Closed A Stubborn Thief

Like any other thief, Nickolai awaits the arrival of darkness to begin his hunt anew.

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This lazy agricultural settlement rests on the swampy shores of the Middle Suvan at the delta of The Kenash River. The River's slow moving bayou waters have bred a different sort of people - rugged, cultured, and somewhat violent. Sprawling plantations of tobacco and cotton grow on the outskirts of the swamp in the rich Cyphrus soils, while the city itself curls around the bayou and spawns decadence and sins of all sorts. Life is slower in Kenash, but the lack of pace is made up for in the excesses of food and flesh in a city where drinking, debauchery, gambling, slavery, and overbearing plantation families dominate the landscape.

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A Stubborn Thief

Postby Nickolai Marin on August 6th, 2014, 11:48 pm

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Summer 30, 514 AV

Evening in Kenash was leagues different than that which the young prowler was accustomed to. For the majority of his life, he had spent his days witnessing the sunset over the western sea. He became accustomed to the vibrant colors dancing across the sky whilst a cool breeze left the taste of salt upon his lips. For a son of the seas, nightfall in humid city was indeed foreign. Here, the descent of the sun was obscured by trees and heralded the onslaught of pests. Whether it be to torches or lanterns, the insects arose from their places of rest in order to swarm about every source of light. It was the definition of annoying; but Nickolai was absolutely certain that he would get used to it...He had to...

For now, the young prowler was safe from the hordes of insects due to the benevolence of his closest friend. Unlike he, she had invested her savings into the purchase of a home and seemed to be adjusting to the change of environment. Nickolai was the exact inverse, for he was a man defined by the frustrations of his past. He could have very well used this new city as a place to truly begin anew, but instead and he decided to steal. No longer was he starving. No longer was the question of his survival up in the air...and yet, he continued to spend his days risking life and limb to take from others. This was, quite simply, his path; and he continued to walk it despite Cecilia's heartfelt protests. This evening, he was absolutely sure, would be no different...

As he sat upon the rather comfortable armchair she had purchased, the young prowler's eyes were set upon the sky. He watched and waited for the descent of the sun to be complete, for only under the cover of darkness could he do his work. With mask in hand, Nickolai awaited the arrival of nightfall and sat in complete silence. Sure, he knew it was only a matter of time before Cecilia arrived home from dinner; and at that point there would either be some sort of argument or expression of disapproval. However, like every other night...Nickolai would leave the house and seek out a sad, drunken sod to pilfer coin from; or perhaps he would choose a bigger fish tonight...

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I am the Master of my Fate...I am the Captain of My Soul.
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Nickolai Marin
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A Stubborn Thief

Postby Cecilia Ambrose on August 7th, 2014, 1:39 am

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Summer 30, 415 AV


The door swung open, followed by the pleasant echo as it slammed home for the last time. Cecilia wore the hardships of the day on her face and though she had yet to realise, the constant frowning was beginning to show. It wasn't the hot, humid weather that so often choked the air from her lungs, or the constant back and forth she played between herself and clients or even the constant buzz of some disgusting bug getting too near, but something much closer to home...

Originally she had anticipated the move to Kenash was something to be feared, but rather an adventure she got to share with someone important in her life. Her eyes caught the back of Nikolai's head as she slung her bag onto the floor. As usual his were fixed on the setting sun, that made the room glow with a sickly orange hue. For her adored companion the sunset was time for preparation. For her it only held anxiety and concern for what the night could hold for him. But no matter how hard she tried to convince him the outcome was always the same.

It had been a full five minutes since Cecilia had stepped foot in the door and she had yet to say anything to her friend. She decided to use the silent treatment this evening. She walked in the bedroom in silence, changed in silence, prepared their meal in silence and eventually took to sitting down at the table to eat... in silence. What's more, despite her usually bubbly and mischievous nature, there hadn't been a smile on her face since this morning after she woke to find him sleeping next to her. She busied herself eating with a noisy demeanour, ever determined to speak her mind. Or not.
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Yet the Menace of the years...Shall find me Unafraid
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Cecilia Ambrose
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A Stubborn Thief

Postby Nickolai Marin on August 7th, 2014, 10:08 pm

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The ebb and flow of the young prowler's thoughts were thrown off course by the open and subsequent slam of the front door. Turning his attention away from the window, Nickolai looked upon his beloved friend and offered a warm smile at her arrival. At first glance, Cecilia seemed to be tired...but that demeanor was quickly revealed to be the famous silent treatment. "Hey beautiful." Nickolai began, rising from the arm chair. "How was your day?" Of course, his words fell upon deaf ears as Cecilia simply dropped her bag onto the floor and strolled towards the rear of the house in order to change. "Alright then..." he muttered to himself, stepping over to the discarded bag. Leaning over, the young prowler then plucked her bag from the floor and deposited it atop the adjacent chest before returning to his seat.

