Lunchtime! (Joker, open)

[Flick]

Flick nodded as Dimitri pointed out the man, frowning after him. There were just bad people in the world. And grumpy ones. Looking back at the squire, she grinned girlishly as he kissed her elbow. It was so utterly sweet the kelvic blushed. As he took her hand, spouting words that just melted her, the young woman linked her fingers in his and walked. Her footsteps went no where in particular, but did take them away from the busy bustling market. They walked in comfortable quiet, Flick enjoying his company as long as it lasted, leading him into a small courtyard. It was a city break away, a small circular area fenced by a short stone wall and a maintained garden. A sheltered pagoda was the centrepiece of this particular courtyard, and to the girls delight, it was unoccupied. Drawing Dimitri under the wooden awning, the girl pulled him close, allowing herself to steal a proper kiss under the privacy of the courtyard. Pulling away with a broad smile, she let his hand go and pushed him gently to sit on the wooden seat around the pagoda. Twisting her hands together, the blonde took a breath.

"I wanted a moment, to talk to you. About some things. Firstly, me. I mean, not this, not Felicity. But Flick." She gestured to herself with a smile, before backing off the pagoda to duck down behind a rosebush. With a shimmering white light, she reappeared, in all her fennec foxy glory. Jumping up on the seat beside Dimitri, she made a small chirruping noise and wagged her tail, huge ears back and glittering dark eyes watching him. Gauging his response. He had to understand this was her, before she told him it all.

 

[Dimitri]

Dimitri walked with Flick, his day that much brighter now that they were together. His hand held hers confidently now, no longer having that nervousness from the first time they met. He smiled, as they enjoyed the fresh air, walking with no destination, letting the fates lead them. They fates however did not lead them far. He found himself in a small courtyard, with a small pagoda in the middle. It wasn't big since space was sparse in the town, but it was surprisingly empty. There was a couple of Knights patrolling outside of the courtyard and a couple of archers over looking it from the nearby wall. As she led him to the pagoda, he found her practically jumping into his arms, planting a kiss filled with longing and desire onto his firm lips. He returned it with an equal force of longing. It had been far too long since they had been apart, and she entranced him in his dreams. She was on his every thought when he wasn't lost in training. He pulled away, satisfied, with a goofy smile adorning his face.

He noticed she now looked nervous, rubbing her hands and taking a deep breath. She stepped away behind a rose bush, causing him to raise an eyebrow. He saw the glow of some light. Then a small golden coated creature, with large eyes and larger ears came back into the pagoda. It had a small foxlike face and a small body. He studied it, finding it rather cute. He then looked into it's eyes. They were a deep brown, and were incredibly familiar to him. They were large, showing more than just an animal. Then it struck him. These were the same eyes that haunted his dreams! The eyes that belonged to Flick. Now what she told him made sense. His quizzical look quickly faded into a broad smile. Where her human form was beautiful and alluring, her fox form was cute and adorable. Flick jumped up on the seat and made a foreign chirrup noise, which he found oddly pleasing.

He reached down and stroked the side of her snout with the backs of his fingertips. He was wrong earlier. She wasn't cute. She was just as beautiful in this form as her human one. He let his finger tips move over the top of her head, feeling the short hairs. He gently outlined the surprisingly large ears, moving down the scruff of her neck. He rubbed her neck gently, and then rubbed down her back and haunches. She was very soft and didn't appear dangerous. But then human Flick wasn't dangerous either. He always found it quite intriguing how the two forms were so similar despite being so drastically different. He gently picked her up, ensuring that he didn't harm his beauty. He set her on his lap and began stroking her fur from behind her ears to tail.

[Flick]

There was a moment, as Dimitri looked into her glittering dark gaze, that Flick hadn't expected. She loved him, so much, but she had only seen him through human eyes. To experience the recognition, and the acceptance in her fennec form, through her foxy eyes...it struck the girl deeply. The feel of his fingers on her muzzle sent jitters through the small creature, and her tail thumped happily against the seat. The squire was exploring, feeling for the first time the soft downy fur on her animal form and the outline of her features. As his hand stroked her long ears, a memory struck the kelvic vividly. Of a time before, when she had belonged. Curling into his lap, her eyes closed slightly as his hand stroked her lovingly, carefully. It was beautiful, and so missed. Whining softly, the fox finally sat up, lifting her face to lick his hand gently, before jumping down. She walked back behind the bush, shimmering back into human form and pulling her dress on.

