My World of 1x1s discussion
Fantasy
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Pyry (Ji Mei and DD)
The woman's boldness and the sudden exit of his companion made a mixture of surprise and then forlornness come upon his face that might have looked comical if it weren't for the fact a serious air fell between them. "I promise to catch up with you, love," he called after his companion, which he received a timid glance in response and he threw a wink back at her just for reassurance. Then facing forward, Dixon watched as Niel's messenger took her seat, the jovial air about him dissipating quickly as he listened to her speak. Folding his arms, Dixon tilted his head, his eyes glinting in the dim lighting of the room. "Well, your prince fellow didn't tell me an angel was going to be there, honey. I'd have done the job, demon's honor. But what do you want me to do about it now?"
"An angel?" This had been news to her. She didn't believe in angels, then again, she hadn't believed in demons until the one before her had presented himself. So if an angel had been at the banquet, does that mean that they have the power to kill demons? Or at least severely injure them? Either way, Dixon hadn't completed his task and he claimed it was because of the angel. "He is still being afflicted by your illness, but he's alive. He wants you to heal him, or at least stop the continued infliction. We can't travel with him as he is now. He can't deliver your approval for sanctuary either as we had bargained in such a state." She summarized. "We have it on good authority that you have the ability to do so." She left out the part about Ivy, not seeing the necessity to give such details. Dixon had already done a lot of damage to her life as it was.
Uttering a small curse under his breath at letting the part of the angel slip, Dixon took a swig from the mug the woman had offered earlier. Maybe he had too much to drink already and that made his tongue loose. He continued acting nonchalant so that she wouldn't be aware of his misstep. His expression turned to impressed at the news that the prince was still alive. Either he was hardier than he looked or they had one heck of a doctor. That one thought tickled something in the back of his mind but as he paid attention to Una, it disappeared. "Apologies for a job not done, then. But if you want me to lift the spell, you gotta know, sweetheart, that if I do that, the ones that haven't died yet back at the capital will be healed as well." He raised a brow at her, watching her reaction as he let his words sink in.
Una watched him cautiously, unsure what exactly his current thoughts were. She considered his response, "It shouldn't make much difference. Given your current distance from the capitol, the effects of your magic should be well faded if they survived for this long. My lord was feeling much better until we started traveling towards you." She countered evenly. "As you can see, lifting the spell can only benefit the both of our parties."
Dixon was impressed. She didn't seem to step down from her objective, which he thought it was nice to see from a woman. It provided a little challenge, which he thought all men needed in their lives to keep things interesting. It was annoying, though, that her logic seemed to put his words down. Tilting his head, Dixon sighed. "All right, so I do the job. Then that's it? I get a little certificate saying I helped the prince and I can go on my merry way?"
Una watched him cautiously, unsure of his meaning behind those words. Had she not been clear enough in her explanation or was their original deal no longer satisfactory to him? "Is there more you wanted aside from sanctuary? Completing the job is the only thing standing in the way from us completing our objective. Once done, we'll have no further use for you." She stated bluntly. She thought about her absence and the condition of the prince. He needed to either be healed or killed, but returning in good health was more favorable than her returning alone and his casket in tow. Of course, there was never a guarantee for her safety, but the prior scenario would give her family better odds, she hoped. "Do you need to be close to someone afflicted in order to release the spell? I only brought one horse." She asked. She didn't trust the demon to do as he said, not after the mishap at the capitol. If she trusted him to shadow travel, he could travel miles and miles away and the search would have to begin all over again. The prince might not have that long to survive.
Waving his hand, Dixon smiled. It seemed like the lack of threats for him to comply meant that this woman and Niel probably weren't affiliated with the angel. The thought immediately made him relax and he waved down a bar maid to get his glass full again. When she approached, he tugged her arm so that she had to lean closer. With his other hand, he chucked her chin and gave her a wink. "A pitcher, sweetheart, and maybe you can visit me tonight?" he said smoothly, then he leaned in closer to whisper in her ear his address. She giggled in response and gave a small nod before she began to move away. Dixon had to resist the urge to slap her behind, but he still watched her leave before turning his attention back to the woman facing him. Relaxing back into his seat, he raised a brow at her. "Being closer would make the release process faster. And I don't need a horse, you should know that, little lady," he said with a grin.
In the background, he heard someone slam something on a table, the sound of screeching chairs.
Una did her best not to pay attention to Dixon's flirtatious habits. The way he eyed women was mildly revolting and also hardly surprising. He was a demon, after all, he was made up of the worst parts of humanity. She could hardly judge him for it, but it didn't mean she liked or supported such behaviors."I don't trust you'll hold up to your end of the bargain given your record. And especially not when you're already making alternative plans for the evening. You will not take to the shadows." She decided, challenging his gaze. She ignored Dixon's nicknames and increasing noise of the bar. She had more pressing matters at hand than some rowdy drunkards.
At least, that was until a large, strong looking man with a glare that could kill came barreling towards their table. Una instinctively reached for her dagger, though she had no idea why this man was coming towards them so forcefully.
