feeling it

Posts : 91 Join date : 2009-11-20

After he was forced away from Esme, he was lead off a long ways down. Down steep terrains and rugged backwoods. He had a basic idea of where he was heading, to prison, right? He wasn't told. As long as he wasn't heading to the executioner, he decided he would accept anything else. If he acted serene and compliant they would return him to Esme faster, he supposed.

Finally he was brought to something that had a cave-like entrance. He paused there, and was promptly nudged by some sort of pole. It wasn't hard, but he wasn't expecting it so he stumbled forward a bit. Likewise, everything inside was cave-like. It was dark, and for a while it appeared as though it had no end..but after a mile or so he noticed a small light in the distance. An opening.
Making a long story short, the opening lead to a rotting courtyard. It had tall walls that circled it, making it seem like they were at the very bottom of an empty lighthouse, which didn't ease the situation. There were various restraints scattered all about, and he glanced frantically between said contraptions and the main sentry leading him.

A few words were exchanged between the officers, it was like they were speaking in code. He couldn't fathom why nobody was telling him what was going on, which was starting to freak him out. Abandoning all his prior thoughts of placidity, he jerked his body away from one of the guards, but they were ready. What good would they be if they weren't prepared for retaliation? Rather than trying to tangle him up in more ropes, they slid a collar over his head and fastened it tight around his neck. He thought this to be odd, since it did nothing to hinder him. Anyway, he went to bite at the guard trying to secure it firm, but another seized him by the hair, forcing him to cancel the action.

With that, he was strapped into something similar to a straight jacket, however it didn't have any sleeves and there were many straps to it. It was modified to fit a winged being at least; his wings were manhandled through a set of openings towards his back. It killed when his 'bruised' wing was jostled through, but he did nothing but hiss in a breath.

Apparently, even with his upper-half restrained like this, he still posed a threat. Under protest, he was escorted to a short wooden stock where his head was fastened. For a split second, he was afraid he was being beheaded. After that scare everything else would probably be easy. His knees were bound as he knelt on them, and without any way to defend himself both of his wings were taken and spread.

Oh, maybe they were going to fix his wing.

He couldn't see what was going on, all things considered, so when someone came up with a pair of, what looked like, large hedge-clippers he was unaware. He couldn't even feel it as they began snipping at his wings, but he was unsettled enough but the scratchy, rusty noise the clippers made each time they were opened.

Posts : 80 Join date : 2009-11-12

Upon her return to the gate, she was once again intercepted by a group of guards. Several onlookers that had witnessed the accident in the courtyard summoned for a medic, however, Esme took off before the man could arrive. A frantic search for the water spirit soon followed which eventually lead to the gate she was last seen exiting. When her whereabouts were finally discovered, it was demanded that she was seen by the doctor and that her injuries could be worse than what she expected.

She immediately took on an authoritative, yet complaint tone of voice. "I was merely ratifying my compeer, Othello, that he should proceed to Earth in my absence. However, ...I am ready to be seen now."

Refusing them or otherwise denying the medic access to her would have given the impression that she was undergoing an ill state of mind and this only would have prevented her from aiding her gryphon. Thus, she accepted. Othello was the only person who could witness her fleeting display of desperation who, to her dismay, refused to oblige in her requests anyway. However, if she even gave off the smallest glimpse of such behavior to anyone else, their reactions would have been much worse. Being at the pique of the hierarchy underneath the emperor allowed no room for weakness.

At her compliance, she was taken to the healing center and was promptly examined. Luckily, she didn't appear to have any broken bones or punctured organs. The only type of injury she seemed to have attained were the few little scrapes that had already stopped bleeding. They were soon sealed and the skin was repaired, appearing as if she was never scratched. This was just one of the many things of being an immortal, it was nearly impossible to gain any scars unless you foolish enough to have acquired them in the living-world.

Her gown was replaced and she was finally given 'permission' to leave, now that she was in perfect condition. She was in the healing center much longer than she would have liked to be, but that couldn't be helped. At least no one suspected that she was running around in blind hysteria.

The only thing she could do now was follow her instincts. The guards that took Enki away assured her that he was going to be taken care of, however, he wasn't at the healing center. There was only one other place where he could have been taken to and it made her sick to even think about it. She had been there one other time when she was accompanying one of her peers. Her memory of the incident alone made her never want to return there again, but she had no choice in the matter now.

Posts : 91 Join date : 2009-11-20

Alright, so he didn't realize at first, but he wasn't retarded. He put two and two together and gasped audibly. Clipping his wings?! He should have expected as much.

