Forgotten Paths ;; open

[Giulietta di Verona]

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now THE day HAS come

[/size] we are forsaken… this time[/color][/font][/size][/center]

Giulietta truly enjoyed the freedom granted by her uncles and her dear cousin Rosa whenever possible. They usually did not like her travelling much, but in knowing just how much she enjoyed it, they usually allowed some journeys with escorts. In this case, she was given five men, to look after her. Not that she could not wield her twin swords, but they felt at peace knowing she was not venturing into the wilderness on her own, with no one to help her should the need arise. One could never be too careful, especially with the current situation in the kingdom, and, although the Lord of Caer l’Aurore did not often mention their thoughts in Giulietta’s presence, they feared her father’s old enemy was still out there, which meant he could also bring her to harm, just as he had betrayed Lord Leandro di Verona. Sometimes Giulietta wished to come face to face with that man, the traitor who had slain her father years ago, and find revenge… But she knew those were dark thoughts, and that avenging a person’s death was not sometimes the best of ways to bring honour to a person’s memory, but deep in her heart, she knew the day would come when that man would pay for his insolence.

The sunlight filtered through the thickness of the woods and illuminated Giulietta’s light brown hair in cascades of golden light. The environment was warm and comforting and the wind was cool and refreshing. She was atop Coraggio, her beloved horse and friend. He was a pure Aztec horse, black as the night, and yet his skin and mane irradiated a silver light whenever in touch with the rays of the sun. Her twin swords rested in their scabbards and were bound to her belt, and her right hand effortlessly guided her friend as they rode on. Her left hand was busy holding one of the oldest maps she had ever made. As a cartographer, travelling was another excuse for updating the maps of the kingdom. The hood of her cloak covered her beautiful face and gave her emerald eyes a charm of their own, yet they seemed concentrated on finding an old path, one that needed to be rediscovered. Her map showed they were approaching the old staircases, it was an old castle all in ruins. It could be said Giulietta enjoyed the adventures that came with making maps, one of them was related to archaeological finders, treasure hunts and the improvement of merchant routs and travelling paths.

“My Lady, we have been travelling for hours, are you certain this is the path to follow?”

Giulietta’s eyes blinked twice as her attention was diverted form the map and toward the five men riding alongside her. She smiled at the one who had just asked her if they were in the correct direction and she said, “I am certain indeed, we just need to ride for ten to fifteen minutes, I am sure even Coraggio remembers this path.” She chuckled as the horse’s ears twitched in recognition and a light neigh escaped its lips as she caressed its long mane before saying, “It is an old path, and hence it is difficult to find.” She folded the map and placed it in one of the sachets bound to her horse and she changed the reins, guiding Coraggio to the right, as a small cliff opened up toward them, she looked for a moment before she finally moved forth. The men seemed alarmed that she should move to close to the cliff, but their nerves were relaxed as she adverted them of steep stairs, they would have to lean backward to aid their horses in the process of descending.

She was truly impressed at how well some walls had been preserved, if she did not know any better this place could easily be the refugee of a band of ruffians, thieves or mercenaries. Had Giulietta not made a record of the exact whereabouts of these ruins, she would have been unable to find it, and so it was a good location for those who were used to hiding from the law. She wondered if it had indeed been used as such, and if there were still bandits around. Curiosity made Giulietta go deeper into the fallen ruins. The guards struggled to keep up with her, until she finally descended from her horse and making amendments to one of her draft maps, she smiled to herself.

It reminded Giulietta of the various times she and Rosa had been playing about in the wilderness, that was of course before the Princess’ coming of age. She had fond memories of the Princess, especially when she had fought to surpass the grief of losing her father. Her thoughts were, once again, interrupted by one of the guards who informed her that the horses might need some rest, so they would set camp in these ruins. She nodded and said, “Make sure to look for anything that could tell us if this is inhabited or not, we best be ready in case my suspicions are correct.” She put her maps away as the man nodded and left and she caressed her horse’s nose and mane, “You probably need some rest too don’t you Coraggio?” The horse snorted in disapproval and hit the ground with one of its hooves. She smiled and then moved close to the pillars and walls, exploring the old craft, sculptures and scribbling, trying to find out their meaning.

