I don't need no arms around me

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-14-2011, 10:10 AM

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Private. Backdated to April 8th, early morning.

Despite his stubbornness to accept that his shoulder was as bad as Enkiel made it out to be, Gabriel respected his healer enough to listen to his warning about pushing himself too far. His shoulder ached with each passing rainstorm, but the sky was clear today and while the air was still cool, it was comfortable. Enkiel had proven to be more productive than usual today, having finished one of his concoctions that was served with a small rabbit. While the jackal was not the most skilled hunter, he was capable. The Aquila had taken his pain medication with the meal, and was chewing on one of the thick bones that had been left from a deer.

Enkiel was somewhere inside, but it was a different noise that distracted him from his task at hand. Gabriel lifted his ears, then head, and looked towards the borders. The noise was not unfamiliar, for Gabriel had become accustomed to the sounds of horses. What surprised him was that the heavy noise of the draft horse he knew as his son was echoed by a second equally large body. The procession appeared from the tree line and Gabriel’s face twisted into an uncomfortable frown. He pushed himself up and made his way down the steps, looking none too happy.

Alaine Winters · 04-14-2011, 11:06 AM

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He had come the previous day, in a flurry of pounding hooves and concern. She had assumed that Ezekiel had returned for more tutelage, for although obedient to his duties in Inferni, he was a respectful pupil and came to her whenever the clan allowed. However, one look at the male's expression was all she needed to realise that something was wrong.

Gabriel, her heart said instantly, and she had reached Viggo before the youth had time to dismount, barking questions, Gabriel. And he had told her everything - the rockslide, the injury.

She wanted to leave immediately, wanted for Ezekiel to stay behind in Cour des Miracles and care for her children after she departed. He and his stallion were far too weary to make the trip back so soon. But Ezekiel would not allow her to go into Inferni territory without his accompaniment, and Alaine had made a wordless promise that she would only enter Gabriel's territory with his son to protect her. Under the assurance that the warrior-king was in no state of emergency, the colliewoman had allowed herself to be placated, and sent Ezekiel to rest in her chamber after caring for his chestnut colt.

Regardless, she did not sleep at all that night. When the following dawn came, the woman had prepared all of her essential healing equipment in several little sacks made from deer intestines, as well as stuffing full her own healer's satchel. The bags had all been tied to the saddle of the rotund mare waiting bridled in the front courtyard, and brief words had been given to the lovely pair who often offered to babysit for Alaine.

They set off in the strong morning light. The Apothecary had allowed Zeke to sleep well, and the pair made good time. They stopped at intervals to rest the horses and eat some of the strips of cured rabbit-meat that Alaine had brought and grab some quick snatches of sleep, before setting off again. By the break of morning on the following day, they had breached the skull border of Inferni, and were headed towards the heart of the murderland.

Nana was skittish, sensing Alaine's growing anxiety. She cantered with stiff legs, occasionally tossing large head to show her displeasure. The colliewoman sat strongly on her horse's back, well used to riding now, but her facade of calm was easily transparent to those that knew her well. Emerald eyes were weary and concerned, deepened by the shadows that stretched beneath them.

When Ezekiel pulled Viggo to a stop, Alaine did so hastily, and Nana chomped irritably and stomped her dinnerplate hooves. The woman calmed her mount with some gentle whisperings - She had been observing Zeke's interactions with his stallion, and although she did not know the language, she could mimic some of the tones.

They had stopped before an old building that was slowly being devoured by off-season vines. But the woman's emerald eyes saw none of these details - Only the crippled form at the front of the building. Her chest felt strangely tight, and she dismounted with a lithe leap. Leaving Nana's reigns to dangle, the Apothecary pulled at her satchel to settle it on one slender hip, before approaching the King. Ezekiel had warned her that Gabriel was unaware of his plans to fetch her, and that there was no way he would be pleased to see her in the heart of Inferni. But she could match him in stubbornness - Nothing would have stopped her from coming, eventually. "It is not your son's fault," She began in a firm voice, suppressing the want to feel every inch of him for injury, "I forced him to bring me."

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-14-2011, 11:16 AM

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Though most of his wounds were now healing, Gabriel certainly did not look as though he had been thrown off of a mountain. The only sign he gave, like a stubborn animal that would not admit its wounds, was in his weight—lifting it away from the bad shoulder, whose paw was lifted off the ground. He had not expected his son to return so quickly, and he had certainly not expected him to bring Alaine (even if he had allowed her passage). So the frown on his face did not change with her explanation, nor did he look to the boy. As if sensing his father’s irritation, Ezekiel made a nickering noise that drew the brown horse’s attention and made his way down the concrete road towards the barn.