Upon her return, Nickolai attempted to engage her once more; commenting on the weather and the sunset. However, she was as silent as the grave and went about making their evening meal without a peep. This...aggravated Nickolai more than he thought it would. Ever since they had arrived in Kenash, Cecilia would busy herself attempting to dissuade him from setting out and pilfering coin. However, that was all he ever did and ever knew; even since they were children! How could a larcenist, who knew only how to steal, change his lifestyle at the drop of a miza? In Nickolai's mind, he couldn't...and he wouldn't. When supper was finished and unceremoniously laiden upon the table, Nickolai arose from the arm chair once more and slumped into the seat across from Cecilia.

Tonight, she had prepared a light meal consisting of mixed vegetables and bread. Having grown up on vapors, Nickolai was grateful for absolutely any meal and gave her a wide grin when he looked upon his food. Beginning with a munch of bread, followed by a swig of water, the young prowler began to eat in silence...before noticing how loudly Cecilia was chomping her food. Typically graceful whilst eating, this was obviously a sign that she was biting back words...literally. Setting down his bread, the young prowler sighed aloud and said: "Alright, out with it! You haven't said a petching word since walking in the door. I'd rather you chew my ears off than this!" he began, folding his hands upon the table. "So what is it? Did you have a crummy day? Or is it about my 'job' again?"

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Nickolai Marin
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A Stubborn Thief

Postby Cecilia Ambrose on August 7th, 2014, 11:19 pm

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Chew, swallow, sip. Chew, swallow, sip.

The constant routine was enough to make the silence finally feel awkward. Cecilia let her mind wonder back to earlier on, fazing away the uncomfortable supper. She loved it when he called her beautiful. Even when she was angry at him, it sounded sweeter than any compliment she'd ever received. It sparked something in her heart she just couldn't explain, at least not with words. Without even realising a faint smile brushed on the corner of her lips.

The words caught her completely off guard. The sheer volume of his voice breaking the silence made her jump. Cecilia felt her muscles lock up as she regained control over her senses, which instantly heightened at the sudden shock. In one instant she remembered why the silence was there in the first place and if there was anything she hated more than his job, it was when he raised his voice. The "conversation" dwindled into silence again. The only noise seemed to be the steady rocking of a plate she had disturbed with her sudden jolt.

The heavy scrape of wood against wood followed as she stood up and made an angry spectacle of cleaning the dishes. For the first time since stepping through the door, Cecilia spoke. "What else would it be about?" With the stack of dirty dishes in her hands Cecilia entered the kitchen. They protested loudly to the harsh treatment as she dumped them heavily onto the side. There was no trace of the love sick smile now, just a heavy scowl that creased her nose.
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Yet the Menace of the years...Shall find me Unafraid
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Cecilia Ambrose
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A Stubborn Thief

Postby Nickolai Marin on August 7th, 2014, 11:40 pm

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For a moment, Nickolai was left with the impression that he had overdone it. The raising of his voice had, at least as far as he could tell, caused Cecilia to prematurely conclude her dinner and angrily rise from the table. She then stormed away, with a small mountain of dishes in her grasp, before brutalizing them in the wash basin. Seconds rolled by before Cecilia's voice broke the din of plates bashing upon plates; but her words only caused the young prowler to grit his teeth. At once, he slammed his cup down upon the table, causing droplets to escape and wet the surface, before addressing her. "You're being irrational, again." he growled, watching as she busied herself with the dishes. On an average day, he might have commented on just how nice those pants of hers hugged her; but for once he was not in that sort of mood.

Instead, he inhaled a hot breath and began to move his hands in tandem with his words. "You've beaten it into my skull Cecilia. I get that you don't like how I make my mizas. But have you forgotten how we could even afford coming her? Have you forgotten that this was how I kept both of us from starving for years? Hell, need I remind you that it was my pickpocketing someone that got us to meet in the first place?!" he spat, ultimately rising from his seat. Of course, she would refuse to face him whilst he ranted, and so he did what any hotheaded man would do. With frustration blazing in his eyes, Nickolai strode across the room and came to a halt only a single pace behind Cecilia. His arms then folded across his chest and his foot tapped upon the floor, almost impatiently.

"Larceny is all I know how to do; and being frank, it's all I want to do. When luck and even the mercy of the gods turned their backs on us, it was theft that kept us alive." he said, forcing himself to lower his tone. Reaching out, he then placed his hands gently upon her shoulders whilst inhaling a deep breath. Nickolai deeply cared about this woman, enough so that he'd willingly risk his skin so that she could eat. Why couldn't she just accept that? With a sigh, he then added: "I know you don't like it, but it's the only way I know how to take care of you. Can't you see that?"

