(Rearing Stallion) Liquid Courage (Basha'ir)

[Orion Michaels]

Orion, Day of Summer 84, 512 AV The knight's stern expression softened, as he shook out his fist from the punch, obviously proud of his handiwork. The woman was beautiful, that's for sure. "Y-you shouldn't run through the alley at night like that if you don't want there to be a misunderstanding." The large man popped his neck, looking down at Orion, and then to the sensual looker before him. "I don't know why you're playing around with this squirrelly boy when you could have a man." His eyes followed her hand to his chest piece, as the knight let out a small sigh. "It's certainly bold of your friend here to take a swing at me, but given the circumstances, there's no sense in ruining the evening of a pretty lady such as yourself." He motioned to Orion before continuing. "I suppose you should get your friend to a doctor to check that out." The knight wiped the blood off his gauntlet, giving the physician a nod reeking of superiority. It was all Orion could do not to laugh. The ridiculousness of it. Was it irony? A doctor. Really. He managed to get himself up to a knee, and looked up at Basha'ir. The way she touched the man, the way she flirted. And even worse was the way this knight lusted after her. Sure it was no different than how he looked at her, but it still tore into him. His jaw tightened, his pulse quickening. What was going on? He held his sleeve to his nose, trying to stop the blood from falling, but his flushed face and rushing heartbeat did little to aid. He allowed himself to fall back to the ground, a smirk on his face. "Good Ser knight, please forgive me. It is as the young lady says. It was only a game, and I'm but a friend." He lingered on the word. He didn't like it, not one bit. It would need remedied, much as his nose would, but he couldn't even focus on the pain as the thoughts rushed into his clearing mind. It was horrible. He couldn't believe it because it should have been impossible. By the gods, he was jealous. How the mighty had fallen.

[Basha'ir]

Basha’ir felt an inner sigh of relief as she saw the knight’s expression mellow, and then change to one of more…interest. She had seen it hundreds of times, on a variety of men, some of whom were then to be swept away, by her, on their own tide of lust. Many others, such as this one, had to be content with simply being allowed to bask in her beauty, and the attention she was willing or allowed to give them. All she cared about, though, was that her focus on the knight had the desired affect of getting Orion off the hook. She let her eyelids flutter one last time as he spoke of squirrels and real men, smiling discretely as if it had become a private joke, just between the two of them. But then she let her hand drop from his chest and she stepped back, still giving him a sultry look, tinged with what clearly spoke of regret. Just for good measure, she focused on her res and brought it to a concentrated spot in her head, as she sent him the suggestion that he really should be a professional and get on with his job.

“Yes, yes, I really do apologize,” she murmured, looking and sounding quite contrite. “I promise it won’t happen again. I’ll be more careful. Thank you so very much, for your protection, though it’s all been a misunderstanding.”

Then with a sinking feeling, she saw from the corner of her eye that Orion was rising. She turned her head very slightly, hoping to send him a look that would say, Be quiet and let him leave! But the words that came from Orion weren’t belligerent and she gave another little sigh of relief, though she did hear the way he emphasized that one last one, friend. Basha’ir though, kept her focus on the knight, sending him an even stronger message. Move on! Move on!

The man cleared his throat, looked speculatively at Orion, then shot Basha’ir a leer. But he said, “Alright, see that you do. Can’t have innocent people being run over in the streets, now, can we?” Ignoring Orion, he nodded in a semi-polite way at Basha’ir. “You take care now, mistress. Careful of the company you keep, eh.”

Finally, finally, he sauntered off with a cocky swagger to his step. This time, Basha’ir let out an audible breath, before turning to hurry to Orion. She had already her veil wadded up and knelt beside him, holding it to his nose.

“I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry, Orion! Here. Use this,” she commanded, pushing his sleeve away. “Don’t lean back. The blood will make you nauseated. Pinch your nose, like this.” Without thinking, she put her finger and thumb to the bridge of his nose and pressed firmly.

“Are you…are you alright?” she asked meekly, as sensation coursed from him to her.

