A frozen River

[B.lood]

No one truly knows who River is--atleast not anymore. Her life, as it once was is long since gone and she nolonger wishes to remember it. Yet, it is amazing how hard it is for someone to truly forget and forgive. River will never forgive, but sometimes she would give anything to forget.
Forget, the love she felt, forget her horror, forget her hurt, her pain, her sorrows...
...she'd even forget her demons if she could, but then again they are who she is now and she half loves them. They had been her defense and though they were but figurative aspects of her own personality, they allowed her to move on and envelope a new part of her character that had otherwise just been a small rebellious devilry in her reletively innocent young life. No, she liked her hard outershell, her wild new ways, mysterious, venomous, and alluring all the same...
But memories do seem to have an uncanny ability to revitalize old passion and awake old pains as she found herself remeniscing about what was. It was the one weakness she portrayed--the straining link that threatened to snap and break all the defenses she had aroused.

She sat upon the roots of the gnarled old tree. It's branches were cold and bare, but there were so many that it's vacant boughs still offered a miniciple shelter from the cold fall of the drifting snow. It was a fragile storm compared to some of the deep freezes she had experienced in the mountains, but the cold was no less potent and she hugged her knees to her chest--her body covered by a wolfskin cloak, enveloped by an aura of warmth as a cold breeze nipped at her face. She had nothing but time--as ironic as that may seem--to sit here, in a thin layer of snow, watching the white world before her, silent and peaceful, and consider her old memories.
She didn't know why they surfaced now, old worn out, beaten, and ragged. Their hard hurtful images flooding her mind bringing old passions back from their shallow graves. Tears welled behind her eyes even as her anger brewed savagely within her heart. So much hate, over so many long, cold, lonely years--years filled with lies, deceit, and even blood. She still remembered it all.

She remembered the days where she grew up, a small peacefull little village on the outskirts of the earthen nation, where everyone knew everyone, and all was warm and comforting. There, she grew up with and learned to love a young many much like herself--so she thought. His name had been Ytei, and she had shared a passion with him up until the day they married. Even then, she was only 24. It seemed so long ago, and truthfully it was. A hundred years had passed, and they were tiring--always the same... cold and hard.
She ground her teeth together fighting not to cry. When was the last time she cried?
But the tear came anyway, sliding down her cold cheek, drying out from the dry winter around it before it could reach the crease of her full red lips--chapped from the winter's kiss.

He'd loved her until then... after that it would appear as if he felt he nolonger had to try. He stopped loving her, stopped liking her personality, lusting only for her alluring body and knowing he could take it when he pleased. How many years did she endure his torment--fighting to believe that it would not last, that he still loved her. She believed with a blind heart that she could still love him, that he still loved her... it was a reality she could not shake nor ignore--and with time, she stopped trying. Unable to understand or control her magical ability over the time--which had so ironically destroyed her--she could do nothing to stop him when he continued to abuse her. She tried to fight him, but it did little good... her soul seemed to be breaking, and it was a sensation of utter hopelessness that frightened her. She could not lose herself, would not lose herself... and it was that realization that saved her the night he might have killed her.

He'd been drunk, he'd been insistant, and as usual, when she said no he persisted in beating her in a game of violent seduction. Only this time, he did not have the rationality to know when to stop, and it was in her confrontation of death through blood stained tears that she broke. All the anger, all the pain welled up inside of her on that night. It burst forth, throwing herself and him into another world completely. She didn't understand it, but this new fervent passion was blinding and the feeling of the sudden power she had over him thrilled her as she dragged him deeper into her magic that had awoken so suddenly. It was an impulsive gesture, but it was freeing as she pulled him backwards, slowing down, while the plane they left whizzed forward. Then... she let go.

Immediately she snapped back to her life, but her husband did not. Her eyes, tired, exhausted, her body near breaking from a defeated tiredness looked over to see him there, rushing her, falling towards her, but moving ever so slowly. And that's how she left him, trapped within a perpetual world that would forever leave him behind, unable to keep up.

Days later she was a new person, a new river, nolonger just an innocent love struck girl, but a woman now capable of terrible things. She knew what it felt like to be free, to release and welcome her emotions, her savage anger, her hate, her sorrows. It created her hard outer casting as she enveloped that darker part of her soul, and held it tight unwilling to let love in ever again. It was a personality that lived with her today, the very same that she now bore underneath that winter stricken tree.

