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Hunt for Kiran (Story)

Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:23 am
by Z
I think I might pick this back up, I got a few good reviews on it, after all. Anyway, I will post the chapters thus far, and then post up new ones as I finish them. Not only does this include re-writes of our RPs, but there are flashback chapters of our characters' experiences with Kiran. There is some sexual explicitness, as that was Kiran's main offense, and some violence, as that was Mica's main offense, lol. I may have changed a few details here and there for better flow and to make it more canon.

Re: Hunt for Kiran (Story)

Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:25 am
by Adriel
Prologue – Nehen's Story

The entire dark elven village had gathered around the Elder's Hut, a building in the center of the village where Lusev and the elders of the tribe met to discuss issues facing the tribe. Today, the decision facing the elders regarded a single member of the clan, a young man named Kiran. The daughter of Vadiri, one of the elders, had become pregnant with Kiran's child, and while extramarital sex was not taboo amongst the dark elves, nor were children born outside of wedlock, there was much more to Kiran that had upset the peace of the community for far too long.

Kiran was considered a sexual deviant, and he had spent the better part of his life adding notches to his bedpost with the women of the village. Impregnating Nehen was the last straw, however. He had incurred the wrath of her father (and many other fathers as well), and that was enough to lead Vadiri to call for his banishment. At first, Vadiri's rage made him demand Kiran's death, but the rest of the elders had decided that banishment was a better form of punishment.

Upon the porch of the Elder's hut, Lusev, the chosen leader of the dark elven people, stood in front of the rest of the elders; Vadiri standing off to his right. Nehen, the beautiful daughter of Vadiri, stood just behind the elders. The girl, whose pregnancy was not yet obvious, stood with her head hung low. She was one of the most beautiful women of the dark elven clan, but a demure beauty. Her skin was deep, chocolate brown, offset by her pure white hair that was always meticulously arranged in flattering fashion, and with brilliant blue eyes. She took after her mother, a renowned beauty as well, who had passed away in childbirth, leaving Vadiri to raise Nehen alone. She was her father's pride and joy, and had led a rather sheltered life—which made her all that more appealing to the corruptive Kiran.

The accused in question stood before the elders, surrounded by the population of the village. Many of the women he had taken advantage of gathered near him—at least, the angry ones. His own parents stood amongst the crowd to his right, seeming both to be quite unimpressed with their own son. His father, Mekil, stood with his arms crossed over his chest and a sneer on his face, while Tenedi, his mother, could hardly keep her hand away from her face as she tried to shamefully hide herself from the community.

Kiran was a handsome man, and he stood tall and nonchalant, a bemused smirk turning up the right corner of his lips. His coloration was rich, with flaxen blond hair, amber eyes, and coppery brown skin. He appeared unconcerned with the proceedings, arrogantly assured of himself. Kiran cared little for Nehen, nor the other women he had used for his own ego and satisfaction.

Kiran's amber eyes sought the mother of his child, trying to pierce her, but Nehen kept looking down. Every time she glanced up, there he was though, seeking her attention. Nehen could not bear to look at him, however. Only days before he had agreed to marriage, and only now did she realize that his promise held no emotion...

* * *

Nehen had suspected her clandestine affair with Kiran had left her pregnant, and when the early symptoms began to manifest she eagerly met with the village midwives who concurred; she had indeed conceived. Though her relationship with Kiran had been short-lived, and she knew her father had a low opinion of him, she felt as it they had potential for a future together. He had been so strong with her, and yet so tender, and he always seemed to say exactly what she wanted to hear from a man.

Joyfully, Nehen had made her way to his home, a small treehouse in a far-off corner of the village, out of the way of others. Moments after knocking at his door, Kiran was there to greet her, a grin on his lips. He was happy to see her, and it made her heart flutter. Without even a word, Kiran stepped close, his arm slipping around Nehen's waist and drawing her toward him. His hand gently caressed her cheek as he tipped his head to the side and pressed those grinning lips to her full, rosebud lips. Even after the months of secret encounters, every time she saw him, he could still make her knees go weak.

Without breaking the kiss, Kiran stepped back into his house, pulling her with the arm around her waist while his other hand shut the door behind him. Once it shut, Nehen found herself pressed against it and his hand returned to her cheek. His tongue slipped through her parted lips, mingling with hers. His hand began to move down, sliding down over her arm, moving to her waist, then over her hip and down to her thigh. The arm behind her back moved down as well, and her desire suddenly flared as she knew what he was doing. Kiran suddenly lifted her up by the thighs, wrapping her legs over his hips and pressing his groin against hers.

As much as Nehen now desired their coupling again, she had to tell him the news. As soon as he drew back again for breath, she tipped her head down to keep him from kissing her again. "Kiran, I have something to tell you," she said softly.

Kiran would not be thwarted, his lips brushed her cheek, then moved back to her long, tapered ear and gave her earlobe a lick. "What is it?" he gasped into her ear. His hips began to gently rock, rubbing the growing erection under his clothing against her. Nehen gave a whimper and arched her head back.

"Ooh..." Nehen moaned, her feeling of being torn between carnal desires and telling him what she wanted obvious in the tone of the moan. "Kiran...this is important..." she cooed reluctantly.

"Tell me," he whispered, his lips moving down to her neck.

Nehen gave a frustrated "Mmm..." and decided that there was no easy way out of this. She would just have to tell him now. "Kiran, I'm pregnant."

That stopped everything. Kiran pulled back from her neck and fixed her with a shocked gaze in his amber eyes. "What?" he asked, incredulous.

Unable to restrain a grin, Nehen gave a slight nod and repeated; "I'm pregnant!"

A few brief seconds passed as Kiran stared at her, but it felt like an eternity to her. "P-pregnant?" he stammered. His hands came out from beneath her, dropping her back to her feet.

"Yes!" Nehen confirmed. He had to be happy... right? He had told her he loved her, and if he loved her, marriage and children were in the future, after all. Kiran just had to be shocked, that was all. He hadn't been expecting this, after all.

