forums.rs

Forums

Feel the Silence

Quick find code: 49-50-531-56681643

of 97
Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Haha, thanks for the comments guys. I know I promised adds over break; I didn't manage to write enough that I felt it would be a substantial add while I was on break. My schedule is light until rush starts later in the week though, so I'm hoping to get a few more pages done and post them sometime this week :)

04-Jan-2011 21:40:46

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Justine shifted uncomfortably in her chair, which made it squeak against the wood, causing James to look sharply up from his plate. She stared firmly at her own plate, watching her fork push the food back and forth around the white porcelain. She could see him flush from the edges of her vision.
“Well,” he said finally, “there’s dessert. If you want some.”
“Sure,” she said, pushing her plate away with relief. He rose and cleared the plates to the side table. He returned with an extravagant cheesecake, decorated with swirls of frosting and whipped cream. “Oh, James, this is incredible!” she exclaimed.
“I requested it specially from the kitchens,” he said, sounding pleased. Yet instantly silence resumed, as Justine wondered if Lucas’ father had been the one to add the flourishes to the cake, if he’d known whom he decorated for. “Here, let me serve you some.” He handed her a generous slice, and she bit into it eagerly, her appetite finally returning.
“It’s delicious,” she proclaimed.
“I’m glad.”
And the awkward tension resumed. Justine busied herself in devouring the cake. She had finally given in to his repeated invitations to dinner, only to make him stop, she told herself. And yet part of her wanted to see him. She tried to suppress the part of her that felt guilty, like she was betraying Lucas. She pushed thoughts of him firmly from her mind. For just one night, she wanted not to wallow in her grief, and actually have fun. But was she having fun?
Not really.
“So, how goes the war?” she asked finally.
“Well enough. Not much has happened since we won Falador…we seem to have hit a bit of a lull,” he said. “I suppose the Kandarins are regrouping.”
“Do you have spies, or – how does it all work?”
The Prince looked up at her, smiling abashedly. He admitted, “To be honest…I don’t really know. I have almost no clue what I’m doing – Gods, I shouldn’t be saying that.”
“I won’t tell,” she promised.

06-Jan-2011 05:52:54

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“Our army used to be really strong,” he explained. “I’ve read the military histories, and it’s all quite impressive. My grandfather, who led the last war, he was a mastermind of organization and leadership. But then my father let it fall to pieces – he doesn’t really make much effort at ruling. So he dumped this war on me, and the remnants of my grandfather’s system have been enough to keep us alive so far, but it’s not going to last in the long run. I need to make serious reforms – like our intelligence system. We hardly have one at all. We’re fighting blind…I have no contacts in the Kandarin court, nothing like that.”
“How do you set something like that up?” she wondered.
“Hell if I know,” he said grimly. “Find someone to send over there, I suppose.”
“Any idea who you’ll send?”
“I’ll ask Gray for suggestions. Whatever your father’s shortcomings may be, I must say, he’s been an invaluable guide to me in all this.”
“I wouldn’t trust him too much,” Justine cautioned.
“He’s loyal to the Crown. More so than my father, I think.”
“You’re hard on your father.”
“Well, so are you.”
She laughed. “Fair enough. But mine’s not the ruling power in this country.”
“Honestly…neither is mine.” He sobered, frowning off into space. “My father hardly makes any effort any more. He’s shut up in his chambers with my mother, and Gods know what they do in there. When I was young, right after my grandfather died, he was so dedicated, and he taught me so much. Now…it’s like he’s given up. Left it all on my shoulders. At least in the recent weeks, he seems to have retreated. I know I thought I was ready for this, and I had all my plans, but – I’m nervous. He shouldn’t just hide away like this.”
Justine smiled warmly at him. “Well, I think you’re pretty well equipped. You seem to be doing all right so far.*