Once he was certain the boy was out of earshot, Gabriel spoke. “I’m fine, Alaine.” He said flatly, amber eyes sharp. This was a lie, but he had a poor habit of hiding the truth from women, especially those whom he cared about. Other worries began to blossom in his mind, but he held his tongue.

Alaine Winters · 04-14-2011, 11:27 AM

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He bore a dark expression which warned her of a darker mood. But Alaine had never been a coward, and she was not frightened of Gabriel - He had saved her too many times to allow for that. The sounds of heavy hoof-falls alerted the colliewoman to Ezekiel's departure; She knew he would be loath to face his father's anger, and did not blame him for leaving. Thankfully, her Nana would be in good hands.

No further words were spoken until the Shadow-King voiced his own retaliation, a flat denial of her purpose in being here. But it fell on deaf ears - She was not the lead Apothecary of Cour des Miracles for nothing. Skilled eyes took in every movement, every single movement, and saw the injury that could not otherwise be seen. Anger welled up within her breast; Fight fire with fire. "It is a little late to take me for an idiot, Gabriel," Her tone was cold, but emerald eyes were portals to all the worry she had suffered since learning the news from his son. A deep surge of relief served to blanket some of that - He was clearly alive, and planning to stay so. But the woman was not so easily swayed.

She picked up the pouches she had pulled from Nana's saddle and hefted them over one shoulder, settling the strap for her satchel more comfortably between her breasts before meeting Gabriel's hard gaze again. "I assume you have a place for me to stay. I should like to speak with your healer, also - But that can wait until after I have examined you." She spoke in a breezy, brisk tone, risking his further fury by being so wily and bending his own rules. Emerald eyes did not avoid contact with burning amber, but held, daring him to refuse her.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-14-2011, 05:18 PM

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+3 ::So Gabriel is basically all "LOL WOMEN" right now about everyone. XD

Gabriel knew, almost as suddenly as she pierced his body with her odd eyes, that his ruse was something she would not accept. He had recognized her spirit the night they had met and conceived her children, and it still held respect within the warrior. This was why despite his irritation about the situation, he did not order her to leave. The Aquila had begun to suspect all women were inherently mad.

She had brought with her countless tools, and here he wished that he might be of use to carry something. Yet the frail collie was more hardy than she looked; Gabriel snorted bullishly at her impish tone and turned back towards the building. He walked with a limp. It was not as dramatic as one might suspect, as he was still capable of putting weight on his wounded side, but it was there none the less. He hated it. “You can stay with me,” he said, indicating that this was not a choice. Despite the copious space within the building, he feared retaliation from his daughter still.

The inside of the building was flanked by doors, but many had since been destroyed by time or thieves. Gabriel trailed down this hallway and towards the large central area, where he turned right and made his way into a room where a tattered blanket served as a door. It was not quite long enough to touch the floor, and bowed to the movement of the wolfish body that slipped through it. The inside of his temporary home lacked much comfort, but there was a day-bed under a grand bay window that lacked glass and a collection of books brought back from his den. “You know, my son has a bad habit of bringing home pretty girls,” he said suddenly, turning to face her. The window allowed the spring air to come into the room, and also gave a view of the forest behind the building and its decaying iron fence. “You best watch yourself, from what I gather he’s quite the charmer.” A bemused smile crossed his scarred face, teasing her gently. Ezekiel was young enough to be her son.

Alaine Winters · 04-14-2011, 08:41 PM

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that actually made me snort with laughter XD
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For a moment, the pair seemed to stare eachother down - Her grip tightened on the bag, producing white knuckles and a formidable hip-shot pose. Finally Gabriel gave his assent with a snort of derision, which Alaine knew covered up his irked submission rather well. As soon as the male turned, a smile bloomed on her pixie maw. She hastened after him, not wanting to be left standing alone in such a vulnerable area - Although the Aquila had assured her safety, she had little trust in the other members of his clan, and with good reason too.