( word count ) I 5,050 I ( status ) I exploring I ( place ) I River Acheron I ( notes ) I 5-men escort I

Template by Giulietta
* Song: FORSAKEN ,, within temptation

[Fane Valeri Aleksandar]

now the dark begins to rise

save your breath; it's far from over

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i53.tinypic.com/wb98wn.jpg');,true] I WILL NOT BREAK “La naiba, Fane, you are supposed to be keeping a low profile!” Costel shouted at him, the elder man’s green eyes flashing angrily. “You cannot start a fight in a crowded tavern when you are on a job.” The ex-guard stepped close to Fane, his wild emerald eyes meeting the younger man’s calm, ice blue ones. “The job was so simple and you let your ego get in the way.” Fane’s hand balled into a fist at his side, but he made no move to throw the punch. He took a few slow breaths to keep himself calm when he responded. “It was not my fault, Costel. The man tried to cheat me.” All he’d had to do was hustle his way through a knife throwing contest with a man at the tavern. It was a challenge that Fane knew he could win and it would have been easy money if the man he’d challenged—a rich and well known merchant—hadn’t tried to call Fane out as a cheater. Needless to say, Fane wasn’t fond of being called a cheater. The young man did what he did best after a few mugs of alcohol and a challenge was issued: he escalated the issue to that of a fist fight. Fortunately for the merchant, guards pulled them apart before the knives could be drawn. In a moment when the Wheel of Fortune had turned, Fane managed to retrieve the funds he was due and then some from the merchant’s pockets during the fight. “I got the money. Is that not important?” The elder man backed off in order to pace the length of the room. “Yes, it is important, but in order for you to continue doing jobs like that, you are going to have to remain unknown in the city.” Costel paused and took a slow, deep breath. “If guards know who you are, they will watch you. If they watch you, you will be caught.” Costel didn’t need to add that Fane was the one who brought in most of the money in the family of adopted brothers. “There were few guards,” the young man said in a placating tone. “This will not be an issue.” He had only counted three guards, just enough to safely neutralize the fight. Fane didn’t think that any of them suspected him of pickpocketing; they all seemed to believe it to be a drunken tavern brawl. “Regardless, you need to leave the city for a few days, frate. The guards need an opportunity to forget your face.” Costel must have read the dissent in Fane’s expression because he added, “Just a few days.” Though he was displeased with the turn of events, he blew out a sigh and didn’t continue the argument but he didn’t spare Costel from a brief glare. “Fine.” Much of the tension in the room dissipated at Fane’s acceptance. Costel nodded. “There are ruins a few hours’ ride outside of the city by the river—” “I remember.” “Andrei will be waiting for you outside the city with a horse.” Fane nodded and gave his brother no chance to speak more. He left their home in the Rats Quarter, pulling the hood of his cloak over his head as soon as he was outside. It didn’t take him long to weave through the city streets unnoticed to the gate. As promised, Andrei was standing by a horse, a sleek bay, which was likely stolen which wouldn’t surprise him in the least. In an irritated and childish gesture, he snatched the reins from his brother’s hand. “Disgraced by my own frate,” Fane scoffed. Andrei clasped his shoulder. “You have not been disgraced. You know Costel has always been the most cautious of us.” He nodded before swinging into the saddle. “La revedere, Andrei.” The horse responded eagerly, leaping straight into a hard gallop. Fane let the bay go until he was exhausted and drenched in sweat. Admittedly, the horse had decent endurance and made much of the trip quickly. In the shallow, slower sections of the river, he allowed the horse to wade in to cool down and get a drink. After traveling along the river for a few hours, he left the bank for a path that he hoped he remembered correctly. The path took him to the base of the upcoming cliff while avoiding the steep, rocky face of the cliff altogether. It was the longer way to go, but it was easier on the weary horse. He found the skeleton of what was once a building near the waterfall. The floor had long since disintegrated and had been overtaken by grasses. Fane pulled the saddle off of the horse and traded the bridle for a simple rope halter and rope hobbles that had been stashed in the saddle bag so that the horse could rest and graze while he sought his own food. An hour after making it to the ruins, he was settled down in the corner of the building keeping an eye on the horse and relaxing by a tiny campfire. The building’s walls shielded his fire from being spotted and the roar of the waterfall would mask any noise that he or the horse made. It wasn’t long before the inactivity drove him to boredom and impatience. “He means well,” Fane said, looking over at the horse. “He just has no patience.” The young man sighed. He wanted to be back in the heart of the city doing what he did best: stealing. It was thrilling and exciting and had plenty of benefits. The rumble of hooves and voices pulled the thief from his contemplations and he stood, instinctively reaching for a throwing knife. He kicked dirt over the fire and headed to the back of the building and eased into the shadows. Unhappy with being unable to hear where these people were, he settled with sticking to the darkness and heading in the general direction of the voices. With his weapons close and confident in his ability to put them to use, he sought out the potential danger that traipsed into the ruins. He decided he would keep to the darkness until he gauged the threat level; he was smart enough to avoid plunging head first into a fight with a squadron of guards. 1,052 WORDS , GIULIETTA; OPEN , BEFORE "OPPORTUNITY" & COMPLETE!