06-Jan-2011 05:53:39

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“Thank you,” he said honestly. “I can’t even describe how much it means to me to have you on my side, Justine.”
She looked down at her empty plate, twirling her fork, suddenly silent. “Those are bold words, my Prince,” she said softly, after a moment.
He scowled. “Can we not be friends, Justine?”
Her memory flashed to the night she attended the gala with him, and the moment on the balcony, when he had kissed her. She thought of riding horseback through the city with him, of his arms cradling her when she learned of Lucas’ death. But that kiss, always the kiss… “No,* she whispered hoarsely. “Not you, James.”
“Why not?” he cried softly, unable to understand. *I don’t want to pressure you – I just want to spend time with you.”
“After everything, James – I don’t think we can be just that.”
“Then why did you come tonight?”
“Why couldn’t you just leave me alone?” she shouted back. “You were so damn persistent, even after I told you to stay away---“
“But you came.”
“So you’d stop asking!” she shouted.
“Because you wanted to!”
“Do you think I want to want to?” She burst up out of her chair, sending it skidding backwards onto the floor. “I just lost the man I loved. The man I spent my entire life dreaming of marrying, of spending my future with – damnit James, this isn’t fair of you, to ask me to do this so soon!”
“What about what I want, Justine?”
“I can’t feel that way about you, James. I just can’t. I thought I could be your friend, but clearly that cannot be. I should go.”
“Wait!” He chased her around the table and cornered her at the door, his arms pinning her against the wall on either side.
“Let me go!”
“I know you loved him,” he whispered, his face inches from hers. “I never meant to disrespect that. I would be your friend if that were all I could be, but I won’t deny how I feel about you.”

06-Jan-2011 05:54:34

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
She twisted to face him, her eyes wide with fear, then shadowed by her long lashes as she blinked away the tears. “James, please. I need you to be patient. I’m – I’m broken. I can’t make you promises right now. I can’t give myself to you. But if you can be patient, maybe in the future – I must have a future, after all…”
He swallowed hard, swallowing his feelings, his emotions, and tried to tell himself this was a good thing. If he could wait. “I understand,” he said softly. “I will do my best to be patient, my Lady.” He leaned back, released her. She curtsied briefly and fled the room.
Lucas felt the wind ruffle through his hair as he stood at the rail of the ship, watching the waves lap at the sides of the boat as it raced through the water. It was a clear day for sailing, not a cloud in the sky. He knew the captain worried that the fall storms would set in soon, but so far, the weather had been fair. Behind him, the sounds of battle raged on the deck. Jonah conducted training sessions all day long, shouting orders as he corrected technique and taught various skills to his poorly trained team.
Lucas ached pleasantly all over; he’d come to take pride in his bruises and scars, and told himself he learned from every blow he received. Better to receive them here with a wooden sword, Sorokin had told him, then in real battle. Better bruises than blood. They’d been at sea four days, and so far he’d received plenty of bruises. It was a long way to Karamja yet, and Lucas looked forward to the training he’d receive in the days to come. Maybe he could learn enough to actually stay alive on this expedition. He kept the fear locked away in the back of his mind, refused to consider the possibility that he might not return.

06-Jan-2011 05:55:02

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Aside from training, Lucas spent his days with Sorokin, treating the minor injuries of the crew and those that came from swordfighting, and he continued to learn as much medicine as possible from the older man. They traded information; Lucas knew the formal names of anatomy, but Sorokin knew better how they fit together and how they healed. He also spent time with Derrick, who was restless aboard the ship, and always wanted to play at cards or dice, or practice sparring in the ring after training was over.
“Myren, get over here!” Travis barked. Lucas picked up his wooden sword from the floor and approached the training ring, trying to quell the rapid beating of his heart. “Let’s go.”
Lucas swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. He was fighting Travis today? The officer was stripped to his breeches and no shirt, his bare feet spread wide on the deck. His skin gleamed with sweat, accentuating the red welts and purple bruises on his torso. Down his right side was a long, twisted scar. He quickly pulled off his own shirt, revealing his badly bruised body. Many of those bruises were from the last time he’d fought Travis, about two days ago. That had been one hell of a learning experience.
Barely giving Lucas time to set himself, Travis lunged forward, brandishing his sword. Lucas awkwardly swung his up, but wasn’t in time. The sword glanced off his shoulder, and Lucas staggered under the blow.
“Faster, Myren!” Travis hissed. Muscles flexed, and Lucas darted sideways, barely avoiding another blow.
“Faster!” Travis repeated. He kept Lucas on the defensive, constantly trying to avoid his sword and never giving him a chance to fight back. Finally, Lucas parried successfully, mostly through luck, and he capitalized when Travis stepped back, diving forward in a clumsy stab. Travis neatly sidestepped and waited for Lucas to stumble forward. Then Lucas found himself crashing onto the deck, pain shooting through his back where Travis had hit him.

