Deadwing's Dominion of Despair IC--[M] Bluemoon and Holeypaladin

[bluemoon]

His answer surprised her, even though she had been hoping for exactly that. Not since she had been a child had anyone willingly allowed her to tag along, but the offer to deliver her to another town was somewhat inviting also. She could start over...again...but there was little doubt the same prejudices against her would emerge. Even if she had the coin to survive without stealing, she couldn’t hide her ears forever. She would be back to sleeping on the streets and begging for work...and when that failed, she would be picking pockets. Was it really a life she wanted to return to? She wasn’t sure, but being around while he was fighting the dragon wasn't any more appealing.

Deciding she could wait until the morning for her decision, she remained sitting close to him, enjoying the warmth of his body, unlike earlier today when she was trying to avoid it. She wasn’t expecting the next dilemma that he posed to her and stiffened when he mentioned sharing the sleeping blanket. “I...can’t,” she replied hesitantly, thinking on how much of a temptation that would pose--to lay so close to a man that she wasn’t betrothed to. That type of contact always led to other things...or so she had been warned by the sisters of the church she was raised in...she was expected to maintain her purity and never lie with a man until married. She had kept the promise all these years, and even though she was not sure if she would ever be wed, she was still determined to stay true. The threat of burning in a cauldron of fire for eternity a very well-weighted incentive.

Becoming aware that she had not answered his question fully, she sighed heavily, then turned enough to face him. This close up she could almost see him clearly. It was as though he had his own illumination from within, something she wouldn’t doubt considering all she had seen tonight. Despite her reservations due to the situation, she realized she found him attractive, albeit a bit rugged. Shifting slightly, her cheeks taking on a rosy hue, she offered up a soft smile, trying to hide the fact that she had been staring.

“What I meant to say was...I can’t...won’t...take the bed roll from you. ...and there is no reason to share, mostly because I am not tired...so you are welcome to it. Those things out there...I thought they were gone..or I would not have slept the night before either. I’ll just keep watch…in case of...whatever.”

In actuality, she wasn’t lying. She was exhausted, but exhaustion was not the same as tired. She was too afraid to close her eyes...and the only thing inviting about the sleeping roll was its warmth. If nothing else, the chill would help to keep her awake...and alert...and being alert was important. The knight had put a spell on the island to hide it, but he had also conjured a protective ring around them earlier that one of the undead managed to break through. So his magic was not a guarantee of their safety.

[Holeypaladin]

The knight allowed the half-elf thief to sit next to him, no longer particularly concerned with the fact that she might stab him at the back, or slit his throat. It had become quite clear lately that her best chance of survival, at least for the time being, was to work together. Her hesitant response confused him for a bit, though he didn't shy away from her warmth either, watching as she turned to face him.

As she turned to face him, he noted her gaze and slight blush, his own eyes instinctively drifting away.... downward, in this case, where he was once again reminded of how short the dress she was wearing was, and the affects of her sitting position on this fact. Listening to her explanation, he eventually gave a shrug. "Don't catch a cold... a cough will give away your position, and you'll die."

"As far as watch is concerned... well, I wouldn't have lasted this long if I didn't have a means of handling that, now would I?" With that, he gave a chuckle before reciting the incantation of a spell he always reserved for the end of each day. "Arcanisstok thesek bikil di Mordenkaiden," he said in Draconic, his incantation causing a hound of similar nature to the horse he had been riding recently to appear. "Doggo here will alert us if we have company... it's the sole meaning for his existence," he remarked.

With that, he lay down in the sleeping roll, his head turned in the direction of the sitting rogue in order to get a better view up her dress. "Night, El," he said. "Think of what you want to do tomorrow... if you want to help me, you'll be rewarded to the extent of your wildest fantasy... but I won't lie to you about our odds of success. The reward is befitting the risk."

With that, he gradually allowed himself to drift to sleep. Despite the fact that he didn't particularly feel like it, the nature of this expedition meant that he would be required to rest whenever possible, and so he had adapted and learned to sleep in even the most restless state of mind.

[bluemoon]

El shrugged at Wilhelm’s comment about a cold and coughing...if anything, she was going to freeze to death before she could be eaten, the night’s temperature continuing to drop and the wind increasing its speed as it was wont to do around water. She picked up on his teasing tone though, smiling lightly at the quip...and as he recited an incantation again, she listened closely, watching as the knight’s guard materialized. She found it fascinating, the oddness of the dog-like beast’s solidity--the swirl of mist that seemed to make up the structure. Even with the slightest hint of light coming from the occasional glimpse of the moon, it appeared to glow, and she couldn’t stop her attention from wavering between it and the knight.

