Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Jan 24, 2010 22:51:39 GMT -5
Zephyros turned red as Jason toasted him, trading the glass back and forth between his hands. "You say it like no one else would have done it..." he said softly. Taking a few sips of his wine and setting it aside, he started picking at the food Jason had brought.
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Jan 24, 2010 22:57:59 GMT -5
Jason looked at him and sighed. "No one else did. I was there for a year or more, and for all I know the whole kingdom thought I was dead. Even my own family. They didn't know where I was, I had no means of contacting them... which is how Alaheidra wanted it, I think. She wanted to break me down, burden me with loneliness so I'd turn to her. Thank heaven I didn't."
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Jan 24, 2010 23:22:27 GMT -5
"Yes, you did... but not in the way she intended," Zephyros said softly. "No one else did because no one else traveled in that part of the forest. I found you by accident. You're lucky I found you when I did... right before you became human. I almost killed you myself..."
He picked up the wineglass, playing with it again as they spoke. The glass felt cool against his fingertips as he twisted it slowly in his hands.
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Jan 24, 2010 23:58:23 GMT -5
Jason nodded, shivering a little at the memory. "And then you thought I was insane when you saw me in my true form. Though I didn't blame you for that; you were injured."
He poked at the food on his plate without eating it. After a pause he spoke again, quietly and hesitantly. "What made you decide to come back to me?"
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Jan 25, 2010 14:59:49 GMT -5
"Curiosity...and I was still in ear-shot when Alaheidra entered the glade that night. I came back and heard everything... who you were, what she would ask you... I felt bad for how I'd treated you..." He scratched at the back of his hair and grinned a little.
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Jan 25, 2010 15:28:53 GMT -5
Jason smiled. "Well, I'm deeply thankful that you did come back. Otherwise I might still be there today. But let's not talk any more about that," he added. "What's done is done. We should focus on the life we have now, and the future we hope for. For the moment, I'm content to do all I can to make your time here as pleasant as possible while you recover, and hope to perhaps meet you again once you return home."
His voice lowered slightly in sorrow as he spoke the last few words. Who knew when they would be able to see each other again once Zephyros was well and back in his own country? Short of wishing for him to heal more slowly so he couldn't leave sooner, Jason wanted to spend as much time with his cherished friend as possible.
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Jan 25, 2010 22:43:22 GMT -5
Zephyros sighed, looking out into the castle grounds. "We can always hope for it, yes. Arrange it when we can. Luckily we were allies even before all of this nightmare..."
He swirled the wine in his glass a little and drank it all in a quick gulp. It was a mistake; he'd known that the moment he did it. The wine was going to hit him, and hard. But that would be later, and he could sleep it off. He picked at a piece of bread, though he ate most of it. Food would slow the effects of the wine, and he knew being drunk would be stupid in his current state.
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Jan 25, 2010 23:00:17 GMT -5
Jason sipped at his wine in silence for a short while, alternating each sip with a few bites of his meal. He looked over at Zephyros, seeing that he had drained his glass in one gulp. "That was foolish, Zephyros. You're still recovering. Being drunk will do you no good."
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Jan 25, 2010 23:10:10 GMT -5
"Since when was being drunk anything but foolish?" Zephyros replied, eating another piece of bread to cushion the wine. "I won't get too stupid. I haven't had enough for that. I'll just get... interesting, without really hurting myself. I know the difference, believe me. I've embarrassed my family often enough to know exactly how much alcohol I've had."
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Jan 25, 2010 23:59:52 GMT -5
"Oh?" Jason raised an eyebrow and half-smiled as he looked at Zephyros, lifting a piece of bread to his mouth. "'Interesting' in what way?" He bit into the bread, chewing it as he listened, his curiosity piqued.
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Jan 26, 2010 0:08:57 GMT -5
"Amusing. A little less than in control, perhaps. Phrase it as you will. I'll get tipsy once the alcohol gets through my system," Zephyros shrugged, taking an apple and cutting it into slices. Setting half of them down where Jason could reach them, he ate his half fairly quickly. "Not that I'll be walking around to show real evidence of it."
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Jan 26, 2010 0:16:57 GMT -5
Jason laughed, taking a slice of apple and nibbling on it. "It's a good thing one of us will still be sober, or we'd be quite the pair. Wine frees my tongue a fair bit when I've had too much." He licked a drop of apple juice from his fingers. "It could definitely get interesting."
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Jan 26, 2010 0:33:41 GMT -5
"I suppose we would be, wouldn't we..." Zephyros said softly, turning his head away. The wine was getting to him now, he could tell. If he could manage, he was going to have to be careful. Taking another slice of apple, he ate it thoughtfully, watching a few birds pick at the ground below looking for worms. Poor things should have flown south by now. With the snow, the worms would be far below. He shuddered suddenly, remembering the sight of his own blood soaking the snow-covered ground. His hand moved to his chest in memory, clenching a little over his chest.