When Flick stood again, she realised there were tears on her face. The feelings had overcome her, overwhelmed her. Walking back to Dimitri, she sat down softly, wiping her cheeks and looking at her hands. The young woman wasn't a crier, it wasn't in her nature. Lifting her face, she smiled at him and laughed softly.

"Okay, so now you know who I am. What I really am. I'm not some stealthy hunter, or even a ferocious beast. I'm a companion, a pet. And...thats how I began. I need you to understand my past, to...to be sure you can handle my future." Tucking her hair behind her ears, the blonde set herself up so she was facing Dimitri a little more.

"I was born in Ravok, and when I was still just a pup I was sold to an Akalak man - the blue skinned warriors of Riverfall. He bought me as a pet, for his son. We travelled together for weeks, and the man...he was so nice. He collared me, kept me in my animal form, for the whole trip. He would cuddle me, and stroke my ears, and just really cared for me. When we got to Riverfall, he presented me as a human to his son. But, Akalaks are a dying race. He didn't particularly care about a toddler. So Cor..the son..he didn't want me. But the father knew that I would change. Mature. So he took care of me, maybe even loved me, but not like...not." She wanted to say Not like you do, but instead she blushed and a smile rose to her lips. Taking a breath, she sat up straighter.

"Something happens between kelvic's and their masters. Something, special. We are...connected...in a way that is so deep and so strong that it's physically painful to break it. Kelvic's call it Bonding. And it can be used for good, or in some cases for bad. When we bond, its more than just a..a love. It's an entwining, and its a control. A bonded kelvic could never refuse the request of their master. Not ever. I was bonded to the man, so devoted. But he didn't bond back. I was devoted to a hollow cause." Her brown eyes narrowed, and her smile turned wry.

"I got desperate, and I shifted into the woman you see now. I begged him to love me, to bond with me. But, he refused. Heartbroken, I left his quarters and that was when his son found me. And this time, I obviously was a lot more interesting to him. He tried to...he collared me, in my human form and tried to convince me to...bond. I said no, I even think I turned my nose up at him. There was a side to that boy, a dark side, but I didn't realise...until then...just had bad it was. He hit me, and then it was like he couldn't stop. I think he was going to kill me. His father burst in, and he stopped him, so I took my chances. I snapped the collar, changed into my animal form and I ran for my life. It severed the bond with the man, tore it out of my very soul." Taking a deep breath, Flick stared at him for a moment. It was a big story, and it was hard for her. Letting it out with a laugh, the old Flick sprang forth. Covering her hurt and her pain with enthusiasm and cheeriness.

"So, thats my past! Sorry about the whole downer thing, I just...I need you to hear this part. I need you to understand how important...you are. And, what happened, on the beach."

[Dimitri]

Dimitri couldn't help but beam as Flick's tail thumped lightly against the seat. He didn't see just an animal in his lap. He saw Flick, animal and human, beautiful, loving, in both forms. She licked his hand gently, the slightly rough feel countered by the lightness of the motion. While it didn't feel like one, that simple gesture set him on fire as if she had kissed him. He fought about it and realized it was exactly that. Flick disappeared behind the bush and returned once more, with one slight unexpected difference. She had tears streaming down her face. Dimitri's face first showed shock and surprise. Had he done something to upset her? Did he do something wrong? These horrifying ideas and more passed through his mind. He then quickly shifted gears and was more concerned for her pain than his own worries. She wiped away some tears, but missed one. Using a single fingertip, he scooped it up. He moved his hand over the railing, and deposited the tear into the opening folds of a single blooming red rose, a flower on the verge of full bloom but hadn't quite gotten all of the way there. He then heard her laugh. He was a bit surprised at this, but then she started into her story.

"To be sure you can handle my future."