table by california dreaming @ caution 2.0

translations:
la naiba: damn it
frate: brother

[Giulietta di Verona]

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now THE day HAS come

[/size] we are forsaken… this time[/color][/font][/size][/center]

Once her guards ensured there was no one around, they settled at the protection of the remains of a small fortress, surely no more than twenty men could fit there. What captivated Giulietta the most was the melodious murmur of a nearby waterfall and its beauty enhanced the remains of this fortress. She had spent some time scribbling the rare characters and runes of the pillars to study them more closely once she returned to the castle. She enjoyed discovering hidden stories and mysterious settlements and civilizations, although for the time being, she would set camp by these ruins. In a way she pitied these men, for they were hired to have no rest at all, she was more than sure they were grateful for accompanying her sometimes, for they could enjoy a bit of peace and calm, whenever no personal threat was around. She turned to look at them for a brief moment, after the put everything back in her sachet, bound to the saddle. They looked at peace and were eagerly conversing among each other. She smiled lightly and then walked toward the sound of the waterfalls.

She silently walked on, as her curiosity guided her, the mud grew slightly dense and her boots left footprints along the way. Now, at times of danger she would ensure not to leave any traces behind her, however, at this moment she needed some time on her own, to enjoy solitude and the music of her twin blades. She moved a tree branch from the path she followed and turned to look behind her. It was the strangest sensation, she could have sworn she felt as if someone was nearby, but then again they had spend time ensuring no thief or crook was close by. She sighed; it could simply be her nerves. She turned back toward the waterfalls and smiled. Her emerald eyes shone with the sunrays that made their way through the thickness of the forest. Once she reached the waterfalls and noticed the ground was stable enough for some sword practicing, she took a moment to enjoy the crystalline waters of the river.

She moved to the right, where some tree branches looked thick enough to sustain clothes hanging and she removed the hood of her cloak and then unbuttoned it, leaving it by that tree branch. Her light brown shone as it fell before her shoulders, shinning golden and chestnut as the sun fell upon her and she drew her twin swords. They felt light, yet heavy enough for a steadfast fighter like her. She twirled them around her fingers, just above her head and then moved into a defensive stance. As she slowly rekindled movements and improvised others, the calm of the water and the melody of the falls seemed to make her remember those days, long gone.

She took a deep breath… Her hands moved with true skill and precision, she had spent years practicing to exhaustion, mayhap one day she thought she would be her family’s protector and stay vigilant at night, ensuring they had a safe rest. How foolish of her then, for she could do nothing to aid her father the night she would never forget. She was completely impotent and in many ways felt guilty for the happenings, although years have passed, she still could not forgive herself. The shadows of the past still lurked in the dark and she could not evade them.

She turned around and kicked upward in the air as she remembered that cold night, thunder blasted as if it intended to break her to pieces for having deserted her family. But she simply could not bring herself to accept an arranged marriage with someone she felt nothing but disdain toward. It was such disbelief that her father, the one person who encouraged her to fight for her freedom and independence, had suddenly decided to fetch her to the wolves.

Her horse galloped fast, Coraggio knew that time was of the essence and if she managed to run away that night, they would not find her in the morning. Thunder hit a nearby tree startling Coraggio as they gave a stiff turn, and she lost balance and fell down a small cliff. She held on to a ledge and fought to climb back up, but to no avail. Three men were already waiting for her at the top and they were not soldiers of the castle. It was then her father arrived…

In one swift movement she kicked and turned in the air landing on both her legs folded and her twin swords pointing to the ground, in a finishing move, her eyes slightly blinked as the pain of the fall returned to her and the battle that followed played in her mind. She turned behind her, one sword in a defensive position and the other one charging back forth. She folded her legs forth and then gasped as she jumped back…

The rain fell heavily as she tried to climb back up. The sound of steel could be heard form afar. She knew she had to arrive on time to help her father, but as she climbed on, one of the men busied himself throwing rocks at her and ensuring she could not climb back up. She still held some scars up to date, for she had gone through so much. Could be the reason she did not trust easily. And then, she finally lunged forth and in the air drew her twin swords and stabbed the man before he had time to react. She ran as fast as she could toward the clash of steel and then…

She took three steps with both her swords slashing right and left and finally stopped… facing the waterfall. No, she could not linger in the past; her father would not have wanted her to. Neither could she fight or practice I such a way, for it distracted her and she would lose concentration and alertness. She took a deep breath; her hair shook with a cool breeze of air. She had to overcome this, although that did not mean…

…to forget.

