Rider's Maze

[birthrightgreen]

After this.

Surreal was much more cautious after the near choking and drowning by the little girl spirit thing, whatever it was. Something in it had called to her. Kinship, perhaps. She knew that rage. She would have felt guilty for hurting her except that survival was survival. She'd been just as willing to help as fight. The girl made her choice and Surreal won. Simple as that.

She moved cautiously through the maze, on edge now, the pain in her throat making her wince, anticipating anything and everything, and yet finding nothing as she wound through the corridor. It swung to the right and downward and she followed it, edging carefully, probing the darkness ahead, around corners, though her senses seemed to be off and she couldn't get a feel for what might be coming. The path merged with others and she bit her lip, worrying at it as she contemplated her choices.

With a sigh, she stayed straight, following the path she'd been on before. A slithering sound sent shivers down her skin. She was not fond of serpents at all. Her hand slid around her stiletto again. These would undoubtedly be poisonous. A little test, making sure her gray shield was in place. No fangs would be able to penetrate it and bury in skin, at least. She still shuddered again at the sound.

She was nearly frozen in shock when she rounded the corner and saw it, coiled there, with talons and wings and...it looked at her and she cried out sharply when it's gaze met hers, the pain surprising her as it ran through her, and she stumbled against the wall, sagging, trying to breathe through it and not scream, feeling her Jewel strength drain out of her. Her body felt weak, almost numb, and she was trembling. She tried to pull on the Gray, but it was drained. She closed her eyes, not able to stand opening them. Something sizzled on the wall next to her, odor rank, and she knew she had to do something. She pulled on the Green's strength, there but faint, to stand up again, even though she was still shaking. She kept an eye on it, looking down, at its body, as she scanned the area...

Scarves. Mirrors. Knives. Her mind flickered over them. Don't look. It was its eyes. Don't look into them. She eased toward the table, jumping back when it lunged. A twist of her lips and she dropped a sight shield over her as well. She saw it pause, seeming to sniff. It knew she was here, but not being able to see her, to see her eyes seemed to have baffled it. A mirror. More than one knife. It lunged at the mirror, but she'd been expecting that, retreating a bit out of it's reach. Using the mirror as her guide, still careful not to look, she hurled a knife at one of its eyes.

It made a ghastly noise, rearing up at the pain, and she hurled another at it's other eye. It was wailing, flailing. She barely had the strength of Craft to encase it in a bubble, trapping it. She didn't know what magickal strength it might have, or how long her bubble could hold, but she knew she didn't have enough strength to finish it with Craft, and from it's hissing bellows, that made her ears ache, she didn't know how deep the knives had sunk or whether it had some way of protecting it's brain from her knives.

She managed to stand upright and slip by it, ducking under the bubble she'd created around it, even as she felt it failing, giving out as the Green was drained.

She stumbled out, bruised and shaken, trembling. But she was out. She'd made it through. She hadn't found the center, but she sank to the grass outside the North entrance, and closed her eyes. Triumph there, yes. She'd done it. But the creatures...she'd never seen their like.

A wish. She had a wish, she remembered vaguely. She didn't know what to wish for. Nothing she needed, really. Her family was as safe as could be and she doubted the Riders had the same sort of power to grant things in Kaeleer. She had Samael...

She'd wish for peace, but she doubted that was in their power, either.

She'd think about it. Right now, she just wanted a hot bath and her wolf and a bed.

Preferably without encountering Daemon or Sam on her way to said bath and wolf and bed. She didn't like to think what either of them would say about this, and while she'd never shirked from a fight with either of them--or anyone else--she really didn't want any delay in that bathtime. Or fussing. No fussing. She touched her neck gently. She might need to find a Healer to get rid of any bruises or marks. The family's eyes, not to mention Daemon and Sam's, were much too sharp. She'd sleep, and get her strength back. And maybe have tea to ease the ache in her throat.

And then she'd be fine and they never need know.

Wasn't that for the best?

Comments

[deadlyseed.livejournal.com]

[Well played!] Gwydyr's voice held delighted approval and respect. He tentatively reached out trying, easing cold as well as pain and bruises. [Do you need help to reach home, friend?]

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She looked up giving him a shaky smile, grateful as the pain and tightness eased some.. [I think I might at that...] A little shake of her head. [What were those things?]

