[Location: Docks] Trails of Smoke [Nydryn]

[Syndre]

Day 62, Winter 510 AV

The hour was late and Akajia had blessed the city of Ravok with her

swarming darkness. The few that walked the streets held lanterns to
guide their paths. One could even move through the floating city
without the aid of a candle, using the illumination from the flickering
streets lamps and the dancing torches of late night shops. Being
faithful to his Goddess, Syndre wasn't dependant on a light source. He
moved thru the darkness quite comfortably and even made the effort to
avoid locations that were brightly lit.

He had lost track of his friend the night before, the petite woman with

the strong attitude. When Nydryn first returned to Ravok, the rogue was
confident that it would be her that would take the time to scoured the
streets for him. In an amusing twist of fate, it had been Syndre that
was following her activities. He had tracked down numerous people in his
past, whether it be merchants traveling home from a fun evening or a
person he held a grudge against. Most of these ventures were for the
strict purpose of gathering information: Where they lived, who they
lived with, how many occupied the home, what times they came and went.
There was an abundance to learn about each citizen, if you took the time
to research.

Hours had passed since he began his search this cool evening and his

padded boots had taken him to one of Ravok's steep bridges. A wide canal
ran beneath the stone walkway, it's slow moving flow an inky black in
the night. The bridge was dimly lit at either end and softly illuminated
at it's apex with a single lamp that swung gently with the faint wind. He
had noticed a lone figure standing upon the center of the curving arc,
definitely in the shape of a female. The fluttering flame played with
the golden hue of her short hair, causing her to stand out a bit even to
those who looked upon the bridge from afar. Maybe she wanted to be found.

Quiet footfalls slipped around the edges of light that touched the walkway,

purposely keeping his black attired form in the darker areas. Slowly
creeping up the rise in the bridge, the novice thief stayed as silent as
he possibly could. He deliberately snuck up behind his childhood friend,
the exposing lamp plaguing his pale figure with it's dim light. Though
the swinging candle no longer kept him hidden, the rogue's presence was
still unknown for she was deep in thought, her blue gaze searching the
sable waves of water.

Leather gloves, stained a deep shade of black, came gently down against

the stone railing of the bridge to either side of Nydryn's lithe form.
Directly behind her, the position he had initiated seemed to cut off any
escape route, as if he were trapping her even though that wasn't the case.
Being taller he was able to peer over the top of her golden hair, pretending
to watch whatever she was gazing upon with a fake interest. His head tilted
down and to the right, causing the soft sway of his two spiraling braids to
tap against the upper region of her back and shoulder.

"Sorry about the other night... upsetting you wasn't my goal...," his

quiet whisper was indeed apologetic. The card trick he had performed for
her last evening had caught her attention in a good way, but toward the
end it had seemed to cause her distress. She had left him in an alley
afterwards and was able to lose him in the streets. He hadn't known where
she stayed that night, for she had mentioned that she had little coin to
spend. A slight trace of worry had infected his mind, but judging from her
previous encounters with some of Ravok's scum, he knew she could take care
of herself in most situations.

[Nydryn]

Nydryn hadn’t realized someone was behind her until he had put his arms on either side of her. She was immersed in thought before he had arrived, and she realized that his late arrival probably meant she had lost him on the streets. She had been roaming the streets of Ravok for most of the night, not simply because she wanted to, but because they filled her with so many memories. That’s why she had finally broken down on the bridge where Syndre had just found her. The bridges in Ravok were beautiful, and they were one of the parts that she had missed most about the city. If anyone else would have assumed the position that Syndre was in now, then she would have felt trapped, and confined. Syndre’s arms on either side of her did not make her feel trapped at all, but she was still consumed in her thoughts. Only when he said something, was she fully aware of him behind her. He sounded sincere when he apologized, and she believed that he truly meant it. She found herself trusting him more, and she wasnt sure if she should pull away, like she had with everyone else she had begun to form a friendship with, or if she should let him get close to her... finally let someone into the small circle of her friends which now included just herself. Nydryn’s pale fingers brushed her hair out of her face. “It’s alright,” she murmured softly, turning her head slightly, “I was overreacting.” She shivered, her cloak in her bag and a cool breeze was blowing through the streets of Ravok. Her hair blew in her face again, but Nydryn left it, her small delicate hands clenching into fists on top of the stone railing. More memories flooded back to Nydryn about not just her mother, but her whole family. Being in Ravok uprooted so many memories that Nydryn had worked hard to bury in the depths of her mind. It had taken time to bury those memories, and being in Ravok for just a day or two had uncovered most of them. The card trick that Syndre had performed had unsettled her, but it wasn’t the trick that made her run away. He had exposed her tattoo, and she had done such a good job of hiding it these past years, that she had almost forgotten it was there. Up until Syndre had pointed it out. She realized he didn’t mean to hurt her, but painful memories of her mother were associated with the mark. Now, standing at the railing, Nydryn slowly pulled up her sleeve, exposing the tattoo. She winced, but forced herself to look at it. A tear slid down her cheek, and Nydryn looked away, trying hard to hide her weakness from Syndre.

