Solo Spurned Love

[Vypec]

56th of Winter, 515 A.V. Streets of Riverfall Vypec was out for his morning run. He had wanted to get out early so that he could run out the gate with the rising sun. The early morning chill was enough to set him out at a brisk pace. The deep blue of night was giving way to a pale, pearly blue of the day. Vypec loved this time of day, though it was fleeting. Especially in the winter, the early morning twilight was a beautiful time of receding shadow and coming light. As far as the Night Mother was concerned, this was one of her most holy times, second only to the coming of the night. As he ran down the rising streets of his home city Vypec sent up a silent prayer to the goddess, thanking her for the shroud she gave to the night and wishing her a restful day. Then he sent a prayer to Wysar, asking the Lord of Discipline for the perseverance to tackle this run. There was no one else awake at this early hour. Vypec felt odd, being the only one on the streets. Then he saw it. A shuffling figure was making its way towards him. He could not yet tell if it was male or female, human undoubtedly. Whoever it was wore a thick cloak and a pelt of fox fur to shield against the cold of the winter's morning. As he approached Vypec felt a funny feeling in his stomach. Then he saw her face when she looked up to peer suspiciously at him. She was utterly beautiful. Vypec smiled vaguely at her, his heart leaping in his chest. The seven foot tall Akalak flexed and slowed to a jog as he grinned at her. He didn't care that she appeared to be reaching her latter years, with wrinkles and white, whisky hair. He thought she wore her years well. The way she was hunched forward and walking with a slight limp was just so damn cute, too. As he ran past her he expected her to turn and watch him, but she just kept walking. Vypec felt a little hurt. He was sure his visage was more than enough to turn heads, why was she not impressed? Vypec turned and watched her hobble away, grinning to himself. Yes, please! He turned and started to job back towards her. The run could wait. He just couldn't get this woman out of his head. "Hey, what's your name?" Vypec asked, trying to be casual while his heart beat like an angry bird in a cage of ribs. He shot her his best smile, thrusting his chest out as he jogged slow circles around her. The woman seemed unimpressed, determined to hobble down the street and ignore him. Vypec was crestfallen. "Excuse me, did you hear me?" "Go away!" She said, waving a wrinkled hand at him. Her grimace was both intimidating and infuriatingly attractive to Vypec. "I'm going to profess my love to the man I will marry... After I divorce my husband." Her voice wavered with the effort of hobbling down the flight of stairs they were now descending. Vypec saw that she was headed roughly in the direction of the Port. "Wait you can't do that!" Vypec blurted, his heart dropping at her exclamation of love for some other man. He had no idea what he was doing, but he jumped into action before he could think. Vypec grabbed her frail shoulders and made eye contact. He gave her the best smolder in his arsenal and said "I love you." Oh gods, you told her! Vypal yelled at him. This is so embarrassing! You should have played it cool and just stalked her for longer. We could have figured out what she liked and gotten her flowers or something. No, this is way better. We have to be confident! Vypec pleaded with his brother, his mind now clouded in doubt. Was Vypal right? Had he blundered and lost his chance with this beautiful woman? "What? Are you mad? I'm ancient!" She warbbled at him. She smacked him in the jaw with her frail hand and he let go of her. The blow didn't even cause a reaction, but her words broke his heart. She had spurned him twice now in as many minutes. Was he losing his touch? Vypec looked down at himself, half expecting to see a gut there. "Mad with love! And I like to think of it as 'experienced'." Vypec hurried after the woman. They were getting closer and closer to the docks. Vypec worried about this supposed love of her life. Would he have to challenge the man? And what of her husband? Was he going to come and try to fight Vypec. He would be ready, he had to have her! Vypec looked over his shoulder, half expecting to see someone chasing them down now. There was no one. "You're nuttier than goat shyke." The old crone said dismissively, not looking at him. She had a hungry, longing look on her face. He so they went. She walked slowly and Vypec followed, riddling her with compliments which she stoically ignored or dismissed. As they walked down to towards the docks Vypec spotted a sweets vendor and seized the opportunity to prove his love for the old crone once again. He ran up to the vendor only to find the woman passionately kissing an Akalak. "Excuse me. Excuse me!" Vypec raised his voice to get their attention. The woman glanced at him, not breaking her kiss. Vypec took this to mean she was listening. "I need to buy some sweets. How many for twenty?" He asked. She waved her hand, then ran it through the Akalak's hair, moaning into his mouth. Vypec frowned in disgust, who does that in public! "Does that mean they are free?" He said hopefully. She waved her hand and gave him the thumbs up. Vypec didn't hesitate to grab two fists full of the sweet meats. He jogged to catch up with the old crone, confident in himself. 1018

[Vypec]