The dark elven man staggered back and collapsed into a chair. The room was dark, all his blinds were drawn, except for one small window in the far back of the room that faced out to the canopy of the Dark Forest. Even then, little light fell through with the permanently overcast skies of Marmo. Nehen could see his pensive expression though. With his hand on his chin, sprawled in the chair, he looked dumbstruck. Nehen rushed forward and knelt on the floor beside his chair, leaning on his thigh. "This...this is what you wanted, right? Don't you want to marry me, have a family?" she asked, now pleading for affirmation.

Kiran didn't respond for a long moment, the dark elf only sat there, staring at the floor, away from her. He was almost as still as a statue, if not for the heavy rise and fall of his chest and an occasional blink. Finally, he seemed to have an answer. "I..." he started, causing Nehen to jump when he finally moved and spoke. "I thought... one day, you know? Just.... not now."

Nehen was slightly relieved, but not enough. She lowered her head, focusing on the brown fabric of his pants. Absently, she picked at a stray fiber with her long nails. "I'm sorry..." she whispered. "I know it's soon..." There was a lump in her throat, if he didn't say anything soon, she would cry.

"It's alright," Kiran said. His hand fell on the back of her head, stroking her white hair. "It was an accident. We will just have to..." he paused, trying to find words, she assumed. "Just adjust our plans."

The smile returned to Nehen's face, her confidence was boosted again. The dark elven woman looked up at her lover, tears starting to form in her eyes. "Yes," she gasped, speaking around the painful lump in her throat. Glancing back down demurely, she swallowed, feeling the lump began to shrink, just slightly. "We will have to marry... soon. My father would not be pleased if we had a child and did not marry." Nehen paused to swallow again. "He needs to think marriage came first... well, as close as possible to the birth of the child."

"Hmm..." was Kiran's simple reply. Nehen looked up to see him nodding, a distant look still in his eyes.

"You... you'll marry me, right?" Nehen asked, begging for affirmation again.

"Yes, yes, of course," Kiran replied, nodding again.

Nehen smiled. "I will tell my father right away," she said. Her smile turned to a mischievous smirk and she rose up, climbing over Kiran. She straddled him, planting her knees on either side of him in the chair, and placing herself squarely in his lap. "But first... perhaps we should celebrate?" she asked.

Kiran's hands went to her hips, almost instinctively, and he looked up at her, his expression still distant. The dark elven man took a deep breath, but the passion seemed to have been extinguished. His eyes met Nehen's and she could almost see the turmoil behind them. Giving his hips a slight roll against her, he made an effort to arouse himself, but it was useless. With a heavy sigh, he glanced away. "I'm sorry," he replied, and ceased his efforts. "I just have too much to think about now."

"Oh," Nehen sighed, then climbed off him and rose to her feet. "I understand," she replied, straightening her skirt. "I'll just go then." Kiran only nodded in response, and Nehen reluctantly moved for the door. "I'll come see you tomorrow!" Kiran nodded again and he watched her step out the door and head back outside.

That night, Nehen had told her father that Kiran wished to marry her, and with much reluctance, Vadiri agreed to speak to his parents and begin to make the arrangements. She didn't expect her father to be enthusiastic about the union, and despite Kiran's ambiguity, she assumed he was merely shocked. He would recover, and they would be happy...

Or not.

News of her engagement to Kiran had spread throughout the village, and not but two days later a friend of Nehen's, a woman named Shaela, came to tell her that Kiran had seduced her and taken her to bed the evening after Nehen had told Kiran about her pregnancy. The next morning, Shaela told her brother that she had spent the night with Kiran, and it was his unfortunate duty to explain the conquests that Kiran continually bragged about and his wanton sexual nature. It was later that evening that Shaela heard news of Nehen and Kiran's engagement, and out of concern for naïve Nehen, she had to tell her the truth. As soon as Nehen knew, she went to her father, cried on his shoulder and told him everything. Vadiri was enraged, and all blame was shifted to Kiran.

As the case against Kiran became public, tales of indiscretions surfaced throughout the village. Fathers and brothers were ready for blood, husbands were betrayed, and it no longer became Nehen's problem. Kiran proved to be an unstable element to the cohesion of the community, and thus, it became everyone's problem. The elders realized that something had to be done about this young man, and spurred by Vadiri's rage, a meeting was arranged.

* * *

Now, here the elders stood, ready to deliver their verdict. The moustached dark elf, Lusev, cleared his throat and spoke; "We all know why Kiran has been called here today, and for his indiscretions, he must be punished. Too many families have been affected by his sexual appetite, including the family of our friend Vadiri. I will let him deliver our verdict." The Unseelie king stepped back, allowing Vadiri to move to the forefront.

Vadiri spoke with barely contained rage, managing his best to maintain his dignity without lunging forward and ripping the smug grin off Kiran's face with his bare hands. "For his crimes against our village, we have decided Kiran is henceforth banished from the Dark Forest. If he returns within no less than one-hundred years, he will be put to death," Vadiri announced, his lip twitching with a sneer he tried hard to hold back.

"Hmph," Kiran scoffed, acting as if the verdict meant little to him. "If that is what you wish, then I will be gone." The dark elven wastrel shrugged carelessly.

"Begone," Vadiri growled, casting a glance down toward a woman who stood beside the stairs, armed with a rapier and bow. Myrela, the leader of the scouts, knocked an arrow and aimed it at Kiran.

"Good luck with your little brat, Nehen," Kiran spat at his former lover, then turned and began to walk toward the gates of the village. The crowd parted before him, and none wanted to get too close. Not even Mekil or Tenedi bothered to say goodbye. There were murmured insults, spitting at his feet, but most elves held their composure.

At his biting parting comment, tears trickled from her eyes. Her throat burned as she tried to hold back the tears, and through her watery eyes, she could see her father watching Kiran's every step, his fists clenched at his sides. I am such a fool... Nehen thought. I never saw through his lies.

