Eastport (closed)

[Makisan]

"No," she said, looking up at him. She kissed his lips gently. "You are welcome to stay with me tonight, however."

A playful, sweet grin came across her face, as she placed a hand on his cheek. "If I had to stay with you, we'd have to leave this warm room. And I get cold so easily," she whispered, kissing him again with the same urgency he had before. She pushed him back on the bed, crawling out from the furs and on top of him.

She looked down at him, tracing a finger around his mouth, down his neck, over his chest. She leaned down, kissing him sweetly, her hands holding the sides of his face, thumbs rubbing his cheeks. She sat back slowly, pulling up her nightgown as she did so, tossing it on to the floor. She grabbed his hands when they shot up towards her free breasts. She shook her head, still smiling at him.

"Why are you in such a hurry? We have all the time in the world," she whispered, kissing his palms. "There is no need to rush right now, love."

She held her hands tightly for a moment before climbing off of him, laying next to him. Her left hand slowly roamed over his torso as she kissed at his shoulder and neck. She pressed her face into his neck, humming a nonsense song as she kissed at him more. She wrapped a leg around him, nuzzling his neck when a hand came down and started rubbing her thigh.

 

[ThaDonger]

Marcus tilts his head back against the pillow, her warm breath on his neck. He grabs her thigh as she wraps it over him, pulling up to his waist, rubbing it over his erect member.

Terra's mouth explores his neck and shoulder, strengthening his hard on more as he runs his hand up her back to her hair. Her thigh is soft and smooth as he gently caresss her, trying desperately not to be in a hurry, to not just take her there on her bed.

Marcus slowly rolls towards her, his sleep pants and shirt still on. He lifts himself slightly, kisses her mouth softly before sitting up, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it to the floor. His mouth meets her's again then slowly traces down her chin and neck. He slides his body down hers, straddling her thigh, pressing his hard cock against her as he does.

He grabs a brwast firm in his palm, squeezing just enough to force her hard nipple towards his eager lips. He bites down on it, the firm yet soft nipple gives to his teeth as he wraps his lips around it, sucking it in, rubbing his tongue over it. He feels Terra's hip rise as he does, his weight holding her in place, atleast on one side.

Marcus lifts her thigh, his hand sliding down the back until he cups her ass inside it. He traces his tongue through her cleavage, finding her other nipple standing, begging for his attention. He quickly devours it with is mouth, his hand holding tight her other, his thumb teasing the saliva coated nipple.

He lifts his head from her chest, pulling her nipple away from her breast with his teeth as he does. His grip lost, it falls back, still at attention. "You're right my love, no hurry tonight."

His mouth travels past her breast, leaving a small trail from his tongue as it does. Terra's belly retracts from his kisses as he continues, pausing at her bellly button. He draws a circle in one direction, before turning in the other around it. Her stomach pulling back each time.

His kisses now with more lips than tongue, he kisses her soft fur, her scent teases his senses. At the top of her womanhood, he kisses her softly, then blows a warm breath over her glistening lips. He kisses her again, a little more hunger this time, feeling her soft lips press to his mouth.

With his next kiss, his mouth opens as his tongue passes his teeth, opening her folds until it touches the tip of her hard clit. His tongue lifts against it, as his mouth surrounds the tiny hard bud. He mumbles against it, his words vibrating across it "Mmmmm, no hurry" as he sucks it hard into his mouth, pressing down on her clit with his tongue.

 

[Makisan]

Terra's toes curled, her eyes rolling back into her head.

"Ohhh, Marcus," she breathed heavily, her hands holding onto the furs tightly. She gently rocked her hips, pushing herself on his tongue more. She spread her legs more, offering up more of herself to him.

She gasped when his tongue entered her, her body sitting up and watching him. She played with his hair, trying hard to not rush him or push his head into her more. She took a deep breath, falling back into her pillows, staring up at the ceiling. She felt his fingers gently rub at her thigh with one hand, the fingers to the other softly replacing his tongue, which migrated back to her clit.

