Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » ~Beyond the Shadows~

"What a kind gesture," Arun-Ja agreed, "I suppose I must gain more knowledge of this land if I am to find the truth. Come Dagon, Azura." He trekked with them, along with his daedric companions, to wherever fate brought him.

Once these bards joined them, they left the city and kingdom of vampires and more than eagerly so.

"That was the second most wreckless decision you have made in the last 2 days, your grace, first one being escaping from the castle against the king's direct orders. If you keep at it, I will be forced to knock you out, chain you and drag you back to the king, for your own safety and hours. Those blood suckers could have easily turned against you and retained you a captive, or worse, killed you altogether" gulped Gawain still shuddering at how the vampiress had closely scrapped his neck.

Merthyr sighed hands folded neatly at his back

"I know, I know, but someone had to alert them before their losses are great and revenge brings them out of their hiding to actively retaliate against our people. When the nobles are pressed, it is the peasants who feel the pinch and pay the price, the innocent" pointed out Merthyr

Taff had been keeping quiet interjecting at this point

"Your grace, the message has been delivered, and the bards have accepted to join us, please, let us return to your father's presence and beg his forgiveness, surely by now he has noticed you have defied his orders but his wrath is less deadly than the dangers lurking at these forests." asked Taff politely and humbly

Merthyr nodded

"I guess you are right, we cannot taste freedom forever, sooner than later I have to go and face the consequences of my defiance. Father will eventually calm himself down and all will be well again" sighed Merthyr

"Go on, let us go get Lancelot and return to the castle" accepted Merthyr remembering he had told Lancelot to watch over Inai during the night. Little did Merthyr know that Lancelot was now endangering the travel by holding a duel and more worringly that the pair of them were being ambushed by a far worse crowd than the vampires could turn out to be,a crowd that would quickly recognize his face and station, to worsen the situation.

---

Gawain turned his attention to the three travellers

"So are you blood suckers too?" asked Gawain too intrigued to not ask

Aynor smiled broadly to be able to pass unchallenged by the much to fearful guards.
He look at this fifty men well pleased, these were the finest of each clan and all his to command.

"Right I want 2 of each to follow me, that'll make 10 men at arms and my four trusted comrades and myself shall number it to a decent enough size but small enough to travel quickly" nodded Aynor

"The rest of you 40 set up camp where you have been indicated and wait for news." muttered Aynor, quite liking the spot Lancelot had chosen because it had a stream and so readily available water for them and for the horses and for the captives too.

After the group split and parted ways Aynor advanced further forward soon stumbling into a dark figure.

"Nets and ropes ready, archers too... here comes our first bouty" muttered Aynor separating the ten men five to each side to more concealed strategic positions whilst the five leaders progressed forward and approached the woman.

"Kneel and surrender and we will not kill you, you will be a slave, but you'll live a while longer... refuse and my archers will make a live target out of you" demanded Aynor coming closer to Ambrose, a commanding tone in his voice

Ambrose would continue singing to herself while on her stroll, the tune somewhat eerie as it echoed throughout the forest. She was beginning to wonder if anybody would notice her, but before she knew it, she was surrounded by 15 men. She sighs and chuckles, shaking her head and looking around her. 10 of them were pointing arrows and spears at her, and the 5 would approach her. She would presume they were the leaders, before shrugging her shoulders and looking at them with her alluring red eyes.

"It seems I should count my blessings...You have not come properly prepared....Your arrows will have no effect on me..."

She says before lifting up the bottom of her dress, to reveal a knife strapped to her upper thigh. She would take it off its belt and unsheathe it, the bottom of her dress pooling at her feet. She would take the knife with one hand, and stab it clean through the palm of her other hand. She would cry out, before yanking the knife back out and holding up her hand for Aynor to see. Before his very eyes, the skin and tissue would start repairing itself, and after only moments it would look like there had never been any wound at all.

"Still though, you have me surrounded...I wouldn't be able to do anything before I was restrained..."

She says tossing her knife to the ground and putting her hands up in the air, showing them a sign of surrender. Though she couldn't help but smirk behind her hair as she looked at them, slowly kneeling on the ground just as he said.

"Do with me what you will...Doesn't seem I have much choice in the matter..."