These words struck him like an arrow to his heart. She wanted a future with him. She didn't want him as a brief comfort, but rather something more. She was the first person he'd met that wanted more from him aside from an occasional favor or flirt. Others wanted him to become a Knight and nothing more. But this innocent beauty, this glowing woman, wanted him to transcend being a protector of Syliras. He could be her protector, her provider. Did he want that though? He looked deep into her earthen colored eyes. And there he found his answer. He would lay down his life for his city. But for her, would protect his life tooth and nail, to the very last breath, if only to take care of her for a single moment more. His duty belonged to Syliras, but his life belonged to her. But in order to provide for her, he would have to become a Knight as soon as possible. This tore him though. In order to take care of her, he would have to dedicate more to his duty, that he could be giving to her. But provide he would. He continued to listen patiently to her tale.

As she told her tale, he listened intently. As she told him of how her master cared for her, he was swarmed with mixed feelings. He was glad she had a small bit of joy in her bleak past, but a twinge of jealous flowed in as well. He'd never been a jealous person before, but had been experiencing it as of late. He scolded himself at such an ugly feeling. Then a slip of the tongue swelled his heart that his chest physically hurt. She possibly loved him? She shared that feeling he hadn't been able to admit yet? The butterflies he felt that first night returned. But it wasn't nervous as it was before, but rather excitement, joy beyond any other he had felt. He struggled to contain the goofy grin she was able to bring to his face.

Bonding? Why hadn't he heard of this before? Was her love not love but this bonding she mentioned? His heart sank at the thought. Maybe she was forced to love him. The though of such subservience sickened him. He could never treat her as a slave. Slavery was an abomination on Mizahar. All men and women born into this world are born as equals, and should always be treated as equals. He struggled to keep his smile from turning into a pained grimace. The thought that she could possibly be forced to feel this way made him feel dirty. He clung to the small hope that maybe her love, if that's what in fact it was, could over power this bond she now had for himself.

His hand began to grind into his hilt, almost in comfort as she told him of the abuse and attack of her previous owner. Even the idea of a collar made him want to kill the men she mentioned. He'd never wanted to kill before. But should he meet them, he wasn't sure he could hide behind his stoicism. He slowly calmed down as she finished her tale. She was bonded to him now. But Dimitri didn't care. He would still love her, hoping she loved him back. As she finished, he chose his words carefully, hoping they wouldn't scare her away. She knew what bonding was, and now so did he. But just because she would have to listen to him didn't mean he'd have to force her to. "You are not a pet, not to me. You are... You are my other half. My equal. I will not force you to do anything. The only collar you will wear is the honest feelings I feel for you. The... Lo---... The strong feelings I have." He then dropped to a barely audible whisper and looked away at the nearby roses. "The love I feel..." He then saw a most peculiar, beautiful thing. The halfbloomed flower he gave her tear to, was now fully open it amazing glory. He reached out and plucked it. He snapped off a couple of thorns. He then tucked her hair behind her left ear and placed the rose in the crook of her ear. His courage soared then.

"I know it's soon... I know it may not be returned... But I love you Flick."

He looked away sheepishly. He'd never bared so much to anyone before. He was feeling very vulnerable, his stoic armor torn asunder. He knew that he could be struck down now by a single word from her lips. But it was a risk he needed to take. He braced himself, waiting for the unknown.

[Jokor]

Jokor absentmindedly chewed on the apple he bought at a stall a few bell's ago. Easily navigating through the maze of corridors and stairs inside the city-castle towards the courtyard to feel the sun on his face and get see the sky again. Those damned corridors where making him feel trapped. When he entered the courtyard and felt the ray's of the sun shine down on him he couldn't help but smile as he was outside again. Walking around the courtyard for a moment he saw a rather nice looking spot to take a nap on right next to a pagoda, a bit of shade and it looked rather soft. So he ate the remains of his apple before flopping down on the spot and closing his eye's, enjoying lazing around for a while. unfortunately it seemed that other people didn't really care that somebody was trying to take a little nap, as soon as he was comfortable he heard a few people, not sure how many, walk past him and up to into the pagoda. He wouldn't have minded them much if they had kept quiet but their way to loud sappy babbling was getting on his nerves. Grumblingly standing up and looking towards them. "Hey could you guy's keep that down a bit! Some people are trying to relax here and your drama doesn't really make that easy!"

[Flick]

Flick could see the boys emotions run across the expanse of his expressive face. She could see happiness, anger, then confusion, and hurt? Self doubt? The young kelvic wondered if she'd said to much...had only made him realise he didn't love her. That he had been somehow tricked. Her dark eyes watched him as he struggled to say what he wanted to say. Her lips turned up gently, and she placed a hand on his arm as he spoke, listening carefully.