 

[ThaDonger]

He hears as Terra inhales deeply when he slides his finger deep inside her. His mouth and tongue back to pleasuring her clit. He pressing his finger upwards, massaging her gently as her hard little clit rolls around on his tongue. Ever so often, he sucks it in, feel her clinch around his finger, her fingers dig into the furs across the bed.

With an increase rhythm, Marcus gets a good pace with his finger. Terra's head is back, her chest arched high as she claws at the bed. He knows what's approaching as his mouth matches his fingers pace.

She reaches for his head, grabbing a hand full of his hair. Terra pulls him tight against her, forcing his mouth to her needy pussy. With her lust fueled grip, Marcus can not help but groan deeply, sending waves across Terra's body.

With a final inhale, a loud moan escapes her lungs as Marcus sends her over the edge.

 

[Makisan]

Terra cried out, pulling on his hair, pushing herself into his face as she came, her wetness damn near soaking his hand. She took deep and heavy breaths, trying to steady herself. She released his hair, placing a hand on her forehead. Her mouth was dry, her body felt extremely tired. She wanted to roll over and go to sleep.

When Marcus pulled away, her eyes shot open, weakly sitting up. She watched him take off his pants, her clit twitching at the sight, her pussy ready to take him in again. As he walked back toward the bed, she leaned forward, swatting his hands away to push her back on the bed before opening her now wet mouth, grabbing his hips and pushing his cock into her face. She sighed, slowly working her head back and forth, feeling him wrapping her hair up in his hands.

She glanced up at him, her face getting hot as he watched her. She squeezed his thighs before pulling him deeper into her mouth and pushing him back slightly. She groaned when he caught on, her eyes now locked onto his as he created a pace to fuck her mouth.

 

[ThaDonger]

His hands grip her hair tighter as Marcus watches Terra work more and more of him inside her mouth. His gaze locked on to her as she looks up at him. Marcus begins to take over, sliding his cock inside her mouth further. Each time in, he pulls her head further down him, using her hair.

He finds himself using her mouth, his hips back and forth. His grip gets tighter in her hair as he holds her head steady. Using only his body, Marcus starts fucking her mouth as if it were her pussy.

He keeps a steady pace, not to deep. With each thrust into Terra's mouth, Marcus can feel the saliva running from her mouth, coating his balls. He feels himself approaching the edge, his cock twitching. He pulls from her mouth, grabs his cock with a hand and squeezes and strokes lightly.

He pulls her head back as he leans down. "Turn around" he tells her before kissing her deep.

 

[Makisan]

Terra groaned as she kissed him back, biting his lip playfully. She pulled away from him, scooting back into the middle of the bed. She slowly turned around, getting on her hands and knees, her back arching.

She shuddered and instinctively spread her legs when Marcus gave her ass a slap with his hand. She looked back at him, her breathing picking up, anxious. She clutched at the furs as he teased her, his cock rubbing against her wet pussy. She grunted and gasped as she pushed back on him, sliding the head into her.

She pushed back more, grabbing a pillow and biting it as the rest of him entered her.

"Like this?" She who's, grinding herself against his hips.

 

[ThaDonger]

As Terra pushes back, his only answer is a groan, taking all of him deep inside her. Marcus moans deep as he places his hand on the small of her back. He pushes against her, feeling her tense around his hard cock.

His hand grips her hip firm, fingers digging into her flesh as he starts thrusting harder into her. His hand on her back moves up, pressing her to the mattress as it reaches her shoulder blades.

His hand slaps her ass again, watching it move, her hips jerk and that high pitch moan escapes her. Her head laying on the furs, he grabs her hips with both hands now, stroking and pounding deep inside her. His hands grip her hard, spreading her open as he pounds deeper inside her.

 

[Makisan]

Her eyes rolled back into her head as she cried out, her voice getting louder and louder. She pushed herself up and off the bed, pressing her back into his chest. Her left hand reached back, lacing her fingers in his hair, turning her head to kiss him. She let out a whine as he pushed her back on the bed.