"Well, that depends on what you mean by that," Arun-Ja answered, "I know Dagon and Azura aren't vampires, as they are but conjured familiars. As for me, I do share in the blood of vampires, though I am of a more controlled and respected clan then the ones here. You needn't worry, however," he said, holding his hands up, then placing them by his side again, "I've already fed and won't need to feed again for quite some time. That is, if my predictions are correct."

Robin looked quite surprised at the girl's actions, first the stab and then the heal as if nothing was there at all.

"Well well well a self repairing slave and quite good looking at that. I am definitely certain that king Conrad will pay the highest price for a slave that doesn't actually get that permanently hurt or maimed... he has a habit of mangling his slaves. Your self healing powers will certainly enhance your sale value" mused Glendale

Rufus the brute came over with strange shackles and cuffed a golden collar around her neck.
It was a Radahan cuff, a collar imbued with magic that would prevent her from being able to use any magic at all.

"Now now don't be angry, poppy, we can't have you vanishing and flying about..." muttered Rufus as a good enough explanation.

Ambrose would grimace as he mentioned that the person he was likely going to try and sell her too had a nasty habit of mangling his slaves, and she would fold her arms behind her back, maintaining her straight posture as the hair was brushed out of the way of her neck and a golden collar was placed around her neck. She would glare at him with red eyes, before glancing down at the collar and tugging at it, unable to remove it. She sighed in contempt, knowing that ultimately this was part of the plan. She would also watch as they placed shackles around her wrists and ankles, chaining them together so as to make it extremely difficult for her to move about. She shook her head and glared at the man, anger in her eyes as she stared right through him.

"So what happens now..."

"Some things for you to know, for your own benefit... the golden collar around your neck? they are Radahan cuffs, they stop all magic that you may have altogether. It is in your interests to obey else orders and stay around us, else you will never be released and you will never have your powers back... left a limpy mere mortal woman... till death catches up to you sooner o rlater" explained Robin calmly "I also have a silver collar, it is also magic imbued, they are the Sigil cuffs, they will take control of your being and your magic too, and if, by the least chance, you attempt to defy orders... not that you could but tried... it will punish you by magic in the most excrutiating horrifying ways I have seen so far. I personally find the lack of control over one's body much too excessive to start off, but if your rebellion is sensed at any point.... I have no issues replacing gold for silver and forcing you into compliance" explained Robin the slaver, taking up the two collars to let her see the difference.

"To lock them I recite a spell and to remove them I recite another spell and only the one who puts it on, can take it off. It is in your interests that you keep me safe from creatures like you" noted Robin calmly

"What happens now? Well, we are all going to walk you back to our camp where you can be a good slave and get the cooking sorted, we're famished..." decided Rufus nudging her forward

Haldor on the other just kept staring at her curious, he came over lifting her chin and pulling the lips apart to take a curious look at her teeth, as well as examine and inspect her closely. "So blood suckers do exist then? Where's your sharp teeth, creature?" asked Haldor with morbid curiosity

Gawain looked at Arun-Ja patting his back amiccably

"Good to hear, good to hear... still, his royal highness has allowed you to get satisfied at my expense so, when you feel the craving, be sure to call me over. We can't have the prince thinking his knights would shun duties or orders, even these awkward ones..." muttered Gawain

"Now tell me more of who you are, why are you here and where do you hail from? Your stories sound quite familiar to my ears... though we sing them as a matter of myth and legend." commented Gawain quite keen to learn more on it all for the matter

"I came from a distant land," He answered, "Tamriel, in the realm of Mundus. A lovely place, minus the foul creatures that lurk in the shadows. Werewolves and goblins, trolls and ogres, wolves of great size, to name a few. I've seen the city of Vivec, the great creations of Sotha Sil, the vast plains of Cyrodiil, the mountains of Wrothgar, the deserts of Hammerfell, and the beautiful isles of Summerset, with many more places I've wandered across. I miss my home of Black Marsh, sometimes," he said, looking out to the stars, "Sure, to some it's nothing more than a fetid swampland, but to my people, it's home. Then there's Akavir, across the sea, the land of the Maormer (the land's name I have forgotten at the moment), The coast of Thras, Atamora to the north, and the sunken continent of Yokuda. I've not seen these lands yet, but I have the feel that I soon shall." He looked back at the knight and sighed. "I wonder how my people are doing, now the war is over."