Her comment actually wounded his pride a bit, though his face carefully hid this. While he was a demon, he had some decency. Dixon would have kept his word if it weren't for that angel. Still, Dixon nodded in assent to her words, wanting this matter over with quickly. And it would have, except a rather large man came up to their table.Looking him up and down with a raised brow, Dixon flashed him a friendly grin. "Can I help you, my good man?"
He was met with silence and that nasty stare.
Dixon looked thoughtful for a moment, then exclaimed, "Ah! You here for a storytelling? Sorry. Business hours are closed at the moment. Try tomorrow."
As Dixon continued to speak, the man's breathing grew more heavy, his nostrils flaring like some rampaging boar. And then the man moved into motion and next thing Dixon knew, he was seeing stars and reeling from a punch to the nose. A trickle of blood managed to run down to his lip, which he wiped away with the back of his hand.
A rather gleeful and dangerous spark came into Dixon's eyes. "Oh, so it's gonna be like that," he said with a small chuckle. Swiping up his mug, he took a hearty swig. He looked down for a moment, as if in apology, and then he slammed the mug into the side of the man's face.
Una's eyes alternated between looking at the demon and the newcomer. Was Dixon familiar with him? She couldn't think of another reason why he would refer to him as "my good man" when there didn't appear to be anything good about this man in the first place. The man's expression certainly seemed like he knew Dixon, but not in a favorable way.The punch came suddenly and the body guard had little time to react. Dixon was up after a moment and joining the fight eagerly. Una sat uncertainly. On one hand, Dixon was immortal. As much as the man punched him, the demon wasn't going to die. On the other hand, they should be on their way back to the prince and she couldn't afford for Niel's cure to waste his time on drunken thugs. She stood, opening her mouth to insist on ending the fight when a hand grabbed her forearm.
"Best not butt in that one, lad. That storyteller deserves a whooping for bedding a blacksmith's woman. You'll just hurt get yourself hurt." An older gentleman warned.
Una didn't like the idea of waiting on the sidelines, but she supposed if the man had business with the demon, then he wouldn't leave them alone until the conflict was resolved. That aside, the demon seemed far too happy to be in the fight and hardly likely to end it any time soon. He wouldn't... use his powers would he? In a place like this with so many people watching... would he? She didn't want to leave it to chance.
Waiting for the right moment, she grabbed the blacksmith's shoulder and turned him around to give him a swift blow to his nose with the heel of her hand. The familiar crunch sounded and she knew something had broken. The man stumbled, holding his face and groaning in pain. He looked at his hand and saw his nose was bleeding profusely. This was the point where she hoped the man had enough common sense to leave them alone and go on his way.
She should have taken into account that drunken men don't think logically. Instead, he only became more enraged. Perhaps she should have left it alone after all. He swung a lazy arm at her, which she easily dodged before he turned his attention back to Dixon. Why had he lost interest so quickly? Turning around quickly, she barely missed the swing of a mug of ale, though the rebounding slosh of the liquid made sure to spill itself all over her head, soaking her hood and hair. The blacksmith had friends, apparently.
Dixon swayed a little, put off balance as he was trying to swing at the blacksmith, but the man went reeling in a different direction. Frowning, he looked down at his fist in confusion before he realized Niel's little follower had joined in the fray. And it looked like she knew how to pack a good punch too based off of the man's broken nose as he swung his head to face Dixon again. With a grin, Dixon swung a few more punches, connecting his fists to the blacksmith's gut. Since he was more agile than the large man, and his higher alcohol tolerance, Dixon avoided most of the man's blows, though one punch connected and he stumbled back into a booth filled with people. Ignoring the shouts of indignation, Dixon looked around until his eyes landed on a mug full to the brim of more beer. "Sorry, mates, just need to refuel," he said, taking a swig from it. Then offering them a grin in thanks, he turned back towards the blacksmith.
The large man was swaying in small circles on the spot, the alcohol mixed with the pain probably did a number on him and he kept on blinking like he was trying to focus on Dixon. "Just to let you know, your girl was the one to come to me first," he taunted with a grin.
His words seemed to revive the blacksmith and he came swinging at Dixon. Ducking underneath his fist, he sidestepped around him until he was behind him and kicked him hard in the backside. He watched him fall with a satisfying crash. Looking at the others, surrounding Niel's woman, Dixon sighed. Now, while he liked bar fights, he didn't like it when a woman was at the center of it. Blowing on his nails and pretending to buff them on his shirt, he called out to the other men, "Leave the lady alone or you'll be dealing with some issues downstairs for weeks, if you catch my drift."
Una's new opponent took her pause as an opportunity to land another hit, issuing one to her stomach. This time, even hit, she had more time to react and grabbed the man's wrist, twisted it sharply and kicked his knee inwards to make him kneel and wrapped her slim arm around his neck to choke him long enough to lose consciousness. She glanced over at Dixon, who was having far too much fun in the situation he was in. Again, assuming the man she took out was the blacksmith's only backup, she carelessly dropped her guard and moved to interrupt Dixon when a strong arm grabbed her cloak and pulled her backwards."Leave the lady alone or you'll be dealing with some issues downstairs for weeks, if you catch my drift." Dixon warned, approaching her and the blacksmith's friends. The grip on her cloak hesitated, unsure. Had they not realized she was a woman? Would that make any difference at this point? Suddenly, her hood was pulled back and her beer drenched hair and face were visible. She too, was now able to see the bar scene better and was more comfortable for it. She'd been getting used to the cloak, though, as she and the prince tried to keep a low profile off palace grounds. She was released as argument started bubbling up among the posse.