His words carried back to her, an order by all reckoning. Alaine did not argue, knowing better than to push her luck here. A room on her own would increase her vulnerability tenfold, and besides, being in Gabriel's chamber allowed her much more access to the male to serve his ailments. Her footpaws were silent on the old wooden floor, emerald gaze wide and as owlish as her son's as they passed through a large open room that she assumed to be a common room of some sort, and then through a blanket into a smaller chamber. Although the room had a slightly musty smell, an open window allowed a fragrant and crisp air to waft in leisurely. Phosphorescent green looked to the forest of its own nature beyond, and she thought momentarily of her children, and the forest out the front of the Chien Hotel. They would be well, under the care of the babysitters. All would be well.

The sound of the male's rogue-ish, gravelly voice brought her attention to him again. As he spoke, the Apothecary moved to place her bags in one corner of the room, stopping only to allow a healthy laugh to swell from her throat. "Indeed, he is! Much alike his father, on occasion," She smirked, but it was not unkindly, "But never you fear. I am quite the catch myself, and not easily wooed by men with pretty smiles," She spoke fondly of Ezekiel, but jested at her own expense - A humble creature by nature, Alaine grinned broadly to show that she was being provocative.

The grin faded slightly, slipping to be replaced by a more serious look. There was a deep concern within her, for him and the injuries he had sustained. Perhaps this was only the beginning of the dark foreboding she had been feeling for so long. "May I have a look at your shoulder?" She kneeled appropriately, and gestured for him to come nearer.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-14-2011, 09:45 PM

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He caught a look of forlorn thought and wondered what had crossed her mind, but said nothing of the matter. Instead he smiled at the collie woman fondly, amused by her flirtation. It had been so long since a woman had given him such attention and Gabriel had to admit he found it entertaining. A dark eyebrow lifted in response to her own egomania, but his tail wagged behind him once.

Unfortunately, she was not here for his sole entertainment. Gabriel advanced slowly, settling onto his haunches. His exposed shoulder had begun to heal, and the stitches had since been removed. It was clear he was healing, but the muscle underneath was still sore and painful. The Aquila grunted and frowned sourly. “It’s a lot better now,” he argued lowly, hoping she would not make an ordeal out of what he hoped was nothing more than a bad, but temporary, injury.

Alaine Winters · 04-16-2011, 12:17 AM

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It seemed his irritation at her sudden appearance was quickly replaced with acceptance. Either Gabriel knew her well enough to realize that this was not an issue she would back down on, or he was simply to weary with recovery to argue the point any further. Their small jestings helped reassure the colliewoman that he was not overly angry by her unruly decision to come to him, but she was strong enough within her self to know that it would have made little influence on her decision even if he had been.

To her request, the Warrior-King sidled forward slowly before reclining to his haunches, giving the kneeling healer a good view of the wounded area. With fingers light and cool, skilled in their practice, and emerald eyes keen and professional, she proceeded to gently examine the area. A soft sound of awareness rebuked his grumbled argument, but the colliewoman did not speak until she had finished her brief examination.

She rocked back on her heels when done, appearing for a moment to wear the same hard mask that Enkiel had no-doubt perfected. It was a necessary detachment in their field of work, to be able to emotionally distance oneself from what thoughtful eyes observed. With a clear head, she could evaluate him - Otherwise emotions, the horrible terror of considering the damage that had been done to him and the reckless power of the rockfall, would hamper with her ability to reason.

"It is clean," She said slowly, appraising the work that the Infernian healer had done. The Apothecary doubted that she would have been able to do much of a better job, and was relieved by this, at least. "And it appears to be mending well." The words were muttered more to herself than to Gabriel, who no doubt had heard them before. "I will speak with your healer later, if you'll allow it," She was not so thick to defy his rule directly, not in this place, "And see that I am put in charge of your care for the duration of my time here." This was not a ploy for solitary control over his treatment, but more so that Alaine was aware of the immense amount of duties a healer had to care for a whole pack, and Gabriel's care had undoubtedly been hampering most of that.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-16-2011, 11:55 PM

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Even though he was not a full fledge medic, Gabriel was used to treating broken bones and displaced shoulders. He had hoped his own injury would be simple like these, but Enkiel had warned him to focus on healing and not been forward with his true thoughts. There was something about the wound he did not like, for the medicine that it took to deal with the wounds under the flesh were far beyond his grasp. Silently, he let her touch him and examine what she needed to see, and eyed her with the same suspicion he had Enkiel.

