[ORP]Ravenous

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Vhagar

Re: [ORP]Ravenous

Post by Vhagar »

Are you sure he will come? Yes of course...even if for no other reason that curiosity...You lied to him...Not entirely, it isn't just because of that...

Vhagar's eyes rolled at the accusatory tone of the voice within her. The girl would never understand that sometimes one did what they must to achieve their goals, or to protect themselves. But Vhagar was teaching her how to be strong. If they both wanted freedom, there were things they needed. She added a bit of wood to feed the flame in the little fireplace. She felt far more energized when the cottage was kept very warm, though she watched it to be sure no errant sparks alighted where they should not. Her original plan to entice the dealmaking creature out had yielded no results at all, too much time had passed and perhaps he'd forgotten about her. In the end, she'd given in and made the request of Alder to pass on the message.

In truth, she'd not been completely certain that it would work even when Alder relented and said he'd pass on the message.

You lied to him.... A growl loudly escaped past her thoughts and through her throat. I am doing what is necessary...for both of us...to protect you...and get us what we want...

Inside, Talia sighed. It still hurt to think of him and the pain she'd brought him. The Beast still seemed so unbothered by the whole thing and Talia did not fight her control. It was easier to surrender. Though, the beast didn't know the few occasions Talia had found her sleeping and snuck out on her own. It seemed there were still secrets they could keep from each other. Talia only attempted it for some small chance of seeing him, of assuring herself that he was okay. Even if she feared that seeing him and the emotions of that exploding within her, would alert the beast immediately to her secret. She knew the Beast felt that if they convinced him to keep his distance then he'd always be okay, and so would the two of them. What they needed was each other, and to focus on finding a way to separate themselves. Talia shuddered inwardly, remembering the things she had tried while they were away.

Leaping from a cliff had seemed the easiest way. She'd left to seek death, after all. She still felt the second of unbearable pain as her bones broke on the rocks just before the change happened much more quickly and so much harder and more painful than it had ever happened before. Talia remembering it made them both feel ill.

Stop that, it's unpleasant for you. You cannot fool me, it is unpleasant for you as well...

A knock on the door interrupted Vhagar's thoughts and she realized that she'd been standing for some time in the middle of the sparsely furnished room, looking about but seeing nothing. They didn't often get visitors, after all Vhagar had gone out of her way to be someone that others did not want to stop in and have tea with.

You see...I told you.

Making their way across the room, Vhagar pulled the door open, greeting the creature on her porch with a wide smile that tried to be welcoming but ended up looking quite strange on the face mottled with a hint of a scale pattern.

Yeah...that looks natural...you should just let me handle these things...

The smile faded rapidly in favor of Vhagar appearing to shush herself out loud even as the other creature spoke. Quickly covering her outburst, she studied him intently. She didn't trust him but Talia often reminded her that she didn't trust anyone. Now the retort to that was that she had clearly been correct in that. Still, she could feel some power emanating from him. Stepping back, she gestured for him to walk in.


"Aye...there is need. I will cut right to the chase as I find small talk inconsequential. I know you've some power over memory.
I require such a thing. I want...need to remember what happened to us before we came to be here. It is time."
Victor_Callow

Re: [ORP]Ravenous

Post by Victor_Callow »

Well... that was... unexpected. He had rather hoped this would be something he would be able to spin to his advantage, but no... apparently not. Well, so be it. Victor walked indoors almost as soon as he was invited, keeping his facial expression courteous and warm while all he wanted to do was laugh at the internal struggle going on within Vhagar. Ah, yes, a good manipulation all began in the things one did not say... a gracious attitude could carry one a long way. Almost as soon as he was past the door, Victor began to talk.

"Ah... I see. Well, I could help you, but... it is worth noting that I do not actually have such a power. I am... how to put this, well,
an intermediary. All acts of power I do are simply due to arrangements between myself and some greater power, usually a primal force of the world such as fear or flame or the season of autumn or some such... anyway, as such, I cannot simply unlock your memories. As is the case with all of my skills, one must give something to receive something. A deal must be struck. What is it that you can offer in return, Vhagar? And why is it that you believe you deserve your memories while others do not? Realise that I am not seeking to blame you for such an outlook, it is simply worth noting that the power I draw on punishes all without answers to such questions rather severely. It has... a rather cruel sense of irony, you see?"


Victor rubbed the back of his wrists as he looked around himself, trying to acclimatise himself to this environment. After a moment, he gave in and looked back at Vhagar with a slightly embarrassed look.