[deadlyseed.livejournal.com]

He put a gentle arm around her shoulders, offering support as he did his best to heal the injuries he found. [The 'child' you saw was a spirit, one linked to the element of water. "Rusalka", they're called. Somewhat like a dragon's link to fire and rock. Her kind can't live far from it, and they make a game of luring innocent or concerned travelers.
'Dire wolves' are fairly self-explanatory. The serpent is called a basilisk, a creature from
old times on the world Michael Knight's from.]

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She closed her eyes, leaning into him just for a bit to let her body heal, still tired and weak, but at least most of the pain was gone. [I've never seen their like. I mean, wolves, yes, but..the girl...the rusalka. She seemed so...She seemed like the girls I try to save. Or avenge.] The basilisk she never wanted to think about again.

[deadlyseed.livejournal.com]

[Karl and I strike at the flesh, or from without,
Cerridwen and to a lesser degree Tadc work from within, against opponents. You were facing obstacles devised by all four. So did Michael and Knight, and Sharan.] He kept holding her, brushed hair gently out of her eyes. [Where do you wish to go? Your home in Amdarh, or the Tower, or Kaeleer?]

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She shook her head a little bit, closing her eyes. [Amdarh. I can't go back to the Hall or Tower until I've got my Jewel strength back.]

[deadlyseed.livejournal.com]

He nods.[All right.] He concentrates, and the scene around them fades out, to be replaced by the front door of her house in Amdarh.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She blinks a little at that, then gives him a little smile. [I'm still not used to that fast of riding the winds.]

[deadlyseed.livejournal.com]

[It has its advantages, though.] He opens the door for her then pauses.Took a small round golden disk out of his coat pocket, placing it in her hand. It bears four symbols; scythe, sword,
open hand and broken chalice. [When you're ready to claim the reward you earned in the victory against us, hold this and speak aloud that you wish to be given what you're owed. One of us will answer, whether it's a day, a week, or long century from now. For now, friend, you need rest and your wolf--] catching a hint of Sam's presence, he smiles. [Yes?]

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

Her fingers curled around the disk, and then she vanished it, storing it safe with her stiletto and other treasured things. Even that little bit of Craft made her wince. No more until she'd rested. She smiled up at him. [Yes. Thank you. I... really have no idea what to ask. I didn't do it for the reward, but just to test myself.]

[deadlyseed.livejournal.com]

[You were the first to win through, as well.
Tadc sends to say, be proud of yourself. He's impressed. So am I. Rest, and celebrate later, Surreal.]
He kissed her forehead, smiling ruefully, and disappeared as silently as he'd come.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She smiled a bit, then managed the door and let herself inside.

[starwatching.livejournal.com]

ooc: *fangirls the post* G insisted on making sure she was okay. If you want to ignore him, np.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

Yay!!! I'm glad you like it. I wanted to do it justice, and was so terribly uncertain.

and awwwwww... *snugs him* That's really sweet. And I would never purposely ignore him.

[starwatching.livejournal.com]

I'm getting a lot of that reaction. *nods* MK and the Buffy's mun both say they're sorry to see the three go, but they understand--but they loved the whole Maze idea. *bows*

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

*nods* I'm very sorry to see them go. Surreal and Tad'c had fun and I was intrigued to see Devin interact with them. But I know how RL can be, and when it's not fun and you feel dragged down by play rather than inspired, it's time to take a step back.

*claps* the maze rocked mightily.

[starwatching.livejournal.com]

*grins*

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

*g* Just took me a while to figure out what she'd done in there. And silly, silly girl. *smacks her* WISH for something.

[deadlyseed.livejournal.com]

ooc: if she's too tired, or can't decide, what he can do is leave a token with her, that she can use to contact them later theoretically and tell them to pay up. Whether it's a week, a year, or a century from now, they'd honor the claim.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

That might be best, 'cause she's got no idea and is exhausted. lol.

[oldestbeloved.livejournal.com]

Truth be told, Sam was hiding.

It was busy in the Workshop, busier than it had been a long time. His toes had gotten stepped on more than once, his fingers singed, his hair stuck out on end.

This when she wasn't fretting about her, her, or him. Or about whatever else happened. Or complaining of how little sleep she got. If it was that bad, there were always solutions, and he was happy to offer them. She had glared at him and shied some sort of sextant at his head. He didn't know where she'd gotten it.

