NationStates Jolt Archive

Skardi screams as the shock buckles and jolts her body, but when she manages to catch her breath she realises that the pain had receded to the dull aching numbness she had experienced the night before.
She carefully opens her eyes and squinting against the light, she finds where Harold is sitting and holds her hand out to him.

"Skadi glad to see that have recovered."

She puts her hand up to her brow, it feels tender to her touch.

"I wouldn't say recovered, but better...."

She manages to look around the room through half closed eyes.

"This isn't my room, where am I?"

She moves under the covers, feeling the soft sheets next to her skin.

"And who undressed me?"

"The doctors did in order to treat and you are in my chambers I brought you here becuase it was the closest bed."

She settles back and stretches out in the bed, arching her back to relieve the ache in her back......
"I'm tired Harold, so very tired"

Sing me your song so that I can drift away and think pleasant thought and dream wonderful dreams




OOC:
Going to be gone for an hour or so will reply as soon as I can

Harold begins to sing her the song.

Skadi drifts off into a deep sleep, at first so deep that often Harold can hardly 'hear' her thoughts, then as time goes on he senses her thoguhts and dreams.
She sleeps for the rest of the day and the next, but Harold contents himself that it is only sleep and she is well.
After two days of constant sleep she wakes, slowly stretching the knots and kinks out of her muscles, smiling contentedly.

When she turns her head she finds Harold asleep in the same place.

She reaches over and touches him gently on the cheek and then lays and stares at his face mapping every line and memorising every feature.

Harold looks over and is rejoiced to see her awake.

She smiles at him a warm and loving smile that speaks a thousand words.

"Good morning my love, I feel like I've slept for days"

"You have been asleep for two days now."

"Oh don't joke with me Harold, no more than an afternoon and night!"

She stretches and yawns and wiggles her head further into the soft pillows relishing the fact that she was completely rested and relaxed.

"I am hungry though."

He hands her a plate of corn beef and salmon.

She laughs.
"A most unusual breakfast Harold",
She eats hungrily.

"You haven't been sat here all night have you?"

"I've been here all night."

She leans forward and wraps her arms around him, then kisses him on the cheek.
"Thank you for being here, thank you for taking the pain away, thank you for loving me"

"Thank you for being there."

She lays back down, pulling him with her and cradles his head in her arm, gently stroking his hair.

"Are you working today? Or can i steal you away?"

"I am osrry I have a ALOT of work to do catch up on."

She sighs and looks crest fallen, but her words are spoken lightly, trying to hide the disapointment.

"Thats a shame, it would ahve been nice to have spent one day with you before the real world caught up with us once more."

"I apolgize."

Before he getsup out the chair he kisses her then leaves.

Skadi sits in bed for a while, wondering what to do next.

I'll go and explore the city myself, see what these people are really like and get some breakfast somewhere other than the palace.

She gets up and dresses in her most plainest outfit, then after borrowing some money from one of the servants, she leaves the palace by the back gate, she and Harold had used coming back from the hunting trip.

On the streets everyone is extremly friendly to her even though they do not who she is and they all are blissful and happy.

She asks directions to a coffee house and is shown to a one that has tables cordened off on a large paved pedestrian area.
Finding an empty seat she orders coffee and pastries and sits watching people going about their business, some obviously hurrying too and from places of business, others taking a more leasurely stroll or doing their daily shopping.

The coffe brought to her are of a rare coffe beans and the pastries of rare wheats.

She drinks and eats still watching, it was a bright sunny day and children seemed to be everywhere.
Obviously not a school day

Getting nearer to eleven, she noticed the tables were begining to fill up with those needing a break from their work or shopping.
She eves dropped now and then to their conversations, picking up odd bits of gossip about the 'woman over the road' or hearing a proud mother's anecdote on the latest exploits of there young child.

In the streets the children sang a song ni their tougue," Armsoa raine arsa saleastea meain ranemea chicnr cara maanea reana neaya muisa runach meavh raniayohnoa."

She smiled at this song, she had no idea what the words meant and berated herself for not knowing more languages, but the children were singing with such gusto (and mostly in tune), that it made her feel happy to watch and listen.
All tables at the coffee house were filled, excepting hers, she moved her chair around a little to allow the people behind her more space and felt guilty at having a table all of her own.

