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Fri Apr 05, 2019 5:33 pm
![]() | WARNING: This thread contains material exceeding the general board rating of PG-13. It may contain very strong language, drug usage, graphic violence, or graphic sexual content. Reader discretion is advised. |
Sun Apr 07, 2019 3:50 pm
Aldora finished putting her extremely long and heavy mane into thick braids, hanging somewhat pendulous off the back of her head. It really was starting to get out of hand, but as long as she could put it away like this, should could not bear the thought of cutting it.
The Lionheart had just bathed, and was sitting at the old vanity in her room, looking at herself in the dingy and cracked mirror it sported. On her face was set hard lines, for she was preparing herself for the confrontation to come. She was going to speak to Eros about his recent transgressions.
She had been putting this off for far too long, and she had told herself that it was out of love that she had done so. But now she could no longer ignore her duty to her brother and her pack; Eros has attacked Theo at the ball Cours des Miracles had hosted, and had not yet made the necessary steps to absolve himself of his crime. She intended to make sure that now he did.
Taking a deep breath and then letting it out slowly, Aldora stood and then exited her and her father’s home, and headed towards the Courthouse. She had gone over what she was going to say to him again and again in her mind, practiced the tone of voice, the way she would posture, to make him realize that this was serious stuff.
Confidently, she headed down into the basement that held various pack-member’s quarters, and strode straight to his door. She knocked loudly, Eros, it’s Aldora. She nearly shouted, just in case he was sleeping.
No answer.
Her brow furrowed and she knocked again, Eros?; still no answer. Trying the door revealed it to be unlocked; she peeked inside and found it empty.
Swinging the door open fully, she huffed as she surveyed the empty room, and then was about to leave when something caught her attention. Something here was off; that earthy smell of the outside world was fresh, and the room left as if it had never been lived in, not even a wrinkle on the bed-covers. She stared at it a bit longer, her furrowed brow changing into an full-on scowl, and she shut the door. Eros was gone, and Aldora feared, for good.
She had to chase him down, she could not let him go, not like this.
Aldora would be able to track him; it would be difficult because he had disguised his scent and had probably moved quickly, but she could track him.
And track him she did; out of the Fort, out of Casa, into Halifax. Aldora’s scent was also somewhat hidden because of her recent bath, but the keen nose could still reveal her to be of Casa. She had taken the time to grab her bow and a knife, just in case, but other than that, as long as she kept a low profile, no one should bother her.
Halifax was dangerous, especially at night. Seedy vagrants and criminals frequented this place, but also just regular travelers and those looking for trade. It was still relatively quiet, as spring had not fully come, and so many remained south of ‘Souls until the weather warmed.
Aldora followed her brother’s trail to what seemed to be a tavern of sorts; she could smell the stench of alcohol nearly a mile away. She remained in the darkness of the trees, lavender gaze searching for a red pelt. Luckily it was easy to find.
Eros stood near a tree, speaking to a gray female with dyed blue hair. The Lionheart hesitated moving forward and confronting him, instead, she trained her ears to their words, filtering out the sounds of the bar and other Luperci.
Mon Apr 15, 2019 4:33 pm
Mon Apr 15, 2019 4:56 pm
She felt her mouth grow dry as she listened to their conversation. She was no fool, she knew what was happening here. In her chest, anger and hurt built to a head. If Aldora had not been a stronger wolf, the wolf she had recently become, she may have exited and returned back to the Fort defeated and stabbed in the heart.
But with age came strength, even if that strength meant facing head on the villain her blood-kin was. She had hoped against hope that Eros was starting to turn around, to tap into a part of himself she had sworn was there. The words that left his cream lips basically shattered any hope she had created.
No longer caring if he saw her or not, Aldora stood fully, staring at him. His female companion noticed her immediately, and their conversation, their deal, complete, she was quick to leave. Eros’ face did not give away any surprise when looked at his siter, and once the female left to enter the bar, he strode up to the Lionheart confidently, a small smirk on his face.
As he approached, Aldora slowly crossed her arms over her ample chest, the well-defined muscles of her archer arms bulging. His face quickly turned sour, though he wrapped an arm around her shoulder as to not draw any unwanted attention to them.
His closeness hurt her again, like one of his sharp daggers to her heart, but she remained composed, her lips iron-tight as he tried to placate her would-be fury.
He also, in hushed tones, made it abundantly clear that he was unhappy that she had followed him.
Lavender eyes, usually soft like a spring blossom, turned vicious with venom as she looked into her brother’s golden gaze. She kept silent, her expression saying more than any words could. Even if she wanted to say something, to yell at him, she knew it would do no good. She had already tried those tactics, and they did not work on the fiery pelted male.
The sharpness in her gaze finally melted away into sadness; if she could cry, she would, and she knew he would be able to see that in the way her body changed. Her dominant posture disintegrated, and she shrugged off his arm, and turned her back to him.
It was all pretend… wasn’t it? She said, not looking at him, You don’t care about Casa, or your family… you don’t care about me.
She looked at him, dead-pan, save for the anguish and utter disappointment in her eyes, I should have never trusted you.
Sat Apr 20, 2019 1:33 pm
Thu Apr 25, 2019 3:13 pm
He was silent for just a moment, and for that moment Aldora believed her might just wave her off. That would prove it.