She yelled out as his thrusts got deeper and rougher, her orgasm rushing to a head. She pushed against him more before practically screaming out as she came, biting onto the pillow. Her scream turned into whimpers as he kept pounding into her, her body trying to stay up on the bed.

Terra's body shook as another orgasm started to well up inside her.

"Ohh, I'm about to cum again," she breathed, trying to prop herself on her elbows.

 

[ThaDonger]

As Terra coats his cock with her orgasm, Marcus continues to thrust. He cares not who can hear them, hear the sounds of thier bodies smashing into one another, or the sounds of her orgasmic screams.

She announces the approach of her next orgasm, which drives Marcus to pound her deeper. His own orgasm builds deep inside his body. His nails replace his fingers in her hips, opening her further, feeling the bed move with each thrust.

Hearing her orgasm overtake her, he surrenders to his own. Marcus reaches up, grabs Terra's hair with one of his hans and pulls her back on to his pulsing cock. His loud, groan is hallow in his chest as each stream of his seed spills deep within her.

Terra collapses beneath him, taking his weight with her as the fall on to the bed, sweating and breathing heavily.

 

[Makisan]

Terra crawled out from under Marcus, placing her head on his shoulder. She rubbed his back, slowly starting to fall asleep, rolling over when he shifted to pull the furs over them and cuddle her. She tangled her legs with his, holding his arms at her waist. She laughed softly as he whispered things to her, grumbling at him to go to sleep the harder she laughed.

She stirred hours later, quickly sitting up.

She sat in a field of golden flowers, three brown mountains sat back in the distance.

"Terra..."

She spun around, looking where the soft voice came from. She took a step forward, suddenly on top of a hill, still covered in those flowers. Her eyes found a group of people sitting in a circle, paying attention to the one sitting in the middle. She said slowly walked towards them, noticing she was covered in a white silk. She pushed on, the breeze light and gentle, kicking up loose gold petals and carrying them in the wind.

As she came up on the group, she noticed the one in the middle was also wearing a white silk, their face concealed by white and gold, surrounded by children of various ages.

"I'm sorry to have left you but... We are promised to these people," the voice breathed into Terra's ear, as if she was sitting next to the person in white. They turned, holding a baby, swaddled in white as well. "My sweet, giggly baby... You will know your place among the people. You will be loud against any wrong doings to not only your person, but to the people you are supposed to watch over."

The wind picked up as Terra moved closer, a golden wall of petals covering up tbe group.

"I see Eastport has soured you, my darling," a voice called behind her. Terra jerked around, the person from before a mere ten feet from her. They were almost as tall as Terra, the height difference only because the person was obviously old, their spin slouched. They had amber eyes like Terra but they were sightly clouded. They were going blind. The wind kicked up again, the silk covering this person's face blowing away. They smiled at Terra as Terra's face turned into horrified awe.

"I dream of you often, my dear. I have watched you grow. I'm so sorry that I cannot be there to teach you how to be who you're supposed to be. I never planned for you to end up--"

The wind howled over their voice, Terra straining to hear. A flash of lightning cracked down from the mountains, the cloudless blue sky turned into the color of smoke as the field caught fire. Terra's silk caught fire as well, the fabric sloughing off her body.

She was in Eastport again. The keep crumbled, the town was set aflame as ships steered onto her shore, men screaming and killing people. Terra watched on from the sea as rain poured from the sky, trying to put out the many fires that scarred the city she called home. She took a step forward, her foot stepping into something warm. She looked down and screamed.

Terra's eyes shot open as the sun started to come over the horizon. She looked behind her, Marcus still asleep and clinging to her. She took a deep breath and sighed, glad that her dream was just that. She untangled herself from him, kissed his cheek and got out from the bed. Quietly, she got dressed in hunting leather pants and a cotton shirt, slipped on a pair of boots that were a bit snug and wandered outside to the garden.

By the time Marcus got up and found Terra, her breakfast left in the gazebo was cold and barely touched. She was humming quietly to herself, pulling out weeds from roses, a giant pile of weeds and dead leaves behind her. She had tackled 1/3 of the garden's overgrowth. She stood up and made her way back to the gazebo for a drink when she noticed him. She smiled at him, dirt on her face and neck, on her clothes.