A waitress came by and wanted to now if she wanted anything.

She ordered more coffee and a sweet pastry, for some reason she seemed to be hungry, as though she hadn't eaten for days. She also felt guilty for taking up space without having something else.

She laughed to herself and looked at her clothes.
Perhaps they don't want to sit next to a mad foreigner dressed in hunting clothes......

The waitress brought her food.

She thanked her and poured herself another coffee.
This was a lovely city, the people seemed nice enough, but being here by herself made her feel rather isolated and lonely, which took the edge off things really.

Someone said to her," People are trying to talk to you but you just cannot hear them."

Skadi jumped, splashing her coffee onto the table. She quickly took a napkin and mopped it up before it could spread further.

She looked around her, but no-one seemed to be speaking directly to her, all engrosed with conversation to others.

She shook her head slightly and went back to her 'people watching'.

The person said to her," Relax we just talk telepathically must of us can't read minds though."

Skadi looked around again, there was no indication of who was 'talking' to her.

I'm sorry to ask, but this is a little new to me, who are you and where are you?

I am a born foreigner and I know what it feels like to be new to this place.

Skadi looks around, trying to be casual.

Me likewise, but show yourself to me and tell me who you are, not what you are

Skadi waites for a reply from the 'voice', but none is forthcoming.

Perhaps it's just my own mind playing tricks on it's self?

She calls the waitress and pays her bill, then wandering the streets for a while, she finds herself back at the palace.

Taking care not to allow others to see her enter, she wanders the gardens, for the want of anything better to do.

In the garden some sevants and other people walked around the garden.

Not really feeling in a talkative mood, Skadi skips through some bushes, to avoid meeting anyone.
She finds herself in a small arbor, surounded and covered in a sweet smelling flower reminding her of the honey suckle that grew wild in her nations woodlands.
Sighing she settles herself in it's shade and closes her eyes.

Exotic birds, plants, and flowers filled the gardens."

She listens to the birds, some of their calls she recognises, others were new to her. It was very peaceful and calm here, but she wasn't used to periods of inactivity.

Keeping her eyes closed she tries to rid herself of the nagging doubts that were playing on her mind, was this truely the place for her?

Right near her was a tree bearing tasty fruit.

An unusual bird call caused her to open her eyes to see what it was.
The small wren type bird sat high up in a fruit tree filled with ripe lucious fruit.
Her throat dry, she is tempted to try it, but she remembers almost the first thing she had been taught as a child.

Never eat what you don't know to be safe.

She watches the bird for a while then closes her eyes again.

The birds seem as if they were singing a song of there own.

This whole place seems to be filled with song, I'm sure that if I listen hard enough I'lll hear the blades of grass rejoicing !

It's late afternoon before Skadi feels the need to move from her secluded spot.
She listens for a moment and sure that there is no-one near, she heads out of the garden and back to her rooms.
There she bathes and pulls on a loose robe and after sitting for a while goes to the door and catches a servant walking past.

"Could you find the Emperor, or one of his aids and ask if I am joining him for dinner, or am I to dine alone?"

Skadi sits on the balcony, leaning on the rail watching the sun setting.
It had been a long long day, she wasn't used to inactivity, nor was she used to speaking to less than a handfull of people, three to be exact.

Well four if you count the one in the coffee house, who popped into my head then stopped speaking to me......

She decided that she could wait no longer for a reply from Harold and would get dressed, then sneak down to the kitchens to see what she could find herself.

On her way to the kitchen she noticed an archery range.

She watches the archers practice for a few moments then continues to the kitchens.
The kitchen staff are just about to have their meal and she is happy to take up their offer of sharing it with them, finding herself much more at home with them, than she would have in a dining room full of the Palaces guests and dignitaries.

Passing the range again, she noticed that all have gone apart from one man, who is checking arrows before storing them away. It is obvious, from his uneven muscles in his arms, that he is a practiced archer and thinking of the gift she had recieved, she enters and aproaches him.

"Forgive me for interupting sir, but could you spare me some time to help with the re-weighting of a bow?"

She coughs and repeats her request a little louder

(sorry about the slow reposnse)

"I help where I can."

