[center][h2]  [Color=98FB98] Rya Mira [/color] [/h2][sub] Suprise Bride of Azilon [@WeepingLiberty] 
Interacting with: Az[@WeepingLiberty] [/sub][/center]


A sour twinge of fear sparked in her belly. One that she hadn’t felt in a long time. Her mouth went dry as a  feeling that she should have been feeling since she met the man started to spread. Slowly at first, then all at once.  

Fear. 

The warm hand did more than touch her skin. It turned the world silent.  The noise of the city fading into distant rumbles, like a storm approaching.  All others faded into ghosts, till it was only her and the drakkan. 

She didn’t know why it had taken so long to realize it. Maybe it was the part of her that was so desperate and lonely when she found him that ignored it. The part of her that was begging for her to ignore this now. To deny  he touched her. But… that part, the part that narrated events. The part that forgot things that needed to be forgotten. The part of her that couldn’t be hurt by anyone...was growing quieter all the time. The part that tried to deny that  Azilon was...a drakkan...just like all of the others. 

And she...was afraid of him.  Maybe he hadn’t ever given her reason to fear him before...or maybe she was unable to see it at the time, but now...

Azilon removed his hand, but she still felt its shadow presents on her neck.  She reached an uneasy hand to where his had been a moment before. Rubbing it. Although it was physically  gone...it was still there somehow. 
 
With the danger passing the world came back to its normal volume. Almost too loud.   Her eyes slide toward the ground, her blood filling her ears. Her lungs, taking deep breaths that never seemed to have enough air. Through all of that, she vaguely listened to his speech about his father. Hearing most of the words, but not really understanding them.  Too caught up in the feeling, similar to one that might be felt by a person who only just figured out that spiders that lived in their room for months were incredible poisonous. 

Rya didn’t even noticed that Az had stopped talking  when she felt him tug at the back of her neck and let him lead her away without a fight. 