"Good morning!"

 

[ThaDonger]

Marcus wakes as the sun warms his face. His hands search the covers looking for Terra. He sits up, looks around her room with no sign of her. He climbs from bed, quickly pulls his cloths from the previous night on and heads to his room to change.

Walking down stairs, the staff stops Marcus. "My Lord. Lady Terra is in the garden."

"Thank you" he says, turning towards the doors.

"No, my Lord, she is tending to the garden" the staff member adds.

Marcus can see how they may find that odd, a Lady working in the garden, but Marcus knows her and isn't surprised at first. With a simple nodd, he walks out the door and through the garden. He sees her breakfast sitting on a small table in the gazebo and her on ger hands and knees pulling weeds from the roses.

"Good Morning"

She greets him in passing. Her hair a mess and dirt on her face. He can see why the staff mentioned it to him, he himself became concerned. He grabs her arm as she steps past him, just enough to stop her. "Good Morning" he responds, looking her in the face. "You alright?"

He can tell something was off, different about her this morning. He is not referring to the dirty face either. "You haven't eaten" he points out, holding her next to him. The look on her face spoke volumes. His only problem was, he did not know what it was.

"Come with me" he tells her, leading her back towards the house. Walking back into the house, Marcus leads her up stairs to his personal chambers. His chamber maid follows close behind as the two enter the room.

"Bring some hot water for the Lady" he instructs her.

Marcus sits Terra down on a chair near the tub. "You alright love?" he ask with a worried look. He begins removing the small boots from her feet, tossing them across the room.

The staff retunrs, filling the tub with hot water. "That will all" he says dismissing them.

 

[Makisan]

She didn't say anything, her eyes glazing over as she was rushed inside. She took a deep breath and sank into the water, closing her eyes.

"I don't know... Have you ever had a dream that shook you to your core?" She asked, running a wet hand over her face. Her stomach started to growl, the need to eat finally showing up. She shuddered in the hot water, her mouth felt dry.

"...you should have let me be, I would have been done by sunset," she said quietly, staring at the wall in front of her "Your mother kept beautiful flowers, some I've never seen before. I was going to clear it of weeds before heading back to Eastport tomorrow."

She started to wash herself, getting the hours of dirt and sweat out of her hair and pores. "I still don't know what the meeting you're missing out on is about," she said, glancing at him. She wanted something, anything, to take her mind off what she dreamt. She didn't want to talk about it, think about it. She wanted it to go away. But the face she saw...

She shivered again, the hot water not hot enough to get the chill out of her spirit. She wanted to tell Marcus what she saw, but he would probably deem her mad. Done with her bath, she quickly stood up, taking the cloth to dry off with from Marcus before walking away from him. She wrapped herself up tight, trying to ignore the blood she had stepped in in her dream, how sticky and real it felt between her toes.

"Maybe we should... We should end whatever we have here," she blurted out, the words trampling over her tongue. She never had these dreams before all this happened. Even though it was the second one that she could remember vividly, it was enough to shake her faith. In all her years, Terra was actually terrified of what was coming.

 

[ThaDonger]

As Terra lay back in the tub, Marcus drags a chair up beside her. Taking a seat, he runs his hands through the water, fingers caressing her legs as they pass.

"Have you ever had a dream that shook you to your core?"

Marcus thinks back to his dream, how it scared him that night. "No, not really" he tucks his emotions away. His hand flipping the water, his eyes locked away in the ripples.

He knows she's leaving tomorrow, he understands why she can not accompany him as well. Even though he desperately wants her too. But she she is correct, that is the way the other Lords would see her.

"My business is my business" he says, looking up at her, splashing the water over her chest. "It's not cheap to rebuild an entire city. It takes gold" he looks back down at the water, "lots of gold."