[Syndre]

His right hand slipped lightly off the stone rail and slowly moved

closer to her. The sleek leather of his glove slid carefully over
her small knuckles and the cold metal buckles securing his black
gauntlets touched the back of her forearm. The under side of his
leather confined thumb worked softly over her thin wrist, offering
a delicate caress along the angelic tattoo she displayed. The
dark material moved ever so slowly from one pair of inked wings to
the next.

His head tilted further down until the curve of his chin came to

rest against the peak of her shoulder. With this positioning, Syndre's
blue gaze was able to drift downward and study the exposed design more
intently. Keeping that icy stare upon their connecting appendages, he
spoke in a whisper that was as soft as his touch," What does this mean
to you Ny?..."

The breeze this evening was indeed chilling and neither of them wore

sufficient clothing to protect themselves from the fleeting bite of the
wind. The only heat either of them could feel was the faint warmth that
was shared between their gently touching bodies. The rogue was very
cautious with his intentions, not wanting her to feel too overwhelmed
and flee from him once again. Trust was hard to come by in these times
and it was almost an art form to break down the protective walls of
distrust that she had constructed in her mind.

Syndre was different from many of the citizens that inhabited Ravok.

There was an aura that he emitted, an aura of unusual confidence. Even
if he wasn't great at a certain task, he believed in himself so much
that he would trick his mind into thinking he in fact was. This alluring
glow surrounded Nydryn's presence, manifesting a sense of calm and
summoning an atmosphere that seemed remarkably safe. It enveloped her
in the same way that his arm covered her own, with a sensation of
warmth and security.

[Nydryn]

Nydryn sighed softly. Her gaze had traveled out to the canal, but Syndre’s touch had brought her attention back to her wrist. The tattoo was linking angel wings, sort of like a bracelet all the way around her wrist. They were well done by the tattoo artist, and she had loved them at first. But after the time gap between her mother’s abandonment and the current day increased, she found herself avoiding looking at the mark. He had asked what the mark meant to her, and she had to think about it for a few minutes before she replied. “My mother…” she began, her voice soft and filled with emotion, “On my eleventh birthday, she left… sold herself into slavery. Her nickname for me was angel,” Nydryn’s voice trembled, “So after she left, I wanted to remember her so only a few months later, I got this,” she looked down at the mark, her heart breaking at the sight of it. After a few shaky breaths, she continued, her voice still a whisper in the night sky, “I used to love it… it reminded me of all the good times I had with my mother. But now, it only reminds me of the fact that she abandoned me and my siblings.” Unable to speak any more, she bit her lip, trying to keep from crying. Telling him that made her pry open the sore wounds of her heart once again, and another tear slipped down her cheek. A pale, delicate hand reached up and wiped it away. She trusted him, and she was unsure why. He was a thief in Ravok, and she should know better than to tell him the secrets of her heart. But she had known him in her childhood… still, that was no reason to trust him. Maybe she was getting soft with her time spent in Ravok… or maybe it was just Syndre. His body was close to hers, and the warmth emitted from his body was not enough to keep her from feeling the chill of the winter night. She shivered once again, and she held her hand that did not have the tattoo on it close to her body, trying to keep warm. Fighting the feeling of the need to flee from any circumstance that she felt trapped in, Nydryn stayed where she was. The sounds of Ravok’s night were eerie and Nydryn could see shadows flickering across the paths near the bridge. Her bright blue eyes then returned to her wrist, and she bit her lip as more tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. Her pale skin shone in the soft light that came from the lights near the bridge. The mark was in black ink, and she closed her eyes to avoid looking at it again. She was so foolish to have gotten a tattoo at that age and especially a tattoo of remembrance for her mother. Her mother didn’t deserve anything after the way she had abandoned her children. One more tear slid down her cheek, and she was certain that Syndre thought she was a weak baby for crying about her mother, but she couldn’t help it. She had kept these feelings bottled up for so long.