"Men shouldn't fight women. That's just wrong."
"She fights more like a man. She broke Simon's nose!"
"I thought she was just a scrawny boy."
"Womens causin' nothin' but trouble."
And suddenly it was as though she were immune to being touched. It was an odd feeling, though she was more focused on Dixon's threat. What did he mean by his cryptic warning? He wasn't... going to use his powers was he? The last thing they wanted was to make a scene. Surely, Dixon didn't want news spreading of a malevolent wizard who bewitched women and cursed men into sickness. Wouldn't that draw attention to him when he had been so keen on running in the first place? And she couldn't be seen associating with him either. She gave the demon a course look, intending to caution him against his powers. Besides, it was completely unnecessary. She could take care of herself. He was the one that couldn't seem to stay out of trouble.
"Well I say a woman for a woman!" A particularly far gone man exclaimed. "Story teller took the blacksmith's woman, so if blacksmith takes story teller's woman, then the conflict is settled, right?"
The silence that followed was more concerning than the initial proposal.
"I'm not anyone's damn woman." She stated almost angrily, "I'm taking the storyteller and leaving. Anyone who gets in my way should be prepared to bleed." She pulled out a dagger to emphasize her point. She'd avoided the use of such weapons earlier because she wanted to avoid a scene, but now it appeared unavoidable and they didn't have time to waste. She moved towards the demon and grabbed him by the shirt, exiting the establishment.
***END OF SCENE***
After Una left, Ivy felt a heaviness fill the air as she doggedly kept fussing around Niel, making sure he was taken care of and had proper dosages to relieve his symptoms at the proper times. It felt like ages, waiting to hear back from Una, and Ivy had fallen into a solemn mood, working almost mechanically. All the while, as she worked, she thought of the countless nights her grandmother spent tending the sick in their village and trying to find out cures whenever she could find time. Her fingers absently tightened around the lip of the bowl in her hands at the thought, her lips pressing into a line as Ivy made her way back to the room they were renting. Opening the door, she immediately went to Niel's side, setting the bowl down. "You all right?" she asked, more to confirm he was conscious than to get a status of his health. She dipped a clean cloth in the water and, after wringing it out, she laid it across his forehead.
Niel wasn't aware so much of how much time had passed or if it was even day or night. He wasn't as bad as the night he had been cursed by the demon, but he surely wasn't anywhere close to getting out of the bed any time soon. He faded in and out of consciousness for his medicine and Ivy's regular check ins. He'd constantly forget there was even a cool cloth on his head until it was replaced suddenly.If the demon really was somewhere close, the prince had half a mind to strangle him just for this torture.
"You alright?" Ivy checked in again, rousing Niel slightly.
"Mmm." He groaned. "Same as last time." He couldn't help but pity how hard Ivy was having to work for him. If he were back home, he would have several attendants making sure he had fresh towels and clothes and water and so on. That said, he was much more comfortably than he had been the first night. The medicine couldn't cure him, but it did take the edge off his ailments enough for him to rest.
Her hands were soothingly cool from the water when she switched out his forehead cloth. She let her fingers linger only a moment to make sure the rag would stay, giving Niel enough time to grab her wrist before it left and hold the heavenly palm to his burning cheek for a moment. "Your hands are cool." He explained shortly, closing his eyes and reveling in the touch.
Ivy jumped slightly at his sudden touch and she couldn't help but watch in surprise as Niel took her hand and pressed her palm to his cheek. The heat of his skin made her brow furrow with concern. Biting her lip, she remained still for the moment. Then, gently, she tried to pull her hand back. His fingers might have pressed down on reflex and she hesitated before she stilled again. A little thought came to her and she lifted her other hand to press to his other cheek. "Well, if you're going to be that needy," she said with a fake huff. She might have smiled to herself, but it faded as she thought that Niel was acting rather unusual. Perhaps this fever was making him a little more delusional or something, because he wouldn't ordinarily ask for physical touch. At least, that is what she observed about his rather stiff demeanor towards her.
The prince lamented momentarily when the hand pressed against his cheek, asking to be released. Though he had always expected it to leave, he couldn't help but be a bit disappointed. He let go of her hand, almost resigned to try and go back to sleep when another hand came to rest on his other cheek, just as cool and soothing as the last, and the other decided to stay. He opened his eyes, peering at the healer through his dark, messed curls. Her features weren't the most visible with their limited light, but her eyes were silvery moons, her hair curled flatteringly, and her brow was knitted together, making her look like some kind of mythical creature like an angel or a mermaid that was cursed to come to earth and send him to the next life."Beautiful..." The word escaped him barely above a whisper, but their proximity and surrounding silence might have allowed her to hear. "I mean, thank you." He corrected, lamely. The slip up may have caused him to blush if he wasn't already feverish and flushed. The moment had felt unintentionally intimate and gentle, something the prince hadn't at all been accustomed to. It was both exciting and terrifying and he knew he liked it more than he would ever dare admit to another soul.
