Blades or Fists? (Serrif)

[Blythe]

Blythe didn't take his hand, instead, she merely pulled herself to her feet. The back portion of her dress clung to her skin. Great... When Serrif offered his shirt, she accepted it, rather relieved. The konti woman stepped out of the water, and onto the shore. She slipped the shirt on, and giggled. "It's alright," she said, as she pulled it all the way down. "This thing is huge," she laughed. But in a way she was grateful it covered most of her body. Blythe's eyes sparkled in the sunlight, and a smile seemed to spread from ear to ear. "You know, there are other lovely places on this Island," Blythe explained. "There isn't just the beach." The edges of her cheeks were turning red, as she stumbled over her words. "You don't have to keep an extra set of clothing down here for anyone," she stammered. Something about those words made her feel so very, very uncomfortable. It is really starting to look like he likes you. Blythe watched Serrif settle down alongside the shore. After a few moments, she sat down reluctantly beside him. "It can be a magical place Serrif, especially when you first arrive. But once you have lived here for many many years, the Island begins to lose its charm." There was a slight pause. "Surely it is the same in just about every other place. Not everything can be so memorizing, so majestic... forever." Blythe was silent for a long time. Perhaps her homeland was truly difficult to describe. After all, it was an Island filled with blonde women who never seemed to age a day over twenty. Men probably loved that... and the gay female. "So Serrif, what is your favorite part of the Island? Is it the sights? Simply that it is an Island? Or is it because of its people? The peaceful nature? The general nurturing one experiences when they get here. That sort of... motherly feeling. That appeal." It was strange for Blythe, to have so much trouble discussing her sisters. She knew who they were, having remained in the city for so many years, and yet, she couldn't quite put all of her sisters into words. "Or do you think it is something else? The things you can learn here even?" Blythe inquired. "You seem interested in medicine, so the temple must be a blessing for you. And surely, our connection with the goddess of healing, Rak'keli and her sister, Avalis, helps. Doesn't it?" she asked, as she tilted her head to the side, and awaited an answer. He likes you Blythe. He really likes you. The konti ignored her mind's whispers. They weren't important right now.

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

He poured over all the thoughts Blythe was pumping into his mind as he laid there. The entire time she spoke he was forming carefully what he was to say. How he was to say it; and the manner in which he was going to say it. He knew around here words were important; he wasn’t particularly good at crafting them. But he could relay the messages he wanted to every now and then. He was learning the craft these women seemed to have perfected; wars were fought here with words. Something he wasn’t used to. But here the people were peaceful, kind and nurturing. So these ‘wars’ were few and petty at best. Again something he was seemingly distant and removed from but at the same time very much immersed in. He pondered what she was trying to get him to say and a smile crossed his face as he then began to talk as if walking through a mine field. It was true many men would love this island for the women alone. They would never appreciate the culture of this place. Nor would they ever plan to stay. They would have maybe a week long ‘tour’ and then sail home never to be heard from again. The women here were beautiful, and elusive at the same time. You always wanted to know more but it seemed that they were in no rush to tell anyone anything. Konti had well over 80 years to live why should they be? But his time schedule was much shorter than that. He guessed at best he had another 25-35 years ahead of him at best before he fell ill to mental trauma. Maybe even less of the poisons had done any long term damage that he just hadn’t caught yet. “I am in love with it all Blythe. I must admit if the island was inhabited by slavers and raiders it would be quite different. But I would likely spend my time setting traps and putting arrows in slavers heads then fishing…but I would still enjoy the island. Just not as fully as I can now.” His thinking was logical and followed what he knew. But again there was also hate in the third sentence. Seemed he still hadn’t gotten over all of the pain and misery. Well not as much as he had thought; or lead others to believe. “The women here…I don’t know how to place it all into words. They are caring, loving, and naturally gentle. Yet there is a strength deep inside every one of them, a respect that each has for the other. It’s like nothing I could ever have imagined. It is like every one of you is a ‘sister’ or ‘mother’ to the many other Konti. Like you are all one big family living on this island. You all work together, yet you all work independently.” He thought he moved from one subject to the other and then phrased again what he was going to say. “The knowledge here is incredible. The healing art has really been perfected, and the Opal Order is very interesting to me as of now. The plethora of knowledge on the subjects of herbalism, medicine and healing is far more than enough to keep me busy for this and many other lifetimes.” He thought on that last line and looked to Blythe. “However short or long it may be from now. I plan to spend a good count of my life here. Where I go from here…well that is really anyone’s guess at this point. But maybe just maybe I can find a reason to settle down here. You never know.” He said as he laid back and closed his eyes. If Blythe spoke; which she likely would, he would open his eyes so he could read her emotion. Her eyes spoke more than her mouth did about what she meant, and what she felt….and right now…she felt uneasy. Like something inside her was speaking to her and yet she was pushing it away. Now he wondered what that could be. Nevertheless he wanted her to talk. It would ease the tension some.