As Terra drys her body, Marcus walks to the fire place, tossing another log. Embers and flames shoot up through the air. "Is that what you truely desire?" not bother to turn around. "To end this?" His foot kicks the wood as it burns, his skin hot from the fire. "I'll be gone three weeks. It will be discussed when I return" skirting the topic and decision he knows she wants, and rightfully deserves.

Turning back to Terra, standing in nothing but the cloth he handed her, "I'll have us food served, here on the balcony."

 

[Makisan]

Her heart started to hurt. She didn't want it. Not really. But it would be for the best. Maybe. She nodded to him, her stomach growling louder now.

They ate in silence, Terra nibbling on the food, still not enough to quiet her hungry belly. She wanted to eat, but she couldn't. She stared at her plate of food, the juice from the red berries started to turn dark red. She shook her head, pushing her food away.

"I dreamt of... Of your death," she whispered. "It could have been mine, I-I don't know," she continued, her voice breaking. "There was... Fire all over Eastport and... There was a bag...". She took a deep breath. She wrung her hands in her lap. "There was a head in it..."

She felt sick, the color from her cheeks disappeared. Her skin was clammy. She quickly stood up, nearly tripping over there chair.

"I will pack my things and leave immediately," she managed to say, walking back inside.

 

[ThaDonger]

Marcus rises to his feet and pursues Terra back inside. He geabs her arm tight and firm, pulling her around to him. "It was a dream Terra" looking her in the face sternly "Just a fucking dream! Understand me?" He relwases his grasp, runs his hands through his hair, recalling his own dream.

Marcus walks back to the balcony, mixed with his feeling of how he handled this situation. "I apologize for grabbing you" he says, not turning to look at her. "If you want to leave that is fine. I'll have a few men escort you back to Eastport."

He takes his place back at the table, starts picking at his food again. He looks back up at Terra, standing, looking at him in amazement. She had never witnessed this side of him. "Eat atleast before you go" Marcus points at her plate "you will need the energy for the ride."

 

[Makisan]

Terra sat atop a horse hours later, rubbing her sore arm. The air was heavy with an upcoming storm. The guards rode her past the Muff and straight to the keep, per Marcus' orders. The moment she closed the door to her room, the sky opened up, sheets of rain coming down.

It didn't let up the next day, further souring her mood. She didn't sleep that night, the giant bed missing another body to sleep with. She finished dressing as Kenneth retrieved her for the meeting.

As she walked into the room, the voices of the men hushed. She watched them, noticing the sneers and rude smiles.

"Is this the tavern whore sent to talk with us?" A tall, thin man with a bald spot asked, causing a roar of laughter.

"Marcus shames his house with this joke," a fat, squat man with the red nose of a drunk tittered, his belly shaking from laughter.

Terra smiled at them, slamming a stack of papers on the table. Her eyes cut to the thin man.

"Good morning to you, too, Lord Sean. I hope your shipment of lace under garments got to you quickly. Not sure who they are for. Your wife has been dead for five years."

The room started to hush, Lord Sean's face going red with embarrassment. Terra grinned at the fat one.

"See Randall, it's nice to see you sober for once. Your weekly shipment of that hard ale from Cape Shaw is running late because of the weather. I hope it won't ruin your drinking."

She sat down when she heard a rat crawling a few rooms down.

"Is there anyone else who would like to say shit to the master of import and export or should we start the meeting?"

It was almost dinner time before the meeting adjourned. The men she had embarrassed were the first to rush out, Kenneth the last as Terra gathered her papers that she had thrown.

"My lady, would you like your dinner brought to your quarters?"

She nodded angrily. "With a giant flask of rum."

 

[ThaDonger]

Marcus stands at the rail as the ship departs. He can not help but think of the dream Terra had shared with him. Is he sailing to his demise? He took extra precautions, brining along a total of two hundred soilders and his hundred personal guards.

After a week at sea, land feels odd beneath his feet. He is greeted by a liaison of Jabolt, a wealthy kingdom due to it's mines. Marcus hopes to secure a possible alliance and loan if all goes well.

"Lord Marcus. Welcome to Jabolt" says the liaison. "Please, this way."