( word count ) I 1,124 I ( status ) I practicing I ( place ) I River Acheron I ( notes ) I rekindling I

Template by Giulietta
* Song: FORSAKEN ,, within temptation

[Fane Valeri Aleksandar]

now the dark begins to rise

save your breath; it's far from over

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i53.tinypic.com/wb98wn.jpg');,true] I WILL NOT BREAK It didn’t take him long to locate the group that arrived in the ruins after he did. Fane kept to the shadows, keeping his black cloak drawn around him and the hood pulled low over his face to help conceal him in the darkness cast by the ruined walls. The guards—he counted five—left a young woman alone and unprotected while they departed to, he assumed, secure the area. He would have done things a bit differently; he would have left a couple of the guards with her. The young man stayed out of sight, studying the young woman. She was too old to be the younger princess though she was certainly accompanied by enough guards to be royalty or related to royalty at least. A cloak concealed the woman’s attire but he could make out two sheathed blades belted at her waist. Their presence could either be an idle deterrent for those who would do her harm or she could actually know how to put the blades to use. Fane had no way of determining their quality since they were sheathed and covered by the cloak; for all he knew, they could have been merely ornamental. He pulled closer to the wall when he heard the guards nearing the ruined fortress again. He smirked when a guard, merely a foot away, passed by him on the other side of the wall. Had the man turned and looked over his shoulder when he marched by the wall’s end, he would have seen the young man. Once the five of them gathered in the fortress with the woman, they assured her that there was no sign of habitation in the ruins. They clearly hadn’t looked hard enough since the edge of the ruins had a building that contained a horse which was obviously domesticated. Remnants of a fire were even in that same building. With them assuming there was no threat, the guards were chatting easily among themselves. The young woman broke away from the group and made her way silently toward the waterfall; Fane followed. He kept to the buildings’ ruins until all he had was trees to hide amongst. He moved like a ghost as he wove through the brush with no noise. Even when she stopped in a clearing, he continued until he was in the trees opposite the direction of the woman’s camp. He didn’t need any guards sneaking up on him. By the time he was in position, she had doffed the cloak and had drawn the swords from their respective sheaths. Fane watched as she started slow movements and built up into a graceful and entirely focused dance with the blades. He found it easy to simply watch and study her technique and he had to admit that what he saw was decent. Those controlled movements became more frenzied and desperate as though she were somewhere else fighting an enemy that was invisible to him. Folding his arms, Fane leaned his shoulder against a tree. Had she not been so absorbed in her thoughts, she could have easily noticed him on her own; he was done trying to hide himself. “You seem to have something on your mind,” he said in his rich voice laden with the accent of his homeland. His posture was relaxed and his eyes scrutinizing. Hidden beneath his black cloak he had easy access to his throwing knives and his own swords. 572 WORDS , GIULIETTA; OPEN , BEFORE "OPPORTUNITY" & COMPLETE! SORRY IT'S SHORTER.

table by california dreaming @ caution 2.0

[Giulietta di Verona]

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now THE day HAS come

[/size] we are forsaken… this time[/color][/font][/size][/center]

Breathe.

In other circumstances Giulietta would have ignored the man talking behind her and would have turned and left since it is rude to stare at someone you do not know, especially a lady, surely her cousin Rosa would have already slapped the man for his insolence. In even other circumstances she would have immediately challenged this man to a game of wits or swordplay, since he seemed so entertained watching her practice and study her every move. However, as many years as she spent training to master her weapons, nothing was more evident than the way you handled yourself in a real fight, which usually told much of a person’s fighting style, the things he or she had to improve and the things they were better at.

Take a deep breath.

Now Giulietta was fully aware that her guards were not that close, in case of an emergency, but she was rather proud and impulsive however this one time she took a deep breath. She did not even turn to look at the person standing behind her. Had he meant her ill he would have attacked her by now, not that she trusted strangers, but that was a good place to start. Whatever his move could have been, she knew she would have been ready… Aside from those various moments when she lost concentration, she looked into her past and that fatal night when her father died came to life once more. She sometimes wondered when all of this would end, when she would have a clear mind and delightful rest at night. However, she sighed and closed her eyes for a brief moment, in order to regain composure and ensure only one man was nearby, you could never be too careful.