For some reason Ivy found it hard to leave, the prince's sigh when her hands met his skin sounded so relaxed and content. It was a little odd to feel the man's scruffy beard under her hands, unkempt from being confined to the bed. Gently she rubbed her thumb against his cheek absently. Maybe the next thing she could do was help trim his beard down, though she was sure Niel would complain whenever he recovered about her barber skills. If he recovered, you mean? The evil thought wound its way into her mind and it made a shiver run down her spine. Ivy was trying to remain positive since this time she knew about the demon's illness and she knew that it can be cured. But as she sat there watching Niel, she couldn't help recall the nights attending to patients with her grandmother. Some expelled their last breath after she had given assurances that they'd be helped. Thankfully, Niel's mutterings drew her out of her thoughts. The echo of his words made her frown slightly, unsure if she caught it right. Beautiful? Did he--? Ivy began to frown. "I mean, thank you." Her gaze looked confused before she let out a soft laugh, her mouth curling up in a small smile. "Didn't think you'd be delirious this much," she muttered to herself. She let one of her hands brush back his hair from his forehead. Ivy told herself that she was checking his temperature, but she knew it was because she wanted to show some comforting gesture. Really, her time spent with Niel seemed to have made her soft since she normally could control her actions, but he always brought out her spontaneous side.
"I'm not delirious." He defended in a huff. He did feel off, but how could he not with the medicine and magic warring inside him? Her delicate fingers brushed his hair back, giving him a better view and her hand rested on his forehead to check his temperature. "You're nicer to me when I'm not feeling good." He observed. For some reason he didn't have the strength to be careful about his words. Instead, his thoughts just flowed freely from his lips. He thought he would be more stressed about it, but oddly enough he was too relaxed to mind much at all. And she was right there, comforting him as he died slowly."I might die before Shell gets back. I should write something for your payment in case I do the palace might not listen to her otherwise."
A little scoff in disbelief and amusement escaped her. He still had the energy to keep on opposing her through his words, it seemed. This brought some relief since she thought if he was really beyond help, he wouldn't even have the energy to speak so much. Ivy matched his gaze before her eyes drifted off to the side as she shook her head. "Nicer? I'm always nice. It's just someone likes to be annoying all the time," Ivy said, flashing a small smile. Her hands still and she checked the cloth to see if it was still cool with water. Finding it lukewarm already, she plucked it up and turned to her side where she dipped it in the bowl. As she wrung it out, her hands still as the next of Niel's words met her ears. Without looking at him, she said, "That shouldn't be necessary. She's on her way back now, I'm sure of it. Una's always good at keeping her word."
Funnily enough, in the time she had traveled with them, Ivy practically forgot she agreed to do this for payment. In all the times she made potions and talked with Una and Niel, she didn't think of money. It was a little startling. Perhaps she was enjoying herself that much?
Niel offered a light smirk in response, maybe she did find him annoying, but he could say the feeling was mutual. Ivy was easily one of the most annoying women he'd had the curse of meeting. She confounded his logic in ways that irritated him to no end and at the same time he never tired of her company. When he stormed off it wasn't to get away from her, but just to give himself time and space to think.He knew parts of her story too. The tragedy of her town she hadn't intended for him to hear, the traveling with the circus, her first outing with some uninteresting man, and her dreams of becoming a healer. Niel couldn't help but wonder that if he did end up dying tonight... would she be able to accomplish her dreams? Would this woman, who he had kidnapped from her life back at the capitol even think of him after he was gone? He hadn't made a significant memory for her that he could think of other than insults and bribes. At the very least, he was endangering her just by his own decisions and she had no idea. If he died, would she be allowed to live as a physician who failed royalty. Perhaps that was why she silenced his thoughts otherwise. Was she scared?
"Mmm." He conceded. She was right. His bodyguard was capable after all. "The demon will come if she succeeds." He noted, thinking of her past, "You can run if you're scared." And with that he imagined her leaving, escaping the gruesome fate he had dragged her into unknowingly. It seemed fitting. After all, if she discovered the truth of his relation with Dixon... and that Dixon was the demon who destroyed her village, then perhaps there wouldn't be hope for her at all. And just like that, her hope of becoming a healer was a pipe dream.
"Run if I'm scared?" Ivy repeated slowly. She wasn't sure if she should be indignant that Niel would think that she would do that. Or perhaps he was thinking of her and the last encounter she had with a demon. Either way, she knew she would stay. What sort of healer would she be if she left in the face of potential danger for herself? Shaking her head stubbornly, she laid the cool cloth on his forehead again and then rose from her seat. "You should just focus on resting. No need to think about me, all right? I think I'll go and get some broth from the kitchen for you. Should I get anything else like pillows or blankets?"
She ignored him, of course, unknowingly choosing a cursed fate. "Naive." He huffed as she went about replacing his cloth. He wondered about that demon Dixon and if he would want to harm Ivy if he knew her back story. If Dixon really was the one who plagued her village and caused the woman's grandmother to be killed, would there be a chance he would want to finish what he had started so many years ago?"No." He declined, closing his eyes again, allowing his mind to swim. He didn't like the sensation, feeling more woozy than rested. Wherever Dixon was, Niel hoped he was he was on his way to fix his mess soon because his patience was running thin on his ailments.