As he picked a delicate bloom from the rosebush, Flick felt a welling of love and compassion for the squire. He tucked it gently behind her ear, breaking away the thorns to keep her safe. And then he said it. He loved her. Swallowing hard, the young woman took his hands in hers, wanting to be absolutely sure he understood her.

"Dimitri, I know you would never hurt me. Never make me do...what I didn't want to do. And I want you to understand, this bond is...its more than you can imagine. I felt like...when I met you in the tavern...like fate had stepped in. Like I'd known you before I'd even met you. Bonding isn't like...being in love. It's an intertwining that can't be stopped. Some kelvics hate their masters, beyond all reckoning. But they feel them, can sense each other, and are bound to their every whim. We are a slave race, Dimitri. Bonding is what Master's encourage in their kelvics. To ensure a faithful slave." Staring into his sapphire eyes, Flick squeezed his hands.

"I love you, Dimitri, but I need to be sure you accept me. The reason I told you that story wasn't because I wanted you to...feel angry or sympathy. I need to make sure you...want me. I can't be bonded again, if you don't feel it too. You say you love me, and by all the Gods and Goddesses I want you too, but did you feel...something, on the beach? Did you feel.." Her words were abruptly cut short by a grumpy and familiar voice. Twisting to look at the man that rose from behind the pagoda, Flick's eyes flew wide and she jumped from her seat.

"I don't petching believe...are you following me??!" A rush of panic twisted in the kelvic's belly, and instinct flowed through her veins. With a shimmering light, she shifted. Her white dress pooled around her tiny pawed feet as the fennec fox stared up at the man. Every fibre of her being was at a hair trigger, ready to run for the nearest, smallest exit. She had lived for so long on her own, the small creature hadn't even thought about the fact she had her very own armoured squire beside her.

[Dimitri]

Dimitri sat their, listening intently on her every word. Did he love her? Or was it simply the bond? Everything she said caused the balance of the two to shift within him. How can one tell the difference between love and bond? Could anyone? Did she love him or was it merely her side of the bond answering his call for love? If Kelvics really were a slave race, it seemed that most wouldn't know actual love... Maybe the love of a pet or tool, but love as an equal. He severely doubted this. A spring of pain within his chest struck him sharply each time he considered that she might not truly love him.

The beach? The place where the two had become one. The sanctuary of their bonding. The single best memory he had. It erased the pain, replacing it with everlasting joy. He recalled the moment of passion when the bond was sealed, quickly followed by the ecstasy of lovers spent. Then the realization sliced through his heart. There were three different overwhelming moments at the beach. He had missed one in his recollection, one more subtle than the others. It was as if... His passion and youthful yearning were a sapling of a tree, just beginning to grow but showing signs of something much larger in the future. But then as the tree grew, a delicate vine grew around it's bark. It latched to the passion, not stifling it but living off of it. Dimitri knew this to be the Bond. But that third feeling, the one unsure, was the very sun that gave the other two life. Without that sun, the others wouldn't exist. The sun was the love he had for her, a distinct and separate entity from all else. At this realization, he let himself bask in the warm glow, letting it fill him completely. He knew nothing else could compete with this everlasting shine. And she loved him too!

A huge smile broke his emotionally drained face. Yes they were bonded, but she loved him and he loved her. And his side of the bond could never overpower the presence of such a strong emotion. All his worry, his fear of what this might be evaporated. They weren't merely lovers, but in love. The bond forced him to be master, and her his servant. But this overwhelming love, this transcended. There was no subservience when two people came together as one.

"I didn't just feel the Bond at the beach. I was punched in the gut by the Bond. But it neither hurt nor damaged. I was protected. Like a shield that stopped the hurt, the pain, and confusion, and allowed the Bond to take place. I was protected by the mutual love that invaded my world. And I welcomed it. And now I embrace it. I love you Flick. You are my Bondmate. But there's more to it. For I belong to you just as much. I need you Flick, I want you more than anything. And I will do whatever I must to keep that amazing smile glowing, and this eyes dancing."