"I... don't suppose you have any tea that you would be willing to share, do you?"

Of course, she would ask what he wanted in return rather than answering what she could offer... but her answer to his other question, about why she deserved to remember while others did not would inform him what it was he wanted from her. Access to dreams was a simple one, as was asking her to continue placing things outside her door for him... but maybe he could get something more interesting and more beneficial from her.

"Oh, and of course, you will need to explain to me where the gaps in your memory are and what you can remember about them so that I can make the process as smooth as possible."
Vhagar

Re: [ORP]Ravenous

Post by Vhagar »

Vhagar stared after him as he walked in. A bit awkwardly, she reached up to brush back her hair then seemed to remember it was braided. That girl had so many nervous habits. The scale pattern across her face shifted a bit and she tilted her head as the creature started to speak rapidly. Her hand began to wave through the air dismissively at his explanations and excuses. The truth was she didn't particularly care from whence his power came or through what manner. After all, she'd known when she invited him here that she was going to have to make some sort of deal. Alder always liked deals and it was no stretch to imagine the same of anyone closely associated with him.

It was at the question he posed her that her hand froze and her face paled slightly. He wouldn't. He couldn't.

He might...you knew it was a possibility...Any price...little one...we agreed.

It became apparent he'd made another request. Smiling widely again, she wandered over to the small fireplace at the side of the cottage. From the cupboard she took out a cup and filled it with leaves, still saying nothing. Then, with no concern for burns, she plucked the kettle from the fire and poured the boiling water over the leaves. Setting the kettle aside, she lifts the cup and offers it to him.


"It isn't much. I do not keep much here."

Looking away from him a moment, Vhagar scratches at a scaly patch on her hand. Her scales seem to sink away a moment, blurring then growing sharper again as she stares directly at him.

"Everything before I came to this realm, save a few flashes here and there. I could sense there was a block...before. The memory gaps after that, at least we understand them."

Here, she narrows her eyes at the creature, glaring slightly.

"We are prepared to pay any price for this. The only answer I can leave you with is that I do not deserve them. Nevertheless, I WILL find them...eventually...no matter the cost, to myself or anyone. I wonder if you'd ask such a cruel price."

Vhagar left out that it would be exceptionally cutting to herself should he make such a request as the one she was suspicious he might.
Victor_Callow

Re: [ORP]Ravenous

Post by Victor_Callow »

Victor took her offered cup with a friendly smile, his eyes warming to her with just that simple action.

It was, of course, an act, but one that time in the Autumn Court had taught him well to perfect... not quite as a changeling might, by portraying something other than the truth on their face... no, he rather altered his own emotions manually, making himself actually warm up to her for a moment or two so that his expression could portray that, then leaving that expression where it was as his thoughts returned to what they otherwise were. It meant that his expressions often came across as eerily static, but what else could he do? He was no changeling, able to sculpt his body and features into a perfect facade of helpfulness. So, instead, he had to alter the truth.

"I see that everything I just stated fell on deaf ears. It is not I who asks the price that is stated. I simply listen to what I'm told the price will be and restate it. Cruel is exactly the word for the one who actually makes these deals. As such, I'd imagine that is quite the likely price."

Not a lie... not the whole truth either, but the whole truth would enable him to deflect less of the blame for any price asked off on something out of his control.

The 'creature' as many viewed him (despite the fact that he was more human than many around) slowly sank to the floor and sat cross legged, careful not to spill the beverage that his hostess had been kind enough to provide for him.

"Besides, I do not think it would be any more cruel than what you yourself are doing... am I wrong? Nevertheless, if you are determined to pay literally any price, I suppose I might as well assume that any further discussion into price is not necessary."

Victor took that moment to brush his hair away from his eyes and take a sip of the tea he was offered, then immediately set it down with a gasp of pain as he realised his mistake. He was in the home of a dragon, of course her tea was going to be too hot to drink right away.

"In which case, allow me to offer you some help for paying off your side of the deal. Alder sold his memories to me, or rather, to the one I work for, on a loan, conditional to their return when certain conditions were met. In return, he sought the ability to learn to control the 'feral' side of his nature as he called it. Should he learn to control it entirely, I do not know whether or not his memories will ever be able to return. That said, I would theorise that they would... however, it is very likely that he would be unable to learn to control it any further than he already has once they do. As for the conditions... well, one of the earliest ones he stated was that both you and he would want them to return. There were a handful of others, but they cannot be met until that one is. There was another set of conditions stated that would allow him to regain them himself, but I doubt those will help you."