Ivy remained silent about his comment on her possibly naive choice. Perhaps it was stupid to stay. The demon could possibly double cross them. She could even fail and the Errebist kingdom could blame her. Her life could be lost with her choices. But since the fire, Ivy had decided to live her life on her own terms. Instead of being helpless watching her home burn down, she would act out, make decisions that would avoid those fires. Sometimes that meant distancing herself. And Ivy suffered some loneliness for that. However, it sure beat seeing her livelihood burn to the ground. After Niel declined her offer, Ivy gave a small nod in acknowledgement before she left the room. In the hallway, outside the door, she paused and then leaned back against the wall. Her thoughts were all over the place. The night of the banquet came to her mind when she threw her blanket at Niel's face and his rather pompous attitude annoyed her. It was so strange to see the differences between now and then. Now she hoped to pamper him so that he found some comfort since her ministering of medicine wasn't working. She sighed and made her way downstairs in hopes of persuading the innkeeper to give them more supplies.
For someone who could be very well die at any moment, Niel hadn't thought so much about his death until now. Sure, he'd have nightmares about the first time he nearly died and understood that his death was negligent in the success of his Kingdom, but it wasn't until now that he really started thinking about the things he hadn't considered the first time around. Like what his life could be like if he lived. Would he return to his people and continue to put his life on the line for them like this? The obvious answer would be yes because before the prince had even been born, it had been decided that he would live and die to serve his country. Somehow, though, he wondered what his life would be like if he had been a common man. What would he have done for work? Where would he live? Would he have things in his life that he never could attain otherwise? And he shouldn't have thought much of it, knowing that such a life could never have occurred and yet he thought about it more and more because he was dying. And surprisingly he was more upset by it now than he had ever been before. Was it Ivy's doing? It certainly hadn't been his bodyguard... or maybe he perspective was changing now that this was his second time dying.His breathing and fever began progressing further and he couldn't help but wonder if the demon was getting closer. He was in so much pain, but what could he do? He didn't want to die.
"Looks like I arrived in time, what do you think, missy?" Dixon glanced over to the prince's bodyguard. On their ride over, the closer he got to the town, Dixon felt the connection with his curse on the prince. He could tell it was getting immensely worse. The combination of having to share a horse with the prince's woman and just the general boredom of riding made him irritated. He would squirm a bit in the saddle, a frown etched onto his face before he sighed. "You know, the prince is in worse condition. You want speed, right? Well, let's get there my way and I can even bring you with me. That way, you can see I won't be running away, and I can end this ride," he had said eventually.
Of course, there was the option where he could have shadow traveled her away and kill her this whole time. But Dixon was curious to see the prince again; in a way, he felt an almost camaraderie with the prince that he could label as friendship. He steered away from that thought quickly. A demon friends with a human was a preposterous idea. It made him even more irritated that the thought crossed his mind. Just getting them out of his hair and out of mind would probably help him go back to his usual ways.
After having convinced the bodyguard, now he was standing in the same room as the dying prince. He looked over the room before glancing over at the guard again to see if she was any bit woozy from the magic before looking over to Niel. He flashed him a smirk before walking over to him. "You look terrible, my friend."
Despite her initial insistence, the demon made sense. They were moving slow and who knew how much time Niel had left? She couldn't trust him, and yet she knew if she didn't that she would be putting her lord in more danger. The second she began to nod, she was whisked away into the darkness.Whatever she had imagined what it would be like for the demon to slink and slip his way from location to location through the shadows, she hadn't quite expected the speed and spinning feeling to take her completely off guard. Her hands clung tightly to his arms so he couldn't slip away from her. Before she knew it they were back in the hotel room, though the room felt like it was spinning and her legs were unwillingly sinking to the ground. She did her best to collect herself while the demon turned his attention to Niel. Once she regained her balance, she would worry about how easily the demon could incapacitate her.
Niel's sickness was spiking and he knew he was running out of time. Ivy was still off fetching some food and he hoped she might have changed her mind and decided to run away anyways. He hoped Dixon was getting closer because he wanted to finish this sickness quick, either with death or recovery. It was confirmed that the demon's proximity was to blame when Dixon and Shell suddenly emerged from shadows in a corner of the room. Niel's eyes remained open long enough to catch a glimpse and there was an attempt to return the greeting with a smirk, but the prince erupted into a bloody coughing fit and the fever suddenly sapped all the strength away from his movements aside from the spasming.
Dixon watched as the sick man attempted to smile back before blood escaped his throat. Watching with mild amusement, a small memory of the first people he cursed came to mind. He was pretty sure he made them have similar symptoms, though he maybe added boils and rashes to make them suffer like the lady had wished. Briefly, he wondered if that is what angels did. Grant wishes. Except the wishes they grant are supposed to be all holy and good, right? Letting out a soft scoff to himself, Dixon came to Niel's bedside and with a small roll of his eyes, he waved his hand above him, muttering the devil's language as he undid the curse. After he was done, there was a moment of silence and he leaned closer to look at the prince's face. "Still alive, I think. Can't undo the blood and fever effects, but you know, you can get a healer to help with that," he said over his shoulder towards the bodyguard. "I'm home free right?"