[Syndre]

He listened to those soft words that slipped from her supple lips.

When the pleasant sound of her voice ceased to exist, his right hand
slid lightly over her skin. The smooth leather of traveling fingertips
rose above her wrist to the back of her pale hand, their curling length
sliding between her own fingers in a comforting hold. He felt her
smaller body tremble against him from the biting cold and his left arm
slowly slipped around the lower half of her upper torso. The sensation
of his black leather was felt once more, this time along her opposite
appendage where his gloved digits found her left hand. Their delicate
touch mimicked the hold he held upon her right hand, his slender fingers
entwining between her own.

With both of her hands now captured by his, it was easier to draw her

shivering figure closer. The slight arc of his back straitened and the
bottom of his chin lifted off the curve of her shoulder. He regained his
complete six feet and spare inches, tenacious arms coiling like the slow
constriction of a snake around her thin abdomen, guiding her own arms
inward. There was no longer any space between their bodies as the upper
region of her back came to rest against the small rise of his chest, the
affectionate movement offering a bit more warmth than before.

The rogue held the attractive woman for a lingering moment, his full

composure allowing the side of his visage to rest gently against her
golden hair. The words she had whispers played in his mind, and visions
of his own Mother appeared. He blinked them away as quickly as they
came, for the last moment he had laid eyes upon his Mother was indeed
a gruesome image. Syndre did not know how to ease his friend's resurging
pain... or did he? An evil smile played upon his lips before finally
disturbing the peaceful silence shared between them, his whispering
words forming a quiet question," Do you want to forget... at least for
a moment?..."

His soothing voice presented her mind with a means to escape her

worrisome memories, she need only to give into his intentions. She need
only to tell this unlawful man that held her... yes, and he could take
her somewhere she had never been. A state of mind where she could lose
herself in a haze of pleasure, where such dreadful memories did not
exist. Though she had no idea how he could do such a thing, he was more
than willing to share his secret if she accepted the invitation.

[Nydryn]

Nydryn’s heart was in two once again, after she had told Syndre about the mark. His hand, which had been gently working over her tattoo had moved and now embraced her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. Her opposite hand, which was held close to her body, received the same as his other hand came around her small, thin body and entwined his fingers through hers. He had then drawn her figure closer to his, and she was grateful for the warmth and support Syndre was giving her. Her back was pressed to his chest, and she ever so slightly leaned against his firm, tall figure. The one memory that had stuck out in her mind, other than the one where her mother left, occurred a year or so earlier. Nydryn had come in from playing outside and she was covered in dirt. It must have been a bad day for her mother because she reacted… violently. Swinging out a hand, her mother slapped Nydryn’s face and then sent her to her room. Visibly shaken, Nydryn remembered the look on her mother’s face, and cringed even though it had been so long ago. Weren’t mothers supposed to be loving and caring? Where was that side of her mother? Syndre’s question made her come back and focus attention on him and her once again. His question sounded so intriguing. Forget… for at least a moment. She had no idea how he would make her forget about her mother and the pain that she was experiencing while just being in Ravok. She had already made the decision to trust him, so why should she not go with him? She had never trusted before, but he was an exception. Trust, he was given and she hoped that he realized that the occurrence of her trusting another did not happen very much. “Yes…” the single word was whispered in response to Syndre’s question. She would go with him. If he had some way of making her forget… even if the time was very short, then she would go wherever he led her. Waiting, Nydryn turned her head slightly, resting it against his chest. His warmth was like no other, and she loved it. She could still feel a bit of the chill, but nothing like before.

[Syndre]

She turned against the soft black silk of his shirt, the slow

movement of his torso causing her head to follow the pattern of his
deliberate breathing. Those that believed the Ravokian rogue to be heartless,
Nydryn could prove them wrong, for the repetitive beating of his heart
called to her beneath his slightly protruding chest. He offered her right
hand, small and pale, a gentle squeeze before releasing it from his
careful hold. His own hand lifted upward, guiding tips of leather into
into golden tresses, softly brushing her hair away from her face.

"Then close your eyes...," he whispered with another delicate squeeze,

this time applied to the hand that he still held within his. He knew she
would do as he desired and his left arm moved from around her abdomen,
rising with a fluid purpose, lifting the length of her arm into the
night. The smooth thief then slowly spun the beautiful woman in a tight
circle, positioning her body to where she could feel the cool stone of
the bridge's rail against the bottom of her back.