Even if Az had given her time to speak, she wasn’t sure she would have had anything to say. 


~~~

She follow Az through the crowd, the uneasiness of before casting a bitter shadow over the world.  The city, that was once a flash of brilliant colors and temptations, now carried a grey film over it. The smells of food little more than choking smoke.  

All things she would have asked to see before. Now they reeked of danger.

Along the way, the pair passed herd of exotic animals. Some clearly from Gemmenia, while others bore the dark marks of Drakka.  All of them bound tightly to their master. Either by a cage or a rope.  Each animal carrying an powerful...type of scent. Some reeked of fear, others resentment, some truly loyalty but most were a grey acceptance.

 It was unusual that the feelings of animals hit her with such strength and clarity anymore, especially since coming to Drakka.  Ever since arriving here  her connection to the earth seemed inexplicably  muted.  At first she thought it had to do with the shock of being reaped. But...her connection to the earth had never returned to the way it was.  It was like wandering the world with her ears covered.  She could still hear it, but it was muffled and she had to focus to connect to it.   She hadn’t felt the need to explain it before because nobody asked or cared. Maybe it was because she had let herself turn grey with acceptance. Maybe it was easier that way.  

She was startled when the pair finally stopped, she fought the impulse to shy away from Azlion. Only looking at him when he finally spoke directly towards her. 

[color=8493ca]“If you thought the prince was bad, you would do well to keep your mouth as shut as possible. My father is, how shall I put this, somewhat traditional when it comes to certain things. It is in your best interest to just stay quiet and make yourself as invisible as possible.”[/color] 

Rya had nearly had her mouth open to speak when the sudden appearance of a female drakken happened. She stood head and shoulders over the gem, as did most drakken. The event shocked her so much so that the pair was nearly halfway through their conversation before it ever occurred to her to try and listen to it. However, it soon became very clear to her that she wasn’t a part of the conversation anyway.  The female drakkan parting as quickly as she appeared. 

“[color=8493ca]This is going to be interesting.[/color]” 

It was clear from Azlion’s tone that he expected her to ask a questions. But Rya’s head was reeling with too many names with unknown faces to even know where to start. 

 [Color=98FB98] “I’ve never seen a female drakkan before. Not up close anyway,” [/color] Truthfully, she hadn’t really seen that many drakken period. Male or female.  [Color=98FB98]  “She’s...taller than I expected,” [/color]

There are more still. 

 [Color=98FB98] “M-my other Drakkan…. I don’t think he was traditional. So...I won't talk to him... but I don't know what else you expect me to do.” [/color]It was clear, very soon after meeting Arko, that he had seen about the same number of gems and she had drakken.  Although she never full story on how someone like him had even gotten a bride in the first place, from what she picked up it had to do a lot with cheating a nobel and a sense of pride.  Although how that worked out she was never able to figure out. 

Early on, he had been. Forceful. Prone to leave to days at a time and, with no other solution, would simply leave her tied up until he returned. She… would rather not remember those times, but he also soon made it clear that he was not the sharpest sword and would believe anything that left someone else insulted. 

[i] [Color=98FB98] “If you don’t tie me up, I promise not to run away,” [/color][/i]
[i]“How do I know you aren’t lying?” [/i]
[i] [Color=98FB98] “Gems are very truthful, it is one of the things that make us so weak”[/color] [/i]
[i]“Hmm, okay. But you better not be lying,” [/i]

She wasn’t… About the not running away part at least, there really wasn’t anywhere to run to that did result in immediate and horrific death. 

Somehow she figured this [i]Salazar[/i] would expect a lot more than her simply staying out of the way during the day and laying back thinking of Gemenia at night. 
[hr]
[hider=summary] In which Rya finally figures out that Az is actually a scary scary drakken. And his family is more so [/hider]

[hr] [hr]
[center][h2][color=B0C4DE] Xaelia Talamor[/color][/h2][/center]

Castle Worth. There were few who knew of its name beyond the boards of Drakka. The few Gems that knew of it, rarely spoke of it, accept in whispers.  It was a palance. Or a fortress. Or something in between. A haunting shadowy place that lived at the corner of horrible dreams. 

There were some that said the veil between life and death was thinnest here. That all the Gems who had dead beyond the protection of  Vivari came here. Unwanted in the dark and twisted world, yet to tanted to cross the spine.  

From what Xaelia had seen of the castle, it seemed unlikely.  There was a deadness about it. A stale energy that seemed more a void than a collector of spirits. A blankness, a wrongness. It was difficult to explain. 

The first night in Castle Worth was the longest of her life.  The castle was too quiet, save for the gentle cries of unknown Gems in near by rooms. 

Breakfast was hardly any better. A few brave girls made attempts at conversation. Fewer still ate. 

She ate. 

There was something unnerving about the way the guards watched every move they made.  It was like the walls themselves having eyes. Making notes of every movement. Every choice. [i] They probably had eyes in our rooms as well [/i]. The thought not bringing her as much distress as it might have before. 

She watched the two drakken approach the front the the room. 

Heard the order barked. 

But it was the guards she watched. 

Their eyes scrutinizing every girl and their choices. 

Just as they had been since the moment the girls arrived. 

An impossible game. 

With impossible choices. 

How many times had she read stories like that. Shared stories like that. 

In the stories there was always a clever way, a clever trick to pull.  There had to be a way to keep the heroine safe. 

Whoever that might be.  

But there was no birds whispering in ear. No goddess leaving hints as far as Xae could see. There was just a room of monsters and terrified girls. 

But there was a story. Whether it was hers being told, or someone elses. She planned to leave a mark. 

She stood. So did many others. 

Some knelt. 

Some fell to their knees. 

Some titled their heads. 

And she... Stood. Head pointed up, eyes narrowing towards the drakkan next to the prince. If she was to die right now, she could already hear the story that would be told.

[color=B0C4DE][i] On the first day of the reaping. A monster gave an order. He tolds the girls to bow. Some did. I did. But there were a handful who didn't. A few who decided to remind the drakken that Gems were not made to serve monsters. [/i][/color] 
[hider=Summary] This looks like a f-ing poem and it bugs me. But basically she doesn't sit. Because it'll make a better story [/hider]