Nurina considers the question. "To be perfectly frank, I'd have to say no. With that helmet-dagger thing just now, and all the wisecracks, I don't think I would trust you with my other crossbow." She leans away from his mouth and turns her head so they are face-to-face. "I-I'm sorry, but it's just like that. What do you mean by 'personal', anyway?"
His head moved ever so closer to her and he whispered, "you shouldn't trust me. I've done nothing to earn your trust and therefore you won't be surprised when you realized that I've tricked you again." Coliveri brought his lips just a hair away from hers. "I'm sorry for this" he said as he stepped away.
Nurina meant to walk forward to ask why he apologized and what he meant but stopped as realization overcame her again. Her hands were bound in chains with a lock on it.
Nurina looks down on the chains binding her hands in disbelief. "What?" She looks back up into the eyes of Coliveri. "Why are you doing this?!" With that, she rushes forward at him, head lowered, trying to get him to release her.
The guard easily sidestepped her, tripping her but catching her before she fell to the ground. After all, her hands were unable to break her fall at the moment. He held her, almost horizontally and instructed her, "You already walked right past the key. Awareness, my dear, is what you are still lacking. You have everything you need to have, except awareness."
Nurina, still struggling with her hands, says angrily, "And you teach me awareness how? By tying my hands up with a chain? Some teacher you are." She tries to escape Coliveri's grip, and rolls onto the floor, still looking up at him with hatred. "This... TORTURE does not accomplish anything at all!"
"I am sorry. I truly am. But I must teach you". Coliveri pulled her onto her feet with one hand as his other took off his sword and tossed it onto the bed, "complaining won't help you much. The key isn't very far away at all. As a matter of fact, you've walked past it a few times now."
Nurina snorts. "Heh. Do you think having the key would help me any?" waving her hands at him for emphasis. "It's not like I would be able to unlock these, since, you know, my hands are BOUND." Nevertheless, she starts looking around at the walls and floor of the room.
"If you find the key, I will let you go. I suppose I'll also have to deal with your rage when I do so" he mused as he watched her scour the room, "you're getting colder."
OOC: Colder= further, warmer= closer (if you're not familiar with the game)
Nurina stops in mid-search. "Hold on. Why should I trust you when you say it's not that far away? As a matter of fact, it could be with you right now, and I still wouldn't know." jabbing him with an outstretched finger. "If I weren't in such a situation right now, " she says, holding up her hands, "I would be at you before you could say 'Congratulations', make no mistake." still staring up at him.
"I am getting really tired of your games, Coliveri. Just tell me where it is." Nurina's mouth is a grim slash. "If you want to hide something from me, I know where you would put it, and it's not funny."
Once again, Coliveri took of his gauntlet and she noticed the mark of royalty. On the inside of the gauntlet, however, there was a key. He moved to the bed to grab his sword, "just to be safe" he told her as he knelt down and opened the lock.
Nurina drops the chains on the floor. Knowing that she doesn't stand a chance against Coliveri with a sword in hand, she says, controlling her emotions with great difficulty, "Will that be all? I hope there aren't any more such 'tests' like this." She tucks her hands in her pockets once again. "NOW will you show me where to go or not?"
"What do you mean 'where to go'? I've already signed you up. You're a member of the guard now, Nurina. You know when I nodded to the guard at the entry to the hallway? That was my way of endorsing you."
For the first time since they met, Coliveri looked like the young man that he was. The strength and tenacity were still in his eyes but his bravado was toned back, "Congrats. You've got some serious talent."
For the first time since meeting Coliveri, Nurina is taken aback. All anger gone, she finally manages to stammer out "I d-don't know what to say, Coliveri. Thank you." She sinks back, leaning against the wall.
He nods trying to feign smugness again, "Don't get used to it. You've still got a lot to learn before you can fight by my side..." Coliveri snickered, "...not that I need your help or anything. I just figured it might help if my skill rubbed off on you."
By now, Nurina is getting used to Coliveri's bravado. All animosity gone, she comments, "Quite humble, aren't you? I haven't really seen any of your real skills yet, I'll just bet." She hoists her backpack on her shoulder. "Well, where do I go now? Just find an empty room and plonk my stuff?" Suddenly remembering her place, she hastily adds, "...sir."
Finally Coliveri heard (at least one set) the words he wanted to hear. He moved his hand to his sword's hilt and grinned at Nurina, "Are you questioning my skills? I believe you are." He took her hand and led her through another courtyard where a young man and a behemoth of a fighter were sparring. Coliveri shook his head and moved on through an archway, into a large garden. "Perfect" he stated as he drew his sword. "Are you ready, my foolish friend?"
"Questioning? Foolish?" Nurina grins back at Coliveri as she loosens her backpack straps and dumps it on the ground. The next moment, she executes a backward roll and comes back up in a crouching position, hand crossbow primed and ready. "Well, yeah."
"I'll try to take it easy on you...assuming you won't benefit from beginners luck." Coliveri unhooked a knife from his belt and whipped it at her in a fluid motion that had clearly been honed and perfected.
Seeing the knife come at her, Nurina dodges to the side just in time, the blade just grazing her left cheek. Still in a crouching position, she wipes the blood from her cheek and says, "What do you mean, 'beginner'?" With that, she fires her crossbow at Coliveri, then unsheathes her dagger and leaps forward at him.
His sword was already drawn and he parried the bolt, diving into the thick growth of the garden in a blink. Nurina landed with her dagger drawn but no visible target.
From somewhere in the tall grass, a voice called, "You're a beginner as far as I'm concerned."
Whipping around to face the sound, Nurina shoots at the source of the sound and makes a dash for her backpack. As she does so, she sheathes her dagger and starts to reload, once again.
Nurina meant to walk forward to ask why he apologized and what he meant but stopped as realization overcame her again. Her hands were bound in chains with a lock on it.
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
OOC: Colder= further, warmer= closer (if you're not familiar with the game)
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
For the first time since they met, Coliveri looked like the young man that he was. The strength and tenacity were still in his eyes but his bravado was toned back, "Congrats. You've got some serious talent."
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
From somewhere in the tall grass, a voice called, "You're a beginner as far as I'm concerned."
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226