Kiran passed through the gates, Myrela's arrow trained at his back to make sure he kept moving away. Finally, the massive gates of logs creaked closed behind Kiran's back, and Myrela relaxed her bow and put the arrow back in the quiver. The moment the gates shut, Vadiri turned and saw Nehen's condition. Ever loving toward his precious daughter, his only child, he wrapped his arms around her and drew her close. "Do not worry, my dear," he said softly to her. "Forget the father of your child and look only to the future. It is still your child, my grandchild, and that is all that needs to matter."

Nehen choked on her tears, and began to weep openly against her father's chest.

Re: Hunt for Kiran (Story)

Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:29 am
by Adriel
Chapter 1: Leaving Home

The tall young dark elf stepped out of his family's home, one of a few homes built into a massive partially hollowed out tree in the dark elven village of the Dark Forest. With a well-stocked traveling pack on his back, he was set for travel. His vivid blue eyes scanned across the village, taking in the sight of the only home he had known in his sixty-nine years of life, and he was eager to leave it.

From behind him, a beautiful elven woman with the exact same chocolate brown skin tone, white hair, and blue eyes stepped forward, straightening the light, silvery paladron on his shoulder. To the human eye, the woman could have passed as his sister, but she was indeed his mother. The dark elf boy gave a sigh. He hated wearing armor, no matter how light weight elven steel was, it still felt encumbering. His mother insisted on it, however, and if she had things her way, he would be decked out in full-plate.

"I wish you would wait a little longer, Adriel," Nehen complained softly, moving to straighten one of his sleeves and dust his blue coat off.

"Mother..." Adriel groaned.

Today, Adriel was setting out to find his father, Kiran. Cliché for a young man stepping foot out in the world, but for the last eighteen years since learning the truth of his parentage, Adriel had suffered through his own personal shame at being born of such a cruel and careless man, and the shame of what Kiran had done to his mother which had poisoned every aspect of Adriel's quiet life thus far. It was the anger at learning of his father and his betrayal of his mother that gave Adriel the strength to succeed in summoning the dark spirits for his age fifty-coming of age rites, and that anger still burned in him. He had to do something about it, he had to find this man who sired him and give him the pain he deserved because Adriel did not believe that a hundred years of banishment from the Dark Forest would be enough to end Kiran's licentious ways.

"Fine, fine, you made up your mind and I can't change it," Nehen protested, sounding defeated. Her attempts at making him feel guilty were wasted, he was sick of guilt trips. Perhaps his mother's insistent coddling as he now came into adulthood was driving him on this journey as well. "Now where are those guards?"

Though Adriel felt that his years of training in swordsmanship and shamanism were enough defense, his mother and grandfather had insisted on further protection, and they had sent word to the swordsmen and rangers of the forest to provide two individuals to guard Adriel in his journey. They did not know who would be chosen, but they would be meeting Adriel at his home this morning. Adriel was tempted to just head out of the village on his own, but his mother clung to him so desperately that it was like being chained to the wall.

Finally, a lean figure strode through the early morning mist that lay low on the ground. Adriel could make out the feminine sway of hips and a sword hanging from the narrow waist. The woman came into view, a dark elf with a strikingly beautiful face and much lighter skin than Adriel. Her silver hair was cut short, just brushing her shoulders. Adriel wasn't sure if he had seen her before, so he could not recall her name. The woman wore a long black robe with a red sash hanging over her shoulders and trailing down the front of her dress. Now that he could see her sword, he saw that it was marked with the eye of Marmo, a symbol worn by the soldiers of the Marmo Empire, at least, when it still existed.

"I see that I am just in time," the dark elven woman spoke as she stopped in front of Nehen's porch. "Yrsanne, at your service." She bowed respectfully to Nehen, and as she rose back up, she looked expectantly at Adriel.

Adriel pulled away from his mother and bowed his head respectfully to Yrsanne. "Greetings, Yrsanne, I am Adriel," he introduced himself. He was quite stunned by her beauty, but he managed to retain his composure around her. She had to be at least a century his elder though, and thus, considerably out of his league, no matter how attractive he was as well. Of course, after learning about his father's behaviour, Adriel couldn't help but regard his own sexuality with a touch of distaste, fearing that unless he was married, he was following in Kiran's footsteps.

"Greetings, Adriel," Yrsanne replied. "I know you've been waiting for two companions but I've came here alone. I think we should start on our journey immediately. It's useless to wait any longer." The dark elven woman smiled, and perhaps there was a bit of mischief to it. Yrsanne held herself upright so her military bearing could be noticed. She was much shorter than Adriel, but that didn't make her look defenseless.

Adriel was pleasantly surprised that Yrsanne was eager to be on their way, and had she flirted with him? "Your second member will come," Nehen said, a touch of anxiety to her voice. "Just wait a little longer."

Yrsanne turned to Nehen. "I always keep my word, don't worry. Will you wish us good luck in our journey?" she asked.

Nehen sighed, glancing off into the village. "Please, just be patient. I will give you my blessings, just wait." Adriel frowned. If he were just a regular member of the community and not the elder's grandson, he would probably be allowed to leave on his own.

Yrsanne sighed with disappointment and cast a glance into the village as well. She seemed to be well aware of how useless it was to argue with Nehen, so she appealed to Adriel. Stepping up beside him, she leaned toward his long, tapered ear and whispered; "Waiting is a loose concept. Maybe we'll have to wait twenty minutes, but what if we will have to wait for years? The other guardian can catch up with us on the way after all. What do you think?"

Adriel liked Yrsanne's plan, and a slight smirk turned up the corner of his lips. Leaning down to Yrsanne's level, he whispered back; "That does seem like a good idea." With that, he stepped toward his mother and kissed her cheek. "Goodbye mother," he said. "Tell the other guard to catch up with us."