Within moments, Dixon had the prince's writhing body settle into stillness. Una might have thought he were dead until his chest finally began to rise and fall gently. She was unsure what made her more nervous, that their dealing with a demon had actually worked, or the fact that Dixon had allowed the prince to live rather than finish him off in a gruesome and unpleasant manner. Her instincts told her there should be some sort of equivalent exchange for the fortunate favor, more than the deal they had initially struck. Demons weren't usually made out to play fair. "Home free?" Una's lips imitated. She came to a stand suddenly and moved to inspect her lord herself. Aside from the blood from earlier and the unconsciousness, Niel appeared to be fine. His coloring had significantly improved and his breathing was smooth and unhindered. She supposed Ivy would be able to check in on him again upon her return. Where was the fortune teller? Shouldn't she be present at such a time?
"I will consult with his healer to determine how soon we can return to Errebist. I would prefer to wait until my lord has awoken, but I cannot prevent you from leaving. Do as you please." Thankfully, the bodyguard was able to regain her countenance and composure to address the demon matter-of-factly.
Ivy heard voices as she returned back to the room, pausing for a moment outside the door. There was a man's, but it wasn't Niel's (and he was too weak to probably be heard anyways), and for a moment she thought some bandits or thugs snuck in. Perhaps she even made a slip-up and they knew he was a foreign prince. Her body turned ice cold at the thought and she was debating whether to slam the door open to cause a distraction or not when she heard a more familiar voice. Una?That sudden chill that filled her body began to recede, though it still left a small shiver in its wake as she realized that Una's return meant the demon Niel made a deal with was inside as well. Most likely the male voice she heard. Inhaling and slowly exhaling to calm herself, Ivy opened the door smoothly and immediately looked over to Niel. The back of a man was turned to her, but something about him seemed familiar. Her eyes narrowed in the darkening light, trying to discern his identity.
"Do as I please? Well, you might--" Dixon cut himself off as he turned around to face Niel's bodyguard when he took in the presence of another woman. A rather pretty one except for the burn scar on her cheek. Flashing her a rather flirtatious smile, he tilted his head. "Oh? Who do we have here?"
Ivy just stared. There was a high-pitch sound in her ears, ringing and blocking out any sound that might have escaped that demon's, no, that absolutely monstrous bastard's, mouth.
Una turned to greet Ivy, but the woman was frozen in the doorway, staring at Dixon. Despite his power, the demon's appearance wasn't frightening. Still, Ivy's eyes seemed wide and alert as though she were surprised. But how could she be when it was established the demon would be brought back to heal Niel?"Ivy, he was just leaving. Niel is fine." She addressed her, putting her hand on the woman's shoulder to gently coax her back to her senses.
Ivy shook off Una's hand roughly, slowly beginning to shake her head in disbelief. Her hands began to tremble uncontrollably at memories of the fire, of her grandmother, of all the shouts and curses flung her way. It was as if she was back to that naive girl who had hope in the world and was watching it torn away from her again. "Why the hell are you here?" She almost choked on her own words.
Dixon looked at the newcomer, his brow raised in question. "Just to save your prince, thank you very much."
She clenched her hands tightly into fists. She wanted to go over to Niel and shake him awake, to scream at him for explanations. "Did you ever pretend to be an angel?" The words were slow, deliberate.
He gave a shrug. "Yeah, for a brief time. Stayed in a quaint village. Lovely place."
Ivy stepped forward, her hand raised to smack him.
The bodyguard's mind worked, trying to piece together the scenario. She knew that Ivy had a history with demons... the pointed question, though clued her in to the memory of Niel's "anonymous source" and how he had confirmed Dixon's identity. Una's body moved swiftly between the healer and the demon. She even allowed herself to be slapped, a small repercussion for the pain Ivy was being forced to endure. It would have been preferable if Dixon could have left before she got the chance to see him, but it was too late to worry about what could have been."Miss Ivy, calm down. He's too powerful to be trifled with this way. If we let him leave, then you won't have to see him again." She attempted to reason with the woman. Turning to Dixon, she again encouraged him to take his leave. "If your business here is done, you should have no reason to stay. Your reward will be sent to the capital as soon as my lord wakes up safely."
Barely noticing the movement, Ivy's eyes went wide with shock as her palm stung as she saw her hand connect with Una's cheek instead of the demon's. Immediately she stepped back, an apology on the tip of her tongue before Una distracted her again. "But, he's-- Well, I--" She looked at her hand, slightly red, then back up at the demon before facing Una again.Dixon looked on with amusement, a grin across his face as he saw Niel's bodyguard stepped in front of him. It was impressive how fast she moved. He remembered their bar fight. It would be fun to see the woman in action again, though maybe next time he wouldn't be involved and he could just watch the show. He looked over at Ivy then down at Una. "Which capital? Pyry's? I don't know if Sleeping Beauty here can guarantee anything. And this missy here," he points his chin at Ivy, " is his healer right? You're that granny's apprentice if you know me from that village. I might want to just hang out here and wait to see how things turn out."