All that changed once the man lay down, her gaze shifting to him as he bade her goodnight and threw in a tidbit that helped lever her decision about joining up with him to his favor. She continued to sit in the same spot pondering his words until she noticed the change in his breathing, realizing he had fallen asleep.

For a long time afterwards she paced, the movement helping to push back the cold which threatened to creep into her bones. She watched the dog, keeping it in her sight, but out of curiosity, not fear. It did not seem concerned with her, only glancing her way when she made some noise. It was silent...other than the occasional low growl..the sound managing to chill her even more than the frigid air.

Hours passed...and El finally questioned her resolve to stay out here alone, her body shivering despite her best efforts to stay warm. Her dress and boots were damp, her extremities frozen. It was just too cold and the thought of slipping inside the bed roll too tempting. Grumbling as she swallowed her pride, she made her way over to the sleeping knight and sat down on the ground to unlace and remove her boots. Her numb fingers fumbled several times before she was able to complete the task, her belt and knives tackled next after she paused for a moment, her indecision settled once she realized they would do her no good in such a small space.

The half elf then slipped under the blanket with care, trying hard not to disturb the knight. She made an effort not to press her back against him, the confining area making it a difficult task. For the longest time she lay there awake, her breathing escalated due to her anxiety over sharing the bedroll. It was the warmth that eventually caused her to settle in, her body giving in to exhaustion as her eyes started to drift closed. She convinced herself there had been no other choice--and no reason to feel guilt over it. There had to be exceptions to the rules. Sighing, she shifted slightly, feeling him closer to her.

“My full name is Eletha Aeris,” she said softly, not expecting to be heard, but feeling better saying it just the same.

[Holeypaladin]

The knight was, for the most part, motionless as the half-elf paced the small, wet island in the middle of the lake. Any hostile intentions on her part would have alerted the hound, but as she had none, the magical hound didn't react to her presence aside from what appeared to be a mild curiosity. As the girl decided to climb in with him after all, the knight did stir a little bit, but only enough to allow her enough room to fit inside the sleeping mat with him. Being accustomed to warding his dreams against intrusive magic, the knight slept rather soundly, despite the pretty girl pressed against him.

Eventually, the first rays of light, along with the expiration of his watchdog spell, caused the knight to wake up. The half-elf seemed to still be asleep... which made sense, as she had been much later to rest than he had been. However, over the course of the night, the magic which had conjured her minidress had also worn off, and the knight found himself pressed against the soft, warm, bare flesh of a pretty girl.

The first thing he noted was that something soft was cushioning his head. Though not particularly large, it was still one of the softest parts of her slender body. As he slowly opened his eyes to see his hand clutching her other bare breast right in front of him, he quickly realized what his makeshift pillow was. Additionally, his other hand had also found a warm spot... right between her thighs.

Slowly so as not to wake the girl, he slipped his hand out from between her legs, wiping off the dampness that had collected. He then began to climb out of the sleeping roll, slowly backing out while keeping his eyes on the naked half-elf inside. He then covered her up again as he got to his feet, conjuring forth his mail and sitting not far from her as he waited to see if the girl would wake up soon, or if he'd need to nudge her awake.

[bluemoon]

Although not typical, El slept deeply through the night, the need to wake up quickly in case of danger removed by the secluded location of the island and the constant surveillance of the guard dog. The knight had also proven to be trustworthy, and once she convinced herself to relax inside the bedroll, she had drifted off, unfettered and dreamless, at least until the early morning hours. With the rise of the autumn sun and a stirring of blankets, the half elf rolled onto her back, her arm pushing up and over, sliding under the sleeping man's neck.

It was then that the young woman slipped into a dream state, a sunny, hot, humid day melting in as the back drop. She saw herself in a field of flowers, the colorful blossoms opening their velvety petals to reveal a center dewy with honey-like nectar. Eyes closed, she looked up at the azure hue of the sky, a breath of warm air flowing over her body as butterflies flitted about, their wings brushing against her in bright shades of red and yellow, the colors bleeding into the rich crimson soil like paint.

As quickly as it appeared, the intense heat dissipated...El shivering as a chill ran across her youthful body, goosebumps covering her skin. A soft moan escaped her lips, her body curling into itself for warmth. Although she did not waken, she did stir, her dream shifting to one that was more familiar as of late...the dark shape of Deadwing overshadowing the field of blooms as the foul beast flew overhead, burning everything to ash in its wake.