[Orion Michaels]

Orion, Day of Summer 84, 512 AV Big bastard. If you didn't have all that armor on, it'd be a different story. It wouldn't have, but the booze and adrenaline were keeping him from thinking straight, not to mention the crushing blow to his face. The pain was reintroduced to him as Basha'ir pressured his nose. "Ow ow ow ow!" He cried out as he felt her thumb and finger make contact. Caught off guard, he could almost smile at the seamstress giving the doctor medical advice, if not the for the ripping waves of hurt. He reached up and put his hand on hers, if for no other reason than to steady himself. He was dizzier than he thought. His emotions, as usual, were everywhere. He wanted to teach the man a lesson. Wanted to get up, go after him, and show him what a sucker punch felt like. He'd mash his face in and hopefully show him what was up. Those emotions faded quickly after he felt her touch, the usual feelings stirring strongly, but this time there was a strong feeling of selfishness. He didn't want her to look at other men that way. Orion wanted her attention, and he knew he had it, but still. After the way that man... The guilt. The guilt was too much. A woman newly freed, she had the right, the privilege to do as she pleased. He had no right to wish anything of her. The thought of her being taken had very nearly caused him to punch a knight, and that would have been lights out for him. If nothing else, he'd protect her right to freedom on a more personal level than the knights ever would. His hand slid from hers, and for a moment he placed it on her cheek tenderly. His troubled eyes locked onto hers. They were beautiful. Her skin, it felt so soft. And those lips served only to tempt him, full, perfect, tantalizing. If it weren't for the fight, the bleeding nose...if he had this opportunity in any other situation, he just might... The young doctor pulled away, bringing his hand tend to his own nose. "I uh..Thank you, Basha'ir. I've got it." He was bound to have a much better chance than this. She wasn't getting away. "Courtesy of good Ser Knight, you've received a bonus lesson. An Orion, when punched directly in the nose, bleeds in a way which resembles a petching waterfall." He looked up at her, smiling, a few tears welling in his eyes. The young man hoped it was from the punch.

[Basha'ir]

Basah’ir sat back on her heels as Orion made it clear that he needed some space. The touch broken, she laid her now blood dabbled hand in the other, clean one, and held them in her lap, her eyes catching his for a moment before they turned downwards to her hands. She felt so chastised, and rightly so. She shouldn’t have acted that way, towards the knight, even to save Orion more of a roughing up, or being hauled off to a cell, or worse. His jealousy and his desire to have her to himself seemed completely warranted, and she wanted to throw herself at him and tell him that she would be his, that he need never fear that she had eyes for another man, there would only be him. As he had been stroking her face for that brief moment, it was all she could do not to cover his poor abused face with kisses, to run her fingers through that soft hair and pull him close and . . .

Oh brother! she thought, as the feelings he had generated inside of her, echoing his own, washed away. She had been careless, and if she didn’t watch out, her experiment was going to be a complete failure. Though somewhere in the back of her mind, she doubted that kissing Orion would feel like failing, not at all. She knew what it would be like, in fact. It couldn’t be anything other than completely fantastic. Her mark would make it so, unless for some reason he didn’t enjoy it. And that hardly seemed likely.

It was confusing, and frustrating, and when he imparted another Orionism, she knew that he was hurting too, and not just his battered nose. She was quiet for a moment, wondering if there was any point in trying to explain what had transpired, why she acted that way, towards the knight. That would then presuppose her assumption of his jealousy, though, which in turn would mean that there was something to be jealous of. So she decided to leave it for now. Let him have his secret. She didn’t want to push him into some uncomfortable place that he wasn’t ready for.

Her eyes lifted to consider the ruin of his shirt. There was blood all over. Forcing the tiniest of smiles to her lips, she said, “It’s really quite spectacular. I’m impressed.”

Finally she looked at him fully and she noted the tears. This man made her heart break. Here she was, telling herself that what she wanted was freedom and peace of mind and spirit, and yet looking at him, she knew she wanted more, regardless of the pain it might bring. Life was complicated, but she couldn’t run away from it. And she didn’t want to run away from this complication, from him.

“I’m sorry. Truly, I’m sorry that you got hurt, and that our lovely evening has been ruined. I…I suppose you’ll need to go and see to your nose. You probably don’t need my help with that. I…”

She motioned with her hands, a helpless gesture.

“But please, let me anyway,” she said in a soft voice. “I don’t want to leave you.”