Her left hand escaped his touch, leaving her to lean against the railing

on her own, the closeness they shared now departed. With her eyes closed,
the pain that had grown within their blue depths was hidden from his view.
A moment passed and she could briefly hear a quiet rustling in front of
her, like the faint shuffling of cloth. Seconds of silence slipped by as
the secretive rogue went about his business, but the quiet didn't last long
for a light metallic creak filled her ears. It came from the lantern that
was hanging not too far from her leaning form. The glow of a nearing flame
moved across her closed eyelids, then disappeared as soon as it had come.

Listening to her surroundings more carefully without the aid of sight,

Nydryn heard a strange sound, a quick crackling followed by the strong
aroma that she was not accustomed to. The lingering smell resembled that of
burning tobacco, but the scent was definitely different. She felt a single
glove return to her awaiting figure, comforting fingers moving just around
the curve of her right hip. There was something close to her face now, and
she realized it was his own handsome visage when she felt the warmth of
his whisper, oh so close to her mouth," Breath in..."

She wasn't given any time to consider the situation, for the moisture of his

lips had soon touched upon her own. The contact was very light, ever so soft,
and when those warm lips slightly parted they guided her mouth gently open.
Syndre then slowly exhaled at the moment Nydryn inhaled, and a rolling
abundance of thick smoke was transferred. The creeping tendrils of the aromatic
fume traveled quickly into her slender throat, eagerly filling the inflating
capacity of her fragile lungs. The herbal taste of the serpentine smoke was
pleasing, as was the taste of his flirtatious lips. Once the thief had
completely expelled his lungs, his mouth closed and captured the fullness of
her bottom lip, ending the intoxicating kiss with a show of affection.

Then the real fun began, as the potent drug immediately reacted within her
small form.

[Nydryn]

After releasing a hand, Syndre had asked Nydryn to close her eyes. He had said that he could make her pain disappear, and even if the time was brief, she needed the absence of pain for a few short seconds. Willingly, she had closed her eyes. She had been spun slowly in a tight circle, and she felt the cold railing of the bridge on her lower back. His presence then left her, and she could hear him rummaging around for something. What was he looking for that could bring her out of her pain? Eyes still closed, she heard a crackling. Along with the crackling came a smell, somewhat like burning tobacco, but it was strange… different. A few seconds later, she felt his hand on her hip. She still didn’t know how he could ease her pain, but she was up for anything that would. Nydryn still was leaning against the cold rail when she sensed something in front of her face. Syndre. It was him in front of her; his warm breath could be felt on her lips. He told her to breathe in, and still trusting him more than she had trusted anyone for a long time, she breathed in. It was only a fraction of a second before she could feel his lips on hers. The touch was gentle, and she soon felt his lips guiding hers open. Nydryn’s thoughts still had traces of bad memories in them, but after her lips opened, he exhaled and she inhaled. Smoke filled her mouth, throat and lungs as she continued to inhale. She found the few memories that had remained after the approach of his lips were now gone. Her small lungs were filled with the smoke and he ended the kiss with tenderness. Slowly exhaling, Nydryn opened her eyes to see Syndre’s handsome profile looking at her. The drug… the feeling in her lungs was like no other. A pleasant sensation filled her as her body took the drug well. She didn’t remember what was bothering her before but after the initial high feeling of the drug in her body left, she could feel the dreadful memories trickling back in. She was powerless to stop them, but Syndre had the power to. Slightly smiling up at Syndre, Nydryn’s eyes were clear of the pain, and he noticed. She looked down at the ground as the sensation of the smoke in her lungs continued to exist. Coughing once, her eyes flicked upwards. Her hands sat on the cold rail of the bridge, and for the first time since the smoke had entered her lungs, she began to feel the chill from the night air. “What was that?” she breathed softly. She shivered, feeling the cold even more. She desperately wanted to know what this drug was, and where he found it. Turning her head to the left, her mind cleared only slightly and she thought about what she was doing. If she kept it up, would she get addicted to the intoxicating drug? Would she remember her mother at all if she continued taking it? The smoke in her lungs made her feel so good, and besides, it was good to take a break from the depressing memories related to Ravok. Not deciding on anything, she allowed her mind to go blank again as she enjoyed the feeling of the drug in her body. There was a slight burning in her throat, and she coughed once again. She held up a hand and tried to look at it, but her vision had become a bit fuzzy. She could feel Syndre’s gaze on her, and she set her hand back down. Was he addicted to the exhilarating drug? Her gaze traveled over his face, her vision was still a bit blurry, but it was getting better. His blue eyes were trained on hers and she gave him another small smile.