He once again tried to pick up the tea and found that by now, the cup was too hot to hold, so gave up entirely.

"Quite honestly, I do not see that restoring Alder's memories would be enough of a payment... restore what you yourself caused to be missing by simply wishing it to be so and then, if you so wish, leave him to deal with any and all repercussions of those memories... it is not as if,
if what I have heard recently is true, you still harbour any feelings for him. As such, the deal I will offer is a little different. Make yourself deserving of those memories... restoring Alder's memory would be a very strong start to that, but given how little effort it would take you, after all, I doubt that he will have any objection to having his memories restored, well, I doubt that doing so will be enough... then again, I am not the judge of that. Who knows, maybe if it happens to be harder than I expect, or emotionally more draining than wishing it and then leaving him again, well, then perhaps that would be sufficient payment."


Finally, he found himself able to pick up the tea cup and take a sip. Victor let out a contented sigh and squirmed happily.

"I will tie your memories, or rather, the concept of you remembering, to the concept of you being deserving of them... that is likely the best I can offer you. When one is satisfied, so will the other be. Do you accept, should we renegotiate, or do you wish to seek help elsewhere?"

So, here was where he found out what sort of person she was. Being 'deserving' of something was something that many people wouldn't accept as terms simply because of it being undefined... or else, it had the potential to be even more than the 'cruel' price she had been worried he would ask of her. Yet, by its very definition, if you couldn't pay that price, you didn't deserve the reward.

Victor's expression shifted to one of idle curiosity as he watched her. Honestly, at this point, he was so wrapped up in her little tale of getting her memories back and her resolve to do anything for it that he had totally forgotten his own purpose for being there.
Vhagar

Re: [ORP]Ravenous

Post by Vhagar »

As he began again to draw a line between what it was he does and where the power he wields comes from, Vhagar rolled her eyes a bit. This one had so many words, didn't he? And he was so very literal. It was a wonder he'd not try and draw separate deals from her separate sides. Still, he continued on and she looked back at him, attempting to make certain she heard every word clearly even if he said so many. Talking so much seemed a favorite past time of many creatures of this realm and it really made her scales itch.

Her eyes narrowed as he spoke of the cruelness of what she was doing. He still seemed to think the only victim in this was Alder. Though, she could not say she was surprised. Everyone else felt the same way. Every single other had been acutely aware of how each moment of their courtship and the end of it might effect the changeling. Not one person had ever spared a thought for her.


It is why we look after ourselves now...keep focused on our own ends.She thought to herself. That is why this request was cruel not only to Alder, given that she had specific goals, none of which including picking up where they left off. It was in opposition to those goals and would only serve to make them harder to achieve. But that wasn't the only reason. The Alder she knew, had become close to, he was gone. There was no getting him back, or getting things back exactly as they had been. The moment she had asked him to give up his memory of her she had changed them both forever.

He may remember every moment between them. He may even remember those moments vividly. But he wasn't the same. Washing away those bits had made him as a river. Even if it is calm and appears untouched on the surface, the water below is different today than the water that was there yesterday.

At his gasp of pain, she could not help but smirk a bit in enjoyment. Then tilted her head in curiosity as he spoke of Alder's efforts to control that side of him. Why would he do such a thing if he did not even remember? It had frightened her when he'd gone feral. When he'd gone not himself. Vhagar knew what it felt like to be trapped in a body that wasn't quite you anymore. She'd never wish that on anyone else. And on he talked. Her eyes narrowed slightly as he said she no longer had feelings for Alder. But as he spoke of her needing to deserve her memories, her eyebrow raised and she openly glared at him.


"I will take your deal, or the deal offered by whomever it is that has the power. Such details matter not to me, you are the agent to whom I am speaking. Know this. No one in this realm or any other can decide whether or not I deserve my own memories. You have no idea. I will always grieve what I lost and no matter what I shall never have it back. Not really. You cannot understand the depths to which a dragon feels,
or loves. Or what I have already sacrificed in so many ways. You are nothing. I already paid my dues, I already am deserving of even more than what you offer today. We already deserve our memories, we deserve them every day that we remain as we are."


But do we?
Victor_Callow

Re: [ORP]Ravenous

Post by Victor_Callow »

Victor's face remained a polite smile as he watched the emotions play across Vhagar.