[Orion Michaels]

Orion, Day of Summer 84, 512 AV "Basha'ir..," he said, moving back to her. The young doctor gently and awkwardly rested his forehead on her shoulder. "Don't be sad, please. I'd embrace you right now if I wouldn't ruin your dress, you know?" Still holding his hand to his nose, he sat attentive, ready to move if the blood flow started again. "You were brilliant, really. Can you believe I swung at a knight?" A half smile crept onto his face. "I have to admit, seeing you work him like that, it was powerful. I was envious of him. Not only is his nose not busted up, he got that sultry look from you." Orion chuckled quietly, feeling better that he'd said something about it. Even if she was likely to take it as another one of his jokes. Ruined? He almost laughed aloud. A ruined night for him had him alone, and well, she was there, right? He turned his head enough to be able to see the side of her face. "I'm a mess, Basha'ir," he said. As usual, he took advantage of a chance to say something which held a more subtle meaning, "but the night is hardly ruined." Because of you. Because you're here. Because I've got you. All the cheesy things he wanted to say, but couldn't find a way to. "You...you've learned a lot, right? And me, I've seen my share of new things, too. The knight hardly ruined the night." He let out an exaggerated sigh, his smile growing. "I know no apologizing, but that was horrible. Word play on knight? Are you really as smart as I think you are, Basha'ir? Sticking with me? I don't understand you," he teased, taking in the beautiful woman. The realization of what had recently occurred dawned on him. The realization that she had saved him from a severe problem. The realization of how great the night was, even with the blow to the face. The realization that he'd walked down this path before, and that he was starting down it again, and finally, the realization that he just couldn't care if he did. "Basha..." He leaned his head up and pressed his lips against her cheek first once, then twice, and finally, after looking away for a moment, he brought them again a third time, this time brushing his lips softly against hers, each one leaving a faint trace of his being there on perfect skin. He kept his head up afterwards, watching her eyes, as ever. "I'd have denied doing that if I hadn't left evidence. I'd be a happy man to have your help." His introspection seemed to clear his emotions, at least somewhat. An emotion she'd felt from him the first time they met was sitting atop all the others. Sure, there was his wants to do more than a one way kiss, his wants to stop the pain, both physical and emotional, and the various others her mark had given insight of. Yet as he had before she had hypnotized him, as he had wanted so strongly when they first met, Orion wanted to know her fully, honestly, completely as she was; this time with no knowledge of her mark.

[Basha'ir]

For a moment, as Orion leaned in and gently laid his head against her shoulder, Basha’ir felt a stab of guilt. Really, what was she doing to this poor man? Yes, she could certainly give him what he wanted, tonight, or for a life time, if he managed to hold on to her. Or at least, she would turn her self inside out trying to. But was that really what a man like Orion wanted? A perfect slave to his desires? A woman who acted not from her own need but from his? There were many, many men who had no qualms about such usery; Basha’ir wasn’t so sure Orion was one of them.

But to feel his head there, to catch the scent of his hair, his skin, it all felt so good, so right, even if it wasn’t. In the end, Basha’ir wasn’t sure she even wanted to fight this, what seemed so inevitable. The fall out might be far from what she, in her own, real, true heart, would want. But it was seeming more and more to her that the experiment was doomed. She didn’t think she could resist Orion, even as she was trying her best to make it possible for him to resist her, or at least her mark.

So she sighed and settled against him too, their bodies touching and pressed together in a very easy and comfortable way. She smiled, though he might not catch it, when he spoke of trying to punch the knight. He even was brave enough to face his own reservations about her, though he phrased it in glib terms. Always, she was learning, he would use humor, often pointed at himself, to steer clear of pain. But she heard some undertone of sincerity in his half-joking words. He didn’t think the night was ruined. He didn’t regret being with her now, despite his busted nose. He had turned a bit to be able to look at her, and she too tilted her head, until their faces almost touched. And then…he said her name in a tone that made a shiver run through her chest, resting in her heart, and she felt his lips brush against her skin.