[Syndre]

A satisfied expression found it's way upon his attractive features

at the sight before him. The worry... the doubt... the pain, Syndre
could see them all dissolve as the blend of fragrant herbs worked their
intoxicating magic on Nydryn. The euphoric effect would climb steadily
for about an hour before peaking, then it would take the same amount of
time before she would come down from the pleasure it produced. Two
lingering hours that the young woman didn't have to be reminded of her
past, two hours of drug induced joy she could instead share with her old
friend.

The lips that had that had kissed her returned her small smile as his

left hand glided off the curve of her hip. The same hand then stole the
finely carved pipe from the right, which had been carefully holding it as
well as the candle from the lantern. With his smile never fading, he
brought the ivory smoking instrument to his mouth and tipped the flame of
the candle into the wide bowl. The rogue drew from the ordinate piece,
burning the last of the charred herbs before holding his breath. Upon
release he formed a circle with his lips, summoning a thick ring of smoke
that drifted into Nydryn's face and softly dissipated.

"A little something you will begin to crave...," his quietly spoken

response to her question was followed by a short, evil laugh. Dexterous
fingers spun the expensive pipe between their black length before tucking
it underneath the cloth of his constricting sash. The opposite wrist then
flicked the candle from his grasp, sending the wildly flickering flame
over her slender shoulder and into the canal below the bridge. A gentle
splash of disturbed water was heard and the action had brought a comforting
darkness to center region of the arcing walkway.

"You should stay with me tonight...," his left glove followed the black

lining of his sash to the side of his hip, lightly patting one of three
pouches that were tied there. The sound of gold rimmed Mizas hitting
against one another touched her ears, indicated he had some money to
burn. The wilderness was no place for such a fair woman to spend the
night, and the filthy streets of Ravok weren't any better. Sleeping in
either location, especially by yourself, could be hazardous to one's
health.

[indent]His stunning blue eyes, now dilated and glossy, looked into hers as the
creeping high worked through his blood stream. A playful tilt of his head
and adoring smile was given as he awaited her answer. He knew she felt
safe around him, and who wouldn't? These were his streets, this was his
city. Not only that, once the exhilarating effects of the drug wore off he
knew she would want more, maybe even 'need' more. If not to partake in the
pleasure, then instead to chase away her horrid memories.

[Nydryn]

Nydryn felt so good. She didn’t have horrible memories dragging her down every second of the day, and she could finally begin to enjoy her time in the city that she loved so much. In fact, she wasn’t remembering many memories, good or bad. Her mind felt numb, and she loved it. She felt ready for anything, but it couldn’t be serious, it had to be fun. Syndre hadn’t told her what the mysterious drug was that made her feel so good, but he did say that she would begin to crave it. At the time being, Nydryn was sure he was right. She couldn’t achieve this feeling any other way, and as soon as it wore off… she didn’t know how long that would be… she would want more. The drug had an herbal smell, and she wasn’t sure if it was just one herb or whether it was a mixture, but she hoped that he would tell her or else she would go searching for some other way of achieving this euphoria. The night beckoned to Nydryn, its smoky shadows calling her name softly as a gentle breeze blew through them. Nydryn’s smile turned into a laugh as she stepped into the shadows after grabbing her small bag. They seemed to envelop her, and one could only see a faint outline, and hear her soft laugh to know where she was. Still in the shadows, Nydryn remembered Syndre saying that she should stay with him, and she grinned darkly. She would go with him, and enjoy the drug before it wore off. Her mind was moving so slowly, but she felt her body needing something different. She had been depressed and suspicious ever since being on her own, and she finally needed to let go and have a good time. She wondered if anything could make this feeling even better, and smiled when something came to mind. She normally didn’t drink that much, but drinking a lot gave her a feeling that was similar to this, but had only a fraction of its power to withhold her memories. Maybe that would make her feel even better. “So where are we going?” Nydryn’s smooth, soft voice came from the shadows where she was still blanketed by the darkness. Syndre could hear the smile in her voice, but he couldn’t see it. She didn’t have much money, but it seemed Syndre did. Was there a better way to spend her intoxicating night then with an old friend? Nydryn playfully twirled in the shadows, her skirt billowing out. Along with all her memories, all her worries were forgotten. All her caution, her safety measures were ignored unconsciously as the drug’s effect continued to climb.