Ivy bristled at the pet name directed at her, again wanting to raise her hand. But she glances over at Una, trying to remember her words before taking a deep breath, she shoved past the demon and went over to Niel. Maybe she can just get things done and over with and leave this all behind once Niel was better. No more demons, no more princes for her.
The demon was thinking about staying? The bodyguard found her place between him and her companions. She didn't like him provoking Ivy after the trauma he had subjected her too. She supposed the worst monsters were good at convincing others of their humanity. She frowned, letting her hand drift to her weapon. She wasn't naive to think she could kill the demon, but she could harm him and if she was quick enough, maybe take out his tongue."Your payment will only be rewarded to you if the job was done. Are you implying my lord will not awaken safely?" Her eyes narrowed at the man. "Or perhaps you deluded yourself into thinking we trust you because you played hero again? If you did come here to uphold your end of the bargain, you gain nothing by staying." She repeated, "If anything, your continued presence is only hurting your chances of receiving what you want. If you're a demon, you'll put your best interests first."
Una's gaze didn't flicker. She knew it was risky confronting him like this, but the longer he stayed, the more dangerous it was for them as well. She just wanted the monster to leave and never return.
((Hm... Not really. Though, perhaps it is good if he met another demon. So far, I have it where he's been alone and his view on demons is based off of what he has learned from people and the church. It would be an interesting dynamic if he meets another demon that is 10x worst than him and make him think about things. The only problem is how he'll meet this demon.))
((Perhaps. It might make sense if there were more demons in Errebist since the advisor is a demon as well (too bad I never finished creating his character), so maybe there is a deal the advisor has with certain demons and lets them run rampant in exchange for serving Errebist for the upcoming war that is planned? But I think a demon causing famine/chaos would be great since it contrasts with Dixon who tried to act like a savior at one point. Oh, and then there's how Dixon was born. I think he'll definitely be more affected if a woman suffers like the one that created Dixon.))
((I almost forgot about him too! I wonder what Niel thinks of him. Or if he's aware of him at all manipulating his father completely.))
((I'm sure he is at least aware that the advisor is close with his father and usually is present during major decision making. I don't think he would know about the advisor being a demon. I think personality-wise they are somewhat familiar with one another and Niel might see him as a bit hard to read, serious, and a bit intimidating. They wouldn't be close but see each other often enough that there would be some sort of creepy uncle-like influence))
((Yeah, I can imagine that as well. I wonder what will happen though if Niel found out that he was a demon. Oooh, what if Dixon finds out? That might be interesting, though I wonder how that might come about. Unless Dixon goes straight to the capital to ask for his payment or something and then runs into Evil Advisor guy.))
((I think that would definitely be a good turning point for Niel in going against the original plan! I would like that. I can totally see Niel getting all peeved or annoyed with Dixon and maybe he says something cheeky/rude about demons and then Dixon is all it's hard to take you seriously when you have a demon running your government.Dixon's reward is sanctuary and some money right? Yeah maybe he goes to get his reward, celebrates his new adventure, heads off to the next town because he heard stories of singing hills or pretty ladies and when he finds the place, it's in ruins because of the demon, who divulges to him some of the information about how he can do what he wants without fear of the angels because of head honcho guy. Also, maybe we there aren't many angels in Errebist because there's such an overwhelming amount of demons in general and it's dangerous for even them to set foot there without being in danger or maybe there could be a connection between strength of faith and the angels. Like, Church of the First Angel in Errebist is basically non-existent, so maybe because too few people believe or have faith so the angels can't be guided there to help?))
((No, no, I think what you said is great! To be honest, I never really thought through as to the nature of the angels only that demons and angels are the only ones that can kill each other officially. So perhaps not only the overwhelming number of demons is just dangerous in that an angel can be killed by sheer numbers, but perhaps the weakening of faith affects them as well. I like that idea. It also could explain why Errebist was so easily infiltrated by demons too if angels aren't attracted to the place if people are all non-believers.))
((This also could have been the plan from the beginning. Like what if the advisor has actually been with the family for generations? He is immortal after all... what if the royals took measures to weaken the faith gradually over time so as to not alert the angels of his scheme?))
((Ooh, and his ability to use illusions will make sure that he doesn't look the same through generations. But I can definitely see that, him slowly weaving further into things until he manipulates them into thinking that their faith is useless. I don't remember if I wrote this, but Errebist has always had poor resources, but maybe if Errebist had suffered other things in the past that drove them into more desperate measures and that is how the advisor managed to convince them? And he just stuck since then.))
((Yessss I like this a lot lets do it!!!Maybe this demon was born from a man who was tricked out of everything he owned by a swindler long ago. He lost his family, livelihood, etc. to a figurative wolf in sheeps clothing. And now the demon born from him dedicates his existence to manipulating everyone around him to put himself into a position of power while simultaneously destroying everything around him?))
((Sounds perfect to me! I was thinking probably hypnotism would be his special ability. Though I was thinking that hypnotism isn't all controlling. I don't know how realistic I should go though. People have to believe in hypnotism in order for it to work and it's technically just a higher state of consciousness so I don't know how much he can manipulate people with it. Unless he's just charismatic and educated and hypnotism just gives him a good boost. As for the person he came from, it would be interesting if he was a nobleman that lost his family and fortune because someone from Pyry tricked him. That might also feed into his hate directed towards Pyry too!))