River chuckled aloud, one simple shallow sound and let a wry sideways smile tweak the edge of her full lips. Her light colored eyes looked out into the world of white as her crimson red hair framed her face, obscuring her vision slightly. She was done thinking about her old memories. Ytei had gotten what he'd deserved and she didn't regret it. The love was old and withered, dried and cracked, it could rekindle no passion now, no past desires for his lustful insensitive touch. River had become a steadfast young woman, confident in her nature, alluring, beautiful, and mature--yet dangerous and sly, hard and callous. She loved nothing except herself now, and she enjoyed breaking the hearts of men who fell for her touch and alluring kiss... breaking them just as she'd been broken. It was almost an addiction, as much as it seemed addictive to drink. Even now, as the cold seeped into the marrow of her bones, she felt herself hungering for the bitter taste of hard ale. But she had none, and frowned, basking in the cold winter around her--the only thing she had now to enjoy.

[.:':.NightRaid.:':.]

Light winter flakes fell gracefully from the heavens. The fragile winter wonderland was easy on the eyes. However, it was dismal. The sky was grayed. And the snow brought an eerie mist along. A silent fog skulked through the still air. The grass blanketed, choked to the tips. Patches of fallen leaves scattered the area. Frost outlined the veins. The perpetuating snowfall, though light, still managed to chill the air enough to make even the furriest creature shiver. It was the perfect setting for any being to get lost in memories. It was still. Haunting. Silent. Only soft kisses made by the cold crystals to the ground resonated. Even that was barely there.

Little by little, mystifyingly, a gentle tapping of a metallic source chimed in the still air, off in the distance of the fragile snowfall. The cascading snow enclosed the traveling being in camouflage from the off white cloak draped around the broad shoulders. With each light footstep, the blanketed grass crunched. Chains coursed around the legs muffle by the clothes warming the body. An expression of reminiscence carried on the sun-kissed face. Elegant eyes of silver and gold reflect the ashen colors surrounding. Bare feet were unfazed by the bitter touch of the forest floor. The skin is calloused and hard from many days of wandering and many years lacking protection. Fatigue finally decided to take its toll. Burning sensations in the calves slowed the traveler to a halt. The burning, it was more of a numbness. Warm breath clouded by the chapped lips as the being shifted the footing, pushing a small amount of snow to clump underneath. Eyes split into three sections gazed upon the dreary sky painted with different shades of depressing gray. No breakthrough to the sky would be made tonight. Wetting the eyes slowly, Ivaylo allowed his legs to subside.

The bark on the tree he rested his weight on was rough, but it was a cushion for any suitor such as he. He leaned his head back, breathing slowly. The lungs needed to stay warm. With each breath, eyes rolled back in a blink. White tufts of hair fell into vision. Resting in the position of one knee bent used as an arm rest while the other lay stretched out, Ivaylo curved his neck. Emotionless eyes looked at the ground his memory reminding him of the story over and over again. It was times like this Ivaylo prayed for a distraction, or transformation. As he sat in his silence, the mind was unaware of where he sat. Underneath a large tree with many gnarled boughs. He reminisced in the presence of a hidden stranger just beyond the trunk of the old tree. The keen senses which would have originally picked up on the essence of a stranger were dulled by memories encasing the mind.

A forbidden love took place for years, yet the candle always found the strength to blaze brightly. The wick never ran low. Their love was strong, intense. Gentle kisses in the dark lead to passionate nights. The kisses from a monster placed on to an angel’s full red lips. Eyes of a genuine gem looked deep into the eerie eyes born with uniqueness. The name was Kaoru. She was a being of beauty and elegance; a woman of kindness and loving. Kaoru’s looks were seductive. Her lips were plump, painted the perfect shade of crimson. Her eyes of sea green allured. The shimmer black hair rested gracefully down her back, emphasizing her flawless body. Ivaylo remembered her sweet whispers, her lips just gracing the skin of his cheek.

This was his first love, and he wanted to experience anything he possibly could. When she would whisper, his heart skipped a beat. Silver and gold eyes would close to the feeling of ecstasy. That was the exact moment Kaoru would take him. The space between their lips would be sealed with a lustful kiss. Her hands combed from end to end of the white locks as his pulled her closer, pressing the curves of femininity to his chest. Ivaylo could still remember the sweet taste of her. He could remember the smooth curve of her neck when he trailed kisses along it. His hungering taste buds lapped up small traces of sweet salty sweat that traveled her neckline. The moment was hot and memorable. The feeling of his skin on hers, it was sheer bliss. The cool grass against his back underneath the moonlit sky was a reliever from the hot sweat rolling down his body mixing with Kaoru’s.