06-Jan-2011 05:55:44

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
He ignored the proffered hand and hauled himself upright, ignoring the pain with a set jaw. “I’m all right,” he said gruffly.
“You’ve got to work harder, Myren!” Travis insisted. Jonah watched silently on the sidelines, arms folded.
“I’m trying,” Lucas growled. But no matter how hard he tried, he wasn’t fast enough, and Travis hit him again and again. His stance and form were perfect, he had studied them while watching the other soldiers, but it was all worthless; he couldn’t react quickly and block incoming shots. He couldn’t think fast enough when he saw an opening. He knew what he should do, but it all came too slowly. He moved sluggishly, fouling up the footwork, ashamed of how incredibly unathletic he was. All his work with Sorokin, working out at the garrison in Port Sarim, was useless if it did*’t make him a better fighter.
He thought back to the battle on the beach, his first real battl,e trying to picture how it had been, how he’d fought and stayed alive. The adrenaline had heightened his senses, made him think faster, made him anticipate what his opponent would do. Why couldn’t he do that now? He tried to pretend it was life or death, that Travis’ sword wasn’t made of wood, and it helped some, creating a sense of urgency. He only hit Travis twice in the entire session, however. When he was finally too tired to lift his sword, and barely could block a single blow, Travis said, “Enough.”
Lucas staggered toward the water trough and splashed cool drops over his aching body. Travis stood beside him, doing the same. When they had both drank and washed, Travis put a hand on his shoulder. “Good work today.”
“Did*’t feel like it,” Lucas sighed.
“Well, you’re not very good,” he replied bluntly. “But you never had any training. We’ll whip you into shape. Be back here in two hours. Boss wants to do hand-to-hand training after this.”
Lucas nodded, and wandered toward the lower decks, where he clambered into his hammock and promptly fell asleep.

06-Jan-2011 05:56:11

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
***
Lucas stared at the page before him, words and images swimming in his mind. So much had happened…and what should he tell Justine? He chewed the end of his pen, thinking. He wanted to write to her, and yet couldn’t think of what to say, anymore. It was hard, having a one sided conversation, speaking to someone who never spoke back. Suddenly, all the trifles he normally would’ve told her seemed bland, uninteresting, and he wondered if she never wrote back because she was just simply bored.
“We’re at sea now,” he wrote, then paused. “Can you imagine, being surrounded by such a vast expanse of water? I haven’t seen land in days. It’s hard to believe they can navigate this…everything looks the same. It’s a wonder more people aren’t simply lost at sea, floating along forever because they can’t find land. Of course, if you’re reading this, this boat must have found land, so don’t worry, I’m fine!”
What a pathetic joke, he thought.
“Once we get to Karamja we must undertake a mission there. I shouldn’t speak of it, but ask your father. It’s a mission of great importance, and one I feel honored to take part in. And nervous. I’m not very good at all this… Don’t tell your father I said that. It’s just that I’m still trying to figure out what it means to be a soldier…It’s not just the fighting, or the killing, even. Maybe it comes with experience. Or maybe it’s just something I’m really not built for, no matter how much I train, fight, or kill…But it doesn’t mean I can** survive this, so don’t give up hope. I’m fighting with every ounce of my being for you, to get back to you, to prove to your father that I could. The coming days will be trying, but pray for me, and pray that this mission goes quickly and smoothly. Know that it is my memories of you, and my visions of our future, that will keep me alive. I love you.”

06-Jan-2011 05:56:37

Quick find code: 49-50-531-56681643 Back to Top