More thrashing ensued, most of it being useless. He tried to transform, as his claws would come in handy but he found himself unable. He wasn't sure why, but he had a hunch it could have to do with that goddamn collar. The clipping, at least, was temporarily thwarted as he began flexing and flapping his wings like a lunatic. There was some shouting, which he pretty much screamed over in frustration. This was followed by several vulgarities directed at the minotaur-like supervisor sentry? He seemed to have a more important title than the rest. Anyway, he was unhappy and finally made such known.

The ruckus ended as someone approached him with a cup of..something. He couldn't see through the glass, but it smelt awful. He was expected to drink it but refused to open his mouth until his nose was pinched shut, and even then he clenched his jaw and breathed through his teeth. A second elbow found his cheek, and all at once the unknown drink surged past his lips and a hand slapped over his mouth. He was all prepared to spit it out too.
He was all set with holding the awful drink in his mouth, even though it made him feel like vomiting, until the guard forced his chin up and began rubbing at his throat.

As much as he didn't want to, the unpleasant substance was swallowed, and once the sentry drew away from him he began panting, slightly short of breath. Was he going to die now?! He had no idea. He couldn't make himself vomit either, not while he was restrained like this.

Almost immediately he felt very tired. Everytime he was about to doze off he forced himself awake, glancing about with wide eyes and slowly nodding off again until he finally passed out. The underside of the stock was digging into his head, so one of the guys kindly held his face up by his hair, and the feather-trimming procedure continued.

Posts : 80 Join date : 2009-11-12

Arriving by foot would take too much time, thus she assessed that her best course of action would be to gallop there. Once she had reached the outskirts of the city, a soft glow illuminated her body as her slender frame morphed into a pristine white horse. Her mane was dripping and her hide was glistening as if she had just emerged out of water, however, it was always like that even if she wasn't in any water at all.

With that, she ran into the forest at full speed. She galloped between dense growths of foliage and leapt over fallen trees and gorges. Unfortunately for her, she wasn't used to doing this at all. In fact, she stumbled several times and nearly fell into ravine. It would have been better to have someone else accompany her since the forest was often too dangerous to travel alone in, but she knew that no one would have wanted to go with her.

When she finally arrived to a clearing, her now black eyes were met with the entrance of a cave. Or what seemed like one. It was certainly primitive in appearance, lacking in both class and civility. However, the inhabitants of such a place could probably care less of how the place looked and she could only imagine the kind of immoral, vile things went on in there. She had tried many times to have this place destroyed, but her wish was never granted. Far too many of her peers found this place of torture to be more beneficial than harmful.

She didn't waste another moment and advanced into the cave, the steady pace of her hooves being the only sound that met her ears. It wasn't long before she was engulfed in darkness, but this only caused her to try and hurry through the tunnel that never seemed to end. Her trot broke into a canter which eventually turned into a gallop. She ran for what seemed like forever until she stumbled upon a light that she was more than grateful to see.

Her solitude was short-lived as she was immediately intercepted by a band of guards that watched over the area. They demanded that she state her name and why she was there. She didn't answer, but merely morphed back into her human form while bearing an expression of slight distaste. At the moment her identity was revealed, she was immediately apologized to. This was the kind of respect she was used to, but it only was given when she acted the part. "I am here to see someone."

Posts : 91 Join date : 2009-11-20

In the time it took Esme to arrive, the guards fully clipped either of his wings to ensure that he would be flightless for some time. It would have been impossible to guarantee he'd never fly again without removing his wings, and even then it was possible they'd return. It was undecided how long he would be rendered flightless, and also undecided whether or not they would have to repeat the process. Depending on how badly hurt Esme was, they might re-clip them in the future. All of the others he managed to smash into would probably have some say as well.

With the deed done, he was free from the wooden stock but everything else remained as was, restraining him in case he should wake up and throw a fit. It wasn't like the guards couldn't subdue him with their strength, but it would have been a nuisance.

But for now, he just slumped over on the ground, still unconscious from whatever they gave him to drink. If only he knew Esme had arrived, he'd snap awake right away.

However, plenty of guards, specifically the ones surrounding him, were less than enthused about her arrival. He knew they were in for some speech about how they should free her pet and all of that. They might just have to oblige until the situation could be properly assessed with the other victims and such. If the woman took the gryphon off, at least they'd know where to find him.