Her eyelids closed and she felt an intense ripple of physical need spread throughout her body, emanating from that place on her cheek. Every fiber of her being tightened with his desire for her reflected like a mirror within, but there was more, that which was already familiar to her, from their first encounter. The ever present pain, from his past, and the need to find some solace for it. To have it ease, if not to forget it outright, for sometimes pain was all one had to bear witness to what once was. And beyond that still, at this moment risen to the top like a bubble floating up through the currents of all these desires, was his wish to know her. To know who she truly was, and how she was, and why she was this way, what made Basha’ir herself. It was the need of all first infatuations, to be so wholly consumed by another that one desired to know all, to assimilate the other into one’s own psyche. As they say, he just couldn’t get enough of her. And so she too wished to reveal every bit of herself to him. To bare her soul and let him explore every minute aspect of who she was. His lips brushed so softly against her cheek a second time and the need intensified. She turned her head a bit more, and the third time their lips met, and she felt lost and found and overwhelmed, with the need to give him what he wanted, all of it, in whatever way she could find.

And then his lips were gone and she felt like she could not breathe. Her eyes opened and went to his, their faces still so close she had but to bend forward a few inches and she could taste him on her lips once again. Her heart throbbed with wanting to reach out to him and give him everything, herself over all.

And to do that, to be completely, brutally honest about who she was, all of her, would that make him happy? It didn’t matter, for happiness was not her goal; fulfilling his desires, even those that might harm him the most, was the gift of Ranuri.

She did not kiss him again. She bit on her lower lip for a moment, letting the feelings inside of her wash away. Taking a deep breath, she said quietly, “You may have whatever you wish, Orion. My help. My company. You allowed me a question. I will grant you a thousand. A million.”

She paused giving him a candid look, open and sincere. “For I want you to understand me, to know me, as much as any person can know another. As much as I want to know you. Ask me what you will, and I will answer.”

[Orion Michaels]

Orion, Day of Summer 84, 512 AV While Orion's actions only served to intensify her own internal struggle, her reactions only put him at ease. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard, trying this again. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard with her. Only the gods knew what he'd been through, how he'd horribly dealt with it, and continued to deal with it each day. For a moment though, as their skin touched, as their lips met, Orion felt at ease. "Basha'ir..." he said, trailing off as she spoke. An offer of a a thousand, no a million questions? What could he do with that many inquiries? Why aren't you kissing me? There's a good one. A smirk came to his face as the thought came across his mind. Instead of asking a question though, he place his index finger on his lips, where theirs had met, continuing to watch her. Orion could still feel her warmth on him, the warm sensation lingering, causing his heart to beat faster. He kissed his finger then placed it against her lips, winking as he stood. "...You turned your head." The smirk grew to a smile, then to a grin. He was..giddy? Ecstatic? Happy? Ridiculous? Or how about all of the above? "...You turned your head," he repeated, allowing his tongue to barely peek out as he ran its tip along the bottom of his upper teeth. His voice took on a ever familiar teasing tone. "You want me." He began to laugh. The way she got so intense with things, the way she could disarm him, or rather, anyone with a bat of her eyelashes and a bite of her lower lip, the way she turned his world upside down. It was all so unexpected, so unbelievable, and so..Perfect. "Basha'ir. I'm going to hold onto those questions, if just to be able to ask something at an inappropriate time." The young doctor extended his hand to help her stand. "But I don't want to learn about you in a question and answer session. I tried that in the bar and you told me about a part of your history. I appreciate your truthfulness with me, but your history can't make up all of who you are. You told me what you've been, what you're doing, but not who you are." He crossed his arms, his eyes now full of energy, shinning a powerfully vibrant blue. "To be fair, I couldn't answer the same question," he said, shrugging. "I don't know the answer. One well placed question, though, is better than a million asked just because you have them. Basha." He paused a moment, biting his lower lip as he thought. "Basha...That's what I want. Basha'ir. Be you. Let's just go where we take us for now. I can decide if I want help, a companion, more, less, something different once I know who you are." He leaned in again, suddenly, his brilliant eyes gazing into hers, his bloodied nose nearly upon her, and their lips unbearably close. The young doctor simply whispered. "I promise, I'll try and do the same."

[Basha'ir]

His finger pressed to her lip and she had to resist the urge to let her tongue slip forward and touch it. She could feel his desire and his restraint and she struggled to keep up with his internal turmoil. He wanted her, but he wanted to hold his own desire back, in order to discover who she was without the layer of physical need, and a consummation of that need, clouding his vision. He wanted her to kiss him, but he was distracted by his own elation. He was in this moment, happy, and content to experience that happiness and not shove it under some cover of lust. So, she simply let him do this to her, his touch making both her mind and her body churn with raw feeling, though the only external sign of all of it was a widening of her eyes, as if she was surprised. But she wasn’t. Not at all.