[Blythe]

"We are like a family," Blythe said rather absently. She was silent for a long time after that, simply staring out at the sea, and listening as the waves crashed into shore. She found it so strange that he would be interested in medicine. It was such a feminine thing to her. Fishing wasn't and neither was all that body-building he seemed to be doing. But medicine was. Blythe sighed. "Why would you want to stay here for so long? Surely fishing and medicine will fail to satisfy you after a few years." There was a slight pause. "You'll probably want something more. To go out and see the world again, to spread your knowledge to other areas, learn under new people." After that, Blythe remained silent for quite some time. Other than the fact that this Island is filled with women, what would drive a man to stay? Blythe wondered. Of course, our culture is rather rich, but, surely a man would grow tired of our peaceful nature? Surely they would want to move on after a while? Blythe's scales sparkled an alluring pale pink color as she continued to think about what Serrif had just told her. And it is not as though we truly marry... or the men stick around after the births, at least most of the time. There was a slight pause in Blythe's thought processes. Perhaps that is it. Perhaps he wants to settle down with one of us, and start a family. The edges of Blythe's cheeks grew red again, and within a matter of seconds, the centers had turned the same color. Perhaps he really likes you. But he couldn't, could he? He's like half your age. Blythe's mind was silent for a moment, but does he know that? Does he know how the Konti women age? Now that Serrif had closed his eyes, Blythe turned to him. "What would make you want to stay?" Blythe asked. "Has someone here caught your eye Serrif?" she inquired. "Are you looking to start a family once you have settled in a little more, and regained your health?" Blythe blushed. She hoped she wasn't being too bold. No silly, you hope that he doesn't tell you that he likes you. Several beads of sweat had appeared on Blythe's brow again, and her palms had grown cold, and a little sweaty as well. Her heart was pounding in her tiny rib cage, and her breath had caught in her throat, which now seemed oddly dry. "Do you like..." Blythe's face continued to redden as she struggled to say the word me. But of course, for whatever the reason, Blythe simply could not say it, and thus, she continued to sit in the sand like an idiot, her face now as red as a beet. "Do you like... do you like..." After awhile, Blythe gave up and changed her question to, "do you like anyone we may have encountered?" Of course, Blythe had no idea what she'd do when Serrif answered, especially if he had his eyes set on her.

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

“When you have seen the world like I have…if you are fortunate enough to find a place like this. A place where you can escape…I can’t expect you to understand this. But I don’t believe I am going anywhere anytime soon.” There was then a long pause between them, the tension was so thick he swore he could reach out and tug on it. He waited timing was indeed everything. He needed to tread carefully because she was onto him…or so he believed. “Caught my eye Blythe? Oh yes someone has.” He said as she then began to stammer. As if she wanted to say something but just…just couldn’t bring herself to finish her sentence. She was indeed onto him now. She KNEW and well he knew she did. Finally she had placed all the pieces together, perhaps not completely but she had put it together. His eyes opened as she was now as red as…well he wasn’t sure what to compare it to besides blood and well that didn’t seem appropriate right now. He sat up and well it was about then that he KNEW she just wanted to say ‘Do you like me Serrif?’ or something along those lines. But again for whatever reason she couldn’t bring herself to say it. That perplexed him some. Was it because she couldn’t picture herself with him? Was it because the idea of being with him somehow appalled her? He knew that there was indeed an age difference between them. That honestly shouldn’t mean anything; and he sure as hell didn’t have time for her to overcome the issue and just accept it. By then he could be in the ground. OR was it because she saw herself as unlovable? As odd as that seemed to him he knew that she was rather shy when she was around him. Maybe because she didn’t know how to handle herself around him. Maybe he really was too young for her? No, he had to find out what was causing her to stumble. Why the hang up? “Blythe.” He caught her attention as if he needed to. She would see truth, passion and understanding in his deep emerald eyes. Although he wasn’t her ‘age’ in years the kind of maturity he had to develop through hardship had to account for something. He wasn’t wise by any notion; but he understood that there was indeed much to learn. And that was a kind of wisdom in itself. He gently took one of her hands in his two, laying her hand palm down in one of his hands and gently laying his other hand on top. “I know…little of this isle. The women, the culture I know hardly enough to scratch the surface or dip my hand beneath the water that is the Konti people. But I know, I just do; that I want to explore the possibility that we could be together. I want to know you Blythe, I mean really know you. I want to appreciate you for who you are and that’s more than I can say for anyone else I’ve met. There could be hundreds of reasons for you to say no. I understand that. But I ask that you set them aside just this one time; I’ve thought it through Blythe. Turned it over in my mind for nights and days on end. And I keep coming up with the same results. I want to give it a try. I want to be with you. But first I have to know you; almost like you know me. I am willing to give this time; as much as you need. For you to make up your mind, or even decide to let me in. But I ask that you not keep me waiting till the grave.” He wasn’t sure what else there was to say without really blowing her mind or overwhelming her. She could easily tell he meant what he said, every last word.