Posts : 80 Join date : 2009-11-12

At her request, she was brought to the area where her gryphon was located. A pair of guards led her down several corridors, passing by a few occupied cells where other pets were being held, gryphons and dragons alike. She kept her eyes from connecting with any of them and remained with her gaze fixed solely ahead of her. It would have hurt her, to see them suffering like this, but she couldn't afford to allow her expression to appear..distressed. Instead, she established a very austere demeanor. It was an uncommon expression for her to wear, but it delivered the best results.

Upon her arrival, she stopped in front of the throng of guards that surrounded the unconscious gryphon. She acknowledged the largest, more robust sentry whom she had assumed was the chief with a slight nod of her head.
"Didn't give you too much trouble, did he?" Scanning over the mess of feathers that littered the floor. "A young gryphon of his age shouldn't be too much to handle." Her eyes finally floated over to the boy. He looked terrible; hurt and beaten, but the worst part was what they did to his wings. It took every ounce of her to keep her inner torment from showing on her face. She managed the smallest of grins while attempting to ignore the horribly out of place sensation. "I'm sure he'll think twice before spreading those wings again."

The grin disappeared as soon as it came when her gaze shifted back to the chief guard. "Now that the deed is finished, I will be taking him off your hands." She made it sound like an order on purpose. Merely asking them would have given the opportunity to say no, thus she was allowing them no choice in the matter. "I am more than certain that he has learned his lesson."

Posts : 91 Join date : 2009-11-20

The way everyone was standing about him made it look like a bunch of thugs just beat him up. There was a lot of chatter between Esme's words, the place going silent as she spoke. Occasionally her words would muster a chuckle from the various guards, particularly so when she insulted the bird.
All in all, it sounded as though she was just upset with her pet as the rest of them, but even so..

There were plenty of arguments for and against the idea of releasing him to her. Again, it wouldn't really be a 'release' considering they'd know where he was, and they doubted Esme would do anything retarded. Eventually, Enki was picked up under his arms (rather than by his hair, as Esme was here and that would look bad) and another guard unlocked the collar clenched about his throat and suppressing his powers. Next, the jacket came off, followed by the various ropes and chains. One would assume he posed a serious threat, was rabid even..

Her pet was handed over with a warning, explaining that she shouldn't try hiding him or doing anything that would merit a more severe punishment later on after the damage was properly evaluated.

Posts : 80 Join date : 2009-11-12

She only issued the chief another slight nod to signify that she understood the terms and conditions of what she was about to do. Of course, this was all a front and if this situation should escalate to the point where Enki was in even more trouble than before then she would have no other choice than to do anything in her power to keep him safe, regardless of how she might look.

Once the boy was released, she ordered a pair of guards help her by dragging him back to the entrance of the cave. She could have done this herself, but this seemed more appropriate for the charade she was playing. Once they arrived to the area, her body illuminated that same gentle glow as her limbs grew and elongated. She took the form of a horse once again and instructed them to place the gryphon on her back. It wasn't her first choice of action, but this seemed more appropriate than having the guards carry Enki all the way back to her palace. Besides, she didn't think she could be in their company any longer.

As soon as the gryphon was settled securely on her, she broke into a canter and headed off into the forest. She didn't gallop this time though, for fear that the boy might slide off of her. She didn't know how hurt he was or if he lost consciousness out of pain, but she didn't want to make the situation anymore unbearable for him. Thus, she began their journey at a steady pace all while trying to avoid the gorges she didn't bother to dodge before.

Posts : 91 Join date : 2009-11-20

He was unconscious through the dragging and placing of him on her back. But it wasn't long after that did he start to come to, groaning quietly as the taste of that sleep tonic was fresh on his lips. He could have puked, but didn't.

Without an iota of what was going on, his finger twitched against what was Esme's neck, and it took him a while to realize he was..moving. This was startling but his mind was beginning to work while his limbs felt slow and achey. "What's even goin' on?" He slurred against the back of the water-horse's neck, barely opening his eyes a crack to see ahead of him. He couldn't see or make out very much at all, kinda like looking around underwater without goggles but a bit blurrier.

It was hard to forget all of what happened earlier that morning, so he assumed he was being taken elsewhere for further punishment, which was funny since he knew his wrists and ankles were free. "Where're ya takin' me?" He added wearily sometime after his initial inquiry. If they kept on like this, he might just puke. If only he'd keep his eyes closed until he was completely alert.

Posts : 80 Join date : 2009-11-12

She immediately noticed with the gryphon started to regain consciousness. She could hear him groan (which she assumed was out of pain) which only caused her pace to slow down even further, but not enough so that she was moving like a snail. Her head tilted to the side a little, trying to catch a glimpse of him in her periphery. "Shh.." She began in a gentle tone. "It's alright. You're with me now."