“You seem to have something on your mind,”

She twirled her swords for a moment before she sheathed them, she usually drew them with opposite hands, it made the process are easier. She still was not turning to look at the man, for the level of his voice he was not too far away, and could easily throw her a knife or whichever weapons he possessed, and she was sure he had many, only a well armed man would dare intrude upon a person he just realized could wield a weapon. Finally, as she reached out for the cloak and placed it around her, she turned to look at the young man and said, “And how would you know that? I dare say you must have the audacity to spy upon a person with them knowing so.” Her emerald eyes gleamed with the sunlight as her eyes met his, however he had been right, she had allowed her memories distract her, surely that was a bid sign, she had to show strength and confidence, she had to focus more.

However, his accent did not sound like that of the folk in Etrias, could this be a bandit or a foreigner who escaped his homelands due to something he could have done? Her curiosity for this man increased, for she was of a curious nature, for good or ill, and so she added, “You do not sound form around here…” Yes, she was stating the obvious, but until she knew his intentions she would not draw her swords against him.

… not yet.

( word count ) I 654 I ( status ) I practicing I ( place ) I River Acheron I ( notes ) I rekindling I

Template by Giulietta
* Song: FORSAKEN ,, within temptation

[Fane Valeri Aleksandar]

now the dark begins to rise

save your breath; it's far from over

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i53.tinypic.com/wb98wn.jpg');,true] I WILL NOT BREAK “And how would you know that? I dare say you must have the audacity to spy upon a person with them knowing so,” she said after sheathing her blades, donning her cloak, and turning to face him. When he didn’t respond verbally—settling for an arrogant, knowing smirk do all his talking for him—she took a moment to think. “You do not sound from around here…” That amused smile grew a bit. “That is because I am not.” He didn’t move from his place behind the line of brush separating him from the clearing, his shoulder leaned heavily against the trunk of a tree beside him. Slowly, his gaze drifted from the woman and scanned the rest of the clearing, always keeping her in his periphery. “It seems strange to me that a lady would stray from her guards… Or that her guards would allow such.” His ice blue eyes found the jade green of her own. He was cool, calculating, amused, almost as though he were a cat toying with a live mouse. The look in her eyes was one of both suspicion and curiosity. “Situational awareness is important for one who has wandered alone.” Fane paused, studying her face. “Tell me… what made you so determined? So… Distracted?” What did he care about the ghosts that plagued her mind? She was just another spoiled noblewoman. Sure, she knew how to swing a sword, but what of all the pampering and servants waiting on her? The guards sent with her to keep her safe? She knew how to swing a sword, yes, but she would never need that skill. For her, it was a mere hobby, not a vital skill for life; she would never need to scratch and claw her way to her next meal or a place to sleep. As for asking her what was on her mind, it was merely a means to toy with her, get a reaction, and get her talking. Even he wasn’t sure what he was going to do with whatever information she withheld or offered. He wasn’t sure what he was going to be doing now. He had yet to determine how exactly he could use this chance meeting to his ultimate advantage. It wasn’t often that he made a move without some gain in the end. There was no need to burn future bridges; besides, he had yet to even learn her identity. 404 WORDS , GIULIETTA; OPEN , BEFORE "OPPORTUNITY" & COMPLETE!

table by california dreaming @ caution 2.0

[Giulietta di Verona]

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now THE day HAS come

[/size] we are forsaken… this time[/color][/font][/size][/center]

She looked at him intently as he simply grinned and ignored her words. Was he jesting or tried to make her lose her patience? – If so he was certainly doing a great job. She arched a brow at the silence and the smirk on his lips; surely someone who spied on you could not be this cynical! After what he watched her do he still tempted someone like her to slid his throat? Now she was not trying to sound rude or aggressive, but at this moment she was in no humour to entertain and this man surely looked like the typical person used to making sport of others, why else would he stand leisurely but meters away form her? He appeared fearless, just the image he wished to portray.

But he seemed to forget one important thing: not everyone believed what their eyes could see. Your sight could be deceiving, every sense could fool you, and how could you trust anything blindly then when appearances meant nothing in reality?

Giulietta was one of those few persons who did not easily trust. Now, she had many reasons to dislike and mistrust this man. For one, he had been spying on her in the shadows, secondly… his attire and mockery could easily make her take him for a thief of some sort, surely no mere vagabond would be so cheeky and risk his life at the mercy of a woman’s blade. She eyed him as his grin extended when she stated the obvious.