As he began to pull away, Nehen grasped his armored wrist, gently pulling him back. "Please, just wait a little longer, Adriel," she pleaded, but Adriel's arm slipped out her grasp.

"He—or she, can find us," Adriel assured his mother as he moved away. "Yrsanne, let's go," he said to his lovely guardian and began to walk toward the gates of the village. The dark elven woman turned to follow, pausing only briefly to give Nehen a polite "Farewell."

As they approached the village gates, Yrsanne cast a glance toward the plates on Adriel's shoulders. "You have a taste in armor," she said with a smile.

"Thank you," Adriel replied rather awkwardly. He, after all, was not too fond if it, no matter how beautifully made it was. "But it was Nytal that designed it," he replied. Nytal was one of the smiths in the village, and well known for his skill with forging armor. Vadiri had commissioned the set of paladrons, bracers, and grieves, all made of light weight elven steel and accented with platinum.

Yrsanne seemed disappointed with his response, and said nothing further on the subject. The pair passed through the village gates, which were left hanging open for the moment, and began on the well-worn footpath into the Dark Forest. There were many trails snaking through the undergrowth, which since the sealing of Kardis had grown in as vibrant and lush green instead of the brackish black brambles that used to grow on Marmo. The path they were taking would lead them to the cities of Marmo, the main city of Persei, and the smaller port city of Salbad.

While they walked through the forest, Yrsanne spoke up again; "Is this your first journey to the outside world?"

"Yes," Adriel replied. "I have not left the forest, especially not since those humans from Lodoss took over the island." As he put more distance between him and his mother, he began to regret the brusque way he had left, but he reminded himself that it had to be done. He needed to get away from her and the village, even if they said he was far too young. Glancing back toward the sword on Yrsanne's hip, he asked, "Did you fight in the Marmo army?"

Yrsanne nodded. "I did. I fought with the humans through the War of Heroes, and the War of the Destroyer's Resurrection." The dark elf woman glanced at him with a smirk on her shapely lips. "Perhaps I will tell you more about those days, if you are interested, of course." She gave him no chance for a response though and changed the subject. "So, where will be first search for your father? I heard he was banished, though I believe that's idle gossip, spread by envious villagers," she said, giving Adriel a conspiratorial wink.

"Gossip?" Adriel scoffed indignantly. "My grandfather banished when my mother was barely pregnant with me." The young dark elf glanced up to the green canopy of the Dark Forest, thinking back on what he knew of his history. Blue sky could be seen through breaks in the leaves. After five years, Adriel had finally begun to grow accustomed to the blue sky and sunlight, after spending his first sixty-four years under the dark clouds of Kardis' curse. "I suppose people don't talk about him much. I have heard that he had affairs with many women, but, they do not speak of it. My father is the shame of the clan," he explained to Yrsanne.

"If he is an exile, then I think we should look for him in Persei," Yrsanne suggested. "Some elves stayed there after the war, perhaps we can learn something from them. If not in Persei, then in Salbad. If he left these lands, then he definitely passed through Salbad's harbors. His name is Kiran, right?"

"Kiran, yes," Adriel replied. "I already planned on searching those cities." He cast a glance over his shoulder, checking to see if another elf had followed them. Their conversation hadn't carried them too far from home, as Adriel had set a rather leisurely pace.

"There is no one there," Yrsanne said without even looking back. "Use your senses, sometimes even eyes can lie."

Adriel frowned at Yrsanne, her comment was a sting to his pride. It was just a casual glance, that was all. He was as well trained as any other dark elf, of course he knew to trust his other senses.

It was then, ironically, that a rustling of leaves and a light thump on the ground announced the presence of the other guardian. "Sorry I'm late," came a female voice as Yrsanne and Adriel both spun around to see the disturbance. A slim dark elven woman in a plain, utilitarian outfit of a plain steel breastplate, white shirt, and brown breeches rose to her feet, dusting off her sleeves. White haired, coppery skinned, and golden eyed, she was vaguely familiar to Adriel, but he could not recall her name. However, she was obviously his other guard. A ranger?

"I had to gather a few extra things for the trip," the dark elven woman explained. "I promise I won't be late again." She bowed her head respectfully to Adriel. "I am Sythenra. I was chosen to be one of your guardians," the woman explained.

"Welcome, Sythenra," Adriel greeted her, now that he had a name to put to her face. "We are on our way to Persei, where we will begin our search for Kiran."

For a moment, Adriel though the saw a flicker of emotion in Sythenra's face at the mention of his father's name. "I understand," Sythenra replied. Any hint of the reaction Adriel saw was gone when she spoke.

Yrsanne's lips seemed on the verge of a smile, though her face and bearing were marked by a polite gravity. "Bravo, I'm impressed. Hardly anyone can track a dark elf unnoticed, aside from another dark elf. Myrela chose well," she complimented Sythenra. "I am Yrsanne."

Sythenra nodded to the other woman. "A pleasure to meet you," she replied.

Once pleasantries were exchanged, Adriel eagerly interjected. "Shall we continue?" he suggested.

"Of course," Yrsanne replied with a nod. The woman continued walking, her stride confident and graceful. "It's been a long time since I visited Persei," she stated, moving closer to Adriel's side. As she began to walk, she glanced back at Sythenra who seemed to be lagging behind. "Are you coming?"

"Yes," Sythenra replied with a smile and picked up her pace to walk along Adriel's opposite side.

As Adriel walked on, flanked by two beautiful dark elven women, he briefly considered the potential of such a long trip in the company of the two women. He had repress a smile at the possibilities, but then he realized that this line of thinking was akin to his father's nature and suddenly lost interest as the bile rose in his throat. Damn that man, he thought to himself.

