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Darkseeker
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His hand stilled at her request, eyes lifting up towards her face. Except their were halted by the shiny metal around her neck. His breathing hitched, his hand lifting for a second. Lips opening to speak and then he was struck into the stomach. He doubled over, grunting, hands flying to his midsection. His eyes blown wide, the pain was there but hardly present in his mind. There's no possibility. It's stolen. Deryn's head snapped up as she began to call out for help. She was writhing just ahead of him. Silvesse threw her head back in frustration, slamming a paw down onto the earth beside them. Would you stop her screaming? It is irritating. The female, slashed her tail, striking a tree without flinching. The oak creaked and groaned, a heavy dent in the side. Deryn didn't even glance in his dragons direction, much to her dismay. Her eyes wided and the pupils snapped into slits. Are you listening?! She seethed. Absolutely not. He reached forwards, hand landing beside her. He scrambled to get back on top of her. His free hand moving to lift the goggles up to sit on top of his head, scrunching up the hair. Dirt marred the skin beneath in dusty splotches. Deryn grasped at her arms as she tried to grip the roots of the trees. He needed to look again. He didn't believe himself. Deryn fought to twist the woman back towards him, his brown eyes flashing with recognition. His heart dropped. This...This was bad. Conflicting emtions made his chest rise and fall rapidly as he stared down at her. She was still struggling and she was doing it well. Silvesse watched from beside them, bewildered by her rider's actions. What was he doing? He was never this sloppy. That's why she picked him. "Would you just," He grunted, losing grip on her arm. "Good Gods, please just," Deryn flinched as a stray arm almost clocked him on the temple. "Would you stop!" He raised his voice, overwhelmed. His chest still heaving, he regained his hold on her arm. He reached back for his rope, still battling her, he began to tie her wrists together. If successful, he would move to her legs. He couldn't let them know he cared about her. |
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Neutral
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She could get away, she knew she could if she just pushed a bit more. Her golden hair now covered in dirt and grime, her clean fingernails digging into the soil. Her dress ruined by the debris below her as sticks and roots pulled at the seams. The dragon had not seemed to make a move to kill her, maybe she was commanded not to, so she used the opportunity to run. Her tired arms pulled her up over a root just as the dragon's tail slashed against the oak tree. Adalia paused, covering her head with her arms, as bark shot through the air, the tree groaning as it began to bend.
Adalia was covering quite the ground before she felt the grip of the man on her skin once again. “Get off!” She growled, trying to thrash her body from his grip. The slick soil below made it impossible to gain traction. The man used his legs to scramble on top of her once more, his sheer weight and size holding the upperhand. Adalia fought against each twist and thrash but her body was growing weak, she was not used to this much stamina drain. Her breath was ragged as she clawed at the man, paying no mind to his now visible face.
She was in a fight or flight mindset, her hands thrashing as her palm collided with his cheek, a sharp slap emitting through the air. “Let me Go!” She screamed, as her slick skin began to loosen from his grip. In her mind she continued to encourage herself, pushing herself to the limits to reach freedom. She was almost there, her body sliding from under his form.
“Would you stop!” The man said, a cold chill shooting down the spine of the girl below. Her body stopped thrashing as her wide, blue orbs looked up to the bare face before her. She couldn’t recognize him at the moment, hell the last time she had seen her old friend was when they were small babes. Her brows furrowed as he grabbed her wrist to keep her from hitting him, the man’s chest heaving as he looked down to the familiar face. “Don't you dare!” She said through struggling breaths as he pulled his rope out to restrain her. Of course she did not give an easy fight. It took a few moments of her eyes scanning his features. His eyes, she could see his eyes now with the slight flicker of flames. “Deryn….” She said almost silently as her body stiffened. Was it true? Was this her old friend before her, with a dragon… “Get off of me” she finally said, using the little strength she had left to push his body from hers. “What in the Good Gods are you doing? Rampaging?” She spat, her soft eyes filled with rage. “I thought you were bloody dead!” |
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Darkseeker