They ride in a carriage, 20 of his men by his side. The rest, including his soilders remain with the ships. Approaching the Keep of Jabolt, it's size is massive in comparison to Eastport. He hopes his meeting with Lord Thyan goes well. Eastport needs the help.

 

[Makisan]

It was two weeks before the storm let up. The lack of rain sounds woke Terra up in the middle of the night. She laid there for a while, staring at the dead flame in the hearth. The two weeks went by quickly, the four other meetings not so much. Her voice has gotten hoarse from all the yelling she was doing to be heard over the men she was in talks with. A couple of them had been silent, having sent Terra small bags of gold for her to hush about the secrets she knew were being imported to them.

She slid out of bed, keeping one of the heavier furs around her as she went to toss logs in the hearth and restart her fire. She missed Marcus. She watched the fire grow before getting back into bed, a hand sliding between her legs

It had been a lonely two weeks... She bit her lip, imagining Marcus on top of her, entering her as she pushed her fingers inside herself.

She stopped when she heard a noise outside her door. She slid back out of bed, padding her way to a dark corner of the room. She watched the door open, held her breath as she saw a woman enter the room. She watched this person intently, as she slid a knife from her skirts, approaching the bed and throwing back the covers to reveal that Terra wasn't there. The woman was scared all of a sudden, rushing out of the room. Terra stayed in her corner for what felt like hours, her breath still caught in her throat.

When the danger had passed and the sun had risen, she escaped the keep, a hooded cloak covering her face as she rode out with the farmers who were here the day before to drop off supplies. She went back to the Muff, entering through a hidden passage. She gathered her notes, her clothes, left a note for the new bar maid in charge and disappeared from Eastport.

 

[ThaDonger]

Weeks have come and gone. Marcus grew tired of this fake persona on display. Jabolt had what he needed. Why was it so difficult to reach an agreement.

Word had gotten around concerning a certain individual he had appointed to his council. Marcus saw no reason why it was any concern of Thyan's, but apparently he felt differently. Here they stood at odds. It feels more of an excuse than an actual reason. Marcus is not the first Lord to ever appoint a woman to their council. But Thyan appears to object to Terra.

Arriving back in Eastport, Marcus has several questions he wants answers for. Furst and foremost, who Terra and her people truely are. Walking through the Keep at decent pace, he enters the chambers assigned to Terra.

"Where is the Lady?" questioning the chamber maid.

She informed him she left, about a week ago suddenly. Has not been seen or heard from since.

Marcus turns to Barton, captain of the guard, "Find her. Find her now!"

Soilders spread throughout the city and country side looking for Terra or any signs of her.

 

[Makisan]

It was three days Marcus heard anything. And it wasn't his guard to tell him.

The night he had gotten word from her was crystal clear, the moon bright. As he stood on his balcony, something whizzed past his ear before clattering on the floor behind him. It was an arrow with a piece of parchment attached to it.

it's not safe here. Someone tried to kill me. Burn this

She watched him from the trees, hidden among the leaves, before scurrying down and quickly running deeper into the woods. She cried out five minutes from her destination, getting her foot caught in a rope trap and getting yanked into the air.

"You're a hard woman to find," a voice called out, as they struck her in the head, knocking her out.

Another two days passed before the guardsmen alerted Marcus.

It started to storm again, the rain not relenting as they rode down to the Muff. A group of five men held Terra, her face bloody and bruised. A man who looked somewhat like Marcus stood behind the group, on top ama horse, watching Marcus come down the hill.

"Nephew!" He called out, laughing. "We found your whore!". The men holding her tossed her onto the ground. She moaned in pain, her face half in a puddle.

She was dressed in his mother's blue dress from before. She slowly sat up, a hand on her belly.

"You shame your father and my daft, dead son by elevating a tavern girl to someone on your council, boy," the man said loudly against the rain. "Burn down her bar and exile her or I will kill her for conspiring against our family," he finished.