She couldn't tell how he was doing, but she figured that it was best to just carry onward. She would tend to his wounds when they arrived back at the palace. She still felt guilty about what had happened. If she didn't make plans to visit Earth and just waited then...
Although, she did have a philosophy that things happened for a reason. However, what could possibly be the beneficiary in this? She supposed that if they had gone to Earth, something might have happened that was even worse? Now that she thought about it, it sort of..clicked in her mind. The penalty for screw-up's in living-world was death. For a pet anyway.

"We're going home." Came that same soft tone. It didn't occur to her that he was confused about who she was or where they were. She didn't usually transform in front of him, let alone carry him on her back. It was a drastic change from the norm, but she didn't have an issue with it in the least. In fact, she liked catering after another for a change and especially if it was someone that she cared about. "We'll be there soon."

Posts : 91 Join date : 2009-11-20

That was certainly Esme's voice he was hearing, but he couldn't fathom where she was, and she couldn't have been the beast he was riding; he assumed he was riding on some kind of animal just based on how he was positioned and the rate of which he was moving. He shifted a little, but made no motion to slide off or otherwise tumble off his ride.

"Home?"
He felt safe, even though he wasn't sure what the hell was going on. But if Esme was talking to him, saying everything was alright, then he had no reason to think otherwise. Maybe that was a naive way of thinking, but not to him; it wasn't like he blindly followed whoever had power over him; a perfect example was how he was reacting to the guards and such. He just never had a reason to mistrust the noble, though he couldn't say the same in reverse.

Still out of it, he didn't have enough sense to ask how she was doing, wherever she was. But it was on his mind, so the fact that he didn't voice his concern was a bit strange. He pressed his face up against the beck of her neck – which felt wet or cold, maybe a combination of both?! And somehow from there, managed to doze off again. He might have been able to fall asleep on a bed of nails or something equally uncomfortable in these circumstances. That crap was probably going to stay in his system until he flushed it out with water or, uh, simply passed it..unless his body would fight it off naturally in a while. It was hard to gauge having never been drugged up before.

Posts : 80 Join date : 2009-11-12

"Yes."

She didn't take the main entrance through the more populated area of the city; doing that might attract attention and that was the last thing she wanted right now. Also, the spirits that Enki slammed into during the fall might have still been upset and she wanted to avoid running into them at all costs. She cut across a small valley, putting more and more distance between her and the homes that surrounded her own.
The boy's silence was a little unnerving, but she figured that he might have passed out again. She was extremely tempted to check his health just to make sure that he wasn't bleeding or anything like that. However, she was more than certain that she would have been able to feel if he was, since he was riding on her back and all.

She continued onward, quickening her pace a bit now that he seemed unconscious. It wasn't long before she could finally see her destination, however, it took her a while for her to actually reach it. She was glad now that she didn't have servants or anything like that; she didn't really feel like explaining the day's events to anyone and especially not when Enki was possibly hurt and in need of medical attention. It was just them though, and it took her until now to be grateful about it.

Upon arrival, she hastily made her way for the marble stairway that lead up to her home, not bothering to notice (or even care) about the mud that her hooves were tracking all over it. The next part proved to be a little difficult, but she managed to dismount him without having him slam into the floor. Now he was off of her, she morphed back into a human and took him inside. She glanced around the main hall while trying to rack her brain about where to go next.

She eventually settled on her room, figuring he would be the most comfortable (and safe) there. As soon as she set him to rest, she immediately headed for some supplies so she could clean and tend to his wounds. Unfortunately, she wasn't stocked on much aside from a gauze-like material and a few ointments. She gathered up everything that might have been helpful and promptly headed back for the gryphon.

Luckily, she wasn't completely clueless in terms of healing. She first cleaned off his cuts and scrapes, relieved at the fact that he wasn't suffering from anything too deep, thus the gauze was unnecessary. She then proceeded to clean his bruises, followed by the ointment.

Posts : 91 Join date : 2009-11-20

Once he was settled down to rest, he was shifting between being awake and being entirely out of it. He was aware of things for the most part, but sans any details. He knew he was being moved just moments ago, and now he was being allowed to rest on something steady and comfortable. He mumbled something that made little sense and moved his legs about counter-productively as Esme went to clean whatever little cuts and bruises he received through bowling along town. It felt cold and..weird. Like whatever he was sitting on before.