Dixon met the bodyguard's steady gaze, a touch of arrogance in his expression when he saw her hand on her weapon, but his face quickly fell into irritation as her words were true. He had thought the woman was bland, but it seemed she had quite a fire in her. At least, when it came to her duties or prince or whatever. Ivy barely paid attention to those behind her; she figured that Una can handle a demon after working for Niel for so long. Not that he was demonic, but Ivy figured dealing with a spoiled prince that usually got his way was certainly helpful in dealing with any kind of man. Supernatural or otherwise. As she bent over Niel's face, she brought her hand to his forehead. She tried to ignore her shaking hands and silently repeated her grandmother's instructions in her head as she proceeded to inspect Niel's condition.
After a few minutes of silence, Dixon sighed and then grinned. "No need to get so touchy." He raised his hands up in a sign of defeat. "Who knew I'd find a woman so beautiful but so annoying that I'd rather leave?" He took a step back. "Fine, I'll take your word, bodyguard. Just know, if this was all a lie from Sleeping Beauty over there, his kingdom won't be happy. If there's a kingdom left, that is."
Dixon raised his hand in a mock salute and tongues of shadow rose up around him before he disappeared.
Lie? What use would lying to the demon do? From the beginning, they'd been honest with their identities and their intentions. It had been Dixon who was the dishonest one from the start. Una ignored his words, focused more on standing her ground and being ready to pull her blade. She couldn't afford to get distracted when she was up against a demon. Dixon left and the bodyguard felt her body relax. Suddenly, she became aware by how... emotionally charged she'd been. Why did she step between the demon and her companions? He could just have easily killed them all from across the room and she wouldn't have been able to stop him in the slightest. Looking at Ivy's hands shake as they moved across her lord's face, checking different signs tugged at her chest, reminding her of sweet little Omi trying to care for the sick bird. Una bit the inside of her cheek. She was slipping and needed to re-center herself.
"He's gone. I'm going to check the perimeter. Yell if you need me." She moved swiftly to the door and let herself out. Making her way around the building systematically to confirm the demon had indeed gone.
There was no sign of him, so Una stationed herself outside the door and tried to clear her head.
You only need three things:
1. Your master
2. Your blade
3. Your orders
Everything else is unnecessary. Without her lord, her family would be dead, so his safety was paramount. Ivy is no one but a means to his health. You may need to kill her for his safety. You can't hesitate. You only need three things... She repeated in her head until she felt her heart normalize and her head clear.
***END OF SCENE***
((I think so? What are we going to do from here? I mean, Dixon is going off on his own, but would that be just a huge one off I do while Ivy, Una, and Niel sit around? Or do I have it interspersed? But let's face it, it wouldn't be good to wait for me to get a full-on one off done since I take a long time to reply as it is and I'm even slower at writing one offs...))
((I feel like we might time skip a bit with them until the prince wakes up, maybe have a short scene between her and Una while Niel is asleep. Well you can do whichever way you are more comfortable with I'm not picky haha I usually do one long post, but I also see value in pacing. It might be interesting to have. Dixon's going to have a pretty long one-off in comparison to what I normally do, though, so it might make more sense to have it interspersed. It might be nice to see them meet up again at the capitol, but the trio is going to move a lot more slowly than dixon...They're sending Dixon's sanctuary approval whenever Niel wakes up and is confirmed to be alright to travel, which let's say takes one or two days to wake up. from there, it takes another two days for the reward confirmation to reach the capital. Dixon lurks wherever he pleases for a few days until he decides to collect his reward, reasoning it should be there by now. He maybe takes a day to get to the capitol with his fancy shadow travel and stops along the way for food and drink, etc.
Maybe this is the day he picks up on a couple weird things about the country, but doesn't pay it any mind. He goes to the capitol to pick up pay... so that puts him at day 4.
With the trio, let's say it takes him a day after he wakes up to rest and get ready to travel again and then it takes them 3 days to get back to the capitol, so they would get there around day 5 or 6 depending on when Niel wakes up. That gives Dixon 1-2 days to get a sense of the demon situation in the country and return to the capitol maybe to investigate the demon running things and possibly start to change his perception of humans or at least some humans. Maybe he runs into Niel and gang again on day 7 and updates them on how demons have invaded the government.
Cue undercover investigation montage over the course of two days or so. Gang confirms demon advisor, niel's conflicted, ultimately decides to oppose father and advisor, and everyone somehow gets roped into a crusade to stop the war that is about to break out.))
Whipping out one of her daggers, she pointed it at the demon's companion's throat.
"Take a walk. I need to talk to him and I'd rather not have to kill you over this." Once the third party had left, Una took a seat across from the demon. "If you've got a line of women, I hardly think she should be much of a loss, though if you've trained her well, she may just come back." Her tone was flat but held tension. "I won't take much of your time. You've created a mess at the capitol. A large enough mess that our plans can go forward, but you didn't complete your part of the bargain and we've had to suffer for it. Because my lord was not killed, my return to Errebist has been delayed too long. You must get rid of his illness if you still want your sanctuary in Errebist." She summarized, getting straight to the point.