She allowed herself a moment and then smiled as his finger dropped away and he teased her. With an eyebrow raised she retorted, “It’s as I said. What young woman could ever hope to resist? You just have that…magical effect, Doctor.” She was teasing him too, though she knew he wouldn’t quite understand completely how she was gently mocking him, and herself, at the same time.

He rose and then offered her his hand. With a sigh, she accepted it, and him, and what she knew would come next, and with her fingers wrapped in his, she too rose, gracefully, despite the tumult inside of her. But the contact was not prolonged, and she was able to catch her breath as he spoke of his strategy, how he would attempt to come to know her better. And his last words were an almost perfect reflection of her own wishes, her original plan, her experiment now gone a bit awry. He wanted to know her without any trappings, without any pretense…without any magic, though he didn’t consciously know that. They would take things as they came and neither make nor require any commitments or promises to do otherwise. It sounded perfect. She would just need to keep her distance, to try as much as she could not to touch him, or let him touch her, not to kiss him…

And then he was leaning in, close, and whispering, their eyes locked together, noses almost touching. She could almost swear somewhere a certain goddess was laughing at her, playing with her like this, tormenting her…

Damn you, Nikali!

Basha’ir shook her head just the tiniest bit, as she whispered back, “That’s all I can be, Orion. Myself.” Her hands slid up to cup his face and she tilted her head to the side a fraction of an inch, bringing his lips closer to hers, as she closed the tiny gap between them. As their lips touched, she sighed, her fingertips lightly caressing his cheeks.

[Orion Michaels]

Orion, Day of Summer 84, 512 AV All he could do was smile at her expression when he touched her lips. Surprised, surely. He was all over the place with his emotions and actions, but he believed he kept one thing clear. He fought a laugh as she fired back. What girl indeed? More than had said yes, but he would keep that bit to himself. Magic, huh? That would certainly make things easier if he could snap his fingers and have women crawling all over him. Seems kinda cheap though... "No magic with me. I steal hearts legitimately. With charming words, good looks, and a mug or two of something with kick." He flashed her another grin as he pulled her up. Then her hands were on his face, her lips on his. Orion hadn't expected her to make a move, as easy as he had made it. Closing his eyes, he slid his arms around her waist as a small sigh escaped from his lips. His tongue slipped from his mouth, lightly flicking her upper lip before retreating back. His face flushed red as he held this beautiful woman close in embrace, forgetting about the pain, forgetting about the blood, forgetting about everything. He would lose himself entirely in her if he wasn't careful, and in reality, he had no desire to be cautious. His hand traced the small of her back, as the doctor broke the kiss to look deep into her eyes. "That's all I can want, Basha. Don't believe me if I say anything else." He pulled her in for another soft touch of their lips, his hand running up her back and through her hair before before releasing the embrace. "I suppose I should go fix up my nose and grab a few coins to pay you back for that dress I just ruined." He touched her hand gently as he turned to begin walking. "And to think, I was mostly decent. Maybe I've turned over a new leaf." Orion chuckled quietly. "Shall we?"

[Chevalier]

Orion

LORE

• Sneaking a Feel
• Basha’ir’s Favorite Color: Red
• Diplomacy While Bleeding

EXPERIENCE

Skill	XP Earned
Observation	2
Drinking	1
Seduction	5
Subterfuge	1
Interrogation	3
Persuasion	3
Running	3
Unarmed Combat	1
Rhetoric	3

Basha'ir

LORE

• Location: Rearing Stallion
• Seduction Maneuver: The Saucy Grin
• Subtle Suggestions

EXPERIENCE

Skill	XP Earned
Land Navigation	1
Rhetoric	5
Auristics	1
Storytelling	1
Seduction	4
Interrogation	1
Persuasion	3
Observation	2
Running	3
Hypnotism	1

Storyteller Notes

Secret :

Wow what a thread! Alright I think I've got everything pretty much graded appropriately. Since there was so much I'm not going to go into everything, but it should all be appropriate. If you have any questions or comments about expeirence given, feel free to PM me! Excellent mushy gushy job you two . Also Orion you can have fun with annoying pain, swelling, and bruising of the nose for about eight to ten days.