[Blythe]

Blythe's heart skipped a beat, and then another. And then it started to beat erratically, skipping beats here and there, as it sped up, and then slowed down, pumping so much blood around that it made Blythe feel a little dizzy. Her eyes had begun to feel heavy, as she smiled uncomfortably, and her face continued to heat up. All the red that once lingered in the center of her cheeks, had been pushed to the side. He likes you. Thump. Thump. Serrif likes you... Although Blythe had seen it coming, she couldn't get her emotions under control. Delicately, she raised her right hand, and tucked several loose strands of hair behind her ears. He really likes you. "Oh... Serrif... um..." Blythe stammered. She wasn't sure she knew what to say. How to react, how she felt about him. Was it even a good idea to so much as be talking to him anymore? To let herself like him? To let him like her? "Well..." Blythe stammered, as she pulled his shirt off her body and handed it back to him, "it's um... getting late," she said as she stood up abruptly. The sand beneath her feet was burning her flesh. Oh, why are you even running? It's not like he asked to marry you or anything. Blythe straightened out her dress by running her hands down the length of her thighs rather rapidly a few times before turning on her heels. She began to walk up the beach, kicking up small clods of warm, beige grains of sand with each of her steps. "Please don't let him follow. Please don't let him follow. Please don't let him follow. Please don't let him follow," Blythe whispered repeatedly as she walked up the length of the beach, and headed home. As soon as she reached the door, she pulled it open, before running inside and to her room. She slid into bed, and covered her head with her pillow. There was a muffled, "why me?" and a soft groan as her mind whispered, just avoid the beach and everything will be ok. After a few minutes, Blythe rolled over, and forced herself to sleep the feelings off. OOCBlythe runs away in sappy situations. Yeah...