Why had she asked such ridiculous question? It was easy. She expected a reaction of some sort, a revelation on the true character of this man. Yet he seemed resilient to appear but mysterious, it made her smirk in mockery. Had he come all this way to make sport on a woman’s past? That was awfully cruel to be certain, but there were men like that in this world.

”That is because I am not.”

Truly…

What was this man on about?

She had had enough and simply turned and began to make her way back toward solitude. Surely it could be visible that at this moment… she was not all fun and pleasant conversation. It was not her fault though, she simply wasn’t that “charming” mayhap, but most persons she had met disliked someone whose tongue was never silent. Maybe he was testing her, waiting for a reaction, well he got a reaction all right. She sighted, she was so impulsive, perhaps she needed to stop for a moment and think before acting.

Just maybe…

“It seems strange to me that a lady would stray from her guards… Or that her guards would allow such.”

“That would seem strange to anyone… especially a man.” She could not hide her amusement to his comment but then again it was a cliché, most persons shared that opinion but she could not help it. Life situations ensured she struggled to survive and the past that haunted her at times taught her much, she could fight for her life if she had to and, but no means, would she become an easy target. Her father had taught her well. “But I can look after myself.” In reality it had bee her uncles the ones eager to have her leave on an escort, fearing her impulsiveness might make her do something hasty.

Their eyes locked… The dice is cast and the game was on.

“Situational awareness is important for one who has wandered alone.”

“You seem to know a lot about strategies, situations and wit, Sir, otherwise you would not have followed me all the way here aware that I could know you were doing so. Yet I know not who you are or why you are here.” Now, she had suddenly turned chattier, she had to admit she was curious about him, who would not be interested on a stranger they met by coincidence on a typically normal day? Everything turned into enigmas and puzzles that needed solving and Giulietta loved doing that. She granted his eyes a cunning smile.

“Tell me… what made you so determined? So… Distracted?”

It was dangerous to give a stranger the key to your weaknesses and fears. It was something that had cost many warriors and heroes their lives and the victory they fought fro throughout the years. Her eyes examined him for a brief moment as she said, “I know not your name or where you are from and you expect a confession? Yet what will you do once you know? It happened a very long time ago.” – She still rekindled how she had fought to save her father, and to…survive. Yet she still strove to survive now…

She then added, “Surely there are merrier topics that could interest you more than the unimportant past of a spoiled Lady who never had to strive to survive eh?” She looked up at the sky, this time a genuine smile on her lips, it was still sunny and warm. How she loved escaping to the wilderness.

( word count ) I 3696 I ( status ) I practicing I ( place ) I River Acheron I ( notes ) I rekindling I

Template by Giulietta
* Song: FORSAKEN ,, within temptation

[Fane Valeri Aleksandar]

now the dark begins to rise

save your breath; it's far from over

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i53.tinypic.com/wb98wn.jpg');,true] I WILL NOT BREAK He watched her casually as she battled the frustration that he was causing in her. Perhaps his temporary exile from his home would be interesting after all? Happening across this noblewoman was certainly a turn of luck that he appreciated. Of course, she had her guards to thank for their lack of attention to the finer details of an area, especially when their charge was one who so readily strayed from them. It was as though they saw only what they wanted or expected—they had predetermined the ruins to be clear of other life and therefore they saw no signs of habitation. Well, that suited him just fine. As for his interest in toying with the woman and her apparently fragile emotional state, Costel could certainly be to blame for that. Fane felt it easiest and most entertaining to vent his own anger and frustration on the woman in the clearing—she was clearly an easy target—rather than dispense of the irritation in a much healthier manner. He had no intention of physically harming the woman unless of course she decided to draw her own blades. Fane would not allow some woman, noble or otherwise, to take advantage of any chivalry or courtly love that he may or may not decide to follow. “That would seem strange to anyone… especially a man,” she replied with amusement laced in her tone. From her particular word choice, he found a bit of the typical gender war talk that had long since infested the world. He was a man; of course he would think it wrong that she strayed. “But I can look after myself.” Confident little thing, she was. “Of course you can,” he replied with a tone that could have been interpreted in either a patronizing or soothing way. “You seem to know a lot about strategies, situations and wit, Sir, otherwise you would not have followed me all the way here aware that I could know you were doing so. Yet I know not who you are or why you are here. “I know not your name or where you are from and you expect a confession? Yet what will you do once you know? It happened a very long time ago.” She paused and reluctantly suggested, “Surely there are merrier topics that could interest you more than the unimportant past of a spoiled Lady who never had to strive to survive eh?” Though he believed she was trying to avoid revealing much about herself, he learned that her fear was an event from her past, one that occurred in years past, and that it was no joyous occasion that gave her fear. The details of the particular event were all that he lacked. “Then enlighten me, spoiled noblewoman who never had to strive to survive. What would be a more suitable topic that might interest me?” He issued it as a clear challenge to her: Entertain me. 490 WORDS , GIULIETTA; OPEN , BEFORE "OPPORTUNITY" & COMPLETE!