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Nickolai Marin
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A Stubborn Thief

Postby Cecilia Ambrose on August 8th, 2014, 12:36 am

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"Irrational?!"

His tone of voice made her feel furious, though her own actions only added to the atmosphere. His sour words left a bad impression and over took the after taste of her meal. Irrational. As she stood there, her finger tips lapped by the gentle sway of water, a familiar burning feeling began to rise from her stomach. She could feel her hands shaking under the soapy water as the plates ground against each other. Over the months together a lot of plates had been broken. For exactly the same reason. Cecilia had an overwhelming urge to swiftly knock the wash basin off the side. But just as she had built up the energy Nikolai's shadow blocked her light.

With her jaw clenched she replied in a grated tone. "I've told you countless times exactly why I hate you doing this Nikolai! Do I really need to repeat myself every time? You should know the lines off by heart now." Hot, angry tears were already forming in the corner of her eyes. A few had already made it half way down her cheeks. The noise from the plates became increasingly loud, each one being scrubbed furiously before being slammed down to dry. She was lost in her own little world of concern and anger.

A comforting weight settled against her shoulders. Cecilia could always tell his hands from others. They had a certain gentleness, no matter his tone. The weight seemed so familiar now it was almost a part of her. She released her grip on the plate, letting her hands disappear into the bowl. It took her a moment or two before she wiped away the streams of salt water decorating her face. "We have so much now. We can survive without all of this Nikolai. You know we can..." Cecilia turned her body, resting her head on his chest. The rhythmic sound of water dripping onto the tiled floor was almost soothing.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

She inhaled his scent, relishing in how close his body was. For the moment her words were lost and all she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him. But Cecilia resisted and took a small step away. "What happens if one day I wake up and you're not here? What happens if you're in a jail cell? Yes, it's helped over the years. We owe a lot to your skills and I'll always be grateful. But you could lose everything you have now... I could lose you." Her struggle to hold back more on coming tears was short lived and before too long large, wet drops were creeping down her cheeks.
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Yet the Menace of the years...Shall find me Unafraid
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Cecilia Ambrose
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A Stubborn Thief

Postby Nickolai Marin on August 8th, 2014, 1:06 am

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Over the course of the many years that Nickolai had been blessed to have Cecilia in his life, there was one thing that he had never seen her do. He had seen her angry (and had once almost been pegged in the face with a plate). He had seen her sad to the point of silence. He had seen her swear, yell, and everything in between; but never once in his entire life had he seen her cry. Although the definition of a sweetheart, Cecilia was also strong beyond words; and supportive as hell. Through thick and thin, she always had her so-called "Game Face" on; or at least a smile. However, this day marked the first time that he had ever seen tears flowing from her eyes...and that made Nickolai feel like the absolute worst piece of shyke in all of Mizahar.

"Cecilia..." he breathed. The moment that he head came to rest upon his chest, the young prowler felt multitudes of frustration vanish. All of that misplaced annoyance over the past few minutes felt petty beyond words; especially since he was at fault. All Cecilia wanted was for him to be safe and for their new life to be secure; and yet all he did was passively jeopardize that. As she stepped back and continued to speak, Nickolai clung to each and every word. For the first time, he actually began to question whether or not he would go out and find some poor sod to rob this evening! When she had finished, the young prowler stood silently before taking a step forward. His offhand snaked around her waist whilst his swordhand cradled her head upon his chest once more.

"Alright...I...I'll consider something else. I'll look around and see if there's not something more...constructive...that I can spend my time doing." he began, gently wiping a stray tear from the side of her cheek. "I can't promise that I'll give up larceny completely. It's defined me for so long that I'm bound to pick a pocket or two...but for you? For you, I'll stay. Just don't cry, okay? I can't bear to see you like this." His words came forth as only a hairs breath away from a whisper; uttered so softly so that only she could hear. When he had finished, a light smile formed upon his lips before he gently touched them to her brow.

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I am the Master of my Fate...I am the Captain of My Soul.
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Nickolai Marin
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A Stubborn Thief

Postby Cecilia Ambrose on August 8th, 2014, 1:38 am

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The moment he stepped toward her Cecilia melted into his arms. With her head against his chest she could hear each steady breath and every thud of his heart. This was the place she wanted to be, from the second she stepped into the house. Nothing felt safe to her any more, unless she was right here, encircled by his arms. It was strange to think that not five minutes ago she was ready to smash what remained of their crockery. Cecilia buried her face into his chest and sobbed as he spoke. His words were ones she had been waiting to hear for a long, long time. It almost seemed too surreal to be true. Her mind was already racing with visions of the future, something she had been too afraid to dream of ever since meeting him.