Sexuality aside, he felt somewhat more at ease with two women as bodyguards. Were his guardians male, he would feel inferior to them in both age and experience; they would be his elders and far better trained, and the internal gender competition would automatically make them the "alpha males" while Adriel desired more of his own independence. While Yrsanne and Sythenra were still his elders and more experienced, there wouldn't be that masculine competition. Elves didn't have the same reservations toward gender as humans did; males and females were equally respected for their skills. While a human man would assume a man pathetic to be guarded by the "fairer" sex, Adriel found comfort in their company. Not to mention they were easy on the eyes.

At that last thought, Adriel was tempted to slap himself.

Re: Hunt for Kiran (Story)

Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:39 am
by Adriel
Chapter 2: Sythenra's Story

She was a young elf when she first noticed him, only fifty-five. Sythenra had been training in the use of the dark spirits, as instructed by her parents. Most of her childhood had been spent learning the arts of shamanism, and scouting from her father. As is customary with most dark elven youths, she was tested at the age of fifty to command the spirits of darkness, and her first test failed. Five years later, she had prepared to take the test again, after feeling she had gained enough confidence. Kiran crossed her path for the first time here; he was charismatic, charming, and seductive.

* * *

The young dark elven girl was waiting in the forest, just aside from the traditional place of summoning that was favored by the dark elves for the test. Sythenra's father, Ketri, was to oversee the test, and many members of her family and other dark elves had gathered to witness the test. Kiran was one of them. While Sythenra made her final preparations just off the side of the rocky outcrop she would perform the summoning on top of, Kiran just happened to be standing nearby. Nervously, she cast him a smile, recognizing his good looks and the charisma he seemed to exude. She didn't expect him to smile back, but he offered her his most charming grin of encouragement and stepped toward her.

"Don't worry, Sythenra, I'm sure you'll do fine this time," he said, laying a hand on her narrow shoulder.

Sythenra's coppery cheeks glowed with a faint blush. "How... how do you know my name?" she asked.

Kiran shrugged. "Overheard the others talking, that's all," he replied simply. "I'm Kiran, my friend Derim is a friend of your family's, and I'm just tagging along with him. I hope you don't mind if I'm a witness."

"No, no, of course not," Sythenra replied, lowering her gaze and meekly tucking a lock of her white hair behind her long ear.

"Be strong. You must have a forceful command over the spirits," he advised her.

"I know," she replied, giving a slight nod. It's not like I haven't been through this before... she thought. Lifting her head, she offered Kiran a broader, more confident smile.

"Good," he replied, returning a smile and patting her shoulder. With that, the handsome dark elf stepped back into the crowd, and Sythenra stepped up upon the boulder to successfully perform her summoning. Perhaps it was the five years of training, but she liked to think that it was Kiran's encouragement that helped her succeed this time.

* * *

Ketri had noticed her attraction to Kiran then. He knew a bit of the man, and none of what he knew, he liked. Kiran had a reputation as a womanizer, and that was the last person Ketri wanted around his daughter. Then, he had encouraged her to focus on her training as a ranger so she could be recognized by the leader of the rangers, Myrela. Sythenra, reluctantly, had agreed that her training was more important, but the more Ketri discouraged her from pursuing Kiran, the more desirable he became. Sythenra made sure to keep an eye on Derim's home to watch for Kiran's comings and goings so she could get close to him. From time to time, they'd cross paths, and he was always so friendly. At times, she wondered if he was just being nice, or if perhaps he really did think she was attractive. Sometimes, she'd catch glimpses of him with other women and her heart would sink, but it seemed no relationship he got into lasted. Sythenra always wondered if one day, maybe she could be that woman to finally settle him down...

It wasn't until she was eighty, twenty-five years later, and after becoming a full-fledged ranger, that Sythenra made her move.

* * *

Kiran had come to visit Derim, and brought with him a bottle of fine dark elven hot wine. Sythenra crossed his path, yet again on the way to Derim's house and saw him carrying the bottle. As she walked toward him, she offered him the same sweet smile she normally did, and he grinned back. He paused in his tracks, expecting their usual exchange, and Sythenra met him.

"Hello Sythenra," he greeted her warmly.

"Hello Kiran," she replied. A grin grew on her own lips. "I was accepted as a full ranger by Myrela a few days ago," Sythenra proudly announced.

"Well, congratulations," Kiran said. He paused for a moment, then glanced down at the bottle he held by the neck. "Perhaps we should celebrate?" His eyebrow cocked up as he lifted the bottle to show her.

Sythenra blushed at his offer, he needed little encouragement. Though, perhaps it was still innocent... She was none too familiar with alcohol, aside from an occasional glass of wine with supper, but she knew well enough of its affects on those who imbibed too much. Perhaps that could be useful to her with him. No, that's awful! she chided herself. "Thank you," she replied. Again, as she always did when overwhelmed by his attention, dropped her eyes to the ground and pulled her hair back behind her ear nervously. "I would... like that."

"Then come on up to Derim's, we'll toast to your success!" Kiran crowed, raising the bottle in the air. He then casually draped his arm around her shoulders, turned her about, and marched her straight to Derim's home.

Once inside her neighbor's small treehouse home, there was some small talk between Kiran and Derim, and Sythenra partook in drinking the strong hot wine. It was much more powerful than the normal wine she was used to drinking, and she didn't quite anticipate the burn that made her cough after drinking her first shot as Kiran instructed. She was ashamed of her naïveté, but Kiran was patient with her. Derim, however, seemed to fade into the background. Maybe he knew what was blossoming between the two, and didn't care to interfere.

After several drinks, Sythenra found herself leaning against Kiran's chest, his arm around her shoulders, as they sat around a lantern. The alcohol seemed to give her the confidence she needed, and looking up at Kiran, she finally spoke what was on her mind for so many years. "Kiran... I love you," she whispered.

Kiran's eyebrow cocked up again and a grin turned up the corner of his lips. On the other side of the lantern, Derim coughed slightly and rose to his feet. "I'll uh... give you two some time alone," he murmured, then headed back to his room, shutting the door behind him. Sythenra barely noticed him as the man she admired and desired so deeply stared down at her with that perpetually confident grin he always seemed to have.