"N-No... You can't," Terra grunted slowly standing up. She watched Marcus sit on his horse before hopping down, his uncle following his motion. Terra tried to take a step forward, to stand in front of the door but she was grabbed again. Her strength started to come back as she struggled against her captors, tears rolling down her face as the two walked into the Muff. She started screaming when she saw the orange glow from inside start to get bigger before she fell to her knees. She ignored them coming out of the tavern, watching the only thing she ever loved go up in a smoldering flame.

"You did the right thing, boy.". His uncle clapped him on the back, getting back on his horse. "I'll see you in the morning," he said, riding up to the keep.

Terra jerked away from Marcus when he tried to touch her. She slowly stood up, her swollen face showing the hurt and anger.

"You... YOU LIAR. YOU COWARD. YOU LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO WOULD RATHER SEE YOU SHRINK INTO OBSCURITY. YOU THREATEN ME WITH DEATH FOR WANTING TO SEE EASTPORT FLOURISH BUT YOU MAKE WAY FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT YOU DEAD?! YOU..." She turned around and ran inside the burning Muff, running through the flames to get to her room. She gathered a small lockbox and opened a secret hatch on the floor that hadn't been touched by the flames.

She crawled through the dark passage, sobbing. When she got to another hatch, she pushed it open, climbing up into an abandoned house miles outside of town. She didn't light any candles, opting to lay on the floor, trying not to cry out as she held onto her stomach. She threw up before feeling something sticky between her legs. She did everything in her power to not scream as she laid alone in the dark as she had something taken away from her again.

 

[ThaDonger]

Marcus was not able to sleep that night. Sitting inside the chambers that Terra had occupied in his absence. He has failed. Failed his father, his father's name and Terra.

His uncle now sits in his stead.

Marcus gathers himself, walks out the back passage, the same one he had Terra use when leaving his chambers. He knows that by leaving, he completely surrenders any claim, but he doesn't care about that currently. He has wrong the woman he loves, for a position, a title.

He leaves the gates, riding hard on a hourse he found just outside. Staying to the forest trail initially, he turns the horse into the unknown. Deeper and deeper until the sun no longer hangs in the sky.

A fire lights the greenery surrounding him, the horse freed. Marcus lays back on a downed tree, as the fire blazes. He stares into the flame, contemplating his moves...contemplating death.

 

[Makisan]

Terra laid on the dusty wooden floor for hours, her body rejecting whatever was inside her. She ran out of tears, her body exhausted. She fell asleep as dawn appeared, waking up when the moon rose. She slowly rose, her body still sore and full of bruises from the assault on her person days ago. She winced as she raised her arms, taking off the dress that was stained with the blood of what could have been, finding a hidden cache of clothing, another bow and a quiver of arrows underneath a loose floor board.

She stumbled out of the lonely cabin, naked and barefoot, clinging to the soiled dress in one hand, her clean clothes slung over her shoulder. She made her way through the dark trees, steering clear of the road. She sniffed, smelling a fire not far away. She was careful to not step on any sticks as she crept up to the maker of the fire, noticing the horse not too far away.

Her heart sank. She could just... Step into tbe firelight and run to him. She watched Marcus for a moment, before disappearing back into the trees.

She continued her walk, her feet picking up speed as she felt anger well into her gut. She placed a hand on her stomach, hot, angry tears attempted to fall. She bit her lip, her rage turning her walk into a run, the dress floating behind her like a blue ghost. She didn't stop running as she ran through a clearing that held a deep pond. She dropped her clean clothes but clutched the dress to her chest and she jumped in the dark waters, letting out a scream under water.