Their breaths mixed together in one last kiss before she laid her head down upon his collar bone. Happiness spread over him. Ivaylo looked to the sky in this feeling to see a cloud roll out of view of the moon. Sudden sharpness, an outburst of pain engulfed him. It crawled up his skin, and penetrated his bones. He could remember the agony. The feeling of pushing his loved one away to protect her…it was all in vain. His mind was overwhelmed by the pain. Ivaylo could remember blacking out. He dreamed that night. The shrill of a familiar voice echoed in the darkness behind his sleeping eyes. Pleading, begging, and cries foreshadowed the final scream. It was all in his dream.

When his eyes met morning’s kiss, the struggle to move was bounding. He woke up face to face with a contorted Kaoru. Blood shot sea green eyes, mouth gaping open with a trickle of blood frozen in the corner stared him blankly in the face. In shock, Ivaylo’s breath caught in mid gasp. Breaking the binding, the young man pushed up off the ground only to see the corpse in full view. Her body was mangle, twisted in unimaginable ways. The black hair was tattered and in a rat’s nest. Her flawless body was peeled open, cut and bruised. Blood stained the ground, pooling around the cold heap. In some desperate hope she still had breath, the shaken boy crawled over to touch Kaoru, shake some life into her. The attempt was pitiful. As he came in closer his eyes laid rest on the stains of dry tears which once streamed down the broken face. He held her limp body in his arms, hugging her. Ivaylo looked down at her face into her lifeless eyes. He gently pushed the eyelids shut. Ache flowed throughout his body. It pierced his eyes with tears and contaminated the heart with shockwaves of pain. The pain morphed into anger. He couldn’t remember what happened. Ivaylo sneered demanding his mind to remember the events that took place last night, but nothing came. Frustration clouded, the only thing he could do was call out. He, throwing back his head to the heavens, howled a deep cry of torment with his beloved still fastened to his chest.

Ivaylo opened his eyes to hear the echoing scream he had released into the dark day’s air in his head. His call mixed with the last sound heard, the last thing he could remember that fateful night. It was a nightmarish memory, forever chiseled in his mind. Releasing his warm breath to mix with the cold air, he whined silently. Ivaylo combed tresses of hair with his white finger tips, resting his head back against the frosted bark. The setting soaked back into his mind and body. The silence of it, and the solitude feeling crept along. Ivaylo’s nose picked up the scent of the dying winter. But what caught his attention was another scent dancing around. It was unfamiliar; dampened by the winter’s bite but still strong. Ivaylo brought his head up to attention. His eyes scanned the area in front of him, his earrings lightly clinging together when his head turned. Ako maghupot kompaniya. His lips conjured up only one word. The word was delicately spoken, only becoming a whisper.

"Sin-o?"

[B.lood]

River's acute senses noted a change in her surroundings as soon as the cold winter wind drifted the sounds of his footsteps to her attentive ears. Aprehensions rose in her throat, but there was no fear within her eyes as she stayed where she was. Face looking out, legs to her chest, expression calm, unmoved, whilst the sounds of a newcomer drew steadily closer.

The sound itself made her curious, instincts told her to turn about and look around the trunk of the ancient bark which she so stilly reclined against. Yet, she felt no true desire to move. Call it a lazy intuition, but she honestly didn't see any real need for interaction if it were not necessary. To be blunt, she didn't want company. Inevitably, however, one never seems to be alone for long.
"How crowded this little world is..." she thought to herself silently as the steps grew nearer.
The closer they came, the more curious she grew but she was not rushed to view her visitor. She wrongfully--or correctly, however you wished to view it--assumed that the unseen company was a traveller or wanderer and as such would walk past, possibly without even seeing the huddled figure of the young woman.

How wrong she was, for just as the climax of the arriving moment finally came near, the progress stopped and she was abrubtly aware of how close the stranger truly was--just on the other side of her tree!

Almost confused by this ironic turn of events she wondered if the stranger new he shared his resting space, or if he was ignorant of his false isolation.
Thoughtfully, she let her face slide soundlessly to her left, where her cheek rested upon the bark behind her head. Her cloak made only a gentle rustle as she moved and then once again she was gone to silence. No need to reveal herself if she was still invisible to the newcomer. From her new vantage point she could see only a shadow--a shapeless form that huddled much like herself in the scant shelter of the barren oak. She could unfortunately not discern much from the shadows, and a tension began to flittered into her body and mind. So close, and yet so far apart it seemed... she wasn't sure what she was expected to do. Stand up and walk away, introduce herself, or remain sitting and hope he goes away none-the-wiser. Honestly, she was a little dumbfounded, and didn't know exactly what to do.

So, the two companies sat, back to back with naught but a wide-berthed tree seperating them, and the cold of a fading winter all around them. For several seconds, perhaps minutes this carried itself out as she sat, breathlessly waiting his movements, and he sat thoughtfully inside his own head.
She was growing annoyed, tired almost of this tense sitting and she scowled silently beneath her hood. Tassles of red hair drifted across her eyes, irritating her long lashes and making her nose twich with an itching sensation. But not a sound did she make, not a word did she utter, nor breath did she take. Until...