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

OOCNot sure if there is anywhere to go from here.....So yeah..YOu gonna call it? A part of Serrif would’ve liked an immediate answer. But he knew from the very start he wasn’t going to get it. Not by a long shot. He read her as she stammered. She was going to run. He knew that look, he had seen it in the eyes of the slaves in the camp before. You knew when someone was going to run. Her standing and brushing off her dress only fortified his thought. She handed him his shirt and well-made excuses. Like it was getting late, or she had something to do. Again something he had expected. Was this what he got for opening himself up to her? For really letting her know how he felt? She would doubtlessly see he was a little hurt from it all. That the only answer she gave him to anything he had just said was um and an excuse of why she had to leave. He nodded understanding that he needed to let her go. That she was going to leave him; and for what period of time he knew not. She was going to go. She seemed hell bent on it. Everything he saw about her just said she had disconnected. The way she simply stood, brushed herself off and just handed him his shirt. The distance in her eyes as she simply walked away. It was then that something died…He wasn’t sure what but something inside him just dropped as he watched her walk away. Maybe she just wasn’t good with these kind of situations; great now he had distanced her from him. He doubted he would ever see her again now. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had just made a horrible mistake. It seemed the Gods agreed with him as well. Wind whipped across the beach as if to scold Serrif for his poor judgment. He saw the dark clouds creep in from the horizon. He watched Blythe fade into the distance…He couldn’t help but think everything they had up until now was gone with the wind. And there was no recovery. His eyes fell to his bags. Ildin wouldn’t want him missing out on this because of a simple emotional episode. No; she would likely push him harder because of it. He strapped the backpack on. Harnessed his weight and figured he could burn the emotions out of himself. He ran…As if the emotions and feelings that were now eating at his inner self were a demon chasing him down the beach. It was a sight to see a man run as if his life depended on it when there was indeed nothing chasing him. He became winded, but he kept going. His legs and back screamed for a break, the shooting pain dulled his sense of loss. His vision darkened around the edges, good he didn’t need to see on the edges anyway. With a reckless disregard he continued. But no matter how long he continued Blythe was still there. Understanding turned to a kind of rage fueling his fire even more. “How dare she!” His mind screamed as the new found rage fueled his muscles to continue. He dug deep to try and push those feelings aside. But to no avail “HOW DARE SHE!” The voice was even louder this time almost deafening in his mind. He kept pushing away the feelings of grief still they seemed to come and torture him. But still he fell prey to these feelings. He had told her exactly how he felt. EXACTLY he had opened himself up to her ways that he had never thought he could. She knew where he had come from. She knew his pain his suffering and his shaded past he tried to keep secret. But she had seen it, felt it and almost lived it like he had. His vision still dimmed around the edges, he could feel his lungs scream, he felt like they were burning alive. His heart was thumping in his throat he felt like it was going to burst out the side of his throat and spill crimson blood all over his body. His anger filled his body with the fuel he needed to keep himself going. He continued to push farther and farther. He passed the oar Ildin had put into the sand; and he still didn’t feel tired. The anger still filled him; he was burning it away. His legs felt like they would break and buckle crippling him for life. But he kept going still. He kept running and his body still shuttered with the anger inside him. Finally his body gave way and he felt his chest meet the somewhat warm sand. His breaths were heavy and he struggled some. No…He got back up. The storms rolled in. He could feel the wind whipping at his body the sand stung…but again he didn’t care. He trudged on; pushing past it all. His running pace had subdued to a mild jog down the beach. The dark clouds strangling out what little light there had been. Flash, lightning illuminated his path for a second; and the loud thunder deafened him, all his night vision was gone in a sudden brilliant display of what the world around him actually looked like right now. He still trudged on. He wouldn’t show weakness, NO he wouldn’t. These feelings of loss would pass, the anger would pass. The loss…. The loss wouldn’t pass. He pushed forward. Still his legs hardly able to carry on. His chest heaving, his back burning. But still he wouldn’t show weakness. He had to leave the loss behind; he couldn’t let these feelings rule him. Feelings were useless… They drove him like many other men to make stupid decisions. Thoughtless decisions. No more for him. He pushed trying to run feeling out of his frame. And for a few minutes before he fell to the ground again he felt relief. The cool rain from the heavens above showering his warm broken body. He couldn’t get up this time…No not this time. But still he struggled as if he was going to stand. But again this time his boundaries won. He had no idea where he was this time. He had ran so far…this part of the island he had never encountered. He released the pack from his body. A sudden relief until the sorrow returned…. He turned over looking at the heavens praying that something would just knock him out cold…so he wouldn’t feel this anymore. But he felt it. He took it in and he didn’t know what to do with it. It felt like helplessness…The same feeling he had in the slave camps when he was in the cage. Or when he was in the alchemists tent being experimented on. There was again nothing he could do about this; about what was. About what was going to happen because of what he had said to Blythe; about what was now set in motion…Why did he have to say anything at all? Why couldn’t he just keep quiet? He could’ve just lied. That would’ve been easier. Much easier for him to do. He was growing cold. The mixture of the rain and wind chided his body that was already mostly numb. None would find him here. No he was somewhere on the beach he had never even been before. He slowly fell to darkness. The lightning and thunder his lullaby. It was going to be a long night…And he wasn’t sure what tomorrow would or even could bring. But he knew he likely wouldn’t like it. He swore he could see Blythe on the beach. His eyes open only a few more seconds before he gave in. Likely his mind playing tricks on him again…just like it had in the cages. He’d see things in the night he couldn’t even begin to explain. He sunk into darkness sheltered behind his heavy backpack. The burden he carried. He wouldn’t let this rule him anymore. No, emotion wouldn’t rule him. “NEVER AGAIN” His mind said as his eyes closed. “NEVER” he seemed to mouth as darkness enveloped him.

[Alice]

Blythe

Experience: 2 Katana, 2 Meditation, 1 Seduction
Lores: Understanding the Value of Pain, Wearing the Wrong Dress, Experiencing Affection, Running Away

Serrif Von Chatlyn

Experience: 1 Meditation, 3 Seduction, 2 Running
Lores: Understanding the Value of Pain, Silver Lake (basic), Love For Mura, The Essence of Konti Isle, Confessing One’s Love, The Feeling of Being Rejected

Comments

Well-done thread. I especially like the strong feelings in it. Also, to make it clear once and for all, everyone who stays on the island drinks vision water all the time. It’s the only source of fresh water, after all. Yes, Serrif, you can’t avoid it.