Even though it's late in the evening, with the assurance of the archer, Skadi races off to bring her bow.

When she returns, bringing her own hunting bow with her as well for reference, they set about checking and adjusting the weight and balance of the fine ornate weapon.

They agree that the wieght is probably adjusted enough to give the bow a try. Skadi restrings it and fires it's first arrow.

It hits the target slightly left of centre.
Shrugging, she adjusts her aim, and tries again.

"The bow had a heavy woven string you must pull it back wuth all of your strength to achieve maxium effect."

She smiles politely at the master archer, nodding her head in agreement,(after all, she had been using bows for as long as she could remember) and aims again.
Holding her breath, she sights her target then adjusts her aim slightly to the right and looses the arrow.

Engrossed and determined to master her new bow, Skadi continues her practice, even after the old archer has left and on through the night.
It's almost dawn before she is satisfied enough to stop.

Returning to her room she steps out onto the balcony, smelling the fresh morning air. The sun had begun to push away the indigo of the night with it's warm crimson glow.

The last time she had seen a dawn like that she had been with her beloved Harold, now she stood alone and feeling very homesick.

On the balcony she smelled a magniffecent smeel filled the air that was coming from very rare and exotic flowers.

The fresh smell of the flowers around her their scent wafting in the gentle morning breeze only served to remind her more of home, so similar was it to a flower that grew wild in her homelands.
Skadi had never felt so despirately alone....

A voice was heard in her head," Open your mind to hear the voices of the people of Valgard."

Skadi looks around again.
Who are you? Are you the same one who spoke to me yesterday?

"I am who I am. I am the all that is Valgard. I am the air, wind, fire, water, earth, and people pf Valgard. In Valgard none ages and dies only when they feel it is their time to pass on."

*She sighs*

I need something real to feel and to touch, all I get are riddles here....

"Child understand I am the soul of Valgard."

I know what you are telling me, but I fail to understand. This is too much for me to think fo by myself.....

"Then I shall teach."

In her mind all of a sudden much knowlegde appeared.

Stop too much hurts me.......please stop!

The voice seemed to have stopped as abruptly as it had come into her head.
Skadi rubbed her temples and returned to her room.
She switched the lights off to stop their glare from hurting her eyes and lay on the bed in the darkness.

Her head ache eases as the hours pass, but Skadi is unable to sleep, instead she lays on her bed staring blankly at the ceiling.

She is stirred from her thoughts by a sound of beating wings and looks round towards the balcony doors as a shadow momenterily blocks the light.
The raven looks at her with unblinking amber eyes turning it's head slightly to one side, then the next.
Satisfied it has found who it was sent to it takes flight and lands on the post of her bed, where it squawks and ruffles it's feathers.

Skadi grins and looks up at the huge black bird.

Thank you Brusca, at least some one is aware of how I am feeling, the raven is a great comfort to me.

Settling herself back she closes her eyes again and comforted that the raven is watching over her, she finally drifts into a light sleep.

When she wakes again, it is dusk.
She sighs and gets out of bed, her every move followed by the amber eyes of the raven.
She wanders to the balcony and leans on the rail. The raven follows her and perches beside her left elbow as they both watch the sun set.

Speaking to no one in particular she talks as the last rays of the sun leave the sky.

"Is this what I have to look forward to? Endless days and nights of emptiness and loneliness?"
She looks around her at all the riches and beauty, but it does not lift her heart.
"Captured like a bird in a guilded cage"

The voice returend and said," You have been imparted great knowledge why do you not understand it though it what I wonder."

Because I have no reference to compare it with, because I have no-one to discuss it with, because it is all jumbled about my head and I don't know where to start, what is the beginning or what is the end.....

"Then I shall clear it up for you."

Please do who or whatever you are......I am a creature who needs to see and feel and this....this mental stimulation is causing me great discomfort

"Everyone shall be made ckear now."

She squeezes her eye closed trying her best to understand what was being told to her, but still nothing is clear.
The throb in her head beginning to get more noticable as she does.....

Skadi clenches her fists in anger and frustration, no matter how she tries to make sense at what she is being told and how she tries to understand, she can not.
She concentrates harder, ignoring the pain that is pulsing through her head.