His hand moved up to stroke her cheek with his thumb, and speaking through that smirk, he replied; "That's quite a confession."

Sythenra glanced away as her heart pounded in her chest. "It's just what I feel," she explained as simply as possible. Kiran's fingers moved under her chin and tipped her face back up. Before she could speak again, his lips pressed against hers and she melted in his arms.

It didn't take much for Kiran to convince her to come back to his home, a small treehouse on the outskirts of the village. At first, he wanted to go her home, but as she still lived with her parents, he decided that his place would be better. Leading her by the hand up to his door, Kiran pulled Sythenra inside. From the moment the door shut, their lips locked. From there, it was straight to Kiran's bed.

In a flood of passion, clothes were tossed carelessly aside. Sythenra did not protest, and Kiran moved hastily until he tore through her maidenhood, not expecting the barrier. When the young dark elf gave a yelp of pain, Kiran paused. "You... You're a virgin?" he asked as he leaned above her on his hands and knees, her legs locked around his hips, clinging to him in pain.

"Well... I was," Sythenra looked up at him, an expression of pain and embarrassment on her face. She bit her lip, trying to distract herself from the pain.

"You should have told me," Kiran said softly, stroking back hair from her face tenderly. "But you must bear through it." He spoke with a tone of experience, and she, naïve and unsure of herself, listened. Kiran continued, no change in his pace, and eventually, the pain did subside a bit. Sythenra was not given a chance to further complain, but she indeed did bear through it, until he finally came and collapsed beside her on the bed.

Sythenra pulled herself against his chest, wanting to embrace her first love, but after a few moments, Kiran complained that he was tired, and could not sleep like that. Despite her desires to be close, he simply turned his back to her and drifted to sleep. It wasn't the romantic ending she always envisioned.

The next morning when she woke, Kiran moved atop her, covering her with kisses and plying for more sex. Sythenra, however, had been left sore and disenchanted by the night before.

* * *

The dark elven man leaned over her, arms planted on either side of her, his long flaxen blonde hair brushing her shoulder as he kissed across the opposite shoulder. Sythenra groaned as she drew into consciousness. "Kiran... stop. I don't want to," she spoke, her voice deep and raspy from sleep.

"Are you sure?" he whispered, his lips moving down her chest to the swell of her breast. Sythenra pulled her arm out from under the blanket and pushed him back by the chest. Kiran rose up to look down at her, gaging her expression.

"Yes," she groaned, her voice firm, her disapproval clearly evident. She turned her head to the side to avoid his gaze, looking to the floor to pick out her clothing from the scattered articles. "Now get off," she added, pushing at his shoulder. He gave way slightly, but seemed to change his mind as his hand began to slide over her slim figure over the blanket.

"I promise you, it will be more enjoyable than last night," he spoke, his charming grin returning. Sythenra wasn't convinced though. However, he leaned in and began to kiss her neck while his hand moved up her arm, coming to pin her hand gently against the mattress.

However, no matter how gentle the grasp, Sythenra felt a chill up her back at his fingers wrapping around her narrow wrist. Suddenly, the ranger rolled out from beneath Kiran, yanking her wrist free. Taking the blanket with her, she yanked it out from beneath him. Kiran gave a slight chuckle as he rolled onto his back on the bare mattress. Rolling onto his side, he posed for her, displaying his manhood in all its full glory.

"Ugh," Sythenra scoffed. This only gets worse, she thought to herself as she wrapped the blanket around her body. Without saying anything further, she bent over to begin picking out items of clothing off the floor.

"Why bother hiding? I've seen every inch of your body now," Kiran purred from the bed. He shifted to sit on the edge, waiting for Sythenra to give him her attention.

"I'm going home," she replied, having found her pants and shirt. Now she had to find where he had tossed her undergarments last night...

Kiran suddenly rose off the bed, and as she rose up to face him, he pressed himself against the front of her body, wrapping his arm around her back. She was much slimmer than he, though rather close in height, however he had no trouble lifting her off her feet and pressing her against his bedroom wall. "You shouldn't tell your father where you were tonight," Kiran spoke, leaning in to kiss her neck again. His free hand moved behind her head, his fingers sliding through her white hair at the nape of her neck. "He'll never understand our love," Kiran purred in her ear after his lips broke from her neck.

Sythenra strained against him, at first expecting him to let her go, but she soon began to panic when he didn't budge. His arm slid out from behind her back quickly, like a snake strike, and suddenly snatched the protective barrier of a blanket wrapped around her. He didn't remove it completely, but it did bare her legs, just enough to fill her with fear. His hand then grasped her thigh, forcefully lifting it. "Stop it!" she shouted, pushing back against his shoulders. He didn't move again, he pressed his weight against her as she struggled. "KIRAN! STOP!" she shrieked as she felt him move between her legs.

He didn't respond, only pressed further, and though her panicked attempts at freeing herself were vain, when she felt she was nearly defeated, a brief moment of clarity reminded her that she could do more than push. Drawing back her arm until her elbow touched the wall, Sythenra's fist then shot forward, landing a sharp, quick blow on his nose.

It worked. Kiran released her just before he could penetrate, staggering back as he reached for his nose. "FALARIS!" he cursed. Sythenra snatched the blanket still secure around her chest, and grabbed her pants and shirt from where they had fallen when their bodies parted. The elven woman dashed for the door, slamming it behind her. It gave her just enough of a barrier to buy her enough time to snatch her boots off the floor near his front door. As she yanked open the door of his house, he opened the bedroom door. She glanced back just enough to see him still nude, clutching his nose while blood poured down over his lips. Sythenra slammed the door, and carrying her belongings, hurried down the stairs as fast as she could.