When Vypec reached the old woman, which only took a few seconds seeing as she was moving very slow even when hurrying, he presented her with the fists of sweet meats. He thought this for sure would win her over. She had just been holding out for a sign, a physical representation of his love. Vypec felt his heart singing in excitement at the thought of her. He had gone through life with the false determination to climb the ranks of the Kuvay'Nas, and was now only just realizing his true passion, this old woman. The woman seemed completely disinterested in his offering. Vypec watched as she spared the meats only a passing glance before hobbling on. He could not lie to himself, this most recent spurn of hers hurt him. It was not every day that a tall, handsome Akalak about thirty years your junior falls madly in love with you. Vypec secretly thought that she was not showing enough appreciation, but he wasn't about to say that to her. She was, after all, the love of his life. He would not risk making her angry or hurt by expressing his own emotions, that was not his place. He needed to figure out how to win her over. "Oh my gods! Thank you so much! Are these for me?" Came a light and seductive voice from over Vypec's shoulder. When he turned to see who the hell had interrupted his chances of a happily ever after. She was young and lithe. Her hair was worn in waves curls that framed a teardrop face. Bright blue eyes stared deep into his own and a mischievous smile played across full lips. She reached out her hands for the sweet meats, biting her lip. "Go away! Can't you see I'm waging a battle of will for my lady's heart!" Vypec said roughly to her as he turned away from the beautiful lass. He threw the sweet meats down on the ground angrily. Vypec was getting very upset with his own lack of affect on the old woman. He had never had trouble with self confidence. Not that he had ever really pursued women, but he had certainly never been this stoically rejected. And now there was some young temptress trying to ruin his chances even more than their already dire straits! The nerve of some people. As Vypec caught up to the old woman the 'other woman' bent and happily picked up the sweet meats from the ground. She popped one after another into her mouth as she walked behind them, staring at Vypec's back, or backside. "There ya go, a nice young girl who seems very interested in you. Be gone now!" The old woman said to Vypec. "I have no interest in her! What we shared this morning when I ran past you was more..." Vypec was searched in his heart for the true word. "Intense." He finally finished. The old woman cackled incredulously. Vypec's words were somewhat softened by the fact that the young woman was now trying to lace her fingers in his own. "What do you mean we aren't intense?!" The young woman screamed, shoving Vypec with one pale arm. The dark Akalak barely noticed the impact in his fervor to convince the old woman that this young home wrecker meant nothing to him. She, in turn, ignored his words. The old woman seemed upset that Vypec was not taken with the new, younger distraction. She had looked hopeful even, when she appeared. Why does our one true love wish us to pay attention to this young floosie?! Vypal asked, equally as shocked as his brother. I don't know brother, she must not be able to handle the passion with which we express our love. Vypec said, rationalizing it fast. That could be the only answer. Her old heart could not come to terms with the fiery, youthful nature of his love. "We are sooooo intense." The youthful minx said, purring into his ear. She wrapped her arms around his own, massaging Vypec's bicep. Her soft fingers, Vypec had to admit, felt wonderful tracing lines in his arm. But he was a taken man! She was a saucy temptress put into the situation by the gods to test his devotion to the old woman. "We aren't! We are nothing. I don't even know your name, girl." Vypec spat at her, pulling his arm free of her clutches. "Oh, I'm Elasa. Thanks for asking sweetheart." She said coyly, smiling up at him. Gods she did have nerve though. Vypec stared down at her incredulously. "What makes you think you can do this?" He asked Elasa, gesturing at the hand that was now trying to grope his arse. She frowned at him as if it was a stupid question. "Because we are meant to be. I love you." She said after a moment of him waiting for an answer. "Of course." She added, just to highlight his stupidity. Elasa and the old woman exchanged a look. "See! See how crazy it sounds! Just like you." The old woman screeched at him. "You two nut heads were meant for each other. I wish you many purple babies." She threw her hands into the air and whacked Vypec until he moved out of her reach. They were closing in on the Port now and Vypec was afraid he'd have to challenge this object of her attention to a duel. It was the only way to show her that he was serious. He would not let her slip from his grasp! Elasa trailed behind Vypec with a look of frustration on her face. Vypec trailed behind the old woman with a look of utter determination on his. Wysar was testing his drive. Nothing brought a warrior to his knees like love. "No, she is young and does not know what she is saying." "I do!" "...She is a temptress trying to make me stray from your side!" "Exactly." "...But I shall not, because my heart belongs to you." Vypec persevered through Elasa's interruptions. "No! You can't love her, I mean look at me!" Elasa indicated her fit figure with both hands, looking angry for the first time. "Exactly! Look at her!" The old woman said, happily agreeing with her. 1047 words