Gasping in pain,Skadi leans against the rails of the balcony, eyes tightly closed, she tries to fight back darkness that is beginning to cover her mind in a thick blanket of nothingness.
Like an overloaded computor, her mind begins to close off her thoughts one by one, until finally all is blackness and as the last dot of light blinks out, Skadi falls to the floor unconcious.

The raven watches this happen, it's head tilted to one side, as Skadi's head hits the floor beneath her, it spreads it's wings and crys out.
Hopping down next to her it stares intently for a moment, then stands defiantly as though to guard her still body.

"You are now attuned ti the people of Valgard."

Skadi does not hear the voice, all in her mind is black, all is lost in a huge void of nothingness.
She feels herself there, but sees and hears and touches nothing, her body laying still in the darkness of the night.

In her mind a mighty light appeared and said in an angelic gentle voice," Arise and be whole."

"Skadi you must marry Harold soon for he shall soon go to a war that he may die in."

Still locked away in her own mind, there is a flicker of light. The words war and die, echos through her mind, as though they have always been there and have alwasy been part of her.

The raven ruffles it's feathers restlessly, then pulls at her hair, but she still stays motoinless.

Her mind begins to react to what has been placed there.

Harold........my light...why is it so dark? He has been gone for so long........

"I am here for you I will always be there for you."

Her eyes flickered for a moment, she finally recognised a voice, but the voice seemed distant and vague and almost forgotten.
Slowly images and memories began to return from the mists that covered them and a stream of thoughts and questions begin to flood from her conciousness.
Harold? Why am I here alone? Why have you taken my light away and left me with only darkness? Where are you? What is happening?

Her eyes flickered for a moment, she finally recognised a voice, but the voice seemed distant and vague and almost forgotten.
Slowly images and memories began to return from the mists that covered them and a stream of thoughts and questions begin to flood from her conciousness.
Harold? Why am I here alone? Why have you taken my light away and left me with only darkness? Where are you? What is happening?

OOC
LOL....above is me, who the hell or what the hell Squirrel pants is I do not know! The nation just appeared! :p

But her thoughts and questions remain unanswered and this mists begin to close again......

Squirrel Pant's unlesss Greandal's Lair asked you to post that which I highly doubt you are igonres.

"Find answers within yourself."

The words that she hears angers and frustrates Skadi.
Her mind pushes away the dark mists and replaces them with a vivid blood red, her face contorts with the anger she feels and when her mind can hold no more she screams in rage.....
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME? I AM A LIVING HUMAN BEING WITH NEEDS.....I NEED TO BE WITH THOSE I LOVE AND YOU HAVE LEFT ME ALONE WITHOUT HOPE OR CARE.....WHY?

Harold came up behind and said aloud,"I am here for you."

Skadi jumped at the sound of his voice, it seemed like an age since she had heard a spoken word. She turned to face him, her eyes flashing in anger as she looked at him.
"What is the meaning of all this? Is it some sort of game?"

"No i was only trying to let know the people around and be able to understand and speak to them and I am sorry for the anger and sorrow I have brought to you."

"Harold I do not understand anything of what is going on here. I do not understand you, I do not understand what you are trying to tell me, I do not understand this place"

She pauses and looks around and then studies the raven perched calmly on the rail beside her.

"I understand and accept that much in life is different to what others accept as normal, but the word is understand."

The raven twists it's head and regards her with it's beady eyes, then ruffles it's feathers and turnd it's look upon Harold.

"I understand that this raven has been sent to watch over me and to give me a link with my homelands, that has been explained to me."

She raps her knuckles on the metal rail.

"I understand what this rail is made of and how it is made, I understand why the sky is blue and why the birds sing to welcome the new day and why the summer turns to autumn, that has been explained to me."

She turns back to Harold, the anger has gone from her eyes, but he can see and feel her frustration and confusion.

"But what has not been explained is you and your people, so how could I be expected to understand?"

"My people are of higher blood than normal humans we live lives longer and greater than any other men. We are an ancient people that long ago settled in this land and here is where the spirit that you heard began to guide us and give us our great gifts and powers."

"That much I have guessed my love, but why want to have me here fi you do not want me ?"