Kiran didn't follow once she left his house. Though still overwhelmed with anxiety, she ran a fair distance, still wrapped in his blanket, then ducked behind a thick tree trunk. Her breath came raggedly, her heart pounded, and she slumped down against the trunk until she was sitting on the roots. There was no sound of him stalking her. The leaves on the forest floor did not make a sound, there was no obvious disturbance in the spirits to signify a summoning of Sylph to cover the sound of his tracks. As she began to calm down, she realized that he probably wouldn't dare making his attempt at raping her any more public.

Oh Falaris, he almost raped me... Sythenra suddenly realized. She clutched the blanket at her chest desperately, feeling her heart pounding behind her small breast. Then, another realization came to her. She was wrapped in his blanket, the blanket they had 'made love' under, the blanket was saturated with his scent, his sweat, his seed... and now that she thought about it, probably her blood, and maybe even the sweat and blood and tears of any number of other women that he no doubt shared his bed with. Sythenra hopped up and ripped the blanket off from around her body.

As she flung it aside unsatisfactorily, finding that the blanket couldn't fly far enough from her, Sythenra took a deep, staggering breath as emotion overtook her. Tears began to flow from her golden eyes and she sobbed openly. In this deserted region of forest, she collapsed to her hands and knees, weeping with body-wracking sobs, and despite how horrible she felt and how much she wanted to hide, she cried so hard that she couldn't even manage to pull her clothing back on.

After several minutes of sobbing, Sythenra rose back up to her knees and gathered up her clothing. Still simpering, she pulled on her clothing. She needed to cover up again, she wanted to hide her entire body. It was shameful. He had taken advantage of her heart and used her for his own enjoyment. She was nothing but a toy to him. And how many other 'toys' have there been? she thought. How many other women has he done this to?

Once Sythenra dressed, she decided she wouldn't go home. She couldn't face her family, especially her father after how he tried to keep her away from him. Ketri knew better, she should have realized that much. So, she headed deeper into the forest and found a spring to bath in. She felt better after having the sweat washed away, but it wasn't completely cleansing, she didn't think she'd ever feel right again. Dressing in the same clothes she had worn the night before only made her feel filthy again, but she returned home when she knew her parents wouldn't be there. She redressed and packed all of her most necessary belongings, then set out to find Myrela, from whom she requested an outpost assignment. Myrela was reluctant to grant it, but Sythenra's conviction led the commanding ranger to give her an assignment at an outpost deep in the heart of the forest.

And thus, began Sythenra's life of solitude.
Author's Note: Originally in Sythenra's history it was written that she and Kiran had a one night stand after she confessed her feelings for him, and he disappeared the next morning. However, I don't think that would have been quite traumatizing enough, and I didn't see a way for him to really slip away; she couldn't go to her parent's house, he wouldn't ditch her at his own house, etc. I also thought that perhaps she needed something more traumatizing. I got stuck after their first night together, but then I realized that he could rape her, but I was torn between him plying for more sex and her rejecting him and leaving, or him raping her, so I settled on something in the middle; attempted rape.

Re: Hunt for Kiran (Story)

Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:42 am
by Adriel
Chapter 3: The Dark Forest

While it had been five years since Marmo was purified, many monstrous creatures still haunted its forests, swamps, and desert. Kardis' malicious influence was sealed from the world, sunlight warmed the soil and nourished new plant life, but Marfa's blessing of the land did not destroy the existing creatures, nor change them in any distinguishable way. The humans were doing their best to exterminate the monsters, but they dared not enter the Dark Forest and trespass on the lands of the dark elves.

When it came to the dark elves, they were impervious to most of the dangers of more intelligent creatures such as the goblins, kobolds, lizard men, and ogres. These creatures acknowledged them as superior and feared the wrath of the spirits. During the war, the goblins and kobolds were commanded by the dark elves, and ogres had been tamed by them for years. The only race which challenged the sovereignty of the dark elves in any way was the lizard men, but they still feared the elves.

However, the wild beasts and monsters were not so bright, and any remaining demons simply didn't care. Gargoyles were one such creature that was not afraid of a few stray dark elves. These magical creatures were created during the time of Kastuul as guards and usually turned themselves to stone and waited in an inconspicuous location until potential victim crossed their path assuming they were only statues, and then they would transform back into a living creature and kill their prey. On Marmo though, they roamed freely as the people of Marmo grew to be far too wary of them in stone form. A small band of four gargoyles had hidden themselves along a forest trail near the edge of the Dark Forest in the hopes of catching travelers off guard. Frozen in stone, they were covered in brambles and barely able to be seen.

Adriel, Sythenra, and Yrsanne walked abreast down the road, the two women flanking their younger male charge. The path through the Dark Forest was well worn, mostly from the travel during the war when the dark elves supplied the Marmo army with not only manpower, but hordes of goblins, kobolds, and ogres. The roads through the forest had been cut since then by the Marmo army to get to the dark elf village and the barbarian camps within the forest. In recent years, however, as the Flaim dared not trespass in the forests, the roads were beginning to be taken back by the forest as new plants and grasses filled in the sides and ruts.

They were nearing the end of the road now, though. Adriel could see the brightly illuminated break in the trees up ahead that was the border of the Dark Forest. He was eager to be out of the forest and on with the journey, though he was quite anxious of what the outside world would hold for him. However, as always, Adriel maintained his aloof composure. Even if Yrsanne and Sythenra knew that it was his first time leaving the forest, he would make it seem as if it meant nothing to him.

Gargoyles are nearly impossible to sense, even to the heightened senses of elves. They made no sound when frozen as stone, and had no discernible lifeforce in that form either. So, when the three elves passed through the trap the gargoyles had set, the were easily surprised when four spry, brackish colored gargoyles sprung from the underbrush on either side of the road. However, while the gargoyles had the element of surprise, the dark elves had speed and agility on their side.

In his shock, Adriel had actually leapt back a step, but the scimitars strapped to his hips were drawn in a flash. The young dark elf made himself ready to fight, one sword in either hand. In truth, he had little combat experience, but he had sparred and trained for decades with his grandfather and other young fighters in the village. He was confident, however.