Ah, yes... emotion... enemy of the changeling, but ally of him. Honestly, he had no real care for who was the most cruel or who was really to blame... but throwing around blame like that would get him the reactions he so craved. Let her focus, truly encourage and help her and she might just be able to reignite his 'master's feelings... that would not do at all. He needed Alder feeding him those same emotions that he drew his sustenance from... and as such, he needed her to disrupt him, not put him back together.

"I am not the one to decide that... honestly, I do not know by what measure such things are decided. It may well be that the criteria is that you feel that you deserve it. In which case, I'd assume that any moment now, your memories will return... or, perhaps there is some other metric by which it will be measured."

There was no 'friendship' involved here between himself and the changeling, no real love lost... there was simply a business arrangement, a series of deals that held the two of them in a mutually beneficial relationship. But, it suited his ends to play the 'friend of Alder' who was blaming her for what she had done to the changeling.

Of course, the fact that she took pleasure in his pain wasn't lost on him and if there had been any feelings of guilt for his attempts to use her for his own ends, they vanished instantly.

Besides, it wasn't as if she was the one he was really hurting here... if anything, he was solely helping her and only harming the one that everybody would be convinced he was 'friends' with. Most would assume here that he was the concerned friend trying to help Alder regain his memories... so long as they didn't ask him directly, he wouldn't be forced to correct them on that. Being unable to outright lie could be a pain sometimes, so you had to be sure nobody ever thought to ask the important questions.

Well, her words were more than enough to seal their agreement.

"Regardless, Vhagar. I wish you luck in all that is to come. Quite honestly, I have no idea as to what 'deserving' truly means, but I'd hope that if you truly believe that you do deserve them, then you would have them restored. If at any point, you find the deal not to your liking,
do come back to me and we may be able to work out another arrangement. After all, what power I have does nothing if not provide a person with options."


Victor pushed himself to his feet and bowed low to Vhagar, careful not to spill his tea in the process.

"Now... will that be all? Oh, if you just felt... well, anything, that's perfectly normal. If you did not, well, that happens occasionally as well. Honestly, it seems that people feel roughly what they expect to when these deals are made."
Vhagar

Re: [ORP]Ravenous

Post by Vhagar »

Her yellow eyes whirled at him and the scale pattern just beneath her skin shifted around. Taking a deep breath, she stopped it, listening to him. She wasn't begging or trying to reason with him as to why she stated things were just as they were. She had no reason to. Her only intention had been to amke it clear to him that no one else could understand the prices that had already been paid, not by her and not by Talia. This was so much more than being tossed into a cage and locked away. How can a human mind contain a beasts? How can a beast understand humanity? Still, she had found some measure of that, ahd cared about something other than her own plight and the tormented duality of her head. Had found more than a passing distraction. All gone now.She had been sure she was doing the right thing for him after seeing him actually turn. But she couldn't stop the regret which stole into her mind the moment she realized he really did not recognize her. Part of her had hoped everything they felt had been too strong.

And still he did not remember, and so it couldn't have been. Not ever. Her chest felt painful but she kept her face serene as she looked back at the Steward.

She listened to his words, making sure to count them carefully as she did. To imprint them in her memory and not forget them. He may talk a lot but perhaps there was a reason for that. Often times one missed something if they did not read the contract thoroughly. The beast may not know this but the girl seemed to. Tilting her head, she watched his bow, keeping her eye on the teacup he carried and smirking slightly at his parting words.


"What power you have....you..."

Inclining her head slightly she gestured at the tea cup.

"Wait. It may not seem like much but that is mine. And not part of any deal. Unless you wish to negotiate over a cup, which I very much doubt. I do wonder, though. What is in this for you? The gratitude of your employer? Or more? What exactly is your attachment to the changeling,
I never thought to ask him. No need to answer, just the musings of a beast, mind you. Cup on the table on your way out."
Pausing a moment, she then adds, "I feel nothing now but anger, it's all I can allow myself."

Anger. And that same gnawing hunger.
Victor_Callow

Re: [ORP]Ravenous

Post by Victor_Callow »

"Ah, the forbidden question... it is always asked and never answered in a satisfactory manner. Suffice it to say, Vhagar, that what I am getting out of this affects you in no way what so ever. I am simply a vessel for a power greater than myself and, in its name, I make deals. That is part of how I pay off my own debt to it... that is the answer that I would like you to accept. The other is that I cannot lie in these matters and as such,
you may consider me genuine when I say that my real aims do not really concern you or your goal."