There was movement, brief, suttle and sudden--as if waking from a dream--before all settled back again into the cold bitterness of a soundless winter. But things were not destined to return as they were--much to River's appreciation.
Now was the time of judgement--where two strange parties dared to collide within the wilderness of an unclaimed lair. Her heart rate beat rapidly as a single word fluttered across to her--it's voice nearly lost in the noiseless snow--absorbed by natures own effects.
Yet caught it she did, but she was left to wonder if she had heard correctly.
"Sin-o...?" she questioned aloud, though more to herself.
Her tone was blunt, hardly asking or inquiring gently. It spoke more like an adult, questioning the made-up, useless, babble of a child. There was no real intent behind her words to understand the meaning--though it may be misconstrued that she was returning the same question back him. Many people who did not already know would come to understand her blatant demeenor. It was part of her nature and she had no intention to mold it to portray a "proper" or "polite" image.

"Say things as they are, and people will leave you alone." she rationalized to herself as she finally took the opportunity to move.

Given a moment to consider as she resituated herself in a more comfortable position. Once settled, she then portrayed a simple nature. Comfortable in herself, reclined against the base of a tree, at ease with the new stranger. Of course, her seeming comfort (as if conversing with an old associate) was merely appearances--a ploy given away only by the rapid repetition of her heart. She had a knack for appearing as if she did not care. It is what frustrated so many people.

Meanwhile, she turned over "sin-o" inside her head, and by the end of her contemplations, she took it as a tongue she did not have knowledge of and so she responded to it with the first responce that came into her mind. She did not bother to consider her words before she let them escape.

"Speak in a language we can all understand." she replied briskly. Her tone was easy and smooth, as if talking to a old aquaintance.
She could have politely added a "please", yet she didn't.

Had it crossed her mind? Yes. Was she going to say it? No. That just wasn't River.

[.:':.NightRaid.:':.]

ooc: Okay just to make this easier for me, I'm going to put anything "spoken in a different language inquotation marks and italicized" and anything "spoken in english will be just put in quotation marks" and last but not least anything in thought will be italicized so then I guess you can understand what Ivaylo is saying without worrying that he is cursing River out or something along those lines. ;D Does this all make sense? hahaha

bic:

The one word uttered, the one that broke all signs of winter silence, was soon repeated by a strangers voice. The voice muffled, being difficult to hear, but the granted senses given to Ivaylo allowed him to recognize the words perfectly. Ivaylo's eyes lit up in hearing his language, a language he had thought died centuries ago. His head turned even more towwards the oncoming friend or foe. Was she returning the question?

he contemplated shortly, listening to the frail movements the stranger was making. Ivaylo turned his head to face out across the frosted feild in which he had crossed. He was feeling unthreatened, so he made no rush to answer to her voice, or to make any sudden movements. Ivaylo remained comfortably against the base of the old tree, cradled in its roots. His lips parted letting a stream of breath float across the cool, dry wind. He had his words on the tip of his tongue, but clamped shut when a feminine voice spoke out, cutting clearly into the air unlike before. This time he knew the being was talking directly to him, even in an indirect way.

Painted eyes dropped to the ground when the language spoken was not his. He could unerstand most of it, but that tongue he is not fluent in. Ivaylo shifted his gaze two or three times remembering his lessons. he ran the words over and over againin his head; lipping the words precisely. White albino locks fell in fornt of the eyes and chians jingled slightly. The winter silence found its opportunity to begin to in once again.

Collecting himself, Ivaylo spoke in his native tongue. he didn't want to cause a brawl or irritation in the person sitting so near, the demon just hasn't used that language in so long. It was rusting.

"Although I've spoken your tongue before," long streams of breath swirled in the chilled air, his eyes fixated on the frosted grass, "I am not accustomed to it."

A fair complected hand pushed up from the ground. The white cloak draped elegently down Ivaylo's strong back and broad shoulders. Chains and other miscellaneous metallic pieces clnaged, dropping from their stilled sitting. Feelingno threatening vibes, or sensing any danger from the unknown being, Ivaylo stepped out from concealment. he graced her with his presence, and his looks, becoming no longer an anonymous face to her.

He bowed slightly, showing no charm or arogance. Ivaylo meant nothing of the sort. His sectioned eyes look up to her.

"My apologies."

The ice was broken, now it was all on her. Ivaylo would keep his name until the female has uttered a few words of her own into the bitter air.