table by california dreaming @ caution 2.0

[Giulietta di Verona]

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now THE day HAS come

[/size] we are forsaken… this time[/color][/font][/size][/center]

Most would argue on the precision of Giulietta’s guards, they seemed carless or not even bothered with her escapade, but they had gotten accustomed to it. If she needed help she would let them know. It was hard being a guard; especially one appointed to look after Giulietta, for she travelled often and would tend to dismiss her guards at the first opportunity. At times they would have to look for her, since she strayed to far form their vigilant eye. At this time, they had undergone an extensive journey, they were tired and even the best of guards would resent the trip. Giulietta, however, seemed to enjoy herself too much to worry about being exhausted. Surely her body would resent it eventually, but not now.

She was a cartographer though, she studied every single path, forest, mountain, she made accounts of new and old paths, of places where bandits were often and as such, she knew these ruins were long abandoned, surely only someone with no other option… or a thief, would chose this place as a hideout.

He seemed fond of playing the detective, but both could definitely get on that game. She was no mere noble, her life ensured she could choose a different oath, but not many considered this, in the eyes of many she was simply… one of them. She grinned this time and said, “So, what would you be doing here? What did you do this time that you had to hide in this forsaken place?”

One thing she had to admit, her guards were not as good as they claimed when appointed to the royal family, or they simply did not look well enough for signs of someone else’s presence. She shrugged, mind them, she was glad that her father had taught her how to master her twin swords, otherwise, she would be truly helpless and an easy target for this man, a man she would not trust for his silence spoke more than a thousand words.

Giulietta was not the most sociable person whenever in the company of a person she did not feel like talking to. Of course, this situation was slightly different, had it been in the castle, at a ball, she would have excused herself and gone to spend time in solitude, however, she could not simply turn and leave this man to laugh at himself, no, if she turned her back to him she considered he could draw a weapon and attack her, she had to consider all possible scenarios in order to prevent anything form happening to her. Now, she would consider this man a bandit until proven otherwise.

“Of course you can,”

Her past was more a regret, for she feared little things in this world, one being her… loved ones to be harmed. She was at ease, her body in a relaxed position. However, she was aware of her surroundings should something happen that could force her to shift into a defensive stance. Her twin swords were at hand’s reach, all she had to do was move her hands and in two seconds her blades were out.

“Then enlighten me, spoiled noblewoman who never had to strive to survive. What would be a more suitable topic that might interest me?”

This time she gave two steps forth before saying, “Truly, I am no jester to entertain anyone Sir, nonetheless…” Her eyes met his for a moment as she folded her arms across her chest lazily, “The man would not say no to a stroll in these ruins?” Giulietta’s pride related to cartography, no one knew these lands better than her; surely he had not seen it all.

( word count ) I 718 I ( status ) I practicing I ( place ) I River Acheron I ( notes ) I rekindling I

Template by Giulietta
* Song: FORSAKEN ,, within temptation

[Fane Valeri Aleksandar]

now the dark begins to rise

save your breath; it's far from over

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i53.tinypic.com/wb98wn.jpg');,true] I WILL NOT BREAK “So, what would you be doing here? What did you do this time that you had to hide in this forsaken place?” Fane took note of the triumphant smirk on her face, figuring she believed she had him backed into a corner. The reasoning behind his stay in the ruins was admittedly suspect, but he had a perfectly logical explanation. “You speak as though you know my habits, my lady,” he said with his serene smirk still in place. “Nevertheless, I will allay your curiosity. I am here because I wished to escape the busy city streets for a night or two. You can see for yourself that it is tranquil here, is it not?” He tilted his head slightly. “If it is so forsaken, why would a young lady such as yourself dare come here and condemn me for doing the same?” She seemed much more aware of her surroundings than when he first found her. Her hands hovered at the hilts of her swords as though she thought he was prepared to draw and fight him if he made a wrong move. The young woman’s anxiousness made him wonder if she was actually prepared to take up arms against another human. Sure, she could wield them in practice, but could she actually fight against another person with the intent to harm or defend herself? “Truly, I am no jester to entertain anyone Sir, nonetheless… The man would not say no to a stroll in these ruins?” The young man nodded his head. “Lead the way.” He had no fear of the guards; should they cause problems for him, he certainly had no problem with taking up arms. The miniature arsenal beneath his cloak was evidence enough of that. 290 WORDS , GIULIETTA; OPEN , BEFORE "OPPORTUNITY" & COMPLETE! Outfit