She turns away from him and stares again at the raven.

"Why do you seek out my kind when there must be many of your own kind, whatever that may be, more suited for the life you expect me to live? I am not used to solitude and silence, I am used to noise and chatter and companionship."

"For one who has life. You are the one that can led me to true happiness and love within you I have read this."

Her shoulders stiffen and when she speaks her voice is full of hurt.

"And you repay me for this love and happiness that you seek, by deserting me and forcing me to be something that I am not?"

"Then I shall no longer and I give to you the choice to do what you wish. If you stay then I no longer do anything upon you that you do not will."

She tries her best to hold in the emotions that she is feeling and stands for a few momants in silence. When she speaks her voice is no more than a whisper.

"What would you have me do?"

"I wish for you to stay."

"And what of you? You will stay with me?"

"I will."

Harold hears an audible sigh uttered from her lips followed by an overwhelming feeling of relief eminating from her as her emotions swirl around her mind.

She turns to him looking at him with eyes filled with tears.
She opens her mouth to speak, but cannot cannot find the words to express what she wants to say.
Instead she closes her eyes and as the tears trickle down her face she lets her mind show him how she feels.
Allowing her love for him fill his mind she wraps him in a blanket of warmth and comfort and then allows the raw emotions of her longing and frustration that she had been holding back go.
She steps over to him and holds him in a tight and passionate embrace and kisses him.

"Then I will stay"

He smiled and said," Thank you."

She smiles back and holds him close again laying her head upon his chest.

'I love you with all my heart and soul."

"And I love you in turn with mine"

She holds onto him as though she never wants to let go, she leans against him feeling his warmth and hearing his steady heart beat.

"I never want us to be parted again, I always want to be at your side, without you I am nothing."

She moves her head slightly to be able to gaze into his eyes.

"Would you stay with me tonight?"

Holding his gaze she shows him the passion and yearning she has for him.

I need you my love.....

"I will, do not worry."

She looks deeply into his eyes desperately trying to read what is hidden within them.

"Why so cold towards me? Have I done wrong? I love you and want to show you that love"

He begons to sing a song in a joyous voice as the one that she had heard at the garden.

At the sound of the song she is again beguiled by his voice and drawn to look deep into his eyes

He countinued to sing the song to calm her.

Skadi relaxes in his arms and it seems to her that there is only the two of them there, everything melts away......

Harold kisses her very gently and calmly.

Her body tingles at his touch and she willingly returns his gentle caring carress.

He continues the kiss and it grows ever deeper and nire passionate.

Leaning into him, she allows herself to show him the love and passion and desire she feels for him as her mind wraps itself around his thoughts.
Like a fine thread of silk she reaches out with her thoughts and feelings and tries to touch every part of him, her spiders web of love clinging and filling every space she could find.

He opens himself to her and acceptes her fully.

As she feels his mind open to her gentle probing she returns his kiss more passionately than before, enjoying for the first time both his mental and physical contact.

He bonds wuth her meantally.

Skadi allows his thought to weave in and out of hers like ribons running through her mind. She lays her head on his chest and closing her eyes allows his feelings to overwhelm her.

Thier minds merge duirng this time allowing to see, feel, and experince what the other is like.

He sees her while she is hunting, blood lust in her eyes as she runs with the wolves and werewolves relishing their kill.
He sees her fighting in battle anger and hatred feeding her murderous cries for vengeance.
He sees the simple joy of walking bare foot in a dew cast meadow as she watches the sun rise and the compassion and care and tenderness she has for her friends and family and people of her nation.
He sees the deep desire and devotion she feels for him and the love she so desperately wants to share........

She sees in him the gardens of the palace..
She see him walking across the plains and medows of Valagrd walking across them and hears him begin to sing for a moment..

He feels her sway slightly as she carefully dissentangles herself both mentally and physically from him.
She takes a step back from him and holding both of hiis hands in hers she looks deeply into his eyes.

"Come my love, it is time to make our union complete"

She slowly draws him away from the balcony and into her rooms.

He follows her actions.

(OOC: I have sent you a TG)

She smiles and leads him further into her rooms, leaving the doors to the balcony open to allow the fresh scented night air to enter as they do.

OCC: Sent a reponse TG.