Ambrose would listen to his explanation, eyeing both of the collars and noting the differences between the two. Even though part of her plan was to get captured, she wasn't going to make it easy for them. She was still a princess, and she would still be treated with a certain degree of respect. Though at the same time, she didn't want to make it known to them who she was or what he status was. If they knew, they would attempt to kill her or the like. Her eyes would fall upon the silver collar, though, curious as to whether it really did have such a powerful affect on them that they could control the mind. Though not moments later she would stare down at herself, arms and ankles shackled, and a collar around her neck that would choke her slightly as it was too tight. She would look back up towards Rufus and scowl as he nudged her forward, causing her to trip over the chains around her ankles a bit.

"I will do no such thing....I don't eat human food, at least not often....Any cooking I did would be poisonous to you..."

Now, this didn't mean that she couldn't eat human food, because she could. Even vampires needed something solid for sustenance. Though she didn't have to eat it often, so she rarely ever had human food. She would look down to the ground, refusing to cook their food, only to have her chin grabbed and face lifted, meeting the eyes of Haldor as her eyes glowed brightly. If that wasn't bad enough, he would pry her lips open to inspect her mouth. Her eye would twitch, and she would end up smirking as her mouth remained open. She let her fangs grow on her top teeth, but no sooner than they were out, she would bite down on his wrist with an incredible force. He wouldn't be able to pry her mouth open without tearing off his own hand she was biting down so hard. She would then begin drinking his blood from his wrist. She would take several large gulps, before eventually deciding to let go of is wrist. She would grimace at the taste of his blood, coughing a bit before shrugging.

"You are truly a vile human for your blood to taste like this...I have definitely had better..."

"We left a knight behind, at our camp, protecting a sleeping traveller. We shall go get him and then we can all return home, to the royal palace and hear more of Mundus world" decided Merthyr

Gawain nodded, an arm wrapped around Taff

"You know lad, you are very very lucky to be just a servant, there are less deadly expectations from the likes of you" mused Gawain

Taff smiled warmly

"Indeed, indeed, my friend, it is good that you were not forced to stay behind for breaking protocol and offending the queen, right now, your neck would be a lot more bruised, honestly, what were you thinking?" muttered Taff

Gawain shrugged "I think tiredness and nerves got the better off me" assured Gawain.

"Come, come, bard, our camp is right over there" urged Gawain stepping the pace unaware they were walking straight into Aynor's men's arms, right into the lion's den.

Haldor screamed in pain at the biting, the shout alerting Robin who came quickly and placed a controlling silver Sigil collar, removing the golden Radahan cuff.

"I warned you blood sucker... I warned you" muttered the man annoyed and furious, not having expected rebellion after his warnings "Now you get to have no decision making power on any matters..." spat Robin

"Apologize right away" demanded Robin further "that is no way to address one of your masters and you have five of them to please" assured Robin

Before she could react, the golden collar was replaced with a silver collar, and she would continue scowling at them as she folded her arms, attitude in her posture. She knew that no matter what she did, they were going to do it anyway, and she wasn't one to prolong the inevitable. Besides, that should teach him to come close to a vampire's mouth again. She would feel the collar activate, and turn to haldor, bowing her head to him slightly.

"I apologize...Master..."

She says, her body acting on its own accord. She sighed heavily, growing aggravated, though it was something that needed to be done. She didn't like the thought of her words, actions, and possibly even her thoughts being manipulated by these men, but it needed to be done if she was going to get inside the castles walls. She looked up at Haldor with a seductive look as her hair fell in front of her face.

"If it is any consolation, your blood tastes of too much liquor and of other women...I won't be drinking from you again, it is so vile..."

"Well then, bite your hand and drink your own blood instead, you fussy pot." spat Robin

Haldor chuckled at her words. "Then we are safe from all them blood suckers. Of course we taste like women and rum. We like to have plenty of ales and ladyfolk. Life cannot be lived to the fullest without the most basic pleasures out of it." pointed out Haldor.

Robin left the bickering two to talk whilst he came to seize the oblivious group of travellers.

"My my my a knight, a noble, a servant and a couple of bards... what a profitable day this is turning out to be" scouted Glendale signalling men into hiding and reading for yet another ambush