Forcing himself to make sense of everything, his eyes opened a few centimeters again and he attempted to assess where he was. It was quiet and had a nice familiar smell. The moist <i>thing</i> continued brushing him and his eyes opened a bit further, light blue pupils settling on what was unmistakably Esme's form. Which immediately, for no apparent reason, freaked him out.

He shot upright and backed up, messing up whatever spread was underneath him. He brought brought his knees up so that they were level with his chest, wings spread cautiously in flightless splendor and his hands clenched at the material on either side of him. It was as if she was maltreating him as bad as the guards had been, when she was doing just the opposite. "E-Esme?!"

As the surprise wore off, he felt embarrassed, awkward, disgraceful and so many other discouraging things. He didn't even want to be in Esme's sight, why was she even regarding him with care? His wings bent a bit, folding somewhat around himself in an intuitive way of making himself less visible to her. His bruised wing was sort of incapable of doing that without causing intense pain, so that one remained extended.

"I didn't mean to, I was just.." Showboating, acting like a moron, behaving like a wild animal. He didn't have any right to be her pet or transportation let alone anything more than that. It was officially time to drop his juvenile crush on her, but that was least of his worries. There wasn't any excuse for how he conducted himself earlier, so he wasn't going to make any. "You can't rely on me so I don't mind if you trade me for someone else." He lied between his teeth, finished with his internal pity party. It was obvious he was lying about not minding being replaced. All he'd ever known since birth was Esme. He might have acted like arrogant behind the noble's back, but he was really terrified at the thought of existing without having her to occasionally ask favors from him or help to escort her somewhere. That was ridiculous for someone his age, he knew that, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Well, maybe this would change him. He released the material in his clutches and as if to prove his point, he slid from what he was resting on and wobbly...drowsily, landed on his bare feet. Next, he bowed, like he was dismissing himself. "Thank you for taking care of me until now..!"

And yet, before he could stride off with what little dignity he retained, he felt himself falling forward.

Posts : 80 Join date : 2009-11-12

She was so enveloped in her mending that she didn't notice when the gryphon's eyes blinked open. His tossing and turning thus far didn't go unnoticed, but she figured that he must have still been uneasy about his stay in the torture house. His wounds, however, didn't distract her for long. The sound of her name managed to wrench her gaze away from what she was doing to instead meet with those familiar turquoise orbs.
All this time she was trying to keep most of her actions tender and gentle to avoid further hurting him, but the manner in which he jumped away from her made her think that she was unsuccessful in that aspect. With that, her hands lowered to rest in her lap as a signal that she would stop. "Yes.." She replied, as a sort of instinctive response to hearing her name.

She was unsure of what to say now that the gryphon looked wide awake and almost..apprehensive. She barely managed to catch on to the small gesture of shielding himself with his wing. It was only until now did she realize how he must have felt. Embarrassed, ashamed even? It was still a mystery to her what really happened in the torture house, but she could only imagine that they beat him into submission and probably lectured him about how his little parade could have killed her... With that in mind, it was no wonder that he behaving so guiltily.
Yet, it seemed like everyone forgot that she was still alive and breathing.. at the gryphon's expense.

Her eyebrows furrowed a little with his proposal. She knew that she could never replace him, but she couldn't understand why he would say such a thing. She shook her head slowly, but was somehow unable to verbalize her thoughts.

She could only watch as he rose from the bed with her concern displayed quite clearly on her features, unlike earlier. She never paid any mind to those who told her that she spoiled the gryphon or treated him with too much equality. She tried to bring up Enki with that same kind of mentality, that his kind should be treated no differently than her own. However, it seemed like the boy was heavily influenced by outside authority and unfortunately, that was something she couldn't help.

"Enki.." Came a saddened tone of voice following his expression of gratitude. She was torn between letting him go and stopping him. She could tell that he was ashamed and probably wouldn't be happy until he somehow redeemed himself. Yet, she didn't want him to leave. Oddly, she remembered when Othello called her selfish. He insulted her all the time, but it was only now did she take his words into consideration. Had she been selfish? Everything she did this evening was for the benefit of someone else, but now..

She was there as soon as the gryphon began to fall, circling her arms around him in order to keep him from landing on the floor. Her golden eyes found those light-blue ones as she leveled their gaze somewhat, cupping a hand at one side of his face. "You shouldn't feel guilty about what happened. Mistakes are inevitable.. who's to know what is right and wrong without learning for themselves?" The hand that she placed against his cheek rose a little to brush away a few stray hairs. She smiled a little, desperate to change that defeated look he was bearing.