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Jan 26, 2010 0:58:35 GMT -5
Jason looked at Zephyros in concern, leaning over to look at him more closely. "Zephyros? Are you alright?" He hoped the wound wasn't getting worse after it had started to get better... that was the last thing they needed. "Should I call the healers?"
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Jan 26, 2010 1:05:34 GMT -5
"Just remembering what it felt like," he said, giving Jason a smile with his head leaning over his shoulder a bit. He sighed again, letting his head fall limp as he looked at him. Green eyes searched Jason's face.
"You know... it wasn't dying that scared me..." he said softly.
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Jan 26, 2010 1:18:41 GMT -5
Jason looked at Zephyros curiously as the younger prince met his eyes, searching his face.
"No...? What was it that scared you?" he asked, speaking as softly as Zephyros was, without fully knowing the reason why. Though this was a rather serious subject, and not one to be revealed lightly, Jason imagined. So it made sense, he supposed.
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Jan 26, 2010 1:41:55 GMT -5
"Not seeing you again. That scared me more than anything... It still scares me."
He straightened up and looked away, a blush warming his cheeks. "I kept coming back... Because after a time, I couldn't stand the idea of staying away if I could help it."
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Jan 26, 2010 13:12:25 GMT -5
Jason's expression slowly grew more confused as this sank in. Zephyros cared more about seeing him again than he had about nearly dying? It was a rather flattering thought, indeed, but a strange one.
"Why...?" Why would companionship with me matter so much to you? You weren't the one cursed and trapped in the woods for over a year with no one but your captor for company. You had your family, all of your friends at court... why care so much for a wolf-man with nothing but a name?
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Jan 26, 2010 13:27:17 GMT -5
Zephyros didn't answer, his fingers tugging lightly at the hem of the blanket over his legs. He was still bright red, realizing that he had spoken more than he had meant. Chuckling, he scratched at the back of his head, "I guess wine loosens my own tongue as well."
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Jan 26, 2010 13:52:04 GMT -5
Jason sat in silence, mulling over what Zephyros had said. It all seemed to make sense... mostly. Why else would Zephyros keep coming back to him... why else would he leap in front of a spear for Jason?
He smiled, but then his face darkened in confusion. He still wasn't certain of how he felt for Zephyros in return... certainly it was more than mere friendship, more than the necessity to repay a debt. He cared deeply about Zephyros, that much was certain.
When the younger prince had lain dying in the glen, and again when he had collapsed at the wedding banquet -- he shuddered still at the memories -- Jason had only left his friend's side out of necessity. Fear had always kept his thoughts with Zephyros... fear of losing his dear friend, who was so much more than a friend...
Greater love hath no man, it was said, than he who would lay down his life for a friend. Zephyros had certainly shown that love. And Jason would show it in return, in a heartbeat, if the need arose. But for all the feelings that burned within him, he could scarcely find the words to express them. And so he was silent.
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Jan 26, 2010 13:57:28 GMT -5
Zephyros continued to look into the distance, no longer even pretending to eat. Jason was silent.... he shivered a little, afraid of what his accidental admission had done to their friendship. "Maybe... it would be better if we didn't really spend time together. I mean..."
His voice died and he pulled harder at the threads of the blanket, beginning to wear a hole through the cloth.
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Jan 26, 2010 14:16:14 GMT -5
Jason jumped a little, stirred from his reverie by Zephyros' words. "What? No, no--" He took Zephyros' hands and clasped them earnestly, looking into his face. "Don't say that. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to spend time with you. After everything we've been through when we barely knew each other... I can't imagine not spending more time together. I..."
He fumbled for words, speaking his thoughts. "It is said, Greater love hath no man, than he who would lay down his life for a friend. You have shown that love, and I would show it in return without hesitation if it became necessary. I can't bear the thought of losing... losing you."
He drew a breath, still holding Zephyros' hands in his, gazing into his eyes. Please understand what I'm trying to say...
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Jan 26, 2010 14:39:55 GMT -5
Zephyros looked at Jason when his hands were grabbed, listening to Jason intently. He sighed softly, "It doesn't make sense, does it? Do you... Even understand what I feared? Really?"
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Jason Hiller
Ireth
University Freshman: Lycanthrope
Just another nancy boy...
Posts: 1,433
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Post by Jason Hiller on Jan 26, 2010 14:43:37 GMT -5
Jason didn't loosen his grasp on Zephyros' hands. "I think so... I don't know..." He drew another breath, trying to rein in his whirling thoughts. Calm down, Jason. "Why... what did you really fear?"
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Zephyros Aetai
Kitty Kat
Academy Junior: Small God
Even the mightest Hurricane started as the gentlest of breezes...
Posts: 1,380
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Post by Zephyros Aetai on Jan 26, 2010 14:45:17 GMT -5
"Never getting to tell you how I felt. But yet.." his head tilted to the side slowly, as he smiled weakly. "It's not like I can tell you now, either. It's not exactly... appropriate, is it?"
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