table by california dreaming @ caution 2.0

It's short but I got it up

[Giulietta di Verona]

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now THE day HAS come

[/size] we are forsaken… this time[/color][/font][/size][/center]

The day was slowly moving forth, the sun was at its highest peak and surely in a few hours the evening would awake, leading the way for the moonlight to touch the land and give it its more mysterious glow. The land was still humid, however, due to the morning dew, and though the land was at peace Giulietta was estranged, no bird was singing or chirping on twigs and branches as they usually did, even when she usually practiced with her weapons, that was never an impediment for them to enjoy themselves for she never meant them any harm. She simply wished for the solitude that came with training. That was when she felt more at ease with herself, her past no longer haunted her and she enjoyed the true beauty of life, of course that did not mean she did not enjoy the time she spent with her family, the royals of Etrias.

But they all had busy lives, they could not pamper her morning and night, hence her sudden enjoyment of cartography and travelling. It gave her something productive to do, something to enjoy, and perhaps then she would find what she was missing. She always enjoyed the smile in her uncle’s eyes, and her mother even, whenever she discovered a nest of rebels, or thieves, or even found a safer traveling route for merchants, it protected the food supplies that were transported toward the smaller towns who scared grain these days. She frowned at the fact that there seemed to be grain shortage, she wondered why that was…

”You speak as though you know my habits, my lady… Nevertheless, I will allay your curiosity. I am here because I wished to escape the busy city streets for a night or two. You can see for yourself that it is tranquil here, is it not?”

She grinned at his silly smirk and then said, looking at the path they had begun to follow, “You may never know, perchance I indeed know of your habits, stranger, I could surprise anyone quite easily.” What people’s eyes saw was not what this girl truly was. Many took her for a mere noble Lady, but her mastering the use of twin blades and her developed knowledge on cartography made her much more than just a person with power. Now, when you had power, you also had the choice to decide how to administer such, and she chose to help her people. She wished to appease her father’s soul by sparing as many lives as possible and by helping others, still tormented by that fateful day where she believed, had she not run away, her father would still be alive and breathing, pushed her to be this way.

She considered his last words, he could be telling the truth, or lying. She shrugged at his words and said, “I suppose it is, but a most peaceful place can be a sanctuary to some and a lair to others who are in hiding for something they could have done.“ She eyed him for a brief moment before her eyes moved toward the river, as its soft waters moved gently like the music of a long gone melody.

“If it is so forsaken, why would a young lady such as yourself dare come here and condemn me for doing the same?”

Her eyes did not move from the cool waters of the river as if she could see herself riding away from home that night. She then spoke softly, “Forsaken for some, yet not for me. That being said, I do not condemn you for being here, but you must allow a lady to suspect form a stranger who would not even reveal his name. Whichever reason brought you here, I have known of this place for many years, and I have never seen you before, and claiming to come here for peace, you must have come here before.”

She felt the cool breeze of the wind as it passed them by; some white and silver prominent clouds moved just above them and they reached a small passageway that took them to some stairs. She followed the passageway and climbed u the stairs, she was fully aware of where this man was in case he tried anything funny, you never knew. Once she reached the top they came to what looked to have been a great wall to protect a fortress. She walked along and looked at the sunlight hit the beautiful mountains and hills, al about the plains and meadows.

She folded her arms across her chest as she said, “We will stay only a fortnight, we must make haste afterwards for a journey awaits us…” she turned to look into his eyes as she added, “you are free to join us for as long as we stay here, but only if you do not mean any harm. If you do, I would ask you to not come close to the camp.” She did not want her guards to pay for her traveling nature and be dead whichever reasons this man could have for being here. A beautiful violet rose had grown from a crevice on a wall; she smiled and looked at it for a moment.

( word count ) I 978 I ( status ) I practicing I ( place ) I River Acheron I ( notes ) I rekindling I

Template by Giulietta
* Song: FORSAKEN ,, within temptation