To tell the truth, Victor had been somewhat worried himself that Alder's emotions would instantly break through the contract and his memories would return. That would have put a damper on his ability to control the changeling's emotions. Fortunately, changelings were never known for their mental fortitude and, no matter how strongly they might feel, their minds were like clay to those who could magically manipulate them. There was a reason that the heroes of changeling folk tales were never people who overcame their challenge with hard work and determination or some burst of willpower, but rather with cunning and trickery. You might as well tell a tale about a human who, in order to defeat the wicked witch, strangled them with their tail. Humans didn't have tails, changelings didn't have willpower.

Victor drained what was left in his cup and then placed it to one side.

"You are quite right about the cup, however. Thankyou very much for your hospitality. My attachment to the changeling is simply one of us being mutually beneficial to each other. I can do things that he cannot and vice versa. We found it therefore to be to the advantage of both of us to tie ourselves together with a series of pledges."

Nothing but anger... how very... tiresome. Like living on a diet of incredibly spicy food. At first, it would indeed be a sensation, to some, not an unpleasant one... but, the more you constantly used spice, the more it lost its kick. Eventually, what used to be exciting and dangerous became... well, mundane. As did any emotion if it existed in excess.
Victor_Callow

Re: [ORP]Ravenous

Post by Victor_Callow »

It took him a moment to realise that there was nothing more to be gained here... the deal already had been struck, this woman was not somebody for whom good manners could get him an ally... he was wasting his time with further interaction.

Victor took a half bow, mumbled an "Excuse me.", ensured that he was not leaving himself in debt to her by taking anything of hers with him and then backed out of the room, moving like leaves on an autumn wind, he swept himself from that cottage with a slightly unnatural grace.

His work was done here.

And now, it was time to sit back, watch the show and await the time when he would reap the harvest of the seeds he had sown.
Vhagar

Re: [ORP]Ravenous

Post by Vhagar »

Many Weeks Later

The moment Alder had turned his back, Vhagar fled from the tavern. At first she walked through the mists with calmness. Then she faltered, stumbled, and a jagged rock cut into her knee with a bite. The loose gown she wore was not made for hiking, nor for fleeing. Her silver braid caught the moonlight as she fell on her knees and pushed herself back up. Her steps moved more quickly now and much less certain of herself and her golden eyes hardly seemed to take in her surroundings at all. Was that her panting? What an undignified thing that was! Her dress caught on somethign then. Or was caught. Either way she tugged it and kept walking, her mind foggy.

Flashes of light. She'd been seeing them in the nightmares that had kept her awake so often of late. Ever since she'd thrown herself from that cliff. But she hadn't told Alder about those, had she? Did she? Memory was such a tricky thing.


No...

Another flash. Or the same one. And a manic laughing voice, grating on her ears.

No! Yes, we must finish it!

I am afraid.

Was it the way she had surrendered and told Alder everything finally? That she had not gone with the story that would have hurt him but surely would have severed any feelings he had left for her, leaving him free and...safe? That despite the chaos of emotion swirling and raging within her, she had stopped and focused on the one thing in the moment she could do and gone to get the sugar? She wasn't sure what the steward had hoped for, what long game he was playing. Was this it? A flash of light in the darkness and Vhagar stumbles again but this time she stays down. She didn't know if it was rocks or earth or water beneath her feet, or thorns prickling at her, and she didn;t care. She wasn't there at all.

She'd seen the flash behind her eyes as she stood and tried to focus on Alder and his revelations. His embrace had burned her a moment and she had pulled away as she attempted to order the chaos creeping in. To remain as she was, despite the extra cloud of the experiment she had run earlier in the day. Perhaps that experiment in drunkenness had allowed her to split open her mind, to push past the barrier she had erected herself when she had first come into this realm.

But their voices in her head. For one sparkling shining moment they had been in unison. The two minds had beat as one to declare something they never wanted anyone to know out loud.
I am afraid.

"I am with you, Sister. We go together." It was a declaration spoken out loud, though they knew not if anyone was near enough to hear it. "With you, I can do this, Sister."

Vhagar's golden eyes stared straight up as her body writhed until it lay on her back, shaking and shuddering. Scales beneath her skin emerged then faded, only to emerge elsewhere. Spines broke through the skin with blood, and the snapping of bone, only to sink beneath again. Slowly the golden irises expanded until they swallowed her pupils first, and then the whites. Then, all was still, her eyes open but filled with gold.
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