But he didn’t, instead, he said with a resolve she had never heard before, that he had not lied to her. Aldora turned and looked him, her lavender gaze searching his face for any hint of dishonesty, and found none. Her flattened ears chanced to erect themselves as he continued to speak, and admitted that he did care about her and about their family. Once again, he seemed sincere, and she knew him well enough to realize how difficult of a confession that was.
The Knight woman was about to smile, her broken tail itched to wag, but then he retreated back into himself and suggested she leave, that it was not safe for her here, as if she was some child.
Her previous slight forgotten, and a new one emerging, she glowered at him again. Not safe for me? She said, and then quickly and without warning, drew her bow, knocked an arrow, and fired just over Eros’ shoulder.
There was a gasp and a ‘thonk’ as the arrow hit a nearby tree, behind which a male dog had been standing for quite some time. Aldora had noticed him at the same time she had arrived, and would have not worried about him had he not lingered and then followed Eros and Aldora further away from the bar. Maybe he had just been eavesdropping, but she kept an eye on him, even during her emotional confrontation with her brother. Not soon after Eros had started to speak did Aldora notice the stranger pull a knife, clumsily so, his eyes trained on the red-furred man.
Clearly, Eros had enemies, and he dared to assume that it was she that was unsafe. Her point had been made, that arrow could have easily gone into the would-be assassins eye-socket instead of the bark of the tree; he was quick to high-tail it out of there.
Aldora gave Eros a hard look, We’re family, we watch each other’s back, right? But we also don’t put ourselves in situations where we could get killed - there’s a reason we choose to be in a pack, so that we have support and back up.
Aldora crossed her arms again, Eros, you obviously have skills that are in high demand; why offer them to this riff-raff? The members of Casa needs you to work for them, for us… what did you come here hoping to gain that the pack can’t give you ten-fold?
Thu May 09, 2019 4:21 pm
Thu May 09, 2019 5:28 pm
She saw the way Eros moved towards the tree, the way he hadn’t reacted to her nearly firing an arrow right into his face, the way he drew his knife. He knew what he was doing, he was very good at what he did, but that did not make him any less of a fool.
Aldora had to keep from letting out an exasperated sigh as he tried to justify his choices; hollow justifications in her mind. But she listened, as he said now they knew Casa was involved due to her scent. She slung her bow back over her shoulder casually, I don’t think we have anything to worry about. She said matter-of-factly. Maybe that was pride, but it wasn’t misplaced; Aldora had seen Casa’s might in their battle against the Syndicate; she had little doubt they would be able to handle anything a band of assassin loners had to throw at them.
At his mention of Casa’s paying attention only to packs and not caring about loners, she made a face. There are few packs now. She said softly, and then, looking thoughtfully to the side, I don’t disagree with you on that, Eros. I think perhaps Casa is a little bit old-fashioned in that regard; it’s obvious that loners are more organized than they may have been in the past. She said this while gesturing to the bar, glowing some ways away in the tree-line. The sound of raucous laughter, and general conversation, could be heard; this was more than just a makeshift watering hole; there was commerce happening here, camaraderie, organization of a kind never associated with loners.
The Lionheart crossed her arms again when Eros stated that Casa wouldn’t work out for him, that eventually he’d go back to this life, I believe that would be a mistake. She said, then turned to him again and put a hand on his shoulder, You sell yourself too short, brother. And I think maybe you think Casa is more restrictive than it is. You could be our line to the loners, someone of great importance. Is that something that even remotely interests you? She asked.
Sat May 11, 2019 11:05 am
Sat May 11, 2019 1:24 pm
Eros was growing, she saw it happening before her very eyes. Already he had changed so much, in the past he would have not allowed her to touch him so familiarly for so long. But now, he even reciprocated by placing his hand on her own gently, physical confirmation of Casa’s influence on him, of her influence on him.
It was a metamorphosis that she knew was especially painful for the male who had lived the majority of his life like a leaf on the wind; going wherever he will and doing whatever he please.
When he finally admitted his reasoning for coming to Casa di Cavalieri, the child in her wanted to shout ‘I KNEW IT!’ but instead she just smiled warmly at him, her lavender eyes bright with pride and joy, Being a pack wolf is in our blood, but so is messing shit up. You’ve heard the tales of our grandfather Zalen; he somehow managed to run an entire pack while being especially feral and often make choices that many thought to be inappropriate for an Alpha.
He was willing to try, and that was all that mattered. Aldora knew her brother enough to know when he put his mind to something, he could achieve it. Maybe not with as much grace or civility as others in the pack of knights, but sometimes it took someone who had no problem getting their hands dirty to get the job done.
Aldora slid her hand from under his and clapped him on the shoulder, You are a sneaky little thing, you get that from grandpa too, but maybe even better since you’re basically on fire all the time. She chuckled, I’m okay with you still taking contract, Eros, but maybe not ones that require you to kill people? Or steal? Or do anything that there’s no reason for you to. She suddenly moved towards the bar, out of the darkness of the trees, How about a drink? Maybe we can discuss ‘contracts’ that may help out Casa, and the loners, hm? She grinned.