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Deryn struggled with the restaints, she was moving too much and her skin was sloughed with mud and grime. Then she stilled and he frantically tried to wrap the rope around her wrists, it couldn't be loose they'd know. Why couldn't this have been a simple hit and run. He gritted his teeth beneath the bandana. Hurry it up! Silvesse growled. Your group is finishing. Indeed, he glanced up, jaw setting. They were picking through the ruins, sliding anything of worth into their satchels and onto their dragons. Then the woman began to move and talk again. His eyes shot down to her once more and he saw her lips move. You're kidding. After a brief moment of stillness, he narrowed his eyes as she tried to push him away. "I don't know what you're talking about." He muttered, hands flying to hold her wrists again. She was tiring, painfully obviously tiring. "Just come with me." Deryn glanced over towards Silvesse who was approaching, she lowered herself to the ground. "Just keep quiet and you'll be fine. They won't hurt you." He took one more glance towards her face before he quickly rose to his feet. Dirt marking his clothes from their scramble. Deryn reached down and grasped her by the torso and lifted her from the floor. Looking straight ahead, he moved to lift her onto Silvesse. "Do not talk. Do not scream. Do not as questions." Deryn kept his voice as calm as he could but his chest was still heaving, an overwhelming panic encircling him. Her parents had enough money to pay a ransom, in days she would be back safe with her family and away from him. About time. Silvesse quipped. As he was lifting Ada onto the beast's saddle, he heard the crunch of footsteps descending upon them. A slight peek over his shoulder confirmed that three of his group were within earshot. "My days, Pyro. Would you hurry it up?" A woman with red hair threw her hands in the air, then gestured to the woman. "Didn't think you'd be bested by some pampered princess." She snickered, her companions joing in. "Shut it, Fury." Deryn snapped back, an almost growl. He looked back up at Adalia, his eyes pleading that she would do as he said. |
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Neutral
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Adalia continued to struggle against the restraints, now that she knew who this man was. “Deryn, I know it's you!” She said through gritted teeth, “Why are you doing this?” She questioned as he tied her legs. “No, Let me go” She said as Deryn lifted the woman from the mud she laid in. “Deryn we used to be friends, you ran away as a child without a word, how could you be doing this?” She questioned as he swiftly grabbed her torso, lifting her onto the back of the beast before her.
“No no no!” She said sharply, “Do not put me on this beast! The thing tried to kill me!” She demanded, trying to squirm from his grip but he was too strong. Adalia looked down to the beast, its scales still hot from the fire that erupted from its body. She was terrified, never in the years alive did she think she would actually encounter a dragon. She felt as if she was about to fall, the beast's steady breathing rocking the saddle slightly. She had no way to balance herself. She looked to Deryn as he warned her, she could still hear the panic in his voice as he hid behind a fake facade of calm. “I will not listen to you” She said, “Not after all of this”
Adalia too looked up as she heard the others nearing, her brows furrowing as they came into view. Just great. She heard a woman’s voice, watching as the red head neared. Her jab at the princess only caused her temper to flare dangerously. “Give me a fair fight and I can best you too” Adalia snapped, her words sharp. She did not care of the warning Deryn had given her, at this point she did not care whatever the man said. He was a traitor.
“You and your beasts will all pay the price once my family hears of your treason to the Kingdom.” She said, her eyes giving a deadly glare. She then looked to Deryn, “Especially you.” She kept her hard exterior, but deep inside it felt like a knife to her gut. This man used to be her greatest friend in the realm, they had been so close. One day he was gone and she was heartbroken, her family played it off as he died so she could get over the sorrow and grow in her studies. And now to see him face to face after all these years, the knife twisted deep within.
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Darkseeker
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Deryn's eyes widened and a choked sound came from him as Adalia bit back to Fury. His head spinning to glare at her, did this woman have a death wish? Fury stormed up towards Deryn's side, eyes blazing with animosity. Her hand landing on Deryn's shoulder, she was decently tall but still a few inches shorter than him "You watch your tongue, princess." Her eyes narrowed. "You're only worth the pretty pennies your parents will dish out to us, your incessant blabbering is not needed." She leaned in closer to Deryn. "And you," She raised a finger and proded at his chest. "What did you do to her that warrents that threat, huh?" Her voice lighter now her attention was away from Ada. "I didn't do anything. Just roughed her up a little, she was trying to run." Deryn shrugged, glancing over his shoulder at Adalia. His eyes glinting in the remains of the fire ahead of them. Fury narrowed her eyes for a moment before she cracked a smile, leaning in closer to him, up on her toes. "I'm just glad you got her. We can sell her off and be set for months. Well done, handsome." She pressed her lips to his cheek, one hand slid across his chest before she pulled away, fingers lingering. Deryn kept his head turned, eyes locked on Adalia. Fury snapped her attention back to the others. "Well! Come on! Let's get out of here before more of these idiots show up." She raised a hand and waved it, a grey dragon descending before her. The others followed behind her, signalling to their own beasts. Silvesse kept still, only her eyes flitted down to her rider once he began to ascend her leg. Deryn's eyes were hard, face set with no emotion. He twisted, moving Ada to sit in front of him. He wasn't going to trust her to not throw herself off the side of Silvesse mid-flight. He sat her between his legs. "Don't move, you'll slip." Deryn mumbled beside her. His arms reaching around the sides of her to grip the saddle. Do not scare her. He warned Silvesse, only earning an annoyed huff as the female beat her wings, lifting them skyward. |
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Summer 
Day 
Light Rain