"If it weren't for you, I might not even be here."

Posts : 91 Join date : 2009-11-20

When she caught him, his hands instinctively rose to grab her shoulders. As his weary gaze found hers, he just quietly listened to all that she had to say without interruption. Her words didn't really change his mind, as he partly expected her to try and make him feel better. But if she truly wasn't upset with him, he didn't have a problem with staying, really. It was a relief, but he felt guilty.

There was a long, almost awkward pause before he had enough sense to move one of his hands to the crook of his neck. His fingers drummed subtly against the back of her neck, like he was mulling over something. He did have a lot on his mind, but Esme would probably never guess what his thoughts entailed at the moment.

All at once, he leaned up on his feet..still dizzy, and found the noble's mouth with his own. He didn't at all know how to kiss, having only witnessed it a few times and never actually done it himself. He didn't know if Esme was currently..interested in kissing someone who wasn't himself, but just doing it made more sense than asking. Not to say this made any sense at all, and depending on how Esme reacted it could have worsened his case.

He pulled back quickly, without any excuse for his action, and let his hands slide from her form.

Posts : 80 Join date : 2009-11-12

She was left staring at the boy, waiting for any sort of reply that he might have to offer. It didn't seem like he was going to say anything though, due to the long silence that followed her statement. Her hand mimicked his own and moved to rest against his shoulder instead of on his cheek. There was a possibility that she was only making the situation awkward and was prepared to pull away, but the fact that she was supporting a lot of his weight kept her in place.

It was true that she was unaware of what was going on behind those blue orbs, but the last thing she was expecting was to be kissed. It was perhaps the shock alone that kept her face within close proximity of the boy's. It was quick, yet warm. Her eyes closed only for a moment, but opened as soon as he pulled away. She didn't know how to react or if she even should react to this. She was surprised and bewildered, but not angry. Though, she could probably never be angry with Enki anyway.

"I.." She began, her voice faltering before she could even finish. She didn't even know what to say. It was foolish of her not have realized his crush on her sooner, but even then, she wasn't sure what to make of his kiss. A moment or so passed before she found herself leaning forward, her eyes closing once again to complete her practically instinctive reaction. She wasn't sure what she was doing or if it was even justifyable, but she wouldn't have been able to explain herself.

Her lips momentarily lingered over his before pressing a soft kiss against them.

Posts : 91 Join date : 2009-11-20

He was going to apologize; even he knew that relationships between pets and their owners weren't uncommon, but he never thought for a second Esme would allow something like that. His little crush was doomed from the start, yet rumors of such affairs were encouraging to his situation.

Just as he was pulling his hands back, before he had a chance to open his eyes from what just happened, he felt her mouth up against his. His eyes shot open and he stared at her, dumbfounded. What was she doing?! What was she..thinking. He wasn't resisting, but at the same time he felt he should duck or something, despite the fact that he just kissed her.

She must have thought it was platonic, or something. Sometimes families acted this way, and it wasn't like he was being too suggestive..and neither was she. They were just kissing..on the lips. Alone. In her area of the tower. He considered making things a little more..risque? But she might have gotten the message already and he didn't want to push his luck.

Their second kiss ended as quickly as it began, or so that's how he felt as he drew back and stared at her through half-lidded eyes. Whatever he planned on saying earlier completely slipped his mind now, so he ended up staring uneasily at her for several moments. Eventually he settled flat on his feet, then pressed the side of his head against her chest. No, he wasn't being perverted, at least he wasn't trying to be. His arms also looped around her middle in a loose hug.

Posts : 80 Join date : 2009-11-12

With her latest course of action, she was the one who probably had to apologize. Her eyes opened again when their kiss was broken and she suddenly felt strange, not to mention awkward. She gazed at the boy, unsure if she should even bother explaining what just happened. If she even could. She wasn't acting like herself and she had a feeling that he realized as much, judging by the way he was looking at her. She found herself unable to verbalize her thoughts let alone even attempt to clarify the situation.

It didn't seem like she had to though. Just when she thought the moment was incurable, the boy wrapped his arms around her in a hug. Instinctively, her arms circled around his shoulders as one of her hands rose to cup the back of his head. She didn't understand why she allowed herself to kiss him like that, but she didn't regret doing it. Until now, she had always imagined herself as a sort of maternal figure to Enki. She raised him and took care of him like a mother would, however, that didn't seem like the case anymore. Well, now that she understood the boy's feelings for her.