It was a short time later that El awoke, finding herself alone in the warm bedding. Blinking and rubbing at her eyes, she looked over at Wilhelm as he sat watching her, briefing wondering if he had been there long. She sat up, the frigid morning air hitting her exposed skin and causing her to notice two things at once...the blanket was coarse...which meant that the comfortable material of the minidress was missing. She was naked...the thought hitting her as she quickly covered her breasts, a flush of heat blushing her skin. Her modesty seemed foolish after the night's events, but with the dawn's light, she felt twice as embarrassed, if that was even possible.

"I'm not getting out..." she proclaimed, "...the dress...it's gone." She should not have been surprised...the knight had warned her that the conjuring spell would most likely only last until morning...when her own clothes would be dry. But she had forgotten...and much to her chagrin, she had allowed herself to be seen in a natural state again. With a aggravated huff, she pulled the bedding tighter against herself. "Can you make me another one?" she asked hopefully.

[Holeypaladin]

As the knight watched the girl sleep, he didn't have to wait particularly long, as it wasn't long until she stirred and sat up, exposing her bare breasts to him once again before suddenly realizing her situation and covering herself up yet again. He gave a chuckle at her show of modesty, but showed no other reaction as he listened to her words, giving a nod. "Of course it is," he remarked. "Foundry reproductions are temporary in nature, after all. Armor lasts long enough that it won't vanish halfway through the date, though weapons last a much shorter period of time."

Thinking over her request, he gave a nod. "I could," he remarked. "But as we're likely to see combat today, I thought you might prefer some actual armor. I know of one particular design that would suit you and your burglary, without proving to be excessively heavy or difficult to maneuver in. Putting it on is difficult for those unaccustomed to wearing armor, however, so it would be easier if I just projected it onto you."

Standing up, he continued, "If you'll just stand like this," he demonstrated, keeping his feet together and extending his arms to either side in a T pose, "I can fit you with a suit of armor that should be sufficient to provide protection for the day... provided we don't encounter anything particularly dangerous, of course. Undead are mostly dormant during the day, but there will still be some roaming around... think of them as human target practice."

As the suit of armor he had in mind was meant to be worn right against her skin, there was no need for any under-layers... and so in order to be fitted for it, the girl would need to stand naked before the knight. However, he had already demonstrated that he wasn't the sort to take advantage of her naked body, so didn't think it was much of a problem... only a good view to be admired.

[bluemoon]

Despite knowing what she was, El did not like being referred to as a thief...or burglar...like Wilhelm had called her. She huffed softly at his comment, then remained silent as he continued to explain what he needed her to do so he could create a new outfit. Her mouth dropped open at his suggestion that she just stand there...naked...in the fullness of the bright daylight...and allow him to ‘project’ a suit of armor onto her skin. She didn’t even know if that required touching, but the idea sounded suspicious to her. Would it not be better to just conjure the thing up like before...but no...the knight had also mentioned it was difficult to put on. That would definitely require hands on if he had to assist her.

Sighing heavily, the half elf narrowed her eyes, staring hard at the knight. There was no doubt the minidress had already been gone when the man awoke...and perhaps he had gotten an eyeful then...but that didn’t mean she was indifferent to exposing herself again. The casual way he had suggested she pose before him...like it was an everyday occurrence...only frustrated her more. Her infrequent interactions with men had always ended badly...with her using her daggers to warn them away. Should she expect anything different?

“I don’t want to…” she said with indecision, her gaze shifting to her knife belt which lay within arm’s reach. Wilhelm had treated her fairly so far, but she still wasn’t sure of his intentions. “Can’t you just make me a dress like before...then put the armor over it?”

"If you'd prefer a heavier sort of armor, I can…” he responded, “...but I was thinking a suit of leather designed to be worn directly against the skin would suit your..." he paused, deciding not to call her a burglar, "Would suit you better."

El huffed again, shaking her head this time. She would need to be able to move easily...and quickly...if she was going to be battling the undead. She did not have strength on her side, just speed and agility. As much as she hated the idea, she knew the knight was correct in his determination of what would suit her best. Internally she continued to struggle with the decision, but she hesitated for only a moment more. Opening her clenched hands, she allowed the bedding to drop, pushing it down her body and kicking it away with her feet. She rose slowly, her gaze holding his as she assumed the desired position.

“Just get it over with,” she said, her body already starting to show the effects of the cool morning temperatures. She breathed slowly, yet heavily, her discomfort apparent although she tried hard to hide it.

[Holeypaladin]

The knight watched the half-elf, noting her reluctance. It wasn't at all unusual for a girl to be shy about exposing her bare body before a man... though the fact that a looter such as her was as shy as an ordinary girl implied that her lifestyle wasn't as dark as it could have been. If nothing else, it was pretty clear that, while she no doubt resorted to theft to survive, she at least hadn't stooped to the level of prostitution. Despite the fact that theft was illegal, he felt that it was easier to redeem a thief who stole only enough to survive than it was to redeem a prostitute.