She let the dress go, feeling it sink past her feet as she made her way to the surface, gasping for air. She floated on her back, staring up the bit of empty sky before her. She closed her eyes, her lips moving in a silent prayer, before she dove back underneath the water, scrubbing at her skin, her hair, with her hands. She climbed out of the pond when she felt clean enough, sitting in the grass, letting the warm air dry her off. She dressed into her clothes, loose leather pants, a linen shirt, a leather jerkin and a hooded cloak that covered her whole body. She slung her weapon over her shoulder and headed back to the outskirts of Eastport, where she watched the guards and the men that ended the life of what could have been for months.

~~~

"Pour me the drink," an old voice called out.

"Why are you wasting TIME[/] with this?! You could save BOTH of them if we leave now!" A younger voice snapped.

"Mind your tongue, this is going to work the way the Mother wants it to," another old voice spat back.

The younger voice snarled, the sound of metal clanking against metal slowly disappearing.

The first older voice used a gnarled hand to grab a plain, golden goblet, filled to the brim with a red liquid that seemed to glow. They put it up to their lips, taking a long drink, emptying the goblet, slamming it down on the table. Their eyes rolled back into their head, a soft him coming from their throat.

They appeared in the fire Marcus stared at. They tutted when Marcus jumped up.

"You must go back," they started, their amber eyes coming through the fire. As Marcus stared at the face, he would recognize something familiar about it.

Old, wrinkled dark skin of a woman who looked ancient stared at him.

"Go back and reclaim what is yours, boy. Do not let that seat stealer tarnish your name because he was and still is jealous of your father. Amber eyes watch all, child."

She smiled. She smiled like Terra.

"I see you know of my likeness. Go back and see her one last time. For it will be her last breath that will save your seat."

The fire grew with a loud FWOOM before going back to it's normal size, the ancient lady's face gone. But her voice whispered in his ear.

"Amber eyes watch all."

 

[ThaDonger]

Marcus wakes. His cloths damp for the mist that moved in over night. This dream, although different than the previous one he had, was familiar. He knew what he needed to do. He just had little idea of how to accomplish it.

He walks to slow moving creek down a small hill. Marcus undresses, laying his damp cloths over a low hanging branch. Wading out into the water, he clinches his body inside his arms. The water is cold, flowing from atop the mountains in the distance. He washes himself the best he can with his hand. Looking more for the cold turnoff to rejuvenate him this morning.

He sits aside the back, eating berries and waiting for his cloths to dry a little more. His plan is in the works still. He is unsure who remains loyal to him. He could waltz back into the keep and confront his uncle, but with no one behind him, he would only look a fool.

His only option as he sees it are the commoners. But after what transpired the ither day, he is unsure how welcoming they will be, especially since Terra has perished in the flames by his hands.

Later that evening, his cloak over his head, he stands outside what remains of the Muff. A solemn tear runs the length of his face. All that remains is ash and rumble.

 

[Makisan]

A single guard stood by the burnt corpse of the Muff. He watched Marcus and smiled a bit. It was the same guard that had told and pushed Marcus into accepting Terra's help all those months ago. He stepped to Marcus, his eyes a soft brown. Almost amber.

"Your lord uncle is looking for you," he said, motioning his head toward the keep. "He isn't too worried. He's only looking for your dead body." He shrugged, not concerned about it. The more he talked, the more Marcus noticed a slight accent, one mostly heard of from the desert towns. But it still didn't seem right.

"If I could have you wait at the following location," he started, pulling out a torn piece of parchment with a quickly scrawled note and a crude drawing on it and handing it to Marcus. "We will meet you there at the darkest of night. Be safe, weary traveller. It isn't safe for you here. There is a warm bed, fresh fruits and vegetables as well as a tankard of mead waiting. Might even be a small hunch of deer for you to cook, who knows.". He shrugged again and grinned, his eyes twinkling.

The note led Marcus to the abandoned cabin, the one that Terra occupied only days before, a small blood stain her only signature on the floor. It was well into the night before there was a knock on the door.

It was the man that Terra shared a laugh with at the ball. He was a bit taller than Marcus, his skin darker than Terra's. He had the clasp earring of a sailor, a long scar going from under his right eye, down his face and going toward his chest. His amber eyes seemed yellow in the fire light.

"Greetings," his said, his voice thick with that same accent as the guard behind him.

They wore black leathers to hide themselves in the dark, but a small pin with the sigil of three tall mountains against a blue background with a golden flowers in the front clasped their cloaks together.

"The Mother sends her regards as well, young Marcus. She has a... Proposal, for you. To get your land back."