Yrsanne and Sythenra jumped back as well, both women placing themselves in front of Adriel, much to his chagrin. The elder dark elf woman whipped out her rapier, and for a moment, the blade gleamed with a green glow. Sythenra had negotiated for a moment between sword and bow, but she slipped her bow off her shoulder and soon had an arrow nocked and trained on one of the skinny gargoyles that was drawing near them, propelling itself upwards on its leathery wings.

"Answer my summons, Sylph, spirit of the air, shield us from these gargoyles!" Yrsanne spoke softly, calling to the spirits for assistance. A slight breeze arose and a glimmer in the air rippled in front of them. The approaching gargoyles were momentarily knocked back by the rush of wind, but their wings soon caught the breeze, and they dove downwards toward the trio.

Sythenra let loose her bow, only hesitating after she heard Yrsanne's summon. She gave a slight unintelligible mutter of frustration before she fired, which Adriel interpreted as annoyance. Her arrow struck true, embedding itself in the beast's bony chest. With a shriek, the gargoyle clawed at its chest and fell to the ground, landing in a heavy thud on the road as it reverted back to its true form of stone, posed in its dying, writhing form with the wooden shaft of Sythenra's arrow protruding from it.

Adriel would not be coddled, and as the remaining three gargoyles approached again, he darted out to the left of Yrsanne, opposite of Sythenra, and took the furthest gargoyle. His blades crossed in front of him, the dark elf launched himself upwards, and in one fluid motion the sharp elven steel blades swept outwards, one severing the monster's head, and the other slicing across its gut. The gargoyle's body fell, and before its innards could spill from its belly, it turned to stone in a grotesque display. Adriel alighted just before the body, then the stone head of the gargoyle hit the ground.

Yrsanne cast another spell as the remaining two gargoyles approached approached her, the battle unfolding around them too fast for them to pull back. "Tie its wings, Sylph. Bring this creature to the ground!" she commanded, and the spirits obeyed. With a shriek of pain, the gargoyle to the right of her—which she had focused her spell on—fell from the air as its wings were suddenly crushed in mid-flight. To the left, the final gargoyle was torn from the air by another arrow shot by Sythenra. With another heavy thud, a second contorted stone statue collapsed to the ground with a black fletched arrow sticking out of its chest.

The female shamaness advanced on the fallen gargoyle as it pulled itself up on its thin arms and legs. It shrieked fiercely at Yrsanne, baring its sharp, beastly fangs, but the dark elf was not impressed. She struck at the beast with a calculated stab of her rapier, but this gargoyle put up more of a fight, blocking with its clawed hands. However, the poisoned blade bit into its flesh, causing it to howl with the burn of of the accursed venom. It would be dead before the poison coursed through its veins. Yrsanne, undeterred, struck again and again, until her rapier pierced the gargoyle's defenses and penetrated its chest. As it gave a final dying shriek, Yrsanne swept the blade out before the gargoyle could turn to stone and claim her sword. As it died and returned to its natural form, it stayed posed with its head thrown back and its damaged talons held aside from the hole struck through its narrow chest, as if forever frozen in a plea for mercy.

Adriel sheathed his scimitars as the two women made quick work of their prey, and with a flick that resulted in a dusty cloud from the blood that had quickly turned to dust, Yrsanne sheathed her rapier. "This was the last one, but there might be more here," she commented, looking around the forest for any further signs of potential enemies.

"I agree," Sythenra replied, still standing with a third arrow nocked on her bow as she did her own survey of their surroundings. "It's best we keep our guard up, and weapons drawn."

Though perhaps practical, Adriel did not wish to walk about with his swords in hand, looking like a scared foreigner as he traveled through his home forest. He was a vain individual, and desired to make an impression of confidence and assurance of his skill to anyone they may meet—or maybe just to his present company. "Perhaps we should ask the forest spirits if there is anything to worry about up ahead?" he suggested, looking to Yrsanne as she seemed to favor shamanism more than either he or Yrsanne.

"As you wish," Yrsanne said with a sigh, then dismissed Sylph—who had been raptly attentive since Yrsanne first called upon her—with a small nod. The dark elf stepped off the road and placed her hand on the moss covered trunk of a large tree. "Fairies of the trees, answer me. Is there anything troubling our path? Bring me your news with the wind..." Yrsanne whispered to the spirits.

The forest was silent for a few moments, but soon, a rustle of leaves broke the silence. It seemed that the trees were talking with a barely audible voice in the wind. Yrsanne frowned at the response, then quickly turned back to her companions, striding back across the overgrown road with her black and red robes flowing about her legs. She seemed pensive, but her expression soon smoothed as she regarded Adriel. "There are human men on our path and one of them is not what he seems to be," she explained. "No matter how many of them there are, he is a wolf in human skin and our greatest threat. That is all they said." Yrsanne's red eyes darted between Sythenra and Adriel beneath an arched silver brow. "Do you have any suggestions for how to proceed?"

Adriel thought for a moment, and again, his dark elven arrogance seemed to overrule common sense. This was his homeland, after all, no manner of man or monster should rule above the dark elves, after all. "We will deal with them," Adriel replied. He wasn't concerned about humans; the Flaim settlers had a tentative truce with the dark elves, so if these humans were of the Flaim nation, they were breaking their own laws. However, if they were bandits, it was best that they be disposed of for the sake of the dark elves and the humans. "I suppose the 'wolf in human skin' is a lycanthope," he mused. "It is afternoon and we are a week away from the full moon. I do not think that one will be much of a threat in this state.

"Let us continue, and hope that they are smart enough to avoid picking a fight with dark elves." Adriel turned and walked on, tipping his chin up in arrogance. Without further comment, both dark elven women moved in to flank Adriel. If they disagreed with his decision, they did not voice it. Perhaps they were just as arrogant as he.