A stranger's voice interrupted them and Flick flew into a rage and immediately shifted into fox form. He was no expert on small creatures, especially not fennec foxes, but he was able to tell she was panicked and looking to flee. He gently picked her up with his one gauntlet free hand and brought her close to his face. He cooed to her and rubbed his nose against hers. "Let me handle this. Please wait here." He set her down on the seating, and walked into the courtyard. The wall archers clearly were watching Dimitri, one of their own, as he approached the sleeping man. While Dimitri was furious, he would have to be knightly. "Sir, I apologize if we disturbed your rest, however you cannot sleep here. I can take you to an inexpensive inn if you need to rest." Dimitri kept his sword hand instinctively ready, in case this man did something stupid.

[Jokor]

Jokor arched his eyebrow when the female half of his problem accused him of following her. Before she transformed into a small foxlike creature and stared up at him, ready to run as soon as he did something hostile. Mentally noting that the girl was one of those strange kelvic creatures Jokor just shook his head before looking at the kelvic with an annoyed expression on his face. “Why in the name of kelwyn would I follow you? I think you are giving yourself way to much credit, I ain't interested in you in the least. I was just trying to enjoy the sun and you and your boyfriend come here and begin spouting your little drama around not even checking if there are people around that rather not be bothered with that. So why don't ya take it somewhere else? The stone garden at midnight is a good spot for couples trying to do all that romantic stuff I heard.” Jokor couldn't help but winch a bit at the memory that it dug up, hurriedly shoving it toward the back of his mind. Before turning around and sitting back down, hoping the matter was over and done with. Unfortunately for him, the kelvic's boyfriend didn't think the same way about it as he stepped into his sun. Jokor let out an annoyed sigh and looked up towards the man. Rolling his eyes as the man suggested that he would take him to an inn. “Thanks but no thanks. I got my own apartment and like I told you only a few chimes before, I ain't sleeping here, just trying to relax with the good weather. Which you and your girlfriend are making rather hard at the moment.” Jokor said, his patience running rather tin and that was audible in his voice. “So why don't ya just take a hike and leave me alone? I was here first either way.”

[Flick]

Flick trembled as the squire picked her up, ears up and eyes staring at the man from the market. As he spoke quietly to her, rubbing his nose against hers, the small creature wagged her tail briefly and whined softly, before standing up on the seat he'd placed her on to watch the events unfold. Her fur bristled all over and her huge ears trembled as she stared at the duo. The fox wasn't used to confrontation. Her instinct was to run.

As the horrid weasel addressed her, Flick growled at him, snorting with disgust. What business did this mean piece of work have with what people did in their small stolen moments. If they wanted to sit in a public garden and have a private discussion, then that was their business. He, on the other hand, was laying down in a public place and interfering with other peoples business. Even in Riverfall, one couldn't just lay down on the local town square and take a 'rest'. It was inappropraite. If he wanted a rest, there were plenty of taverns to get a drink and lay his head on. Or a beach, or anywhere else but a public venue designed to be both decorative and functional. In the public eye. Flick knew from experiance that town officials didn't take kindly to making their city look....ugly.

The fennec looked at Dimitri, leaving the arguement to the squire. It was after all, his city. Flick was only new, and she had no authority.

[Dimitri]

Dimitri was mildly annoyed at the man's gruff response. The man should not have been sleeping in a public location, it was disgraceful and made their fine city look like a slum. However, he didn't feel like dealing with this man and Flick was already ready to bolt. "Sir, you cannot disgrace our city by laying around like a common bum. Now please leave before I contact one of these many Knights to have you removed." He turned and scooped up Flick into his arms, snuggling her protectively, as he rubbed the top of her head and neck to comfort her. He knew she had to be angry and likely a bit frightened. He made to leave and said, loud enough for the man to hear, "Let's get out of here, I'm not a fan of rat infested gardens." He held Flick in the crook of one arm, and retrieved her belongings with the other. He gave the man a smile that was clearly not sincere in the least. He walked out of the garden and found a Knight just outside. The Knight recognized him as a squire and smiled at him. Dimitri looked back into the garden, then back to the Knight. "There's an unfortunate man back there in the garden, who seems unable to find a bed, and is sleeping in the flowers. Perhaps he needs assistance?" With that Dimitri smiled and strolled down the bustling road, rocking Flick in his arms soothingly.