Her head tilted downward slightly so she could rest her cheek against the side of his head. "You won't leave, will you?" She finally asked, her voice sounding softer than usual. She still remembered that he was departing and only realized then that his kiss might have been a farewell sentiment. With that thought in mind, her arms tightened a little around him, but not painfully so. She finally understood why she was so protective over him now.

Posts : 91 Join date : 2009-11-20

Slowly, he shook his head. It wasn't really up to him anyway. If he wanted to go, which he didn't, and she wasn't a big fan of the idea, he would have to stay. That being said, she did provide him with a lot of freedoms, acting more as a friend than an owner. His opinions rarely clashed with Esme's anyway.

"There's no reason to if you still want me." He returned to standing upright, supporting his own weight and such. Rather than holding her in an embrace, his hands held either of her arms. "I still have a lot to learn, though." He admitted, his voice going somewhat quiet. He liked to think he knew everything already.
Maybe not everything, but close to. If she would feel safer with a more experienced flier, what could he say about it? But she was acting stubborn.

He didn't feel quite so dizzy anymore, not that he did just a few seconds ago when he lost balance, but it occurred to him that he didn't even check to see if Esme was hurt. She didn't look it, so he didn't think he had to ask. Idiot. "You're..alright, huh? You look fine..but?" He could have scarred her for life, if he didn't cut her up with that awful landing. He couldn't blame her if she never wanted to fly with him again.

Posts : 80 Join date : 2009-11-12

She was relieved to hear that the gryphon was willing to stay. Perhaps he felt like she was disappointed in him prior to their kiss and she briefly wondered if he overheard her when she was talking with the guards. What she said could have been taken the wrong way considering the fact that she wanted to sound annoyed and dissatisfied with the boy. However, it didn't seem like he was attentive then and she was sure that he would have asked if it were true now that they were alone. She would have answered truthfully, of course, that she didn't mean any of it.

When he straightened his posture, she aligned her gaze with his own and offered him a smile. "Of course." She affirmed with a nod. "I don't know what I'd do if you left." She brushed a hand along one side of his hair in an attempt to smooth it. She still felt a little weird for kissing him, but she pushed all of those awkward feelings aside for now. He initiated the first kiss which meant he must have had some sort of feelings for her..

"I'm alright." Thanks to the healing center, she was top notch in the physical aspect of things. Being practically royalty in this realm, she was treated as such when it came to her health and well-being. However, her concerns had nothing to do with her at the moment. "But you? How are you feeling?"

It was true that she was more cautious about flying now that she nearly fell to her death earlier that day, well, she probably wouldn't fly for a while, but that was fine. She had her own methods of commuting that involved her own two (sometimes four) feet. Besides, due to the clipping of Enki's wings, she doubted that they'd be able to fly anywhere for a long time. With that thought in mind, her eyes traveled to either wing. She looked pretty despondent about what they had done; now how was he going to get better at flying when he couldn't even fly?

Posts : 91 Join date : 2009-11-20

It was slowly setting in, the fact that they kissed and all. Maybe he was still drowsy after all. His cheeks were warming up, darkening a bit as he wondered whether or not Esme truly felt something for him in return or what. Again, she could have been acting motherly about it, the pair of them did just nearly lose their lives thanks to him. But still, it was like a fantasy he'd been thinking over for years came to life and passed in a matter of seconds. It only made him want more.

He took a step back to glance her over for good measure. To his surprise, really, she looked flawless as usual. He was certain she got scraped up in the fall, but that must have been taken care of as he was being taken care of. It was just impossible for her to have escaped without a single scratch, not to mention he recalled the strap of her dress being torn.

"Don't worry about me." He assured her with a faint grin. Sure, he was aching all over, but he was breathing and able to stand without aid so he could be considered in good health. Bumps and bruises weren't much to complain over. "You just won't be able to fly with me for a while." He didn't know if that would make her change her mind and want to add another pet to her collection, one with unclipped wings until his own were functional. It didn't occur to him that she might have already seen, even though he had them spread out all over the place.
He didn't even look at the damage for himself. He knew what was done and he didn't care to assess the mutilation. Maybe later. "But I'll still practice."

Posts : 80 Join date : 2009-11-12

She nodded in response to not being able to fly for a while. It wasn't because of the fact that he was now unable to fly, but she figured that he needed to practice whenever he was able to. She wasn't concerned that she might fall off his back again, believing that he would fly with a lot more care now, but she knew that it had to do with confidence. Not only that, but she figured that he wanted to earn her trust even though she already trusted him, regardless of what happened.