So, he was hiding. And hoping Surreal was in a better, more snuggly mood.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

Snuggly wasn't quite it. Guilty was far more like it when she got home.

At least the bruises were gone?

[oldestbeloved.livejournal.com]

He turned, smiling to see her.

Frowning slightly at the look of her. "Love...?"

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

"You're here!" She might have been a little too bright at that.

At least he couldn't sense her Jewels were drained, like Daemon or Jaenelle would.

She didn't think.

[oldestbeloved.livejournal.com]

"Mm-hmm." He moved towards her, reaching to take her hands in his. "You look tired. Everything all right?"

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

Sharan would probably tell him she'd been there anyway.

"I won my way through the Rider's Maze." She gave him a proud, if rueful, smile. "I could use a hot bath."

[oldestbeloved.livejournal.com]

He smiled back, taking her hand and tugging her gently in the direction of the bath.

"Then let's get you into one."

There was a whiff, if it could be called that, of the Rider's scent over her shoulder. He glanced in what must have been Gwydyr's direction, nodded, smiling affectionately.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She breathed a silent sigh of relief that he hadn't yelled right away.

"That sounds like the heaven in that book."

[oldestbeloved.livejournal.com]

He chuckled, sliding an arm around her waist, careful as much as he was listening for hisses or flinches of pain.

Easy enough to set the bath running from here.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

Gwydyr had seen to it that she didn't flinch, but she leaned into him, wearyness running through her.

[oldestbeloved.livejournal.com]

He moved as if to scoop her into his arms, thought better of it. If she really was wounded, doing so would only exacerbate the problem.

There was, fortunately, a stool in the bathroom upon which he could set her while the bath filled, while he undressed her, removing her clothing piece by piece and not sparing the magic where it would have been easier to cut it from her body than shift her to unfasten it.

Discreetly, he also checked the threads of her body to see what actually was wrong with her.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She let him, closing her eyes and reveling a bit in just having someone else take care of something for this brief moment.

She peeked one eye at him though, too aware of her own body for him to do much of anything to it discreet enough that she couldn't tell.

"I"m not hurt."

[oldestbeloved.livejournal.com]

"Mmm-hmmm..." he murmured, a little too long. His fingertips ghosted up along the inside of her thigh, over her stomach, up between her breasts to her throat. "Though that wasn't always the case today, I think?"

He did frown, though. "You're also drained, and exhausted." It was almost accusing, but not quite. Definitely tight in the voice.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She flushed a little. "It wasn't anything serious. Just some bruises. Gwydyr healed them. You can't go through that maze and NOT get a little banged up." She knew she sounded defensive, but she didn't have the energy to snarl.

[oldestbeloved.livejournal.com]

"I know," he said, still quiet, still controlled. "And the Riders were there. They wouldn't have let anything happen to you."

Which didn't mean that would always be the case.

He knew she would be going into danger in her profession. He'd known it going into the relationship, and he wouldn't change any decision he'd made, including the one to let her go and trust she'd come back to him in one piece.

"That doesn't mean I have to like it," he grumbled out loud.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

"I blinded a basilisk..." Still a bit defensive, mixed with pride.

[oldestbeloved.livejournal.com]

He chuckled, hugged her tight. "Good," he said, and meant it. "Good. That's excellent."

But he was still torn between grumbling and clinging.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She squeaked a little at the hug, but hugged him back.

"I didn't know what it was."

[oldestbeloved.livejournal.com]

"They're dangerous little shits," he told her.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She nodded a little. "I figured that out."

[oldestbeloved.livejournal.com]

He kissed her cheek, smiling a little.

Then stood, taking her hands in his. "Into the tub with you." It was just full enough; a little telekinetic twist turned off the taps.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She trembled a bit with the tired, but managed to stand and slip into it, giving him a grateful smile, before sinking in up to her chin and closing her eyes.

[oldestbeloved.livejournal.com]

He smiled, and rather than sink into the tub behind her he leaned against the back of it, arms stretched out to either side of her over the edge of the tub.

After a little while he started to rub her shoulders, gently, very carefully.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She winced just a bit, but the good sort of wince, where tension is and resists but you know it needs to give way.