTION, as well as the self loathing. Alex pushed people away, if there was no one who favored him, there was no chance of getting hurt. He acted defensively, making sure other saw him as destructive, dangerous, and foul, just as the archer did. Men who had seen too much.

                  He didn’t bother praying to GODS for anyone to protect people he held dear, because gods were useless, they didn’t exist. If they did, people like Niles and Alex would never have had to SUFFER. Things would have been better ( they wouldn’t have become so damaged ). Alex would have been human and his mind would have been at peace, he wouldn’t have to hide under so many cloaks and hoods. Niles would have had a better upbringing and a real family, an unscarred body. But they wouldn’t have known each other had any KISMET been altered. 

                  The book makes a soft thump as it rests on polished wood and beastly monster made man leans closer to Niles. “Petty wars are stupid,” he hisses softly. “Those little differences tear people apart and cause so much LOSS. I don’t forget what they did to you that day and I will ensure that nothing will get past me to you in order to continue PROTECTING Prince Leo.” But pale hand comes to trace that scar from earlier. Fierce pupils constricting, focusing there, icy blue drowning out the pitch black. “But especially you, Niles.”