"That's good.. and I promise that I won't ask for any rides until you're ready." She offered him a smile as she brushed a hand along one of his wings, her fingers smoothing along the feathers with ease. Aside from the few cuts and bruises that he acquired from the fall and his clipped wings, he looked alright. She never really noticed, but he was rather handsome.. in his own unique way. The design and color of his wings and hair certainly helped in that aspect since it was unusual for a gryphon to be so vibrant. She felt strange for taking so long to realize it.

Now that she was confident that she had established a comfortable atmosphere, she took a moment to glance around her quarters. It was dark outside and the only light source that was provided were the few lanterns that adorned the variety of surfaces that decorated her room. She briefly wondered if he was tired; he probably was due to the day's events and she only realized then that she was a little tired herself. "You can sleep in here, if you want.."

Posts : 91 Join date : 2009-11-20

He felt dumb about that, suddenly. Like asking for a ride was asking too much of him, when doing whatever Esme pleased was part of his job. "I'm ready w.." But he trailed off before he could properly protest, glancing off to the side to watch as she touched his wing. He barely even understood what she said next.

Sleep...here?! In her bed, in her..room. It was like nearly killing her brought them closer than ever – not what he was expecting. "Here, with you?" He wanted to ratify, in case he heard wrong due to whatever he'd been drugged with. He could have asked Esme about it, come to think of it, but didn't want her to worry. Maybe she thought he was injured because he nearly passed out again a second ago. He wasn't aware of what she saw back in that chamber.
..did she even go there? How did she acquire him anyway? He unintentionally gave her an odd look.

"If you don't mind." But he didn't just jump onto the bed with that. He waited for her to get in first, as that was more..gentlemanly, and expected of someone like him. However, his actions didn't match his thoughts. Sleeping together often advocated sex, especially if it were two people of opposite genders.
He was really pushing it. He shook his head and rubbed at his eyes with the palms of his hands. "I kinda got dirty though, after all that. If you don't care.." She managed to clean him up pretty well, though. Even if she was just cleaning scrapes and such.

Posts : 80 Join date : 2009-11-12

She nodded, affirming her previous statement. She could detect his hesitance and briefly wondered if it was a mistake to ask such a thing. He pulled away when she kissed him earlier, maybe asking him to sleep here was too much? She wasn't exactly sure why he would want to sleep in the same room as her or why she was even offering, but she didn't take it back. Instead, she merely waited for his following reply and a smile stretched across her face. "Alright." She didn't initially intend for her offer to be considered as something suggestive though.

With that, she made her way over to the bed. She paused with the comment concerning his hygiene and looked over her shoulder at him. Her eyes scanned him over briefly and she eventually ending up shaking her head. "I don't mind." He didn't seem that dirty really, but sheets could always be washed should they be sullied. She slipped out of her shoes silently and crawled into bed, giving him enough place from him to lie down next to her. She didn't hide herself under the sheets just yet either, but merely remained sitting up.

It probably didn't help that she was being quiet, but she didn't know what to say now that she made the situation somewhat awkward again. "You don't have to if you don't want to.." She wasn't sure if he was nervous because of that or if was because of something else.
She then began to remove her various bits of jewelry such as her armlets and tiara. They were uncomfortable to sleep in, thus she would always take them off beforehand. She set them in a designated jewelry box that sat on the end table next to her.

Posts : 91 Join date : 2009-11-20

He watched as she removed her jewelry, wondering whether or not she slept with her dress on or was making an exception due to his presence. He would have reassured her that she could have gone commando if she felt that to be more comfortable, complete with a promise that he'd not do anything lewd, but that suggestion in itself was lewd. If she was comfortable sleeping as she was, he should just keep his mouth shut.

Which he did, as he climbed onto her bed. Typically he preferred his pillows to sleeping in a bed but there wasn't much to complain about. This was comfortable, and there was a bonus-luxury of sleeping next to Esme. Liking her aside, it was a great honor, being permitted to sleep beside her. Despite everything, maybe she did still trust him after all. Well, it wasn't like he outright tried to murder her..

Comfortable resting on his stomach (so that his wings had a bit of room), he stretched his arms out beneath an available pillow and huddled it under his chin. His eyes closed as he nuzzled into it with a sigh. Today had been awfully long, but not completely bad. He would endure being manhandled by a bunch of guards if it meant he could kiss Esme at the end of the day, but hopefully she would be willing to kiss him whenever now.

He grinned against his designated pillow, then made an effort to relax. It was time for bed, and there would be enough time tomorrow to act all blithe over he and the noble's late-day contact.