As she finally decided to take the armor over the clothing, he watched as the girl climbed out from under the bedding, exposing her naked body to him with a gaze he could only think of as defiant. "Of course..." he said, noting the effect the cold air had on her exposed breasts and wondering some things to himself, though he refrained from voicing his thoughts aloud.

"This won't take long," he remarked, reaching out to gently rest a hand on her shoulder. Then, as he began to channel his Foundry circuit, a suit of leather armor began to form around her body, tightening to fit her like a second skin. The armor consisted of some rather tall boots that reached up to her thigh, yet not tall enough to reach the hem of her skirt, which easily rivaled the previous night's dress in its short length. The armor was tight enough to provide a bit of lift to her small breasts, making them appear approximately one size larger than they were. Additionally it came with gloves and a cowl to cover her head.

"Seems to fit alright," he remarked, glancing over her slender form to note the way the armor now clung to it. "How does it feel?" Though it didn't provide full coverage to every part of her body due to the bits of exposed skin designed to distract the younger, less experienced town guards, it provided quite a bit more protection than a simple dress, and even a certain magical aura of illusion and compulsion that would make it much easier to sneak around and remain unnoticed.

[bluemoon]

The process of being dressed by magical means was unnerving, the touch of unseen forces on her body causing El to stiffen. She was not used to such attention, and the only thing grounding her was Wilhelm’s hand on her shoulder. She put all her concentration on it, his warmth seeping into her body and providing comfort through the simple contact. She had seen more magic in the past seventy-hours than she had in her whole life...from the undead menace and resurrection of the dead villagers to all that the knight had done. She knew her elfin side often had the ability innately, but it had never manifested in her, a fact for which she had regret.

As soon as the outfit was completed, the halfling looked down at herself. The armor fit snuggly but was very flexible and soft...something which she noted as she ran her hands down the front of it. Her breasts were very prominent, unexpected cleavage created by the upward push of the leather, something which she normally tried to hide. Even the thigh-high boots screamed feminine, the height pulling her eyes to her bare upper legs. The lower edge of the armor was short...and El could feel the lack of covering on her nether regions...a situation she was becoming quite acquainted with recently. She would just have to be careful when sitting or bending down...again.

Relieved to note there was a hood, El reached back and pulled it up, adjusting the front to sit just forward of her prominent ears. It was the best part of the outfit in her opinion, the lack of cover recently having made her very conscious of the pointed protrusions for the past twelve hours. Wilhelm had never mentioned them, but she was sure he had noticed...and most likely had a viewpoint similar to others. It was what made her stand out...the one thing that defined her mixed race...and she hated them.

Finally done assessing the new outfit, El turned to the knight and offered him a slight smile. “It feels fine...nice...although it is a bit short. I should be able to move around in it easily...although my modesty is in question. I’m beginning to think you like to see me dressed like this...since it is what you conjure up.” She raised her brow slightly, then laughed lightly. “I suppose I have to stay close to you? ...and it will disappear by the next morning?”

[Holeypaladin]

The knight observed the reactions of the rogue as the armor tightened around her slender form, fitting her snug as a glove, with the exception of course of the exposed bits. Noting the way she expressed relief at the inclusion of the hood and immediately covered her head and ears with it, he frowned slightly. "Don't like your ears?" he asked. "I think they're one of your best traits," he remarked, not wanting to mention the fact that her lack of body hair was his other favorite trait of hers.

Noting her slight smile, he gave her a nod. "Glad it fits," he remarks, chuckling a bit as she joked about him wanting to see her dressed in such a way. "Well I can't say I hate it," he remarked. "But really most every armor I can conjure is designed to fit a man twice your size. The female armors are... well, things I've seen before which stick out in my memory. That particular outfit was worn by a member of the Imperial City's guild of Thieves, for example. A different half elf girl, bit younger than you."

He gave her a nod and said, "Yeah... you'll want to stay close. It should last til around midnight... though if you use the stealth functions excessively, it might run out of power prematurely." He began to roll up the bedding into a neat bundle, incanting the phrase, "Jivi, arcanisstok," to conjure forth the phantasmal steed once again. As the bedding was too wet from the swampy island to stow away for the time being, he tied it to the back of the horse to dry off before climbing up into the saddle.

He extended a hand to the half elf in order to help her up into his lap. "Where to?" he asked her. "Have you decided yet what you want me to do with you?" Chuckling a bit, he added, "It's cute how you're so concerned with your modesty in a situation like this... I'm the only living person around to see you, after all."