“You can find him further down the hall,” he said of the healer, motioning with his nose. He had no doubt that Ezekiel would warn the jackal, for the pair had become close since his son’s return. Still, Enkiel was not the type to overreact to anything. If the collie woman found herself surprising the boy, he would likely be as cool and collected as a serpent. It was one of his less charming qualities. “I can’t keep you here forever,” Gabriel added after her offer was made, his voice softening slightly. “You have obligations beyond some old warrior that isn’t even from your home.” A small smile came with this, though his eyes were dark with some unspoken concern.

Alaine Winters · 04-19-2011, 11:32 AM

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His gruff directions to the location of the healer were taken with a light nod as the woman mentally stored the information away for later use. She was weary from the trip with Ezekiel, and now that her worries had been temporarily sated with the examination, the tiredness was allowed to seep back into her flesh.

The Apothecary did not, however, miss the strange glint in the King's amber eyes as he spoke of her other duties. She allowed herself to wonder momentarily if he thought of her connection to the dog-pack and her inability to remain with him here, in the land of blood-shed and hard angles, or whether he thought of her connection to the children - their children. Both were binds that would eventually drag her away from him again, a fate she had accepted before setting out.

There was no simple explanation for the strange surge of desperation and dismay that came over her at his declaration. Would he seek to keep her, if he could? If their worlds were not so different? The heaviness drooped her shoulders slightly. Seeking a more comfortable skin, the woman rested her weight on bipedal knees and shifted into her quadruped form, giving the ruler no response but silence. Arching her canine spine and fluffing out a graceful tail, the collie yawned widely.

"I would take a nap now, may it please you," Leaving the previous sentiments hanging in the air between them, she smiled to the dark male; a world-weary smile, far older than the once youthful prettiness of her face. Emerald eyes travelled to his makeshift bed, and then back. "I assume your clan would be dismayed if I were to share your bed," A dark humor stirred in her words. He had defied the beliefs of his people to be with her, twice now. It seemed silly that real sleep with him would make her more nervous than the form of mateship it inferred.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-20-2011, 05:40 PM

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It was not simply their chosen lands or obligations that kept them apart, but a greater and more distant chasm of opposing natures. He was cruel and war-like, and she soft and gifted with healer’s hands. Unless they were capable of existing outside of these things they would forever be apart—the sun and the moon chasing each other for those few brief and beautiful moments where they overlapped. Dynamically opposed, they could only run and hope for moments like these, as few and far between as they were.

With their intimacy, he did not feel it improper to watch the transformation as many did. She was sleek and elegant in all shapes, and the view pleased him. Likewise, her sardonic formality brought a smile to his dark face. Lifting his head in a show of authority, he limped over to the bed and leapt into it gingerly, careful to land on his good shoulder. “Oh, perhaps,” he answered her, turning and settling on the piles of blankets and furs. “But it is Gabriel who leads Inferni, so Gabriel may share his bed with whomever he wishes.” Arrogance; he felt the scar on his muzzle tingle slightly, as if reminding him of the fault. He dismissed it for the time being, wagging his tail suggestively at the collie who had forced her way into his home.

Alaine Winters · 04-26-2011, 04:44 AM

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There was no freedom within them - A choice that she might have made was a closed door before her now. He had saved her from death and from hell, from Lugh in the shape of a man with burning blue-fire eyes. And she, in return, had showed him softness and healing. For the chaotic merging and ferocious passion of an eclipse, they had known each other in the rawest form, and that sort of opening left chasms deep within the mortal soul. Regardless of her inability to be with him, as once a girl might have dreamed, Alaine felt the spider-web bindings between her own ashen heart and that of the Warrior-King. It was more than respect - The shadow of love, cast long and lean in a dawn that would never break.

His voice, deep and gravelly, stirred with the pride that was befit of the magnificent Ruler. To her, the scarred and humble pagan witch, he was Gabriel - He was Amber-Eyes. Her smile flickered to life like a coaxed candle flame, and the woman found herself laughing haughtily at her arrogance. "May he just?" Her bemused purr found life in lyrical voice, and warm emerald eyes laughed across at the reclining male. "Is mian leat do cad nach féidir leat a bheith. But who am I to deny a King?" Her silky plume wagged once, and the tiredness what had stretched her features lean regressed, revealing a mysterious mirth within her mineral eyes. The collie was quick to join him, and his warmth was pleasant and all-encompassing. Within, she knew it would not last forever. Time was moving on, and the eclipse was passing.

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