In what had been hell a few short moments ago, Cecilia now embraced her own personal heaven. She emerged from his chest to meet his lips with her own tenderly. With one hand she wiped away the remaining tears while the other reached out to cup his cheek. "Thank you.. You have no idea how much it means to me." With a heavy weight now lifted from her chest Cecilia could finally start to see the adventurous side of their move. Instead of a place to be feared, Kanesh now held the potential to be home. Their home. She returned to his lips, peppering them with joyfully affectionate kisses.

Her arms snaked around his waist and she longed for nothing more than to remain that way. "You're a very intelligent man. I have no doubts that someone will hire you the second you ask." Her usual smile had wormed its way back, gleaming brightly in the now dimly lit kitchen. Cecilia grazed her thumb lazily across his cheek, still cupped in her palm, with a heavily love struck sigh. In that moment, everything seemed perfect.
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Yet the Menace of the years...Shall find me Unafraid
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Cecilia Ambrose
Deceptively Sweet
 
Posts: 19
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A Stubborn Thief

Postby Nickolai Marin on August 9th, 2014, 3:24 am

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For a moment, the young prowler felt as though his words had only worsened the situation; for Cecilia began to sob upon his chest the instant his arms wrapped around her. However, when she tenderly touched her lips upon his, Nickolai realized just how wrong this train of thought was. His heart, quite literally, skipped a beat when she kissed him...and splashed a fresh coat of crimson upon his cheeks. Cecilia had caught him off guard with this kiss and, before he could so much as move his lips in response, she had already begun speaking again. As the words escaped her lips, Nickolai lowered his right arm to her waist whilst touching his brow to hers. "Anything for yo-." he began, before Cecilia leaned forward once more.

Her lips showered affection upon his own, derailing any possible thoughts that could have formed in his mind. After such a promise, typically Nickolai would begin contemplating the future...but that was literally impossible whilst the love of his life planted kiss after kiss upon him. Lulling his eyes to a close, Nickolai "decided" to enjoy the moment, by tightening his grasp around her waist. Leaning forward, his lips began to dance upon hers; with each movement bleeding passion. He then stepped back and curved his lips into a smile, giving Cecilia the most subtle of winks. With a hint of reluctance, Nickolai lowered his arms from her waist and took a moment to look at the mask still clutched within his grasp. To say it meant a lot to him was an understatement, for he had worn it for years...

Stepping backwards, the young prowler made his way across the room and over to the chest, where he kicked its lid open with his boot. Then, without a second's hesitation, he tossed the mask into the chest and closed the lid. "I don't think I'll be needing that anymore...and come tomorrow, I'll look around for some work. Maybe I can be a Courier, like how you've always been." he said, before returning to his lover's side. His offhand snaked around her waist once more and drew her close...just so he could plant yet another kiss upon those beautiful lips of hers.

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I am the Master of my Fate...I am the Captain of My Soul.
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Nickolai Marin
Survivalist.
 
Posts: 124
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A Stubborn Thief

Postby Cecilia Ambrose on August 16th, 2014, 1:02 am

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Cecilia was overcome with an irrational desire to be in his arms and stay that way. As he returned her affection it felt like they were the only two people alive. Nikolai unintentionally brought out both the best and the worst in Cecilia. When the best was brought out she felt like the only star in his sky. When the worst was brought out he fixed it with a single look and melted any concern. In short he took her breath away.

She whimpered a complaint as his arms left her waist. Cecilia already craved his touch again, but she watched with a gentle smile on her face as he threw the mask into a chest. For as long as she could remember knowing Nikolai she had never seen him without that mask close by. A strange combination of sadness and joy bubbled its way into her chest. Some part of her regretted making him give up not just a hobby but a life style. Another part of her rejoiced that there would be no more late nights. No more sitting up in bed waiting for him to return, or not. There had been nights when she had only slept through exhaustion. Those were the worst.

She shook her head, simultaneously ridding herself of the bad memories. The white of her teeth flashed as he returned to her side. "Nikolai, I can't tell you how much I appreciate this..." Cecilia gave his biceps a gentle squeeze, before finding his fingers and entwining them with her own. Her hand looked so delicate in his. The roughness of his skin provided more comfort than he could have ever imagined. "I think you'll do fine whatever you pick. We're in this together."
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Yet the Menace of the years...Shall find me Unafraid
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Cecilia Ambrose
Deceptively Sweet
 
Posts: 19
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Race: Kelvic
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